compulsory · CSS study notes
Bucket 55 — Criticism & Mockery
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Best for: English Essay, critiquing social norms, and Précis tone (satire). 4 words.
1. DERIDE (v.)
- Urdu: مذاق اڑانا، تمسخر کرنا
- Meaning: express contempt for; ridicule
- Syn: ridicule, mock, scoff at, belittle · Ant: praise, respect, admire, applaud
- ✍️ Use: Ideas once derided as fantasy, like mobile banking, now reach millions.
- 🧠 Hook: de + ridere (laugh, as in ridiculous) → laugh down at someone.
2. LAMPOON (v./n.)
- Urdu: طنز کرنا، ہجو لکھنا؛ طنزیہ تحریر
- Meaning: publicly criticise by using ridicule or sarcasm; a satirical piece
- Syn: satirise, mock, parody, caricature · Ant: praise, flatter, eulogise, honour
- ✍️ Use: Anwar Maqsood lampooned the political class for decades on television.
- 🧠 Hook: harpoon someone with lamp-lit jokes.
3. SARDONIC (adj.)
- Urdu: طنزیہ، تحقیر آمیز مسکراہٹ والا
- Meaning: grimly mocking or cynical
- Syn: sarcastic, cynical, mocking, scornful · Ant: sincere, earnest, kind, respectful
- ✍️ Use: The author's sardonic tone suggests he no longer believes reform is possible.
- 🧠 Hook: sounds like sarcastic. Précis tone MCQs often offer it as an option.
4. TRAVESTY (n.)
- Urdu: مضحکہ خیز نقل، بگڑی ہوئی شکل
- Meaning: a false, absurd or distorted representation of something
- Syn: mockery, parody, farce, perversion · Ant: faithful representation, ideal, model
- ✍️ Use: A trial held without defence counsel is a travesty of justice.
- 🧠 Hook: Italian travestire (disguise, as in travesti) → justice wearing a disguise.