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 STANDARD DESK-BOOK SERIES 
 
 A Desk-Book of 
 
 Errors in English 
 
 Including Notes on Colloquialisms and Slang 
 to be Avoided in Conversation 
 
 By Frank H. Vizetelly, Litt.D., LL.D. 
 
 Managing Editor of "Funk & Wagnalls New Standard Dictionary 
 
 of the English Language"; Author of "Essentials of 
 
 English Speech and Literature," Etc. 
 
 A REVISED EDITION 
 
 FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY 
 
 NEW YORK and LONDON
 
 Copyright, 1906 and 1920. by 
 FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY 
 
 [Printed in the United States 0/ America] 
 
 Copyritfbt Under the Articles of the Copyright Convention 
 
 of the Pan-American Republics and the United States. 
 
 August 11. 1910 
 
 Published January 1. 1920 
 
 All Ritfhts Reserved
 
 \ 
 
 ?).3 
 
 \^1 
 "I PREFACE 
 
 J^ The fact that this little book has passed through 
 
 px many editions, and now enters on a new one in 
 
 rl revised form, is ample answer to its writer's prayer 
 
 ^ when, w4th the aid of his Publishers, he launched 
 
 it on an uncertain voyage over the seas of time — 
 
 •* Go, little book, God send thee good passage. 
 And specially let this be thy prayer: 
 Unto them all that thee will read or hear. 
 Where thou art wrong, after their help to call, 
 Thee to correct in any part or all." 
 
 {Chaucer.') 
 
 It is with sincere gratitude to the Publishers that 
 
 . ^ the author acknowledges the results achieved to have 
 
 ^ been due wholly to their kindly interest and indefati- 
 
 '^ gable efforts. He ventures to hope that this new 
 
 i edition, and such subsequent editions as time may 
 
 \$ require, will be found to measure fully up to the 
 
 r^ expectations of the discriminating Public on which 
 
 "^ it depends for support. 
 
 F. H. V. 
 
 New York, January, 1^20, 
 
 111 
 
 749201
 
 INTRODUCTORY 
 
 In these days when the vernacular of the street 
 invades the home ; when illiterate communications 
 corrupt good grammar ; and when the efforts of the 
 teachers in the public schools are rendered ineffect 
 ive by parents careless of their diction, constant at 
 tempts are being made to point out the way to that 
 " Well of English imdefiled " so dear to the heart 
 of the purist. But, notwithstanding these efforts to 
 correct careless diction, the abuse and misuse of 
 words continue. The one besetting sin of the 
 English-speaking people is a tendency to use collo- 
 quial inelegancies, slang, and vulgarisms, and against 
 these, as against the illiteracies of the street, it is 
 our duty to guard, nowadays more so than at any 
 other time, since what is learnt in the schoolroom is 
 soon forgotten or displaced by association with il- 
 literate playfellows, or by occasionally hearing words 
 misused at home. 
 
 Of the purely syntactical side of the English lan- 
 guage, no less a master of its intricacies and nice- 
 ties than Thomas Jefferson has said '^ I am not a 
 friend to a scrupulous purism of st)'le ; I readily 
 
 V
 
 V* Introductory 
 
 sacrifice the niceties of syntax to euphony and 
 strength. It is by boldly neglecting the rigorisms 
 of grammar that Tacitus has made himself the 
 strongest writer in the world. The hyperesthetics 
 call him barbarous ; but I should be sorry to ex- 
 change his barbarisms for their wiredrawn purisms. 
 Some of his sentences are as strong as language 
 can make them. Had he scrupulously filled up the 
 whole of their syntax, they would have been merely 
 common. To explain my meaning by an English 
 example, I will quote the motto of one, I believe, of 
 the regicides, of Charles I., * Rebellion to tyrants is 
 obedience to God.' Correct its syntax < Rebellion 
 against tyrants is obedience to God.' It has lost 
 all the strength and beauty of the antithesis." And 
 Jefferson continued : " Where strictness of grammar 
 does not weaken expression, it should be attended 
 to. But where, by small grammatical negligences, 
 the energy of an idea is condensed, or a word stands 
 for a sentence, I hold grammatical rigor in con 
 
 tempt." 
 
 The English language is the most flexible lan- 
 guage in the world. Indeed, it is so flexible that 
 some of its idioms are positively startling. Could 
 any phrase be more so than ** I don't think it will 
 rain " ? — Simple enough as an idiom but positively 
 absurd when analyzed. We say " / don't think it 
 will rain " when we mean " I do think it will not rain.*'
 
 Introductory - vii 
 
 Again, we say " All over the world " when we should 
 say " Over all the world," and "the reason why" 
 mstead of " the reason that." Usage has made our 
 language w^hat it is ; grammatical rules strive to 
 limit it to what it ought to be. In many instances 
 usage has supplanted grammatical rules. Hun- 
 dreds of words have been used by masters of Eng- 
 lish in ways that violate these rules. These uses 
 are to be found to-day recorded by the dictionaries 
 because lexicographers recognize it is their duty to 
 present the language as they find it used by the 
 people. It is to the people, not to the purists, that 
 one must look for the enriching of our mother 
 tongue. To them it is as impossible to confine the 
 English language within the bonds of grammatical 
 rules as it is to stem the tide of the sea. For them 
 all matters that relate to English speech can be de- 
 cided only by the law of good usage. This, and 
 this alone is their Court of Last Resort. Withal, 
 the observance of certain conventional rules does no 
 harm if it helps him who speaks carelessly to pro- 
 duce a refined st}'le of diction and writing, or if it 
 teaches him who does not know, what to say and 
 how to say it. 
 
 The secret of strength in speech and writing 
 lies in the art of using the right word in the right 
 place ; therefore, careful speakers and writers should 
 aim to command not only a large vocabulary but a
 
 viii Introductory 
 
 wide and correct knowledge of the meanings of 
 words. These can be most readily acquired by no 
 ting the meaning of every new word across which 
 one may come in reading, and by constantly con- 
 sulting a dictionary, preferably one which compares 
 or contrasts words in such a manner as to bring out 
 clearly the finer and nicer distinctions in their mean- 
 ings — such distinctions as are necessar}" to the stu- 
 dent to put him into possession of the essential 
 differences of the words compared. Learn the 
 meaning of words and your tongue will never slip. 
 As Southey has said, " the greatest wisdom of speech 
 is to know when, and what, and where to speak; 
 the time, matter, and manner." 
 
 The best asset in life is knowledge. Knowledge 
 well-grounded may be secured by the systematic 
 study of words. The desirabilit}^ of exercising great 
 care not only in the selection of words, but in mar- 
 shaling them in their correct order must be apparent 
 to any one familiar with some of the errors com- 
 mitted by writers who, notwithstanding the blunders 
 they have made, have acquired reputation as authors 
 of good English, Dr. Samuel Johnson, in his 
 " Lives of the Poets," is responsible for the follow- 
 ing statement : " Shakespeare has not only shown hu- 
 man nature as it is, but as it would be foujid in situa- 
 tions to ivhich it ca?i?iotbe exposed'''' — a statement the ab- 
 surdity of which can not fail to impress the reader.
 
 Introductory ix 
 
 In the King James Version of the Bible, quoted 
 by some authorities as a standard of pure EngUsh, 
 one may find the following, which occurs in Isaiah 
 xxxvii. 36 : ^' Then the angel of the Lord went forth 
 and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred 
 and fourscore and five thousand ; and when they 
 arose early in the morning, behold t/iey were all 
 dead corpses ^ It can hardly be supposed that the 
 translators meant to imply that the corpses arose 
 early in the morning and found themselves dead. 
 In the second act of " Julius Caesar," Shakespeare 
 puts into the mouth of Ligarius the following : " I 
 will strive with things impossible ; yea, get the better 
 of them." For power of perseverance Ligarius is to 
 be commended. Hallam, author of the " Literature 
 of Europe," declared that " No one as yet had ex- 
 hibited the structure of the human kidneys, Vesilius 
 having only examined them in dogs " — a declaration 
 which implies that the dog must have bolted them 
 whole. The London Times has occasionally perpe- 
 trated absurdities which equal, if they do not surpass, 
 these. In an obituary announcing the death of 
 Baron Dowse it said, " A great Irishman has passed 
 away. God grant that many as great, and who shall 
 as 'wisely love their country, may follow him." Here 
 the intended wish is not that many great Irishmen 
 may die but that there may be many to follow him 
 who shall love their country as well as he did. An
 
 ^ Introductory 
 
 equally absurd example taken from an issue of the 
 Freeman'' s Journal oi the year 1890, announces " The 
 health of Mr. Parnell has lately taken a very serious 
 turn, and fears of his recovery are entertained by his 
 friands," which, one may add, was rather unfriendly 
 on their part. Isaac Disraeli in his *' Curiosities o\ 
 Literature " himself was guilty of an absurdity when 
 he wrote, " It is curious to observe the various sub- 
 stitutes for paper before its invention^ 
 
 Errors of a different sort found their way even into 
 our earlier dictionaries. Cockeram defined a lynx 
 as " a spotted beast which hath the most perfect 
 sight in so much as it is said that it can see through 
 a wall." The salamander he described as *' a small 
 venomous beast with foure feet and a short taile ; it 
 lives in the fire, and at length by its extreme cold 
 puts out the fire." Both of these definitions show 
 the rudimentary stage of the knowledge of our fore- 
 fathers in matters zoological. 
 
 Of slang no less eminent a writer of English than 
 Richard Grant White has said, *' Slang is a vocabu- 
 lary of genuine words or unmeaning jargon, used 
 always with an arbitrary and conventional significa- 
 tion," and because "it is mostly coarse, low, and 
 foolish," certain slang terms and phrases have been 
 included in the following pages, together with a few 
 undesirable colloquialisms. These are included be- 
 cause the indiscriminate use of slang leads to slov*
 
 Introductory » 
 
 enliness in speech. Not all slang is slovenly, incor- 
 rect, or vicious ; much of it is virile, expressive, 
 and picturesque. It is against the spread of that 
 part of slang which is slovenly, incorrect, foolish, or 
 vicious, that one should guard. 
 
