install, instill

Install or install means to put in place or to connect for use--
Will they install the new carpet tomorrow?
We bought a new dishwasher, but we don't know how to install it.
Install also means to establish in an office or position--
There will be a ceremony this afternoon, to install the new chairman.
It took only a matter of hours for him to install himself in his new quarters.

Instill or instill means to teach slowly, or through small repeated lessons or examples--
He hoped to instill courtesy in the children, and made sure to greet everyone politely.
She hoped to instill respect for the democratic system, using daily lessons taken from the news.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He tells them each day how important it is to install the software correctly, hoping to instill in them a sense of professional pride."

Note--"stall" means a compartment in a stable or barn, big enough for one animal--
The horse is in the stall.
Stall also means to willfully delay--
He may try to stall for time, but insist on an answer today.
Stall also means to cause an engine to stop, usually by flooding it with gas--
Don't do that; the car will stall.
Note # 2--"still" may mean motionless--
Stop that fidgeting! Sit still!
"Still" also means as yet, or up to this time--
We are still waiting for him.
Still may mean in addition--
There will be still more complaints.
Still may mean yet--
She still has all of her teeth.
"Still" is also a device used to heat a liquid until it is steam or vapor, and then cool it to condense the vapor--
He made the whiskey in a still.
"Distill" means to use a still to concentrate alcohol, or to remove salt, for example--
It's illegal to distill your own whiskey.
Note # 3--not to be confused with "in style", meaning fashionable--
She won't wear anything that isn't in style.

soon, so on

Soon or soon ( one word ) means after a short span of time, or in the near future--
Will the train arrive soon?
Don't eat a snack now; we'll be having dinner soon.

So on or so on ( two words ) means continuing in the same way or fashion, or for this reason--
Put one bolt in like this, and then another, and so on until there is a bolt in each hole.
Mark the fiirst one "A", the second one "B", and so on until they are all marked.
The speaker talked about the budget, the financial situation, and so on.
The seats are all filled, so on with the show.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The election will be held soon, so on with the voter registration drive!"

Note--not to be confused with "sew on" ( rhymes with so on ) , meaning to use a needle and thread ( sew ) to attach ( on ) something--
Do you know how to sew on a button?

allege, a ledge

Allege or allege ( one word ) means to purport or declare; to assert without proof--
 If the witness should allege that our client threatened him, how will we respond?
He met with the district attorney to allege corruption in the city government.

 A ledge or a ledge ( two words, rhymes with allege ) means one ( a ) narrow shelf or projecting part--
He climbed out on a ledge of the building, and a crowd gathered to watch.
There is a ledge along the top of the wall, just right for displaying plates.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The prosecutor will allege that the defendant left the loot on a ledge, and retrieved it later."

Note--"allegation" ( one word )  is the noun ( thing or idea ) form of allege. Allegation means an assertion or declaration--
The public believed that the allegation was unfounded, even before the trial.
Not to be confused with "a legation" ( two words ), meaning one ( a ) body of persons sent to a foreign country as official representatives--
We will send a legation to discuss the treaty, with instructions to report back to us before signing.
Note # 2--"ledger" means a book in which accounts are kept--
He recorded every transaction in a ledger.

loosened, loose end

Loosened or loosened ( one word ) is the past tense ( yesterday, or some time ago ) of "loosen", meaning to free from something that binds or constricts; to make less tight or to slacken--
I loosened the dog's collar; I don't know why he's still scratching at it.
He loosened the nut, but it's still won't come off.

Loose end or loose end ( two words ) means a free or unattached part; a part left unsecured--
Hold the loose end of this ribbon while I tie the bow, will you?
Here, use this to tape the loose end of those lights to the window.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"She pulled on the loose end of the string, and loosened the knot. We'll have to wrap it again."

Note--"at loose ends" is a somewhat old-fashioned expression meaning in an unsettled situation or undetermined position--
He has been at loose ends ever since he lost his job.
Note # 2--"loosen one's grip" means to slacken one's hold on something, intentionally--
Loosen your grip; don't hold it so tightly.
Not to be confused with "losing one's grip" ( participle of "lose" ), meaning to fail to grasp something, unintentionally--
He's losing his grip! He'll fall!
To "lose one's grip" may mean to lose one's control or mastery of a situation--
He can't handle the job; he's losing his grip. 

amaze, a maze

Amaze or amaze ( one word ) means to surprise or astonish--
Try this at home! Amaze your friends!
It never ceases to amaze me...

A maze or a maze ( two words ) means one ( a ) puzzle made of paths or passages, literally or figuratively--
They built a maze out of the leftover Christmas trees. Everyone had fun trying to go through it.
In the fall we'll make a maze out of that cornfield.
He was lost in a maze of sentimental memories, and couldn't remember how he got so confused.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The difficulty of getting through a maze made of low shrubs will amaze you."

Note--not to be confused with "maize" ( rhymes with maze ), meaning corn--
What we call "corn" in America is often called "maize" in Europe, to avoid confusion.

jury, Jewry

Jury or jury means a set of people selected to hear and decide a legal case--
"...and no fact tried by a jury shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States ..."
 He was called for jury duty, but the jury was dismissed.

Jewry ( a proper noun, always capitalized--nearly rhymes with jury ) means the Jews, the Jewish community, or the land or place where the Jews live--
American Jewry has traditionally been quite liberal, politically.
"To Bethlehem, in Jewry, the blessed angel came..."

Jury may also mean a body of persons who meet to decide some other matter, such as a prize or award--
The jury has decided to award the grand prize to this painting.
The jury rejected his entry, so he's not in the competition.

Now that you know that, you can say--
" The jury has decided that the defendant's references to Jewry in general, and to the plaintiff in particular, were in fact defamatory."


Note--Not to be confused with jewelry, the shiny things made of gold, diamonds, or other stuff, worn as ornaments--
She sold some of her old jewelry, and they took a vaction with the money.

arc, ark

Arc or arc means a curve or a section of a circle--
An arc is usually measured in degrees, like a circle.
90° ( ninety degrees ) of  arc means 1/4 ( one quarter ) of a circle, also called a quadrant.
Arc also means to move in a curve--
He nearly fell over backwards while trying to watch the arc of the ball.
Arc may mean a curved path--
They are trying to plot the arc of the sun, using an old telescope and a camera.

Ark or ark ( rhymes with arc ) means a ship, as in the story of Noah and the ark, or, in the more recent past, a flat-bottomed river boat--
The children never tire of the story of Noah and the ark.
In the nineteenth century, they piloted an ark up and down the Mississippi.

Ark or ark also means a chest or box, most commonly one used to hold a sacred or religious object--
Some people believe that they may find the original Ark of the Covenant some day.
He's reading one of those adventure stories about an ancient ark and the people who find it.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"When Noah saw the arc of the rainbow, he knew that his ark and its passengers would be safe."

Note--"Ark." is an old-fashioned abbreviation for "Arkansas"--
This old envelope is addressed to someone in Little Rock, Ark.

Note # 2--"--arch" ( rhymes with arc when used as a suffix, at the end of a word ) means ruler or important person--
Herod was the tetrarch of Galilee during the reign of Tiberius Caesar.

Note #3--"archeo--"  is a prefix ( forms the beginning of a word ) meaning primitive--
He wants to study archaeology, and dig up old ruins.

Note # 4--Not to be confused with "arch", meaning a curved building unit used to span a door or window--
Notice how the stones that form the arch fit together perfectly.

Arch also means chief or most important--
Moriarty was Sherlock Holmes' archenemy.

Arch may mean sly or devious--
He tried to look serious, but she noticed his arch smile.

Note # 5--"Arch." or "arch." may be an abbreviation of several different words--archaeology, archipelago, archaic, architect, archive, and others. You will need to read the context of the abbreviation to find out what it stands for.

Note # 6--Arch ( a proper noun, always capitalized ) may also be a nickname for "Archibald"--
Ask Arch if he's free for lunch.

Note # 7--"ARC" stands for the American Red Cross, or it may be an abbreviation or acronym for other organizations.

prefer, proffer

Prefer or prefer means to like better ( than something else )--
This is good, but I prefer my chicken broiled.
I prefer the blue one, but what do you think?

Prefer also means to give priority to, as in a legal settlment--
The court will prefer his creditors to his business partner, when this suit is settled.

Prefer is an old-fashioned term meaning to put forward, or to present for consideration or advancement--
He hoped that his uncle would prefer him for advancement, or at least a raise in salary.

Proffer or proffer may be a verb ( action word ), meaning  to tender an offer or proposal--
If their lawyer should proffer a cash settlement, call me at once.
They will be here tomorrow to proffer a merger, or to offer to buy the company outright.

Proffer may also be a noun ( thing or idea ), meaning, in an old-fashioned way, an offer or proposal for consideration--
They made a proffer of restitution, but the plaintiff rejected it.
Their friendly proffer of hospitality was accepted at once.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The firm may proffer an out-of-court settlement, but I prefer to go to trial."

portable, potable

Portable or portable describes something that can be carried from place to place, or that is easily moved or transported--
The power company loaned us a portable generator, so we won't be left in the dark.
There are portable toilets at the entrance to the fairgrounds.

Potable or potable describes water that is suitable for drinking--
We won't be able to continue our hike if our supply of potable water isn't adequate.
A shortage of potable water is still one of the most serious problems on the planet.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"We can use this portable water purification system to make our own potable water."

