behalf, be half

Behalf or behalf ( one word ) means the interest, aid, or part ( of someone ) --
On behalf of my colleagues, I'd like to thank you for your help.
The CEO has asked me to speak on his behalf.

Be half or be half ( two words ) means [ be ] one of two equal parts of something ( half ) --
There should be half of a pizza left in the refrigerator.
We won't be half done by the time they get here!

Now that you know that, you can say --
"We're having a fundraiser in behalf of a local charity; the donation should be half of the receipts, at least."

anarchist, antichrist

Anarchist or anarchist means a person who believes that there should be no government of any kind, nor any laws --
He claims he's an anarchist, and he wants to destroy all social institutions.
An anarchist supposedly wants only voluntary associations, but that's what we already have, in a way.

Antichrist or antichrist means a being from Christian lore, a powerful antagonist to Christ --
This cult teaches that the Antichrist is alive today, and that Christ will return to do battle with him.
Don't let him get started on religion, or he'll scare everyone with tales of the antichrist and the last days.

Now that you know that, you can say --
"He's a sort of religious anarchist; he believes that the antichrist is alive in Washington, DC. "

juxtapose, just suppose

Juxtapose or juxtapose ( one word ) means to set side by side, most commonly for the purpose of comparing or contrasting --
He likes to juxtapose a modern piece and an old reproduction, to see the effect.
If we juxtapose this new graph with last year's, we can really see the difference.

Just suppose or just suppose ( two words ) means only or merely ( just ) to assume, for the sake of argument or discussion ( suppose ) --
Just suppose that you were alive in the 16th century; what might your life have been like?
For the sample problem, just suppose that the distance is 50 miles.

Now that you know that, you can say --
"So that we can compare the two, just suppose that we juxtapose the charts."

stirrup, stir up

 Stirrup or stirrup ( one word ) means a device suspended from a horse's saddle, used to support the rider's foot --
He'll have trouble dismounting with a broken stirrup.
Put your foot in the stirrup, like this.

Stir up or stir up ( two words ) means to instigate, to agitate, literally or figuratively --
Try not to stir up the mud from the bottom of the pond.
He just wants to stir up old quarrels.

Now that you know that, you can say --
"He didn't get one foot in the stirrup before he tried to stir up trouble with the other riders."

Note--"stirps"  means  a line or branch of a family --
"This stirps begins with a female ancestor who emigrated from Russia."

avenue, a venue

Avenue or avenue ( one word ) means a wide street or road, literally or figuratively --
They strolled down the avenue in the rain.
He wants to live on Park Avenue.
The police have blocked every avenue of escape.

A venue or a venue ( two words ) means one ( a ) place or location used for an event, most often a concert, convention, or competition ( venue ) --
We are looking for a venue for a small concert.
The old stadium is still used as a venue for local sporting events.

Now that you know that, you can say --
"The old theater on First Avenue could be used as a venue for new plays."

Note --"venue"  also means the place where a crime is to be tried--
His lawyer has requested a change of venue.

lack, lac

Lack or lack means a shortage or deficiency of something needed --
There will be no lack of food; let's hope we'll have friends to share it with.
His comments display a lack of sympathy for those less fortunate than he is.

Lack also means to need something not available, or to be short of --
We still lack two chairs for our guests; maybe we can borrow some.
Tomorrow we will have a feast, and lack nothing.

Lac or lac ( rhymes with lack ) means a resin deposited by the lac insect, used in making varnish or shellac, sealing wax, and a sort of red dye --
We need the lac to make varnish; our company doesn't manufacture plastics.
This shellac is made form lac imported from Asia.

Now that you know that, you can say --
"Our sources predict a lack of lac in the coming year; perhaps we could switch to synthetic resin."

Note --"lac" may also mean a unit of money in India, of 100,000 rupees, or 100,000 of something,else --
This will cost at least a lac, maybe more.

Note # 2 --"lac" may also be an abbreviation for milk, most commonly used in a prescription --
To be taken with lac, twice a day.

cynic, syndic

Cynic or cynic means a person who believes that nothing is really good, that what seems upright or moral is probably hypocrisy --
He's a cynic; he thinks the most selfless acts are basically self-aggrandizing.
Don't be such a cynic; some well-meaning people work for the government.

Syndic or syndic means a representative of a corporation or university, someone empowered to transact business --
A syndic is here to talk about buying that old house on behalf of the university.
He was dressed as a syndic, like one of the men on the cigar box.