 The purpose of these pages is not to dictate a 
 precise course to be followed, nor to lay down rules 
 that will prevent any speaker or writer from exercis- 
 ing his privilege as an individual of speaking or 
 writing freely and independently the thoughts that 
 are uppermost in his mind. It is, rather, to point out 
 common errors which he may unconsciously commit, 
 and to help him to avoid them and the \ailgarisms 
 of the street which have crept into the language, as 
 well as those absurd blunders that have been re- 
 corded as the unconscious acts of persons qualified 
 in other respects to rank as masters of English. 
 To this end, and to this end only, the following 
 vocabulary of errors in English has been compiled. 
 
 Thanks are due to the Funk& Wagnalls Company 
 for permission to cite freely from the " Standard 
 Dictionary of the English Language " in the follow 
 ing pages.
 
 Mend your speech a little, 
 Lest it may mar your fortunes. 
 
 — Shakespeare, A"//!^ Lear, Act i, Sc. 1.
 
 A DESK-BOOK OF 
 
 ERRORS IN ENGLISH 
 
 A 
 
 a, an: Before an aspirated "h," as in ''Hibernian- 
 ism," the article "a" should be used, "A" is used 
 when the next word begins with a coJisonant sound; 
 "an" when it begins with a rowel or silent "h." 
 Though never so feebly aspirated, "h" has something 
 of a consonant sound, and the article in this case 
 ought to conform to the general principle, as in "a 
 historic introduction has generally a happy effect to 
 arouse attention." To be correct one should say : an 
 island, a Highlander; an oysterman, a hoister; a 
 hotel, an onion; a herb, an heir; a house, an owl. 
 Some persons do not aspirate the *'h" in "herb"; 
 when the *'h" is not aspirated, the word takes the 
 article "an," not "a " 
 
 abandon, forsake, desert: To abandon is to give up 
 entirely, as home and friends, and implies previous 
 association with responsibility for or control ; to for- 
 sake is to leave or withdraw from a person or place, 
 and suggests previous association with inclination or 
 
 1
 
 abbreviate A Desk-Book of 
 accord 
 
 attachment. Abandon 2in6. forsake may be used in a 
 favorable or unfavorable sense. Desert is to leave 
 permanently and especially without regard for the 
 person or thing deserted ; it is used only in an un- 
 favorable sense and usually implies a breach of 
 duty. 
 
 Some writers assert that desert is used only " of 
 causes or persons but not of things." This is erro- 
 neous. There is ample evidence of its correct appli- 
 cation to things ; as the soldier deserts his colors ; 
 the sailor deserts his ship. 
 
 abbreviate, abridge : Discriminate carefully be- 
 tween these words. To abbreviate is to shorten a 
 word so that a part stands for the whole ; to abridge 
 is to condense or epitomize, as a report, in such 
 manner that the spirit of the original is retained 
 though it is expressed in fewer words. 
 
 ability, capacity : These words are not exactly 
 synonymous in meaning when used in the singular. 
 Ability is bodily or mental power; capacity is re- 
 ceptive or containing power. Ability when used in 
 the plural embraces both meanings. 
 
 about. Compare almost. 
 
 above : Inelegantly used as a noun by ellipsis of 
 some noun as " He wrote the above '^ for " the above 
 phrased A more objectionable use is as an ad- 
 jective ; as, "■ I submit the above facts " for " I sub- 
 mit the above-menXionQd facts," The use of the 
 
 2
 
 Errors in English abbreviate 
 
 accord 
 word "foregoing" or the more legal expression 
 " before-mentioned " would better meet the case. 
 Lamb, always inclined to be humorous, ridicules 
 the expression by referring to ''the above boys and 
 the below boys." 
 
 above should not be used for " more than." 
 
 acceptance, acceptation : Terms sometimes used 
 interchangeably but incorrectly so. " Acceptance " 
 is the state of being accepted ; as the acceptance of a 
 position or office ; acceptation is the favorable admis- 
 sion of or acquiescence in a matter, or assent to a 
 belief. 
 
 accept of : A visitor does not accept of the hospi- 
 tality of his host, but accepts his hospitality. In this 
 phrase " of " is redundant. 
 
 accident, injury : These words are used some- 
 times incorrectly. An " accident " is that which 
 happens without known or assignable cause or with- 
 out deliberate intention ; an " injury " is a hurt that 
 causes physical or mental pain resulting, as from an 
 accident. An accident may be injurious, and in- 
 juries painful ; but accidents should never be spoken 
 of as painful. 
 
 accord should not be used for give. To accord 
 is "to render or concede as due and proper, as 
 honor or veneration;" to give is "to bestow as 
 appropriate; as to give thanks, praise, or wel- 
 
 come." 
 
 8
 
 accord A Desk-Book ot 
 
 adherence 
 
 accord, awaxd : The first of these words implies 
 a spontaneous bestowal prompted by the dictates of 
 the heart (Latin cor, cord-, heart) ; the concession or 
 grant due to inherent merit that cannot be denied. 
 Award is colder and more unimpassioned and 
 formal, and implies a grant only after careful ob- 
 servation and judgment. You accord honor where 
 honor is individually due, but award a medal to 
 a victor out of many (actual or possible) contest- 
 ants. 
 
 accord, grant : Privileges may be either accorded 
 or granted. To accord is to concede as due and 
 proper ; grant ; bestow ; allow ; to grant is to be- 
 stow or confer ; give, as a concession ; allow. Some 
 writers erroneously restrict the meaning of accord to 
 ** agree with ; suit." 
 
 acknowledgment : Do not spell this word achiowl- 
 edgeme?it ; preferably it is acknowledgment — omit " e '* 
 after the " g." 
 
 acme. Compare climax. 
 
 acoustic (dz.), acoustics (;/.) : When the adjective 
 is used the verb must agree in number v/ith the 
 noun which the adjective qualifies; as, "the acoustic 
 properties of this theater are good." But the noun 
 though plural in form is singular in construction and 
 always takes a verb in the singular as, " acoustics is 
 a branch of physics." 
 
 acquaintance. Compare friend. 
 
 4
 
 Errors in English accord 
 
 adherence 
 
 acquiesce : Never use the preposition " with " 
 after this word. You acquiesce in an arrange- 
 ment. 
 
 act, action : Do not use one word for the other. 
 A man does a good act rather than a good action. 
 An act is accomplished by an exercise of power, 
 whereas an action is the fact of exerting such power 
 and refers to the i7iodus opera?idi. A part}^ to a con- 
 veyance signifies his exercise of power by the 
 formula "This is my act and deed," but the course 
 pursued, the procedure — the fact of sale and pur- 
 chase — may be referred to as a wise action. 
 
 adherence, adhesion, attachment : These terms 
 are no longer synonymous, although originally so. 
 Adherence is used of things mental or spiritual, as 
 principles, while adhesion is applied to material 
 things. The figurative meaning of iz^/^^r^ appears in 
 adherence, which is somewhat synonymous with at- 
 tachjfient and applies to mental conditions or princi- 
 ples. Adhesion is generally reserved for physical 
 attachment; as, ''an adhesion effected by glue," 
 although Dowden in his " Studies in Literature " 
 (p. 230,) has written " Browning's courageous ad- 
 hesion to truth never deserts him." Far better 
 is Johnson's " Shakespeare's adherence to general 
 nature has exposed him to the censure of critics, 
 who form their judgments upon narrow-er prin- 
 ciples." 
 
 5
 
 adjective A Desk-Book of 
 
 aggravate 
 
 adjective and adverb : In selecting the correcl 
 word to use, bear in mind that where a phrase de- 
 noting manner can be substituted an adverb is 
 required ; w^here some tense of the verb to be can be 
 used the adjective is necessary ; as, ''The surgeon 
 felt the limb carefully and found that one of th3 
 bones was broken.^'' 
 
 admission. Compare admittance. 
 
 admit, admit of : Very different in meaning. 
 " This gate admits (affords entrance) to the grounds, 
 but the size of the vehicle will not admit of (allow 
 or permit) its passing through." Where Emerson 
 says " Every action adjnits of being outdone," the 
 simple admit could not be substituted. 
 
 admittance, admission : These words are not 
 merely synonymous. Admitta?ice refers to place, 
 admission refers also to position, privilege, favor, 
 friendship, etc. An intruder may gain admittance to 
 the hall of a society who would not be allow^ed ad- 
 mission to its membership. 
 
 adore : Often misused as an emphatic for " like." 
 One may ado7'e that which one reveres or venerates 
 or has profound regard or affection for, but not that 
 which is pleasant to the palate. A child may like 
 cherries and adore its mother, but it does not adore 
 cherries though it likes its mother. 
 
 advantage, benefit : Exercise care in using these 
 words. Advantage is that which gives one a vantage- 
 
 6
 
 Errors In English adjective 
 
 aggravate 
 ground, either for coping with competitors or with 
 difficulties, needs, or demands ; as, " to have the ad- 
 vantage oi a good education." It is frequently used 
 of what one has beyond another or secures at the 
 expense of another ; as, " to have the advantage of 
 another in an argument," or ''to take advantage of 
 another in a bargain. Benefit is anything that does 
 one good. 
 
 adverbs and the infinitive " to." See split in- 
 finitive. 
 
 a few. Condemned as employing the singular ar- 
 ticle before an adjective plural in sense. Usage 
 sanctions a himdred and a great many, these expres- 
 sions being viewed as collective. A few is correct 
 idiomatic English, with a sense distinctively different 
 from that of the adjective used alone ; as, ^'- A few 
 men can be trusted" (/. e., a small but appreciable 
 number). " Few men can be trusted " (/. e., scarcely 
 any) is practically equivalent to the negative state- 
 ment " Most men are not to be trusted." 
 
 afiect. Compare effect. 
 
 against: Never shorten this preposition mXo again. 
 Such a usage is either dialectical or obsolete ; and 
 save in such usage there is no preposition again, or 
 as sometimes spoken by persons careless with their 
 speech agen. 
 
 aggravate, exasperate, irritate, provoke : A fever 
 
 or a misfortune may be aggravated, but not ? person. 
 
