Chapter 16: INTERLUDES

THE INTERLUDES

I’ve been off for a few days from the spot. I thought today will be a good day to resume the writing. When we RESUME an activity we take it up again after an interval. We come back to our work after a period of ABEYANCE. 

ABEYANCE is the temporary stoppage of an activity, or suspension. 
Hence, 

ABEYANCE x RESUMPTION 

SUSPENSION x CONTINUATION

An interval indicates a temporary period of inactivity. During a PLAY we get an interval, which we can call an INTERLUDE. An interlude is the same as a GAP in an ACTIVITY. Such a gap can be termed a HIATUS. The temporary relief from a STORM we call a LULL. Even the break in DEBATE can also be termed a LULL. In the same fashion, a temporary relief from a DISEASE can be termed a REMISSION, and a temporary stoppage of punishment can be called a REPRIEVE. 

All the following pairs of words are, hence, similar in their relationships: 

PLAY: INTERLUDE 

LABOR: RESPITE 

ACTIVITY: HIATUS 

PUNISHMENT: REPRIEVE 

STORM: LULL 

DEBATE: RECESS 

DISEASE: REMISSION 

In all these cases, the second term indicates a suspension of activity. 

LULL as a verb means to PACIFY. 
The following words all mean PACIFY in various contexts. 

SOOTHE 

MOLLIFY 

PALLIATE 

ASSUAGE 

SEDATE 

ALLEVIATE 

EXTENUATE 

MITIGATE 

AMELIORATE 

An appropriate ANTONYM of for all the above terms can be ‘AGGRAVATE’, i.e, make matters worse or increase the gravity (seriousness) of a situation. AGGRAVATE also can be replaced by EXACERBATE, make matters harsher and more bitter. So we can see that the following are the probable ANTONYM pairs:

ALLEVIATE x AGGRAVATE 

MITIGATE x EXACERBATE 

SOOTHE x GRATE (irritate) 

WORSEN x AMELIORATE