Confusing Words Clarified Group P
paced, paste
paced (PAYST)
1. To have walked in a manner that is slow, measured, and deliberate: "When she was worried, she paced the floor in the living room."
2. To have measured a distance based on a careful walk: "He paced off the distance between the gate and the door of the barn."
paste (PAYST)
1. To stick something to a surface: "The children are going to paste the stars to the blue background."
2. A dough mixture that is made with a high level of fat and can be used to make pastries: "She patted the paste into the deep baking dish and filled it with apple slices before baking it."
3. A mixture of flour and water that is used as glue: "Mother made the paste for me so I could work on my notebook."
4. Jewelry that is made from glass that has a high lead content: "The paste necklace was lustrous and looked almost real."
I paced in front of the jewelery store trying to decide whether to buy the paste necklace which I admired.
I couldn't make up my mind so I went home and discovered the children had tried to paste pictures into their photograph book using a paste of flour and water.
After that, I went into the kitchen to make a paste for the apple pie I was going to bake.
packed, pact
packed (PAKT)
1. Compressed or filled to maximum capacity: "The theater was packed for the opening performance."
2. To have created a compact bundle: "I packed my suitcase last night."
3. To have carried or to have worn: "He packed his gun when he went hunting."
4. To be capable of having a significant impact: "The hurricane packed a wallop when it came on land."
5. To leave without any expressions of farewell or good-bye: "After the quarrel with her father, she packed up without saying good-bye."
6. To have created layers which are compact: "The riverbank was packed into layers of sand, gravel, and clay."
7. An indication that someone has finished putting things into bags, boxes, etc.: "They were all packed and ready to move to their new apartment."
pact (PAKT)
A formal agreement between two countries, people, or groups; especially, to help each other or to stop fighting: "The ten nations signed a pact agreeing not to pollute the rivers."
"They supported a nonaggression pact between the two countries."
packs, pax
packs (PAKS)
1. To fill to the maximum: "The rock group really packs the stadium for the concert."
2. To assemble items into a compact space: "The boy packs his suitcase carefully so as not to forget anything."
3. To wear or to carry: "She always packs a lunch when she goes on holidays."
4. To cause a significant impact or impression: "The Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis pacts quite an impression when you see it for the first time."
pax (PAKS)
1. A Latin word for "peace" used in the Catholic Mass as a symbolic embrace in which the participants place their hands on each other's shoulders: "The priest urged the congregants to express their pax with their neighbors by shaking hands or placing their hands on each other’s shoulders."
2. A plaque or tablet containing a representation of a sacred subject and sometimes used in the Roman Catholic Mass during the pax: "At Christmas we often see the sign PAX displayed at the church."
3. In Roman mythology, Pax, the goddess of peace; identified with the Greek goddess Irene: "The Latin term pax, meaning "peace", is utilized in modern English."
Whenever the famous speaker comes to town, she packs the local assembly hall; her speech packs quite an impression; especially, if you are hearing her for the first time.
My friend always packs a lunch and a bottle of water when she attends. The theme of the speaker’s current talk is pax, urging neighbors to be friendly and forgiving.
In fact, the local church committee wants to put up a pax in the church to commemorate her visit.
pad, pad; pod
pad (PAD), noun
1. A piece of soft material used to protect something or to give it shape, to clean or to polish articles, or to absorb moisture: "Her father had to sit with a foam pad behind his back to help support him."
"The doctor put a gauze pad over her father's wound."
2. A covering for a specific part of the body that is worn to protect that part from injury: "Football players wear a pad for each shoulder and on the hips."
3. A set of paper sheets for writing or drawing which are glued or fastened at one edge: "They keep a pad and pencil, or pen, by the phone."
4. The soft part on the bottom of each foot of a dog, cat, etc.: "During freezing weather, each of an animal's foot pad, or the pads of their feet, can be painful."
5. A flat area on the ground where helicopters can take off or land: "Our city has a landing pad close to the hospital; especially, for emergency situations."
pad (PAD), verb
1. To cover or to fill something with soft material; especially, to protect it or to make it more comfortable: "The man wanted to pad the inside of the box with cloth and crumpled paper."
2. To make something larger, longer, or more attractive by addling things that are unnecessary, unimportant, or false: "Too many politicians tend to pad their speeches with accusations that their opponents caused the economic problems that exist in the country."
pod (PAHD)
1. A long, thin part of some plants that has seeds inside: "The pea pods contained enough peas for tonight's dinner."
2. A group of ocean animals; such as whales, that are swimming together: "During our ocean cruise, we were thrilled to see a whale pod and even a a dolphin pod swimming next to our ship."
The scientist tried to pad the report about the whale pod; in fact he used a whole pad of paper to write about the pod.
What happened next was tragic. His dog sneaked up on his soft pads and grabbed the report and ran away with it to the nearby helicopter pad and the report was blown away by the draft created by the helicopter blades.
paddock, paddocks; padlock, padlocks
paddock (PAD uhk)
1. A fenced area, usually near a stable, used primarily for grazing horses: "Yesterday, we enjoyed seeing the horses in the paddock on the farm that we were visiting."
2. An enclosed area at a race track where horses, dogs, etc., are kept before a race: "Before the horses were brought to the race track, they were waiting in the paddock for their turn to join the race."
3. In some places, any enclosed piece of land, whether tilled (soil that has been cultivated for the production of crops, as by plowing, harrowing, hoeing, sowing, etc.) or untilled: "There is a program in Tanzania that subsidizes some herdsmen who want to replace their bramble-enclosed paddocks with fences of metal and wood so they can protect their crops from bush pigs and other animals."
padlock (PAD lahk")
A detachable lock with a U-shaped bar hinged at one end, designed to be passed through the staple of a hasp or a link in a chain and then snapped shut: "She put a padlock on her front gate and the garage door."
The groom used a padlock to lock the paddock where the horses were stabled.
paid, payed
paid (PAYD)
1. Receiving remuneration for a service: "He is a paid employee for the company."
2. To have given remuneration for services provided or for property received: "I paid for my purchase at the cashier desk."
3. To have made compensation for; to discharge a debt: "He had paid his debt to society by doing volunteer work with street youth."
payed (PAYD)
Having coated something with pitch or other waterproof composition; such as, the seams of water vessels, roofs of buildings, etc.: "The contractors payed a dark sticky substance called pitch, which is obtained from tar, to waterproof the roofs of the houses they built."
pail, pale
pail (PAYL)
A round container that is open at the top and usually has a handle: "Please fill the pail with water and pour it on the rose bushes."
pale (PAYL)
1. Light in color: "We painted the walls with a pale blue color."
2. Having a skin color that is closer to white than is usual or normal: "When he came home from the hospital, his illness left him weak and pale."
The father asked his son to bring the light-colored bucket from the garage. "Do you mean the pale pail?" the boy asked.
pain, pane
pain (PAYN)
1. To suffer or to cause distress: "It will pain me to tell my friend about the accident."
2. A bodily sensation characterized by discomfort and suffering: "He was in severe pain with a broken hip that was caused by the fall down the stairs."
3. An individual who annoys or is troublesome to others: "My friend's sister is a pain when she gets into my school projects."
4. An acute emotional upset or disruption: "The pain of separation broke her heart."
pane (PAYN)
1. A sheet of glass framed for a window or a door: The glassier installed the new pane in the front door."
2. A side of a bolt head or nut: "The flat pane of the bolt made it easy to hang on to while I tightened the nut with the pliers."
If a broken glass-window were to have sense perceptions, isn't it obvious that it would feel a pain in the pane?
pair, pare, pear
pair (PAIR)
1. Characterized by two of something: "He bought a suit with a new pair of trousers."
"The new pair of shoes had buckles on the toes."
"An extra pair of hands is just what we need to get the work done."
2. A partnership of two often engaged in a competition against another partnership of two: "Our champion pair of tennis players easily defeated the challenging pair from the other club."
3. Two animals that mate together: "A pair of parrots can raise one chick each year."
pare (PAIR)
1. To diminish, to reduce, or to trim: "The new budget will pare down on all excess expenses."
"He used the clippers to pare his fingernails."
2. To remove the outer covering or skin of fruit with a knife or similar instrument: "She used the short knife to pare the apples before she made the apple pie."
pear (PAIR)
A fruit which is wide at one end (bottom) and coming to a modified point at the other end (top): "The pear tree surprised us with a large crop of pears this summer."
"Having a sweet and juicy pear is a real delight."
When the phone rang, I was busy trying to pare a pair of pears for our afternoon snack.
pairing, paring
pairing (PAIR ing)
Joining or associating one thing with something else: "Who would have thought of pairing cheese with apple pie?"
paring (PAIR ing)
Trimming or removing the thin outside layer of something; "My mother sat at the kitchen sink when she was paring the apples to make the pie."
The cook was thinking about the pairing of roast beef with potatoes; so, she asked her helper to start paring the potatoes.
palate, palette, pallet
palate (PAL it)
1. Roof of the mouth which separates the interior of the mouth from the nasal cavity: "The shape of the palate in her mouth gave her voice a peculiar quality."
2. The sense of taste, often in reference to a refined or informed sense of taste: "He had a fine palate for tea and drank several cups each day."
palette (PAL it)
1. A thin board upon which an artist mixes paints and which is held when the artist is painting: "When she needed a new palette for her studio, the artist went to the art supply store."
2. A distinctive quality or use of color in a painting: "The palette of the artist ranged from deep reds to gold."
pallet (PAL it)
1. A mattress or small, temporary bed: "When we have lots of company, mother makes up a pallet on the library floor for the children to sleep on."
2. A portable platform used to move heavy objects which are placed on it: "The tractor moved the pallet loaded with boxes to the end of the loading platform."
3. A small mechanism in a time piece which ensures the movement of the pendulum: "My clock keeps losing time and I think the pallet needs to be checked so the pendulum will work properly."
The artist who was famous for her palate for fine tea, worked with a palette and brush using a wide palette of distinctive colors.
She would often stand on a small pallet which she could move around the room in order to get a better perspective of her work.
Her studio was also equipped with a day pallet for a quick nap and an antique clock, the pallet of which needed adjusting from time to time.
pall, pawl
pall (PAWL)
1. To lose strength or to be tired of something: "My energy is beginning to pall and I need to stop for a cup of tea."
"The old jokes are starting to pall on the audience."
2. Something that covers up or conceals: "The smoke from the fire created a pall over the city."
3. The heavy cloth that is used to drape over a coffin in which a body is lying: "At the request of the family, the pall on their grandfather coffin was deep red with gold embroidery."
pawl (PAWL)
A piece of machinery that is intermeshed with another piece in a manner that causes movement in one direction: "With a loud clang, the pawl fell into place and the machinery started to operate."
paltry, petty, trivial
paltry (PAWL tree)
Trivial, meager, measly, inferior: "The miser gave a paltry donation to the fund for hungry children."
"The quality of the language used by the youth was paltry and made it difficult for the listener to understand what was being said."
petty (PET ee)
1. Of secondary or of little or no importance: "They often engaged in petty arguments that went nowhere."
2. Characterized as being narrow minded: "He appeared to be a petty individual who was not interested in new music or challenging art."
trivial (TRIV ee uhl)
Ordinary, not very important: "It was a day filled with trivial activities."
"Compared to the problems they are having, our inconveniences are trivial."
It seemed petty to argue about the paltry quality of the poultry when less trivial matters were at stake.
par, parr
par (PAR)
1. A typical or accepted standard: "His health was on par with other people his age."
2. The score standard for each hole during a golf game: "When we were on the golf course, I could not remember what the par for each hole was."
3. The established value of money of one country as expressed in terms of the money of another country, using an item of standard value for comparison; for example, gold: "The exchange rates at the bank indicated my money was on par with that of the country I was going to visit next week."
parr (PAR)
1. A young fish that feeds in fresh water: "From the bridge we could see the parr in the river below us."
2. Young salmon before they migrate to the sea: "The salmon are known as parr that live in fresh-water streams before they swim out to the ocean, become adults, and then return to breed and lay eggs in the streams that they left."
The length of the parr which we caught was par for the time of year; so, we threw it back into the water and continued our golf game, shouting PAR when we reached the next hole.
parameter, perimeter
parameter (puh RAM i tuhr)
A characteristic element or factor; a quantity or quality that gives a particular form to the thing it characterizes: "We will discuss the parameters of the project at our next meeting."
perimeter (puh RIM i tuhr)
1. The outer limits, edge, or boundary of an area: "The perimeter of the pasture was marked with a fence."
2. A fortified strip or boundary usually protecting a military position: "The soldiers were defending the perimeter of their camp for several days."
pariah, piranha
pariah (puh RIGH uh)
Someone who is disliked and rejected by other people: "She is a talented player, but her angry outbursts made her a pariah in the sport of tennis."
piranha (pi RAHN yuh, pi RAN yuh, pi RAH nuh, pi RAN yuh)
Any of several tropical South American freshwater fish that are voraciously carnivorous and often attack and destroy living animals: "We could see the multitudes of piranha attacking the small deer in the river with their sharp teeth and strong jaws and quickly devouring the animal."
