A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

air lane • airline
air lane —(also: airway) a regular route of travel for aircraft:
This will enable controllers to squeeze an extra 20 percent
traffic into the crowded air lanes.
airline —
1
. company that carries passengers and cargo by
airplane: The airline has announced it will run daily service
to Florida. 2. a tube through which air is passed under pres-
sure: Any big truck lives and dies, steers and brakes, on its
air-lines.
air letter • airmail letter
air letter —(also: aerogramme) a sheet of light paper forming
a letter for sending by airmail: An air letter is written on a
special form supplied by the Post Office.
airmail letter —a letter to be sent by air: Aerogrammes are
less expensive than an airmail letter and have the same delivery
time.
alien from something • alien to something
alien from something —differing in nature or character from
smth.: I am a Christian; therefore, many of the tenets of Bud-
dhism are alien from my faith.
alien to something —contrary or opposed to smth.: I could
not consent to the introduction into our national life of a de-
vice so alien to all our traditions as the referendum.
alive to something • alive with something
alive to something —aware of smth.; conscious of smth.: He
was alive to the danger that pressure might be put on the po-
lice, and he might be forced to take ill-advised action.
alive with something —teeming with smth.; full of smth.:
The lake was alive with alligators. These could be seen basking
along the low banks...
all along • all along the line
all along —all the time: Her employer said he had suspected
the girl of pilfering all along.
all along the line —at every point in the course of an activity:
These newer family magazines are making the older ones fight
for existence all along the line.