Thursday, December 31, 2015

gold, goaled

Gold or gold means the precious metal, or the color of the same precious metal--
If the ring is gold it will probably have a mark on the inside of it.
He likes the gold car, but I want the blue one.

Goaled or goaled ( rhymes with gold ) is the past tense ( yesterday, or some time ago ) of "goal", meaning to score in a game by moving a ball or puck across a line or into a net--
We goaled in the first quarter, but the score has been tied ever since.
He has never goaled against this team before.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The last time this player goaled, he became eligible for a gold medal."

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

paste, paced

Paste or paste means a mixture for sticking paper together--
Now paste the letters to the poster, and we'll have a nice sign.
The children always want to eat the paste; make sure it's nontoxic.

Paste may also mean a smooth soft dough or mixture--
You'll need some almond paste to make this recipe.
This is seasoned with a kind of fish paste you can buy in an Asian market.

Paced or paced ( rhymes with paste ) is the past tense ( yesterday, or some time ago ) of "pace", meaning to walk back and forth--
He couldn't sleep, and paced the floor all night.
He paced back and forth, agitated.

Paced may also be the past tense of "pace", meaning to set the rate of movement; the gait, literally or figuratively--
The horse, an unknown, paced the mile in record time.
He could have finished the job if he had paced himself.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He paced up and down, and knocked over a jar of paste and a glass of water."

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

wishful, wistful

Wishful or wishful means hoping or desiring--
When he saw the packages he was wishful again, hoping that one was a model train.
They were wishful, trying to make it home so they could spend the holidays together.

Wistful or wistful means melancholy, thoughtful, longing or yearning--
At Christmas she was wistful, thinking of the past and her long-lost family.
He gets wistful for Mom during the holiday season.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The children are wistful for our old home, and wishful for some snow to play in."

Monday, December 28, 2015

secretary, sectary

Secretary or secretary means someone who is in charge of minutes of meetings, correspondence, and records of a club or organization--
Will the secretary read the minutes of the last meeting?
He's the club secretary, and she's the treasurer.

Secretary also means someone who does the typing and filing in an office, or for an executive--
Most people do their own typing now, but a secretary is still useful.
She was a secretary for many years, until she retired.

Secretary also means the head of a government department--
She will be the Secretary of State if the nomination is approved by the Senate.
FDR was once the Secretary of the Navy.

Secretary may also mean a desk with drawers on the bottom and shelves on the top--
She entered a bid on that antique secretary.
My grandmother had a secretary like that.

Sectary or sectary means a member of a faction or cult, or of a noncomformist religious denomination--
He is a sectary of a small fundamentalist church.
One of the students is a sectary of an evangelist cult, and often proselytizes to his classmates.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Our secretary has received several letters from a sectary of a born again church, angry that we called his religion intolerant."

Friday, December 25, 2015

ransom, ran some

Ransom or ransom ( one word ) means a sum of money demanded by kidnappers for the release of a hostage--
The kidnappers are demanding a million dollars ransom.
The police said that we shouldn't pay the ransom.

Ransom may also means the redemption of a prisoner or a kidnapped person by payment of a sum of money--
He needs the money to ransom his son.
"O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel..."

Ran some or ran some ( two words ) means moved quickly ( ran ) a certain distance or extent ( some )--
He ran some distance before he got tired.
He ran some marathons when he was younger, and always finished the whole course.

Ran some may also mean performed or operated ( ran ) an unspecified distance or amount ( some )--
The doctor ran some tests; we'll know the results in the morning.
We ran some machinery last night; that's why it's still warm in here.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The kidnappers ran some distance away before they divided up the ransom money."

Thursday, December 24, 2015

lamb, lam

Lamb or lamb means a young sheep, or a docile and gentle person--
"Mary had a little lamb, little lamb..."
Be a lamb and run an errand for me, won't you?

