Confusing Words Clarified: Group G; Homonyms, Homophones, Homographs, Synonyms, Polysemes, etc. +
(lists of "G" sections that are organized into what for some people are confusing groups of words)
A great example of confusing words
Once upon a time in the unknown past, at a dinner party in Texas, a man from South America was telling about his country and himself, concluding with "And I have a sympathetic wife but unfortunately, no children. My wife, she is unbearable."
Those who were listening greeted his statement with puzzled glances, so he tried to explain: "My wife, she is inconceivable." Noticing from the bewildered looks of the guests that this didn't clarify the matter, he finally explained with a triumphant smile: "I mean, my wife, she is impregnable."
Never use big words where a diminutive one will suffice.
If you have any problems understanding the pronunciation symbols, go to this Pronunciation Chart for clarifications.
Be sure you know the difference between a garret and a garrote because there is definitely no similarity in their applications.
According to a medieval legend, the man who was responsible for several murders by garrotte was hiding in the garret of a small house in the lane.
2. Very bright in color; colorful: Marge and Mike were enjoying the gay colors of the spring flowers during their walk in the nearby woods.
The use of the term gay with the meaning "happy and excited" has been superseded with another gay expression that refers to those who are "attracted to others of the same sex" instead of people of the opposite sex.
The friends and families of the participants like to gaze at the gays in their outrageous costumes for the Halloween Parade in West Hollywood.
When Jerry was watching the parade in San Francisco, it was hard not to gaze at the huge rainbow flag that the gays in the parade were waving.
Frankenstein was a freak which was created, according to mythology, by a geek experimenting in a laboratory.
Brenda added a flavored gel to the salad in hopes that it would jell in the mould so she could put it on a plate as decoration.
2. Not sold or made under a particular brand name: They are selling generic drugs at a lower price than the better-known brands.
3. In biology, a class, group, or kind with common attributes; the more general class or kind in which something is included: In the short story, the author made generic references to animals rather than to specific dogs or cats.
The Swedish beauty said that her daughter's generic features could not be attributed to genetic inheritance.
The genetic makeup of plants and animals differ significantly; however, there are some biologists who believe that there is a generic relationship among most groups of plants and among most groups of animals.
The first known reference to trousers called jeans actually came from mid-19th century England.
The name jeans came from a kind of tough twilled cotton cloth called "jean" which is the shortened term for "jean fustian", which was introduced into English in the mid-16th century, in which the "jean" represented a modification of Janne, the Old French name of the Italian city of Genoa.
The name "jean fustian" was "cotton fabric from Genoa", so named because that was where it was first made.
Have you ever heard that chromosomes have dungarees? In other words, is it possible that genes wear jeans?
Genius begins great works; labor alone finishes them.
A genius is a man who shoots at something no one else can see and hits it.
The author, who was considered a genius, wrote in a particular genre and her genius was making sense of the genus and species of plants in the aquatic world.
2. Not violent, harsh, or rough: The waves on the lake were gentle and did not cause the boat to rock dangerously.
Rena's genteel Jewish upbringing was reflected in her gentle voice and her respect for the Gentile population in her neighborhood.
The court jester made an odd gesture that amused the king.
During the entertainment, the court jester used a silly gesture that made every one laugh.
2. A reference to a hint, or to a shadowy trace, of something: A ghostly smile flickered across his face at the discomfiture of William's guests when a wail echoed through the building.
It was a ghastly experience being frightened by the ghostly appearance of Marla's long dead grandfather.
2. To be in agreement: Sam's position on the issues does not seem to jibe with his earlier statements.
It seems that we jibe in our assessment that jive talk is fun; however, we should be careful that we don't gibe our neighbors who talk jive with an accent.
2. To give an often deceptively attractive or improved appearance to something: In order to sell his house quickly, the owner decided to gild the front door with a new coat of paint in order to cover up the nicks and scratches.
The ancient guild of gold workers struggled hard to perfect a secret formula with which to gild the base metal with gold.
2. Responsibility for a crime or for doing something bad or wrong: The jury will try to determine the defendant's guilt or innocence today.
Going from gilt to guilt is now part of the global landscape of luxury purchases that is changing, and not only because of financial chaos.
2. Something that can be used to one's advantage: As a writer, Pete's friend, Trina, regards her difficult childhood experiences as grist for the mill; that is, she considers such experiences as examples which she can use in her novel.
The gist of the story involved the difficult experience that the farmer had when he tried to deliver the grist for milling.
This is not a story that should be told in jest because it is related to the farmer's precarious livelihood.
