What is the meaning of ‘moxie’? (K Rajesh, Delhi)
First, let us deal with the pronunciation of this word. The first syllable rhymes with ‘box’, ‘fox’ and ‘pox’, and the ‘ie’ in the second sounds like the ‘i’ in ‘bit’, ‘sit’ and ‘hit’. It is pronounced ‘MOK-si’ with the stress on the first syllable. The word is mostly used in informal contexts to mean determined. A person with moxie is a fighter; he does not give up easily - no matter how often he is knocked down, he gets up. He is courageous in adversity.
Suraj showed a lot of moxie when he questioned some of the CEO’s decisions.
The girl has a lot of moxie in her. There’s no way she’s going to give up now.
The word comes from the name of a soft drink that was quite popular in the States in the early twentieth century. The advertisements claimed that the drink would ‘build up your nerve’. It is possible to buy a can of Moxie even today.
What is the difference between ‘terrified’ and ‘petrified’? (V Radhika, Madurai)Both words suggest that you are extremely scared or frightened of something or someone; you are in a state of panic. When you are ‘terrified of’ something, you may choose to run or you may stand still because you are too scared to move. When you are petrified, you become paralysed; you stand there like a stone. You are too scared to move. The word ‘petrified’ comes from the Latin ‘petra’ meaning ‘stone’.
When they saw the tiger, the terrified villagers ran into their houses.
When the villager saw the tiger, he was petrified.
What is the meaning of ‘in the groove’? (Ajit Kumar, Vizag)The ‘oove’ in ‘groove’ rhymes with the ‘ove’ in ‘prove’ and ‘move’. A ‘groove’ is a long, thin cut on a hard surface. For example, sliding doors and windows have grooves cut into them. They make it possible for a person to slide the door/window easily. When you say that you are ‘in the groove’, what you are suggesting is that you are doing something quite easily, without any real effort.
When Federer returns in 2017, it’ll probably take him time to get in the groove.
Anand didn’t like being a Manager at first; but now, he’s getting in the groove.
When you are bored of doing something over and over again, you say you are ‘stuck in a groove’. You have been doing the same thing for a long time and have become very set in your ways.
Anita’s job no longer excites her. She’s stuck in a groove.
Is it okay to say, ‘It’s high time you clean the motorcycle’? (M Priya, Chennai)No, it is not. It should be ‘cleaned’ and not ‘clean’. The expression ‘high time’ is mostly used in informal contexts to mean that it is time to do something that should have been done a long time ago. In other words, you have unnecessarily delayed doing something. It’s high time Laxman bought a new car.
It’s high time that the children went to bed.
courtesy:the hindu
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