PAIRS AND SNARES XLV

The words in each group can be confused. Can you give a simple definition of each one that shows the difference  between them?

1. TORT - TORTE

2. STYE - STYMIE 

3. CAVALRY - CALVARY

4. GORILLA - GUERRILLA

5. MARSHAL - MARTIAL -MARITAL

Answers:

1. TORT - In law,  a wrongful act that causes harm

    TORTE - A rich, dense dessert cake

 

2. STYE - A painful red bump on the edge of the eyelid

    STYMIE - To obstruct, hinder, or prevent the progress of someone or something

 

3. CAVALRY - Traditionally, fighting soldiers mounted on horseback / Today, a rapid response force using armored vehicles and helicopters  

   CALVARY - In the Bible, the hill near Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified

 

4. GORILLA -  A great ape

    GUERRILLA - A member of an unofficial, irregular armed force that fights larger, established armies or governments - using unconventional tactics

 

5. MARSHAL - A law-enforcement officer / also, as a verb, to gather, organize, and lead - as people or ideas

    MARTIAL - Relating to war

    MARITAL - Relating to marriage 

 

PAIRS AND SNARES XLIV

The words in each group can be confused. Can you give a simple definition of each one that shows the difference between them?

1. ANNUALS - PERENNIALS

2. GOURMAND - GOURMET

3. INCREDIBLE - INCREDULOUS

4. COLLABORATE - CORROBORATE

5. DISINTERESTED - UNINTERESTED  

Answers: 

1. ANNUALS - Flowering plants that complete their entire life cycle in one growing season and die

    PERENNIALS - Flowering plants that bloom season after season

 

2. GOURMAND - A lover of food and drink who focuses more on large portions than on the finer points of eating / glutton

    GOURMET - A connoisseur of food and drink who values quality, taste, and the refined elements of food, wine, and dining

 

3. INCREDIBLE - Describing things or events that are hard to believe

    INCREDULOUS - Describing people who are experiencing disbelief 

 

4. COLLABORATE - To work together with others on a project or goal 

    CORROBORATE - To confirm or back up a statement, theory, or claim with supporting evidence

 

5. DISINTERESTED - Objective and impartial, having no personal stake or bias in an outcome - as a third party in a dispute

   UNINTERESTED - Bored, indifferent, not paying attention 

PAIRS AND SNARES XLIII

The words in each group can be confused. Can you give a simple definition of each one that shows the difference between them?

1. ASCETIC - AESTHETIC

2. PREVIEW - PURVIEW

3. EQUATE  - CONFLATE

4. PRURIENT - PURULENT 

5. ROOT - ROUT - ROUTE

Answers:

1. ASCETIC - One who practices severe self-discipline, usually for religious or spiritual reasons

    AESTHETIC - Relating to beauty and the arts, appreciation for what we see and hear

 

2. PREVIEW - An advanced showing, presentation, inspection of something - before it is officially released  

   PURVIEW - The scope, range, limits of someone's or something's authority, responsibility, or concern

 

3. EQUATE - To treat two things as equal in value or meaning

    CONFLATE - The merging of two or more sets of information, ideas, etc. into one - sometimes confusing them  

 

4. PRURIENT - Lewd, lascivious, excessive and unwholesome obsession with sexual thoughts and desires

   PURULENT - Containing, consisting of, and producing pus - as in an infection

 

5. ROOT - Anchoring part of a plant, fundamental base of a word, underlying cause, to cheer for and support

   ROUT - Decisively defeat an opponent, as in sports or war 

   ROUTE - A path, course, highway, etc. traveled from one place to another 

 

 

     

  

PAIRS AND SNARES XLII

The words in each group can be confused. Can you give a simple definition of each one that shows the difference between them?

