# 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:** 35
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2023, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/684 "2023-11-12T21:59:24Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > So now by law the warning signs in the USA read “flammable” - a word made up by the US regulatory apparatus. Is there any evidence they _made up_ a non-existent word as much as revive and encourage the use of a perfectly cromulent (but not in current use) word? ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2023, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/685 "2023-11-12T22:00:01Z")
**exult** : to leap for joy **exalt** : to lift up ---
**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:** [November 12, 2023, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/686 "2023-11-12T22:03:53Z")
Damned good question. My non-expert opinion was that “flamamble” didn’t exist prior to fairly recently. Maybe I’m full of it here. ---
**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:** [November 12, 2023, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/687 "2023-11-12T23:05:39Z")
Here’s a use of ‘flammable’ from 1876. (having trouble highlighting the word in the document. But search the document for “Flammable” and you’ll find it. ) > **[House documents](https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/House_documents/JmVoAAAAcAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=flammable%2B-%22non%2Bflammable%22%2B-%22in%2Bflammable%22&pg=PA543&printsec=frontcover)** ---
**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:** [November 12, 2023, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/688 "2023-11-12T23:25:53Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > I’ve mostly heard tow-headed applied to children whose family had a long history of being blonde as children but having darker hair as an adult. - Same here. ---
**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:** [November 13, 2023, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/689 "2023-11-13T00:21:25Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > My non-expert opinion was that “flamamble” didn’t exist prior to fairly recently. If you really do mean “ **flamamble** ,” I agree. > [@LSLGuy](#): > > IMO/IME/AFAIK “flammable” and “inflammable” are precisely utterly identical in meaning. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Q8mD2hsxrhQ/hqdefault.jpg "Inflammable means flammable?") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8mD2hsxrhQ) ---
**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:** [November 13, 2023, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/690 "2023-11-13T01:15:38Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > If you really do mean “ **flamamble** ,” I agree. Touché good Sir! Touché. Now we just need to decide what “flamamble” means. Maybe that’s the word for “prone to spontaneous combustion” that folks upthread were wanting? 🤪 ---
**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:** [November 13, 2023, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/691 "2023-11-13T01:20:47Z")
Technically the term “inflame” should mean putting flame _into_ something, the way “inflate” means to put gas or air into something. Strictly it should be “enflame” and “enflammable”. But yeah prescription vs. description, etc. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2023, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/692 "2023-11-13T13:48:42Z")
**enflame** is a perfectly cromulent (if obsolete in use) variant of **inflame** according to the _OED._ Note that in standard French AFAIK it’s “enflammer” yet “inflammable” (antonym: ininflammable) ! Speaking of in- words, **genius** : extraordinary intelligence of skill; inspiration ingenius: not a word **ingenious** (also **engenious** as an obsolete spelling): characterized by genius **ingenuous** : naive and trusting **engineer** : one who designs, constructs, or operates works **ingeneer** : obsolete spelling of engineer ---
**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:** [November 13, 2023, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/693 "2023-11-13T16:13:59Z")
**genii** : (singular _genius_) benevolent guardian spirits or minor gods in Roman mythology **genie** (or _djinni_ or _djinn_ or _jinn_ or _jinni_): a supernatural invisible creature in Arabian mythology and later in Islamic theology, sometimes but not always malevolent. **Jeanie** (or _Jeannie_): a feminine name or nickname ---
**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:** [November 13, 2023, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/694 "2023-11-13T16:36:56Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > **genius** : extraordinary intelligence of skill; inspiration > ingenius: not a word > **ingenious** (also **engenious** as an obsolete spelling): characterized by genius > **ingenuous** : naive and trusting > **engineer** : one who designs, constructs, or operates works > **ingeneer** : obsolete spelling of engineer **ingénue** : an innocent/unsophisticated young woman. > [@DPRK](#): > > **Axel** : turning jump skating figure > **axle** : pin or spindle on which a wheel revolves **Axis** : a line serving as a geometric reference for various purposes, e.g. an axis in a coordinate system, an axis of rotation, or an axis of symmetry. ---
**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:** [November 19, 2023, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/695 "2023-11-19T18:52:49Z")
**brassiere** : a bra (type of undergarment) **brassier** : more brassy (like the alloy or impudent) **brazier** (or _brasier_): (1) a metalworker who works in brass; (2) a container for burning coals **brazer** : one who brazes (joins two pieces of metal by a specific technique involving heat) **braiser** : one who braises (cooks food in a relatively small quantity of hot liquid); a type of pan used for braising ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2023, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/696 "2023-11-19T19:32:06Z")
**purl** : inverted knitting stitch; loops or twists ornamenting the edges of lace, braid, ribbon, and the like **pirl** : to twist, wind or spin; a fine curl or ripple on the surface of water **pearl** : lump of nacre ---
**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:** [November 20, 2023, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/697 "2023-11-20T00:36:17Z")
**brasserie:** a type of restaurant ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2023, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/698 "2023-11-26T20:58:15Z")
**alter** : to change **altar** : a table or flat-topped structure used for religious rites **looser** : more loose **loser** : one who loses **hanger** : one who hangs; a device for hanging **hangar** : a large shed where aircraft are kept ---
**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:** [November 28, 2023, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/699 "2023-11-28T20:43:49Z")
**cement** : a binding agent made from powdered limestone and clay and other ingredients. When mixed with water and allowed to set, it forms a solid, but it is not very often used alone as a building material. **mortar** : Any material that binds to and fills the spaces between bricks or stones in masonry construction. In modern usage, it is typically a mixture of cement, water, and sand that sets solid. **concrete** : a mixture of cement, water, and aggregate (usually sand and gravel). It sets solid and is now the world’s most frequently used building material. ---
**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:** [November 28, 2023, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/700 "2023-11-28T21:26:13Z")
> [@bibliophage](#): > > **concrete** : a mixture of cement, water, and aggregate A couple of lifetimes ago, I worked in construction. I gave up trying to educate others on the difference between concrete and cement. ---
**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:** [November 28, 2023, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/701 "2023-11-28T22:00:36Z")
**Concrete** is also a term for a very thick frozen custard dessert. Which makes a very bad building material. And a **mortar** is also the bowl used along with a pestle to crush or grind materials into (usually) powders. One can use a **mortar** and pestle to break up nuts to add as an aggregate to your edible **concrete**. 😁 ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2023, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/702 "2023-11-28T22:04:17Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > A couple of lifetimes ago, I worked in construction. I gave up trying to educate others on the difference between concrete and cement. Just so long as those others are not in construction… ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2023, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/703 "2023-11-29T07:24:23Z")
An **expatriate** is not necessarily an **ex-patriot** One lives outside their country, the other no longer loves it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772.md?page=34) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772.md?page=36)