[Ads-l] "isolate" = "focus" (one's attention)

Mark Mandel markamandel at GMAIL.COM
Mon Nov 11 00:26:36 UTC 2019


That makes sense; it's a plausible speculation.
MAM


On Sat, Nov 9, 2019 at 7:08 PM Dan Goncharoff <thegonch at gmail.com> wrote:

> I see it as a derivativion from isolation, used in basketball and football
> to refer to a situation that requires a defender to cover an offensive
> player one-on-one, ie, without assistance.
>
> On Sat, Nov 9, 2019, 6:20 PM Mark Mandel <markamandel at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > *Wall Street Journal*, Saturday/Sunday, November 9-10, 2019, p. A11
> >
> >  "A Football Saturday – and a Cultural Reckoning – in Mid-America"
> > (Near end, column 5 on page)
> >
> > The game itself is less vivid than its trappings.  It's the Wildcats'
> > homecoming, but they can't muster much for the faithful. Iowa dominates
> > with the fans. I find myself isolating on their No. 9, safety Geno Stone,
> > whose smashing hits make me think that America may yet stave off decline.
>

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org



More information about the Ads-l mailing list