toward, to ward

Toward or toward ( one word, also towards ) describes moving in the direction of, or closer to--
If you continue toward the hill up ahead, you'll see the gas station on your right.
Don't move toward the dog if he's growling.

Toward may also mean in respect to, or regarding--
His attitude toward capital punishment is liberal, but he's generally a conservative.
We hope to be moving toward consensus, so let's keep personal comments out of the discussion.

To ward or to ward ( two words ) means to move to protect or guard--
He held up his arm to ward off the blow.
They patrolled the city at night, to watch for crime and to ward off danger.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He moved toward the assailant slowly, hoping to ward off his next assault."

Note--"two wards" might mean 2 minors under one's care--
His brother and sister-in-law died, and now he has two wards.
"Two wards" may also mean two political divisions of a city--
He represents two wards, the 7th and the 14th.
"Two wards" may also mean two divisions of a hospital--
That nurse is trying to care for two wards, and she's having trouble keeping up with the work.

award, a ward

Award or award ( one word ) means to give as a prize; or as part of a judicial decree--
We will award the prize to the entry with the most votes.
The court may award damages to the plaintiff.

Award ( one word ) may also mean a prize won or earned--
He won an award for his essay on the environment.
The award this year will be a trophy and a gift certificate.

A ward or a ward ( two words ) means one ( a ) voting district of a city ( ward )--
Each council member represents a ward, but the mayor represents the whole city.
This was once a small town, but now it is a ward of the city.

A ward ( two words ) may also mean one ( a ) minor placed under someone's care ( ward )--
He will remain a ward of the court until he is an adult.
He had no children, but he had a ward, his brother's son.

A ward ( two words ) may also mean one ( a ) division of a hospital, or a part of a castle ( ward )--
They left a bequest to endow a ward of the new hospital.
The soldiers remained in a ward near the castle gate, until they heard the call to arms.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"While he was a ward of the court, he won an award for good behavior."

incorrect, in correct

Incorrect or incorrect ( one word ) means erroneous or inaccurate--
These answers are incorrect; you'll have to do it over.
Put an "x" next to each incorrect answer, and a "c" next to each correct answer.

In correct or in correct ( two words ) describes a state of being ( in ) free from error; right; accurate ( correct )--
Make sure to speak in correct English when you make your presentation.
Bad language isn't used in correct speech.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"That's incorrect; speak in correct English, the way we do in school."

illicit, elicit

Illicit or illicit means unlawful or unauthorized; unlicensed; shady--
Here's a news story about the illicit relationship between a detective and a mobster's wife.
The police set up a hidden camera, hoping to catch an illicit drug deal on video.

Elicit or elicit means to draw out or to bring forth, as an answer or response--
He lectured for an hour, but the only response he managed to elicit was "yeah".
Try putting the question another way, and you may be able to elicit a sensible answer.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The mayor's speech may help to elicit information about illicit activity in the downtown area."

animosity, animus

Animosity or animosity means a feeling of enmity or ill will--
Displaying animosity toward your boss was a bad idea; you might have been fired.
He's mad at the world; he acts out animosity with nearly everyone.

Animus or animus means a driving or animating spirit; the purpose or intention--
Let's make sure that doing good remains the animus of our organization, and that fundraising comes second.
The animus of this work seems to be love of nature, but it might be considered a religious work.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The animus of his political campaign has been animosity to the established order."

Note--"A minus"  or "A-" means a school grade of less than "A", or a low "A"--
He got an A minus in math and a B plus in science.
He got an A- in math and a B+ in science.
Not to be confused with "a minus" ( two words ) meaning one ( a ) subtraction ( minus )--
If there is a minus sign before the number, we subtract that one.

licorice, lickerish

Licorice or licorice ( also spelled liquorice ) is a plant, or an anise-flavored candy made from it--
Did you eat all of the licorice? You'll have a stomach ache!
This tastes like licorice; try it.

Lickerish or lickerish ( also spelled liquorish, rhymes with licorice ) is an old-fashioned word meaning craving or greedy for--
I'm feeling lickerish for a nice steak dinner.
The smell of cooking made him lickerish and homesick.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The smell of licorice always makes me lickerish for a big pile of penny candy."

investments, in vestments

Investments or investments ( one word ) is the plural ( more than one ) of "investment", meaning putting money to use with the expectation of profit, as  through buying shares in a business--
He is retired, and living on the income from investments he made years ago.
He made some risky investments, and lost most of his money.

In vestments or in vestments ( two words ) means wearing ( in ) outer garments in general, but most commonly  ecclesiastical robes, worn by a priest or minister ( vestments )--
The minister looked festive, in vestments of red and green.
The minister wants the choir to be in vestments for the ceremony.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The deacon stood there in vestments, talking about investments like any businessman."

dislocate, dissociate

Dislocate or dislocate means to put out of joint or out of proper position, as a limb or an organ--
You could dislocate the child's shoulder if  you lift him by the arms.
How did your grandmother dislocate her hip?

