Confusing Words Clarified: Group T; Homonyms, Homophones, Homographs, Synonyms, Polysemes, etc. +
(lists of "T" 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.
Be careful that you don’t hurt your toe when you try to tow the grocery cart up the steep hill.
2. Having described or explained something in words, verbal or written: "She told me about her dreams to be an actress when we were both children."
"The letter from the bank told us about the financial situation that we would have to face."
3. To have ordered, directed, or admonished: "If I told you once, I have told you a thousand times, don't go there."2. Something that was encouraged or lured to a specific location: "The farmer tolled the cattle to the barn by blowing on a special whistle."
3. Having decoyed game; especially, ducks: "The hunter tolled the ducks to land near the decoys of floating imitations of ducks."
We were told that the bells at the church tolled every evening at 6 P.M. which helped to remind the farmers it was time they tolled their cattle in from the fields.
"The bells will toil the announcement of the marriage of the popular couple."
2. To lure or to attract something to a desired location: "We scattered crumbs on the water to toll the fish closer to shore.""There is a two-coin toll for the use of the public telephone."
"There's a bridge ahead of us, so be prepared to pay the toll when we get there."
2. A grievous or sad loss: "The toll in human lives was devastating after the severe hurricane swept across the island."The tole tray, which his parents possessed, commemorated important historical sites in their home town. Depicted on the tray were a toll bridge and a tall bell tower and his parents told him that the bell in the tower would toll for hours whenever there was a toll, or loss of lives, in the nearby mines.
2. A large, heavy quantity of something: "The box was so heavy that I joked that it must weigh a ton."
"Her son complained that he had a ton of homework to do for school."
2. A measure of liquid capacity; especially, one equivalent to approximately 252 gallons (954 liters): "The vintner decided to buy a tun of the red wine based on the reports that she had studied."
The tun that was filled with rare wine felt as if it weighed a ton. She did a ton of research on the best wines to buy and the tun from the local winery was highly recommended.
The doctor said that judging from the tone of my skin and the tone of my muscles, I was in great shape and should be able to create a perfect tone when I was singing.
"The taste of the spice was still on her tongue."
2. A manner or quality of speech that clearly conveys the meaning of the speaker: "She had a sharp tongue and did not hesitate to use it to scold the silly boys on the street.”In order to speak the tongue of the remote island people, you must learn to move your tongue rapidly in and out of your mouth.
When you are hiking through the bush to get to the villages, be sure the tongue on each of your hiking boots is laced securely.
2. An invigorating, refreshing, or restorative agent or influence: "Her laughter is a tonic for my soul when I am upset or depressed."
2. A medieval surcoat, a loose outer coat, or gown worn in the Middle Ages by a knight over his armor: "The knight's tunic was emblazoned with his family crest."
3. A long, plain, close-fitting jacket, usually having a stiff high collar and worn as part of a uniform: "The officer's tunic was accented with gold and red braid."
4. A long, plain, sleeved or sleeveless blouse: "During the summer, she prefers to wear a sleeveless tunic because of the hot weather."
5. A short pleated and belted dress worn by women for some sports: "Her tennis tunic was very sharp looking and very chic."
6. In anatomy, a coat or layer enveloping an organ or part: "The tunic of the blood vessel was thin and the surgeon was getting ready to repair it."
7. In botany, a loose membranous outer covering of a bulb or corm, as of the onion, tulip, or crocus: "The cook removed the brown tunic of the onion before chopping it up so he could add it to the soup."
He spilled some tonic on his tunic. He looked so comical, the sight was a tonic for our low spirits.
Then he changed his tunic and reached for another tonic to sooth his hurt feelings.
2. A machine; such as, a lathe, used to cut and shape machine parts or other objects: "Michael used the new tool to make a carved newel post for the stairway at home."
3. Something regarded as necessary to the carrying out of one's occupation or profession: "Dictionary compilers believe that every word they find and research is a tool of their trade."
4. Something used in the performance of an operation; an instrument: "The surgeon used a different tool for each phase of the operation."
5. In computer science, an application program, often one that creates, manipulates, modifies, or analyzes other programs: "A programming tool or a software development tool is a program or application that software developers use to create, to debug, to maintain, or otherwise to support various programs and applications."
She used a sharp tool to trim the tulle in order to decorate the elegant dress she was making.
2. A sharp note suggestive of the sound of a wind instrument: "The horn on the ferry boat sounds like the toot of a penny whistle."
2. To talk about something or someone as being very good, effective, skillful, etc.: "The company is trying to tout the drug as a miracle cure."
After going on a toot with my friends at the local bar, I was embarrassed that they were all trying to tout my competence as a rugby player.
The prize for being at the top of her elementary class was a multi-colored top. She took it with her when the family went on vacation to the top end of the valley.
To celebrate his reputation as a top tort lawyer, his cousin baked a torte and filled it with fresh fruit.
2. Anyone who moves slowly; a laggard: "There is an old fable, The Tortoise and the Hare, which describes the tortoise as slow moving but eventually getting where it wanted to go."
"When they went to Australia, they saw a sea turtle swimming next to the ship."
When we went to the zoo, we saw the tortoise enclosure which was designed to look like a desert.
Because I had a blister on my foot, I moved like a tortoise when we went to see the turtle enclosure that was a mixed environment of dry and marshy wet land.
2. Not straightforward; circuitous; devious: "The story had a tortuous plot."
"The politician had so much tortuous reasoning that we simply could not believe anything she said."
3. Highly involved; complex: "There were so many tortuous legal procedures that it took more than a year before there was a final decision."2. Twisted; strained: "The mountain roads were torturous and required careful attention in order to drive safely."
Although tortuous and torturous both come from the Latin word torquere, "to twist", their primary meanings are distinct.
Tortuous means "twisting" (a tortuous road) or by extension "complex" or "devious."
Torturous refers primarily to torture and the pain associated with it; however, torturous also can be used in the sense of "twisted" or "strained", and tortured is an even stronger synonym; such as, "tortured reasoning".
"The story read by the teacher to her class seemed to touch the feelings of the children."
She reached out to touch the shoulder of her friend who was so sad. Her story will be sure to touch your heart as well.
"She is very touchy about the color of her hair whenever anyone says anything about it."
It becomes a very touchy subject when at the very end of the debate, your opponent suddenly shouts out TOUCHE because of a slight oversight on your part.
Confusing Words: Homonyms, Homophones, and Homographs; explained and demonstrated.
Confusing Words: Units, Groups A to Z.
Confusing Words: Vocabulary Quizzes Listed.
