costume, custom

Costume or costume means an outfit worn to pretend to be someone or something else--
You won't recognize him in his Halloween costume.
We couldn't find a pirate costume, so we'll have to make one.
Costume is also an old-fashioned term for any outfit of clothes--
She looked quaint in her old-fashioned costume.

Custom or custom means a traditional or usual way of doing things--
Bobbing for apples is an old custom.
The local custom is to leave the lights on for the trick-or-treaters.
Custom also means trade or patronage--
If this store doesn't have what I want, I will take my custom elsewhere.
Custom also means made-to-order or made-to-measure--
He had a suit custom-made, and looked very sophisticated.
We will have to order some custom-made drapes, because nothing in the stores is the right size.

 Now that you know that, you can say--
"In America, it is a Halloween custom to wear a costume and go trick-or-treating."

Note--"accustom" ( one word ) means to be used to, or familiar with--
The teacher gave short assignments often, to help accustom the students to regular homework.
Not to be confused with "a custom" ( two words ), meaning a traditional or usual way of doing things--
Our neighbors have a custom of sitting outside on Halloween night.
Note # 2--a "customer" means someone who patronizes a store or business--
"The customer is always right."
Not to be confused with a "costumer", who makes costumes, for the stage, the movies, or for a special event--
The costumer said that our gowns would be ready by the weekend.

airy, aerie, eerie

Airy or airy ( pronounced air ee ) means letting in air, or with room for air to circulate--
This room is nice and airy when all of the windows are open.
Airy may also be used figuratively, to mean light and breezy--
She dismissed his objections with an airy manner.

Aerie or aerie ( pronounced to rhyme with airy or with eerie ) means the nest of an eagle or hawk, built in a high, remote place--
The photographer had to scale a cliff to get to the eagle's aerie.
They built a platform on top of the tree, hoping a hawk would use it as an aerie.

Eerie or eerie ( pronounced ee ree ) means unearthly or scary, as in a ghost story--
The new movie promises to be an eerie tale of the supernatural.
The eerie sound was really just the howling of the wind.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The breeze in the room made it feel airy, as a treetop aerie might be, including  the eerie  howl of the wind."

Note--"Erie" ( rhymes with eerie ) is a city in Pennsylvania, or one of the Great Lakes--
Lake Erie borders on Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Michigan, and Canada.
 Note # 2--"eery" is an old-fashioned spelling of "eerie"--
'Twas eery, and everyone was frightened, though some denied it.
Note # 2--"aery" is an old-fashioned spelling of "aerie".
"Aery" ( pronounced airy or AA er ee ) means light, ethereal, or unsubstantial, as mist or fog--
 The lighting made the scene seem like an aery vision.

sword, sward

Sword or sword ( pronounced sord ) means the weapon, shaped like a long knife, used in past centuries before guns were invented--
You can tell that he is an officer because he is wearing a sword.
His grandfather's sword hung over the fireplace, as a sort of decoration.

Sward or sward ( pronounced sword ) means an expanse of grass or lawn--
There was room to play ball on the sward in back of the house.
The land in front of the house was one unbroken sward.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He slashed at the long grass with his sword, hoping to turn the overgrown field into a sward."

Note--a "broadsword" is a very large sword, once used in battle--
He faced the enemy army and slew many of them with his broadsword.
A "broad sward" means a wide expanse of lawn or turf--
There is a broad sward beside the woods, just right for a picnic.
Note # 2--a "broken sword" means a sword broken in pieces--

He couldn't fight with his broken sword.
A "sward" might be broken by trees or shrubbery--
The vast sward was broken in a few places by clumps of shrubbery.

gate, gait

Gate or gate means the part of a fence that opens and closes, to let people in and out--
Make sure that you shut the gate, so the dog won't get out.
The gate is getting rusty; we should oil the hinges.

Gait or gait ( rhymes with gate ) means the way a person walks--
He walked with an unusual gait that was easy to recognize, even from a distance.
Gait also means the way a horse moves--
His gait was a mix of a canter and a gallop.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"His gait always changes to a steady trot before he tries to jump over the gate."

