Hugo November 14, 2002
Comp 9 Gokturk
Definition Essay: “Phony”
There are many ways to define a word. Some ways to know what a word means and what it is trying to explain is by using synonyms, a simple definition along with a sentence, or by using a extended definition. The word “phony” is a one unique word that can be defines in many ways by a certain person’s view.
If you were to ask someone what the word “phony” meant, most would probably say that a “phony” is someone who is a fake. That would most likely be the simple definition that most would say to the word “phony.” though it doesn’t mean very much to what “phony” means, most people would seem to understand what “phony” means. A “phony” could still be a person who is a fake, but it would still be considered to most people as a simple meaning the word.
If you were to examine and look closely to the word “phony,” you could and would probably be able to come up with several other ideas and definitions to the word “phony.” Someone synonyms for the word “phony” are counterfeit, artificial, fake, unreal, bogus, false, and forged. Looking at the definition in the dictionary, you would see counterfeit: fraudulent: not real or genuine. Though the word “phony” may mean all these things, in my opinion my definition of the word is slightly different, in that I would like to look at the word “phony” in two parts.
As I think about the word “phony,” I feel that many things make up the definition for the word “phony.” There are many things which can consider someone to be a “phony.” To me, in my opinion a “phony” is a person who chooses to do something that they said they would do and in the end they end up not doing what they said they would do. Or they would try to do what they said they did, but then have people realize that what was happening was fake. If you are referring to an idea or thing that is “phony.” Then I feel that the thing is either unreal, not genuine or a fake and bogus idea. So to me a “phony” can be two things. When they refer to a person, a “phony” is someone who says they would do something, but in the end people realize that they can not really succeed in their task. So they then realize that the person is a “phony.” But if you are referring to a thing or idea, a “phony” would be seen fake, bogus, and unreal to me. This is what I feel what the word “phony” means to me.