What is the difference between ‘humongous’ and ‘huge’? (Prithvi, Chennai)
First, let us deal with the pronunciation of ‘humongous’. The first syllable rhymes with ‘dew’, new’ and ‘few’, and the second with the words ‘sung’, ‘dung’ and ‘rung’. The ‘ous’ in the final syllable is like the ‘a’ in ‘china’. The word is pronounced ‘hyu-MUNG-es’ with the stress on the second syllable. Unlike ‘huge’, the word is mostly limited to informal contexts. When you say that something is ‘humongous’, you are suggesting that the object is enormous. It suggests that it is bigger in size than ‘huge’. According to some scholars, the word is a combination of ‘huge’ and ‘monstrous’.
The Dilips live in a humongous house in Delhi.
My favourite star’s latest film is a humongous hit.
What is the meaning of ‘hit the road’? (N Sukumar, Bengaluru)
The expression is frequently heard in American English in informal contexts. When you say that you are ready to hit the road, what you mean is that you are ready to begin your journey. In other words, you are ready to leave the place where you are now. The expression was originally used to refer to a road trip of some kind - by car, motorcycle, bus, etc. No one is really sure about the origin of the expression. Another expression which has the same meaning is ‘hit the trail’.
If we are to reach Bengaluru by 10 o’clock, we have to hit the road early.
I’ve been here too long. It’s time for me to hit the road again.
How is the word ‘magnanimous’ pronounced? (Janaradhan Rao, Mysore)
The word consists of four syllables. The ‘a’ in the first and second sounds like the ‘a’ in ‘man’, ‘tan’ and ‘fan’, while the following ‘i’ is like the ‘i’ in ‘knit’, ‘chit’ and ‘fit’. The vowels in the final syllable sound like the ‘a’ in ‘china’. The word is pronounced ‘mag-NA-ni-mes’ with the stress on the second syllable. It comes from the Latin ‘magnum’ meaning ‘great’ and ‘animus’ meaning ‘spirit, mind’. The word is normally used to refer to someone who is very generous and forgiving - he is willing to forgive his enemies/rivals and those less fortunate than him. He is gracious towards those he has defeated.
Trump was magnanimous in victory; he praised his rival, Hillary Clinton.
Show the world how magnanimous you can be. Don’t press charges against him.
What is the meaning of ‘none the worse for wear’? (P Sherfuddin, Cuddalore)
Some people when they have a bad experience are unable to forget about it. They are haunted by it for the rest of their life; it affects them adversely. In the case of some others, the bad experience has no impact on them. When you say that someone was none the worse for wear, what you mean is that the experience did not harm him in any way. The individual was not emotionally or physically scarred.
Ramesh returned my scooter after six weeks. It was none the worse for wear.
The PT master made the children practise in the hot sun. They were, however, none the worse for wear.
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Man who sneezes without hanky takes matter into his own hands. — Unknown
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