1. ACCESS - EXCESS

2. ACCEDE - CONCEDE 

3. ACCEPT - EXCEPT - EXPECT 

4. TRACK - TRACT

5. WANDER - WONDER

6. ABSTRUSE - OBTUSE 

7. PRESCRIBE - PROSCRIBE

8. TORTUOUS - TORTUROUS

Answers:

1. ACCESS - Ability, right, or permission to approach, enter, communicate, or use something or someone

    EXCESS - An amount that is more than necessary, usual, or allowed - an overabundance of something 

 

2. ACCEDE - To give consent, agree, or yield to a request or demand - sometimes passively, sometimes after pressure / to assume a (high) office, position, or throne 

    CONCEDE - Yield, admit defeat, or surrender with great reluctance - usually after resistance 

 

3.  ACCEPT - Receive, approve, or agree to something

     EXCEPT - Excluding, skipping

     EXPECT - Believe, anticipate, look forward to something / to require or demand - as to expect honesty

 

4. TRACK - A path or trail, as of footprints or of an animal, a specialized course for racing, railroad rails, an individual song on a recording / to follow

    TRACT - An area of land (housing tract) / a short pamphlet 

 

5. WANDER - Move about in an aimless way / deviate from a topic or lose concentration - as in "letting one's mind wander"

    WONDER - A mixture of surprise, curiosity, and awe at something beautiful, unexpected, or inexplicable / to feel curiosity or doubt with a desire to learn more / miraculous, as a "wonder drug" 

 

6.  ABSTRUSE - Difficult to understand, obscure

     OBTUSE - Slow to understand, failing to grasp the obvious / an angle between 90 and 180 degrees

 

7. PRESCRIBE - Officially recommend, authorize, or lay down rules / in medicine, to order a medicine or treatment

    PROSCRIBE - To forbid, prohibit, or condemn something as harmful or unlawful

 

8.  TORTUOUS - Winding, full of twists, turns, or bends

     TORTUROUS - Causing extreme pain or suffering, physically or mentally agonizing 

 

PAIRS AND SNARES XLII

The words in each group below can be confused. Can you give a simple definition of each one that shows the difference between them?

1. VICE - VISE

2. INAPT - INEPT

3. HOARD - HORDE

4. CITE - SITE - SIGHT 

5. TERRINE - TUREEN 

6. DETRACT - DISTRACT 

7. APOTHEM - APOTHEGM

8. ANECDOTE - ANTIDOTE

9. NUCLEAR FISSION - NUCLEAR FUSION 

Answers:

1. VICE - A bad habit / morally corrupt behavior

    VISE - A tool, usually attached to a work bench, with two jaws that can be tightened to firmly hold an object in place for work

 

2. INAPT - Unsuitable, inappropriate, or not fitting for a particular situation

    INEPT - Lacking skill, incompetent, or clumsy

 

3. HOARD - A large accumulated, often hidden, supply of goods (food, money, junk, etc.)

    HORDE - A large, often unruly, crowd of people or mass of animals 

 

4. CITE - To mention, quote, or refer to a source / To commend or penalize someone for an action (as to be cited for a traffic violation)

    SITE - A specific place, piece of land or location where something is, was, or will be situated

    SIGHT - Vision 

 

5. TERRINE -  A mixture of chopped meat, fish, or vegetable - often in a jellied mold

    TUREEN - A deep, covered dish for serving soup

 

6.  DETRACT - Diminish the value, quality, or reputation of something

     DISTRACT - Draw someone's attention or focus away from a task or subject 

 

7. APOTHEM - Geometry - A line segment from the center of a regular polygon perpendicular to the side

    APOTHEGM - A short, pithy saying / adage, aphorism

 

8. ANECDOTE - A short, personal, and often funny story - used to make a point or enliven conversation

   ANTIDOTE - Something, usually a medicine, that neutralizes, limits, or counteracts the harmful effects of a poison 

 

9. NUCLEAR FISSION - Splitting of a heavy nucleus (like uranium or plutonium) into smaller nuclei, releasing energy. 

   NUCLEAR FUSION - Combining of two light nuclei (like Hydrogen isotopes Deuterium and Tritium) to form a heavier nucleus (like Helium)

   Fission is used in nuclear power plants. Fusion powers the sun and other stars,  requires extremely high temperature, and releases much more energy than fission. Atomic bombs use fission. Nuclear bombs use fission to trigger fusion, and are thousands of times more powerful.

