Businessconfusingwords List1 6 Meanings.doc

8/12/2019 Businessconfusingwords List1 6 Meanings.doc

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CONFUSING WORDS LIST 1

accede:to comply with (We will gladly accede to your request.)exceed:to surpass (Our department budget exceeds $50,000.)

accent:to stress or emphasize; a regional manner of speaking (He as a de!inite "outern accent.)ascent:a rising or going up (#e mountain as a steep ascent.)assent:to agree; agreement (r. artin ga%e is assent to te new pro&ect.)

accept:to receive; to give an affirmative answer to (We accept your bid.)except:to exclude, to leave out, to omit, other than (prep) ('n en!orcing tis rule, we can except no one.)

access:admittance or admission (#e comptroller as access to te boos on te weeend.)excess:surplus, or more than necessary (ecords indicated an excess o! $*5,000 in te budget.)

ad:abbreviation for ad%ertisement ("e answered te elp+wanted ad in te local newspaper.)add:to join; to unite; to sum (lease add te new sipment to our stoc.)

adapt:to accustom oneself to a situation or to change something to fit a new use or situation (-ill was

need to adapt to is new &ob.)adept:proficient or competent in performing a task (ary is a %ery adept typist.)adopt:to take by choice; to put into practice (#e -oard o! irectors decided to adopt te new proposal.)

addition:Something added. (/ran is te latest addition to our sta!!.)edition:one of a number of printings (#e latest edition o! #ime againe is now being sold.)

advice:counsel; a recommendation (noun! (' will see te ad%ice o! a specialist.)advise:to suggest, to recommend (verb! (He ad%ised me to consult an attorney.)

affect:to influence (verb! (#e cange does not a!!ect is pay.)effective:result or conse"uence (noun! (#e music as a sooting e!!ect.)effect:to bring about (verb! (#e new treatments a%e e!!ected a cure.)

all ready:prepared (#e macines are all ready !or use.)already:previously (#e employee ad already le!t !or ome.)

allusion:a reference to something!amiliar (id e mae an allusion to te new report1)illusion:an image of an object; a false impression (He as illusions o! grandeur.)

delusion:a false belief (eter ad te delusion tat is wor was satis!actory.)

almost:nearly; only a little less (adverb! (#e wor is almost !inised.)most:greatest in "uantity or the majority of (adjective! (ost o! te wor is !inised.)

altar:a place to worship or pray (#e priest ga%e is sermon !rom te altar.)alter:to change (eter2s plans will need to be altered be!ore tey will be appro%ed.)

altogether:completely or thoroughly (#e answer is altogeter correct.)all together:in a group; in union (#e employees were all togeter.)

among:used where three or more people, things, etc, are involved (#e wor on te new program was

di%ided among 3on, 4race, and Henry.)between:generally used where only two are involved (#e bonus was di%ided between icael andristina.)


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amount:"uantity without reference to individual units(#e amount o! sand in te par is decreasingbecause o! erosion.)number:a total of counted units (#e number o! boxes in te sipment was noted on te in%oice.)

angel:messenger from #od; person who is good, kind, or beautiful (#e glass tree ornament was in te

sape o! an angel.)angle:space between two lines or surfaces that meet. (#e road angles to te rigt ere.)

anyone:any person in general (stress on any) (oes anyone a%e a pencil1)any one:a specific person or item (stress on one! (6ny one o! our macines will be satis!actory.) $%int:

followed by an &' phrase


anxious:upset; concerned about a serious occurrence(7elly was anxious about te upcoming test.)

eager:very desirous; anticipating a favorable event (#e couple was eager !or teir upcoming wedding.)

appraise:to set a value on (#e appraised %alue o! te ouse was $85,000.)apprise:to inform (#e -oard o! irectors were apprised o! te company2s !inancial situation.)

attendance:the act of being present at aplace (Our class as per!ect attendance today.)

attendants:a person who waits on another. (#e airliner ad se%eral !ligt attendants to care !or te

passengers.)

beside:by the side of, next to ("tac te !inised letters beside te tray !or outgoing mail.)besides:in addition to (Wo, besides, -ill, is being promoted1)

biannually:two times a year (#e con%ention is eld biannually in 3anuary and 3uly.)biennially:every two years (-ill2s car is required to be emission tested biennially.)

