| Summary, etc. |
Words Frequently Confused, the second volume in the four volume series, Know Your English, is based on S. Upendran’s popular weekly column published in The Hindu. It contains a selection of about 480 pairs of words that are frequently confused. Each entry gives the meaning of the words and points out the difference between them. Examples are also provided showing how the words can be used in everyday contexts. Some of the entries also contain information about the pronunciation and the etymology (origin) of the word.<br/><br/>About the Author<br/>S. Upendran has been writing the column, Know Your English, in The Hindu, since 1992. He is a Professor in the Department of Materials Development at the English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad. The selections in this book are those that featured between 1992 and 2011.<br/><br/>Table of Contents<br/><br/>1. A few, few, quite a few<br/>2. Abbreviation, acronym<br/>3. Academic, academician<br/>4. Ache, pain<br/>5. Acquit, exonerate<br/>6. Acute, chronic<br/>7. Adhesive, cohesive<br/>8. Adjoin, adjacent<br/>9. Admission, admittance<br/>10. Adverse, averse<br/>11. Advice, advise<br/>12. Adviser, advisor<br/>13. Aestivate, hibernate<br/>14. Affect, effect<br/>15. Afflict, inflict<br/>16. Ageing, aging<br/>17. Agnostic, atheist<br/>18. Ago, before<br/>19. Alibi, excuse<br/>20. All right, alright<br/>21. Allude, elude<br/>22. Alone, lonely<br/>23. Alongwith, along with<br/>24. Alphabet, letter<br/>25. Alternate, alternative<br/>26. Although, though, albeit<br/>27. Alumni, alumnae, alumna, alumnus<br/>28. A.M., P.M.<br/>29. Ambassador, High Commissioner<br/>30. Ambiance, ambience<br/>31. Ambivalent, indifferent<br/>32. Amid, among, amongst<br/>33. Among, between<br/>34. Amoral, immoral<br/>35. Ample, enough<br/>36. Amuse, bemuse<br/>37. Annex, annexe<br/>38. Another, other<br/>39. Anyway, anyways<br/>40. Apartment, flat<br/>41. Apoplexy, apocalypse<br/>42. Apposite, opposite<br/>43. Appraise, apprise<br/>44. Argument, quarrel<br/>45. Army, military<br/>46. Aroma, smell<br/>47. Arrested, detained<br/>48. Artist, artiste<br/>49. As if, as though<br/>50. As scheduled, on schedule<br/>51. Assassinate, murder<br/>52. At/on weekends<br/>53. Autograph, signature<br/>54. Autopsy, post mortem<br/>55. Avoid, evade<br/>56. Award, reward<br/>57. Await, wait<br/>58. Baby boomer, Generation X, Generation Y<br/>59. Backward, backwards<br/>60. Baggage, luggage<br/>61. Bail, parole<br/>62. Banquet, dinner<br/>63. Barber, hairstylist<br/>64. Battle, war<br/>65. Beach, shore<br/>66. Beat, hit<br/>67. Beautiful, pretty<br/>68. Beehove, behove<br/>69. Believe, believe in<br/>70. Biannual, biennial<br/>71. Bibliography, reference<br/>72. Bigot, fanatic<br/>73. Bimonthly, fortnightly<br/>74. Biodata, cv, resume<br/>75. Birding, birder<br/>76. Blind in, blind to<br/>77. Blue-collar, pink-collar, white-collar<br/>78. Bravado, bravery<br/>79. Break a sweat, break into a sweat<br/>80. Breeze away, breeze through<br/>81. Briefly, shortly<br/>82. Browse, peruse<br/>83. Buzzword, password<br/>84. Call at, call on<br/>85. Call for, call upon, drop in on<br/>86. Call off, put off<br/>87. Callous, callus<br/>88. Capsize, overturn<br/>89. Cemetery, graveyard<br/>90. Cent percent, hundred percent<br/>91. Centre, center<br/>92. Change, alter<br/>93. Chauffeur, driver<br/>94. Chew at, chew out<br/>95. Childish, childlike<br/>96. Choose, pick<br/>97. Chubby, flabby<br/>98. Cite, quote<br/>99. Citizen, resident, netizen<br/>100. Client, clientele<br/>101. Climate, weather<br/>102. Co-brother, brother-in-law, co-brother-in-law<br/>103. Collaborate, corroborate<br/>104. Colourful, coloured<br/>105. Command