"He is considered a piranha in the insurance business because he eats up the competition."
parlay, parley
parlay (PAHR lay, PAHR lee)
To bet successfully, to exploit, or to increase something into another item of greater value: "With his skill, he attempted to parlay his investment in the stock market into a great fortune."
"The gambler decided to parlay his gold watch against the cards of his opponent."
parley (PAHR lee)
A meeting to discuss points or issues of difference; to discuss subjects in such a meeting: "We scheduled a parley with the union to discuss wage issues."
"We attempted to parley the problems with the workers who were disinclined to listen."
partition, petition
partition (pahr TISH uhn)
To divide or to separate: "We built a new fence to partition our fields from those of the neighbor."
petition (puh TISH uhn)
To request or to solicit, typically done formally through a written document: "The governmental agency received the petition from the voters with over 1,000 signatures."
Passé, passe; posse
passé, passe (pah SAY)
1. No longer current or in fashion; out-of-date: "That style of music is now considered passé or passe."
2. Past the prime; faded or aged: "The clothes he wears these days are passé"
posse (PAH si)
A group of people who were gathered together by a sheriff in the past to help search for a criminal: "The sheriff and his posse rode out to look for the bank robbers."
passed, past
passed (PAST)
1. To have departed or to have died: "Her uncle passed away last night after a long illness."
"The traveling circus passed through the town after their performance."
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."
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 marks were posted, I noticed that I had passed the English grammar examination."
6. To exceed or to surpass: "The new shopping mall passed all expectations in terms of variety of stores and shops."
past (PAST)
1. Having taken place prior to the present: "It is interesting to study the past times of our town and to learn about the early settlers."
2. Having held a position of authority or ownership; former: "She was the past president of the musical organization."
"The past owner of the red sports car took very good care of it."
3. Going beyond something nearby: "She is past the age to be playing with the doll house."
"We went past the sign to the castle before we noticed it."
4. A previous life, history, or action: "She had a secret past which she did not want to talk about."
Those who cannot remember what has passed into the past are condemned to repeat it.
Based on a quote by George Santayana
pastor, pasture
pastor (PAS tuhr)
1. A spiritual leader or member of the clergy: "Mr. Smith is the new pastor for the church in town."
2. To serve or to act in the role of a spiritual leader: "My friend became the pastor of the church and organized youth groups."
pasture (PAS chuhr)
A field or space of land devoted to raising grass and in which grazing livestock feed: "The green pasture was dotted with white sheep and their lambs."
"The cattle enjoyed being in the fresh green pasture after a long winter in the barns."
pathetic, prophetic
pathetic (puh THET ik)
1. Arousing or capable of arousing sympathetic feelings of sadness and compassion: "The blind and elderly dog was a pathetic site and you could hear its pathetic whining."
2. Arousing or capable of arousing scornful pity: "The basketball team was fairly bad last year, but this year they're absolutely pathetic."
prophetic (pruh FET ik)
Foretelling events as if by divine inspiration: "He spoke casual words that proved to be prophetic."
"Her warnings proved to be prophetic because the dangers that she warned us about regarding our trip to Africa came true."
patience, patients
patience (PAY shuhns)
Having the characteristics of calmness, not complaining, or being steadfast: "My mother had a lot of patience when I was practicing the piano."
"Her patience paid off in that I became a famous concert pianist."
patients (PAY shuhns)
Several individuals who are receiving medical care and supervision: "The doctor's patients were waiting for her when she arrived at the clinic."
"The doctor said she was going out to the Street Clinic to see her 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. A Chinese Proverb
pause, paws
pause (PAWZ)
1. A temporary interruption, hesitation, or break from doing something: "The speaker announced that the panel of judges would pause in their deliberations and resume their meeting after lunch."
"After she read the speech, there was a slight pause before the audience started to applaud."
2. To stop or to linger: "I want to pause at the top of the hill and admire the view before driving on."
paws (PAWZ)
1. The feet of an animal, typically one with claws: "I had to wipe the mud off the paws of my dog after our walk in the rain."
2. To touch in a clumsy manner, to scratch with a foot or hoof: "I noticed that the horse paws the ground as if anxious to start the race."
"My kitten paws my shoe with her paw when she wants my attention."
Very often animals have to stop and rest or they just pause their paws for awhile.
paw, paw
paw (PAW)
The foot of an animal; especially, a quadruped, that has claws or nails: "The dog injured its paw when it dug in the field where there was a piece of broken glass."
paw (PAW)
An informal term referring to one's father: "My paw was always there to help me whenever I needed him."
"The word paw is used by some people as a slang term for pa which is in turn a slang term for father."
The dog was trained to lift its front paw to "shake hands" with my paw whenever he came home from work.
pawing, pawning
pawing (PAW ing)
Touching or grabbing in an excited or wild manner: "A crowd of customers was pawing over the remaining sales items on the tables."
"The puppies were playing as if they were fighting, pawing each other and rolling on the grass."
pawning (PAWN ing)
The process of giving someone an object; such as, a security for a loan: "I was having such a bad financial situation that I was pawning my silver rings in order to buy groceries."
pawn, pawn
pawn (PAWN)
1. One of the eight small pieces that have the least value in the game of chess: "His opponent in the game of chess took more than one pawn in that last move."
2. A person or group that does not have much power and who is controlled by a more powerful person or group: "She became a pawn in the political power struggle."
pawn (PAWN)
To give something that a person owns to a pawnbroker in exchange for money: "My friend was forced to pawn his coin set to pay for his rent and some food."
peace, piece
peace (PEES)
1. Tranquility, security, lack of disruption, or being harmonious: "After school, we enjoyed the peace of doing our homework without disruption."
"There was a sense of peace in the 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."
3. An exclamation used to request calm and silence: "The leader shouted for peace and the crowd became very quiet and listened to him."
piece (PEES)
1. A part of something, a fragment: "I decided I wanted a piece of pie for lunch."
"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."
"The youth read his piece which had won the prize for poetry."
4. A reference to a gun: "The hunter carried his piece carefully and it was unloaded."
5. A coin or an item used as a coin: "I have a piece which I think is very old and belonged to my grandfather."
"My sister told me to take the gold piece and see what the coin dealer would pay for it."
Peace, the thing we are all fighting for or going to war to achieve; or the brief lull before the storm. Anonymous
peaceable, peaceful
peaceable (PEE suh buhl)
1. Characterized as without conflict or disorder: "The mood on the university campus was peaceable and well ordered."
2. Not quarrelsome: "We have a peaceable relationship with my cousins and their families."
peaceful (PEES fuhl)
Of or relating to a time without violence or turbulence: "The years that I lived in the country were peaceful and productive because I was able to concentrate on my new novel and enjoy life."
peak, peek, pique, piqué
peak (PEEK)
1. A tapering, projecting point; a pointed extremity: "The peak of the roof had a weather vane on it."
2. The pointed summit of a mountain: "We hiked to the top of the mountain peak."
3. The point of greatest development, value, or intensity: "You could feel a peak of excitement in the audience when the symphony came to a conclusion."
peek (PEEK)
To glance or to look quickly; especially, through an opening or from behind something: "Please take a quick peek at this picture before I mail it to my aunt."
"While playing hide and seek, the woman's little boy would peek between the curtains at her."
pique (PEEK)
1. A state of vexation caused by a perceived slight or indignity; a feeling of wounded pride or a resentment at being disdained, a fit of displeasure: "She went into a pique when she did not get her way."
2. To excite, to arouse, or to cause curiosity or interest: "It seems that brightly colored things often pique a young child's interest."
piqué (pi KAY, pee KAY)
A tightly woven fabric with various raised patterns, produced especially by a double warp: "My new skirt is made of a blue piqué that matches the scarf I bought while I was on vacation."
peaked, peaked, piqued
peaked (PEEKT)
Characterized as having a pointed or sharp end: "The hat that he wore had a peaked top and a visor."
peaked (PEE kid)
Characterized as being pale and in poor health: "The little girl looked peaked and tired as she lay in the hospital bed."
piqued (PEEK'd)
To have excited or aroused anger and resentment: "His rousing speech served to have piqued the crowd which stood and cheered."
peal, peel
peal (PEEL)
1. A loud sound, as of bells, thunder, or the clanging of bells: "Across the meadow, we could hear the peal of the church bells coming from the hamlet in the valley."
2. A loud, easily heard sound: "We could hear the peal of laughter coming from the auditorium during the funny song and dance routine."
peel (PEEL)
1. The skin of a fruit: "The peel of the orange is aromatic and when grated makes a tasty flavoring for a cake."
2. To cut away or to strip off the skin, covering, surface, or the outer layer of something: "I will use a small knife to peel the orange for my breakfast."
"They were asked to peel off their coats as soon as they stepped into the house after having been in the rain storm."
3. A medieval fortification on the border between England and Scotland: "The peel had a moat surrounding it to protect the inhabitants from an invasion."
4. A flat shovel shaped tool used by bakers to put items into an oven or to remove them from the oven: "We used a wooden peel to remove the pizza from the brick oven just before it was time to eat it."
I could hear her peal of laughter from the living room in the kitchen where I was trying to peel an orange. I saved the peel to use for a baking project I was planning for the weekend.
pealing, peeling
pealing (PEEL ing)
The ringing of bells: "We could hear the pealing of the bells after the wedding ceremony."
peeling (PEEL ing)
1. Removing the outer layer of something: "We are peeling the apple with our fancy new apple peeler."
"Her skin was peeling because of the bad sunburn she got at the beach."
2. The skin of something; such as, the outer skin of fruit that has been removed: "We put the peeling from the apple in the compost."
pean, paean; peon
pean, paean (PEE uhn)
A song of praise associated with ancient Greece or praise expressed for something in a formal manner: "On our tour of Greece, we attended a ceremony in the amphitheater at which the actors sang a pean to the gods and deities."
"When the president of the company retired, several of his colleagues expressed their pean for his accomplishments."
peon (PEE ahn", PEE uhn)
1. A worker typically indebted to another individual and held in compulsory service to pay off a debt: "My great grandfather came to this country as a peon to the merchant who had paid his fare on the ship."
2. A landless laborer in South America: "The peon hired himself out to the owner of the hacienda in exchange for food and lodging."
3. East Asian workers often associated with the military: "The local village elder enlisted as a peon with the military as an orderly."
pearl, purl
pearl (PURL)
1. Someone who is special and unique: "Her friends described her as a pearl among women because she was always gentle and kind."
2. An object formed within the shell of a bivalve or mollusk as the result of the production of layers of secretion which encase an irritating foreign object and is often colored and lustrous: "I discovered a pearl in an oyster while I was eating some of them at dinner."
3. A gem which is made from the covered irritant in a bivalve: "She wore a pearl necklace and earrings with a beautiful pearl on each one."
4. Something that is shaped like or resembles a pearl or pearls: "Dew drops, each one of which was like a pearl, were glistening on the blades of grass as the sun came out."
purl (PURL)
1. To embroider or to stitch with gold and silver thread: "My sister decided to purl a design on her jacket."
2. A swirling stream or gentle murmur: "When we were hiking in the meadow, we came across a purl that looked fresh and inviting so we took off our boots and soaked our feet."
"We could hear the gentle purl of the birds as they were settling in the bushes for the night."
3. A stitch used in knitting, often used in conjunction with a knit stitch to create a smooth surface: "My teacher recited knit one, purl one, in hopes that I would learn to knit properly."
When my aunt was knitting a jacket, she used the knit one, purl one pattern.
Before she was done, she decided to purl a lovely design on the sleeves, including the pearls which she had from a broken necklace.
pedal, peddle, petal
pedal (PED'l)
1. The foot treadle or leaver that is pressed down to activate the attached machinery: "She pumped the pedal of the organ so it could be played."
"The pedal on my grandmother's sewing machine was fun to use."
2. The action necessary to move a bicycle: "I was going to pedal my bicycle home but I was too tired and decided to push it instead."
3. Of or relating to a treadle or to a foot: "When using my grandmother's old sewing machine, I used my right pedal or foot to press on the pedal which made the whole thing work."
peddle (PED'l)
To travel from place to place with items for sale: "My aunt used to peddle household cleaning products in the neighborhood by going from house to house."
petal (PET'l)
One of the leaves of a flower: "The pink petal from the rosebush fell off and was floating on the puddle of water"
After I decided to peddle the produce from our garden in the next town; I realized I would have to pedal my bicycle up the hill and as I brushed under the rosebushes, I discovered some pink petals were caught in my hair.
pedant, pendent, pundit
pedant (PED nt)
1. An individual who approaches teaching in a formal and often unimaginative manner: "Our history teacher is such a pedant that it is hard to concentrate on what he is saying."
2. An individual who flaunts the educational background which has been achieved: "The supervisor impressed me as a pedant because she never failed to mention that she had a Master’s Degree."
pendent (PEN duhnt)
1. Something that is suspended or hanging freely: "She wore a lustrous pearl pendent around her neck."
2. Ornamental roofs or ceilings characteristic of Gothic architecture: "The central building at the university appeared to have a pendent roof line."
