Confusing Words Clarified: Group P; Homonyms, Homophones, Homographs, Synonyms, Polysemes, etc. +
(lists of "P" 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.
2. Describing someone who is pale and in poor health: The little girl looked peaked and tired as she was lying in the hospital bed.
Randy's interest in becoming a doctor was piqued when he read about a group of peaked children living in a remote community surrounded by peaked mountains.
2. A loud, easily heard sound: Sean could hear the peal of laughter coming from the auditorium during the funny song and dance routine.
2. A medieval fortification on the border between England and Scotland: The peel had a moat surrounding it to protect the inhabitants from an invasion.
3. A flat shovel shaped tool used by bakers to put items into an oven or to remove them from the oven: Polly used a wooden peel to remove the pizza from the brick kitchen appliance just before it was time to eat it.
The visitors were asked to peel off their coats as soon as they stepped into the house after having been in the rainstorm.
Shawn could hear the peal of laughter from the living room in the kitchen where he was trying to peel an orange. He saved the peel to use for a baking project that he was planning for the weekend.
2. A loud sound of laughter or a prolonged, usually reverberating sound, as of bells or thunder: The pealing of cachinnation and hilarity of the audience could be easily heard outside the auditorium.
People outside the bank could hear the pealing of tires as the robbers quickly drove away from the bank.
Mary's skin was peeling because of the bad sunburn she got at the beach.
Because of Bill's peeling sunburn, his wife was pealing with laughter at the sight of his red face.
When the president of the company retired, several of his colleagues expressed their desire to compose a pean to celebrate his accomplishments.
2. A landless laborer in South America: The peon hired himself out to the owner of the hacienda in exchange for food and lodging.
3. East Asian workers often associated with the military: The local village elder enlisted as a peon with the military as an orderly.
The peon, who was hired by Jean's uncle for the summer, recited a pean to the gods who oversaw the harvests.
2. An object frequently used as a gem which is formed within the shell of a bivalve or mollusk as the result of the production of layers of secretion which encase an irritating foreign object and is often colored and lustrous: Aurora discovered a pearl in an oyster while she was eating some of them at dinner.
3. A gem which is made from the covered irritant in a bivalve: Francisca wore a necklace of a large pearl and earrings with a beautiful pearl on each one.
4. Something that is cylindrical and luminescent: Dew drops, each one of which was like a pearl, were glistening on the blades of grass as the sun came out.
Dennis could hear the gentle purl of the birds as they were settling in the bushes for the night.
2. A stitch used in knitting, often used in conjunction with a knit stitch to create a smooth surface: Marina's teacher recited "knit one, purl one", in hopes that she would learn to knit properly.When Andrew's aunt was knitting a jacket, she used the "knit one, purl one" pattern.
Before she was done, she decided to purl a lovely design on the sleeves, including the pearls which she had from a broken necklace.
The pedal on his grandmother's sewing machine was fun for Andrew to use.
2. A lever set in motion for circular drive; treadle: When using her grandmother's old sewing machine, Bonita used her right foot to press on the pedal which made the whole thing work.After Jeremy decided to peddle the produce from his garden in town, he realized he would have to pedal his bicycle up the hill and as he brushed next to the rosebushes, he discovered some pink petals on his pants.
2. A person who flaunts the educational background which has been achieved: The supervisor impressed Ronald as a pedant because she never failed to mention that she had a Master’s Degree.
2. Ornamental roofs or ceilings characteristic of Gothic architecture: The roof line of the central building at the university was designed in the style of a pendent.
3. That which is secondary or supplementary: The last chapter in the book was a pendent added by the author to explain some of the basic information in the text.
The pundit from the newspaper frequently impressed Douglas as a pedant when he was speaking.
He also noticed that the reporter wore a pendent around his neck with the insignia from his university.
2. A member of one of several ranks within British aristocracy: Josh's favorite aunt married an English peer and moved to live with him in his castle in the country.
2. The structural support between two openings in a wall; such as, two windows: The large ornate mirror hung in the pier in the dining room and reflected the candle light on the table.