Dissociate or dissociate ( sometimes spelled disassociate ) means to separate; to break off ties--
When he found out what the company was up to, he tried to publicly dissociate himself from it.

Dissociate is also a psychological term, meaning to keep one or more mental processes separate from the conscious mind, as after trauma--
He tends to dissociate because it makes him feel better, at least as a short-term measure.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He may dissociate, and claim he doesn't remember the accident, unless you ask him "how did you dislocate your shoulder?"

ado, adieu

Ado or ado means fuss, confusion, or bustle--
His favorite play is "Much Ado About Nothing".
Without further ado...

Adieu or adieu is French, often used in English speech or writing,  for "farewell" or "good-bye"--
"So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu..."
"Adieu, adieu. Hamlet, remember me!"

Now that you know that, you can say--
"They just want to say "adieu" quietly, with as little ado as possible."

Note--"add you" ( two words, rhymes with adieu ) means to include ( add ) the person being addressed ( you )--
Can I add you to our list of volunteers?
Note # 2--"a do" ( two words, rhymes with ado ) means one ( a ) party or affair ( do )--
They are having a do on Friday; are you going?
"A do" might also mean one ( a ) hairstyle ( do )--
She wants the stylist to giver her a do like the one in the magazine.

by way, byway

By way or by way ( two words ) means through the means or medium of ( by ) a path or route ( way )--
We came by way of the new interstate.
You'll get there quicker by way of Route 1.

Byway or byway ( one word ) means a side road, infrequently traveled--
He liked to go for a drive in the country, taking time to explore each appealing byway.
"Climb every mountain; search high and low; follow every byway; every path you know..."

Now that you know that, you can say--
"We came by way of each meandering byway between the lake and the city."

tenderize, tender eyes

Tenderize or tenderize ( one word ) means to make softer or more delicate, as meat--
Papaya is used to tenderize meat.
This isn't a very good steak, but we could tenderize it by piercing it with a fork all over.

Tender eyes or tender eyes ( two words, rhymes with tenderize ) means a soft or gentle ( tender ) expression ( eyes )--
The old grouch looked on his grandchildren with tender eyes.
The old woman's tender eyes and soft voice soothed the child.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"As she tried to tenderize the meat, he looked on with tender eyes and a smile."

indoor, endure

Indoor or indoor means suitable for use in a house or building; or used in a house or building--
We are going to make steaks on the indoor grill.
This house is old; even the indoor plumbing is a modern addition.

Endure or endure means to hold out; to undergo without yielding, literally or figuratively--
He couldn't endure the noise, so he went out for the day.
With a new roof, this old house should endure for another hundred years.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"They couldn't endure the cold weather, so they're trying to think of an indoor game to play."

inappropriate, misappropriate

Inappropriate or inappropriate means not proper or suitable--
He wore cut-offs when everyone else was in a suit; he felt foolish in inappropriate clothing.
That comment was inappropriate; no personal remarks, please.

Misappropriate or misappropriate means to use wrongfully or dishonestly, as money entrusted--
He was tempted to misappropriate funds from the payroll to make up a shortage elsewhere.
He tried to misappropriate several million, but he was caught.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The accusation that he tried to misappropriate public funds was inappropriate, at best, and possibly libelous."

Note--"in appropriate" ( two words ) means [ in something ] proper or suitable--
He went home and changed; he felt better in appropriate clothing.
Note # 2--"unappropriated" means not set aside for public use, or not claimed by anyone--
There is still a sum of unappropriated money in the city budget.
There may still be unappropriated land in the American West.

enable, unable

Enable or enable means to give power, ability or means to--
This grant will enable him to finish college without working full time.
The medication may enable him to function normally.

Unable or unable means lacking the necessary competence or power--
He is old, and unable to fend for himself.
"Miss Otis regrets she's unable to lunch today."

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Our firm is unable to advance you enough money to enable you to go on with your project."

temporarily, temporally

Temporarily or temporarily describes something done or existing for a certain span of time only; not permanently--
He will work there temporarily, until he finds a permanent position.
This will do temporarily, unitl the plumber can get here.

Temporally or temporally describes an action or state related to time, or to the passing of time--
How do we alter the verb temporally, to show that the action was completed in the past?

Temporally also describes an action or state that is worldly, or part of physical, as opposed to spiritual, existence; or secular, as opposed to clerical--
Bishops of the Church of England still rule temporally, as well as spiritually.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Some people believe that we will enjoy life on Earth temporally, if we remember that we live only temporarily."

undeserved, underserved

Undeserved or undeserved means not earned through one's merits or behavior--
He still claims that he's not guilty, and that his punishment is undeserved.
The other workers resent him; they're sure his promotion was undeserved.

