Grammarist Femme fatale is a loanword. We will look at the definition of the term femme fatale, where it came from, and some examples of its use in sentences. A femme fatale is a seductive woman who brings ruin upon a person who becomes infatuated or obsessed with her. A femme …
Turn heads and turn one’s head are two idioms that are close in wording, but mean totally different things. We will examine the meaning of the common idioms turn heads and turn one’s head, where they came from, and some examples of their idiomatic usage in sentences. Turn heads means to …
Compress and compress are two words that are spelled identically but are pronounced differently and have different meanings, which makes them heteronyms. We will examine the definitions of the words compress and compress, where these words came from, and a few examples of their use in sentences. Compress (come PRESS) is a verb that means to …
Sticks and stones is an idiom that is an allusion to a proverb. We will examine the meaning of the idiom sticks and stones and the proverb it alludes to, where the expression came from, and some examples of its use in sentences. Sticks and stones is a retort one uses …
Vax is the Oxford English Dictionary Word of the Year for 2021; it is an abbreviation. All types of shortened words and phrases are technically abbreviations, but we generally use this term to denote shortened words—for example, Dr. in place of Doctor, etc. in place of et cetera, A.D in place …
Turn over is a verbal phrase. Turnover is a closed compound word. We will examine the meaning of the terms turn over and turnover, their etymologies, and some examples of their use in a sentence or two. Turn over means to flip something upside down, to start a combustion engine, to …
Crooked and crooked  are two words that are spelled identically but are pronounced differently and have different meanings, which makes them heteronyms. We will examine the definitions of the words crooked and crooked, where these words came from, and a few examples of their use in sentences. Crooked (KROOKT) is the past tense of the verb, …
Pride comes before a fall and pride goeth before a fall are two renditions of a proverb. We will examine the meaning of the proverb pride comes before a fall or pride goeth before a fall, where the expressions came from, and some examples of their use in sentences. Pride comes before …
Titter and titer are two words that are close in spelling and pronunciation and may be considered confusables. We will examine the different meanings of the confusables titter and titer, the word origins of the terms, and some examples of their English usage in sentences. Titter means a giggle, snicker, or suppressed laugh. A titter …
Slack and slake are two words that are close in spelling and pronunciation and may be considered confusables. We will examine the different meanings of the confusables slack and slake, the word origins of the terms, and some examples of their English usage in sentences. Slack means loose or not taut; inactive or lazy; slow …
