Dharma and karma are terms that are primarily used in Buddhism and Hinduism, though the word karma has increasingly come into use in English. We will examine the definitions of the terms dharma and karma, where they came from and some examples of their use in sentences. Dharma is the underlying nature of reality, the cosmic law that powers all things through right action. Dharma describes this immutable force, as well as the duty expected from each individual to contribute …
The term drive-by is increasingly used as an adjective in many different circumstances. We will examine the meaning of the word drive-by, where it came from and some examples of its use in sentences. Drive-by is an adjective that describes something done in a hurried manner, something done on the run or in a careless fashion. The term drive-by came into use in the 1970s-1980s, primarily to describe murders performed by shooting from a moving car or drive-by shootings. The …
Deposition and disposition are two words that are similar in spelling and pronunciation, and are sometimes confused. We will examine the differing definitions of deposition and disposition, where these two words came from and some examples of their use in sentences. Deposition has several meanings. One meaning of deposition is the process of depositing something. A second meaning of deposition is the removal of someone from office or authority, particularly a king or queen. Most often, the word deposition is …
Fame and defame are two words that are sometimes confused, as they are not exact antonyms but they are related. We will examine the definitions of the words fame and defame, where they came from and some examples of their use in sentences. Fame is a state in which one is known by many, having the stature of celebrity. Fame carries the connotation of people or things that are well known for something positive. The noun fame comes from the …
The term debauchery dates back to the 1640s. We will examine the definition of the word debauchery, where it came from and some examples of its use in sentences. Debauchery is an excessive participation in physical pleasure, especially sex, drugs and alcohol. Debauchery is immoral behavior, though not necessarily illegal behavior, and is extreme. Â The plural form of debauchery is debaucheries. The verb form is debauch, which means to corrupt someone by means of sex, alcohol, drugs or other physical …
Monetize and demonetize are antonyms. Antonyms are two or more words that have opposing meanings. We will examine the definitions of monetize and demonetize, where these words came from and some examples of their use in sentences. Monetize means to convert something into money, to generate revenue from something, to earn a profit from a good or service. The word monetize is often used in business to describe turning a service that is initially offered to the public for free, into …
Depose and dispose are two words that are sometimes confused, as they are close in spelling and pronunciation. We will examine the definitions of the words depose and dispose, where these words came from and some examples of their use in sentences. Depose has two distinct meanings. The first meaning of depose is to remove from office in a sudden manner, and by force. The second meaning is to take a statement of evidence from a witness outside of court …
Depute and dispute are two words that are pronounced and spelled in a similar fashion, but have different meanings. We will examine the definitions of depute and dispute, where these two words came from and some examples of their use in sentences. Depute means to appoint someone to be in charge of something, to instruct someone to be responsible for something, to appoint someone as your agent to act in your behalf. In Scotland, a depute is someone who is …
The word docent is used in American English and British English, with very different definitions. We will examine the meaning of the word docent in American English and in British English, where the term came from and some examples of its use in sentences. In British English, the term docent is a title that denotes an academic appointment that ranks below a professor. It is a title that is used in many European institutions of higher learning. In American English, …
Hey, word nerds! Brace yourselves because I’m venturing into a labyrinth only to run into a dead end today. Don’t worry! This isn’t a frustrating cul-de-sac or roadblock; it’s an intriguing idiom I’m going to dissect for you. Ready to take this road less traveled? Dead End Meaning Explained When you hear someone say dead end, you might instantly picture a road or path that abruptly terminates with no exit. This is precisely what this phrase denotes — a situation …