NTC's Dictionary of Easily Confused Words

7/29/2019 NTC's Dictionary of Easily Confused Words

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Cntents

Introduction

Acknowledgents

Pronuncaton Gude

Dctona

V

IX

X

1-193





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

ii





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





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

xi



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



NTC'sDictionaryof

SY

COUSWOS





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.

1



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

2



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

3



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



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.

5



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

6



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.

7



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



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

9



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



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

11



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

12



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

13



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

1



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.

15



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.



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

17



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

18



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.

19



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



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

21



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,



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

3



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



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.

25



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.



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

7



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.



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

29



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



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

31



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.



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.

33



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



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

35



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.



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

37



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



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

39



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.



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

1



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

2



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



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



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.

5



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.



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

7



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



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 ?

9



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.



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

51



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



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

53



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



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

55



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

6



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



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



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.

59



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

6



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

61



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.



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.

63



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



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.

65



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

66

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.



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

67



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

68

hall [hl] a lobby or entway off which other rooms open.



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



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.



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

71



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

7



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.

73



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



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

75



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

76



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 ?

77



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.



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

79



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



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

81



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



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



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



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

85



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



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.

87



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,



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

89



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



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

91



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.



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



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.



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

95



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



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

97



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



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

99



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



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

1 1



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



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



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

1



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.

15



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

16



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

17



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

18



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

19



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.



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



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

112



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.

113



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



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

115



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



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.

117



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



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.

119



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



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



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



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

123



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.



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



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.



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,

127



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

128



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

19



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



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

13 1



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.



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

133



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



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

135



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



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.

137



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.



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

139



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)



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.

1 1



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.



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

13



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



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

15



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.



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.

17



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



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

19



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



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

15 1



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.



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

153



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



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.

155



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



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

157



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.



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

159



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

16



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

161



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



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.

163



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;



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

165



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



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

167



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.



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

169



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.



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.

171



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



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

173



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



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

175



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

176



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

177



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

178



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

179



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.



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



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



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

183



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.



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

185



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

186



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.

187



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.



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

189



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

19



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

191



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.



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 '

193



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

Documents

NTC's Dictionary of Easily Confused Words