Note--"portables" means more than one moveable item, as opposed to a permanent or installed item.  "Portables" might be used in a job or profession where things are frequently referred to in this way--
Are those permanent classrooms, or are they portables?
Note # 2--"potables" is an old-fashioned term for drinks, now used in a humorous way--
Let us aquire some potables and quaff them in our dwelling place.

who, whom

Who or who is a subjective pronoun ( a substitute for a noun, meaning a person,a place, a thing, or an idea--who always stands for a person ). It takes the place of the subject ( actor ) in a sentence--
Who ordered the pizza?
Who may mean "the person that" or "the one that"--
My neighbor, who works in the pizza shop, said they are having a special.
Who may introduce a phrase or clause describing a person--
Is that the guy who works for the pizzeria?

Whom or whom is an objective pronoun ( a substitute for a noun, meaning a person, a thing, a place, or an idea--whom always stands for a person ). It takes the place of the object ( someone acted upon ) in a sentence--
To whom should I give the bill for the pizza?
There is the guy to whom you should give the bill.
To whom it may concern...

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Whom should I tell that the guy who delivers the pizza is here?"


Note--You are probably familiar with subjective and objective when you use "he" and "she" ( subjective ), or "him" and "her" ( objective ). If your sentence rearranged, makes sense with "he", use "who". If the sentence, rearranged, makes sense with "him", use "whom"--
He ordered the pizza.
Who ordered the pizza?
My neighbor ( she works in the pizza shop ) said they are having a special.
That is the guy; he works for the pizzeria.
Is that the guy who works for the pizzeria?
I should give the bill for the pizza to him.
To whom should I give the bill for the pizza?
There is the guy; I should give the bill to him.
It may be of concern to him...
To whom it may concern...

alive, a live

Alive or alive means living, as opposed to dead or inanimate, literally or figuratively--
It's alive!!
Is it alive or dead?
She struggled to keep hope alive through the long wait.

A live or a live ( two words, rhymes with alive ) describes one ( a ) living creature or thing, such as an electrical wire, broadcast--
They tape this show before a live audience.
He hoped to find a live specimen of the rare bird.
Be careful, in case it's a live wire.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"This is a live broadcast; they're trying to see if anyone is still alive in the wreckage."

Note--"live" may be an adjective ( describes something ), pronounced to rhyme with "drive"--
There's a real, live, rock star!
They are using live ammunition; don't go near it.
"Live", spelled the same, is a verb ( action word ), pronounced to rhyme with "give"--
I live; you live; he lives; we are all living.
Yesterday we lived; tomorrow we will live.
Note # 2--"living" may also be an adjective, describing something that is alive--
Be careful, it's a living thing.
"Living" is also used as a noun ( thing or idea ), meaning "livelihood", or how one earns money--
What do you do for a living?

cubical, cubicle

Cubical or cubical describes something shaped like a cube, with equal length, width, and height--
This box is oddly shaped; we want a cubical one.
 He trimmed the shrub into a cubical shape; it looks terrible.

Cubicle or cubicle ( rhymes with cubical ) means a work space with low walls or partitions, forming an enclosure around the desk--
I don't hear him working. Peek over the wall into his cubicle, and see if he's there.
Office workers may be more productive if each has his or her own cubicle.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He doesn't like his cubicle to be rectangular; he wants it to be cubical."

cargo, car go

Cargo or cargo ( one word ) means goods for shipment or transport--
Cargo is generally measured, while freight is usually weighed.
Merchant ships still carry most of the cargo that is shipped around the world.

Car go or car go ( two words ) means automobile or vehicle ( car ) move, run, or  function ( go )--
"Will power made that old car go, a woman's mind told me that's so..."
Stepping on the gas or accelerator makes the car go. The brake makes it stop.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Will the car go with all of that cargo in the trunk?"

resemble, reassemble

Resemble or resemble means to look similar to; to seem like--
Doesn't the baby resemble his father?
They resemble each other; I thought they were sisters.

Reassemble or reassemble means to put back together--
How long do you think it will take to reassemble the puzzle?
Do you think it will be as easy to reassemble as it was to disassemble?

Reassemble or ressemble also means to meet in a group again, or to gather or bring together again--
The group will reassemble for one last concert.
We will reassemble at noon, on the village greeen.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"When we reassemble, pay attention to how much they resemble one another."

Note--"resemble" is a verb ( action word ), with all of the usual verb forms--
I resemble; you resemble; she resembles; they resemble.
They are resembling; yesterday they resembled.
The noun ( thing or idea ) form of "resemble" is "resemblance"--
He bears a strong resemblance to his mother's younger brother.
Note # 2--"reassemble" is also a verb--
We reassemble; they reassemble. I reassemble; he reassembles. We are reassembling; we reassembled.
The noun ( thing or idea ) form of "reassemble" is "reassembly"--
The reassembly should go smoothly, if everyone follows the directions.

appoint, a point

Appoint or appoint ( one word ) means to name or select to fill a position or office--
Who will the president appoint to fill the position?
He hopes that the governor will appoint him to the post.

A point or a point ( two words ) means one ( a ) sharp or tapered end--
Don't use the blunt end; use the end that comes to a point.
A point also means one ( a ) detail of an argument or idea--
He missed a point, and an important one.
A point also means one ( a ) purpose or goal--
This discussion doesn't seem to have a point.
A point also means one ( a ) dot or period--
You should have put a point after the second number. Your decimal point is in the wrong place.
A point also means one ( a ) particular location--
We're at a point where it would be more trouble to turn back.
A point also means one ( a ) particular stage in a process--
He reached a point where he couldn't stomach his job any longer.
A point also means one ( a ) number added to a score, as in a game, or a school grade--
The teacher offered to raise his grade a point for each late assignment handed in.
Your team will score a point for each correct answer.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He made a point, and a good one, about which candidate the chairman should appoint to the office."

Note--"appoint" is a verb ( action word ), with all of the ususal verb forms--
I appoint, you appoint, he appoints, she appoints. We are appointing. Yesterday we appointed.

Note # 2--"appointment" means the act of selecting someone to fill an office--
The appointment will be on the evening news.
"Appointment" also means the office or job for which someone has been selected--
I'm sure he will do a good job in his new appointment.

"Appointment" also means an agreement to meet at a certain time--
We have an appointment for lunch tomorrow.
You have a doctor's appointment at 10 a.m.

Note # 3--You may see the borrowed French expression "à point", meaning medium rare, when ordering steak, or meaning cooked just right--
I'd like a steak à point and a salad.
Make sure you cook it just à point, and no more.

Note # 4--"disappoint" means to make someone unhappy by failing to fulfill a promise or expectation--
I hate to disappoint them, but we just can't make it tonight.

violent, violate, violet

Violent or violent describes something done with force or great strength, physically or emotionally --
He was the victim of a violent crime; they won't let him serve on a jury.
The tree was knocked down by the violent storm.
He has difficulty controlling his violent emotions.
He suffered from a violent attack of nerves.

Violate or violate means to break a rule or law, the terms of an agreement or code, or to abuse the rights of other people--
You may be evicted if you violate the terms of the lease.
If you violate the terms of your probation agreement, you will have to serve your sentence in jail.
That security camera may violate your neighbor's right to privacy.

Violate also means to attack or molest; to desecrate or profane--
She said that he attempted to violate her, but now she's afraid to testify.
Even a career criminal might hesitate to violate the sanctuary of a church.

Violet or violet means a small purple flower, or the color purple--
She had one tiny violet in a vase on her desk.
The colors of the rainbow are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"His violent emotional outburst turned his face violet; he was tempted to violate their agreement."

Note--"violence" is a noun ( thing or idea ), meaning destructive action, or the use of force to cause harm--
The violence done to his body seemed to heal more quickly than the violence done to his mind.

Note # 2--"violins" is the plural ( more than one ) of "violin", meaning a fiddle, the stringed musical instrument played with a bow--
The violins sound wonderful tonight.
There are several violins in that shop window.
Not to be confused with "violin's", the possessive ( belonging to ) of "violin", meaning fiddle--
His violin's sound is odd. Has he tuned it lately?
Not to be confused with "violin's", a contraction of "violin is"--
This violin's out of tune.

Note # 3--"inviolate" ( one word ) means untouched or undisturbed; unprofaned--
They built a tall fence, so that their little garden would remain inviolate, even from prying eyes.

Not to be confused with "in violet" ( two words, rhymes with inviolate ), meaning done in purple, painted purple, or colored purple--
Do you have this dress in violet?
Wouldn't this look nice in violet?

Note # 4--"Violet" ( a proper noun, always capitalized ) may also be a woman's or a girl's given name--
Hi! This is my friend, Violet Jones.
Is Violet at home?

shanty, chanty

Shanty or shanty means a shack or hut--
They lived in a shanty made of old wooden packing crates.
The storm blew their poor shanty to splinters.

Chanty or chanty ( rhymes with shanty, sometimes spelled chantey ) means a song sung while working, usually by sailors or seamen--
The sailors sang a chanty while they worked, to the beat of their movements.
Where did the children learn the words to that old sea chanty?

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The old man who lives in that shanty may sing you an old chanty, if you bring him a bottle of rum."

dissemble, disassemble

Dissemble or dissemble means to conceal one's feelings or intentions--
She tried to dissemble affection and warmth, but she loathed them all.
She tried to dissemble nonchalance, but she was crazy about him.
Was she clever enough to dissemble, and fool them all?

