The meanings of these words are not related.Elicit is a verb meaning “to pull certain information or actions out of someone”—in other words, to cause someone to say or do something in particular by directly interacting with them. The objects of the verb elicit are often the nouns response, reaction, suggestion, idea, or other synonyms. […]

To has two functions: it is (1) a preposition with many meanings, and (2) part of the infinitive form of verbs in English, e.g. to run, to walk, to say. As a preposition, it usually implies direction towards:I give this to you.I moved to Sweden. As part of infinitive verb forms, to has no meaning. It simply marks the […]

These words sound the same, and their meanings do overlap, metaphorically, but they are quite different. First of all, both words are nouns, but only flare can also be a verb. Flair, which is always a noun, means either “talent” or “style”:         She went to art school because she had a flair (talent) for visual […]

These adjectives have opposite meanings.   Esoteric means “not public or common knowledge” while exoteric refers to “knowledge or practices commonly taught or shared.” For example, mystical, magical, or occult practices are typically described as esoteric, while everything taught in public school is exoteric!   Both words often describe knowledge, beliefs, or practices of a […]

These two words are unrelated, despite the root du- meaning “two.” Dual is an adjective that means “having two parts or versions.” You can compare it with other English words for things that come in twos, such as duo and duet: The party served a dual purpose—birthday and graduation. Duel is a noun referring to […]