November 13, 2014 – Word of the Day

name

 

You probably know the meaning of this word already, but pay attention to all the different ways in which it is used. A name is a word or a title that a person or a thing goes by:

  • What’s your name?
  • Who named you that?
  • Were you named after someone in your family?
  • What’s your last name?
  • Do you go by any other name?
  • Do you have a nickname?
  • We named our son "Martin," after Martin Luther King Jr.
  • How many different states in the United States are you able to name?
  • Can you name the capital of Germany?
  • What’s the name of this place?

restaurant

This place is named "Burger Barn."

When this word is used as a verb, it means to appoint a person to a position or identify someone for special recognition.

  • Ted was named top salesperson of the month.
  • The person named to fill the position of CEO comes from outside the company.
  • Who will be named manager of the team?

There are many expressions and phrases that include the word "name."

  • I don’t have a penny to my name. (I’m broke.)
  • Stop calling names! (Stop insulting someone.)
  • The police are asking residents to start naming names. (name names = give names of people)
  • He’s the president of the company in name only. (in name only = a title without authority)
  • They don’t want to do anything that would spoil their good name. (good name = reputation)
  • She’s a namedropper. (She lets other people know whom she knows. I was having lunch the other day with my good friend, Jennifer Lopez, and she said….)

The word "namely" is similar to "mainly" or "specifically."

  • There are many good sources for fresh water in the midwest, coming namely from the Great Lakes region, underground aquifers, and the rivers that run through the area.

Shirley Ellis — The Name Game

 

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