Tenacious

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Spring

#175759 Wed, 28 Dec 05 09:56 PM

Here is one more word with which I have been wrestling for a while without much seccess. I have an idea as to what "tenacious" may mean, but my understanding is still foggy. Could you please tell me what it means in the following sentences?

"No young man of twenty-four appointed chief mate for the first time in his life would have let that Dutch tenacious winter penetrate into his heart."-strong,stubborn

"Tenacious of power, he would keep Charles and the rest dependent, and retire from business reluctantly and at an advanced age."-holding tightly onto power

"Some, contented with this reason, went away again, contented to repeat the tale to others, but others, more tenacious, insisted on having the doors opened, and among these last three Blue Ribbons, intended to take parts in a ballet, which would inevitably fail unless the said three had their costumes shaped by the very hand of the great Percerin himself."-more determined, do not give up easily

You may keep this minority out of sight and out of mind, but it is tenacious of life, and is one of the estates of the realm.

Thank you very much

Hope

Spring

Joined on Sun, Nov 21 2004

Junior Member (84)

Danyoo

#176013 Thu, 29 Dec 05 10:47 AM

Hope,

To tell you the truth, none of your example sentences are vey well written.

tenacious winter: this is akward
tenacious of power: not grammatical
tenacious of life: not grammtical

From Cambridge:

tenacious   Show phonetics
adjective
holding tightly onto something, or keeping an opinion in a determined way:
The baby took my finger in its tenacious little fist.
There has been tenacious local opposition to the new airport.

tenaciously   Show phonetics
adverb

tenacity   Show phonetics
noun
the determination to continue what you are doing

When I think of this word, I think of the bulldog. Once the bulldog gets its tenacious grip on a piece of bone, it will never let it go.

Danyoo

Joined on Fri, Nov 11 2005

Chicago, USA

Regular Member (558)

To err is human, to forgive divine. 잘못을 저지르는 것은 인간이지만 용서할수있는 것은 하늘과 같은것.

Verbs, Nouns, Adverbs, Phonetics

Spring

#176225 Thu, 29 Dec 05 09:31 PM

Now wonder those sentences gave me so much trouble.

Here are my sentences with the word "tenacious."

Her life was miserable, her unhappiness palpable, yet she still clings tenaciously to her secret hope that one day life will be her friend.

His tenacious persuit of truth led to his being fired.

Tenaciously she clung onto life as death approached.

The little boy embraced his mother tenaciously, hoping this would prevent their parting.

His tenacious personality helped him become a successful business man.

Thank you

Hope

Spring

Danyoo

#176322 Fri, 30 Dec 05 06:22 AM

Much better Hope. Now you've got it!

Danyoo

Spring

#176642 Fri, 30 Dec 05 07:26 PM

Also, I have found that one can have a tenacious memory which means to be able to remember things very well.

For sure, I do not have a tenacious memory. Does this sound natural?

Thank you

Hope

Spring

Danyoo

#176787 Sat, 31 Dec 05 12:05 AM

Hmmm...tenacious memory sounds unnatural...I wouldn't use it. Photographic memory, excellent memory, good memory...I would use these words.

Although I can see where if you are talking about properties of a metal spring which always snaps back to its original shape after being stretched...you could say tenacious memory...but that's in a specialized case.

Danyoo

MrPedantic

#176801 Sat, 31 Dec 05 01:07 AM

Hello Spring and Danyoo

Strange as it may seem, "tenacious of power" and "tenacious of life" are fine.

"Tenacious of" is attested by the OED, with the meaning "retentive of". It is a slightly literary usage.

"Tenacious memory" is also cited, with the meaning "retentive memory".

MrP

MrPedantic

Joined on Tue, Oct 12 2004

Veteran Member (12,168)

...opella forensis / adducit febris...

Danyoo

#177257 Sat, 31 Dec 05 10:14 PM

Thanks for your feedback MrP.

It does seem a little odd since you don't hear of 'tenacious of power' or 'tenacious of life' in everyday language these days. But it certainly is good to learn something new!

Danyoo