James Baquet

    Becky sees her classmate Lily studying in the common room of their dorm.

    Becky: Hi, Lily. More vocabulary study?

    Lily: Yes. It never ends!

    Becky: Yeah, but having a good vocabulary will enable you to be much better at reading and writing — not to mention speaking!

    Lily: Hey, “enable” is one of my words! I think it means “to make able.”

    Becky: Yes, it does. Very good! Actually, you know, the “en-” means “in.”

    Lily: Really? How does that work?

    Becky: The prefix “en-” has several meanings, but one is “to put someone into a certain condition.” Here, to put you in the state of being able to read, write, and so on.

    Lily: I see. Are there other verbs with “en-” that do that?

    Becky: Of course! How about “enforce” and “ensure?”

    Lily: Let me see: To enforce the law means to put it into force or power; and to ensure a good result means to put it into the state of being sure.

    Becky: That’s right. “Enforcing the laws will ensure an orderly society.”

    Lily: Got it!

    Becky: Here are two more: “enrich” and “encourage.”

    Lily: To put someone in a state of being rich, and to put someone in a state of courage.

    Becky: Can you use both in a sentence?

    Lily: “My mother always encouraged me to enrich my mind by reading.”

    Becky: Great! How about “entrust” and “endear?”

    Lily: To put someone in a state of trust. Let’s see… “I will entrust my worldly goods to my father’s guidance.”

    Becky: Good. And?

    Lily: “When my nephew smiles, he endears himself to me” — puts himself in a state of being dear.

    Becky: Excellent! Now, sometimes the “in” is more literal, although it might mean “on.”

    Lily: For example?

    Becky: Ummm… “Enshrine,” “enthrone,” and “entomb.”

    Lily: Let’s see: place in a shrine, place on a throne, and place in a tomb.

    Becky: Good. Can you give examples?

    Lily: You would enshrine a statue of a god or something; enthrone a king or queen; and entomb someone who has passed away.

    Becky: That’s right! Another nuance: sometimes being “in” means being trapped! How about “encircle” and “enclose?”

    Lily: To place inside a circle: “The clouds encircled the airplane.” And to have something close in around another thing: “The garden was enclosed by a low wall.”

    Becky: Lily, you’re really good at this!

    Lily: Thanks.

    Becky: You should also think of “en-” as marking a verb clearly. “Act” can be a noun or a verb, but when we “enact” something, it’s clearly a verb — putting something into action.

    Lily: This can help me with some of these other verbs: enlarge, ennoble, enrapture, and so on.