Confusing Words Clarified: Group A; Homonyms, Homophones, Homographs, Synonyms, etc. +(lists of "A" sections that are organized into what for some people are confusing groups of words)English can be very confusing; for example, a house burns up as it burns down, a form is being filled in as it is being filled out, and an alarm goes off by going on. How about when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible? As you examine the groups of words in this unit, you will find many examples of confusions; sometimes, just one or two letters in a word can change its meaning completely. There are also times when two different words get confused because their meanings apply to things that are very similar. Efforts have been made to help you grasp the meanings of various words that may be confusing so you can utilize them with greater accuracy in your communication. Your comments and suggestions are always welcome by writing to: E-mail Contact (just click it for an e-mail form) or by typing, words@wordinfo.info, as the address in your e-mail heading. If you have any problems understanding the pronunciation symbols, go to this Pronunciation Chart for clarifications.addition, edition
addition (ad DISH uhn)
1. A mathematical summation: "Addition is usually taught before subtraction."
2. Including: "The addition of a baby to the household changed our lives." 3. Increase, enlargement, extra: "The addition in cost over last year’s tuition is $500." 4. Annex, extension, adjunct: "The addition to the town library will double its size." edition (i DISH uhn)
1. One of a number of printings of books and newspapers: "The book was so popular that the publisher had to print a fifth edition."
2. The size, style, or form in which a book is published: "The publisher also printed a smaller pocket edition." adduce, deduce
adduce (uh DOOS, uh DYOOS)
Offer as a reason in support of an argument; cite as pertinent, conclusive, or persuasive: "At least the speaker did adduce three reasons for his actions."
deduce (di DOOS, di DYOOS)
1. Reach a conclusion by reasoning: "The police officer was able to deduce that the criminal was a man."
2. Trace the course, descent, or origin of: "From her conversation, I could deduce that she had a large family." adherence, adherents
adherence (ad HIR uhns)
1. A steady attachment, as of a person to a rule: "The coach demanded adherence to the rules of the game."
2. Adhesiveness, stickiness: "Put more glue on the wallpaper to increase its adherence." adherents (ad HIR uhnts)
Supporters, allies, followers; sticking or holding together: "He is a leader with many loyal adherents."
adhesion, cohesion
adhesion (ad HEE zhuhn)
A sticking together, as of substances or tissues: "Glue and paste provide the means of adhesion as well as adhesive tape."
cohesion (koh HEE zhuhn)
1. Particles of the same substance sticking together; unity, particles that are united in a single mass: "By the time she poured the cake batter into the pans, the mixture had a smooth cohesion."
2. A story whose facts all make sense and fit together: "It is much easier to follow the story in the newspaper because of the cohesion of the facts that were presented." 3. A group which is united and sticks together: "Sometimes financial needs can be used as a cohesive social force." adjoin, adjourn
adjoin (uh JOIN)
To be next to; to be in contact with: "Yes, as strange as it may be, the hospital did adjoin the cemetery."
adjourn (uh JURN)
1. To put off or to suspend until a future time: "The meeting will adjourn until next week."
2. Move, depart for: "Having finished dinner, they decided to adjourn to the living room." admission, admittance
admission (ad MISH uhn)
1. The act of allowing someone to enter; applies to an acceptance that carries certain rights and privileges: "The admission of aliens into some countries has become a big issue for certain governments."
"He sought admission to the convention." 2. The power or right of entering; permission to enter: "Now is the time to apply for admission into this college."3. A voluntary acknowledgment of truth: "With his admission of the truth to the police, they were able to solve the mystery." admittance (ad MIT'ns)
1. The right to enter; permission to enter: "Admittance is by invitation only."
2. Permission to enter or the right of entry: "We had the privilege of being allowed admittance to the private party." adolescence, adolescents
adolescence (ad'l ES uhns)
Growth from childhood to adulthood: "The period of adolescence is an important introduction to adulthood."
adolescents (ad'l ES uhns)
People growing up from childhood to adulthood, especially those from about 12 to about 20 years of age; youthful, teenagers: "Over 70 percent of today’s adolescents are expected to finish high school."
adverse, averse
adverse (ad VURS, AD vurs")
Opposed to, hostile to; unfavorable, contrary: "Adverse winds prevented our plane from arriving on time."
"Do not be discouraged by adverse criticism." averse (uh VURS)
Disliking; unwilling; having a feeling of great distaste or an inclination against something or someone: "My father is always averse to spending money."
"I do not approve of liquor in any form and I am even averse to drinking wine." advice, advise
advice (ad VIGHS) (always a noun)
1. A recommended opinion; counsel: "Since this is a legal matter, get a lawyer’s advice."
2. Formal or official information about something; intelligence, news, report: "Advice from abroad indicates that war is about to begin." advise (ad VIGHZ) (always a verb)
1. To offer an opinion or a course of action; to counsel; to recommend: "I advise you to reconsider your decision to sell your car."
