Word of the Week – Recommence
DEFINITION:
verb
begin or cause to begin again
Related to the word ‘commence’ which means to begin. The prefix ’re’ often has the meaning again.
CHARACTERISTICS Example in a sentence:
After a short rest, she recommenced her climb.
The discussion would recommence after lunch.
EXAMPLES (synonyms):
continue
recover
make a comeback
restart
resume
NON-EXAMPLES (antonyms):
complete
end
finish
Do you know the idiom ‘back to square one’?
When we say ‘back to square one’ we mean back to the beginning to start again. We normally use this phrase to refer to starting again when our previous attempt has failed.
Origin – the story:
There is some uncertainty about the origin, but three possible origins are thought to be: the game of snakes and ladders, the game of hopscotch or early radio commentaries about football.
Example: If we cannot reach an agreement today, I fear we’ll be back to square one.