New Word: Change

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New Word #133

peripeteia: a sudden reversal of fortune or change in circumstances. Sometimes when we want to use the word “change”, we probably can use peripeteia instead. However, peripeteia is more related with a sudden plot twist in a fiction or a play. Maybe vicissitude is a word that is more related with real life change of fortune.

swing: Change of mood is called mood swing.

caprice: a sudden and unaccountable change of mood or behavior.

fluctuate: Ups and downs in business, stock price, or trade volume are usually called fluctuation.

vicissitude: a change of circumstances or fortune, most likely one that’s not so good.

metamorphosis: This word is only used on insects or amphibians, which go through several stages of life, each with very distinct appearance. Usually this word is not used on mammals or birds.

metathesiophobia: fear of change

neophobia: reluctance to try new food

changeover: a change from one system or situation to another.

overturn: When a higher court changes the verdict of a lower court, the word “overturn” is used.

U-turn: Perform a 180° rotation.

redact: to change a document by obscuring certain portions of it with tapes or inks before public viewing. Sometimes in the news, one can see those redacted documents in a court proceeding.

amend: make minor changes in (a text) in order to make it more accurate, or more up-to-date.

amendment: a minor change or addition designed to improve a text, piece of legislation, etc.

reconstructed: Reconstructed clothing means vintage clothing that has been redesigned and resewn into a new garment.

refurbish: I first encounter this word when a person I knew sold refurbished laptop on E-Bay as a side business. He collected laptops people threw away, repaired them, and sold as “refurbished” items. So refurbish means to renovate, decorate, repair etc.

deposition vs. sublimation: Deposition is a phase change in which gas transforms into solid without passing through the liquid phase. Sublimation is the exact opposite.

dead body: This one always makes me laugh. In Thai, an unchangeable, fixed, or absolute standard is called ตายตัว, which is translated literally as dead body.