Syndic is also an old-fashioned or foreign type of local magistrate --
He was brought before the syndic, who questioned and dismissed him.

Now that you know that, you can say --
"The old cynic saw corruption everywhere; he even accused the syndic of taking bribes."

demur, demure

Demur or demur means to object, or to refuse to participate --
If you want me to engage in a political discussion, I demur.
If you ask his opinion of a colleague, he'll demur.

Demure or demure describes someone or something modest, shy, or chaste --
Even in middle age she seemed demure; she could still blush.
She always seemed demure, especially when wearing a white dress.

Now that you know that, you can say --
"That demure little miss may demur if you ask her to dance."

obdurate, obturate

Obdurate or obdurate describes a stubborn, hard-headed, or inflexible person --
There's no point in trying to persuade him; he can be obdurate when it suits him.
Don't be obdurate; try to see things from his point of view.

Obturate or obturate means to close or stop up, as a hole or tube --
You'll need to learn to obturate this tube of the gun, so that gas doesn't escape and explode when you fire it.
The dentist will obturate the cavity with a temporary filling.

Now that you know that, you can say --
"We'll need him to open his mouth to obturate the canal, but he's obdurate, and won't budge."

ascribe, a scribe

Ascribe or ascribe ( one word ) means to attribute or give credit; to refer to as belonging to--
Most literary experts ascribe this work to Shakespeare.
He tends to ascribe his faults to other people.

A scribe or a scribe ( two words ) means one ( a ) clerk or writer, one who wrote things down for people for a living ( scribe ) --
Before the printing press, each book was copied by a scribe, using pen and ink.
The king couldn't read and write; he had a scribe to do that for him.

Now that you know that, you can say --
"Scholars ascribe this text to an ancient king; any errors are probably the work of a scribe."

intemperate, in temperate

Intemperate or intemperate ( one word ) means showing a lack of restraint or given to excess, in speech, drink, or other habits, such as spending --
He becomes intemperate when he's anxious; he drinks too much and misses work.
She likes to talk about politics, but she's too often intemperate.

In temperate or in temperate ( two words ) means [ in ] moderate or restrained, or of weather, mild --
He speaks slowly, in temperate, measured, careful phrases.
In temperate regions the weather changes with the seasons.

Now that you know that, you can say --
"This is an intemperate rant; try to reword it in temperate speech."

delirious, deleterious

Delirious or delirious means raving or deranged --
He's delirious; I think he hit his head.
His parents think he has been taking drugs; he was delirious when he came home last night.

Deleterious or deleterious describes something that causes or results in harm of some kind --
Lack of exercise can have a deleterious effect on your health.
His new friends are a deleterious influence.

Now that you know that, you can say --
"This new medication can have deleterious side effects, and it may render the patient delirious."

filtration, flirtation

Flirtation or flirtation means behavior meant to attract romantic attention; or trifling with someone's affections --
She seems interested in what he's saying, but it's really just flirtation.
He is given to flirtation; don't take him seriously.

 Flirtation may also mean a brief spell of  interest in something; trifling or dalliance --
After a brief flirtation with modern literature, he majored in business and was quite successful.

Filtration or filtration means removing impurities by straining liquid or passing air through a paper or cloth device, or through sand, charcoal, or some other substance --
If filtration isn't practical, we might need to boil the water.
We need to call a specialist to look at our filtration system.

Now that you know that, you can say --
"He thought she was winking at him, but it wasn't flirtation; the filtration system was bad and the smoke bothered her eyes."

detention, dentition

Detention or detention means keeping waiting or keeping in custody, or a term or sentence of time in custody  --
He has to serve detention, for fighting in school.
He has three days detention, after school next week.

Dentition or dentition means teething, as a baby or child cutting teeth or getting new teeth, or the arrangement and number of teeth in general --
Dentition may be somewhat uncomfortable for the infant.
Notice the dentition; this is the skull of a cat.

Now that you know that, you can say --
"He sat in detention reading a book that someone had left behind, about dentition in mammals."

locust, locus

Locust or locust means the insect, a type of grasshopper that can swarm in great numbers --
The locust can still swarm and devour crops, just as in ancient times.
That's not a locust; it's just a grasshopper.

Locust or locust also means a type of tree, or the wood or seeds of one of these trees  --
There is an old locust tree on the corner; you can't miss it.
Carob powder is made from locust beans.

Locus or locus means a place or position --
This test may determine the locus of the nerve damage.
The rally became the locus of controversy, although it remained peaceful.

Now that you know that, you can say --
"The scientists would like to find the locus of the original locust, the beginning of the swarm."