"I advise you to take her advice." 2. To inform, tell, notify, make known: "The weather report did advise us that the roads were too icy for the trip."I advise you to take his advice and increase your vocabulary skills now. aerie; airy; eerie, eery
aerie (ER ee, IR ee)
The nest of an eagle, or other bird, of prey which is constructed in a high place: "He was able to see the eagle aerie on the side of the mountain."
airy (ER ee)
1. Well-ventilated: "The castle halls were large and airy."
2. Jaunty, sprightly, lively, frolicsome: "The little goats hopped around in an airy way." "The band played an airy tune." 3. Imaginary, fanciful, dreamy, ethereal, unrealistic: "Her head was full of airy thoughts."eerie, eery (IR ee)
So strange as to inspire a feeling of fear; uneasy because of superstitious fear; ominous, ghostly, spooky: "Seeing the old graveyard; especially, at night, gave us an eerie (or eery) feeling."
affect, effect
affect (uh FEKT)
1. As a verb: To influence, to act on, to modify, to pertain to: "The rain will affect our plans for a picnic."
"The soft, gentle breezes affect her disposition." 2. To pretend, to feign: "She is from New York, but she just had to affect a British accent."3. As a noun: A feeling, an emotion: "The affect of her speech was to cause anger and great dissension." effect (i FEKT)
1. As a noun: A result, a change; usually; a consequence: "The farmers felt the effect of the drought for several years."
"The soft gentle breezes have an effect on his disposition." 2. Actuality, fact, reality: "In effect, her insult meant the end of our friendship."3. Influence, power, force: "The plea for clemency had no effect on the judge." 4. As a verb: to produce, to accomplish, to bring about: "Do you think a new hairdo will effect my appearance?" The affect of the curve ball did not effect his hitting a home run. affinity, infinity
affinity (uh FIN uh tee)
1. Natural liking, fondness; rapport: "Many classical musicians have an affinity for jazz."
2. Family resemblance, similarity, likeness: "There is a close affinity between lemons and limes." infinity (in FIN uh tee)
1. Unlimited space, time, distance; extending beyond any measure or comprehension; without beginning or end: "Beyond the Earth we find infinity."
2. In photography, a distance setting, as on a camera, beyond which the entire field is in focus: "She set the lens on her camera to infinity so objects at a distance would be in focus." affluence, affluents, effluence, effluents, influence
affluence (AF loo wuhns; af LOO wuhns)
An abundance of riches, wealth, or opulence: "The ideal economy has enough affluence to benefit everyone."
affluents (AF loo wuhns; af LOO wuhns)
Applies to people who have large incomes, usually incomes spent freely: "They were obviously affluents who were members of the international jet set."
effluence (EF loo uhns)
1. The act or process of flowing out: "The effluence of enthusiasm could not be repressed."
2. Something that flows out or forth; the emitting or sending out: "The odor of the gas leak became an effluence that made several people ill." effluents (EF loo uhns)
Liquids; such as sewage or industrial chemicals, that are released as waste: "The factory has been accused of discharging effluents into the river."
influence (IN floo wuhns)
1. The power of a person or a thing to affect others, seen only in its effect: "Special-interest groups have too much influence on government."
2. The ability to produce effects indirectly by means of power based on wealth, high position, etc.: "She had a strong urge to marry him not for love but because of his affluence (wealth) and influence in politics." aggravate, annoy, exasperate, irritate
aggravate (AG gruh vayt")
1. To make worse, make more severe; to intensify: "Don't scratch because you will only aggravate the itch."
2. To exasperate, anger, vex: "His bossy attitude tends to aggravate me." annoy (uh NOI)
1. To cause uneasiness to; especially, by repeated acts; to make somewhat angry: "Please let me know if playing my radio will annoy you during work."
2. To trouble, to upset, to disturb: "Why did you have to annoy me during my afternoon nap?" exasperate (ig ZAS puh rayte")
1. To provoke, peeve, infuriate; slang, to bug, turn off: "Constant interruptions will only exasperate the speaker."
2. To make someone very angry or frustrated, often by repeatedly doing something agitating: "Please don't exasperate me with your constant bickering." irritate (IR i tayt")
1. To exasperate, anger, make impatient, provoke: "The mother was afraid that her child’s whining might irritate the nurse."
2. To make painful, to make sore: "Woolen clothing will irritate the rash." agnostic, atheist, deist, theist
agnostic (ag NOS tik)
Someone who believes that there can be no proof of the existence of God, but does not deny the possibility that God exists: "At our theology lecture, there were several people making presentations, one of whom was an agnostic who explained that there is no proof that God exists."
atheist (AY thee ist)
A disbeliever, denier of God's existence: "I believe in the existence of God, but my brother is an atheist and doesn't have such a belief."
deist (DEE ist)
Someone who believes in God based on reason rather than revelation and involves the view that God has set the universe in motion but does not interfere with how it exists: "My friend is a deist who believes in God as the creator of the universe but that humans are allowed to determine the kind of existence they feel is appropriate whether for good or for bad."
theist (THEE ist)
Someone who believes in a personal God as creator and ruler of the universe, but not necessarily accompanied by a belief in divine revelation; such as, through the Bible: "She is a member of a theist group believing in God but not necessarily as depicted in the Bible."
If there are any numbers below, use them to see other pages in this unit.
Showing page 3 out of 10 pages of 136 words or word groups. Back to Index | Search Box | Main Index The Main-Word Info pageThe + sign at the end of a unit title means all of the words in that unit have definitions.Directory of special content and topicsDo you want to help to make this dictionary bigger and better?
|
