Appropriately enough, the adjective noisy makes a lot of noise in the English language. It is very common, having meanings that are applicable to people (the noisy children), places (a noisy assembly hall), and situations or events (a noisy celebration). This raucous descriptor usually suggests clamor and discordance, or persistence in making loud sounds that are disturbing and annoying. The synonym cacophonous is far less common. To understand its meaning, it’s useful first to know the meaning of the noun cacophony. A cacophony is a harsh discordance of sound, as a cacophony of hoots, cackles, and wails, or a discordant and meaningless mixture of sounds (the cacophony produced by city traffic at midday). It follows, then, that the adjective cacophonous describes things that are unharmonious, like an orchestra tuning up before a concert, or grating to the ear, like a school lunchroom at full capacity.

Time is of the essence when it comes to today’s word pair. The more common word period refers to an interval of time that is meaningful because of its particular characteristics. This could be a period of great profitability for a company, for instance, or a period of adjustment, as for an individual when life circumstances change. The noun epoch emphasizes historical significance and is used of a particular period marked or defined by distinctive features or events. If a treaty ushers in an epoch of peace and goodwill, then it marks the beginning of a new period that, in its absence of war and hostility, is distinct from what preceded it. In geologic time, an epoch is a unit of time (shorter than a period) during which a rock series is formed.

The verb remain is used a few different ways. If two countries remain at peace, they are continuing in a peaceful state. If a front wall is all that remains of a fort, that wall is all that is left after the removal, loss, or destruction of the rest of the fort. If you remain at home, you are staying at your abode. To linger is to remain or stay on in a place longer than is usual or expected. The use of this verb implies reluctance to leave. If a few friends linger after a party, it means they continue to hang around for a while after everyone else has left. Linger can also suggest a musing or contemplative quality. If you linger over the beauty of a painting, for instance, you are dwelling in contemplation, thought, or enjoyment.