"That's a great deal to make one word mean," Alice said in a thoughtful tone. "When I make a word do a lot of work like that," said Humpty Dumpty, "I always pay it extra."

Friday, 3 July 2009

Enervate

 
Enervate is one of those words which sounds to me like the opposite of what it is. Whenever I see the word I have to remind myself of its meaning because it always sounds to me as though it should mean to enliven. It doesn’t. To enervate means to make sleepy; weaken mentally or morally; debilitate; or cause a lack of strength or vitality.
 

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