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Wednesday, December 12, 2007

XXIII:The PRODIGALS

HYPERBOLIC”, which we saw in the last item, is derived from “HYPERBOLE”. Hyperbole means “EXAGGERATION.” It is OVERSTATEMENT or OVERESTIMATION. It is an INFLATION or MAXIMIZATION of language. All these words in capital letters are the synonyms of HYPERBOLE. The probable ANTONYMS of HYPERBOLE are: LITOTES UNDERSTATEMENT UNDERESTIMATION DEFLATION (of language) MINIMIZATION (of language) Hyperbole or exaggeration is overuse of language to create an impression, just as extravagance is overuse of money to impress others. Therefore, HYPERBOLE: LANGUAGE is similar to PRODIGALITY (extravagance): MONEY EXTRAVAGANCE” or “LAVISHNESS” is excessive and needless spending of money. Other words which denote the same meaning of extravagant use of money are: PROFLIGACY PRODIGALITY IMPROVIDENCE A PRODIGAL is a person who wastes money. Such a wasteful person can also be called a PROFLIGATE or a SPENDTHRIFT or a WASTREL. Hence the following words are all almost same in meaning. PROFLIGATE PRODIGAL IMPROVIDENT EXTRAVAGANT LAVISH OVERGENEROUS WASTEFUL SPENDTHRIFT A WASTREL is a person of IRRESPONSIBILITY, just as a RIVAL is a person of COMPETITION. Hence, RIVAL: COMPETITION WASTREL: IRRESPONSIBILITY A WASTREL or a PROFLIGATE or a PRODIGAL SQUANDERS (wastes) money, just as a PROCRASTINATOR DALLIES (wastes time). Hence, PROCRASTINATOR: DALLY PRODIGAL: SQUANDER To SQUANDER is to waste MONEY; to DALLY is to waste TIME. So, SQUANDER: MONEY is analogous to DALLY: TIME

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