    

 

PAIRS AND SNARES XLI

The words in each group can be confused. Can you give a simple definition of each one that shows the difference between them?

1. STRAIT - STRAIGHT

2. WOW - WOE - WHOA

3. VALANCE - VALENCE

4. ECLIPSE - ELLIPSE - ELLIPSIS

5. BREATH - BREATHE - BREADTH 

6. MANDRAKE - MANDRILL - MANGROVE 

Answers:

1. STRAIT - A narrow waterway, narrow or tight

    STRAIGHT - A line without curves, direct or honest

   (In the Biblical quote,"Strait is the gate" "strait" is the correct spelling, but because "straight" is similar in meaning, it is also acceptable.)  

 

2. WOW - an expression of surprise or wonder

    WOE - Sorrow, distress, misery

    WHOA - Slow down or stop - as a command given to a horse

 

3. VALANCE - Decorative drapery over a window

    VALENCE - In chemistry - the combining power of an element

 

4. ECLIPSE - A celestial event that occurs when a planet or moon blocks the sun's light. Solar eclipse - moon blocks sun / Lunar eclipse - the earth shadows the moon

    ELLIPSE - A geometric figure in the shape of an oval or stretched circle

    ELLIPSIS - The omission from speech or writing of words that can be obviously understood from the context, also to indicate a trailing thought, hesitation, or a pause for dramatic effect - indicated by three dots (. . .)

 

5. BREATH - Air inhaled into and exhaled from the lungs

    BREATHE - Inhale and exhale

    BREADTH - Width - how wide something is - its extent, scope, range

 

6. MANDRAKE - A Mediterranean plant used in medicine and magic

    MANDRILL - A large West African baboon 

    MANGROVE - A tropical tree or shrub of coastal swamps with tangled roots above ground that form dense thickets 

 

      

PAIRS AND SNARES XL 

The words in each group below can be confused. Can you give a simple definition of each one that show the difference between them? 

1. STEER - STERE 

2. ARECA - AREPA

3. AWAY - AWEIGH 

4. PARLAY -PARLEY

5. MANTEL -MANTLE 

6. VOILA - VIOLA - VOILE 

7. MACARON - MACAROON

Answers:  

1. STEER - Guide, control / young, neutered male cattle  

    STERE - A metric unit of volume = one cubic meter, commonly used to measure stacked timber or firewood

  

2. ARECA -A tropical Asian palm tree

    AREPA -  A corn pancake eaten in Colombia and Venezuela

 

3. AWAY - At a distance

    AWEIGH - (of an anchor) Raised just clear of the sea floor / The start of a voyage 

 

4. PARLAY - Transform something into something of greater value / turn initial winnings from a previous bet into a greater amount by gambling 

   PARLEY - A conference between opposing sides in a dispute

 

5. MANTEL - A shelf over a fireplace / mantelpiece

    MANTLE - The layer of the earth between the crust and core / a cloak or cape - and metaphorically a symbolic role of authority

 

6. VOILA - "Ta da!" "There you go/are!" An expression to mark completion and draw attention to something that can be seen (literally - "See there!")

    VIOLA - A stringed instrument in the violin family, but larger and tuned differently

    VOILE -  A thin, semi-transparent fabric of cotton, wool, or silk

 

7. MACARON - MACAROON - Both are cookies. 

    Macarons are delicate, almond flour, cream-filled sandwich cookies.

    Macaroons are dense, shredded coconut drop coookies.

 

 

  

 PAIRS AND SNARES XXXIX

The words in each group below can be confused. Can you give a simple definition of each one that shows the difference between them?

