The verb 'envelop' (without an e on the
end) means 'to surround' or 'to enclose'. It is
sometimes confused with the noun 'envelope', which most commonly refers to 'a
flat rectangular paper container for a letter'.
Envelop
The verb 'envelop' can mean 'to surround', 'to enclose', 'to cover
up', 'to conceal' or - in military circles - 'to conduct a flanking maneuver'. The
verb used to be spelt with an e on the end, and this likely contributes to
people confusing it with 'envelope'. In the past tense, the e reappears (e.g.,
The German division enveloped the town.)
Examples:
"the
bridge was enveloped by fog"
 Every year,
an eerie mist envelops the hotel on the anniversary of his gruesome murder. 
Envelope
An 'envelope' denotes a flat package (usually made of
paper) that is designed to hold papers (e.g., letters, cards). 'Envelope'
is also used to describe the limits of a system's operating capability (e.g., An
altitude of 10,000 feet is the top of the aircraft's envelope.)
Examples:
a selection of envelopes
In June's
test flights, the speed and altitude envelope was progressively expanded from the previously flown 170
knots and 12,000 feet.
Select the correct version:
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CHILDREN'S JOKE TO HELP REMIND YOU
Q: What word starts with 'e', ends in 'e', but only has one letter in it?
A: Envelope.
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Common grammar errors
