import – usages

1) import (noun) = a commodity or service brought in from abroad. An import in the receiving country is an export from the sending country. 2) import (verb) India imports petroleum products from Gulf countries. 3) IMPORT (noun) = what is implied, the implicit meaning or significance of something; gist, sum and substance, tenor, implication. The import of her message is clear. What is the import of the statement? Prof. Martin of Federal College explained in detail the import of the legal term ‘Commodatum’.

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Bereaved vs. bereft

Bereave = be deprived of a close relation or friend through their death. The accident bereaved him of his wife and child. The bereaved wife = the woman whose husband has died. We all sympathise with you in your bereavement. Bereave = rob or dispossess (of something immaterial)  bereft of hope = without hope The recent flood in Kerala left the majority of people bereft of hope. Bereft of reason = mad The anger made him bereft of reason. Indignation bereft him of speech =…

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The longest word in any of the English language dictionary?

PNEUMONOULTRAMICROSCOPICSILICOVOLCANOCONIOSIS This is a lung disease that mostly affects workers in many occupations such as mining, glass manufacturing, demolition, and masonry work. It’s caused by the inhalation of the fine silica particles. There are 45 letters in this word. There is an easy method to learn this long word by heart. You may divide the word in the following fashion: PNEUMONO (P is silent here) ULTRA MICROSCOPIC SILICO VOLCANO CONIOSIS

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Select as an adjective

select (adjective) = 1. (of a group of people or things) carefully chosen from a larger number as being the best or most valuable; 2. (of a place or group of people) only used by or consisting of a wealthy or sophisticated elite; exclusive. Renz is studying in a select school at Kakkanad. A select club of the upper class. The programme was conducted for a small and highly select audience. He only drinks select wines. They are living in a select area of London. select (verb) =…

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Purist or Puritan?

Purist = a person who insists on absolute adherence to traditional rules or structures, especially in language or style. stickler, traditionalist. Most purists are fans of traditions and traditional rules. To be a purist is to be a kind of a perfectionist. If you are a language purist, it upsets you to hear someone using bad grammar. A baking purist might feel that cookies made without a certain brand of chocolate chips are vastly inferior. Puritan = person who is strict in morals and religion,…

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Misogamist, misogynist, misandrist?

Misogamist = Hater of marriage [mis-uh–gam-ist] Misogynist = A person who dislikes or hates women [mi-soj–uh-nist] Misandrist = A person who dislikes or hates men [mis-an-drist]   Connected words: Misogamy = dislike or aversion to marriage [mi-sog–uh-mee] Misogyny = dislike or hatred for women [mi-soj–uh-nee] Misandry = dislike or hatred for men [mis-an-dree]   Similarly, Feminism = movement for recognition of the claims of women for rights ( legal, political, etc.) equal to those possessed by men. Sexism = prejudice or discrimination typically against women, on the basis of sex.  …

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Miss, Ms, Mrs, Missis/Missus?

Miss – title for an unmarried woman or girl who has no other title. Miss Reshma Ms – is used for a married or unmarried woman (OR in other words, it is the feminine gender of Mr.) ‘Mr’ doesn’t indicate whether one is married or unmarried. There are women who prefer to be known as individuals in their own capacities as women instead of being known as the wives of their husbands. And in certain cases, we do not know whether they are married or…

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Assume vs. Presume

Assume = suppose to be the case WITHOUT PROOF We can’t assume the suspects to be guilty. I’m assuming everyone here has a pen to write with. Presume = suppose something is the case on the BASIS OF PROBABILITY. I presume they are not coming since they haven’t replied to the invitation. I presume he is Dr Rajiv Zachariah, the cardiologist because there’s a stethoscope hanging around his neck.

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Use of I and me

Neethu loves you more than I. Here Neethu and I love you. But she loves you more than I love you. There are two subjects here – Neethu and I. Neethu loves you more than me. Here Neethu loves you and she loves me too. Of the two people (i.e., you and me) she loves you more than she loves me. Here there is only one subject – Neethu. Thus both sentences are correct.

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Appears past, but indicates present

These sentences relate to unlikely or unreal situations. We simply imagine or sympathise ourselves if the situations would be better or otherwise than what they are. If I were you, I wouldn’t buy this coat. If I were you, I wouldn’t tolerate his arrogance. (This is a present situation and I’m not in your place) In the above two sentences, you MUST use ‘If I were you’ invariably. (NOT ‘If I was you’) probably because, on account of frequent repetition, it has become a set…

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