MALAPROPISMS XII

The Word's The Thing

Dr. Louis D. Appel 

Identify the malapropism in each sentence and supply the correct word.

1. My niece had to be hospitalized for an exotic pregnancy. 

2. Don't believe what he says. He's a master of spacious argument.

3. A clergyman's life should be one of complete plenitude.

4. This water is unfit to drink - not notable at all.

5. He loved to explore caves. Debunking was a life-long hobby.

6. Removing the offensive words would exacerbate the entire passage.

7. The wound healed, but it left an aviatrix.

8. John has a habit of putting things off - always castigating.

9. His language was abusive - filled with perspective.

10. After living for years in Appalachia, she adopted the common spectacular.

11. The project was a total failure - a real manacle.

12. She was a gifted writer, but spelling was her premises.

Answers:

 

1. exotic - ectopic

2. spacious - specious

3. plenitude - rectitude

4. notable - potable

5. debunking - spelunking

6. exacerbate - emasculate

7. aviatrix - cicatrix (scar)

8. castigating - procrastinating

9. perspective - invective

10. spectacular - vernacular

11. manacle - debacle

12. premises - nemesis