Disassemble or disassemble means to take apart--
We may need to disassemble the table to get it through the door.
You can disassemble the unit, making it easy to move or store.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"She forced herself to dissemble cheerfulness, although she was angry that he broke the clock when he tried to disassemble it."

Note--"Dissemble" is a verb ( action word ), with all of the usual verb forms--
I dissemble; you dissemble; he dissembles.
Yesterday we dissembled; we will be dissembling tomorrow.
Note # 2--"Disassemble" is also a verb, with all of the usual verb forms--
I disassemble; you disassemble; he disassembles.
We disassembled yesterday; tomorrow we will be disassembling.

emphasize, empathize

Emphasize or emphasize means to stress or give stronger expression to--
I would like to emphasize the importance of this fundraiser to our annual budget.
We don't want to emphasize the commercial aspect of the project--let's just add a note at the end.

Empathize or empathize means to share the feelings of someone--to have the same feelings, but because of something that has happened in the other person's life--
He found it impossible to empathize with her when she wallowed in self-pity and regrets.
We want to teach the students to empathize with other children when they are upset.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The coach tried to emphasize how important it is for the winners to empathize with the losing team."

Note--Emphasize" is a verb ( action word ), with all of the usual verb forms--
Today we emphasize; yesterday we emphasized; tomorrow we will emphasize. I emphasize; you emphasize; he emphasizes. We are all emphasizing.
"Emphasis" is the noun ( thing or idea ) form of "emphasize". "Emphasis" means stress, or an added expression of importance--
He placed more emphasis on the economy in his last speech.
Try it again, with the emphasis on the first syllable.
"Emphatic" is the adjective related to "emphasize". "Emphatic" describes something that has been stressed or given more importance--
His reply was an emphatic denial.
Note # 2--"Empathize" is a verb ( action word ) with all of the usual verb forms--
I empathize; you empathize; he empathizes. Yesterday we empathized. We are always empathizing.
"Empathetic" is the adjective or adverb related to "empathize". "Empathetic" describes a person who displays an ability to share the feelings of others--
The patients trust him; he is always empathetic, and a good listener.
"Empathy" is the noun ( thing or idea ) form of "empathize". Empathy means the ability to share feelings, or to understand what someone else might be feeling--
His friends valued him for his empathy and good nature.
Not to be confused with "pathetic", meaning inspiring pity or sorrow--
He made a pathetic picture as he stood waiting in the rain, with no coat or umbrella.

wheeled, wield

Wheeled or wheeled is the past tense ( yesterday, or some time ago ) of "wheel", meaning to push or propel something that has wheels--
Their eyes lit up when the waiter wheeled the dessert cart past the table.
They were tired, so they wheeled their bikes up the hill.

Wheeled may also be the past tense of "wheel", meaning to make a circular movement, as a wheel does--
He wheeled around when he heard someone call his name.
The car wheeled around when it hit the pole.

Wheeled or wheeled may also describe something with wheels--
He drove through town in a three-wheeled cart.
They charge a higher toll for a six-wheeled truck.
She uses a wheeled cart to serve the tea.

Wield or wield ( rhymes with wheeled ) means to hold in the hand or hands as a weapon or tool, or to use something as a hand-held weapon or tool--
If we have the villain wield an axe in the first scene, the ending won't be s surprise.
They sang that old folk song about John Henry, and how he could wield a hammer.

Wield may also be used figuratively--
He knew how to wield authority; his men always obeyed without quibbling.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"She wheeled the wheeled cart past the men slowly; she was trying to watch them wield their tools."

grip, grippe, gripe

Grip or grip means to grasp or hold, literally or figuratively--
Grip the handle firmly and don't let go.
This story will grip you; I couldn't put it down.


Grip is also a noun, meaning a grasp or tight hold, literally or figuratively--
He lost his grip and dropped the hammer.
I think he's losing his grip.
Tell him to get a grip on himself.
Get a grip!

Grip also describes how someone holds something with the hand--
He shook the old man's hand, and admired his firm grip.
His grip was so strong that he sometimes made people uncomfortable when shaking hands.

Grip may mean a handle designed to make a firm hold easier--
The grip on this golf club makes it easier to use.
One grip is missing from his bicycle--have you seen it?

Grip also means a lighting technician, in the movies--
It's too dim to shoot video here--where's the grip?
The grip was pleased to see his name in the credits.

Grippe or grippe ( rhymes with grip ) is an old-fashioned term for a cold or flu--
He's home from school with a bad case of the grippe.
The last time he had the grippe, he was ill for weeks.

Gripe or gripe ( rhymes with wipe ) means to complain or grumble--
They met every Friday to gripe about their work.
He's doesn't like to gripe about the food, but it's terrible.

Gripe also means a complaint--
That guy is in my office with a new gripe every day!
What's his gripe?

Gripe may also mean pain or irritation of the bowels--
He knows his insides gripe when he eats spicy food--I don't know why he does it.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Her new gripe is that we will all catch the grippe if we have to grip the same handle--she wants gloves."

disapprove, disprove

Disapprove or disapprove means to find unacceptable or wrong; to reject or condemn--
I'm sure your parents would disapprove of that behavior if they knew about it.
You didn't spend much time on that project; your teacher will disapprove.

Disprove or disprove means to show or demonstrate that something is false or wrong; to refute--
One way to disprove the theory is to demonstrate that the reverse or opposite is true.
An intelligent person would not attempt to prove or disprove religious claims.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Many of us disapprove of  claims of meeting extra-terrestrials, but they are impossible to disprove."

Note--"disapprove"may be mean the same as "not approve"--
Your parents would not approve of that behavior.
"Not approve" may also mean to refuse a request or application--
The DMV did not approve his application for a permit.

paean, peon

Paean or paean, also spelled pæan, means a hymn of praise or thanksgiving--
He is writing a paean in praise of Apollo.
They perform a paean of praise when the weather turns warm.

Peon or peon ( rhymes with paean )  means a serf or bonded laborer--
The peon waited for the day when he would work his own land.
He had four more years to serve as a peon. 

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The peon was so grateful for his release from bondage that he composed a paean of thanksgiving ."

Note--"pion" ( pie on ) is a physics term, derived from the letter pi or π--
Pion stands for "pi meson", a subatomic particle. 
Not to be confused with "pie on " ( two words ), meaning a pastry stuffed with fruit or filling, placed over or set on something--
I left the pie on the kitchen counter.

Note # 2--"pion" ( rhymes with paean ) is also French  for a chess pawn--
He took my pion with his fou.

Note # 3-"paeon" ( also pæon,  rhymes with paean ) is a measure of the meter or rhythm of words--
A paeon has four syllables to the foot, with one syllable stressed or emphasized.

turkey, turnkey

Turkey or turkey means the large bird often eaten for Thanksgiving dinner--
We will be having turkey with cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie.
Grandpa usually carves the turkey.

Turkey also means a flop or failure, particularly in show business--
That show was really a turkey; no on liked it.

Turnkey or turnkey means ready to use or operate, as a business or commercial enterprise--
The business will be sold as a turnkey operation; production will continue as before.
This is a turnkey website; everything should be ready to use.

Turnkey once meant the person who had the keys to a prison--
They escaped by stealing the keys from the turnkey.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The turkey farm will be sold as a turnkey business--just sign here and begin to run it."

Note--"Turkey" ( a proper noun, always capitalized ) is also the name of a country--
Part of Turkey is in Asia, and part of it is in Europe.

attitude, altitude

Attitude or attitude means emotional stance or state of mind, when expressed towards someone or something--
His supervisor reported him because of his hostile attitude.
His sly, knowing attitude made them uncomfortable.

Attitude or attitude also means the orientation, in reference to the ground, right or left, up or down, of a plane or space craft--
Pay attention to the attitude indicator and the fuel gauge.
The plane seems to be leaning to the right; what's our attitude?

Altitude or altitude means height or elevation from the ground, as in the distance from the ground when in an airplane, or the distance from sea level of a particular place--
Make sure to read the directions for baking at a high altitude.
The weather is clear, and our altitude is 38,000 feet.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The high altitude frightened him, but he tried to hide it with a nonchalant attitude."

people, peephole

People or people means human beings, in a general sense, or as a plural form of  "person"--
How many people are in the waiting room?
There are more than seven billion people on the planet.

Peephole or peephole ( almost rhymes with people ) means a small opening used to look out of a door, into a room, or through a fence or wall--
Don't open the door unless you look out of the peephole first.
They cut a peephole in the fence to watch the construction project.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He often looked out of the peephole in the door, just to watch the people passing by."

Note--"people" may mean a race or religion, and as such has a plural, "peoples"--
Our government made separate treaties with the different native peoples.
The UN Charter declares the right to the self-determination of peoples.
Note 3 2--"Person", meaning one human being, also has a plural, "persons", used most commonly in legal records, when the number of persons, each an individual case, is unknown--
The crime was committed by a person or persons unknown.
Call the bureau of missing persons.
Note # 3--"person's" is the possessive ( belonging to ) form of "person"--
Americans are taught to respect a person's right to religious liberty.
Note # 4--"people's" is the possessive form of "people"--
This candidate is clearly the people's choice.

instance, instants, stance

Instants or instants is the plural ( more than one ) of"instant", meaning a second, a minute, or a very brief span of time--
It was all over in a matter of instants.
We can have this ready in an instant, or possibly two instants.

