"He broke in and took everything from us." Please note: an "offense" is a "breach of a rule, regulation, order, custom" , as stated in Le Trésor de la langue française. It should have been said “break-in” which designates a “violation of a reserved area” . The phonetic proximity between two words is called "paronymy". Anthology.
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Abjure or adjure?
These two verbs have something solemn. But their meanings are radically different. Indeed, "adjurer" comes from the Latin adjurare , attested since Plautus in the sense of "promise (with oath)" , we read in Le Trésor de la langue française. In the 15th century, its definition changed. "Adjurer" can then be used in the sense of "making imperative injunctions, conjuring".
Today, the verb means "to address someone (God, man) in a more or less solemn and always pressing manner, to beg him to do or say what the situation requires". We are telling someone to do something. "Abjure", with a "b", is a religious term which qualifies the fact of "abandoning, by a formal and solemn declaration, a religious belief".
Collision or collusion?
All it takes is a letter. When two cars collide, should we speak of "collision" or "collusion"? Let's see a little: a "collision" is a "shock of two bodies, one of which, at least, is a movement". By extension, this term can be used to describe a “violent encounter with men or hostile groups” or even, “a clash, conflict”.
"Collusion" primarily refers to a "secret agreement between two or more people to harm a third party" . But also, "any intelligence, any secret agreement between people to harm someone" . This is called “collusion of interests” . It is interesting to note that the word comes from the Latin collusio , "fraudulent agreement" .
Exalt or exult?
Both make you smile or even dance. "Exalt" comes from the classical Latin exaltare , "to exalt, to elevate, to honor" . From the 10th century onwards, it was used in the sense of "raising (in merit, in dignity), glorifying" . Figuratively, we "exalt" a person to "bring him to a very high rank" . In the religious domain, "to exalt" amounts to "raising in glory, celebrating, preaching".
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"Exult", meanwhile, is borrowed from the classical Latin ex (s) ultare meaning "jump, jump", specifies Le Trésor de la langue française. Thus, this verb ended up meaning “to experience intensely and manifest without restraint”, “to experience and manifest extreme joy” . One exults with happiness, with joy.
Temporary or temporal?
When we observe the etymology of these two words, it is clear that they are similar. "Temporal" comes from the Latin temporalis , "ephemeral, which lasts only a time" ; "Temporary", from temporarius "depending on the circumstances" and "which lasts only a limited time" . It is this latter meaning that the adjective has retained. While "temporal", as we read in Le Trésor de la langue française, evokes what "concerns time, which is marked by passing time" . But also, this "which comes from the material world, from the finitude of human life".
Gourmet or gourmet?
The shade may seem fine but it is important! This is to distinguish the glutton from the fine mouth. In fact, the "gourmand" is one who "eats greedily and excessively ". While the "gourmet" means one "who knows how to taste and appreciate wines; wine connoisseur ". And by extension, specifies Le Trésor de la langue française , "one who appreciates the quality, the refinement of a table, of a particular dish".
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