Pair of words with meaning and sentences
Accept (consent to receive) | Except (other than) |
Access (approach or enter) | Excess (more than necessary) |
Adjured (requested) | Abjure (renounce) |
Adopt (legally take) | Adapt (become adjusted) |
Admit (confess to be true) | Confess (admit when something done wrong) |
Advice (guidance) | Advise (offer recommendations) |
Affection (love) | Affectation (pretention) |
Appraise (assess or estimate) | Apprise (inform) |
Enmity (feeling of active hostility) | Amity (Friendship) |
Amoral (lack moral sense) | Immoral (sinful) |
Accede (agree) | Exceeds (surpass) |
Assent (permission) | Ascent (rising) |
Aural (heard) | Oral (spoken) |
Attention (action of dealing with) | Intention (an aim or plan) |
Averse (strong dislike) | Adverse (harmful) |
Avocation (hobby) | Vocation (trade or profession) |
A lot (a large number) | Allot (give) |
All ready (completely prepared) | Already (by now) |
Allude (suggest) | Elude (evade or escape) |
Award (prize to someone) | Reward (thing given in recognition of effort) |
Alternate (every other) | Alternative (another available possibility) |
Affect (make a difference to) | Effect (bring about) |
Amiable (lovable) | Amicable (friendly) |
Angle (space between two intersecting lines) | Angel (person of exemplary conduct) |
Anticipate (prepare for one’s self for) | Expect (likely to happen) |
A while (a time period) | Awhile (for short time) |
Anecdote (amusing story, tale) | Antidote (medicine) |
Besides (a part from) | Beside (next to) |
Between (used for two objects) | Among (surrounded by, more than two) |
Backwards (back towards starting point) | Backward (directed behind) |
Bored (feeling impatient and weary) | Board (a piece of wood) |
Break (separate into pieces) | Brake (instrument to slow down the vehicle) |
Breath (air inhaled into and expelled from lungs) |
Breathe (take air into or expel from lungs) |
Bridal (concern to bride) | Bridle (headgear to control horse) |
Canvas (strong cloth made of hemp) | Canvass (propose) |
Censured (condemned) | Censor (judge) |
Childlike (innocent) | Childish (immature) |
Clothes (attire) | Cloths (fabric) |
Coarse (rough) | Course (route) |
Complimented (praise) | Complementing (accompany) |
Confident (assured) | Confidant (best friend) |
Connotes (suggest) | Denotes (indicates) |
Conscious (aware) | Conscience (sense of right) |
Contemptuous (disrespectful) | Contemptible (mean, ignoble) |
Continual (frequent) | Continuous (uninterrupted) |
Convince (induce someone to do something) | Persuade (induce someone through reasons) |
Counsel (advice) | Council (board, panel) |
Credible (acceptable) | Creditable (commendable) |
Criterion (basis) | Criteria (plural, basis) |
Dinning (loud noise) | Dining (eating activity) |
Dissent (disagreement) | Descent (going down) |
Diary (journal) | Dairy (made from milk) |
Demure (modest) | Demur (object) |
Dessert (dessert) | Desert (empty, abandon) |
Devise (conceive) | Device (gadget) |
Die (expire) | Dye (colouring) |
Discreet (careful) | Discrete (separate) |
Disinterested (impartial) | Uninterested (not interested) |
Economic (profitable) | Economical (inexpensive) |
Elect (opt for to do something) | Select (pick) |
Elicit (obtain) | Illicit (illegal) |
Eminent (prestigious) | Imminent (near) |
Epigram (slogan) | Epitaph (memorial) |
Entomology (branch of zoology) | Etymology (study of origin) |
Especially (mainly, mostly) | Specially (for special purpose) |
Everyday (daily) | Every Day (each day) |
Explicit (clear) | Implicit (indirect) |
Extent (area) | Extant (surviving) |
Faze (disturb someone) | Phase (stage) |
Farther (comparative of far) | Further (at, to) |
Fewer (a small number of) | Less (to smaller extent) |
Formerly (some time ago) | Formally (lawfully) |
Fourth (4th) | Forth (forward) |
Hanged (be suspended) | Hung (emotionally confused) |
Healthful (nutritious) | Healthy (robust) |
Heroine (brave woman) | Heroin (addictive drug) |
Horde (crowd) | Hoard (accumulate) |
Hour (period of time) | Our (belonging to us) |
Illusion (spectre) | Allusion (reference to) |
Immigrate (migrate from elsewhere) | Emigrate (leave the country) |
Incidence (frequency) | Incident (occurrence) |
Incredulous (disbelieving) | Incredible (unbelievable) |
Inflicted (impose) | Afflicted (trouble) |
Ingenuous (innocent) | Ingenious (skillful) |
Intensive (deep) | Extensive (vast) |
Latest (newest) | Last (rear) |
Led (showed the way) | Lead (guide) |
Lightning (very quickly) | Lightening (make something) |
Loose (insecure, baggy) | Lose (misplace) |
Luxuriant (lush) | Luxurious (splendid) |
Martial (military) | Marital (matrimonial) |
Medal (made of some metal) | Meddle (interfere) |
Moral (virtuous) | Morale (spirit) |
Naval (Marine) | Navel (tummy button) |
Now (currently) | Know (realize) |
Pass (proceed, go) | Past (bygone) |
Parameter (principle) | Perimeter (boundary) |
Patience (tolerance) | Patient (suffer, victim) |
Peace (calmness) | Piece (slice) |
Peak (top) | Peek (glimpse) |
Personnel (staff) | Personal (individual) |