1. PEON - PAEAN

2. CHAFE - CHAFF 

3. SACHET - SASHAY

4. HANSOM - HANDSOME

5. CORPORAL - CORPOREAL

6. BARBELL - DUMBBELL

7. FLUVIAL - ALLUVIAL 

8. PIASTER - PILASTER

Answers:

1. PEON - A low-ranking, unskilled worker

    PAEAN - A song or praise or triumph

 

2. CHAFE - Annoy, irritate

     CHAFF - Grain husks, trash

 

3. SACHET - A small perfumed bag used to scent clothes 

    SASHAY - Strut, An ostentatious, exaggerated walk

 

4. HANSOM - A lightweight, two-wheeled, horse-drawn carriage

    HANDSOME - (Of a man) Good-looking, Substantial/considerable

 

5. CORPORAL - A military rank, Relating to the physical body (corporal punishment)

    CORPOREAL - Relating to one's physical body as opposed to their spirit (corporeal appetites)

 

6. BARBELL -  A long straight bar with weights attached at both ends - raised and lowered using both hands

    DUMBBELL - A shorter bar with weights at both ends, raised and lowered with one hand

 

7. FLUVIAL - Of or found in a river / The flow, shape, and processes of a river

    ALLUVIAL - Describing sediment (alluvium) deposited by a river or stream outside its normal banks - as in fields 

 

8. PIASTER -  A monetary unit of several Middle Eastern countries

    PILASTER -  A rectangular column, especially one projecting from a wall

PAIRS AND SNARES XXXVIII

The words in each group can be confused. Can you give a simple definition of each one that shows the difference between them?

1. TULLE - TOILE

2. APPRISE - REPRISE

3. PLAUSIBLE - FEASIBLE 

4. BURNISH - BRANDISH

5. SHANTY - CHANTY 

6. PRECISE - PRECIS  

7. TELLURIDE - TELLURIAN 

Answers: 

1. TULLE - A fine, sheer, light-weight, net-like fabric used for veils and tutus

    TOILE - A thicker, patterned fabric used for clothing or curtains / also as a "trial" fabric used as a draft garment

 

2. APPRISE - To inform or tell someone, keep up to date 

    REPRISE - Repeat an earlier role or performance

 

3. PLAUSIBLE - Seemingly reasonable or probable

    FEASIBLE - Practical, possible to do

 

4. BURNISH - Polish, as by rubbing, Improve - as a reputation

    BRANDISH - Wave around, as a weapon, as a threat in anger or excitement 

 

5. SHANTY - A small, crudely built shack, hut

    CHANTY - A rhythmic work song sung by sailors

 

6. PRECISE - Exact and accurate

    PRECIS - A summary or abstract of a text or speech 

 

7. TELLURIDE - A town and ski resort in the Colorado Rockies

    TELLURIAN -  An inhabitant of the earth 

 

    

PERFECT PAIRINGS XIV

Each clue can be re-phrased using wordplay - especially synonyms and homographs - to make a common phrase in the form of _______ and _______.  For example, FETID and RASP could be re-phrased as RANK and FILE.

1. Fujis and Navels

2. Fuss and situation 

3. Rule and sequence 

4. Truths and numbers  

5. Destroy and destroy 

6. #1 and most important 

7. Noisy and understandable 

8. Choose and a digging tool 

9. Nimble and those passed on 

10. Alcoholic beverage and eat 

11. Invalid and completely empty 

 

Answers:

 

1. Apples and oranges

2. Pomp and circumstance

3. Law and order

4. Facts and figures

5. Wrack and ruin

6. First and foremost

7. Loud and clear

8. Pick and shovel

9. Quick and dead

10. Wine and dine

11. Null and void  

PAIRS AND SNARES XXXVII

The words in each group below can be confused. Can you give a simple definition of each one that shows the difference between them?

