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'itinarof
EAILY
CNFU
WORDS
Wh mp Exmp Ug
bh K. W
� N Tx CpyNle a dv Phin p Lcw O
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© Natonal Textbook Company, a divisio of NC Pbsg Group
West Touhy Aveue, Lcolwo (Ccago) ois, U.S
Al ght eseved. Except o use i a eview, te epuctio o uIIzao
o tJs wok i ay om o by any elecoc, mechaica, o oter mes ow
know o heeae vented includng scang, photopyig ad ecordig
ad i ay ioron stoae d etev syste is obidden without te witte mIssio o te pubsh.
Muacued i e Uited States o Amica
4567R90VP987654321
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Cntents
Introduction
Acknowledgents
Pronuncaton Gude
Dctona
V
IX
X
1-193
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Intrductin
nglish is generously endowed with several types of easily confusedwords Some of these words are homophones (homo same,' phonesound')words that are pronounced alike but are different inspelling, meaning, or both xamples of common homophonesinclude sail and sale; their, there, and they're; and knight and nightther easily confused words are troublesome because of the gram-matical rules that govern their use nless one knows the rules thatdictate which word should be used in a particular context, it is easyto misuse such pairs can and may; among and between; and shalland will. Finally, some words are easily confused simply becausethey are easy to mix up Such word pairs as infer and imply;disinterested ad uninterested; and ounder and founder are oftenused incorrectly because they are similar in meaning and form yethave subtle dierences in denition
This book is an easytouse reference guide that will help theuser understand consing words and their usage and to then choosethe correct spelling or meaning of a word for any given situationThe dictiona consists of word groups arranged alphabetically bythe rst word of each set All sets of words are alphabetized inter-nally as well For example, aisleI'llisle is the ll ent precedingallawl. Crossreferencing permits the user to locate eve wordquickly and easily ach word is followed by a pronunciation key inbrackets, a concise denition, and a sentence example demonstratinghow the word is used in eveday nglish Hence, this dictionaenables the reader not only to nd sets of easily confused words, butalso to discover how the words are pronounced , what they mean, andhow to use them in the written or spoken language
This dictiona is desiged to help speaers and writers masterthe confusing words in the nglish language It will also pique (or isit peak? interest in learning more about these pesky problem words
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Acknwledents
I wish to thank all of my studentspast, present, and turenotonly for their contributions to this book, but also for making teachingthe rewarding profession that it is
I am also grateful to Jeanne Breaugh, Trudy Carpenter, JohncAlear, and Linda Peckham for the support, enthusiasm, andexpertise they offered me during this project
A special thanks to r Lar Standridge who piqued my interestin adult education and gave me yet another homophone
d nally, I will always be gratel to my family for allowing meto make a dream come true
eborah K illiams
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Prnunciatin Guide
ach word in the dictiona is followed by a phonetic transcriptionin the symbols of the International Phonetic Alphabet (PA) Thestyle of pronnciation reected here is conversational or informaland is intended to help users recognize the word The transcriptionsdistingish between [a] and [] and between [w] and [M] even thoughnot all Americans do so In strict IPA fashion, ] rather than the [y]substitute is sed for the initial sound in "yellow The most promi-nent syllable in a multisyllabic word is preceded by a []
The following chart shows the American nglish values for eachof the IPA symbols used in the phonetic transcriptions To use thechart, rst nd the large phonetic symbol whose value you want todetermine The three, simple nglish words to the right of thesymbol contain examples of the sound for which the phonetic symbolstands The letters in boldface type indicate where the sound inquestion is fond in the nglish word
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Pronnciaion Gide
[]{ stp
to p[]
{ bdttle
[{ bri
th [u]
{ fdbe
[]{ st
track [{ eel
i [
{ ctwrte
[{ pt
oo
[]{ cw
no w[]
{ etfro
[]{ sp
bo [
{ saean
[] { btem[h] { ato [] { cghtyaw [w] { elnd
[b]{ eet
ue[i]
{ ftle
[p]{ ti
at { ee
ie
[d]{ eabody
[]{ bthss
[r]{
at
be[z
{y
oo
[6]{ at
ose m{ ellow
ou[s ]
{ unfat
[3]{ pleaure
treaure
[d 3]{ ail
ue[k]
{ ceep
{ ure
[']{ water
hotel
[e]{ dte
sl[]
{ awnyeow
[t]{ op
po
[E]{ gt
set[m]
{ faiysla
[t{ eese
picer
[]{ bt
nt[n]
{ ewnn
[8]{ in
fai
xii
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NTC'sDictionaryof
SY
COUSWOS
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A
a whle-awhile a whle [�MOIl] a short time. D It might be a while before he
returns from his erand. awhile �MOI] for a short time. D We will rest awhile before
continuing our hike.
acs-e acs [ks] the plural of act a deed or an action' D In the
milita, acts of heroism are recognized by the presentation ofribbons and medals.
acs [ks] the plural of act one of the main divisions of a musical comedy or a play.' D Each of the play's three acts endedwith a dimming of the stage lights.
acs ks] the present tense, third person singlar of act tobehave. D Grego acts quite dierently at school than he doesat home
(e) [ks] a handheld chopping tool, similar to a hatchet.D One swing of the e splintered the logs.
(e) [ks] to ask something of someone. ( oder, now dia-lect, form of ask. Not considered standard nglish Spelling may va.) D I want to e you a question. D id you e heryet?
ad-add ad [d]
an abbreviation of adverisement
a notice of sometype, usually published or broadcast.' D The ad for a partimefahand attracted several interested people. add [d] to increase something in amount, number, or size.
D Each year, I add several stamps to my collection. D achild, I found it easier to add than to subtract.
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add
add See the main ent beginning with ad
addon-edion
addon ;'dIJn] a room or rooms built onto a house or otherbuilding. Mr. Smith is building an addition on the back ofhis house.
addion [;'dIJn] an increase. D The addition of two clerks inthe oce will lighten eveone 's workload.
edon [;'dIJn] a version of a published book or other docu-ment. D A later edition of a ttbook usually contains somechanges to the original. D The moing edition ofthe newspaperreaches the newsstands ve early in the day.
adds-adze adds [dz] the present tense, third person singlar of addto increase the number, size, or amount of something.' Tomusually adds too much salt to the soup.
adze [dz] a sharp cutting tool wth a curved blade. D Anadze is one of the tools used by a ship 's carpenter.
aderence-aderens aderence ;d'E3;ns]
a steadfast attachment to some-thing. D Joe 's strict adherence to high moral principles madehim an cellent role model. aderens ;d'E3;ns] the plural of adherent a person whofollows or believes a certain doctrine, person, or plan.' D Theadherents of the religious leader numbered in the tens ofthousands.
adres See the main ent beginning wth adherence
ae
See the main ent beginning wthadds
aec-effec aec [;'Et] to have an impression, inuence, or effect onsomething. D Oers of athletic scholarships could aect Jim 'sdecision on which college to attend.
effec [;'Et, EEt] a result or consequence Some drugshave the eect of causing sleepiness.
aid-aide aid
ed assistance or help.D Several nations sent medical
and nancial aid to the wartorn count. aide ed a person who acts as a helper or assistant. D A
general 's personal aide must be completely trustwohy.
aide See the main ent beginning wth aid
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all-awl
al-ale al [el to be in ill health. Many townspeople continued to
ail long aer the plue swept through their village.
ale el an alcoholic beverage brewed from malt and hops. The members of the wedding pay raised their steins lledwith ale and sang in unison.
air-e-hr air [£< the compound of various ses and ogen that webreathe On hot, still days the air above large cities is oen
lled with smog. air [£< to broadcast or transmit something. The network
will air the television special on three consecutive evenings. air [£< to expose something to the open air. I need to air
the sleeping bags before we use them again. air [£< the demeanor or manner of a person. He has an
aristoctic air about him. er [£< to make a mistake. Sandy did not want to err on
her rst day on thejob. hei [£< a person who inherits something. Charlie is the
heir to his father's dcleaning business.
aired-eed aired [£< the past tense and past participle of air tobroadcast or transmit something.' One of the news channelsaired the conference.
· aired [£< the past tense and past participle of air toexpose something to the open air.' Aer Susan aired thehouse, she closed all of the windows.
· eed [ £< the past tense and past particple of err tomake a mistake.'
Our accountant erred on a number of
points when he figured our tes last year.
aisle-Ill-isle· sle [ a passage or coridor, usually between rows of seats. The wedding guests stood when the bride appearedat the head of the aisle.
· Ill [ the contraction of I will or I shall . "I'll never passthis am if I don 't learn these equations, moaned Jane.
sle
[ a small island. The author's dream is to live alone
on a beautiful tpical isle.ale See the main ent benning with
all-awl l [: the whole of a number or quantity. When making a
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all ady-already
diicult decision, t to consider all aspects of the problem. awl ] a sharp, pointed tool used to puncture or etch. To
create the ne details in her work, the aist used an awl.
lady-eady all ady 'di] completely prepared. When the runners
were all ready, the starer red his gun to begin the race. eady 'di] previously; beforehand. Volunteer re-
men were already at the scene of the blaz when the police andambulances arrived.
logeer-aloghr l ogeher [t;'g£<]
united; gathered. en I had my
fabric all together, I began the tedious task of sewing. alogeher ['t;g£<] thoroughly; totally. We were alto-
gether surprised when James showed up uninvited.
lways-always l ways [''wz] all of the ways. We used a guidebook to
study all ways of tveling across the count. always [WZ] wthout exception; at all times. "Always
check for taic before crossing the street, Aunt Jane reminded
him.allowed -alod
lowed ;'d] the past tense and past participle of allowto permit someone to do something.' The child was neverallowed to go outside of his fenced yard without one of hisparents.
alod ;'d] speing] audibly. To help memorize hisspeech, the candidate rehearsed his message aloud in front ofa mirror.
lion -elon -illion
allon ;'un] an indirect reference to someone or some-thing. I caught the speaker's allusion to waste in government,but the rest of the speech was completely confusing to me.
elon [;un] evasion or escape. His elusion of theuncomfortable situation was obvious.
illsion [Iun] a misleaing image; a misten assumption. The magician is a master of illusion. I was under the
ilusion that the doctor was a licensed practitioner, but he wasnot.
illsion un] a ne, lmy transparent fabric. Themodel 's gown was made of ivo satin with an overlay ofillusion
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e--ane
aod See the main ent beginning with aowed
aready
See the main ent beginning witha ready
aar-aer aar [t3] a raised platform used in worship or ritual.
Each Sunday, vases of fresh owers grace the altar of thechurch.
aer ['t3] to change something; to me something dier-ent. Pilots must sometimes alter their ight plans to avoidsevere weather.
aer
See the main ent benning withatar
aogeer See the main ent beginning with a together
aways See the main ent beginning with a ways
among-beween among ;'m;] situated amidst more than two persons orthings; in a grouping of more than two persons or things. Among those three poets, Robert Fst is my favorite.
ween [b'n]
adjacent to and separating two persons orthings. Ma stood between Tim and Paul. ween [b'n] involving two persons, groups, or things
A fight erupted between the two rival gangs.
an-an an [n] a type of tiny insect that lives in a colony and has a complex social system. An ant crawled acss my plate at thepicnic.
an [n, nt] the sister of one's mother or faher; the wifeof one's uncle. (Black nglish and Boston nglish. The pro-nunciation [nt] is Southe American nglish) My aunt isve pud of the ses in her garden.
ane-an-ane ane [n] a poker stake made to increase the pot. The
highest allowable ante in John 's poker games is a nickel. ane [n] before something; in front of something. (Aprex.) The anteroom of the convention hall serves as a foyer.
an [n]
opposed to someone or something.(A
prex.)
Antiwar activists protested in front of the memorial all week. ane ['n, 'nti] a diminutive of aunt the sister of one'smother or father.' (The pronunciation [nti] is SouthernAmerican nglish. In the movie "The Wizard of Oz, rothy lived with her Auntie Em and Uncle Hen.
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ani
ani See the main ent beginning with ante
y more-anymo
y more [i'm<] some more o you have any moretime to donate? ymore [i'm<] at the present time; nowadays (ftenviewed incorrect if used in the armative) The girls donot sit next to each other in class anymore.
ymore See the main ent beginning with any more
appraise-appise appraise [;prz]
to establish the value of something We
let ajeweler appise the ruby. apprise [o [;'prOz] to inform someone of something In
the future, please apprise me of the problem earlier.
apprise See the main ent benning with appraise
-k <k] an arch; a curve One seldom sees a ainbow 's
arc touching the horizon at both ends k [<k]
a type of ship; the ship built by Noah in the biblicalsto found in Genesis According to the Bible, Noah led theanimals aboard his ark two by two
k See the main ent beginning with arc
cen-sen cen [;st] the act of going up The ascent of a moun
tain is no less dangerous than the descent. cen [;st]
the amount of upward slope The angle of
ascent was extremely steep sen [;st] to aee with someone Judge Smith will
assent with the other justices on all points except one.
sen See the main ent beginning with ascent
sisance-siss sisce ;sss] help; support; aid Following World
War II, the Civilian Conservation Corps CCC was a form ofpublic assistance
is [;sstts] the plural of assistant a helper; anaide' Although the oce manager has several assistants,she prefers to do all ofthe typing hersel
sis See the main ent beginning with assisnce
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aye-eye-I
ae-eigh ae [et] the past tense of eat to take in food.' Aer a ve
diicult practice, the rugby team ate ten large pizzas.
ae [et] the past tense of eat to harrass someone; to bothersomeone.' His intense feelings of guilt ate at his conscience. eigh [et] the number between seven and nine A stop
sign has eight sides.
agh-ogh agh [J] zero; nothing Phil always says aught when he
ads a zero. John says his telephone number is twotwo-three, aughtaughtfourone.
ogh[J] to be obliged to do something
"You ought todecline Bob's invitation before you accept Bill 's, Mrs. Smithcautioned her daughter.
an See the main ent beginning with ant
ane See the main ent beginning with ante
awhle See the main ent beginning with a whie
awl See the main entry beginning with a
e See the main ent benning with acts
aye-eye-I aye [0] yes "Aye, aye, captain, responded the ship 's rst
mate. en the legislative vote was nally taken, the ayevotes outnumbered the nays.
eye [0] the organ of sight The sight in her le e was lostin an accident.
eye [0] the center of something Compared to the turbu-lent outer edges of a hurricane, the eye of the storm is calm.
I [0] the rst person, singlar pronoun. " can 't nd myfavorite teddy bear, whined the sleepy child.
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B
bail-bale bail [l] the securty money pad to ensure the appearanceof a prsoner n court Geneally, a higher bail is set for moreserious crimes tan for minor ones.
bail 'l] to remove water from a essel Before we can goshing, we must bail out the boat.
bale ['l] a large, closely pressed package of materal Forclean, comfortable dog bedding, nothing beats a fresh, d baleof stw.
bale [l] evl or sorrow The poet oen composed versesof intense bale when she was in a dark mood.
bai-bae bai [bet] somethng used to entce or lure an anmal or sh
Fisherman oen use minnows as bait. ba [bet]
to nag or tease someone Joan 's brother is for
ever ting to bait her into an argument. bae bet] to decrease the ntensty or force of somethng
en angered, Fred always tries to bate his temper by countingto ten.
bald -balled-bawled
8
· bald [bld] havng no har uring the winter, the baldman wore a hat to keep his head warm.
bald [bld]
bare or unadorned The Christmas tree
appeared bald aer we removed all the ornaments bald bld] undsgused Her bald lie was immediately
noted by eveone present. balled [p] [bld] the past tense and past partcple of ball
[up] to form somethng nto a tghtly bound mass' Yards of
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bare-bear
bailer twine balled up inside thejammed machine bawled [bld] the past tense and past participle of bawl
to c out or wail loudly' uring the weaning pcess, the
young calf bawled mournfully for its motherbale See the main ent beginning with b
balled See the main ent beginning with bad
band-banned band [bcnd] something that bnds or restricts something
tight rubber band kept John 's clock om falling apart band [bcnd] a musical group The rock band has a con
tract to appear nightly at the club for an entire month banned [bcnd] the past tense and past participle of ban toprohibit something' Some cities have banned smoking in
public places due to a rising concern over the use and eects oftobacco products
banned See the main ent beginning with band
bard-barred bard bad] a composer, sinr, or poet who related talesof heroes and their heroic deeds
William Shakespeare isconsidered a bard of unsurpassed talents in English literature
baed [b] the past tense and past participle of bar toplace something o limits' The public was barred from thecourtroom proceedings for security reasons
baed b] the past tense and past participle of bar tofasten with a bar so as to obstrct an entrance or exit' Thedoors of the abandoned house were barred and the windowsboarded to prevent trespassing
ba-bear bare [bEa] plain; unadorned; lacking covering Except for
some cacti, the desert landscape was bare bare [bEa] to reveal or uncover something " swear will
never bare your secrets to a single soul claimed his condante
ar [bEa] a large mammal belonging to the family Ursidae bear may seem like an awkward animal, but it can movequickly when alarmed
ar [bEa] to car someone or something; to support some-one or something Mike is unable to bear much weight on hisinjured foot
ar [bEa] to endure someone or something cannot bearto see violent movies
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baron-baen
baron-baen baron ['ban] a lowranking nobeman in various uro-
pean countries The woman hoped to mar a baron in order
to gain some social standing. baron [ban] a person of powerl inuence in some eld
The oil baron invested a great deal of money in the project. baen ['ban] infertile Because his wife was barren
and could give him no heirs, the king dismissed her baen 'ban] bare The barren environment of the
desert starled Ma, who grew up in the mountains.
baroness-benness baroness ['banEs]
the wife or widow of a bron Con
tra to her husband's naive nature, the baroness was a shrewdand cunning woman.
baenness [banEs] the lack of productivity John wasred due to the barrenness of his work.
baed See the main ent beginning with bard
baen See the main ent beginning with barn
baenness
See the main ent beginning withbarness
base-bs base [bes] the lower part of something; the bottom andsupporting part of something Standing at the base of theStatue of Libery, one cannot help but be in awe of its immensesze.
base bes] a center of operations The army set up a tempo communications base in the empty warehouse.
base [on] [bes] to establish a foundation for an idea I willbase my decision on many factors.
ba bes] a musical instrument or a person's voice with a low pitch ebbie plays the bass in the school orchestra. The small chorus is composed of s sopnos, four altos, twotenors, and a single bass.
bases-bass
1
bases SIZ] the plural of base the bottom and support-ing part of something' The bases of the fruit trees werewrapped in tape to prevent damage small animals and
isects. The bases of all of the stemmed goblets we brokenin the dishwasher.
bas SIZ] the plral of base a center of operations' Milita bases are located all around the count's borders.
bases [on] [SIZ] the present tense, third person singular
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a-bee
of base [on} to establish a foundation for an idea' Shealmost always bases her opinions on hearsay
basis ['SIS]
a concept on which a reasoned conclusion isbased (The plural is pronounced ['sz]) Three people wi llbe indicted for the crime on the basis ofthe woman 's testimony
basis See the main ent beginning with bases
bass See the main ent benning with base
bae See the main ent beginning with bait
bawled See the main ent beginning with bad
bazaar-bizarre bazaar b;'z] a marketplace or fair for the sale of goods Multitudes of sights, sounds, and smells lled the bazaar inthe ville square
bizae [bI'ZO] odd; eccentric; out of the ordina Thedetective had a bizarre habit of inviting suspects to dinner
-bee [bi] to exist; to live; to occupy space or time We'll be
gteful when winter ends and spring arrives e b] an insect that feeds on pollen and produces honey
hive can have only one queen bee at a time e [bi] a gathering for a specic purpose (Typically a
spelling bee, quilting bee, or a [corn husking bee ) The entiretown turned out to watch the daylong spelling bee
ach-ech ach bit. a stretch of sandy or rocky area along a water's
edge Such interesting creatures as hermit crabs, brittle
stars, and jellyfish can be found on the beach aer the tiderecedes ach [bit. to run a boat or ship onto the shore The
sailors tried to beach their small vessel during the violent storm ech [bit. a type of hardwood tree characterized by smoothay bark The beech in our backyard pduces an ample
supply of nuts for the deer in winter
ar See the main ent beginning with bare
a-bee a [bit] to hit someone or something I beat the rug in an
eor to remove as much dust and dir from it as possible a bit] to overcome someone or something; to defea some-one or something Our hometown football team is not likely
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a-bow
to beat its arch rival. a [] an audible pulsation The drumbeat accom-
panied tribal members in their ceremonial dance.
· e [] a garden vegetable with edible leaves and roots Mom 's enormous beet won rst priz at the state fair
a-bow(See also bough-bw.) a [] a boyfriend; a suitor. The attention of each new
beau only added to Rita's vanity. bw [] a ribbon tied in a decorative knot On his rst
birthday, the child was interested only in the bow on eachpresent given to him.
· bw [o] a stick equipped with stretched horsehairs, used toplay stringed musical instruments While his violin is anantique the bow used to play it is new
bw ] a cuved piece of strong material strung with a cordand used to shoot arrows. The bow and arrows were presentedto the young hunter as a gift on his steenth birhday
a-be a
[] an abbreviation of beauty
a beautiful person orthing.' (Slang. Used as an expression of admiration. ften usedsarcastically. Your new car is a real beaut. "That blacke you have is a real beaut! exclaimed Jef
be [] a large, solita hill with steep sides and a small,at top From a distance, the butte appeared to be a rectangular box sitting on the horizon.
See the main ent beginning with be
ech
See the main ent beginning withbeach.
en-bin en [] the past paticiple of be to exist.' To have been
able to sail around the world was, he felt, his greatest oppor-tunity in life.
· bn [] a storage container. At the end of the harvest,each bin was lled to capacity with co.
er-ber er
] a fermented alcoholic beverage. Brewers spend
thousands of dollars each year advertising beer on T. V. ber ] a platform on which a corpse or a con is placed.
The body of the chief was set high on a bier in the wildeess.
See the main ent benning with beat
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billed -bd
ll-lle ll [bEl] a hollow instrument that produces a ringing sound
when sruck Kathleen has a tiny glass bell and a huge
antique school bell in her collection lle [bEl] an attractive, popular woman or girl Amy felt
like the belle ofthe ball when she was asked to dance ve times
lle See the main ent beginning with be
r-b r ['bEa] the small, sometimes edible fruit of variousplants and shrubs The ber of the curnt bush makes a
tasty, tart jam
b ['bEa] to conceal something some place; to cover some-one or something with earth To bu one 's face in one 'shands can be a sign of joy, grie or disbelie We were notpermitted to bu our dog in the backyard
rh-birh rh [b] a platform or bed on a train or ship My berth
in the train 's sleeping car was extremely small h [b] a place where a ship docks or anchors Huge
oceangoing vessels require a large berh when in port rh [b] a job (Figurative Although he had hoped to
play in the major leagues, James eagerly accepted a berth in anamateur baseball club
brh [ba] the process by which an offspring emerges fromits mother The birth of a re white tiger cub caused quite astir at the zo
brh [ba] the beginning of something The birth of thespace age spawned a ur of activity among the world 's highlydeveloped nations
er-or r [bEta] superior, but not the best While Aaron was
an cellent math student, his twin brother Alex was better inscience
or 'bEta] a person who bets or gambles The bettorplaced his chips nervously on the roulette table
or See he main ent beginning with better
we See the main ent beginning with ober See the main ent beginning with beer
bed -bd bd [bIld the past tense and pt pariciple of bill to
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bn
present a statement of charges.' The telephone companyincorrectly billed us for several long distance calls
bd [bd]
to construct something. In order to build a
house on that piece ofproperty, a building permit is required. bd [bd] to establish or increase something. The semi
nar is designed to help people build selfesteem.
bn See the main ent beginning with been
brth See the main ent beginning with berth
bze See the main ent beginning with bazaar
blew-ble
blew [bu] the past tense of blow to move something aboutwth air.' warm, southerly wind gently blew the windsocksin the breeze.
blew [abo] [blu] the past tense of blow [about] to boast orbrag about someone or something.' Jeff blew about even hisminor accomplishments to anyone who would listen.
bl blu] the color of a clear sky. The clear, sparklingwater surrounding the atoll was an amazing shade of deep blue.
ble [bu]
depressed; low in spirit. The death of her cat
made Ma blue.bloc-block
bloc [bl] a united group of people or countries acting to-gether for a common purpose. The bloc of coffeeproducingnations opposed the trade embargo levied against one of itsmembers.
block [l] a solid piece of material with one or more atsurfaces. Tim used a large block of wood to prop up the truck.
block [blk]
to obstruct someone or something. The iron
gate serves to block any unwanted visitors. block bl] an obstacle. The school board's refusal to give
teachers dental insurance created a block in the negotiations. block b] one of the parcels of and delineated by a gridof streets. (This refers to the square or rectanlar parcels of land as well as the distance of one of the sides of the parcels. New sidewalks were installed around the entire block of ourneighborhood.
block See the main ent beginning with bocble See the main ent benning with bew
bar-bor-bore-Boer boar [b(] a male mammal of some species, usually the swine
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bold-bowled
famy The hunters captured a wild boar in the woods. boor [b, ] a rude, scourteous person. The boor con-
tinually disrupted the meeting with his bad behavior.
bor [b:] to drll a hole n somethng. Special metal drillbits are needed to bore thugh ranite.
bore [b:] the hollow space n a gun barrel or engnelnder. A bullet passes through the bore of a gun when thegun is red.
bore [b:] to make someone uncomfortable or wea throughnactvty or by somethng tedous. Please do not bore uswith all of the small details.
Boer []
a South Afrcan of Dutch or Huguenot descent. No one but a Boer had been elected to oce in many years.board-bored
board [b:] a plank of wood Bill had some diicultyrounding a coer while caring the long board beneath hisarm.
boad [b] a game table. The board used to play checkerscan also be used to play chess.
board [b:] a group of governng ocers. The board ofdirectors meets once a month on Tuesday evenings.
bard [b:] to go onto a vessel No one is allowed to boardthe ship without rst going through a security check.
bored [b:d] the past tense and past partcpe of bore tome someone uncomforable or we through nactvty orby somethng tedous' After just five minutes with her newdoll, the child was utterly bored.
boarder-border boarder ['d]
a person who rents a room, usually n a house or nn. A private entrance is available for the boarderwho lives in the upstairs apartment.
border ['b:d] a bounda; an edge The border of thenatual bird sanctua is posted with warning signs that read"Please Not Feed The Birds.
Boer See the man ent bennng wth o
bold-bowled bld [bold]
unafrad n the face of danger Risktakers tend
to be bold in spirit. bld [bld] mpudent; presumptuous The girl rejected the
advances of the bold young man. bold [bold] standng out; promnent The new vocabula
words in each chapter are printed in bold type.
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blder-boder
bwled [] the past tense and past partcple of bowl toroll a ball down a lane n the sport of bowlng' Although anamateur, Rachel bowled three perfect games in the tournament.
· bwled over] [o] the past tense and past ptcple of bowl [over} to overwhelm someone wth surprse' I wascompletely bowled over his treme generosity.
blder-boder blder [o] more fearless than someone or somethng else Sam 's tiny chihuahua has always been bolder than histimid cat.
bde [o] a large rock, usually detached from surroundng rocky masses
The massive boulder that perchedabove the rustic cabin seemed threatening.
bll-bowl b [] the pod of a cotton plant Not a single cotton
plant showed signs of its bol l being infested with weevils. bwl ] a rounded dsh used for holdng lquds and otherfood A festive bowl of fresh fruit served as the centerpiece onthe table.
bor
See the man ent begnnng wthbar
brder See the man ent begnnng wth boarder
b See the man ent begnnng wth boar
bd See the man ent begnnng wth bad
b-boe b [] the past partcple of bear to gve brth to some-one or some creature' Migrato animals have oen bornosprng under diicult conditions .
be the past partcple of bear to car or supportsomeone or somethng' Our pack animals have boe heavyloads of materials on their backs.
· be ] the past parcple of bear to accept or assumesomethng' Throughout histo, great leaders have boeresponsibility for their decisions and actions.
· be [] the past partcple of bear to produce or yeldsomethng' The newly developed plants have boe largeryields of uits in shorter periods f time.
be See the man ent begnnng wth b
brog-b-bow
16
b [o a poltcal dson n an urban area (Par-tcularly n New York C, whch h ve boroughs) Mr.
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by-boy
O'Lea was once a police ofcer in the bough of Queens inNew York City
bo
[ a donkey. en one pictures a gold prospec
tor in the weste United States, one almost always imagines abur as his trusty companion
bow [<o a hole dug n the ground by an anmal forlng or hdng. The burw of a gundhog has at least twotunnels for entnce and escape
bw [<o to excavate a hole or tunnel. Many animalsthat hibeate for the winter burrow under woodpiles or rocks
bogh-bow
(See also beau-bw) bgh [ the lmb of a tree. uring the violent thunder-
storm, a large bough of the maple tree bent to the ground andsnapped
bw [ to bend forward at the wast, usually as a s of eetng or deference. Gentlemen should always bow whenintroduced to Britain 's queen, and ladies should always cursey
bw [ the forward part of a shp. The huge waveswashed over the bow of the boat during the violent windstorm
bllon -blon bollon a broth made from beef or chcken stock.
cup of hot bouillon tastes good on a cold, wi nt evening bllon gold or slver that has been formed ntobars. The buried pite's chest was stued with gold bullionand precious gems
boder See the man ent begnnng wth boder
bow e the man ent begnnng wth beau and the mn ent bennng wth bough
bowl See the man ent begnnng wth bo
bowled See the man ent begnnng wth bod
boy-boy boy [ a male chld. In some cultures, boys are preferred
over girls
boy [ a oatng marker n a le, rver, or ocean. en snorkeling or skin diving, a buoy should be anchorednear the dive site to aler baters to divers in the area
boy [ to support someone. We tred to buoy his spirits telling jokes
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braid-brayed
braid -bayed brai [bred] a type of weavng usng three or more strands of
somethng, usually har The French braid has gained
popularity as both a casual and elegant hair fashion. braid bred] to weave somethng nto a braded pattern
I do not have the patience to braid my daughter's hair evemoing.
brayed [bred] the past tense and past partcple of bray toutter the loud, harsh sound of a donkey or mule' Each timevisitors came near the donkey, it byed loudly hoping for acarrot or sugar cube.
braise-brays-brae brai [brez] to prepare food n ts own uces wth ve lttlewater n a covered pot I prefer to baise my pot roasts in theoven rather than x them in a pressure cooker.
brays [bez] the plural of bray a loud, harsh sound, as thatmade by a donkey' The bays of discordant notes played bythe unpcticed band was hardly music to the ears.
brays [brez] the present tense, thrd person sngular of by
to utter a loud, harsh sound, lke that made by a donkey'
The mule brays loudly each day aund feeding time brae [brez to unte metal obects wth solder Tom used
solder to braze the broken hitch together.
bre-break brk [bre] to stop a vehcle He was not able to brake the
car in time to avoid hitting the bnch in the road. brke [be] a devce used to lock the wheels of a vehcle
o you always set the emergen bke on your car whenparking on a hill ?
brek [be] to smash somethng; to separate somethng ntoparts, often by force If you step on that toy, it will surelybreak.
brek [bre] an ntermsson or recess from somethng We will take a break halfway through the class.
bk [bre] to volate or sregard a law, rule, or tradton If you break the law, you must pay the penalty for yourwrongdoing.
brayd See the man ent begnnng wth braid
brays See the man ent begnnng wth braise
brae See the man ent begnnng wth bise
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brews-brse
breach-breech breach [brit a violation or infraction of a law, norm, or
obligation. When he failed to live up to the terms of the
agreement, the contractor was sued for breach of contract by hisemployees.
breach [brit a break, hole, or gap in a structure. Thebreach in the dam posed a serious threat to the safety of thevillage.
breach [brit to leap out of the water. No one knows orcerain the reason whales breach.
breech [brit the part of a rearm nearest the rear of the
barrel. The breech of the rie was damaged when it fell
against a rock.bread-bred
bread [brEd] a leavened food made of our, liquid, and short-ening. Some bakeries sell only bread made with all naturalingredients and no preservatives.
bread [brEd] money. (Slang.) " need some bread so cantake my girl to the movies, said Rusty.
bred [brEd] the past tense and past participle of breed tomate so as to produce offspring.'
Mares are usually bred ona yearly basis to prevent barrenness.
break See the main ent beginning wth brake
bred See the main ent beginning with bread
breech See the main ent beginning with breach
brewed -brood brewed [brud] the past tense and past participle of brew tocreate a beverage through steeping or fermentation.'
Maalways brewed a esh pot of coee first thing each morning.
brewed [p] [brud] the past tense and past participle of brew[up] to plot or contrive something.' The thieves brewed up aplan to steal the valuable paintings.
brood [brud] the young ospring of an animal, particularly fowl. The mother hen attentively hovered over her bod ofchicks.
brood [brud] to wor. on 't brood over past mistakes; tto avoid future ones.
brews-brse brews [bruz] the present tense, thrd person sngular of brewto make a beverage by steeping or fermentation.' Grandmaalways brews her herbal tea for exactly four minutes.
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brdal-bdle
brews [bruz] the present tense, thrd person sngular of bwto form or develop.' Trouble oen brews when those twomischievous children get together
brus [bruz] a scoloraton of the skn. The bruise on hisarm changed colors before it healed completely
bruse [bruz] to nct an nju or wound on someone. Please do not bruise my ego furher criticizing my work
brdal-bdle brida brdl] havng to do wth a brde or a weddng.
