Glossary - TCW

Glossary Book-Level a lot, alot, allot Alot is not a word; a lot (two words) is a vague descriptive phrase that should be used sparingly, especially in formal writing. Allot means to give someone a share. Example: Prof Dubi allots each of us five spelling errors per semester, and he thinks that’s a lot. a, an Use a as the article before words that begin with consonant sounds and before words that begin with the long vowel sound u (yü). Use an before words that begin with other vowel sounds. Examples: An older student showed Kris an easier way to get to class. A uniform is required attire for a cafeteria worker. accept, except The verb accept means “to receive or believe”; the preposition except means “other than.”Example The instructor accepted the student’s story about being late, but she wondered why no one except him had forgotten about the change to daylight saving time. adapt, adopt, adept Adapt means “to adjust or change to fit”; adopt means “to choose and treat as your own” (a child, an idea). Adept is an adjective meaning “proficient or well trained.” Example After much thought and deliberation, we agreed to adopt the black Lab from the shelter. Now we have to agree on how to adapt our lifestyle to fit our new roommate. adverse, averse Adverse means “hostile, unfavorable, or harmful.” Averse means “to have a definite feeling of distaste—disinclined.” Example Groans and other adverse reactions were noted as the new students, averse to strenuous exercise, were ushered past the X–5000 pump–and–crunch machine. advice, advise Advice is a noun meaning “information or recommendation”; advise is a verb meaning “to recommend.” Example Successful people will often give you sound advice, so I advise you to listen. affect, effect Affect means “to influence”; the noun effect means “the result.” Example The employment growth in a field will affect your chances of getting a job. The effect may be a new career choice. aid, aide As a verb, aid means “to help”; as a noun, aid means “the help given.” An aide is a person who acts as an assistant. all right, alright Alright is the incorrect form of all right. (Note: The following are spelled correctly: always, altogether, already, almost.) all, of Of is seldom needed after all. Examples All the reports had an error in them. All the speakers spoke English. All of us voted to reschedule the meeting. (Here of is needed for the sentence to make sense.) allude, elude Allude means “to indirectly refer to or hint at something”; elude means “to escape attention or understanding altogether.” Example Ravi often alluded to wanting a supper invitation by mentioning the “awfully good” smells from the kitchen. These hints never eluded Ma’s good heart. allusion, illusion Allusion is an indirect reference to something or someone, especially in literature; illusion is a false picture or idea. Example Did you recognize the allusion to David in the reading assignment? Until I read that part, I was under the illusion that the young boy would run away from the bully. already, all ready Already is an adverb meaning “before this time” or “by this time.” All ready is an adjective form meaning “fully prepared.” (Note: Use all ready if you can substitute ready alone in the sentence.) Example By the time I was a junior in high school, I had already taken my SATs. That way, I was all readyto apply early to college. altogether, all together Altogether means “entirely.” All together means “in a group” or “all at once.” (Note: Use all together if you can substitute together alone in the sentence.) Example All together there are 35,000 job titles to choose from. That’s altogether too many to even think about. among, between Among is used when emphasizing distribution throughout a body or a group of three or more;between is used when emphasizing distribution to two individuals. Example There was discontent among the relatives after learning that their aunt had divided her entire fortune between a canary and a favorite waitress at the local cafe. amoral, immoral Amoral means “neither moral (right) nor immoral (wrong)”; immoral means “wrong, or in conflict with traditional values.” Example Carnivores are amoral in their hunt; poachers are immoral in theirs. amount, number Amount is used for bulk measurement. Number is used to count separate units. (See alsofewer.) Example The number of new instructors hired next year will depend on the amount of revenue raised by the new sales tax. and etc. Don’t use and before etc. since et cetera means “and the rest.” Example Did you remember your textbook, notebook, handout, etc.? annual, biannual, semiannual, biennial, perennial An annual event happens once every year. A biannual event happens twice a year (semiannualis the same as biannual). A biennial event happens every two years. A perennial event happens throughout the year, every year. anxious, eager Both words mean “looking