3. That which is secondary or supplementary: "The last chapter in the book was a pendent added by the author to explain some of the basic information in the text."
pundit (PUHN dit)
A learned individual prone to give opinions in an authoritative manner: "The editor of the newspaper often came across as a pundit when he started talking about ecology and conservation."
The pundit from the newspaper frequently impressed me as a pedant when he was speaking.
I also noticed that he wore a pendent around his neck with the insignia from his university.
peer, pier
peer (PIR)
1. To inspect closely and intently: "We all tried to peer at the new baby elephant at the zoo."
2. Someone of the same rank, value, quality, ability, or standing: "He is my peer in terms of years of experience and education."
3. Social equality based on age, grade, or status: "The peer group at my high school was very active in sports."
4. A member of one of several ranks within British aristocracy: "My favorite aunt married an English peer and moved to live with him in his castle in the country."
pier (PIR)
1. A protective structure built out over the water and supported by pillars and used as a landing place, a pleasure pavilion, or as a walk for pedestrians: "The pier at Santa Barbara, California, was a great place to see fishermen, pelicans waiting for the men to toss them fish that were too small for people to eat, and a view of the Pacific Ocean."
2. The structural support between two openings in a wall; such as, two windows: "The large ornate mirror hung in the pier in the dining room and reflected the candle light on the table."
3. A mass of stone, concrete, or steel used to provide support for a wall: "The masons reinforced the wall with a pier of stone and gravel."
Calvin was talking to Hobbes: "I'd build a raft for this pond, but I don't have a place to dock it."
Hobbes replied: "I've always said you're a friend without pier. I guess you're under a lot of pier pressure."
Based on a conversation
in the "Calvin and Hobbes" cartoon.
in the "Calvin and Hobbes" cartoon.
pelisse, police
pelisse (puh LEES)
1. A long cloak or outer robe, usually of fur or with a fur lining: "Her warm winter pelisse was made of dark wool and lined with beaver fur."
2. A woman's loose light cloak, often with openings for the arms: "I have a plaid pelisse which I wear when I go to the opera."
police (puh LEES)
1. A member of an organization or political unit whose function is to ensure the safety and well being of the community: "The police often come to our school to talk with the students about bicycle safety."
2. A branch of government which is concerned with the maintenance of order and compliance with regulations: "The local police department is responsible for investigating crimes in our community."
3. To monitor and to prevent violations of rules and regulations: "We were asked to police the halls at school on rainy days."
pelt, pelt
pelt (PELT), noun
1. The skin of an animal with the fur or hair still on it: "The hunter was in the process of cutting lion's pelt off its body."
2. A stripped animal skin ready for tanning: "He added the pelt of the fox to the others that were going to be prepared for tanning."
pelt (PELT), pelted (PELT'd), verb
1. To strike or to assail repeatedly with or as if with blows or missiles; to bombard: "The boy decided that he was going to pelt the other guys with snowballs."
2. To cast, hurl, or throw objects: "You could see the rioter trying to pelt the police with bottles from the dumpster."
3. To hit against something repeatedly: "Rain and hail pelted the windowpanes for hours."
The celebrity was wearing the pelt of an animal as a coat which outraged the crowd who started to pelt her with paint balls.
pen, pin, PIN
pen (PEN)
1. A fenced enclosure for animals: "The sheep were kept in a pen next to the barn."
2. An instrument for writing: "The museum had an exhibition entitled the History of the Pen with examples of a quill pen, a fountain pen, a retractable pen, etc."
3. To write with a specialized instrument that uses ink: "The famous author decided to use a quill to pen his latest poem."
4. A slang term referring to a penitentiary or jail for long term prisoners: "The judge sentenced the gang member to seven years in the pen."
pin (PEN)
1. An instrument which is used to hold several pieces of material together, typically with a sharp point at one end and a knob on the other: "The seamstress used a long pin to hold the fabric pieces together."
2. One of several wooden pieces that constitute the target in a game: "When I go bowling, I have such poor luck, I am only able to knock one pin over at a time."
3. A peg that is the target for pitching a quoit or metal ring in a game of quoits. Then I pitched the quoit, it landed on the pin and I won the game."
4. The part of the stem of a key that goes into a lock: "I was very upset because I broke the pin of the key and was not able to open the lock."
5. A trifle or something of minor value: "She has just enough pin money to spend when she went shopping."
6. The pole or staff of a flag used to mark the hole in a golf course: "I was aiming for the red pin when it was my turn in the golf tournament."
PIN (PEN)
An acronym for Personal Identification Number: "For a person's financial protection, the PIN should be kept in a separate place away from his or her bank card in case the card is lost or stolen."
A pin is a small object that's easily lost because it's always pointed in one direction and headed in the other. Evan Esar
penance, pennants
penance (PEN uhns)
1. Actions or behaviors that suggest sorrow or regret for a serious transgression: "He went to church every day as a penance for having taken a book from the bookstore without paying for it."
"Her penance for shop lifting in the grocery store was to write an essay on the social costs of shop lifting."
2. A sacramental rite involving contrition, confession of sins to a priest, the acceptance of penalties, and absolution: "The pastor led the rite of penance for those in the congregation who attended."
pennants (PEN uhnts)
1. Nautical flags used for identification and signaling: "The ship entered the harbor with all the colorful pennants flying."
2. Flags often associated with a champion or winning sports team: "The pennants of the champion football team were purple and yellow."
3. Flags or banners that taper to a point at one end: "The pennants of the knights who supported the king were hung in the chapel."
The fans at the soccer game waved their pennants with enthusiasm and accidentally broke a window; however, when their team lost, the fans were so sad they felt a sense of penance and told the owner they would replace the broken window.
pencil; pensile; pencel, pensil
pencil (PEN suhl)
1. A tool for writing or drawing that consists of a slender cylinder surrounding a solid center typically made of graphite also known as lead: ?The artist used a fine pencil for her sketches of the countryside."
"The carpenter used a pencil that was flat on one side so it would not roll off her workspace."
2. A small stick of medication or cosmetics for local application: "The doctor gave her a pencil of antibiotic cream to put on the scratches of her arm."
3. A gathering or mass of rays such as sunshine: "A pencil of sunlight came through the wooden blinds of the window in the morning."
4. A collection of geometric objects each pair of which share a common property: "The adjoining cubes shared a pencil border."
pensile (PEN sighl")
Hanging loosely; suspended: "The birds nesting in the barn made pensile nests in the rafters."
pencel, pensil (PEN suhl)
A narrow flag, streamer, or pennon; especially, one carried at the top of a lance or spear: "When the knight rode into the tournament, he carried the pencel which had been given to him by his sister fastened onto his lance."
The traveling artist used a pencil to sketch the pensile banners in the church.
She created a fanciful picture which included a knight riding into the churchyard with a pensil waving from the point of his lance which was lighted by a pencil of sunshine streaming through the colored windows.
pendant, pendent; pennant
pendant, pendent (PEN duhnt)
A piece of jewelry that hangs on a chain or a cord which is worn around a person's neck: "She wore a beautiful pendant (or pendent) to the formal dance."
pennant (PEN uhnt)
1. A long, thin, pointed flag: "We could see the pennant waving on the tower in the breeze."
2. In U.S. baseball, the prize that is awarded to the champions of the certain leagues each year: "Our local baseball team won the American League pennant this year."
penitence, penitents
penitence (PEN i tuhns)
The condition or quality of showing regret for wrongdoing: "Forgiveness requires penitence."
penitents (PEN i tuhnts)
Those who are feeling or expressing remorse for their misdeeds or sins: "The penitents were seeking God's forgiveness."
The penitents were gathered in the garden to plant trees as their penitence for having chopped down a tree by the side of the road.
penned, pinned
penned (PEN'd)
1. To have written something, often done with a writing instrument which uses ink: "The document was penned and signed by the professors at the university."
2. Animals that have been enclosed in a confined area: "In the morning, the sheep were released back into the field of grass by the shepherd after having been penned during the night for their protection."
pinned (PEN'd)
1. Having immobilized or limited the movement of something or someone: "The wrestler was pinned to the canvas by his opponent."
2. To have given a girl a fraternity pin as a token of affection: "He pinned his girl friend as a token of his love for her."
3. Having assigned responsibility for something: "The police pinned the blame for the accident on the driver who was using his cell-phone while driving."
4. To have fastened or joined together: "The pattern for the dress was pinned to the fabric by the seamstress."
people, persons
people (PEE puhl)
Large groups or an undetermined number of individuals: "Thousands of people attended the annual book fair."
persons (PUR suhnz)
A relatively small or exact number of individuals: "There were only fifty persons who won prizes."
The plural of person is usually people except in formal or legal contexts, where the plural is often persons.
The words people and persons both refer to a number of individuals and are used interchangeably in most contexts.
No safe rule exists for choosing between people and persons except possibly what is expressed in the definitions as shown above. Since both words are in the plural format, neither term can be used to refer to an individual.
Compiled from information presented by
Harry Shaw in Dictionary of Problem Words and Expressions;
McGraw-Hill Book Company; New York; 1987; page 271.
Harry Shaw in Dictionary of Problem Words and Expressions;
McGraw-Hill Book Company; New York; 1987; page 271.
per, purr
per (PUR)
1. According to: "I did what I was told to do per the instructions that I received."
2. For each item, often with a financial context: "The price per box of chocolates is higher in this store than in the store across the street."
purr (PUR)
1. The vibrating murmur produced when a cat is content and happy: "My cat will purr very loudly after she has had her supper and is lying on my lap."
2. To speak in a manner that suggests a murmur of contentment: "The novel described her manner of speaking as if she would purr like a cat when she got her way."
3. To speak in a gossipy or malicious manner: "When the two got together, they would purr and chat about all the local gossip."
percent, per cent; percentage; percentile
percent, per cent (puhr SENT)
An amount that is equal to one one-hundredth of something: "It is estimated that water covers more than 70 percent of the earth's surface."
"I am 99.9 percent sure that her version of the incident is correct."
percentage (puhr SEN tij)
1. A share of the winnings or profits of an undertaking: "After taxes, I received a percentage of the profit from the sale of the property."
"I was pleased with my percentage from the bet at the horse race this afternoon."
2. Part of the whole of something presented in hundredths: "What is the percentage of winners in the lottery?"
percentile (puhr SENT tighl")
One of 100 equal parts that a group of people can be divided into in order to rank them: "My friend scored in the 95th percentile in advanced-vocabulary skills."
perch, perch, perch
perch (PURCH), verb
To sit on or to be on something high or on something from which it is easy to fall: "Birds often perch on the ledge outside our window."
perch (PURCH), noun
A high seat or location: "The lifeguard watches the swimmers from his high perch."
"The bird flew down from its perch in the tree."
perch (PURCH), noun
A fish that lives in rivers and streams and which is eaten as food: "Her father caught a good supply of perch for our dinner."
perches, purchase
perches (PURCH uhs)
1. Bars or pegs upon which something may be hung or upon which something may sit: "The pet store had several different perches to choose from for our new parrot."
"There was a row of perches in the cloakroom upon which to hang our coats."
2. To sit or to rest in a somewhat precarious situation: "My friend always perches on the edge of the chair."
"The eagle perches on the edge of the cliff poised to fly away.
3. Several small, white European fresh water fish (Perca fluviatilis); plural, perch or perches: "The river was abundant in perches and fishing was easy."
purchase (PUR chis)
1. Something bought for a price in money or equivalent: "I sought to purchase a brace of pheasant for the elegant dinner I was planning."
2. To acquire the ownership of something by means other than inheritance: "He acquired the ancestral lands by purchase rather than by inheritance."
3. To raise or to move through the use of a mechanical device: "The stone masons sought to purchase the rocks by using a lever to raise them."
4. To acquire through flattery, sacrifice, or a bribe: "His position on the Board of Directors was acquired through purchase and not through hard work."
The pet shop had to purchase more perches for the additional birds that were coming.
perfect, prefect
perfect (PUR fikt)
1. To be without fault or a defect; to be complete and faultless in all respects: "Her explanation was perfect and there was no confusion."
2. Meeting ideal expectations: "He was the perfect gentleman."
3. An accurate reproduction: "She painted a perfect copy of the photograph of her grandmother."
4. A verb form that indicates action completed in the past before another past action: "Please use the perfect tense of the verb when writing this sentence; for example, 'She had completed her homework before she went home.' "
5. To improve or to refine: "She sought to perfect her technique through constant practice."
prefect (PREE fekt")
1. A student in charge of monitoring other students, typically in a private school situation: "He wanted to be the senior prefect in his class when he went back to school in September."