Elaborate bridal shows seem to oer evething for the futurebride except the groom The bridal bouquet had roses andtulips in it
brdle 'brdl] the headgear worn by a horse by whch therder controls the anmal. Just before the race began, thejockey noticed his horse's bridle was broken
brdle brdl o put headgear on a horse. Aer yousaddle and bridle the horse, lead it out to the paddock
bridle bdl] to curb or restran someone or somethng. "I wish I could bridle that child 's energy, moaned the weamother
brdle See he man ent bennng wth brida
broach-brooch broach [brot a shp, ponted tool. When the whisk is
fully mature, a broach is used to tap the casks boach [bot to open up a topc for dscusson. It is
diicult to broach the subject of his deceased wife without MrJones becoming upset
brooch bot a large, decoratve pn usually worn by women
In od photographs, women are oen seen wearinga brooch at the throat of their blouse
brooch See the man ent begnnng wth broach
brood See the man ent begnnng wth brewed
brows-bws
2
bows brz] the plural of brow the forehead, eyebrow, orbrordge.' The brows of the committee members wrinkledin anger at the unexpected news
bowse [z the young, tender plats or trees on whchcen anmals lke to aze. eer browse often consists ofacorns, beechnuts, and te young leaves of various plants
brow [bz] lerel ze through, look over, or nspectsomethng. To browe casually thugh a large bookstore is
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bussed-bt
one of life 's small pleasures
brow See the man ent begnnng wth brows
bru See he man ent begnnng wth brews
bud See the man ent begnnng wth bied
bullon See the man ent begnnng wth bouion
buoy See the man ent begnnng wth boy
burley-burly burley [b<l] a mld, arcured tobacco grown prmarly nKentucky
When traveling through the Kentucky countside
in late summer, one can see the opensided sheds where burleyripens to its peak
buly ['b1] soldly and strongly bult espite his burlyphysique, Kent is extremely mildmannered
burly See the man ent begnnng wth burey
bu See the man ent begnnng wth borugh
buw
See the man ent begnnng wthborough
bu See the man ent begnnng wth ber
bus-buss bus [bs] a large, motorzed vehcle usually used for publctransporaton Group travel by bus or motorcoach is extremely popular today
bus [bs] to transport someone or somethng by bus In aneor to integate their school district, the school board voted tobus students across town
bus [bs] to tdy tables n a resaurant by clearng away drty shes and replacng them wth clean ones When he learnedthat he would have to bus tables as well as wash dishes, Todddecided not to take the restaurant job
buss [bs] a kss The tourists were greeted at the airport inHawaii with a ower lei and a buss on the cheek
bu [bs to ss someone or somethng Bobby alwayssquirms away om his greataunt when she tries to buss him
bussSee the man ent bennng wth
bus
bued-bt bud [bst] the past tene and pt parcple of bus totranspor someone or somtng by bus' The stadedtravelers were bussed to ear motls to sped the evening
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bust
bussed [b�s] the past tense and past participle of bus toclear away dirty dishes and then replace them with clean ones
in a restaurant.' Chel collected the tips for the waiters as
she bussed the tables. bussed b�s] the past tense and past participle of buss to kisssomeone.' (Slang or colloquial.) The hostess bussed each ofthe departing dinner guests on the cheek
bust b�s] a sculpture of the upper part of a human body. bust of William Shakespeare rests on a pedestal in a publicgarden in Stratford, Ontario
bust [b�st] the upper portion of a woman's body or the part of
a woman's garment between the neck and waist While the
rest of Sheila 's gown fit perfectly, the bust was much too tight. bust [b�s] to break someone or something; to ruin someoneor something. (Colloquial for break. Considered slang or non-standard for burst.) Those poor management policies willeventually bust the corpotion.
bust [b�s] an arrest by the police; police intervention of a criminl activity. (Slang. The latenight bust of the night-club resulted in the arrest of several gambling suspects
bust b�s]
to hit or punch someone or something (Slang)
Stop making those ugly remarks or I'll bust you in the mouth
bust See the mn ent benning with bussed
but-butt but [b�] except for someone or something; wthout someoneor something. (A conjunction.) The motorist knew the stretchof highway was heavily patrolled, but she continued to ceedthe speed limit anyway
butt [b�]
the buttocks of a person or animal (olloquial andsometimes considered rude) That type of injection is alwaysgiven in the butt.
butt b�] to push or strike someone or something wth thehead or horns. If you step into the pasture, the orne rammight butt you
butt b�] to t or press something end to end; to t tightly aainst something. The pieces of wood must butt tightly inorder to get a good {t.
butt See the main entr beginning wth but
butte See the main ent beinning wth beaut
buy-by-bye
22
buy [bOI] to purchase something; to hire or bribe someone,
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bye
usually by a payment of money I want to buy a new com-puter in the near future My mon will buy three hours ofthe plumber's time
buy [bO] a bargain; the purchase of something at a goodprice The lawncare tools were priced so low that thegardener couldn 't pass up such a good buy
by [bO] by mens of someone or something; by way of some-thing D We will have to do it by hand Ms Smith seldomtvels by highway i she can take a more scenic route
by [bO] past something My father drove right by me anddidn't see me
by [bOI]
near or close to someone or something I le my
glasses sitting by the telephone book bye [bO] an abbreviation of goodbye Ma always says
"bye before hanging up the phone bye [bO] a situation in a tournament or contest where a player or team has no opponent and advances to the next stagewithout playing rawing a bye in the early unds of theplayos allowed the team more time to pctice
by See the main ent benning with buy
bye See the main ent beginning with buy
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c
cache-ch cache [. a hdng place, oen for food, fuel, or money; thecontents of a hdng place. Few people knew the location of
the cache were the cess foodstus were stored. The caceof stolen money was hidden deep inside the cave.
c
blls or cons; money ready at hand. Since I did
not have enough cash to pay for my purchase, I had to charge iton my credit card. John paid cash for his groceries becausethere was not much money in his checking account.
ch [. to exchange a check or bll for cash. You maycash your paycheck at the groce store if it doesn 't exceed$3..
caddi-caddy caddie kd] a wheeled cart used to transport objects.
Te movers used a caddie to take the refrigetor fm thehouse to the moving van.
cadde caddy 'kd] a person who carres clubs andballs for a golfer. Tom has spent the past three summersworking as a caddie at the local golf course. The caddy couldnot nd Bill 's ball.
caddy [kd] a small box or contaner for storng thngs. Tea bags remain esh longer if kept in an airight caddy.
caddy
See the man ent begnnng wthcaddie
callo-cl
2
co s] harden. Bill developed a callous gwthof skin on his thumb om many years of sorting mail .
clo [s devod of eelngs; not carng. While the
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canter-ctor
toughminded businesswoman appears to be ve callous towardher employees, she is actually kind and considerate.
ca ['l;s]
a hardened or thickened part of the skin.D
Ma developed a callus on each heel .ca See the main ent beginning with caous
can-may can [n] to be capable of or know how to do something. D I
can find my way around New York City without trouble. may [me] to have permission to do something. D You may go
to a movie after your chores are done.
cannon-canon cannon ['kn;n] a large artille gun that shoots lead ballsor explosive shells. D The large cannon on the courhouse lawngives a certain ambiance to the village square.
canon [kn;n] a rule or law of a church or reigion. D Thepriest plained the purpose of each canon of the Catholicchurch to the children.
canon kn;n] a generally accepted standard or principle.D unspoken canon in retail business is that the customer is
always right. canon ['kn;n] a musical piece of several parts in which themelody is precisely imitated by successive voices or instru-ments. The group of children sang the old canon "Row, Row,Rw Your Boat with much enthusiasm.
canon See the main ent beginning with cannon
cant-ca't cant [n]
the angle or slant of something.D The cant of
the new roof is not steep enough to shed rainwater. cant n] to lean or slope o the side. D That sculpture was
designed to cant to one side to give it an unusual appearance. cant [n] words spoken in a singsong manner. D The
beggar's cant was almost unintelligible. can't [n] a contraction of cannot unable to do something.'
D If you can 't nish your term paper on time, ask your instructor for an extension.
can't
See he main ent beginning withcant
canter-cantor canter [nt] a horse' s gait somewhere between a trot anda gallop. D Some riders prefer the smooth movemet of a canterto ajerky tt.
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ctor
cantor ['na] an ocial of a synagogue who sings or chantsprayer. The cantor at our synagogue has a wondeul voice.
ctor
See the main ent beginning withcanter
can-canvass cv ['nS] a closely woven cloth made of cotton orlinen, often used for clothing, ships' sails, and oil paintings. Nowadays racing boats use a lightweight fabric for their sailsinstead ofcanvas.
cs ['knS] to travel through voting dstricts in aneort to gain information or support for political candidates
and issues. We will canvass our neighborhood to gain support
for our candidate.canvs See the main ent beginning with canvas
captal-captol-Captol captal ['kpl] punishable by death. Murder in the first
degree is a capital offense in sevel states. captal ['kp] principal; main Our capital concern was
the welfare of the children. captal [pt]
a city that serves as a seat of government.
The capital of a state is not necessarily the state 's largest city. captal [kp] accumulated money or property. Before
he could start a business, Martin had to raise capital to financethe venture.
captol 'kp] the building in which the legislature of a state meets. The capitol of Michigan was designed by thesame architect who designed the Texas capitol.
Captol 'p] the building in Washingon, D.C., where theUnited States Congress meets.
The US. Capitol is located
on First Street between Constitution and Independence avenues.
captol See the main ent beginning with capita
Captol See the main ent beginning with pi
carat-caret-cot-karat
26
carat karat ka;, 'kEa;] a measurement of weightfor precious stones. (Carat is the most common form.) Herdiamond engagement ring contained a single marquiseshaped
stone weighing less than a carat. ct ka;, 'kEa;t] a Vlike symbol pointing to wheresomething is to be inserted into a line of writing or print. The proofreader used a caret to show where Pamela hadomitted a word in the sentence.
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cedar-seeder
caot 'k;, ';] a common garden vegetable having edible orange root. Put a carrot or two in the stew to addboth avor and color
caot 'k;, ';] a promised but often deceptive re-ward or advantage. (From the image of a carrot tied to the endof a stick and held out in front of a horse, causing it to moveforward in hopes of getting to eat the carrot.) To inspireAustin to ea all A's on his report card, his parents coed himwith a cart o box seats to the Pirate 's openin day ame
karat ['k;, ';] a unit of pureness of gold in an alloy. at karat is the gold in your wedding ring?
caretSee the mn ent beginning wth
carat
carol-carl cal ['k;, ';] a song usually associated wth theChristmas season. Their favorite holiday carol is "God RestYe Mer Gentlemen.
cael ['k;, ';] a small, threesided, desklike enclo-sure usually found in libraries and other study areas. Food,drink, and portable radios are not permitted in any study carrel
caelSee the main ent benning with
caro
caot See the main ent benning with carat
ch See the main ent beginning with cache
cast-caste ct [s] to throw someone or something. (Usually wth anadverb, such as away, out, or o The sailor cast the pearound the piling on the dock
ct [ks]
to assi roles or parts in a production. The
director cast an unknown actress in the movie's lead le cast [s] to form something in a mold. The sculptor cast
the statue in bronze cast [s] to direct one's sight onto something. Tommy
cast his es on his new birthday pony, he became ve cited caste [ks] a social rank usually based on birth, wealth, oroccupation. In some societies, individuals are phibitedom moving out o the caste into which th were born
cateSee the main ent benning with
cast
cedar-seeder cear ['sd] a tye of coniferous tree known for its sturdy,aromatic wood. The craftsman carefully lined the dwers ofthe chest with fgrant cedar
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cede-seed
seeder ['sd] a farm or rden implement used to plantseeds. Planting co is much easier with the help of a seeder.
ced-seed· cede [sd] to yield, withdraw, or grant something, usually by a formal treaty. The terms of the ceasere included anagreement the defeated count to cede the disputed strip ofland to the victors
seed [sid] the ripened germ of a plant. The seed sent up atiny shoot only a week after it was planted
seed [sid] to plant or sow seeds. If we seed the lawn justbefore a in, the gss has a better chance of taking hold
ceilng -sealing· ceilng ['s] the top of a room vast mul covers the
ceiling of the art room Her ceiling consists of a swirledplaster stucco.
· ceilng ['sI] the aboveground height of the owest layer of cloud cover We delayed our ying lesson yesterday due tothe tremely low ceiling.
sealing 's] the present participle of seal to fasten some-thing th something that must be broken to in access.'
ter sealing the envelope, Ma placed it in the mailbox
cell-sell cell [sEl a small, lockable room or compartment. The
prisoner's cell had none of the comforts of home. cell [sEl a small, microscopic unit of living matter Each
student looked at his or her own skin cell under the micscope cell [sEl the smallest basic unit of an organization. The
cell of the secret undergund group consisted of only four
members.· se sEl to oer something for sale; to exchange something for money. Tom hopes to sell his old car som day soon
The spy was willing to sell govement security secrets inchange for a large sum of mon
cellar-seller
28
cellar ['sE] a basement or underground storeroom. Thecellar is nothing but a cold, damp, and unused area of the house
seller 'sE] a person who offers something for sale. Theyoung seller of the baseball card collection was reluctant to parwith his treasures.
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cent-scent-sent
censer-censor-censure-sensor censer [SEnsa] a container used to burn incense. pleas-
ant agrance oated om the censer
censor [snsa] a person who examines published or distrib-uted material and mes recommendations for the deletion of objectionable matter. The censor suggested that some of thedialogue be removed from the author 's latest novel
censor snsa] to examine published or distributed materialwith a view to removing objectionable materal. The directorof the lm knew that the commission would censor her workmercilessly
censure 'SEnJa]
[for a legislative body] to reprimand one of its members. The legislature voted to censure its most notori-ous member
sensor ['snsa] a device that senses movement, light, or heatand reacts to it in some way. smoke detector contains asensor that reacts quickly and noisily to both smoke and heat
censor See the main ent beginning with censer
censure See the main ent benning with censer
cens-senses cens SEnss] a periodic counting of the population by thevernment. (This is done eve ten years in the UnitedStates.) The most recent census showed a sizable shift ofpeople om the Midweste states to the coastal regions
senses ['SEnsz] the plural of sense an ability to perceivesound, sight, touch, smell, and taste.' The senses of sight andhearing usually diminish with age
senses ['sEns]
a mental state where one is logical or rea-sonable. I hope Elaine comes to her senses before she doessomething she'll regret later
senses ['sEns] the present tense, third person singular of sense to have a feeling or sensation.' oug often senses whenhis daughter is upset
cent-scent-sent cent [snt] one penny; onehundredth of a dollar. "You
won 't get a cent from me, yelled the ang customer
scent [snt] a smell; an odor. The wonderful scent of li lacswas evewhere Our dog easily picked up the scent of thequail on the damp ground
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cens-scens-sense
sen [s£t] the past tense and past participle of send to causesomeone or something to go somewhere.' We sent the courierto deliver the message The fastbreaking news sto was sent
through the wire servicescens-scens-sense
cens [£ts] the plural of cent one penny; one one-hundredth of a dollar.' Items that once cost a few entsnow cost a few dollars
scens [s£ts] the plural of scent a smell an odor.' Thecombination of scents from the dierent foods was almostsickening
sense [£ts]
a feeling or sensation. We had a denite sense
of uneasiness as we approached the dimly lit house
cere-sei cere 'sIa1] a food made of grain and eaten for breakfast.
The price of cereal in the supermarket has risen damaticallyin the past two years
sei [sIa1] in or of a series, rank, or order. new auto-mobile is stamped with a serial number to aid in identication
sei ['sIa1]
a publication or program offered in segmentsat intervals. The new book will appear, in part, as a monthlyserial in that magazine
cession -session cesson ['s£Jn] a concession, withdrawal, or yieding to some-thing ese. The large cession of land was welcomed by thecounty that received it
sesson [s£Jn] a meeting for the purpose of transacting busi-ness. The collective bargaining session lasted into the weehours of the night
session ['s£Jn] the set period of time in which a legislativebody meets before adjournment. Congress will not be insession again unt il after the holidays
chce-chs
3
chce [tJns] a possibility. There is a chance that it willrain tomorrow
chce [tJns] an opportunity. Next summer, the BoyScout top will have the chance to camp on a ve remote
island chce [tJnts] by coincidence or accident. Quite by chance
I saw a former classmate at the bus depot chs [tJnts] the plural of chant a song or statement, sung or spoken in a monotonous tone of voice.' The loud
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Che-ch -chlly
chants of the protestors could be heard for several city blocks
chants See the main ent beginning with chance
chased -chte ched [tJest] the past tense and past partcipe of chaseto pursue or follow someone or something quickly.' The
hounds and hunters chased the fox over miles of countside chate [tJest] pure; virginal; unblemished onks are ex
pected to be chaste in thought, word, and deed
chate See the main entry beginning with chased
cheap-cheep
cheap [tJp] inexpensive; not costly. The garment is madeof cheap fabric
cheap [tJp] contemptible or unworthy. The unkind re-mark was a cheap attempt to embarrass him
cheep tJp] a faint, shrill sound, often associated with birdsand fowl. The cheep of the newly hatched robin brought itsparents to its side immediately
cheep See the main ent beginnng with cheap
chews-choose chews [tJuz] the present tense, third person sinlar of chewto grind or crush something with the teeth.' Because shechews gum in her classroom, the business teacher allows herstudents to chew it also
choose [Jz] to select; to prefer something from among alternatves. I usually choose sh or chicken when diningat restauants
chc-shek chc [k] elegant; stylish. (Fashion) Why don't ordina
people look as chic wearing the latest styles as fashion modelsdo ?
shek i, Jek] an Arab chief A sheik owns the three newluxu car dealerships in Phoen
Che- ch -chlly Che ['J, 'J] a count n South America. Chile is
right next to Argentina
ch ['J] a hot, spicy traditional Mexican dish consisting of meat, beans, tomatoes, peppers, and spices. If you 're goingto eat spi chil i, be prepared for the results
c [J] a hot, sweet pepper I added a chili to thenachos to give them more avor
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chil
chly ['Ji] cool; cold The damp, chilly weather made usshiver.
chilly [J]
lacking warmth of feeling Each political
opponent gave the other a chilly stare.cl See the main ent beginning with Che
chly See the main ent beginning with Chie
choler-collar choler ['l] anger; temper She was a woman of high
choler. collar [l] a chain or strap worn about the neck The
dog's license, rabies tag, and . are attached to its collar. collar ['l] the neckpiece of a garment The collar on
his shir was ayed om wear. colar ] to capture someone or something (Slang)
The policemen hope to collar the suspect as soon as possible.
choose See the main ent beginning wth chews
chorale-coral-coal chorale l] a chorus Joe belongs to the university
men 's chole. coral 'rl] deep pink Her owers were red and coral
and complemented her gown peectly. coral rl] the limestone skeletal structures that supportvarious species of marine polyps Th love to go to the warmwaters and snorkel amidst the coral reefs
corral l] a fenced enclosure for keeping livestock Those horses in the corral belong to a riding stabl.
corral l] to gather, capture, or conne tried tocorral the escaped geese shooing them into a coer of theyard.
chord-cord
32
cord [d] a harmonious blend of tones That chord is adiicult one to play on a twelvestring guitar.
chord d a straight line connecting two points on a curve The geomete instructor asked his class to accuratelymeasure the chord of the circle.
cord [d]
a strong string or rope woven of several strands Sam 's puppy is tied to the clothesline with a cord cord [d] a tubular or ropelike structure The baby's
umbilical cord was wrapped aund its neck at bih. cord [d] a stack of rewood measuring 4 x 4 X
was tired and thirsty aer stacking the cord of wood in the ba.
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clae-claws
cord [d] a fabric with raised rows of material. Ourhome economics teacher suggested using a sturdy fabric such astwill, cord, or denim for our project.
chute-shoot chute [Jt] a sloped passageway through which things may be sent. clothes chute leading from the bathroom to thebasement is ve convenient.
chute [Jt] a parachute. (Slang or colloqual.) Tom has topack his own chute when he goes skydiving.
shoot [Jt] to discharge a gun or other weapon at someone or
something. Before you shoot the rie, make cerain you have
a clear line offire. soot [Jut] to discharge a gun at someone; to release an arrowat someone "Please do not shoot me! begged the clerk.
shoot [Jut] to photograph someone or something. The lmcompany making the movie will shoot some scenes along thewateront.
shoot Jt] a small sprout of new plant growth Warmsunshine and plenty of water will enable the shoot to growquickly.
cite-sght-ste cte [SOI] to order someone to appear in court. If you get
caught speeding, the oicer may cite you for a moving violation.· cte [SOI] to quote something from a published source.
Her attoey will cite a littleknown law when presenting herdefense.
cte [SOI] to recognize someone in commendation uringhis speech, the speaker will cite the award winner's manyaccomplishments.
· sght [SOI] the ability to see. The child's sight improvedgatly following e surge.
· sgt [SOI] a view or glimpse. The Grand Canyon is a magnicent sight.
ste [SOI] a position, place, or scene of somethng such as a town or building. The site for the new veterans memorial hasnot been decided.
clae-claws
clae [z] a oup of words containing a subject and a verb, used in either a compound or complex sentence. Whilehe tinkered in his workshop all moing' is a dependent clause.
clae [z] a specic section of a written document. Thecontct contained an escape clause to protect both parties.
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claws
claws [z] the plural of claw a sharp, curved nail on thetoe of an animal' When he decided to keep his cat indoors,Mario had its claws removed
claws [z] the plural of claw the pincherlike appendagelike that of a lobster or crab.' Some shmarkets oer crabclaws for sale
claws See the main ent benning with ause
clck-clqe clck [] a sharp, taplike sound Tom knew someone
picked up the extension phone when he heard a click on the line clck [k]
to make a taplike sound I dislike hearing
people click their tongues in disapproval clck [] to t together or agree. Since th both enjoyed
classical music, the new roommates knew immediately thatthey would click
clqe i ] an exclusive, closely knit group sharing some similar interes, purpose, or view. There always seemsto be a particular clique to which many highshool studentswant to belong
clb-cle clb [Om] to go or move up somehing Be careful
when you climb the ladder The song's climb to the top of therecord charts was quick
cle [OIm] a climate. Bonnie prefers a warm clime to acold one
cle See the main ent beginning with cmb
clqe See the main ent beginning with cck
close-clothes close loz] to shut something Please close the door before
leaving close [kloz] a conclusion; an endng At the close of the
speech, the drowsy audience began to stir clothes [oz oz] rments His clothes always look as
if he slept in them
cloths See the main ent beginning with ose
coarse-course
3
coarse [<s] rough or harsh The coarse tture of thegarent was irritating to the skin
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complement-complment
coarse [<s] of poor quality The cabin 's coarse furnish-ings were almost unusable.
coarse [<s]
lacking renement in skills or manners His
behavior is sometimes coarse and offensive. cose [<s] a path of action The new college students
were encouaged to stay on course and not get distracted omtheir studies.
cose [<s] a series of lectures or other materials dealing with a ven subject The most dicult course in the curricu-lum is entitled "Ethics and Issues.
course [<s] a pathway over which something moves The sailboat was blown o its course by strong winds.
collar See the main ent beginning with collard -collad
collard 'kl<d] a vegetable with smooth leaves belonging tothe cabbage family A pesky rabbit has nibbled eve collardin my vegetable garden.
collared ['kl<d] the past tense and past participle of collarto t someone or something with a collar' High, stiffcollared shirs were a popular men 's fashion in the 18's.
collared ['kl<d] the past tense and past participle of collarto catch someone or something; to arrest someone' (Slang I collared the dog and tied it to a tree. The cops collared the
crooksjust aer the robbe.
collared See the main ent beginning with coard
colonel-kernel colone [' k<nl] a rank of commissioned milit ocer higherthan lieutenant colonel but lower than brigadier general
Even a colonel must answer to a higher authority.
keel ['k<nl] the soft, inner part of a fruit stone, nut, orseed The small child planted a kernel of corn in each tinyhole in the earh.
complement-compliment complement [kmpm;n] something that enhances or com-pletes someone or something A fine red wine is a nicecomplement for a meal including red meat.
complement [mpm;nt the number or quantity neededto me something complete en the nal complement oftops arrived, the unit moved out.
compliment [mpm;nt] to express admiration or respectfor something "I'd like to compliment you on your fine
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complment
achievements, began the speaker. compliment [mpm;n] an expression of praise or recog-
nition Some people become ve embarrassed when paid a
compliment.
complment See the main ent beginning with compement
condant-condent condant ['nfdnt] a peron in whom one condes ortrusts The frightened youngster chose an understandingpolice ofcer as a condant.
conident [nfid;n] ll of assurance and selfreliance. the ball game progressed, the pitcher grew more condent of
hersel
condent See the main ent beginning with cndant
contence-contents contence knt;ns] selfrestraint Tom 's continence
dissolved as the badgering and ridicule of his iends continued. contence 'nt;ns] the ability to control excretory nctions The stke victim no longer had continence
contents ['knt;ns]the plural of
continentone of theseven major land masses on the earth' Austlia is the
smallest of the world 's continents.
contents See the main ent beginning with cntnence
contual-contnuo contual [;n'ju;] on a regular or frequent basis Her
continual complaints are annoying. contuous [n'ju;s]
constantly without an end That
machine s continuous knocking sound must be fedcontuous See the main ent beginning with continua
coo-coup
36
coo [u] a appy, rgling soun mde by n infant Newparents are oen thrilled by the first coo made by their offspring
coo [u] the low, so sound of a pigeon or dove On hotsummer mornings the coo of a mouing dove is easilyrecognizable.
coo [u] to utter a soft cooing sound To coo like a baby isusually a sign of contentment.
coup u] a sudden, unexpected, and usually successful ac-tion The unseasoned athlete staged a coup ainst thechampion and eventually won the title.
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correspondence-correspondens
coop-coupe coop [up] a small shed or enclosure, usually used to keep
poult. That pesky raccoon raids the chicken coop almost
eve night. coop [up] [up] to conne someone or something in close,restricted quarters. "If you don 't behave, threatened thebasitter, "I'll coop you up in your room for an hour.
coupe coup [up up a twodoor car with a hardroof. ile my brother prefers a converible, I much preer asporty coupe.
cops-copse cops [kps]
the plural of cop
a law enforcement ocer'(Slang. Cops patrol New York City's streets on horseback. copse [ps] a small, thick growth of trees or bushes. The
copse at the back of the farm is a haven for many birds andsmall animals.
copse See the main ent beginning with cops
cor See the main ent beginning with chre
cord
See the main ent beginning withchord
core-corps core [ the center or foundation of something. At the
core of the curriculum are eight required courses. core [] the center, inedible part of many frits. Be sure
to remove the core of the apple when slicing it for the salad. core [] the central meaning of something. The core of
the telephone solicitor 's pitch was a request for donations. corps ] a oup of individuals organized and acting to-ther under common direction; an organized subdivision of a milita unit. (The pronunciation rps] is viewed as anerror. ile enlisted in the army Josh was a clerk in theArmy Corps of Engineers. The city 's youth corps pvidesobs for many disadvantaged young people.
corps See the main ent beginning with core
co See the main ent beginning with chre
corespondnce-correspondens
correspondence [;'spnd;ns] a relationship of one thing with another. There is a direct coespondence between dietand the general health of a person.
correspondence [;spnd;nts an exchange of writtencommunication. Mrs. Smith has carried on a correspondence
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correspondents
with her French pen pal for more than forty years. correspondents [-;'spnd;ns] people who communicate
regularly in writing wth one another. As correspondents,
Kathy and I have enjoyed keeping in touch though we aresepated by thousands of miles.
correspondents [-;spnd;ns] people who serve as newsreporters from a distant location. uring the Persian GulfWar, news correspondents reported events as th happened.
correspondents See the main ent beginning wih crrespndence
counc-counsel council ['knsl] a body of people that meets to consult ormake policy. Our city council meets once a month. council [knsl] a federation made up of small, local chap-ters. The council on physical tness has established guidelines for schoolage children 's tness levels .
counsel knsl] to offer someone advice or consutation. Clergymen oen counsel young couples preparing for marriage.
counsel 'knsl] an attorney hired to advise or representsomeone in legal matters.
"Counsel will refrain from bad
gering the witness, roared the ang judge.
counsel See the main ent benning wth cun
coup See the main ent beginning with coupe See the main ent beginning with coop
course See the main ent beginning with coarse
coward -cowered
coward ['k] a person who demonstrates fear. Susanis a real coward when it comes to ying. cowered ['k-d] the past tense and past participe of cowerto draw away from someone or something in fear.' en
the dog heard the bathwater running, it cowered in a coer ofthe bedroom.
cowered See the main ent beginning with cwad
crek-creek
38
crek [i] a squeaing or ating noise. The creak of theswing on the ont porch annoys me.
crek [i] to produce a creaking sound. hat door willcreak ifyou open it slowly.
creek [ri k] a natural stream of water usually smaller
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cue-queue
than a river The homesteaders searched for some land witha creek running through it.
cam-creme cream im] the fatty part of whole milk that rises to thetop when milk is left standing Grandma always adds cream
to her tea. cream im] the best of something or some group Only
the cream of the contestants wil l go on to the nal competition.• cream im] to whip or beat a substance until it becomessmooth You should cream the sugar and shortening beforeadding the other ingredients.
creme crme
[krim, krE] a sweet, creamy lqueur
He occasionally likes a splash of crme de menthe over ice for asummer beverage.
creek See the main ent beginning wth creak
creme See he main ent beginning wth cream
crewelcruel crewel [krul] a loosely twisted yarn used in embroide
The wall hanging in the foyer was done in crewel by her aunt.
cel [krul] causing pain, grief, or inju Children oftenutter cruel words to one another in anger.
cwscrse crews [uz] the plural of crew a oup of people working together in cooperation' Each of the work crews wasassigned a task to be completed by the day 's end
cse kruz] to sail through a geographical ocation Iwould someday like to cruise Alaska 's inland passage.
cse
uz] to wander streets randomly Gangs of
youths cruise the streets of the city day and night. cse kruz] to travel at the most ecient speed The
pilot announced that the aircft would cruise at an altitude of33, feet.
cel See the main ent beginning with crewe
cse See the main ent beginning wth crews
cue-queue
cue [kju] a sial ven to someone for a specic purpose en the director gave him the cue Ken strutted onto the stage. cue kju] to prompt someone If you forget your lines in
the play, a prompter will cue you om behind the curain cue kju] a stck used to strike the balls in pool or billiards
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ct-cuent
For better contact with the ball, put chalk on the end ofyourcue.
• queue up] []
to line up in a row. Concer fans began to
queue up for tickets at midnight.• queue kju a line; a row. The queue of antique cars at the
fair attracted many admirers.• queue kju a braid of hair worn dangling at the back of theneck. Ma wore her hair in a queue interwoven with colorfulribbons.
ct-cent• ct [k�n] the sml, berlike fruit of sever shrubs.
I ate almost eve currant I picked!• cent [k�n] uptodate; presently acceptable or prac-ticed. The man prides himself on his knowledge of current
world events. The current medical procedure for curing thatailment is really quite simple.
• cuent '�n] the ow of something in a specic direction. Be careful of the strong current in that river.
cent See the main ent beginning with currt
cbal-sbol
• cbal 'smbl] a percussion instrument made of brass thatproduces a loud, crashing sound when struck with a stick oranother cymbal. To play the cymbal well, one must haveperfect timing.
• sbol [smb!] something that stands for something elseby reason of association or resemblance. The dictator's facebecame a symbol of hatred to the oppressed people.
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D
dam-d dam [d] a structure in a river or a stream preventing theow of water The beavers built a dam at the narrowest partof the river
dam [d] to place a barrier in a river or a strem to restrict
the ow of water If we dam the ow of water upstream we
can slow the current here dam [d] the female parent of a horse The filly's dam
has a strong racing background d [d] to condemn someone to punishment The
court chose to damn the traitor to a lifetime of banishment d [d] to bring ruin upon someone or something
The defeat of that issue will damn any chance of furher schoolimprovements
d
[d] to condemn someone or something through a curse "amn the day my curiosity got the best of me!wailed the woman
d See the main ent beginning with dam
days-dae days [dez] the plural of day the period between sunrise andsunset' uring the summertime, days are much longer thanduring the winter
days
dez] the plural of day
a twentyfour hour period'
You will feel better in a couple of days dae [dez] to stun or disorient someone or some creature
Repeated blows to the head began to daze the tired but determined boxer
dae [dez] a state of isorientation Severe jet lag seems to
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dae
put some travelers in a daze
dae See the man ent beginning wth days
dear-dr dear [d highly valued; precious. My gndmother's an-
tique locket is ve dear to me dear [d costly; expensive. For some people, the price
paid for personal freedom is dear indeed dear [d a loved one. (A term of address.) Now, my dear,
what may I do for you ? deer [d a wild, swirunning animal having hooves and
antlers in all males ad the females of some species. Each
year, the same deer munches on my father's gardendeer See the main ent beginning with dear
demur-demure demur [dI to object; to me an objection. I appre-
ciate your suggestion but I must demur That is the wrongapproach
demure [dI modest; coyly decorous. The demureyoung priest was ve precise in his homily
demure See the main ent beginning with demur
dense-dens dense [dE thick; closely own. Although Harold has a
dense head of hair, his bther Hank is nearly bald dense [dE dull; stupid. In the movie, that character is a
dense, bumbling doortodoor salesman dents [dE the plural of dent an indentation or hollow
made by a blow.' The autobody shop was able to repair all of
the dents in the car's bumperdental-dentl
dental [E having to do with teeth or dentist. Oneof the fringe benefits of that job is a complete dental insuranceplan
dental [E� pronounced with the tip of the tonge againstthe back of the upper front teeth. The sounds d and aresaid to be dental because of the way they are spoken
detl[E� a small, rectanglar decorative block project-ing below a cornice or overhang on a building. (Architectural.)
A dentil had fallen here and there, but the look of the oldbuilding was still pleasant
dentl See the main ent beginning with denta
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desert-dessert
dents See the main ent beginnng wth dense
dependence-dependents depedence [;'pnd;ns]
the state or quality of relying onsomeone or something else. Children remain in a state ofcomplete dependence on their parents for many years.
dependents [;'pnd;ns] the plural of dependent someonewho reies upon someone else for support.' How manydependents do you claim on your fedeal and state income t ?
dependents See the main ent beginning with dependence
depravation -depvation
depravaton [Epr;'vn] corruption or downfall. Associa-
tion with the wng people seemingly caused the depravation ofthe innocent woman.
depvaton [Epr;'vn] losing or removing something. eprivation of food and clothing made their istence miseble.
deprvation See the main ent beginning with depravation
descenson -dssension descenson [;'snn]
the process of going from a higherrank, status, or altitude to a lower one. The wrestler'ssudden descension in the touament's ranking was a shockto his teammates.
dssenson [;'snn, dI'snn] quarreling; disagreement of opinion The issue ofpromotion and seniority caused muchdissension among the ofce workers. There was little dissension among the Supreme Court justices regarding that case.
descent-dssent descent [;snt]
a movement downward. The hikers '
descent of the mountains ide was slow and tedious. descent [;'snt] birth; lineage. Otis MacFarland can
tce his descent back many centuries to some ve old Scottishfamilies.
dssent ['snt] to withhold agreement from someone orsomething. I will ercise my right to dissent on thatparicular issue.
dssent [I'snt] a dierence of opinion. The representa-tive's dissent was noted in the minutes.
desert-dessert esert ['dEZat] a hot, d area of land, usually covered withsand There is hardly any life in the sands of the deser.
dsrt [;'za] to leave or abandon someone or something 3
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dessert
on purpose. Rather than stay and ght, the soldiers choseinstead to deser their units.
dee
[d<] the last course of a meal, usually something sweet. His favorite dessert is black walnut cakedessert See the main ent benning with desert
dew-do-de dew [du, dju] the moisture that condenses on a cool surface,usually during the night. As temperatures continue to drop,the dew on the grass will soon become frost.
do [du] to perform something; to car somethng out. D oyour chores rst, and then you 'll have plenty of time for other
activities. de [du, dju] owed or owing a debt, moral obligation, orright. D The electric bill is due on the 15th of each month. DMy nal paper is due on the last day of class.
e-dye d [dO] to cease to lve. D Certain insects die a da or so
aer hatching. de [dO] to expire. If not acted upon, the bill will die in
committee. de [do] [dO] to decrease gradually; to stop. D I wish the
wind would die down so I can rake these leaves. de [dO] a sixsided cube with varying numbers of dots oneach side that is used in games. With each roll of the die the
man 's luck seemed to increase. de [dO] a tool or device needed to me shapes, forms, orsurfaces. D The die used for casting that par has cracked andcan no longer be used.
dye[dO] to change the color of something.
D Eveone willnotice ifyou dye your blond hair black.
dye [dO] an agent used to change the color of something. DThe pule dye would not wash o his hands.
dbe-pee
sb [dI <] to pay out money from a fund. DOur company will disburse bonus checks at the end of the year.
sbe dI to distribute somethng. D She re-quested that her attorn disburse her estates assets according
to her will. r [dI] to scatter or break up something. D Police
ocers tried in vain to disperse the unruly mob. sr [d] to spread or distribu something evenly rom a xed source. D risms disperse sunlight in unusual
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does-doe
and beautiful pattes.
dscreet-dscrete scet
[d having the ability to show od judgment,especially in conduct and speech job that involveshandling condential information requires a discreet employee.
scte [d distinct or separate Though quite similar in appearance the twins each have a discrete personality.
dscrete See the main ent benning with discreet
dsntested -unnterested disintested
[d free from personal motive orinterest Let's ask a disinterested third pary to help settlethis dispute. unnterested � not interested The bored audi
ence was obviously uninterested in what the speaker was saying.
dperse See the main ent beginning with disburse
ssenson See the main ent beginning with descension
dssent See the main ent beginning with descent
do See the main ent beginning wth dewdo-dough
doe [do a female deer The doe /icked her ears and tailnervously while her fawns ate nearby.
doe [do a female of most species where the male is called a buck Ginny won first prize in the bbit competition at thefair with her pet doe Flopsy.
doug do a mixture of our, liquid, and other ingredients,usually used for breads, cookies, and pie crusts
My sister'srecipe for homemade bread dough is easy to make.
dough do money (Slang) "Hey, man, can you give mesome dough ? asked the beggar.
does-doze does [doz the plural of doe a female deer or other femaleanimal where the male is called a buck' In the wild, thenumber of does outweighs the number of bucks.
does
[d� the third person singlar of do
to perorm an act' He does what he is told. doze [d� to fall into a light, unintentional sleep I doz in
nt ofthe television set each night during te news. do doz to bulldoze something work crew will doze
the site of the demolished buildig.