Instance or instance ( rhymes, or nearly rhymes, with instants )  means case, example, or occurrence--
Make sure you include the pertinent facts in your report--for instance, the date, time, and location.
He has been suspended several times, and each instance was more serious than the one before.

Stance or stance means position or attitude--
His stance on gun control is popular with the voters.
His tough-guy stance made the police officer suspicious.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"His stance on discipline may change in a matter of instants if there's another instance of the same bad behavior."

Note--"instant" may also mean precooked or premixed--
This is instant coffee; just add hot water.
"Instant" may also describe something that happens in a brief span of time--
The internet made him an instant celebrity.
"Instant" is also an old-fashioned way of saying in the present month--
I received your letter of the 10th instant...
Note # 2--"instances" is the plural ( more than one ) of "instance", meaning case or occurrence--
It's best to follow the standard procedure in all such instances.

glutton, gluten

Glutton or glutton means someone who habitually overeats, or who consumes food rapidly and greedily--
He loaded his plate and shoveled in the food, like a real glutton.
He behaves like a glutton when we go to an all-you-can-eat restaurant.
Glutton is sometimes used figuratively--
He's still at work? What a glutton for punishment.

Gluten or gluten means the protein found in wheat flour or some other grain products--
Wheat, rye and barley all contain gluten.
Diets without gluten are becoming more popular.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He usually eats like a glutton, but now he's avoiding gluten, and can't have bread or pasta."

Note--"gluttony"means overeating or eating greedily--
Gluttony is one of the traditional seven deadly sins.
"Gluttonous" describes the eating habits of a greedy eater, or someone who overindulges regularly--
His table manners range from picky to gluttonous.
Note # 2--"glutinous" describes something sticky--
You will like that better if you make it with glutinous or "sticky" rice.

melody, medley

Melody or melody means a tune or line of notes, recognizable as the main theme of a song--
I remembered the melody of the song, but I forgot the words.
Do you recognize this melody?

Medley or medley means a mixture or assortment; most commonly a musical piece made up of bits from different songs--
He likes this; it's a medley of some of his favorite songs.
Whenever I hear this medley, I want to go home and listen to each of the songs.
We are having a roast with a vegetable medley.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"You may win a prize if you can name every melody in this medley."

entry, entrée

Entry or entry means the way in, or the method for getting into a place or thing; access--
Entry into the complex is through the main gate.
Make sure that you have a ticket, or you may be denied entry.

Entry is also a verb ( action word ), meaning going into a place--
He was arrested and charged with burglary and forced entry.
The entry of the army into the city caused alarm and confusion.

Entry also means participation in a contest or sweepstakes, literally or figuratively, or the record of participation--
Make sure to include proof of purchase with your contest entry.
This entry will be our last; next year we won't be participating in the race.
Entry may mean making a record into an account book, log, or journal--
His journal entry for the first describes the incident.
Look for an entry in this amount, dated last week.

Entrée or entrée means a main dish, especially in a restaurant--
We are all having salad, and the entrée will be chicken.
We are each going to choose a different entrée, and then we'll share.

Entrée also means the right to go in to some place, literally or figuratively--
His fame assured his entrée into fashionable society.
The introduction served as an entrée into the world of high finance.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Entry into the room was blocked by people looking at the menu on the wall, trying to choose an entrée."

Note--"entrance" also means the way into a building, most commonly the actual physical door or path--
The entrance is on the side of the building.

afford, a ford, a Ford

Afford or afford ( one word ) means able to pay for or bear the expense of--
Can we afford to go somewhere tropical for our vacation?
We can't afford a new car right now--maybe next year.

A ford or a ford ( two words ) means one ( a ) shallow spot in the river where it is possible to cross--
There is a ford about a mile downstream, where you may cross the river.
We might be able to cross a ford in the truck, but I don't think the car will get us across.

A Ford or a Ford ( two words, Ford a proper noun, and always capitalized ) means one ( a ) car made by the Ford Motor Company--
Grandpa was a Ford man; he never drove anything else.
He bought a Ford, although he looked at some other cars.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Can you afford a Ford truck, one that can cross a ford with ease?"

Note--"affordable" means inexpensive, or easy on the budget--
Come and see our new line of affordable cars and trucks.
"Fordable" means a stream or river that can be crossed on foot or in a vehicle--
Is this river fordable?
So a river that can be crossed would be a fordable--
Is this a fordable river?

choose, chews

Choose or choose means to select, opt, or decide--
 We should read the reviews before we choose one of these.
If you choose to continue, your data may be lost.

Chews or chews ( rhymes with choose ) is the third person singular ( he, she, it ) form of "chew", meaning to bite or grind food with the teeth--
The dog chews on his toy all day.
He makes too much noise when he chews his food.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"We let hin choose a toy, and he chews on it while we ride in the car."

Note--the third person singular ( he, she, it ) form of "choose" is "chooses"--
We'll be happy with whatever he chooses.

impress, empress

Impress or impress means to leave a dent or to produce a mark using pressure, literally or figuratively--
Use the stamp to impress your initials into the leather.
He tried to impress her with tales of his exploits, but she only laughed at him.

Empress or empress means a female monarch of more than one country--an empire--
Victoria was called an empress when she ruled both Britain and India.
An empress may rule over a subject queen.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"After his visit with the empress, mere royal courts failed to impress him."

republican, publican

Republican or republican describes a representative form of government--
The king banished him for spreading republican ideas.
"The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government..."

Republican is also a noun ( thing or idea ), meaning a person who believes in a representative form of government--
Although he was born with a title, his principles made him a republican.
He was a republican, much to the dismay of his monarchist parents.

Republican is also the name ( a proper noun when used this way, and always capitalized ) of one of the major political parties in the United States--
Are you registered as a Republican or a Democrat, or are you unaffiliated?
You have to register as a Republican if you want to vote in the Republican primary.

Publican or publican means a form of tax collector, who bought the rights to collect the taxes, and then went calling on people to get the money they owed--
The publican was a familiar sight to some of the first settlers in America.
The ancient Romans used a publican to collect the taxes.

Publican or publican, informally, means an innkeeper--
The publican says that it's closing time.
Ask the publican for another round of beers.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The king's soldiers were aware that the publican was a republican sympathizer."

furor, führer

Furor or furor means an uproar or commotion; a public outburst or frenzy--
We could not hear the announcer over the furor of the crowd.
There was a furor in the cafeteria, and panic in the halls.

Führer or führer ( rhymes with furor ) is German for "leader"--
The title of  führer is now associated almost exclusively with Hitler.
During World War II, many Germans adored their  führer.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The audience erupted into a furor when the speaker was introduced as the führer."

Note--"furore" is the British spelling of "furor".
Note # 2--"Führer " may be spelled "fuehrer" when foreign diacritical marks are not available.

elegant, eloquent

Elegant or elegant means stylish and sophisticated, graceful and refined--
Everyone remarked on her elegant ensemble.
We want an elegant look, nothing rustic or quaint.

Eloquent or eloquent describes speech that is persuasive, moving, and expressive--
The speaker was eloquent; many of the listeners were moved to support his campaign.
One eloquent speech can do more to move voters than a hundred ads.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He was elegant in dress, eloquent in speech, and very popular with the crowds."

Note--"Elegance" is the noun ( thing or idea ) form of "elegant"--
Her fans admired her grace and elegance.
"Eloquence" is the noun ( thing or idea ) form of "eloquent"--
His eloquence persuaded many people to vote for him.

bask, Basque

Bask or bask means to lie or relax in, or to soak up the sun, literally or figuratively--
Our lizard likes to bask in the sun.
See how the performers bask in the glow of the applause.

Basque ( a proper noun, always capitalized, rhymes with bask ) means a set of people who live in the part of France that borders the Pyrenees and Spain--
He says he is a Basque, and doesn't speak French.
Basque may also be an adjective ( describes a person, place, or thing--still always capitalized )--
There are still people in France and Spain who speak the Basque language.
Biarritz is a well-known city in the Basque region.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"On our next vacation, we'd like to visit the Basque country and bask in the sun."

Note--"Basque" may also mean a sort of corset, with or without sleeves--
Her dress had a basque top and a long skirt.

loot, lute

Loot or loot means plunder, stolen goods, or ill-gotten gains--
We can't catch them unless we find out where they stashed the loot.
The kids came home from trick-or-treating with a sack of loot.

Lute or lute ( rhymes with loot ) means a musical instrument, with strings like a guitar, but with a large round body--
He learned to play the lute and the mandolin, as well as the guitar.
She sings and accompanies herself on the lute.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The loot from the burglary included a valuable antique lute."

proposition, preposition

Proposition or proposition means an offer or suggestion, or a plan or scheme--
He explained the proposition to the committee, and they agreed to consider it.
His proposition seems more reasonable than the others.

Proposition also means a formal statement on a subject brought up for discussion or debate--
"...and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."
We are going to discuss the proposition that men and women should be equals.

Preposition or preposition is a part of speech ( kind of word ) that shows the relationship between the subject ( actor ) of a sentence and the object ( acted upon )--
In the sentence "I am going to the store", "to" is the preposition.
Each one of these is a preposition: with, to, from, over, under, on, up, down, and out.
A preposition may also show time, distance, or location, as in: "I have to go to work at 9."
 