 7
 
 ago A Desk-Book of 
 
 all of them 
 
 The person is, perhaps, exasperated or provoked. To 
 aggravate, from the Latin aggravo "to make heavy," 
 is to intensify, and applies only to conditions of 
 fact ; provoke, which calls forth anger, and exas- 
 perate, which heightens (or roughens) anger already 
 provoked, allude to mental states. A patient may 
 be so irritated that his condition is aggravated. Here 
 to aggravate is to make worse ; to irritate is to annoy, 
 provoke. 
 
 ago. Compare since. 
 
 agreeable : Do not spell this word agreabk. Its 
 component parts are agree plus able ; always double 
 the " e " before the " a." Agreeable is often errone- 
 ously used for agreeably in correspondence. In this 
 sense it is a commercial colloquialism, meaning 
 " being in accordance or conformity," as with some 
 previous action. '' Agreeable to your request I have 
 forwarded the goods." Correctly, this should be 
 rendered " Agreeably with your request, etc.," mean 
 ing "so as to be agreeable." 
 
 agreeably. Compare agreeable. 
 
 aid. Compare help. 
 
 ain't : Avoid as inelegant. In such a phrase as 
 " he ain't," it is both vulgar and ungrammatical ; 
 " he isn't " is the preferred form. " The contraction 
 ain't for isn't is a vulgarism which ought not to 
 need criticism. Yet ' 'tain't so ' said an educated 
 preacher once in my hearing. The safe rule re- 
 
 8
 
 Errors in English ago 
 
 all of them 
 
 specting contractions is never to use them in public 
 
 speech. This is the instinct of a perfect taste." 
 
 Austin Phelps, E?iglish Style, lecture ii. p. 25. 
 
 alienate, antagonize : Alienate which means " es« 
 trange," should never be used for antago?iize, mean- 
 ing " contend against " or " bring into opposition." 
 Thus, you alietiate your friend because you antagonize 
 his views. 
 
 all. See under any, whole, and compare uni- 
 versally. 
 
 allege : Do not spell this word alledge. It has no 
 connection whatever witli ledge, a shelf. Allege is 
 derived from the Latin adlegio, clear, and came to 
 England with the Normans in the Norman French 
 form aligier, Old French, esligier, from the Latin, ex, 
 out, and litigo, to carry strife. It means, to assert. 
 
 alleviate, relieve : Distinguished from relieve, as 
 alleviate, by lightening (Latin ad, to, + levis, light), 
 mitigates or makes less burdensome, and relieve, 
 by removing ( Latin re, again, 4- levis, lifting up ), 
 supplies what is wanting. 
 
 Allez'iation affects internal sensations, affording 
 comparative ease, whereas relief operates upon ex- 
 ternal conditions, removing pain. You alleviate suf- 
 fering and relieve distress or poverty. 
 
 all of them : This phrase furnishes an excellent 
 example of the common carelessness of speech. Of 
 signifies fro77i or frofn out ; and whereas one can 
 
 9
 
 all over A Desk-Book of 
 
 almost 
 
 subtract a certain quantity from an entire num- 
 ber, one can hardly refer to that number as still ex- 
 isting, in any shape whatever, if one subtracts the 
 whole ; ior from out implies a remainder. You may 
 say " ship sojne, or any definite number, say ten of 
 tJiem,^^ or '' ship tJmn all^^^ but not *' ship all of them." 
 
 all over the world : A common but undesirable lo- 
 cution for " all the world over " or " over all the 
 world." 
 
 alloWj permit : Discriminate carefully between 
 these words. Allow implies no attempt at hin- 
 drance *, per77iit suggests authorization to do. One 
 allows that to which one interposes no objection or 
 takes no step to prevent ; one permits that to which 
 one gives express consent or authorization. In 
 some parts of the United States allow is used in the 
 sense of " think, think likely, intend " ; as, " he allowed 
 he would go " ; *' he allowed to pay it." It is used 
 also in the sense of say. Both uses are wholly in- 
 admissible. 
 
 all right : In best usage this term is always written 
 as two words. Formerly alright was in vogue, but 
 it is now obsolete. 
 
 allude : This word is frequently used as synony- 
 mous with mention^ but this is a careless and im- 
 proper treatment of the term. 
 
 " Allude is in danger of losing its peculiar signification, 
 which is delicate and serviceable .... (It) means to 
 
 10
 
 Errors in English all over 
 
 almost 
 indicate jocosely, to hint at playfully .... Allusion is 
 the by-play of language." — R. G. White Words and 
 Their Uses, ch. 5, p. 90. (S. H. & Co. '70) 
 
 Allude is from the Latin alludo, treat lightly, from 
 ad^ at, and ludo^ play, and should be used only with 
 the sense of " to refer incidentally, indirectly, or by 
 suggestion." When you toast a hero by name, you 
 certainly do not allude to him, although in so doing 
 you make a prett}' allusion to the heroic act with 
 which his name is identified. In toasting Dewey, 
 you do not allude to him but to his deeds off Manila. 
 
 allusion : Distinguish between this word and illii- 
 sio7t. The former is derived from the Latin ad, at, -f- 
 ludo, play (treat lightly), and means an incidental 
 suggestion or passing reference, a species of in- 
 nuendo ; the latter is derived from i?i, on, + ludOy 
 play (play tricks on), and means an unreal image 
 presented to the senses. 
 
 almost : " An adjective in early English, the use of 
 which has recently been revived, but it has not re- 
 ceived the sanction of general usage." — Standard 
 Dictionary. 
 
 An " almost Christian " is, however, a most expres- 
 sive term, and would oftentimes more nearly express 
 the truth than the absolute and unqualified " Chris- 
 tian." Compare most. 
 
 almost, about : These words are now commonly 
 used as interchangeable synonyms. Formerly, such 
 
 U
 
 already A Desk-Book of 
 
 araid 
 
 use was condemned. One may say of a task that it 
 is " almost completed " or that it is " aboiU com- 
 pleted " meaning that it is nearly accomplished or 
 approaches closely to a completed state. 
 
 already \ Although this word consists of two ele- 
 ments " all * and " ready," it is not correctly spelled 
 with two " I's " but already. 
 
 also, likewise : According to some wTiters also 
 merely denotes addition, and likciinse denotes con- 
 nection with some person or thing that has pre- 
 viously been referred to. Likewise, which means 
 " in like manner," of necessity refers to states and 
 conditions which are susceptible of manner, and 
 should not be used indiscriminately for also, which 
 properly connects facts and qualities. There is, for 
 example, a considerable difference between the ex- 
 pressions " He spoke also " and " He spoke likewise:' 
 In the second case, the matter of speech may be con 
 sidered to have been to the same effect as the speech 
 first alluded to. Lexicographers do not recognize 
 this difference. 
 
 In practise, the choice between these words is 
 largely to secure euphony and avoid repetition. 
 Also and likewise affirm that w^hat is added is like 
 that to which it is added. — Standard Dictionary, 
 
 P-59- 
 
 alternative : " This word means a choice — one 
 
 choice — between two things. Yet popular usage has
 
 Errors In English already 
 
 amid 
 so corrupted it, that it is now commonly applied to 
 the things themselves, and not to the choice between 
 them, as ' You may take either alternative^^ ' I was 
 forced to choose between two alternatives.^ And, in- 
 deed, some people go so far as to say * several alter' 
 natives were presented him.' " — E. S. Gould, Good 
 English, Misused Words, p. 45. 
 
 alwa-"", all ways : Discriminate carefully between 
 these terms. Always means " during all time ' ; 
 all ways means " in every way." 
 
 amateur, novice : These terms are not synonymous. 
 The distinction between them is that an ormafeur TCi2iy 
 be the equal in skill of a professional, but a novice is 
 a beginner, and as such does not equal the profess- 
 ional in skill. ^^ 
 
 ambidextrous : Do not spell this word " aijibidex- 
 terousy It is derived from the Latin dextra, the 
 right hand, and ous. Although the form a^nbidex- 
 terous was common in England in the nineteenth 
 century, it is not now in use. 
 
 ambition should not be used to signify mild energy 
 as it imports persistent and inordinate or steadfast 
 desire. " The heat leaves me without a??ibition for 
 work" illustrates an altogether wrong use of the word. 
 
 amid, among : Discriminate carefully between these 
 words. Amid denotes position when one object is 
 surrounded by others from which it differs in nature 
 or characteristics ; a??iong denotes an intermingling 
 
 13
 
 among A Desk-Book of 
 
 answer 
 
 of objects of the same nature. A man may be amid, 
 enemies but not amofig them ; he may be among 
 friends but not amid them. 
 
 among, between : Among may apply to any num- 
 ber ; behvecn applies to two only. 
 
 among one another: A pleonasm. Say, rather, 
 " a77io?ig the7?iselvesy 
 
 among the rest : Say " among thei7i was he," or 
 " with tJie rest was he " — not amo7ig the rest. As *' the 
 rest " specifically excludes himself, it is impossible 
 for him to figure in the midst of them. 
 
 amount, number : Amou7it is used of substances 
 in mass; nu77iber refers to the individuals of which 
 such mass is constituted. 
 
 an: Modern practice does not permit of the use 
 of an before words beginning with an aspirated " h " 
 as, " hair," '' hall," " harangue," " hero," '* history," 
 "historical," ''historian," "house," "hypothesis," 
 " heraldic," etc. However, it may be correctly used 
 before words in which the initial " h " is not aspi- 
 rated. Compare a, an. 
 
 ancient, antiquated : Anything a7itiquated is a7icieni 
 but not all things that are a7ide7it are a7itiqiiaied ; thus 
 a7icie7it refers to things that existed in oiden times ; 
 a7itiquated to things obsolete or that have fallen be 
 hind the times. 
 
 and, (the relative preceded by) : Where " and " is 
 used to connect two clauses the clauses must be oi 
 
 14
 
 Errors in English among 
 
 answer 
 similar construction. Therefore, do not say, " I met 
 Florence on Wednesday, and which was very pleas- 
 ing to me," which is not only grammatically in- 
 correct, but is faulty in that it introduces an alto- 
 gether useless word. Omit the '' and." 
 
 and, to : These terms are not interchangeable. 
 One does not " try and do a task," but " one tries 
 toAo it." 
 
 anger. Compare temper. 
 
 angry. Compare mad. 
 
 angry at, with : A man may be angry at or about 
 a hurt, never with it ; he is angry a/i rather than 
 with a dog. We may be angry with a person. 
 