Poring (study, examine) | Poured (spew, flow) |
Practical (systematic) | Practicable (feasible) |
Principal (main, chief) | Principle (truth) |
Pray (preface to polite request) | Prey (hunt, kill) |
Premier (foremost) | Premiere (opening, debut) |
Proceed (move on) | Precede (come first) |
Quiet (silent) | Quit (stop) |
Reign (rule) | Rein (bridle) |
Right (fair, good) | Write (note, record) |
Role (part) | Roll (spin, travel) |
Sensuous (aesthetic) | Sensual (physical) |
Site (plot, area) | Sight (eyesight) |
Stationery (office material) | Stationary (fixed) |
Statute (law) | Statue (sculpture) |
Than (used for comparison) | Then (at that time) |
There (at that place) | Their (belonging to people) |
Too (over, unduly) | To (motion in direction) |
Waste (misuse) | Waist (part of human body) |
Wander (roam) | Wonder (admiration) |
Whether (inquire about) | Weather (atmosphere of a place) |
Whose (belong to) | Who’s (who is/has) |
- What is its color? It’s yellow.
- The minister adjured his wayward congregation to abjure the sins of the flesh.
- The object of my life is to help people who are living in abject poverty.
- All accepted my offer except John.
- The number of students who wanted to access to the library was in excess of one hundred.
- Abstain from wine and refrain from throwing its bottle on the road.
- The government would often adopt policies that required people to adapt to a harsh regime.
- She admits his fault but never confesses her sins.
- I seek advice from the Holy Quran before I advise anybody.
- Affection needs no affectation.
- Love turns enmity into amity.
- Sometimes it seems more shocking to be amoral than to be immoral.
- After we have the jeweler appraise the diamond, we will apprise you of its value.
- The police accede to the proposal that whoever exceeds the speed limits should be punished.
- When they got the assent of the weather bureau, they allowed the enormous balloon to begin its ascent.
- We must pay attention to the intention of the person who commits some sin.
- I am averse to traveling in such adverse weather conditions.
- Teaching is her vocation but painting is her avocation.
- She would often allude to her childhood when she would elude her brothers in a game of hide-and-seek.
- A selfless person does need any award or reward for his services.
- In mock debates, we used to alternate sides, taking alternative positions.
- The government tried to alleviate the effects of the depression that affected the poor man badly.
- With amiable people, it is not difficult to have an amicable settlement of any dispute.
- From any angle, he looks to be an angel.
- It’s difficult to anticipate things that one doesn’t expect.
- I’ll be back in a while. Can you wait awhile?
- He told a funny anecdote about mixing up his soda with the snake-bite antidote.
- Besides my brother, I was also sitting beside my mother.
- Neither a borrower nor a lender be.
- The economy seemed to slide backwards thanks to the backward government policies.
- I was so bored at the Board of Trustees meeting that I fell asleep.
- He will break the car brake if he keeps pushing on it like that.
- Every breath counts, so breathe deeply now.
- The Assembly will discuss the cession of East Pakistan in its next session.
- We wore canvas shoes while we tried to canvass the entire neighborhood.
- Some people thought he was sweet and childlike in his innocence, but I always thought he was boorish and childish.
- His clothes were made of cloths of many different colors.
- We used a coarse sandpaper, of course.
- She complemented sister for complementing the dinner with hot coffee.
- She was confident that her confidant had given her good information.
- The word guts denotes one’s intestines but it also connotes determination and courage.
- There was a terrible dinning noise coming from the dining room.
- Since no one offered any dissent, we waited for a decent interval and then began our descent to the lower floors.
- She didn’t seem conscious of the fact that her husband has no conscience.
- Her family grew contemptuous of her contemptible behavior.
- These continual changes in our weather seem to be related to our continuous emissions of carbon monoxide into the atmosphere.
- My mother will convince him that she is right and will certainly persuade him to keep working.
- She decided to seek the counsel of the Zila Council.
- It didn’t seem credible that such a creditable person would say such a horrible thing.
- At first, there was only one criterion for becoming Chairperson, but then, suddenly, the Party imposed several other criteria.
- I kept a weekly diary during those years that I worked on the dairy farm.
- If you wish to seem demure, you will have to demur less forcefully.
- Any cool dessert would taste great out here in the sandy desert.
- The prisoner tried to devise a clever device to help him escape.
- She though her dog would die after it drank that bowl of blue dye.
- They kept their love affair discreet by living discrete lives.
