The English word ‘elude’ is commonly used in both spoken and written language, especially when describing situations involving escape, avoidance, or difficulty in grasping something. For speakers or learners of Kannada, understanding the meaning of ‘elude’ in their native language can deepen their grasp of English vocabulary and usage. The word ‘elude’ translates to Kannada as ‘ತಪà³à²ªà²¿à²¸à²¿à²à³à²³à³à²³à³’ (tappisikollu), which means to avoid or escape from something in a skillful or clever way. This topic explores the full depth of the word, provides Kannada examples, and explains how to use it effectively in sentences.
Definition and Usage of ‘Elude’
The word ‘elude’ is a verb and has several meanings depending on context. It is often used to indicate:
- Escaping from a danger or pursuer using cleverness or speed
- Failing to be achieved or understood despite effort
- Avoiding detection, notice, or capture
Each of these meanings can be translated or explained in Kannada, making it easier for learners to grasp subtle nuances.
Primary Kannada Translation
As mentioned earlier, the Kannada equivalent of ‘elude’ is ‘ತಪà³à²ªà²¿à²¸à²¿à²à³à²³à³à²³à³’ (tappisikollu). This verb is used in everyday speech when referring to someone escaping a situation or avoiding an outcome. It’s closely linked with notions of cleverness, agility, or even misdirection.
Examples of ‘Elude’ in Sentences with Kannada Translations
1. Escape from Danger
English: The thief managed to elude the police by hiding in an abandoned house.
Kannada: à²à²³à³à²³à²¨à³ ಬಿà²à³à²à³à²¹à³à²¦ ಮನà³à²¯à²²à³à²²à²¿à²¦à³à²¦à³ ಪà³à²²à³à²¸à³ ಠಳನà³à²¨à³ ತಪà³à²ªà²¿à²¸à²¿à²à³à²à²¡à²¨à³. (Kaḷḷanu biá¹á¹uhÅda maneyalliddu pÅlÄ«sgaḷannu tappisikondaá¹u.)
This sentence shows how ‘elude’ conveys the idea of escaping from a pursuer, in this case, the police.
2. Failing to Be Understood
English: The meaning of the poem continues to elude me.
Kannada: ಠà²à²µà²¨à²¦ ಠರà³à²¥à²µà³ ನನಠೠà²à²¨à³à²¨à³ ತಪà³à²ªà²¿à²¸à²¿à²à³à²³à³à²³à³à²¤à³à²¤à²¿à²¦à³. (Ä kavanada arthavu nanage innÅ« tappisikolluttide.)
Here, ‘elude’ is used in a more abstract way, referring not to physical escape but to something that remains out of comprehension.
3. Avoiding Capture
English: The animal eluded the hunters by running deep into the forest.
Kannada: ಠಮà³à² ವೠಠರಣà³à²¯à²¦à³à²³à² à³ à²à²¡à²¿à²¦ ಮà³à²²à² ವà³à²à² ಾರರಿà²à²¦ ತಪà³à²ªà²¿à²¸à²¿à²à³à²à²¡à²¿à²¤à³. (Ä má¹gavu araá¹yadoḷage Åá¸ida mÅ«laka vÄá¹agÄrarinda tappisikondiitu.)
This example again highlights physical escape, which is a common usage of the word ‘elude.’
Different Contexts for ‘Elude’
Emotional or Conceptual Elusiveness
Sometimes, ‘elude’ is used in emotional or intellectual contexts. For example, when someone says that happiness eludes them, they mean it is hard to attain or hold onto.
English: True peace seemed to elude him no matter how hard he tried.
Kannada: à²à²·à³à²à³ ಪà³à²°à²¯à²¤à³à²¨à²¿à²¸à²¿à²¦à²°à³ ನಿà²à²µà²¾à²¦ ಶಾà²à²¤à²¿ ಠವನಿಠೠತಪà³à²ªà²¿à²¸à²¿à²à³à²³à³à²³à³à²¤à³à²¤à²¿à²¤à³à²¤à³. (Eá¹£á¹Ä prayatnisidarÅ« nijavÄda ÅÄnti avanige tappisikolluttittu.)
Memory and Recall
The word is also used when someone struggles to recall a memory or piece of information.
English: The name of the book eludes me at the moment.
Kannada: ಠಪà³à²¸à³à²¤à²à²¦ ಹà³à²¸à²°à³ ನನಠೠà²à²¤à³à²¤à³à²à³à² ೠತಪà³à²ªà²¿à²¸à²¿à²à³à²³à³à²³à³à²¤à³à²¤à²¿à²¦à³. (Ä pustakada hesaru nanage Ä«ttÄchege tappisikolluttide.)
Common Synonyms of ‘Elude’
Understanding synonyms can also help in expanding vocabulary. Words similar in meaning to ‘elude’ include:
- Evade – ತಪà³à²ªà²¿à²¸à²¿à²à³à²³à³à²³à³ (Tappisikollu)
- Escape – ತಪà³à²ªà²¿à²¸à²¿à²à³à²³à³à²³à³ (Tappisikollu)
- Dodge – ತಿರà³à² à³à²®à²°à³à² ೠಹà³à² à³ (Tirugumarege hÅgu)
- Avoid – ದà³à²°à²µà²¿à²°à³ (DÅ«raviru)
While these words are similar, they can carry slightly different tones or usages. ‘Elude’ often implies a sense of cleverness or skill, which may not always be present in ‘avoid.’
Grammatical Notes
Elude is a transitive verb, which means it requires an object in the sentence. For example:
- Correct: The suspect eluded the police.
- Incorrect: The suspect eluded.
In Kannada translation, the verb form ತಪà³à²ªà²¿à²¸à²¿à²à³à²³à³à²³à³ must also align with the subject’s gender and plurality, which is important for grammatically correct expression.
Verb Forms of ‘Elude’
The different verb forms of ‘elude’ include:
- Present: elude
- Past: eluded
- Present participle: eluding
Each of these forms has a corresponding Kannada verb conjugation based on context. For example:
English: He eluded capture for years.
Kannada: ಠವನೠವರà³à²·à² ಳ à²à²¾à²² ಬà²à²§à²¨à²µà²¨à³à²¨à³ ತಪà³à²ªà²¿à²¸à²¿à²à³à²à²¡à²¨à³. (Avanu vará¹£agaḷa kÄla bandhanavannu tappisikondaá¹u.)
Why Understanding Words Like ‘Elude’ Matters
English learners who speak Kannada will benefit from understanding both literal and figurative uses of words like ‘elude.’ It enhances comprehension in reading, speaking, and listening, especially when these words appear in literature, news, or conversations. Because ‘elude’ can represent physical actions and abstract concepts, it’s a powerful verb that adds depth and precision to English communication.
In translation tasks, recognizing when ‘elude’ refers to physical escape versus mental comprehension can improve the quality of the Kannada interpretation. Knowing the correct Kannada equivalents also helps learners avoid using generic or incorrect verbs that might not capture the full meaning of the original English sentence.
In summary, the English verb ‘elude’ means to escape, avoid, or remain difficult to grasp both literally and figuratively. Its Kannada equivalent is ‘ತಪà³à²ªà²¿à²¸à²¿à²à³à²³à³à²³à³’ (tappisikollu), which closely matches the English meaning in most contexts. By examining examples in both languages and considering different usages, learners can confidently use ‘elude’ in their communication. Understanding such verbs not only improves vocabulary but also enriches overall language skills, bridging the gap between English and Kannada with accuracy and clarity.