spelling – Page 13 – LC Plaunt, M.Ed.

Monday Muddle: exacerbate, exasperate

LC April 11, 2022 Monday Muddle

You exacerbate a situation, and you exasperate a person–potentially because you exacerbated a situation.

Monday Muddle: exacerbate: (verb) to make a negative situation worse; to increase the severity of a problem; to aggravate; to complicate exasperate: (verb) to cause someone to lose patience; to frustrate; to aggravate; to irritate; to annoy

Monday Muddle: backlist, backlog

LC April 4, 2022 Monday Muddle

It is better for an author to create a backlist than to create a backlog.

Monday Muddle: backlist: (noun) an author’s or publisher’s list of older titles that are still available; books that are not new releases backlog: (noun) (general) an accumulation of unfinished tasks or unfilled orders; (project management) list of what needs to be done to complete a project

Monday Muddle: lyre, liar

LC March 28, 2022 Monday Muddle

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Monday Muddle: lyre: (noun) a stringed instrument, typically made in a U shape with a crossbar at the opening on which strings are attached; often compared to a harp liar: (noun) a person who does not tell the truth; someone who tells lies

Monday Muddle: overtime, over time

LC March 21, 2022 Monday Muddle

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Monday Muddle: overtime: (noun) the period of time that is beyond the amount of time scheduled; typically used in relation to extra work hours or extra time in a sporting event added to allow a player or team to break the tie; the payment for work done beyond regular hours over time: (preposition + noun) gradually; over a period of time

“Opinions can change over time” means that as people grow and learn more, they many change their beliefs on a given subject.

“Opinions can change overtime” indicates that you have an understanding employer who is willing to not only listen to but also potentially act upon your feedback regarding the extra hours that you work.

Monday Muddle: wit, whit

LC March 14, 2022 Monday Muddle

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Monday Muddle: wit: (noun) intelligence; mental sharpness; often used when describing someone who has quick and funny responses Used in the expression "to wit". whit: (noun) a tiny amount; a small part NOT used in the expression "to wit". to wit: (adverb) in other words; namely; that is to say

Monday Muddle: conscious, conscience

LC March 7, 2022 Monday Muddle2 Comments

Monday Muddle: conscious: (adjective) aware of a situation or of one's surroundings; awake; alert conscience: (noun) inner thoughts or feelings that lead you to speak or act in a way that is in keeping with your beliefs; an inner sense of right and wrong

The noun form of the adjective conscious is consciousness. That is what you would regain if you had been asleep, knocked out, or in a coma. Hopefully you will never lose your conscience, and therefore you won’t need to regain it.

Monday Muddle: lose, loose

LC February 28, 2022 Monday Muddle

Monday Muddle: lose: (verb) be unable to find; not succeed against competition; cease to have or retain loose: (adjective) not tight; not firmly attached; not clearly defined; promiscuous; (verb) release; liberate; set free

Monday Muddle: peel, peal

LC February 21, 2022 Monday Muddle

Monday Muddle: peel: (noun) the outer layer of a fruit or vegetable; (verb) to remove the outer layer of a fruit or vegetable Used in the expression "to keep your eyes peeled". peal: (noun) a loud ringing of bells; a loud, sustained or repeated sound, such as thunder or laughter; (verb) to ring loudly NOT used in the expression "to keep your eyes peeled".

Monday Muddle: apart, a part

LC February 14, 2022 Monday Muddle

Monday Muddle: apart: (adjective)(adverb) not together; separated; at a distance a part: (indefinite article + noun) a piece; some but not all; one of multiple components that form a whole

These terms are basically opposites of each other. One means not together; the other indicates that it goes together with at least one additional part. If you are including either term in love notes to your sweetheart, you are going to want to get it right.

Memory Tip: The term without a space–where the letters are all together–is the one that means not together.

Monday Muddle: absence, absenteeism

LC February 7, 2022 Monday Muddle

Monday Muddle: absence: (noun) the state of being away from somewhere; the period of time spent away; a lack of something absenteeism: (noun) the habit of being away without good reason from somewhere you are regularly obligated to be (work, school); the rate or frequency of habitual absence