Know your English | Is he being censured?

How is the word ‘censure’ pronounced? (G. Rajeevan, Warrangal) There are several ways of pronouncing the word, and one of them is the following. The first syllable sounds like the ‘sen’ in ‘sent’, ‘sense’ and ‘sentence’, while the following ‘s’ is pronounced like the ‘sh’ in ‘ship’, ‘shape’ and ‘shine’. The final ‘ure’ sounds like the ‘a’ in ‘china’. One possible way of pronouncing this rather formal word, which can be used both as a noun and a verb, is ‘SEN-sher’, with the stress on the first syllable. It comes from the Latin ‘censura’ meaning ‘judgement’ or ‘opinion’. When it was first used in English, ‘censure’ had a neutral meaning; it basically meant to evaluate something. With the passage of time, however, it acquired a negative connotation. Nowadays, the word is mostly used to mean to criticise someone harshly - in other words, when someone ‘censures’ you, the individual expresses a strong disapproval of what you have done. This criticism usually comes from someone in authority - it could be your boss, a judge, a policeman, etc. When a member of your family or a good friend of yours makes similar negative comments about you, it is seen more as ‘criticism’ than ‘censure’. The press and the public strongly criticised the players for their lack of application. The Board censured the team for its sloppy fielding. The team’s lack of discipline during the tour came under severe censure. What is the meaning and origin of ‘get too big for one’s boots’? (D. Vibha, Pune) The expression is mostly used in informal contexts in British English to mean ‘arrogant’ or ‘conceited’. When someone complains that you have become too big for your boots, what the individual is suggesting is that you think no end of yourself; you strongly believe that you are more important than all the others in the room. Everybody else pales in comparison to you. Ever since Janani won the tournament, she’s gotten too big for her boots. Since his promotion as Manager, Jaidev refuses to acknowledge his friends. He’s gotten too big for his boots. Americans tend to say, ‘too big for one’s britches’ - sometimes spelt ‘breeches’. In the past, trousers or pants that covered an individual from his waist to his knees were called ‘britches’. It is possible to pronounce ‘britches’ and ‘breeches’ the same way. The words can be rhymed with ‘witches’, ‘riches’, and ‘pitches’. The Board took disciplinary action against players who had gotten too big for their britches/breeches. Stay level-headed! Don’t get too big for your britches/breeches. The idiom suggests that you have become so swollen with pride that your boots/trousers no longer fit. Which of the following is grammatically correct? ‘We have a doctor appointment’ or ‘We have a doctor’s appointment’? (S. Harish, Secunderabad) If the visit is for medical reasons, then it is possible for you to say either - in terms of grammar, both ‘We have a doctor appointment’ and ‘We have a doctor’s appointment’ are equally acceptable. Native...

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