\ndefuse:<\/em>to remove the ignition device of a bomb. More generally, to quell tension by dulling the meaning, or the context, of a remark.\n<\/p>\n \ndiffuse:<\/em> to spontaneously separate by movement in many directions: a crowd will diffuse as it exits from a football stadium.<\/p>\n Defuse and diffuse aren’t pronounced exactly the same, but close enough: lazy pronunciation of defuse can make it sound like diffuse.<\/p>\n Interestingly, the two words’ meanings, practically, can be very similar. No doubt response personnel would perceive the break-up and exodus of an angry crowd very similarly to the defusing of a bomb.<\/p>\n Source:<\/p>\n Mish, Frederick C. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary<\/em>. Springfield: Merriam-Webster, 2004.<\/p>\nJack of Oracle Tutoring by Jack and Diane,<\/a> Campbell River, BC.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Tutoring English, homonyms have been a favourite topic of mine since second grade. The tutor mentions defuse and diffuse. defuse:to remove the ignition device of a bomb. More generally, to quell tension by dulling the meaning, or the context, of …<\/p>\n