Worked, Wrought and Overwrought

Worked, Wrought and Overwrought Worked, Wrought and Overwrought Worked, Wrought and Overwrought By Maeve Maddox Judging by comments and emails I receive whenever I write about the verb wreak, some English speakers believe that the past tense of wreak is wrought. That’s not the case. Wrought is an archaic past tense form of the verb work. Work and wreak derive from different Old English verbs: wyrcan (do, make) and wrecan (to avenge). Both work and wreak belong to a class of irregular verbs that have acquired regular -ed endings in modern English. If wreak had remained irregular, its forms would probably look like these: â€Å"wreak, wroke, (have) wroken.† The verb work has a modern -ed ending, but the old past tense wrought survives in a few contexts and idioms. Writing in the early 20th century, H. W. Fowler (Modern English Usage) commented on the fact that the past form of work was in a state of transition: The decline of the form wrought is so manifest, yet so far from complete, that it is impossible to say from year to year where idiom still requires it and where it is already archaic. In the 1965 edition, Gowers, changed â€Å"disappearance† to â€Å"decline,† perhaps because the old form continued to be used in the sense of done, made, fashioned, or brought about: The stage show is tight and well-wrought.- 1997 book about Jazz. The metaphorical movement of coming into that understanding is beautifully wrought with the use of a large black drapery that the congregation passes beneath as four of the dancers hold the corners.- 2013 opera review To see the changes Edward Snowden wrought, just look at your smartphone- 2014 headline. The reason that many speakers associate wrought with wreak may have to do with the fact that we have two idioms with the word havoc. A storm or other disaster â€Å"wreaks havoc,† but people and institutions can â€Å"work havoc.† The â€Å"works havoc† idiom is not as common as it was, but it is still found in recent use: Disability is damaging to one’s self-esteem. It works havoc with one’s relationships and can do irrevocable harm to an entire family’s life.- 1991 Congressional Record. In actual fact, the volume of such movements is fairly modest, but their public echo is deafening and works havoc in politics and the labour movement. 2006, Library of Economics and Liberty. It is as the past tense of work that wrought appears in an obituary of Margaret Thatcher: Saying it would take years to cure Britain of the havoc wrought by socialism, Mrs. Thatcher warned, â€Å"Things will get worse before they get better.† The adjective overwrought, on the other hand, does not mean the same thing as the adjective overworked. An â€Å"overworked employee† is one who does an excessive amount of work. Overworked can also be applied to nonhuman things to mean that they are being used to excess: †Unique† is one of the most overworked words in advertising. The phrase people are our most important resource has become a tired,  overworked cliche.   Gently massage overworked muscles, prompting nutrient-rich blood to flow through, replenishing them. The adjective overwrought can convey a sense of exhaustion from overwork, but overwrought describes the emotional agitation, impatience, and shortness of temper associated with exhaustion: According to a government survey, US workers feel overwrought and unproductive. The [employee] may be subject to verbal abuse by juveniles and will be required to remain calm in stressful situations involving agitated, irate or overwrought juveniles and family members. When AU administrator James Mooney polled professors about grade complaints, he was appalled to learn that some overwrought parents call professors directly to complain.   Applied to nonhuman entities, overwrought means â€Å"excessively elaborate or exaggerated.† Here are some examples of this use: [The instructor’s] supervisors at first supposed his overwrought language denoted a mental affliction. Overwrought descriptions  like these sap the power from the scene. The film  suffers  from an  overwrought narrative, with one melodramatic event after another. After a thousand years, wrought continues to enrich the language. It is not, however, the past tense of wreak. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Addressing A Letter to Two PeopleThe Many Forms of the Verb TO BEEpidemic vs. Pandemic vs. Endemic

