Tuesday Tricksters, August 16: Jinks - Karat

Once again here is an edition of Tuesday Tricksters! I keep publishing these because I know how hard it can be to remember all the variations of words that sound alike (or nearly so), but aren't spelled the same and don't mean the same thing. If we're not paying attention, we might use a word we never intended, and if it's spelled correctly, spellcheck will allow us to use it. Oops.

Jinks (n.): prankish or frolicsome activities (high jinks)
Jinx (n.): a person or thing that is believed to bring bad luck; (v.): to bring bad luck to; to cast a spell on; to hex

Jinn (n.): a spirit who could appear in animal or human form
Gin (n.): alcohol made from grains and flavored with juniper berries or other aromatics; a card game

Jive (n.): jazz or swing music; the jargon of jazz musicians and enthusiasts; (slang) nonsensical or glib talk; (v.): to play or dance to jive music; to talk in a teasing or exaggerated way
Gyve (n.): a shackle or fetter, especially for the leg; (v.): to shackle or chain

Kame (n.): A short ridge or mound of sand and gravel deposited during the melting of glacial ice
Came (v.): past tense of to come

Karat (n.): a measure of gold's purity
Carat (n.): a measure of a jewel's weight
Caret (n.): a proofreader or writer's mark (^) to indicate that something needs to be inserted at that place
Carrot (n.): a vegetable

Are any of the words new to you? Can you imagine ever using gyve or kame? Have you ever seen either before? I had not even imagined either one!

               For more definitions and examples of usage, check out www.yourdictionary.com.

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