Friday, May 30, 2014

brood, brewed

Brood or brood means to ponder moodily; to sulk over something--
I know he's upset, but tell him not to brood.
He has a tendency to brood when he's upset about something.

Brood also means to sit on eggs, said of a hen or female bird--
The hen will continue to brood until all of her eggs have hatched.
Don't bother the bird, or she won't be able to brood.
Brood also means the young hatched out of the same set of eggs--
The brood will be mature in a couple of months.

Brewed or brewed ( rhymes with brood ) is the past tense ( yesterday, or some time ago ) of "brew", meaning to steep or to boil and ferment, literally or figuratively--
He brewed some beer in the basement, and he wants us to try it.
We sat and waited while she brewed the tea.
When they were children, they brewed mischief when left to their own devices.
The king sat comfortably in his palace while the discontented populace brewed revolution.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He was afraid she might brood if she left him alone, he even sat and sulked while she brewed the tea."

Note--the past tense ( yesterday, or some time ago ) of "brood" is "brooded"--
He sat and brooded over some imagined slight, and never went to the party at all.
The hen brooded for weeks, until every egg had hatched.

Thursday, May 29, 2014

abjure, adjure

Abjure or abjure means to renounce; to forswear or recant--
The last words of Joan of Arc are said to be "I abjure".
He was put on the witness stand, where he promptly began to abjure everything he had said before.

Adjure or adjure means to command, as under an oath or threat; to implore eanestly--
The old man claimed to be able to adjure the spirits to appear at his command.
He knelt before the king,  in order to adjure him to spare the young man."

Now that you know that, you can say--
"His old friends assembled to adjure him to abjure his faith and live, rather than become a martyr."

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

exceed, accede

Exceed or exceed means to go over or beyond a certain limit--
If you exceed the speed limit, you may get a ticket.
The value of the gift must not exceed twenty dollars.

Accede or accede means to agree or consent--
If their employer won't accede to their demands, they plan to strike.
The client refuses to accede to the provision concerning the interest rate.
Accede also means to assume an office or title, most commonly used to refer to an aristocrat or royalty--
He will accede to the throne when the old king dies.
If there is no male heir to accede to the dukedom, the title will become defunct.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The principal won't accede to the students' request to put on a show that may exceed the limits of decency."

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

benign, be nine

Benign or benign describes something that has a good or beneficial effect--
Everyone calmed down when they saw the old man's benign face.
His benign expression only served to infuriate her.
Benign is also a medical term, meaning not harmful--
The doctor said that the tumor is benign, not malignant.

Be nine or be nine ( two words, rhymes with benign ) means the existence or presence of ( be )  9 ( nine ) of something--
If we used three eggs, there should be nine left.
Count those before you pack them--there should be nine of them.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"There will be nine for dinner, including the old woman with the benign countenance."

Monday, May 26, 2014

salutary, salutatory

Salutary or salutary means beneficial or healthful--
The British treatment of America before the Revolutionary War is often called salutary neglect.
Fresh air and a rest should have a salutary effect on his condition.

Salutatory or salutatory describes something in the nature of a welcome or greeting; a salute--
The second-highest ranking student will give a salutatory address.
The dog's bark seemed salutatory, and not menacing, so he opened the gate and went in.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"An enthusiastic salutatory address should have a salutary effect on the attitude of the students."

Friday, May 23, 2014

paraphrase, periphrase

Paraphrase or paraphrase means to put into different words; to restate or reword--
To paraphrase an old saying, you need to fix this now, or you'll have nine times as much work to do later.
Did you paraphrase what the author said? Then you should leave out the quotation marks.

Periphrase or periphrase means to repeat, using an alternate form or additional information to name the same person, place, or thing--
A periphrase may be commonplace: Her father, the doctor, the son of the mayor, will run for election.
Here's a famopus periphrase: "By the shores of Gitche Gumee, By the shining Big-Sea-Water..."

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Let's see if I can paraphrase the grammar book: to periphrase means to name the same person, place or thing again, using a different aspect, attribute, or bit of information."

