Difficult Word Choices
Difficult Word Choices
Professor William K. Sheehy
Due to the size of the English language - the number of words exceeds 800,000 - it is quite easy to confuse the meanings of and misuse so many of the words that sound or appear the same. This is particularly true if English is not your native tongue.
In addition, there are numerous words used by lawyers - legal and otherwise - that must be used precisely, particularly in the legal context where ambiguity and misunderstanding are not welcome.
Below is a list of commonly confused terms used in Legal English.
accede / to adhere to an agreement; become party to a contractexceed / to go beyond; surpass
accept / to receive
except / to exclude
accord / to agree; an agreement
according / in accordance with
accounting / maintaining and auditing financial records and reports
bookkeeping / recording of transactions
adherence / compliance with
adhesion (contracts) / one-sided agreement
administrator / person distributing assets of an estate appointed by a court
executor / person distributing assets of an estate named in a will
adverse / contrary to
averse / disinclined; unwilling
advise / verb
advice / noun
affect / to influence, to change
effect / to accomplish (verb); a result (noun)
allege / declaring something to be true before proven
contend / state of position
allot / to give out
a lot / many
all ready / entirely ready or finished
already / something has occurred
all right / the correct form
alright / no such spelling
all together / forming a group
altogether / entirely
allude / to suggest indirectly
elude / avoid or escape
allusion / indirect mention
illusion / a deception
alternately / in turn; one after the other
alternatively / on the other hand
amend / to add to or modify
emend / to make corrections
amount / the total referring to number
number / refers to things counted
quantity / refers to things measured
ascent / climb
assent / agreement
attain / accomplish
obtain / to acquire
benefactor / one providing a gift
beneficiary / one who receives a gift
beside / next to something
besides / in addition to
biannual / twice a year, semi-annual
biennial / every two years
capital / the seat of government, money invested in a business
capitol / a building in which a legislative body meets
casual / by chance/informal
causal / relating to cause
cede / to give up
secede / withdrawal from
censure / criticise
censor / forbid public distribution
cession / to give up
session / a meeting
cite / to summon, to quote, to refer
sight / a view;something seen
site / a place
collaborate / co-operate with
corroborate / to confirm
complement / to complete
compliment / to praise
condemn / pass judgment
contemn / show contempt
confident / to be assured
confidant / a person in whom one confides
connote / suggests
denotes / means
contemporary / belonging to the present
contemporaneous / occurring at the same time
continual / recurring
continuous / ongoing
counsel / advisor
council / an organisation
device / noun
devise / verb
discrete / a separate part
discreet / modest or restrained
disinterested / neutral
uninterested / not interested
disqualify / exclude; to render unfit
unqualified / without qualifications
disperse / scatter
disburse / pay out
economic / pertaining to money
economical / good value for one's money; inexpensive
emerge / to rise from; to come into view
immerge / to plunge into; to immerse
emigration / moving from a country
immigration / moving into a country
eminent / famous or respected
immanent / inherent or intrinsic
imminent / about to take place
envelop / to put a covering about; surround
envelope / a wrapper
evoke / call forth
invoke / cite as an authority or ask for help
explicit / detailed
implicit / in the nature of something
forbear / to refrain
forebear / ancestor
forgo / to waive
forego / to go before
guarantor / person liable upon the default of the principal
surety / person liable on par with the principal
hypothesise / forming hypothesis
hypothecate / pledge
immoral / evil
amoral / without morals
imply / to mean or suggest (a speaker implies)
infer / to conclude or assume (a hearer infers)
incidence / rate of occurrence
incident / event
ingenious / inventive; clever
ingenuous / trusting; frank, naïve
instance / a case or example of something
instants / moments of time
interment / burial
internment / confinement
lay / to set down
lie / to recline
libel / printed falsehood
slander / spoken falsehood
malfeasance / wrongful
misfeasance / incorrect
observation / perception
observance / adherence to
ordinance / a law
ordnance / military supplies
overdo / to do too much
overdue / past due; late
partially / to some degree
partly / in part
personal / Individual; private
personnel / the staff of an organization
persecute / oppress
prosecute / bring criminal charges
practical / convenient; sensible, not theoretical
practicable / capable of being done
precede / to go before or in front of
proceed / to begin
precedent / guidance
precedence / priority
prescribe / to order
proscribe / to forbid
regardless / without regard
irregardless / not a word
stationary / not moving
stationery / writing material
tantamount / equivalent to value, meaning, or effect
paramount / highest in rank
unquestionable / undeniable
unquestioned / that which has not been questioned
waiver / to give up a claim or right
waver / to hesitate
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