 annoyed at, by, with : Note the correct use of 
 the prepositions. " He will be annoyed at or by 
 complaints " (if they are made) ; *' He will be an- 
 noyed with complaints " (because they will surely be 
 made). 
 
 another from : ^Misused for another than ; as, "judges 
 of quite another stamp from his Majest}''s judges of 
 Assize," for "of quite ariotJur stamp than,^^ etc. 
 
 another such : These words should be used 
 always in this order. Avoid " suih another mis- 
 take," as incorrect ; " another such mistake " is 
 better. 
 
 answei, reply : Discriminate carefully between 
 these words. The Standard Dictionary', quoting 
 Crabb says, " an answer is made to a question ; a 
 
 15
 
 antagonize A Desk-Book of 
 any place 
 
 reply is made to an assertion ; " but, it continues, 
 " this statement is too limited, as an answer vs, made 
 to a charge as well as to a question. ... A 7'eply 
 is an unfolding, and implies both thought and intel- 
 ligence. Reply implies the formal dissection of a 
 statement previously made ; answer, a ready return 
 of words to a question or charge that is made." 
 
 antagonize, veto, oppose, forbid : Antagonize is 
 distinguished from veto or oppose. In the sense of 
 " neutralize " or " deprive of active power " you 
 may antagonize a disease, while you oppose or veto a 
 bill. To forbid is to prohibit with authority ; to veto 
 is to forbid authoritatively, with or without the right 
 to do so. Compare alienate. 
 
 ante-, anti-: Discriminate carefully between these 
 prefixes. Afite- means "before ; " ajiti- means " op- 
 posite to." ^;?/^diluvian means " before the flood " ; 
 A?itic\u:ist means "opposed to Christ." 
 
 anticipate, expect, hope : As anticipate implies 
 "expectation with confidence and pleasure," never 
 use it where mere expectation is meant, which ap- 
 plies to that which we have good reason to believe 
 will happen. " I hope for a visit from my friend, 
 though I have no word from him ; I expect it, when 
 he writes that he is coming ; and as the time draws 
 near I anticipate it," for I look forward to it with con- 
 fidence and pleasure. 
 
 antiquated. Compare ancient. 
 
 16
 
 Errors in English antagonize 
 
 any place 
 
 any, all, at all : Avoid using a7iy adverbially in 
 place of the adjective. Don't say " Did you sleep 
 any ? " when you mean "Did you have a?ty sleep ? " 
 or " Did you sleep at all?" 
 
 Since any individualizes or separates, signifying 
 one or some out of a certain quantity or number, 
 and thus differentiating from the whole or entire 
 quantity or number, the word should not be used 
 interchangeably with all. " He is the finest fel- 
 low of all" (not of a?iy=oi a7iy 07ie fellow) I have 
 known." 
 
 any, either : Any is used of more than two ; either 
 of two only. Do not say " the United States or 
 utlier of them," say, rather, '■'■any of them." 
 
 anyhow, anyway : " Forcible colloquial expres- 
 sions often used to indicate that something is to be 
 done, admitted, believed, or the like, be the circum- 
 stances, results or conditions what they may ; as 
 * Anyhow^ I have lost it ; ' ' anyway^ I am going.' 
 In place of these, such expressions as * In any 
 event,' ' At any rate,' ' Be that as it may ' are ordi- 
 aarily preferred." — Standard Dictionary. 
 
 any place, some place : " He won't go ajiy place \ " 
 " I want to go some place" Say, rather, " He won't 
 go anywhere ; " "I want to go sojjiewhere" These 
 are solecisms, unfortunately common, which should 
 be avoided. " Place " may be used as an indirect 
 c)bject only when preceded by a preposition. 
 
 17
 
 anyway A Desk-Book of 
 
 articles 
 
 anyway, anywhere : Frequently misspelled any- 
 7vays, anywheres. These words should never be 
 written with a final s. 
 
 apostasy : In modern usage the last syllable is 
 spelled with an s. The alternative spelling, apostasy, 
 though occasionally used, is not preferred. 
 
 apparent, evident, manifest : Do not confound ap- 
 pareti: with evident^ because what is apparent may 
 or may not be evidejtf. That is appare?it which ap- 
 pears to be, as apparent sincerity ; but appearances 
 may be false. Things are not always what they 
 seem. " That is evident of which the mind is made 
 sure by some inference that supplements the fact 
 of perception. That is manifest which we can lay 
 the hand upon : matiifest is thus stronger than evi- 
 dent, as touch is more absolute than sight." See 
 
 HEIR. 
 
 appear, seem : Discriminate carefully between 
 these words. Appear refers to that which manifests 
 itself to the senses ; see^n applies to that which is 
 manifest to the mind on reflection. Seem gives or 
 creates the impression of being. A man may seem 
 honest but cannot appear so. 
 
 appreciate : This verb has the intransitive sense 
 of "to increase in value," despite the fact that some 
 critics (though without justifiable cause) object to 
 its use in such a phrase as " real estate appreciates 
 
 <is the city grows." 
 
 18
 
 Errors in English anyway 
 
 articles 
 
 apprehend, comprehend : These terms are neither 
 synonymous nor interchangeable. To apprehend is 
 to perceive ; to coinprehend is to understand. 
 
 approach : Sometimes incorrectly used for address^ 
 petition^ etc. One is approached by indirect or covert 
 intimation, suggestion, or question, which he may 
 encourage if he ^Yill, or may put aside without for- 
 mal refusal. Approach is often used in a bad sense, 
 implying the use of bribery or intrigue. Do not 
 say " the teachers have approached the Educational 
 Department for longer intermissions," when you 
 mean "the teachers \i2LYQ petitioned,'*^ etc. 
 
 apt, likely : Words sometimes misapplied. Apt 
 implies natural fitness or tendency ; likely applies to 
 a contingent event considered as very probable. 
 
 aren't : For are not when the subject follows ; as, 
 " Aren't you ? " " Aren't they ? " The best con- 
 versational usage contracts the verb when the sub- 
 ject precedes : "we're not,"' "you're not," etc. Sim- 
 ilarly we say " I'm not," " I'll not." 
 
 argue. Compare augur. 
 
 arraign at, before, for, on, after : " The criminal 
 was arraigned at the court " is incorrect ; a criminal 
 is arraigned at the bar ; before the court ; for a 
 crime ; on an indictment ; after the discovery of his 
 crime. 
 
 articles : Two or more words connected by and 
 referring to different things should each be preceded 
 
 19
 
 as ... as A Desk-Book of 
 as far as 
 
 by the article ; but when they denote the same thing, 
 the article is commonly used with the first only. 
 *' The black-and-white horse "would denote one horse 
 marked with the two colors black and white. " The 
 black and the white horse "would denote two horses> 
 one black and the other white. 
 
 as . . . as, so . . . as. The Standard Diction- 
 ary says : A shade of difference in their meanings, 
 as strictly used in comparisons, is often neglected. 
 So . , . as suggests that, in the comparison of the 
 persons or things mentioned, there is present in the 
 mind of the speaker a consciousness of a considerable 
 degree of the quality considered \ as , . , as docL 
 not carry this impression. In *' John is not as 
 tall as James " there is no implication that the speaker 
 regards either John or James as tall ; there is merely 
 a comparison of their heights. So, too, in " John is 
 not as old as James " there is merely a comparison 
 of ages. But if one says, " John is not so tall as 
 James," though the so is not emphasized, there is 
 understood usually to be a reference more or less 
 distinct to something uncommon in the height of 
 James as compared with the stature of other men or 
 of other boys of his age ; the speaker regards James 
 as being fa//. " John is not so old as James " sug- 
 gests that, in some relation or other, James is thought 
 of as being o/d ; as in "James is taller than John." 
 " Yes, but my boy is not so o/d as yours." 
 
 20
 
 Errors in English as ... as 
 
 as far as 
 
 In affirmative sentences so . , . as can not properly 
 be used except in certain restricted constructions, 
 and where the quaUty referred to is to be empha- 
 sized. It occurs oftenest in sentences that, though 
 affirmative in form, carry a negative suggestion ; as, 
 " So good a cook as Polly is hard to find," that is, 
 "It is not easy to find so good a cook as Polly. 
 
 Few knights of the shire [in the 17th century'] had 
 libraries so good as may now perpetually be found in a 
 serv^ants' hall. 
 
 Macaulay, History, ch. 3. 
 That is, "not many knights of the shire," etc. In 
 a sim.ple affirmative comparison like " Jane is as 
 good a cook as Polly," so . , . as is not used. 
 
 In interrogative sentences, as in negative sentences, 
 a consciousness more or less distinct of a consider- 
 able degree of the quality referred to is conveyed by 
 so . , . as, but not by as .. . as. " Is John as old 
 as James ? " and " Is your uncle x^old as my father ? " 
 convey different impressions as to what the speaker 
 means by o^d. In the question where as .», as is 
 used there is no implication of considerable age in o/d. 
 
 as far as, so far as : Discriminate carefully be- 
 tween these terms. As far as expresses distance ; 
 so far as expresses limitation, as of one's knowledge. 
 Therefore, " so far as I know " is preferaVjle to " tfj 
 jar as I know." 
 
 as if. Compare like. 
 
 21
 
 as, so A Desk-Book of 
 
 at lengtli 
 
 as, so : Discriminate between these words ; as is 
 used in comparing persons or things of approximate 
 caUber or size ; so when the comparison is unequal. 
 
 as, that : Discriminate carefully between these 
 words. As is often improperly used for that. Do 
 not say " not as I know of " ; " I do not know as I 
 shall go." Say, rather, " Not that I know of " ; "I 
 do not know that I shall go." 
 
 ascent must be distinguished from assent, its hom- 
 onym. The former is derived from Latin ad, to, + 
 scando, climb, and means the act of climbing ; the 
 latter is from Latin ad, to, + sentio, feel, and means 
 expression of concurrence in a proposition, acquies- 
 cence. 
 
 aside; An Americanism for apart. Not " auxiliary 
 words aside,''* but " auxiliary words apart."** 
 
 asparagus. Compare sparrow grass. 
 
 assent. Compare ascent. 
 
 assume, perform, discharge : We assume responsi- 
 bilities to perform a task and thus discharge our duty. 
 Duties are not performed. 
 
 astonish, surprise : Terms which some writers 
 claim are not synonymous or interchangeable, but 
 usage has made them so. To astofiish is "to affect 
 with wonder and surprise''* ; to surprise is "to strike 
 with astonishment by some unexpected act or event." 
 
