Prev | Current Page 31 | Next

Swinton, William, 1833-1892

"New Word-Analysis Or, School Etymology of English Derivative Words"


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.


Pages:
19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43