1. COCA (KO-kuh) - CACAO (kah-KAY-o)- COCOA (KO-ko) 

2. COCOA (hot beverage)  - HOT CHOCOLATE

3. ODEON - ODEUM -ODIUM 

4. SCRIMP -SKIMP

5. LICE - NITS 

6. THIRD WHEEL - FIFTH WHEEL

7. ASSAULT - BATTERY 

Answers: 

1. COCA is the plant from which cocaine is made.

    CACAO is the fruit of the cacao tree whose pods contain the beans from which chocolate is made. However, raw cacao beans hardly resemble chocolate at all and cannot be eaten straight from the pods.

     COCOA - Without cocoa, there would be no such thing as chocolate. Cocoa begins its life as the fruit (bean) of the cacao tree, but it must be fermented, dried, roasted, and crushed to be used to make chocolate.   

 

2.  COCOA (hot beverage) - Hot cocoa is made with cocoa powder, which is a lighter, drier product - resulting in a thinner, sweeter drink. 

     HOT CHOCOLATE  is made with melted chocolate, which contains cocoa butter - leading to a richer, thicker taste.

 

3. ODEON and ODEUM are  synonymous - An ancient Greek or Roman building for musical performances 

    ODIUM - Hatred, abhorrence, disgust - directed at someone because of their actions

 

4. Both SCRIMP and SKIMP mean to be frugal and economical.

    SCRIMP implies general saving or economizing 

    SKIMP suggests using or providing less than what is needed or expected 

 

5. LICE (singular: louse) - Tiny, wingless, parasitic insects that crawl on the scalp and bite to feed on blood

    NITS - The oval-shaped eggs the lice lay on hair shafts close to the scalp - often easier to spot than live lice because they are firmly attached to the hair

 

6. THIRD WHEEL and FIFTH WHEEL both refer to a "superfluous" person - one who makes a situation awkward - or feels that he/she does.

     FIFTH WHEEL is the more general term while THIRD WHEEL usually refers to a third person with a romantic couple. 

 

7. ASSAULT - In the context of law, ASSAULT is the threat of harm or the act of putting someone in fear of imminent harm.

    BATTERY is the actual physical contact that causes harm or offense.

 

PAIRS AND SNARES XXXVI

The words and phrases in each group below can be confused. Can you give a simple definition of each one that shows the difference between them?

1. CT SCAN - MRI 

2. HANGER - HANGAR

3. BAKLAVA - BALACLAVA 

4. BATHOS - ETHOS - PATHOS

5. DAKAR - DHAKA - DACHA - DACHAU

 

Answers:

 

1. CT SCAN - MRI - Both are medical procedures that produce detailed images of the body's internal structures.

    CT SCAN - Computed Tomography Scan combines X-rays and computer technology - also known as Computed Axial Tomography Scan - CAT SCAN 

    MRI - Magnetic Resonance Imaging uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves, without radiation

2. HANGER - Metal, wooden, or plastic device for hanging up clothes 

    HANGAR - A large building used to house aircraft

 

3. BAKLAVA -  A layered pastry dessert

    BALACLAVA - A mask that covers the face except for the eyes

 

4. BATHOS - (especially in literature) A sudden appearance of the commonplace in an otherwise elevated matter or style of writing 

    ETHOS - The characteristic spirit of a culture, era, or community

    PATHOS - Poignancy, a quality that evokes pity or sadness 

 

5. DAKAR - Capital of Senegal

    DHAKA - Capital of Bangladesh

    DACHA -  A Russian villa or vacation home

    DACHAU - Nazi concentration camp

 

 

 

 

 

PAIRS AND SNARES XXXV

The words in each group below can be confused. Can you give a simple definition of each one that shows the difference between them?