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done-dun
done-dun done d] the past participle of do to perform an act'
ter you have done the ling, please type this letter.
done [d] completed; nished. When the candy ther-mometer reads 25 degrees, you 'll know that the mixture is donesimmering.
dun d] a horse of a neutral light brown color At theriding stable, Jane was given a dun mare to ride.
dun [d] marked by drabness or dullness. The dun colorof the om wasn 't ve attractive.
dun [d] to hound someone for the payment of a debt Ifyou do not pay your bills, th will dun you until yu do.
dough See the main ent beginning with doze See the main ent beginning with does
drat-draught drat [dr] to draw up or design something We were
asked to dra a document listing our goals for the pjects. drat [dr] capable of pulling a load or doing heavy abor
(Usually said of horses.) The team of d horses stined
under the heavy weight of the load. drat [dr to inhale or swallow something. Hen can
dft an entire stein of beer in one long gulp. drat [dr] to selectively choose someone or something fora particular purpose. The college football coach is hoping todraft some of the top prep players for his team.
drat dr] a current of air entering a closed space Thecold draft coming under the door made sitting in the room mostuncomfortable.
draught [dr] a move in a chess or checkers me. Asusual, Ter defeated me in chess a clever draught that Imissed.
draught See the main ent beginning with draft
dual-duel
6
dual [dul, djul] two; double. The hotrod car has dual haust pipes. Psychiatrists spend a good deal of time studyingpatients with dual personalities.
duel [dul, djul] a confrontation between two armed combat-ants, usually to settle an argument. (uels are now illegal ) A wellknown duel in American histo involved AlanderHamilton and Aaron Burr.
duel dul, djul] a conict of interest, persons, forces, or ideas.
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dye
The two courtroom attos were locked in a duel of minds
ducked -duct ducked
[d�] the past tense and past participle of duck
topush someone or something under water' The childrenducked one another during a game in the pool
ducked [d�] the past tense and past participle of duck tohide from or avoid someone or something' D He ducked beforethe intended blow landed on his head.
duct [d�] a passageway through which somehing travesD The air duct carries warm air in the winter and cool air inthe summer. D Julie had to go to the doctor because she had aninfection in her le tear duct
duct See the main ent beginning with ducked
due See the main ent beginning with dew
duel See the main ent beginning with du
dun See the main ent beginning with done
dye See the main ent beginning with die
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E
e- e [n] to receve payment or reward n return for workthat one has done. Jenny hopes to earn enough money to payher own way through college Three young men in that scoutpack will soon earn the rank ofEagle Scout
[n]
a vessel wth a pedestal used for planting owers orpreservng ashes following crematon. The u on the patiocontains geaniums and marigolds. The urn on the mantlecontains the remains of Uncle Herman.
eave-ee ea [i] a low, usually separate border of a roof that over-hangs a wall and s desgned to nnel o water en the
antenna blew o the o it badly dented an eave. eve i] the evenng or day before a specal event On the
eve of her wedding, Jane was nervous andjitte eve [i] the perod mmeately precedng somethng.
uring the eve of the American Civil War, tensions between theNorth and South steadily increased
ition See the man ent begnning wth additn
efect See the man ent begnnng with aect
eight See the man ent bennng wth ate
licit-iicit
8
licit [;St] to brng somethng out; to draw somethng forth. Wil l you help me elicit suppor among your iends forthis cause?
iicit [I ISt] llegal; unlaul. The illicit sale of drugs is a
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ewe-yew-you
major pblem in many cities.
eluson See the main ent benning with ausion
mnet-mmnent emnent [Em;n] noted for position, rank, or achievement
The eminent author won many Newbe Awards for hischildren 's books.
emnent ['Em;n] conspicuous; readily noticeable Thecomedian ridiculed the politician 's eminent nose.
mmnent [Im;n] soon to happen or tae place Theprisoner on death row knew his execution was imminent.
ense-sure ensur <] to guarantee something; to make certain of something I will ensure your safe arrival at your destination. sur ['<] to acquire or give insurance for; to makecertain Be sure to insure your new motorcle before drivingit. I will send the letter rst class to insure that it arrives assoon a possible.
epc-epch pc [Ep]
long in length or scope The epic novel gave
seveal viewpoints of the conquest of the Aerican West. epoch [E;] an event or period of time notd as the begin-ning of a new period or development With Eli Whitney's
invention of interchangeable pars, the epoch of industrializa-tion began in eaest.
epoch [Ep;k] a geological time span We studied theMiocene epoch in great depth in my geology class.
epoch
Se the main ent beginning withepic
e See the main ent beginning with air
ed Se the main ent beginning with aired
eve See the main ent beginning wth eave
ewe-ye-you e Uu] a female shep or related animal It is not at all
unusual for a ewe to bear triplets or even quadruplets. yew U]
a type of evergren tre or shrub that has sti needles and is often used in landsping The tiny yew heplanted many years ago has gwn into a beautil tree. you Uu] the second person pronoun that refers to the personor persons being addrssd Would you care to join me for acup of coee ?
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ewes-e-yews
ewes-e-yews ewes Guz] the plural of ewe a female sheep or related animal.'
ter lambing, the ewes stay close to their young.
e Gz] to utilize or employ someone or something Thatcontracting business does not use unski lled laborers. e Guz] to expend or consume something. Je uses as
much solar energy as possible to heat his home yews Gz] the plural of yew a tye of evergreen tree or shrbthat has stiff needles' on lined the borders of his propertywith yews to serve a windbreak
ye See the main ent benning with aye
eyed-I'd
5
eyed [Od] the past tense and past participle of e to look orglance at someone or somethng.' The little girl eyed thecolorful hair ribbons longingly
eyed Od] the condition of having eyes. Most of the utchchildren in that community are blueed blondes.
I'd [Od] a contraction of I had, I would, or I should If Idknown you were coming, I'd have tidied up the house a bit.
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F
facts-f facts [fks] the plural of fact a piece of information that
be proven.' Aer we examine all the facts, we 'll make adecision.
f [fks] an electronic facsimile transmission. The realtoragreed to accept the f of the offer as legal and binding
f [fks] to transmit a facsimile by wire. George's business is much more efcient now that he is able to fax informationto his clients.
f fks] a machine used for electronic facsimile transmis-sions. I decided to buy a f when they went on sale.
faint-fent faint [fent] to lose consciousness. Sally will faint at the
mere sight of blood. faint [fent]
feeling weak, dizzy, or lightheaded. He felt
faint for days aer suering the head inju faint [fent] lacking courage or spirit Skydiving is no
hobby for a faint individual fent [fent] a trick; a deception. The player's double feint
completely caught her opponent oguard. fent fent] to pretend to do something, usually attack, as a means of distraction. The battalion wil l feint at the enemy's
left ank but then attack the right
fair-fare fair [fE3] attractive; beautiful. The fair maiden caught the
e of the knight in shining armor. fair [fE3] honest and impartial. That judge is known for
his fair decisions
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fai-fer
· fair [fE] blond or light complexioned Many Scandinaviansare fair and have blue eyes.
fair [fE]
clear The weather during our weeklong vaca-
tion was fair and warm fair [fE] just and equal It is important that eveone does
his or her fair share of the work fair [fE] a comptitive exhibition Each year Ma's baked
goods win blue ribbons at the fair.· fair [fE] a gathering of buyers and sellers The computer
fair was attended by people om all around the world· fare [fE] a range of available food I know a terrific
restaurant that specializes in superb Italian fare.
fare [fE] the price charged to transport something or some-one The undtrip fare was less costly than buying twooneway tickets
fare fE] to get along; to succeed Mr Smith hopes thateach of his children will fare well in life
fi-fe fai [E] a tiny, mythical being said to possess macalpowers In the movie "Peter Pan Tinkerbell is a somewhatmischievous fai
fai ['E] a male with eeminate mannerisms (Slang Usu-ally derogato) While some students at school called ave afai, his iends knew him to be quite masculine
fe [E] a vessel used to transport goods or people overwater; a place where people or objects are transported acrosswater Visitors can reach the island only by the fer thatcrosses the bay twice daily At the fer you can catch a boatthat will take you on a sightseeing trip.
· fr [Eto convey or move something or someone fromone place to another Volunteers will fer the refugees acss
the border in private vehicles
false-fats
52
fas [s] not real or genuine; imitation Gndpa wasalways forgetting where he put his false teeth
fal [fls] intentionally misleaing or untrue She purposely made false statements to t to discredit her employer
false s
impermanent The libra contained a false
wall that led into a secret room· faults flts] the plural of fault a weaess, failing, or im-percton' ile Bob s faults may be many we still thinkhighly of him
faults [ts] the plral o fault a fracture in the earh's
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fea-feet-fee
crust.' Most of Califoia's earhquakes occur along one ofseveal faults in the state
fareSe the main ent beginning with
fair
farthr-rther farther ['aa] further [aa] a greater distance.
The trip om the village to the mountain resort was farherthan I thought it would be
ther ['a] additional. I won 't bore you with urtherdetails
the ['] to help someone or something progress for
ward. Bill hopes to furher his education by attending college
faults See the main ent beginning with fase
f See the main ent beginning with facts
fae-phe fae [fez] to me impression on or disturb the composureof someone or something. I doubt that a formal reprimand
will even faze Thomas phase [fez] a sage or interval in a cycle or development.
The nt phase of the project involves the appval of the boardof commissioners
phe fez] to schdule something to occur or to be per-formed. The major automobile makers wil l phase out theirpoorest selling models
fat-feet-fete feat [t] a notable deed, especially one involving eat sll orcourage. The circus elephant accomplished a most dicult
feat
feet t] the plural of foot the part of the body at the end of the leg. The wobbly colt was barely able to stay on its feetimmediately after being bo
feet [fit] the plural of foot the vertical supports of a leg or a chair.' I constantly bump the feet of the chair when I sweepthe oor
fet [fit] the plural of foot a unit of length measuring twelveinches.' The board was six feet long
fte fte [fet ft
an elaborate large py to commemorate or honor somone or omting A fete recogizing hiscontributions to literature is schduled for next moth
ft ft [fet ft t hnor omne r omethng Hr cwrrs wi ft r w sas rcr at a specialluhn
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feet
feet See the man ent begnnng wth feat
fent See the man ent begnnng wth fnt
fer See the man ent begnnng wth fairy
fete See the man ent begnnng wth feat
feudal-futle feudal ['judl] havng to do wth feudalsm, an ancent pot-l system where land tenure s granted n exchange for loyalty or trbute. In feudal England, ses did most of the farming
tle [ul, 'udl] useless; hopeless. His futile attempt tocatch the falling vase caused him to spin his back
nd-fined nd [fd] to dscover someone or somethng I hope to
nd some unusual seashells on the beach nd [fd] to arrve at or reach somethng. Labor and
management hope to find solutions to their disagreement nd [fd] to determne the judcal glt or nnocence of anaccused person. We think the ju will nd the accused notguilty
ned [fd]the past tense and past partcple of ne tocharge a sum of money punshment for an oense.' John
was ned fiy dollars for parking illegally in a handicappedparking space
ned See the man ent begnnng wth nd
r-fur r [fa] a type of conferous tree, such the pne or evergreen.
The Christmas tree we bought was a beautiful ly shaped r r []
the wood of a conferous tree such as a r or ever-een. Rick made the table out of some planks of discardedr
[fa] the hr coat of an anmal. Sable pelts are a vevaluable fur
[] a clothng artcle made wth fur. Jane hung herfur in the cedarlined closet
sher-ssure
5
sher ['a]
a dark brown carnvorous mammal belongng to the weasel famly. The stnge animal we saw may havebeen a fisher
ssure [Ia] a crack or narrow openng resultng from break-e or separaton. That fissure in the sidewalk was probablycaused by frost
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ew-u-ue
ssure ['IJ-] a disaeement in viewpoint. Because oftheir fissure on that issue, the men argue constantly
sseSee the main ent beginning wth
sher
a-are· a [E-] natural aptitude for something. Christy has a
real air for interior design· a [E-] an odor. The air of the skunk seemed to be
apparent for miles around are [E-] a blaze or ame of re or light used as a signalto attract attention. Mike has never needed to use the
emergency are he carries in his car· a E-] to burn or shine with an unsteady ame orsudden light. A re in the replace wil l sometimes are up if
a sudden dra occurs· a [E-] to suddenly become ang, excited, or more in-tense. If you mention that incident, Brad 's temper will are
a See the main ent begnnng with air
aunt-out· aunt [t]
to me a udy or deant dsplay of something. Even though he is extremely rich, r Shear does not aunthis wealth
· out [] to mock or show dsrespect for someone or some-thing. The poacher continues to out the "No Trespassingsigns as he hunts on my propery
ea-ee· ea [i] a ightless, bloodsucking nsect that feeds on warm-
blooded animals. The dog wears a special collar to protect it
fm eas and other pasites· ee [i] to run away from danger. The refugees had to ee
their wartorn nation
ee See the main ent beginning wth ea
ew-u -ue· ew [] the past tense of y to move through the air, oftenon wings.' The swallows ew swiftly and gracefully in the
a£r
· ew [u] the past tense of y to move rapidly or swly.' The skiers ew down the steep slopes on the new snow
· ew [u] the past tense of y to operate airplane.' Thepilot ew the airplane skillfully
· u [] inuenza. The school closed because so many
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oe-ow
children were home sick with the u ue [] an enclosed tube, ppe, or passageway used to con-
vey or chanel somethngD The chimney's ue was blocked
by a squirrel 's nest
oe-ow oe [] a large sheet of oatng ce on the surface of water
olar bears will sometimes swim out to a oe to eat or rest ow [o] to crculate or move about easly D ue to the
crowded conditions in the building, air does not ow as itshould Trac does not ow smoothly during rush hour
ow
[] to move n a stream or ood, especally waterD
The river will ow much faster after the snow melts in themountains
odr-founder ounder [nd] to make awkward attempts to move orn balance; to move clumsly or n confuson D I hated to seethe beached dolphin ounder about on the shore D Tu on thelights so we don't ounder about in the darkness
ounder ['nd-] a atboded sh often used for food Jack ordered stuffed ounder for dinner
founder [nd] a person who founds or establshes some-thng D Mr Brown was the founder of the local historicalsociety
foder [nd-] to gve way, collapse, or become dsabledD The weight of its pack caused the mule to founder
founder ['nd- to snk beneath the surface of water DSeveral ships began to founder during the terrible sto
our-ower
our -] a nely ground gran meal used for bakng orokng D Sah uses whole wheat our to make her homemade bread braids
our [] to cover somethng n our D Be sure to greaseand our the bottom and sides of the baking dish
o ['] a plant usually grown for ts blossoms D Theower in his lapel was a red carnation
owr [] to produce owers D Most desert cacti owerin late spring
or to oursh or develop D espite her tomboyappearance, Casey will eventually ower into a young lady
ot See the man ent bennng wth aunt
o S te man nt gnnng wt oe
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foreword -foard
ower See the main ent beginning with o
u
See the main ent beginning withew
ue See the main ent beginning with ew
foaled-fold foaled fld] the past tense and past participle of foal to givebirth to a newborn horse, donkey, or mule' D The racehorse
foaled last year fold [fod] a ock of sheep or an enclosure for such D The
fold has never been attacked by coyotes fold [fold]
one part of something laid over another partD
The fold of her skir concealed the to seam fold [fold] to intertwine the ngers of both hands D Fold
your hands and bow your head when saying gce at the dinnertable
fold [fold] to bring to an end or to fail D Without rthernancial suppor, the company will surely fold
fold See the main ent beginning with fed
for-foe-four
for [a] a preposition indicating purpose or function D Theoutside fork at a place setting is for the meal while the insidefork is for dessert
fo [] to be in suppor of someone or something D UncleRay is always for any type of law that favors small businesses
for f] representing someone or something (A preposition)D The speaker said, "I am here for Senator Young who wasunable to attend this evening
fore []
occupying a front or leading position(A
pre)D
The dining car is located in the forepar of the train fore [] "Look out! (A golf term used o warn otherplayers that a ball is being struck, possibly in their rectionD Marilyn yelled "fore when she saw that her tee shot washeaded toward the golfers ahead of her
four [] the number between three and ve D "Can weplay euchre with more than four people ? asked Pete
fore See the main ent beginning with foword -foad
foword [w] the introducto remarks of a writer orspeer In the foreword of the safety manual the writerspla the purpose of t tt
fo [d being near or at the front o something57
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foally-foerly
The foo soldiers were forward of the medical and supplyunits
foard ['<wd]
unabashed; brash. He has always been
a forward young man foard ['<wd] to advance or send something along. I
hope the post ofce will forward this letter if the address haschanged
foard ['<w<d] getting ready for or relating to the ture. Matt's forward thinking has saved his company a grea dealof money.
foard ['<wd] an offensive player on various types of
sports teams. The team 's forward set a new school point
record at last Friday night's basketball game.
foly-foerly foally ['<mli] carried out in a ceremonial fashion
The pioeering scientist will formally receive her award inthree months.
foerly ['<m<l] n tmes past. Our neighbors wereformerly stationed in Bangkok, Thailand, before being reassigned to San iego, Califoia
foerly See the main ent beginning with frmay
foh-fourh forth [] onward or outward in time, place, or order.
Step forth into the light where I can see you better foh [<8] the ordinal number between thrd and fth.
The huge jumbo jet was fourh in line to take o on the runway. foh [8] one quarter of a whole. Almos a fourth of
her newly planted garden was eaten rabbits.
foard See the main ent beginning wth frewrd
fo-fowl
58
fo [fl] oensive to the senses When we entered theroom, we detected a oul odor.
fo [fl] profane; obscene. That coach will not toleratefoul language om his players.
fo [fl] treacherous. ue to the foul weather, we can-celled the dinner cruise aboard the yacht.
fo [fl] an infringement of the rules in a game or sport. Neither onald nor Russell committed a single foul during thebasketball game
fowl [fl] a member of the bird family, usually used forfood. The wild turkey is an interesting fowl to observe
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iar-yer
fowl [fl] the meat of birds eaten as food. ile MrSmith prefers red meat, his wife would rather eat fowl
foderSee the main ent benning with
under
four See the main ent beginning with fouh See the main ent beginning with forth
fowl See the main ent beginning wth fouays-phrase
ays [frez] the plural of ay a raveled or worn area of fabric.' Trim the frays o the edge of that material beforemending it
ays [frez] the present tense, third person singular of frayto cause a strain on something; to wear at something.' Helen is such a sensitive person that even an unkind remarkfrays her selesteem
phre [frez] a grammatical sequence of words. An overused, trite phse is called a clich The rst sentence of thenovel began with the phrase, "To dream the dream of kings
phre [frez] to form an utterance. Be careful how youphrase your questions
ees-freeze-ieze ees [friz] the present tense, third person singular of freeto liberate someone or something.' Not having to work onSaturday ees Sam to spend time on his hobbies
eeze friz] to use cold to use a liquid to solidify or a solidto harden. You must freeze water to make ice cubes eeze friz] to become chilled with cold. "t's hur
inside before we freez, said Sandy
eeze friz] to become ed or motionless. When thesuspect began running away, the police ocer yelled "Freeze
eez friz] a weather condition marked by cold tempera-tures. The late spring freeze ruined the citrus crop
ieze [friz] a coarse, durable fabric made wth wool andother bers. A sweater made of frieze may not be attractive,but it certainly is warm
ieze [friz] an ornamental, usually sculptured, trim on a
building. The friez around the mansion 's entway was
typical of the 192'seeze See the main ent beginning with frees
iar-yer iar 'rOI3] a male member of some types of religious orders.
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iee
D y do we usually picture a friar wearing a long, dark,hooded cloak ?
er ['rOIa]
a young chicken.D While a fer is usually a
young bird, a stewing chicken is normally older and tougher. er [rOIa] a cooking pot or pan used to f foods. D Pat
slowly simmered the meat and vegetables in the fer.
eze See the main ent beginning with frees
er See the main ent beginning with friar
See the main ent beginning with r
ther
See the main ent benning withfarther
tle See the main ent beginning with feuda
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G
gait-gate gait [get] a manner of walking or moving on foot. He moves
in an easy, natural gait, never huring but never dallyingeither.
gait get] one of the four foot movements or strides of a
horse. I prefer riding a horse whose gait is a canter.
gait [get] to lead a show dog before a judge to dispay its formand movement. In showmanship classes, each dog handleris asked to gait his animal in front ofthejudges.
gate [get] a doorlike closure for an opening in a wall or fence;a place of entrance or exit. The rickety fence gate has almostfallen off its hinges. To nd the concession stand at the park,go through the front gate and turn le.
gate [get] the total number of spectators or admission re-
ceipts at a sporting event The gate at the nal game of the
World Series set a new attendance record.gamble-gambol
gamble ['gmbl] to play a game for money or some otherstes. on 't gamble away your life 's savings at the casino.
gamble ['gmbl] to wager or venture that something will orwill not happen. He was willing to gamble that his ideaswould succeed.
gamble gmbl] something rsky or chan. The rescuersknew their daring lifesaving attempt was a gamble.
gambo ['gmbl] to play, romp, or move about in a frisky manner was fun to watch the new calves gambol aboutin the pasture.
gambol See the main ent beginning with gambe
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gate
gate See the main ent beginning with gel-jell
gel [d£1] to congeal in a more solid form but not becomesolid. As the soup cools, the fat in it will begin to gel gel d£1] a substance having a gelatinlike consistency
That medication comes in both a lotion and a gel jell gel [d£1] to solidify into jelly or gelatin The des-
ser is about to gel We put the dessert mi n the refrigeatorto jell.
jell [d£1] to become established and certain. n order forthe plan to work, evething must jell at precisely the right time
genes-jeans genes dinz] the plural of gene the part of a chromosomethat contains heredita characteristics ' Genes that deter
mine brown es are dominant over genes that determine bluees
jes dinz] blue jeans denim trousers of any color, constructed to resemble blue jeans (riginally from Genoa a cotton denim or twll fabric.') Almost eve student worejeans to the picnic.
ld-gld ld [gId] to cover something with a thin layer of god
The goldsmith thought he should gild the piece of jewel tomake it brighter and more attctive.
ld gId] to wrongly give an attractive appearance to some-thing The crooked pol iticians tried to gild the poor nancialstatus of their city.
· ld [gIld]
a oup of people with common interests or aims The potter's guild puts on a show and sale each year
lt-lt
62
· lt gIl] a young female swine. The hog farmer has anespecially ne gilt or sale.
· lt [gIl] a layer of gold or gold paint on something theplant, we saw a machine apply gilt to the edges of books
· lt [gl] covered with gold or a goldlike substance. onbought an unusual gilt picture frame at the antique auction
lt gIlt] a feeling of blame for an oense. She felt bothguilt and shame for having lied to her mother lt gIl] culpability; the fact of having done something wrong. The defendant's guilt could not be proven beyond areasonable doubt.
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gorla -gerrlla
u-knew-new u [n a large African antelope. On her photo safari,
Barb took a picture of a huge gnu .
knew [n n] the past tense of know to sense or perceivesomething; to be aware of the truth or facts.' I knew I shouldhave stayed home during the bad storm. The students knewalmost all of the answers on their test.
knew [nu nu] the past tense of know to be acquainted wthsomeone or something.' She knew the famous actor when hewas still working at a local restaurant. I knew the taste ofbitter almonds and quickly spat out the bite I had taken.
new [n n]
recently made or completed. I got a new
paintjob on my car. new [n nu] unfamiliar; unaccustomed. We hope to see
some new sights on our next visit to the city. Because he wasnew to thejob, Greg felt a bit unea at rst.
golf-glf golf [gf, gl a game played with a ball and clubs on a grassy course. His dream is to one day play golf at St. Andrews in
Scotland.
lf [g;l a part of an ocean or sea reaching into land. The boats sailing in the gulf sparkled in the sunlight. lf [g;l a gap, hole, or distance. Such a gulf ists be-
tween their beliefs that an agreement is not possible.
gored-gourd gored [gad] the past tense and past participle of gore to cutor make something into a triangular shape. The swirl skirtwas gored with several large pieces of fabric.
gored [gad]
the past tense and past participle of gore
[foran animal] to stab someone or something with its horn or tusk.' The bulls sometimes gore spectators during the annualCorrida de Toros in Pamplona, Spain.
gourd [g] the edible fruit of certain vine families. TheHubbard squash is a type of gourd that can reach hugeproportions.
gorla - gerlla gorla g;'l;]
the biggest member of the ape family, foundin Africa. The gorilla has a gentle kind nature despite itshuge size.
gora [g;'l;] a thug; a largebodied criminal; a criminal'sbodyguard. (Slang. The boss never went anywhere without agorilla to protect him.
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gourd
gea [g£';] a person who enges n warfare for hre.D Each guerrilla carried his own simple weapons.
gea [g£';]
havng to do wth rregular warfare by ndependent bands D Guerrilla ghting between warringclans bke out in Somalia.
gourd See the man ent begnnng wth o.
ade-grayed ade [ged] a level or stae n school Cindy moved to a
dierent school after completing fth grade. ade [ged] a naval or mlta rank. D An admiral is a
naval ofcer of ve high grade. ade [gred] a class ndcatng the sze or qualty of goods forsale D A recipe may call for a cerain grade of eggs. ade [gred] the angle or degree of a slope D The steep grade
of the mountainside made traveling dangerous in bad weather ade [gred] havng to do wth an anmal of mxed parentage;a purebred anmal crossed wth an ordna anmal. D Stacwanted a purebred horse but could only afford a grade animal.
ayed [gred] the past tense and past partcple of gray tobecome gray'
Although none became bald, all of the men in
our family gyed at an early age.
ate-eat
6
ate [gret] a framework of bars desgned to prevent thepassage of someone or somethng. Each hallway was ttedwith an iron gte at its entnce.
ate [gret] an ron cradle used n stoves and replaces tohold what s to be bued D Sweep the ashes from under thegrate before you bui ld another re.
ate [on] [gret] to bother someone; to rrtate someone'snerves Her annoying habits grate on my nerves D Yourloud voice grates on me!
ate [gret] to me a harsh, scratchng, or grndng sound. en the machine isn 't working properly, the movinpars grate nois ily.
ate [gret] to reduce somethng to peces by rubbng t wthsomethng coarse. D Let's gte the cheese before putting it onthe pia.
eat [gret] large; bg The huge emper shied his greatform with much difculty. Great numbers ofpeople appearedat the grand opening ceremony.
eat [gret] remarkable; famous; dstngushed D The sales-man went to great lengths to please his customers. D Many
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sly-zzly
great athletes never become pfessional players. eat [gret] a generation removed in a family relationship
My greatgrandmother was a Chippewa Indian
ayed See the main ent beginning withade
ays-ae ays [grez] the present tense, third person singular of gyto become gray; to become dull or colorless ' A white shirtgrays if it is not washed regularly in hot water with bleach.
ays [grez] the plural of gy a gray horse' The pair ofgys looked smar pull ing the oldfashioned carriage.
ae [grez]
to feed randomly on grasses Sheep require a
lot of open land on which to gze. e [grez] to touch something lightly in passing o not
gze your shirt sleeves on the eshly painted walls. Thebullet did no more than gze the suace of the skin.
ae See the main ent beginning with ays
eat See the main ent benning with ate
eave-eve eave [grv]
a piece of armor worn below the knee The
knight lost a greave during thejoust. eve grv] to feel a sense of sorrow, distress, or suffering
It is normal to grieve over the loss of a loved pet
eve See the main ent beginning with eave
ll-le ll [grIl] a cooking surface on which food is exposed todirect heat Tom cooked our steaks on the grill .
ll [gI]
to cook on a ill I like to grill hamburgers and
hot dogs outside in the summertime. ll [grI] a restaurant that serves broiled foods The gas
station that once stood on the corner is now a bar and grill. ll [grIl] to question someone heatedly We wil l grill the
suspect until we arrive at the truth. lle [grI] a lattice work; a ate that forms a barrer orscreen of some tye Ken damaged the grille on the front of
his new car when he hit the mailbox post. An iron grillecovers the front door of the mansion.
lle See the main ent beginning with l
sly-zzly sly 'gz] go; horrible Even the seasoned pol ice of-
cers were sickened at the grisly scene.
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zzly
zzly [] a large, powerful North Amern bear knownfor ts ferocty. It is wise to use extreme caution when con-fronted by a grizzly in the wild
zzly See the man ent begnnng wth isy
o-o o [] to utter a moanng sound ndcatng pan,annoyance, or gref. The student let out a groan when theteacher announced yet another qu iz.
o ] the past partcple of grow to develop n matu-rty, sze, or stature.' Sara has grown into a fine youngwoman.
o [ ] the past partcple of gw to become or touse somethng to develop or mature' The economy hasgwn sluggish in recent years. Chris is no longer a boy but agrown man. In order for coee to be successfully grown, soiland climate conditions must bejust right.
o See the man ent begnnng wth an
ela
See the man ent bennng wthgrla
essed -est essed [£] the past tense and past partcpe of guess toform an answer wth lttle or no evdence.' The studentguessed the answer and was correct.
est £] a person nvted to some place Our dinnerguest should arrive shortly after six. A wellknown celebrityappears as a guest on the popular talk show each evening.
est [£] a patron of a hotel or restaurant. Eve guestat the inn is personally greeted by the innkeeper hersel
est See the man ent begnnng wthessed
ld See the man ent begnnng wthd
lt See the man ent bennng wth t
se-ys
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se [OZ] a manner or style of dress. The actress 's guiseis eccentric.
s [OZ] [someone's] outward appearance; a dsguse. The undercover agent 's guise was that of a beggar
ys [OIZ] the plural of guy a man or boy; a person.' (Guysn refer to persons of ether sex when used n the plural.) Those guys always hang aund together at the arcade.
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ys
ys [gOIZ] the plural of guy a lengh of rope, wire, or chainused as a brace or guide.' Be sure to note the location of theguys on the television antenna
f See the main ent benning with o
ys See the main ent beginning with ise
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H
hail-hale hail [hel rain frozen into balls of ice. Hail the size of golf
balls pelted the spectators during the sudden cloudburst. hail hel a shower of something. A hail of confetti rained
down om the tall bu ildings during the parade.· hail [(p)on] [hel
to pour down like hail. Strong criticism
will probably hail upon the coach if his team loses anothergame. hail hel] to call for someone or something. You can hail a
cab om almost any hotel or restaurant in town. hail [om] hel to come from some pace. All of my
college roommates hail from the Midwest hale [hel healthy; sound. Even at age ninety, our ntdoor
neighbor is as hale as he was twenty years o
hair-hare h [h£a] the external body covering of an animal; thethreadlike strands that grow out of the human head. Some
animals gw thick coats of coarse hair during long, harshwinters. a child, Ma had blond, curly hair
h [h£a] the width of a hair. We defended our bed racechampionship by winning this year's contest a hair.
h [h£a] a type of large rabbit known for its long ears andlarge hind legs. The hare circled aund ting to put o thepursuing hounds.
hale See the main ent beginning with h
hall-hal
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hall [hl] a lobby or entway off which other rooms open.
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hangar-hanger
A dimly lit hall can be frightening to a young child. hall [hl] a large room used for public meetings The great
hall in the convention center is the site of many formal
receptions.· hall hl] a building on a university or college campus A
university may name a hall after a famous pfessor. ha [l] to transport a burden, usually using a vehicle
We haul all of the building suppl ies in a atbed truck. Atractor was used to haul the heavy logs.
ha [hl] to pull something; to redirect something Thecaptain ordered the helmsman to haul the bow of the ship intothe wind.
halve-have halve [hv] to divide something into two equal parts; toreduce something by one half If I halve this submarine
sandwich, would you like part of it? The girls agreed tohalve whatever prots they made selling their baked goods. The business owner is hoping to halve the number of shopliingincidents in his store next year.
have [hv] to own or possess someone or something Thhave a cottage on the smaller of the two lakes. We have numerous friends living in New England. Jer said, "I havesome terric news to share with you. ile my siblings allhave dark locks, I have blond hair.
have [to] hv] to have an obligation or feel a necessity to dosomething I have to go to my greataunt 's birthday parynt Sunday.
have [hv] to bear offspring The couple hopes to have achild in the near future.
handmade-handmaid handmade ['hnd'md] made by hand, not machined As
a housewarming gi she gave the couple a handmade bed quilt. handmad [ndmd] a female servant or attendant The
princess has a handmaid to attend to her eve whim.
handmad See the main ent beginning with handmade
hangar-hanger angar ['ha]
a shed or building where aircraft are housedand repaired Security is tight aund the hangar where thepresident's aircraft are kept.
hangar ['ha] to put something in a hangar We 'd betterhangar the plane before the storm hits.
hanger ['ha] something that is used to hang or suspend69
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hanged-hung
somethng else. ter locking his ks inside, Fred used awire coat hanger to open his car door.
hanged-hg hanged [hd] the past tense and past partcple of hang toput a person to death by suspendng the person by the neck.'
Thejudge sentenced the convicted murderer to be hanged hung [h] the past tense of hang to suspend or fastensomethng.' Millie hung a porrait of her mother above the
replace
hanger See the man ent begnnng with hangar
hareSee the man ent begnning with
hair
hart-heart hart [h3] a mature male deer, especally of the red deerspeces. The hart bounded across the meadow
heart [h3] the muscular organ that mantains blood crculaton. The patient received a new heart during the tansplantsurge
heart [h3] the center or most mportant part. Ratherthan skirt the issue, the council members wanted to get to the
heart of the matter. hart [h3] a playng card bearng red hearts. trumped
his card with a higher heart. heart [h3] the center of feelng and sncerty She always
speaks from the heart.
ha See the man ent begnnng with ha
have See the man ent begnnng with have
hay-hey hay [he] a mxture of grasses grown for anma feed The
second cutting of hay is always a bit richer than the first. hay [he] to feed an anmal wth hay Be sure you hay the
horses twice a day. hay [he] a bed. (Slang. Always found n the dom hit the hay.)
"Lets all hit the hay early tonight, suggested ad. hey [he] an expresson used to get someone's attenton; a eetng "H wait a minute! cried uise "H, Fred!at 's happening?
hays-hae
7
hays [hez] the plural of hay a mxture of grasses own foranmal feed' Many dierent hays were hibited at the statefair.
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heard-herd
hae [hez] a cloud of ne particles in the air that reducesvisibility. The early moing haze promised that a su lt daylay ahead.
hae [ez] a vagueness of mental perception. A severereaction to the prescription le Joe 's mind in a haze.
hae [ez] to harass and humiliate someone deliberately Many frateities no longer haze new initiates.
hae See the main entry beginning with hays
he-heel-he'll heal [hi] to cure something; to make somethng whole It
may take some time for that nasty cut to heal. One cannot
always heal hur feelings immediately. Some economistsbelieve the economy should be le alone to heal itsel
heel [il] the back of the human foot Bob bruised his heelplaying soccer.
heel [hi!] the bottom, rear, or low part of some structure. Set the heel of the cabinet down and get a better grasp on thesides.
heel [hi] the crusty end of a loaf of bread My brother andI always fought over who would get the heel of the bread.
heel [i] to follow closely behind or beside someone. Thewoman made her dog heel before she crossed the busy street.
he'll hil] the contraction of he will . If oug waits in frontofthe shop, he 'll see us when we arrive.
hear-here hear [a] to perceive something by ear; to listen to someoneor something On a summer's night you can hear the croak-ing of fgs in the distant swamp. Be sure you hear theteachers test directions.
hear [ha] to gain information by hearing; to learn something by hearing. I hear what you 're saying, and I understand theproblem you face.
here [a] this place; this location Here in Michigan,winters can alteately be mild or severe. "Come here atonce, scolded the naughty child 's father.
here [ha] an armative reply in a roll call. Please reply"here when your name is called.
heard-herd heard [h] the past tense and past participle of hear toperceive something by ear; to listen to someone or something;to learn somethng by hearing.' I distinctly heard him say hewould not be able to attend the seminar The group heard the
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he
speaker as she related her personal safari experiences Weheard that there will be numeus layos at the plant before theyear's end
herd [hd] a group animals of the same species, usually hoofed animals. 0 The cattle herd will soon be driven tomarket 0 The noise made by the thundering herd of wildebeestwas almost deafening
herd [hd] an unthinking mass of people. (Firative. 0 the moment the stadium gates opened, the herd of spectatorsswarmed in
rd [hd] to assemble things or people into a group. (Literal
for animals. Figrative for people. T to herd the sheep
into a coer of the pen The usher herded my friends and meinto the first row
he See the main ent beginning with hart
he'd-heed he'd [hid] the contraction of he had or he would If he 'd
studied for the test, he surely would have passed it I'm surehe 'd do it ifyou would ask him
heed [hid]
to take notice of someone or something. I hope
Tom will heed my waing about the dropoff in the lake heed hid] caution; care. (Almost always with give or take)
Take heed when pulling out into a busy intersection Giveheed to my waing
heed See the main ent benning with he'd
eel See the main ent beginning with hea
herSee the main ent beginning with
air
e'll See the main ent beginning with hea
herd See the main ent beginning with heard
here See the main ent beginning with hear
hero-herone heron ['£] a strongly addictive narcotic. Cocaine is
now more widely used than heroin herone ['h£] a female hero. The heroine in that sto
is a young poverystricken girl Mother Theresa is a heroinein most parts of the world
heroe See the main ent beginning with heroin
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hoard-horde
hew-hue hew [hu] to cut, fell, or give form to something with heavy,
cutting blowsD To hew a canoe from a single log is no small
task. hue hu] a shade of color D Her favorite hue of blue is azure. hue [hu] aspect Most of Poe's poet is of a somber hue.
hey See the main ent beginning with hay
hi-hgh hi [h] an informal greeting or salutation. D "Hi, Grandma.