2. A high ranking officer or magistrate: "He wore the mantle of a prefect in the city council."
perpetrate, perpetuate
perpetrate (PUR pi trayt")
To bring about, to commit a crime, to impose a hoax: "The police will try to find out who could perpetrate such a crime in the quiet neighborhood."
perpetuate (puhr PECH oo ayt")
To cause to last a long time or indefinitely; to preserve from oblivion: "By writing a biography, he tried to perpetuate the memory of his parents and their ordeals as pioneers living in the desert."
perpetual, perpetuity
perpetual (puhr PECH yoo uhl)
1. Lasting forever, eternal; serving in a position or office for an indefinite time: "The movie had a perpetual sense about it and I thought it would never come to an end."
"The beloved leader was elected to serve a perpetual term in office."
2. Continuous, blooming through every season: "The roses in the sheltered corner of the garden were in perpetual bloom."
perpetuity (puhr" pi TOO i tee, puhr" pi TYOO i tee)
1. The quality or state of lasting forever; an unlimited time; eternity: "The monument was to ensure the memory of the heroes would last in perpetuity."
2. Payment of an annuity on an ongoing basis: "My grandfather’s will stipulates that the annuity be paid to my aunt in perpetuity."
perplex, puzzle
perplex (puhr PLEKS)
1. To be unable to think clearly or decisively about something: "It will perplex me all evening if I am unable to resolve that mystery."
2. To make something intricate or complicated: "His explanation of the map only served to perplex me further."
puzzle (PUHZ uhl)
1. To present a mental challenge or to offer a situation that is difficult to solve: "He tried to puzzle me with the complicated mathematical equations."
2. To resolve a question or situation with ingenuity: "She was able to puzzle her way out of the challenging word quiz."
3. A challenging toy designed to amuse while requiring ingenuity to resolve or to complete: "On rainy days, she enjoyed working on the 1,000 piece jig saw puzzle of 50 different cats."
perquisite, prerequisite, requisite
perquisite (PUR kwi zit)
A payment or profit received in addition to a regular wage or salary; especially, a benefit expected as one's due; a perk: "Use of the company's jet is a perquisite of the job."
prerequisite (pree REK wi zit)
Required or necessary as a prior condition: "Competence is a prerequisite to promotion to the next level of administration."
requisite (REK wi zit)
Required; essential or something that is indispensable: "It is a requisite that we carry water with us when we hike into the desert."
persecute, prosecute
persecute (PUR si kyoot")
To constantly annoy, to harass, to afflict, or to bother someone: "The paparazzi were determined to persecute the famous actress by following her everywhere."
2. To treat someone cruelly or unfairly; especially, because of race or religious or political beliefs: "The regime was known to constantly persecute those who fought against it during the uprising."
3. To harass in such a manner as to injure or to afflict: "In the ancient city, the soldiers would often persecute people who were identified as foreigners."
prosecute (PRAHS i kyoot")
1. To initiate legal action as the result of a crime: "The police decided to prosecute the vandals who ruined the monument with graffiti."
2. To follow through with something until it is finished: "She is determined to prosecute those who committed the fraud until justice is achieved."
persecution, prosecution
persecution (pur" si KYOO shuhn)
1. The act or condition of being harassed or annoyed: "She had no tolerance for the persecution by the press since the publication of her new book."
2. The practice of harassing individuals in such a manner as to injure or to cause harm: "Persecution of someone even in jest, or as a joke, may be unlawful and immoral."
prosecution (PRAHS i kyoo" shuhn)
1. An individual or party which initiates a legal action in a criminal situation: "My uncle is a lawyer and is acting as the prosecution in a high profile criminal case."
2. The action of following through with a legal action until a final resolution has been accomplished: "The prosecution of the case was expected to take at least two years before the judge would give a final judgment."
personal, personnel
personal (PUR suh nuhl)
1. Done by an individual without intervention by another: "It was her personal decision to try to swim the English Channel."
2. Relating to one's body, private: "Her mother taught her good personal hygiene."
3. Relating to an individual's conduct, often in a negative context: "It felt like a personal insult when she left the party early without an explanation."
3. Short columns or stories about the activities of individuals or groups: "My sister's first job at the newspaper was to write the weekly personal column about the local guilds."
personnel (pur" suh NEL)
1. A group of individuals or staff who are employed or engaged in some activity: "The personnel list was posted in the lunch room at our office."
2. A department or part of an organization which is concerned with employees: "The personnel department is interviewing candidates for the new position."
perspective, prospective, prospectus
perspective (puhr SPEK tiv)
1. The technique for representing an object seen by the eyes on a flat or curved surface: "She presented an excellent perspective in her still life drawings."
2. A way or manner of thinking about and understanding a situation or subject: "The worried student took a long walk, after which his problems seemed to have taken on a new and more manageable perspective."
3. The process of being able to see or understand a situation in its true or relative importance: "With the new perspective on the situation, the committee was able to make sound recommendations."
4. A view which gives the impression of distance: "The perspective from the hill was lovely but we were glad the walk to the village was short."
5. The appearance to the beholder of objects with respect to their relative positions and distance: "By standing across the room, the artist was able to get a better perspective of the large painting she was working on."
prospective (pruh SPEK tiv)
1. Likely to happen or to come about: "She was a prospective mother and the baby was due in two months."
2. Relating to the future: "He wrote a long novel in the hope of getting a prospective bonus from the publisher."
prospectus (pruh SPEK tuhs)
1. A printed statement that summarizes or describes a business and is for distribution to potential investors: "I received the prospectus about the mining company and an invitation to attend their annual meeting."
2. A statement outlining the main features of a new work or business enterprise or an established institution: such as, a college, hotel, bank, business, etc.: "The prospectus from the bank suggested that high interest rates were a thing of the past and that loans will be more difficult to arrange."
perspicacious, perspicuous
perspicacious (pur" spi KAY shuhs)
1. Having or showing penetrating mental discernment; clear-sighted: "He always thought his mother was a perspicacious judge of character."
2. Having or showing an ability to notice and to understand things that are difficult or not obvious: "The movie critic made some perspicacious observations about the film."
perspicuous (puhr SPIK yoo uhs)
1. Clearly expressed or presented; easy to understand: "As an author and a speaker, he was hailed as a perspicuous writer and presenter of oral information."
2. Expressing oneself clearly and effectively: "The professor was known as a perspicuous lecturer."
peruse, pursue
peruse (puh ROOZ)
1. To study or to consider with close attention to details: "Please peruse this essay carefully and check for spelling errors."
2. To look at or to read something in an informal, casual, leisurely, or relaxed way: "He decided to peruse the newspaper during his break while he enjoyed a snack."
pursue (puhr SOO)
1. To find ways to achieve or to accomplish something: "She was determined to pursue a career in music."
2. To proceed or to follow: "We determined to pursue a course directly across the snowy field in order to get to our winter lodge."
3. To haunt or to afflict: "The nightmares continue to pursue me after witnessing the horrible boating accident."
4. To be involved in: "After his retirement, he was very happy to pursue his hobby of fishing."
5. To chase or to follow something in order to overtake, capture, or to kill it: "The hunter spent a long time in an effort to pursue the deer in the forest so he could shoot it and return home with venison for his family."
petrify, putrefy, purify
petrify (PET ruh figh")
1. To change into stone or a stony substance: "Over thousands of years, the buried tree trunk will gradually petrify into stone."
"His icy glare served to petrify me and I was unable to run away."
2. To confound with amazement or fear: "The harrowing tales of the author will petrify you and you will not want to walk in the graveyard after dark ever again."
3. To deaden or to stifle: "I had the feeling that the long lecture was going to petrify my mind because it was so boring."
putrefy (PYOO truh figh")
To create a state of rottenness, physically or morally: "If you bury the garbage, it will putrefy and eventually become compost."
"He was so evil he seemed to putrefy everything around him."
purify (PYOOR uh figh")
1. To become pure or clean: "The brisk winds seemed to purify the air in the city."
2. To free from guilt or blemish: "Her confession that she took her mother's ring helped to purify her conscience."
phenomenon, phenomena, phenomenal
phenomenon, singular noun (fi NAHM uh nahn", fi NAHM uh nuhn)
1. A rare fact, circumstance, experience, or event: "It is considered a phenomenon when the home football team wins a game even with their poor record."
2. Any extremely unusual or extraordinary thing or occurrence that is known through the senses rather than known through thought or study: "The neighbor was shocked with the phenomenon of a fire suddenly starting from an electrical explosion in her kitchen caused by her refrigerator."
3. A fact of scientific interest that can be scientifically described, appraised, or explained: "Our chemistry instructor demonstrated the phenomenon of mixing chemicals to produce dyes for industrial purposes."
phenomena, plural noun (fi NAHM uh nuh) of phenomenon
Occasionally used as the singular form of phenomenon but such usage is considered incorrect: "When my essay was returned, my teacher had noted that I had correctly used the word 'phenomena' when discussing the many sightings of a rare bird on the river."
phenomenal adjective (fi NAHM uh nuhl)
1. Extraordinary: "She made phenomenal progress with her singing lessons because she practiced every day."
2. Very good or great; extremely unusual in a way that is very impressive: "The book was a phenomenal success for several months."
physic, physique, psychic
physic (FIZ ik)
1. A medicine or remedy; especially, a laxative: "The doctor recommended a physic to overcome the patient's constipation."
2. The art of medicine and healing: "She wanted to follow in her mother's footsteps and planned to train as a physic as soon as she could."
3. To treat with medicine or to administer medicine to: "The prescription was to physic the patient as soon as possible in order to purge the blockage of his intestines."
physique (fi ZEEK)
The structure, strength, appearance, or form of a person's body: "He exercised every day to maintain his healthy physique."
psychic (SIGH kik)
1. That which lies outside knowledge or physical science; immaterial or spiritual in nature; supernatural: "There was a psychic quality about her personality which puzzled her friends."
2. Characterized by extraordinary sensitivity to forces beyond the physical world: "She seemed to have a psychic understanding of the woman’s troubles."
3. A medium or individual who is sensitive to supernatural influences: "We decided to go to see a psychic to see if we could learn anything about our future lives."
pi, pie
pi (PIGH)
1. The 16th letter of the Greek alphabet: "I have memorized all the Greek letters up to and including pi (π)."
2. A number approximately equal to 3.14159 which is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter and is represented by the symbol π: "Learning what pi means has presented a mental block which is still unclear to me."
pie (PIGH)
1. A dessert or savory dish that is baked in a pastry shell often with two crusts: "She baked an apple pie for dessert which we ate with cheese."
2. A business or social activity: "She wanted to have her finger in every social pie in town."
3. The whole of something which can be divided into shares: "The bankers were determined to share the economic pie with the shareholders."
piazza, pizza, plaza
piazza (pee AZ uh, pee AH zuh)
1. A square open place surrounded by buildings in a town or city: "The cafes lined the piazza in the charming city."
2. A porch that is arcaded and roofed: "They sat in the piazza to stay out of the sun while they drank their coffee."
pizza (PEET zuh)
A single crusted pie often made of bread dough that is covered with tomatoes, cheese, and spiced meats, etc., and baked: "I like to put cheese and olives on my pizza when I make it at home."
plaza (PLAZ uh)
1. An open air space in a city or town: "The new plaza was designed primarily for bicycle parking and pedestrian traffic."
2. A shopping area often adjacent to a road or highway: "My aunt's bakery is located in the plaza near the main road into the city."
3. An area on or next to a highway having restaurants, gas stations, restrooms, etc.: "Besides the toll booth, the plaza also had a service station and coffee shop; also called a toll plaza."
picture, picture; pitcher
picture (PIK chuhr), noun
1. A painting, drawing, or photograph of someone or something: "We put the picture on the wall at her mother's place."
2. A conception of how something or someone looks or what something is like: "After our discussion, I am convinced that we have a clearer picture of what we need to do to enhance our project."
3. Something or someone that looks very much like another person or thing: "The daughter was the picture of her mother."
picture (PIK chuhr), verb
1. To have a thought, understanding, or idea bout someone or something; to imagine: "After all these years, I can still picture the tiny house and the neighborhood where we lived in poverty."
2. To describe someone or something in a particular way: "Unless we have experienced them ourselves, we can only picture the horrible devastation and suffering that is caused by earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones, etc."
pitcher (PICH uhr), noun
1. A baseball player who throws the ball to the batters and attempts to strike them out: "The pitcher had an exceptional day when he was able to strike out the first three batters in each of three consecutive innings."
2. A container with a lip and handle that is used for holding and pouring out liquids of various kinds: "Their mother poured milk out of a pitcher into the bowls of cereal that the children were going to have for breakfast."
3. The amount of liquid held by a container: "We drank more than one pitcher of cold tea during that hot summer day."
pidgin, pigeon
pidgin (PIJ uhn)
A simplified form of speech that is usually a mixture of two or more languages, has a rudimentary grammar and vocabulary, is used for communication between groups speaking different languages, and is not spoken as a first or native language: "The explorer in the desert learned to speak a pidgin form of the native language so he could communicate with those who lived there."
pigeon (PIJ uhn)
1. An easy target, often in the context of exploitation: "He flashed his money around in such a manner that it made him a pigeon for thieves."