Note--"Paraphase" is a technical term, used to describe the output of an amplifier or a similar device--
I think this will work if we use a paraphase amplifier.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

imply, infer

Imply or imply means to hint at, suggest, or signify, when speaking or writing--
His tone seems to imply that he is not really very angry.
I'm sure he doesn't mean to imply that he didn't enjoy the party.
Imply may also mean to involve as a necessary part of, usually when speaking of formal logic--
Does the design imply an intelligent creator? Some people believe so.

Infer or infer means to read into, guess, or surmise, when listening or reading--
We can infer from his lack of response that he is not interested in the outcome.
His voice was pleasant, but his choice of words led me to infer hostility.
Infer may also mean to arrive at by reason, or to conclude based on evidence of some kind, usually when speaking of formal logic--
We can infer two gunmen from the two different bullets, but we might be wrong.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Can I help it if he wants to infer that I dislike him, although I'm sure I didn't imply any such thing."

Note--not to be confused with the phrase "in fur" ( rhymes with infer ), meaning clothed in the hairyskin of an animal--
He's an animal activist; he tells everyone that animals look better in fur than people do.


Wednesday, May 21, 2014

reflex, reflects

Reflex or reflex ( RE flex ) means an involuntary automatic or physical response; a reaction--
A reflex is an involuntary movement, as when the leg kicks if the kneecap is struck.
Ducking when something moves toward you may be a reflex action.

Reflects or reflects ( re FLECTS ) is the third person singular ( he, she, it ) form of "reflect", meaning to display an image of, as in a mirror; to give back light, heat, or an image, literally or figuratively--
Notice how the mirror reflects the light from the camera's flash.
His liberalism reflects his upbringing; his parents were Roosevelt supporters.
Reflects may also be the third person singular form of "reflect", meaning to meditate, or to think seriously about something--
These days he just sits on the porch and reflects on the state of the world.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"When the mirror reflects an object thrown at it, will a person viewing it step aside as a reflex action?"

Note--"reflex", in a technical or scientific context, may mean something sent back, as light, current, or heat--
He has an old single lens reflex camera.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

attendance, attendants

Attendance or attendance means showing up, or attending--
Attendance at the meeting is required of all members.
Can we count on your attendance at the next council meeting?
Attendance or attendance may also mean the house, or the number of people who showed up, or a roll call--
The teacher checks atttendance every morning.
Attendance was poor; the show was sure to fold within a week.

Attendants or attendants is the plural ( more than one ) of "attendant", meaning a person who looks after someone, or who offers service or company to someone--
The star had so many attendants that no one could get near him.
The attendants of a queen are still called ladies-in-waiting.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"We can rely on the attendance of the queen and her attendants, but how many others will bother to show up?"

Not to be confused with the three words "at ten dance", meaning to dance at 10 p.m.--
We will walk around the dance floor at nine, and at ten dance.

Monday, May 19, 2014

enter, inter

Enter or enter means to go in or come in--
When they enter, try not to look surprised.
The sign says we should enter by the side door.
Enter may also mean to add to a list or registry, or to participate in a competition of some kind--
He needs a recent photo to enter the contest.
Please enter your name and phone number in the guest book.

Inter or inter means to bury--
We will inter the deceased on Monday.
We will inter the ashes if you have no other plans for them.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"When you enter the cemetery, you will see the spot where we chose to inter his remains."

Note--"inter--" may also be a prefix ( added to the beginning of a word ), meaning between or among--
He seems to interact with his playmates without aggression or hostility.

Friday, May 16, 2014

soldier, solder

Soldier or soldier means someone who serves in an army; a military person--
He was a soldier during the last war.
The weary soldier managed to sleep through most of the battle.
Soldier may also be a verb ( action word ) meaning to serve in an army--
Soldier on!
After basic training, he could soldier with the best of them.