3. A mass of stone, concrete, or steel used to provide support for a wall: The masons reinforced the wall with a pier of stone and gravel.
The visiting peer stood on the pier and watched the sunset spread over the ocean.
Calvin was talking to Hobbes: "I'd build a raft for this pond, but I don't have a place to dock it."
Hobbes replied: "I've always said you're a friend without pier. I guess you're under a lot of pier pressure."
2. A woman's loose light cloak, often with openings for the arms: Latasha has a plaid pelisse which she wears when she goes to the opera.
2. A branch of government which is concerned with the maintenance of order and compliance with regulations: The sign over the door read "POLICE", so Myrna knew she was in the right department.
For the dress parade, the police each wore a dark blue pelisse with a crest embroidered on the lapel.
2. A stripped animal skin ready for tanning: Jerome added the pelt of the fox to the others that were going to be prepared for making leather from rawhides.
2. To cast, hurl, or throw objects: Chris could see the rioter trying to pelt the police with bottles from the dumpster.
3. To hit against something repeatedly: Rain and hail continued to pelt against the windowpanes for hours.
The celebrity was wearing the pelt of an animal as a coat which outraged the crowd who started to pelt her with paint balls.
2. An instrument for writing: The museum had an exhibition entitled the "History of the Pen" with examples of a quill pen, a fountain pen, a retractable pen, etc.
3. A slang term referring to a penitentiary or jail for long term prisoners: The judge sentenced the gang member to seven years in the pen.
2. One of several wooden pieces that constitute the target in a game: When Trisha goes bowling, she has such poor luck when she only knocks one pin over at a time.
3. A peg that is the target for pitching a quoit or metal ring in a game of quoits: When Dennis threw the iron ring or horseshoe, it landed on the pin and he won the match.
4. The part of the stem of a key that goes into a lock: Reba was very upset because she broke the pin of the metal device and was not able to open the door.
5. The pole or staff of a flag used to mark the hole in a golf course: Estella was aiming for the red pin in the outdoor sport when it was her turn in the tournament.
Kevin will use a pen to pen his PIN on a slip of paper and then he will use a safety pin to pin it to the inside of his coat jacket so he won't lose it.
A pin is a small object that's easily lost because it's always pointed in one direction and headed in the other.
Shawn's penance for shoplifting in the grocery store was to write an essay on the social costs of shoplifting.
2. A sacramental rite involving contrition, confession of sins to a priest, the acceptance of penalties, and absolution: The pastor led the rite of penance for those in the congregation who attended.2. Flags often associated with a winning sports team: The pennants of the champion football team were purple and yellow.
3. Flags or banners that taper to a point at one end: The pennants of the knights who supported the king were hung in the chapel.
The fans at the soccer game waved their pennants with enthusiasm and accidentally broke a window; however, when their team lost, the fans were so sad they felt a sense of penance and told the owner they would replace the window.
The carpenter used a pencil that was flat on one side so it would not roll off her workspace.
2. A small stick of medication or cosmetics for local application: The doctor gave her a pencil of antibiotic cream to put on the scratches of her arm.3. A gathering or mass of rays such as sunshine: A pencil of sunlight came through the wooden blinds of the window in the morning.
The traveling artist used a pencil to sketch the pensile banners in the church.
Karin created a fanciful picture which included a knight riding into the churchyard with a pensil waving from the point of his lance which was lighted by a pencil of sunshine streaming through the colored windows.
2. In U.S. baseball, the prize that is awarded to the champions of the certain leagues each year: Kevin's local baseball team won the American League pennant this year.
When Patrick attended the reception in honor of the local baseball team for winning the pennant this season, he wore an ornate pendant (pendent) around his neck.
The penitents were gathered in the garden to plant trees as their penitence for having chopped down a tree by the side of the road.
Confusing Words: Homonyms, Homophones, and Homographs; explained and demonstrated.
Confusing Words: Units, Groups A to Z.
Confusing Words: Vocabulary Quizzes Listed.
