This tag is for questions about the differences in the meaning of two words.
13
votes
6answers
860 views
What is the difference between “Gay” and “Homosexual"? Is it only by gender?
I was interested in the line “...most Americans use the word 'gay' now instead of 'homosexual'” in Maureen Dowd’s article titled “Happily Never After?” in today’s (April 2) New York Times:
I’m ...
3
votes
2answers
77 views
Is there a difference between “plagiarizer” and “plagiarist”?
Dictionary.com lists plagiarist as the noun form of plagiarism and lists plagiarizer as the noun form of plagiarize. I do not see the distinction of the separate entries and expected both words to be ...
-2
votes
1answer
136 views
have feelings for someone [closed]
What does have feelings for someone mean?
Is there any difference between have feelings for someone and be in love with someone?
Thanks for your reply.
1
vote
2answers
104 views
When to use whence instead of hence
I've come across instances where I felt using both was just fine. The dictionary definition doesn't provide much clarity either. Could someone please clarify the differences between the two?
3
votes
1answer
107 views
What's the difference betwen a jacket and a coat?
The words "jacket" and "coat" are generally used interchangeably, to mean a garment that's heavier than a sweatshirt or a sweater and goes over them and other "tops," principally to keep the wearer ...
1
vote
2answers
66 views
Difference between “Knock it off!” and “Drop it!”
What is the difference between "Knock it off!" and "Drop it!". I do translate both as "Stop it". Is there any context-based usage difference? Thank you.
-2
votes
2answers
82 views
Troublesome vs Annoying
What is the difference between "troublesome" and "annoying", especially when used to describe a person?
3
votes
1answer
229 views
“via” vs. “through”
Could you please explain what the difference in usage is between through and via, which sounds like a Latinism?
Are they completely interchangeable?
-2
votes
1answer
83 views
"Science journal” vs. “science magazine”
What is the difference between the terms journal and magazine? Is it correct to call a magazine a journal?
For example, I found the Journal of Radio Electronics and the Radio-Electronics Magazine, ...
2
votes
2answers
119 views
“He feared a U.S. invasion” vs. “He feared U.S. invasion”
It it accurate to say this?
He feared a U.S. invasion.
Or should I say,
He feared U.S. invasion.
I'm trying to figure out when to place "a" in front of the U.S. when U.S. comes with a noun ...
0
votes
1answer
185 views
What is difference between “ok” and “alright”?
Difference between "ok" and "alright".
Is the two words have exact same meaning. If so, What will be difference or difference is only reflects according usage in different circumstances.
2
votes
3answers
183 views
Difference between “an” and “one”
Forgive me if I miss something very obvious; English is not my native language.
I am currently taking an online (sort of) Math class that aims to teach creating/writing unambiguous Mathematical ...
-1
votes
1answer
167 views
“have to” or “must” [duplicate]
I am trying to teach the difference between the use have to or must. But my students do not understand anything. Could you help me?
3
votes
2answers
176 views
Have American English speakers always used the term “last name” instead of surname?
I am aware that speakers of British English generally use the term "surname" and AmE speakers use "last name." What I want to know is how long it has been this way, i.e. if AmE speakers ever used the ...
-1
votes
1answer
343 views
“Job title” vs. “job role”
What is the difference between job title and job role?
For example, from the Google documentation on rich snippets:
title — The person's title (for example, Financial Manager)
role — The ...
-3
votes
1answer
98 views
Differences between “now”, “present”, “recent” and “current” [duplicate]
When writting a resume, we may put the duration of our current job like this:
2012 to Present --------- Job ---------Company
How about using now instead in this case?
And when used as ...
4
votes
1answer
74 views
Why (and for whom) does “unbeknown” become “unbeknownst”
I know there's been an earlier question What is the meaning and usage of the word “beknownst”?. But nothing there satisfies my curiosity about that extra -st at the end.
I might have supposed the ...
-2
votes
1answer
111 views
“Would remain” vs. “would have remained”
What's the difference in meaning between the following two sentences?
He thought that he would remain young.
He thought that he would have remained young.
0
votes
2answers
88 views
What is the actual difference in the following statements [duplicate]
Sentence 1:
Many Hindus study Sanskrit,but only a few Parsees study Avesta.
Sentence 2:
Many Hindus study Sanskrit,but only few Parsees study Avesta.
I fail to understand the ...
0
votes
5answers
748 views
Difference in meaning: “would have had to be” vs “would have had to have been”
Being a non native speaker, I cannot spot the difference here:
He would have had to have been there.
He would have had to be there.
The only thing that comes to my mind is that in the first case, ...
-2
votes
2answers
97 views
“Reduced to control of” vs. “reduced to controlling” [closed]
I need some help with the phrase "to be reduced to":
quote 1
From this point onwards, the Kuomintang was reduced to control of Taiwan, Kinmen, Matsu Islands, and two major islands of Dongsha ...
38
votes
11answers
3k views
When to use “nude” and when “naked”
The question is quite clear.
Is there any difference (semantically or connotationally, if that's a word) between nude and naked? Nude seems more formal to me, but I'm not quite sure.
Interesting:
...
0
votes
1answer
70 views
“Serenity” vs. “sereneness” [closed]
Are these interchangeable, or is there a semantic difference between them? When should I use serenity vs. sereneness?
1
vote
2answers
107 views
Is there any difference between “stoop down” and “stoop”?
According to Longman, they are the same, but I wonder if this is correct or if so, which one is more common.
For example:
Dave stooped down to tie his shoes.
