Quick answer: Opaque means light cannot pass through, so you cannot see through it. Sheer means thin enough that you can see through it, at least partly. In practice, opaque tights, curtains and fabrics give full coverage and privacy, while sheer ones let light through and show what is behind them. Opaque vs Sheer Quiz: … Read more
Quick answer: Silver is a chemical element (symbol Ag), a bright gray-white metal, and the prize for second place. Bronze is an alloy made mostly of copper, traditionally with tin, with a reddish-brown color, and the prize for third place. So silver ranks above bronze in medals and is generally more valuable as a metal, … Read more
Quick answer: A defective item has a flaw from how it was designed or made, so it fails to work properly even when it looks new. A damaged item was harmed after it was made, often during shipping, handling or use. Short version: defective means flawed from the start, damaged means harmed later. Defective vs … Read more
Quick answer: A bungalow is a type of house, so every bungalow is a house, but not every house is a bungalow. “House” is the general word for a home, while a bungalow is usually a one-story house with a low-pitched roof, and sometimes one and a half stories with a front porch. The exact … Read more
Quick answer: Pommes frites is the French name for fried potatoes, and French fries is the English name for essentially the same food. Pommes frites literally means “fried potatoes,” while “French fries” is an English label that, according to a popular explanation, came from American soldiers who met French-speaking Belgians in World War I. Whether … Read more
Quick answer: A beanie is a snug, brimless cap that hugs the head, while a stocking cap is a longer knit cap that tapers to a tail, often topped with a pom-pom or tassel. In many places the two words overlap, and “beanie” now often means any knit winter cap. Stocking cap is the older, … Read more
Quick answer: A mediator helps two sides settle a dispute, while a moderator runs a discussion, debate or online forum and keeps it orderly. In research, a mediator is the variable that explains how an effect happens, and a moderator is the variable that changes how strong the effect is. Short version: mediators connect, moderators … Read more
Quick answer: Solvent means able to pay your debts as they fall due, and usually owning more than you owe. Insolvent means the opposite: unable to pay debts when they are due, or owing more than you own. Insolvent is not the same as bankrupt, which is a formal legal status. Solvent vs Insolvent Quiz: … Read more
Quick answer: An album is a collection of songs released together as one product, whether on vinyl, CD or streaming. A record is a broader, older word that can mean a vinyl disc, a single recorded song, or any commercial release. In casual talk people use them interchangeably, but at music awards “record” usually means … Read more
Quick answer: A caliper is a tool that measures the distance between two sides of an object, and it is also the part of a disc brake that squeezes the rotor. Caliber is a noun for the inside diameter of a barrel or bullet, and for the quality or ability of a person. If you … Read more