brake:a retarding device, to retard (3on pused on te brae to stop te car.)

break:to shatter, to divide, an opening, a fracture (#e antique %ase is insured in te e%ent it migt brea.)

canvas:a coarse type of cloth (#e artist2s can%as measured 9 !eet by 5 !eet.)canvass:to solicit; survey ('! you will can%ass te committee, you will recei%e a !a%orable response.)

capital:a seat of government; money invested; a form of a letter ("anta /e is te capital o! :ew exico.)

capitol:a government building $%int: )he capital dome is in the shape of an *&* (#e capitol in "anta/e was built in te sape o! an ;O.;)

cease:to halt or stop (lease cease teasing te dog.)

seize: to grasp or take possession (' would not esitate to seie an opportunity to increase my assets.)

choose:to select, to prefer (


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collision:a clashing of objects (#e collision caused damage to te two cars.)collusion:a conspiracy or fraud (#ere is no doubt tat collusion too place between te &udge and te

plainti!!.)

command:to direct or order; an order (#e o!!icer commanded is men to marc.)commend:to praise or laud (3on was commended !or is !ine bea%ior.)

condemn:to declare to be wrong or unsatisfactory (#e manager condemned tose employees wo were

taing two+our lunces.)commence:to begin (#e program will commence at !i%e o2cloc.)comments:to praise ("e%eral !a%orable comments were eard concerning te program.)

complement:that which completes or supplements (noun!; to complete or supplement (verb! (Our camp

as its !ull complement o! counselors.)compliment:flattery or praise (noun!; to express flattery or praise (verb! (We compliment you on yourrecord.)

confidant:one who may be confided in (His role as a con!idant enabled im to elp many people.)confident:positive or sure (He was con!ident is is ability to do te &ob.)

continual:taking place in close succession; fre"uently repeated (He complained continually about ig

gasoline prices.)continuous:without break or letup (#e water !lowed o%er :iagra /alls continuously.)

council:an assembly of persons (#e proposal will be taen to te city council.)counsel:to advise (verb!; advice (noun!; an attorney (noun! (We will see te counsel o! a specialist.)consul:a resident representative of a foreignstate (#e 4erman consul stationed in =os 6ngeles wereborn in -erlin.)


core:a center (#e core o! te problem is tat te employees don2t care.)corps:a body of troops; a group of persons in association (6 large ospital as a corps o! nurses.)corpse:a dead body (#e corpse was taen to te city morgue.)

currant:small and sour berries or small seedless raisin (#e currants were used in te pudding.)

current:timely; motion of air or water (We discussed current e%ents in our class today.)

decent:correct; proper(#e decent ting to do is to pay !or te damage you a%e done.)descent:going from high to low (#e descent o! te ot air balloon was more rapid tan expected.)dissent:disagreement (#wo o! te &udged dissent !rom te decision o! te oter tree.)

decree:a proclamation of law (#e new state oliday was declared by a decree o! te 4o%ernor.)degree:a step in a series; stage in process; amount (#o wat degree do you en&oy reading1)

defer:to delay or put off (We tin it wise to de!er to is &udgment in tis matter.)

differ:to disagree or be unlike (#e twins di!!er bot in temperament and in appearance.)

deference:respect for the opinion, judgments, or wishes of other (eople o!ten sow de!erence to oterswo are older and wiser.)difference:to be unlike(/ew di!!erences were noted between te two plans.)


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desert:to abandon (verb! (He got is &ust deserts !or betraying a !riend.)desert:a barren geographical area (noun! (:ew exico as muc desert land.)dessert: a course at the end of the meal (noun! ("ue en&oys pumpin pie !or dessert>)

$%int: )o help you remember the second S, you can either remember that you always want

seconds for dessert or think of *Strawberry Shortcake*

disapprove:not to accept ('t2s really not %ery important weter you appro%e or disappro%e o! te action

we tae.)disprove:to prove wrong (Was e able to dispro%e your teory1)

disburse:to make payments; to allot (lease disburse te payments to te creditors.!

disperse:to scatter (#e crowd dispersed wen it began raining.)