- A judge should be disinterested and not uninterested.
- It was part of the government’s economic strategy to direct the military to purchase the most economical material available.
- We should elect a president before he selects members of the cabinet.
- How did the politicians plan to elicit these obviously illicit funds without getting caught?
- They were afraid that his eminent figure in world politics was in imminent danger of being killed.
- He wanted to carve an epigram that he had seen used as an epigraph for his grandfather’s epitaph.
- He liked bugs and studied entomology; his friend liked words and went into etymology.
- He especially likes coffee ice-cream. Every week, his wife buys some specially for him.
- We use our everyday dishes every day.
- The document now makes explicit what had been only implicit in the cunning eyes of the negotiator.
- To what extent have they searched for the extant manuscripts of the Diwan-e-Ghalib?
- Nothing seemed to faze her as she went through the most critical phase of her life.
- I can run farther than you, but let’s discuss that further after the race.
- She has fewer complaints, but she has less energy.
- Formerly, we met formally to discuss these matters.
- The soldiers of the fourth regiment bravely went forth.
- A portrait of the culprit who was hanged last week was hung on the wall.
- Food can be called healthful if it helps us to live a healthy life.
- The heroine of the movie died of an overdose of heroin.
- In less than an hour, the voters in our town are going to vote for us.
- In his speech, he made an allusion to the illusion that life is a bed of roses.
- They have immigrated to this city from all over Asia; later on, they may decide to emigrate elsewhere.
- The incidence of incidents involving robbery has become intolerable.
- He was incredulous that his brother could perform such incredible feats.
- The tyrant inflicted great hardship on the people. They felt afflicted with his harsh regime.
- Her naïve and ingenuous mother expressed amazement that her daughter could create such an ingenious demonstration for the science fair.
- In the intense heat, the team of scientists did an intensive study of the extensive crop damage.
- My latest book “Spoken English” was published last year.
- As he led his soldiers into battle, his feet seemed made of lead.
- The lightning striking all around them, the sailors proceeded in their task of lightening the ship.
- My shoes are so loose that I’m going to lose them.
- A luxuriant garden was planted on the grounds of the most luxurious hotel in town.
- Hamid and Zubda thought that studying the martial arts, like judo, would improve their marital relationship.
- He hardly deserves a medal, nor did he show true mettle when he tried to meddle in our affairs.
- The moral of this story is that the morale of the business team is very important.
- My grandfather, a naval officer, was killed when he was struck in the navel by the cannonball.
- Now that you know that no one is at home, walk right in.
- He made an oral commitment to speak on the biological aural aspects of listening. He has extraordinary verbal skills.
- The lawyers walked around the perimeter of the estate as they discussed the parameters of the case.
- The doctors must have patience in dealing with the patients in the hospital.
- The period of peace between the two wars is an interesting piece of history.
- He was poring over his books when he accidentally poured coffee all over his papers.
- The high school principal said today that principal problem with today’s youth is their lack of moral principle.
- During the reign of Charles-I, it was against the law to use a leather rein during the rain.
- Her poetry is quite sensuous. In fact, some people find it quite sensual.
Callous :
Unfeeling, as in: Drinking and driving shows a callous disregard for life.
Callus :
Hard, thickened skin, as in: I have a callus on my finger from holding the pencil.
Canvas :
Durable cloth made from cotton, linen, or hemp, as in: This fine painting is oil on canvas.
Canvass :
Go around asking, as in: Canvass the neighborhood to see if anyone saw the suspect.
Capital :
(1) City where the seat of government of a state or country is located, as in: Washington, D. C. is the capital of the United States of America.
(2) Upper case letter, as in: Writing in all capitals on the Internet is considered shouting, and is rude.
Capitol :
Building in which the US Congress meets, as in: When I visited Washington, DC, I toured the Capitol.
Carton :
Lightweight container or box, as in: Please send me one carton of printer cartridges.
Cartoon :
Drawing, often humorous, as in: Dilbert is a popular cartoon character.
Cease :
Stop, as in: If someone violates your copyright, send them a Cease and Desist letter immediately.
Seize :
Grab, as in: The guerillas tried to seize control of the town.
Siege :
Prolonged period of trouble or annoyance, as in: Our family has had a siege of bad colds this year.
Cede :
Yield, as in: At the war’s end, the loser had to cede the disputed territory to the winner.
Seed :
Beginning of a new plant, as in: The seed of an avocado can be planted in soil or water.
Ceiling :
Upper limit of a room, as in: A light-colored ceiling makes a room seem brighter.
Sealing :
Closing airtight, as in: Sealing the containers is important to keep the contents fresh.
Cell :
Small room, as in: She will spend two months in a prison cell for her mistake.
Sell :
Offer for sale, as in: I will sell you my car.
Cellar :
Underground room, as in : In our house, the cellar was always damp.
Seller :
One who offers for sale, as in: Amazon.com is a seller of books.
Census :
Population count, as in: The last census showed an increase in single-parent families.