Now that you know that, you can say--
"The proposition to have the students memorize each preposition was voted down."

alimentary, elementary

Alimentary or alimentary means concerning nutrition or nourishment--
This food tastes good, but its alimentary value is low.
The alimentary canal includes all of the digestive organs.
The alimentary system removes useful nutrients from the food we eat, and discards the rest.

Elementary or elementary means basic or simple, or composed of the most simple basic parts, literally or figuratively--
He has trouble solving elementary problems; he's not ready for advancement.
"Elementary, my dear Watson."
Elementary school starts at kindergarten and ends at the fifth or sixth grade.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"She is taking the elementary course on the alimentary system."

motive, motif

Motive or motive means the thing that prompts someone to a particular action, as an incentive or as a driving force--
The motive was revenge.
He had the means and the opportunity to commit this crime, but what was the motive?

Motif or motif means a recurring theme or or idea in a work of art--
The music changes tempo whenever we hear the horn motif.
His favorite literary motif is falling into the water.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The motive behind his doodling was to develop a motif he could use in his paintings, as a signature."

abdominal, abominable

Abdominal or abdominal means having to do with the belly, containing the digestive organs, also called the abdomen--
He went to the doctor, complaining of abdominal pain.
He has abdominal cramps; we think it was something he ate.

Abominable or abominable means really awful, loathsome, or disagreeable--
I wish that woman would correct her child's abominable behavior.
This meatloaf isn't just bad; it's abominable.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He informed the nurse of his abdominal pain, using abominable language."

varies, various

Varies or varies is the third person singular ( he, she, it ) form of the verb ( action word ) "vary", meaning  to change or alter, or to change or to be changed--
The weather here rarely varies; it is always mild.
His reaction varies, depending on his emotional state.

Various or various means assorted or of different kinds--
We'll need to check out the details of the various plans before we decide.
We have various options in your price range; would you like to see them all?

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The menu varies--sometimes there are various dishes, sometimes only one or two."

vicious, viscous

Vicious or vicious means extremely mean and nasty, spiteful or malicious--
The ugly witch cast a vicious spell on her ex-lover when he told her he could never love her warts.
That was a vicious thing to say!

Viscous or viscous means thick or sticky, when describing a liquid--
The witch concocted a viscous, bubbling green potion in her cauldron, intending to poison her victim.
The liquid was so viscous that it wouldn't pour out of the jar.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"If your drink seems especially viscous this Halloween, check your bartender for warts to make sure you're not about to be the victim of a vicious witch."

Note--"viscose" is a type of fiber made from cellulose, used to make rayon and cellophane--
The tag says it's made of viscose, but I don't know if it's washable.

object, abject

Object or object means thing, or something visible or tangible--
Can you find the hidden object in this picture?
Can you tell me what this object is used for?

Object may mean the person or thing to which thought or action is directed--
His celebrity made him an object of curiosity wherever he went.
She became the object of scandal-mongering when her husband  disappeared.

Object is also a grammar term, meaning the person or thing upon which an action is performed--
When I say "Susie likes ice cream," "Susie" is the subject and "ice cream" is the object.
Find the object in this sentence: "He threw the ball."  "Ball" is correct.

Object may also mean goal or purpose--
The object of this exercise is to help the members of our group get to know one another.
Finding the hidden treasure is the object of our excursion.

Object may also mean to disagree or offer an argument in opposition to--
A lawyer may object to the use of hearsay evidence by the opposing counsel.
I object to the way this meeting is being run!

Abject or abject means hopeless, demoralizing, or wretched, --
Some animals kept in cages live in abject misery.
Will the goal of eliminating abject poverty ever be achieved?

Now that you know that, you can say
"The poor man lived out his days in abject despair after the object of his affections left him."

destiny, density

Destiny or destiny means fate or predetermined fortune--
He became convinced that losing was his destiny.
She believed in destiny, and was sure that her fate was already decided.

"Destiny", used as a proper noun ( always capitalized ),
 means the power that determines fate, usually represented as a woman or goddess--
He prayed to Destiny to change his fortune.

Density or density means a measure of how crowded or compact something is--
The government is doing a study of population density.
The density of the structures leaves no room for gardens.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The researcher feared it was his destiny to spend his life studying population density."

diary, dairy

Diary or diary means a book used to record the personal events of the day--
She wants a diary for her birthday.
She has a blue diary, with a little key.

Diary also means such a daily record in general--
This diary makes an important historical record.
He keeps a diary, full of the details of his days.
Her diary became a historical record, read by many students.

Dairy or dairy means a farm for milk cows, or a place where milk is bottled--
When we drive by the dairy, look for the cows.
Dairy also means a place where cheese and butter are made or sold--
We stopped at the dairy and bought some fresh butter and cheese.

Dairy also describes products made of milk--
Dairy products are part of a healthy diet.
Milk, cheese, yogurt, and butter are all dairy products.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He records what he eats in his diary, including  dairy products, fruits and vegetables, and meat."

casually, casualty

Casually or casually means informally, or happening by chance--
He always looks very proper, even when he is dressed casually.
They dated casually for years, whenever they were both unattached.
Casually or casually also means with indifference or coolness-
He surveyed the scene casually, and tried to hide his boredom.
He referred to her casually, as though he hadn't been searching for her everywhere.

Casualty or casualty is a military term, meaning one of the dead, missing, or wounded--
Their son was a casualty of the last war.
It was nearly impossible to account for every casualty.

Casualty or casualty also describes a insurance against accidents--
You'll want casualty insurance, in case anyone is injured on your property.
Our casualty insurance will pay for the damage to his car, but we don't have property insurance to pay for our own.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"They learned that he was a war casualty two years ago, and now they speak of it casually."

Note--not to be confused with "causality", a physics term meaning the circumstances or conditions that make up cause and effect--
"The temperature drops in both cases, but the causality is different."

ferment, foment

Ferment or ferment means to allow bacteria, yeast or mold to grow, as in the making of wine or beer,or bread, or sauerkraut, until sugar is converted to gas, acid, or alcohol--
It will take a couple of weeks for the sauerkraut to ferment.
You'll need to keep that at just the right temperature if you want it to ferment.

Ferment or ferment also means civil disturbance or turmoil--
The country has been in a state of religious ferment since the arrest of the popular preacher.
The ferment subsided after a few days.

Foment or foment means to incite or instigate--
The prosecutor claimed that he meant to foment revolution with his inflammatory speech.
He is charged with attempting to foment a riot.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The separatist group meant to foment a riot that would become a nationwide political ferment."

Note--"foment", when used as a medical term, means to apply heat or a hot poultice to--
The doctor used a cloth soaked in hot vinegar to foment the affected area.

touchy, touché

Touchy or touchy means easily annoyed or upset--
What's wrong with him? He's very touchy today.
Have I said something to offend her, or is she just touchy?

Touché or touché is a French exclamation meaning "touched", in fencing or sword-fighting, as in "your sword has touched me", or, more generally, "you got me", used as a figurative "ouch", or "that hit the mark"--
Touché! You're right, I am making a fool of myself!
Touché! I do turn into an imbecile whenever she enters the room!

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Touché! I am being touchy and out-of-sorts because I had a fight with my girlfriend."

Note--"touchy" is also used in the expression "touchy-feely" to mean phychojargon or babble about emotions--
"The children have too much touchy-feely stuff inflicted on them in school."

etymology, entomology

Etymology or etymology means the study of the derivation or origin of a word, or the study of the change in language over time--
The etymology of a word can help us to understand its meaning.
Does this dictionary include the etymology of a word with each entry?
Students find the medieval readings the most difficult part of the etymology course.

Entomology or entomology means the study of insects--
The student brought live beetles in a jar for his report on entomology.
The children are studying entomology, and are particularly interested in the social insects.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The entry on the etymology of entomology says that it is Greek for the study of insects."

banquet, banquette

Banquet or banquet means a feast, or an elaborate meal--
There will be more than a hundred people at the banquet.
Does this restaurant have banquet facilities?

Banquette or banquette means an upholstered bench, usually set against a wall--
There he is, waving at us from the banquette in the back.
There is a banquette running along the wall, and chairs on the other side of each table.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"There were so many people at the banquet that we had to squeeze in extra people on the banquette."

Note--"banquette" may mean sidewalk, in the American South--
They stood on the banquette talking, as if there wasn't another person in the world.
"Banquette" also means a kind of ledge, built inside the parapet of a fort--
The soldiers walked up and down the banquette.

pulse, impulse

Pulse or pulse means the heart beat, as it can be felt at the neck, wrist, or other points of the body--
His pulse and blood pressure are normal.
Did you check his pulse?
Pulse may also mean a  beat or throb, in a general sense--
The pain in his head had a pulse, like the beat of his heart.
Each brief pulse of light made the entire scene as bright as day.
Pulse may me a verb ( action word ), meaning to throb or beat--

He seemed to pulse with emotion whenever he remembered the incident.
Pulse may also mean the will or animating spirit, in a figurative sense--
He has his finger on the pulse of the buying public.

Impulse or impulse means a sudden urge or inclination--
Beware of impulse buying if you want to stay on a budget.
She had a sudden impulse to slap someone, and left the party in a hurry.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The nursing student had to resist the impulse to check everyone's pulse."

bald, balled, bawled

Bald or bald means having no hair, or having no hair on one's head--
He started to go bald at a very young age.
He wears his hair that way to hide his bald spot.
Bald may describe something that looks like it is missing hair or covering on the top--
The bald eagle is a symbol of the United States of America.

