Make Your Point > Archived Issues > SHOPWORN
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connect today's word to others:
When an expression is old and dull, like an item that's been displayed for too long, it's shopworn.
And when an expression is old and dull, like a horse that's been ridden for too long, it's h_____ed.
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
make your point with...
"SHOPWORN"
Something literally shopworn is worn out (and therefore less valuable) from being displayed for too long in a shop.
And something figuratively shopworn is worn out and unimpressive from being used too often.
Pronunciation:
SHOP worn
Part of speech:
Adjective.
(Adjectives are describing words, like "large" or "late."
They can be used in two ways:
1. Right before a noun, as in "a shopworn thing."
2. After a linking verb, as in "It was shopworn.")
Other forms:
none
How to use it:
You might be quite literal and talk about shopworn toys, books, furniture and so on. And you might talk about shopworn places: shopworn dives, shopworn motels. But we'll focus on the figurative meaning.
That is, we talk about shopworn advice and expressions, shopworn ideas and schemes, shopworn approaches and strategies, shopworn characters and narratives, shopworn songs and music, shopworn arguments and reasoning, shopworn boasts, shopworn optimism, and so on.
examples:
I cringed at the shopworn descriptions on his resume: "systems guru," "coding monkey," and worst of all, "IT ninja."
The essay started off so crisp, full of humor and dialogue, but it devolved into a shopworn narrative about the hidden value of failure.
study it now:
Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "shopworn" means when you can explain it without saying "stale" or "trite."
try it out:
Fill in the blanks: "(A particular song, story, article, book, or movie) suggests that (something in particular is true or important about life), a theme that's growing shopworn."
Example: "Her article suggests that new moms should listen a little less to other people's advice and a little more to their own hearts, a theme that's growing shopworn."
before you review:
Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first.
This month, see if you can associate a snippet of song lyrics with a word we’ve studied before. For example, here's Dave Matthews: "Wasting time, let the hours roll by doing nothing for the fun. A little taste of the good life." Those lyrics call to mind the word LOTUS-EATING.
From our previous issue:
In "The Fear," Lily Allen sings:
"I want to be rich and I want lots of money.
I don't care about clever, I don't care about funny.
I want loads of clothes and [truckloads] of diamonds."
Do those lyrics call to mind the word ACQUISITIVE, INCISIVE, or LACKADAISICAL? Why?
Answer: ACQUISITIVE. It's another word for "greedy." An acquisitive person wants to acquire things: get them, keep them, squirrel them away.
Try this today:
In "Somebody That I Used to Know," Gotye sings:
"But you didn't have to cut me off
Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing
And I don't even need your love
But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough...
Now you're just somebody that I used to know."
Do those lyrics call to mind the word NASCENT, NONENTITY, or NUMINOUS? Why?
review today's word:
1. The opposite of SHOPWORN is
A. SPRY.
B. NOVEL.
C. TAILORED.
2. It's a shopworn story _____.
A. of boy meets girl
B. and rich with symbolism
C. with an equally offbeat soundtrack
Answers are below.
a final word:
Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From Liesl's blog:
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
Answers to review questions:
1. B
2. A
When an expression is old and dull, like an item that's been displayed for too long, it's shopworn.
"SHOPWORN" Something literally shopworn is worn out (and therefore less valuable) from being displayed for too long in a shop. Part of speech: Other forms:
I cringed at the shopworn descriptions on his resume: "systems guru," "coding monkey," and worst of all, "IT ninja."
Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "shopworn" means when you can explain it without saying "stale" or "trite."
Fill in the blanks: "(A particular song, story, article, book, or movie) suggests that (something in particular is true or important about life), a theme that's growing shopworn."
Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first.
1. The opposite of SHOPWORN is
Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. |