 Obviously, when one says, " I am surprised," he 
 uses an expression exactly equivalent to " I am 
 
 ^2
 
 Errors In English as, so 
 
 at length 
 struck with astonishment," which is the equivalent 
 of '* I am astonished." 
 
 at : Commonly but erroneously used for to, as an 
 intensive in such phrases as " Where have you been 
 att " " Where are you going atl " Used also occa- 
 sionally to denote place : as, " Where does he live 
 atV Wherever used in such connections the word 
 is redundant. 
 
 at all : These words, supposed to have an inten- 
 sive effect, are frequently unnecessarily introduced. 
 " It doesn't rain at all,''^ would be just as expressive 
 if written " It doesn't rain." 
 
 at auction : In England this expression is kno^^Tl 
 as an Americanism. There, goods are put up to 
 auction and are sold by it — that is by offering them 
 to the highest bidder. " At private sale " also is 
 peculiar to America. 
 
 at best : An erroneous form for " at the best." 
 
 at, in : Always ?>/ a country ; either at or in a city, 
 town, or village; at, if the place is regarded as a 
 point ; i?i. if it is inclusive ; as, " We arrived at 
 Paris; " '• He lives i7i London." 
 
 at length: The assumption that ai length means 
 the same as at last, and is therefore superfluous, is 
 an error. Both at length and at last presuppose long 
 wa iting ; but at last views what comes after the wait- 
 ing as a finality ; at length views it as intermediate 
 with reference to action or state that continues, or 
 
 23
 
 at that A Desk-Book of 
 
 avocation 
 
 to results that are yet to follow ; as, " I have invi- 
 ted him often, and at length he is coming " ; "I have 
 invited him often, and at last he has come." 
 
 At length is used also of space ; as, *' He wrote 
 me at length " (that is, fully or in detail). At last \s 
 used of time ; as, " He came back at last^ 
 
 at that : A vulgarism of speech, sometimes de- 
 fended on the ground that the phrase is elliptical, 
 the omitted word or phrase being computation, 
 showing, or feature of the case. Avoid the usage, 
 however. 
 
 at you : As a substitute for with you this is an 
 unpardonable vulgarism, as in the sentence '' I am 
 angry at (for with) you." 
 
 audience, spectator : An audiejtce is a number of 
 persons assembled to listen to a play, lecture, de- 
 bate, etc. ; a spectator is an eye-witness as of a pa- 
 geant, panorama, etc. 
 
 aught, ought : The former means anything what- 
 ever, any (even the smallest) part ; the latter, as a 
 noun, is a corruption of naught, a cipher. Naught 
 is of course not aught, that is, not anything, thus 
 nothing, and hence the figure 0, a cipher. Careful 
 speakers do not replace this word by ought. 
 
 augur : With the sense of betoken or porte?id, this 
 word must not be confounded with argue. The race- 
 course may augur, but certainly does not argue pov- 
 erty. 
 
 24
 
 Errors in English at that 
 
 avocation 
 
 authentic, authoritative, genuine : Often misused 
 as synonymous terms. That which accords with 
 the facts and comes from the source alleged is an- 
 thetitic ; that which has the character represented 
 and is true to its own claims is genui?ie ; that which 
 possesses or emanates from proper authority and is 
 entitled to acceptance as such is authoritative. 
 
 Trench in *' On the Study of Words" (p. 189), 
 says: " A genui?te work is one written by the author 
 whose name it bears; an aiithe?itic ^ox\.\^ one which 
 relates truthfully the matters of w^hich it treats." 
 And an authoritative work is one which contains the 
 results of the observations and conclusions of an au- 
 thor of special ability in subjects of which he is an 
 acknowledged master. 
 
 auxihary : In this word the letter "/" is never 
 doubled. 
 
 avails : An Americanism for profits or proceeds. 
 
 averse from, averse to : Originally averse from 
 was commonly used to designate the turning from a 
 subject, as from repugnance. Present usage prefers 
 averse to^ denoting aversion in the sense of hostility 
 toward the subject. 
 
 avocation, vocation : Discriminate carefully be- 
 tween these words. An avocatiofi is that which 
 takes one from his regular calling. It is a minor 
 or irregular occupation. The term is used loosely, 
 sometimes by good writers, for vocation^ which signi- 
 
 25
 
 award A Desk-Book of 
 
 bad grammar 
 
 fies the main calling or business of life. An avoca^ 
 
 tion is a diversion. 
 
 award. Compare accord. 
 
 aware. Compare conscious. 
 
 awful, awfully : Aivful should not be used of things 
 which are merely disagreeable or annoying, nor in 
 the sense of excessive, exceedingly bad, great, or the 
 like. It is sometimes incorrectly used to designate 
 surprise or distress, as, an awful mouth, that is, a 
 mouth of surprising size. Do not say " He created 
 an awful scene," when you mean that the scene he 
 created was distressing. Things cannot be " owfully 
 nice " nor persons " awfully jolly," notwithstanding 
 the sanction of colloquial usage. Phelps relates the 
 following : " Two travelers at Rome once criticized 
 Michael Angelo's statue of Moses. ' Is it not aw- 
 ful? ' said one. * Yes,* answered the other, * it is 
 subBjic' * No, no ! ' rejoined the other, * I meant 
 awfully ugly 1' " That is awful only which inspires 
 
 awe. 
 
 aye, ay : Meaning always, ever, and pronounced 
 e (e, as in eight), is to be distinguished from aye, 
 meaning yes, and pronounced ai ( ai, as in aisle ). 
 
 B 
 
 back on, go. Compare go. 
 
 back or back up, with the signification of uphold 
 or support has the countenance of high authority, but . 
 
 26
 
 Errors in English award 
 
 bad grammar 
 
 is still, except in the sporting sense, regarded as 
 
 savoring of slang. 
 
 back down: A colloquialism for withdr-aw as from 
 an argument, a position^ or contest. 
 
 back out: A colloquialism for to withdraw from or 
 refuse to carry out an agreement. 
 
 back talk : A vulgarism for any impertinent reply ; 
 as, "Don't give me any hack talk." Persons of re- 
 finement say, "Don't be impertinent," or, "stop your 
 impertinence." 
 
 bad: This word is the antithesis of good and em- 
 braces various degrees of wickedness or evil as well 
 as those of unsatisfactoriness. Bad is a term often 
 misapplied. One may say "a had boy," "a had 
 tgg," but not a ''had accident" ; say rather, "a serious 
 accident." In referring to things which are neces- 
 sarily hadj or the reverse of good, select some less 
 pleonastic adjective. An acute, a severe or gnaw- 
 ing pain would be preferable expressions to a had 
 pain. 
 
 bad egg: An undesirable expression used collo- 
 quially to designate a worthless person: not used in 
 polite society. 
 
 bad grammar: This phrase has been condemned 
 as false syntax by some persons unfamiliar with the 
 different meanings of the word had. The phrase is 
 not only good English but is cited by the Standard 
 PiCTiONARY as a correct example under the word 
 
 27
 
 badly A Desk-Book of 
 
 battalion 
 
 bad to illustrate the meaning " containing errors oi 
 
 faults; incorrect; as bad grammar.''^ 
 
 badly : This word should never be used ior greatly 
 or for exceedingly^ very much, etc. Do not say " Your 
 father will miss you badly " ; say rather, "... will 
 miss you greatly." Instead of " I wanted that badly'' 
 say " I wanted that very much " or "I was in great 
 need of that." *' The carpet needs to be beaten 
 badly " is a ludicrous blunder for " The carpet badly 
 (or very much) needs to be beaten " — the construc- 
 tion connecting badly with beating rather than with 
 needs which it qualifies. 
 
 balance, remainder : These terms are not synony- 
 mous. A bookkeeper obtains a bala7ice as by addition 
 or subtraction. A mathematician deducts a smaller 
 sum from a greater and obtains a re77tainder. Do 
 not say " The balance of the evening was devoted to 
 music," but "the rest of the evening. . ." 
 
 ball up (to), is slang for " confuse," "embarrass" 
 either of which is to be preferred. 
 
 baluster : Compare banister. 
 
 band, beat the. Compare beat. 
 
 banister is a corrupt form of baluster\Nh.ich. is one of 
 the individual pillars which unite to form a balustrade. 
 
 banquet : This word designating a sumptuous 
 feast in honor of some person or event should not 
 be used as the synonym of " dinner " or " supper," 
 which both designate less formal functions. 
 
 §3
 
 Errors in English badly 
 
 battalion 
 
 bare in the sense of uncover must be differentiated 
 from its homonym bear^ to suffer or endure. 
 
 base, bass : Discriminate carefully between these 
 terms. Base means the bottom or support of any- 
 thing, that part on which it rests ; also, that which is 
 low. Base is sometimes used in the sense oifotmd; 
 as, " he based his argument on the evidence." In 
 chemistry it is a compound which unites with acid to 
 form a salt. Bass is the name of various sea-fishes ; 
 also the name of a tree and of things made from its 
 fiber. In m.usic the bass consists of the lowest tones 
 in the scale, instrumental or vocal. 
 
 bat : Formerly a provincialism but now a vulgar- 
 ism for "■ wink." Do not say " Quit batting your 
 eyes at me ; " say rather, that is, if you must say 
 anything of the kind, " Stop winking at me." 
 
 bathos and pathos are sometimes separated by 
 only a fine line, and it may be rather a matter of in- 
 telligence than of philolog}^ that fails to make use of 
 the desirable term. Pathos is from the GxQtk pascho, 
 suffer, and designates the quality that awakens the 
 tender emotions, as compassion or sympathy ; bathos 
 h from the Greek bathys, deep, and signifies a ridic- 
 ulous descent. from the lofty to the depths of com- 
 monplace. 
 
 battalion : In this word the "t" is always doubled, 
 as in battle, from which it is derived ; it is, however, 
 correctly spelled with only one "1." 
 