Balled or balled ( rhymes with bald ) is the past tense ( yesterday, or some time ago ) of "ball", meaning to crumple up into a round shape--
I found your homework balled up and thrown on the floor.
Make sure to fold your clothes; they'll be a mess if you leave them balled up that way.
The baby balled up his fist and stuck it in his mouth.

Bawled or bawled ( rhymes with bald ) is the past tense of "bawl", meaning to cry loudly--
The baby bawled when his brother took the toy away from him.
The baby bawled so loudly that the neighbors wondered what was wrong.
Bawled is also the past tense of "bawl", used in the phrase "bawl out" to mean chastise or rebuke--
The boss bawled them out for being late.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He balled up his fists and  bawled like a baby when he realized that he was going bald."

tortuous, torturous

Tortuous or tortuous means full of twists and bends, literally or figuratively--
Their horses were worn out after making the tortuous ascent to the top.
The tortuous plot of this movie is impossible to follow.

Torturous or torturous means inflicting great pain, physically or mentally--
Some mental hospitals still inflict torturous cures on patients, such as electroshock therapy.
Blasting noise at people all day is a torturous method of interrogation.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Using tortuous logic, they decided that the torturous methods used on the prisoners were legally justifiable."

Note--"torture us" ( rhymes with torturous ) means to inflict great pain on the speaker and one or more others--
They threatened to torture us, so we signed a confession.

census, senses, sense us

Census or census means an enumeration or count of the population--
The United States government takes a census every ten years.
Our census is for congressional reapportionment, although it was once used for a per capita tax.

Senses or senses is the plural ( more than one ) of "sense", meaning one of the faculties used to take in physical information--sight, hearing, taste, smell, or touch--
The children are learning about the five senses.
Some philosophers believe that we only know what we can apprehend with out physical senses.

Senses is also the third person singular ( he, she, it ) form of "sense", meaning to perceive without conscious use of the physical senses, or to perceive emotionally or intuitively--
He senses that she is angry, but she won't admit it.
If he senses our nervousness, he'll ask where we've been.

Sense us or sense us ( two words, rhymes with census ) means to perceive ( sense ) two or more persons ( us ), one of whom is the speaker--
I'm sure the dog can't hear us, but can he sense us?
The dog won't sense us if we don't move.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The census taker used all of his senses in an effort to sense us, but he didn't find us."

Note--"consensus" means a general agreement--
The committee argued for hours before reaching a consensus.

apart, part, a part

Apart or apart ( one word ) means separated, in space or in time--
They write to each other every day when they're apart.
The two sisters were born a year apart.

Apart also means in pieces, literally or figuratively--
He took the clock apart, and now he can't put it back together.
"You're tearing me apart!"

Part or part means a section or piece, literally or figuratively--
He finished part of the job, but then he quit.
He ate part of his lunch, but left the rest.
Part of this is his fault!

Part or part also means to separate or divide--
I have something to say before we part.
He asked the barber to part his hair in the middle.

Part may also mean a role in a play or film, or a role in a real life--
This time he has a speaking part.
This part will be easy to learn.

A part or a part ( two words ) means only one ( a ) section or piece, literally or figuratively--
We need a part to fix the car.
He felt like he had left a part of himself behind, in his old home town.
"You'll always be a part of me."

A part may mean a role on a film or play--
He got a part in the new play.
He hopes to get a part in a movie.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"They don't like to be apart, but loneliness is only a part of their problem--the other part is immaturity."
 

amend, emend, mend

Amend or amend means to make better or improve--
He made a resolution to amend his behavior, especially his drinking.
This party is dull; maybe some music will amend the situation.

Emend or emend means to edit or correct text--
This paper has a lot of errors; it will take hours to emend.
Make sure to emend your paper before handing in the final draft.

Mend or mend means to fix or repair--
Will the dry cleaner mend the hole in your suit?
"How can you mend a broken heart...?"

Now that you know that, you can say--
"In an effort to amend his irresponsible behavior, and mend his reputation, he hired a professional to emend his report."

Note--"amend" is sometimes used to refer to written statements, particularly in the sense of altering the wording to make it more clear, or adding to the original text--
We can amend this by adding a a paragraph describing how the funding should be used.
Note # 2--"amend" is used as a noun in the familiar phrase "make amends", meaning to fix a social or personal argument or disagreement--
He hoped to make amends by sending her flowers.

win some, winsome

Win some or win some ( two words ) means to gain the prize; to come in first, as in a race; or to gain the victory ( win ); in part, or part of the time ( some ) --
He hopes to win some money in the sweepstakes.
Oh, well--you win some; you lose some.

Winsome or winsome ( one word ) means charming or beguiling--
She batted her eyes and gave him a winsome smile.
That child has a winsome manner, and always seems to get her way.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"She was at her winsome best when she asked the judge if he thought she might win some of the prizes."

moraine, murrain

Moraine or moraine means a piece of ground scattered with rocks and gravel, left by a retreating glacier--
Wear sturdy shoes or boots, because we have to walk across a moraine.
A glacier left this moraine after the last ice age.

Murrain or murrain ( almost rhymes with moraine ) means a disease that infects cattle--
Ancient sorcerers threatened their neighbors with a murrain that would kill their cows.
Anthrax is a well-known murrain.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Some of the cows hurt their hooves crossing a moraine; we'll have to watch for signs of a murrain among them."

cycle, sickle

Cycle or cycle means a set of events or stages that recur or repeat, literally or figuratively--
He wrote a long poem about the cycle of the seasons.
He seemed trapped in a cycle of bad behavior and remorse.
Cycle is sometimes used to refer to one event in a series--
Add the fabric softener to the rinse cycle.

Cycle may also be a short form of bicycle or motorcycle--
He needs a new tire for his cycle.
Cycle may also mean to travel by bicycle--
We are going to cycle down to the lake tomorrow.
We could walk, but we'll get there faster if we cycle.

Sickle or sickle means a farm implement used to reap crops by hand, shaped like a letter "c" with a handle--
The hammer and sickle formed the emblem of the Soviet Union.
It once took days to reap crops with a sickle.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"We want to do a painting of the cycle of the seasons, and were thinking of a sickle to represent Summer."

coal, cole

Coal or coal means the mineral dug from a mine and burned for fuel--
People all over the country watched  the rescue of the men trapped in a coal mine.
Some electric power plants burn coal.

Cole or cole ( rhymes with coal ) means cabbage--
We are making potato salad and cole slaw for the party.
Cole may mean any vegetable that resembles a cabbage.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The coal miners had a picnic, with cole slaw and barbecue."

Note--"kohl" ( rhymes with coal ) means a brown powder used as eye shadow--
Her eyes looked smoky, from the kohl she used as eye shadow.
Note # 2 --"coal" is sometimes a verb ( action word ), meaning to load coal--
They stopped to coal the ship.
The past tense ( yesterday, or some time ago ) of "coal", the verb, is "coaled"--
They coaled the ship before leaving the harbor.
Not to be confused with "cold", meaning very chilly--
It's cold outside; wear your mittens.

traffic, traffick

Traffic or traffic means the movement of vehicles or people through a space or along a street--
There was a lot of traffic on the way home.
Pedestrian traffic will move over this bridge; cars will go under it.
We got stuck in a traffic jam.

Traffick or traffick ( rhymes with traffic ) means smuggling or dealing in illicit cargo or goods--
They are have asked us to meet with them to discuss the traffick in illegal arms.
The government is hoping to stop the drug traffick at the border.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"With all the traffic at the border, it is difficult to detect an attempt to traffick in drugs or weapons."

Note--"traffick" is a verb ( action word ), with the regular verb forms--
He trafficks; they traffick; they are trafficking; they trafficked.

forbid, forebode, forbidding, foreboding

Forbid or forbid means to prohibit; to refuse to allow something--
He's grounded. We want him to go with us, but his parents forbid it.
He forbid the children playing in his office.
I forbid you to throw things!

Forebode or forebode means to predict or portend, especially something evil or disastrous--
The gloomy weather seemed to forebode an unhappy afternoon.
Some people still believe that owls forebode bad luck.

Forbidding or forbidding is a participle of "forbid", meaning to prohibit or refuse to allow--
The management is now forbidding all coffee breaks.
They are thinking of forbidding smoking on the patio.

Forbidding or forbidding also means hostile or sinister--
The gloomy old house had a forbidding aspect.
The deserted town seemed forbidding in the moonlight.

Foreboding or foreboding means a presentiment of evil or catastrophe--
Every noise frightened her; she couldn't shake a feeling of foreboding.
The accident later seemed a foreboding of worse things to come.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"It was no use forbidding them to go in the forbidding old house; even an eerie feeling of foreboding didn't stop them."
"If the signs forebode evil, the old woman will forbid the trip they've planned."

Note--"forbidden" is an adjective ( describes a thing or idea ), meaning prohibited, or not allowed--
The first humans were banished from paradise because they ate the forbidden fruit.
Running in the halls is forbidden.
Note # 2--"forbade" is a past tense ( yesterday, or some time ago ) of "forbid"--
Yesterday his parents forbade him going to the movies.
The more commonly used past tense of "forbid" is simply "forbid"--
Yesterday his parents forbid him going to the movies.

a cute, acute

A cute or a cute ( two words ) means one ( a ) person or item that is "cute", meaning charming or pretty--
I saw a cute baby dress in the store window.
What a cute puppy!
Cute may mean coy or affected--
He just gave me a cute answer, and now I'm even more angry.

