![\"http:\/\/writehouse.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Subtle-Distinctions-July-edition-e1435753341953.jpg\/](\"http:\/\/writehouse.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Subtle-Distinctions-July-edition-e1435753341953.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Lawyers should possess semantic exactitude\u2014we should appreciate subtle distinctions between words or expressions that look, seem, or sound similar.<\/p>\n
In providing most of the following guidance, we have relied heavily on the Concise Oxford English Dictionary<\/em> and Garner\u2019s Modern American Usage<\/em>.<\/p>\n aberrant<\/em> versus abhorrent<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Aberrant<\/em> is the adjective associated with the noun aberration<\/em>. An aberration<\/em> is an unwelcome deviation from what is normal. Aberrant<\/em> means departing from an accepted standard or deviating from behavioral or social norms.<\/p>\n Abhorrent<\/em> is the adjective associated with the verb abhor<\/em>. To abhor<\/em> is to detest, loathe, or seriously hate (something). Abhorrent<\/em> means \u201cinspiring disgust and loathing.\u201d<\/p>\n abjection<\/em> versus abjectness<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Both nouns derive from the adjective abject<\/em>. Although the Concise Oxford English Dictionary<\/em> lists the first sense of abject<\/em> as \u201c(of something bad) experienced to the maximum degree: living in abject poverty,<\/em>\u201d the second sense (\u201ccompletely without pride or dignity: an abject apology<\/em>)\u201d is perhaps more common in learned writing. <\/p>\n Abjection<\/em> and abjectness<\/em> both \u201crefer to a state of being cast aside, abased, and humiliated. The subtle difference between the two is that abjection<\/em> refers to the physical condition \u2026. Abjectness<\/em> refers to the state of mind \u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n abjure<\/em> versus adjure<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n To abjure<\/em> is to (formally or solemnly) renounce. A second meaning is \u201cto avoid.\u201d<\/p>\n To adjure<\/em> is to (formally or solemnly) urge someone to do something, to \u201ccharge or entreat solemnly; to urge earnestly.\u201d <\/p>\n absorb<\/em> versus adsorb<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n To absorb<\/em> is to soak up (usually but not necessarily liquid); to take in information; to assimilate (a lesser entity) into a larger one. <\/p>\n Adsorb<\/em> is a scientific term referring to \u201cthe collecting of condensed gas (or similar substance) on a surface.\u201d To adsorb is (of a solid) to \u201chold (molecules of a gas, liquid, or solute) as a thin film on surfaces outside or within the material\u201d.<\/p>\n adapt<\/em> versus adopt<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n The verb adapt<\/em> has 2 senses: 1. make suitable for a new use or purpose, to modify for one\u2019s own purposes; and 2. become adjusted to new conditions.<\/p>\n In the senses in which you might confuse it with adapt<\/em>, adopt<\/em> means to accept something wholesale and use it; \u201cto choose to take up or follow (an option or course of action)\u201d; or \u201cto assume (an attitude or position).\u201d <\/p>\n adduce, deduce,<\/em> and educe<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n To adduce<\/em> is to put forward (argument, evidence) for consideration, or to cite as evidence.<\/p>\n To deduce<\/em> is to infer, or to arrive at (a fact or a conclusion) by reasoning.<\/p>\n To educe<\/em> is to draw out, elicit, or evoke. <\/p>\n admission<\/em> versus admittance<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Use admittance<\/em> in a strictly physical sense: No admittance into these premises after dark.<\/p>\n Typically, use admission<\/em> in nonphysical and figurative senses: Her admission to the bar brought untold joy to her family.<\/em><\/p>\n You can also use admission<\/em> in a physical sense when rights or privileges attach to the physical entry: The Interior Minister is responsible for the admission of foreigners into the country.<\/em><\/p>\n adverse<\/em> versus averse<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Adverse<\/em> means hostile, negative, or unpleasant; or unlikely to produce a good result: adverse change, adverse circumstances, adverse (side) effects, adverse weather conditions.<\/em><\/p>\n Averse<\/em> means opposed to.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5165,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[202],"tags":[203,101,204,168,205],"class_list":["post-1886","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-write-partner-july-2015-edition","tag-language","tag-lawyers","tag-semantics","tag-subtle-distinctions","tag-words"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/writehouseng.com\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1886","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/writehouseng.com\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/writehouseng.com\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writehouseng.com\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writehouseng.com\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1886"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/writehouseng.com\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1886\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writehouseng.com\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5165"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/writehouseng.com\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1886"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writehouseng.com\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1886"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writehouseng.com\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1886"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}