 29
 
 bear A Desk-Book of 
 
 being 
 
 bear. See bare. 
 
 beastly : A British colloquialism expressive of dis* 
 gust or contempt ; as, " This is beastly weather " ; 
 sometimes even used adverbially ; as, " I was beastly 
 tired." This locution, essentially in bad taste, 
 though often affected by college students and others 
 who should know better, seems never to be defensi- 
 ble except in the phrase ''beastly drunk," and even 
 this is objectionable as being a libel on the beast. 
 Compare nasty. 
 
 beat should not be used for " defeat." 
 
 beat it should not be used for "go away" or 
 " clear out." 
 
 beat the band : A vulgarism for " to surpass or be 
 immeasurably superior to." 
 
 because •• Although this word means " for the rea- 
 son " it is often used in the same sentence with this 
 expression — " The reason why I do this is because 
 (=for the reason that) I please myself by doing it." 
 Substitute that for because. 
 
 because why : A term common among the illiter- 
 ate. Because is used correctly when it precedes the 
 explanation of an act; why, when used interroga- 
 tively. Do not say " I did it, because why " ; here 
 omit " why " and continue with the reason for the 
 act. Instead of " I did not come sooner ; because 
 why}''' "I was delayed." Say "I did not come 
 sooner; why? I was delayed." 
 
 §0
 
 Errors In English t)ear 
 
 being 
 
 beef is coarse slang for *' boast" or "brag." 
 
 begin : Commence is frequently substituted for be- 
 ^m work where the change should not be made. 
 Begifi is applied to order of time ; cottimence relates 
 to the work on hand with reference to its subsequent 
 completion. The man who strikes the first blow 
 begins a fight, but both parties to a law suit commence 
 litigation at the moment when they severally under- 
 take the first step. 
 
 begin by him : This is incorrect ; say, " begin with 
 him." 
 
 behave : Strictly means " comport." When used 
 with a reflexive pronoun as, "Behave yourself," this 
 word is correctly applied. Waen the pronoun is 
 omitted as, ''Will you behave?'' the sentence is in- 
 complete and the expression a mere colloquialism. 
 
 being : The phrases '' is being built," "was being 
 built," and kindred forms of English imperfects 
 passive are condemned by certain critics as recent 
 and unwarranted ; Fitzedward Hall points out that 
 they are neither recent nor unwarranted, and have 
 been used by the best writers for a century. He 
 says : " Prior to the evolution of is bei?ig built and was 
 being built, we possessed no discriminate equivalents 
 of cedificatur and cedificabatur ; is built and was built, 
 by which they were rendered, corresponding exactly 
 to cedificatus est and cedificatus er at .''—Modern English, 
 
 App., p. 350. 
 
 31
 
 belong A Desk-Book of 
 
 beside, besides 
 
 Is growings was groumig, indicate an activity from 
 within ; as, the tree is growing ( from its own internal 
 forces) ; is being grown, was bei?ig grown, the activity 
 of some agent from without ; as, the plant is being 
 grown (by the gardener). So also, and strikingly, is 
 bleeding ( as from a wound ), and is being bled ( as by a 
 surgeon ). 
 
 belong : Used absolutely ; as, " He doesn't be 
 long,''^ "We all belong^'' (^sc, to this organization 
 society, community, or in the place, sphere, or as- 
 sociations where actually present) : recent in th'* 
 United States, and apparently rapidly sprea<?ing m 
 popular use, though with no literary support. 
 
 beneficence, benevolence : Although formerly the 
 meanings of these words were distinct they are not 
 so any longer, and benevolence now includes beneficence. 
 ^^Beneficence, the quality of being beneficent or char- 
 itable : benevolence is the disposition to seek the well- 
 being or comfort of others ; charitableness. " Ac- 
 cording to the etymology and original usage be?ufi- 
 ce7ice is the doing w^ell, benevolence, the wishing or 
 willing well to others ; but benevolence has come to 
 include beneficence and to displace it. We should not 
 now speak of benevole?ice which did not help. 
 
 benefit. Compare advantage. 
 
 bequest, devise, legacy : These words are not ex- - 
 actly synonymous. A bequest is a leaving by will of 
 personal property of any kind ; a devise is a gift of 
 
 32
 
 Errors in English belong 
 
 beside 
 land by a last will and testament ; a legacy is personal 
 property bequeathed. Dez'ise is sometimes used 
 loosely for any testamentary disposition of property 
 but, applied strictly, refers specifically to land, where- 
 as legacy applies to any kind of personal property. 
 
 berth, birth : Discriminate carefully between these 
 words. Berth, which is probably derived from bear^ 
 (Anglo-Saxon beran, carry), means a place of accom- 
 modation, whether as bunk or bed, apartment, or en- 
 gagement. Birth, similarly pronounced and derived, 
 means " a coming into existence. " 
 
 beside, besides : Much confusion exists, and has 
 long existed regarding these words. Gould, who in 
 his work on '^ Good English " explained the use of 
 these terms in 1856, from which Webster borrowed 
 in 1876, states that "besides is always a preposition 
 and only a preposition. " This is not so. It is 
 som.etimes an adverb when used in its prepositional 
 sense of "by the side (of).'* 
 
 Of besides as a preposition, Skeat, in his " Ety- 
 mological Dictionary," says: — "The more correct 
 form is beside; 'besides' is a later development, 
 due to the habit of using the suffix -es to form ad- 
 verbs ; the use of besides as a preposition, is, strictly 
 incorrect, but is as old as the T2th century." 
 
 Beside is also a preposition in the sense of " in com- 
 parison with " and " physically or mentally remote 
 from. " " Beside your work his is poor " ; " Beside 
 
 33
 
 between A Desk-Book of 
 
 boiled 
 
 the point at issue " ; " The poor fellow is beside him- 
 self. " Besides as a preposition means " in addition 
 to " or " except." " Besides wealth he had health " ; 
 " Besides death he knew no fear. " As an adverb it 
 means " moreover "or " other than. " ''Besides, it 
 is late " ; " He was heedless of all the world besides'"' 
 Beside, then, conveys the idea of conjunction, sepa- 
 ration or comparison ; whereas besides implies addi- 
 tion or exception. 
 
 between. Compare among. 
 
 between you and I : This is incorrect. Both 
 pronouns are objects of the preposition between and 
 should be in the objective case ; say " between you 
 and me. " Compare you and I. 
 
 bevy : A word sometimes misapplied. It is ap 
 plied correctly to a company of girls, a flock of birds, 
 as, quail, grouse, or larks ; also to a small herd of 
 deer or heifers. 
 
 big, great : Discriminate carefully between these 
 words. Big is not synonymous with great. A man 
 may be physically big but is not necessarily great 
 mentally. Emerson was mentally a great man, and 
 although tall physically he was not a big man. Big 
 and large are synonymous, but while big is more em- 
 phatic, large is a more refined or elegant term. 
 
 big-bug : A slang term used to denote a person of 
 consequence, actual or self-imagined. Say rather, 
 *' A prominent " or, " an important man." 
 
 34
 
 Errors in English between 
 
 boiled 
 
 big-wig : A slang term common in England for a 
 
 person in authority or of prominence. Compare 
 
 BIG-BUG. 
 
 bird : In the phrase " You're a bird " an inane 
 and, therefore, undesirable expression. 
 
 bit : Primarily a bite, a small piece, or by extension 
 a small quantity ; as, a hit of bread, a bit of fun. By 
 error, the word is sometimes applied to liquids ; as, 
 " there is not a bit of water on the farm." But when 
 reference is to liquid to be drunk, it is more discrim- 
 inating to say, not a bit, but a sip. 
 
 blame on : Indefensible slang. We blame a per- 
 son y&/- a fault, or lay the blame upon him. Not, 
 as in a New York newspaper, after the last Presi- 
 dential election, " I do not blame the defeat o?i the 
 President, " but " I do not blame the President for 
 the defeat, " or " I do not lay tJie bla?ne , . . 2/po;i, " 
 etc. 
 
 blow : A colloquialism for boastful talk, which is 
 expressed less coarsely but with as much force by 
 '' bluster " or " brag. " 
 
 blowhard : A coarse term for *' boaster " synony- 
 mous with windbag ; not used by persons of refine- 
 ment. Compare windbag. 
 
 boiled shirt ; A slang phrase designating a white 
 linen shirt. It originated in the Western States of 
 America but its use is widespread among persons 
 addicted to careless diction. 
 
 35
 
 Doost A Desk-Book of 
 
 bounce 
 
 boost, to : A vulgarism for " to assist " ; used also 
 as a noun, as " He gave me a l^oos^ in business " for 
 *'He assisted me. . . ." 
 
 borne, the past participle of dear, must not be con- 
 founded with the adjective bom. *' Man is l^or/i to 
 sorrow, which may or may not be well boriie.^^ 
 
 both : When both is used in a negative sentence, the 
 meaning intended is sometimes doubtful. " Both ap- 
 plicants were not accepted, " Were both applicants 
 rejected ? Or, was one rejected and the other ac- 
 cepted ? Or, was neither applicant accepted or re- 
 jected ? A similar confusion of sense occurs in some 
 negative sentences containing all, when not is mis- 
 placed ; this practically contradicts the sense in- 
 tended, or makes it ambiguous ; as, all will not go, 
 that is, not all will go — meaning some will and some 
 will not go. " All were not of that mind " (proba- 
 bly) not all were of that mind, or (possibly) all were 
 of a different mind or minds from the one spoken 
 of. So, also, when all is used substantively. " All 
 that glisters is not gold " — not all that glisters is 
 gold. A peculiarity of both is that it can not be neg- 
 atived by connecting 7wt immediately with it, except 
 elliptically in sentences of unusual form that are 
 obviously arranged for the prevention of misunder- 
 standing — as in correcting the doubtful meaning of 
 the sentence cited above, " Both applicants were not 
 accepted. " If one asks, in order to clear its confu- 
 
 36
 
 Errors In English boost 
 
 bounce 
 sing impression, " Were both rejected ? " the reply may 
 properly be, ^'' Not both were rejected; one was re- 
 jected and one accepted " — a connection of not with 
 both that is usually inadmissible. The confusion in 
 meaning of a negative sentence containing both will 
 be best avoided by making the sentence affirmative ; 
 " Both applicants were rejected," " One of the two 
 applicants was rejected and the other accepted," 
 etc. — Standard Dictionary. 
 
 both : As an adjective or pronoun both emphasizes 
 the idea of two. It has been well defined as " the 
 two, and not merely one of them " ; it can not prop- 
 erly, therefore, be connected with or refer to more 
 than two objects. As a conjunction, however, both 
 has a more extended meaning and employment than 
 it has as an adjective or a pronoun ; thus, it is per- 
 missible to say, " He lost all his live stock — both 
 horses, cows, and sheep. " Both^ as so used, em- 
 phasizes the extent or comprehensiveness of the as- 
 sertion. The use has been challenged, but has 
 abundant literary authority, and antedates Chaucer. 
 
 both alike : A pleonasm. Two things may be alike 
 but alike should not be used as an adjective. Both 
 daughters may be like their mother, but to say they 
 are both alike, meaning that they resemble each other, 
 is incorrect. Both should never be used with alike. 
 
 bounce : A colloquialism for " discharge " or " eject 
 forcibly," an apt rather than an elegant term. 
 
