Confused Words #4: Averse, Horde and Sight

Here are three word pairs that are often confused.

1. Averse / Adverse

averse: disinclined

Incorrect: Regular readers of this column will know that I’m not adverse to shameless self-promotion.
Correct : Regular readers of this column will know that I’m not averse to shameless self-promotion.

adverse: harmful, undesirable

Incorrect: The effectiveness of disulfiram (Antabuse) lies in its ability to produce a highly averse reaction in most patients after ingestion of even a small amount of alcohol.
Correct : The effectiveness of disulfiram (Antabuse) lies in its ability to produce a highly adverse reaction in most patients after ingestion of even a small amount of alcohol.

2. Horde / Hoard

horde (noun): a great company; a large turbulent group of people

Incorrect: One year, a hoard of shoppers trampled a Walmart employee to death.
Correct : One year, a horde of shoppers trampled a Walmart employee to death.

hoard (noun): an accumulation of things put away for preservation.
(verb): to amass and put away for future use.

Incorrect: To supplement the state-imposed ration, or to horde goods for after the war, some Germans traded on the black market.
Correct : To supplement the state-imposed ration, or to hoard goods for after the war, some Germans traded on the black market.

3. Sight / Site

sight (noun): something seen, especially of a striking or remarkable nature.

Incorrect: The gruesome site of Laker lying dead in the street affected him.
Correct : The gruesome sight of Laker lying dead in the street affected him.

site (noun): an area (real or virtual), a piece of ground.

Incorrect: On Thursday we visited the sight where the North and South Twin Towers once stood. 
Correct : On Thursday we visited the site where the North and South Twin Towers once stood. 

Previous posts covering these topics:
Averse, Adverse
Hordes of People Shouldn’t Hoard
Site, Sight and the Spell Check Syndrome