Acute or acute ( one word ) means sharp or ending in a point, literally, or sharp, severe or intense, figuratively--
This street comes to an acute angle at the end; it's hard to make a turn there.
That was an acute perception; small details can be important.
He has an acute case of appendicitis.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"I want a cute gift that will cheer up a child with an acute case of laryngitis."

Note--"astute" means clever or wise, or having a real understanding--
He was an astute judge of character, and never hired anyone who wasn't an asset to the firm.

exasperate, exacerbate

Exasperate or exasperate means to wear out the patience of; to infuriate--
When the child failed to exasperate her, he stopped whining and became quiet.
Doesn't that barking dog exasperate you?

Exacerbate or exacerbate means to make worse or to aggravate, said of a disease or condition--
The doctor said that smoking would exacerbate his symptoms.
He had to interfere, just to exacerbate the problem.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The mother's yelling only served to exacerbate the situation; she could exasperate a saint."

parody, parity

Parody or parody means a spoof or imitation of a serious subject--
We enjoy this comedian's parody of broadcast news.
The student's parody of the university's traditions made the dean angry.
Parody is also a verb ( action word ), meaning to imitate in a humorous or mocking way--
He intended to parody a famous commercial, but most people didn't recognize it.

Parity or parity ( almost rhymes with parody ) equivalence of amount, status, or value--
The currency of Canada is nearly at parity with the currency of the United States.
Many people still think that women should one day achieve economic parity with men.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"His parody of women striving for professional parity with men was not funny to his female supervisor."

partially, partiality

Partially or partially means incompletely--
This report is partially finished; I'll take it home over the weekend.
This has been partially repaired; I'll have to come back tomorrow to do the rest.

Partiality or partiality means favor or a bias in favor of--
The lawyer thought that the judge showed partiality to the plaintiff.
A teacher should not show partiality to any student.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Our report on the partiality of the jury is partially done."

Note--"partial" means incomplete--
We did a check-up of his health.
This is in partial payment of my bill.
"Partial" is also an informal term for "biased in favor of "--
He is partial to any kind of barbecue.
I'm partial to any sweets made with honey.
Not to be confused with "impartial", meaning showing no favor or bias--
A jury is supposed to be impartial.
Note # 2--"partly" means to some extent, or to a certain extent--
That's only partly true.
The report is partly finished.
Your answer was only partly correct.

occur, ocher

Occur or occur ( oh Kurr ) means to happen or take place--
Something unexpected may occur while we are out, so here is the phone number.
If you follow the same procedure, the same results should occur.
Occur also means to suggest itself, or to mentally take place--
If a better idea should occur to me, I'll let you know.

Ocher or ocher ( Oh kurr ) is  a yellow-brown mineral, or the color of this mineral--
They painted the room ocher, with dark brown trim.
Ocher is about the same color as spicy brown mustard.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"We were digging for ocher, when what should occur but a mild earthquake."

Note-- "ochre" is an old-fashioned ( in the United States ) spelling of "ocher".
Note # 2--"occur" is a verb ( action word ), with all of the usual verb forms--
It will occur; it occurs; it occurred; it is occurring.
"Ocher" is a noun ( thing or idea ) , but since it is a quantity ( something you measure ) and not a number ( something you count ), a plural form is rare, and used only by professional discussing paint, ink, or minerals, --
Two tons of ocher will be delivered tomorrow.
These ochers are all too brown; add some yellow.
"Ocher" may also be an adjective ( describes a noun )--
Do we want the ocher paint, or the green?
Note # 3--not to be confused with "ogre", meaning a big, bad, rude, giant monster--
He wanted to play the prince, but she thought he should play the ogre.
Note # 4--"a cur" ( nearly rhymes with occur ) means one ( a ) mongrel dog, especially a dirty or mean one ( cur )--
He called the dog a cur, and she growled at him.

fictitious, factitious

Fictitious or fictitious means pretend, assumed, or imaginary--
The characters shown in this movie are fictitious, and do not represent any real persons.
If you want to do business as "Apps, Inc.", you will need to register that as a fictitious name.

Factitious or factitious means made or manufactured, or artificial or contrived--
These are factitious, they are not real historical artifacts.
We walked in on a factitious scenario, in which the two seemed to be having an argument.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He didn't acknowledge that his factitious grievances were the fictitious products of his own mind."

word, whirred

Word or word means the smallest unit of language that can stand alone--
Make sure to use the dictionary if you don't know how to spell a word.
Don't guess what the word means! Look it up in the online dictionary.
In a word, no.
Word is also an old-fashioned term for promise--
He gave his word that he would be home by midnight.

Whirred or whirred ( rhymes with word ) is the past tense ( yesterday, or some time ago ) of "whirr", meaning to make a buzzing or humming sound by moving, turning, or revolving--
The ceiling fan whirred while they talked, making it difficult for us to hear what they said.
The toy airplane's propeller whirred when he let it go.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The fan whirred loudly as we strained to hear each word."

links, lynx

Links or links is the plural ( more than one ) of "link", meaning one of the loops or rings that make a chain, or anything that is used as a ring or loop in a chain--
One of the links in this chain is broken.
Link is also a computer term, meaning a mark or line you can click on to take you to another page or website--
These links are broken, and I can't access any of the pages on this website.

Links is also the third person singular ( he, she, it ) form of "link", meaning to hook together or attach as if by the rings of a chain--
He links each lesson to something the students have watched on TV or in the movies.
Link also means to provide a mark or line that will connect to another page or site when clicked on--
If he links his blog to your website, you may get more traffic.

Lynx or lynx ( rhymes with links ) means the big wild cat that lives in Canada and parts of the United States--
They saw a lynx near the campsite, and took a picture of it.
The lynx has furry paws for the cold weather.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"These links all lead to a page with a picture of a lynx wearing a collar with two broken links."

Note--"link" may be a noun ( thing or idea ), with a singular and a plural form--
Is there only one link, or are there two links?
"Link" may also be a verb ( action word ) --
I link, you link, he links, we all link.
They are linking today, and yesterday they linked.

pacific, specific, Pacific

Specific or specific means precise or explicit; naming a particular item or person, as opposed to a general idea--
You said that things go wrong when you attempt this task. Could you give me a specific example?
You said to bring home a pizza. If you wanted something  special on it, you should have been more specific.

Pacific or pacific means peaceful or serene--
He had a pacific disposition, and rarely seemed annoyed or upset.
More progress occurred during the pacific periods of our history than at any other time.

Pacific ( a proper name, always capitalized ) is the name of the ocean that makes the western border of the United States--
"From Atlantic to Pacific, gee, the traffic is terrific..."
He wanted to see the sun set over the Pacific Ocean.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The parents were specific in their instructions to the children--to remain pacific on the trip to the Pacific."

Note--"pacify" means to make calm or peaceful--
She rocked the baby's cradle to pacify him.
Not to be confused with "specify", meaning to be precise, or to note or state explicitly--
Tell them to specify every item to be included in this shipment.

solitaire, solitary

Solitaire or solitaire means a game that is played alone, by only one person--
"Playing solitaire 'til dawn, with a deck of fifty-one..."
He plays that online solitaire game for hours at a time.

Solitary or solitary means alone, lonely, or only one--
He is in solitary confinement because he attacked another prisoner.
The dog made the old man's solitary existence more bearable.
A solitary robin made it seem that Spring would arrive soon.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He leads a solitary life, and spends a lot of time playing solitaire."

linch, lynch

Linch or linch descibes a kind of hardware. A linchpin is the smooth bolt that holds the two pieces of a hinge together--
He is trying to hang a door, but the linchpin won't go in.
This linchpin got bent when we took off the door; we'll need a new hinge.
Linch or linch also means a ledge or right-angled projection--
You can hang the sign right above the brick linch on the front wall.

Lynch or lynch means to hang a person as a vigilante mob--
The sheriff had to protect the accused from a lynch mob.
Criminals were once hanged in the United States, but a lynch mob was illegal, because the accused had not been tried and convicted.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The marshal believed that trial by jury was the linchpin that held society together, and so opposed the lynch mob and vigilante justice."

Note--"lynch"also  means a strip of unplowed land between two fields--
The daisies growing in the lynch make everything look cheerful.

paternal, parental

Paternal or paternal describes something associated with or belonging to a  father--
The colonel addressed his troops in a paternal way.
The inmates sometimes resented the warden's paternal attitude.

Parental or parental describes something associated with or belonging to a mother, a father, or both--
Make sure that children have parental guidance when watching this program.
Make sure that our clients have a clear understanding of their parental rights and obligations.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The old man showed a paternal feeling for the young couple struggling with their new parental status."

widened, wide end

Wide end or wide end ( two words ) means the end of something that is broader, or of greater measurement than the other end or ends--
It will stand up if you set it on the wide end.
It is shaped like a wedge, with a wide end and a narrow end.

Widened or widened ( one word, nearly rhymes with wide end ) means made broader, or of larger dimensions--
They widened the road last year, and now it's easier to drive to town.
He made no sound, but his eyes widened, when he saw the scene of the disaster.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"We widened the whole driveway, and now you can turn the car around at the wide end."

