Editor's Corner

Good morning to you all!

A year ago, one of my coworkers decided to challenge me by asking me to find sets of three-word or four-word homophones. (Homonyms are two or more words that sound alike, but have different origins, spellings, or meanings, such as carat, carrot, caret, and karat.) He acknowledged that I’d covered some of these, like there, they’re, their and to, two, too, but he wanted more. He wanted four-word homonyms and more.

Well, I waited an entire year, and here I am, ready to serve up some examples on a big ‘ol platter. You should remember that in the old days, before my word nerdom, I played basketball, ran track (oh so poorly), and worked it on swim team for four years. I love a challenge, a race, or a game.

Today I have the first batch for you, the triplets. This is just a partial list, but I’ll provide you with the rest next time. Definitions and examples are from me or with the help of Merriam-Webster (M-W).

Triplets

· aisle = A row between groups of seats

· I’ll = Contraction for “I will”

· isle = An island, often a small island

· bald = Without hair or covering (for example, the black oak tree is bald in the winter)

· balled = Formed into a ball (she balled up the snow and threw it at her brother)

· bawled = Cried (out loud and vigorously)

· censer = A vessel for burning incense

· censor = Someone who reads materials, watches movies, or reviews other materials for objectionable matter.

· sensor = (From M-W) A device that responds to a physical stimulus (such as heat, light, sound, pressure, magnetism, or a particular motion) and transmits a resulting impulse (as for measurement or operating a control)

· cent = (America) A penny. 1/100 of a U.S. dollar

· scent = A smell; an odor. (From M-W) An odor left by an animal on a surface passed over, or a characteristic or particular odor especially one that is agreeable.

· Sent = Past tense of “to send.” (From M-W) To cause to go; propel; throw in a particular direction; drive; to dispatch by means of communication.

· ewes = Female sheep

· use = To put into service; expend; consume

· yews = Type of evergreen trees

· gild = To cover with gold

· gilled = To entangle in a gill net (From M-W) Gill net: a flat net suspended vertically in the water with meshes that allow the head of a fish to pass but entangle the gills upon withdrawal.

· guild =Association of people with similar interests (From M-W) Especially: a medieval association of merchants or craft makers.

• knot = (From M-W)a: an interlacement of the parts of one or more flexible bodies forming a lump or knob (as for fastening or tying together)

b: the lump or knob so formed

c: a tight constriction or the sense of constriction

• naught = nothing

· not = used as a function word to make negative a group of words or a word

• taught = Past tense of to teach. To convey information to others; to help others learn.
• taut = Tight; without slack; (skin) not loose or flabby

· tot = A small child

Next time I’ll give you the quadruplets and more!

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