✅ Daub means to cover or coat a surface with a substance, especially in a rough or even unskillful way (They daubed paint onto their canvases).
✅ Smear means to spread a substance over a surface, especially in a slightly messy or uneven way (She smeared cream cheese on her bagel).
✅ Daub and smear both mean to put a substance on a surface, but they suggest slightly different substances, methods, and results.
✅ Daub suggests that an adhesive substance is being applied, while smear suggests a greasy or oily substance is being applied, and with an only slightly neater result (We daubed clay on the walls as part of the building process; We smeared sunscreen on our arms).
Write about smearing some paint across a wall with the help of Grammar Coach.
✅ Peevish describes something or someone cross or full of complaint, or something that shows annoyance or irritation (A peevish reply).
✅ Querulous, more specifically, describes something or someone characterized by or showing complaint (A querulous tone; a querulous customer).
✅ Peevish and querulous mean similar but distinct things, with peevish reflecting a slightly wider range of emotions (She was known for her querulous attitude; He felt peevish after a difficult day).
You won’t be querulous when you see these synonyms!
✅ Family refers to a united group of people, whether they’re related by blood or not. It can refer to a unit of parents and children, a whole lineage, or a group of people with a shared attitude or occupation (At this office, we’re all one big family).
✅ Folk refers to your relatives or more generally to people of a certain class or group (hard-working folk; Your folk live in the east, right?). It is often informal and when used in the plural can refer specifically to one's parents (My folks are coming to visit this weekend).
✅ Family and folk both refer to people united by a characteristic. Sometimes, that’s a general characteristic, and sometimes that characteristic is being related to you!
Impress your folks with your knowledge of these synonyms!