forward to,” but anxious also connotes fear or concern. Example The professor is eager to move into the new building, but she’s a little anxious that students won’t be able to find her new office. any one (of), anyone Any one means “any one of a number of people, places, or things”; anyone is a pronoun meaning “any person.” Example Choose any one of the proposed weekend schedules. Anyone wishing to work on Saturday instead of Sunday may do so. anymore, any more Anymore (an adverb) means “any longer”; any more means “any additional.” Example We won’t use that textbook anymore; call if you have any more questions. appraise, apprise Appraise means “to determine value.” Apprise means “to inform.” Example Because of the tax assessor’s recent appraisal of our home, we were apprised of an increase in our property tax. as Don’t use as in place of whether or if. Examples I don’t know as I’ll accept the offer. (Incorrect) I don’t know whether I’ll accept the offer. (Correct) Don’t use as when it is unclear whether it means because or when. Examples We rowed toward shore as it started raining. (Unclear) We rowed toward shore because it started raining. (Correct) assure, ensure, insure (See insure.) bad, badly Bad is an adjective, used both before nouns and as a predicate adjective after linking verbs.Badly is an adverb. Examples Christina felt bad about serving us bad food. Larisa played badly today. beside, besides Beside means “by the side of.” Besides means “in addition to.” Example Besides the two suitcases you’ve already loaded into the trunk, remember the smaller onebeside the van. between, among (See among.) bring, take Bring suggests the action is directed toward the speaker; take suggests the action is directed away from the speaker. Example If you’re not going to bring the video to class, take it back to the resource center. can, may In formal contexts, can is used to mean “being able to do”; may is used to mean “having permission to do.” Example May I borrow your bicycle to get to the library? Then I can start working on our group project. capital, capitol The noun capital refers to a city or to money. The adjective capital means “major or important” or “seat of government.” Capitol refers to a building. Examples The capitol is in the capital city for a capital reason. The city government contributed capital for the building expense. cent, sent, scent Cent is a coin; sent is the past tense of the verb “send”; scent is an odor or a smell. Example For forty–one cents, I sent my friend a love poem in a perfumed envelope. She adored the scentbut hated the poem. chord, cord Chord may mean “an emotion or a feeling,” but it also may mean “the combination of three or more tones sounded at the same time,” as with a guitar chord. A cord is a string or a rope. Example The guitar player strummed the opening chord, which struck a responsive chord with the audience. chose, choose Chose (choz) is the past tense of the verb choose (chüz). (See 637.) Example For generations, people chose their careers based on their parents’ careers; now peoplechoose their careers based on the job market. climactic, climatic Climactic refers to the climax, or high point, of an event; climatic refers to the climate, or weather conditions. Example Because we are using the open–air amphitheater, climatic conditions will just about guarantee the wind gusts we need for the climactic third act. coarse, course Coarse means “of inferior quality, rough, or crude”; course means “a direction or a path taken.”Course also means “a class or a series of studies.” Examples A basic writing course is required of all students. Due to years of woodworking, the instructor's hands are rather coarse. compare with, compare to Things in the same category are compared with each other; things in different categories arecompared to each other. Examples Compare Christopher Marlowe’s plays with William Shakespeare’s plays. My brothercompared reading The Tempest to visiting another country. complement, compliment Complement>/i> means “to complete or go well with.” Compliment means “admiration or praise.” Example We wanted to compliment Zach on his decorating efforts; the bright yellow walls complementthe purple carpet. comprehensible, comprehensive Comprehensible means “capable of being understood”; comprehensive means “covering a broad range, or inclusive.” Example The theory is comprehensible only to those who have a comprehensive knowledge of physics. comprise, compose Comprise means “to contain or consist of”; compose means “to create or form by bringing parts together.” Examples Fruitcake comprises a variety of nuts, candied fruit, and spice. Fruitcake is composed of (not comprised of) a variety of ingredients. conscience, conscious A conscience gives one the capacity to know right from wrong. Conscious means “awake or alert, not sleeping or comatose.” Example Your conscience will guide