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Difficulty: MediumVocabulary in Context

Read the historical analysis excerpt below, then complete the sentence that follows to accurately define the target word based on its specific contextual usage.

"Traditional historiography has frequently portrayed the Industrial Revolution as an abrupt discontinuity. However, recent economic analyses suggest a more gradual transition, arguing that early factory systems did not entirely displace artisanal guilds but rather functioned in a supplementary capacity, serving to husband the scarce skilled labor available in rapidly expanding manufacturing districts."

Answer:As used in the excerpt, the word 'husband' most nearly means to 【conserve】.

Answer

The word 'husband' in this context means to conserve, preserve, economize, or carefully manage.
In the given excerpt, the author describes skilled labor as 'scarce' and notes that the early factory systems worked in a 'supplementary capacity' rather than displacing artisanal guilds. When applied to a scarce and valuable resource, the verb 'to husband' means to manage prudently, conserve, or economize. The factories were essentially conserving the limited supply of skilled workers.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the sentence structure and the immediate context surrounding the target word 'husband'.
The factory systems functioned to 'husband the scarce skilled labor'.
Understanding the direct object ('scarce skilled labor') and the purpose ('functioned in a supplementary capacity') provides critical clues to the verb's meaning.
2
Determine the logical relationship established by the author in the passage.
The passage contrasts an 'abrupt discontinuity' with a 'gradual transition' where factories supplemented guilds because skilled labor was 'scarce'.
Because the labor was rare and valuable, the factory system's role must have been to use it efficiently rather than exhaust it.
3
Synthesize the context to define the target word.
To 'husband' a scarce resource means to conserve or economize it.
This aligns precisely with the secondary definition of the verb 'to husband' (meaning to manage prudently), ruling out primary definitions related to agriculture or marriage.

Key Concept

Vocabulary in Context: Utilizing contextual clues to identify the secondary, non-literal, or specialized meaning of a polysemous word.
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Vocabulary in Context

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