 37
 
 bound A Desk-Book of 
 
 brevity- 
 bound : This word may be the participial adjective 
 of bud^ prepare, or the past participle of binda7i, bind. 
 The words should not be confused. " I am bound 
 to have it : " yes, if constrained or compelled ; but 
 no, if merely resolved. It is true that in the United 
 States a colloquial usage to this effect has become 
 popular, but it is none the less an error of speech. 
 
 bountiful, plentiful : Bountiful which originally 
 meant " generous in bestowing gifts " has gradually 
 come to mean " showing abundance, " " yielding in 
 plenty." In the latter sense it is synonymous with 
 plentiful, 
 
 bourne : From the French borne, bourne ( Latin 
 bodina, limit ), means that which marks the end, and 
 hence the end or goal. It does not mean cowitry 
 which it is so often supposed to mean — presumedly 
 from Hamlet's " undiscovered countr}^, from whose 
 bourne no traveller returns." Readers who on this 
 authority construe bourne as countr}^ make the mis- 
 take of substituting the word " which " for the phrase 
 " whose " bourne. 
 
 brand-new often incorrectly written bran-new. 
 The original and etymologically correct form of this 
 word is brand-new, from brand, meaning " fire " or 
 "burning," and new meaning "fresh" — the "fire- 
 new " of Shakespeare (Twelfth Night, act. iii., sc. 2) 
 5s best explained by bis own words, " fire-new from 
 the mint," meaning " fresh and bright " like a new
 
 Errors In English bound 
 
 brevity 
 
 coin, as being newly come from the fire and forge. 
 
 Bran-new is a colloquialism. 
 
 brand of Cain : By a peculiar perversion of facts, 
 this is invariably referred to as a stigma similar to 
 the scarlet letter with which Hester Prynne was in- 
 deed branded. But the brand was an act of mercy 
 and " a token of Divine protection, " for *'the Lord 
 set a mark on Cain, lest any finding him should slay 
 him. " 
 
 bravery, courage : Inasmuch as the courageous 
 may be without bravery and the brave without cour- 
 age a careful discrimination should always be made 
 in the use of these terms. Courage is rather a virtue 
 of the mind, whereas bravery is temperamental. 
 Your courage may ooze out, as it were, at the palms 
 of your hands, but bravery which is instinctive, re- 
 mains. For this reason bravery may often be mis- 
 placed, true courage — which ever seeks to do the right 
 thing at the right time, regardless of results — never. 
 
 bred and bom : An erroneous sequence of words. 
 One is born before one is bred\ therefore say " born 
 and bred. " 
 
 brevity, conciseness : Words sometimes misused. 
 Brevity is commonly applied to shortness of time, 
 but it has the sanction of literary usage for conciseness 
 or condensation of language into few words. A 
 speech may be concise yet comprehensive ; that is, it 
 may cover the entire range of a subject in few 
 
 39
 
 bring A Desk-Book of 
 
 building 
 
 words and as such be characterized by concisemss ; 
 another may be short in duration, the theme being 
 one that does not permit of expansion and as such 
 be characterized by bi'evity. 
 
 bring, carry, fetch : Discriminate carefully be- 
 tween these words. Bring expresses motion toward 
 some person, place, or thing, and implies to bear 
 from a distant place to one nearer; carry expresses 
 motion away from; fetch expresses motion from a 
 given place to another, as for the purpose of ob- 
 taining some article, and return to the given place 
 with the article required. Go and fetch is pleonastic. 
 
 Britannia : This word is often misspelled " Brittan- 
 nia. " It is from Britain and should be spelled with 
 only one " t " but two " n's. " 
 
 broach, brooch : Discriminate carefully bet\veen 
 these terms. Although both are derived from the 
 same source etymologically (Latin, broca, a spike) 
 they are now widely different in meaning. A broach 
 may mean " a boring into an opening, a spit, or a 
 spire." It is also the name of the boring bits or drills 
 used in carpentering or engineering. It means also 
 " to approach any one in conversation " on some par- 
 ticular subject. A brooch is " a breastpin or an orna- 
 mental pin or clasp used as for display or to fasten 
 some part of a dress." 
 
 broke : A word often misused for ''broken." Do 
 not say " I'm broke''' say rather "broken "--To go 
 
 40
 
 Errors in English bring 
 
 building 
 broke: A colloquial phrase common in commer- 
 cial circles for '' to become bankrupt. " These terms 
 are avoided by persons who cultivate a refined 
 diction. 
 
 brothers : Distinguished from brethren. The one 
 applies to those who are brothers by birth, whereas 
 the other indicates fraternal relationship in some 
 order or society. 
 
 building, being built : There are advocates of 
 either form. Fitzedward Hall has shown conclu- 
 sively that " is being built " has been used by the 
 best writers for a century or more, and now^ has uni- 
 versal literar}^ sanction. Richard Whately, George 
 P. Marsh, Richard Grant White, and other critics 
 have strenuously objected to this use. In literature 
 there is support enough for their views : Milton 
 wrote "while the Temple of the Lord was building. ' 
 Dr. Johnson, in writing to Boswell, of his Lives of 
 iJie Poets said "My 'Lives' are repri?iti?ig ;^^ Ma- 
 caulay followed the same st}4e and wrote " Chelsea 
 Hospital was building''' ; " while innocent blood ivas 
 shedding. " Bei?ig has a special modern use with 
 passive forms of verbs to express progressive action. 
 For example, is, are, or was being built, expresses 
 what is expressed also by is, are, or was building, 
 a-building, or in buildi?ig. Both forms are permissi- 
 ble, but "is bei7ig built'' is more frequently heard 
 •^nd, perhaps, preferable. 
 
 41
 
 building A Desk-Book of 
 
 by 
 
 building, construction : Alfred Ayres {Some Ill- 
 used Words, p. 44) quotes the following example 
 of the misuse of these words : " These two advisory 
 bodies have recommended the building of battleships. 
 It is understood that Mr. Long is opposed to the 
 construction [constructing] of any armorclads." Mr. 
 Ayres points out that if building is correct — and it 
 is — then construction is incorrect and the correct word 
 to use is constructing. 
 
 bum : A vulgar term for " an idle, dissolute fellow; 
 a loafer," — on the bum. A vulgar phrase used to de 
 note that that to which it is applied is of poor qual- 
 ity, badly done, or has been subjected to careless 
 treatment. 
 
 busted : A slang term for financially broken, not 
 used by persons accustomed to a refined diction. 
 Compare broke. 
 
 but, however : Discriminate carefully between 
 these words. Do not say "He is suffering — not, 
 however, acutely ; " say rather, "He is suffering, 
 but not acutely." 
 
 but that : Implies a negative, but when it follows 
 another negative phrase (as "I don't know but that I 
 did it ") it suggests the positive or, as in the example 
 given above, the likelihood or possibility that some 
 act has been done. Locutions of this kind should 
 be avoided as inelegant, say rather " I may have 
 
 done it." 
 
 42
 
 Errors in English building 
 
 but what : This is equivalent to but that which and 
 is an incorrect expression for but that. ** I am not 
 sure but what I shall be there " should be written but 
 that, and indicates the possibility or even probability 
 of being there ; but note that if the but be omitted 
 from the latter (and correct) usage, the indication is 
 the reverse. Compare but that. 
 
 but yet : Should not be used when either but ox yet 
 is sufficient by itself ; as, " Wealth may seek us ; but 
 wisdom must be sought" ; not but yet. When, how- 
 ever, Archbishop Trench says, ^^ But yet these pains 
 hand us over to true pleasures " {Study of Words ^ 
 p. 232), each conjunction has its distinct adversative 
 sense. This appears still more clearly in " Ye are 
 but common men, but [on the contrary] yet [notwith- 
 standing that fact] ye think with minds not common." 
 « Coleridge Wallenstein 2, 3. 
 
 bute : A vulgar corruption of " beauty " used by 
 illiterates ; as, " She's a bute.''' Correctly " She is a 
 beauty " or "a beautiful woman." 
 
 butt in, to : A vulgar although expressive phrase 
 meaning " to interfere officiously or inquisitively 
 with," not used by persons accustomed to refined 
 diction. 
 
 by : Properly used before the agent or doer ; with 
 before the instrument or means ; as, " He was killed 
 by the assassin with a dagger." But active forces 
 are often thought of as agents, so that we properly 
 
 43
 
 cabbage A Desk-Book of 
 
 cannon 
 
 say " The house was destroyed by fire." '' His 
 
 friends were displeased by the selection of another 
 
 chairman " means that the action displeased them ; 
 
 " his friends were displeased a////z the selection," etc., 
 
 means that the man selected was not their choice. 
 
 '' A gentleman by the name of Hinkley." 
 
 " Oh, no 1 You mean ' A gentleman ^the name of 
 
 Hinkley.' This is Englishj you know." 
 
