2. The _last_ paragraph ends the theme.

2. The _last_ paragraph ends the theme.

Mad, angry.

1. There is no reason for being _angry_.

2. Much learning hath made thee _mad_.

3. He was _mad_ with rage—fairly insane.

Most, almost.

1. _Most_ men are optimists.

2. _Almost_ every man loves praise.

Parse the words italicized above.

Mutual, common.

1. Our _common_ friend is the better expression, though Dickens has made famous the corresponding worse usage.

2. Friendship may be _mutual_; a friend cannot.

3. Separated by mountains and by _mutual_ fear.

What is meant by reciprocal? Which word is a synonym of reciprocal?

Oral, verbal.

1. Miles Standish’s act of sending the Indians a snake-skin filled with powder and ball, was a message, but not a _verbal_ message.

2. If you are to see John, let me send him this _oral_ message: Never say die.

3. The corrections did not affect the truth of the statements, but only the manner: they were _verbal_ corrections.

4. The telegraph operator translates into _verbal_ form the message that he hears in the ticking of his receiver.

The Latin word _os_ means mouth; the Latin word _verbum_ means a word. Do _oral_ and _verbal_ keep the sense of the Latin words? Can a verbal message be oral? Can an oral message be verbal? Is an oral message ordinarily verbal? Can you imagine an oral message that is not verbal?

Posted, informed.