you, but you have to be conscious to hear what it’s “saying.” continual, continuous Continual often implies that something is happening often, recurring; continuous usually implies that something keeps happening, uninterrupted. Example The continuous loud music during the night gave the building manager not only a headache but also continual phone calls. counsel, council, consul When used as a noun, counsel means “advice”; when used as a verb, counsel means “to advise.” Council refers to a group that advises. A consul is a government official appointed to reside in a foreign country. Example The city council was asked to counsel our student council on running an efficient meeting. Their counsel was very helpful. decent, descent, dissent Decent means “good.” Descent is the process of going or stepping downward. Dissent means “disagreement.” Examples The food was decent. The elevator’s fast descent clogged my ears. Their dissent over the decisions was obvious in their sullen expressions. desert, dessert Desert is barren wilderness. Dessert is food served at the end of a meal. The verb desert means “abandon.” different from, different than Use different from in formal writing; use either form in informal or colloquial settings. Example Rafael’s interpretation was different from Andrea’s. discreet, discrete Discreet means “showing good judgment, unobtrusive, modest”; discrete means “distinct, separate.” Examples The essay question had three discrete parts. Her roommate had apparently never heard of quiet, discreet conversation. disinterested, uninterested Both words mean “not interested.” However, disinterested is also used to mean “unbiased or impartial.” Examples A person chosen as an arbitrator must be a disinterested party. Professor Eldridge was uninterested in our complaints about the assignment. effect, affect (See affect.) elicit, illicit Elicit is a verb meaning “to bring out.” Illicit is an adjective meaning “unlawful.” Example It took a hand signal to elicit the illicit exchange of cash for drugs. eminent, imminent Eminent means “prominent, conspicuous, or famous”; imminent means “ready or threatening to happen.” Example With the island’s government about to collapse, assassination attempts on several eminentofficials seemed imminent. ensure, insure, assure (See insure.) except, accept (See accept.) explicit, implicit Explicit means “expressed directly or clearly defined”; implicit means “implied or unstated.” Example The professor explicitly asked that the experiment be wrapped up on Monday, implicitlydemanding that her lab assistants work on the weekend. farther, further Farther refers to a physical distance; further refers to additional time, quantity, or degree. Example Further research showed that walking farther rather than faster would improve his health. fewer, less Fewer refers to the number of separate units; less refers to bulk quantity. Example Because of spell checkers, students can produce papers containing fewer errors in less time. figuratively, literally Figuratively means “in a metaphorical or analogous way—describing something by comparing it to something else”; literally means “actually.” Example The lab was literally filled with sulfurous gases— figuratively speaking, dragon’s breath. first, firstly Both words are adverbs meaning “before another in time” or “in the first place.” However, do not use firstly, which is stiff and unnatural sounding. Examples Firstly I want to see the manager. (Incorrect) First I want to see the manager. (Correct) Note: When enumerating, use the forms first, second, third, next, last—without the ly. fiscal, physical Fiscal means “related to financial matters”; physical means “related to material things.” Examples The school’s fiscal work is handled by its accounting staff. The physical work is handled by its maintenance staff. for, fore, four For is a conjunction meaning “because” or is a preposition used to indicate the object or recipient of something; fore means “earlier” or “the front”; four is the word for the number 4. Example The crew brought treats for the barge’s four dogs, who always enjoy the breeze at the fore of the vessel. former, latter When two things are being discussed, former refers to the first thing, and latter to the second. Example Our choices are going to a movie or eating at the Pizza Palace: The former is too expensive, and the latter too fattening. good, well Good is an adjective; well is nearly always an adverb. (When used to indicate state of health,well is an adjective.) Example A good job offers opportunities for advancement, especially for those who do their jobs well. heal, heel Heal (a verb) means “to mend or restore to health”; a heel (noun) is the back part of a human foot. healthful, healthy Healthful means “causing or improving health”; healthy means “possessing health.” Example Healthful foods and regular exercise build healthy bodies. I, me