Note--a "gaiter" is a cloth or leather covering for the shoe, ankle, and lower leg--
The last time he wore a gaiter, it was part of a World War I uniform.
Not to be confused with a "gater" or "gator", which are both regional slang for an alligator--
When they asked if I had ever eaten gator, I thought they were joking.

broach, brooch

Broach or broach means rise to the top of the sea, as of a fish or submarine--
He looked over the side, and was surprised to see a large fish broach the surface.
Broach also means a sharp tool used to pierce something, as when tapping a keg--
He had an old-fashioned tool he used to broach the keg.
Broach or broach is more often used figuratively, meaning to bring something up for discussion or conversation, especially for the first time--
I am afraid to broach the subject with the boss, but I really need a raise.
He didn't want to broach the subject with everyone listening.

Brooch or brooch ( rhymes with broach, or with pooch ) means a clasp or pin, worn to secure a garment or as an ornament--
His mother gave me a pearl brooch when we were married.
I would like to have this old brooch mended; it's pretty.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Since it seems a good time to broach the subject, what happened to the brooch I gave you for Christmas?"

gram, graham

Gram or a gram means a unit for the measurement of weight--
Some grocery items are still measure by the ounce, instead of by the gram.
A gram of flour is really only a pinch. A kilogram is closer to two pounds.

Graham or graham ( rhymes with gram ) means a mixture of wheat flour and wheat germ--
Graham crackers are a favorite with toddlers.
She is making a cheesecake with a graham cracker crust.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"This recipe for graham crackers calls for one gram of wheat germ for each gram of wheat flour."

Note--"Graham" is also a male's given name, or a fairly common surname or family name--
Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone.
"Gram" may also be a family nickname for a grandmother--
What shall we get Gram for her birthday?

pigeon, pidgin

Pigeon or pigeon ( pidge un ) means the bird you may see adorning city statues or parks--
He found a young pigeon, and raised it for a pet.
The same pigeon came to the park every day, and waited for him to scatter bread crumbs.
Pigeon may also means a dupe, or the mark of a con artist--
He spent days chatting with the locals, looking for a pigeon.

Pidgin or pidgin ( pidge in ) means a sort of language made of two or more languages, using only the simplest and most practical terms and grammar--
The merchant sailors used a pidgin that allowed them to communicate in several countries.
They spoke a pidgin that was part English and part Cantonese.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He couldn't understand even pidgin English, and didn't realize that he had ordered roast pigeon."

Note--"pitch in" means to help with a group task--
This will go a lot faster if we all pitch in and help.

gamble, gambol

Gamble or gamble means to wager or stake money on something--
Some people are taught that it is wrong to gamble; other people are taught that it is merely stupid.
They like to visit the casino, but rarely gamble.
Gamble may also be used figuratively--
He decided to quit his job, and gamble on getting a new one quickly.

Gambol or gambol ( rhymes with gamble ) means to frolic, prance or cavort--
In nice weather, he let the little lamb out of the pen, so he could watch it gambol on the lawn.
The goats refused to gambol for the camera, although they were playing when I turned it on.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The batteries are low, but I'm willing to gamble that the puppy will gambol for the camera when he sees it."

heart, hart

Heart or heart means the organ that pumps blood through the body--
He is in the hospital, having some tests done on his heart.
Frequent exercise will keep your heart healthy.
Heart is also used to mean the seat of emotion or affection--
He sent her a greeting card with a big pink heart on it.
A heart may be used as a symbol for love or affection--
"I heart small furry creatures."

Hart or hart ( rhymes with hart ) means a male deer--
As he walked through the woods, a startled hart ran across his path.
He saw a hart several feet away, and was sorry he didn't have a camera.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"When the evil queen asked for the heart of Snow White, the huntsman brought her the heart of a hart instead."

