Five Words You Thought You Knew the Meaning of

The english language is a marvellous thing although it does get very tricky. For every rule in the language there are five words that break it. What is also interesting is the meaning of words and how we use them, misuse them and underuse them. So being the cunning linguist I am, I’m going to share with you ten words that you may not have known the meaning of after all. No fancy definitions to get your head around, either. Just plain English to tell you about some not so plain English. Let’s start with…

Start

It may, in fact, start you to learn that starting is more than just beginning an action. Starting can be an action all on its own. When you’re sitting quietly alone and suddenly thunder claps above you and you jump, that’s being started. Sudden movements resulting from your surprise is your start.

Anyone else wondering who got confused and added the L?

Intercourse

This is a word a lot of people are familiar with in terms of sex, but what does it really mean? Well intercourse really just means interaction. Intercourse is communication between separate individuals – from bugs to nations – and the sharing of thoughts and feelings. We’re having intercourse right here and right now.

And you didn’t even need to buy me dinner first.

Prosecute

Since I had the idea for this article, I decided to prosecute it. This word gets thrown around a lot in Law and Order and similar police and court dramas but is that all we can get out of it? My above statement suggests otherwise. To prosecute means to work to completion of something you’ve begun.

No continue prosecuting your reading.

Abbreviate

I was thinking of writing you out twenty words but I abbreviated the article to just ten. So this word is an easy one. Most people think of an abbreviation in writing – that thing where you take away letters from a words to shorten it. Well you can abbreviate anything you want. Abbreviate just means to shorten.

So if your next victim tries to run, just abbreviate their legs.

Resort

Now what’s this word? Is it a luxury beach hotel? Is it the option you go to when all other options are exhausted? Well there’s a theme among all the meanings of resort and that is travel. Resort can also simply mean to go somewhere and especially somewhere you go a lot.

And there you go! Five words you thought you’ve been using in a far too limited scope. When you really think about it, it all makes sense. Now you’ve got five words you can use a whole lot more in your day to day life!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I must resort to the bathroom.