Page 17 - NTC's Dictionary of Easily Confused Words_0844257877.djvu

aye-eye-I

ate-eight
• ate [et] the past tense of eat 'to take in food.' □ After a very
difficult practice, the rugby team ate ten large pizzas.
• ate [et] the past tense of eat 'to harrass someone; to bother
someone.' □ His intense feelings of guilt ate at his conscience.
• eight [et] the number between seven and nine. D A stop
sign has eight sides.
aught-ought
• aught [:>t] zero; nothing. □ Phil always says aught when he
reads a zero. □ John says his telephone number is two-two-
three, aught-aught-four-one.
. ought [:>t] to be obliged to do something. □ "You ought to
decline Bob's invitation before you accept Bill's," Mrs. Smith
cautioned her daughter.
aunt See the main entry beginning with ant.
auntie See the main entry beginning with ante.
awhile See the main entry beginning with a while.

awl See the main entry beginning with all.
axe See the main entry beginning with acts.
aye-eye-I
• aye [01] yes. □ "Aye, aye, captain," responded the ship's first
mate. □ When the legislative vote was finally taken, the aye
votes outnumbered the nays.
• eye [01] the organ of sight. □ The sight in her left eye was lost
in an accident.
• eye [m] the center of something. D Compared to the turbu-
lent outer edges of a hurricane, the eye of the storm is calm.
• I [01] the first person, singular pronoun. □ "I can't find my
favorite teddy bear," whined the sleepy child.

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