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.
Bryan is considered a piranha in the insurance business because he "eats" up the competition.
Trudy had developed a reputation as a piranha in the construction business and so she was considered by some to be a pariah at the national convention of contractors.
The gambler decided to parlay his gold watch against the cards of his opponent.
Nell's uncle worked successfully to parlay his whole fortune into gold bonds; as a result, he was successful and because he became wealthy, he called a parley among the relatives to discuss how to fairly distribute his vast wealth.
Several thousand voters signed the petition to allow for the partition of a large county into two smaller counties.
2. Regarding an item which is past its prime, faded, or aged: The clothes Ben wears these days are passé.
The concept of a sheriff and an armed posse maintaining law-and-order is now considered passé and is no longer a popular TV theme.
2. To have achieved approval, often from a legislative body: The political organization passed a new resolution regarding membership.
The legislators passed a new law about speeding automobiles.
3. To have gone around or to have gone away from: The speeding red car passed the bus which was moving slowly up the hill.
The traveling circus passed through the town after their performance.
4. To have changed or replaced ownership from one person to another: The line of inheritance was passed from the father to the son.
5. To have achieved a successful completion of a task: When the test scores were posted, Jim noticed that he had passed the English grammar examination.
6. To have exceeded or surpassed: The new shopping mall passed all expectations in terms of variety of stores and shops.
2. Referring to an individual who has held a position of authority or ownership; former: Dina was the past president of the musical organization.
The past owner of the red sports car took very good care of it.
Those who cannot remember what has passed into the past are condemned to repeat it.
The cattle enjoyed being in the fresh green pasture after a long winter in the barns.
The new pastor was innovative in his thinking in that during the summer, he planned to have open air church services in the pasture down by the river.
2. Pertaining to the arousal of scornful pity: The basketball team played badly last year, but this year they're absolutely pathetic.
Shanna's warnings proved to be prophetic because the dangers that she warned Adam and Evelyn about regarding their trip to Africa came true.
The pathetic response of the crowd to the headlines predicting changes seemed prophetic when the official announcements were actually made.
Her mother's patience paid off when Patricia actually became a famous concert pianist.
Dr. Berman said she was also going out to the Street Clinic to see the patients who were living on the street.
Sometimes people have to wait so long just to see a doctor that some of the patients lose their patience.
Patience is power; with time and patience, the mulberry leaf becomes silk.
After Marjory presented her speech, there was a slight pause before the audience started to applaud.
Trudy's kitten paws her shoe with its paw when it wants her attention.
Very often animals have to stop and rest or they just pause their paws for awhile.
The dog was trained to lift its front paw to "shake hands" with Mildred's pa whenever he came home from work.
The puppies were playing as if they were fighting, pawing each other and rolling on the grass.
When Kim was pawing through the jumble sale at the store, she watched a man who was pawning off his watch to get a loan.
2. A person or group that does not have much power and who is controlled by a more powerful person or group: Kimberly became a pawn in the political power struggle.
Matt felt like a pawn of misfortune when he had to go to leave his chess set as a deposit with the pawnbroker, including the pewter pawn which was engraved with the date when he won the championship.
There was a sense of peace in town after the hectic pace of the recent festival.
2. An agreement to end hostilities: The ambassador attempted to establish peace between the two countries.
The child picked up a piece of glass that was on the playground and put it into a trash can so no one could fall on it and get hurt.
2. A short distance: The mail box is just a short piece down the road and around the corner.3. A work of art, music, drama, or literature: The composer wrote a piece for the violin and piano, accompanied by a singer.
Antonio read his piece which had won the prize for poetry.
4. Another term for a gun: The hunter carried his piece carefully and it was unloaded.5. A coin or an item used as a coin: Nathan has a piece which he thinks is very old and valuable.
Eugene's sister told Fay to take the gold piece and to see what the currency dealer would pay for it.
Fred's nephew exclaimed that he wanted a piece of the activities for peace that were happening this weekend in town.
Peace, the thing we are all fighting for or going to war to achieve; or the brief lull before the storm.
2. Not quarrelsome; amiable; inoffensive: Marvin has a peaceable relationship with his cousins and their families.
The valley was so peaceful that it is difficult to imagine a peaceable time that didn't exist there.
2. The pointed summit of a mountain: Shawn hiked to the top of the peak in the Alps.
3. The point of greatest development, value, or intensity: Mildred could feel a peak of excitement in the audience when the symphony came to a conclusion.
While playing hide and seek, Nancy's little boy would peek between the curtains at her.
Mary said that she will experience a pique if she is unable to get a peek at the new piqué fabric in the store. Her interest was intensified when she found out that one piqué had an image of a famous peak that is located in the nearby mountains.
Confusing Words: Homonyms, Homophones, and Homographs; explained and demonstrated.
Confusing Words: Units, Groups A to Z.
Confusing Words: Vocabulary Quizzes Listed.