Make Your Point: SILO

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pronounce SILO:

SIGH lo

connect this word to others:

A silo is a powerful metaphor from the world of agriculture.

So is a harrow. Could you explain what a harrow does on a farm, and what it means to have a harrowing nightmare?

definition:

"Silo" probably trace back to a Greek word, siros, meaning "a pit in the ground for storing corn."

We've used "silo" in English since 1835 or so. In its literal sense, a silo is a protective underground or aboveground storage container for something, like grain or coal, or a nuclear warhead. Silos are often shaped like cylindrical towers.

(Source)

In its figurative sense, a silo is an isolated situation where, although things or people are safe and protected, they're not allowed to grow, spread, or integrate with other things.

If you silo your corn, you store it in a silo. And if you silo people or abstract things, you store them away in some isolated place, which keeps them safe and protected, but stops them from growing, spreading, or integrating with other things.

grammatical bits:

Part of speech:

Both a noun ("That knowledge is in a silo") and a verb ("They siloed that knowledge").

Other forms:

Silos; siloed, siloing.

how to use it:

If you say that you're in a silo, or say that you feel siloed in some situation, then you're providing a more stark, more frightening, more unusual image than if you were to say that you're in a bubble, or on an island, or in a black box.

Assuming your readers have seen a silo standing tall and lonely on a farm, they'll understand that you mean you feel protected but isolated and prevented from developing.

You might talk about situations that silo you or that silo groups of people. For example, students might feel siloed when they're stuck in only Advanced Placement classes. Or, readers might feel siloed when they get their news from the same three sources every day.

examples:

"I don't have plans to come out with my own haircare line... That would really silo me when it comes to the products that I use."
— Abbey Yung, I Need to Get This Off My Chest... GRWM While I Explain Everything, 21 June 2023

"[A coalition of activists is pushing] back against Facebook's usual approach of tackling moderation issues on a country-by-country basis. 'The point of siloing moderation out across different countries is to set different benchmarks as to what they’re willing to change.'"
— Russell Brandom, quoting Thenmozhi Soundararajan, The Verge, 18 May 2018

has this page helped you understand "silo"?

Awesome, I'm glad it helped!

Thanks for letting me know!
If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

study it:

Explain the meaning of "silo" without saying "isolate" or "imprison."

try it out:

Fill in the blank: "(Two very interconnected things) can't be siloed."

Example 1: "Logic and emotion can't be siloed."

Example 2: "Social issues and economic justice can't be siloed. [Bernie Sanders'] record on both choice and inequality is strong. But to insist that they're separate issues is fallacy."
— Gary Legum, Salon, 16 September 2015

before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

Our game for this month is "Oh Hey, That's the Title!"

I'll give you a short excerpt from a novel, a play, or a short story. In this excerpt, a character or a narrator actually says the story's title. (If not verbatim, then almost.) And you give me the story's title.

Highlight the hints if you need them, and see the answer by scrolling all the way down. Enjoy!

Try this one today:

"I'd rather you shot at tin cans in the back yard, but I know you'll go after birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin _____ _____ _____ _____.”

To reveal the hints below, highlight the hidden white text.

Hint 1: This story was published in the year... 1960.
Hint 2: This story was written by... Harper Lee.
Hint 3: The first letters of each word in this title are... "T____ K____ a M____.."

review this word:

1. Opposites of SILO include

A. PLANT and INVEST.
B. REAP and HARVEST.
C. UNITE and INTERMINGLE.

2. A Reddit user complained about "silos at work," with "_____."

A. equipment breaking down
B. leaders hoarding knowledge
C. workers clocking in early for each other

a final word:

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.

From my blog:
On vocabulary...
  36 ways to study words.
  Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
  How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.

From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

A 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.

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