PAIRS AND SNARES XXXII

The words below can be easily confused. Can you give a simple definition that shows the difference between them?

1. ONAGER - TANAGER

2. VALANCE - VALENCE

3. DIODE - ANODE - CATHODE

4. JURY-RIGGED, JERRY-BUILT, GERRYMANDER 

5. TATAR - TARTAR - TARTARE - CREAM OF TARTAR - TATER

Answers:

1. ONAGER - Wild ass (not donkey) native to Asia

    TANAGER - A small, brightly-colored American songbird

 

2. VALANCE - A length of decorative drapery hung above a window to screen the curtain fittings 

    VALENCE -  Chemistry - The combining power of an element

 

3. DIODE - An electrical component (tube) that allows the flow of current in only one direction / a diode has two terminals (electrodes), an anode and a cathode

   ANODE - The positive terminal, where current enters the diode

   CATHODE - The negative terminal, where current exits the diode

   

4.  JURY-RIGGED and JERRY-BUILT - Both terms describe something hastily put together, but 

     JURY - RIGGED emphasizes a temporary fix made with whatever materials are available, while 

    JERRY-BUILT implies something poorly constructed or built with cheap, sub-standard materials 

    GERRYMANDER - Politically manipulate electoral district boundaries to advantage a party or group within the constituency

5. TATAR and TARTAR - Both words describe members/descendants of several ethnic Turkic groups that ruled Eastern Europe and Asia in the 13th century / In modern usage TARTAR refers to a person who is wild, angry, or violent (can be used facetiously)

    TARTAR - A hard calcified deposit that forms on the teeth and contributes to decay/plaque

    TARTARE - Steak tartare - a meat dish made from raw ground or minced beef

    CREAM OF TARTAR - A dry, powder-like, acidic byproduct of wine fermentation -widely used in baking recipes

    TATER - Informal for potato