This question is too basic; it can be definitively and permanently answered by a single link to a standard internet reference source designed specifically to find that type of information. Closed 10 years ago. I can’t seem to find a good explanation of what the differences are between the words location and locality. Are they … Read more
What is the correct rephrasing for this sentence? I went to the party and now I regret it. I shouldn’t have gone to the party I shouldn’t have been to the party Answer To be true, “have been” and “have gone” mean the same. “Be” as an intransitive verb means “be here”, “go to and … Read more
A cardiogram is a record of muscle activity, and a cardiograph is the machine that produces it — I know and understand this difference. That said, every time I’m having to use one of these words (or recollect them), I confuse the two. Is there a good way to remember which is which? Answer This … Read more
What’s the difference between stipulation and postulation? I am a German native speaker and both words can be translated to the German ‘Forderung’. In what context can ‘postulation’ be used? Is it an antiquated word? Answer According to Websters, stipulate means to make an agreement or to demand an express term in an agreement. There’s … Read more
I’m confused when to use the words ‘take’ and ‘drink’. For example, When we want someone to drink their medicine, we tell them to ‘take’ the medicine. On the other hand, when we want someone to drink some juice, we say ‘drink’ the juice, etc.. In both the cases we are telling them to drink … Read more
The two words seem quite similar in their meaning. Compliant: complying or tending to comply, yielding, submissive(Collins); ready or disposed to comply (Merriam-Webster) Synonyms: acquiescent, agreeable, amiable, duteous, dutiful, obliging, placable; soft, surrendering, yielding; fawning, kowtowing, obeisant, obsequious, servile, slavish, subordinate, subservient (Merriam-Webster) Subservient: obsequiously submissive (Merriam-Webster); Prepared to obey others unquestioningly (Oxford) Synonyms: submissive, … Read more
In researching confusables, I have yet to come across a term that describes the type of confusable that is created by two words of similar meaning but different spelling and pronunciation. The term synonyms is defined as being words of the same meaning, but do they also apply to words of similar or related meaning? … Read more
Calm and clamorous are opposite in meaning, but their pronunciation and spelling are a little similar. If I wrote a sentence of: “Always keep calm in clamorous world.“ Would people know what I mean? Is it an amusing quote? Answer I agree it is an interesting idea to use the two words in one sentence. … Read more
I am reading a book that says a man “consumed the marriage”, which I presume should be “consummated”. I did find an Italian website a using the same expression, although that read like it was written by a non-native speaker. I assume there is no such expression as “consumed the marriage”? The book is “Easy … Read more
The assure vs. insure vs. ensure has been discussed frequently on this site. But I came across a New Yorker article, which has excellent editing, which uses “insure” when it seemingly should have used “ensure.” Here’s the sentence in question, talking about a jumpshot in basketball: The shooting elbow travels upward on a narrow path … Read more
