By Vilseskogen, August 30, 2009. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/legalcode For today's word focus, I've picked two verbs. Colourful verbs are the best. They create the most vivid, graphic images in the reader's mind. Well-picked verbs can create a cinematic experience for the reader. I love plenty of good action, so I adore verbs. Here are two of my current favourites. Feel free to share your own!
The Word "Seize"
"Seize" is probably my favourite word at the moment, and that's not simply because of that wonderful phrase "seize the day". The long "e" and powerful "z" are delightful to listen to, as they conjure up pictures of rapid movement. And there's nothing like writing scenes in which someone is "seized". The word has a sudden, dramatic feel that inspires that perfect sense of alarm. Additionally, it can be used to describe the tightening of something - for instance, muscles or tendons. Google tells me the word "seize" originated in Middle English from the Old French and medieval Latin meaning (roughly) "to claim as one's own".
The Word "Morph"
This is a much younger word than "seize", originating in the 1990s. Some people don't even think of it as a word. However, it's a perfectly effective one in its own right. Describing a stage of metamorphosis, "morph" has soft consonants and a warm vowel, suggesting the gentle but wondrous change that something might undergo. I personally find the word "morph" quite magical. I like to use it when describing the supernatural in my fantasy work. Specifically, the verb "morph" is often used to denote the way one might change something on a computer. However, I think it deserves to be used more regularly than that, because "transform" only has a limited number of synonyms. "Morph" carries its own music, and I would love to see it added to the list.
What fantastic words have you discovered lately?
The Word "Seize"
"Seize" is probably my favourite word at the moment, and that's not simply because of that wonderful phrase "seize the day". The long "e" and powerful "z" are delightful to listen to, as they conjure up pictures of rapid movement. And there's nothing like writing scenes in which someone is "seized". The word has a sudden, dramatic feel that inspires that perfect sense of alarm. Additionally, it can be used to describe the tightening of something - for instance, muscles or tendons. Google tells me the word "seize" originated in Middle English from the Old French and medieval Latin meaning (roughly) "to claim as one's own".
The Word "Morph"
This is a much younger word than "seize", originating in the 1990s. Some people don't even think of it as a word. However, it's a perfectly effective one in its own right. Describing a stage of metamorphosis, "morph" has soft consonants and a warm vowel, suggesting the gentle but wondrous change that something might undergo. I personally find the word "morph" quite magical. I like to use it when describing the supernatural in my fantasy work. Specifically, the verb "morph" is often used to denote the way one might change something on a computer. However, I think it deserves to be used more regularly than that, because "transform" only has a limited number of synonyms. "Morph" carries its own music, and I would love to see it added to the list.
What fantastic words have you discovered lately?