Solder or solder ( rhymes with fodder ) means to join two pieces of metal together, by heating an alloy or a powdered alloy--
He says he can't fix it; we'll have to get someone to solder it together.
Today we are going to learn to solder two pipes together.
Solder may also mean the alloy used to join two pieces of metal--
He can't fix it now because he doesn't have any solder.
Get some solder when you go to the hardware store.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The statue of a soldier can be mended; we can solder the two broken pieces."

Thursday, May 15, 2014

a political, apolitical

A political or a political ( two words ) describes one ( a ) thing having to do with governments, elections, or politics--
He made a political speech; it was covered in the press.
There will be a political rally in the park next week.

Apolitical or apolitical ( one word ) describes something or someone that has nothing to do with governments, elections, or politics--
He made an apolitical speech, mostly about the importance of education.
He is nearly completely apolitical; he never even votes.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He is so apolitical that he couldn't even name a political candidate, and it's an election year."

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

war, wore

War or war means a military conflict; an armed conflict between nations or parties--
The war continued until both sides had exhausted all of their resources.
They were separated during the war, and years passed before they saw one another again.

Wore or wore ( rhymes with war ) is the past tense ( yesterday, or some time ago ) of "wear", meaning to put on the body, as clothing, cosmetics, or jewelry--
"Around her hair, she wore a yellow ribbon..."
She wore a long pink dress to the school dance.
Wore is also the past tense of "wear", meaning to deteriorate through use, literally or figuratively--
He walked so far that he wore a hole in his shoe.
The kids wore Grandma out the last time she was here.
Wore may also be the past tense of "wear", meanign to apss slowly or tediously--
As the day wore on, she became more distracted.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He served in the army during the war, and waiting for news of him wore on her nerves."

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

leopard, leper

Leopard or leopard means the large spotted cat that lives in parts of Africa--
Experts say that the leopard is the most dangerous of all the big cats.
He went on a safari, and got some wonderful photos of a leopard.

Leper or leper ( almost rhymes with leopard ) means someone afflicted with leprosy; an outcast--
Hawaii once had a leper colony, where people with leprosy had to live.
He says that no one talks to him anymore, and that he feels like a leper.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"She wore a satin dress and a leopard-skin coat, but they still treated her like a leper."

Monday, May 12, 2014

committee, comity

Committee or committee means a group of people assembled for a specific purpose; a group selected to perform a particular service or function--
The committee will meet again next week to discuss the plans for a new school building.
The committee will now put the matter to a vote.

Comity or comity means mutual respect or courtesy, or, of countries, respect for one another's laws--
Comity isn't a mere matter of form, it makes closing a deal much easier.
We have to extradite these people, according to our comity agreement with their country of origin.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Before we call the committee meeting to order, please remember the importance of comity when speaking to one another."

Friday, May 9, 2014

by law, bylaw

By law or by law ( two words ) means according to a written staute or regulation--
By law, you have to notify the police within 24 hours of the accident.
The officer said that by law, the dog must be kept on a leash at all times.

Bylaw or bylaw ( one word ) means one of a set of rules ( bylaws ) used to set up and govern an organization, a corporation or a society--
There's a bylaw still operative that permits the president of the corporation to vote in case of a tie.
She is citing a bylaw of the PTA that permits any member to speak to the whole committee.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Our lawyer said that the old bylaw doesn't matter--by law, the corporation is responsible."

Thursday, May 8, 2014

liberation, libration

Liberation or liberation  means freedom; being released or set free--
The Americans who joined the army in WWII were willing to fight for the liberation of Europe.
 She made speeches about women's liberation in the 1970's, but now she is quite conservative.

Libration or libration means a real or apparent waving motion or oscillation, as of the moon--
He wrote a scientific treatise on the libration of the moon.
The astronomer was sure that he detected libration in one of the moons of Jupiter.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He worries that the libration of the moon could cause its liberation from Earth's gravity."

Note--not to be confused with "libation", meaning a drink, or an offering of drink, to the gods--
The ancient Greeks spilled a little wine on the ground before drinking it, as a libation.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

accompany, a company

Accompany or accompany ( one word ) means to go along with or escort--
She wants him to accompany her to a wedding, but he doesn't like the idea.
The red wine will accompany the roast beef; the champagne goes with the dessert.
Accompany may mean to play or sing along with--
He will accompany her on the piano.