Note--"hearth" ( pronounced harth ) means the floor or base of a fireplace, often used as the symbol for home and family--
He wanted to go home, and to be with his family around the hearth.
Note # 2--a "broken heart" means a disappointment in love--
The divorce left him with a broken heart.
Not to be confused with a "heart attack", meaning a physical malfunction of the heart--
He had a heart attack, but the doctor thinks he will be fine.

mantel, mantle

Mantel or mantel means the frame surrounding a fireplace, or the shelf above a fireplace--
The clock on the mantel had to be wound every night.
Every Christmas Eve, they hung their stockings from the mantel.

Mantle or mantle ( rhymes with mantel ) means a kind of overcoat or cloak--
He wore a heavy mantle, but was still chilled by the cold.
His threadbare mantle couldn't keep out the wind.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"When he came in from the cold rain, he hung his mantle from the mantel to dry in front of the fire."

Note--the mantel of a fireplace is sometimes called a "mantelpiece"--
The pair of urns we bought at the auction will look just right on the mantelpiece.
Note # 2--"mantle" may be used figuratively--
"The cool shades of evening their mantle were spreading..."

jeans, genes

Jeans or jeans means the popular denim pants--
You have a hole in your jeans.
These jeans don't fit right.
Jeans is also used to describe something else made of denim--
Do you have a jeans jacket in my size?
Jean may be singular ( only one )--
Can you make this in blue jean fabric?

Genes or genes ( rhymes with jeans ) means the cells containing the code for copying an organism or part of an organism, or the cells controlling hereditary traits--
Red hair must be in the family genes.
Their children inherited genes for blue eyes from both parents.
Gene is also singular ( only one )--
The child inherits one gene from each parent.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"They wear blue jeans so often that I wonder if it's in their genes."

Note--"gean" ( rhymes with gene or jean ) is a kind of sweet cherry--
A heart cherry is also called a gean.
Two heart cherries might be called two geans.
Note # 2--"Jean" or "Jeanne" are feminine given names--
The girl next door is named Jean.
The possessive ( describes what belongs to ) of "Jean" is "Jean's" ( rhymes with jeans )--
Jean's sister called earlier.
"Jeannie" is a nickname for "Jean" or "Jeanne"--
"I dream of Jeannie with the light brown hair..."
"Gene"  is a masculine given name--
We used to watch Gene London on TV in the morning.
Not to be confused with "genie", a being with magical powers--
When he rubbed the old lamp, a genie appeared and offered to grant him three wishes.

oracle, auricle

Oracle or oracle ( ore uh kuhl ) means a person who can predict the future, or who has divine revelations--
His predictions were so accurate that he was considered an oracle.
Oracle may also mean the sacred or mystic place where the future may be revealed--
They couldn't decide what to do, so they went to visit the famous oracle at Delphi.

Auricle or auricle ( ore ih kuhl ) means the outer part of the ear--
His auricle was pierced in several places.
The auricle showed no trace of infection, so the doctor checked for an inner ear infection.
Auricle may also mean something shaped like an ear--
This species of plant can be identified by the auricle at the base of the leaf.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Doctors had been no help, so he visited an oracle, who told him that the real problem was in his left auricle."

Note--"oracular" means something that is in the nature of prophecy or divine revelation--
He meditated often, and sometimes claimed to have oracular visions.
"Auricular" means having to do with the outer ear, or shaped like an ear--
His auricular muscles were often sore, so he went to a dentist.

cue, queue

Cue or cue means a signal for an actor's entrance, exit, lines or movements on stage--
She was supposed to exit, but she missed her cue.
You're not paying attention! That was your cue!
Cue may be a verb ( action word )--
How tragic! Cue the violin music!
Will you cue me, and help me memorize my lines?
Cue is also a term used in pool or billiards, meaning the plain white ball, or the stick--
"Even if you do got a two-piece custom-made pool cue..."
Knocking the cue ball into the pocket is a scratch.

Queue or queue ( rhymes with cue ) means a line of people waiting for something--
The queue for the concert starts in the next block!
I didn't want to wait, and the queue was long.
Queue may be a verb ( action word )--
Would everyone please queue up behind this line?
Queue may mean a long tail or braid of hair--
Traditional Chinese men sometimes wore a long braided queue.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The band music will be our cue to form a queue near the prize booth."

bus, buss

Bus or bus means the vehicle used for public transportation--
The children were delighted when the bus broke down on the way to school.
Can I catch a bus going downtown from this stop?
Bus may also mean to send or convey by bus--
The district will bus the children to a neighboring town until the school is repaired.
Bus also means to clear tables in a restaurant--
He used to bus tables, but now he's the chef.