of, command over<br/>106. Comic, comical<br/>107. Compare, contrast, liken<br/>108. Compare to, compare with<br/>109. Compel, impel<br/>110. Complacent, complaisant<br/>111. Complement, compliment<br/>112. Complex, complicated<br/>113. Comptroller, controller<br/>114. Compulsive, impulsive<br/>115. Concert, recital<br/>116. Condole, condolence<br/>117. Confidant, confidante<br/>118. Contagious, infectious<br/>119. Continually, continuously<br/>120. Convicted, sentenced<br/>121. Cool down, cool off<br/>122. Corrigenda, errata<br/>123. Cost, price<br/>124. Couch potato, fax potato, mouse potato<br/>125. Cousin, half brother<br/>126. Crises, crisis<br/>127. Criteria, criterion<br/>128. Criticism, critique<br/>129. Cronyism, nepotism<br/>130. Crush, infatuation<br/>131. Cupboard love, puppy love<br/>132. Curd, curds<br/>133. Custom, habit<br/>134. Cut, crack a joke<br/>135. Cynic, sceptic<br/>136. Damage, damages<br/>137. Damsel, spinster<br/>138. Day by day, day-to-day<br/>139. De facto, de jure<br/>140. Dead, departed<br/>141. Dead cheap, dirt cheap<br/>142. Deadly, deathly<br/>143. Deal in, deal with<br/>144. Defence, defense<br/>145. Deism, theism<br/>146. Demise, death<br/>147. Deny, refute<br/>148. Dependent, dependant<br/>149. Depromoted, demoted<br/>150. Desire, aspire<br/>151. Despatch, dispatch<br/>152. Despise, hate<br/>153. Deter to do, deter from doing<br/>154. Detract, distract<br/>155. Died, killed<br/>156. Different from, different than<br/>157. Dine in, dine at<br/>158. Dinner, supper<br/>159. Disassemble, dissemble<br/>160. Debar, disbar<br/>161. Disburse, disperse<br/>162. Discover, invent<br/>163. Discreet, discrete<br/>164. Discuss, discuss about, discussion about<br/>165. Disguise, guise<br/>166. Disinterested, uninterested<br/>167. Dispense, dispense with<br/>168. Displace, misplace<br/>169. Disposed of, disposed off<br/>170. Dispute, quarrel<br/>171. Dissatisfied, unsatisfied<br/>172. Disused, unused<br/>173. Drink in, drink down<br/>174. Drop out, dropout<br/>175. Due to, owing to<br/>176. Earmark, hallmark<br/>177. Eatable, edible<br/>178. Eavesdrop, overhear<br/>179. Edgy, nervous<br/>180. Educated, learned<br/>181. Egoist, egotist<br/>182. Effeminate, metrosexual<br/>183. Elder, older<br/>184. Emigrate, immigrate<br/>185. Eminent, famous<br/>186. Emulate, imitate<br/>187. Enclosed, enclosed herewith<br/>188. Energize, enervate<br/>189. English teacher, teacher of English<br/>190. Enough, enough of<br/>191. Envelope, envelop<br/>192. Endemic, epidemic<br/>193. Enquiry/ inquiry, query<br/>194. Erstwhile, former<br/>195. Escort, convoy<br/>196. Especially, specially<br/>197. Even so, even though<br/>198. Every day, everyday<br/>199. Ex, former<br/>200. Exalt, exult<br/>201. Expel, rusticate<br/>202. Expect, hope<br/>203. Expire, die<br/>204. Extempore, impromptu<br/>205. Extinct, extinguish<br/>206. Fable, parable<br/>207. Faculty, faculties<br/>208. Fairly, rather<br/>209. Familiar with, familiar to<br/>210. Far-fetched, far-reaching<br/>211. Fares, prices<br/>212. Farther, further<br/>213. Fat chance, slim chance<br/>214. Fat, plump, buxom<br/>215. Fatal, fateful<br/>216. Father-in-laws, fathers-in-law<br/>217. Faux pas, blunder<br/>218. Feminist, hominist, masculinist<br/>219. Fictitious, facetious<br/>220. Fight against, fight with<br/>221. Fill in a form, fill out a form<br/>222. Financial, fiscal<br/>223. First cousin, second cousin, cousin once removed<br/>224. Flammable, inflammable, non flammable<br/>225. Floor, ground<br/>226. For sale, on