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

attend something • attend to something
attend something —
1
. go to or be present at an event: Prince
Harry attended the ceremony along with other members of
the Royal Family. 2. go regularly to an institution such as a
school, etc.: As a child, he attended church services with his
parents. 3. occur along with smth.: In contrast to the air of
celebration which usually attended the sailings of these super-
tankers, there was an air of gloom.
attend to something —(also: tend to something ) take care of
smth.; deal with smth.: They ought to attend to the business
without unnecessary delay.
attract someone’s attention • draw someone’s at-
tention
attract someone’s attention —get the attention of a person:
She spoke loudly to attract everyone’s attention.
draw someone’s attention —make a person especially aware
of smth.: The judge drew the attention of the jury to this de-
tail.
au fait • in fact
au fait—(Fr., UK sl.) familiar with something: We deem
it’s important that you be au fait with another concept.
in fact—in reality; actually: In fact, it was a wonder anyone
survived in the circumstances.
aural signal • oral signal
aural signal —a signal perceived by the ear: Where an aural
signal is used in a building security system, a corresponding
visual signal must be provided.
oral signal —a signal transmitted by speech: They need to
be able to communicate with the minimum of oral signals
when the engine is running.
Austral English • Australian English
Austral English —the variety of English spoken by most in-
habitants of Australia and New Zealand: The term Austral
English is sometimes used to cover the language of the whole
of Australasia.
Note: 
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase Austral language—the language of the Austral Islands
(an archipelago in the South Pacific inhabited by Polynesians):
The origin of the Khasis is still an enigma…. Their language
is considered a branch of austral languages.
Australian English —the variety of English spoken by most
inhabitants of Australia: There is Australian English, and
American English, and Indian English — recognizable … as a
matter of idiom and accent.