Welcome to another wild and wonderful episode of Word Woman's Weekly Work-Out! Have you ever noticed that there are some words in the English language which are so similar in spelling and meaning that they are frequently confused and misused? Well, the Words of the Week this time are a pair of words just like that, namely:
Averse: (adjective) having a feeling of repugnance; opposed; disinclined.
and then there's...
Adverse: (adjective) antagonistic; hostile; unfavorable; unfortunate.
-- "The New York Times Everyday Reader's Dictionary of Misunderstood, Misused, Mispronounced Words", Laurence Urdang, Ed., Quadrangle/The New York Times Book Company, 1972.
Example: Paul was averse to the adverse weather conditions which led to the cancellation of his vacation in the Bahamas.
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