Galvanized: to stimulate or excite as if by electric shock (verb)

When reading “Sweat” by Zora Neale Hurston, I came across the word galvanized, and I have never seen this word before in my life, so out of my curiosity I decided to look further into what galvanized could mean. But before I did that, I guessed that it had something to do with an object being new. The reason why I thought so was because, Zora Hurston uses this word by stating ” and returned with a galvanized tub and set it on the washbench” so I believed that Delia (one of the main characters in the story) came with a new tub and set it on the washbench. However when I searched up galvanized, it actually meant to stimulate or excite. So I put two and two together, Delia came with a stimulate tub which made much more sense in the sentence. Now I know how to use this word in the future.

Nayideh Rene

Ventured: An undertaking involving uncertainty as to the outcome, especially a risky or dangerous one(noun)

While reading “A Jury of Her Peers by Susan Glaspell, I came across the word ventured, which seemed unfamiliar to me so I chose it for this week. Before looking further into what ventured meant, I used context clues to guess the definition, the author states “The country’s not very pleasant this time of year,” Mrs. Peters at last ventured, as if she felt they ought to be talking as well as the men”, I than concluded that ventured meant something that was unpleasant, but when I looked it up, it meant more than unpleasant, it also meant involving a risky or dangerous outcome. I now know how to use this word in future context.

Acquiescence: to submit or comply silently or without protest; agree;contest(verb)

While reading ” A Jury of her Peers” by Susan Glaspell, I came across the word acquiescence, which looked very unfamiliar to me so I decided to look further into what this word could’ve meant. When I saw this word, it reminded me of the word acquaintance, but I figured these two had no connection towards each other. The sentenced which included this word stated “in her manner of timid acquiescence”, I guessed that the author meant that the sheriff’s wife was timid and had to agree with everything her husband says. According to dictionary.com, I was somewhat close, acquiescence has to deal with a person doing something out of there will, which is the sheriff’s wife situation. Acquiescence can now be used in my essays if I were describing a person having no say in anything.

Nayideh Rene

Dismay: to cause to lose courage or resolution(as because of alarm or fear) (verb)

Today’s new word is dismay, which I came across while reading a short story called “Sweat” by Zora Neale Hurston, which is basically about a women named Delia who is involved in an abusive relationship and eventually survived when her husband Sykes fell into a death trap that was actually planned for Delia. The word dismay was used on page 273 to describe Delia’s emotion. The author states ” His wife gave a little scream of dismay”, which shows that how Delia lost courage in her relationship with her husband, due to his physically and mentally abusing. However she did gain strength towards the end of the story. I now know how to use dismay in writing and speaking.

-Nayideh R

Grapple: to seize another, or each other in firm grip (verb)

I came across the word grapple on October 30th during class, when reading an article called ” What Feminists Can do for Boys.” Which briefly explained reasons on kinds of feminist examples that boys and men can benefit from. Towards the end of the article, the word grapple came up, I had no idea what it meant but reading the sentence, ” Until we grapple with how to stop misogynists  themselves” I guessed that grapple had something to do with grasping information, and I was close. However grapple does only have to be used to grasp information, but it can be used for other cases too. The author wanted readers to know that in order to stop boys from becoming misogynists, we should grapple the present ones. Thanks to reading this article, I can now add grapple to my future vocabulary.

Nayideh Rene

Ubiquitous: Existing, or being present everywhere, especially at the same time. (adjective)

          Today’s word is ubiquitous, I found this word while reading “Teaching Men to Be emotionally Honest” by Ana Homayoun. Before reading this article I never heard or saw this word before, it looked like a very unique word that I just had to search up what it meant. I would have never imagined that it would mean for something to exist or be present everywhere. But when reading the sentence that stated the word ubiquitous it all made sense. The author wants reader to know the most important things that males do in order to prove their masculinity, such a binge drinking, hookups, and always playing video games. I now know how to put this word to use when needed.

– Nayideh Rene

Meritocratic: An elite group of people whose progress is based on ability and talent rather than on class privilege or wealth (noun)

Word of the week is Meritocratic, I first came across this word when reading “The Boys in the Back” which mainly discusses why boys are known to struggle with school more than girls. The word meritocratic was found in the sixth paragraph, which states ” white men embraced meritocratic values and diversity of gender,race, and class” I figured that meritocratic may have something to do with race and social class, which it did. The author wants to tell readers that in the 1970s, that a person was considered an upper class, based on their abilities and talents, instead of their wealth. I now know how to use this word in sentences when needed, and others who did not know what this word meant before can now add it to their vocabulary.

-Nayideh Rene

Dutiful: Performing the duties expected or required of one (adjective)

When reading ” If Black Men Want to heal Racism’s Wounds, We Can’t Pretend to be Strong All the time” by Mychal Denezel Smith, I came across the word Dutiful, and the first word that popped into my head was duty but for some reason I thought duty and dutiful were two different words, so that why I chose it. The author of this passage used this word when referring to his father. He was discussing how his father was the true meaning of masculinity because he was dutiful, which I learned that he fulfilled his duties as a father, and a man. Smiths father would always provide and discipline him. Dutiful was just a plural word for duty. This word can be found at dictionary.com for those who need a clearer definition of dutiful.

-Nayideh Rene

Emasculate: to deprive or weaken strength and identity, most likely in a man (verb)

The word Emasculate can be found in the Merriam Webster Dictionary, that is were I found a proper definition for this word. I first encountered this word when reading “The Boys Are All Not Alright”  by Michael Ian Black, it was in the second sentence of the article. The author was telling readers about his one- linear, he states ” If you want to emasculate a guy friend” the word emasculate caught my eye, I never heard of this word before. I read the second part of the sentence to get a sense of what this word might of meant, the author was pretty much stating that when taking a guy friend to a restaurant ask him what he wants to order, than when the waitress comes tell the waitress what the guy wants. From my experience I know that guys are always wanting to be in charge, and if a person male or female does something for them, their self esteem lowers down. So I concluded that the definition of emasculate may connect to the weaken a men’s self esteem because something was done for them, and I was close. But now I know what this word means, and I can educate those who do not.