Buss or buss ( rhymes with buss ) means a perfunctory kiss, often used for a greeting--
He greeted everyone with a buss on the cheek.
He never left the house without at least a buss for his wife.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"One quick buss, and she left him at the bus stop."

Note-- "buzz" means the sound made by a bumblebee or some electronic devices--
It's so quiet you can hear the bees buzz.
That's not my phone. Mine makes a low buzz.
Note # 2--"bussed" is the past tense ( yesterday, or some time ago ) of "buss"--
He bussed her on the cheek before he left.
"Bussed" or "bused" is also the past tense of "bus", meaning to convey by bus--
The children were bussed 10 miles to school.
"Bussed" is also the past tense of "bus", meaning to clear tables--
Have you bussed all of the tables?
Not to be confused with "bust" ( rhymes with bussed )  meaning a statue of a person's head and shoulders--
He kept a bust of Napoleon on the mantel.
"Bust" also means a person's breast or a woman's bosom--
Did you check the bust measurement of the dress pattern?
"Bust" is also slang for arrest--
Did the cops bust that guy?
"Bust" is slang for a military demotion--
Do you think the sergeant will bust him?
"Bust" is slang for break or burst--
Don't do that, you'll bust the window.

surge, serge

Surge or surge means a burst or sudden increase, as of energy, emotion, or electrical power--
Make sure to plug the computer into a surge protector.
He felt a surge of tenderness every time he saw a giraffe.
Surge may mean a sudden forward movement, as of a crowd--
The police lined up to make sure the crowd wouldn't surge onto the field.
The mob surged forward, but there was almost no room left.

Serge or serge ( rhymes with surge ) means a kind of twill fabric, usually used for making suits--
"You've never mussed the crease in my blue serge pants... this is a fine romance."
The new uniforms are made of khaki serge.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Every time she saw a man in a blue serge suit, she felt a surge of emotion."

Note--"Serge" is a male's given name--
Serge and Pierre will be over later.
Note # 2--a "surgeon" ( one word ) is a doctor who performs operations--
The emergency room surgeon removed his appendix.
Not to be confused with "surge on" ( two words )--
There may have been a power surge on the electric circuit. We should call a repairman.
Note # 3--a "sergeant" ( sarr gent ) is a non-commissioned officer, or a title of rank in some other occupations--
The sergeant gives orders to the private.
"Sarge" is a nickname for "sergeant"--
The sarge put him on KP as a punishment.

chilly, chili, chile

Chilly or chilly means somewhat cold--
Turn up the heat. It's getting chilly in here.
Take a sweater; it may be chilly later.

Chili or chili  ( rhymes with chilly ) means a stew made with meat, beans and hot peppers--
The cowboys made a big pot of chili, their favorite dish.
Do you want your chili with rice or with noodles?
Chili also means a hot pepper, or a chile pepper--
Do you want some chili sauce to go with that?

Chile or chile ( rhymes with chilly ) means a hot pepper--
Be careful with the chile peppers; they're hot.
Is this the right kind of chile for making salsa?

Now that you know that, you can say--
"When the weather gets chilly, there's nothing better than a hot bowl of chili with extra chile peppers."

Note--"Chile" ( rhymes with chilly, always capitalized ) is the name of a country in South America--
They planned a trip to Chile and Argentina. 
Note # 2--the plural of "chile" is "chiles" ( chill eez or chill ayz )--
Oh! I put too many chiles in the sauce!
The plural of "chili" is "chilies" ( chill eez )--
Buy some avocados and some chilies, and we'll make guacamole.
Note--not to be confused with "chiliasm" ( chill ee asm ), meaning the doctrine that the world will end and Christ will return--
A cult preaching a kind of chiliasm put up billboards announcing the second coming.

heroine, heroin

Heroine or heroine means the female protagonist or main character of a story, movie, or book--
The heroine of romance novels is often a young governess who marries the lord of the manor.
She dreamed of being the heroine of every romance novel she ever read.
A heroine may also be a female who does a brave deed--
The real-life heroine saved two children from a burning building.

