Whacks and wax are two words that are pronounced in the same way but are spelled differently and have different meanings, which makes them homophones. We will examine the definitions of whacks and wax, where these terms came from and some examples of their use in sentences.
Whacks is the plural form of the word whack, which is a sharp blow or the sound made when delivering a sharp blow. Whack is also used as a verb to mean to deliver a sharp blow, related words are whacked, whacking. Whack is used in a slang fashion to mean to murder someone. The word whack first appeared in the 1700s, and may be an imitative word related to the word thwack.
Wax is a noun that refers to a substance used to make candles, polish, makeup and other items. Wax is made from bee honeycombs, soy, paraffin and other substances. Wax may also be used as a noun to mean to polish something, to remove hair from the body by applying and pulling off wax, or to speak about a subject in a particular manner. Wax may also mean the procession of the moon from its new phase to its full phase. The word wax is derived from the Old English word weax meaning stuff made by bees.
Examples
Trump said the bat-man delivered at least “five or six good whacks” before he interceded. (The New York Daily News)
“These are people who have been training their entire lives, and tenths of a second can make a difference,” Australia’s wax technician Paul Moore told Reuters, before revealing he had hidden everything that might give away his team’s waxing secrets before opening the cabin door. (Reuters)
Old-timers will even wax poetic about the place’s creamed chicken on biscuit, ham loaf, swiss steak and pan gravy, date nut pudding and coconut pie, among the many homemade delectables. (The Bloomington Pantagraph)
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