Let’s Be Clear on This: Words with Multiple Meanings

English is considered to be a difficult language to learn. But it’s hard enough for some of us native speakers, also. Because so many words have come into the language from other cultures (invading Romans, Vikings, Normans, etc.), the rules for spelling are inconsistent. The grammar rules are confusing, also. (That’s the reason I’m driven to compile these short writing tips.) To add to the difficulty, many words have several meanings, and some of these may even be opposites.

Here are a few examples:

Custom refers to both the usual and the special:

My custom [usual] is to order pizza with anchovies, garlic, and jalapeños.

My custom [special] Jaguar has a built in pizza oven.

First degree can mean least severe or most severe.

A first-degree burn is not as serious as a third-degree burn, but being charged with first-degree murder means that the perp is in big trouble.

Strike means making contact with something, or missing or eliminating something:

A storm blew in with lightning striking the right field.

If a batter swings at the ball but misses, he makes a strike.

Left refers to what is no longer, or to what remains:

Elvis has left [departed] the building.

His fans are now left [remain] there alone.

Transparent means visible or invisible.

The politician decided to be transparent [make visible] and open her records to the public.

When people don’t notice, I feel transparent [invisible].

Dollop can mean a small amount or a large amount:

If you order a cup of Earl Grey at a diner in Sandusky and ask for a dollop of cream, a small portion is added to your cup; if you’re drinking tea in a little shop on the Cornish Coast and ask for the same, you’ll get a large amount. Americans and Brits define dollop differently.