Words often confused and misused -7

1.    Crime, Sin and Vice

Crime /kraɪm/     An Illegal activity or action

Demanding dowry is a crime.

Sin /sɪn/ an action or way of behaving that is wrong according to religious laws

There was a time when telling lies, was considered a sin.

Vice/vaɪs/            A bad habit or a bad personal quality

He is a young man without vices like smoking or drinking.

2.    Cue and Queue

Cue/kjuː/             Signal to speak or act

When Sita’s mother glared at her, she took the cue and stopped talking.

Queue/kjuː/        A line of persons waiting for their turn

I have been waiting in the queue in front of the ticket counter for nearly two hours.

3.    Custom and Habit

Custom /ˈkʌstəm/          Something that people always do in a particular way

It is her custom to go to the temple on Fridays.

Habit /ˈhæbɪt/                  Regularly repeated behavioural pattern

Suma has made it a habit to do yoga daily.

4.    Dairy and Dairy

Dairy /ˈdeəri/                   A farm for milk production/ milk products

We buy milk from Amul Dairy.

Diary /ˈdaɪəri/                  Personal record of life’s events

I have kept a diary since I was fifteen.

5.    Defective and Deficient    

Defective /dɪˈfektɪv/                   Imperfect or faulty

The mixie-grinder we bought yesterday was defective.

Deficient  /dɪˈfɪʃ(ə)nt/                 Lacking the correct amount of something.

Her diet has been deficient in Vitamin C.