1. SHOAT - STOAT 

2. SCHIST - SCHISM

3. SALVER - SALVIA 

4. CAFTAN - CATKIN

5. ANALOG - DIGITAL

6. WITHER - WHITHER

7. PHONEME - MORPHEME

8. STALAGMITES - STALACTITES 

Answers:

 

1. SHOAT -  A newly weaned piglet

    STOAT -  A small mammal in the weasel family with a brown coat in summer and a white coat in winter, when it also known as an ermine

 

2. SCHIST -  A coarse-grained, layered rock

    SCHISM -  A split or division between strongly opposed  sections or parties

 

3. SALVER - A silver tray or platter

   SALVIA -  A widely distributed plant of the mint family

 

4. CAFTAN -  A woman's long, loose dress or a man's long belted tunic worn in countries of the Near East

   CATKIN -  A cylindrical flower cluster found on certain trees 

5. ANALOG - DIGITAL - - - Both are signals transmitting information. Analog signals are continuous and represented in waves. Digital signals are discrete and represented by distinct values (typically in the form of binary 0's and 1's).

 

6. WITHER - Shrivel up, cease to flourish

    WHITHER - (Archaic) - Where to? To what place or state? 

7. PHONEME - An independent sound that creates a contrast in meaning (p and b are phonemes in pit and bit)

    MORPHEME - The smallest part of a word that still has its own independent meaning

 

8. STALAGMITES - STALCTITES - Mineral formations that grow in caves and look like icicles - Stalagmites grow from the cave floor upward while stalactites grow from the ceiling downward. (A trick for remembering - stalaGmites (ground) -stalaCtites (ceiling)

    

    

 

 PAIRS AND SNARES XXXIV

The word pairs and trios below can be confusing. Can you give a simple definition of each word that show the differences between them?

1. WARP - WEFT

2. ECOLE - ETOILE

3. AUGER - AUGUR 

4. AMBIT - GAMBIT

5. ESCADRILLE - ESPADRILLE

6. FULSOME - FULMINATE - FULIGINOUS

7. FUGATIOUS - FLAGITIOUS - FALLACIOUS

8. COLLAGE - DECOUPAGE - DECOLLETAGE

9. CLIQUE - CLAQUE - (CLICK-CLACK) - CALQUE

10. BARIATRIC - BALEARIC - HYPERBARIC - HYPERBOLIC - HYPERBOLA

Answers:

1. WARP- The vertical threads on a loom (for weaving)

    WEFT - The horizontal threads on a loom (also called WOOF) 

2. ECOLE - (French) - A school

    ETOILE - (French) - A star, (also) principal dancer in a ballet

 

3. AUGER -  A tool used for boring or making holes, as in leather work*

    AUGUR - To prophesy, predict the future*

 

4. AMBIT - The scope, extent, or bounds of something

    GAMBIT - A stratagem designed to gain an advantage  

5. ESCADRILLE - A European (French) squadron of aircraft (usually six)

    ESPADRILLE - A light canvas shoe with a rubber sole

 

6. FULSOME - Excessively complimentary or flattering / Large, generous, abundant

    FULMINATE - Complain loudly or angrily

    FULIGINOUS - Sooty, dirty, soiled

 

7. FUGATIOUS - Fleeting, ephemeral, lasting only a short time

    FLAGITIOUS - Criminal, wicked, vile, scandalous

    FALLACIOUS -  False, based on mistaken belief, erroneous 

8. COLLAGE -  An art form made by layering various materials on to a backing

    DECOUPAGE - Similar to a collage, but the layered materials are cut out (as pictures out of newspapers) before being glued on

    DECOLLETAGE - A plunging, revealing neckline on a woman's dress

 

9.  CLIQUE -  A small group of people with shared interests or something in common that does not readily welcome outsiders

     CLAQUE - A group of sycophantic followers / A group hired to applaud (or heckle) a speaker or performer 

     CLICK-CLACK - A distinctive sound - as the sound of a railroad train moving down a track

     CALQUE -  In linguistics, a word or phrase borrowed from another language with a direct,  literal, word-for-word translation / examples: pomme d'Adam - Adam's apple,

luna de miel - honeymoon 

10.  BARIATRIC -  Referring to a surgical procedure  for obesity and related conditions in which the digestive system is altered

