| word | tribute |
|---|---|
| definition | (1) Something (such as a gift or speech) that is given or performed to show appreciation, respect, or affection. (2) Something that proves the good quality or effectiveness of something. |
| eg_sentence | Near the end of his speech, he paid tribute to the two pioneers in the field who were in the audience. |
| explanation | Tribute originally took the form of things given from a weaker group to the dominant power of a region—a bit like the “protection money” the Mafia gets from small businesses after making them offers they can't refuse, though the older form of tribute actually did buy the weaker group some protection from enemy forces. Tribute could come in the form of valuables, cattle, or even produce, and might include the loan of warriors to strengthen the ruler's army. But when we “pay tribute” today, it's generally in the form of praise. And when we say, for instance, that a successful school “is a tribute to” the vision of its founder, we mean that its success is itself a form of praise for the person who founded it. And a “tribute band” is a rock group intended to honor a great band of the past. |
| IPA | ˈtrɪbjut |
Tags: mwvb::unit:30, mwvb::unit:30:word, mwvb::word, mwvb::word-cloze, mwvb::word-reverse, obsidian_to_anki
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