2. Birds characterized by having a stout body, short legs, and smooth, solid, compact plumage: "There is a handsome black and white pigeon that comes to eat bird feed every day in our back yard."
pike, pike, pike, Pike
pike (PIGHK)
1. A freshwater game and food fish of the Northern Hemisphere that has a long snout and grows to a length of over 1.2 meters (4 feet): "Any of various similar or related fish called northern pike."
There are those who look forward to the time when they can go fishing for pike."
pike (PIGHK)
A road that people must pay to use: "In this kind of weather, there probably will be too much traffic on the pike."
"We decided to take the pikeven though we knew we would have to pay the toll."
pike (PIGHK)
A long spear formerly used by infantry which typically consisted of a long pole with a sharp metal point: "During the Middle Ages, foot soldiers would carry a pike and a shield to battle."
Pike (PIGHK)
An American army officer and explorer noted for his expedition up the Arkansas River to the Rocky Mountains (1806-1807): "Zebulon Montgomery Pike (1779-1813) had a mountain in Colorado named after him, now known as Pikes Peak, in the Rocky Mountains west of Colorado Springs."
We were going down the pike on our way to fish for some pike when our friend saw what turned out to be a pike that fell off a truck.
Found near the foot of Pikes Peak, consisting of a spearhead attached to a long pole or pikestaff (which was later superseded by the bayonet), it turned out that it belonged to a collector of historical medieval weapons.
pilot, pilot
pilot (PIGH luht)
1. Someone who flies an airplane, helicopter, etc.: "The pilot of the plane made sure that we arrived at our destination on time."
2. To fly an aircraft or to steer a ship: "His sister is learning how to pilot an airplane and his brother is getting experience in piloting ships into port during fair and stormy weather."
pilot (PIGH luht)
Done as a test to see if a project, study, etc., should be done: "The staff of the school conducted a pilot study to see if students could improve their educational skills."
pine, pine
pine (PIGN)
1. Any of various evergreen trees of the genus Pinus, having fascicles of needle-shaped leaves and producing woody, seed-bearing cones: "These pine trees are widely cultivated for ornament and shade and for their timber and resinous sap, which yields turpentine and pine tar."
2. A tree that has long, thin needles instead of leaves and which stays green throughout the year: "The wood of a pine tree is often used to make furniture."
pine (PIGN)
1. To feel a lingering, often a nostalgic desire: "It was sad to see him pine all these months for his college sweetheart."
2. To wither or to waste away from longing or grief: "If he continues to grieve for his dead parents, he will pine away and die, too."
My friend told me that he was still pining for the pine trees where he grew up in the mountains. In other words, he pines for the pines of his youth.
pink, pink, pink, PINK
pink (PINGK)
Very fashionable; up to date: "Her pink style was often imitated by her friends."
pink (PINGK)
A hue of color ranging from pale red to slightly darker red: "Her pink hat was in contrast to her red suit."
pink (PINGK)
1. To hurt or to wound by the use of irony or criticism: "His efforts to pink his opponent in the election backfired and as a result, he lost the election."
2. Informal, very happy or amused: "He was tickled pink by the attention he got from his girl friend."
PINK (PINGK)
Thomas Pink, a retail clothing business, started inondon, England,n 1984. The three Irish men who established theusinessamed the companyfter an 18th century London tailor who was famous as a clothing manufacturer, specializing in fine cotton shirts: "I boughty PINK shirt when it was on sale."
pistil, pistol
pistil (PIS tuhl)
The long central part of a flower that extends from the ovary: "We could see the pistil or seed-bearing organ of the flower on our table."
pistol (PIS tuhl)
A small gun made to be aimed and fired with one hand: "He practiced shooting his pistol at targets at least once a month."
pitch, pitch, pitch, pitch
pitch (PICH), noun
1. Any of various thick, dark, sticky substances obtained from the distillation residue of coal tar, wood tar, or petroleum and used for waterproofing, roofing, caulking, and paving: "The workers will use the commercial pitch on our driveway today."
2. A resin derived from the sap of various coniferous trees, as the pines: "He just found out how sticky the pitch from the tree can be."
pitch (PICH), noun
1. The height or decreased level of a sound: "His voice has a low pitch."
2. Things which are said by someone; such as, a salesman, in order to make others want to buy, to do, or to accept something: "The author of the novel stared to make her pitch about her new book as soon as she was introduced to the audience."
pitch (PICH), verb
1. To throw, usually with careful aim: "The baseball player will pitch his first ball as a professional today."
2. To discard by throwing: "He plans to pitch the trash in the first bin that he finds."
3. To fall in a headlong manner: "He stepped on his shoelace and started to pitch down the staircase, but he was able to stop himself before being hurt."
pitch (PICH), verb
1. To set at a particular level, degree, or quality: "Is it possible that she will pitch her expectations as a singer too high?"
2. To talk about or to describe something in a favorable way so people will want to buy it, accept it, etc.: "They tried to pitch the TV show to several different networks before they finally found one that agreed to produce it."
piteous, pitiable, pitiful
piteous (PIT ee uhs)
Something which elicits a strong sense of sympathy or compassion: "The circumstances of poverty were piteous and roused my determination to help in the local soup kitchen."
pitiable (PIT ee uh buhl)
Wretched, paltry, lamentable: "When the Industrial Revolution was just getting started, employees earned pitiable wages and often lived in piteous housing."
pitiful (PIT i fuhl)
Touching, or exciting compassion: "The man who was standing on the corner looked so pitiful because he had no umbrella and he was being soaked by the unexpected rain."
place, plaice
place (PLAYS)
An area with definite or indefinite boundaries; a portion of space: "We had to hunt for a large parking place for our truck because it was so big."
plaice (PLAYS)
A large edible marine flatfish: "For lunch we decided to have plaice and chips at the roadside shop."
plain, plane
plain (PLAYN)
1. Outspoken, without subtlety: "The mayor was plain spoken and did not try to disguise what she was saying."
2. Ordinary, lacking in affectation: "Her manners were plain and helped to make visitors very comfortable."
3. Not complicated: "My mother preferred plain home cooked meals instead of highly spiced foods."
4. A wide and open stretch of land, often treeless: "The fields of wheat covered the plain as far as we could see."
5. Without ornament: "The plain curtains in the window were strictly functional."
plane (PLAYN)
1. An instrument or tool for making the surface of wood smooth: "The cabinetmaker used a sharp plane to smooth the surface of the wooden table."
2. A level of consciousness or development: "His plane of thought was lofty and purely academic."
3. A major supporting surface of an airplane: "The plane of the new airplane was designed to hold the wing and be strong but not heavy."
4. A word used interchangeably with airplane: "The plane taxied to the take off site."
5. Flat, level; having no depressions or elevations: "The plane surface of the table was enhanced by the vase of stunning flowers."
As I got on the aircraft, I noticed that it was just a plain plane without any luxuries.
plait, plate, pleat
plait (PLAYT, PLAT)
1. A braid or pigtail: "Her plaint of hair was dark, heavy, and was hanging down her back."
2. To braid: "She decided to plait her hair with colored ribbons."
plate (PLAYT)
1. A flat and usually round dish which is used for eating or serving food: "I had a full plate of food so I didn't need to have any second servings."
2. Table settings or cutlery that is made by the process of chemically or electronically bonding a thin layer of a valuable metal onto a less valuable base metal: "The host set the table with the old family plate."
3. Any of large movable segments of the earth surface that shift during an earth quake: "The seismologist studied the plate in the earth quake prone area of the desert."
4. The dish which is passed among people for collections, often in a religious context: "The ushers passed the plate for contributions to support the church fund."
pleat (PLEET)
1. A fold in a piece of material, often cloth, made by doubling the material over itself: "The seamstress made a pleat in the belt on the coat so it would hang in an attractive style."
2. To create a fold: "The student decided to pleat the paper carefully to make a paper airplane."
pleas, please
pleas (PLEEZ)
1. Statements made by a party in a legal proceeding in support of the party's position; as well as, the responses of an accused person to the charges brought before the court: "The alleged robber entered pleas of not guilty in the court to the charges of robbing the bank and breaking the front door of the bank."
2. Explanations offered to excuse or to justify a decision: "We decided to leave the party early, offering our pleas to the host that we had an early appointment the next day."
3. Earnest begging or request for something: "Her pleas to stay out late did not make her parents change their position that she should be home before midnight."
please (PLEEZ)
1. To give satisfaction or pleasure: "She decided to please her friend by making a special chocolate cake for dessert."
2. A word used to express politeness: "Won’t you have some cake, please?"
"Please sit down and be comfortable by the fire."
You could hear his pleas as he tried to please his mother in hopes of getting an extra dessert.
plebeian, proletarian
plebeian (pli BEE uhn)
A common or ordinary individual or behavior: "He always joked that he was a plebeian and rode his bicycle to work instead of taking the car."
proletarian (proh" li TAIR ee uhn)
A person who has low social status; such as, a member of the working class: "Because he lacked a proper education and social existence, he spent his whole life as a poor proletarian."
plum, plumb
plum (PLUM)
1. The fruit from one of several trees which is smooth skinned and with a large seed or pit in the middle: "We have a plum tree in the garden which yields delicious yellow fruit."
2. A color that is dark reddish or purple in tone: "Her winter coat was a lovely plum color and looked nice with the white fur collar."
plumb (PLUM)
1. A weight on the end of a line, used to determine water depth: "The captain of the ship dropped the plumb to determine the water depth in the river."
2. A weight on the end of a line, used especially by masons and carpenters to establish a true vertical: "The builders used a plumb quite often so they could be sure that the structure was straight and not leaning."
plump, plumped; plump
plump (PLUHMP), plumped (PLUHMP't)
1. To sit, fall, or to lie down in a sudden, awkward, or relaxed way: "She came home and plumped down on the couch in the living room."
2. To shake or to hit something; such as, a pillow, to make it fuller, softer, or rounder: "When he got into bed, he tried to plump up his pillow."
plump (PLUHMP)
Having a full, rounded shape; chubby: "Until he was about ten years old, he was a plump little boy."
"We ate a plump, juicy peach with our lunch."
How do you make thin boys fat? You throw them up in the air and they come down plump!
poise, poise, poised
poise (POIZ), noun
1. A calm, confident manner: "Although he was verbally attacked, he responded with poise and dignity."
2. A graceful way of walking, moving, standing, etc.: "She was a dancer with great poise and grace."
poise (POIZ), verb
1. To hold something in a balanced and steady position: "We can see the students poise their fingers over their computer keyboards as they wait for the teacher's signal to begin the assigned research on the internet."
2. To hold or to support, as in readiness: "The congressional committee wants to poise a new proposal for the health bill."
poised (POIZ'd), verb, past tense
1. Not having moved, but ready to move when the situation calls for such action: "All of the actors were poised on the stage prepared to do their parts when the curtain was opened."
2. Someone who was prepared or ready for something: "The new senator-elect was poised to take on his new duties."
"They were poised to become top scholars in their academic fields."
3. Having been in a state, place, or situation that was between two different or opposite things: "The survivors of the earthquake were poised between struggling as survivors and additional devastation."
"A Roman gladiator cut the noose that was thrown by an opponent with a single slash of his sword while the rope was still poised in mid-air."
The politician was poised to answer the questions from the press with poise even after being attacked for his current political position regarding the war.
Poise is the ability to hide one's anger; or, poise is the ability to be ill at ease without showing it.
Scintillate, scintillate, globule vivific!
Fain would I fathom thy nature specific,
Distantly poised in the ether capacious,
Closely resembling a gem carbonaceous.
Did you have difficulty understanding this sesquipedalian version of the poem? If so, here it is in a simple format.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star!
How I wonder what you are,
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
pole, poll
pole (POHL), verb
To move an object or person forward using sticks to propel the object or person: "The riverboat operator was able to pole the raft across the river."
"The champion skier could pole his way on the slopes with great skill."
poll (POHL), noun
1. The flat striking end of a heavy instrument; such as, a hammer: "The carpenter used the poll of her hammer to drive the nails into the lumber."
2. The location where votes are cast and or counted in an election: "My voting poll is just across the street."
"My uncle was assigned to my poll when it was time to count the votes after the election."
3. The questioning of individuals typically selected randomly to obtain information or to determine the opinions of the population: "I was contacted by telephone to complete a poll regarding the upcoming election."
4. A process of an election whereby people are requested to indicate their choice individually: "The poll on the decision to break for coffee was done by a show of hands."
5. One of two opposite positions, situations, etc: "The two politicians were each on the opposite pole of the argument; in other words, they were poles apart."
6. Either end of the axis of a sphere; such as, the earth: "The arctic explorers planted a flag at the pole to mark their discovery."
7. Either of the two ends of an electric battery: "The directions said to place the positive pole of the battery pointing towards the top of the flashlight."
polish, Polish
polish (PAHL ish), verbs and nouns
1. To perfect, to shine, to make glossy or refined: "I will use a soft cloth to polish the furniture."
2. To improve something by making it better than it was before: "We need to polish up some areas in our project before we can say that we are finished with it."
3. Cultured, not coarse or rude: "Her speech reflected the polish of her fine education and training."
4. A preparation which is used to clean or to shine furniture, etc.: "I used the polish on the silver plate that my grandmother gave me."
