Word confusion

Nutriment or nutrition

Nutriment is something that increases growth or sustains life. In medical terminology it may refer to something which causes the healing of human tissue. It is a mass noun without a plural form. While nutriment and nutrition come from the same Latin root word, they are not synonyms. Nutrition is the act of consuming the correct variety of foods and drinks that results in health and growth. The adjective form is nutritional, and the adverb is nutritionally. Examples In effect, mistletoe steals nutriment from its host tree as …

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Snobbery or snobbishness

Snobbery is the action of a person who thinks he or she is more important or worthwhile than others. The plural form is snobberies. A person who thinks or acts this way is called a snob. Something can be snobby, snobbier, or the snobbiest. Another adjective form is snobbish. The adverb form is snobbishly. And the back-formation noun from the adjective is snobbishness. So in the end, snobbery and snobbishness are synonyms for the same type of behavior. Examples Mr. Burke said the objections coming from the affluent in society was “total …

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What Is a Lei Meaning Examples 3

What Is a Lei? – Meaning & Examples

When you think of Hawaii, what’s one of the first things that pop into your mind? It’s the traditional Hawaiian garland known as a lei, isn’t it? Leis are an integral part of Hawaiian culture and are usually given as a gift or worn on special occasions. But is it capitalized? How do you use it in a sentence? I’ll explain where they came from and how you should spell them when writing. What Is a Lei? A lei is …

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Sine die

Sine die is an adverb borrowed from Latin which literally means without day. It is used in English to describe something as not having a future designation. Another synonym is indefinitely. Sine die is almost exclusively used in conjunction with the verb adjourn. It is a designation used in government organizations. If a meeting adjourned sine die, it means that there is no definite plan to meet again or that it is close indefinitely. If sine die is used without adjourn, it is still used in the …

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Liquor vs liqueur

Liquor is a synonym for alcohol, usually a fermented drink that has been distilled. Distillation is basically the process of taking a fermented liquid and purifying it which removes water and therefore makes the concentration of alcohol higher. In North America, hard liquor is a common synonym. As a verb, to liquor something is to either coat it with oil or grease, or it can mean to drink enough alcohol to become drunk. The latter definition is usually used with the preposition up. Liqueur is a liquor that is …

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Agreement vs. Agreeance – Which Is Correct 1

Agreement vs. Agreeance – Which Is Correct?

Agreeance is a term that denotes the act of coming to a mutual understanding or agreement. It is an obscure form of agreement that is now rarely used. An agreement is an understanding, a compromise to get two sides to find common ground. For things to be in agreement, they are harmonious or do not contradict each other. Although both words indicate two or more parties getting along, agreeance is an older version that can mistakenly used to create personification, …

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Reindeer or caribou

A reindeer is a species of deer which live in the northern part of the earth. Caribou is a synonym for reindeer and is especially used for those which live on the North American continent. Reindeer can be found on nearly every northern continent and much further south than the North Pole. In 1823 reindeer were paired with St. Nicholas and with the song about Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, they have been a permanent fixture in the Christmas holiday celebrations in the Western world. Interestingly, both reindeer and caribou have the same plural …

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Knave vs nave

A knave is someone (usually a man) who has no morals or ethics, is dishonest or deceitful. It is also the name for a Jack in a deck of playing cards. A nave is a hub of a wheel or the part of a church that is long and narrow. Examples And while he’s put together a fine cast, it sometimes leans too heavily on guest stars; it’s a treat to see James Spader, as in “Lincoln,” once again playing a fancy knave, but …

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Trouper vs. Trooper Meaning Difference Examples 2

Trouper vs. Trooper – Meaning, Difference & Examples

Are you a trouper or trooper? Well, that depends on a few other factors, like whether or not you’re in the military or an actor. But wait, aren’t these two words just alternative spellings of the same term? You’d think that, yes, but they actually mean two different things. Let’s take a look so you can use these properly when you’re writing. Trouper vs. Trooper: What Do They Mean? The homophones “trouper” and “trooper” are often mixed up as simply …

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Factious vs facetious

Factious is an adjective describing something or someone has having to do with factions, or separate groups within a larger body, usually separated by a belief or proclivity. It has derivatives of factiously and factiousness, though these are rarely used. It is pronounced \ˈfak-shÉ™s\ (fact shish). Facetious, on the other hand, is a word to describe something or someone as intentionally funny, though usually failing to attain humor or inappropriate. It also has two derivatives of facetiously and facetiousness. It is pronounced \fÉ™-ˈsÄ“-shÉ™s\ (fah see shish). Examples In summary, …

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