Make Your Point > Archived Issues > TERSE

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explore the archives: Today's "terse" is another word for "concise:" that is, anything terse is expressed in a very brief way. Because you can define "terse" as "using few words," you might wonder if you can apply this word to people who use few words. Can you say, for instance, "my friend is so terse?" Well, yes. But it's not very common. "Terse" usually describes things said or written, not people who say or write few words. For those folks, though, we've got some great alternate words: tac_____, for people who are reluctant to add to the conversation, and lac____, for people who use so few words that they seem either rude or mysterious. make your point with... "TERSE" We took the word "terse" from a Latin one that means "neat, clean, or wiped off." Terse things and people waste no words. It's as if they've wiped their speech or writing clean of any unnecessary words or phrases. They're making a point while using a minimum of words. Because terseness can be a little short and snippy, "terse" can also mean "using so few words that it's rude." Pronunciation: TURSS (rhymes with "curse") 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 terse summary." 2. After a linking verb, as in "The summary was terse.") Other forms: terser, tersest; tersely; terseness How to use it: Talk about terse comments, terse statements, terse emails and letters, terse dialogue, terse advice, a terse reply, a terse description, terse greetings and dismissals, a terse request, a terse writing style, a terse manner of speaking, and so on. Note that "terse" does not often describe people or personalities. It usually describes things that you say or things that you write. "Terse" often has a positive tone, emphasizing the neat, concise, economic way in which an idea is expressed. The original meaning of "terse" was literally "wiped, brushed, smoothed," and it was used to describe clean streets and smooth faces. Keep this history in mind as you describe terse things. You're hinting that all possible extra, messy, unneeded words have been brushed away from something, leaving it clean and neat. However, "terse" can also have a negative tone: "I emailed him a detailed list of ideas, so his terse reply felt like a slap." examples: No issue of "Make Your Point" has ever been terse. Sorry! But my goal is to go deep into words with you. I can't do it concisely. Strunk and White were the cheerleaders of terseness. "Omit needless words" was their terse advice...about terseness. (Again, terseness is not one of my virtues.) study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "terse" means when you can explain it without saying "every word is necessary" or "expressed with the fewest words possible." try it out: Think of a situation in which it's best to avoid rambling and get to the point, and fill in the blanks: "When you have to _____, be terse. No one (wants/needs) to hear _____." Example: "When you have to request a refund, be terse. No one wants to hear the epic saga about how your purchase didn't work out." 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. When it comes to word roots, everybody knows what some of them mean, like “ambi/amphi” (“both”) and “circum” (“around”) and “hetero” (“different”). This knowledge helps you explain why words like “automobile” and “autobiography” look similar—in this case, it’s because they both involve the concept of “self.” But what about some of the less obvious roots? Could you explain, for example, why “contain” looks so much like “sustain” by defining “tain”? This month, we're exploring the meanings underlying common words you know. You can usually figure these out by looking for an extremely basic concept common to all the words in each group. We’ll start with easier, more obvious roots and move on to trickier ones as the month goes on! Yesterday's question:  In apprehensive, comprehension, prehensile, and reprehend, what does “prehen” mean? Answer: To grasp.  Try this one today: In accrue, crescent, decrease, excrete, increase, and recruit, what does “cru/cre” mean?  review today's word: 1. The opposite of TERSE is A. TACTFUL B. SUCCINCT C. VERBOSE 2. _____ and terse, the poem spans _____ lines. A. Compact .. just eight B. Expansive .. a full four hundred C. Poignant .. twenty increasingly image-laden Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. C 2. A