disinterested:neutral; not biased (6ny &udge can be selected !or te trial? tey are all completely

disinterested indi%iduals.)uninterested:not concerned with; lacking interested ("e was uninterested in te con%ersation and

strolled away.)

dual:double or two (#e train ad dual controls !or te engineer and is assistant.)duel:a contest between two antagonists (#e lawyers !ougt a dual o! wits in te court o! law.)

dying:in the process of losing life or function (#e grapes were dying on te %ine.)dyeing:changing the color o! (atty is dyeing er bedspread red.)

elicit:to draw forth, usually a comment (#e candidate campaigned to elicit support !rom te people.)illicit:unlawful; illegal (He was arrested because o! is illicit acti%ities.)

eligible:acceptable; approved (r. artin is eligible !or te promotion.)illegible:impossible to read or decipher (#e employer2s and+written note was illegible.)

ineligible:not "ualified to be chosen (s. "anders was ineligible to enter te contest.)

eminent:outstanding; prominent ("e was an eminent senator, and er opinions were respected.)imminent:impending, very near, or threatening (#e collapse o! te tower was imminent.)

envelope:container for a communication (noun! (#e en%elope needs to be addressed be!ore te letter can

be sent.)envelop:to surround; cover over or enfold (verb! (isagreement o%er te imbalance between assets and

liabilities seemed to en%elop te mood o! e%eryone in te room.)

expand:to increase in size (Our company is expanding production.)

expend:to spend, to use up (#e new pro&ect will expend all our energy.)

farther:at or to a greater geographical or linear distance (He waled about tree miles !arter tan teoter men.)

further:more; in addition to (/urter researc is needed in te area o! nutrition.)


fiscal:pertaining to finances (#e budget indicates our !inancial statement at te end o! te !iscal year.)

physical:relating to the body (/red went to te doctor !or is annual pysical examination.)

flair:a natural ability or talent (#e poet ad a !lair !or maing cle%er rymes.)

flare:a signal rocket; a blazing up of a fire (#e damp logs !lared up brie!ly be!ore te !ire went out.)


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forward:onward; ahead ('rom this time forward, all paychecks must have two signatures!

foreword:preface (#e autor explained te purpose o! er boo in te !oreword.)

formally:according to convention (He as not yet !ormally accepted te nomination.)formerly:previously (He was !ormerly a pro!essor o! economics.)

forth:away, forward (/rom tis time !ort, all correspondence must be dated on te day signed.)fourth:next after third (-ill was !ourt in line !or te concert ticets.)

hoard:to collect and keep; a hidden supply ('n times o! in!lation, it seems silly to try to oard money.)horde:a huge crowd (Hordes o! grassoppers destroyed te crops.)

holey: having perforations or holes (#e oley &eans were no longer wearable.)holy:sacred; saintly (#e capel ad a oly !eeling.!

wholly:entirely; completely (We are wolly con%inced o! is innocence!

human:pertaining to man or woman (#e uman race as more tecnology now tan e%er be!ore!

humane:kindly, considerate (He lobbied !or umane treatment to animals.!

imitate:to resemble, mimic (3oan tried to imitate te per!ormer2s mannerisms.)intimate:to hint, make known (verb) (He intimated tat a new program cange was soon coming.)intimate:innermost, familiar (adjective) (#e new te intimate details o! te program.)

imply:to hint at or to allude to in speaking or writing (the speaker implies! ('! you wis to imply by your

statements tat e is not onest, you a%e succeeded.)infer:to draw a conclusion from what has been said or written (the listener in!ers! (' in!erred !rom wat e

said tat we would be getting o!! early today.)

incite:to stir up; to urge on ()heir leaders incited the workers to strike!insight:keen understanding; intuition (We study uman relations to gain insigt into tose we li%e andwor wit.)

in:indicates location within (lease place te security box in te sa!e.)

into:indicates movement to a location within (Wen ' stepped into te ban2s %ault, ' immediately new

tat someting was wrong.)

its:a possessive singular pronoun (#e prase as lost its meaning.)it+s:a contraction for it is('t2s time to quit.)

knew:past tense of verb now (He new it was quitting time wen e%eryone cleared is or er des.)new:recent; original ()he new plan should increase production!

later:refers to time; the comparative form of late@(He will be tere later in te day.)

latter:refers to the second one named of two people or tings (#e employer appro%ed te latter

suggestion.)

lead: heavy metal (noun!; to guide or direct (verb! (lease lead te way to te con!erence room.)led:guided (past tense of *to lead*! (#e representati%es were led to te con!erence room.)

leased:rented (#o sa%e money, te company leased an o!!ice in an older building.)

least:smallest (He sa%ed at least $950 a mont by renting te old o!!ice.)

liable:responsible (eter was eld liable !or te damages.)


