Page 20 - NTC's Dictionary of Easily Confused Words_0844257877.djvu
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baron-barren
baron-barren
• baron ['brea,.:m] a low-ranking nobleman in various Euro-
□
pean countries. The woman hoped to marry a baron in order
to gain some social standing.
• baron ['brea,.;:m] a person of powerful influence in some field.
□ The oil baron invested a great deal of money in the project.
□
• barren ['brea,.;:m] infertile. Because his wife was barren
and could give him no heirs, the king dismissed her.
• barren ['brea,.;:m] bare. T □ he barren environment of the
desert startled Mary, who grew up in the mountains.
baroness-barrenness
• baroness ['brea,.:mEs] the wife or widow of a baron.
□ Con-
trary to her husband's naive nature, the baroness was a shrewd
and cunning woman.
• barrenness ['brea,.::mEs] the lack of productivity. D John was
fired due to the barrenness of his work.
barred See the main entry beginning with bard.
barren See the main entry beginning with baron.
barrenness See the main entry beginning with baroness.
base-bass
• base [bes] the lower part of something; the bottom and
supporting part of something. □ Standing at the base of the
Statue of Liberty, one cannot help but be in awe of its immense
size.
• base [bes] a center of operations. □ The army set up a tem-
porary communications base in the empty warehouse.
• base [on] [bes] to establish a foundation for an idea.DJ will
base my decision on many factors.
• bass [bes] a musical instrument or a person's voice with a
low pitch. □ Debbie plays the bass in the school orchestra. □
The small chorus is composed of six sopranos, four altos, two
tenors, and a single bass.
bases-basis
• bases ['bes1z] the plural of base 'the bottom and support-
ing part of something.' D The bases of the fruit trees were
wrapped in tape to prevent damage by small animals and
insects. □ The bases of all of the stemmed goblets were broken
in the dishwasher.
• bases ['bes1z] the plural of base 'a center of operations.' □
Military bases are located all around the country's borders.
• bases [on] ['bes1z] the present tense, third person singular
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