The Commonly Confused Wait and Weight

The Commonly Confused Wait and Weight The words wait and weight are homophones: they sound alike but have different meanings. The verb wait means to stay in place until something else happens. As a noun, wait refers to the time spent waiting. The verb weight means to load down or make heavier. The noun weight refers to a measure of heaviness or to an object used to hold something down. Examples You cant wait for inspiration; you have to go after it with a club. (Jack London)After a long wait for luggage, I took a cab to my hotel.Any object is dragged down when a heavy weight is tied to it. Practice (a) Every year, people make resolutions to exercise and lose _____.(b) I couldnt _____ for success, so I went ahead without it.(c) One end of the belt was attached to a five-pound _____.(d) The _____ was agonizing, and our thirst became almost unbearable. Answers (a) Every year, people make resolutions to exercise and lose  weight.(b) I couldnt  wait  for success, so I went ahead without it.(c) One end of the belt was attached to a five-pound  weight.(d) The  wait  was agonizing, and our thirst became almost unbearable. Glossary of Usage: Index of Commonly Confused Words