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libel:defamatory statements (#e reporter was sued !or libel wen e said te beauty queen waled lie aduc.)

loose:not fastened or attached; to set free (#e dog was let loose in te yard.)lose:to cease having; mislay ('2d lose my ead i! it wasn2t !astened on.)

marital:pertaining to marriage (#eir marital di!!iculties ended te business partnersip and teir &oint

%enture.)marshal:an official; to arrange ("e is te parade marsal.)martial:pertaining to military affairs (He was trained in te martial arts.)

maybe:perhaps (adverb! (aybe te strie will end at noon.)may be:indicates possibility (verb! (#ere may be a possibility tat se will go wit me.)


medal:a badge of honor (/ran won te edal o! Honor !or is act o! courage.)meddle:to interfere ("aron wised er boss would not meddle into er personal li!e.)metal:a mineral substance (#e sound metal maes clanging togeter ept er awae.)

miner:a person who works in a mine (He ad wored as a miner !or o%er 90 years.)minor:one who has not attained legal age; of little importance (adverb! ('t was a minor point, and ' !elt it

sould be o%erlooed.)

moral:a principle, maxim, or lesson (noun!; ethical (adverb! (#e moral o! te story is to always be

prepared.)morale:state of mind or psychological outlook (noun) (#e morale o! te employees was unusually ig.)

notable:distinguished; worth noticing, remarkable (any notables came to te reception at te WiteHouse.)notorious:unfavorably known (3oe -anana was a notorious gangster.)

ordinance:a local law (6ltoug it was a city ordinance, none o! te citiens seemed to obey it.)ordnance:military weapons; munitions (He was te ordnance o!!icer !or te 6rmy di%ision.)

overdo:to do too much (:e%er o%erdo a good ting.)overdue:past due (Her library boos are now !our wees o%erdue.)

passed:moved along; transferred (verb! (#e ri%er passed troug our land.)past:time gone by (adjective!; time before the present (noun!; by and beyond (preposition! (He ad to

wal past te personnel department.)

patience:composure, endurance (He as no patience !or small cildren.)patients:sick people (#e doctor must %isit is patients at te ospital.)

peak:top of a hill or mountain; topmost point (He was at te pea o! is pro!ession.)peek:a "uick look (#e cild wanted to pee at er ristmas presents.)

percent:should be used after a numeral (uring te past year, our sales increased by A0 percent.)

percentage:for "uantity or when numerals are not used (6 large percentage o! te community sop at temalls.)


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persecute:to subject to harsh or unjust treatment ('t is unlaw!ul to persecute someone !or is or erreligious belie!s.)

prosecute:to bring legal action against ('t will be necessary to prosecute er in a court o! law i! &ustice isto be obtained.)

personal:private; not public or general (#e area was mared ersonal roperty.)personnel:the staff of an organization (We are proud o! te attainments o! our personnel.)

perspective:a view of things or facts; the effect of distance or depth on the appearance of objects (any

appenings o! last year seem less important wen %iewed in perspecti%e.!

prospective:likely to come about; looking forward in time (#e prospecti%e raise in pay among teworers caused great excitement.)

plaintiff:the complaining party in a lawsuit (#e plainti!! brougt carges against te de!endant !or

negligence.)plaintive:sorrowful; mournful (#e plainti%e owling o! te wol%es was certainly !rigtening.!

precedence:priority (6ll customer+related calls a%e precedence o%er personal calls.)

precedents:cases that have already occurred (6 decision o! a court o!ten ser%es as a precedent in otercourts.)

proceed:to begin; to move; to advance (=et us proceed to te next matter o! business.)precede:to go before (#e !aculty preceded te seniors in procession.)

