Editing Tips #2

Hello there! Welcome to the second installment of my editing tips series!

Today we're going to be talking about homographs!

Homographs are each of two or more words spelled the same but not necessarily pronounced the same and having different meanings and origins, e.g., down and down.

•Homographs may be pronounced the same (homonyms), or they may be pronounced differently (heteronyms, also known as heterophones) - that's for another lesson, though.

There are approximately 250 Homographs in the English language - that we know of at least.

Let's get started with a few different Homographs!

Meaning: to give/receive a gift and the current period of time occurring.

Present

has twenty-two different meanings (give or take a few) you could be referring to when using it:

1. (of a person) in a particular place.

Ex: "a doctor must be present at the ringside"

2. existing or occurring now.

Ex: "she did not expect to find herself in her present situation"

Ex: "the present economic climate"

3. the period of time now occurring.

Ex: "they are happy and at peace, refusing to think beyond the present"

Ex: "forget the past and think about the present"

•GRAMMAR

a present tense.

Ex:"the verbs are all in the present"

4. give something to (someone) formally or ceremonially.

Ex: "a top executive will present an award to employees who built the F-150"

Ex: "the president presented a check to the winner"

5. give someone (something) ceremonially.

Ex: "my students presented me with some flowers"

6. show or offer (something) for others to scrutinize or consider.

Ex: "he stopped and presented his port"

Ex: "the committee presented its report"

7. formally introduce (someone) to someone else.

Ex: "may I present my wife?"

8. proffer (compliments or good wishes) in a formal manner.

Ex: "may I present the greetings of my master?"

Ex: "I called to present my warmest compliments"

9. formally deliver (a check or bill) for acceptance or payment.

Ex: "a check presented by Mr. Jackson was returned by the bank"

•LAW

bring (a complaint, petition, or evidence) formally to the notice of a court.

10. (of a company or producer) put (a show or exhibition) before the public.

Ex: "they presented their new product last month"

11. stage, put on, produce, perform

Ex:"presenting good quality opera"

12. bring about or be the cause of (a problem or difficulty).

Ex: "this should not present much difficulty"

13. exhibit (a particular state or appearance) to others.

Ex: "the EC presented a united front over the crisis"

14. represent (someone) to others in a particular way, typically one that is false or exaggerated.

Ex: "he presented himself as a hardworking man"

Ex: "the authorities present him as a common criminal"

15. exhibit the outward or physical appearance of a specified gender.

Ex: "at that time she was presenting as male and was hired with a traditionally male first name"

16. come forward into the presence of another or others, especially for a formal occasion; appear.

Ex: "he failed to present himself in court"

17. (of an opportunity or idea) occur and be available for use or exploitation.

Ex: "when a favorable opportunity presented itself, he would submit his proposition"

•MEDICINE

(of a patient) come forward for or undergo initial medical examination for a particular condition or symptom.

Ex: "the patient presented with mild clinical encephalopathy"

•MEDICINE

(of an illness) manifest itself.

18. hold out or aim (a firearm) at something so as to be ready to fire.

Ex: "they were to present their rifles, take aim, and fire"

Now that we've talked about present and present; let's move on to the next group.

Meaning: to shut something and to be near something.

has thirty different meanings you could be referring to when using it:

1. a short distance away or apart in space or time.

Ex: "the hotel is close to the sea"

Ex: "the town is close to Paris"

2. with very little or no space in between; dense.

Ex: "cloth with a closer weave"

Ex: "flying in close formation"

3. narrowly enclosed.

Ex: "animals in close confinement"

4. very near to (being or doing something).

Ex: "on a good day the climate in LA is close to perfection"

Ex: "I was close to tears"

5. (with reference to a competitive situation) won or likely to be won by only a small amount or distance.

Ex: "the race will be a close contest"

Ex: "a very close match"

•PHONETICS

another term for high (sense 7 of the adjective).

6. denoting a family member who is part of a person's immediate family, typically a parent or sibling.

Ex: "the family history of cancer in close relatives"

Ex: "close relatives"

7. (of a person or relationship) on very affectionate or intimate .

Ex: "they had always been very close, with no secrets at all"

Ex: "close friends"

8. (of a connection or resemblance) strong.

Ex: "the college has close links with many other institutions"

Ex: "a close resemblance"

9. (of observation, examination, etc.) done in a careful and thorough way.

Ex: "we need to keep a close eye on this project"

Ex: "a close examination"

Ex: "keep a close eye on them"

10. carefully guarded.

Ex: "his whereabouts are a close secret"

Ex: "a close translation"

11. not willing to give away money or information; secretive.

Ex: "you're very close about your work, aren't you?"

12. uncomfortably humid or airless.

Ex: "a close, hazy day"

Ex: "the weather was hot and close"

13. in a position so as to be very near to someone or something; with very little space between.

