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

appear as someone • appear for someone
appear as someone —(of an actor) come before the public in
any character: The following year he appeared as Hamlet in a
controversial production.
appear for someone —represent smb. as a barrister, etc. in a
law court: Inspector Sammut prosecuted while Roberto Mon-
talto appeared for the accused.
apply oneself to something • apply to something
apply oneself to something —put all one’s energy into smth.:
If you apply yourself to the job in hand, you’ll soon finish it.
apply to something —
1
. turn to an organization for help, sup-
port, etc.: You must apply to the proper office for permission.
2. (of rules, laws, etc.) affect smth.; be relevant to smth.: These
policies apply only to very large companies.
approve of something • approve something
approve of something —
1
. be willing to accept or support
smth.: Her father will never approve of her marriage to you.
2. like or admire smth.: The wine was the very same which
they had all approved of the day before.
approve something —formally confirm or sanction smth.: The
minutes of the meeting were read and approved.
apt at doing something • apt to do something
apt at doing something —able to do smth. efficiently: He is
very apt at picking up a new subject.
apt to do something —having a tendency to do smth.: Babies
who are small at birth are apt to grow faster.
archaic word • archaistic word
archaic word —a word that is no longer in general use but
is still encountered in literature and sometimes used for special
effect: Though sparingly … he weaves some archaic words
into his own writing.
archaistic word —a word from an earlier time that is no
longer used: The author divided the dialectal vocabulary into
the following strata: archaistic words and contemporary words.