Grammar Clinic

Meaning: Just begun and so not fully formed or developed; rudimentary. Example: A still inchoate democracy

Meaning: Beginning to happen or develop. Example: he could feel incipient anger building up

Meaning: (of a record of events) following the order in which they occurred. Example: the entries are in chronological order Synonyms: sequential, consecutive, in sequence, in order of time, in order, ordered, progressive, serial;  historical

Meaning: Existing or taking place within, or administered into, a vein or veins. Example: An intravenous drip

Meaning: Compose or perform something such as music or a speech without preparation; improvise. Example: he extemporized at the piano Synonyms: improvise, ad lib, play it by ear, think on one’s feet, throw/cobble something together, make it up as one goes along, take it as it comes

Meaning: not having any serious purpose or value. Example: frivolous ribbons and lacy frills Synonyms: flippant, glib, waggish, joking, jokey, light-hearted, facetious, fatuous, inane, shallow, superficial, senseless, thoughtless, ill-considered, non-serious;

Meaning: leave of absence, especially that granted to a member of the services or a missionary. Example: a civil servant home on furlough

Meaning: Fix (an object) firmly and deeply in a surrounding mass. Example: he had an operation to remove a nail embedded in his chest Synonyms:  implant, plant, set, fix, lodge, root, insert, place

Meaning: Give up (power or territory). Example: In 1874, the islands were ceded to Britain Synonyms: surrender, concede, relinquish, yield, part with, give up Antonyms: keep, gain

Meaning: Transport or carry to a place. Example: pipes were laid to convey water to the house Synonyms: transport, carry, bring, take, fetch, bear, move, ferry, shuttle, shift, transfer