Polish (POH lish), adjective
Relating to, or referring to, Poland, the Poles, their language, or their culture: "Chopin was a famous Polish composer and pianist."
It was necessary that we polish the Polish tables and chairs.
pomace, pumice
pomace (PUHM is, POHM is)
1. That which has been crushed into a pulp: "The tomato pomace which the farmers made is great in tomato sauce."
2. The residue of material from which the liquid has been removed: "There was a layer of pomace at the bottom of the grape press."
pumice (PUHM is)
A volcanic stone that is filled with air spaces and is very light, often ground to use as a polishing agent: "There was a pumice stone on exhibition that was from Mt. Vesuvius in Southern Italy."
"The stone finishers used a fine pumice to polish the stone once it had been cut."
pommel, pummel
pommel (PUHM uhl, PAHM uhl)
1. To beat; to pummel: "The rowdy boys on the playground tried to pommel a group of older boys."
2. The high, round part on the upper front part of a saddle; a saddlebow: "The cowgirl wrapped her lasso around the pommel on her saddle."
pummel (PUHM uh)
To beat, or the act of beating, as with the fists; to pommel: "The angry crowd wanted to pummel the thief who was trying to get away after knocking the old lady down and taking her purse."
poor, pore, pour
poor (POOR)
1. Inadequate, meager, inferior, characterized by poverty, without material possession: "The critics agreed that the singer at the concert was a poor choice."
"The living conditions for the refugees in the large city were poor."
"The children felt very poor because they did not have the latest TV model."
2. Not good in quality or condition; bad: "His poor physical condition makes it impossible for him to find a job."
"The driver couldn't see the road sign because his of his poor vision."
3. Used when referring to someone or something in such a way as to show sympathy: "Leave the poor man alone, because he can't help it if he can't walk faster."
"I wonder how those poor birds find food during the winter when the snow is covering everything."
pore, pores (POHR, POR; POHRZ)
1. To study intently, to meditate upon something in a steady manner: "The scholarship candidate was determined to pore over her notes before the examination."
"I sat quietly in the comfortable chair in order to pore over the sad news from home."
2. The very small openings in the surface of a plant or animal through which matter may pass: "She used a special soap to clean the pores on her skin."
pour (POHR, POR)
1. To rain hard and consistently: "The weather prediction is that there will be a down pour which will last for about three hours."
2. To flow or to dispense from a container: "The maid was careful to pour the tea from the pot into the new cups."
3. To give uninhibited expression to: "The two friends agreed to meet and to pour out their concerns to each other."
4. To come continuously: "Compliments about the new fashion designs seemed to pour in every day."
poplar, popular
poplar (PAHP luhr)
Any of a number of quick growing trees which are part of the willow family: "The gardener planted a row of poplar trees along the side of the driveway hoping they would grow quickly and provide shade."
popular (PAHP yuh luhr)
1. Inexpensive and available to the majority of the population: "The pink sunglasses were very popular among the girls at the local school."
2. Plain, easily understood: "The historian wrote a popular book about local events in the village."
3. Widely accepted or encountered: "It is a popular myth that the moon is made of green cheese."
populace, populous, population, populist
populace (PAHP yuh lis)
The people, the masses in a location: "The populace in the mountainous area of the country enjoy skiing in the winter."
populous (PAHP yuh luhs)
Having a large number of individuals living in the same location; densely inhabited; crowded: "The stadium was populous during the soccer playoffs."
population (pahp" yuh LAY shuhn)
1. The entire number of people or inhabitants in an area: "The population of sheep exceeds the population of people in some agricultural countries."
2. A collection of individuals having common characteristics: "The majority of the population in the city lived in single home dwellings."
3. A sampling of individuals which have been selected for statistical measurement: "The poll results reflected the interests of the population in the rural areas of the country."
populist (PAHP yuh list)
1. Someone who believes in the rights and wisdom of the common people: "Her poetry was populist in nature and appealed to the students at the university."
2. A political party which claims to represent the best interests of the common people: "He ran for governor on a populist ticket appealing to the farmers and shop keepers in the area for their vote."
poring, pouring
poring (POHR ing)
The act of studying intensely: "She was poring over her lesson plans carefully in anticipation of her first day of teaching."
pouring (POHR ing)
1. The act of dispensing a fluid or substance from a container: "The scientist was very careful as he was pouring the green fluid from one container to another."
2. The results of a heavy rainstorm: "After a spectacular show of lightning and thunder, it was pouring rain during the afternoon."
3. The act of giving vent to intense emotions and feelings or expressing one's thoughts forcefully: "She was pouring out her grief to her friend as they sat on the bench in the park."
portion, potion
portion (POHR shuhn)
1. An individual share or part: "Would you like to have a portion of pie for dessert?"
2. A dowry or inheritance: "The heiress' portion of her father's estate was considerable, and as a result, many suitors sought her hand."
3. An individual's lot or fate: "Because he broke a window at school, the silly boy's portion was to clean up the playground after school for the next two weeks."
potion (POH shuhn)
A drink or a mixture of liquids: "The doctor mixed a potion for her patient to drink which she said would help his cough."
pound, pound, pound, pound
pound (POUND)
To strike repeatedly with force: "Because I did not have a hammer, I used a rock to pound the nail into the board."
pound (POUND)
The British money unit: "The cashier gave me a pound note as change for my souvenir purchase which I made at the end of my trip to England."
pound (POUND)
An enclosure for animals: "I went to the pound to find a new kitten for my niece."
pound (POUND)
Weight; such as, ounces: "A pound is known as 16 ounces avoirdupois and 12 ounces troy weight."
practicable, practical, pragmatic
practicable (PRAK ti kuh buhl)
Feasible, possible: "In theory, it is practicable for me to run the marathon today but in reality, I need more practice."
practical (PRAK ti kuhl)
1. Actively engaged in an action or occupation: "She worked as a practical nurse at the hospital."
2. Not theoretical, but useful: "She had a practical knowledge of auto mechanics that she obtained by working in the garage."
pragmatic (prag MAT ik)
1. Dealing with the problems that exist in a specific situation in a reasonable and logical way instead of simply depending on ideas and theories: "The teacher's pragmatic view of education came from years of working in public schools."
2. Relating to issues or matters of fact, often to the exclusion of intellectual or artistic elements: "Her approach to the curriculum at school was strictly pragmatic, dealing with the basic subjects of math, science, etc."
My friend was a nurse who took a pragmatic approach to her work. She often said that it was practicable for her to take further training, but she liked her position working as a practical nurse and planned to retire in a couple of years.
practice, practise
practice (PRAK tis)
1. To do or to perform habitually or customarily; to make a habit of: "Everyone should practice courtesy in social situations."
2. To do or to perform (something) repeatedly in order to acquire or to polish a skill: "It takes a lot of practice for a tennis player to become successful as a professional."
3. To work at, especially as a profession: "She wants to practice law after she graduates from the university."
practise (PRAK tis)
Chiefly British: To do or to perform something habitually or repeatedly: "He wants to practise his skills as a computer technician so he can make his living in this vocation."
praise, prays, preys
praise (PRAYZ)
1. To make a favorable judgment or comment: "The critic gave high praise for the new portrait in the art gallery."
2. To glorify or to worship: "The hymn was designed to praise the new church building."
3. As a noun, an expression of approval or admiration: "The praise she received motivated her to do even more to help people."
prays (PRAYZ)
1. To make a request in a humble manner: "The minister prays before and after each religious ceremony."
2. To implore: "The student standing before the school official certainly prays that she is not in trouble."
preys (PRAYZ)
1. The act of hunting or killing for food: "The wolf preys on smaller animals in order to survive."
2. To raid, to seize, or to commit robbery: "The street ruffian often preys on children going to school, stealing their lunch money."
Should a person who preys on other people for money receive praise just because he prays?
pray, prey
pray (PRAY)
1. A function word in the context of a request or plea; "Pray shut the door on your way out."
2. To address a religious figure; such as, God or a deity, in a manner of supplication, adoration, etc.: "The minister requested that the congregation pray to God with him after the hymn was concluded."
prey (PRAY)
1. Victim, someone or something that is helpless: "People who are alone and live in isolation are often the prey of unscrupulous con-artists."
2. An animal which is taken by a predator as food: "The wild owl hunted its prey in the evening when it was almost dark."
3. To seize, devour, commit violence: "The lions might devour their prey for a few days before leaving their kill."
"The roving bandits were known to prey on the isolated farms in the area."
precede, proceed, proceeds
precede (pri SEED)
1. To go before, to be in front of: "The marching band will precede the parade marshal's car in the parade."
2. To exceed in rank or degree of importance from someone else: "The rank of cabinet minister will precede that of deputy cabinet minister in the hierarchy of the government."
3. To occur earlier than something else: "The rally in the stadium will precede the actual start of the game."
proceed (proh SEED, pruh SEED)
1. To issue or to come forth from a source in a regulated manner: "The student march will proceed from the library to the administration buildings."
2. To continue after interruption: "After extensive applause, the speaker was able to proceed with his lecture and illustrated talk."
3. To move along in a designated course; to go ahead, to advance, or to go forward: "The parade will proceed along the streets which will be decorated with colorful bunting."
proceeds (PROH seedz")
The total amount of money or profit that is made via an activity: "The proceeds from the Jumble Sale exceeded all expectations."
"The proceeds of the concert will go to charity."
"We took the proceeds from the sale of our business and invested then in stocks."
precedence, precedents
precedence (PRES i duhns, pri SEED n's)
A position of superior honor in a formal occasion or ceremonial event; a priority: "The president of the university was given precedence in terms of where he sat during the banquet."
precedents (PRES i duhns)
1. That which is done or said and which may serve as examples to justify later proceedings: "The judge noted there were several precedents in the law books for her ruling at the end of the trial."
2. Activities that are well established and based on practice over time: "Morning coffee and afternoon tea are two precedents which are traditions in our office."
precedent, president
precedent (PRES i duhnt)
1. The occurrence of something that sets an example for others: "He set a precedent for his employees by coming to work an hour early every day."
2. Custom or activities that have become established over time: "Having a meal break at mid-day seemed to be the precedent at my new job."
president (PREZ i duhnt, PREZ i dent")
1. An individual who has been elected to serve as the chief of state in a government: "She was the first female president elected to the office in 75 years."
2. An individual who is the chief official or officer in a business or corporation: "The Board of Directors at the company elected my uncle as President of the Board for a two year term."
3. An individual chosen to lead or preside over a meeting "The president of the parents' organization called the meeting to order."
precipice, precipitate, precipitous
precipice (PRES uh pis)
1. An overhanging or extremely steep mass of rock; such as, a crag or the face of a cliff: "He stood on the edge of the precipice as he looked down at the villages."
2. A point where danger, trouble, or difficulty begins: "The company is on the edge of a financial precipice."
precipitate (pri SIP i tayt")
1. To bring about before expected or needed; to hasten the occurrence of: "He must not have been aware that he was about to precipitate a quarrel about the meaning of the word."
2. Hasty, rash, without due deliberation: "The precipitate act was a cause for much regret."
3. To send somebody or something suddenly and rapidly into a particular state or condition: "Her mother's sudden death could only precipitate a severe family crisis."
precipitous (pri SIP i tuhs)
1. Very steep and perpendicular: "It was a precipitous slope."
2. Happening in a very quick and sudden way: "There has been a precipitous decline in home sales recently."
"People were shocked by his precipitous fall from political power."
preclude, prelude
preclude (pri KLOOD)
To make impossible or to rule out: "Because she injured her hand, it will preclude her performing on the piano this evening."
prelude (PREL yood", PRAY lood", PREE lood)
1. An action or event that serves as an introduction to a primary event or occasion: "The performance by the school choir was the prelude to the president of the school board's speech on music in the schools."
2. A musical selection that serves as an introduction to a larger musical composition; such as, an opera or oratorio: "When I went to the opera, I had just a minute or two to read the program before the orchestra played the prelude."
predicate, predicate, predict, predictive
predicate (PRED i kayt")
To state or to affirm as an attribute or quality of something: "The preacher's sermon made efforts to predicate that people who follow the teachings of Christ are true Christians."
"He tends to predicate his theories on faulty assumptions."
predicate (PRED i kit")
The part of a sentence that expresses what is said about the subject: "In the sentence, The child threw the ball, the subject is The child and the predicate is threw the ball."
"Sentences normally have two basic parts, a subject and a predicate."
"The simple subject is the principal noun or pronoun that tells what a sentence is about; while, the simple predicate is the verb or verb phrase that tells something about the subject"; for example, "Penguins dive."In most sentences, the meaning of the simple subject and the simple predicate is expanded or modified by the addition of other words and phrases. The complete subject consists of the simple subject and all the words that modify it while the complete predicate consists of the simple predicate and all the words that modify or complete it; for example: "The penguins of Antarctica dive hundreds of feet."
