reconstruction

/'ri:kən'strʌkʃn/

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Word: Reconstruction

Part of Speech: Noun

Basic Definition:Reconstruction refers to the act of building or putting something back together again. It can mean physically rebuilding something that was broken or damaged, or it can refer to rethinking and reorganizing ideas or memories.

Usage Instructions:

• Use "reconstruction" when talking about physical rebuilding, like a house or a city.
• It can also be used in a more abstract sense, such as reconstructing a memory or an event by piecing together different bits of information.

Examples:

1. Physical Rebuilding: "After the earthquake, the town began the reconstruction of homes and schools."
2. Abstract Rebuilding: "The detective worked on the reconstruction of the events leading up to the crime."

Advanced Usage:

In more advanced contexts, "reconstruction" can refer to specific historical periods or processes, such as: - "The Reconstruction era in the United States (1865-1877) was a time when the Southern states were reorganized and reintegrated into the Union after the Civil War."

Word Variants:

• Reconstruct (verb): To build or form again. Example: "The team plans to reconstruct the old bridge."
• Reconstructed (adjective): Describing something that has been rebuilt. Example: "The reconstructed building looks just like the original."

Different Meanings:

1. Historical Context: Referring specifically to the period after the American Civil War.
2. Psychology: The process by which memories are recalled by piecing together fragments of information.

Synonyms:

• Restoration
• Renovation
• Rebuilding
• Reassembly
• Reformulation (in terms of ideas or memories)

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

While there aren’t specific idioms that use "reconstruction," you might use phrases like: - "Put the pieces back together," which can metaphorically refer to reconstructing a situation or memory. - "Rebuild from the ground up," meaning to start over completely and create something new.

Summary:

"Reconstruction" can refer to both physical and abstract rebuilding.

Academic

Noun

1. recall that is hypothesized to work by storing abstract features which are then used to construct the memory during recall
2. an interpretation formed by piecing together bits of evidence
3. the activity of constructing something again
4. the period after the American Civil War when the southern states were reorganized and reintegrated into the Union; 1865-1877

Synonyms

• reconstructive memory
• Reconstruction
• Reconstruction Period