Meet the definition
Today’s expression is “meet the definition.” This is a tough one to understand—it’s definitely a higher-level way to express an idea. But we don’t shy away from difficulty here at Plain English, so let’s give this a try together.
We’re only going to use “meet the definition” with a complicated idea. Usually we use this with a concept—it could be a legal concept or a medical concept or something like that—but we use it with a concept that has a complicated definition.
If something “meets the definition,” it would be included in the definition. And often—because these are complicated—it’s not always 100 percent clear. So let me give you some examples.
If you get COVID-19, you might want to take a drug called Paxlovid. The U.S. government has approved Paxlovid for anyone over the age of 12, who weighs 88 pounds or more, and who is at high risk for severe disease.
What does that mean, “at high risk for severe disease”? There is a definition for that; it’s not just loosely based on your personal opinion. The definition is this: you have to have an underlying condition like cancer, diabetes, obesity, or another disease, or you have to be 65 years old or older.
So if you’re under 65 and if you go to the doctor with COVID-19 and you say, “I really want to take Paxlovid. I’m at high risk for severe disease because I have seasonal allergies.” The doctor will say, “that does not meet the definition of ‘high risk for severe disease.'”
Allergies are uncomfortable, but if you read the government description of “high risk for severe disease” then it’s clear that allergies are not included in that definition. So we say that this does not meet the definition of “high risk for severe disease.”
The law is also a place where there are complicated definitions. Here’s the definition of involuntary manslaughter in New Mexico: “Involuntary manslaughter consists of manslaughter committed in the commission…of a lawful act which might produce death in an unlawful manner or without due caution and circumspection.”
This is about what happened on the set of the movie “Rust,” when a gun discharged a real bullet and killed a person on set. Did Alec Baldwin and Hannah Gutierrez-Reed commit lawful acts that might produce death without due caution? The prosecutors in New Mexico say that their actions—or really, their inactions, since they weren’t careful enough—the prosecutors say their actions and inactions meet the definition of involuntary manslaughter.
We won’t argue about the words here. But the prosecutors think these actions meet the definition. The defense attorneys will argue that what happened on set was a terrible accident, that nobody could have foreseen what happened, that it was not the fault of their clients, and that what happened—while terrible and sad—what happened does not meet the definition of involuntary manslaughter. And if their actions do not meet the definition, then they cannot be convicted of that crime. That is what we expect the lawyers to say.
Quote of the Week
Here’s another one of those quotes where you don’t have to agree with it, but you can still appreciate it. “Only thoughts reached by walking have value.” That was Friedrich Nietzche, the philosopher. And he liked to take long walks to work out problems in his head. I used to do the same thing in Chicago; it was something I missed here in Mexico. But I got out into a great big park last week and got another long walk in…and I had some great ideas too. So I agree with the spirit, if not this exact quote: “Only thoughts reached by walking have value,” according to Friedrich Nietzche.
See you next time!
That’s all for today’s Plain English, Monday February 6, 2023. Remember, we’re here every Monday and Thursday to help you upgrade your English. So if you’re a new listener, the best way to stay up-to-date on everything Plain English is to join as a free member at PlainEnglish.com. That unlocks access to transcripts and our full 544-lesson library, a weekly quiz, and more. And there’s a very popular free membership level, so check that out at PlainEnglish.com.
Coming up on Thursday: gas or electric? Maybe you have an opinion about cars. But what about stoves? That’s coming up on Thursday. See you then.
Use realistic expressions like a native speaker
