.
by all means ---------- by no means
by all means ---------- by no means
by all means - no matter what measure is taken.
* You must bring him here by all means.
* This project must be realised by all means.
* You should by all means warn him before he leaves for Macau.
by no means - not at all.
* She is by no means bright.
* I will by no means consent.
* The first step will take quite a long time and can by no means accomplished overnight.
Note :- by all means or by no means, the word means is in plural form. We can't omit the ( s ).
By all means also can be used as ' of course ' ' no problem '.
* May I have one ? ---- Yes, by all means ( of course )
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by name ---------- in name
by name - by the name of
* The aeronautical engineering institute has built an airplane, ' Stingray ' by name.
* There was a great poet in China, Qu Yuan by name.
* Someone by the name of Mary wants to see you.
in name - if you say that a situation exists in name only, you mean that it does not have the status or position that it claims to have.
* He is a doctor in name only, he stays in the stock exchange all day long.
Other usages :
* I know him by name.
* He mentioned you by name.
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Close ---------- Near
Close - if one thing or person is close to another, there is only a very small distance between them.
* My house is close to the public library.
* The examination is close at hand.
* She is close with him : They are very close friends.
* First cousins are close relatives.
* His father is close on ninety years of age.
Near - if something is near a place, thing, or person, it is a short distance from them.
* In Hong Kong, residential houses are quite near to the airport.
* Is Tiger Balm Garden near or far ?
* In the near future they can complete this arduous task.
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Decided ---------- Decisive
Decided - clear and definite
* He was quite decided in the matter and no one could stop him.
* They are quite decided about it
* Please give us a decided answer.
Decisive - if a fact, action, or event is decisive, it makes it certain that there will be a particular result.
* The battle of Stalingrad is a decisive one in the Second World War.
* General Patton was known for his decisive manner.
* He has a decisive character.
* Public opinion is decisive on this question.
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Disability ---------- Inability
Disability - lacking ability caused by injury or inherent defect
* He has a disability pension because he lost his legs while he was in the army
* He was always cheerful in spite of his disability
* Facilities for people with disabilities are still insufficient.
Inability - lack of power or means
* His inability to undertake the work is due to his physical disabilities.
* Can you account for your inability to pay the debt ?
* Her inability to concentrate could cause an accident.
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Discover ---------- Invent
Discover ---------- Invent
Discover - to find out something existing but not yet known
* Columbus discovered America but he did not explore the new continent.
* Modern astronomers have discovered a million such galaxies.
* The circulation of blood was discovered by Harvey.
Invent - to create or design some thing not existing before
* Edison invented the electric light bulb.
* A new-type stethoscope has yet to be invented.
* Don't you know a lie is always invented ?
* We must invent an excuse of being late.
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distinct ---------- distinctive
distinct - well-marked, clearly defined or easily discernible
* The photo you took in Hong Kong Cultural Center is not distinct enough
* She has a distinct pronunciation.
* There is a distinct smell of smoke in my room.
Distinctive - marking or showing a difference
* Can you find the distinctive watermarks of this stamp ?
* Pupils in Hong Kong usually have distinctive badges on their school uniforms.
* One of the distinctive features of this book is its distinct illustrations.
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