This is ennifer, whispered the little girl into the telephone. high [OI]
raised; elevatedD The high fence kept curiosity
seekers fm looking in. high hOI] sharp; shrill. D Joan always speaks rapidly and in
a high voice when she 's irritated or frightened. high [hOI] noble or noteworthy D He is a man of high
principles. high [hOI] strong; forcel D High winds and the sea battered
the barrier islands.
high
See the main ent beginning withhi
higher-hire higher [OI3] the comparative form of high at a greaterheight' D The higher he climbed on the ladder, the morenervous he became.
hire [hOI3] to take someone into employment; to enge thepersonal services of someone D Shall we hire a cab to take ushome aer the play?
him-hymn
[hIm] the third person singular, objective, masculine pro-noun D Give him that invoice to check against the shipment. hymn hIm] a song of joy, praise, or thanksgiving, usually sung in worship services D Mama's favorite hymn was "Rockof es.
hire See the main ent beginning with higher
hoard-horde hoard [ho3d]
a concealed supply or cache of somethingD
The crow stashed a hoard of small sparkling items in its nest. hoard h3d] to hide a supply or cache of something It is
not safe to hoard valuables in likely hiding places. horde [ho] a swarm or throng. A horde ofpeople waited
in line all night for the concer tickets.
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hoase-hose
hode [ho] a group of nomadic people, particularly of Monolian ancest. D The pastoral horde andered theregion for decades
hoase-hose hoase [hoas] harsh, gratin, or rouh in sound D Following
a bout ith bronchitis, Tom's voice was ve hoarse horse [hoas] a fourleed animal with a owin mane andtail. The horse I was given at the riding stable was a gentle
mare. horse [hoas] a mnastic apparatus consisting of a padded
framework mounted on les.D One of Steve's stngest events
is the horse horse [hoas] to move something by force. Be careful not to
horse that antique desk around when you move it
hoes-hose hoes [hoz] the plural of hoe a arden tool used to break upthe earth.' D The hoes are in the shed with the rest of thegarden equipment.
hose [hoz] a exible, hollow tube used to convey liquids. D Ineed to replace the water hose in my car.
hose [hoz] socks or stockins. D The splintered chair legcaused a run in Sally's hose
hose [do] [hoz] to wash or spray something with a hose. You must hose down the tumbler of the cement truck aftereach delive.
hold-holed hold [hold] to possess somethin. D She holds a degree in
economics
hold [hold] to contain someone or something; to supportsomeone or somethin. D Will this box hold all the books ? DI don 't believe this little chair will hold me.
hold [hold] to maintain a asp on someone or somethin. DHold the kite string tightly or the wind will blow the kite away.
holed up] [hold] the past tense of hole [up to hide; toretire in a place.' The crooks holed up in a desered buildingfor a week.
holed
See the main ent beinnin witho
hole-whol
7
hole [ho] a depression or openin. The meteorite left ahuge hole in the earh when it hit the ground
ole [ho] a fault or aw. D The burglar discovered a hole in
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hostel-hostle
the security system of the building. hole [] an awkward position. The sudden departure of
three valuable employees left the company in a hole.
wole ] entire or unbroken. t's look at the wholepicture. The vase remained whole even though I dropped it.
whole [] the complete number or sum of something. The whole list had eleven chores on it.
whole ] a system of parts working together as a singleunit. As a whole, our ire deparment provides excellentservice.
holy-wholly holy
[] sacred; godly; that which evokes or merits rever-ence or respect. The woman devoted her life to the holyservice of God. People of all faiths observe certain days thatare considered holy
holy [] used to express intensity. (diomatic.) Thatunruly child is a holy terror!
wholly o] completely. 0 We are wholly in agreement onthat issue.
wholly [o] solely, to the exclusion of others. No oneperson is wholly responsible for what happened.
hoop-whoop hoop [hp] a ring. The circus tiger fearlessly jumped
through the hoop of re. hoop [hp] a exible, rounded framework used to expanda skirt. resses with hoop skirts are becoming fashionableain for formal wear.
whoop [Mp, wp] a sudden, loud sound emitted in enthusi-
asm or eaerness.0 With a whoop, the crowd rose to its feet.
whoop [Mp, wup] to utter a loud and enthusiastic sound. "I'll whoop forjoy if I pass that exam! exclaimed Carlos.
horde See the main ent benning with hoard
horse See te main ent beginning with hse
hose See the main ent benning with hes
hostel-hostle hostel
[] a supervised lodging provided for young peoplewhen traveling. The college students met interesting people ateach hostel.
ostle [ ] antagonistic or unfriendly; relating to the enemy. Joan is such a hostile person that none of hercoworkers like her. The troops encountered hostile snipers
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hostle
on the far side of the river.
hostle See the main ent beginning with hste
hour-our hour [] a period of sixty minutes Each swimming
lesson lasts an hour hour [] the time of day indicated by a timepiece
"Could you please tell me the hour? inquired the man at thebus stop.
hour [] a particular time. At the appointed hour andplace the two intelligence agents met secretly
our []
rst person, plural possessive pronoun Yester
day our car got a at tirehue See the main ent beginning with hew
he-humoro he ['hjm;s] the long, heavy bone of the upper armor forelimb extending from the shoulder to the elbow. Thehumerus of Jacob 's left arm was fractured when the scaffoldingfell on him
horo 'hjum;s]
characterized by humor or wit. Gen
erally there is a humorous side to any embarrassing situation.oro See the main ent beginning wth humerus
hung See the main ent beginning with hanged
h See the main ent beginning with him
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I
I See the main ent beginning with aye
I'd See the main ent beginning with eyed
le-dol-dyll le ['Od!] lacking purpose or worth All that talk about
going on strike is just idle rumor.
le OIdl] not employed or occupied The autoworkers wereidle due to a shutdown of pduction lines le 'OIdl] not being used appropriately Mischief oen
results fm idle time dol Od!] something or someone that is worshipped or idol-ized That culture has a sunlike symbol as an idol dol ['Od!] a person or object of passionate devotion The
teenager was devoted to the rockandll idol dyll ['OIdl]
a simple, descriptive poem or writing depicting the virtues of the peaceful, rustic outofdoors 0 The shoridyll painted images of a blissl shepherd's life.
dol See the main ent beginning with ide
dyll See the main ent beginning with ie
I'll See the main ent beginning with aise
lc See the main ent beginning with ecit
lluson
See the main ent beginning withausion
mnen See the main ent beginning with eminent
mply-er mply [mpO] to suggest something without saying it spe-cically o you mean to imply that I made a mistae ?
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in-inn
ier [] to come to a conclusion about something Since the ju is deadlocked, we can infer that no decision willbe reached.
in-inn i [] inside; within; into (A preposition) Someday I
would like to y in the Concorde SS. D Please come in out ofthe rain
inn [] a public odging for travelers that usally providesfood and drink D The inn just outside the village providescomforable beds and good food The men stop each night fora beer at the inn.
icite-insght icte ['sOI] to stir up or move someone or something toaction The speaker failed to incite the crowd to action
· insight ['sOI] the ability to see or understand something intuitively D Our physics teacher has great insight into how tomotivate uninterested students.
ier See the main ent beginning with impy
inn
See the main ent beginning within
innocence-nnocents innocence [';s;nts] guiltlessness or purity Thughout
the trial, the accused proclaimed her innocence. innocents [';s;ns] the plural of innocent a person who isblameless or without fault' D In any war it seems the innocentspay the dearest price.
innocents See the main ent beginning with inncence
isghtSee the main ent beginning with
inte
istance-istants istce ['s;nts] circumstance, example, or case D n that
paricular instance, you probably should have kept quiet iss [s;ns] the plural of instant a moment; a second;a split second' uring those few frightening instants, we
didn 't know what would happen.
istts See the main ent beginning with instance
isure See the main ent beginning with ensureitense-ntents
78
itense ts] strong; extreme D Tom felt intense reliefaer his solo peormance.
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i's
nense [n'Ents] deeply feeling, usually by temperament ornature. Sam is an intense person at all times. nens [InEns]
the plural of intent
a purpose or
nten-tion.' Our intents have always had your best interests inmind.
nens See the main ent benning with intense
isle See the main entry benning with aise
s-'s s [IS] the possessive form of it. The ki tten licked its paws
aer walking thugh the puddle of water. i's [S]
the contracton of it is
orit has. It's always
citing to have a birhday party no matter how old you are.
's See the main ent benning with its
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J
jam-jamb jam [dm] to press or wedge something into a tight position
o not t to jam too many clothes into the suitcase. jam [dm] an obstruction or congestion The traic jam
on the highway caused us to miss our plane jam [dm]
a dicult predicamentD Whenever Ma gets
in ajam, she calls her parents for help. jam [dm] a condiment made with fruit and sugar D
Homemade peach jam is my favorite. jamb [dm] an upright structure or piece forming the sideof an opening Not a single door jamb in the bui lding wasstraight.
amb See the main ent beginning with je
See the main ent beginning withgenes
jll See the main ent beginning with ge
js- [hgh] j [dIs] pranks D " will not put up with any
highjinks while you 're here, scolded Gndmother j [dI] somene or something that brings bad luck ormisfortune D Eddie was ajinx to our team 's winning streak
j [dI] to bring bad luck to someone Ma is sosuperstitious that she believes a passing black cat will jinx her.
S the main ent beginning with nks
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K
karat See the main ent beginning with rat
keel See the main ent beginning wth coone
key-quay key [i] a metal piece used to open a lock. I lost my car key
and to call a locksmith key [i] the solution to a problem; the explanation for some-thing complicated. The k to the myste was the ngerprints
that the police found on the doorknob key [i] a lever used to play a piano or an organ. 0 I pressed
one key aer another and nothing happened! key [i] major; principal. Ted is a k figure in the
negotiations key [ki] a particular musical scale. The entire sonata was
in the key ofC major quay [i] a wharf. Our ship docked at the quay and the
passengers got off quickly
ll-l• ll [Il] to deprive someone or something of life; to murderor slay someone or something. My brother will not even killa mosquito
ll [Il] to put an end to something; to stop something. Another loss will ki ll the team 's hopes of postseason pay
Kill the engine so we don 't run out of gas ll [Il] to destroy the vitality of something or someone.
on 't kill her enthusim by being too critical ll [Il] to let something elape. We have some time to kill
bfore the movie begins
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ln
· ll [Il] to exhaust someone or something "If we have torun another mile, it willjust kill me, complained Ga
· ll [Il]
something killed The hunter's kill consisted of
two rabbits and three squirrels l Il] the act of killing something or someone When the
wounded zebra staggered, the lions moved in for the kill· n [I, ln] a heated enclosure used to d substances.
The owner of the ceramic shop hasjust purchased a new kiln
See the main ent beginning wth
knead -kneed -need knead nd]
to form or shape something into a mass with thehands; to rub or squeeze something with the hands. t sbest to knead and punch the bread dough twice before letting itrise for the final time 0 A massage therapist will knead themuscles in your neck
kneed nd] the past tense and past participe of knee tostrike someone with one's knee' Sam was upset when theperson sitting behind him kneed him in the back
· need [nid] to be in want of something or someone. needmore time to think over my options
ned [nid] a lack of something necessa, usefu, or desirable. His need for steady employment is pressing
· ned [nid] an obligaton or duty. 0 There is no need to arrveearly
kneed See he main ent beginning with knead
knew See the main ent beginning withg u
knckers-nckers knckers 'kaz]
short, loosetting pants gahered at theknee D Knickers were once the men 's fashion rage in gol nckers ['kaz] the plural of nicker the neigh or whinny of a horse From the barn we could hear the impatient pony's
nickers
knght-nght
82
· knght [nO] in feudal society, a manatarms serving a superior noble 0 The knight in shining armor rescued theprincess from the castle tower
knght nO] to bestow knighthood upon someone. Theking will knight the two men who saved his life
knght [nO] a chess piece, usually in the shape of a horsebust In chess, a knight is a higherranking piece than apawn
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knock-nock
nght [nO] darkness. Noctual animals are able to see atnight. Night covered the campsite and one by one we tuedon our ashlights.
night [nO] evening. Last night I spotted a shooting starin the sky.
knt-nt knt [n] to interlace yarn or thread in a series of connectedoops using needles. Mom always liked to knit rather thancrochet.
knt [n] to form, tie, or link something closely together. The new trade agreement will knit the nations.
knit [nI] to contract something into wrinkles. Father usedto knit his brow when he was upset or worried. nt [nI] a young, parasitic insect or the egg of a young, para-sitic insect. Head lice are a type of nit.
knob-nob knob [nb] a rounded handle. To open the font door, you
must twist the knob.· knob [nb] a small, isolated hill or mountain. The knob
would make a peect ski slope.· knob [nb] a lump. The sharp blow raised a knob on his
head. nob [nb] the head. (Slang.) You 'll have a bump on your
nob from that nasty insect bite.· nob [nb] in cribbage, a jack of the same suit as the starterthat scores a point for the hoder. A nob in cribbage is
similar to the "right or "left in euchre.
knock-nock· knock [nk] to hit something with a sharp blow. 0 Please
knock on the door before entering the office.· knock [n] to collide with something or someone Be
careful not to knock over the gurines.· knock [nk] to wander about. Ken wants just to knock
aund for awhile aer he graduates from high school. knock n] a setback or misfortune. Losing the game in
the nal moments was a hard knock. knock [n]
to nd fault with someone or something.
on 't knock my eaest attempts. knock [nk] an abnormal noise orinating from the engineof a car or truck. Richard detected an engine knock in hisnew car.
nock [nk] a notch in a bow used to hold the bowstring or83
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knot-naught-not
the arrow. The csman carefully cut a nock into each endofthe bow.
· nock []
the rear notched part of the arrow that is tted tothe bowstring and holds it in place. The archer's aluminumarrow s ftted with a plastic nock.
· nock [] to t an arrow to a bowstring. Upon seeing thebear, the ightened hunter was able to nock his bow quickly
knot-naught-not knot [nt] an interlacing of string, twine, or rope. I was
unable to untangle the knot in my shing line knot [t] a hardtosolve problem or dilemma That issue
put a knot in the discussion. knot [t] a bond of union, especially marriage. (Always inthe iom tie the knot.) The couple has nally decided to
tie the knot.· knot [t] one nautical mile per hour The tugboat chugged
out of the harbor at a single knot. naught [t t] nothing. (Tyilly withfor.) All his hard
work was for naught. not [t] a word indicating no or negation. We are not
hung at the moment.
knotty-naughty knotty 'nti] having many knots, as with hair, rope, orstring. Aer a day in the wind, my hair was all knotty.
knotty ti] having many knots, as with lumber containing the bases of many branches. I can 't use this board because itis too knotty.
naughty 'ti, 'ti illbehaved; disobedient. If you arenaughty I will have to send you to bed.
know-no know [o] to understand or discern something; to be sure of the truth or certainty of something. Charl does not knowhow to solve that problem. I know that she is an honestperson.
no [o] none or not any. There is no other way to the top ofthe tower other than the steep staircase.
o [o] a negative reply or denial. No, I don t care for anymore coffee.
knows-no
8
knows oz the preent tense, third person singar of knowto understand or perceive something; to be aware of a fact.' The boy knows he will be punished severely for coming home
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nows-nose
late Ma knows a surise party is being planned in honorof her retirement
nows [noz]
the present tense, third person singular of know
to be acquainted with someone or something.' 0 She knowsthe shortest route to that town Ma knows Bob ve well
nose [noz] the organ of smell. The actresss nose is hermost distinguishing feature
nose [noz] to detect or sense something or someone by smell. His dog can nose a bbit out ofany briar patch
nose [noz] to p or meddle in something. You have noright to nose about in other people 's business
nose [noz]
the front part of a structure, vehice, or craft.
it took o the nose ofthejet seemed to be pointed straight up
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L
lac-l lac [lks] the present tense, thrd person sngular of lackto be n need of somethng' D That wine lacks a full, fruity
avor l lks] loose; slack D Hoist the sails up fully so th are
not l
l [lks] not strct or strnnt D Fred is ve l about hispersonal appeance
ladder-latter ladder ['d] a structure of two vertcal sde poles and nu-merous horzontal rungs that s used for clmbng up anddown Jake refuses to walk undeeath any ladder
ladder [d] somethng that resembles a ladder or nctons lke a ladder D A sh ladder was constructed to help thesalmon swim upstream to spawn
latter ['d, ] referrng to the second of two thngsmentoned D Though Lindsay and Marina are both smar,the latter is the better student
latter ['d, '] the ast; the end D In the latter stages ofthe conict, the warwea soldiers wanted to give up
lain-lane
86
lain [len] the past partcple of lie to rest or reclne n a
horzontal poston'D She has lain on the sofa so often that
it ss in some places lain len] the past partcple of lie to occupy a place; to be na place' D The two rusty plows hav lain next to each otherin the eld for years
lane [len] a narrow path or road; a marked path or route; an
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laps-lapse
ocean route for sea ing vesses The count lane is linedwith wildowers in the spring. Jessica was disqualied fromthe race because she stepped out of her lane on the backstretch.
Jane threw her bowling ball so forcefully that it landed inthe nt lane.
lam-lamb lam [m] a hurried or sudden ight from the law Since
the prison escape, the convict has been on a lam. lamb [m] a young sheep The white, uy lamb frolicked
in the pasture with its mother. lamb [m]
a person as weak or gentle as a lamb0 espite
his huge size, Bob is a real lamb. lamb [m] the meat of a young sheep One of the house
specialties at this restaurant is lamb chops with mint sauce.
lamb See the main ent beginning with
lae See the main entry beginning with ain
laps-lapse laps ps]
the plural of lap
the top of the thighs of a seatedperson' The babysitters held the twins on their laps whilereading them bedtime stories.
laps [ps] the plural of lap a loose panel or ap of fabric orskin' A current style of women 's trousers has billowy laps offabric along the legs.
laps [ps] the plural of lap one circuit, often around a racecourse or swimming pool' Our gym teacher alwaysmakes the losing relay team run laps around the track.
laps [ps]
the present tense, third person sinlar of lap
todrink liquid using the tonge' The kitten always laps itswater nois ily.
laps [ps] the present tense, third person sinlar of lap tomove in small, gentle waves' It is peaceful and relaxingto walk along the beach as the water gently laps the shoreline.
lapse ps] a gap or break in some time period or activity; a discontinuance There was a tempo lapse in the electricalservice to the neighborhood. uring a lapse in the ow ofcustomers, Vince n out for a quick bite to eat.
lapse ps] an error; a slip 0 uring a lapse in manners, talked with his mouth ll.
lapse [ps] to backslide or fall into error 0 Now that hehas reached his desired weight Ron hopes tha he doesn 't lapseinto poor eating habits.
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lapse
laps See the main ent beginning wth aps
latter
See the main ent beginning wthadder
l See the main ent beginning with acks
lay-lei(See also ay-e.) lay [e] to place or set someone or something down. Lay
the tools on the workbench lay [e] to wager or bet something. I will nt lay odds on
the outcome of that football game lay [e]
to impose as an obligation, reproach, burden, orpunishment. The govement will lay a heavy t on thoseimports lay [e] to plan or conceive something. Let's lay a plan to
make the police think we have disappeared lay [e] a person not of the cler; a person not beonng toa certan profession. Guenter Schmidt is a lay reader at
his church Many computer manuals are written for a layaudience
lay [do] [e]
the past tense of lie down
to rest or recinein a horiontal position.' He lay down to rest and fell asleep lay [e] the past tense of lie to occupy a place; to be situatedsome pace.' At one time those two old sheds lay near themain barn
lei [e] a wreath or necklace of owers or similar materia. The ight attendant placed a lei around Ma's neck when herplane arrived in Hawaii
lay-lie lay [e]
to place someone or something onto something.
Lay the tools over on the workbench, please Now lay medown to sleep
lie 10] to rest or recline in a horiontal position. I thinkyou should l ie here and rest
lays-lae-leis
88
lays [lez] the present tense, third person sinlar of lay toplace or set something down.' Peter always lays his shoesright where th will get stepped on
lays [lez] the present tense, third person sinlar of lay toplace a bet.' Each time she goes to the racecourse, Susan laysa bet on her favorite horse
lays [lez] the present tense, third person sinlar of lay tocontrive a plan' 0 When he doesn 't feel like going to school,
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lean-lien
Casey lays a plan to pretend he s l l lae [ez] to pass time in relaxation or idleness Summer-
tme affords some students tme to le the days away.
leis ez] the plural of lei a wreath or necklace of owers orsimilar material' 0 The prettest les are those made of orchdblossoms
lae See the main ent beginning wth ays
leach-leec leach [it. to pass something through or out of something by percolation If we rst leach ths compound, there won 't be much sediment n the liquid that is left.
leech [it. a bloodsucking worm usually found in fresh, slowmoving water We found a leech in the stagnant pond leech it. a hangeron who seeks to gain favor or position by association 0 The leech hoped he would gan favors from thenew mayor.
leech [it. to remove blood from patients, as a treatment forvarious diseases (Not widely practiced any onger) octorsused to leech patents to rd them of dsease
lead-led lead [d] a heavy, so metal that can be formed into shapes
Fshng sinkers are usually made of lead lead [d] a thin rod of a marking matera found in pencilsd pens Jebroke hs pencl lead twce during the am
led [d] the past tense and past participle of lead to guide,direct, or aim someone or something' The scout led theponeers nto the wlderness
led [lEd] the past tense and past participle of lead to sere asa leader; to be ahead of or in front of someone'
The famous
scentst led the team ofpers Scott led hs team n reboundsths year
leak-leek lek [ik] a crack or hoe that unintentionaly allows anescape of something A leak n the water ppe caused the
basement to ood lek [ik] to give out information secretly Let's not leak
ths materal to the newspapers ahead of schedule. leek [i] an edible garden herb known for its somewhatpungent taste Since hs wfe does not lke the avor of leek,
Ted leaves t out of hs Chinese dshes
lean-lien lean [lin] having little or no fat 0 The crcus performer was
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leed -let
lean and w. He eats only lean red meat. lean [] to rely upon someone or something for support
It's nice to have someone to lean on in times of trouble.
lean ] to bend from a vertical position. Since Sally isalmost dea she must lean forward to listen when someonespeaks.
lean [] to incline toward something in opinion, taste, ordesire. My taste in clothng tends to lean toward classicstyles.
· lien [] a legal charge upon personal property to oset orsatsfy some debt or duty. 0 The lien on our neighbor's famust be settled before the bank will approve a new loan
leed -least· leed [st] the past tense and past participle of lease to rentsomething for one' s use, usually real estate or an automobile,for a specied period of time' Last year more companiesleased business vehicles than ever before.
· let [lst] the superlative form of less. Of a's threechildren, the youngest boy is the least prone to catching colds.
· let [lst]
the smallest degree, amount, or size possible
I'm not the least bit worried about what he thinks.
let See the main ent beginning with eased
led See the main ent beginning with ead
leech See the main ent benning with each
leek See the main ent benning with eak
lei See the main ent beginning with ay
leis See the main ent benning with ayslend-lo
lend [lEnd] to give something to someone with an under-standing that what was given (or something equal to it) will bereturned. I'll lend you some of my water goblets for yourdinner pary.
loan [] something given to a borrower temporarily. Theloan of Peter's wrench was a great help. Has the loan for yournew house been approved?
lends-lens
9
lends [E(dz] the present tense, third person singular of lend to make a loan of something to someone.' Henri oenlends Kip his car repair tools 0 My credit union lends mon
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li-lyre
just as most banks do. lens [lnz] a glass or other substance used to focus or direct
light rays. The lens of that camera was badly scratched. A
piece of metal was imbedded in the lens of her le e.
lens See the main ent beginning with ends
lessen -lesson lessen ['Es;n] to reduce something in size, number, or degree.
pirin will lessen the pain ofyour toothache. lesson ['Es;n] a piece of instruction or something to beearned, especialy by a student. Today's lesson dealt withright triangles.
lesson ['lEs;n] a rebuke. That incident taught us an important lesson about honesty.
lesson Es;n] a portion of sacred writing read during a worship service. "Our lesson for this day is from the bookofActs, announced the minister.
lesson See he main ent beginning with essen
lets-let's lets [lEtS]
the third person singular of let
to permit someoneto do something.' She lets the children stay up late onweekends
let's [lES] the contraction of let us. t 's go now
let's See the main ent beginning with ets
levee-levy levee ['lEvi] a dike or embankment of some te used to
prevent ooding. The levee was under much stress due to
the heavy rainfall levee ['lEvi] a reception for a particular or important person.
aeoon levee was held in honor of the visiting poet levy ['lEvi] to impose or collect an assessment, tax, or some-thing else by legal means. n the future, the cour will levy
stier fines for traic offenses. levy ['lEvi] to wage or car something on, as if in war.
Those two countries continue to levy war on one another. levy ['lEv]
to conscript or draft persons into the milita.
The army needs to levy more tops to increase its numbers.levy See the main ent benning with evee
li-lyre li [103] a person who does not tell the truth 0 Though
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lie-lye
she has tuble telling the truth, Liz does not consider herself aliar.
lyre [103]
a stringed musical instrument similar to a harp. In the ancient drawing a lyre appears in the hands of aservant girl.
lie-lye lie [10] an untruth that is told deliberately (See also theent beginning with ay The child told a lie to avoid
punishment. lie [10] to tell something that is not true in order to deceivesomeone 0 Please do not lie to me.
lie [10]to rest or recline in a horizontal position
I thinkyou should lie down here and rest.
lie [10] to hide. The burglars will lie in wait in the shadowsbefore entering the house.
lie [10] to occupy a position in relation to something else 0The villages lie on opposite sides of the vall.
lye [10] a strong, alkaline soution that comes from wood andis used to make soap Lye can burn your skin if it is tooconcentted.
lien See the main ent beginning with ean
light-lite light [lOI] something that illuminates to mae vision pos-sible Tu on the porch light before you leave. We needsome light to be able to see what we are doing.
light 10] truth or enlightenment Cas fnally saw thelight about the imporance of studying hard.
light [lOI] having little pigment. Many redhaired peoplehave light complions.
light [lOI] easy. 0 Ma is caring a light class load thisterm.
light [lOI] cheerful; jovial The quaret played a light,classical piece of music.
light [lOI] dizzy; giddy I felt a bit light aer hitting myhead on the door.
lite [lOI] containing fewer calories; containing less of someingredient. My wife insists on buying lite bread, margarine,and cottage cheese.
lightening-lightning
9
lightening 'OInI] the present participle of lighten tomake someone or something lighter.' Aer lightening theload in my backpack, I was able to keep up with the other hikers.
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load-ode-lowd
His lightening of my bad mood made me feel much better lightening ['OIn] the present participle of lighten to make
something brighter' After the storm we saw a lightening of
the sky almost immediately. lightning ['OIn] a sudden, bright electrical charge fromone cloud to another or from a cloud to earth 0 The thunder
clapped and the lightning lit up the sky as if it were daytime. lightning ['OIn] sudden; ve fast; having great speed
Carl was wellknown on the track team for his lightning sprint.
lightning See the main ent beginning with igh tening
ls-l ls [ks] the pura of link a segment of a chain'
Because her new watchband was too big, Stella had two linkstaken out of the band
ls s] the plural of link a connection' The policecould nd no links between the suspects and the crime
ls [ks] the plural of link a piece of jewel used tofasten the cuffs on a longsleeved shirt or blouse' Orlandolost one of his cuff links at the dance
ls [ks]
the plural of link
a tubular segment of sausage' They ate pancakes, eggs, and sausage links for breakfast ls ks] the present tense, third person singular of linkto join people or things together' The evidence stronglylinks her to the rumor
ls [s] a golf course Eve Saturday moing youcan find Ma on the links at the count club
l [ks] a widcat resembling a bobcat but with tuftedears and larger, padded feet 0 Some tppers hunt lynx fortheir valuable fur.
lite See the main ent benning with ght
load -lode-lowed load [lod] something carried by a person or animal The
heavy load was too much for the young child to car load [lod] a mass or weight borne by something There are
load limit restrictions on these ads during the springtime. load [lod] the amount of work a person is expected to do
a new employee, Stella will car a lighter load for the first
two weeks. load [lod] the full sight or sto about someone or something;an earful or an eyeful "Wait until you get a load of this!claimed Chuck
load [lod] to put someone or something in or on something93
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loan-lone
D You load the groceries into the car and I'll drive home. Dt 's load the trailer before it gets dark.
load
[] to ncrease the weght of somethngD The salt
bags will load down the back of the car. lode [] an abundant store of somethng D Jer received
a lode of mon when he won the lotte. lode [] a mneral depost wthn certan boundares D
The old prospector bagged about the siz of the silver lode hehad discovered.
lowed ] the past tense and past partcpe of low [forttle] to me a soft, moanng sound ' The restless cowslowed soly in the pasture.
loan-lone(See also the man ent begnnng wth end) loan [] somethng given for a borrower's tempora use
The buyer decided not to apply for a loan to buy the newlawn tractor. D I was gteful for the loan of Joe 's computer.
lone ] alone, sole, only, solated D The lone Canadagoose ew across the darkening sky.
loath-loathe loath [18] reluctant; unwllng D I am loath to sit nt to
that obnoxious person for even one more minute! loathe [16] to hate someone or somethng Not only does
he loathe the sight of cooked spinach, he also refuses to eat it.
loathe See the man ent begnnng wth loch-lock
9
loch
[ ] a bay or arm of a sea nearly surrounded by land,especally n Scotland D There is a famous loch in Scotlandwhere a monster presumably lives.
· lock 10] a securty devce operated by a key, combnaton,or electrcal crcut and used to restrict entrance to or extfrom a place D My new k dd not t the lock properly.
lock 10] a tress of har; a oup of human hars D Motherkeeps a lock of our hair in each of our baby books.
· lock [10] an enclosure used for rasng and lowerng vessels
from one water level to another The ship must pass through
the lock to enter Lake Superior. lock [0] to fasten, jon, or hold somethng together D The
wrestlers must lock hands before beginning a match. lock 10] to secure somethng with a lock D Be sure to lock
the door when you leave.
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lock See the main ent beginning wth oc
locks-lox
lyre
locks [lks]
the plural of lock
a security device operated by a key, combination, or electrical circuit and used to restrictentrance to or exit from a place' As a safety measure, Samhad the locks on all of the doors changed
locks lks] the plural of lock a tress of hair; a group of human hairs' Her golden locks were the envy of all of heriends
locks [lks] the plural of lock an encosure used for raising and lowering vessels from one water level to another' Mostlocks do not opeate in the winter
locks [ls] the present tense, third person singular of lockto fasten, join, or hold something together' 0 A computerautomatically locks the gates in the prison Gndpa neverlocks his house at night
lox [ls] smoked salmon Her favorite items on the buffettable are the lox and bagels
lode See the main ent beginning with ad
lone
See the main ent beginning wthan
loot-lte loot [l] something taken illegally, often by force, especially in war; spoils of war The soldiers carried the loot into theircamp
loot [l] money (Slang) "ere should we hide the loot ? asked one of the bank robbers
loot [lu] illegal gains by public ocials No one wasaware of the loot skimmed out of the public treasu by top cityocials
loot [lu] to te something illegally by force or violence Rioters continued to loot the ravaged city day aer day
lte [lu] a pearshaped, stringed musical instrument resembling and played like a guitar The wandering minstrel playeda lute
lowed See the main ent beginning with ad
lox See the main ent beginning with ocks
lte See the main ent beginning with oolye See the main ent beginnng with e
l See the main ent beginning wth nks
le See the main ent beginning wth ar
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M
made-maid made med] the past tense and past participle of make tocreate something; to manufacture something' Those lanterns were made in Hong Kong Timothy mad a cage for hisgerbils
made [p] [med]
the past tense and past participle of make
[up} to invent a sto' 0 She made up a sto that was toosilly to believe made [med] the past tense and past participle of make tocomplete something; to succeed at something' Bill hasmade his career in politics
maid [med] a female servant Mrs Smith 's maid gets eveother weekend o
maid med] a young, unmarried girl or woman (Used only in
older stories and fai taes) A lovely maid captured the
young king's heartmaid See the main ent beginning with made
mail-male
96
• mai [me] letters, packages, and other postal material Afoer roommate of mine was once a mail carrier in Califoia
mail [mel] to send something by post or mail Ruth prom-ised to mail the letter in the moing
mail [mel]
armor made from metal links or plates The
kight wore heavy mail during the battle mail mel] the hard, protective covering of some animals
Such animals the aadillo are covered with mail male [el] a human, plant, or animal of the masculine gen-der The test determined that at least one of the unbo twins
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manner-mor
is a male male [el] bearing masculine characteristics A male apple
tree is needed to pollinate the female trees
main-mane main [en] chief; essential. The main idea of the poem
was hard to figure out main [en] physical force or strength. (Always in the idiom
might and main ) 0 Julio pushed the stalled car with all of hismight and main
main [en] a major duct, ppe, or circuit responsible forfeeding lesser branches of a utility system. A bulldozraccidently hit a water main while digging at the site
mane [en] long, heavy hair growing from the neck of somemammls, especially horses and lions. When I lost my gripon the bridle rein, I grabbed a handful of the horse's mane
mane [en] the heavy tresses of a person's head. Susanhas the most beautiful mane of shiny black hair
maize-mae maize [mez] a type of corn. 0 Maize was one of the food
staples for many North American Indian tribes
mae [mez] a complex, confusing network of passageways; a confused or bewildered state. 0 The mouse was able to nd itsway out of the maze My mind was in a me aer the longstudy session
male See the main ent beginning with m
mall-maul mall [] a mallet. He hit the sheet of steel with a rubber
mall
ml ] a lar, enclosed shopping center. A popularplace for teenagers to hang out is at the mall ml [] a public walkway oen lined with shade trees.
Many couples stll along the mall in the evening maul [] t molest, mangle, or handle roughly. o not
allow that young child to maul those tiny kittens maul ] a heavy hammer used to drive wedges. We 'll
need a maul to split the wood
mane
See the main ent beginning withmn
mer-mor manne [mn] a characteristic way of acting or behaving.
