Commonly confused words

reign vs. rein

  reign (to rule as king, queen, or emperor) How long did King Henry VIII reign. Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven.   rein (a long narrow leather strip which helps a rider to control and direct a horse) He pulled on the reins, and the horse stopped. Pull the …

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revenge vs. avenge

  revenge  noun (the act of hurting someone who has hurt you or someone you care about) She swore to take revenge on her attacker. While seeking revenge, dig two graves – one for yourself. Douglas Horton   avenge  verb (to punish or harm someone who has harmed you or …

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quail vs. quell

  quail (to feel afraid and show it by shaking) She quailed at the thought of going into the dark house alone. (a small wild bird with a short tail that its meat and eggs are used for food) We have quail for dinner tonight. Quail eggs are rich in …

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quite vs. quiet

  quite (completely; exactly) Are you quite ready? I’m not quite sure what to do. That is not quite what I mean.   quiet (silent, noiseless or making less noisy) Be quiet! You’ll wake up the baby. Everyone was quiet during the examination. (without many people or activity) They had a quiet wedding. …

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quiet vs. quit

  quiet (silent, noiseless or making less noisy) Be quiet! You’ll wake up the baby. Everyone was quiet during the examination. (without many people or activity) They had a quiet wedding. The streets are really quiet today.   quit (to leave your job, a place, etc.) I don’t know why you quit your job. …

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