WOTD: Approve

Continuing with the theme of words that are spelled and pronounced the same as modern words but have different meanings, I give you –

approve (v.) IPA Pronunciation:
try, prove, put to the test

CORNELIUS
I left out one thing which the queen confess’d.
Which must approve thee honest…

– Cymbeline (V.v)

I really like this word. There is a certain weight it carries with the sounds that are used: the push of the P, followed by the ooo of the U and the smooth V. And you’re not just proving something, you are a-proving it. Like it’s more than just finding a reference for what you’ve just said… you need to put it to the test with some action. Kind of like this…

“I know Kung Fu.”
“…. Show me.”