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.