Senses :
Sound mental faculties, as in: Don’t call me until you have come to your senses.
Cent :
One-hundredth of a monetary unit, as in: In the US, a penny is worth one cent.
Scent :
Odor, as in: The detective smelled the scent of almonds-could it be cyanide poisoning?
Sent :
Past tense of send, as in: I sent you Email yesterday.
Cereal :
Breakfast food prepared from grain, as in: My favorite cereal is Grape-Nuts; what’s yours?
Serial :
Arranged in a series, as in: I hope they catch that serial killer soon.
Cession :
Act of ceding (surrendering) to another, as in: The treaty included cession of all captured territories.
Session :
Meeting or term, as in: I will take two classes during the summer session.
Chic :
Stylishness and elegance: “Paris is the city for timeless bargain chic, in almost any category.”
Chick :
Small chicken or bird: A chick pecks its way out of the egg.
Chord :
A combination of musical tones played simultaneously, as in: His symphony is entitled The Lost Chord.
Cord :
Small rope, as in: Please pull the silver cord to summon the maid.
Chute :
Slanted shaft from a higher level to a lower one, as in: The gravel came rumbling down the chute.
Shoot :
To discharge a weapon, as in: Don’t shoot! I’m unarmed.
Cite :
Quote, as in: Your proposal will be more persuasive if you cite results of a recent survey.
Sight :
Vision, as in: Our eyes provide us with one sense of sight; our imagination, another.
Site :
Exact location, as in: Thank you for visiting my web site. Please come back often.
Cliche :
Overused expression, as in: A good business writer tries to avoid using a cliche.
Click :
Make a light, sharp sound, as in: The instructions said to click on the left mouse button.
Clique :
Small, exclusive group of people, as in: I wasn’t invited to join their clique.
Collision :
Crash, as in: Was anyone hurt in the collision?
Collusion :
Conspiracy, as in: The price rise was due to collusion among the manufacturers.
Coma :
Unconscious state, as in: The accident victim was in a coma for six months.
Comma :
Punctuation mark, as in: Use a comma to show where you would normally pause if you were reading the sentence out loud.
Complement :
That which completes, as in: As an author, I need input from readers to complement my point of view.
Compliment :
Expression of praise, as in: Sometimes a critical remark is more useful than a compliment.
Confidant:
Someone you tell secrets to, as in: He was always my best friend and confidant.
Confident :
Self-assured, as in: Are you confident you can finish the project on schedule?
Confidentially :
Spoken in a private manner, as in: Confidentially, I am looking for another job.
Confidently :
Firmly assured, as in: You can confidently raise your arms in public if you use a CERTAIN brand of deodorant, according to their television commercial.
Conscience :
Inner sense of right and wrong, as in: Wouldn’t it bother your conscience to lie to your friends?
Conscious :
Aware or awake, as in: The patient was conscious for an hour, then relapsed into a coma.
Conservation :
Protection from loss or waste, as in: We show concern about conservation of bandwidth by making efficient Web pages .
Conversation :
Talk between people, as in: I very much enjoyed our conversation yesterday.
Consul :
Representative of a foreign government, as in: For our next seminar about exporting, let’s see if we can get a consul from an Eastern European country to be a featured speaker.
Council :
Elected or appointed group of people assembled for governing or advising, as in: We’re going to have to take that idea up with the town council.
Counsel :
(1) Give advice or opinion, as in: Volunteers counsel the young people.
(2) Attorney, as in: I had this contract drawn up on advice of counsel.
Consular :
Having to do with the representative of a foreign government, as in: Phone Wieslaw Czyzowicz, the man in charge of consular affairs at the Polish Consulate.
Councilor :
Appointed or elected member of a council, as in: As councilor for this township, I welcome your ideas.
Counselor :
Advisor, as in: You need a letter from your guidance counselor for your scholarship application.
Cooperation :
Work together for a common purpose, as in: Many people believe cooperation will help you succeed more than competition will.
Corporation :
A business structure, as in: A corporation is established by the authority of a state government and exists independent of the people who own it.
Corespondents :
Joint defendants in a court case, as in: The bank official and his secretary were corespondents in the divorce trial.
Correspondence :
Exchange of letters, as in: I’m so busy with work it’s hard to keep up with my correspondence.
Costume :
Specialized style of dress, as in I wore a peasant costume to the Renaissance Fair.
Custom :
Habitual practice, as in: In the United States, business people have the custom of shaking hands when they meet.
Courtesy :
Politeness, as in: Your staff extended me every courtesy during my stay at your hotel.
Curtsy :
Bow with bended knees, as in: When a woman is presented to the Queen, she is expected to curtsy.
Critic :
One who evaluates, as in: The critic gave the new movie a favorable review.
Critique :
A formal analysis of a work, as in: Please send your request for a site review to the HWG critique mailing list.
Cue :
Signal to begin, as in: At the meeting, I won’t say anything until I get the cue from you.
Queue :
People in line, as in: We had to wait in the queue to get tickets for the movie.