His manner has always ben kind and gentle mr ['mn] so or kind. What manner of person
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mor
would do uch a thing? manor [mn] the house or mansion of an estate The
manor sits at the end of a long, winding drive.
mor [mn] a piece of land in which the tenants pay a user's fee either in money or in goods produced on that land The ses worked the manor in change for a porion oftheir crop.
mor ['mn] in ngland, a rural territorial unit or orga-nization That manor is made up mostly of small villages.
mor See the main ent beginning with manner
mtel-mtle mte ['mn] a shelf above a replace The couple chose
an antique ba beam for the mantel in their new home. mante [mn] a structure that supports the mason above a replace The bricklayer first built the mantel andthen laid up the replace facial brick .
mantle ['mn] a clo The actor wore a black mantlethroughout the play.
mtle ['mn] something that encloses or covers something The captives escaped under a mantle of darkness.
mantl ['mn] the back, shoulders, and wings of a bird The feathers on the mantle of the otic bird were orange andgreen.
mantle ['mnl] part of the shell of a mollusk We foundan oyster mantle that had washed up on the shore
mantle ['mn] part of the earth's surface just above thecentral core o scientists know the depth of the earth'smantle
mantle ['mn
to cover or spread over something as with a mantle Birds of prey will oen mantle their kill with theirwings.
mtle See the main ent beginning with mante
mare-mayor
98
mare [mE] a female horse, donkey, or mule, especially oneof breeding age The horse that caught thejudges ' es was aashy mare with spirit.
mare [E] a supernatural being that causes nightmares She dreamed that an evil mare ew into her bedroom. mare [mE] a large, dark patch on the surface of Mars or themoon The mare on the ful l moon 's surface was visible withthe naked e
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marshal-martial
mayor mE, m] the elected chief ocer of a city or borou. Our city's mayor is ve active in local activities.
marq-marquis-marqise marq [mr'k] a canopy or signboard that projects overthe entrance of a theater or other building and consists of metal, lights, and glass. The bright yellow lights aund theborder of the marquee ashed on and of
marq [mr'k] a large tent set up for an outdoor gathering. The band will peorm under a marquee at the weddingreception
marqis mrk] a nobleman of inherited rank in some coun-tries.
The heroine in that romance novel refused to mar theevil marquis.
marqise [mr'ks] a gemstone or ring setting in the shape of a long oval with pointed ends. onna 's diamond engagementring is a brilliant marquise.
marqis See the main ent benning with mqu
maqise See the main ent beginning wth mqu
may-mer may ['m, 'mE] to join two people in matrimony ashusband and wife. The rabbi will mar the couple on Friday
evening may ['m, 'mE] to take someone as a spouse. John
will ma Ellen when he finishes college may ['m, 'mEi] to unite two things in a close relation-ship. The merger will mar two of the largest airlines in theworld
mey mE]
jovial, lighthearted, or festive. Eveone
attending the festival had a mer time
msha-mial mshal ['m] a person who directs and oversees ceremo-nial gatherin. A celebrity is usually chosen to act as thegnd marshal of the annual parade.
mshal ['mr] a federal ocial in charge of prisoners orhaving certain judicial duties. The fugitive surrendered tothe marshal.
msh 'mr] an administrative head of a city's re orpolice department. The local fire marshal inspected thehouse that w destroyed in the blaze.
matial ['mr] pertaining or relating to war, combat, orarmy or milita life. She is taking a course in the marial
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marten -martin
ars as a hobby.
marten-martin mten [mrtn]
any of several small, meateating mammalsbelongng to the weasel famly that lve n semforested areas The pine marten is making a comeback in some areas ofMichigan.
martin 'mtn] a shny, blueblack brd belongng to theswallow famly known for ts ablty to eat large numbers of nsects The students put up a birdhouse in the school'snature area in hopes of attracting a marin or two.
martial
See the man ent begnnng wthmarsha
martin See the man ent begnnng wth marten
msed-mt msed [mst] the past tense and past partcple of mass toform or collect somethng nto a body' The shoreline was
littered with debris massed in clumps. mt s] a long, vertcal pole n a shp's deck, used tosupport rggng, sals, and booms Strong winds threatenedto rip apart both the sails and the mast of the ship.
mt [st] edble nuts accumulated on the forest oor andeaten by anmals 0 Acorns and beechnuts are a favorite mastof whitetail deer.
mt [ms] a naval dscplna hearng n whch the com-mandng ocer lstens to and decdes cases or charges aansths men Following the mast, the charges against the twoenlisted sailors were dropped.
mt See the man ent begnnng wth massed
mat-matte
1
mat m] a border around a pcture but nsde a frame Alarge mat around a small picture is overwhelming.
mat [m] to me or provde a pcture wth a mat Iwould like to mat his porrait in a brght color.
mat [m] to become enangled The ats fur tends to mateasily.
mat m] a pece of closely woven coarse fabrc used as a
coverng for a table or oor0 In some places, a mat instead of
a bed is used for sleeping. mat m] a small rug used at a door for cleanng shoes
Be sure to wipe your feet on the mat before going into the house. mat [mt a tck, padded cushon used n such sports wrestlng, mntcs, and tumblng The gymnast fell o
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medal-medle
the balance beam and onto the mat beneath it matte [m] havng a nonglossy or rough, any surface
Ellen decided to use a paint that gives a matte nish
matte See the man ent begnnng wth mat
ma See the man ent begnnng wth ma
may See the man ent begnnng wth can
mayor See he man ent begnnng wth mare
me See the man ent begnnng wth mze
meat-meet-mete meat [mit] the esh of an anmal used as food Gnd
father always l iked meat and potatoes for Sunday dinner meat [it] the edble part of a frut, nut, or vegetable
We 'll only use the meat of ripe nuts for the pecan pie meet [mit] to approach or come nto contact or the presenceof someone or somethng Th agreed to meet for lunch atnoon I oen meet defeat when I t to progm the VCR
meet [it]
to settle wth or pay somethng n full John
cannot meet this month 's bills because of his recent illness met [mit] a gatherng for some specc actvty or compet-ton Chris won the twomile event in last week 's track meet mete it] to assgn or allot somethng by measure 0 Her
mother does not like to mete out punishment for the children 'smisbehavior
meatir-meteo meatier [ mj] the comparatve form of meaty havng moremeat or substance than somethng else'
I hope the ntnovel I read has a meatier plot than the last
mteor [mj, mr] a pece of fallng matter from thesolar system that becomes vsble when t enters the earth'satmosphere The meteor shower was visible only for aninstant
medal-medle medal [mEdl] an ornamental metal sk bearng a pcture or
engravng that remembers a person or event or s rewarded forachevement or excellence was a great honor to beawarded a medal by the President of the United States
ml [md] t nrr n omethng wthout permssonor rght I wish Carl would t meddle in other people'saairs
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medde
medde See the man ent begnnng wth meda
meet See the man ent begnnng wth meat
me See he man ent begnnng wth mar
metal-metle metal [mEtl, 'mEdl] a chemcal element that s lustrous,opaque, and sble. Copper is a so, easily handled metal.
mettle ['mEtl, 'mEd!] sprt or stamna. The BostonMarathon is enough to test the mettle of any serious long-distance runner
mete
See the man ent begnnng wthmeat
meteor See the man ent begnnng wth meatier
mettle See the man ent begnnng wth meta
mews-me mews [muz] the plural of mew a so sound usually asso-cated wth cats.' The mournful mews of the tpped kittenbrought eveone running to the tree.
mews [mz]
the plural of mew
a gull.' Mews swooped
above the harbor docks, hoping for a handout of fresh fish. me [z] a state of dstracton or deep thought. He was
in a muse for days ting to decide what to do me [over] [muz] to thnk about somethng reectvely.
Grandma likes to muse over times past me [mz] one of a group of nne goddesses n reekmytholo. A muse was believed to bring insition to anarist.
might-mite might [mO] a word used to express possblty or probablty.
The current ofceholder might be reelected next year. might [mO] strengh, power, or authorty weded by some-one or somethng. espite his great might, the weight lifterwas unable to li the barbell.
mite [mO] a knd of tny nsect known to nfest plants,anmals, and foods. 0 The dog was pestered by a mite in its ear
mite [mO] a ve tny creature or object. "Mike learned tosh when he was just a little mite, reected his mother
mite [mO] a small bt of somethng. 0 I'm so hung that Iwant to taste a m ite of evething on the buet table
m-mil
1
m [mI] a unt of length equal to 1/1000 of an nch. The
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mids-mines
wre requred for that crcut was so tny that t had to bemeasured to the act ml
mill [mIl]
a unit of moneta value equal to1/1000
of a United States dollar. 0 The school board s requestng anaddtonal mll for opeatng costs n the specal electon
mill [mIl] a building used to house cutting or grinding machine. The old lumber ml l has shut down ml [mIl] to grind grain into a powder, meal, or our.
People n many cultures stll mll ther grans usng prmtveequpment
mill [mIl] to move about in a collective mass. The crowd ofcurous people contnued to mll around the accdent scene
mill See the main ent benning with mi
mice-mits mice [mIns] to chop or cut something into ve tiny pieces.
Mnce the onon and garlc nely when you make that recpe mice [mIns] to speak in a restrained manner within boundaries of decorum. 0 Bob s ve straghtforward and does not
lke to mnce words mits mIns]
the plural of mnt
a place where coins aremanufactured.' One of the sx nted States mnts s locatedat For Knox, Kentucky
mits [mIns] the plural of mnt a huge sum of money.'(Colloquial.) Those antque cars are worth mnts
mits [mIns] the plural of mnt an aromatic plant used inavoring and cooking.' The leaves of two dfferent types ofmnts are used to make that tea
mits [mIns] candy avored with mint. The hostess haddshes lled wth nuts and mnts sttng on the tables
mits [mIns] the present tense, third person singuar of mntto stamp coins or money out of metal.' 0 arlene operates amachne that mnts new pennes
minds-mines mids [mIndz] the plural of mnd the brain's memo andconsciosness; that with which people think and reason.' Our mnds went blank when we were asked to recall somethngthat happened a long tme ago The top students n the class
have excellent academc mnds minds [mIndz] the plural of mnd a highly intellectual orscientic person.' Some of the best medcal mnds n theworld are searchng for a cure for cancer
mids [mIndz] the present tense, third person singular of 13
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miner-minor
mind to obey someone' That child always minds herparents.
mids mIndz]
the present tense, third person singular of mind to be careful of something' Jimmy always minds thetfc before crossing the street.
mids [mIndz] the present tense, third person singular of mind to take charge of someone or something' 0 The oldestchild minds the younger ones when their parents are away.
mi mIndz] the present tense, third person singular of mind to be concerned with something; to object to something' ave minds the fact that some people call him a nickname.
mies [mInz]
the plural of mine
a place in the earth fromwhich mineral deposits are ten' 0 Most of the mines in WestVirginia contain coal.
mies [mInz] the plural of mine an explosive device; a stationa bomb' Specially trained experts removed allunploded mines in the area
mies mInz] the present tense, third person singular of mine to dig for metal or ore' 0 The company mines both silverand copper in several western states.
mies [mInz]
the present tense, third person singular of mine to place explosive mines in strategic positions' ntimes of war a count sometimes mines harbors and otherimportant waterways to discouge enemy use.
miner-minor mi ['mIn] a person who mines Like his father and
gndfather before him, ave is a miner in the Pennsylvaniacoal mines.
mior ['mn]
a person who is under legal age is
illegal to sell alcohol and tobacco products to a minor. mior mn] unimporant; inferior in deee status, num-ber, or size Linda was disappointed that she received only aminor part in the play.
mior ['mIn] not involving risk to health or life Theman sustained a minor cut to his hand.
mio [mIn] an ademic subject requiring fewer coursesto earn a deee than a major 0 Peter has a major in Americanliterature and a minor in social studies.
mior [mIn] a musical key 0 Play the recital piece in mir.
i See the main ent beginning with minds
ior See the main ent beginning with miner
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mints See the main ent beginning with mince
missed-mist
mode-mowed
missed [mIs]
the past tense and past participe of miss
tofeel the absence of someone or something.' Lori missed herparents while she was away at summer camp.
missed [mIs] the past tense and past participe of miss tofail to obtain, hit, reach, or me contact with someone orsomething.' The batter swung at the ball but mssed
missed [mIs] the past tense and past participe of miss tofail to attend something' Lar missed his rst class becausehe overslept.
missed [mIs]
the past tense and past participe of miss
tofail to experience, sense, or understand something.' I think Imissed the point he was ting to make.
mist [mIs] ve light, falling, or oating water particles, not hea as drizzle or rain. The morning mist covered evething with moisture. We were unable to see the far side of thepond due to the mist ofsteam rising fm the water.
mist [mIs] to spray or cover something with ne water parti-cles. Mist the fe plants eve day rather than watering themonce a week.
mist See the main ent beginning with missed
mite See the main ent beginning with might
moan-mo moan [mon] a wail; a groan. The accident victim uttered a
moan when the rescue workers lied her onto the stretcher. moan mon] to utter a wail or groan. The winds seem to
moan down in the vall on breezy nights.
mo [mon] the past participle of mow to cut down standing ass or weeds.' (Also mowed.) Even aer I had mown thegrass, dandelions appeared evewhere.
mo [do] [mon] the past participle of mow [down] tokill or destroy people in arge numbers without mer; to cutdow standing grass or weeds.' The artille had mown downal l opposition in a matter ofminutes. After the grass had beenmown down, I raked it up.
mode-mowed mode [mod] a specic form, style, or varie of something.
The bicycle is a popular mode of transporation in Japan. me [mod] a manner of doing something. The burglar
repeatedly used the same mode of operation to gain ent intohouses.
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moor-more
mode [od] the most frequent value in a frequen distribu-tion The instructor asked her students to nd the mode inthe data she provided
mowed [mod] the past tense of mow to cut down standing grass or weeds' The farmer mowed his hay eld four timeslast year
mowed [do] [mod] the past tense of mow down] to kilor destroy large numbers of something wthout mercy' Theruthless soldiers mowed down eve living thing in sight
moor-more moor [m, mu] a wasteland of low, bog ound Peggy
oen found it peaceful to walk along the moor at night moor [m, m] to secure something with anchors or ines,particularly a boat 0 We had better moor the boat in the cove
until this storm passes more [m] a greater number, amount, or degree Nowa-
days more people live in urban areas than in rul ones
moose-mosse moose [mus] a large grasseating mammal that belongs to
the deer family and lives in forested parts of North America
ile driving along a Canadian highway, we spotted a cowmoose and her calf drinking from a lake
mosse [mus] ai, sweet dessert made of gelatin andwhipped cream Our hostess served raspber mousse fordesser
more See the main ent beginning with moor
moing-mong morning ['mnI]
the part of the day from midnight ordaw until noon He prefers tojog early in the moing whenit 's cooler
mong ['mnI] the present participle of mou to ex-press ief and sorrow about something, such as a person'sdeath' Mournng clothes are taditionally black heplayers are still mourning the death of their beloved coach
mong ['mnI] a period of grief following a death The widow continues to wear black to show that she is still inmourning
mong See the main ent beginning with morning
mosse See the main ent beginning with moose
mowed See the main ent benning with mode
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mo See the main ent benning with man
mscle-msel
mtered
mcle ['msl]
a body tissue that controls motion The
longjumper pulled a muscle in her lower leg mcle ['msl] braw; muscular strengh It will take a lot
of muscle to move that large piece ofequipment msel ['msl] a marine or freshwater bivalve mollusk
ile walking along the shoreline, we found a mussel that hadwashed up on the beach.
mse See the main ent beginning with mews
msed-mst msed [ms] the past tense and past participe of muss tomess up or make someone or something untidy' The ride in
the converible certainly mussed her hairdo. mt [s] to be compelled to do something by a person,circumstance, or law We must t to ob the law at all times.
mst [s] an essential item A small, compact camera isa must when vacationing
mt [s] an imperative need Complete confidentialityis a must when dealing with private matters
msel See the main ent beginning wth muse
mt See the main ent beginning with mussed
mtard-mstered mtard ['ms] a condiment made of powdered mustardseed and other ingredients o you like mustard on your hot
dogs? mtard ['ms]
a pungent yellow powder from the mus-tard plant used in medicine and chemicals Grandma usedto recommend a mustard plaster for chest colds
mtard ['ms] zest; vigor (Slang) Though in hiseighties, that man sti ll has a great deal ofmustard.
mterd ['msd] the past tense and past participle of muster to collect, gather, or call something forth' 0 Toddmustered all of his couage before stepping up to the podium tospeak.
mterd ['msd]
the past tense and past participle of muster to enlist or rouse someone' 0 Troops were musteredom all over the colonial countside.
mterd See the main ent benning with mustard
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N
naght See the main ent bennng with knt
naghty See the main ent beginning with knotty
naval-navel naval [nv] involving or relating to ships, shipping, or a navy.
While on vacation, we visited the naval facility at Pearl
Harbor on Oahu, Hawaii navel [nv] a depression or scar in the center of the abdomenwhere the umbilical cord was once attached. D The bellydancer wore a gemstone in her navel as part of her costume
navel [nv] a particular variety of orange. There is noonge sweeter than a large,jui navel
navel See the main ent beginning wth nava
nay-negh nay [ne] a netive reply or vote; a person who votes no. D
en the vote was tallied, there were four yeas and one nay nay [ne] not only this but also. (Formal, stilted, or jocular.)
"Nay, there were other misdeeds committed by this individual, continued the speaker
negh [ne] the loud, long utterance of a horse, donkey, ormule. We could hear the wild horse's neigh acss the widevalley
neigh [ne]
to me the utterance of a donkey, horse, or mule.D Our donk will neigh if he hears a loud, piercing noise
need See the main ent benning with knea
negh See the main ent beginning with nay
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new See the main ent benning with g u
nckers See the main ent beginning with knickers
night See the main ent beginning with knightnt See the main ent benning with knit
no See the main ent beginning with knw
nob See the main ent beginnng with knb
nock See the main ent beginning with ck
none-nn
nn
none []
not any; not a sngle one I looked for some ripe
avocados at the groce store, but there were none. none [] not at all; by no means D Our band director was
none too happy with our recent peormance nn [] a woman of a religious order, especally one whovows poverty, chastity, and obedience D The young Catholic
girl thought that one day she might become a nun
nose See the main ent benning with knws
not
See the main ent benning withknot
nn See the main ent beginning with none
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o
oar-o'er-or-ore oar [(] a longhandled paddle wth a at, broad blade at oneend used to propel a boat through water. n his citement to
land the great bass, the sherman accidentally knocked an oarinto the water.
o'er (]
over. The rugged pioneers pushed o 'er the moun-
tains, valls, plains, and desers in their quest for a better life. or [] a word suggestng an alternatve. 0 We can leave now
to beat the rush, or we can wait and watch the nal minutes ofthe game.
ore [(] a mneral contanng a valuabe metalc or otherelement for whch t s mned. The discove of iron orereshaped many aspects of human istence.
ode-owed· ode od]
a lyrcal song or poem of vang lengh and com-plexty, usually addressng a person or event. he hauntingsong "Ode to Billy Joe was once ve popular.
· owed od] the past tense and past partcple of owe to bendebted to someone or somethng.' Sally nally paid methe ten dollars she owed me.
'er See the man ent begnnng wth oar.
oh-owe
11
·
oh [] an expresson of varous emotons, ncludng surprse,pan, and fear. "Oh, my goodness! I've won the lottojackpot!claimed Andy.
· oh [] an ntroducto word used n a drect address. "Oh,Marie really don t care to see that movie, said Jill in disgust.
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overdo-overde
oh [] zero. D Both his house address and his telephonenumber end in "oh
owe []
to be indebted to someone or something. Since I
am as much at fault as you, you do not owe me an apologyone-won
one [w;n] the number between zero and two D Connie'sjersey for the relay team has the number one on it
one [w;n] a single unit or thing. D He doesn 't have one itemthat he can call his own D One type o woodwind instrument isthe clarinet
one [w;n] any individual indicated in a vague sense. D I wasthe rst one to misspell a word in the spelling bee One reallyshould not do that!
one [w;n] united; acting or thinking in union. D We are onein our belief that we should preserve our environment
won [w;n] the past tense and past participle of win to gainthe highest honor or best prize in a contest.' D Rita won thefudgemaking contest
won [w;n] the past tense and past participle of win to earnor obtain something.' D Her kind ways and sense of fairnesswon his respect
or See the main ent beginning with oar
ordance-ordnance odance [);ns] a municipal law or order. D A
public ordinance phibits loitering on city streets ordnance '<d);ns] milita supplies. D The ordnance
supply included guns and ammunition
ordnance
See the main ent beginning withrdinance
ore See the main ent beginning with oar
oght See the main ent beginning with aught
our See the main ent beginning with hour
overdo-overde overdo [ov du] to do or use something to excess. D on't
t to overdo things on your rst day home from the hospital DI tend to overdo the pot roasts I prepare D on 't overdo it with
those painkillers overde [ov du V dju] delayed beyond an appointed time.
D Carol 's baby was three weeks overdue D My libra booksare always overdue by the time I return them
overde [v du V dju] remainng unpaid when due to be111
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overde
paid Last month 's morgage payment is overdue overde [ovdu v'dj] more than ready James felt he
was long overdue for a pay ise
overde See the main ent beginning th verd
overse-oversees overse [ovsz] across or beyond the sea Thejoual-
ist 's next assignment will be somewhere overseas oversees ov'siz] the present tense, third person singularof oversee to supervise someone or something.' The oicemanager oversees the work of all of the clerical and suppostaf
oversees See the main ent beginning with verseas
owe See the main ent beginning wth o
owed See the main ent beginning wth de
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p
paced -paste paced pest] the past tense and past participle of pace toestablish a reasonable rate of movement or proess' Wepaced ourselves to work at a steady te so we wouldn 't tirebefore the job was done.
paced [of pest]
the past tense and past participle of pace
[o to mark o a unit of distance based on the lengh of a human stride ' The umpire paced off the distance betweenthe pitcher's mound and the batter's box
paced [pest] the past tense and past participle of pace for a horse] to travel so that the legs on the same side of its body move alternately back and forth at the same time.' Thehorse paced around the tck in record time.
pte [pt] a wet, sticky mixture used as glue. The pre-schoolers like to use colored paste on their ar projects.
pte [pest] to cause something to stick to someone or some-thing Let's paste these drawings up on the walls all aroundthe room.
pte [pest] to hit someone hard. (Slang) If you saysomething to anger Ter, he is likely to paste you.
packed-pact packed [pk] the past tense and past participle of packto gather something into a compact form and place it in a container'
The children packed their own suitcases before
leaving for camp. packed pk] the past tense and past participle of pack tocar a gn' (Slang. 0 The police ocer always packed his357 magnum while on duty.
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pail-pale
packed [pk] the past tense and past participle of pack [forone] to arrange a deck of cards in such a way as to give one a
fraudulent advantae' Carl liked to win at cards, so he
packed the deck in his favor whenever possible. packed [pk] full of something Our favorite restauant
is always packed with people on Saturday night. pact [pkt] a contract; an aeement 0 The neighborhood
children formed a pact to meet eve day after lunch. pact [pk] a treaty; a contract S countries signed the
pact declaring peace.
pail-pale
pail [pel] a bucket or other container equipped th a handleand used to car liquids Our cow kicked over a full pail ofmilk.
pale [pel] pallid We knew Hen didn 't feel well when hesuddenly became ve pale.
pale [pel] not bright or brilliant She painted the room apale shade of yellow.
pae [pel] to become less important All of the other girlspale in comparison to Rosa 's great beauty
pale [pel] one of the stakes or pickets of a fence One palein the stockade fence is broken and should be replaced.
pain-pane pain [pen] distress; suering; discomfort 0 The pain became
so unbearable that Emily nally agreed to see a doctor pain [pen] to cause someone or something to feel pain It
will pain us to see you move so far away. pain [pen] to cause oneself or another trouble or exertion 0
o not pain yourself to stand up when you feel so ill. pane [pen] a framed piece of glass found in windows anddoors uring the furious storm, a pane of glass blew out of
the large picture window.
pair-pare-pear
11
pair [pE<] two corresponding things designed to be usedtogether; two associated or similar things Now what have Idone with that pair of socks ? Jim needs to buy a pair ofshirs to take on his trip.
pair [pE<] two sweethearts That young pair wi ll probablymar someday.
pair [pE<] two playng cards of the same value or denomna-tion All she had was a pair of kings in her hand. pair [pE<] a matched set The buggy was pulled by a pair
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psed-pt
of matched bays pair [pE3] to set or arrange somethng n groups of two
The gduates will pair up to march into the auditorium
pare [pE3] to peel or remove the skn or coverng fromsomethng; to cut somethng away Will you please pare thepotatoes for dinner? We need to pare our budget by severalthousand dollars
pear [pE3] a eshy, somewhat grtty frt of a tree belonng to the rose famly The pear was juicy and tasty
palate-pallet palat 'p;] the roof of the mouth The dentist had to
numb his patient 's palate before he could remove the front tooth palate 'p;] an ntellectual taste or enjoyment That
author's writing style does not suit my palate pallet [p;t] a lghtweght, portable framework on whchmaterals n factores and warehouses can be stored ortransported The bags of cement were stacked on a palletwhile awaiting shipment
palet ['p;] a sleepng tck or mattress A pallet, thoughnot ve comfortable, makes an adequate sleeping suace
pallet [p;]
an nstrument used for formng or mxng clay or colors The arist used a pallet to combine severaldierent colors for the portrait
pae See the man ent begnnng wth pplet See the man ent bennng wth p
pane See the man ent begnnng wth pn
pare See the man ent begnnng wth pr
passed-past psed [ps] the past tense and past partcple of pass tomove by and beyond someone or somethng' We passedmany vacationing families on the h ighway
psed [away] [ps] the past tense and past partcple of pass [away] to de ' Her greataunt passed away recently
pd [ps] the past tense and past ptcple of pass tohand or transfer someone or somethng from one person to
another person ' The relay team members passed the baton
smoothly from one to another 0 After her parents died Tesswas passed om relative to relative
psed [ps] the past tense and past partcple of pass [fora vote] to wn approval from a legslatve body' The billnaowly passed both houses ofthe state congress
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pt
pt [pcs n a prevous tme perod; o. In years past,life seemed so much simpler 0 Grandpa was a spritely, spiritedman a long time past
pt [pcs] after. The clock chimed at halfpast midnight pt [pcs] beyond. Go past the entnce and turn le at
the second door
pt See the man ent begnnng wth passed
pte See the man ent begnnng wth paced
patece-patents patience ['pJ�nts] havng the capacty to be steadfast, calm,or uncomplanng
Kindergaen teachers must have a greatdeal ofpatience
patiens 'pJ�ns] the plural of patient a person undergong medcal treatment.' The doctor treats all of her patients withcare and interest
patients See the man entry begnnng wth patience
pae-paws pae p:z]
a tempor break or stop.0 Aer a brief pause,
the speaker continued pae [p:z] to stop or lnger for a tme. Let's pause at the
fountain and toss in a coin paws [p:z] the plural of paw the foot of some armboodedterrestral anmal havng claws.' A lynx has huge paws
paws [p:z] the plural of paw a large, clumsy human hand.'A guratve use of the prevous sense.) "Get your paws ome! shouted the boy
paws [p:z]
the present tense, thrd person snlar of paw
totouch someone rudely or amorously.' Hen, it seems, pawseve girl who goes out with him paws [p:z] the present tense, thrd person snlar of paw togab at somethng repeatedly.' D The inperienced mountainclmber paws the air w ildly each tme he loses hs ooting
pas [p:z] the present tense, thrd person sngular of pawto bat or ht at somethng wth a paw.' Each time the catcatches a mouse, it paws its victim pitilessly When restless,the stallion paws the stall oor
paws See the man ent bennng wth pause
peac-iece
116
peace pis] a state of securty, tranqulty, or order betweenndvduals, oups, or countres. D A warto nation knows
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peal-peel
no peace. The feuding brothers have nally made peace. peace [pis] a freedom from mental or emotional upheaval
His cabin in the woods offers him a haven of peace.
peace [pis] quiet; silence With ve children in the house,the harried housewife has no peace.
pece [pis] a portion of a whole May I please have the lastpiece ofpie?
pece [pis] an artistic or litera composition The com-oser's piece for the piano won the competition. That piece ofarwork was the first ever to be sold the arist.
pece [pis] something regarded as an example of a unit of a
kind or class Ma does a piece of work at a time at the
garment facto. pece [pis] to patch someone or something together; tocomplete something by adding pieces 0 We might be ableto piece together a quilt from these scraps. was diicult topiece together the jigsaw puzzle.
piece [pis] a handgun; a revolver (Police and underworldslang The robber carried his piece in a shoulder holster.
peak-peek-pqe pek p]
a prominent, pointed top or end of something
The mountain peak was covered with snow. pek pik] the highest level; the eatest degree He
reached the peak of his music career at age thirty. pek [pi] to reach a summit or maximum of something
The physical condition of the racehorse should peak around thedate of the ce.
peek [pi] to lance secretly at something or someone Children are sometimes tempted to peek at their birthdaypresents.
peek [pi] to te a brief look at someone or something Out of curiosity she wanted to peek at eve room in the house.
piqe [pi] a t of irritation or resentment In a pique ofanger, the child broke her favorite toy.
piqe [pi] to arouse anger or resentment T not topique his wrath by upsetting him.
pqe [pi] to provoke someone or something by a challengeor rebu The coach 's pep talk served to pique h is team 'sdesire to win.
pea-peel pea [pi!] a loud ringing of bells, especially church bells
Eve Sunday morning the peal of the church bell summonspeople to worship.
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pear
peal [p] a loud sound or successon of sounds. Her peal oflaughter was heard throughout the house.
peel [pil]
to remove or str off an outer layer of somethng. I had to peel the apples before I could make the cobbler. peel [pi!] to remove clothng from a body. Let's peel o
those wet clothes before you get a chill . peel [pl] the skn or rnd of a frt. The onge peel was
easy to remove.
pear See the man ent begnnng wthp
parl-prl pearl [p-l]
the lustrous round growth found n the shell of some mollusks and used as a gem n jewel. The diverfound a small pearl in the oyster.
pearl [p-!] somethng resemblng a pearl n color, value, orhysca qualtes. ad always said he got a real pearl whenhe married Mom.
pearl [p-l] to form n tny drolets The light in beganto pearl on the newly wed suace.
prl [p-] gold or slver thread. Her gown was sewn withsilve purl.
prl [p-!] to embroder wth gold or slver thread. Myaunt taught me to purl delicate handmade doilies.
prl [p-l lopd sh o h d o l The purl onJane's lace collar caught on her necklace and ripped
prl [p-] the so murmur of a gentle, swrlng stream. The purl of the slowly owing bok was barely audible
prl [p-l] to make a murmur. The two streams purl quietlywhere th meet.
pedal-pedde-peal
118
pedal [p£dl] a footoerated lever. The gas pedal on hercar got stuck.
pedal [p£d!] to move or proel somethng by foot, esecally a bcycle. Let 's pedal up to the corner drugstore or an icecream cone. The tiny toddler was not able to pedal his newtricle.
pdal [p£dl] relatng to or nvolvng a edal. That antiquesewing machine is pedaldriven.
pedde [p£dl] to sell wares from place to place or door todoor. The vagnt tried to peddle small items to earn mon. pede [p£d] to seek to strbute somethng; to deal outsomethng. Since you can 't go to the football game why don 'tyou t to peddle your tickets at work
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pi-pie
pet ['Edl, 'PEt!] a coloful segment of a owe's blossom The petal of the orchid is an unusual color.
peddleSee the main ent beginning with
peda
peek See the main ent beginning with peak
peel See the main ent benning with pea
peer-pier peer [] of equal standing with anothe A peerju will
decide the fate ofthe accused woman. peer [] one of the anks of the Bitish peeage system
Sir Arhur George is a peer of high rank
peer [p] a companion, fiend, o agemate The studentswill join their peer aer school for a game of soccer.
peer [] to look caelly o cuiously at something noteasily discenible 0 If you peer thugh a beach telescope inK West, you might be able to see Cuba.
per [pI] a vetical suppot between two openings Toenlarge the room, we 'll remove the center pier
pier I] a stuctual landing place extending into wate Fishermen can be seen shing o the pier at any time of day.
per [I] a stuctue used to fom o potect a habo fo vessels The long rock pier has a lighthouse on its point.
pet See the main ent beginning with peda
phe See the main ent beginning wth faze
phre See the main ent beginning with frays
pi-pie pi [OI]
the atio of the cicumfeence of a cicle to its diam-ete The students were asked to memorize the formula forguring pi.
p [OI] the symbol denoting the atio of a circumfeence of a cicle to its diamete Helen correctly wrote the pi symbol onher math homework.
p [OI] the sixteenth lette of the eek alphabet Greekletters, such as pi, look so much different than English letters.
pe [OI] a food sh made up of a cst and such lling as
fuit o meat0 The topping on the banana cream pie was stif
pe [OI] a cae laye sliced hoizontally and lled withcustad, fuit, o ceam 0 Tommy wanted a Boston cream piefor desser.
pe OI] a multicoloed animal, usually with iegla mak-ings The unusually marked horse was a pie.
