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.