Tight / tightly
Tight’ means ‘fitting a part of your body very closely, especially in a way that is uncomfortable.’
My trousers are tight.
If you have a tight hold of something, you have a firm hold on it.
Mother kept a tight hold on my hand.
If you have a tight schedule, you have very little time to finish a job.
Tight-fisted people are not generous with money.
If you remain tight-lipped, you are unwilling to tell about something.
Father held my hand tightly while crossing the narrow bridge.
‘Till / until
There is virtually no difference between these two words. Both have the meaning ‘up to the time of.’ ‘Until’ is more commonly used at the beginning of a sentence.
Titbit / tidbit
‘Titbit’ is now the usual spelling in British English and ‘tidbit’ is found in American usage.
Titillate / titivate
If a picture or a story titillates you, it makes you feel excited or interested.
‘Titivate’ means ‘to make yourself pretty or tidy.’
Toilet / toiletries / toilet bag
The toilet is a large bowl that you sit on to get rid of waste liquid or waste matter from your body.
You keep things such as soap or toothpaste in a toilet bag when travelling.
Toiletries include things such as soap and toothpaste used for washing yourself.
Toward / towards
As a preposition, ‘towards’ is the most common form in British English, but Americans seem to prefer the shorter word – toward.
The thief noticed a policeman coming towards him.
Trace / vestige
A trace is a small sign that shows that someone or something is present or exists.
There is no trace of the man who jumped into the river.
A vestige is a small part or amount of something that still remains when most of it no longer exists.
There is not a vestige of truth in his story.
Traffic
‘Traffic’ means ‘the vehicles moving along a road or street.’
The noise of the traffic kept me awake.
If you traffic in something, you buy and sell illegal goods.
Roger was found guilty of trafficking in drugs.
A traffic jam is a long line of vehicles on a road that cannot move, or that can move very slowly.
Transient / transitory
‘Transient’ means ‘continuing only for a short time.’
Most of our joys are transient.
‘Transitory’ more or less has the same meaning.
The distinction lies in the fact that ‘transient’ has a special meaning in philosophy and ‘transitory’ in law.
Transparent / translucent
Something that is transparent allows light to pass through it, so that you can see the things through it.
Plain glass is transparent.
‘Translucent’ means ‘not transparent but clear enough to allow light to pass through, as in translucent paper.’
Trauma / traumatic
Trauma is a very unpleasant and upsetting experience.
A traumatic experience is so shocking and upsetting that it affects you for a long time.
Triumphal / triumphant
‘Triumphal’ means ‘done, or made to celebrate a triumph, as in a triumphal procession.’
‘Triumphant’ means ‘having gained a victory or success, as in a triumphant army.’
Triumvirate
‘Triumvirate’ is a group of three people who are in control of an activity or organisation.
The shape of post-war Europe was decided on by the Allied triumvirate of Churchill, Truman and Stalin.
Trivia / trivial
Trivia’ means ‘details that are unimportant.’
Are you fascinated by the trivia of everyday life?
‘Trivial’ means ‘having little value or importance’
Don’t get upset by trivial incidents.
‘Trojan horse
A Trojan horse is a person or thing that joins and deceives a group or organisation in order to attack it from the inside.
Trolley bus
A trolley bus is a public transport vehicle with rubber tyres which travels along ordinary roads in towns and is driven by electricity that is connected from a wire above the road.
Trolley buses were a common sight in Colombo a few decades ago.
Troops / trooper
‘Troops’ means ‘soldiers on duty in a large group.’
The United Nations troops have been deployed in a peacekeeping role.
A trooper is a soldier who belongs to the lowest rank in the army.
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