Lam or lam ( rhymes with lamb ) is an old-fashioned slang term meaning flight; a fast escape or getaway, usually from law enforcement authorities--
The bank robbers were on the lam, sure that no one would recognize them.
They heard sirens, and took it on the lam.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He nabbed a young lamb, and took it on the lam before the farmer could catch him."

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

aspire, a spire

Aspire or aspire ( one word ) means to have an ambition or hope for; to desire eagerly--
Does he aspire to be a famous politician, like his father?
Too many young people aspire to be famous, with no other goals in mind.

A spire or a spire ( two words ) means one ( a ) tall, narrow, pointed piece on the top of a roof; the top of a steeple ( spire )--
There was a spire on the top of the steeple, but lightning struck it and it's gone now.
We will top the roof with a spire, complete with a lightning rod.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"We can all aspire to do better, to reach higher, like a spire on the top of a building."

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

ethic, ethnic

Ethic or ethic means a set of moral precepts or a code of behavior--
He takes the Christian ethic seriously, and refuses to participate in violence.
Her personal ethic forbids her to indulge in whining or backbiting.

Ethnic or ethnic describes something that belongs to a set of people united by language, culture, religion, or race--
They all want to define themselves by ethnic group, instead of by citizenship or nationality.
We like to try the different ethnic restaurants; the food is so interesting.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"We tried to develop a national ethic, so that we wouldn't be divided into ethnic factions."

Monday, December 21, 2015

customer, costumer

Customer or customer means someone who buys goods or services, who spends money at a store or patronizes a business--
She's usually the first customer in line when there's a sale.
He's been a loyal customer for many years.

Costumer or costumer means someone who makes clothing for stage shows, movies, or masquerades--
Ask the costumer if she can make a hat to match the dress.
She works as a costumer, for one of the movie studios.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"A customer wants to know if our costumer can alter a gown for her."

Friday, December 18, 2015

burr, brrr

Burr or burr means a small rough or irregular seed pod or bit of detritus that may stick in an animal's fur, or to clothing--
The dog has a burr struck in his fur.
Oh, it's just a burr on the hem of your pants.

Burr also means a rough or irregular edge, as on a piece of metal, or the tool used to make it--
This piece has a burr on the edge; I can tell it was handmade.
Use this burr to cut the steel; it will give it a rough edge.

Burr may also mean a rough or irregular accent in speech, as a person from Scotland might have to a Briton, or a rough or irregular sound in general--
We knew he was from Scotland when we heard his burr.
He had a distince burr, like someone from Wales or Scotland.

Brrr or brrr ( sometimes spelled with more r's, sometimes with fewer ) is the sound people make to indicate that they are very cold, or that the weather is harsh--
Brrr, it's cold out!
Look at all that snow, brrr!

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Brrr! We can wait until we get inside to look for the burr."

Thursday, December 17, 2015

attest, a test

Attest or attest ( one word ) means to state formally and publicly; to certify to be true or correct--
Can you attest to the whereabouts of the defendant on the night in question?
Each man claims he can attest to the truth of the shooting, but each tells a different story.

A test or a test ( two words ) means one ( a ) quiz or examination, as in a school or in a laboratory, literally or figuratively--
There will be a test on Friday, so make sure that you have finished the chapter.
The hospital will do a test to see if he has food poisoning.
Don't challenge him; he'll see it as a test of his manhood.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"It's like taking a test in school--you attest to the facts as you remember them, and then sign your name."

Note--"A-test" ( usually capitalized ) means, in old news items, the use of atomic or nuclear weapons, to check how they perform--
The residents of the atoll were removed before the A-test.

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

purposely, purposefully

Purposely or purposely means intentionally or deliberately; on purpose--
I'm sure he did that purposely; he always hated that clock.
He ran out of gas purposely, so we wouldn't have to go to the party.

