Word: hasty

Associations

'Hasty' means quick or done with speed, often without careful thought. It has a negative connotation, suggesting that being hasty can lead to mistakes.

• Example 1: "She made a hasty decision to quit her job." Here, 'hasty' suggests it was a fast decision without thinking it through.
• Example 2: "His hasty reply showed he didn't understand the question." In this case, it refers to a quick answer that lacked consideration.
• Example 3: "They canceled the event in a hasty manner." This implies the cancellation was done too quickly, potentially causing problems.

A well-known synonym for 'hasty' is 'rapid.' The important difference is that 'hasty' often implies recklessness or lack of thought, while 'rapid' simply describes speed without any judgment on the quality of the action.

Substitution

Instead of 'hasty,' you can use:

• 'rash' (suggests acting carelessly)
• 'swift' (focuses on speed without the negative connotation)
• 'quick' (a neutral word that doesn’t imply error)

Deconstruction

The word 'hasty' comes from the root word 'haste.'

• The root 'haste' means speed or urgency.
• The suffix '-y' often means characterized by. So, 'hasty' indicates being characterized by haste.

Historically, 'haste' comes from the Old French word ' hausse,' meaning 'to hasten.'

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when you made a hasty decision? What was the outcome?
• How can someone avoid being hasty in their actions or decisions?
• In what situations is being hasty more dangerous than being slow?