I is a subject pronoun; me is used as an object of a preposition, a direct object, or an indirect object. (See 630.1.) (A good way to know if I or me should be used in a compound subject is to eliminate the other subject; the sentence should make sense with the pronoun—I or me—alone.) Examples My roommate and me went to the library last night. (Incorrect) My roommate and I went to the library last night. (Correct: Eliminate “my roommate and”; the sentence still makes sense.) Rasheed gave the concert tickets to Erick and I. (Incorrect) Rasheed gave the concert tickets to Erick and me. (Correct: Eliminate “Erick and”; the sentence still makes sense.) illusion, allusion (See allusion.) immigrate (to), emigrate (from) Immigrate means “to come into a new country or environment.” Emigrate means “to go out of one country to live in another.” Examples Immigrating to a new country is a challenging experience. People emigrating from their homelands face unknown challenges. imminent, eminent (See eminent.) imply, infer Imply means “to suggest without saying outright”; infer means “to draw a conclusion from facts.” (A writer or a speaker implies; a reader or a listener infers.) Example Dr. Rufus implied I should study more; I inferred he meant my grades had to improve, or I'd be repeating the class. ingenious, ingenuous Ingenious means “intelligent, discerning, clever”; ingenuous means “unassuming, natural, showing childlike innocence and candidness.” Examples Gretchen devised an ingenious plan to work and receive college credit for it. Ramón displays an ingenuous quality that attracts others. insure, ensure, assure Insure means “to secure from financial harm or loss,” ensure means “to make certain of something,” and assure means “to put someone’s mind at rest.” Examples Plenty of studying generally ensures academic success. Nicole assured her father that she had insured her new car. interstate, intrastate Interstate means “existing between two or more states”; intrastate means “existing within a state.” irregardless, regardless Irregardless is a nonstandard synonym for regardless. Examples Irregardless of his circumstance, José is cheerful. (Incorrect) Regardless of his circumstance, José is cheerful. (Correct) it’s, its It’s is the contraction of “it is.” Its is the possessive form of “it.” Example It’s not hard to see why my husband feeds that alley cat; its pitiful limp and mournful mewing would melt any heart. later, latter Later means “after a period of time.” Latter refers to the second of two things mentioned. Example The latter of the two restaurants you mentioned sounds good. Let's meet there later. lay, lie Lay means “to place.” Lay is a transitive verb. (See 632.2.) Its principal parts are lay, laid, laid.(See 637.) Examples If you lay another book on my table, I won’t have room for anything else. Yesterday, you laid two books on the table. Over the last few days, you must have laid at least 20 books there. Lie means “to recline.” Lie is an intransitive verb. (See 632.2.) Its principal parts are lie, lay, lain. Examples The cat lies down anywhere it pleases. It lay down yesterday on my tax forms. It has lain down many times on the kitchen table. learn, teach Learn means “to acquire information”; teach means “to give information.” Example Sometimes it’s easier to teach someone else a lesson than it is to learn one yourself. leave, let Leave means “to allow something to remain behind.” Let means “to permit.” Example Please let me help you carry that chair; otherwise, leave it for the movers to pick up. lend, borrow Lend means “to give for temporary use”; borrow means “to receive for temporary use.” Example I asked Haddad to lend me $15 for a CD, but he said I’d have to find someone else to borrowthe money from. less, fewer (See fewer.) liable, libel Liable is an adjective meaning “responsible according to the law” or “exposed to an adverse action”; the noun libel is a written defamatory statement about someone, and the verb libelmeans “to publish or make such a statement.” Example Supermarket tabloids, liable for ruining many a reputation, make a practice of libeling the rich and the famous. liable, likely Liable means “responsible according to the law” or “exposed to an adverse action”; likelymeans “in all probability.” Example Rain seems likely today, but if we cancel the game, we are still liable for paying the referees. like, as Like should not be used in place of as. Like is a preposition, which is followed by its object (a noun, a pronoun, or a noun phrase). As is a subordinating conjunction, which introduces a clause. Do not use like as a subordinating conjunction. Use as instead. Examples You don’t know her like I do. (Incorrect) You don’t know her as I do. (Correct) Like the others in my study group, I do my work as any serious student would—carefully and thoroughly. (Correct) literally, figuratively (See figuratively.) loose, lose, loss