When I started writing, 35 years ago, I always wrote short. If a client or boss wanted 750 words, by instinct I produced 625. If the total was supposed to be 350, I sweated out 215. Usually, I had difficulty getting enough words, not too many. For many people, however, the problem is the reverse.
Continue reading...
When I started writing, 35 years ago, I always wrote short. If a client or boss wanted 750 words, by instinct I produced 625. If the total was supposed to be 350, I sweated out 215. Usually, I had difficulty getting enough words, not too many. For many people, however, the problem is the reverse.
Continue reading...
Evasive Maneuvers
Euphemisms old and new
Pivoting Toward Neutral-colored Nesting Enclosures
August 3, 2016
Have you pivoted lately? Pivot is the euphemism du jour of this election season. Check out these headlines.
Continue reading...
Language Lounge
A Monthly Column for Word Lovers
Elements of Surprise
August 1, 2016
The periodic table of elements is an iconic image familiar to anyone with even the rudiments of education and it is perhaps one of the most successful visual representations of information ever conceived.
Continue reading...
Article Topics:
A couple of years ago I wrote a Visual Thesaurus column about writing song lyrics, focusing on basics: finding a storyline and a mood that many people can relate to, telling the story with simple words and painting the mood with vivid images, plus, without being vague, leaving plenty of room for romantic mystery.
Continue reading...
Article Topics:
Automatically create lists of vocabulary from any text
using the Visual Thesaurus VocabGrabber.
January 18th is celebrated as Thesaurus Day to honor the birthday of the author of the first thesaurus, Peter Mark Roget. Get into the spirit by reading our two-part interview with Roget biographer Joshua Kendall here and here. Also check out an ode to the thesaurus penned by Franklin P. Adams here and Johnny Carson's hilarious "Funeral for a Thesaurus Editor" sketch here.
On the first Monday in September, the United States observes Labor Day, while Canadians celebrate Labour Day. If you want to know why labour is the accepted spelling in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries like Canada, while Americans prefer labor (and color, favor, honor, humor, and neighbor), check out this classic Word Routes column by Ben Zimmer.
Article Topics:
From Being In a Pickle to Hitting a Can of Corn
June 3, 2016
- 5 Comments
Can Captain America Really Wage a "Civil" War?
June 2, 2016
- 6 Comments
Naturally Flavored Dreams About Graduation
Click here to browse all the articles in our archive by date.
May 9, 2016
- 3 Comments
- Indicates content available exclusively to Visual Thesaurus subscribers.Click here to subscribe today.
Featured Word Lists
- sedate
- tacit
- nondescript
- impressive
- convalescence
- radicalize
- inhumane
- disability
- affordable
- trump
More Top Rated Word Lists:
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000(1000 words)
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know(100 words)
GRE High Frequency Words(334 words)
100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"(100 words)
Power Prefix #1: anti-(10 words)
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List(358 words)
The Top 60 Most Common Academic Words(60 words)
100 SAT Words Beginning with "B"(100 words)
OVERHEARD
RECENT COMMENTS FROM OUR SUBSCRIBERS
How to Write More Concisely
Dan F. said,
"Great article. "... put yourself in the shoes of your readers." I think If your writing has a purpose, this one suggestion can help distill your..."
- Wednesday August 10th, 6:32 PM
Richard F. said,
"Removing the word "the" from English sentences can sometimes make them sound Russian. As in, "proof is in pudding"."
- Wednesday August 10th, 12:05 PM
Lazarus Cadonkopf said,
"This was an enjoyable, (definitely re-usable), example of the subject at hand. The article was instructive without the use of criticism or pedantic..."
- Wednesday August 10th, 10:04 AM
Braulio S. said,
"Many times I start to reply to an email. After getting through what I consider a decent reply, I go back and delete all except the greeting...."
- Wednesday August 10th, 4:03 AM
Writing Method: Charting Your Novel
polymath said,
"Thank you. Thank you. I will store these insights within the pages of Walter Mosley's book, This Year You Write Your Novel. I have never prided myself..."
- Sunday August 7th, 9:03 PM
Pivoting Toward Neutral-colored Nesting Enclosures
Gordon W. said,
"I noticed that all the examples for 'pivot' are from the media. Are they the originators or is this term actually used by the likes of Clinton and..."
- Saturday August 6th, 11:31 AM
Getting the Low-down on Up-classify
Sagarika M. said,
"Nice article,i never knew what was up classify and what it meant"
- Saturday August 6th, 8:08 AM
Pivoting Toward Neutral-colored Nesting Enclosures
Phil S. said,
"Those are road apples in my part of the country. Sweep and Clear by the nature of the euphemism would not leave anyone to be uncomfortable. Thanks for..."
- Thursday August 4th, 11:02 AM
Sue B. said,
"I actually prefer the term "nesting" to the others you suggest because it does what the activity itself does: it puts the focus on the children..."
- Wednesday August 3rd, 11:02 AM
Pat said,
"Thank God there are still some people like you in this world. And thank you for your humor!"
- Wednesday August 3rd, 10:42 AM
POPULAR TOPICS
Lesson Plans
Put the VT to work in your classroom
Stage Directions: the Vocabulary of Theatrical Delivery
November 1, 2013
How can interpreting the language of stage directions enhance students' comprehension of drama?
Continue reading...
- Word Routes Exploring the pathways of our lexicon
- Language Lounge A Monthly Column for Word Lovers
- Word Count Writers Talk About Writing
- Behind the Dictionary Lexicographers Talk About Language
- Candlepower Ad and marketing creatives
- Evasive Maneuvers Euphemisms old and new
- Dog Eared Books we love
- Blog Excerpts