Heroin or heroin ( rhymes with heroine ) means the illegal narcotic related to opium and morphine--
The criminal in police shows is often a heroin addict.
He is an in-patient at a hospital, being treated for heroin addiction.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The heroine of this news story risked her own safety to have a heroin pusher arrested."

leaf, lief

Leaf or leaf means one of the growing parts of a tree, shrub, or plant, now turning orange, red, and yellow--
She tried to preserve the pretty leaf by pressing it between sheets of waxed paper.
She drew a fall scene and colored each leaf with a different crayon.
Leaf may also mean a thin sheet of metal--
The statue was covered in gold leaf.
Leaf may mean one sheet of paper from a book, with or without printing on it--
He tore a leaf from the book to write a note.
Leaf may also be used figuratively--
He promised to turn over a new leaf, and to behave better in the future.

Lief or lief ( rhymes with leaf  ) means willingly or gladly--
I'd as lief walk home as ride with a drunk driver.
She would as lief stay home as go on vacation, most years.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He would as lief go outside to admire each colorful leaf as go to a party or football game."

Note--"leaves" may be the plural ( more than one ) of "leaf"--
The leaves are starting to change color.
"Leaves" may also be the third person singular ( he, she, it ) form of "leave", meaning to depart or go away--
She leaves for work every morning at nine.
Note #v 2--a "leaflet" is a small brochure or pamphlet--
They distributed a leaflet to announce the opening of their new business.
A "leaflet" may also be a small leaf, just beginning to grow from a branch or stem--
She checked the little plant every day, to see if it had made a new leaflet yet.

local, locale, lo-cal

Local or local describes something nearby, or within a close range--
Do you know where the local hardware store is?
She did most of her shopping at the local market, instead of driving to the shopping center.
Local means specific to a particular place--
They heard music, and found there was a local festival going on.
Is he a local, or from out of town?
Local may mean a train that only goes a short distance, or that makes a lot of stops--
Is this train a local or an express?

Locale or locale ( rhymes with lo-cal ) is a noun ( thing or idea ), meaning a setting, as for a movie or show--
The locale is a small town in the old west.
The film crew  had to move to a different locale, where there was more sun for outdoor shooting.

Lo-cal  or lo-cal is an abbreviation ( short form ) of low calorie--
I'd like a cup of coffee with lo-cal sweetener.
This says lo-cal, so I guess it won't break my diet.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The local cafe made a great locale to film the commercial  for lo-cal soda."

Note--"location" is a noun ( thing or idea ), meaning a place or site--
This would be a fine location for a home or business.
"Location" may mean one of a set of places, as with a chain store or fast food--
We don't offer that service at this location.
"On location" means shooting a film in a real setting, instead of on a set built to look real--
They shot most of the film on location in the desert.
Note # 2--"locality" is a noun ( thing or idea ), meaning a general place or district--
There are already three fast-food outlets in this locality.
Note # 3-- "locally" describes an action as happening nearby, or within a close range--
The "greens" are urging us to shop locally.

breath, breathe, breadth

Breath or breath ( rhymes with death ) is a noun ( thing or idea ), meaning the air we inhale and exhale--
He had been running, and was out of breath.
It's so cold out that you can see your breath.

Breathe or breathe ( rhymes with seethe ) is a verb ( action word ), meaning to inhale or exhale air--
Open a window. I can hardly breathe in here.
He collapsed and couldn't breathe, so we called an ambulance.

Breadth or breadth ( bread-th ) is a noun ( thing or idea ), meaning width, or distance across--
"I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach..."
Its breadth was nearly twenty feet.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He was short of breath, and while he struggled to breathe, the breadth of his chest seemed to nearly double."