Deceased :
Dead, as in: I am sorry to report that our hospital records show that your uncle is deceased.
Diseased :
Seriously ill: The fact that he was poor and diseased never seemed to affect his wonderful sense of humor.
Decent :
In good taste, as in: Gestures considered decent in one culture may be obscene in another.
Descent :
Going downward, as in: His descent from the airplane was much slower after he pulled the cord on his parachute.
Dissent :
Disagreement, as in: Of the twelve judges ruling on the case, hers was the only voice of dissent.
Dissidence :
Strong disagreement and outright opposition, as in: The government’s oppressive policies led to such dissidence that they were ousted in the next election.
Decree :
Official decision or order, as in: The decree made all the striking workers return to their jobs.
Decry :
To openly condemn or ridicule, as in: Those who believe in a democratic society decry tyranny in any form.
Descry :
To see or catch sight of, often from a distance, as in: When I descry the island, I’ll shout, “Land Ho!”
Defer :
(1) Delay or postpone, as in: We can defer the charges one month.
(2) Yield out of respect, as in: I defer to my colleague’s greater experience in this field.
Differ :
Disagree, as in: I must differ with you about the meaning of that word.
Deference :
Courteous regard, as in: The young people in that family showed great deference for their elders.
Difference :
Distinguishing characteristic, as in: The difference is that my web site loads quickly while your’s does not.
Allusion :
Indirect or casual mention, as in: No one made any allusion to the scandal while she was in the room.
Elusion :
Evasion or clever escape, as in: The embezzlers celebrated their elusion of the police a little too soon.
Illusion :
Presentation of a false or misleading idea, as in: The magician gave the illusion of sawing the woman in half.
Deposition :
Sworn, written statement, as in: Before the start of the trial, each of the witnesses gave a deposition of their testimony.
Disposition :
(1) Tendency to react in a certain way, as in: Pollyanna had an especially cheerful disposition.
(2) Final settlement, as in: The disposition of my father’s estate took longer than I thought it would.
Depraved :
Extreme departure from what is normal and good, as in: He was a depraved murderer.
Deprived :
Take away from, as in: He claimed that, during his childhood, he was deprived of any warmth and affection.
Deprecate :
Belittle, as in: Have you noticed that he seems to deprecate himself just so we have to compliment him?
Depreciate :
Fall in value or price, as in: A new car will start to depreciate as soon as you drive it off the lot.
Desert :
(1) Hot, dry, sandy place, as in: Not all kinds of plants can grow in a desert.
(2) Abandon or forsake, as in: The loyal little dog refused to desert his master.
Dessert :
End of a meal, usually something sweet, as in: I don’t think I’ll order any dessert today, thank you.
Desolate :
(1) Deserted or uninhabited, as in: They washed up on the shore of a desolate island.
(2) Miserable, as in: I am desolate that you believed I could do a thing like that.
Dissolute :
Characterized by loose moral standards, as in: The younger son led a dissolute lifestyle before he returned home to his family.
Detract :
Take something away from the value or reputation of, as in: Words that are not properly used can detract from a writer’s credibility.
Distract :
Divert attention from, as in: A blinking graphic on a Web page will distract a reader trying to read text.
Device :
Invention, as in: If your device works, I think you should get a patent for it.
Devise :
Think up a way to do something new, as in: HTML was devised to tell a Web browser how to show the relative importance of lines of text in a Web document.
Dew :
Moisture, as in: It was a beautiful spring morning, and the grass sparkled with dew.
Due :
Payable, as in: The rent is due the first of every month.
Die :
(1) Stop living or existing, as in: The doctor said without an operation the patient would surely die.
(2) Device for shaping, as in: He used to be a tool-and-die maker before the terrible accident.
Dye :
Color, as in: I think I will dye my hair a lighter shade.
Disapprove :
View with disfavor, as in: His parents disapprove of his truancy.
Disprove :
Prove to be false, as in: The accused was determined to disprove the charges against him.
Disassemble :
Take apart, as in: It was easy to disassemble the clock, but it wasn’t so easy to put it back together again.
Dissemble :
Disguise or conceal the real nature of, as in: I’d rather be honest about my shortcomings than dissemble or pretend to be something I’m not.
Disburse :
Pay out funds, as in: Do you think the foundation will disburse the funds soon?
Disperse :
Scatter, as in: The security guards told the crowd to disperse or face arrest.
Discreet :
Prudent, trustworthy, as in: A discreet accountant is a valuable business asset.
Discrete :
Separate and distinct, as in: The company is composed of three discrete units.
Disinterested :
Not influenced by personal motives, as in: To mediate this argument, we need a disinterested person.
Uninterested :
Unconcerned, as in: I knew she was sick because she was uninterested in food.
Divers :
Various, several, as in: We have provided divers acts for your entertainment.
Diverse :
Markedly different or conspicuously contrasting, as in: His hobbies are as diverse as whitewater-rafting and needlepoint.
Done :
Completed, as in: Call me when the Web site is done.
