# 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:** 29
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2023, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/564 "2023-08-21T14:10:37Z")
> [@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 **wough** : a wall ---
**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:** [August 23, 2023, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/565 "2023-08-23T22:05:21Z")
**wangle** : to obtain through fraud, manipulation, or persuasion **wrangle** : (1) to obtain through arguing, pleading, or bargaining; (2) to debate or quarrel; or (3) to herd animals or gather information It’s a tricky pair because they look alike and have similar meanings. In some contexts they may be nearly interchangeable, but they’re not generally so. I am guessing definition #1 of _wrangle_ has been influenced by confusion with _wangle_, but I haven’t looked into it. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2023, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/566 "2023-08-26T10:32:15Z")
> [@bibliophage](#): > > **odorous** : having an odor, whether good, bad, or indifferent > **malodorous** : having a bad odor > **odoriferous** : synonym of _odorous_ > **onerous** : burdensome > **odious** : detestable There’s also “ **otiose** ”: pointless or useless. The “ti” is a “sh,” as in “nation,” and it’s actually pronounced OH-shus, but I have seen people encounter it their first time in print, and mistake it for “odious.” > [@DPRK](#): > > > [@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 > > **wough** : a wall Then there is “ **woah** ,” which is not a word, but I see it all the time. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2023, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/567 "2023-08-27T12:10:28Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > > [@DPRK](#): > > > > > [@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 > > > > **wough** : a wall > > Then there is “ **woah** ,” which is not a word, but I see it all the time. The _OED_ does list **woa** , **woah** , and **wo** as variants of **whoa**. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2023, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/568 "2023-08-27T12:19:39Z")
**hookah** : a water-pipe **hooker** : a prostitute, thief, rugby player, fishing boat, type of pot, dram of whisky… [also a variant spelling of **hookah** according to the _OED_] **gear** : wheels working one upon the other, by means of teeth or otherwise **cog** : one of those teeth **sprocket** : a wheel, or one of the projections from the wheel, that engages with the links of a _chain_ **awaken** : to rouse into activity, rouse from sleep **awake** : to come out of sleep ---
**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:** [August 27, 2023, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/569 "2023-08-27T19:12:50Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > **awaken** : to rouse into activity, rouse from sleep > **awake** : to come out of sleep **woke** : no two people agree on a definition. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2023, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/570 "2023-08-27T21:03:54Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > **gear** : wheels working one upon the other, by means of teeth or otherwise > **cog** : one of those teeth > **sprocket** : a wheel, or one of the projections from the wheel, that engages with the links of a _chain_ Hence the mortal rivalry between Spacely Sprockets and Cogswell Cogs. ---
**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:** [August 27, 2023, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/571 "2023-08-27T21:31:50Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > **gear** : wheels working one upon the other, by means of teeth or otherwise > **cog** : one of those teeth > **sprocket** : a wheel, or one of the projections from the wheel, that engages with the links of a _chain_ That reminds me of another one a friend of the family kept getting hilariously wrong when I was in high school: **winch** : a kind of machine with a crank, used for hoisting or hauling heavy loads **wench** : old-fashioned or rude term for a woman ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2023, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/572 "2023-08-27T22:15:14Z")
You can use a wench or a winch to bring another wench aboard. One’s bait, the other’s a crane. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2023, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/573 "2023-08-28T14:29:06Z")
Many confuse **Customs** and **Immigration**. - **Immigration** will inspect your passport and other travel documents. They’re concerned with _who you are_ and don’t give a crap about what you’re bringing with you. If they don’t like your face they’ll turn you back right then and there. - **Customs** will inspect your belongings to ensure you’re not bringing in illegal goods or contraband. They’ll also assess value of your items and levy any appropriate import duties. Customs comes _after_ immigration so as long as you’re not carrying anything illegal, then they cannot deny you entry, just confiscate your goods if you refuse or are unable to pay. ---
**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:** [August 28, 2023, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/574 "2023-08-28T16:10:59Z")
> [@bibliophage](#): > > **winch** : a kind of machine with a crank, used for hoisting or hauling heavy loads > **wench** : old-fashioned or rude term for a woman **Wrench** : a spanner. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2023, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/575 "2023-08-28T19:31:50Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > Many confuse **Customs** and **Immigration**. > … All true. And in some countries two separate bureaucracies administer & enforce those two processes. In some countries it’s just one bureaucracy / police force for both. if the latter, calling the process by the agency’s name, whatever that is, seems sensible. I suspect that most English speakers call the whole process “Customs” because that’s the shortest of the 3 likely alternative terms: “Customs”, “Immigration”, “Customs and Immigration”. What’s funny to me is that in English the complete term seems to be “customs and immigration”, never “immigration and customs”. Yet as you say, immigration comes first and customs second as you process into the country. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2023, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/576 "2023-08-30T16:57:59Z")
**Nobel** : dynamite guy **Noble** : bookstore guy ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2023, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/577 "2023-08-30T22:28:05Z")
For the US, at least, I often see both immigration and customs combined into one term, FIS, meaning Federal Inspection Service. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2023, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/578 "2023-08-30T23:39:06Z")
“FIS” is actually the initialism for the "Federal Inspection Service_s_, which is everybody who has statutory authority to poke and prod at folks crossing the border. So that’s Customs, and also Immigration, who’ve been combined since 2002 as ICE = Immigrations and Customs Enforcement as part of the formation of the Department of Homeland Security. Plus US Department of Agriculture APHIS and US Dept of HHS Public Heath division enforcement folks. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2023, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/579 "2023-09-15T16:52:33Z")
**core** : the heart or centre of something **corps** : an organized group of people **corpse** : a dead body ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2023, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/580 "2023-09-15T17:00:00Z")
**weld** : a joint of two materials **weald** : a forest **wield** : to control or possess **wold** : a forest, a hill, a plain ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2023, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/581 "2023-09-16T03:10:24Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > **core** : the heart or centre of something > **corps** : an organized group of people > **corpse** : a dead body **Caw:** a crow call **Cor:** an expression of surprise or wonder; short for “Cor Blimey!” **Corr:** One of The Corrs ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2023, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/582 "2023-09-16T13:41:51Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > > [@DPRK](#): > > > > **core** : the heart or centre of something > > **corps** : an organized group of people > > **corpse** : a dead body > > **Caw:** a crow call > **Cor:** an expression of surprise or wonder; short for “Cor Blimey!” > **Corr:** one of The Corrs Also: **corvid** from the Latin for “crow”. Not to be confused with **COVID** from Coronavirus Disease ---
**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:** [September 16, 2023, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/583 "2023-09-16T14:27:11Z")
**peak** : a high point (or _verb_: to come to a high point) **peek** : a surreptitious look (or _verb_ to take a surreptitious look) **pique** : irritation or resentment (or _verb_: to arouse (interest or curiousity or irritation or resentment)) **peke** : a type of dog (short for Pekingese) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772.md?page=28) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772.md?page=30)