       BALEARIC -  An island archipelago in the western Mediterranean Sea belonging to and off the eastern coast of Spain - Mallorca is the largest island

      HYPERBARIC -  Referring to oxygen therapy in an enclosed chamber where air pressure is two to three times greater than normal - allowing the lungs to fill with oxygen that can remove trapped air bubbles form the blood stream - commonly used to treat "the bends" in deep sea diving

     HYPERBOLIC -  Very exaggerated language - sometimes used purposely to draw attention to something and not meant to be taken seriously (from HYPERBOLE)

     HYPERBOLA - A conic section in mathematics (geometry) related to a parabola 

*3: These words are stressonyms. Auger, the hole-making tool, has the stress on the first syllable (au' gur). Augur, to phrophesy, stessess the second syllable (au gur')

       

      

 

PAIRS AND SNARES XXXIII

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

1. PUPUSA - SAMOSA

2. APPRISE - REPRISE - APPRAISE 

3. SHIITAKI - SHIRATAKI

4. OSCULATE - AUSCULATE

5. LEA - PAMPA - LLANO

6. APSE - NAVE - TRANSEPT

Answers:

1. PUPUSA - A thick griddle cake of fried dough stuffed with meat and cheese. It is the national dish of El Salvador.

   SAMOSA -  A fried, pastry of varying shapes with a savory filling - mostly vegetables, potatoes, and onions.  Samosas are a popular entree, appetizer, or snack in India and Asia.

2. APPRISE - Inform/notify someone of something, bring up to date

    REPRISE - To repeat an earlier performance 

    APPRAISE - Assess the value or quality of something

3. SHIITAKI - An edible mushroom native to East Asia that is cultivated and consumed around the world

   SHIRATAKE - Translucent, gelatinous Japanese noodles

4. OSCULATE - Kiss

    AUSCULATE -  Listen to the heart and lungs, as through a stethoscope

5. LEA - (poetic) A meadow or grassy field

    PAMPA -  (Pampas) Extensive treeless plains in South America

    LLANO - (Llanos) Open, grassy plains in the southwestern U.S. or South America

6. APSE - The altar and area behind it in a church

    NAVE -  The long part of the church, from the entryway to the altar, including the central aisle and seats

    TRANSEPT -  The transverse section of a church between the nave and apse that gives the church the shape of a Latin cross

 

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

 

PAIRS AND SNARES XXXI

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

1. LCD - LED

2. GEE - HAW - YAW

3. ENTENTE - DETENTE

4. PASTILLE - PASTICHE

5. MARMOT - MARMOSET

6.  MEW - MEOW - MIAU - MEWL - MEWS - MOUE   

Answers:

1. LCD - Least/Lowest Common Denominator

                Liquid Crystal Display

    LED - Light-emitting diode

 

2. GEE - Command for a right turn

    HAW - Command for a left turn (as to a horse)

    YAW - To veer from side to side (as a ship or space craft)

3. DETENTE - Relaxing of tensions between nations through diplomacy

    ENTENTE - Friendly understanding, informal alliance (as between nations)

4. PASTILLE - A small candy or lozenge

    PASTICHE - An artistic work in the style of another work, artist, or period

5. MARMOT - A chunky, gregarious, burrowing rodent

    MARMOSET - A small Central and South American monkey

6. MEW and MEOW - The characteristic crying sound of a cat

    MIAU - Spanish for the English MEOW and pronounced the same

    MEWL - To whimper/cry feebly - as a baby

                    Also the sound of a cat when its cry sounds pathetic or forlorn  

    MEWS - Originally an enclosure for the King's hawks

                    They then were used as horse stables and coach houses.

                    Today they are row houses or apartments built above the stables,

                    or built to resemble them.