A compound predicate has two or more verbs or verb phrases that are joined by a conjunction and have the same subject or subjects: "Diane and Jim will wash the dishes, mop the floor, and cook dinner."
predict (pri DIKT)
To foretell a future event based on reason or experience: "The meteorologist's job is to predict the weather to the best of his ability using weather maps, etc."
predictive (pri DIK tiv)
Characteristics that foretell a situation: "High blood pressure could be a strong predictive of future heart problems."
premier; premiére, premiere
premier (pri MIR, pree MIR)
First in importance, position, rank or time: "The leader of the political party was appointed as premier after an election among his peers."
"The new film was given the premier position on the schedule at the film festival."
premiére (pri MIR, pri MEER)
The first exhibition or performance of something: "The artist worked hard to organize her paintings for the premiére which was scheduled in December."
premiere (pri MIR, pri MEER)
The first appearance of an actor, or actress, in a lead role: "Saturday was the premiere for my aunt who was staring in a new play written especially for her."
premise, surmise
premise (PREM is)
1. That which is set forth ahead of time as an introduction to a discussion, etc.: "The premise of the suffragette movement was that women were entitled to the same rights and responsibilities as men."
2. Property upon which a building may be placed; a building: "With the windfall from the lottery, she decided to purchase a premise upon which to build a school."
3. Something that is taken for granted or assumed: "It was the premise of the city hall that there would be no opposition to higher taxes next year."
surmise (suhr MIGHZ)
To imagine or infer something based on thin or flimsy evidence: "Do not surmise I can swim just because I like to exercise in the swimming pool."
prescribe, proscribe
prescribe (pri SKRIGHB)
1. To provide or write an order for medications or recommendations: "I asked my doctor to prescribe physiotherapy for my sore wrist."
2. To indicate or to dictate rules that are to be followed: "The school principal decided to prescribe new play ground rules for the pupils."
proscribe (proh SKRIGHB)
1. To prohibit or to condemn as harmful: "The village elders determined to proscribe smoking in the public buildings."
2. To make something illegal or to prohibit certain things: "The principal said he would proscribe the use of cell phones in school."
3. To publish the name of an individual who is condemned to death or whose property is forfeited to the government: "The internal newsletter at the prison proscribed the list of inmates each week."
prescribed, required
prescribed (pri SKRIGHB'd)
1. Specified with authority: "The driver's handbook prescribed the consequences of driving without a valid driver's license."
2. To have required the use of something as a remedy: "The doctor prescribed a week in the mountains as a remedy for the patient's asthma."
required (ri KWIGHR'd)
1. To have an essential or compelling need for something: "The animals required fresh water every day."
2. Expected as suitable or appropriate: "A black tie was not required at the formal dinner but my friend was embarrassed because his polka dot tie was too informal."
3. That which has been made necessary for someone to do: "The taxi driver carried a special license, as required by the law."
presence, presents (noun), presents (verb)
presence (PREZ uhns)
1. A quality of poise and effectiveness that facilitates a relationship between individuals: "The presence of the speaker encouraged a warm response from the audience when she read her poetry."
2. The immediate proximity of something or someone: "I could feel an eerie presence when I walked through the graveyard after dark."
3. The sense that something is close by: "Her presence was felt throughout the room because of her charming personality."
presents (PREZ uhnts), noun
Something that has been given to someone; especially, as a way of showing affection: "I received three presents for my birthday."
"We gave her two books as presents for her help."
presents (pri ZENTZ), verb
1. To formally introduce or to announce: "The butler presents each of the guests to the host as the guests arrive at the party."
2. To give wards or certificates: "The school principal always presents certificates for good citizenship to certain students during the end of school ceremonies."
3. To describe or to show someone or something in a particular way: "She presents herself as a very ambitious candidate."
present, present, present
present (PREZ uhnt)
A moment or period in time perceptible as intermediate between past and future; now: "Past, present, and future are all linked together."
"Let's leave things as they are for the present."
"There's no time like the present for getting things done!"
present (pri SENT)
1. To formally talk about something one has written, studied, etc. to a group of people: "The chemist wanted to present his report to the committee."
2. To make something available to be used or considered: "The defense lawyer will present evidence refuting the charges against his client."
3. To show something to someone: "Her sister was told that she would have to present her passport when she was ready to cross the border."
present (PREZ uhnt)
Something that is given to someone; especially, as a way of showing affection or thanks: "He gave her a book as a present."
"The couple received a wedding present from a friend in France."
It is said that there is no time like the present, so I thought it was time to present the present to my wife now.
presumably, supposedly
presumably (pri ZOOM uh bli)
To guess to be true without specific facts; an assumption: "I did not listen to the weather report but presumably it will be sunny this afternoon."
supposedly (suh POHZ uhd li)
Pretended, alleged, make believe, a mistaken belief: "She was supposedly my best friend and I could not believe she would tell lies about me."
"Supposedly we should be able to drive to the city and home again in three hours."
presumption, presumptive, presumptuous
presumption (pri ZUHMP shuhn)
1. The inference of fact based on information that is based on other factual information: "The lawyers agreed on the presumption of certain information based on the hospital reports."
2. A belief or attitude based on probability: "In my country, there is a presumption of innocence until proven otherwise in the legal system."
3. Audacious or discourteous: "It was a presumption on his part to think that tennis shoes were appropriate for the luncheon at the hotel."
presumptive (pri ZUHMP tiv)
Embryonic, small, or immature in nature, but capable to developing normally: "She was the heir presumptive to a fortune whenever she would complete her education."
presumptuous (pri ZUHMP choo uhs)
Stepping out of bounds of appropriate and expected behavior: "His loud and crude language was considered presumptuous in the quiet of the library board meeting."
pretend, portend, portent, potent
pretend (pri TEND)
1. To give a false impression; to make believe: "When we were children, my sisters and I used to dress up and pretend to be fairy princesses."
2. To make a false claim or assertion: "We will pretend we have tickets and hope to go to the parade."
portend (por TEND, pohr TEND)
To give a sign in anticipation of something, an omen: "The dark clouds over the bay seem to portend a storm."
portent (POR tent", POHR tent")
That which foreshadows an event in a prophetic manner: "The arrival of the seagulls in the farmer's field often is the portent that it will rain in about two hours."
potent (POH n't")
1. Powerful; mighty: "The police proved to be a potent fighting force."
2. Producing powerful physical or chemical effects: "He used a potent drug to fight the cancer."
3. Having or exercising great power or influence: "The higher interest rate was a potent factor in the economy."
prevent, hinder
prevent (pri VENT)
To keep from happening or succeeding; to deprive of hope or power: "The flat tire on the car will prevent us from going to the movies tonight."
"The birth of the prince will prevent the revolutionaries from taking power from the king."
hinder (HIN duhr)
To delay, to impede, to make progress difficult: "The heavy snow drifts on the roads will hinder the progress of our car going across the hills towards our town."
preventative, preventive
preventative (pri VEN tuh tiv)
Actions taken to deprive something from succeeding: "Getting a flu shot now is a good preventative measure so I won't become ill later."
preventive (pri VEN tiv)
Actions taken to forestall or to keep something from happening: "Careful crop management is a preventive measure in terms of soil erosion."
preview, purview, purvey
preview (PREE vyoo")
1. An advance showing, as of a movie or art exhibition, to which a selected audience is invited before public presentation begins: "We had the opportunity of seeing the movie at a special preview."
2. An introductory or preliminary message, sample, or overview; a foretaste: "The magazine includes a preview of the newest fall fashions."
purview (PUR vyoo")
1. The range of operation, authority, control, concern, etc.: "The CIA drones won't cease operating, but a separate group of drones will now be under the purview of the Defense Department and, for the first time, will be allowed to venture beyond the border areas."
2. The full scope or compass of any document, statement, subject, book, etc.: "The moral dilemmas of the early settlers are beyond the purview of this book."
purvey (puhr VAY, PUR vay")
To publish or to pass on news or information; especially, gossip, scandal, or other kinds of information that people generally feel should not be circulated: "The blog kept trying to purvey personal information about well-known people."
pride, pried
pride (PRIGHD)
1. A gathering of lions: "On our safari, we saw a pride of lions."
2. Justifiable self esteem: "She felt a great deal of pride at her accomplishments as a painter."
3. Delight or pleasure in one's own accomplishments or of another individual: "He took great pride in his daughter's success as a conductor of the orchestra."
4. Disdainful behavior or treatment towards others: "His pride towards his neighbors tended to blind him to their friendliness."
pried (PRIGHD)
1. To have opened or exposed with difficulty: "My sister pried my secret recipe for cookies from me."
2. To have pulled something apart by using a lever: "Using a crow bar, my brother pried open the buried treasure chest."
prier, pryer; prior
prier, pryer (PRIGH uhr)
Someone who pries, especially a person who is unduly interested in the affairs of others: "She was always known as a prier into what her son was doing when he was away from home."
prior (PRIGH uhr)
1. Existing earlier or preceding in time or order: "He had a prior history of back problems."
"We can't join them for dinner next Friday because we have a prior engagement with another family."
2. More important than something else because it came first: "They have a prior claim to the property."
3. A monk who is the head of a religious house or order: "We went to visit the prior of our local monastery."
4. A previous time of being arrested for or found guilty of a crime: "The suspect had a prior conviction as a robber."
pries, prize
pries (PRIGHZ)
1. To use a tool as a lever or to force open something: "He usually pries open the wooden boxes with a small crowbar."
2. Trying to find out about other people's private lives or snooping into the affairs of other people: "She always pries into my business which upsets me."
prize (PRIGHZ)
1. Something offered or won as an award for superiority or victory, as in a contest or competition: "My grandmother won an authentic wooden shoe as the prize in a spelling contest."
2. Something worth striving for; a highly desirable possession: "Winning the scholarship prize was worth all the hard work and practice."
prince, prints
prince (PRINS)
1. A male person of high standing in his profession: "As an actor, he was a prince among his peers."
2. The male child of a king; an heir to a royal throne: "Even though he was a prince, he was allowed to attend the local school and make friends among his classmates."
prints (PRINS)
1. Copies or reproductions of original works of art: "At the shop in the art gallery, I bought several prints of my favorite painting to give as gifts to my friends."
2. Original works of art intended as a reproduction and completed under the supervision of the original artist: "In my art history class we learned that many famous artists employed apprentices to paint prints of their famous paintings."
3. To create copies of something by hand or machine: "The new photocopier at the office prints very nicely."
4. To make letters of something by hand: "My sister is just starting school and she uses a pencil when she prints her name."
It was easy to see the messy prints of the prince before he washed his hands after working on his wet-clay sculptures.
When told at the camera shop that her photographs were not back from the developer, the woman began to sing: "Some day my prints will come. . . ."
principal, principle
principal (PRIN suh puhl)
1. Most important or influential: "He was the principal financial backer of the railroad project."
2. The individual who has significant authority and leadership in an educational institution: "My aunt was the principal at the local high school for almost ten years before she retired."
3. The star or leading performer in a play or movie: "She had the principal role in the newly discovered play by Shakespeare."
4. Money that is used to fund an undertaking, not including interest accrued: "The principal is in the bank and I am using it to pay the bills."
5. The primary source of information: "The principal source for my research was the letters and documents which were located in the library archives."
principle (PRIN suh puhl)
1. A comprehensive rule or code of conduct: "The main rule or principle of the company was declared to be integrity."
2. An underlying quality or characteristic of something: "The famous writer had a principle which involved doing careful research before starting work on a novel."
3. Characterized by adherence or devotion to appropriate behavior: "He was described as a man of principle in terms of his business transactions."
4. The laws of science that underlie the operation of an artificial device: "The water wheel operated on the principle that falling water would hit the paddles and turn the wheel."
The professor said that his main code of conduct, or his principal principle, was to make sure that his students would have every opportunity to improve their vocabulary skills.
For more information and mnemonic explanations for determining the appropriate usage of these words, visit this principal, principle, page.
prodigal, profligate
prodigal (PRAHD i guhl)
1. Characterized by extravagant, wasteful, lavish behavior: "His prodigal behavior about the food left from the banquet upset many people."
2. An individual who spends foolishly or extravagantly: "Despite winning the lottery, he was a prodigal and was soon poor again."
profligate (PRAHF li git, PRAHF li gayt")
An individual who always acts in a dissipated or wildly extravagant manner: "The king's son was a profligate and not liked by others in the court who feared he would bankrupt the treasury."
prodigy, progeny
prodigy (PRAHD uh jee)
1. An individual who is considered to be very talented, often in reference to a child: "Mozart was considered a child prodigy."
2. Something that is an extraordinary or unusual accomplishment or event: "The completion of the massive symphony was nothing short of being a prodigy."
progeny (PRAHJ uh nee)
Offspring, children, followers or successors: "The list of my grandparents' progeny is extensive and includes me."
produce, produce
produce (proh DOOS)
1. To make something; especially by using machines: "The company will produce thousands of cars."
2. To show something or to cause something to appear or to be seen: "He had to produce his ID for the security guard before he was allowed entrance into the building."
produce (PROH doos)
Fresh fruits and vegetables: "We will be going to buy produce at the market tomorrow."