sale<br/>227. Forbear, forebear<br/>228. Forbid, prevent<br/>229. Foreword, preface<br/>230. Forget, disremember<br/>231. Forthwith, immediately<br/>232. Fragile, frail<br/>233. Friend, companion<br/>234. Funds, money<br/>235. Gawk, gaze<br/>236. Genius, prodigy<br/>237. Gentle, genteel<br/>238. Get dressed, dress up<br/>239. Gift, present<br/>240. Give up, give in<br/>241. Glance, glimpse<br/>242. Godown, warehouse<br/>243. Good Morning, good afternoon, good night<br/>244. Gourmet, gourmand<br/>245. Graceful, gracious<br/>246. Grumble about, grumble at<br/>247. Half pants, shorts<br/>248. Handsome woman, beautiful woman<br/>249. Handy, portable<br/>250. Hanged, hung<br/>251. Harbour someone, house someone<br/>252. Hat, cap<br/>253. Have to, must<br/>254. Head Master, Principal<br/>255. Heartfelt, hearty<br/>256. Heartthrob, sweetheart<br/>257. Histrionics, hysterics<br/>258. Hoard, horde<br/>259. Homely, at home<br/>260. Homemaker, housewife, househusband<br/>261. Home, house, residence<br/>262. Homicide, manslaughter, murder<br/>263. Homophone, homonym<br/>264. Honourable, honorary<br/>265. Horrible, horrific<br/>266. Hospice, hospital<br/>267. Hostellite, hosteller<br/>268. Hotel, motel<br/>269. Hotel, restaurant<br/>270. Housekeeper, housesitter<br/>271. How are you? How do you do?<br/>272. However, how ever<br/>273. However, nevertheless<br/>274. Human, humane<br/>275. Hungry, famished, peckish<br/>276. Ice cool, ice cold<br/>277. Ill sick<br/>278. Ill-informed, misinformed<br/>279. Impasse, deadlock<br/>280. Impassioned, impassive<br/>281. Imply, infer<br/>282. In camera, on camera<br/>283. Incomparable, uncomparable<br/>284. In short supply, in short order<br/>285. In spite of, despite<br/>286. In the end, at the end<br/>287. In time, on time<br/>288. Incidence, incident<br/>289. Infant, toddler<br/>290. Infiltrator, intruder<br/>291. Informer, informant<br/>292. Ingenious, ingenuous<br/>293. Instinct, intuition<br/>294. Intense, intensive<br/>295. Interfere, intervene<br/>296. Interpreter, translator<br/>297. Introvert, taciturn<br/>298. Invaluable, valuable<br/>299. Invite, invitation<br/>300. Its, it’s<br/>301. Jail, prison<br/>302. Journal, magazine<br/>303. Journey, sojourn<br/>304. Judgement, judgment<br/>305. Junk, obsolete<br/>306. Kidnap, hijack<br/>307. Kitchen, mess, pantry<br/>308. Laconic, taciturn<br/>309. Lacto-vegetarian, lacto-ovo-vegetarian, vegan<br/>310. Lanky, tall<br/>311. Lastly, last but not least<br/>312. Lawyer, attorney<br/>313. Lay, lie<br/>314. Learn something by heart/rote<br/>315. Learned, learnt<br/>316. Lease, rent<br/>317. Leave, holiday<br/>318. Leave behind, forget<br/>319. Lecturn, podium<br/>320. Lengthy, long<br/>321. License, licence<br/>322. Life assurance, life insurance<br/>323. Lightning, lightening<br/>324. Likeable, likable<br/>325. Loath, loathe<br/>326. Lonely, lonesome<br/>327. Look at, watch<br/>328. Look over, overlook<br/>329. Look, see<br/>330. Loose, lose<br/>331. Loving child, lovely child<br/>332. Luxurious, luxuriant<br/>333. Man of promise, man of promises<br/>334. Mania, phobia<br/>335. Many, many a<br/>336. Marriage, wedding<br/>337. Martyr, victim<br/>338. Masochist, sadist<br/>339. Maybe, perhaps<br/>340. Medical shop, chemist’s<br/>341. Megalomaniac, kleptomaniac<br/>342. Memento, souvenir<br/>343. Meet, visit<br/>344. Militant, terrorist<br/>345. Misbehaviour, misdemeanour<br/>346. Misfit, unfit<br/>347. Misogamist, misogynist<br/>348. Miss, Ms<br/>349. Missive, letter<br/>350. Mobile, moveable<br/>351. Momentary, momentous<br/>352. Monday through/to