Confusing Words Clarified: Group D; Homonyms, Homophones, Homographs, Synonyms, etc. +(lists of "D" sections that are organized into what for some people are confusing groups of words)The day-to-day arena of spoken and written communication has always been a perilous place, fraught with endless possibilities for embarrassing blunders by even the most wary. People may have a fine grasp of grammar, be proficient with spelling and syntax, and still occasionally find themselves in a quandary about which word to use. These days it seems that those of us who want to be precise are having a harder time than ever because there is so much which is working against us. For one thing, there is the constant bombardment of sloppy English that we are subjected to from what we hear and read; and not just what's overheard on the bus or read on the walls of buildings.
We are also subjected to the many errors audible on TV or radio and published in every conceivable kind of printed matter; especially, in blogs and other presentations on some internet sites. These are strong influences, and if we hear and see a word misused often enough, it takes on a certain "correctness". If you have any problems understanding the pronunciation symbols, go to this Pronunciation Chart for clarifications.Once again, we want you to know that efforts have been made to help you grasp the meanings of the following and the other word groups 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. discreet, discrete
discreet (di SKREET)
Displaying wise reserve in one's speech or conduct; being prudent and careful: "The university president was discreet as she spoke to the visitors."
discrete (di SKREET)
Constituting a separate thing; distinct: "There is a discrete difference between the two sisters."
discus, discuss, cuss
discus (DIS kuhs)
The plate of metal or stone thrown in athletic contests: "He won a gold medal in the discus throw at the sports competition."
discuss (dis KUHS)
To talk or to write about: "I would like to discuss this topic with you some more."
cuss (KUHS)
1. Alternative term for the word curse, to swear or to utter a rude comment: "He was so upset by the accident that he started to cuss."
2. The use of an offensive word, or words, when a person speaks; swear words: "She started to yell and to cuss as soon as he came into the room." disinterested, uninterested
disinterested (dis IN trist id)
Unbiased, impartial, unprejudiced; not personally involved; not influenced by personal feelings, opinions, or concerns: "A disinterested third party mediated the dispute in a disinterested pursuit of the truth."
"We need a disinterested party to settle the argument." "A judge must be disinterested in the cases he or she tries if a fair outcome can be achieved." uninterested (un IN trist id)
Bored, indifferent, lacking interest; not wanting to learn more about something nor to become involved in certain things: "She was obviously uninterested in my discussion of vocabulary."
"He said he likes music but that he is uninterested in doing any art work." dispassionate, unimpassioned
dispassionate (dis PASH uh nit)
Not influenced by or effected by personal emotion or involvement: "A good news reporter will approach each story with a dispassionate attitude."
unimpassioned (un" im PASH uhnd)
Marked by a reasonable approach totally devoid of emotional influence or appeal: "He answered the court charges with an unimpassioned defense."
displace, misplace, replace
displace (dis PLAYS)
To take from or to remove from the original location of an object or individual: "A refugee is someone who has been displaced from his/her home."
misplace (mis PLAYS)
To place or to put in the wrong or untypical location: "I managed to misplace my glasses again!"
"He was upset when he noticed that he misplaced a comma in the sentence." 2. To direct a feeling; such as, trust or confidence toward someone or something that does not deserve it: "She realized that her trust had been misplaced."replace (ri PLAYS); this should NOT be pronounced as, (ri PLAYZ)
To return an object to its original location: "She was careful to replace the book exactly where she found it."
dissidence, dissidents
dissidence (DIS i duhns)
Disagreement or a contrary opinion on a subject: "There was a sense of dissidence among the students during the lecture."
dissidents (DIS i duhnts)
Individuals who maintain a difference of opinion or disagreement regarding a particular situation: "The student dissidents decided to organize a silent march to protest the university rules."
distinct, distinctive
distinct (di STINGKT)
1. Different in a way that can be seen, heard, smelled, felt, etc.; noticeably different: "The class focused on U.S. English as distinct from British English."
2. Easy to see, hear, smell, feel, etc.: "She spoke with a distinct British accent." 3. Strong and definite: "A flight cancellation is a distinct possibility tomorrow." 4. Remarkable or unmistakable: "Her distinct style of dress caught the eye of the famous clothing designer." distinctive (di STINGK tiv)
1. Demonstrating unique characteristics or style: "Her accent was distinctive and unforgettable."
2. Appealing or interesting because of an unusual quality or characteristic: "This store sells the most distinctive chocolates." distracted, distrait, distraught
distracted (di STRAKT id)
To call attention away from the focus of a situation: "The loud shout on the street distracted the attention of the people in the bank."
distrait (di STRAY); distraite (dis TRAYT) [French]
Inattentive or preoccupied, especially because of anxiety: "When she didn't show up for the meeting, her employer was uneasy and distrait."
distraught (di STRAWT)
Confused or stirred up due to mental conflict, anxiety or doubt: "When her son was late coming home from school, the mother was distraught, imagining all sorts of things which might have happened to him."
divers, diverse
divers (DIGH vurz)
1. Various, several: "There were divers students and professors attending the speech."
2. People who jump into the water from special boards, from boats, etc.: "Pearl divers need to be able to swim very well." diverse (di VURS, digh VURS)
Different, varied, not similar: "It was apparent during the debate that the candidates were very diverse in their recommendations."
divorce, divorcé; divorcee, divorcée
divorce (di VORS, di VOHRS)
1. The legal dissolution of a marriage: "She was so unhappy in her marriage that she decided to apply for a divorce and live by herself."
2. A complete or radical severance of closely connected things: "To ensure a completely neutral decision, there should be a divorce between the church and the courts." divorcé (di vor SAY, di vor SEE; di VOHR say")
A divorced man: "As a divorcé, he was cautious about going on dates again."
divorcee, divorcée (di vor SAY, di vor SEE)
A woman who has officially ended her marriage and who has not married again: "In many old movies, the divorcee always seems to be having a good time."
do, doe, dough
do (DOH)
A syllable that represents the first note in a musical scale when singing solfeggio which represents the note C: "The singer started her practice with do re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti."
There is also the verb do (DOO): To perform or to execute, plus many other meanings; however, the do (DOH) in this section is presented with doe and dough to demonstrate their homonymic relationships. doe (DOH)
The female of the deer, antelope, rabbit, kangaroo, and certain other animals: "The kangaroo doe carries her young in the pouch on the front of her body."
dough (DOH)
1. A soft mass of moistened flour or meal and other ingredients, mixed for making bread, pastry, etc.: "Mother was mixing dough for fresh loaves of bread."
2. Slang for money: "He said he was running out of enough dough to take care of his family's needs." "I don't have much dough these days to pay for all of these expenses." doc, dock
doc (DAHK)
A casual reference for the term "doctor": "Am I going to be all right, doc?"
dock (DAHK)
1. Any of a number of weedy broad leafed plants with a long tap root system: "When it blooms, the dock in the ditch by the roadside is very colorful."
2. To reduce or take away: "If you are late three times in a row, the paymaster will dock your wages." 3. A specially designed platform or area for boats or ships when they are brought close to land: "They hired an architect to design a new dock for their sail boat." 4. A specified location within a court room where the prisoner or accused person remains during a court proceeding: "The Old Bailey Courthouse has a famous dock for criminals." does, does, doze
does (DUHZ)
The third person, singular, present tense of the verb do: "The passerby shouted, "What does she think she is doing running across the street like that?"
does (DOHZ)
Female deer: "I watched the does in the meadow feeding in the tall grass."
doze (DOHZ)
To sleep lightly: "I couldn't help but doze off as I sat in the chair by the fireplace because it was so comfortable."
If the buck doesn't doze, then he probably does get excited when the does come around. When does a female deer sleep? Well, we can see those does doze there right now. done, dun
done (DUN)
Completely finished: "He'll travel many miles in several days before he's done with his trip."
dun (DUN)
1. To make persistent demands to a debtor for payment of debts: "The bailiff will dun the farmer until all the debts to the bank are paid."
2. A grayish brown or reddish brown color: "The dun horse with the black mane pulled the wagon into the barn." doom, dune
doom (DOOM)
Inevitable destruction or ruin: "I had a sense of doom when I lost my passport."
dune (DOON, DYOON)
A hill or ridge of wind-blown sand: "They climbed the dune at the edge of the desert to scan the vastness of the land before them."
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