Dun :
Demand repeatedly, as in: The collection agency went to great lengths to dun him for payment of his.
Edition :
Published version, as in: Read the latest edition of the Tax Tips and Tactics newsletter.
Addition :
Something added, as in: We toured the addition to the hospital yesterday.
Effect :
(1, a noun) immediate or direct result, as in: What effect does that medicine have on you?
(2, a verb) accomplish, as in: He braided the bedsheets to effect an escape.
Affect :
To act upon or influence, as in: Strong emotions can affect your health.
Effective :
Producing the desired result, as in: He has an effective introduction in his presentation.
Efficient :
Producing the desired result with the least waste, as in: I design graphics for Web pages that are an efficient use of bandwidth.
Eight :
The number after seven, as in: Breakfast will be at eight in the morning.
Ate :
Past tense of eat, as in: We ate in that new restaurant last week.
Elapse :
(Of time) pass by, as in: Three minutes elapsed before her page had completely loaded–too many graphics!
Lapse :
(1) To slip or fall, as in: When the announcement came, we all lapsed into silence.
(2) To lose effect, as in: Your insurance policy will lapse if you don’t pay the premiums.
Relapse :
A slip backwards, as in: Just when we thought he was going to get well, he suffered a relapse.
Elicit :
Draw out, as in: The band’s performances always elicit praise from the critics.
Illicit :
Not allowed, as in: Illicit copying of another person’s work is punishable by law.
Eligible :
Qualified for, as in: Every person who submits a new word this month is eligible to win the prize.
Illegible :
Hard to read, as in: I have seen Web sites where the text was illegible because the background was too strong a design.
Ineligible :
Legally disqualified, as in: In the US, a president who has been elected twice is ineligible to run again.
Elusive :
Hard to catch or grasp, as in: The solution to the problem proved more elusive than they first thought.
Illusive :
Deceptive or unreal, as in: Lost in the desert, he saw an illusive oasis called a mirage.
Emerge :
Come out of something enclosed, as in: Out of four candidates, you emerge as the favorite.
Immerge :
Plunge into (same as immerse), as in: Immerge the burn in cold water to minimize the skin damage.
Emigrate :
Move out of a country, as in: My neighbors decided to emigrate to New Zealand [Images] while the children were still young.
Immigrate :
Move into a country, as in: My mother immigrated to this country from Lithuania.
Emanate :
Flow out from, as in : She was so creative that ideas just seemed to emanate from her.
Eminent :
Outstanding, as in: Steven Hawking is one of the most eminent thinkers of our time.
Imminent :
Impending, as in: When she heard a storm was imminent, she backed up her work and unplugged the computer.
Root :
(1) Underground part of a plant, as in: A carrot is a root vegetable.
(2) Origin or source, as in: We can’t solve this problem until we get to its root.
(3) cheer for or wish success for, as in: Who did you root for in the Olympics ?
Rout :
Terrible defeat, as in: The Super Bowl turned out to be a complete rout.
Route :
A path which is planned and followed regularly, as in: I’m thinking of supplementing my salary with a newspaper route.
Assure :
Declare positively, as in: I assure you that I will be finished by next Tuesday.
Ensure :
Make sure, as in: Order today to ensure delivery by Monday.
Insure :
Cover by insurance, as in: This Company will insure the data on my hard disk as well as the computer itself.
Envelop :
Enfold or surround completely, as in: The python slithered forward to envelop its prey and crush it.
Envelope :
Container for a letter, as in: Please send a long, self-addressed, stamped envelope with your request.
Equable :
Even or equal and uniform, as in: Their goal is to create a more equable taxation system.
Equitable :
Fair and just, as in: The injured party sought an equitable settlement.
Erasable :
Capable of being rubbed out or removed, as in: Don’t use an eraseable pen when doing your bookkeeping records, because these records are supposed to be permanent.
Irascible :
Easily provoked to anger, as in: After years of enduring chronic pain, he became so irascible it took courage to go visit him.
Especially :
Standing apart uniquely from the rest, as in: The air quality where I live is especially bad.
Specially :
Given unusual treatment, as in: Look in the specially-marked boxes for your entry blank.
Assay :
Chemical analysis, as in: The assay office will test your ore to see how much gold it contains.
Essay :
A short composition expressing the author’s opinions, as in: Students applying for a scholarship often have to write an essay.
Every day :
Each day without exception, as in: Every day, he comes home and says, “Hi, Honey. What’s for dinner?”
Everyday :
Ordinary, as in: Wear your everyday clothes to school, and save your finest for special occasions.
Every one :
Each, without exception, as in: I bought a dozen eggs yesterday and every one was cracked when I got home.
Everyone :
Everybody, as in: Everyone at work says to tell you, “Get well soon.”
Ewe :
Female sheep, as in: The ewe was bleating and looking for her lamb.
Yew :
An evergreen tree of the Taxus genus, as in: The finest violin bows are made of yew wood.
You :
The one or ones being spoken to, as in: I guarantee that you will be satisfied or your money will be cheerfully refunded.