Our farm helped to produce needed produce for people to buy at the market.
profile, profile, profiling
profile (PROH fighl"), noun
1. The shape of a head or face that is seen or drawn from the side: "The woman's profile is very unusual."
2. A brief written description that provides information about something or someone: "The article provided a profile of the shooter's background and attitudes regarding the family that he killed."
3. Used to describe the amount of attention that someone or something is given or desires: "She tries to maintain a low profile around the university while her friend does everything she can to get a high profile."
"I try to keep a low profile around here so people won't notice me."
profile (PROH fighl"), verb
1. To give brief description that provides information about someone or something: "The newspaper wants to profile the organization that is donating so much time to helping the poor people in their community."
2. To provide information about potential terrorists or other criminals: "Security organizations apparently were not very efficient in collecting the necessary profile of the man who tried to blow up the passenger air craft."
profiling (PROH fighl" ing), noun
1. Recording a person's behavior and analyzing psychological characteristics in order to predict or to assess his/her ability in a certain sphere or to identify a particular group of people: "The store wanted to do some consumer profiling so its management could determine the best procedures for increasing a profitable year."
2. The act or practice of regarding particular people as more likely to commit crimes because of their appearance, race, etc.: "Some people are accusing certain law enforcement officials of using racial profiling which disproportionately targets people of color for investigation and enforcement."
"Criminal profiling is used mostly by behavioral scientists and the police to narrow down an investigation to those suspects who possess certain behavioral and personality features that are revealed by the way a crime was committed."
I saw an article that stated that profiling serial killers is supposed to be an art, but it's not. It's certainly not a science. The entire profiling system; such as, those profiles produced by the Behavioral Sciences Unit of the FBI, is based on interviews with an insufficient number of criminal subjects.
These days, to profile people for potential criminal acts is an important factor in protecting the people. A profile must be sufficiently composed so profiles and profiling can be properly utilized.
profit, prophet
profit (PRAHF it)
1. To gain benefit: "I know I will profit by going to summer school this year."
2. Income typically over a specific period of time: "The profit on her investment this year was significant and she was pleased."
3. Money obtained by selling something for more than the cost of production or manufacture: "The company made a significant profit by deciding to buy the raw materials from local farmers rather than to import what they needed."
prophet (PRAHF it)
1. An individual who can foretell future events or happenings: "The farmer was viewed as a prophet when he warned his neighbors about the coming hail storm."
2. An individual who is credited with writing Holy Scripture; for example, the Old Testament in the Christian Bible; "The Prophet was revered for his knowledge, understanding, and explanations of God's messages to mankind."
3. A spokesperson or leader for a group or a cause: "My uncle was seen as a prophet among climate change advocates."
Many a prophet has been known to profit from his prognosticator's successful renditions.
The best prophet of the future is the past. McKenzie
A prophet is a man who is not honored in his own country, because people grow tired of hearing him say, "I told you so."
Evan Esar
program, pogrom
program (PROH grahm"; PROH gruhm)
1. A listing of the order of events and other pertinent information for a public presentation; schedule, order of events, things to be done, agenda, plan; timetable; prospectus: "Today's program includes a tour of San Francisco."
2. List of players, list of selections: "The ushers gave everyone a program for the evening's performance."
3. Show, presentation, production; series: "They indicated that there would be a change in the program for the fall television schedule."
4. Schedule, arrange, book, slate, bill, calendar; design, intend, expect: "They will program her to appear on the show next week."
pogrom (puh GRAHM; POH gruhm)
A planned campaign of persecution or extermination sanctioned by a government and directed against an ethnic group; especially, against the Jews in Tsarist Russia: "With the success of the Bolshevik Revolution, pogroms ceased in the Soviet Union; they were revived in Germany and Poland after Adolf Hitler gained power."
The word pogrom is a Russian term, originally meaning "riot", which came to be applied to a series of violent attacks on Jews in Russia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
prophecy, prophesy
prophecy (PRAHF i see)
The work of an individual who seems to be inspired with a spiritual will or purpose: "The prophecy of the local saint was recorded in the church annals."
prophesy (PRAHF i see)
1. To speak as if inspired by a divine thought: "He stood on the street corner to prophecy about the dangers of dance halls and beer consumption."
2. To predict seemingly on the basis of mystical knowledge: "It was her prophecy that there would be a severe rain storm and flood during the coming summer."
propose, purpose
propose (pruh POHZ)
1. To make a request or suggestion for marriage: "My friend was determined to propose marriage to the girl he loves."
2. To suggest or to bring forward a plan to accomplish something: "The city engineer was determined to propose the building of a new bridge."
3. To bring an idea to an individual or a group for discussion: "I would like to propose that we take this discussion down to the beach."
4. To nominate: "The committee of peers will propose the name of the professor to be granted the fellowship to study polar bears."
5. To toast or to acknowledge in a speech: "The master of ceremonies rose to propose a toast to the retiring member of the board."
purpose (PUR puhs)
1. Having a meaningful aim or goal: "His purpose in going to a university was to become a lawyer."
2. A subject for discussion or for accomplishment: "The purpose of the meeting at city hall was to discuss raising property taxes."
3. Determination: "He had a purpose in his steps as he walked down the hall to the office."
pros, prose
pros (PROHZ)
1. Professionals in an area of endeavour: "The three retired golf pros got together every year to play another game."
2. An indication that an affirmation for something has been accomplished: "After the vote, the chair of the meeting indicated the pros had won."
3. An argument in favor of something: "The jury had to weigh the pros and cons of the case while deciding a recommendation to the court."
prose (PROHZ)
1. Ordinary language used by people everyday including both spoken and written expressions: "She spoke in clear prose so her neighbors could understand her explanations."
2. Written in a simple and unimaginative manner: "When writing her autobiography, the famous singer used simple prose to convey the reality of her life."
prosperity, posterity
prosperity (prah SPER i tee)
Characterized as being successful, enjoying economic well being: "The town enjoyed a new prosperity when the factory was built and the young people were being employed."
posterity (pah STER i tee)
Including all the descendants of a lineage or family: "He lived frugally so that his posterity could enjoy an easier life style."
prostate, prostrate
prostate (PRAHS tayt")
An organ found in men and male animals that produces the liquid in which sperm is carried: "At the time of his annual check-up, the doctor checked his patient's prostate for cancer and informed the man that he had an enlarged gland but that he did not have cancer."
prostrate (PRAHS trayt")
1. Lying flat without the energy or power to get up: "After the long hike in the heat, the hikers lay prostrate in the shade, resting and sipping water slowly."
2. Demonstrating a helplessness or submissive posture: "The condemned prisoner assumed a prostrate position, hoping for clemency from the judge."
A physician once said that it is necessary that a man be prostrate before a doctor can examine his prostate.
prosthesis, prostration
prosthesis (prahs THEE sis)
An artificial device used to replace a body part; such as, a limb (leg or arm): "The occupational therapist helped her client learn to walk with the new prosthesis which she needed after losing her left leg in a boating accident."
prostration (prah STRAY shuhn)
The result or someone becoming weak or powerless: "The campers suffered from heat prostration and exhaustion."
prosthetic, prostatic
prosthetic (prahs THET ik)
A reference to the branch of surgery dealing with the replacement of missing body parts, such as a hand, arm, leg, etc.: "The soldier was fitted with a prosthetic leg to replace the one he lost as a result of the explosion."
"A prosthetic replacement is a substitute for lost parts of the body resulting from disease or injury, particularly for the purpose of restoring the function of that part of the body; for example, a bridge of false teeth is a dental prosthetic."
prostatic (prahs TAHT ik)
A reference to the prostate gland, an organ found in men and male animals that produces the liquid in which sperm is carried: "Many men and male animals suffer prostatic problems; such as, prostatic calculus, prostatic plexus, prostatic cancer, prostatic urethra, etc."
protean, protein
protean (PROH tee uhn, proh TEE uhn)
1. Exhibiting great diversity: "The population in the city could be described as protean, as reflected in the more than 150 different languages that were spoken in the schools in the city."
2. Readily able to assume different characters or forms: "The friendly ghost in the house was a bit of a protean, appearing sometimes like a puppy and other times like a wisp of smoke."
protein (PROH teen", PROH tee in)
Any of a number of naturally occurring or synthetic complex amino acids essential for all living cells: "I eat eggs and cheese instead of meat to get my protein for the day."
providence, province
providence (PRAHV i duhns, PRAHV i dens")
A reference to divine guidance or direction: "It was by divine providence that the ship did not sink after it hit an iceberg."
province (PRAHV ins)
1. The proper or characteristic function of something: "Balancing the budget is the province of the accountants."
2. An administrative division of a country or district: "The Province of Ontario in Canada is large and the capital city of the province is Toronto."
3. The division of a country outlining the jurisdiction of an archbishop: "The province for the administration by the archbishop included the Far North."
prude, prudent
prude (PROOD)
An individual who appears excessively attentive to proper behavior or decorum: "The school principal seemed such a prude when it came to noise in the hallways during recess."
prudent (PROOD n't)
Behavior that is described as circumspect or showing careful and wise judgment: "Her prudent management of household expenses meant they could go on vacation."
psychiatrist, psychologist, psychometrician, psychotherapist
psychiatrist (si KIGH uh trist, sigh KIGH uh trist)
A medical doctor who specializes in the study of mental and emotional issues or problems: "It takes many years of advanced medical studies to become a psychiatrist."
psychologist (sigh KAHL uh jist)
An individual who has studied the mental and behavioral characteristics of an individual or group but who does not have a medical degree: "As a psychologist, my sister works in schools where there are many children with difficult behaviors."
psychometrician (sigh kahm" i TRISH uhn)
1. An individual who is a psychologist and who is trained in the administration and interpretation of objective tests administered to help professionals understand the behavior of individuals who may be having mental, emotional, and behavioral problems: "The psychometrician was very good with young children and gained their cooperation during the testing procedures."
2. A psychologist who deals with the design, administration, and interpretation of quantitative tests for the measurement of psychological variables; such as, intelligence, aptitude, and personality traits: "They had a psychometrician who gave guidance for their son who was having problems adapting to his university responsibilities."
psychotherapist (sigh" koh THER uh pist)
An individual who is trained to use the principles of psychology to work with individuals with mental and/or emotional problems: "The psychotherapist who worked with my cousin was very sensitive to her concerns."
I was concerned about the well being of my friend. I urged her to get a referral from her psychiatrist to see a psychometrician who was also a well known psychologist.
The psychometrician administered several tests the interpretation of which was to try to help my friend understand her difficulties.
At the end of the assessment period, the psychologist recommended that my friend meet regularly with a psychotherapist.
punk, punk
punk (PUNGK)
1. A light, brownish, spongy preparation that burns very slowly, usually made from fungi: "He used a stick of punk to light the fireworks."
2. Decayed wood used in a dry state for tinder: "We used some punk on the fire to keep us warm."
punk U.S. slang (PUNGK)
1. Poor or bad in quality: "He was told that he did a punk (punky) job of painting the walls."
2. In poor health; not well: "I am so punk (punky) today that I can't do anything."
3. An individual who is perceived to be too loud, rude, violent, or misbehaving: "Why can't that punk behave himself?"
pupil, student, scholar
pupil (PYOO puhl)
1. The round opening in the iris of each eye which contracts or opens depending on the kind of light to which it is exposed: "The ophthalmologist used a special magnifying flashlight to peer through each pupil of the patient's eyes."
2. A child or youth who is being taught in a school or by a tutor: "The new tutor presented her pupil with drawing paper and pencils."
student (STOOD n't, STYOOD n't)
An individual who attends school with the purpose of learning: "My aunt was a student of entomology and often went to the meadow to study the butterflies there."
"She was the newest student to enroll at the craft school."
scholar (SKAHL uhr)
1. An individual who has done advanced studies in a specific area of study: "Her son was an eminent scholar studying the flight patterns of birds."
2. An individual who has received an award typically accompanied by cash to enable the person to study a specific area: "She was a prize winning scholar who received a prestigious scholarship to study art in Italy."
The internationally recognized scholar had in fact been a student at our local high school.
I realized she was a pupil of mine when I taught there many years ago.
puttee, putty
puttee (puh TEE, PUHT ee)
A strip of cloth that is wrapped around the leg from the ankle to the knee or a legging made of leather and fastened around the leg with laces or straps: "When he wore his full uniform, it included the white cloth puttee around his legs and his plumed helmet."
"The leather puttee felt soft and comfortable when he fastened it around his leg."
putty (PUHT ee)
1. A sticky substance often made of whiting and linseed oil used to fasten glass into window panes or to fill cracks in wood: "The glassier used putty to install a new pane in the window frame because the old one was broken."
2. A color that is brownish gray: "The naval ships were painted a putty color which was a perfect disguise on the ocean."
3. Someone who is easily manipulated: "He was so in love, he was like putty in her hands."
4. Any of a variety of sticky substances used to fill cracks or to mend items: "The plumber used a special putty to repair the leaky pipes under the sink."
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