Underserved or underserved means lacking adequate service or care, most commonly meaning medical care or social services--
This community has been underserved for years, so we are planning to open a new clinic.
This is an underserved rural area; people have to travel for hours to get to a doctor.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The mayor says this neighborhood is underserved and needs the money, but the council decided the grant was undeserved."

confirmation, conformation

Confirmation or confirmation means acknowledgement of the truth or accuracy of something--
The most damning testimony was the confirmation of the evidence by an eye witness.
His confirmation of the rumor was shocking.

Confirmation also means validation or assurance--
Where's the confirmation for our plane reservations?
The travel agent offered guaranteed confirmation of our hotel reservations.

Confirmation also means strengthening in habit or resolution--
Each day he wrote again a confirmation of his resolution to remain sober.
Confirmation may mean a religious ceremony of formal acceptance into the church--
There will be a Confirmation ceremony in the church next Sunday.

Conformation or conformation means structure, form, or the arrangement of parts--
The conformation of the interior pipes will make this difficult to repair.

Conformation also means adaptation or adjustment--
We are trying to stress the need for conformation with social norms.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The religious Confirmation ceremony is also a confirmation of the desire for social conformation."

apothegm, apothem

Apothegm or apothegm means a short, instructive saying--
The old man knew a memorable apothegm for every occasion.
"A stitch in time saves nine" is his favorite apothegm.

Apothem or apothem ( rhymes with apothegm ) means a line from the center of a regular polygon to one of its sides, perpendicular to the line that makes the side--
The apothem of an octagon is like the radius of a circle.
He has a geometry test tomorrow, and he can't remember what an apothem is.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"If you can't remember what an apothem is, just think of the old apothegm "two wrongs don't make a right".

combination, commination

Combination or combination means a set of things or people joined into a whole, or united--
He credited his success to a combination of hard work and good luck.
That color combination looks old-fashioned.
This is a combination of spinach and lettuce; try it.

Combination may also mean the code or set of numbers used to set or open a lock--
I can't open my locker; I forgot the combination.
You can reset the combination on this lock, but be sure to remember the numbers.

Commination or commination means a threat of punishment or vengeance; a denunciation--
The preacher's sermon was nothing but a commination, a threat of the wrath of God.
This old Ash Wednesday commination still inspires soul-searching.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The minister's combination of modern examples with old-fashioned commination made an impression on the congregation."

getaway, get away, gateway

Getaway or getaway ( one word ) describes something used for escape, or for fleeing the scene of a crime--
The bank robbers were sentenced to twenty years, and the man who drove the getaway car to ten.
Getaway may also mean an escape, literally or figuratively--
They planned the crime carefully, but forgot the getaway.
They are planning a weekend getaway in the mountains.
They are planning a getaway with a few close friends.

Get away or get away ( two words ) means to move out of the range of, or apart from--
He wants to get away from it all when they retire.
That's dangerous! Get away!
Get away from the window!
Get away may also mean to escape--
How did they plan to get away from the police?
"Get away with" means to avoid detection or punishment for an infraction of some kind--
I can't believe they expected to get away with this!
Some people think they can get away with murder!

Gateway or gateway ( one word ) means an entrance or passage, closed by a gate, literally or figuratively--
The gateway is at the end of the lane.
This product may open a gateway to new markets.

Now that you know that, you can say--
'They drove the getaway car through the closed gateway, in an attempt to get away from the guards."

precious, precocious

Precious or precious means of great value, monetary or sentimental--
Gold, silver, and platinum are precious metals.
Pack Grandmother's photographs carefully; they're precious.

Precocious or precocious describes uncommonly early development, most commonly used to refer to the mental development of children--
The child is precocious in speech, but he doesn't get along with the other children.
She is trying to teach toddler to read; she hopes he'll be precocious.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"She encourages the children to be precocious; he thinks it's a waste of their precious early years."

cross-eyed, cross I'd

Cross-eyed or cross-eyed describes someone with strabismus; someone whose eyes turn out or in, instead of looking straight ahead--
He seems cross-eyed; we're going to take him to the eye doctor.
Gladly, the cross-eyed bear went over the mountain.

Cross I'd or cross I'd ( rhymes with cross-eyed ) means  a structure or symbol made of an upright piece or line, with another piece or line set over or through it, horizontally ( cross ) that the speaker would ( I'd ) [ perform some action  on or with ]--
That's the cross I'd buy for her birthday, but I don't know if she'd like it.
"Gladly the cross I'd bear..."

Now that you know that, you can say--
"We nearly became cross-eyed, looking for the cross I'd lost."