Note--"wide end" may also descibeone of a team of football players--
He will be a wide end receiver on the varsity team this year.

tact, tacked

Tact or tact means politeness or skill in dealing with awkward or difficult situations--
We need to handle this with tact and diplomacy.
Try to use tact when dealing with irate customers.

Tacked or tacked ( rhymes with tact ) is the past tense ( yesterday, or some time ago ) of the verb ( action word ) "tack", meaning to pin something to a wall or board with a tack or small nail--
The manager tacked a notice on the wall. Did you read it?
She tacked a picture of her favorite pop star on the wall of the dorm room.

Tacked or tacked is also the past tense of "tack", meaning to turn right or left as part of a zigzag course--
We tacked back and forth all day, but we never seemed to get any closer to the shore.
He tacked with skill and precision, and won the race.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The notice you tacked on the board is a model of tact. I'm sure the response will be positive."

Note--"intact" ( one word ) means whole, or still in one piece after some accident--
When we picked up the spilled groceries the eggs were still intact.
Not to be confused with "in tact" ( two words )--
If this were a charm school, you would get an "A" in tact.

apologies, apologize

Apologies or apologies ( rhymes with sees ) is the plural ( more than one ) form of "apology", meaning an expression of regret for an offense or for a lack--
The management extends its apologies to the audience for the show's late start.
We offer our apologies for the inconvenience.

Apologize or apologize ( rhymes with size ) is a verb ( action word ), meaning to offer an expression of regret for a fault or lack--
We forgot to return their call. We should apologize.
That wasn't nice! Apologize to your sister!

Now that you know that, you can say--
"It has taken them so long to apologize, that apologies are in order for the delay, as well as for the original offense."

Note--"apologizes" is the third person singular ( he, she, it ) form of "apologize", meaning to express regret for a fault or lack--
He always apologizes when he has behaved badly.

none, nun

None or none means not any, not one, or no part--
We wanted to rent a movie, but none of them looked interesting.
We ate all of the apples; there are none left.
That is none of your business.

Nun or nun ( rhymes with none ) means a female member of a religious order--
You may recognize a nun by the long habit that she wears.
She wants to be a nun when she grows up, but her mother wants her to marry and have children.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"That old nun still teaches in the Catholic school, but there are almost none of her order left."

bored, board

Bored or bored is the past tense ( yesterday, or some time ago ) of "bore", meaning to make a hole in, with a drill, awl, or some other tool--
He bored a hole at the end of the shelf, for a coat hook.
The termites have bored through the beams in the cellar.

Bored or bored also means suffering from "boredom", meaning a lack of interest in anything, or nothing interesting to do--
If you are bored, why don't you go outside and play?
The children are bored, and it's raining. Let's watch a movie.
Bored may also be the past tense of "bore", meaning to be dull and tedious--
The class bored them, especially when they didn't understand what was going on.
He bored them again with his football stories.

Board or board ( rhymes with board ) means a plank of wood--
We need a board about six feet long.
This board will make a nice shelf.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"She bored some holes in the board, for hooks to hang the coffee cups."
"We got bored with holding the board as he bored a hole in it, so we left."

dolman, dolmen

Dolman or dolman means a kind of sleeve, on a shirt, jacket, or dress, that is attached at or near the waist, and fitted at the wrist, to make sleeves something like a cape--
Dolman sleeves are sometimes called batwing sleeves.
The dolman sleeves on that dress make her look short.

Dolmen or dolmen ( rhymes with dolman ) means a kind of burial mound or tomb marker, made of a large stone set on top of two upright stones, making a shape like the Greek letter π--
A dolmen is usually made of three large stones.
A dolmen may also be called a cromlech.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"She got her big dolman sleeve stuck on the edge of the dolmen, and we had to cut it to get her loose."

carpal, carpel

Carpal or carpal means having to do with the carpus--the  wrist bone or wrist bones--
He had to quit his job when he developed carpal tunnel syndrome.
The carpal bones may be injured by stressful repetitive motion.

Carpel or carpel ( rhymes with carpal ) means a type of pistil, or seed-bearing flower part--
You can see that this is actually a carpel, and not a leaf, because it bears the seeds of the flower.
The stigma, style, and ovary make up the carpel.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"His drawing of a flower's carpel looks more like the carpal  bones of a person."

staid, stayed

Staid or staid  ( rhymes with stayed, sometimes pronounced more like "sted" ) describes a solid, steady, or reliable character--
He has always been too staid to do anything so capricious.
He thought she was staid and boring; she thought he was flighty and irresponsible.

Stayed or stayed ( rhymes with staid ) is the past tense ( yesterday, or some time ago ) of the verb ( action word )  "stay", meaning to remain or continue--
He stayed at work until after 7 o'clock.
We stayed dry under the umbrella.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He stayed with the same firm for many years, which proves him to be staid and dependable."

Note--not to be confused with "stead" (pronounced sted ), meaning the place taken by a substitute--
He sent an employee in his stead, authorized to close the deal.
"Stead" is also an old-fashioned word for repute, surviving in the phrase "stand in good stead"--
If you take this course, you will stand in good stead with a prospective employer.
"Instead" ( one word ) means as an alternative or substitute--
Let's have pizza instead of burgers.

carrel, carol

Carrel or carrel means a cubby or cubicle, usually with a desk, for studying or reading--
Only one student to a carrel, please.
He sits in the same carrel and studies, every afternoon.

Carol or carol ( rhymes with carrel ) means a song, usually of joy or celebration--
Our choir is learning a new Christmas carol.
No one remembers the tune to this old carol. Do you know it?

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He is in the carrel at the end of the row, trying to learn the words of a medieval carol."

Note--"Carol" or "Carole" may also be a female's given name--
Is Carol going to be in this morning?

lived, livid

Lived or lived is the past tense ( yesterday, or some time ago ) of "live", meaning to exist, to dwell, or to survive--
He lived in the United States in the  19th century.
They lived on the other side of town before they moved here.
He lived through the war, and came home to start a business.

Livid or livid means pale or blue, as from bruising or lack of breath, caused by disease, injury, or strong emotion--
He was livid, and his breathing was shallow, but the doctor thinks he'll survive.
He was livid with rage, but he didn't say a word.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He was livid and seemed to be choking, but he lived and recovered his health."

holiday, holy day

Holiday or holiday ( one word ) means a day off from school or work; a day when some occasion is celebrated--
We have a three day weekend, because of the Monday holiday for Labor Day.
The children have a long holiday at Christmas and Easter.

Holy day or holy day ( two words ) means, to some religious people, a day to attend church, even if it isn't the sabbath, in order to commemorate a religious event, or to observe a particular religious anniversary or occasion--
Many of the children are absent form school because Ash Wednesday is a holy day for them.
If a holy day of your religion falls on a work day, you may take the day off, using a personal day.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"New Year's Day is a holy day for many religious people, but it's also a holiday for the rest of us."

Note--a "Monday holiday" means celebrating a holiday on the closest Monday, to make a three-day weekend--
There is a Monday holiday next week, so we'll only work four days.
Note # 2 --"wholly" means entirely or completely, and so might be used in a sentence with "day" to make "wholly day"--
The sun had just started to rise; it wasn't wholly day.  

devise, device

Devise or devise ( rhymes with size ) means to invent or contrive--
He hoped to devise a new means of detecting metal.
They are trying to devise a scheme for passing the exam without studying.

Device or device ( rhymes with nice )  means a contraption, or a gadget or machine of some kind--
Have you seen the new solar-powered device for charging the phone?
He hoped to invent a new device for detecting metal.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"If we could devise a better recharging device, we could make a fortune."

celebrity, celerity

Celebrity or celebrity means fame or renown--
Celebrity was his only ambition; he didn't much care how he achieved it.
He soon found that celebrity wasn't the adventure he had hoped for.

Celebrity may also mean a famous person--
He enjoyed being a celebrity, and was always happy to see his fans.
A crowd gathered to get a glimpse of the celebrity.

Celerity or celerity means speed or swiftness--
He carried out all of his duties with celerity and enthusiasm.
He moved with celerity and caught the falling dish.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The celebrity moved with celerity to the waiting limousine, and avoided the crowd."

satin, sat in

Satin or satin ( one word )  means the smooth shiny fabric made of silk or of synthetic material--
Her dress was of satin, embroidered with seed pearls and beads.
We are looking for some red satin to make a costume.

Satin is also used to describe something smooth and shiny--
"Out cattin', my satin doll..."
We want some paint with a satin finish.

Sat in or sat in ( two words ) is the past tense ( yesterday, or some time ago ) of "sit", meaning to rest on one's behind "in", meaning in the same space as--
He sat in someone's lunch, and needs to go home to change.
He sat in a puddle; we need to get him some dry clothes.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"She sat in some coffee, and now her satin dress has a big stain."

Note--"sateen" is a cotton or linen fabric with a smooth, shiny finish--
This sateen will make nice curtains.
Note # 2--"Satan" ( one word, always capitalized ) ) is a proper name, meaning the lord of hell or of evil--
 "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world..."
Not to be confused with "sat an" ( two words ), "sat", the past tense of "sit", meaning to rest upon, "an", meaning one of something that begins with a vowel ( open-mouthed ) sound--
I looked out the window, and there sat an eagle, right on the fence!