👀DAILY HINDU EDITORIAL WORD BYTES - 1--> 4 MAY👀

💥Daily Word Bytes - 1  from editorial - Secret Agent💥

bank on (phrasal verb) – rely (on), depend (on), count (on).
Hindu Editorial usage : The Janata Dal (Secular) is probably headed for a third-place finish in Karnataka, but is banking on making its seats count in a hung Assembly, which many opinion polls suggest is likely

secular (adjective) – non-religious.
Hindu Editorial usage : The party’s ‘secular’ outlook did not prevent it from partnering in a coalition government with the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2006; 

outlook (adjective) – point of view, attitude, standpoint/position.
Hindu Editorial usage : The party’s ‘secular’ outlook did not prevent it from partnering in a coalition government with the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2006; 

notwithstanding (preposition) – in spite of, despite, regardless of.
Hindu Editorial usage : notwithstanding the protestations of patriarch H.D. Deve Gowda, 

patriarch (noun) – a man who controls family/group/society/organization.
Hindu Editorial usage : notwithstanding the protestations of patriarch H.D. Deve Gowda, 

rule out (phrasal verb) – exclude, eliminate, reject.
Hindu Editorial usage : another such arrangement between the two parties cannot be ruled out

vow (verb) – swear, pledge, promise.
Hindu Editorial usage : Mr. Gowda likes to put all the blame on his younger son, H.D. Kumaraswamy, for the 2006 partnership and vows it will not be repeated

join hands (phrase) – work together.
Hindu Editorial usage :  But the reasons that drove the party to join hands with the BJP at that time have not disappeared now

confine (verb) – restrict, limit, surround.
Hindu Editorial usage : The support bases of the two parties are in different regions, with the JD(S) confined to Mysuru and southern Karnataka where the Vokkaligas have a strong presence.

concede (verb) – yield, give up, relinquish.
Hindu Editorial usage : Therefore, neither party is fearful of conceding space to the other. The Congress remains the principal rival for both

hold hostage (phrase) – keep someone as a hostage.
Hindu Editorial usage :  senior BJP leaders are not likely to let the past hold the future hostage.

as much (phrase) – the same.
Hindu Editorial usage : Indeed, Prime Minister Narendra Modi indicated as much when he praised Mr. Gowda,

cadre (noun) – member of a (political) group.
Hindu Editorial usage : This might have been intended to send separate signals to JD(S) leaders and the BJP cadre. 

downplay (phrasal verb) – underemphasize, understate, underplay.
Hindu Editorial usage :  Not surprisingly, both Mr. Gowda and Mr. Kumaraswamy have sought to downplay Mr. Modi’s remarks.

proximity (noun) – closeness, nearness, adjacency (in relationship).
Hindu Editorial usage : Too much proximity to the BJP prior to the election is not going to help the JD(S), which would like to keep its supporters interested in the contest as a three-way fight. 

prospects (noun) – chances, opportunities, possibilities.
Hindu Editorial usage : but the prospects for such a situation have dimmed in the years since.

dim (verb) – diminish/reduce, weaken, fade.
Hindu Editorial usage : but the prospects for such a situation have dimmed in the years since.

encroach (verb) – intrude, trespass, impinge/make inroads into.
Hindu Editorial usage : In addition to its concerns of the Congress encroaching on its political space, the JD(S) has one other difficulty:

rebellion (noun) – dissent, subversion, defiance.
Hindu Editorial usage : The Karnataka Chief Minister was earlier a front-ranking leader of the JD(S), and his rebellion remains a sore point with Mr. Gowda and his son

sore point (noun) – something which makes someone angry/embarrassed.
Hindu Editorial usage : The Karnataka Chief Minister was earlier a front-ranking leader of the JD(S), and his rebellion remains a sore point with Mr. Gowda and his son

averse (adjective) – opposed to, against, hostile to.
Hindu Editorial usage : But depending on the nature of the verdict, it will not be averse to building bridges with a Congress without Mr. Siddaramaiah, 

build bridges (phrase) – cause friendly relations between two groups.
Hindu Editorial usage : But depending on the nature of the verdict, it will not be averse to building bridges with a Congress without Mr. Siddaramaiah,