stratagem, strategy, and tactic
Strategy is often discussed when an attack, battle, competition, or war is being planned. It is a careful plan or method for achieving a goal. Strategy is also the art of devising or employing stratagems. A stratagem is a trick or artifice used to gain advantage over an enemy or opponent. The term tactics in the military sense is concerned with the details of the deployment and movement of combat troops. Tactics in the more general sense are the device or devices for accomplishing an end. Tactics derives from Greek tassein 'to arrange; to place in battle formation'. Strategy comes from the Greek strategia 'generalship' and stratagem comes from Greek strategein 'to maneuver; to be a general' (note that its second vowel was altered over time).
tortuous and torturous
Both tortuous and torturous come from a Latin word torquere, which means 'to twist'. Tortuous continues to mean 'full of twists, turns; twisted, winding'. However, torturous is a derivative of torture and means 'involving or causing torture; painful, tormenting'. The best way to remember the difference, then, is the tortur at the beginning of torturous. Examples: We drove up the tortuous mountain road. / Trying to teach him to drive was a torturous experience.
rack, wrack, wreak, and wreck
To wreak is to inflict vengeance; to wreck is to damage or destroy. Wreak is not found often in English except in the idiom wreak havoc. Wrack as a verb is obsolete but means 'to avenge or revenge; to punish', 'to undergo ruin'. Rack as a verb is used figuratively to mean 'to chalk up; to achieve' and 'to torture; to cause severe pain' (as in the rack as an instrument of torture). It is also used to mean 'to obtain through coercion or intimidation'. Examples: She racked up points in the pool game. Pain racked his body. He racked his brain for the answer. Wrack as a noun means 'destruction' and occurs mainly in wrack and ruin. The word rack is a variant and can be used in that phrase.
a groundhog and a woodchuck
They are the same - a common reddish-brown thickset North American marmot which burrows in the ground and hibernates during winter. The term woodchuck got its folk etymology from an Algonquian word and is akin to the Narraganset word ockqutchaun 'woodchuck'. In the Appalachian Mountains, this animal is called the whistle pig. The word groundhog also once meant aardvark. Woodchucks, groundhogs, and whistle pigs have dark meat with a mild flavor and adapt readily to any squirrel or rabbit recipe.
a college and a university
One of the first meanings of college was 'a society of scholars incorporated within, or in connection with, a university, or otherwise formed for purposes of study or instruction'. That definition shows that historically college was subordinate to university. From the fact that in some universities only a single college was founded or has survived, in which case the university and college became co-extensive, the name has come, as in Scotland and the United States, to be interchangeable with university as 'a college with university functions'. In the US, college has been the general term, and is still usually applied to a small university or degree-granting educational institution having a single curriculum of study. The name university is given mainly to larger institutions which are divided into various faculties and which more resemble the universities of Europe.
a vegetable and a fruit
A fruit is actually the sweet, ripened ovary or ovaries of a seed-bearing plant. A vegetable, in contrast, is an herbaceous plant cultivated for an edible part (seeds, roots, stems, leaves, bulbs, tubers, or nonsweet fruits). So, to be really nitpicky, a fruit could be a vegetable, but a vegetable could not be a fruit. When you go to the grocery store, fruits are those items regarded as those not used in salads and not generally intended for cooking. So, tomatoes are in the vegetable section because of the way they are used (cooked and in salads).
toward and towards
Toward and towards act as a preposition and adjective and have several meanings. The difference is dialectal, though many have tried to draw a semantic distinction (that is, a distinction in meaning). Toward is more common and preferred in American English; towards is the predominant form in British English. Remember that toward implies movement and it should not be used when to or against would be the better choice.
fiancé and fiancée
A fiancé is a man engaged to be married; a fiancée is a woman betrothed. In American English, the accents are usually used. Both are forms of the French word fiancer 'to betroth or promise', probably from Latin fier 'to trust'.
