Words That Don't Mean What You Think They Mean
Monday, March 23, 2015
Enervated
Enervated: Although the word enervated looks like it might give you energy and nerve, it in fact does just the opposite. A person is enervated when he loses his nerve or when he is weakened.
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Pristine
Pristine: People think "pristine" means “spotless” or
“good as new” when it actually means “Ancient, primeval; in a state virtually
unchanged from the original."
Forest and land can be pristine.
Monday, February 9, 2015
Noisome
Yes, it obviously has to do with some unpleasant and loud noise, right?
Actually, Noisome isn't about noise. It means obnoxious or objectionable to the senses, especially the sense of smell. It's a synonym of noxious and malodorous, not cacophonous or dissonant. It's related to annoy.
Actually, Noisome isn't about noise. It means obnoxious or objectionable to the senses, especially the sense of smell. It's a synonym of noxious and malodorous, not cacophonous or dissonant. It's related to annoy.
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Friday, January 16, 2015
Poisonous
Poisonous
Poisonous—often confused
with venomous—means a plant, animal, or substance capable of
causing death or illness if taken into the body. Venomous means
capable of injecting venom.
A rattlesnake is not itself poisonous,
because if you eat one it won’t poison you. A blowfish will kill you if you eat
it, so it is poisonous, but not venomous.
Friday, December 12, 2014
Irregardless
Irregardless: This is not a word. This has never been a word. Regardless already means
something isn’t worth regard, but that is also what this word claims to mean. Technically then, irregardless should mean something is not worth of disregard. And that makes no sense.
Friday, October 31, 2014
Nauseous
Nauseous:
What you think it means: to feel sick or that one may vomit
What it actually means: to cause nausea
When you eat too much ice cream and then say, "Oh, I feel nauseous," you're not saying you feel sick, you are saying that you are causing people around you to feel sick.
The correct way to say you feel sick is to say, "I am nauseated."
What you think it means: to feel sick or that one may vomit
What it actually means: to cause nausea
When you eat too much ice cream and then say, "Oh, I feel nauseous," you're not saying you feel sick, you are saying that you are causing people around you to feel sick.
The correct way to say you feel sick is to say, "I am nauseated."
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