Fair warning: today’s verbs have a hard time staying on track. The first one, ramble, means “to talk or write in a discursive, aimless way.” The synonym digress means “to deviate or wander away from the main topic or purpose in speaking or writing.” The two terms are close in meaning, but to digress, there must first be a straight course or defined path (of thought or argument) from which to depart. Rambling, on the other hand, requires no initial purpose or point, and implies slightly more free-form or perhaps even incoherent expression.

If someone is cranky, they’re ill-tempered or in a bad mood. You might feel cranky, for instance, if you don’t get enough sleep (we relate!). The synonym ornery is even more unpleasant. This adjective emphasizes irritability that borders on meanness. Someone who is described as ornery is highly disagreeable and maybe more than a little stubborn. While both terms can describe temporary states of grouchiness, ornery is more likely to be used of a person (or animal) that is prickly, uncooperative, and cantankerous no matter how much sleep they got.

To examine something is to inspect or scrutinize it carefully. If you examine a piece of fruit before buying it, you’re giving it a thorough inspection. As a synonym for examine, peruse means “to survey or examine in detail” or sometimes “to read through with thoroughness or care.” A legally binding document is something you’d want to peruse, or read thoroughly, before signing. Attorneys in a trial will peruse, or examine in detail, evidence. But there’s a confounding twist: peruse is also used to mean “to scan or browse,” a breezy use that contradicts the careful attention to detail implied by its other meanings. Isn't English grand? All meanings are widely used and understood, but some style guides urge against the use of peruse as "to skim."