8 things a great boss does for you

8 things a great boss does for you In the working world, bosses usually fall into one of three categories: bad bosses, good bosses, and bosses that are just okay. You’ve likely had one of these so far in your career. And then, once in a blue moon comes along a  great boss- one that brings out the best in you and makes showing up to work a truly valuable experience. Does your boss go above and beyond? Read on to find out what a talented and nurturing leader does daily for employees.1. Gives recognition and feedbackA great boss sets out clear expectations and then lets you know regularly how you’re doing. Are you meeting expectations? Exceeding them? Are there a few areas where you need more focus? Also, when you succeed or go above and beyond, great bosses show you they’ve seen your extra effort and that they recognize how hard you’ve been working. Without this kind of validation- even the critical feedback- how can an employee hope to grow?2. Helps you market yourselfBosses have access to all kinds of data you may not. If your boss commends you for a new initiative or for reaching a set goal, that’s good. If they help dig up the numbers, i.e. the proof of the impact your actions have made for the company or industry, then they are arming you to succeed even more. Sure, your boss knows you might use these stats to market yourself elsewhere one day, but that’s not the point- the mark of a great boss is caring about the growth and development of employees, no matter where they may land.3. Empowers you to do great thingsYou’re not just allowed to voice your concerns and frustrations as they arise, you’re invited to- no, expected to. The environment of your office is one in which employees are empowered to take on challenges of logistics, products, processes, and procedures with the aim of bettering the company for themselves and everyone else involved. Great bosses aren’t threatened by giving their employees this leeway- they know chan ge from the inside is good change.4. Runs efficient meetingsA great boss’s meetings not only are short, sweet, and to the point- they are also only called when necessary. Great bosses don’t waste their time- or anybody else’s- on time-wasting trips to the conference room where people jot down useless notes. They keep the meeting schedule lean and mean and make each moment count for something. Employees leave meetings energized and keyed up to work, rather than feeling that the same things have been rehashed a different way.5. Encourages your personal growthGreat bosses help you to further your career, even if that means you’ll take your new knowledge and experience and leave your current position or company a little sooner. They give you projects and initiatives that match your interests and ambitions so you don’t feel stuck in a rut.   They also encourage you to take risks and give you the resources and support for those risks to bear fruit for both of you.6. Stands up for work-life balanceGreat bosses dial down the micromanaging and make sure their employees aren’t going home (or coming in to work) exhausted and depleted. They encourage you to take your vacation days, to make use of wellness plans, and to take regular breaks for fresh air, food, and hydration. They want you to flourish as a whole person, not just as some employee robot on their assembly line. And they never get their panties in a bunch about how long you take for coffee breaks or lunch- as long as you get your work done well. They loosen the reins and let you find your own stride.7. Gives credit where credit is dueGreat bosses won’t take credit for your ideas when they’re reporting to  their bosses- they’ll make it clear that a good idea was yours, thereby pushing you up the ladder and commending themselves for having hired you and cultivated your talent. Giving credit is a staple trait of good leadership, but it is unfortuna tely rare.8. Creates a welcoming office cultureIn a healthy workplace, employees feel safe and heard. Great bosses create and cultivate this environment. They earn trust and help their team maintain a real sense of camaraderie. In a great office culture, failures are merely opportunities to learn. Weak links are supported and helped along the path to improvement. Team members are chosen deliberately to complement this community of learning and growth.If your boss is good, consider yourself lucky. If your boss is one of the great ones, soak up all the knowledge you can- you’ve been given a rare professional gift that you should use to your advantage!

History Discussion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

History Discussion - Research Paper Example It has been recognized that the confederation government mainly relied upon the state militaries in order to execute any sort of introductory administration related reforms. The government also possessed no such strong power in the field of regulation of trade. From the perspective of the state militaries, the government was unsuccessful to preserve a standing military power. Moreover, the confederation government could not implement the regulatory reforms adequately which was very much needed for interstate cooperation (Scribd Inc., â€Å"The Confederation Government†). The confederation government was not successful by a considerable level because the government was formed in such a way through which most of the powers of the government were retained by the states. Moreover, there was no presence of any federal judicial branch in the government. In addition, the government failed to execute the smooth flow and the regulation of trade and business among the states. The government chiefly relied upon requesting for funds in order to run the government instead of imposing applicable taxes upon the people (Scribd Inc., â€Å"The Confederation