Dave stooped to tie his shoes.
...
0
votes
2answers
135 views
Difference between “eat rice” and “have rice”
Consider the following 2 questions:
Do you eat rice for breakfast in the morning?
Do you have rice for breakfast in the morning?
My questions are:
Are both questions acceptable? If they ...
-2
votes
1answer
162 views
“Rectangle with 3 straight lines” vs “rectangle using 3 straight lines”
How do the three sentences below differ in meaning, and which can be answered with 'yes'?
Can you draw a rectangle with 3 straight lines?
Can you draw a rectangle by using 3 straight lines?
...
1
vote
2answers
135 views
“Release”, “free”, or “delete allocated memory”?
release the allocated memory.
free the allocated memory.
delete the allocated memory.
What are the differences between them?
2
votes
3answers
409 views
Homeland vs Motherland vs Fatherland
What is the distinction between homeland, motherland and fatherland?
Is there any difference in meaning of such terms?
When it comes to connotations are there any differences, except for the ...
-3
votes
2answers
134 views
What is the difference between “eclectic” and “diverse”?
It seems like eclectic and diverse have the same meaning, but there must be some difference. What is it?
Did a search on Google but didn't find any info.
4
votes
1answer
261 views
“Flammable” versus “Combustible”
In Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition (2003), the first definition of combustible is "capable of combustion," the first definition of combustion is "an act or instance of ...
0
votes
1answer
131 views
Under which cases should an article (a/an/the) not be used? [duplicate]
The current machine has been repaired.
Current machine has been repaired.
Which is more natural? What are the subtle differences between them?
Under which cases should an article ...
2
votes
2answers
123 views
What is the difference between “skilled” and “skillful”?
What is the difference between skilled and skillful? When can I use one, when can I used the other?
He is skilled/skillful.
He is a skilled/skillful musician.
(Anything else?)
From the ...
-2
votes
1answer
99 views
0
votes
2answers
69 views
“Precondition” vs. “prerequisite”
In conclusion, security is the precondition of political freedom and political freedom is the prerequisite for economic freedom.
Do precondition and prerequisite mean the same in the above? Is ...
-2
votes
1answer
57 views
Is there a difference between 'eventually' and 'in the future'? [closed]
I was at a yoga class and the instructor said something about how a posture will 'eventually or in the future allow you to roll your spine out.'.
And then I wanted to know, is there a difference ...
0
votes
1answer
123 views
“For clarity” vs. “To make clear” [closed]
Compare:
"He modified the sentence for clarity."
vs
"He modified the sentence to make it clear."
Any difference here?
1
vote
1answer
134 views
deceit vs deception
There seems to be a boundary between these concepts, but I can't quite work out where it is. Camouflage and mimicry are deceptions; telling untruths is deceitful.
In common usage we would say, 'The ...
1
vote
2answers
69 views
“number of books” or “book count”?
The number of books is nine.
The book count is nine.
Which is more natural?
What's the SUBTLE difference between them?
3
votes
2answers
366 views
“integer multiple” vs. “integral multiple”
Nine is an integer multiple of three.
Nine is an integral multiple of three.
Which is more common?
If both are accepted, what's the subtle difference between them?
-2
votes
1answer
170 views
“For what” vs. “what for” [closed]
Is there any difference in the meaning between for what and what for?
If they are different, could you explain to me both?
-1
votes
1answer
85 views
What is the difference between “As far as” and “As much as”? [closed]
What is the difference, for example, between "As far as I know" and "As much as I know"?
0
votes
0answers
19 views
“need to be washed”, “need washing”, or “need washed”? [duplicate]
The car needs to be washed.
The car needs washing.
The car needs washed.
What's the subtle differences between them?
0
votes
2answers
87 views
“Any” vs. “anything” — are these answers the same? [closed]
Could you please tell me if these sentences are correct and the same?
How much luggage do you have?
I don't have any.
I don't have any luggage.
I don't have anything.
4
votes
1answer
257 views
“How did you know?” vs. “how do you know?” distinction
When someone makes an assertion, the distinction between "how did you know" and "how do you know" seems to be that "how did you know" implies that the person in question is correct in their assertion. ...
-2
votes
2answers
227 views
“Night” and “knight” in speech
In English as Germanic language K is ignored at the beginning of word in speech. Night and knight have to be pronounced similar. Then how to differentiate?
1
vote
2answers
1k views
What is the difference between “phonetic” and “phonemic”? [closed]
I've read several descriptions but I still don't understand. From what I can gather, the main (or only) difference is phonemics is not concerned with "nondistinctive elements" but I don't know what ...
0
votes
2answers
90 views
“Astronomy images” vs. “astronomical images”
Are there any differences between the two?
A Google search says that astronomy images is much more used, but I think that astronomical images sounds better.
0
votes
4answers
213 views
Does “very much the same” have the same meaning as “identical”?
Do the words "very much the same" have the same meaning as "identical" or do these words imply that it's almost identical, but not totally?
-1
votes
1answer
83 views
“brush something up” vs. “brush up (on something)”: What is the difference?
For example, we have two sentences:
I need to brush my French up a little bit. I need to brush up my
French.
and
I need to brush up on my German. My German is weak. I had better brush
...
15
votes
4answers
1k views
Meaning of “My friend, who lives in Paris, is a teacher” with and without commas
Can anyone help me understand the difference in meaning between these two sentences?
My friend who lives in Paris is a teacher.
My friend, who lives in Paris, is a teacher.
To me it ...
