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When "boring" is too vague and "everyday" isn't harsh enough, you need "workaday" to talk about the truly plodding, dull, unoriginal things in life.
Other nuances of "boring" include j_j___, meaning totally uncreative and uninteresting, and h___n__ed, meaning unimpressive because it's been done soooo many times before. Could you recall both?
make your point with...
"WORKADAY"
It was originally written as "worky day," then "work-a-day," and now it's "workaday." Workaday things are ordinary and boring in a way that reminds you of the dull routine of a workday.
Pronunciation:
WORK uh day
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 "workaday drudgery."
2. After a linking verb, as in "This drudgery is workaday.")
Other forms:
None, but like with many adjectives, you can treat it like a noun to talk about "the workaday," meaning workaday things.
How to use it:
The most literal way to use this word is to talk about stuff related to your workday: your workaday routine, your workaday commute, the workaday grind, your workaday 9-to-5 responsibilities, etc.
More loosely, apply "workaday" to objects and other things that are ordinary, dull, and not exceptional in any way: workaday garments, workaday chores and tasks, workaday movies with workaday plot lines and workaday settings, a workaday ad campaign, workaday houses with workaday landscaping, and so on.
You can also be abstract and figurative: our workaday world, some workaday matter or concern, a workaday lifestyle, workaday drudgery, workaday worries, workaday assiduity, etc.
examples:
Daytime television shows seem so painfully workaday. Or maybe I'm misjudging them based only on what I've been subjected to in waiting rooms.
To-do lists don't reveal the day's joys. You see workaday tasks on mine--schedule an appointment, pay a bill, run an errand--but not the important stuff requiring no reminders: plan a surprise for my husband, laugh and read with my daughter, think of my grandmother as I spread out a quilt.
study it now:
Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "workaday" means when you can explain it without saying "ordinary" or "blah."
try it out:
Think of something you like that's really special and interesting, and fill in the blanks: "Especially compared to all the workaday (other things), (the thing I like) is exceptional."
Example: "Especially compared to all the workaday novels for young readers, The City of Ember is exceptional."
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.
Well-Named Creatures:
Some names for animals and other creatures define themselves instantly or after a brief moment’s thought: anteater, grasshopper, hummingbird, seahorse, octopus (eight-foot). But other names deserve some exploration; they hold hidden clues about what the animals look like or what they do. And sometimes the names reveal how baffled people were when they first caught a glimpse of the creatures and tried to name them. This month, I’ll give you the literal meaning of a creature's name, and you come up with what it is. Answers will appear in alphabetical order this month. (Oh, and the answers might be animals, birds, insects, or even extinct creatures.) Enjoy!
From yesterday: A "flat foot" is a p______.
Answer: It's a platypus! The name comes straight from Greek.
Try this one today: A "spiny hog" is a p______.
review today's word:
1. The opposite of WORKADAY is
A. LAZY
B. ASSIDUOUS
C. EXTRAORDINARY
2. They seem to have this bleak view that there's no room for _____ in our workaday world.
A. flexibility
B. imagination
C. advancement
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. B
When "boring" is too vague and "everyday" isn't harsh enough, you need "workaday" to talk about the truly plodding, dull, unoriginal things in life.
"WORKADAY" It was originally written as "worky day," then "work-a-day," and now it's "workaday." Workaday things are ordinary and boring in a way that reminds you of the dull routine of a workday. Pronunciation: Part of speech:
Daytime television shows seem so painfully workaday. Or maybe I'm misjudging them based only on what I've been subjected to in waiting rooms.
Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "workaday" means when you can explain it without saying "ordinary" or "blah."
Think of something you like that's really special and interesting, and fill in the blanks: "Especially compared to all the workaday (other things), (the thing I like) is exceptional."
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 WORKADAY is
To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
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