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October 18 & 19, 2003 relent (re LENT) The verb relent means to allow something to be done or to give in to a demand after first having refused to do so. "We cannot relent and we can't yield," President Bush said in reference to the war on terrorism. Ultimately, the governor relented and agreed to take part in the debate. The party leaders showed no signs of relenting, insisting they would oppose a vote at all costs. The banks relented and promised to keep interest rates at current levels. October 17, 2003 plaudits (PLAW dits) The noun plaudits refers to praise or approval. Mr Bower said Mr Thaksin had earned plaudits for overtaking Singapore's efforts to integrate Southeast Asia through an economic community. New Delhi had not received such plaudits in years. After a batch of tax cuts presented on August 31 to widespread plaudits, the prime minister mistakenly thought he could relax. The company also produces films and soap operas, many of which have won plaudits from local critics. October 16, 2003 impregnable (im PREG na bul) The adjective impregnable refers to a place which cannot be broken into or captured or to a person or group that cannot be defeated. Security measures would make Apec venues impregnable to any terrorist attempts, the foreign minister said. The remote mountainous region has offered nearly impregnable hideouts for criminals, arm dealers and rebel forces for at least 200 years. The American pair built a seemingly impregnable 6-1, 4-0 lead, only to lose in three dramatic sets. The complex cross-shareholdings made the companies virtually impregnable to hostile takeovers. October 15, 2003 sidetracked (SAYD trakt) The adjective sidetracked means to have something cause you to forget or to be unable to do or say what you intended and to start doing or saying something else. The verb form is sidetrack. The APEC forum was sidetracked by the 1997 financial crisis in Asia and problems between Indonesia and East Timor in 1999. The health care issue is too important to be sidetracked by politics. Turkey's bid to become a member of the European Union was sidetracked over its crackdown on the Kurds. Bush's advisors felt he had gotten off-message, sidetracked by internal disagreements within his administration. October 14, 2003 grip Both the noun and verb forms of grip refer to a very firm hold or grasp. This can be a physical hold, but it can also be mental or figurative as so often is the case in newspaper stories. Giant panda fever gripped Chiang Mai town yesterday with the arrival of Xuang Xuang and Lin Hui, two young animals on loan from China. The gravity inside a black hole is so strong that no known energy can break its grip. The province was gripped by "almost total lawlessness and the absence of any protection for the ethnic minority." The oil price rise was inevitable given Opec's tight grip on production. October 13, 2003 engulf (in GULF) The verb engulf means to surround and cover completely or to affect very deeply. Flames and thick smoke quickly engulfed the bus, causing panic inside the vehicle. The floods engulfed much of the southern part of the country. At least two people were killed and 38 wounded in the violence which engulfed southern Lebanon Saturday. The airline was hoping to benefit from the troubles which have engulfed several competitors. Click here to see our words in the news for the previous week. Return to our home page | Comments to Terry F. at terryfrd@ksc15.th.com | |© The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. All rights reserved 2003 | Last modified: October 20, 2003