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pd-pgeon
pd-pgon pd ['pIdn] a simplied manner of speech used to com-
municate between people of ierent langaes Where more
than one language s commonly used, people oen choose tospeak n pdgn
pigon pIdn] a fairly stout, usually domesticated bird resembling, but larger than, a dove A fake owl was set on therooop to dscouage the local pgeon populaton from landngthere
pigeon 'pIdn] a dupe; an easy mark The con artststhought they could nd a pgeon to help car out ther scheme
pgon ['pIdn]
a spherical, molded shape of clay used fortarget shooting The young shooter ht eve clay pgeon thatwas thrown nto the ar
pe See the main ent beginning wth pi
pece See the main ent beginning with p
per See he main ent begnnng wth p
pgeon See the main ent beginnng wth pidn
piqeSee the main ent beginnng with
p
pistil-pstol pstl 'pISl] the part of a seed plan that bers the ovuleneeded for reproduction On some owers the pistil s morenotceable than on others
pstol 'pISl] a small, handheld rearm She keeps a lcensed pstol for personal protecton
pstol See the main ent beginning with pisplain-plane
12
plain len] simple; unadorned The house s ve planboth nsde and out
plain pen] common; ordina She has rather plainfeatures
plain [pen] evident It was plain that Kevn would notchange hs mnd
plain [plen] unobstructed The hotel on the hll was nplan vew of the surroundng area
plain [plen] an extensive, unbroken expanse of at or roll-ing treeless countside The empty plan looks bare andunwelcoming
ple [p en] a tool used for smoothing or shaving a woodsurface The crasman used a small plane for hs detal work
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pe-plee
plane [plen] to make something even, level, or smooth I'll plane the tabletop before sanding and restaining it
plane [plen]
a at or level surface That piece ofequipment
must rest on a plane so it doesn 't tip over plane [plen] an airplane Passengers should board the
plane through gate six plane [plen] to skim across the water or soar on the wind
The sailboats plane acss the bay easily on windy days
plait-plate plait [pet] a braid made of hair, straw, or some other mate-
ral Her long hair was arranged in an elabote plait for the
celebation plait [plet] to interweave or braid something If we plait
these bundles ofstraw, th'll be easier to car plate [plet] a at, smooth, thin piece of material The
surgeon placed a small steel plate in his patient's head duringthe operation
plate [plet] a piece of table service Please do not use thecracked plate when we have guests for dinner
plate [plet]
a thin layer of a precious metal, usually gold orsilver The serving ty had a silver plate plate [plet] a printing surface of some type Carefully
arrange the items to be copied on the plate plate ple] to cover or coat something with some kind of metal Thejeweler wil l plate the inpensive metal ring withgold to make it look shiny
plate [plet] the slab of rubber behind which a baseball orsoftball tcher squats and next to which the btter stands The umpire cleaned o the plate er the runner slid in
plate [plet] a partial denture tting He wears a smallupper plate
plane See the main ent beginning with p
pate See the main ent beginning with p
pleas-please ple pliz] the plural of plea in a hearing or trial, the defen-
dant's answer to the plaintifs charges' Since the defendants
stood mute pleas of "not guilty were entered for them ple [pliz] the plural of plea appeal or entreaty'
Nobody heeded the woman 's pleas for help plee pliz] to give leasure, satisfaction, or gratication tosomeone It is not hard to please Jack
1 1
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plee
plee [p] to be wllng to do somethng. If you wouldplease be quiet, we can begin
plee [p]
an expresson that makes a reques or commandmore polte Please be seated.plee See the man ent begnnng wth peas
pl-plb pl p;m] a purplshred, smoothsknned frut. Mom
packed a sandwich, a plum, and some cheese and cckers inmy lunch.
pl [p;m] any of several trees or shrubs bearng such frut. Our trees did not bear a single plum last summer.
pl [p;m] somethng superor or excellent. Jill 's upbeatsolo peormance was quite the plum
pl [p;m] the color of plums. The designer suggesedaccenting her plum decor with forest green
plb [p;m] a lead weght attached to a lne used to ndcatevertcal poston. The plumb showed that the windowopening was slightly crooked.
plb [p;m] straght up and dow. The walls need to beplumb with the ceiling.
plb [p;m] to measure depth wth a lead weght attachedto a lne The students are required to plumb the depths ofthe dierent soil levels.
plb [p;m] to supply or nstall plumbng n somethng. The workers will plumb the new house next week
plb See the man ent begnnng wth pum
pole-Pole-poll
122
pole [po]
a long, slender sha.0 A pole is used to reach the
apples in the tops of the trees. pole [po] the nsde poston on a racecourse. The fastest
qualiing time wins the racecar driver the pole. pole [po] ether extremty of an s of a sphere. Neither
pole of the planet Earth is inhabited by people. pole [po] ether of two oppostes. His oinion on the
subject takes the opposite pole from his best friend 's Pole [po] a person of the Polsh natonalty. Edgar's father
was a Pole and his mother a Swede
poll [pol] the castng and recordng of votes by a body of persons. The nal results of the poll show that neithercandidate won a majority of the votes
poll [po] to queston or canvass people randomly Somevoters do not admit in an exit poll how th really voted
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praise-prays-preys
poll [pl] to shear or cut har, wool, treetops, or cattle hos. a safety precaution, the farmers poll all of their cattle'shorns.
poll See the man ent bennng wth poe
poor-pore-por poor [p , pu] havng few materal possessons As a
child, he was ve poor. poor [p pu] nferor n value or qualty An old pickup
truck is a poor substitute for a luxu car when it comes todriving comfort.
poor p, pu]
elctng pty or sympathy. I feel sor for
poor Betsy with all of her troubles. poor [p, p] unproductve; frutless This year's co
crop was ve poor. pore [po] a tny openng n the surface of a membranethrough whch materals pass. An infected skin pore can bepainful.
pore [po] to read or study somethng attentvely Markused to pore over any book dealing with jets
pore [po]
to reect on or ponder somethng. Let me pore
over your suggestion before making a decision. por [po, pu] to cause somethng to ow steadly Pour
the milk slowly so you don 't spill it . por [po, pu] to produce somethng freely n large supply or quantty. Most parents pour love and aection onto theirchildren.
por [po, pu] to rn hard. 0 The weatherman said it willpour for the next three days.
popace-poplos popace ['pps] the general populaton of a ven locale The populace of any large city is in a constant state ofux.
popace 'ppls] masses of people. D A huge populaceshowed up to support their leader
popo ['ppls] crowded; densely populated. Tokyo isan cellent ample of a populous city.
popo See the man ent bennng wth popuace
pore See the man ent bennng wth poorpor See the man ent begnnng wth poor
praise-prays-preys praise [prez] to commend, glorfy, or worshp someone or
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prays
something D "Let us praise the Lord for our blessings, beganthe minster.
praise prez]
to express a favorable opinion or evaluation of someone or something D My boss is not afraid to pise a jobwell done. praise prez] an act of praise D A lttle praise goes a long
way. prays [pez] the present tense, third person singlar of prayto spe to od or a deity' D The little girl pys eve nightbefore going to sleep. D The couple prays that their lost son willsoon be found.
preys [prez]
the plural of prey
an animal hunted by anotherfor food' The favorite prs of wolves are deer and moose. preys [pez] the plural of prey a target of evi someone orsomething that is helpless or unable to fend off attack' The
preys of child molesters are oen young, isolated children. preys [on] [prez tird person sinulr of pr [for an animalto feed on another animal as a matter of preference or habit'
Our snake preys on mice. preys (p)on] [prez third person sinlr of pr to take
advante of someone or something to have an ill eect onsomeone or something' D Ma always preys on my kindness.D Pneumonia prs on people who are already weak from otherillnesses.
prays See the main ent beginning th p
pcedent-presdent pecdnt ['ps;d;n] an example, rule, or judgment thatmay later sere as a basis for decisions in similar cases D In
this judicial case, there is no precedent indicating how the
problem might be handled. precdnt ['prEs;d;n] a prior occurrence of a similar typethat provides an example D The teacher's behavior set a precedent for her student 's behavior.
presdent [prEz;d;nt] any presiding ocer of an organiza-tion a chief ocial or executive a chief of state As presidentof the a guild, is has many duties and responsibilities. DIn the United State, a president is elected eve four years.
psnce-pesents
12
presence [prEZ;ns] attendance D Your presence at thehearing is required.
psnce [prEZ;nts] an inividual's immediate space orvicinity on 't talk like that in the presence of children.
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pres-pre
presence ['pz;ns] the bearing or air of a person, usually invoving poise and rapport with others. The queen has anunmistakable presence about her.
presents ['pr£z;ns] the plural of present a gift.' All of thepresents given to him were gag gis.
presents See the main ent benning with presence
presdent See the main ent beginning with precedent
preys See the main ent beginning with praise
pde-pred
pde [prOd] the feeling, quality, or state of being proud. Bob 's parents felt a great deal of pride in his accomplishments. prde [prOd] extreme selfesteem; conceit. o not let fool
ish pride keep you fm making an apology. pde [pOd] acceptable or reasonable selfrespect. 0 She
takes pride in doing herjob well. pre [prOd] to indulge in the feeling, quality, or state of being proud. They pride themselves on having the nicest
lawn on the street.
pde [prOd] a group of lions]. In a pride of lions, thefemales are the hunters. ped [nto] [prOd] the past tense and past participle of p
[nto to delve or inquire into something.' She always priedinto other people 's business.
ped [prOd] the past tense and past participle of p toopen or move something with a tool.' The thieves pried thewindow open with a crowbar.
pred [apart] [prOd]
the past tense and past participle of p [apar to separate people or things, usually with someculty.' The principal pried the ghting boys apart.
pred See the main ent beginning with pride
pres-prze pes [to] [prOz] the present tense, third person singularof p [into to inquire into something; to t to nd outinformation about something.' Jane thinks her mother priesinto her personal aairs too much. If he pries too closely into
the material, he may discover the truth. pes [open] [prOz] the present tense, third person singu-lar of p [open to use a tool to on something' Eachmoing, he pries open t stuck drawer to get to his socks.
pze [pOz] a reward oered to the winner of a contest or125
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pnce-prints
me. His prize in the hot dogeating contest was a watermelon
pze [prOIz]
somethng ve desrable. The girl he has
decided to mar is quite a prize. pze [piz] to value somethng or someone hghly. Em
ployers priz honesty as an important quality. pe [prOIz] wartme bounty or booty. The soldiers
captured an imporant airstrip as a prize following the erceghting.
prince-prits prince [pns]
a male member of a royal famly, especally the son of a kng or queen. The prince is tutored privately atthe castle. The heir to the k ing's throne is the eldest prine.
pnce [prs] a male of hgh esteem or regard n hs pro-fesson or class. 0 Jer is a prince of a boss.
prints [pns] the plural of print a copy of a photoaph orpece of artwork.' The prints are ready to be picked up at thestore.
pnts [pns] the plural of print a ngerprnt.' 0 Thepolice found Bill 's prints on the doorknob.
pnts [prs] the present tense, thrd person sngular of print to press nked tye on paper or a smlar surface; topublsh n type.' The newspaper only prints an early editionof the paper. 0 His business prints facsimiles of govementmaterials
pnts pns] the present tense, thrd person sngular of print o wrte usng the letters of Roman tye rather thanscrpt.' She never prints her name she always writes in script.
princes-prncess
126
pnces 'pns] the plural of prince a mae member of a oyal famly, especally the son of a kng or queen.' 0 Theprinces are vacationing with the queen at an clusive reso.
princes ['ps] the plural of pince male ho s held nhgh esteem by hs peers.' Both gentlemen were prines ofkindness in the eyes of their friends.
pncess [pns£s] a female member of a royal famly; the
wfe of a prnce. The princess was pected to mar nobly.
The princess accompanies the prince on official state business. pncess ['pns£s] a woman known for her outstandng qualtes. Ann has always been a princess of graciousness.
pncess ['prs£s] hghwasted. (A style of dress, gown, orblouse.) The wedding gown featured a princess waistline.
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pros-prose
pncess See the main ent beginning with princes
pncp-prcple pncpal ['pns;pl]
most important or inuential One of
the principal characters in the sto is a stray dog pncpal ['prs;pl] the authoritative person in control,usually of a school Ms Brown will be the new principal
of the school prncpal ['pns;pl] a sum of money that is loaned and uponwhich interest is paid and repayment is due the main part of an estate. The couple made monthly payments on the prin-
cipal of their car loan The elderly man lives on the interestof his estate and does not use the principal
pncple ['pns;p] a fundamental rule, law, or code of con-duct. Our system of justice is based on the principle ofequality
pncple ['pns;pl] the underlying facts of operation of nature This new invention is based on the principle of gravity
pnciple See the main ent beginning with princip
pnts See the main ent beginning with prince
pze See the main ent beginning with pries
prot-prophet prot ['prf;] a gain or retu over and above an expeni-ture If you buy those stocks now, you stand to ea a nice
prot in the future prot ['prf;] to benet or gain from something We will
all prot from our hard work pphet [pf;]
a person who tells of divinely inspiredrevelations or predicts the future Isaiah was a prophetin biblical times prophet ['prf;] a person gifted with uncommon moral andspiritual nsights. The minister was both a pphet and agreat leader
prophet ['pf;] a spokesperson for a cause or oup. Inorder for any progress to be made, a strong prophet for the causeneeds to emerge
pphet
See the main ent beginning withpro
ps-prose pros [roz] the plural of pro professional' Two pros are
available at the golf course to give you tips on your game prose [proz] the common, nonpoetic language of people,
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pse
ether n he spoken or wrtten form The author's pse wasquite eloquent.
pro [proz]
a ltera style resemblng that of commonspeech Our homework assignment included reading aselection ofprose om our literature book.
p See the man ent begnnng wth prl See the man ent begnnng wth p
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Q
qas-qaz qas [as] the plural of quart a measurement equalling one quarter of a gallon' Boil the pasta in two quars of water
qas [as] the plural of quart a container with thepacity of one quart' Please pick up a couple of quarsof milk at the groce store when you come home.
qaz [ats] a mineral that occurs in transparent cstalsand in natural cstalline masses The geology instructorbrought in several samples of quarz for his class to examine.
qaz See the main ent beginning wth quts
qay See the main ent beginning wth key
qee See the main ent benning with cue
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R
rabbet-rabbit rabbet ['rb] a groove cut into a surface and designed to betted with a corresponding member to form a oint Carpenters will oen use a rabbet to join two pieces of wood neatly.
rabbet [rb] to cut or t a oove We need to rabbet thissurface in order to get a good t.
rabbt 'rb] a small, longeared mammal belonging to thehare family Sally plans to show her rabbit at the fair thissummer
rabbt 'rbI] the fur or pelt of a rabbit Thejacket Mabought is made of rabbit
rabbt See he main ent beginnng with rabbet
rack-wrack
13
rack [rk]
a framework on or in which articles are placed,hung, or stored 0 Lay that wet sweater on the rack ther thanhanging it on the clothesline. rack [rk] an instrument of torture The guard used the
rack to torture the prisoner. rack [rk] to cause acute pain, suering, or angsh tosomeone or something The disease will continue to rack her
weakening body rack rk] to stretch or strain something violently His
violent coughs continued to rack his sore ribs.
rack [] a horse's fastmoving, articial pace The showhorse must perform a series ofgaits, including the rack rack [k] a cut of meat from the rib section of an animal
The king served a rack of lamb at the feast. wrack r] to ruin something completely he hurriane
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ran-rei-ren
will wck the tiny island village. wrack [rk] a shipwreck. Scuba divers continued to search
for the wrack on the ree
wrack [rk] a type of seaweed or other marine vegetation. Much wrack washed up onto the shore after the storm. wrack [rk] the violent destruction of a vehicle, structure,or machine. 0 The wrack of the beautiful city by the typhoonwas devastating.
rail-rae rail [re] a bar extending from one support to another thatserves as a barrier or guard. 0 Use the rail along the stairs for
ta suppor. rail [re] the fence that borders a racecourse. The horse on
the rail won the race. rail [re] a railroad or track. Sue prefers to travel by rail
rather than by air.· rail [re] a small, marshland bird belonging to the cranefamily. Ifwe 're lucky, we may spot a rail in the swamp
rail [re] to rant at or scold someone in harsh or abusivelanguage. Even aer an apology, the ang man continued torail at the sales clerk.
rae [re] an abnormal breathing sound. The doctor detected a le in her patient 's chest.
ran-ri-rin ran [ren] falling precipitation in the form of droplets. The
cool, refreshing in was a relief aer the hot, windy day. ran [ren] to fall or pour down on someone or something likerain. Insult aer insult continued to rain down on theunpopular speaker.
rain [ren] to deposit or bestow something abundantly. Parents ain love and aection on their children.
[ren] to possess or exercise power or authority oversomeone or something. 0 Our bosses reign over eveone in thecompany.
· [ren] to predominate or rule over someone or something. Sometimes monarchs reign over their subjects fordecads
· [ren]
the period of inuence of a monarch or sovereign. The queen 's reign was marred by much violence.· in [ren] a check line on either side of a bridle or halter thatis used to control an animal Pull back on the bridle rein toget control of the horse.
in [ren] complete freedom 0 Some parents give free rein
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raise-rays-rae
to their children at an early age. re [ren] a restraining inuence. A parent's control of the
car ks will put a rein on any teenager's behavior
raise-rays-re raise [rez] to lift or move someone or something upward.
Raise the hood of the car, please. raise [rez] an increase in amount, usually in wages, salaries,bets, or bids. terjust s months on thejob, Kurt received aise.
raise [ez] to rouse or incite someone or something, usually
to promote action. If we raise a loud protest, perhaps th
will listen to us. raise [rez] to grow or cultivate someone or something.
Most parents ise their children carefully The Joneses onlyise cash crops.
rais [rez] to collect something. Our goal is to raise $3for a new park sign.
aise [rez] to bring something up for consderaton. ydoes no one raise the obvious question ?
rays [rez]
the plural of ray
a beam of light or some otherradiant ener.' Warm rays of sunlight shone through the
forest canopy. rays [rez] the plural of y any line, such a division orvein.' The ys in those green leaves are dark pule
rae [rez] to destroy or demolish something to ground level. The work crew will re the condemned building tomorrow
rae [rez] to shave, cut, or scrape something o of something. The young boy tried to re the peach fuzz from his face.
rae
See the main ent beginning withrai1
rcor-rer rancor [r, r] hatred. Evil thoughts and ncor
seethed within the man. raner ['r] an individual who serves or has served in therans, usually a commissioned ocer who has been promoted.
a ranker, she can identify with tops as well as ofcers.
rer See the main ent benning with rancr
rap-wrap
132
rap [rp] a sharp knock or blow. I heard a rap on the door rap [p] a crtcsm; a rebue. The man oered a stinging
p to his opponts comments. rap [on] [rp] to strike something suddenly or sharply.
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rap
Rap that jar on the table to loosen the lid. rap [rp] to arrest, retain, or charge with crimin action
(Police or underworld slang) The police plan to rap the
suspect with the recent crimes. rap [rp] to perform in a rhythmic, musical style by thesame name in which lyrics are spoken to a steady backgroundbeat rather than sung Many high school students lea top after school.
ap [rp] to encose or bundle something or someone by enfolding or covering; to embrace someone or something t's wrap ourselves in these warm blankets. The little boylikes to wap his arms around his favorite stued bear when he
goes to sleep. ap [p] [p] to completely immerse or involve someonein something Some people wrap themselves up completely intheir work.
ap [rp] an outer rment, similar to a cloak, that wrapsound the body Her wrap was a simple woolen shawl.
rapped-rap-wrapped rapped [on] [p] the past tense and past participle of rap
[on]
to strike something suddenly or sharply' I rapped on
the window until someone saw me. rapped p] the past tense and past participle of rap tochge someone with a criminal action' (Police or underworldslang The cops rapped the vagabond with trespassing andvagncy.
rapped rp] the past tense and past participle of rap toperform in a rhythmic, musical style in which lyrics are spokento a steady background beat' The musicians pped untilthe wee hours of the night.
rap [rp] wholly absorbed or engrossed in something orsomeone We listened to the speaker with pt attention. apped [rp] the past tense and past participle of wrapto enclose or bune someone or something up by enfolding' I wpped all of the gis mysel
apped [arond] [rp] the past tense and past participleof wrap [around] to embrace or surround someone or some-thing' The ends wpped their arms around each other.
apped [p] pt]
the past tense and past participle of wap [up] to completely immerse oneself in or involve oneself in someone or something' She got so wrapped up in thevel that she codt put it down.
rap See the main et giig with rapped
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rays
rays See the man ent begnnng wth raise
rae See the man ent bennng wth raise
read-red(See also read-reed.) read [d] the past tense and past partcple of read to lookat and comprehend wrtten or prnted matter' The child
read at an early age He read aloud from the morningnewspaper
red [d] a color that resembles the coor of blood Jackiewants to buy a red sports car
red [d]
somethng resemblng the color red His face
turned red with embarrassment red [d] a Communst. The artist was once accused of
being a red red [rEd] a person advocatng the overthrow of an exstng polt or socal order. The conservatives hoped to rid the
government of eve red who threatened the political system
read-reed read [rid] to understand or utter aloud wrtten or prntedmatter.
Most children learn to read in first or second grade
Would you please read that par of the aricle again ? read rid] to nterpret the meanng of someone or somethng
How do you read the sudden change in John's behavior? How do you read John on this matter?
read [rid] to predct or foretell somethng 0 Astrologersclaim o read the future by studying the stars
reed [rid] a tall, slender ass, usually found owng nmarshy areas. The stem of a reed is hollow
reed rid]
a thn, exble slat of wood or cane xed to theend of the mouthpece of some muscal nstruments Thesophone and clarinet are two instruments that require a reedto produce sound
reed [rid] a comblke devce used to separate the yarns on a loom. You must stighten the bers using a reed before youbegin weaving
real-reel
13
rea [ril
actual; true; authentc. I saw a real giffe at the
zo real ril] somethng statona, xed, or permanent, usually land or buldngs. y sister deals in real estate management
real ri] measured by purchasng power His real ncomeis fairly substantial
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reed
rea [ril ve. (nformal.) The students were real happywhen th finished their ams.
reel [ril]
a devce around which something is wound.0 The
reel on my shing pole jam med when I dropped it. reel [ril] a quantity of something wound on a reel. I need a
reel of cable to complete the job. reel [ril] to wind something in or upon as if on a reel. Reel
the sh in close to the side of the boat so we can see it. el [ril to fall or teeter backward as if from a bow. 0 The
lack of oxygen made my head reel. el [ril a Scottish Highland dance or the music to which it
is performed. The dancers kicked and stomped their feet
during the li vely reel.recede-reseed
recede [r�'sd] to draw or pull back or away from something. ter two days at ood level, the river began to recede.
recede [r�'sd] to decrease. His nancial debt nally beganto recede.
cede ri'sd] to cede something back to someone Thelandowner decided not to recede his property to his previoustenants.
seed ['sd] to sow seed again. Aer the heavy in, wehad to reseed the garden. Each year th reseed their winterwheat field. Some elds naturally reseed themselves.
cept-reseat cept ['s] the act of receiving. You will be paid upon
the receipt ofthe signed contract. ceipt ['s] a written acknowledgement of items or goods
received. Bring your receipt if you must retu an item to the
store. cept [s] to mark something as paid I will receipt the
invoice hen I receive the payment. seat [r's] to seat someone again. The ushers were
asked to reseat the audience following the false fire alarm. seat ''s] to reinstall someone in an oce or seat of diity. The council will reseat its chairperson following hislong illness.
seat ['r's]
to repair or replace the seat of something.
It will be necessa to reseat four of the antique chairs wepurchased at the auction.
d See the main ent beginning wth read
reed See the main ent beginning with rea
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reel
reel See the man ent begnnng wth rea
rein See the man ent bennng with rain
ein See the man ent begnnng with rain.reseat See the man ent begnnng wth receipt
reseed See the man ent begnnng with rede
residence-residents• residence [rEz�d�ns] the place where a person resides orlves. D You must list your permanent residence on the application form.
• residence [ rEz�d�nts]
a dwellng.D The pol ice discovered the
residence of the suspect was empty.• residence ['rEz�d�ns] the perod of tme one dwells n a locaton for the fulllment of duty or to receve a benet. DMembers of Congress must establish residence in their homedistricts.
• resience ['rEz�d�ns] a perod for study, research, practce,or teachng of medcne. D The doctor will serve her residenceat a local hospital.
• reidents [rEz�d�nts]
the plural of resident
someone wholves n a place.' D The residents of that house are rarely athome.
• sidents ['rEz�d�ns] the plural of resident a doctor who sgong through a perod for study, research, practce, orteachng.' D The young residents correctly diagnosed thepatient's illness.
residents See the man ent begnnng with residence
rest-wrest
136
• rest [rEst] to repose n sleep or relaton D I think I'll restaer that vigorous walk.
• st [rEst] a place for restng or lodng. D My aunt 's cat usesher mantle as a rest.
• st [rEst] peace of mnd or sprit. D He won 't have any restuntil he knows whether he passed his ams.
• st [Est] to brng somethng to an end. D Let'sust let thatunlikely idea rest.
• st [rEst]
remans; leftovers.D Put the rest of the food in the
regetor.• st [rEst] a rhythmc slence n musc. D The drummer
ignored the rest and continued playing.• st [rEst] to e somethng or someone forcbly; to nsomethng with dculty. D The prince was unable to wrest
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rgger-rigor
power from the king. The ocers had to wrest the gun fromthe attacker.
est [rEst]
to change the signicance or truth of something. Joan tends to wrest the truth when making cuses for herselretch -wretch
retch [rEt to vomit; to t to vomit. D The grisly sight mademe retch.
wtch [rEt a miserable, unfortunate person; an outcast orvile individual. The poor wretch had no job or means ofsupport. In the movie, the villian was a terrible wretch.
review-ree
iew ['u] to look over, inspect, or surey something. t's review the results of the questionnaire.
view ['u] to examine something again. Be sure toreview all of the course material before taking the final am.
view ['u] a critical evaluation of a movie, book, or play. The oBroadway play did not receive a ve favorablereview.
view ['u] a judicial examination. The appeals courhas agreed to a review of thatparicular case.
iew 'u] a mazine devoted chiey to reviews. Themonthly business review has increased its readership recently.
e ['vju] a theater production comprised o short songs,dances, and comic sketches. Audiences were excited aboutthe rollicking revue.
ree See the main ent benning with review
igger-rigor rigger [g3]
a specialized, sable brush used in painting portraits or pictures. As a portrait artist, Maggie mustperiodically replace her rigger with a new one.
igge ['g3] a ship with a specic rig setup. The square-rigger sailed serenely in the calm seas.
riggr ['g3] a person who ts, arranges, or sets up some-thing. D The house alarm is so complicated that the companysends a rigger to install it for the customer.
rigor ['g3] strictness; severity. The father of that familyrules with rigor.
igor ['g3] stiffness; riity. The rigor of the old woman 'smuscles makes stairs dicult to climb.
igor [g3] nexblity of judgment, opinion, or tempera-ment. D Al of the rigor of his younger days disappeared as hemellowed with e.
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rght-rte-ght-te
gor ['g] a situation or condition that makes life dicult The rigor of Marie 's lifestyle nally took its toll on herhealth.
rght-rte-ght-wrte ght [rOI] correct; appropriate 0 Please wear the right type
of clothing on the camping trip. I nally had to admit thatyou were right.
ght O] righteous 0 He is a right and honoble man. ght [rOI] genuine Make sure the antiques you purchase
are right and are not reproductions. ght [rOI]
to justify or change something that is wrong
is too late to right the damage that has been done.· ght [rOI] a direction that is opposite of le Tu rightat the next traic light.
rte [rOt] ceremony; a precise manner of caring out a cere-monial tradition The priest will perform the rite of baptismat the church this moing.
wrght rOI] someone who makes or repars certan thngs(Usually seen in compounds such wheelwright and shipwright.) Grandpa looked all over the county for a wheelwright
who could up the old buggy. wrte rOI] to draw up, author, or compose something inwriting 0 The author hopes to write a biogphy about thatfamous sculptor. Sue can write ve poetic phrases.
rgor See the main ent benning with rigger
rng-wrng
138
· ng [r] a circular band used to pull, hold, or hang some-
thing I keep my ks on a big ring so I don 't lose any of them.
· ng [ a piece of jewel worn on the nger Tom gaveAnn an engagement ring on Thanksgiving ay.
ng [ a circular form or shape 0 The glass of iced tealeft a water ring on the tabletop.
rng [ an arena where boxing matches take plce 0 Theaudience applauded as the two boxers entered the ring.
ng [ to form or place a rng around something We'llring the base of the tree with owers.
ng [
a clear, resonant sound The teenager ran quickly
to the phone when she heard a ring. ng [ to make a clear, resonant sound When I tried to
ring the doorbell, I discovered it didn t work. ng [ a telephone call I' ll give you a ring as soon as
get home.
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roe-row
[rI] to twist or squeee something in order to extractmoisture or iquid. D Wring the water from your socks afteryou take them of
rI] to obtain or acquire something by coercion orviolence. D The nasty cop tried to wring a confession from theinnocent man.
[rI] to twist the hands together in an expressionof grief or anguish. D Her mother used to wring her handswhenever she was upset.
[rI] to shake hands vigorously. Why must he alwayswring eveone's hands so hard?
[rI]
to contort something by twisting.D id your
mother ever tell you that she would wring your neck if youmisbehaved?
te See the main ent beginning with right
road-rode-rowed road [rod] an open pathway for vehicles, people, and animals.
D The rual road is a ve scenic drive. road [rod] a somewhat protected anchorage place for ships
and boats.D Lahaina road was a favorite port for early visitors
to the island of Maui. de [rod] the past tense of ride to travel in or on something.'
D Jane de the bus to work for years. de rod] the past tense of ride to be sustained by something; to continue something without interference.' D Thecandidate de a wave of popularity during his campaign. DThe team rode all the way to the championship.
rode rod] the past tense of ride to nag, tease, or harass
someone.'D Jane continually rode her husband about his poor
golfgame. rowed [rod] the past tense and past participle of w topropel a boat by using oars.' D We rowed acss the lakeainst the wind.
rowed [rod] the past tense and past participle of row to formsomeone's hair into rows.' D The hair stylist wed her client'shair.
rode See the main ent benning with rad
e-row e [ro] the eggs of sh. D The roe of sturgeon is known as
caar. roe [ro] a speckled gre sometimes seen in sawn lumber. D
The lumber buyer would ot buy any wood containing a roe
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roes-rose-rows
row [ro] to propel a boat by using oars fyou don 't wantto row, we can use the outboard motor.
row [ro]
to form something into rows0 Be careful how you
row the vegetable plants in the garden. row [ro] a number of objects in a sequence or series Each
row ofdesks was neatly aligned in the classroom. row [ro] a street occupied by a specic kind of enterprise
They live in a row of homes in the new development area.
roesroserows(See also rouse-rws.) roes [roz] the plural of roe the eggs of sh' Roes are usu
ally either red, yellow, or black and are often eaten in Japanese
restaurants. roes [roz] the plural of roe a speckled gure sometimes seenin sawn lumber' 0 Because of so many roes in that wood, thesawmill decided to discount its price.
rose roz] the fraant blossom of a shrub with thorny stemsby the same name Be sure to cover the rose during thewinter. On her birthday, Katie's husband gave her a singlesweethear rose.
rose [roz]
a cut of gemstone that resembles a rose The
ring contained a single rose gaet. rose [oz] resembling a rose in shape, fragrance, or color
Mother always wears rose peume. She wore a se dress tothe pary.
rose roz] the past tense of rise to elevate oneself or itself; toascend' He rose slowly om his comfortable chair. rows [roz] the plural of row a number of objects in a straightline' The new cars stood in long rows on the facto lot. Rows of commercial buildings make up the business district.
rows roz] the present tense, third person singuar of rowto propel a boat by using oars' The avid sherman rowsaround the entire pond eve aernoon.
ro-roy
1
ro [rol] to isturb or rile someone on 't roil your brother nagging at him.
ro [ro] to stir up or move something about violently The oodwaters will no doubt roil the sediment at the mouth of
the river. roy [o] of noble ancest; relating to the crown Mark
coes from a royal faily. The royal couple will attend theparade.
roy rol] of great magnitude, quality, or size (Coloquial)
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rogh-
D "I have a royal headache, moaned Liz. royal [rol] a male deer of at least eight years that has an
antler conguration of at least twelve points.0 We saw a
magnicent yal on the mountainside. royal [rol] a shade of bright purplishblue. D His royal shir
was ve handsome.
role-ll role [rol] a part payed by a singer or actor D Her role in the
play was a minor one. role [rol] a nction. D We'll never know for sure what role
he played in the discove.
roll[rol] a scroll. D The messenger handed the roll to the
king. roll rol] a list of names. D Before we begin, let me call ll. roll rol] something formed into the shape of a roll. D Jessie
had a roll ofdollar bills in his pocket. roll [rol] to cause someone or soething to move forward by turning over and over. D It is easier to roll an object down a hillthan to car it
ll [ro]
to rob a person by pilfering his or her pockets.
Someone entered the dormito om and tried to roll theoccupants while th slept.
ll [ro] to travel along something. D I like the sound oftrains as th roll along the tracks.
roll ro] a sound of sustained, rapid drumbeats. D Thedrummer was required to peorm a long roll during the march.
roll See the main ent beginning with roe
rose
See the main ent beginning withes
rote-ote rote [rot] the use of memo with little understanding orintelligence. D arning by rote is not the best way to lea.
te [rt] an automatic or mechanical repetition or routineinvolving little thought. Thugh shear rote aniel was ableto clean his aparment even though he had the u.
ote rot] the past tense of write to spell out words, usually on paper.' D Mike wrote the alphabet on the blackboard. Dad wrote us a letter to tell us the time his plane would arrive.
rogh- gh ; coarse or irregular. The dog has a rough coat. rogh [; wild; turbulent. We had a rouh ight over the
mountains.
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roe-rows
rogh [r ting; dicult. The ohan had a roughchildhood.
rogh [r crude; unrened; something in a prelimina or
unnished state. Jane's manners are a littl rough. Arough copy of that repor is due noon. rogh r the brushy, uneven ea bordering a golf fairway
Bob hit the ball into the rough between the sand tps. rogh [r to maul or manhandle someone or something
The thug tried to rough up and frighten the old man. rogh [r a freshwater perch found in urope 0 The res
taurant serves a tasty rough eve Wednesday night. f [r the hair or feathers around the neck of an animal
The dark red dog has a ruff of thick golden hair. f [r a stiff, pleated colar worn by women and men n
the 1500's and 100's. 0 The Elizabethan actr looked uncomforable in the starched ru
roe-rowsSee also roes-rose-rows.) roe [rz] to we someone or something from slumber or
repose 0 It is ve difcult to rouse someone from a deep sleep. roe [rz] to stir up or excite someone or something
The mob 's leader tried to rouse his followers into action. rows [rz] the plural of row a loud quarrel or argment '
Police were called to the couple's residence because of the noisyrows.
rot-rote
12
rot r] a disorderly retreat. 0 uring the rout, the soldiers ed in all directions.
rot r] a state of wild confusion. There was a rout as
both baseball teams cleared the benches. rot [r] a disastrous defeat. The game ended in a rou
for the home team. rot [r] a disturbance; a riot. Someone reported a rout
in the apartment building late last night. rot [r] to defeat someone or something decisively. The
commander told his troops they would surely rout the enemy. rot [r] to cut an edge or groove in a surface. Caenters
oen rout decorative edges on furniture.
rot [r] to dig up or discover something. t's see ifyoucan rout the truth about what really happened. rot [] to search something awkwardly; to rummage
something. If we rout the om, we may desty valuableevidence. Rout aund in the drawer for some scissors.
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g-g
te [r r] a course or territo to be coveed; an estab-lished passa for travel. The girl 's paper route covers severalneighborhoods 0 The route I take to work is always busy in the
moing te [r, r] to cause something or someone to take a
specic direction or path. The detour will route trafc awayom the road repair area
te See the main ent beginning wth rou
w See the main ent benning with roe
wed See the main ent beginning with road
ws See the main ent beginning with roes and the main entybenning with ruse.
y See the main ent beginning with roi
de-ed de [rd] lacking renement or tact; oensive in action or
manner. 0 His supervisor is a rude person The supervisor 'srude comments oended many employees
ed [rd] the past tense and past participle of rue to feel
sorrow or regret about something.' (Almost aways in theexpression rue the day ) 0 As a lonely millionai re, John ruedthe day he wished for fame and fortune
ed See the main ent beginning wth rude
ff See the main ent beginning wth rough
g-g g [r;] a crosspiece of a ladder. on 't use that ladder
until the cracked rung is replaced g [r;] a stae or degree of ascent. 0 He eventually
reached the top rung in the corporation g [r;] a spoke of a wheel. A rung in the front wheel is
bent g [r;] a connecting support in the legs of a chair. Is it
possible to replace a broken rung in a chair? g [r;] the past participle of ring to me a clear, musical
sound, by striking metal or glass.' The alarm had rungloudly for many minutes before Bill turned it of
g [r;] the past participle of ring to place a telephonecall.' The telephone opetor has rung the number repeatedly
g [ot] [r;] the past participle of wring [out] to twistor squeeze something to extract moisture.' I had wrung the
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e-
wet clothing out before hanging it on the clothesline g [ the past participle of wring to twist one' s hands
together in grief or anguish. ' When first confronted with the
bad news, he had wrung his hands, but now he is calmer g [ the past participle of wring to grasp and shake
someone's hand vigorously.' It seems the politician hadwrung the hands of eveone in town
g the past participle of wring to twist. ' He hadwrung the necks of the three chickens in preparation for the bigchicken dinner
e-
1
e [O a hardy ain used for cereal or grown for cover.
Most of the farmland is planted in barley and e [ O cleverly humorous, often with a grm or ironic
twst. D Tom has a w sense of humor [ O made with facial contortions . His w smile mad
me suspicious O marked by impropriety. None of us appreciated
her pointed, w comments
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s
sac-sack sac [sk] a pouch containing uid inside a pant or animal.
Among seahorses, the male carries the egg sac containing theyoung.
sack [sk] a container made of paper or other material thatis used to car items. I carried my gceries home in a sack.
sack [sk] a loosetting style of coat or dress The sackwas once a ve popular dress style. sack [sk] dismissal. After working for the company for ten
years, his sack was totally unpected. sack [sk] to plunder or loot something after capture. The
soldiers continued to sack the city for days. sack [sk] to put something into a sack. Will you help me
sack these groceries ? sack [sk] to re or let someone go. Most employers don 't
like to sack faithful workers in bad times.sack See the main ent beginning with sac
sacks-s sacks [sks] the plural of sack a container made of paper or
other material. ' Put all ofthe empty sacks in the cupboard. sacks sks] the plural of sack a loosetting style of coat or
dress.' The models wore sacks of various colors over theirdresses.
sacks [sks] the present tense, third person singlar of sackto plunder or loot something after capture.' The platoonsacks each city that it conquers.
sacks [sks] the present tense, third person singular ofsackto pack things into a sack' Bob sacks groceries aer school
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sail-sae
and on weekends sacks [sks] the present tense, third person singular of sack
to dismiss someone from employment.' If your company
sacks you, file a complaint immediately s [sks] a sophone. A sax is an essential part of a ja
band
sail-sal sail [se] an expanse of fabric hoisted above saiing vessels to
tch the wind and propel the ships through water. ueto the heavy seas and high winds, the main sail tore
sail [se] to travel aboard a vessel propelled by the wind. 0The couple wanted to sail from Florida to Bermuda
sail [sel] to glide through something without much eort. Hen hoped to sail through his interview and get the jobwithout any problems
sale [se] the act of selling something or transferring ownership of something from one person to another. D The sale ofour home w completed quickly
sale se] the disposal of items at bargain prices. Thedepartment store sale will last through the weekend
sale [sel] the availability of something for purchase. Histractor is not for sale
sale [se] gross receipts. The total month's sale was aboveaverage
sale See the main ent benning wth s
sane-sene sane [sen] mentally sound or stable. The accused man was
declared sane and capable of standing trial sene sen] a large, weighted net wth oats on one side
designed to drag through water and catch sh. We ted tocatch minnows in the stream by using a large seine
sene [sen] to sh or catch something with a seine. Terwanted to seine the pond in hopes of catching the big bass
saver-savor
16
saver sva] a person who collects and keeps something. 0Beice is a compulsive saver of food coupons
saver [sva] a person who rescues someone or something
from hrm. Mr Smith is known as a saver of lost or injuredanimals
savor [s] to relsh or delight in something. The smellof the rst campre of the season is an odor to savor
saor s] to smell or taste something with great pleasure.
