The first syllable is pronounced like the word ‘in’, and the ‘con’ in the second is pronounced like the word ‘con’. The final ‘ce’ sounds like the ‘s’ in ‘sit’, ‘sun’, and ‘swim’. The word is pronounced ‘in-SKONS’ with the stress on the second syllable. This is one way of pronouncing the word. ‘Ensconce’ is mostly used in formal contexts to mean ‘to settle oneself comfortably’.
*I found Sajid watching TV ensconced in my favourite chair.
The word can also be used to mean hidden in a safe environment, unseen by others.
*The children were playing hide and seek. Chitra decided to ensconce herself in the small cupboard in the kitchen downstairs.
Many supermarkets have an express counter with a sign which says, ‘Ten items or less’. Is it okay to use ‘less’ in this context?
I don’t know why we have such counters in our country because even people with twenty items or more bulldoze their way into them. If you make the mistake of telling them they have too many items, they give you a dirty look. ‘Less items’ is wrong. The word ‘less’ is mainly used with uncountable nouns. One can talk about ‘less time’, ‘less sugar’, ‘less money’, etc. ‘Item’, on the other hand, is a countable noun, and in the case of such nouns, we use ‘few’. We do not say ‘less items’, but ‘fewer items’.
What is the meaning and origin of ‘plume yourself on something’?
When you plume yourself ‘on’ or ‘upon’ something, you congratulate yourself on something. You are extremely proud of something that you have achieved.
*Every now and then, Yogesh plumes himself on his good looks.
The long feathers that a bird has are referred to as ‘plumes’. In order to look their best, and attract the members of the opposite sex, birds often clean their plumes with the help of their beak. In the past, it was common practice among soldiers to wear such plumes on their helmet: very often, the feather one wore indicated one’s rank.
What is the difference between ‘believe in’ and ‘believe’?
When we are young, we believe in a lot of things: we believe in monsters, Santa Claus, ghosts, green witches, giants, etc. As children, we think that these people/things are real; that they actually exist. When you ‘believe in’ something, you feel rather strongly that it exists. If you ‘believe in some idea’, you support it because you think it is the right thing to do.
*I believe in capital punishment, but my father doesn’t.
When you believe someone, you trust the person. You are willing to accept what he says as being true.
*The problem with Bala is he doesn’t believe anyone.
what is the meaning of ‘dog-eared’?
Not everyone makes use of a bookmark when they read. In order to remember which page they have to return to, many people choose to fold the top corner of the page instead. The page that is folded in this manner is said to be ‘dog-eared’. The expression can also be used to mean ‘shabby from overuse’.
*The old trunk in the garage contained many of my sister’s dog-eared notebooks.
t in the world.