Purposefully or purposefully means with a goal in mind; determined or resolute--
He moves things about as if purposefully, but then he moves them back again.
He goes about his work purposefully, and seems immune to distractions.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"I popped into the room purposely, but he remained purposefully at his task."

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

regimen, regiment

Regimen or regimen means a course of diet or exercise, or, figuratively, a set of rules to be followed to attain a specific result--
She is following a strict regimen; she refuses to break her diet for the holidays.
If he follows this exercise regimen for a few months, he'll be like a new person.

Regiment or regiment means a military unit, made up of two or more battalions and a headquarters unit--
He's looking for someone to help him write the history of his regiment.
This regiment is one of the most decorated units in the army.

Regiment may also mean to form into an organized group, under the control of officers--
I don't think we should regiment the students so strictly; let them choose some of their courses.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Everyone in the regiment is following the same diet and exercise regimen."

Note--"regime" means a ruling system of government, or a set of political rulers--
When the old regime was in power, their family was very influential.

Monday, December 14, 2015

migrate, my great

Migrate or migrate ( one word ) means to move from one place or country to another, permanently, or with the seasons--
This bird will migrate to a warmer place before the weather gets cold.
Long ago, nomadic people would migrate from one part of the country to another, depending on the weather.

My great or my great ( two words, rhymes with migrate ) describes something fabulous, remarkable, or enormous ( great ) belonging to the speaker ( my )--
I thought everyone would be pleased with my great idea.
This was my great project, long ago when I had the time for it.

My great or my great may also describe or refer to a parent or sibling of  a grandparent ( great ) belonging to the speaker ( my )----
My great aunt is in the hospital; I want to go and visit her.
This once belonged to my great grandmother.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"My great grandparents decided to migrate west and buy a farm."

Friday, December 11, 2015

afar, a far

A far or a far ( two words ) describes one ( a ) person, place, thing or idea that is a great distance away, or remote  ( far )--
"It is a far, far, better thing that I do, than I have ever done..."
Just the thought of living in a far country made her homesick.

Afar or afar ( one word ), is an old-fashioned word  meaning at a great distance; a long way off--
The fire could be seen from afar, maybe even a mile away.
They could hear the sirens from afar, but they couldn't see anything.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"They walked for miles, and climbed a far hill, and from the top they could see the village from afar."

Thursday, December 10, 2015

ingrate, in great

Ingrate or ingrate ( one word ) means someone who refuses to be thankful for a favor or gift--
The little ingrate never even mentioned the present we sent him.
You have a lot to be thankful for; don't talk like an ingrate.

In great or in great ( two words, rhymes with ingrate ) means large in quantity or number, or, more informally,  (in) marvelous or fabulous--
Is he in great pain?
The people turned out in great numbers to watch the funeral procession.
He's in great shape for his age.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Only a real ingrate could refuse to appreciate how hard he works to keep this place in great condition."

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

senior, seignior

Senior or senior means older or having more experience, as on a job--
He is five years senior to his brother, but he doesn't look it.
Mr. Jones is the senior clerk, and will be in charge while I'm away.

Senior may mean the elder of two persons with the same name--
I would like to speak to John Smith, Senior.

Senior may also mean one of the older students in a school, or a student in his or her last year--
He will be a senior next year, so he's applying to college.

Senior may also describe an old person, usually someone over the age of 65--
There's a senior citizen discount if you get there before 6 o'clock.

Seignior or seignior ( spelled seigneur in French ) means a lord or ruler--
He likes to play the grand seignior, distributing bounty to the peasants.
His father was the seignior of a great estate, but he is a wastrel.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"His brother is two years his senior, so he will be the next seignior of the manor."

Note--"señor" is Spanish for "Mister" or "sir"--
Excuse me señor, do you know where I can get a taxi?

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

ingest, in jest

Ingest or ingest ( one word ) means to take in, as food into the body, literally or figuratively--
You would need to ingest a pound of spinach to take in this many vitamins.
Be careful that the child doesn't ingest one of the small parts.
My tired brain can't ingest all of this information.

