essay

essay tr.v. (ĕ-sā') 1. To make an attempt at; try. 2. To subject to a test; try out. n. (ĕ-sā', ĕ'sā) 1. An attempt; endeavor. 2. A testing or trial of the value or nature of a thing. (ĕ'sā) 3. A short literary composition on a single subject, usually presenting the personal views of the author.

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Sometimes, there are words that stick to the roof of my mouth. When this occurs, I cannot help but try to dislodge and wrap them around my tongue, learning the textures and flavors of their different meanings. And since my attempts at learning these are often done by writing short literary expositions, essay has become one of my all-time favorite words.

Here's a current Top 5:

1. yearn. This word does not only mean to want, rather it also carries the meaning of a strong, deep desire, and a hint that the longed-for is perhaps difficult, if not impossible, to achieve.
   
2. erosion. Erosion is a natural process which generally means a wearing away caused by the elements--rain, sun, wind, etc. However, hold all these elements constant and another layer of meaning is revealed: destruction through time.
   
3. shatter. I love the detail of words. How sometimes there's just one perfect word to describe what just occured or that exact shade of meaning. Can you imagine how many synonyms are there for the word break? Shatter is specific to a sudden breaking into small pieces... Which in turn, gives it a connotation of being impossible to mend.
   
4. desperate. This word shares the same root as the word despair. Most of the time it is taken to mean reckless or dangerous; other times, it describes a last resort. Consider a desperate that arises from an unbearable situation or unbearable choices. A desperate not because of lack, but because the alternative is unthinkable.
   
5. attempt. Try something difficult, even if, sometimes, there's little hope of success. (It builds character, as Calvin's dad is fond of saying.)

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Just saying.