A company or a company ( two words ) means one ( a ) firm,corporation, business, group or troupe--
They have started a company of their own, in a neighboring town.
They founded a company that makes cell phone covers.
A company may also describe something sponsored by or related to a business or corporation--
There will be a company picnic next week, on Saturday.
He will have a company car when he starts his new job.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"We will be leaving to start a company of our own, and we'd like you to accompany us."

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

dour, dower

Dour or dour means stern or gloomy--
The old woman's dour expression brightened when she saw her grandchildren.
The curmudgeon's dour manner never improved, even when he had visitors.

Dower or dower ( rhymes or nearly rhymes with dour ) describes property left to a woman, in general. It may mean property left by her deceased husband, or property that remained hers even when married, or that legally remained the woman's property, even when women couldn't own property, as a sort of trust--
This has been passed down through generations of her female ancestors as dower property.
The widow is legally entitled to one third of the estate; it will be the dower portion while she lives.
Dower may also be an old-fashioned word for "dowry", meaning money or property set aside in a woman's name when she married--
She won't marry without a proper dower; she's afraid of what might happen if she should be widowed.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The dower portion of the estate will relieve her financial worries, and perhaps improve her dour disposition."

Monday, May 5, 2014

accomplice, accomplish

Accomplice or accomplice means a partner in crime; a confederate or co-conspirator--
There are two sets of footprints--he must have had an accomplice.
She was a willing accomplice to the robbery, and will probably serve at least two years.

Accomplish or accomplish means to achieve; to carry out, perform, or finish--
We won't be able to accomplish all of this in one weekend.
First try to accomplish the task, then you can work on doing it more quickly.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He needed an accomplice to help him accomplish the burglary he was planning."

Friday, May 2, 2014

acclaim, a claim

Acclaim or acclaim ( one word ) means to greet with shouts of joy or approval; to applaud--
The crowd waited at the station to acclaim the champion.
The crowd that gathered to acclaim the great tenor stopped downtown traffic for hours.

Acclaim may also mean shouts of joy or approval; applause--
His hometown greeted the hero with a parade and loud acclaim.
He sat on the grandstand, basking in the public acclaim.

A claim or a claim ( two words, rhymes with acclaim ) means one ( a ) demand or assertion for something as a right or as due or owed--
He filed a claim with his insurance company.
Make sure to put in a claim for your expenses.
A claim may also mean the thing demanded, or to which title is asserted ( the thing claimed )--
The miner staked a claim, but he never found any gold on it.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"His popularity assured him a claim on the acclaim of both critics and audiences."

Thursday, May 1, 2014

braid, brayed, abrade, a braid

Braid or braid means to weave three or more strands of something together; to plait--
Hold still while I braid your hair!
If we braid three of these together, it may be strong enough.

Brayed or brayed ( rhymes with braid ) is the past tense ( yesterday, or some time ago ) of "bray", meaning to make a noise like a donkey, or said of a donkey, to make a loud noise--
He sounded good when he talked, but when he laughed he brayed like a donkey.
The donkey brayed when he saw the farmer on his way home.

Abrade or abrade ( one word )  means to smooth or wear down by friction, using something rough or containing sand or pumice, or a similar substance--
Over time, sand will abrade the glass to a rounded shape, smooth and dull.
If you use sandpaper to abrade that fine wood, it may leave scratches.

A braid or a braid ( rhymes with abrade )  means one ( a ) set of three strands woven together ( braid ); a plait--
She wore her hair in a braid down her back.
She made a braid with yarn, and used it as a strap for the bag.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The donkey brayed when she tried to braid his mane."
"We'll use pumice powder to abrade the surface, and the handle will be a braid of leather cords."

Note--"upbraid" means to scold or rebuke--
Be sure to upbraid him when he returns, for the mess he left this morning.