Stuart's Daily Word Spot: Affect or effect?

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Affect: verb - like to use, wear, practise, or frequent; seek or aim for; display ostentatiously; take the character of; take upon oneself to do, profess; of things: display a tendency towards; assume a false appearance of; pretend.

Effect: verb - bring about an end or result; accomplish an intention or wish; produce a state or condition;

Often confused. If you remember that the verb to affect is the one used, generally in a detrimental way, to describe someone who pretends to be something they are not. Whereas the verb to effect means to bring something about.

‘Paulina, who was shaped rather like a whale, liked to affect the mannerisms and dress, such as it was, of a lingerie supermodel.’

‘Nigel’s collection of model trains, his pedantic manner with language and his fashion sense all combined to effect a state of enforced bachelorhood, since no woman could abide his boring company.’

Stuart’s Daily Word Spot: Jacinth

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Jacinth: noun - a precious stone; the colour of jacinth, blue or, sometimes reddish orange; in heraldry the colour tenné, reddish orange, in blazoning by precious stones; a dyed fabric, blue or violet in colour; hyacinth. Adjective - of the colour of jacinth.

‘April was prone to wear clothes that would be outlandish on many, but her willowy figure allowed her to get away with matching the jacinth, decorating her ring, with the hyacinth coloured flowing drapery that passed for a dress.’