Confused Words 14

By georgelthomas on 23 Nov 2021 • ( 0 )

Hi everyone, I hope you’re all well! I’m sharing another round of Confused Words with you today, I hope you find it interesting!

Hull, Bulkhead
Hull: this is the word you would use if you were referring to the main structure of a ship including the bottom, sides and deck. For example, the missile punctured the ship’s ‘hull‘ and it began to sink.
Bulkhead: is used when you’re referring to the inner walls or dividing compartments within the hull of a ship. For example, the ship rolled and he stumbled, hitting his head on the ‘bulkhead‘.

Mute, Moot
Mute: this is used in reference to the act of remaining temporarily speechless or the dulling or deadening of sound. For example, the rest of her friends were screaming and arguing but she remained ‘mute‘.
Moot: is used to refer to something that is subject to debate or dispute, it can be used in reference to something having little or no practical relevance, and also when referring to the act of raising a question or idea for discussion. For example, whether men or women are better drivers is a totally ‘moot‘ point. Elizabeth’s plan to divorce hank became ‘moot‘ when he died. The idea to build a golf course was quickly ‘mooted’ in this morning’s meeting.

Sled, Sleigh
Sled: this is used to describe a small vehicle used mainly for recreational activities such as sliding down a snowy hill. In the UK the same vehicle is known as a sledge. It can also be used to transport people or small goods if pulled by small animals. For example, the moment it started snowing, I grabbed my ‘sled‘ and headed for the steepest hill.
Sleigh: is used for describing a vehicle similar to a ‘sled‘, only much larger and with seating for multiple passengers. Sleighs must be pulled by large animals such as horses (depending on whether not you’re Santa Claus, in which case you’d need reindeer). For instance, I watched as Santa Claus’ ‘sleigh‘ glided to a stop on the crisp, white snow of the field behind my house.

Island, Peninsula
Island: is the word you would use when referring to a secluded landmass surrounded by water on all sides. For instance, Britain became an ‘island‘ 8,000 years ago.
Peninsula: is used to refer to a piece of land that is surrounded by water on only three of its sides. For example, Britain was a ‘peninsula‘ until a massive tsunami in the North Sea flooded an area of marshland known as Doggerland, severing it from mainland Europe.

Attitude, Altitude
Attitude: this word can be used to describe someone’s individuality or sense of self-confidence, to describe a person’s particular way of thinking about another person, thing or situation, it can denote truculent behaviour, and it can also be used when referring to the orientation of an aircraft or spacecraft relative to its direction of travel. For example, she swished her hair with ‘attitude‘. The government’s ‘attitude‘ towards the poorer communities is abysmal. I asked him to tidy his bedroom and he gave me ‘attitude‘ about it! The pilot checked the ‘attitude‘ indicator to make sure the plane was in line with the horizon.
Altitude: is used to refer to the height of something in relation to ground or sea level. For instance, the plane’s pilot kept an eye on his altimeter to make sure he was flying at the correct ‘altitude‘.

Jail, Prison
Jail: in the USA, Jail is used to describe a place a person is legally held when they are arrested for a crime they have committed. In the Uk, a person is taken into police custody and placed in a cell. The term jail is no longer really used here in a legal sense, though it is often colloquially used interchangeably with prison.
Prison: in the Uk and in the USA, this word is used when you’re talking about a building used to house those who have been sentenced to be held for a length of time as a punishment for a crime they have committed. For example, he spent twenty-five years in ‘prison‘ for murder.

As always, thanks for reading! It really means a lot!

Until next time,

George