Friday<br/>353. Monologue, soliloquy<br/>354. Motherland, fatherland<br/>355. Mouthpiece, spokesperson<br/>356. Movie, movies, cinema<br/>357. Muddle along, muddle around<br/>358. Murder, kill<br/>359. Must, ought to<br/>360. Naked, nude<br/>361. Native place, hometown<br/>362. Naught, nought<br/>363. Negligent, negligible<br/>364. Neophyte, beginner<br/>365. New York minute, Facebook minute<br/>366. Next week, the next week<br/>367. Nickname, pseudonym<br/>368. No priest, not a priest<br/>369. Nonetheless, nevertheless<br/>370. Noticeable, notable<br/>371. Notorious, infamous<br/>372. Obliged, obligated<br/>373. Obtain, attain<br/>374. Occupation, designation<br/>375. Odious, odorous<br/>376. Odour, smell<br/>377. On foot, by foot<br/>378. Overspeeding, speeding<br/>379. Panacea, placebo<br/>380. Partake, take part<br/>381. Partially, partly<br/>382. Passenger, traveller<br/>383. Peek, peep<br/>384. Place, put<br/>385. Plenty, aplenty<br/>386. Portend, portent<br/>387. Possible, probable<br/>388. Practical, practicable<br/>389. Premier, premiere<br/>390. Prepone, advance<br/>391. Prescribe, proscribe<br/>392. Preserve, conserve<br/>393. Prevaricate, procrastinate<br/>394. Prolonged, protracted<br/>395. Proper question, question proper<br/>396. Prophecy, prophesy<br/>397. Purposely, purposefully<br/>398. Push over, pushover<br/>399. Quash, squash<br/>400. Rare, scarce<br/>401. Rational, rationale<br/>402. Re-count, recount<br/>403. Re-cover, recover<br/>404. Referee, umpire<br/>405. Regret, repent<br/>406. Relinquish, surrender<br/>407. Reminisce, remember<br/>408. Reputed, reputable<br/>409. Revue, review<br/>410. Robber, thief, burglar<br/>411. Sachet, sashay<br/>412. Salary, wages<br/>413. Scarce, sparse<br/>414. Scare, scarify<br/>415. Scholarship, stipend<br/>416. Scoot down, scoot over<br/>417. Seasonable, seasonal<br/>418. Sell, sell out<br/>419. Semblance, resemblance<br/>420. Sentimental, emotional<br/>421. Shop, shoppe<br/>422. Should, must<br/>423. Show someone the door, show someone to the door<br/>424. Sicken at, sicken of<br/>425. Similar, identical<br/>426. Simple, simplistic<br/>427. Simpleton, simple minded<br/>428. Sink, drown<br/>429. Smile at, laugh at<br/>430. So far, till now<br/>431. Sob, weep<br/>432. Sometime, sometimes, some time<br/>433. Spare, stepney<br/>434. Speak English, speak in English<br/>435. Spectators, audience<br/>436. Stagger, totter<br/>437. Staircase, stairway<br/>438. Stammer, stutter<br/>439. Stationary, stationery<br/>440. Story, tale<br/>441. Stumble over, stumble on<br/>442. Swap, swop<br/>443. Take care of, take care<br/>444. Talk to, talk with<br/>445. Tasteful, tasty<br/>446. Television serial, television series<br/>447. Thrice, three times<br/>448. Thumb through, leaf through<br/>449. Tiffin, breakfast<br/>450. Timing, timings<br/>451. Tiresome, tiring<br/>452. Too, very<br/>453. Towards, toward<br/>454. Translation, transliteration<br/>455. Treason, treachery<br/>456. Troublemaker, trouble shooter<br/>457. Tryst, rendezvous<br/>458. Unaware, unawares<br/>459. Underemployed, unemployed<br/>460. Up-and-coming, upcoming<br/>461. Up to, until, till<br/>462. Update, up-to-date<br/>463. Utensil, vessel<br/>464. Utopia, dystopia<br/>465. Vacant, empty<br/>466. Varsity, university<br/>467. Vendor, seller<br/>468. Verbal, oral<br/>469. Vertically/ horizontally/ physically/visually challenged<br/>470. Vocation, avocation<br/>471. Voracious, veracious<br/>472. Walkable, walking<br/>473. While, whilst<br/>474. Whiskey, Whisky<br/>475. Wish, desire<br/>476. Word for word, word by word<br/>477. Worrisome, worrying<br/>478. Worthwhile, worth while<br/>479. Yours faithfully, Yours |
