Loath and Loathe

What a difference an e makes! In this case, an e makes a difference not only in meaning, but also in pronunciation.

Loath
"Loath" is pronounced to rhyme with "both."
The adjective loath means reluctant, or unwilling.

Examples:
She would have loved the bigger diamond, but her fiancé was loath to spend any more money.
He was loath to take a job that had such long hours.


Loathe
The t-h-e at the end of loathe is pronounced like the t-h-e at the end of soothe.
The verb loathe means to despise, or to dislike intensely.

Examples:
I'll skip the oysters, thanks; I absolutely loathe any kind of shellfish.
She loathes any sort of intolerance.

Mnemonic device: 
Ms. Picky is loath to admit it, but she had a little difficulty coming up with a memory aid for this one. How about that loathe and despise both have an e at the end? You'll just have to manage.

Next Week's Post: Affect, Effect, and Impact