warranty and guarantee
A warranty is a promise or guarantee given. A warranty is usually a written guarantee for a product and declares the maker's responsibility to repair or replace a defective product or its parts. A guarantee is an agreement assuming responsibility to perform, execute, or complete something and offering security for that agreement. It is a promise or an assurance, especially one given in writing, that attests to the quality or durability of a product or service, or a pledge that something will be performed in a specified manner. A guaranty is an undertaking or promise that is the answer to or payment for a debt or default. A guaranty is also something given or held as security until a debt is paid or the performance of a duty is fulfilled. By the way, warrantee is the person to whom a warranty is made and guarantee is one who makes a guaranty.
flaunt and flout
Flaunt and flout are sometimes confused because of their superficial similarities. To flaunt is 'to show off; to display ostentatiously', as in "If you've got it, flaunt it." Flaunt's origin is unknown. To flout is 'to treat with contempt or to show contempt for,' or 'to treat with disregard', as in "Nevertheless, do not flout the rules." Flout may come from a Dutch word fluiten 'to play the flute' or 'to mock'. Got it? Flaunt it!
e-business and e-commerce
E-commerce, or electronic commerce, is conducting business communications and transactions via computers and over networks. It is the buying and selling of goods and services through digital communication. E-commerce also includes transactions on the World Wide Web and Internet, and modes such as electronic funds transfer, smart cards, and digital cash. E-business, or electronic business, derived from e-commerce. It is conducting business on the Internet, not just buying and selling, but also servicing customers and collaborating with business partners. The term conveys the premise that the business conducts its business entirely online.
a quality and a characteristic
A quality is an 'inherent or distinguishing characteristic, a property, or a personal trait'. Quality denotes the character, disposition, or nature of something. A characteristic is 'a feature that helps distinguish a person or thing, a distinguishing mark or trait'. Quality is slightly more inclusive than characteristic. Characteristic's meaning is more about a distinction.
advice and advise
The first is a noun, the second a verb. Advice is a noun generally meaning 'an opinion about what could or should be done in a situation or about a problem; counsel given' as is "You never take my advice!" Advise is a verb meaning 'to offer advice to; to counsel' as in "We advise you to unplug the appliance before cleaning it." If you have trouble remembering which is which, think of the pronunciation: the verb has the z sound at the end, but you would not pronounce a word ending in -ice as -ize.
a fable and a fairy tale
A fable is explained as a short narrative making an edifying or cautionary point and often employing as characters animals that speak and act like human beings, or a story about legendary persons and exploits. Examples of fables are those of Aesop's Fables with more than 600 narratives, including "The Goose with the Golden Eggs" and "The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing." The word fable is derived from fabula, which is Latin for 'discourse', and is used in literary criticism to refer to the actual events that take place in a narrative. "The Lion King" is another notable fable. A fairy tale is described as a fanciful tale of legendary deeds and creatures, usually intended for children, or a fictitious, highly fanciful story or explanation. It usually involves mythical characters such as elves, fairies, giants, goblins, or trolls. A famous collection of fairy tales is that of Hans Christian Andersen, including "The Emperor's New Suit," "The Princess and the Pea," and "The Ugly Duckling." Another collection of fairy tales is that of the Brothers Grimm. The term fairy tale is a rendering of a French term conte de fées.
data and information
The term data refers to factual information, especially that used for analysis and based on reasoning or calculation. Data itself has no meaning, but becomes information when it is interpreted. Information is a collection of facts or data that is communicated. However, in many contexts they are considered and are used as synonyms. Data, by the way, is the plural of datum. Information comes from Latin informationem 'concept, idea' or 'outline'.
chili and chile
Chili and chile are both the pungent fruit of the capsicum, also called chile pepper or chili pepper. But chili is a shortening of chili con carne, a ground beef dish that incorporates chili powder or chili peppers and was first noted in 1857. And Chile, capitalized, is a country. We do not actually use the original English form, though, which was chilli or chilly (which are used in British English) - but now use the Spanish words. Chiles are reduced to powder to make cayenne pepper.
axe and ax
There is no difference; they are simply variant spellings for a heavy tool or instrument used for chopping and cleaving. Ax is the preferred form in modern American English. The word(s) derive from Latin ascia and Greek axine. The plural is axes.
@ Mukhtiar Sahab
It`s my pleasure
