Confusing Words Clarified: Group C; Homonyms, Homophones, Homographs, Synonyms, etc. +(lists of "C" sections that are organized into what for some people are confusing groups of words)Three words that every student of language should understand are homonyms, synonyms, and antonyms. Homonyms are words that sound alike, but have different meanings. Synonyms are words that are related in meaning but do not sound alike (begin and commence, for example). Antonyms are direct opposites in meaning, as hot and cold; white and black.
With homonyms, the following set of to, too, and two are all pronounced exactly alike, but by no means are they interchangeable in writing. To be sure that you choose the correct spelling for any on these, you must know the meanings of all three so you will not make wrong choices with a feeling of vagueness and uncertainty. Efforts have been made to help you grasp the meanings of these and other 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.coal, cole, kohl
coal (KOHL)
A dark solid burnable substance formed by the decomposition of vegetable matter subject to airlessness, moisture, and increased pressure and heat: "The miners worked in the coal mine, bringing up several truck loads every day to be sold."
cole (KOHL)
Plants of the Brassica genis including broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower: "The doctor told her to eat at least one cole every day as part of her diet."
kohl (KOHL)
A cosmetic preparation used to darken the eyelids: "The actress used kohl to emphasize her beautiful eyes."
coarse, course
coarse (KORS, KOHRS)
Inferior quality, rough textured; crude: "The language the mob used was coarse and angry."
"The carpenter used a coarse grade of sandpaper when he started the project." course (KORS, KOHRS)
1. A path or direction of movement: "The bird watchers tracked the course of the swans when they returned for the summer."
2. Typical or normal action: "In the normal course of events, the students would start their summer vacation in July." 3. One of several parts of a meal: "The host served a delicious soup as the first course at the banquet." While taking the course in school, we often had to endure coarse conversation from one guy who was loud in taste, manner, and mouth. The rough track caused the athletes to complain about the coarse course. coax, cokes
coax (KOHKS)
To persuade or to try to persuade by flattery or persistent pleading: "The host tried to coax the author to make a speech after dinner."
cokes (KOHKS)
Distillations of coals which are used as fuel and in making steel: "The steel factory burned large quantities of various cokes in order to produce rails for the railroads."
The factories were often trying to coax the cokes to heat the metals more efficiently. coco, cocoa
coco (KOH koh)
The coconut palm and its fruit: "When the tourist ship went into the harbor, the young boys climbed the coco trees and threw down the cocos."
cocoa (KOH koh)
Cocao beans which have been roasted and ground to a powder and from which much of the fat has been extracted, often used for baking or making a hot drink: "The recipe called for several spoonfuls of cocoa when making the chocolate cake."
collaborate, corroborate
collaborate (kuh LAB uh rayt")
1. To work together, typically in an intellectual undertaking: "The scientists agreed to collaborate in their research."
2. To assist or to work with an organization of which an individual may not be a member: "The spies agreed to collaborate with the enemy which was planning to invade the islands." corroborate (kuh ROB uh rayt")
To confirm or to provide supporting evidence or information: "The independent research from the two scientists appeared to corroborate the cause of the disease."
collaboration, cooperation
collaboration (kuh LAB uh ray" shuhn)
1. To work together, especially in a joint intellectual effort: "The writers worked in collaboration to produce the book."
2. To give help to an enemy who has invaded a person's country during a war: "He was suspected of collaboration with the enemy." cooperation (koh ahp" uh RAY shuhn)
1. The association of people or businesses for common, usually economic, benefit: "The report cited a lack of cooperation between state and local officials."
"The fair was organized with the cooperation of local businesses." 2. The actions of someone who is being helpful by doing what is wanted or asked for: "Thank you for your cooperation in adding new words to this project."collage, college
collage (koh LAZH, kuh LAZH)
An art work created from the use of diverse materials; such as, paper, cloth, etc.: "The children worked on the winter collage as a class project."
college (KOL ij)
A school for education beyond preparatory or high school. Part of a larger university which offers degrees in specialized courses: "After high school, she had to decide to which college she would apply so she could become a teacher."
collision, collusion
collision (kuh LIZH uhn)
An encounter between two objects that results in an exchange or change of energy: "The traffic was snarled because of the collision between two large trucks; fortunately, no one was injured."
collusion (kuh LOO zhuhn)
A secret agreement or working together for a typically illegal purpose: "When the oil well failed, the operators suspected a collusion between the teams of workmen."
"She uncovered collusion between city officials and certain local businesses." colonel, kernel
colonel (KUR n'l)
A highly ranking member of the military or similar organization; such as, the Salvation Army: "After her many years of service, she was proud to have achieved the rank of colonel."
kernel (KUR n'l)
1. The soft core of a seed: "For a special treat, they popped corn which was made of kernels of dried corn."
2. The essence or central aspect of a thought or an idea: "There was a kernel of truth to the story that was being told by the children." Whenever our military commander wanted a very short snack, he would eat popcorn, which we referred to as "the colonel's kernels". coma, comma
coma (KOH muh)
A state of deep unconsciousness typically caused by an accident or an illness: "She was found in a coma after the skiing accident."
"A traumatic brain injury is the most frequent cause of a coma." "The doctors induced a coma in the patient to allow his body to recover from the severe accident." comma (KAHM uh)
A punctuation mark in a sentence typically used to separate parts of a sentence or a list within a sentence: "The editor suggested the use of a comma to highlight the list of words, for example: cat, dog, bird, and fish."
comb, come
comb (KOHM)
1. An instrument with a row of long thin teeth used for straightening or organizing one’s hair or fibers: "She had to comb her hair after she woke up."
2. To go through carefully: "The archaeologist decided to comb the dessert, searching for the gold comb used by the ancient king." 3. The fleshy crown of male birds; such as, the common rooster: "The comb of the rooster became even redder when he was excited by the noise." come (KUM)
To journey or to move towards something or towards a specific destination: "The map indicated that they would come to an oasis in the desert if they continued going in a straight line."
comity, committee
comity (KOM i tee)
A social, friendly atmosphere or relationship promoting harmony: "The comity among the villagers promoted a peaceful life style which appealed to those seeking a restful holiday."
committee (kuh MIT ee)
A group of individuals acting together for a designated purpose; such as, to investigate a situation: "The committee of lawyers worked together to draft new legislation to settle land claims."
command, commend
command (kuh MAND)
To exercise authority or domination of a situation: "The colonel was in command of the campaign to bring fresh supplies to the area."
commend (kuh MEND)
To praise someone or something in a serious and often public way: "He commended the finder of the wallet and its contents for her honesty in returning everything."
commence, comments
commence (kuh MENS)
To start or to begin an undertaking "In September, I will commence my college education."
comments (KAHM ents)
1. To make a statement about someone or something: "When asked about his involvement in the scandal, he refused to comment."
2. A remark or note to explain or to criticize something: "The art critic’s comment was important to the artist because it included an approach that could improve her artistic efforts." commission, omission
commission (kuh MISH uhn)
1. A written document authorizing an individual or organization to undertake a specific task: "The committee received a commission from the president to investigate wrong doings."
2. A document conferring military rank or authority to an individual: "Her colonel issued a commission indicating she was now a sergeant." omission (oh MISH uhn)
Something that has not been included or done: "There is still an omission of my name from the list of those who will be invited to the lecture."
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