# 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:** 8
**Author:** ![eburacum45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum45/32/8690_2.png) [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/141 "2022-09-21T16:46:01Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Although online sources say that -elt is often used in British English as synonymous with the past tense of -elled; e.g. dwelled, dwelt. The cold and official and the heart’s outpouring, Clever, stupid, short and long, The typed and the printed and the spelt all wrong. _Night Mail_, W.H. Auden. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/142 "2022-09-21T19:01:52Z")
how about: immanent/imminent/immanant ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/143 "2022-09-21T19:40:42Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > since the world is partitioned into a majority who have never heard of the word obduct, and a minority who know the difference. Not quite a perfect partition. There’s a small third group that has heard of the word but has at best a vague and probably misleading understanding. There was a video game, [Obduction](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obduction_(video_game)), where pretty much the first event is that you are _ab_ducted. I think the real meaning of the name refers to some later discoveries in the game, in a metaphorical sense, but I think it was also chosen because it sounds kinda like abduction but in a weird alien way. ---
**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 22, 2022, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/144 "2022-09-22T10:30:40Z")
Prostate (noun): A gland that’s part of male genital anatomy. Prostrate (adjective/verb): lying face down on the ground, or the act of doing (or making someone do) so. Cancer may prostrate you, but you can’t get prostrate cancer. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2022, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/145 "2022-09-22T10:43:03Z")
Here are two that are not similar sounding, but that people get mixed up: prone and supine. Lying prone means on your stomach; supine means on your back. I had to correct the writer of a museum script (IOW, not a stupid person) who had used prone when he meant supine. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2022, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/146 "2022-09-22T12:07:32Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > Lying prone means on your stomach; As does prostrate! ---
**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 22, 2022, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/147 "2022-09-22T12:45:40Z")
**Abduct /abduction:** move away from body’s midline. **Adduct / adduction:** move closer to body’s midline. **Invert / inversion:** to turn upside down, inside out, or place in a contrary order or direction. (more general than “eversion”) **Evert / eversion:** to turn inside out. (more specific than “inversion”). ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2022, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/148 "2022-09-22T13:23:45Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > Prostate (noun): A gland that’s part of male genital anatomy. > > Prostrate (adjective/verb): lying face down on the ground, or the act of doing (or making someone do) so. > > Cancer may prostrate you, but you can’t get prostrate cancer. Not to mention _Probate_ (2:17) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/KD8Tpw-T6Xk/maxresdefault.jpg "Things About Who Framed Roger Rabbit You Only Notice As An Adult") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KD8Tpw-T6Xk) ---
**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:** [September 22, 2022, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/149 "2022-09-22T13:24:21Z")
genetic, generic and geriatric. Apparently. > [@"Generic" packaging ca. 1980 - your memories and thoughts about it](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generic-packaging-ca-1980-your-memories-and-thoughts-about-it/971941/45): > > My buddy said they regularly got questions from customers about where to find the “genetic” and “geriatric” products (this was in West Virginia). ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/150 "2022-09-24T21:22:20Z")
Im surprised nobody has mentioned wary vs. weary. I see people using weary when they mean wary all the time. Mostly on forums where I am in the minority opinion already, so I don’t generally correct the usage. ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/151 "2022-09-24T21:33:10Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > Here are two that are not similar sounding, but that people get mixed up: prone and supine. Lying prone means on your stomach; supine means on your back. I had to correct the writer of a museum script (IOW, not a stupid person) who had used prone when he meant supine. I think it was Cool Hand Luke where the in-charge guy at some point announces that there is to be no smoking while “in the prone position”. Seemed like a superfluous ban. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/152 "2022-09-24T21:52:10Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > Here are two that are not similar sounding, but that people get mixed up: prone and supine. So you’re saying that people are supine to confuse the two? ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/153 "2022-09-24T21:55:03Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Im surprised nobody has mentioned wary vs. weary. > I see people using weary when they mean wary all the time. I don’t recall seeing this error - but it occurs to me that there is also leery/leary, synonymous with wary, perhaps that leads to the confusion? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/154 "2022-09-24T22:08:59Z")
e.g., from another forum: > 1. I’m always weary of voiding my warranty. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/155 "2022-09-24T22:12:28Z")
nm he corrected ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/156 "2022-09-24T22:15:05Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Leary is just an older, mostly obsolete spelling of leery. It’s not wrong… Yes, I was just giving the alternate spellings. My point was not confusion between different spellings of leery, it was the possible relevance to the confusion between weary and wary - because the sound is like weary, but the meaning is like wary. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/157 "2022-09-24T22:18:04Z")
Yeah, I reread it and saw my confusion and nmed it. All nouns can be verbs if you squint properly. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/158 "2022-09-24T22:19:59Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > All nouns can be verbs if you squint properly. All nouns can be verbed? Preposterous! (I had never thought about it before, but “verbed” is autological, isn’t it? I suppose that’s obvious, and probably intentional in the coining.) ---
**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 28, 2022, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/159 "2022-09-28T21:55:11Z")
**Intimation** : an indication or hint. The action of making something known, especially in an indirect way. **Intimidation** : the action of intimidating someone, or the state of being intimidated. \> Intimidate: frighten or overawe (someone), especially in order to make them do what one wants. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2022, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/160 "2022-10-04T16:30:09Z")
patchouli is a specific plant, Pogostemon cablin, cultivated in southeast Asia for its scent. Potpourri is simply a mixture. Originally it referred to a stew, and now often means a mixture of scents and pretty objects like dried rosebuds in an open bowl or jar, used to scent a room. What it smells of depends on what’s in it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772.md?page=9)