2 Obscure Definition "Obscurity" here refers to unclear meaning. A concept or a linguistic expression can be unclear for various reasons.

One reason is that it might be ambiguous, i.e. having more than one meaning. The other reason is that it might be vague. A term is said to be vague if there are borderline cases where it is indeterminate as to whether it applies or not. Finally, a term might also have an unclear meaning in that its meaning is incomplete. Net is the reticulated fabric decussated at regular intervals with interstices and intersections. -Samuel Johnson Disjunction is a truth-functionally compound proposition whose disjuncts called atomic components are interposed by the binary connective called wedge. Sugar: a sweet crystallizable material that consist wholly or essentially of sucrose, is colorless or white when pure tending to brown when less refined, is obtained commercially from sugarcane or sugar beef and less expensively from sorghum, maples, and palms, and is important as a source of dietary carbohydrate and as a sweetener and preservative of other foods.

3 Blush is a temporary erythema and colorific effulgence of the physiognomy, aetiotized by the perceptiveness of the sensorium, in a predicament in inequillibrity from a sense of shame, anger or other cause, eventuating in a paresis of the vaso-motorial, muscular filaments of the facial capillaries, whereby, being divested of their elasticity, they became suffused with a radiance emanating from an intimidated praecordia. (Did you understand it?) The term blush could have been defined simply as the reddening of the face due to shame, anger and other cause of similar nature, and an average person would have understood better. Inquiry is the controlled or directed transformation of an indeterminate situation into one that is so determinate in its constituent distinction and relations as to convert the elements of the original situation into a unified whole. (John Dewey, Logic: The Theory of Inquiry, Holt, 1938, 104).

4 Figurative Definitions Figurative use of language is the use of words or phrases in a manner where the literal meaning of the words is not true or does not make sense, but "implies a non-literal meaning which does make sense or that could be true. Love is a misery. Marriage is a pair of shears, so joined that they cannot be separated, often moving in opposite directions, yet always punishing anyone who comes between them. Sydney Smith Bachelor is a man happier than others.

Patriotism is a conviction that your country is superior to all others because you were born in it. Peace is a period of cheating between two periods of fighting. Lawyer is someone who makes crime pay. Intellectuals are people who solve problems; geniuses prevent them.

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Definition should not be circular. It should not use the defined term as part of its definition. Most circular definition gives us little or no information at all and should be avoiding for that reason. The term being defined should not be contained in the defining term; otherwise, the definition gives little or no information at all and thus fails in its purpose to explain the meaning of a term. An inventor is one invents something. A wall clock is a clock on the wall. An eyebrow is the brow of eye. A voter is anyone who votes.

Definition should not be needlessly negative. As a rule, opposition is not an adequate way of defining terms. A definition must state what a thing is, not what a thing is not. Definition must not be negative when it could be affirmative. Examples: Odd is not even. Antonym is the opposite of synonyms. Adolescent is neither a child nor an adult. Antipathy is the antonym of sympathy

Negative definition, however, is correctly employed when it refers to a privation as in this example: A blind man is one that cannot see: a crippled man is one that cannot walk. This definition is likewise valid if applied to realities we do not know well: God is a Being that is not caused.

8 Definition must be precise. i.e., it must not be narrow or too broad. A definition is too narrow if it prevents us from applying a term to all the things to which it can be applied. In short, if a definition is too broad, the defining term includes too much; if it is too narrow, the defining term includes too little. To satisfy the criterion for a good definition, the defining term must be precise. For a definition to be precise,. For a definition to be precise, the definiendum and the definiens must be mutually interchangeable. In replacing the definiendum with the definiens in a given sentence, the substitution should result in a sentence faithful to the original. Here are some definitions that violate this rule: Definitions that are too broad Definition that are too narrow

9 Definitions that are too broad Suppose we define bachelor as unmarried male. At first glance this might look all right, but it applies to a lot of things, for example, male dogs and male babies, that, needless to say, are not bachelors. A definition is too broad if it applies to things that are not part of the extension of the word define. To correct this tallacy, narrow the definition. In this case, bachelor means unmarried man. E-mail is a massage sent electronically. The definition of an email as a message sent electronically is too broad since it allows us to refer to SMS (short message service). Which is not an email. A square is a four side polygon. There are four sided polygons like rectangle and rhombus and diamond that are not square. A cat is a domestic animal. There are domestic animals other than cats like dogs, birds, and hamsters. Knife is an instrument for cutting. Many instruments other than knives are used for cutting like scissors, nail cutters. Jupiter is a planet. There are many other planets.

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Definition that are too narrow A woman is a married mother. This definition as a married mother prevents us from applying the term to females that are not married. A doctor is a surgeon. If excludes those who specialize on other fields of medicine such as obstetrician, pediatrician, and those who hold a doctorate. A bird is a feathered egg-laying animal. It excludes male birds. Firecracker is a high-powered explosive firework. It excludes other fireworks that do not have violent blast like triangle, fountain, and baby dynamite, among others.