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scl-sk
Ma likes to savor her rst cup of coffee of the moing. savor [sY] a distinctive smell or avor. Vintage wine
has a unique savor all its own.
savor See the main ent beginning with saver
s See the main ent beginning with cks
scene-seen scene [sn] the site of an action or occurrence. The scene of
the accident was secured by police. scene [sin] a stae setting. uring the play, the scene was
darkened to create a feeling of the unknown.
scene [sn] a division of a theatrical performance. She doesnot appear in the play until the third scene.
scene [sin] a isplay of inappropriate behavior or anger. The ang customer made quite a scene.
seen [sin] the past participle of see to visualize someone orsomething.' In her mind she has seen the man of her dreams.
seen [sn] the past participle ofsee to understand something. ' We have seen the value of saving money.
seen [sin] the past participle of see to perceive someone or
something with the eye. ' I have never seen him look so happyin his whole life.
seen sin] the past participle ofsee to examine or watch some-one or something.' The investigators have seen all of theevidence.
seen [to] [sin] the past participle of see [to to escort oraccompany someone to a place.' 0 The volunteers have seeneach of the patients safely to his room.
scent See the main ent benning with centscents See he main ent beginning with cents
scl-skul scul [s�1] a pe of oar used at the stern or back of a boat to
move it forward. The scull accidentally fell into the water. scul [sl] a racing boat propelled by sculls. A great deal
of strength is needed to man a racing scull. ul [s�l] to propel a boat using a scull or large oar. The
plan was to scull the vessel rather than use its motor. sll [s�] the skeleton of the head of a vertebrate that en-
coses and protects the bran. Workmen uncovered the skullof a large mammal at the bui lding site.
sll [s�l] a mind. T to get this message into your skull.
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sea-see
sea-see sea [si] the body of saltwater covering most of the earth's
surface; a large body of saltwater that is not quite landlocked
Not all sh can live in the sea. The sea is surrounded onthree sides land. sea [si] a motion or rough disturbance on the surface of a
large body of water The brisk wind and fairly calm seamade for ideal sailing conditions.
see [si] to visualize something or someone 0 I can see tublebrewing.
see [si] to understand something Susan did not see thepoint he was ting to make.
see [si] to perceive someone or something We could seestorm clouds forming on the horizn. see [si] to examine or watch someone or something Wait
and see what develops. see [si] to escort or accompany someone or something to
some place 0 The boys promised to see their dates home.
sealing See the main ent beginning with ceing
seam-seem seam [sim] a joint where two pieces of fabric are sew
together A seam on my new blouse came apart. seam [sim] to stitch two pieces of fabric together 0 He will
seam the torn tent ap. seam [sim] a ridge, line, or oove formed by he joining of
edges I felt eve seam in the bumpy ad. seam [sim] a thin layer of mineral between two distinctive
layers of earth A seam of si lver runs through the bedrock. seem [sim] to appear; to ve evidence of the existence or
presence of someone or something The new nurses seem toenjoy their hard work. There doesn 't seem to be anyone here.
se-sees-seize
18
se [siz] the plural of sea body of stwater' The seasnear the arctic are cold and ugh. Three dierent seassurround the count of Greece.
se [sz] the plural of sea the surface conditions of a largebody of water' The ship 's captain alerted the crew to the
ugh seas ahead. sees [siz] the present tense, third person singlar of see to
isualize something' Jane sees her future goals as beingattainable.
sees [siz] the present tense, third person singlar of see to
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seize
understand something.' Mother sees the value of teachingher children to be independent.
sees [siz] the present tense, third person singlar of see to
perceive someone or something with the eye. ' Lar awakensearly and sees the sun rise each day.
sees [siz] the present tense, third person singlar of see tomake sure that something is done.' The bus driver sees thatthe chi ldren get o the bus safely.
sees [o] [siz] the present tense, third person sngular of see[to} to escort someone to some place.' The butler sees allvisitors to the door when they leave.
seize [siz] to asp someone or something; to take something
by force The milita will someday t to seiz contl of thegovernment. I wanted to seize her arm so we could talk .
seze [siz] to pture someone or something 0 The troopstried without success to seize a truck convoy.
seze [siz] to take over one's mind completely. 0 T not tolet jealousy seize your mind.
secs-sex secs [sEts] the plural of sect a religious denomination'
Many dierent sects were represented at the religious conference. secs [sEs] the plural of sect a party, cult, or faction.'
The leaders of those sects demand total obedience from theirfollowers.
sex [sEs] either of the two sexual divisions of organisms,male or female. The expectant parents did not wish to knowthe sex oftheir unborn child.
sex [sEks] pertaining to sexual phenomena or behavior. The sex oender was sent to prison.
sex [sEks] to determine the sex of some creature. 0 Hisjob atthe chicken hatche is to s newly hatched chicks.
see See the main ent beginning with sea
seed See the main ent beginning with cede
seeder See the main ent beginning with cedar
em See the main ent beginning with seam
seen See the main ent beginning with scene
es See the main ent beginning with seas
ne See the main ent beginning with sane
seze See the main ent beginning with seas
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sell
sell See the min ent beginning with ce
seller See the main ent beginning with cear
sense See the main ent beginning with cents
senses See the main ent beginning with census
ssor See the main ent benning with censer
sensal-sensos sensal 'sJl] having to do with physical or sexual satis-
faction. D The otic dance was ve sensual in nature senso ['sJu�s] having to do with the senses D Walking
through the eld of wildowers was a sensuous dlight
senso See the main ent beginning with sensua
sent See the main ent beginning with cent
serf-s serf S< a member of the peasant class bound to the and
and subject to the will of the owner or overseer in a feudalsociety. D Each serf was allowed to keep a portion of the cps
he grew s [S< the swell, foam, splash, or sound of breaking waves
upon a shore. The sound of the surf lu lled me to sleep s [S< to ride the waves. D Cur leaed to su while
visiting relatives in California
seial See the main ent beginning with cerea
session See the main ent beginning with cessin
set-st set [SEt to place something onto something. D Would you
please set this vase on the mantel ? st [SI] to rest on one's buttocks, as in a chair Please sit
over there
sew-so-sow
15
sew [so] to stitch or hold something together using needlead thread. D Sew that loose button on the shir before it fallso
so [so] as indicated or suggested. D gave us an ideaabout how to handle the problem, and we agreed to do so
so so] therefore. That is a silly plan, so let 's forget about it so so] conforming to actual facts. D Lisa said certain things
that were not so
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shoe-shoo
so [so] ve; to a great degree. 0 Jeff's job promotion madehim so happy that he took his family out to dinner.
sow [so] to plant with seed. Farmers sow winter wheat in
the fall. sow [so] to set something into motion. Mike will t to sow
the plans needed to get the pject underway.
sex See the main ent beginning with sects
shl-ll shall l] in the future. (A form used with the rst person, I
or we in formal speech or writing.) I shall consider your ideacarefully. We shall t not to be late.
ll wI] in the ture. (A form used with all three persons I,we you or he, she, it, th except in formal speech or writing.) I will have your report nished by noon. You will bereimbursed for the lost aricle. They will no longer work hereaer June.
ll [wI] determination; resolve. ere there's a willthere 's a way.
ll [WI] a legal document that species how one's propertyis disposed of aer one's death. My grandather mentioned
me in his will, but there was nothing le of the estate after thelawyers and the t people took what was theirs.
shear-sheer shear i] to cut, shave, or clip something, usually hair or
wool. Many farmers must shear their own lambs and sheep. shear ] to cut something with somethng sharp. A
good knife can shear even the toughest pieces of meat. shear ] a scissors or cutting tool D I need to have my
sewing shear sharpened. sheer [] pure, complete, or utter. People bungee jump
for sheer citement. 0 It was sheer luck that th met aer somany years.
sheer [] transparent; lmy. The costume was made froma sheer fabric.
sheer [] to swerve suddenly or change course. The sud-den appearance of the mountaintop caused the pi lot to sheer tohis left.
sheer See the main ent beginning with shear
sheik See the main ent beginning with chic
shoe-shoo shoe ] an article of footwear. The toddler put his shoe
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shone-sho
on the wrong foot. shoe u] something resembling a shoe. D The shoe on the
sled runner is rusted.
shoe u] a device that controls, slows, or stops the motion ofsome object. D One brake shoe on the car has gone bad.
shoe u] to provide or t someone or something with a shoe.D Those blacksmiths travel around to farms to shoe any horsesneeding new horseshoes.
shoo u] to brush, scare, or send someone or something away.D Shoo those ies away from the freshly baked pies.
shone-sho
shone on] the past tense and past participle ofshine
togive o rays of light. ' D The sun shone aer the rainstorm. shone on] the past tense and past participle of shine to be
bright and luminous.' D His eyes shone brightly as he steppedforward to receive his award.
shone on] the past tense and past participle of shine to bedistinished or eminent.' D Her career as an educator shoneabove all of her peers.
sho on] the past participle of show to exhibit something;
to demonstrate something.'D That house has been shown by
seveal different real estate agents. D Nancy has shown hercras at various local shows.
shoo See the main ent beginning wth she
shoot See the main ent beginning with chute
sho See the main ent beginning with shone
sde-sghed
152
sde [sOd] the left or right edge of the body. The le sideof her body was affected the stroke. I prefer to sleep on myside.
side [sOd] a space or place in relation to the center of some-thing. D Put the book on the le side of the shel
sde [sOd] an outer edge or bounda. D Players must remainat the side of the eld when not in the game.
sde sOd] an activity or attitude of one body or persons withregard to another. D My mother's side of the family has brown
es. sde [sOd] to support or agree with someone or something.
D I rese to side with either of the quarrelers. sde [sOd] to furnish something with sides or siding. D Our
neighbors want to side their house with a bright color.
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sine
sighed [sOd] the past tense and past participe of sigh toemit a drawnout, audible breath' The wea woman s ighedaer a long day 's work
sighed [sOd] the past tense and past participle of sigh to saysomething wth a drawnout, audible breath' "How muchfarher do we have to go ? sighed the tired child
sghed See the main ent beginning with side
sighs-size sghs [SOZ] the plural ofsigh a drawout, audible breath '
ter the tense s ituation ended, people gave many sighs of relie sghs [SOIZ] the present tense, third person singular of sigh
to utter a drawnout, audible breath Her father alwayssighs when puzzled sze [SOZ] a physical measurement or dimension Because
of Tom 's immense size, several pro teams were interested inrecruiting him as a blocker
sze [SZ] a series of aduated measures He wears a largesize in clothing
sie [SZ] actual state or condition 0 We cannot alter thesize of the circumstances
size [SZ] to make a judgment of something or someone "How do you size up this s ituation ? asked Jim sze [SZ] to arrange or classify something by size The
gcer has to size all of the onges before he can price them size [SZ] to stiffen something, usually with starch The
d cleaners wil l size your shirs if you request it
sght See the main ent beginning with te
s-se s [s] a signal, motion, or gesture indicating some
thought The referee gave the sign for the game to begin s [s] a placard or lettered board used to display adver-
tising or information The highway sign was visible at night s [s] one of the twelve divisions of the zodiac Jer
was born under the sign of Leo s [s] t communicate manually wth sign language
The deaf woman never leaed to sign s s] to place one's siature on formal written matter
Please sign on the bottom line sne [s] a mathematical function in trigonomet deing
with gles The math student was unable to figue the sineof the diagm
sne See the main ent benning with si
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st
st See the main ent beginning with set
site See the main ent beginning with te
sze See the main ent beginning with sighs
sll See the main ent beginning with scu
slay-slegh slay [] to ll or murder someone or something vioently
It was wrong to slay the deer merely for its antlers slay ] to overwhelm; to impress (A slang exaggeration)
Ger thought he could slay the girls with his good looks. slegh [] a sled with runners designed to car goods or
people over ice and snow That count inn offers rides in anantique sleigh to its guests during the winterime.
slegh See the main ent beginning with say
sleght-slight seght O ] deception craftiness The magician 's skill
ful sleight fooled eveone. slight [O] trivial His error was so slight that no one
even noticed. slght O] scanty. Jane ' dress was ve slight. slght [O] having a delicate, slim build The suspect was
described as blond and slight. slght [O] small in amount, number, or nd. 0 Addjust a
slight amount of salt to the soup. slght O] to treat someone or something unimportant;
to ignore or neglect someone I didn 't mean to slight yourquestion. If you slight the guest of honor, you 'll be onsideredrude.
slght [O] insult; rude behavior Ma's obviousslight of er motherinlaw was noted by many people.
slght See the main ent beginning with seight
so See the mn ent benning with sew
soar-sore
15
soar [] to sail or y high and unencumbered 0 I wonderwhat it is like to soar in a glider plane.
soar [] to move upward in status or position Theactor's popularity began to soar with the release of his firstmovie.
sore [] an open, often infected wound. You should putsome salve on that sore
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sole-so
sore [so] a source of irritation or pain. Any discussion ofhis past was a sore for him.
sore [so] to be painfully sensitive. 0 My back is sore today
for some reason. sore [so] vexed or angered. on 't be a sore loser.
soared-sword soared [so] the past tense and past participle of soar to
sail or y high and unencumbered. ' The gull soared gracefully with the wind.
soared [so] the past tense and past participle of soar tomove upward in status or position.' The singer's hit record
soared to the top of the record charts. ord [so] a long, sharp blade used for stabbing, cutting,or thrusting. The marine's sash and sword are par of hisdress uniform.
sold-soled -soed sold [sold] the past tense and past participle of sell to offer
something for sale; to exchange something for money.' Thestore sold only sporing goods. Jack sold his old lawn mowerto his neighbor.
soled [sold] the past tense and past participle of sole toequip footwear wth a sole.' The cobbler soled Ma's hikingboots twice in one season.
soed [sold] the past participle of soul to equip someonewith a ind spirit.' (This occurs only as a past participle.) My aunt was always a kindsouled lady.
sole-so sole so] the bottom part of a foot or shoe. D I have a cut on
the sole ofmy foot. sole so] the lower part or base of something on which
something else rests. The sole of her golf club has beendamaged.
sole [so] to furnish something with the lower part or base ofsomething. The cobbler wi ll sole a pair ofshoes for only eightdollars.
sole [so] a tasty, whiteeshed sh. He couldn 't decidewhether to order the shrimp or the sole on the menu.
sole [so] only; lone. A baby girl was the sole survivor oftheauto accident. The sole judge in the case found the defendantnot guilty.
so [sol] the spiritual part of a human being. red feltthat his soul would live on after his death.
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soled
so [sol] a person's total self. Sara poured her hear andsoul into the diicult project.
so [sol] an essential or active part Mike was the soul
behind the business's success.soled See the main ent beginning with sd
some-sm some [sm] an unspecied number, amount, part, person, or
thing. 0 Tomorrow the company will be foed to lay o someof its workers.
some [sm] noteworthy; important. That was some movie! some [sm] somewhat I was irritated some at her lack of
manners. sm [sm] the total or whole amount; the end result of
ading numbers or amounts The sum of mon in the ashregister is small. None of the math students came up withthe correct sum.
sm] the utmost degree; the highest point The sumof all her happiness was realized on her wedding day.
sm [p] [sm] to summarize something. 0 Would you pleasesum up his comments in a few words ?
son-s son [sn] a male offspring of human beings 0 In Scotland it
is considered lucky to be the seventh son of a seventh son. son [sn] a person closely associated with a formative body,
usually a town, school, or count. The newly elected presi-dent is a favorite son of the state ofIowa.
[sn] a wmthproviding celestial body round whichthe arth and other planets revolve I remember seeing atotal eclipse of the sun once as a child.
sn [sn] the light or heat given o from the sun. Thebright sun seemed to lighten our spirits.
[sn] something resembling the sun's brilliance. Thelawyer had her moment in the sun when she won the famouscourt case.
so See the main ent beginning with soar
so See the main ent beginning with se
soed See the main ent beginning with sod
w See the main ent beginning with sew
ade-ayd
156
ade sped] a digging tl usually pushed into the ound
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ste-ste
with either the hand or foot Using a spade in so, sandysoil is not dicult
spade [sped] a tool resembling a spade in shape or function
A tree spade was used to plant the large evergreen tree spade sped] a playing card having the symbol of a spade on
it Tony threw a high spade on my four to win the hand spayed sped] the past tense and past participle of spay to
remove the ovaries of a female animal' Aer breeding heronce, we decided to have our collie spayed
spayed See the main ent beginning with p
staid -stayed
staid [sted] serious 0 The professor 's somber pression andstaid manner mad him seem unapproachable
stayed [sted] the past tense and past participle of stay toremain in a certain status, position, or place' 0 The childrenstayed friends during their entire lives The driver stayed inthe passing lane for miles
stayed [sted] the past tense and past participle of stay tote up tempora residence somewhere' We stayed withmy sister and her family while our parents were on vacation
stayed sted] the past tense and past participle of stay [for ajudge] to issue an order preventing something from happening ' Thejudge stayed the ecution of the man on death row
sta-stare sta [st£3] a ight of steps leading from one level to another
I took the stair ther than the elevator sta [st£3] a single step in a staircase He left his shoes on
the stair beside the door stare [st£3] to look edly, conspicuously, or searchingly at
something or someone The man taught his children not tostare at other people The young man could not help but stareat his beloved whenever she spoke
stake-steak stake [ste] a sharp, pointed piece of wood or metal driven
into the ound as a marker or support The tent stake wasbent
stke [ste] the prize in a contest A stake of fty dollars
goes to the winner of the race stake [ste] something to be lost or gained If this rumor
spreads, the senator's reputation is at stake stke [ste] an interest in a commercal venture He has
ve little stake in the new building project
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stare
ste [st] to place stes or mark with stakes Let'sstake out the dimensions for the new playhouse.
ste [ste] to back someone or something nancially I'll
stake you in that business venture if you like. ste [ste] to bet something The cowboys decided to
stake their favorite saddles on the horse race ste [ste] a cut of meat, usually beef 0 John likes steak
and eggs for breakfast on Sunday moings
stae See the main ent beginning wth stair
statona-statonery statona ['sJa] not movng unchanging in pace or
condition The weatherman said a stationa storm fnthad settled over the region. statonery ['sJnEa] letterwriting materials such as ink,
pen, paper, and envelopes ad went into the store to buysome statione items. I have seeral pretty styles ofstatione.
statonery See the main ent beginning with statonary
stayed See the main ent beginning wth staid
ste See the main ent beginning with stake
steal-steel
158
steal [sil to take something illegally The boys tried tosteal a car fm the parking lot
steal sil to move about in a quiet, secret manner A atburglar knows how to steal about in a home without being seenor heard.
steal [stil to gain or win something by daring, skill, or trck-
e The actor's dashing manner and rugged good looks wereenough to steal away the girl 's heart steal [sil] an act of stealing The baseball player's steal at
home plate won the ball game.• sea [sil a brgain 0 I really ot a seal when I bouht that
table at the gage sale steel [si] commercial iron that comes from ore and is used
in manufacturing Large amounts of steel were once used tomake cars.
steel [si] something made from steel or resembling stee Those stainless steel knives are guaranteed not to rust steel stil to ll someone wth resolve or determination 0
Police oicers are taught to steel themselves against the lesspleasant aspects of their jobs.
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steel See the main ent beginning with ste
step-steppe
strght-strt
step [stEp] a stair. She twisted her ankle on the slippestep. step [stEp] a ladder rung "Go up one more step, called
Janet from the bottom of the ladder step [stEp] a stride. Mark always walks with ajaunty step step [stEp] the amount of space passed over in one step.
The runner lost the race by a single step. step [stEp] a rank, grade, or degree in scale or quality. The
houses in this neighborhood are a step above the others we
looked at. step [sEp] an action taken. It is necessa to take this step
in order to avoid further trouble. step [stEp] to move by raising and lowering the foot over
some distance. Please step over here step [stEp] to press something down with the foot. Step on
the bke slowly and carefully. step [stEp] to move in a spritely manner. The show dogs
step around the ring with style.
steppe [stEp] a vast expanse of at, treeless plain. Onlyoarse grasses grow on a steppe.
steppe See the main ent beginning with step
ste-style ste stOl] a set of steps leading up to and crossing over a
wall or fence. Grandpa built a stile over the pasture fence. ste [stOl] a vertical piece of a frame or panel into which
other pieces are tted. The stile of the door frame is cracked style [stI] a way to express thought in langage, art, or
music. D His writing style is one of w humor. style [stI] a mode of mannerism, behavior, or conduct.
The nurse's style when dealing with her patients is iendly. style [stI] a writing instrument. The poet picked up his
style to write a few lines of verse. style [stI] to design or copy something from an existing
mode. D The young acting student has tried to style her workaer the famous actor.
strght-strt strght [stret] unwavering or direct. The easiest way to
the city is straight up the main road. strght [stret] free from curves, angles, or bends. The
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strt
shortest distance between two points is a straight line strght [stet] upright; virtuous. Gene is a straight, up
standing citizen
strght [stet] frank; candid. The mother demanded astaight answer
strght [stet] marked by no deviations, usually with refer-ence to a political party. Her dad always votes a stightRepublican ticket
strgt [stet] a homestretch. The stock cars were threeabreast coming into the straight
stght [stret] unbroken sequence in a game resulting ina perfect score. The pool player n the table for a stight
in the pool match strght stret] in poker, a combination of ve sequential
cards. ad's straight beat my pair of kings strt [stet] a narrow passage where two large bodies of
water meet. The ships sailed through the stit during thenight
strt [stret] a perplexing or dicult situation. Helen wasin a strait and didn 't know what to do
strt [stret] tightly or closely. Her gown was ve strait
tting
strt See the main ent beginning with strght
style See the main ent beginning with se
ccor-cker ccor [s;, s;r] relief or help. The relief workers p-
vided succor to the homeless people just before winter ccor [ s;, s;r] to go to the aid of someone. 0 It is di
cult for parents not to succor their children in times of trouble cker ['s;] a device used to produce suction. 0 A type of
sucker was used to remove the water from the ditch cker ['s;] a lollipop. 0 The coer drugstore sells eve
avor of sucker imaginable cker s;] a type of freshwater sh related to the carp
family. 0 The boys caught a sucker yesterday aernoon cer [s;] a person that is easily fooled or cheated.
The con artist was constantly on the lookout for a sucker cer [s;] to deceive someone intentionally. 0 The older
boy tried to sucker the younger boy out of his lunch money
cker See the main ent beginning with succor
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symbol
sede-swayed sede [swed leather with a napped surface. Suede is used
to make shoes, purses, and clothing.
sede [swed made ofleather with a napped surface. You 'llhave to take your suede coat to the cleaners to have the stainsremoved
swayed [swed the past tense and past participle of sway tomove rhythmically and slowly, usually from side to side.' The dancers swayed to the sounds of the music.
swayed [from] [swed the past tense and past participle ofsway [fm] to divert or inuence someone or something fromsomething.' The woman swayed her little girl's attention
om the candy counter. swayed [swed the past tense and past participle of sway to
persuade someone to change an opinion.' The testimonycould not have swayed theju 's position.
ste-sweet ste swit a group of rooms occupied as a single unit. The
only vacancy in the hotel was a large suite. ste [swit the collection of personnel accompanying a dig
nita or ruler on ocial business. The kings entire suitetveled with him wherever he went.
ste [swit a musical composition with a number of move-nents, usually in the same key. The audience applaudedaer the orchestra played the suite of ballet music.
sweet [swit pleasing to the taste, mind, or feelings. Thehild's sweet tempeament was the opposite of her twin sister's
sweet [swit dearest; much beloved. "Mar me, my sweet, implored the suitor to his lady friend.
sweet [swit great; terric. Winning the touament wassuch a sweet perience.
sweet [swit hang a high sugar content. This fudge is sosweet!
sm See the main ent benning with some
s See the main ent beginning with son
See the main ent beginning with ser
swayed See the main ent beginning with suede
sweet See the main ent beginning with suite
sword See the main ent beginnng with soared
bol See the main ent beginning with cb
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T
tackd -tact tacked [do] [tk] the past tense and past participle of
tack [down} to attach or fasten something down with tacks' The workers tacked the caet down rather than just laying iton the oor.
tacked [together] [tk] the past tense and past participle
of tack ogether} to make or build something rapidly andcarelessly.' 0 The old man tacked the shack together in oneaeoon
tacked [onto] [tk] the past tense and past participle oftack [onto} to add something onto something in haste' Emily tacked a postscript onto the end of her letter
tacked [tk] the past tense and past participle of tack tochange the direction of a sailing vessel . ' 0 The racing schoonertacked several times during the course of the race
tacked [tk] the past tense and past participle of tack tofollow fter something in a zigzagging course' The guidedmissile tacked its target through the sky
tact [tk] a sense of what to do or say under given cir-cumstances in order to avoid oending others 0 Joan alwayshandles the delicate subject of mon with tact
tacks-t
tacks [tks] the plural of tack a sharppointed, atheadedpin.' 0 I spi lled the box of tacks all over the desktop.
tacks [tks] the plural of tack the direction of a sailing shipin relation to the set of its sais' The sailors continuallychanged the tacks of the ship
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tail-tale
tacks [p] [tks] the present tense, third person singular oftack [up} to fasten onto a surface with tacks.' Hen tacksup notes all over his apartment to remind himself to do things.
· tacks together] [tks] the present tense, third personsingular of tack [together to put something together hastilyand insecurely.' It seems that contractor tacks togetherhouses wherever he nds an empty lot.
· tacks [on] tks] the present tense, third person singlar oftack [on to add something onto something' 0 Ma alwaystacks on the question "on 't you think ? to her statements.
tacks ks] the present tense, third person singular of tackto change direction of a sailing vessel in relation to the wind'
The captain tacks each time the wind changes. t [tks] a charge placed by a government body on persons
or property Most people think the amount of ppery tthey pay is too high.
· t [ts] to ley an assessment on something The gov-ernment will t some items more heavily in the future.
t [tks] to place someone or something under heavy de-mands or conditions 0 Such vigorous exercise might t herheart bond its limits.
tact See the main ent beginning with tacked
tail-tale tail [tel] an extension of the spine at the rear end of an
animal, usually covered with hair My dog has a shor, stubtail.
· tail [tel] something resembling a tail The tail ofthe kite ismad from old rags.
tail [tel] the end or nal process of something We were allglad to see the tail end ofthe project in sight.
· tail [tel] to follow behind or tral something or someone. Streams of haust tail the jets through the sky.
· tail [tel] to follow someone in order to conduct surveillance The detective decided to tail the suspect all night long.
tale [tl] an untrue report or piece of gossip. We could notbelieve her tale
· tae [tel] a report of facts or events. 0 Each listener wasspellbound by his tale of adventure.
tale [te] a sto. She read the tale with much expression· tae [tel] a ie She fooled no one with her tale of what
happened.
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tale
tale See the main ent beginning with tai
taper-tapr
taper ['p3] a candle that is narrower at the top than atthe bottom A single taper bued on the altar during thewedding ceremony.
taper [p3] a faint light A thin taper of light shonethrough the crack in the door.
taer [p3] to me something gradually narrower at oneend The seamstress wants to taper the trousers at the ankles.
taper o] p] to diminish gradually The holidayshopping season usually starts to taper o aftr the rst of
the year. tapr ['p3] a large, shy mammal related to the rhinocerosand horse that inhabits the equatorial regions of the Far astand the Americas The tapir is a gentle but unattractive beast.
tapr See the main ent beginning with per
tare-tar(See also tear-er) tare [t£3] a weedy plant oen used as ground cover Many
gardeners use a tare to keep the soil from eroding. tar [t£3] the calculation of the weight of a substance and its
container minus the weight of the container Your ost willbe figured the tare ofthe liquid.
tear t£3] a hole or aw caused by tearing id you knowthis shi has a tear in it?
tear [t£] to separate or pull something into parts Weneed to tear this paper into long strips.
tear [t£3] to remove or wrench something from someone or
something forcbly He could not tear himself away from theinteresting novel. tear [t£3] to move or act hastily or violently The speeding
car continued to tear down the street in a dangerous manner.
t-te t[', 't£] to linger or lag behind; to stay in one
place or location 0 Sally liked to tar aer school to talk withher teachers.
te t£] an absorbent fabric made up of ncut loops oftton 0 Towes made ofter feel nice against the skin.
taght-tat
16
tagt [t] the past tense and pt participle of teach toducate or train somne or something in a picular sujct;
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eam-teem
to perform schooling in general ' She taught school for manyyears D The owner of that store taught each of his ch ildren thebasics of sound business management
tat [t] pulled tightly; stretched D The taut rope suddenlysnapped Her face was lean and taut
tat See the main ent beginning with taught
See the main ent beginning with tacks
tea-tee ea [ti a beverage made from steeping the leaves of various
plants, usually the tea plant, in hot water D iane likes hertea ve strong
tea [ti a plant that is known for its aromatic leaves and isused to make a beverage by the same name D The foruneteller claims that she can read tea leaves
tea [ti a light, late afternoon refreshment usually of cookies ,kes, or crackers served with tea D Our bed and breakfastserves tea eve day between three and four o 'clock
tea [ti a reception at which light refreshments are served D
The ladies attended a tea aer the ar show tee [ti the areas of a golf course in which the ball is put into
play at each hole D Because the golf course was crowded,golfers were lined up at each tee to continue play
tee [ti a small peg wth a at top on which a golf ball is set toben play D I lost my tee in the deep grass
tee [o] [ti to begin play by hitting a golf ball off a tee It's your turn to tee off at this hole
team-teem eam [tm] a group of individuals associated in a work or
sport activity D The wrestling team traveled by bus to eachmeet
eam [ti] a pair of hrnessed draft animals His team ofBelgians won a blue ribbon at the fair
team [p] [tim to join together as a team D Let's team upfor the wheelbarw race
team [ti] performed as a team D With some team effort,
this ask can be quickly accomplished teem [tim] to overow with something D Their personalities
seem to teem with energy teem [tm] to be prent in large quantity Our favorite
stream begins to teem with spunky rainw trout each spring
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tear-tier
tear-tier(See also tare-tear) tear [t3] a clear, salty liquid secreted by a gland n the eye
D A single tear lled down her cheek tear [t3] a transparent drop of liquid that resembles a tear
D There was a tear of some unknown substance on the suaceof the material
tear t3] to produce tears to weep The odor of the hotonions caused his es to tear
tier [3] a layer or row of things arranged one above theother Each tier of the wedding cake was larger than the oneabove it
tier [H3] to arrange something in layers or ros one abovethe other D et 's tier this stack of boes so th don 't fall over
teas-tee te [tiz] the plural of tea a beverage made from steeping
the leaves of various plants, usually the tea plant, in hot water 'D The restaunt serves several dierent teas
te tiz] the plural of tea a plant that is known for itsaromatic leaves or buds and is used to me a beverage by the
same name'D The plantation grows a number of otic teas
te [tiz] the plural of tea a light, late aernoon refreshmentof cookies, cakes, or crackers served wth tea' The womentried to outdo each other at their afteoon teas
te [tiz] the plural of tea a reception at which ight refresh-ments are served' D The final campaign week was lled withcountless informal teas and meetings
tee tz] to poke fun at, annoy, or harass someone D It isnot nice to tease people who are dierent fm you
tee [tiz] to tantalize someoneD Those yummy desserts are
enough to tease anyone 's appetite tee [tiz] to untangle by laying at and carding or combing
D You must tease the raw wool before spinning it tee [tiz] a person who pokes fun at, harasses, or annoys
someone D inda is such a tease!
tee See the main ent beginning wth teas
tee See the main ent beginning with tea
teem See the main ent beginning with team
tense-tents
166
tense [t£ts] nerous anxious D Tom is always tense beforean airplane /ight
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their-there-they're
tense [ns] taut; rgd. My neck muscles feel tense when Iam under stress.
tense [ns] to become taut, rgd, or nervous. My muscles
tense when I am getting an inection. tense [s] a dstncton of verbs ndcatng tme varances.
The words shall and wll indicate the future tense. tents [ns] the plural of tent a collapsble structure made of
canvas, nylon, or other material, supported by a frameworknd used for shelter.' The older camers will slee in tentsinstead of in the log cabins.
tents [ns] the present tense, thrd person sngular of tentto camp out or stay n a tent.' Mike tents in the mountains
for a week each summer.tents See the man ent begnnng with tense
te-t te [t<n] a smal, compact brd beongng to the sea gul
famly. As each wave rolled onto the beach, the tern curiouslyinspected the shoreline.
turn [<n] a change of drecton or course. His conditiontook a tu for the worse.
turn [t<n] a chance to do somethng. "When will it be myturn ? asked the small boy.
turn [<n] to rotate somethng or someone; to changethe drecton or course of somethng or someone. Tu thechicken on the grill eve ten minutes. The plane will tuat the end of the runway.
turn [<n] to sour; [for food] to go bad. 0 This cider is begin-ning to turn.
tey See the man ent begnnng wth tar
their-there-they're their [6E] the thrd person plural pronoun ndcatng pos
sesson or relatonshp by a oup of people or thngs. Theirnew house is ve beautiful. The trees shed their leaves eachfall.
the [6E] a place that has been ponted out; a place somedstance from the speaker. Please put the blueprints there onthe dfting table. Put it there, not here.
there [6E] a word used to ntroduce a sentence or clause,usually when the verb has no dente subject. There havebeen few changes since you le.
tere [6E] an nteecton ndtng a varety of emotons. "There, I am nally finished with that ob, the man sighed
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there
triumphantly. 0 "There evething will be all rght, the boy 'smother said comforingly.
they' [Ea] the contracton of they and are. I think
they're going to meet us at the stadium.there See the main ent beginning with their
they're See the main ent beginning with their
trew-trogh trew [8ru] the past tense of throw to cast something or
someone through the air.' The outelder threw the ballall the way to home plate. 0 The unruly horse threw its jockinto the dir.
trew [8r] the past tense of throw to form something on apotter' s wheel. ' The potter threw some interesting clay vaseson his wheel.
trew [8u] the past tense of throw to project something' The moon threw an ee light through the trees.
tew [8u] the past tense of throw to make or break a con-nection with a power source using a lever or switch.' Theelectrician threw a switch to cut o the source of power.
trogh [8ru] by means of something. Through sheer will-power, Julie final ly reached her goals.
trogh [8r] in one way and out another. We will have totvel through the tunnel in the mountain to reach the otherside.
trogh [8u] over or across something. We saled throughsome rough seas.
trogh [8ru] from one point up to and including anotherpoint. D That specialty shop is open Monday through Friday.
troe-tw
168
tr [8ro] a painful spasm. With each throe of givingbirth, the dog whined pitifully.
tr [8ro] a dicult or painful struggle. In his throe toachieve stardom, the actor lost sight o his ots.
trow 8r] to catapult something through the air. Howfar can you throw ajavel in ?
trow [8ro] to cause something to fall. Throw down thebat and run to rst base.
tro 8o] to form something on a potter' s wheel. espitemy best efforts, I was unable to throw a single piece ofpotte ont wheel.
trow [8ro] to project something. Thw a little more lightinto that dark cor.
