frantic/ frenetic/fanatical/phrenetic Frantic implies a desperation and a wild striving: ‘The poor animal was nearly frantic with pain,’ ‘Sue was
nearly frantic when she heard the news.’ Frenetic means frenzied: ‘A morning of frenetic activity followed.’ Fanatical is used for a keen and
often illogical dedication or devotion: ‘My grandfather was a fanatical
believer in the value of fresh air.’ Phrenetic means the same as frenetic,
but its classical spelling gives it a particular association with religious fanaticism or mental derangement: ‘He lashed out at everyone who
came near him with an almost phrenetic violence.’
frenetic see frantic
frontier see border
frown/ scowl To frown is to contract the eyebrows in displeasure, puz- zlement, or thought: ‘When 1 introduced myself he frowned for a
moment.’ To scowl is to make the same gesture but in a threatening, angry or sullen manner: ‘When 1 sent the youth away, he scowled and muttered something under his breath.’
frowzy see fuggy
fruit/fruition In a figurative sense, fruit (or fruits) relates to the result or consequence of something: ‘You should soon see the fruits of your hard work and patience.’ Fruition is the realization or enjoyment of that consequence: ‘Her plans at last came to fruition, and the business began to take off.’
fruition see fruit
fuggy/fusty/frowsty/frowzy Fuggy is used for a dense atmosphere
inside an enclosed space: ‘The bar was so fuggy with cigarette smoke
that 1 could barely breathe.’ Fusty implies a moldy or stale smell: ‘The professor wore a fusty old gown.’ Frowsty means the same, but sug- gests that the smell is unpleasant: ‘The hostages were confined in damp
and frowsty quarters.’ Frowzy also means the same, but additionally implies that the place is dirty: ‘We were offered a frowzy little room at the back of the hotel.’
full/filled To be full oi something is to be replete with it, and unable to contain any more: ‘The cupboard was full of old clothes,’ ' 'Tuesday's child is full of grace' (nursery rhyme). To be filled with something is
also to be full of it, but the word dr^iws attention to the agent, the thing that fills: ‘1 am filled with envy/ "They look like rosebuds filled with
snow’ (Thomas Campion).
FUSTY 93 funeral/funereal As used adjectivally, funeral relates directly to a funeral, while funereal, which is always an adjective, describes some-
thing done in the manner of a funeral: ‘The funeral services was held
on Saturday,' ‘The cars moved at a funeral pace’ (very slowly).
funereal see funeral
furor see fury
further see farther
fury/furor A fury is a great rage or show of anger, usually from a single person or body of people: ‘He was in a real fury,’ ‘The union expressed
its fury at the decision.’ A furor is a public outburst or ‘commotion’
about something, usually but not always in protest: ‘There was a furor
when the government imposed even further taxes,’ ‘Her virtuoso per-
formance to packed houses caused a furor.’
fury see anger
fusty see fuggy
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gabble see babble
gad/gallivant To gad is to go out in search of enjoyment: ‘He spent
much of his time gadding about when he should have been working,’
To gallivant is to do the same, though through its suggestion of gallant, the word suggests a more modish pursuit of pleasure, and one undertaken with a member of the opposite sex: ‘She was convinced her husband was gallivanting around with the maid during her absence.’
Gaelic/Gallic Gaelic relates to the Celtic languages of the people of Scotland and Ireland; Gallic relates to the Gauls, the ancestors of the French, or to the French themselves: ‘The Gaelic languages are closely related,’ ‘Our French hosts were Gallic charm personified.’
gallant see valiant
Gallic see Gaelic
gallivant see gad
gamble/gambol To gamble is to risk or chance something: ‘He gambled away a lot of his money on the horses,’ ‘1 wouldn’t gamble on the weather staying fine.’ To gambol is to frisk or leap about playfully:
‘The little lambs were gambolling in the field,’ ‘After the wedding, the
younger children were gambolling around the churchyard.’
gambol see gamble
gammon/ham Gammon is usually bacon from the hind leg or side of a pig: ‘Gammon steaks often form a part of a mixed grill.’ Ham also
comes from the hind leg, but usually the upper part: ‘What could be
tastier than a ham sandwich?’
gamut/gauntlet A gamut is the range of extent of something: ‘Her
expectations ran the whole gamut of emotions, from intense apprehen- sion to unrestrained and joyful longing.’ In its figurative sense, gauntlet,
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