Word: bane (noun)

Associations

The word "bane" means a cause of great trouble, harm, or annoyance. It often refers to something that ruins or spoils a situation or a person's happiness.

• "Mosquitoes are the bane of my summer nights." Here, mosquitoes cause annoyance.
• "Traffic jams are the bane of city life." Traffic jams cause big problems for people in cities.
• "That old computer is the bane of my work." The computer causes trouble or frustration. A well-known synonym is "curse," but "bane" usually suggests a persistent or ongoing problem, while "curse" can have a stronger, sometimes magical or serious meaning.

Substitution

You can use words like "plague," "scourge," or "nuisance" instead of "bane," but they change the feeling a bit:

• "Plague" sounds like a big, widespread problem.
• "Scourge" is often used for something harmful or deadly.
• "Nuisance" is a smaller or less serious annoyance. For example, "Mosquitoes are a nuisance" is less strong than "Mosquitoes are the bane."

Deconstruction

The word "bane" comes from Old English "bana," meaning "killer" or "slayer." It originally meant something that causes death or destruction. Over time, it came to mean anything that causes harm or trouble. There is no prefix or suffix here; it's a simple root word.

Inquiry

• What is something in your life that you might call a "bane"? Why?
• Can "bane" be used for both people and things? How?
• How would you describe a problem that is a small annoyance versus a "bane"?