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'Maul' means to attack and injure with claws or heavy blows; 'mall' is a shopping centre or a pedestrian walkway.
Side-by-side comparison
"Maul" is the verb to attack and injure violently, especially with claws or teeth: a bear mauling someone. Also to handle something roughly or carelessly.
The hiker was mauled by a bear while camping in a national park.
The home team was thoroughly mauled in the second half, conceding four goals.
She mauled through the pile of documents, leaving papers scattered everywhere.
"Mall" is a large enclosed shopping centre. Also a broad pedestrian avenue. "The Mall" in London is the ceremonial avenue leading to Buckingham Palace.
The new shopping mall opened with over two hundred stores across three floors.
The Mall in Washington runs between the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial.
They spent the afternoon at the mall, browsing stores and having lunch in the food court.
Common mistake
"She spent the afternoon at the maul" when meaning shopping centre is wrong (correct: mall). "Maul" is the violent attack or the large hammer. They are perfect homophones.
Trick to remember it
- •"Maul" has AU like "awful" and "haul", violence and heavy effort.
- •"Mall" has ALL like "all stores, all brands, all under one roof".
Quick rule
- •Is it the violent attack or the large hammer? "Maul".
- •Is it the shopping centre or pedestrian boulevard? "Mall".
Did you know?
The name "mall" for shopping centers comes from the game "Pall-Mall", a 17th-century croquet-like game where a ball was struck with a mallet along a long lane. The famous Pall Mall street in London and The Mall (the royal avenue in front of Buckingham Palace) take their name from this game lane. When the first enclosed modern shopping mall in the U.S. was built in 1956 (Southdale Center, Minnesota), its interior pedestrian gallery design recalled those historic tree-lined promenades. Its architect, Victor Gruen, later regretted having created a model he considered destructive to urban life.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
She spent the afternoon at the shopping _____, trying on shoes in every store.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
The dog escaped and _____ ed a cushion completely. Feathers everywhere.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
One means to receive or agree to something, the other means to exclude or not include.
'Advice' is the guidance you receive (noun); 'advise' is the act of giving that guidance (verb).
'Affect' is the verb meaning to influence something; 'effect' is the noun meaning result or consequence.
'Aisle' is the walkway between rows of seats or shelves; 'isle' is a small island.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy