Confusing Words

Is it centurion or centenarian? While both relate to the number 100, they aren’t interchangeable. A centurion is someone who achieves a milestone of 100 things, such as scoring a century in cricket or playing 100 games for a team. A centenarian is used exclusively for a person who has reached the age of 100…

Is it arcane or archaic? While both words describe things outside the mainstream, they aren’t interchangeable. Use arcane for things that are mysterious or hidden (like complex tax laws or secret rituals). Use archaic for things that are out of date (like dial-up internet or typewriter ribbons). The difference between arcane and archaic The meaning…

Confusing words are one of the sneakiest little traps that lie in wait for writers. Some words sound the same, some look alike, while others have meanings that are only slightly different, but enough to change the sense of a sentence. Getting these wrong can make your writing confusing, awkward, or even unintentionally funny. In…

Why will I have no truck with trucks or even lorries? It’s not that I have anything against trucks, even though I don’t wish to own one. What’s hiding behind this odd idiom is a meaning that most people have forgotten. And it has nothing to do with powerful motors, wheels, or horsepower. The origin…

When talking about language and vocabulary evolution, we usually say that new words are coined, not invented or created. The phrase sounds a little odd because people invent machines, create stories, and discover new cures, so why do we treat new words differently? In part, the answer lies in the history of the word coin,…

Is it born or borne? While both are past tense forms of the verb “to bear,” they are used in different contexts. Use born specifically for birth (a baby was born). Use borne (with an “e”) for everything else, including carrying an object, supporting a weight, or enduring a hardship. The grammar of borne and…

Is it hunger pangs or hunger pains? The correct phrase is hunger pangs. While it certainly feels like a “pain,” the word pang specifically describes a sudden, sharp spasm or a brief feeling of distress. “Hunger pains” is a common mishearing that has become a widespread spelling error. The origins of hunger pangs The etymology…

If you had asked me yesterday about this fixed expression, I would have said that when worse comes to worst is the correct form. However, when I stumbled upon a text that used the phrase when worst comes to worst, I wondered if my assumption was correct. The trouble with assumptions is that you can…

Is it free rein or free reign? The correct phrase is free rein. It comes from the world of horse riding, where a rider would loosen the reins to allow the horse to move freely. While “reign” (meaning to rule like a monarch) sounds like it might fit, it is always a misspelling in this…

Is it one fell swoop or one foul swoop? The correct phrase is one fell swoop. Originally coined by Shakespeare in Macbeth, the word “fell” here is an old-fashioned term for “fierce” or “deadly.” It describes the swift, lethal descent of a bird of prey onto its victim. Why is fell the correct word? Yes,…