Homophones are seemingly basic words that sound the same when spoken but actually have totally different meanings and sometimes spellings. Look at the terms “cite” and “site.” They can easily be mixed up because of their identical pronunciation and also because only a single letter separates them in spelling. So, I’ll give you a short version of everything you need to know. Is It Cite or Site? Would you believe that one is a noun and the other is a …
A vale is a valley, also a common township name in Wales. To vail is to take off your hat in a sign of respect. It is so archaic we were not able to find modern examples of its use. In the U.S., the word is more commonly associated with the Vail ski resort in Colorado. A veil is a piece of cloth worn over the head and sometimes face, normally associated with women and brides. To veil something is to obscure it or hide it, as a veil …
A bough (pronounced /bau/) is a main branch of a tree. Its homonym bow has several meanings including: to quit a competition, to bend the body in an act of submission or reverence, to acknowledge applause, or debut. Bow can be pronounced /bo/ and has an alternate meaning. It can be a tie of a ribbon, a weapon made to shoot arrows, or a rod strung with hair to play a stringed instrument. Examples There is an instinctive fear in all of us, probably dating …
Hairy can mean either being covered in hair, or causing fear or difficulty. The word has carried this dual meaning since the middle of the 19th century. The word makes the forms hairier and hairiest. To harry is to persistently attack or harass. It has been around since before the 12th century. Its derivatives include harried, harries, and harrying. Examples Hairy pigs have been introduced to a Dorset nature reserve to improve the habitat for endangered birds species such as the Dartford warbler. [BBC] So Google decided to …
To gambol is to playfully skip or frolic. It is spelled as gamboling and gamboled inside the US, and makes gambolling and gambolled outside the United States. However, it is gambol everywhere. To gamble is to bet money or take a risky action. It makes gambled and gambling and is spelled the same everywhere. A gamble is something that is especially risky or without assurance. Usually it is paired with the verb take, as in taking a gamble. A gambler is someone who gambles. Examples Silently we watch them gambol, two extraordinary creatures doing, for them, the ordinary. …
A shutter is a panel attached to a window that can be closed for privacy. Also, it is the part of a camera that opens to expose light to the film. A person can shutter their windows by closing the shutters. To shudder is to shake or quake, usually as a result of fear or disgust. A shudder is the act of shaking. It also makes the adjective of shuddery. These words are homophones for some areas, including Southern US. Examples While neither company mentioned “Blackfish” as a contributing …
Manner: 1. a way of doing something; 2. a bearing; 3. a type. Manor: 1. a lord’s estate; 2. a large country house.
An aide is someone who helps. An aid is something that helps.
Idol: an object of worship. Idle: inactive. Idyll: a tranquil natural scene.
Burro = donkey. Burrow = 1. a hole; 2. to dig a hole. Borough = an administrative division.