Exalt :
Glorify or put much higher, as in: In ancient Egypt, the pharoah was exalted over his subjects.
Exult :
Rejoice, as in: The winning team went to the restaurant to exult in their victory.
Accede :
(1) Give in to, as in: We accede to your demands.
(2) take a position of authority, as in: When did the King accede to the throne?
Exceed :
To go past a stated amount, as in: It is illegal to exceed the speed limit.
Accept :
To agree to take, as in: I accept the terms of your offer.
Except :
Excluding, as in: I knew all the answers on the test, except the last one.
Access :
Permission to go in or to approach, as in: No one has access to my private files but me.
Excess :
More than enough, as in: We gave our excess fruit to our neighbors.
Expand :
Enlarge, as in: One reason for a business to have a Web site is to expand its market.
Expend :
Pay out money, as in: Because they neglected to expend any money or time on marketing their business, they soon went bankrupt.
Bail :
Security given for release from jail, as in: The bail was set at $100,000.00
Bale :
A large bundle, as in: The hay was collected together and compressed into a bale.
Bare :
Exposed to view, as in: The bare branches of the trees made lacy patterns against the winter sky.
Bear :
(1) Carry or transport, as in: I bear a gift for you.
(2) Tolerate, stand or endure, as in: I can’t bear to hear another word.
(3) A large mammal, as in: At the zoo we saw a bear.
Base :
The bottom part which supports that above it, as in: We camped overnight at the base of the mountain.
Bass :
Deep or low in sound, as in: You sing the high notes, and I’ll sing the bass.
Bases :
(1) Plural of base, as in: The Army is closing down its bases in that country.
(2) Plural of basis, as in: The bases of all his theories were flawed.
Basis :
Fundamental principal, as in: Your accusation has no basis in fact.
Beat :
(1) Strike repeatedly, as in: Percussion bands beat their drums at an unbelievable tempo.
(2) Defeat, as in: Your team will never beat the champions.
Beet :
Root vegetable, as in: The common red beet can be cooked and eaten.
Berry :
Small, pulpy fruit with many seeds, as in: I love berry pie.
Bury :
Put in the ground and cover, as in: If we bury the treasure no one will find it.
Berth :
A resting place, as in: When we go on the train, which berth do you want, upper or lower?
Birth :
Being born, as in: The birth of our first child was a happy occasion.
Beside :
By the side of, as in: Sit down beside the fire and get warm.
Besides :
Moreover or else, as in: I’m not hungry; besides, I’m allergic to nuts.
Among :
In the midst of three or more, as in: The four older children decided among themselves to surprise Mother and Father with breakfast in bed.
Between :
In the midst of two, as in: The two younger ones decided between themselves to clean the kitchen.
Autobiography :
One’s own life story, as in: I am writing my autobiography.
Bibliography :
list of books about a subject, as in: Please include a bibliography with your research report.
Biography :
a person’s life story, as in: She is writing a biography of Marie Sklodowska Curie, the chemist and physicist who with her husband discovered radium in 1898.
Billed :
Sent a statement of money owed, as in: Would you like to pay cash now or be billed?
Construct or assemble, as in: You can build good credit by paying bills on time.
Blew :
Sent forth a current of air, as in: The wind blew across the desert.
Blue :
A color, as in: The editor marked corrections with a blue pencil.
Bloc :
Group with a shared purpose, as in: The measure was opposed by the farm bloc.
Block :
(1) A chunk, as in: He is going to carve an animal from that block of wood.
(2) Hinder, as in: The police lined up their cars to block the bankrobbers’ escape.
Board :
(1) Piece of wood, as in : The diver hit his head on the board.
(2) Council, as in: I’ll make your suggestion to the board of trustees.
Bored :
Tired of the monotony, as in: After ten speeches, I got bored because every speaker said the same thing.
Boarder :
A lodger who receives meals regularly at a fixed price, as in: To earn extra money, we took in a boarder.
Border :
Boundary, as in: Be sure to have your passport when you cross the border.
Bolder :
More daring, as in: If you want to be noticed, perhaps you need to be a little bolder.
Boulder :
A large rock, as in: The road was blocked by a boulder.
Born :
Brought into existence, as in: A new nation was born from the ashes of the old one.
Borne :
(1) Carried, as in: All their belongings were borne on their shoulders.
(2) Tolerated, as in: Any more outbursts like that simply will not be borne.
Boy :
Male child, as in: Is your new baby a boy or a girl?
Buoy :
A floating marker in the water, as in: When they saw the buoy, they knew they were entering the channel.
Brake :
Device that helps you stop, as in: When the driver saw the cow in the road, he hit the brake.
Break :
Rupture, fracture, or crack, as in: Don’t play ball in the house, because you’ll break something.
Bread :
Food made of grain, as in: I love to eat homemade soup and fresh bread.
Bred :
Past tense of breed, as in: Some dogs are bred for strength, some for intelligence.