Note --"locusta" means a spike that grows from grass --
If the grass grows tall enough, you will see a locusta shoot out of it, like a spike.

Note #2 --"lochus" means a body of soldiers in an army of Ancient Greece --
A lochus of his men were still waiting to ambush the enemy scouts."

imperial, empyreal

Imperial or imperial describes something related to the government of an empire, the rule of more than one nation --
His Imperial Highness will be visiting our city next week.
Hundreds of people made up the imperial entourage.

Empyreal or empyreal describes someting related to heaven or the sky --
He wanted to write verse that would soar to empyreal heights, but it usually fell flat.
It was an empyreal blue, like the clear blue ether of the sky on a fine day.

Now that you know that, you can say --
"The imperial troops wore a uniform of empyreal blue; it was quite striking."

rescue, recuse

Rescue or rescue means to save or deliver from danger --
He ran through the smoke to rescue the howling puppy.
They worked all night to rescue the trapped miners.

Rescue may also mean an instance of saving someone or something from danger --
The fire department accomplished the rescue, and no injuries were reported.
The daring rescue was on every TV channel.

Recuse or recuse means to challenge a juror or judge's ability to hear a case because of a conflict of interest or bias of some kind, most commonly used when the judge refuses to hear a case because of bias or personal interest --
The judge had to recuse himself, because he has stock in the company.
We will have to recuse that juror; he knows the defendant.

Now that you know that, you can say --
"The judge might recuse herself; the plaintiff once helped to rescue her from a burning car."

empire, umpire

Empire or empire means a combination of more than one country, ruled by one monarch or government --
"The sun never sets on the British Empire."
The former British Empire is now the British Commonwealth of Nations.

Empire may be used figuratively, to refer to some great enterprise --
He built a great industrial empire that was dismantled when trusts became illegal.

Umpire or umpire means the person who rules on the plays of a game and settles disputes --
I can't believe the umpire called him out.
You're disappointed, but try not to blame the umpire.

Umpire also means to settle disputes, or to rule on the plays of a game --
He is going to umpire a baseball game tomorrow.
We need a manager to umpire our disputes.

Now that you know that, you can say --
"The umpire of a baseball game is an absolute ruler, as an emperor is over his empire."

a mass, amass

A mass or a mass ( two words ) means one ( a ) body or collection of something ( mass ) --
There seems to be a mass of hair clogging the drain.
A mass of leaves and trash formed over the drain when it rained."

A mass ( two words ) may also mean ( one ) religious service of some Christian sects ( mass ) --
There will be a Mass of Christian Burial on Tuesday.
She had a mass said for the victims of the tragedy.

Amass or amass ( one word ) means to gather together or come together into a pile; to accumulate --
We tend to amass a lot of unwanted items and assorted junk.
He spent all of his time trying to amass a fortune, and ignored everything else.

Now that you know that, you can say --
"A mass of people blocked traffic; they began to amass when they heard the terrible rumors."

lathe, lath

Lathe or lathe means a machine used to cut and shape wood or metal while turning it --
He wants a lathe for his woodworking shop.
I can used the lathe to make a new leg for the chair.

Lath or lath means a thin strip of wood, most commonly used to hold plaster or roof slates --
Do you know how to repair an old lath and plaster wall?
You'll need a lath to hold the slates in place.

Now that you know that, you can say --
"The wall is lath and plaster, but the posts were turned on a lathe."

languor, langur

Languor or languor means lack of energy; listlessness or weakness --
He blames his languor on the heat, but I think he's ill.
She feels better, but she still has spells of languor, especially in the evening.

Langur or langur means a leaf monkey, a thin monkey with a long tail, from Asia --
He left some fruit for the langur we saw in the tree over there.
The slightly-built little monkey with a long tail is a langur.

Now that you know that, you can say --
"He started to shake off his languor when he saw a langur playing near the house."

awful, offal

Awful or awful describes something that inspires strong feelings of fear or reverence --
The storm was awful, like the wrath of God.
Thye stood before the awful volcano and were silent.

Awful is most commonly used to mean very bad or terrible --
This movie is awful; let's watch something else.
They eat out a lot because they are both awful cooks.

Offal or offal ( usually pronounced to rhyme with awful ) means the parts an animal carcass that are not eaten, or disgusting garbage in general --
The lot across the way is strewn with garbage and offal; we should call the health department.
The butcher may let you have some offal for the dog.

Now that you know that, you can say --
"This sausage is so awful that I have to wonder if it was made from offal."