    MOUE - (moo) A pouting expression

    

PAIRS AND SNARES XXX

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

 

1. INDITE - INDICT

 

2. INURE - IMMURE

 

3. DACHA - DACHAU

 

4. MOXIE - CHUTZPAH

 

5. ANGORA - ANDORRA 

 

6. SOUP SPOON - SOUPCON

 

7. MYELOMA - MELANOMA

Answers:

1. INDITE - To write or compose

    INDICT - To formally charge or accuse of a crime

2. INURE - To accustom/harden oneself to something unpleasant

    IMMURE - To enclose/imprison someone against their will

 

3. DACHA - A Russian vacation home

    DACHAU - A notoriously brutal Nazi concentration camp

4. MOXIE - Force of character, determination, nerve (courage)

    CHUTZPAH - (Yiddish) Nerve 

    negatively, as in gall/arrogance

    Ex. After excluding her from the shower, she had the chutzpah to expect a gift.

    positively, as in courage/boldness

    Ex. She had the chutzpah to stand up to him.

5. ANGORA - A long-haired rabbit prized for the long fibers of its coat (angora wool)

    ANDORRA - A tiny, sovereign, land-locked European country in the Pyrenees Mountains, bordered by France to the north and Spain to the south

6. SOUP SPOON 

    SOUPCON - (soop sawn)

   A very small quantity of something, as in food preparation/trace

7. MYELOMA - A type blood cancer (multiple myeloma)

    MELANOMA - A type of skin cancer

     

 

 

 

PAIRS AND SNARES XXIX 

The words in each group can be easily confused.  Can you give a simple definition of each one that shows the difference between them?

1. IMPUTE - IMPUGN

2. TAIGA - TUNDRA

3. SYZYGY - SYNERGY

4. LOAM - LOESS

5. BALUSTER - BALUSTRADE - BANISTER

Answers:

1. IMPUTE - Assign responsibility or blame to someone or something - often unfairly

    IMPUGN - To question or attack someone's opinion or character

2. TAIGA - Coniferous forest of the high northern latitudes

    TUNDRA - Treeless plain above the taiga in the arctic regions having a permanently frozen layer below the surface soil 

3. SYZYGY - The nearly straight-line configuration of three celestial bodies , such as the sun, moon, and earth in a solar or lunar eclipse

   SYNERGY - The combined power of a group of people or things working together that is greater than the power that would be achieved by each working separately

4. LOAM - LOESS - Both are rich, fertile soils. Loam contains roughly equal parts of sand, silt, and clay. Loess is commonly defined as an accumulation of wind-blown silt.

5.  BALUSTER - Short, decorative pillars or columns holding up a railing

    BALUSTRADE - The railing supported by the balusters, and a protection against falling - as on a balcony

    BANISTER -  The balustrade of a staircase, handrail

PAIRS AND SNARES XXVIII

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

1. ABOMINABLE - ABDOMINAL

2. SANGUINE - SANGUINARY

3. MENAGE - MELANGE - COLLAGE

4. COW - BULL - STEER - HEIFER

5. PATEN - PATTEN - PATENT - PATINA 

 

Answers:

 

1. ABOMINABLE - Terrible

    ABDOMINAL - Area around the stomach

 

2. SANGUINE - Ruddy, healthy, cheerful

    SANGUINARY - Marked by bloodshed, as the Civil War

 

3. MENAGE - Household - often "menage a trois" - three people living together 

    MELANGE - A mixture, blend

    COLLAGE - An art form using overlapping material

 

4. COW - Female bovine giving milk, used for meat (beef)

    BULL - Male bovine, used for breeding

    STEER - Castrated bull, raised for beef

    HEIFER - Cow that has not yet given birth to a calf

 

5. PATEN - A ceremonial plate used at Mass

    PATTEN - A clog-like shoe 

    PATENT - Government-issued protection for an invention

    PATINA - Green film on metal caused by oxidation over time,

enhancing beauty and value