Breadth :
Width or broadness, as in: The breadth of his knowledge of world history surprised everyone.
Breath :
Respiration, as in: Hold your breath while I take the X-ray.
Breathe :
Inhale and exhale, as in: Breathe in that fresh air!
Bridal :
Having to do with a marriage ceremony, as in: The bridal bouquet was made of daisies and wildflowers.
Bridle :
(1) Having to do with horseback riding, as in: The bridle path was crowded this morning with weekend riders.
(2) Restrain or control, as in: I wish I could learn to bridle my tongue.
Broach :
Introduce, as in: While the boss was in a good mood, I decided to broach the subject of a raise.
Brooch :
Ornamental pin, as in: She wore a beautiful diamond brooch.
Bouillon :
Clear soup with a strong flavor, as in: For the first course I’ll have beef bouillon.
Bullion :
Precious metals, formed into bars, as in: The coach was loaded with hundreds of bars of gold bullion.
Buy :
Purchase, as in: More and more customers are willing to buy goods from an online storefront.
By :
Through the action of, as in: This Web page designed by P. Sato Design.
Bye :
Short form of goodbye, as in: Bye for now.
A lot :
Many, as in: A lot of people are doing business online today.
Much, as in: Some people worry a lot about their health.
Alot :
Wait a minute, there is no such word as alot! It should be two words: a lot, if you mean many or much, or allot, if you mean distribute.
Allot :
Give out or distribute, as in: We will allot the prizes by date of contest entry.
A while :
A period of time, as in: I haven’t seen her in a while.
Awhile :
For a short time, as in: Let’s stay awhile and talk.
Accede :
(1) Give in to, as in: We accede to your demands.
(2) take a position of authority, as in: When did the King accede to the throne?
Exceed :
To go past a stated amount, as in: It is illegal to exceed the speed limit.
Accent :
(1) Way of speaking characteristic of a particular region or group, as in I speak with a U. S. American accent.
(2) emphasize one part of something, as in: Accent your good points.
Ascent :
Upward movement, as in: We watched the ascent of the balloon as long as we could.
Assent :
To agree, as in: I doubt he will assent to the arrangement.
Ad :
Short for advertisement, as in: I placed an ad in the paper.
Add :
To join or to combine, as in: Please add my site to your bookmark list.
Adapt :
To change to fit, as in: Newcomers quickly adapt to the culture of the Internet.
Adept :
Expert, as in: She was adept at using graphics to illustrate complex ideas.
Adopt :
To take as one’s own, as in: Would it be better to make our own rules, or adopt theirs?
Addenda :
Something added, as in: That problem is covered in the addenda to the software manual.
List of things to do, as in: What is the agenda for the meeting tomorrow?
Adherence :
Firm attachment, as in: She demonstrates a strict adherence to the rules.
Adherents :
Advocates or supporters, as in: Many people in that country are adherents of the concept of free speech.
Adverse :
Hostile, as in: The adverse weather conditions forced them to turn back.
Averse :
Reluctant, as in: I am not averse to hearing your suggestions.
Advice :
Guidance or counsel, as in: Your sound advice saved me from a terrible mistake.
Advise :
To counsel, recommend, or inform, as in: I advise you to validate the code on your Web page before you release it to the general public.
Affect :
To act upon or influence, as in: Strong emotions can affect your health.
Effect :
(1, a noun) immediate or direct result, as in: What effect does that medicine have on you?
(2, a verb) accomplish, as in: He braided the bedsheets to effect an escape.
Aggravate :
To make worse, as in: Lying to cover up a crime will aggravate the offense.
Aggregate :
To collect together or total, as in: Charges for a corporate Web site can aggregate into tens of thousands of dollars.
Aid :
Help, as in: He rushed to the aid of the victim with no thought for his own safety.
Aide :
Assistant or helper, as in: The Governor’s aide will hold a press conference this afternoon.
Ail :
To cause trouble or discomfort to, as in: What ails you?
Ale :
An alcoholic beverage, stronger than beer, as in: My friend and I will have two pints of ale, bartender.
Allowed :
Permitted, as in: No one under 17 is allowed.
Aloud :
Audibly, as in: He read the book aloud.
Altar :
Worship table, as in: The priest approached the altar.
Alter :
Change, as in: Nothing you can say will alter my plans.
Amend :
Modify or revise, as in: It’s time to amend our by-laws.
Emend :
Alter or correct in the text of a written work, as in: The publishers hurried to emend the book before the next edition.
Appraise :
Judge the value of, as in: A professional takes many factors into account in order to appraise your house correctly.
Apprise :
To inform or notify, as in: Please apprise me of any sudden turn of events.
Are :
Form of to be, as in: What are you doing tonight?
Hour :
Sixty minutes, as in: It seemed like I waited an hour, but it was only twenty minutes.
Our :
Belonging to us, as in: Please visit our Web site and see our new book reviews.
Area :
Region, as in: What area of the country are you from?
Aria :
An elaborate song for one voice, as in: When the soprano finished the aria, the audience clapped.