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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
English in UK
Confusable words
I noticed a real schoolboy howler on the BBC News website earlier today. A house was to be 'raised' to the ground. Someone placed too much reliance on spellcheckers, it seems. But it was soon corrected to 'razed'.
What's unusual here is that the incorrect word sounds the same as the correct one, but has the opposite meaning:
Raise = lift up, set upright, construct
Raze = tear down, destroy
Can anyone think of another example in which two words have an identical (or similar) pronunciation, but an opposite meaning?
What's unusual here is that the incorrect word sounds the same as the correct one, but has the opposite meaning:
Raise = lift up, set upright, construct
Raze = tear down, destroy
Can anyone think of another example in which two words have an identical (or similar) pronunciation, but an opposite meaning?
Top answer
"David Picton" (Email Removed) [nq:1]What's unusual here is that the incorrect word sounds the same as the correct one, but has the opposite meaning: ... [/nq] I'll go one better. Twice.
- "David Picton" (Email Removed) [nq:1]What's unusual here is that the incorrect word sounds the same as the correct one, but has the opposite meaning: ...
- [/nq] I'll go one better.
- Twice.
- , of icing sugar on a cake
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126 Answers
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"David Picton" (Email Removed)
[nq:1]What's unusual here is that the incorrect word sounds the same as the correct one, but has the opposite meaning: ... Can anyone think of another example in which two words have an identical (or similar) pronunciation, but an opposite meaning?[/nq]
I'll go one better. Twice.
to cleave - to split in two
to cleave - to stick two things together, as
[nq:1]What's unusual here is that the incorrect word sounds the same as the correct one, but has the opposite meaning: ... Can anyone think of another example in which two words have an identical (or similar) pronunciation, but an opposite meaning?[/nq]
I'll go one better. Twice.
to cleave - to split in two
to cleave - to stick two things together, as
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David Picton typed thus:
[nq:1]I noticed a real schoolboy howler on the BBC News website earlier today. A house was to be 'raised' to ... Can anyone think of another example in which two words have an identical (or similar) pronunciation, but an opposite meaning?[/nq]
How about "cleave" and, er, "cleave"? To cut into two, or to cling on tightly.
David
==
[nq:1]I noticed a real schoolboy howler on the BBC News website earlier today. A house was to be 'raised' to ... Can anyone think of another example in which two words have an identical (or similar) pronunciation, but an opposite meaning?[/nq]
How about "cleave" and, er, "cleave"? To cut into two, or to cling on tightly.
David
==
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[nq:2]What's unusual here is that the incorrect word sounds the ... have an identical (or similar) pronunciation, but an opposite meaning?[/nq]
[nq:1]I'll go one better. Twice. to cleave - to split in two to cleave - to stick two things together, ... e.g., to dust the furniture to dust - to coat with a dust, e.g., of icing sugar on a cake[/nq]
You're just going to reinvent the long list of
[nq:1]I'll go one better. Twice. to cleave - to split in two to cleave - to stick two things together, ... e.g., to dust the furniture to dust - to coat with a dust, e.g., of icing sugar on a cake[/nq]
You're just going to reinvent the long list of
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In our last episode,
(Email Removed),
the lovely and talented David Picton
broadcast on alt.usage.english:
[nq:1]I noticed a real schoolboy howler on the BBC News website earlier today. A house was to be 'raised' to the ground. Someone placed too much reliance on spellcheckers, it seems. But it was soon corrected to 'razed'.[/nq]
Here in Texas we are not allowed "razed to the g
(Email Removed),
the lovely and talented David Picton
broadcast on alt.usage.english:
[nq:1]I noticed a real schoolboy howler on the BBC News website earlier today. A house was to be 'raised' to the ground. Someone placed too much reliance on spellcheckers, it seems. But it was soon corrected to 'razed'.[/nq]
Here in Texas we are not allowed "razed to the g
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[nq:1]David Picton typed thus:[/nq]
[nq:2]I noticed a real schoolboy howler on the BBC News ... have an identical (or similar) pronunciation, but an opposite meaning?[/nq]
[nq:1]How about "cleave" and, er, "cleave"? To cut into two, or to cling on tightly.[/nq]
It's still possible to stop reinventing the wheel: .
