Confusing Words Clarified: Group J; Homonyms, Homophones, Homographs, Synonyms, Polysemes, etc. +

(lists of "J" sections that are organized into what for some people are confusing groups of words)

If you have any problems understanding the pronunciation symbols, go to this Pronunciation Chart for clarifications.

jail, gaol; prison, penitentiary
jail (JAYL); British, gaol (JAYL)
1. A place for the confinement of people in lawful detention; especially, those who are awaiting trial under local jurisdiction: "He was locked up in the county jail for driving while drunk."

"She was arrested for drunkenness and spent a night in the city jail."

2. A short-term detaining facility for those waiting trial or for those convicted of minor offenses: "He was kept in the city jail while he was being tried for murder and if convicted, he will be sent to the state prison."
prison; penitentiary (PRIZ uhn; pen" i TEN shuh ree)
A long-term detaining facility for those convicted of major, or more serious crimes: "After spending six months in the city jail during his trial, he was then sentenced to life in the state prison."

"She was sentenced to forty years in a federal penitentiary."

In British English, there is no clear difference between jail and prison; and the word penitentiary is apparently not used in Great Britain.

The alleged criminal was held in the local jail which his British lawyer always referred to as the local gaol while his client was awaiting his trial.

When he was found guilty and sentenced, he was sent to the state penitentiary which his lawyer referred to as a prison.

jam; jamb, jambe
jam (JAM)
1. A food usually made from fruit: "She likes to have strawberry jam on her peanut butter sandwiches."
2. A predicament: "Boy! Did she ever get herself into a jam when she missed her bus."
3. A crowd: "Have you ever been caught in the subway jam during the busy hours?"
jamb, jambe (JAM)
An upright surface forming the side of an opening such as a door or window: "He was leaning against the door jamb to watch the children play in the back yard."

My mother leaned on the door jamb watching as the teens made bread and jam sandwiches. They were going to take the sandwiches to an outdoor concert where they expected a jam of people.

jealous, zealous
jealous (JEL uhs)
Intolerant of competition; suspicious of unfaithfulness: "My cat was very jealous of the neighbor’s cat which I was taking care of while my neighbor was on vacation."
zealous (ZEL uhs)
Characterized by the passionate or eager pursuit of something: "She was zealous in her pursuit of becoming a fine water-color artist."

In her zealous pursuit of success as a model, she was not aware that her younger sister was very jealous.

jinks, jinx
jinks (JINGKS)
Characterized by moving quickly, making sudden turns and twists, and dodging: "The get-away car at the bank robbery raced down the street making many jinks to avoid being caught."
jinx (JINGKS)
Something that causes bad luck or misfortune: "Some people say that breaking a mirror will jinx you, bringing you seven years bad luck."

His erratic driving, committing many jinks to stay on the roadway, seemed almost to be a jinx on his success as a race car driver.

jog, jog
jog (JAHG)
1. Verb forms, to run or ride at a steady slow trot: "The coach told the players to jog out to their positions on the playing field."
2. To rouse or to stimulate as if by nudging: "There was an old photo in the album that might jog our mother's memory."
3. Noun forms, a slow run done for exercise: "Some people depend on a morning jog to give them energy for the day."
4. A light shake or push: "She gave him a jog with her elbow to stop him from talking so much."
jog (JAHG)
1. A protruding or receding part in a surface or line: "As we observed the mountains from the valley, we could see one jog after the other as they protruded up and receded down, again and again."
2. An abrupt change in direction: "When we came to a jog in the road, we had to make a sharp turn."
3. To turn sharply; to veer: "This is where the boundary will jog south."

"At first, jog was a training regimen for athletes, then it became a fad in about 1967."

The jog in the road caused the driver to jog abruptly to the left. The force of this jog also caused the passenger in the back seat to jog and to spill her coffee on her lap.

joust, just
joust (JOUST, JUST)
1. A combat between two mounted knights or men-at-arms using lances; a tilting match: "The knight put on his armor as he prepared himself for the joust."
2. To engage in a personal combat or competition: "American football can be described as a joust when the players run into each other, knocking their opponents down."
just (JUST)
1. Honorable and fair in one's dealings and action: "Her Honor, Judge Smith was always just in her decisions at court."
2. Valid within the law; lawful: "The decision by the judge for the man to pay the traffic fine was a just decision."

The knight tried to assure his lady fair, saying "Don't worry, it is just a joust and no one will be injured."

judicial, judicious
judicial (joo DISH uhl) (adjective)
Relating to a judge, to a legal court system, or to the judiciary: "Judicial ethics should keep a judge, like this one, above suspicion."
judicious (joo DISH uhs) (adjective)
Showing sound judgment: "Calvin's judicious decisions regarding his investments have made him wealthy."

At the trial, the judicial decision was that the stockbroker had made judicious decisions about investing the client's money and had not committed any fraud.

juggler, jugular
juggler (JUG luhr)
1. An entertainer who is able to keep several objects in the air at the same time by tossing and catching them from hand to hand: "The juggler at the circus enchanted the children with his skills."
2. Someone who attempts to manipulate situations or individuals for a desired purpose: "The salesman was quite the juggler in trying to convince the man to buy the used car so he could get a commission."
jugular (JUG yuh luhr)
Veins on either side of the neck for returning blood from the head to the heart: "When he was angry, his jugular veins stood out in his neck."

The newspaper reported that the juggler had an accident and one of the knives he was juggling slipped and cut his jugular vein. The juggler was reported recovering in the hospital after the surgeon repaired his jugular.

junction, juncture
junction (JUNGK shuhn)
An intersection or meeting of roads or railroads: "The town was prosperous when it was a railroad junction."
juncture (JUNGK chuhr)
A point of time made critical by a combination of circumstances: "At this juncture, we must make a final decision as to our future course."

When we were traveling across the country by car, we came to a major highway junction. We had to decide if at this juncture in our trip, we should go south or turn east.

jurist, juror
jurist (JOOR ist) (noun)
A judge or lawyer: "Martin Roy was described by his colleagues as an eminent jurist in the area of commercial law."
juror (JOOR uhr, JOOR or") (noun)
Member of a body of people sworn to give a legal verdict on a given matter presented in a court of law: "Yesterday, Allen was selected to be a juror at the trial of the person who had committed fraud."

In a surprise turn of events, the eminent civil law jurist was selected as a juror for the upcoming conflict-of-interest trial.

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