$%int: *-re* means *before* and *pro* means *forward*!

presence:bearing, being present (We were deligted wit te presence o! so many distinguised guests atte banquet.)

presents:gifts (O! all te presents se recei%ed, se lied te cocolates best.)

principal:of primary importance $%int: means ./0 (adjective) (His lac o! organiation was teprincipal reason !or is !ailure.)?

head of a school, chief or official, main thing, or person (noun! (He is te principal o! our

ig scool.)?original sum (noun! (' wis to recei%e a larger interest !rom my principal.)

principle:a fundamental truth; a rule; a law (#e principles o! accounting are di!!icult to learn.)

provided:on condition; supplied (We will a%e a picnic pro%ided it doesn2t rain.)providing:supplying (Wo will be pro%iding te cips and dip1)


"uiet:calm, silent (#is room is quiet.)

"uit:to stop (#e end o! 6ugust ' plan to quit my &ob to go bac to scool.)"uite:entirely, wholly (#e instructions are quite clear.)

realty:real estate (r. artin as sold !our omes since e started is realty business.)reality:that which is real ('n reality tis material is muc more expensi%e tan te oter.)

recent:newly created or developed; near past in time (#e recently created department will ser%e

customer needs better.)resent:to feel indignant (' resent doing te wor !or co+worers wo are lay.)

respectfully:with respect or deference (4eorge treated is boss respect!ully.)


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respectively:in the order named (indy, 3on, and ary were gi%en 5, A0, and *5 !ree passes respecti%ely!or te wor accomplised.)

sometime:at one time or another (ome to my o!!ice sometime tis a!ternoon.)sometimes:occasionally ("ometimes we need to recec our !igures !or accuracy.)some time:refers to a number of time units $%int: groups of time (We a%e not seen im !or some time.)

stationary:not moving; fixed (6 stationary wall telepone is better suited to some locations tan a despone.)stationery:writing paper or writing materials (#e administrati%e assistant was ased to order new

stationery !or te o!!ice.)

statue:a carved or molded three1dimensional reproduction (#e council appro%ed te construction o! testatue !or te new par.)stature:height of a person; reputation (His stature in te community was su!!iciently ig to assure is

election.)statute:a law (6ltoug e was an attorney and was quite !amiliar wit te law, e ad ne%er eard o!

tat statute.)

than:used in comparison (conjunction! (He was bigger tan is older broter.)then:relating to time (adverb! ("ort te letters in te baset? ten prepare tem !or !iling.)

their:belonging to them (possessive of tey! (#eir ouse is te tird on te le!t.)there:in that place (adverb! (lace te papers tere on te des.)

they+re:a contraction of the two words tey are (#ey2re te people you sould contact !or !urter

in!ormation.)

thorough:carried through to completion, perfect, finished, complete (/ran did a toroug analysis o!time utiliation.)

threw:did throw (-obby trew te ball into te neigbor2s window.)through:by means of, from beginning to end, because of (#roug a great deal o! e!!ort, te report was

!inised in time.)

to:a function word to indicate movement (preposition! (He waled to personnel to sign is employee

insurance !orms.)too:also; excessively; very (adverb! ('t was really muc too ot to sit in te sun any longer.)two:a number (#wo apple pies won2t last long at our ome.)

trial:examination, to experiment, ardsip (4oing to scool can sometimes be a real trial.)

trail: path (#e explorers !ollowed te trail o%er te mountain ridge.)

vice:wickedness; evil habit or tendency (=ying and cruelty are %ices.)vise:a clamp (#e %ise eld te pieces o! wood in place.)

waive:to give up; relin"uish ('! you will wai%e te regulation, ' will be able to secure a %isa.)wave:swell or sudden increase of some condition or emotion; a gesture (6 wa%e o! cold weater is

sweeping o%er te country.)

weather:climate or atmosphere (#e weater report called !or snow.)whether:used to introduce alternative (Weter or not you are ready, please be at my o!!ice by tree

o2cloc.)

who+s:contraction of wo is (Wo2s ready to lea%e1)

whose:possessive of wo (Wose soes are tese1)


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Businessconfusingwords List1 6 Meanings.doc

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