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

amuse oneself with something • be amused by
something
amuse oneself with something —do smth. to pass the time
and not become bored: The women amuse themselves with a
game something like jack-stones.
be amused by something —think smth. funny and usually
laugh because of it : I was highly amused by a comment
Bernard Shaw made once.
ancient lights • Old Lights
ancient lights —(UK Law) the legal right of a house owner
to receive daylight through windows: England has a doctrine
– 15 –
ancient lights

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of ancient lights which was firmly rejected here [in the United
States].
Old Lights —(hist., also: Old Light men) religious tradition-
alists who believed the new religious movement (New Lights)
threatened established religion: Old Lights won the passage
of a law restricting the activities of traveling preachers.
ancient world • old world
ancient world —the region and civilizations (especially of
the Greeks and Romans) known during ancient history:
Cartagena was recognized as being one of the wealthiest cities
of the ancient world.
old world —
1
. (Old World, the) Europe, Asia and Africa: In
all the apes of the Old World the same number and kinds of
teeth are present as in man. 2. one’s previous setting of exis-
tence with its customs, traditions, etc.: Kylie found herself
back in her old world of Melbourne to spend Christmas with
her family.
Note: 
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase olde worlde—(UK attrib.) attractively old-fashioned (but
not necessarily authentic): This olde worlde pub is on the nar-
row road down to the sea and coast guard station.