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Word Parts > Un
UN
UN means NOT
There are several prefixes that mean "not" in one
way or another. However, they are different, so sometimes
you will have two different "not" suffixes in front
of the same ending, and the two words will mean different
things.
An "unarmed" man does not have a weapon. If the
man is "Disarmed," then there was a weapon but it
was taken away (and 'disarming' has several meanings). "Uninterested"
means you "do not have the mind or feelings engaged."
You're not involved; you don't care. "Disinterested,"
however, has come to mean "not having a selfish motive
or interest." A "disinterested" person is good
to help settle an argument.
Un- words are usually verbs (unplug or untie) or adjectives
(untidy, unbreakable)
I. FOR EACH WORD:
1. Write the word
2. Write what it means
3. Draw a picture to go with it
4. Answer the question about it.
|
word
|
meaning and example
|
what to draw
|
question to answer
(you may draw your answer, too)
|
unplug |
to take a plug out of;
to disconnect from electricity, or to take out something
blocking the way. |
something unplugged from electricity
AND an "unplugged" pipe. |
What is "unplugged" music? |
untidy |
not tidy; not neat and
orderly |
an untidy place (room, desk, car) |
What are three things an untidy person
might do? |
unbreakable |
not able to be broken
easily (like a sturdy plastic cup) |
something unbreakable |
What are two things that should be
unbreakable, and why? |
unemployment |
not having employment;
not having a job, or the number of people in an area
who don't have jobs |
Draw something an unemployed person
might be doing |
What are two ways an unemployed person
could look for a job? |
unruly |
not following any rules;
hard to manage (unruly hair, unruly kids) |
unruly hair OR unruly kids |
What's something else that could
be unruly? |
unconditional |
not conditional, not
limited; always there. "Unconditional love"
means love whether the person is loved back or not,
no matter what the other person does. "Unconditional
surrender" means you give everything up. |
|
What's the difference between an
"unconditional surrender" and one with conditions?
What might one of those conditions be? (You might want
to draw this one) |
uncertain |
not sure about something,
or something not clearly one way or the other |
uncertain weather |
What is something you are uncertain
about? |
unselfish |
thinking of other people
before yourself |
someone doing something unselfish |
What are three unselfish things a
person could say or do? |
unthinkable |
"out of the question,"
going against what is reasonable, desirable, or probable;
slavery is unthinkable now, but has not always been.
The idea that my sister would forget to pay her bills
is unthinkable because she just wouldn't ever do that. |
Something unthinkable |
What is something that is "unthinkable"
to some people but not to others? |
unveil
|
to remove a veil or covering;
to make public (unveiling a painting for people to see;
unveiling a new model of car) |
something being unveiled |
What are three things that could
literally be unveiled? (Literally means you are actually
taking a veil off of something.) |
unconscious |
not conscious; not aware
of what is going on; a person can be completely unconscious
& knocked out, or just unconscious of something
that is going on ('he was unconscious of the bus coming
up behind him' doesn't mean he was knocked out cold,
but just that he didn't know the bus was coming) |
an unconscious person |
What are two things you could be
unconscious of even though you were awake and alert? |
unconscionable |
not guided or controlled
by conscience - not caring at all whether something
is right or wrong. "Using unconscionable sales
practices" would mean doing things to sell your
product that were clearly wrong |
an unconscionable crime |
What are three things you think are
unconscionable? |
Some other words you might see with "un" in them:
unabated |
unreconstructed |
unalloyed |
unstoppable |
uneasy |
unfair |
unfortunate |
unhappy |
unfetter |
unfurl |
unkempt |
unwise |
unleash |
undoing |
unlawful |
unflinching |
uncharted |
unscrupulous |
unavailable |
unknown |
Sentence Practice:
|
unplug |
untidy |
unbreakable |
unconscious |
unconscionable |
|
unthinkable |
unemployment |
unruly |
unconditional |
unveil |
|
unselfish |
uncertain |
|
|
|
Be sure to mix these sentences with words learned in previous
lessons.
1. ___________________________ was a big problem in the Great
Depression as many businesses shut down and people lost their
jobs.
2. After a three week battle, the fort gave an ____________________________
surrender and was taken over.
3. When are you going to _________________________ your new
painting?
4 I must have been _________________________ during the whole
movie -- I don't remember any of it!
5.The crowd at the game got so _________________________________
that the game was stopped until they settled down.
6.If you are ______________________ about which book to read,
I will help you decide.
7. It's a good thing your dishes and furniture are _____________________________
, with so many unruly children in the house!
8. Many people say you should _______________________ your
computer in a thunderstorm so that lightning doesn't harm
it.
9. It's just ____________________ that he would order roast
beef -- he is a vegetarian!
10. It is hard to read or hear about the _________________________
crimes that some people have committed.
11. It's unthinkable that my neat brother would ever let
his house get ____________________________ .
12. He is the most ______________________ person I know -
he would give everything he has away.
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