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thyme-time
tow [ro] to produce something. Carrie ants to breedher mare to a horse that will throw a lot of color.
tow [ro] to make or bre a connection with a power
source using a lever or switch. A switchman ill throw theswitch to diver the engine from one track to another.
tone-to tone [ron] a seat or place of royalty, deity, or authority
Queen Elizabeth no sits on the throne ofEngland. throne [ron] the person who occupies a seat of authority.
The nal say in the matter rests with the throne. thro [ron] the past participle of throw to cast or hurl
someone or something'
He has thrown the frisbee onto theof of the house. The child had thrown herself on the oorin a t of temper.
thro [ron] the past participle of throw to form somethingon a potter's wheel.' The arist has thrown many interestingpieces on her wheel.
thro [ron] the past participle of throw to project some-thing' The setting sun has thrown long shados acss thelawn.
thro [ron] the past participle of throw to produce off-spring.' That stud dog has never thrown an unusual colorpatte in any of its ospring.
thro [ron] the past participle of thw to turn an elec-trical switch; to make or bre a connection th a powersource using a lever or swtch ' He has accidentally thrown aswitch and cut o the power to the building.
throgh See the main ent beginning with threw
throw See the main ent beginning with throethro See the main ent beginning with throne
thyme-time thyme [tOm] an aromatic garden herb that belongs to the
mint family and is used in cooking The recipe calls for onehalf teaspoon of thyme.
time [tOm] the period during which something occurs. Inever seem to have enough time to do my chores.
time [tOm] appointed moment or hour when somethingshould happen At what time do you pect to be home ?
time [t m] a tempo, rhythm, or beat The drummer kepttime with the other musicians.
tim [tOm] a geolocal or hstorical age There was a ime
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tc-tck
when dinosaurs roamed the earh. tme ] experience 0 We had a wondeul time on our
vacation.
tme [] hourly wage rate The wokers will gettimeandahalf ifth work on the weekend.
tme [] to keep the time of something or someone Jody was asked to time the swimmers at the swim meet
tic-tck tic [ ] a frequent, localized twtch, usually involving facial
muscles His awful experiences during the war left the soldierwith a nervous tic.
tck [] a bloodsucng insect that is dependent upon awarmblooded host for surviva and oen spreads disease The common deer tick is responsible for spreading Lyme disease
tck [ ] a soft, rhythmic beat often associated with timepieces The loud tick of the clock kept Joe awake at night.
tck [ ] a light mark used an inditor Put a tick ntto each item on the invoice.
tc [ ] a straw, feather, or fabriclled case sed as a mat-tress This sleeping tick is not ve comfortable
tick ] to make a ticng sound Those clocks all tick indierent tones
tick See the main ent beginning with c
tde-ted tde [O ] a rising and falling of the surface of ocean, sea,
or gulf, inuenced by the gravitational pull of the sun andmoon o not go swimming at high tide
tde [O] something that uctuates like the tide The tideof her mood swings is unpredictable.
· ted [O] the past tense and past participe of tie to make aknot or bow ' The child tied his shoelaces all by himsel
· ted [together] [ O] the past tense and past participle oftie [together] to unite two or more people or things' Thetwo corpotions tied together to form one company.
· ted [O] the past tense and past participle of tie [for twoteams] o have the same score in a competition' At the endof nine innings, the score was tied twelve to twelve
ted See the main ent benning with tide
ter See the main ent beginning with tea
't-t
17
't [] until 0 We won 't see you ain 'til muh later.
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toad -oed -towed
tll [tIl] to plow, cultivate, or sow crops It is much easier totill soft, moist ground than hard, d earth
tll [tIl] a cash rester or money drawer including its receipts
If youre working alone in the store, do not leave the tillunattended.
tll [tIl] a mixture of rocks, sand, clay, and gravel le behindby receding glaciers The geologists studied the till of theriver basins
tll See the main ent beginning with 'i
tmber-tmbre tmber ['m] standing trees The forest re destroyed
many acres of timber. tmber [Im] the wood of iving trees The timber on
that mountainside is ve valuable tmber ['Imba] wood material used for constrction, either
in raw or nished form It will take a lot of timber to buildthat cedar log lodge
tmber 'Imba] the rib of a ship A timber on that shipcracked during the violent storm
tmbe ['Imba, 'cmbr] the tone or quality of a vocal or
musical sound as heard by the ear The timbre of the alto 'svoice stood out among the other choir members ' voices
tmbre See the main ent beginning with timber
tme See the main ent beginning with thyme
to-too-two to [t] a preposition indicating movement toward something,
purpose or result of, relation in time, extent, or degree, com-parison or proportion Aer the soccer match we went to theicecream parlor for cold drinks.
too [tu] also Besides the house, we plan to sell the car andboat, too
too [tu] extensive degree I am too tired to stay awakeany longer
two t the cardinal number between one and three Those two houses have actly the same oor plan. The lastcard she played was the two of hears
two [t] a pair The schoolchildren l ined up two by two
toad-toed-towed toad [tod] an amphibian related to the frog but darker in
color with d, warty skin There is a huge toad in the owergarden.
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toe-tow
toad [tod] a person or object worthy of contempt. D don'tunderstand what Alice sees in that toad, ave
toed [tod] the past participle of toe to equip something with
toes; to be equipped with toes.' (This occurs only as a pastparticiple.) D The threetoed sloth is a homely crature D Theworkers are required to wear steeltoed shoes on the job
toed [tod] the past tense and past participle of toe to touchor move something about with one's toe.' D I toed the drowsysnake until it slithered away
towe [tod] the past tense and past particple of tow to pullsomething behind something or someone. ' D Heavy machinetowed the fallen trees out of the roadway D Afte the accident,
the cars were towed away by the police
toe-tow toe [to] one of the digits of the foot. dropped the heavy
sack on my big toe toe [to] the tip of a shoe. D The toe of his shoe has a hole in it toe [to] to equp somethng with toes. D The cobbler can toe
these old work boots for me toe [o] to operate, move, or reach something or someone
wth a toe.D If you toe my foot again, I'll kick you
to [to] to drive nals in at a slant. D Toe that board to theone beneath it
tow [o] to haul or pull somethng or someone behnd some-thing or someone. D We 'll have to tow the truck to the repairgarage D The babysitter towed the screaming child to the ar
toed See the man ent beginnng with o
told-tolled
172
told [told] the past tense and past participe of tell to saysomething; to utter something; to reveal something.' D Lindaalways told the truth D She never told me the wellkept seretD The empty candy wppers told the mother why her son hadno appetite or dinner D told my boss that would be late owork D The clock on the bank told us the time
told [on] [told] to betray someone; to tattle on someone. DMy older brother always told on me for sneaking cookies
tolled [told] the past tense and past partcipe of toll to
sound a bell . ' D The bell in the steeple tolled midnight tolled [told] the past tense and past particpe of toll to
signal or announce something.' D The town crier tolled theroyal betrothal
tolled [told] the past tense and past participe of toll to
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togh-tff
charge or colect a toll' The toll collector tolled each of thetravelers a dollar to cross the bridge
tole-toll tole [tol] a decorative, painted metal surface of various colors
often found on ornamental wall hangings, curios, and boxes DShe made many attctive gifts with her newfound ability totole paint
toll [tl] a t, fee, or levy pad for the privilege of using somepubic facility, usually a bridge or turnpike rivers mustpay a toll when entering the tupike
toll [tol] the cost in loss or detrment at whch something isned D His difcult life took a toll on his health
toll [tl] to sound a bell D The church bells toll the hour ofthe day
toll [tol] to sial or announce D Trumpets and waving agstoll the end of the ghting
toll [tl] to place or take a tol D The state will toll the use ofthe new stretch of highway
toll See the main ent beginning with to.
tolled See the main ent beginning wth todtoo See the man ent beginning with to
tort-torte tort [tt] a wrongful act against whch civil action may be
brought D Trespass is an example of a civ il tort tore [tt] a rich, layered dessert topped with frosting D
Mom always serves her famous four layer torte at Thanksgivingdinner
torte See the main ent beginning wth tor t
togh-tf togh [t� strong; rm These old shoes are tough enough
to last many more years togh [t� stubborn D Janice has a tough manner about her togh [t� capable of enduring stress, diculty, or hardship
D Thejourn will require tough adventurers togh [t� dicult to deal wth D Bill is a tough person to
work for togh [t� a rough, rowdy indvidual D The boss always
sends his tough to do his dirty work for him tf [t� rock or rock deposits made of disineating mate-
rial, usually volcanic in nature D The heavy spring ins
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tow
washed much tu out of the mountains and into the river andstreambeds.
tow See the main ent benning with toe
towed See he main ent beginning with toad
tracked - tract tracked [k] the past tense and past participle of track to
follow or trail someone or something' 0 Rescuers tcked thelost hiker through the snow.
tracked [rk] the past tense and past participe of track toobserve the path of something, using specialied equipment' Scientists tracked the path of the new comet.
tracked [rk] the past tense and past participe of track tor soil or other material on one's feet and deposit it on theoor' The children tracked mud all through the house
tract [rk] a pamphlet contning religious or politicainformation 0 I picked up a tract to read in the waiting room.
tract [rk] an area of land; a parcel of and The couplepurchased a small tract of land as an investment That vasttract of land in the foothills is ideal for gring cattle
tract [rk] a system of the body whose pars colectivelyperform some function This week the class is studying thedigestive tract
tract See the main ent beginning with tracked
tray-trey tray [re] a atsurfaced, open receptacle, often without sides
or with shallow sides, used for ring or dispaying artices Gndmother's silver tea service sits on a tray in the china
cabinet. trey [re] a card, die, or domino displaying three symbols ordots His poker hand revealed two pairs and a trey.
trey See the main ent benning with tray
troop-trope
17
troop [rup] a oup of soldiers The small troop enteredthe city aer dark
troop [rup] a collecton of objects or people An interested
troop of listeners heard the speaker talk. troop [rup] a ock of birds; an assemby of mammas A
baboon top is a highly organizd and compl unit. troop [rup] a unit of Girl or Boy Scouts under the direction
of a leader When my bthers were young, my father served
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two
as leader of their troop troop r] to move as a group or crowd Let's all troop
ovr to the park to play ball aer our cookout
trope tr] a group of stage or traveling performers 0That theatrical troupe has been on the ad performing for along time
trope See the main ent beginning wth troo
tssed -trst tssed [tr;s] the past tense and past partcipe of truss to
bind or secure someone or something tightly The policefound the victim trussed but otherwise unharmed 0 ter the
turk was stued and trussed, I put it into the oven tssed [p] tr;s] the past tense and past participle of
truss up to strengthen or support something with trusses.' We rst put up the sidewalls and then trussed them uptemporily
tst [tr;s] to have condence in someone or something 0Something about the way she smiled told me not to trust her
tst tr;s] an obligation or charge imposed in fath Sheput trust in his ability to invest her money wisely
tst tr;s] a property interest held by one party for thebenet of another Funds were put in a trust to help thefamily hose house burned
tst [tr;s] to believe in or rely on someone or something I trust that you will see to all of the details of the contract
tst See the main ent benning with trussed
tf See the main ent beginning th tugh
t See the main ent benning with tern
two See the main ent benning with to
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u
do-nde ndo [�ndu] to open or unfasten something b releasing
I was unable to undo the padlock on the gate ndo [�ndu] to nullify something. He could not undo the
damage done to his garden by the heavy rain ndo [�n'd] to ruin or reverse the fortunes of someone or
something. D The athlete tried to undo his competitor's chanesof winning. nde [�n'dju, �nd] unnecessa or inappropriate. The
political candidate thought undue attention was being given tohis private life
nde [�ndj, �nd] not due D The bill is undue until theend of the month.
nde See the main ent beginning with und
nterested See the main ent beginning wth disinterested See the main ent beginning wth earn
e See the main ent beginning wth ewes
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v
val-vale-vel val [ve] to remove one's hat to show respect (Archaic
nglish The peasant was told to vail his hat in the presenceof the noble family.
vale [vel] a valley; a dale. From the mountaintop the littlehamlet nestled in the vale looked like a miniature village.
vel [vl] a covering of cloth worn to conceal the face 0
Women in some countries are required to wear a veil when inpublic. The bride's veil was made of white netting.
veil [vel] a covering used to concea or hide something A veil was used to cover the sculpture until the dedicationceremony.
vel [vl] to conceal something. The man tried to veil hisuneasiness by laughing.
vanvane-ven
vain [ven] conceited; selfcentered The movie star is ave vain person. van [ven] unsuccessl Her many vain attempts to pass
the drver's test le her unhappy.o vane [ven] a device used to determine the direction of the
wind. 0 The vane on the roof o the ba is pointing norh. vane [ven] the wide, at part of a feather The vane on the
bird's wing is bright red. vane [ven] a group of feathers or a piece of plastic attached
to the rear of an arrow to help guide its ight One vane wasto as the arrow bounced o a tree. vae [ven] a blade of a windmill Only a single vane
remained on the rusted windmill . ven ven] a layer of minerals in the earth. The prospector
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vale
discovered a vein of si lver in the earth. ven [ven] a blood vessel that carries blood to the heart.
The nurse wil l draw blood from a vein in your arm.
ven ven] the part of a leaf that gives it the appearance ofcon taining lines . The vein of that yellow leaf is dark pule
ven [ven] a line of thought. The speaker continued hisdiscussion in a serious vein. The business will continue tooperate along the same vein.
vae See the main ent beginning wth vai
vane See the main ent beginning with vain
vary-ve
va ['v3, 'vE3] to change something to case somethingto deviate. Each year the firm tries to va ts marketingcampaign.
very ['vE3] to a high degree. 0 Janice has been ve successful in her new job.
very ['vE3] precise His comments struck my ve conscience. My aunt bought the ve dress I liked.
very ['vE3] mere. The ve idea of eating insets sickenedhim.
vel See the main ent beginning with vai
ven See the main ent beginning with vain
ery See the main ent beginning with vary
val-le val [vIl] a small, usually cylindrical container. The lab
technician carefully marked and dated each vial ofpills. vle [VO] wcked. That man is a vile individual.
vle [VO] foul. ecaying debris has a vile odor.vce-se
vce [VOIS] corruption crime. The gangster was involved inall sors of vice.
vce [VOIS] a moral or physical shortcomng, imperfection, ortaint. D Her only vice is a weakness for chocolate.
vce VOIS] seconda servng n the place of someone. (Partof a tte.) His father was the vicepresident of the poetsociety.
vise [VOIS] a device used to hold some object in place by meansof a clamp. A vise has many uses in carpent.
vle See the main ent beginning with via
vse See the main ent beginning with vice
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w
wade-weighed wade [wed] to enter or walk about in shallow water The
children wanted to wade in the stream wade [wed] to proceed or move about with labor or diculty
It will take me all day to wade through this paperwork. wade [wed] to approach a project wth vigor and enthusiasm
Sam likes to wade right into any challenging task. weighed wed] the past tense and past participle of weigh to
determine the weight or heaviness of someone or something' children, we were weighed at each visit to the doctor'soce.
weighed [wed] the past tense and past participle of weigh toconsider something carefully' The judge carefully weighedall of the evidence in the case.
weighed [wed] the past tense and past particple of weigh to
pul up an anchor in readiness for departure' After a nightin port, the ship weighed anchor at dawn. weighed [wed] the past tense and past participle of weigh to
be a burden on someone or something' (Figuratve) 0 Theirconstant nancial worries weighed heavily on their minds.
wail-wale-whale wail [we] a mournl c The forlorn wail of the coyote
was heard throughout the valley.
wail we] a prolonged expression of grief, sadness, or pain The wail of the mourners was terrible to hear. wail [we] to utter a c of grief or pain We heard the
woman wail fm a distance. wale [we] a raised rib in a piece of fabric That corduy
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st-waste
fabric comes in both a wide and narrow wale.o we we] a welt, usually on the surface of the sn The
sctch by the tree bnch left a long wale on his arm.
o we we] the long, thick, wooden plates on the side of aship Each wale of the boat was handmade.
o we we] to raise or mk the skin with wels "If youdon't behave, I'll wale your behind! threatened the upsetmother.
o whe Lel] a large, ocean mammal that bears and suckleslive young The blue whale is the eah 's largest livingcreature.
o whe Mel] a person, event, or object massive or impressive
in size or qualities "Boy, that was a whale of a conert!commented Todd.
o whe Mel] to sh or hunt whales Coastal pople in manycountries whale for a living.
o whe Mel] to thrash someone The attackers ontnued towhale the helpless man.
wst-wte
18
o wst west] the midsection of a human torso between the
ribs and the hips Scarlett O'Hara boasted the tiniest waistin three counties.
o wst west] a short garment or part of a garment coveringthe body from the neck to the waist; a bodice 0 The waist ofher gown was richly detailed.
o wte west] debris; gbage All of this waste must behauled to the dump.
o te west] scrap Collect all of the waste metal to berecled
o waste west] a broad, barren tract of land; a vast body ofopen water We could see nothing but the horizon across thewaste of land.
o wte west] loss of body weight, tissue, or vigor To seehis waste over a long period o time was ve sad.
o wte west] sewage or excrement 0 The city's waste istreated at a nearby sewage treatment plant.
o wte west] to ravage; to devastate The war continues towaste the impoverished nation.
o wte west] to cause something to diminish in size, strength,or tality We watched her enthusiasm slowly waste away.
o wte west] to consume something carelessly; to allow some-thing to be lost or discded unused We must be careful notto waste our precious natural resources.
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wale
wait-weight wait [we] to remain in place in expectancy. Let's wait and
see what happens next.
wait [for] [wet] to delay or postpone. He decided to waitfor the rain to stop before dashing to the parking lot.
wait [wet] to serve as a waitress or waiter. Greg has de-cided to wait tables at the local pub for a summerjob.
weight [wet] a heavy object. A weight is needed to keepthis drape hanging straight.
weight [wet] a burden or pressure The weight of the di-cult decision was almost unbearable
weight wet] a unit of mass or measure. Alex put some
weight in the back of his car to give added traction. weight [wet] the reative value or importance given to some-
thing. The weight of this issue is ve apparent to eveoneinvolved.
weight [wet] to place heaviness or weight upon someone orsomething. Weight down those papers so they don 't blowaway.
weight [wt] to impose a burden upon someone. I didn'tmean to weight you down with all of my troubles.
waive-wave waive wev] to voluntarily relinquish something or ve up a
right to something. The accused decided to waive his right toaju trial.
waive [wev] to temporarily put something aside. Will youwaive some ofyour course electives until next year
waive [wev] to refrain from prosecuting or enforcing some-thing. The policy will no longer waive those restrictions.
wave [wev] a hand motion used as a greeting, farewel, orsignal. He gave a quick wave before boarding the ship
wave [wev] a swell on the surface of a body of water. Ahuge wave washed over the bow of the boat.
wave wev] something resembling a wave. 0 A sudden waveof nausea made her diz.
wave [wev] an ener transmission through some mediumfrom one point to another. The pictures are being trans-mitted via a complex radio wave.
wave [wev] a distinct condition of weather or temperature. unpected heat wave settled over the region
wave [wev] to oat or move about in an ir current I loveto see palm leaves wave about in the tropical breeze.
wale See the main ent beginning with w
18 1
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war-wore
war-wore war [W:<] a state of declared, armed hostilities . The war
lasted only a few shor months.
war W:<] a state or period of conict or strule. Thosetwo giant beveage companies have been at war for years. war [W:<] to engage in war, conict, or hostiity. The once
feuding nations have agreed not to war any longer. wore [W:<] the past tense of wear to dress in or adorn
oneself with article of clothing. ' 0 The groom wore a darkgrey tuxedo.
wore [W:<] the past tense of wear to display some type ofappearance.' 0 Her father always wore a look of dsmay on his
face. wore [W:<] the past tense of wear [down to diminish some
thing through persistence.' The persistent chld eventuallywore down his mother's defense.
ware-wear-where ware WE<] a manufactured commodity or article merchan
dise. The only ware that the company produces is transistorradios. The peddler's bestselling ware was a varety of potsand pans.
ware WE<] potte of red clay. Aer painting the ceramicware, the artist must re it again.
wear [WE<] to dress in or adorn oneself with artices ofclothing. Many tennis players now choose to wear brightcolored clothing.
wear [WE<] to display or have an appearance of something. Wear a look of condence at yourjob interview.
wear [WE <] to diminish or deteriorate through use. Thecarpeting by the front door is beginning to wear.
where ME<] in, at, or to what place, position, or situation. "Where did you find such a deal ? quizzd Ray.
where ME<] wherever. The cats tend to ander wherethey like.
where ME<] locale or place. 0 No one s sure of the whereand why of the crime.
w-worn
182
w [:<] to alert, notify, or counsel someone. octors
must wa their patients of the side eects of medication. w [:<] to tell someone to go or leave. The referees
had to warn the disruptive players o the playing eld. worn [:<] the past participle of wear to dress in or adorn
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way-wegh-whey
onesef with an article of clothing' 0 Have you worn that hatbefore ?
worn [w] the past participle of wear to display or have
an appearance of something' It seems he hasn 't worn asmile in weeks
worn [away] [wn] the past participle of wear [away touse something to diminish or deteriorate' Her illness hasworn away her energy
wase See the main ent beginning with waist
wave See the main ent beginning wth waive
w-whacks w [wks] a substance secreted by bees that is used to make
their honeycombs Those candles are made from the w ofbees
w wks] any of numerous plant or animal secretionsresembling a wa substance A doctor removed the excessw from his patient 's ears
w [wks] paran 0 Use a good w to oat the bottom ofyour skis
w [wks] to rub or treat something wth wax 0 If youw the underside of your toboggan, it will travel faster downthe hill
w [wks] to grow or increase The prots ofthe companytend to w with buyer demand
w [wks] the period of the lunar cycle between a newmoon and a full moon what time this month will themoon w?
whacks [Mks] the plural of whack a resounding blow' The babysitter gave the naughty child three whacks with apaddle
whacks Mks] the plura of whack an attempt or opportu-nity to do something ' (Slang ) The coach offered the secondstring pitcher a couple of whacks at starting games
whacks [Mks] the present tense, third person singular ofwhack to strike or bat at something or someone' Thatvolleyball player really whacks the ball around the cour
way-wegh-whey
way [we] a course of passage or travel The homing pigeonfound its way back to its coop
way we] a condition The way I felt led me to take a nap way [we] a manner or style of doing something "That is
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we-wee
no way to eat! scolded the man . way [we] a distance It's a long way from Florida to
Califoia
way [we] connected with a stage or point along a route Fresh horses are available at each way station along the trail weigh [we] to determine the weight or heaviness of some
thing; to measure something on a scale We must weigh thecargo of the truck before it goes on the road
weigh [we] to consider something carefully 0 Weigh theconsequences ofyour actions before you act
weigh [we] to me something heavy Citizens are askedto weigh down anything that might blow away during the
hurricane. weigh [we] to pull up anchor in readiness for departure
The ship will weigh anchor at dawn. weigh we] to have a disheartening eect on someone I
hope this sad news will not weigh heavily on you whey [Me] the wate part of whole mik as separate from
the part containing the butterfat Wh is a byduct in thecheesemaking pcess.
we-wee we w] the rst person, plural pronoun "t's see if we
can win the relay race, Mitch urged his teammates wee [w] ve tiny en bo, a bear cub isjust a wee thing wee [w] miniscule Add only a wee bit of seasoning to the
soup. wee [wi] ve early octors are qu ite used to getting up in
the wee hours of the morning to handle emergencies
we-week
18
we [wi] acng strengh, vigor, or stamna He feltve weak following his long i llness we [wk] decient in mental or physical capabilities As
she aged, my aunt's eyesight grew weak. weak [w] not ed soundly on fact or logic The evdence
supporting that theo is weak we [wik] lacng required or usual ingredients This
coee tastes weak and wate we [w] lame or ineffectve The boy offered a weak
cuse for his tardiness we w] barely sounded The kitten uttered a weak
meow. week [w] a sevenday cycle or period They will be vaca-
tioning out East for a week in July.
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wear See the main ent beginning with war
eather-wether-whether
we'd-weed
o
weathe [' w-] climatic or atmospheric conditions Theweather in Michigan is ve unpredictable.o weather ['w-] the wind The captain tued his vessel
into the weathero weather ['w£6-] to expose something to the open air and the
elements The man wanted to weather the lumber before heused it
o weather [w£6-] to endure and come safely through someting experience D Susan seems able to weather almost any
misfortune that comes her wayo wether 'w£6-] a mae sheep castrated before reaching sexual
maturity D The sheep farmer kept the ewes but sold off eachwether
o whether 'M£6-] a word indicating options or aternatives ether he'll take the job in Colorado or the one in Idaho isunknown
weave-we'veo weave wiv] to interlace strands of materials D She likes to
weave old gs into useful rugso weave wiv] to make cloth on a loom His mother taught
him to eave at a young age.o weave wiv] to spin something D We must first weave the
w material into yao weave wiv] to create something by elaborately combining
eements That author is able to weave the most compellingstories
o weave wiv] to move in unsteady, zigag fashion D We
noticed a car weave across the divided highwayo weave wiv] a pattern or method for interlacing thread into
woven fabric you know how to weave that pattern?o we've wiv] the contraction of we have. We 've always
enjoyed living in a state with so many outdoor opportunities
we'd-weedo we'd [wid] the contraction of we had, we would, or we should.
We 'd better leave before dark or we 'll never nd our way
o weed [wd] a useless plant that tends to choke out areas ofdesirable plant owth The weed had roots that tendeddeep into the ground.
o weed [wid] any undesirable or obnoxious person or thing 0My uncle used to say that his brother was a weed in a family
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wee
of roses. weed [wid] to clean an area of soil by pulling ot undesirabe
plants The best time to weed the ower bed is right aer a
rain. weed ot] wid] to remove someone or something not
wanted The foreman wants to weed out all of the unpductive workers.
weed [wid] marijuana (Slang) The student bought aspecial pipe for smoking weed.
wee See the main ent beginning with we
weed See the main ent beginning with wed
week See the main ent benning with weak
wegh See the main ent beginning with way
weghed See the main ent beginning with wade
weght See the main ent beginning with wait
wer-we're wer wia] a fencelike enclosure built in a waterway and used
to trap and collect sh Salmon are tpped and stripped oftheir eggs at the weir.
wer [wia] a dam or diversion in a waterway used to stop orredirect its ow or raise the water level 0 A weir was used tofunnel the excess water away from the main arm o the river.
we're [wia] the contraction of we are. "o you know wherewe 're at ? asked ave.
weld -welled weld [wEld] to fasten or n metal parts together using a
heating process in which the parts met and run together 0Jer will weld the broken pieces of le.
weld WEld] to join intimately or closely A formal an-nouncement wi ll weld the two business ventures together.
weld [WEld] a welded joint He did not get a good weld onhis rst attempt.
welled [p] [wd] the past tense and past participle of well[up to ow up and overow' Water welled up in the sinkduring the ood. Tears of joy welled up in the bride's
fathers eyes as he walked his daughter down the aisle. Oilwelled up from the rigs in record amounts.
we'll-wheal-wheel we'll wi!] the contraction of we will or we shall. I can't
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wet-whet
promise that we'll be there, but we 'll t. whe [M] a suddenly raised formation on the sn ; a at
itching or burning area on the skin. The bee sting le a
wheal on her face. wheel [M] a circular device made of steel, rubber, or wood
mounted on an le and pable of turning. The wheel onthe wagon is wobbly.
wheel [M] something resembling a whee. The steeringwheel of that automobile contains an airbag.
wheel [M ] to change direction in a pivotal movement sud-denly. 0 If you suddenly stop and wheel about you mayaccidently bump into someone.
wheel [M] to convey on or as if on whees. eel thosebuilding supplies over here
welled See the main ent beginning with weJd
we're See the main ent beginning with weir
were-whr were [] the past subjunctive tense of be. 0 The kittens in
the pet shop window were adorable. whr [M] to revolve, y, or move ve rapidy, creating a
whirring sound. The automated tustile doors at the store'sentnce whir constantly.
wetwhet wet [WE] moist, damp. His shir was wet with sweat. wet [WE] containing liquid. This towel is soaking wet. wet [] processed using water or some other iquid. Wet
drilling cement requires fewer drill bits than does d drilling.
wet [WE] rainy. Yesterday was a wet day. wet [WE] permitting the manufacture and sale of alcoholic
beverages. 0 Hubbard County is one of the few wet counties inthe state.
wet [WE] all wrong. (Slang. ) Har was all wet in hisrecollection ofthe accident.
wet [WE] to make something wet. Wet down the drivewayto keep the dust from blowing around.
wet [WE] to urinate on or in something. The child got so
cited that she wet her trousers. whet [ME] to sharpen something by rubbing on or with an
object. D You may whet that knife on this special stone. het [ME] to make something sharp or more acute. A
glass of wine before dinner will only whet your appetite.
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wether
wether See the main ent beginning with weather
we've See the main ent beginning with weave
whac See the main ent beginning with wax
whae See the main ent beginning with wai
wheal See the main ent beginning with we
wheel See the main ent benning with we
where See the main ent beginning with ware
whet See the main ent beginning with wet
whether See the main ent beginning with weather
whey See the main ent beginning with way
whch -wtch whch M what one or ones out of a group. ich picture
do you prefer? whch M a pronoun that introduces a clause The stolen
items, which were thought to be lost forever, were nally located which M whichever. You may choose which you like
best. wtch [W a woman who practices witchcraft. D The woman
who l ived alone down by the creek was thought to be a witch wtch [W to bewitch someone or something. on 't t to
witch me with your black magic.
whe-we whe [MOIl] during the time of something. Annette was
stationed in Germany while she was in the army. he [MOIl] at the same time as something. I sat on a park
bench while hejogged. whe MOIl] to pass time in a boring or leisurey manner.
The retiree likes to while away his days shing. e [wl] a trick or deception. Her clever wile fooled no
one. e [wl] to entice or lure someone as if by a magic spell.
The man tried to wile the woman into believing him
wh-wne
188
hne M] a plaintive, prolonged c. The constantwhine of the puppy upset the entire household.
whine ] to c in a forlorn or distressed way. Theba continued to whine after getting an injection.
wine ] to complain in a manner resembling a whine.
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wild-wiled
My sister is not one to whine when things don 't go her way e [] a fermented, alcoholic beverage made from fruit
or plants; something that intoxcates or mes heady. The
wine has a full, fruity avor. Sudden success is like wine tothe spirit
e [] a purplishred color. The new house is deco-rated in colors of forest green and wine.
e [] to drink wine. The company likes to wine anddine its new executives.
whr See the main ent benning with were
whther-wither whither [D] where. "Whither thou goest . is the
beginning of a verse from the book ofRuth in the Bible. wither [ D] to droop, d up, or shrivel, usually from lack
of moisture. Without rain, the crops began to wither wither [ D] to lose vir, stamina, or spirit. The runner
began to wither near the end of the race. wither [ D] to stun someone or something. She threw
me a look that would wither anyone.
whoa-woe whoa [] a command given to a horse or draft animal tostop or stand still. Pulling back on the reins, Nathan called"whoa to his horse.
woe [] misfortune, suering, or grief. (Also in the xedform woe is me) How could so much woe befall one person ? "Oh, woe is me, lamented Candy over her misfortune
whole See the main ent beginning with hoe
wholly See the main ent beginning with hoywhoop See the main ent beginning with hop
who's-whose who's [] the contraction of who is. He is one of the boys
who 's going to the summer music festival. whose [] a pronoun indicating that which belongs to
whom. Whose watch is this ?
whose See the main ent beginning with who 's
d-ed d [] untamed; unciiliz. The wild West appealed
to many people living in the 1 8's. d ] owing of its own accord without help or care
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e
from humans. Wild strawberries grow in the eld behindour home
wild [wd] uncontrolled. As th grew tired, the childn
became wild d [wd] having to do with the wlderness or wildlife
The men enjoy camping in the wild d [wd] deviating from the expected. (Sang or colo-
quial.) The movie had a wild ending ed [ot o [wd] the past tense and past participle of
wile [out of} to trick or deceive someone into giving somethingup.' The con arists w iled te old man out of his life savings
wiled [to] [w] the past tense and past participe of wile
[nto to entice or lure someone into doing somehing.' Shewiled her husband into buying her a mink stole
e See the main ent beginning wth whie
ed See the main ent beginning wth wid
l See the main ent beginning with sha
wine See the main ent beginning with whine
witch See the main ent beginning wth whih
wither See the main ent beginning with whither
woe See the main ent beginning with wha
won See the main ent beginning wth ne
wood-wod wood [wd] the hard, brous interior of a tree or shrub lying
beneath the bark. The wood of the cher tree is reddish incolor
wood [wd] timber. 0 How much wood does it take to builda log home?
wood wd] a stand of trees. The deer disappeared into thewood
wood [wd] something made out of wood. 0 The wood bowas carved and painted by a skilled carpenter
wold wd] a word indicating desire, preference, or in-tent. The druggist said he would be happy to deliver yourprescription
wold wd] could or should. 0 A leather pouh would actu-ally hold liquids quite well
wore See the main ent beginning wth war
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worn See the main ent benning with wa
wold See the main ent beginning with wood
ack See the main ent beginning with rackap See the main ent beginning with rap
apped See the main ent beginning with rapped
est See the main ent beginnng with rest
etch See the main ent benning with retch
ght See the main ent beginning with right
ng See the main ent beginning with ringte See the main ent beginning wth righ t
ote See the main ent beginning wth rte
ng See the main ent beginning with rung
See the main ent beginning with e
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y
yew See the main ent beginning with ewe
yews See the main ent beginning with ewes
yoke-yok yoke U] a wooden frame worn over the necks of work
animals. The team of oxen were joined by a yoke.
yoke U] a pair of yoked draft animals The yoke of muleswas greatly admired by the farmers. yoke Uo] some oppressive or restrictive bond, duty, or
aency His impending court appearance was a yoke hedid not look forward to.
yoke U] a shaped and tted piece of fabric that is part ofthe shoulders of a garment; the top portion of a srt. Thedress had a smocked yoke.
yoe U] to hess something with a yoke When you
yoke the horses, be sure not to tangle the reins. yolk U] the mass of yellow inside an egg. I ccked open
an egg that had a double yolk.
yolk See the main ent beginning with yoke
yore-youryo're
192
yore U] days past or istant times. In days of yore,knights in shining armor rescued princesses from castle towers.
yor U ] the possessive pronoun showing a relationship
to you, yourself, or yourselves 0 Your helpfulness has beengreatly appreciated. yo U, ] relating to oneself The party store is on
your left as you enter the pla.
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le
yo're 3, j3] the contraction of you are. If you 'rehung, there are some snacks in the refrigerator
yo See the main ent benning with ewe
yo'll-ye yo'll Ul u;l] the contraction of you will or you shall
Hur up or you 'll be late for your appointment. ye Uul] Christmastime. The yule season is a time for joy,
celebtion, and happiness
yor See the main ent beginning with yore
yo're See the main ent beginning with yore
ye See the main ent beginning with you '
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N'S LAGUAGE DICTIONARIES
Te Bet, By Definitin
Spanish/English
Vox New College (Thumb-inde & Plain-edge)Vo ModernVo CompactVox EverydayVo Tveler'sVo Super-MiniCervantes-Walls
Spansh/SpanishDiccionario Bsico NorteamericanoVo Diccionario scolar de la lengua espaolaI Diccionario del espal chicano
French/EnglishN's New Colege French and nglish
Electronic Dictionaries
Languages of the World on CD-ROMN's Dictionary of Amercan dioms, Slang, and
Colloquial Epressions (ectronic Book)
Other Reference BooksRobin Hyman's Dictionary of QuotationsBri ti sh/ American Language Dicti onaryN's American dioms DictonaryN's Dictionary of Amercan Slang and
Colloquial EpressionsForbidden American nglishssential American dioms
Contempory American SangN 's Dic tion ary of Gmm ar Termi nologyComplete M ltiling al Dicionar of Comp ter
Recommended