In jest or in jest ( two words ) means in a joking or facetious manner; for fun and not serious--
I'm sure he said it in jest; no one really believes in crop circles.
The remark was in poor taste, even if it was said in jest.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He meant it in jest; it isn't really possible to ingest one's shoes."

Monday, December 7, 2015

disown, disinherit

Disown or disown means to deny relationship to or responsibility for--
He attempted to disown the child; and asked for a paternity test.
They asked the judge if they could disown their son, and have him declared a ward of the state.

Disinherit ot disinherit means to exclude from an inheritance, as by altering a will--
He plans to disinherit his children, and give the money to charity.
His father threatened to disinherit him if he didn't straighten up and get a job.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"It may not be possible to disinherit the children, unless you can legally disown them first."

Friday, December 4, 2015

international, national

International or international describes something that involves more than one nation or country--
There is a lot of news coverage of the international trade agreement.
This should be turned over to an international body, such as the UN.

National or national describes something involving an entire country or nation, as opposed to only some of its states or provinces--
In the United States, we call our national government the federal government.
We were hoping for a national movement to ban corporal punishment in the schools.

National may also mean a citizen of a particular country or nation--
As a foreign national, he may be turned over to his country's embassy.
The revolutionaries have asked every American national to leave the country.
He's a Swiss national; he'll have no problem with his passport.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"We hope to reach a national consensus concerning our country's role in international affairs."

Note--the "Internationale" is a song of the Socialist or Communist party--
They still go to party meetings and sing the "Internationale".

Thursday, December 3, 2015

eschatology, scatology

Eschatology or eschatology means the study or doctrine of the Biblical "last days", or death, resurrection, and final judgment--
He quotes the Book of Revelations, and talks about eschatology to anyone who will listen.
Most Christian sects believe in some form of eschatology or final judgment.

Scatology or scatology ( almost rhymes with eschatology ) means the study of or preoccupation with excrement or obscenity, including the scientific study of excrement--
If you want to know if that's bear poop or deer poop, you'll need to study some scatology.
He spends all day muttering to himself, usually scatology.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"When he isn't sedated, his rants are a weird mix of eschatology, religion, scatology, and general obscenity."

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

a crude, accrued

A crude or a crude ( two words ) describes one ( a ) raw or unrefined ( crude ) thing, idea, or person--
They built a crude shelter, and survived until help arrived.
That was a crude remark.

Accrued or accrued ( one word ) is the past tense ( yesterday, or some time ago ) of "accrue", meaning to grow or or to increase by regular addition, as interest on money invested--
With the accrued interest, you should have enough for a new car.
With the accrued interest and penalties, the debt is now more than $10,000.

Accrued may also be the past tense of "accrue", meaning to be come an enforceable right or demand, as through a will or legacy--
Control of the property has accrued to the heir; the decision is up to him.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"A crude estimate of the total, with the accrued interest, is just over a million."

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

a credit, accredit

A credit or a credit ( two words ) means one ( a ) acknowledgement or attribution--
Is there a credit at the bottom of the photograph?

A credit may mean a sum of money added to an account--
You have a credit of $50 in your account.

A credit may mean a record of academic work completed--
You still need a credit in art or music to meet the graduation requirements.

A credit may also describe a form of payment or payment agreement, or a related check on the solvency of someone--
If you pay with a credit card, you may get a discount.
The property manager will run a credit check before agreeing to rent the house.

Accredit or accredit ( one word ) means to ascribe or attribute to--
Many people accredit him with coining a famous phrase.
To whom should I accredit this quote?

Accredit also means to provide with credentials, as an official or representative, or to certify, as a school or college--
The inspectors will decide whether to accredit the school for another year.
The CEO will accredit him as an official representative of the company.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"If we accredit the image to him, we'll have to add a credit to his acount, as payment for the use of it."