# Words one can get confused **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 18, 2022, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772 "2022-09-18T20:10:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 20
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/384 "2023-05-20T02:28:48Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > **Whoa** — a command to stop, or an exclamation of excitement or amazement On a related note, when did **‘woah’** become an acceptable spelling of this word? ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/385 "2023-05-20T02:49:13Z")
Based on my [NextDoor.com](http://NextDoor.com) feed: Thoroughfare Through affair Hopefully this is an isolated instance. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/386 "2023-05-20T08:14:22Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > woah [Long, long ago](https://livexp.com/blog/what-does-woah-mean/?utm_source=blog-en&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=%2Fblog%2Fwhat-does-woah-mean%2F). Both forms of spelling derive from the word “Ho”, another example of confusing words. Hoe - A tool for working the earth Ho - Expression of surprise or a prostitute Don Ho - Hawaiian guy that sings Tiny Bubbles ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/387 "2023-05-20T10:15:52Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > Here’s a new one I just saw today: > > **Whoa** — a command to stop, or an exclamation of excitement or amazement > **Woe** — trouble or affliction I will contemplate this on the tree of whoa. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/388 "2023-05-20T14:57:04Z")
It goes back to at least 1974, when Morris Albert lamented this egregious misspelling. Whoa, “woah” woe! Feelings. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/389 "2023-05-20T15:21:47Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > [Long, long ago](https://livexp.com/blog/what-does-woah-mean/?utm_source=blog-en&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=%2Fblog%2Fwhat-does-woah-mean%2F). Huh. I’ve only noticed the egregious misspelling within the past decade, always on social media. Aggravates me every time. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/390 "2023-05-20T15:23:34Z")
It is more of a British thing. They are notoriously bad spellers, apparently trying to dispose of a surfeit of 'U’s. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/391 "2023-05-20T15:59:32Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Ho - Expression of surprise or a prostitute Was it Velvet Jones who popularized this spelling? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/HKTmLd5PTyc/maxresdefault.jpg "Velvet Jones: I Wanna Be a Ho - SNL") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKTmLd5PTyc) ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/392 "2023-05-20T18:42:15Z")
**wail** : to cry long and piteously **whale** : a large marine mammal **wale** : a ridge, mark or stripe; to mark the flesh with wales or weals Even Wiktionary has “The wrench wouldn’t budge, even though Tony was just **whaling on** it with a big old sledge hammer.” !! Apparently some people pronounce “wine” and “whine” identically… ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/393 "2023-05-20T19:38:19Z")
[https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4599](https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4599) ETA: Since preview doesn’t seem to be working for this link, it’s to a “Language Log” discussion of “Whaling/Wailing/Waling on.” Apparently there’s significant controversy over which is the correct spelling. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/394 "2023-05-20T19:55:40Z")
We also have: Wane - To decrease or the rough portion of a board cut from a log Wain - An open farm wagon Wayne - A common name that once meant ‘wagonmaker’ or ‘wainright’. Weigh’n - Elided pronunciation for how much something weighs. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/395 "2023-05-20T20:11:58Z")
At least there is no such word as ‘wheyn’ ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/396 "2023-05-20T20:32:37Z")
[At least not in Scrabble](https://iscramble.net/c/word/wheyn). ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/397 "2023-05-22T00:28:00Z")
**peel** : the rind of a fruit **peal** : the loud ringing of a bell ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/398 "2023-05-22T00:29:47Z")
**hoard** : an accumulation of valuables **horde** : a great company ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/399 "2023-05-22T01:21:20Z")
**Whored** : acted as prostitute ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2023, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/400 "2023-05-27T14:32:27Z")
**tale** / **tail** **sow** / **sew** ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2023, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/401 "2023-05-27T14:38:16Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > **sow** / **sew** …So ? ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2023, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/402 "2023-05-28T13:34:48Z")
**succour** : assistance **sucker** : something that sucks; a lollipop, suction cup, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2023, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/403 "2023-05-28T14:49:40Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > **succour** : assistance Note that this is one of those words where the American spelling drops the (second) **u**. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772.md?page=19) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772.md?page=21)