# 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:** 30
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2023, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/584 "2023-09-19T18:21:50Z")
**picnic** : an informal social gathering to which the participants bring their own food and drink **pycnic** : stocky and fat ---
**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:** [September 19, 2023, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/585 "2023-09-19T18:55:11Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > **pycnic** : stocky and fat I am reasonably certain that I have never encountered this word. Until now. ---
**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:** [September 21, 2023, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/586 "2023-09-21T03:15:46Z")
**crevice** (“KREV-is”): a narrow crack or fissure in a wall, rock, etc. **crevasse** (“kre-VASS”): a deep crack in a glacier ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2023, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/587 "2023-09-21T13:41:14Z")
**Wrath** = anger **Wroth** = angry George RR Martin, please take note ---
**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:** [September 21, 2023, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/588 "2023-09-21T13:59:30Z")
**want** : a desire or to desire **wont** : a custom or habit **won’t** : will not I want to say it is my wont to exercise daily, but I won’t. ---
**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:** [September 21, 2023, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/589 "2023-09-21T18:49:03Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > **Wrath** = anger > **Wroth** = angry > > George RR Martin, please take note **Wraith** = ghost ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/590 "2023-09-27T12:35:31Z")
**Canvas** refers to a durable fabric made from cotton, linen, or other materials. It is commonly used for a variety of purposes, including painting surfaces, sails, tents, and bags. It can also refer to the surface upon which a painting or artwork is created. **Canvass** is a verb that means to solicit or seek support, votes, opinions, or information from a group of people. It typically involves going door-to-door or conducting a survey or poll to gather opinions or to campaign for a cause, candidate, or product. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/591 "2023-09-27T14:44:40Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > Mucus: a noun referring to a slick/gooey material secreted by various parts of an organism. > > Mucous: a noun specifying some kind of connection to mucus. Mucous membranes secrete mucus. Better late than never nitpick: “Mucous” is an adjective. Agree with everything else. mmm ---
**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:** [September 27, 2023, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/592 "2023-09-27T15:32:29Z")
**envelope** (noun): a paper covering for a letter, etc. **envelop** (verb): to surround or wrap up ---
**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:** [September 27, 2023, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/593 "2023-09-27T16:56:23Z")
**Founding** : Establishing or originating **Foundling** : An abandoned child raised by others **Foundering** : Failing **Floundering** : Struggling to move ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/594 "2023-09-27T17:50:08Z")
**materiel** : military equipment **material** : consisting of matter ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/595 "2023-09-27T17:52:50Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > **Founding** : Establishing or originating > **Foundling** : An abandoned child raised by others > **Foundering** : Failing > **Floundering** : Struggling to move **Foundering** comes from the condition in horses - **Founder** is the common name for laminitis, a condition of the hoof in horses and donkeys. ---
**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:** [September 27, 2023, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/596 "2023-09-27T23:36:33Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Better late than never nitpick: “Mucous” is an adjective. > > Agree with everything else. > > mmm Yeah, I blew that one, but I posted a clarification a few months ago: > [@Words one can get confused](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/528): > > No. No, it’s not. It’s mucus, not mucous. OK, so maybe I deserve to take partial responsibility for @TriPolar’s error. Way up thread, from almost a year ago, I had this post: When I wrote that post, I knew that “mucus” was a noun and “mucous” was an adjective - but I mistakenly wrote that both were nouns. So, to set the record straight: Mucus: a noun referring to a slick/gooey material secreted by various parts of an organism. Mucous: an adjective specifying some kind of connection to… ---
**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:** [September 28, 2023, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/597 "2023-09-28T13:19:05Z")
**lets** : allows [one] to **let’s** : contraction for “let us” Let’s all go down to the library. The librarian lets us check out grammar books. ---
**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:** [September 28, 2023, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/598 "2023-09-28T13:41:26Z")
> [@bibliophage](#): > > **let’s** : contraction for “let us” Lettuce: Not an alternative spelling for ‘let us’. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/599 "2023-09-28T13:45:56Z")
I’d like to carrion this conversation about lettuce, but I don’t have time now. Lettuce continue later. ---
**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:** [September 28, 2023, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/600 "2023-09-28T21:17:25Z")
“Let” or “Lets” is also the form of “lease”. I’m not up on grammar terminology enough to label the part of speech, but you get the idea. “Room to let”. After he had signed the lease the room was let to him. 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:** [September 28, 2023, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/601 "2023-09-28T21:25:31Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > “Room to let”. After he had signed the lease the room was let to him. Isn’t this mostly a UK (as opposed to US) usage? When I first encountered the phrase “to let” (as a kid), I assumed it meant that the room was being offered for free. If they expected you to pay for it, it would have been “for rent”; but instead, they were just going to **let** someone have it. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/602 "2023-09-28T21:36:55Z")
Sometimes in Tennis the umpire will call a ‘let’. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/603 "2023-09-28T21:39:52Z")
**cord** (or **chord** ): a string or small rope **chord** : a combination of several musical notes **Scorpus** : charioteer **Scorpius** : constellation [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772.md?page=29) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772.md?page=31)