Bob Lieblich
Killjoy
[nq:2]I noticed a real schoolboy howler on the BBC News ... have an identical (or similar) pronunciation, but an opposite meaning?[/nq]
[nq:1]How about "cleave" and, er, "cleave"? To cut into two, or to cling on tightly.[/nq]
It's still possible to stop reinventing the wheel: .
Bob Lieblich
Killjoy
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Robert Lieblich typed thus:
[nq:2]David Picton typed thus: How about "cleave" and, er, "cleave"? To cut into two, or to cling on tightly.[/nq]
[nq:1]It's still possible to stop reinventing the wheel: .[/nq]
Embarrassingly, I have not yet committed the whole FAQ to memory. I shall try to do better in future.
David
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[nq:2]David Picton typed thus: How about "cleave" and, er, "cleave"? To cut into two, or to cling on tightly.[/nq]
[nq:1]It's still possible to stop reinventing the wheel: .[/nq]
Embarrassingly, I have not yet committed the whole FAQ to memory. I shall try to do better in future.
David
==
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Robert Lieblich filted:
[nq:2]David Picton typed thus: How about "cleave" and, er, "cleave"? To cut into two, or to cling on tightly.[/nq]
[nq:1]It's still possible to stop reinventing the wheel: .[/nq]
Possible but unlikely...I call it Pandora's law..r
[nq:2]David Picton typed thus: How about "cleave" and, er, "cleave"? To cut into two, or to cling on tightly.[/nq]
[nq:1]It's still possible to stop reinventing the wheel: .[/nq]
Possible but unlikely...I call it Pandora's law..r
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At 10:28:13 on Sat, 3 Apr 2004, Robert Lieblich
(Email Removed) wrote in (Email Removed):
[nq:1]What might be fun is to see if anyone can come up with additions. How about "check"? in a restaurant (at least in the US) it's an invoice; elsewhere it's a payment.[/nq]
OK, then, here's one - if I ask you to draw the curtains, are you going to open them or close them? (Of course, it could b
(Email Removed) wrote in (Email Removed):
[nq:1]What might be fun is to see if anyone can come up with additions. How about "check"? in a restaurant (at least in the US) it's an invoice; elsewhere it's a payment.[/nq]
OK, then, here's one - if I ask you to draw the curtains, are you going to open them or close them? (Of course, it could b
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[nq:1]I noticed a real schoolboy howler on the BBC News website earlier today. A house was to be 'raised' to the ground. Someone placed too much reliance on spellcheckers, it seems. But it was soon corrected to 'razed'.[/nq]
ISTR this howler was used as a joke in Sellar and Yeatman's great "1006 and All That".
John Hall "He crams with cans of poisoned meat
The subjects of the King
ISTR this howler was used as a joke in Sellar and Yeatman's great "1006 and All That".
John Hall "He crams with cans of poisoned meat
The subjects of the King
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[nq:2]I noticed a real schoolboy howler on the BBC News ... spellcheckers, it seems. But it was soon corrected to 'razed'.[/nq]
[nq:1]ISTR this howler was used as a joke in Sellar and Yeatman's great "1006 and All That".[/nq]
Correction: "1066 and All That".
John Hall "He crams with cans of poisoned meat
The subjects of the King,
And when they die by thousands G.K.Chestert
[nq:1]ISTR this howler was used as a joke in Sellar and Yeatman's great "1006 and All That".[/nq]
Correction: "1066 and All That".
John Hall "He crams with cans of poisoned meat
The subjects of the King,
And when they die by thousands G.K.Chestert
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