New Word-Analysis | Page 8

DEFINITION: to do, to perform. The noun "act" is formed in the same way. DEFINITION: a thing done, a deed or performance.
2. AC'TION: act + ion = the act of doing: hence, a thing done.
3. ACT'IVE: act + ive = having the quality of acting: hence, busy, constantly engaged in action.
4. ACT'OR: act + or = one who acts: hence, (1) one who takes part in anything done; (2) a stage player.
5. A'GENT: ag + ent = one who acts: hence, one who acts or transacts business for another.
6. AG'ILE: ag + ile = apt to act: hence, nimble, brisk.
7. CO'GENT: from Latin cogens, cogentis, pres. part, of cog'ere (= co + agere, to impel), having the quality of impelling: hence, urgent, forcible.
8. ENACT': en + act = to put in act: hence, to decree.
9. TRANSACT': trans + act = to drive through: hence, to perform.
EXERCISE.
(1.) What two parts of speech is "act"?--Write a sentence containing this word as a verb; another as a noun.--Give a synonym of "act." Ans. Deed.--From what is "deed" derived? Ans. From the word do--hence, literally, something done.--Give the distinction between "act" and "deed." Ans. "Act" is a single action; "deed" is a voluntary action: thus--"The action which was praised as a good deed was but an act of necessity."
(2.) Define "action" in oratory; "action" in law.--Combine and define in + action.
(3.) Combine and define in + active; active + ity; in + active + ity.--What is the negative of "active"? Ans. Inactive.--What is the contrary of "active"? Ans. Passive.
(4.) Write a sentence containing "actor" in each of its two senses. MODEL: "Washington and Greene were prominent actors in the war of the Revolution." "David Garrick, the famous English actor, was born in 1716."--What is the feminine of "actor" in the sense of stage player?
(6.) Combine and define agile + ity.--What is the distinction between "active" and "agile"? Ans. "Active" implies readiness to act in general; "agile" denotes a readiness to move the limbs.--Give two synonyms of "agile." Ans. Brisk, nimble.--Give the opposite of "agile." Ans. Sluggish, inert.
(7.) Explain what is meant by a "cogent argument."--What would be the contrary of a cogent argument?
(8.) Combine and define enact + ment.--What is meant by the "enacting clause" of a legislative bill?--Write a sentence containing the word "enact." MODEL: "The British Parliament enacted the stamp-law in 1765."
(9.) Combine and define transact + ion.--What derivative from "perform" is a synonym of "transaction"?
2. ALIE'NUS, another, foreign.
Radical: ALIEN-.
1. AL'IEN: from alienus by dropping the termination us. DEFINITION: a foreigner, one owing allegiance to another country than that in which he is living.
2. AL'IENATE: alien + ate = to cause something to be transferred to another: hence, (1) to transfer title or property to another; (2) to estrange, to withdraw.
3. INAL'IENABLE: in + alien + able = that may not be given to another.
EXERCISE.
(1.) Combine and define alien + age.--Can an alien be elected President of the United States? [See the Constitution, Article II. Sec. I. Clause 5.]--What is the word which expresses the process by which a person is changed from an alien to a citizen?
(2.) Combine and define alienate + ion.--Give a synonym of "alienate" in its second sense. Ans. To estrange.--What is meant by saying that "the oppressive measures of the British government gradually alienated the American colonies from the mother country"?
(3.) Quote a passage from the Declaration of Independence containing the word "inalienable."
3. AMA'RE, to love, AMI'CUS, a friend.
Radicals: AM- and AMIC-.
1. A'MIABLE: am(i) + able = fit to be loved.
OBS.--The Latin adjective is amabilis, from which the English derivative adjective would be amable; but it has taken the form amiable.
2. AM'ITY: am + ity = the state of being a friend: hence, friendship; good-will.
3. AM'ICABLE: amic + able = disposed to be a friend: hence, friendly; peaceable.
4. INIM'ICAL: through Lat. adj. inimi'cus, enemy: hence, inimic(us) + al = inimical, relating to an enemy.
5. AMATEUR': adopted through French amateur, from Latin amator, a lover: hence, one who cultivates an art from taste or attachment, without pursuing it professionally.
EXERCISE.
(1). What word is a synonym of "amiable"? Ans. Lovable.--Show how they are exact synonyms.--Write a sentence containing the word "amiable." MODEL: "The amiable qualities of Joseph Warren caused his death to be deeply regretted by all Americans."--What noun can you form from "amiable," meaning the quality of being amiable?--What is the negative of "amiable"? Ans. Unamiable.--The contrary? Ans. Hateful.
(2.) Give a word that is nearly a synonym of "amity." Ans. Friendship.--State the distinction between these words. Ans. "Friendship" applies more particularly to individuals; "amity" to societies or nations.--Write a sentence containing the word "amity." MODEL: "The Plymouth colonists in 1621 made a treaty of amity with the Indians."--What is the opposite of "amity"?
(3.) Give a synonym of "amicable." Ans. Friendly.--Which is the stronger? Ans. Friendly.--Why? Ans. "Friendly" implies a