Note--the verb forms of "breathe" sound like "breathe"--
He is breathing better now.
It hurt every time he breathed.
When she breathes, she gets a pain in her side.
Note #2--"breaths" sounds like "breath", and means more than one "breath"--
She took little breaths of air, but still felt faint.
Note # 3--"breather" sounds like "breathe", and means a short break--
I think it's time for a breather.
Note # 4--"breathy" sounds like "breath", and describes a voice with a strong sound of air or breath in it--
She had a hoarse, breathy voice that got everyone's attention.
"Breathier" ( breath ee err ) describes a voice more "breathy" than another--
Her voice was breathy, but his was breathier.

cornet, coronet

Cornet or cornet means a horn something like a trumpet or bugle--
"Seventy-six trombones led the big parade, with a hundred and ten cornets right behind..."
He practiced playing his cornet until he was good enough to join a combo.

Coronet or coronet means a sort of tiara or crown, a small one that doesn't make a complete circle--
British stamps and money show the queen wearing a coronet.
A coronet is usually only worn by royalty.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"A page playing a cornet announced the entrance of the queen wearing her coronet."

Note--a "cornet" is sometimes called a "cornetto"--
When he saw the old cornetto in a shop window, he knew he wanted to learn to play it.
Note # 2--a "cornet" is also a paper cone used to hold candy, or a pastry cone used to hold ice cream--
The tree had a cornet of candy for each child.
Note # 3--a "cornet" or "cornette" is also a cone-shaped headdress or hat--
She wore a medieval princess costume, complete with a cornette and veil.

concur, conquer

Concur or concur ( cun CURR ) means to agree or to go along with--
The doctor hoped that the specialist would concur with his diagnosis.
On rare occasions, the father would concur with his son's opinion on a political issue.

Conquer or conquer ( CON kurr ) means to defeat, literally or figuratively--
Our well-prepared troops are sure to conquer the enemy.
He worked with a therapist to conquer his fear of heights.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He strove to conquer his urge to concur with everything his boss said."

Note--"conker" ( CONK urr ) means a horse chestnut--
While walking in the woods, he picked up a conker and put it in his pocket.
"Conkers" is a children's game played with horse chestnuts--
If we each find a nut, we can play conkers.

count, account, a count

Count or count means to find out the number of something, or how many somethings there are--
Count the forms to make sure that everyone has turned one in.
A count also means a tally; an enumeration--
After a count of the party hats and favors, I was sure we had enough.
Count or count is also a title of nobility in some countries, equal to a British earl--
The count and countess hosted the county ball each September.
He will be a count when his uncle dies.

Account or account, used with "for", means to explain--
How do you account for his attitude at the last meeting?

Account is also a noun ( thing or idea ), meaning a statement or record of expenditures or debts, and money received--
We need to update our expense account.
Account also means a business relationship with a bank or credit company, or with a store or service provider--
Your bank account is overdrawn.
His credit card account listed a charge he didn't recognize.
Would you put that on my charge account?
Your account is past due.

Account also means a tale, or a version of a story--
His account of what happened didn't match what the other witnesses saw.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The count and countess opened a charge account at a local store, according to an account from an eye witness."

Note--an "accountant" keeps financial records, for a business or for an individual--
You'll have to take that up with our accountant.
Note # 2--"viscount" ( vigh count ) is another title of nobility, below a count or earl and above a baron--
The viscount was accused of a crime, and tried in the House of Lords.
A "countess" is the wife of a count or earl--
When her son married, she became the dowager countess.
Note # 3--to be "called to account" means to have an explanation demanded of you--
He tried to charm his way out of it, but his boss called him to account.
Note # 4--"account" ( one word ) means a record of finances, or of a financial relationship--
His account with the phone company appeared on his credit record.
Not to be confused with "a count " ( two words ) meaning one earl or noble--
He will be a count when his father dies.
Or one adding or numbering of a set of things--
I did a count of the students, and they are all here.
Note # 5--"on a count of" means an enumeration of, or a numbering of--
Everyone start to run on a count of three--one, two, three, go!
Not to be confused with "on account of", an informal expression meaning because of--
On account of his leg, he was excused from gym class.