Ex: "they stood close to the door"

14. move or cause to move so as to cover an opening.

Ex: "she jumped into the train just as the doors were closing"

Ex: "she closed the door"

15. block up (a hole or opening).

Ex: "glass doors close off the living room from the hall"

Ex: "close the hole"

16. bring two parts of (something) together so as to block its opening or bring it into a folded state.

Ex: "Loretta closed her mouth"

17. gradually get nearer to someone or something.

Ex: "they plotted a large group of aircraft about 130 miles away and closing fast"

Ex: "the enemy was closing fast"

Ex: "the gap is closing"

18. come into with (something) so as to encircle and hold it.

Ex: "my fist closed around the weapon"

Ex: "his arms closed around her"

19. make (an electric circuit) continuous.

Ex: "this will cause a relay to operate and close the circuit"

20. bring or come to an end.

Ex: "the were thanked for attending, and the meeting was closed"

Ex: "he closed the meeting"

21. (of a business, organization, or institution) cease to be in operation or accessible to the public, either permanently or at the end of a working day or other period of time.

Ex: "the factory is to close with the loss of 150 jobs"

Ex: "the factory is to close"

22. finish speaking or writing.

Ex: "we close with a point about truth"

23. bring (a business transaction) to a satisfactory conclusion.

Ex: "he closed a deal with a metal dealer"

Ex: "he closed a deal"

24. remove all the funds from (a bank ) and cease to use it.

•COMPUTING

make (a data file) inaccessible after use, so that it is securely stored until required again.

25. the end of an event or of a period of time or activity.

Ex: "the afternoon drew to a close"

Ex: "the close of the talks"

26. the end of a day's trading on a stock market.

Ex: "at the close the Dow Jones average was down 13.52 points"

•MUSIC

the conclusion of a phrase; a cadence.

27. the shutting of something, especially a door.

Ex: "the door jerked to a close behind them"

Now that we've talked about close and close; let's move on to the next group.

Meaning: bow - to bend at the waist, the front of a boat, a pair of tied loops, and an archers weapon.

Bow

has twenty-one different meanings you could be referring to when using it:

1. a knot tied with two loops and two loose ends, used especially for tying shoelaces and decorative ribbons.

Ex: "a girl with long hair tied back in a bow"

Ex: "she tied a bow in her hair"

2. a decorative ribbon tied in a bow.

Ex: "she tied a bow in her hair"

3. a weapon for shooting arrows, typically made of a curved piece of wood whose ends are ed by a taut string.

Ex: "an archer's bow"

4. a bowman.

5. a long, partially curved rod with horsehair stretched along its length, used for playing the violin and other stringed instruments.

6. a single age of a bow over the strings of a violin or other stringed instrument.

7. a thing that is bent or curved in shape, in particular.

Ex: "he bent the rod into a bow"

8. a curved stroke forming part of a letter (e.g., b, p ).

9. a metal ring forming the handle of a key or pair of scissors.

•NORTH AMERICAN

a side piece or lens frame of a pair of glasses.

10. play (a stringed instrument or music) using a bow.

Ex: "the techniques by which the pieces were bowed"

11. bend into the shape of a bow.

Ex: "the sides of the image are squeezed in or bowed out"

12. bend the head or upper part of the body as a sign of respect, greeting, or shame.

Ex: "he turned and bowed to his father"

Ex: "the officers bowed"

13. express (thanks, agreement, or other sentiments) by bending one's head respectfully.

Ex: "he looked at Hector before bowing grave thanks"

14. bend the body in order to see or concentrate.

Ex: "my mother sat bowed over a library book"

15. bend with age or under pressure.

Ex: "the grass bowed down before the wind"

16. submit to pressure or to someone's demands.

Ex: "the mayor bowed to public opinion"

Ex: "the government bowed to foreign pressure"

•NORTH AMERICAN

(of a movie or product) be premiered or launched.

Ex: "the trailer bowed in theaters nationwide on December 23"

17. an act of bending the head or upper body as a sign of respect or greeting.

Ex: "the man gave a little bow"

Ex: "a perfunctory bow"

18. the premiere or launch of a movie or product.

Ex: "the new big screen will make its bow at the game on Saturday"

19. the front end of a ship.

Ex: "water sprayed high over her bows"

Ex: "the bow of the tanker"

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If you've made it this far, then I applaud you :clap:

I know it's a lot of information to take in all at once, and you don't necessarily have to listen to this either (though I suggest you do), but your readers will thank you and you'll thank yourself for being the very best you can be.

I hoped you learned something from this and continue to strive to be the amazing writers I know you guys are.

Let me know what other tips you'd like to see me do in the comments below! And please, don't hesitate to ask me any questions!

'Till next time! :wave: