Confusing Words Clarified: Group P; Homonyms, Homophones, Homographs, Synonyms, etc.

1. To make a request or suggestion for marriage: "My friend was determined to propose marriage to the girl he loves."
2. To suggest or to bring forward a plan to accomplish something: "The city engineer was determined to propose the building of a new bridge."
3. To bring an idea to an individual or a group for discussion: "I would like to propose that we take this discussion down to the beach."
4. To nominate: "The committee of peers will propose the name of the professor to be granted the fellowship to study polar bears."
5. To toast or to acknowledge in a speech: "The master of ceremonies rose to propose a toast to the retiring member of the board."

1. Having a meaningful aim or goal: "His purpose in going to a university was to become a lawyer."
2. A subject for discussion or for accomplishment: "The purpose of the meeting at city hall was to discuss raising property taxes."
3. Determination: "He had a purpose in his steps as he walked down the hall to the office."

1. Professionals in an area of endeavour: "The three retired golf pros got together every year to play another game."
2. An indication that an affirmation for something has been accomplished: "After the vote, the chair of the meeting indicated the pros had won."
3. An argument in favor of something: "The jury had to weigh the pros and cons of the case while deciding a recommendation to the court."

1. Ordinary language used by people everyday including both spoken and written expressions: "She spoke in clear prose so her neighbors could understand her explanations."
2. Written in a simple and unimaginative manner: "When writing her autobiography, the famous singer used simple prose to convey the reality of her life."

Characterized as being successful, enjoying economic well being: "The town enjoyed a new prosperity when the factory was built and the young people were being employed."

Including all the descendants of a lineage or family: "He lived frugally so that his posterity could enjoy an easier life style."

An organ found in men and male animals that produces the liquid in which sperm is carried: "At the time of his annual check-up, the doctor checked his patient's prostate for cancer and informed the man that he had an enlarged gland but that he did not have cancer."

1. Lying flat without the energy or power to get up: "After the long hike in the heat, the hikers lay prostrate in the shade, resting and sipping water slowly."
2. Demonstrating a helplessness or submissive posture: "The condemned prisoner assumed a prostrate position, hoping for clemency from the judge."

An artificial device used to replace a body part; such as, a limb (leg or arm): "The occupational therapist helped her client learn to walk with the new prosthesis which she needed after losing her left leg in a boating accident."

The result or someone becoming weak or powerless: "The campers suffered from heat prostration and exhaustion."

A reference to the branch of surgery dealing with the replacement of missing body parts, such as a hand, arm, leg, etc.: "The soldier was fitted with a prosthetic leg to replace the one he lost as a result of the explosion."

"A prosthetic replacement is a substitute for lost parts of the body resulting from disease or injury, particularly for the purpose of restoring the function of that part of the body; for example, a set of false teeth is a dental prosthesis."

A reference to the prostate gland, an organ found in men and male animals that produces the liquid in which sperm is carried: "Many men and male animals suffer prostatic problems; such as, prostatic calculus, prostatic plexus, prostatic cancer, prostatic urethra, etc."

1. Exhibiting great diversity: "The population in the city could be described as protean, as reflected in the more than 150 different languages that were spoken in the schools in the city."
2. Readily able to assume different characters or forms: "The friendly ghost in the house was a bit of a protean, appearing sometimes like a puppy and other times like a wisp of smoke."

Any of a number of naturally occurring or synthetic complex amino acids essential for all living cells: "I eat eggs and cheese instead of meat to get my protein for the day."

A reference to divine guidance or direction: "It was by divine providence that the ship did not sink after it hit an iceberg."

1. The proper or characteristic function of something: "Balancing the budget is the province of the accountants."
2. An administrative division of a country or district: "The Province of Ontario in Canada is large and the capital city of the province is Toronto."
3. The division of a country outlining the jurisdiction of an archbishop: "The province for the administration by the archbishop included the Far North."

An individual who appears excessively attentive to proper behavior or decorum: "The school principal seemed such a prude when it came to noise in the hallways during recess."

Behavior that is described as circumspect or showing careful and wise judgment: "Her prudent management of household expenses meant they could go on vacation."

A medical doctor who specializes in the study of mental and emotional issues or problems: "It takes many years of advanced medical studies to become a psychiatrist."

An individual who has studied the mental and behavioral characteristics of an individual or group but who does not have a medical degree: "As a psychologist, my sister works in schools where there are many children with difficult behaviors."

1. An individual who is a psychologist and who is trained in the administration and interpretation of objective tests administered to help professionals understand the behavior of individuals who may be having mental, emotional, and behavioral problems: "The psychometrician was very good with young children and gained their cooperation during the testing procedures."
2. A psychologist who deals with the design, administration, and interpretation of quantitative tests for the measurement of psychological variables; such as, intelligence, aptitude, and personality traits: "They had a psychometrician who gave guidance for their son who was having problems adapting to his university responsibilities."

An individual who is trained to use the principles of psychology to work with individuals with mental and/or emotional problems: "The psychotherapist who worked with my cousin was very sensitive to her concerns."

A light, brownish, spongy preparation that burns very slowly, usually made from fungi: "He used a stick of punk to light the fireworks."
2. Decayed wood used in a dry state for tinder: "We used some punk on the fire to keep us warm."

1. Poor or bad in quality: "He was told that he did a punk (punky) job of painting the walls."
2. In poor health; not well: "I am so punk (punky) today that I can't do anything."
3. An individual who is perceived to be too loud, rude, violent, or misbehaving: "Why can't that punk behave himself?"

1. The round openings in the iris of the eyes which contracts or opens depending on the light to which it is exposed: "The ophthalmologist used a special magnifying flashlight to peer through the pupils of the patient's eyes."
2. A child or youth who is being taught in a school or with a tutor: "The new tutor brought her pupil drawing paper and pencils."

An individual who attends school with the purpose of learning: "My aunt was a student of entomology and often went to the meadow to study the butterflies there."

"She was the newest student to enroll at the craft school."

1. An individual who has done advanced studies in a specific area of study: "Her son was an eminent scholar studying the flight patterns of birds."
2. An individual who has received an award typically accompanied by cash to enable the person to study a specific area: "She was a prize winning scholar who received a prestigious scholarship to study art in Italy."

A strip of cloth that is wrapped around the leg from the ankle to the knee or a legging made of leather and fastened around the leg with laces or straps: "When he wore his full uniform, it included the white cloth puttee around his legs and his plumed helmet."

"The leather puttee felt soft and comfortable when he fastened it around his leg."

1. A sticky substance often made of whiting and linseed oil used to fasten glass into window panes or to fill cracks in wood: "The glassier used putty to install a new pane in the window frame because the old one was broken."
2. A color that is brownish gray: "The naval ships were painted a putty color which was a perfect disguise on the ocean."
3. Someone who is easily manipulated: "He was so in love, he was like putty in her hands."
4. Any of a variety of sticky substances used to fill cracks or to mend items: "The plumber used a special putty to repair the leaky pipes under the sink."