I like Oxford Languages, the dictionary company. Google uses them. I mention this because I was having a devil of a time finding the right word for this I entry. Google and Oxford just were not doing it for me. I had written a couple of drafts for other words but they just did not fit well with the memoir prompts themed to encourage women to write and to do so without any need for getting permission from anyone to do so.
So I broke out my handy iPad last evening and searched for i words pertaining to legal matters as I began to doze off to sleep. I finally stumbled over the word infringe. Hallelujah! That was what I was supposed to write about, obviously, or I wouldn’t have had such a strong response to seeing the word. Sometimes it is necessary to wait for inspiration.
In my rather compulsive manner of checking everything a couple of times to make sure I understood the proper usage, I ran across Dictionary.com’s synonyms that sorted out synonyms into a category: strongest matches. It started out with infringe – verb as in violate. Then it listed: “breach – contravene – disobey – encroach- impose – intrude -meddle – offend – trespass.
This was perfect. Every woman should seriously consider writing about being infringed upon.
We need not pander to prurient interests but in writing for legacy purposes using the word infringe as a main prompt and then writing about personal experiences each of the strong matches of the synonyms covers the world of indignities women still navigate in their lives.
I will do a few brief prompts to have you get the feel for how to use this infringement example through synonyms.
Breach: Discuss a rift or rupture you have faced, and perhaps healed, in your life. What role did others play in the process?
Contravene: Contemplate and discuss whether it has been more significant for you to go against a person or belief, or whether someone unjustly contradicting you has had more of an impact on your life.
Disobey: In order to remain whole and honest to your core, have you had to disobey your parents, teachers, or other authorities?
Encroach: Share a few times that you felt that your rights were usurped, or your personal space was intruded or impinged upon.
I think you get the idea.
Now do the same or something similar with the remaining aspects of of the verb infringe listed above: impose (dictate), intrude (impinge), meddle (hinder or tamper), offend (insult), trespass (poach).
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