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Nov 26, 2018
This week’s theme
Verbs

This week’s words
actuate
parley
impignorate
declaim
divaricate

actuate
Image: Kleem

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A.Word.A.Day
with Anu Garg

The poet Lauris Edmond (1924-2000) once wrote:

It’s true you can’t live here by chance,
you have to do and be, not simply watch
or even describe. This is the city of action,
the world headquarters of the verb.

Edmond lived in Wellington, NZ, but any place can be your own headquarters of the verb. It has to be. There’s no other choice -- life is not about being a spectator but a participator. To be. To do. Do be do!

With that in mind, this week we feature verbs.

actuate

PRONUNCIATION:
(AK-choo-ayt)

MEANING:
verb tr.: To put into motion or action; to activate; to motivate.

ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin actuare (to actualize), from actus (act), past participle of agere (to drive or do). Ultimately from the Indo-European root ag- (to drive, draw, or move), which also gave us act, agent, agitate, litigate, synagogue, ambassador, agonistes, ambage, axiomatic, cogent, incogitant, exigent, exiguous, and intransigent. Earliest documented use: 1594.

USAGE:
“‘President Buhari is actuated by nothing else than love for motherland.’ he said.”
Taiwo Adediran; The Presidency Called on Nigerians to Be Wary of Fake News; Royal Times (Nigeria); May 9, 2018.

See more usage examples of actuate in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
The best theology is probably no theology; just love one another. -Charles Schulz, cartoonist (26 Nov 1922-2000)

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