The adjective loose (lüs) means “free, untied, unrestricted”; the verb lose (lüz) means “to misplace or fail to find or control”; the noun loss (los) means “something that is misplaced and cannot be found.” Example Her sadness at the loss of her longtime companion caused her to lose weight, and her clothes felt uncomfortably loose. may, can (See can.) maybe, may be Use maybe as an adverb meaning “perhaps;” use may be as a verb phrase. Example She may be the computer technician we’ve been looking for. Maybe she will upgrade the software and memory. miner, minor A miner digs in the ground for ore. A minor is a person who is not legally an adult. The adjectiveminor means “of no great importance.” Example The use of minors as coal miners is no minor problem. number, amount (See amount.) OK, okay This expression, spelled either way, is appropriate in informal writing; however, avoid using it in papers, reports, or formal correspondence of any kind. Example Your proposal is satisfactory [not okay] on most levels. oral, verbal Oral means “uttered with the mouth”; verbal means “relating to or consisting of words and the comprehension of words.” Example The actor’s oral abilities were outstanding, her pronunciation and intonation impeccable, but I doubted the playwright’s verbal skills after trying to decipher the play’s meaning. passed, past Passed is a verb. Past can be used as a noun, an adjective, or a preposition. Examples That little pickup truck passed my ’Vette! (verb) My stepchildren hold on dearly to the past. (noun) I’m sorry, but my past life is not your business. (adjective) The officer drove past us, not noticing our flat tire. (preposition) peace, piece Peace means “tranquility or freedom from war.” A piece is a part or fragment. Example Someone once observed that peace is not a condition, but a process—a process of building goodwill one piece at a time. people, person Use people to refer to human populations, races, or groups; use person to refer to an individual or the physical body. Examples What the American people need is a good insect repellent. The forest ranger recommends that we check our persons for wood ticks when we leave the woods. percent, percentage Percent means “per hundred”; for example, 60 percent of 100 jelly beans would be 60 jelly beans. Percentage refers to a portion of the whole. Generally, use the word percent when it is preceded by a number. Use percentage when no number is used. Example Each person’s percentage of the reward amounted to $125—25 percent of the $500 offered by Crime Stoppers. personal, personnel Personal (an adjective) means “private.” Personnel (a noun) are people working at a particular job. Example Although choosing a major is a personal decision, it can be helpful to consult with guidancepersonnel. perspective, prospective Perspective (a noun) is a point of view or the capacity to view things realistically; prospective is an adjective meaning “expected in or related to the future.” Examples From my immigrant neighbor’s perspective, any job is a good job. Prospective students wandered the campus on visitors’ day. pore, pour, poor The noun pore is an opening in the skin; the verb pore means “to gaze intently.” Pour means “to move with a continuous flow.” Poor means “needy or pitiable.” Example Pour hot water into a bowl, put your face over it, and let the steam open your pores. Your poorskin will thank you. precede, proceed To precede means “to go or come before”; proceed means “to move on after having stopped” or “go ahead.” Example Our biology instructor often preceded his lecture with these words: “OK, sponges, proceed to soak up more fascinating facts!” principal, principle As an adjective,principal means “primary.” As a noun, it can mean “a school administrator” or “a sum of money.” A principle (noun) is an idea or a doctrine. Examples His principal gripe is lack of freedom. (adjective) My son’s principal expressed his concerns to the teachers. (noun) After 20 years, the amount of interest was higher than the principal. (noun) The principle of caveat emptor guides most consumer groups. (noun) quiet, quit, quite Quiet is the opposite of noisy. Quit means “to stop or give up.” Quite (an adverb) means “completely” or “to a considerable extent.” Example The meeting remained quite quiet when the boss told us he’d quit. quote, quotation Quote is a verb; quotation is a noun. Example The quotation I used was from Woody Allen. You may quote me on that. real, very, really Do not use the adjective real in place of the adverbs very or really. Example My friend’s cake is usually very [not real] fresh, but this cake is really stale. right, write, wright, rite Right means “correct or proper”; it also refers to that which a person has a legal claim to, as incopyright. Write means “to inscribe or record.” A wright is a person who makes or builds something. Rite is a ritual or ceremonial