fus

What the "Fus" Is All About

The Latin root fus means “pour.” It is my hope that you will no longer be confused about this root by the end of this podcast, but rather that it will be infused into your memory!

When two types of metal are fused, they are “poured” together so as to form one. The energy released during the fusion or “pouring” together of two hydrogen atoms into one helium atom is the power that runs the stars, including our sun. Only one-trillionth of the solar energy released suffuses our planet, that is, is “poured” out to bathe us in its photons. The energy released infuses or is “poured” into all the plants on our planet, starting the process of photosynthesis whereby plants make their own energy. Such an infusion of solar light makes all life possible on our planet.

Imagine you find a ticking bomb and you have to defuse or “pour” off its ability to blow up. Your first inclination might be to refuse to do it, “pouring” the task back to someone else. If you get past the understandable refusal, you might find the actual job to be confusing what with the myriad of wires involved, that is, you are finding that there is just too much information being thoroughly “poured” into your own brain circuits, making the job impossible! Imagine an effusive James Bond showing up on the scene in the last ticking seconds, “pouring” out his willingness to defuse the bomb! He manages to do just that, at which point you offer him profuse praise, “pouring” it forth for not only having saved the day, but also for saving your life!

Now that this information about the root fus is diffuse throughout your memory or “poured” throughout it, you should have no trouble or further fuss about fus!

1. fuse: “pour” into one
2. fusion: the act of “pouring” together
3. suffuse: “pour” out from below, or “pour” out
4. infuse: to “pour” in
5. infusion: act of “pouring” in
6. defuse: “pour” from
7. refuse: to “pour” back
8. refusal: a “pouring” back
9. confuse: to thoroughly “pour” too much
10. confused: having been “thoroughly” poured so that there is too much information
11. effusive: “pour” out
12. defuse: “pour” off or from
13. profuse: “pour” forth
14. diffuse: “poured” apart throughout something

Usage

• suffuse

  If something, such as warmth, color, or liquid, suffuses a material, it gradually spreads through or covers it; if you are suffused with a feeling, you are full of that feeling.

• effusive

  Someone who is effusive expresses happiness, pleasure, admiration, praise, etc., in an extremely enthusiastic way.

• transfuse

  When something is transfused to another thing, it is given, put, or imparted to it; for example, you can transfuse blood or a love of reading from one person to another.

• diffuse

  When something is diffuse, it is widely spread out and scattered.

• profusion

  A profusion of something is a very large quantity or variety of it.

• infusion

  An infusion is the introduction or pouring of one thing into another—such as new ideas brought into a workplace or poured purple dye spreading throughout a glass of water.

• confuse

  Something that confuses you is hard to understand; it is so unclear that you cannot figure it out.

• confusion

  disorder resulting from a failure to behave predictably

• defuse

  remove the triggering device from

• diffusion

  (physics) the process in which there is movement of a substance from an area of high concentration of that substance to an area of lower concentration

• effusion

  an unrestrained expression of emotion

• fuse

  mix together different elements

• fusion

  an occurrence that involves the production of a union

• infuse

  teach and impress by frequent repetitions or admonitions

• profuse

  produced or growing in extreme abundance

• refuse

  food that is discarded (as from a kitchen)

• suffusion

  the process of permeating or infusing something with a substance