Censer is a container used for burning incense. The church acquired a new gold-plated censer. Censor, as a verb, means to suppress objectionable material. Do they have a legal right to censor material on the Internet? Censor, as a noun, is the person examining certain material. Are the TV censors approving the subject matter for […]
Category: Confusing Words
Difference between Cement and Concrete
Cement is a powdery binding material that consists of clay and limestone. Concrete is a mixture of sand, gravel, and other materials all held together by cement. The workers are installing a concrete (not cement) sidewalk.
Cellar vs Basement
A cellar is an underground shelter or space. A basement is the substructure or foundation of a building.
Cease the day vs Seize the day
Seize the day, which means to make the most of every moment, is the correct phrase. “Seize the day, put no trust in the morrow.”—Horace
Case and point vs Case in point
Case in point, meaning an example that supports a point, is the correct phrase. The low-carb diet works. I’m a case in point.
Carnivorous vs Herbivorous vs Omnivorous
Carnivorous refers to eating meat (or flesh). These carnivorous dinosaurs are from the Cretaceous period. Herbivorous refers to eating only plants. The iguanas and tortoises are typical herbivorous reptiles. Omnivorous refers to eating everything. An omnivorous diet consists of meats, fruits, grains, and vegetables.
Difference between Careen, Career and Carom
Careen means to swerve or tilt while in motion. Despite improved suspension, the car careened during the race. Career means to move at full speed. The stock cars careered down the track. Carom means to collide and rebound. We held our breath as a few racing cars caromed off the wall.
Cardinal numbers vs Ordinal numbers
Cardinal numbers (1, five, 247, etc.) show quantity, not order. Despite all the traffic, we arrived one hour early for the concert. Ordinal numbers (first, second, third, etc.) show order or numerical sequence. Unlike in other years, this year our seats are in the third row.
Card shark vs Cardsharp
A card shark is a proficient, cutthroat, honest card player, and a cardsharp is a swindler.
Carat vs Caret vs Carrot vs Karat
Carat is a measurement (200 milligrams) used in weighing gemstones. Ty bought an engagement ring that had a 1.5-carat diamond. Caret is a proofreader’s mark (^) to indicate insertion. It’s also used in math to indicate exponentiation. Editors often insert many carets on a writer’s first draft. If the caret is not in the formula, […]
Capitulate vs Recapitulate
Capitulate means to surrender, come to terms, or acquiesce. NATO forced the country to capitulate to its demands. Recapitulate means to sum up, review briefly, or repeat. Let us recapitulate what we have learned these last two days.
Capital vs Capitol
Capital refers to money, property, uppercase letters, a form of punishment, architecture, or the location of a government seat. The capital gain tax, capital letters, capital punishment, the pillar’s capital, or the capital of New York State is Albany. Capitol refers to buildings in which state or national government meet. (The C in Capitol is usually […]