act. Example Did you write that it is the right of the shipwright to perform the rite of christening—breaking a bottle of champagne on the bow of the ship? scene, seen Scene refers to the setting or location where something happens; it also may mean “sight or spectacle.” Seen is the past participle of the verb “see.” Example An exhibitionist likes to be seen making a scene. set, sit Set means “to place.” Sit means “to put the body in a seated position.” Set is a transitive verb; sitis an intransitive verb (See 632.2.). Example How can you just sit there and watch as I set the table? sight, cite, site Sight means “the act of seeing” (a verb) or “something that is seen” (a noun). Cite (a verb) means “to quote” or “to summon to court.” Site means “a place or location” (noun) or “to place on a site” (verb). Example After sighting the faulty wiring, the inspector cited the building contractor for breaking two city codes at a downtown work site. some, sum Some refers to an unknown thing, an unspecified number, or a part of something. Sum is a certain amount of money or the result of adding numbers together. Example Some of the students answered too quickly and came up with the wrong sum. stationary, stationery Stationary means “not movable”; stationery refers to the paper and envelopes used to write letters. Example Odina uses stationery that she can feed through her portable printer. Then she drops the mail into a stationary mail receptacle at the mall. take, bring (See bring.) teach, learn (See learn.) than, then Than is used in a comparison; then is an adverb that tells when. Example Study more than you think you need to. Then you will probably be satisfied with your grades. their, there, they’re Their is a possessive personal pronoun. There is an adverb used as a filler word or to point out location. They’re is the contraction for “they are.” Example Look over there. There is a comfortable place for students to study for their exams, so they’remore likely to do a good job. threw, through Threw is the past tense of “throw.” Through (a preposition) means “from one side of something to the other.” Example In a fit of frustration, Sachiko threw his cell phone right through the window. to, too, two To is a preposition that can mean “in the direction of.” To is also used to form an infinitive. Too(an adverb) means “also” or “very.” Two is the number 2. Example Two causes of eye problems among students are lights that fail to illuminate properly and computer screens with too much glare. vain, vane, vein Vain means “valueless or fruitless”; it may also mean “holding a high regard for oneself.” Vaneis a flat piece of material set up to show which way the wind blows. Vein refers to a blood vessel or a mineral deposit. Example The weather vane indicates the direction of the wind; the blood vein determines the direction of flowing blood; and the vain mind moves in no particular direction, content to think only about itself. vary, very The verb vary means “to change”; the adverb very means “to a high degree.” Example To ensure the very best employee relations, the workloads should not vary greatly from worker to worker. verbal, oral (See oral.) waist, waste The noun waist refers to the part of the body just above the hips. The verb waste means “to squander” or “to wear away, decay”; the noun waste refers to material that is unused or useless. Example His waist is small because he wastes no opportunity to exercise. wait, weight Wait means “to stay somewhere expecting something.” Weight refers to a degree or unit of heaviness. Example The weight of sadness eventually lessens; one must simply wait for the pain to dissipate. ware, wear, where The noun ware refers to a product that is sold; the verb wear means “to have on or to carry on one’s body”; the adverb where asks the question “In what place?” or “In what situation?” Example The designer boasted, “Where can one wear my wares? Anywhere.” weather, whether Weather refers to the condition of the atmosphere. Whether refers to a possibility. Example Weather conditions affect all of us, whether we are farmers or plumbers. well, good (See good.) which, that (See 567.3.) who’s, whose Who’s is the contraction for “who is.” Whose is a possessive pronoun. Example Whose car are we using, and who’s going to pay for the gas? who, which, that Who refers to people. Which refers to nonliving objects or to animals. (Which should never refer to people.) That may refer to animals, people, or nonliving objects. (See also 567.3.) who, whom Who is used as the subject of a verb; whom is used as the object of a preposition or as a direct object. Example Captain Mather, to whom the survivors owe their lives, is the man who is being honored today. your, you’re Your is a possessive pronoun. You’re is the contraction for “you are.” Example If you’re like most Americans, you will have held eight jobs by your fortieth birthday.