 One may say " I know no one of the name of 
 
 Brown," or " I know no one 3^ the name of Brown " ; 
 
 but the meaning is different. One might know a 
 
 man ^ the name of Brown, but know him by the 
 
 name of Smith. It is better to say simply " a man 
 
 named Brown." — Standard Dictionary. 
 
 c 
 
 cabbage for *' steal or " crib, " as from a pony, 
 is schoolboy slang. 
 
 cake, takes the: A slang equivalent for "wins 
 the prize." Used usually to designate that the per- 
 son, act, or statement to which it is applied exceeds 
 in impudence anything within the knowledge of the 
 persons present. 
 
 calculate : The verb signifies to ascertain by math- 
 ematical or scientific computation; and the word 
 calculated therefore strictly means adapted by calcu- 
 lation. It is then illogical to speak of " measures 
 calculated Xo Ao harm " when the measures were in 
 
 44
 
 Errors in English cabbage 
 
 cannon 
 
 fact designated for a specific purpose — that of doing 
 
 good. 
 
 calligraphy and cacography respectively mean good 
 and bad writing. It is therefore pleonastic to speak 
 of excellent caUigraphy or wretched cacography ; and 
 to describe the former as wretched would simply 
 be to say that at the same time it was both excellent 
 and the reverse. 
 
 cameo : The plural of the word is not formed by 
 adding "-es" as in "potato" or "grotto" but by 
 the adding of " -s " ; as, ca7?teos. 
 
 can : Misused for may. Ca?i always refers to some 
 form of possibility. An armed guard may say "You 
 can not pass," since he has physical power to pre- 
 vent ; hence the question " Can I pass the guard? " 
 is perfectly natural. But where simple permission 
 is required may should be used. '^Afay I (not 
 can I ) use your ruler ? " 
 
 can but, can not but : Discriminate carefully be- 
 tween these phrases. Both these sentences are 
 grammatically correct, though they have not exactly 
 the same meaning: "I ca7i not but believe your 
 proposition " means " \'Can //<?/ /^^-/^ believing," etc. ; 
 while '' I cati but believe your proposition " means 
 " I ca7i only believe," etc., a much less strong asser- 
 tion. 
 
 canine should not be used for "dog." 
 
 cannon, a tubular gun, comes from Greek kanna, 
 
 45
 
 capacity A Desk-Book of 
 
 catch 
 
 reed, and must be distinguished from canon, a rule 
 
 or law, which comes from the Greek ka?iOfi, rule. 
 
 capacity. Compare ability. 
 
 caption is not to be used in the sense of title, save 
 as to a legal document " showing the time, place, 
 circumstances and authority — under which it was 
 made or executed." " The affectation of fine big- 
 sounding words which have a flavor of classical 
 learning has had few more laughable or absurd 
 manifestations than the use of caption (which means 
 seizure, act of taking) in the sense .... of heading." 
 — R. G. White, Words and Their Uses, ch. 5, p. 98. 
 
 carnival, which comes from the Latin caro, flesh, + 
 k7J0, take away, and alludes in Catholic countries to 
 the pre-Lenten " farewell to meat," which concludes 
 with Mardi Gras, has been stigmatized by Dr. Wil- 
 liam Mathews as an " outlandish term " which " has 
 not a shadow of justification " in the popular sense 
 of a gay festivity or revel. Inasmuch as the pre- 
 Lenten farewell is marked by festival, frolic and 
 fun, the stigmatization is undeserved, and such ex- 
 pressions as " the crows are holding high car7iiva\ 
 on the hill " are not merely permissible but good. 
 
 carry : Although formerly used with the meaning 
 of "conduct," "guide," or "escort" the term in 
 this sense is now archaic. Do not say " Mr. A. 
 car?ied Miss B. to the party;" say rather, " . . . . 
 escorted Miss B. . . . " Compare also bring. 
 
 4t>
 
 Errors in English ■ capacity- 
 catch 
 
 case : Not to be applied to persons. The ex- 
 pression sometimes used of an eccentric or vicious 
 person, " He is a case'' or " a hard case,'^ is an ob- 
 jectionable colloquialism. 
 
 casket, which is from the French casque, helmet, is 
 frequently now used in the United States as a eu- 
 phemism for coflan, which is from the Greek kophinos, 
 basket. Such innovations are not to be recom- 
 mended. They savor of pedantry, or, worse still, 
 of pride. If coffin is not good enough for the worthy 
 deceased or for his purse-proud relatives, why rest 
 content with the simple casket, when by a mere figure 
 of speech sarcophagus may save the reputation of 
 both the living and the dead ? 
 
 casuality is an obsolete form of casualty, and 
 should be treated as such. 
 
 cataclasm and cataclysm are often interchanged. 
 The Greek kata, do\\Ti, is combined in the one case 
 with klao, break, and in the other with klyzo, wash. 
 Where sudden overAvhelming change is intended, as 
 by revolution, cataclasm is to be preferred to cata- 
 clysm, which, though sometimes used to signify such 
 a change, is strictly applied to an overwhelming 
 flood of water, and, specifically, to the Noachian 
 
 deluge. 
 
 catch on, to : A colloquialism having two distinct 
 meanings, the first bordering on the vulgar, is used 
 by persons with little sense of refinement in speecn 
 
 47
 
 ceiling A Desk-Book of 
 
 cite 
 
 for "to understand"; the second, used instead of 
 " to suit the popular fancy " or " to please the 
 popular taste." 
 
 ceiling which in derivation is allied with the French 
 ciel^ Lat. coehwi, heaven, is to be distinguished from its 
 homonym sealing, the act of attesting with a seal, 
 which springs etymologically from the Y.-dXvix sigillum^ 
 dim. of signu7n, mark. 
 
 celery, salary ; Exercise care in spelling these 
 words. Celery \z a biennial herb ; salary, a periodical 
 allowance made as compensation for services. 
 
 cereal, a word derived from Ceres, the goddess of 
 corn. It has nothing in common, save the sound, 
 with serial, which fitly describes a literar}^ publi- 
 cation in parts issued successively (Lat. series, sere^ 
 join). Exercise care in spelling these words. 
 
 cession, from Latin of cedo, yield, meaning sur- 
 render, must not be confounded with session, from 
 Latin sedeo, sit, as used in the expression a sessiofi of 
 court. 
 
 character, reputation : These are not synonymous 
 terms. Character is what one is ; I'cputation is that 
 which one is thought to be. Character includes both 
 natural and acquired traits ; 7-eptitation designates 
 only those traits acquired as by contact with one's 
 fellow men. Holland in Gold Foil (p. 219) makes 
 the following distinction : " Character lives in a man ; 
 reputation outside of him." 
 
 48
 
 Errors In English ceiling 
 
 cite 
 
 chargeable : Do not spell this word chargahle. 
 Remember its components are charge + able and the 
 " e " is retained before the second " a." 
 
 cherubim and seraphim : Do not use these plurals 
 as singulars. There is no such thing as a cherubim, 
 
 chew the rag : A low phrase sometimes used as 
 an equivalent for " wrangle ; " as, " stop chewing the 
 rag," meaning, " cease wrangling." The use of ex- 
 pressions of this kind can not be too severely con- 
 dem.ned. 
 
 childlike, childish : There is a distinction between 
 these words. The one is used in a good sense, the 
 other is spoken in derogation. 
 
 chin music : A low phrase sometimes used as an 
 equivalent for "talk," but not uttered by persons of 
 refinement. 
 
 chuck-full is the American colloquial form of choke- 
 or chock-full, but this form finds no literary favor, and 
 indeed the expression is far from elegant, both in 
 sense and sound. 
 
 circus : This word should not be used as a 
 synonym of '' frolic ; " as such it is a vulgar per- 
 version. 
 
 cite, from the French citer ( Latin cito^ frequenta- 
 tive of cieo, call), means "mention by name, sum- 
 mon " and has no relationship with site, similarly 
 pronounced, which means " local position," and is 
 derived from Lat. situa, pp. of sifio^ put. 
 
 49
 
 citizen A Desk-Book of 
 
 comparG 
 
 citizen : Not to be used for person, except when 
 civic relations are referred to. " All citizens are en- 
 titled to the protection of the law," but not " Ten 
 citizens were walking up the street,'* unless reference 
 is had to some civic relation, as when opposed to 
 soldiers, policemen, residents of the country, or the 
 
 Uke. 
 
 claim ; " He daimedi}[\2X the discovery was his," 
 «'I claim that this is true," etc. Incorrect if the 
 meaning is simply assert or maintain ; but correct if 
 the meaning is assert with readiness to maintain, and 
 confidence that the thing asserted can be maintained, 
 with the added idea that it makes for the advantage 
 or side of him who asserts and maintains it. 
 
 clever: In American colloquial usage <r/^z'^r means 
 " good-natured and obliging " ; in English use it 
 means " skilful. " The American synonym for the 
 English meaning of " clever " is smart, and the Eng- 
 lish synonym for the American meaning of " clever " 
 
 is jolly. 
 
 climax, acme : Discriminate carefully between 
 these words. A climax is a successive increase in 
 force of language for the purpose of intensifying it. 
 The acme is the highest point or greatest intensity 
 attained. 
 
 climb down : As to climh signifies ascension, this 
 colloquialism of the United States is apparently un- 
 warranted. If, however, a descent be laborious, as 
 
 50
 
 Errors in English citizen 
 
 compare 
 though by hands and feet, crawl should be used as 
 a substitute for climb. 
 
 coeval, contemporary : Discriminate carefully be- 
 tween these terms. Coeval is said of things existing 
 at the same time ; contemporary is applied to persons 
 living in the same period. 
 
 coflan. Compare casket. 
 
 commence. Compare begin. 
 
 commodious. Compare convenient. 
 
 common. Compare mutual. 
 
 commonly : Do not confound this word with gen- 
 erally, frequently^ usually. That is co?nmonly done 
 which is common to all ; that is generally done, which 
 is done by the larger number; that is frequently done 
 which is done by a large number or by a single 
 person on many occasions ; that is usually done 
 which is customarily done whether by many or one. 
 
 community is not a common noun personified, 
 and therefore should always be preceded by the 
 article. Congress and Parliament, State and Church 
 have been personified, and may accordingly be used 
 definitely in the singular number without the article ; 
 but to permit such treatment to army, navy, public, 
 or community would be a literary solecism. 
 
 compare to or with : We compare one thing with 
 another to note points of agreement or difference. 
 We compare one thing to another which we believe 
 it resembles. 
 
 61
 
 complected A Desk-Book of 
 
 con man 
 
 " As a writer of English he [Addison] is not to be 
 compared^ except with great peril to his reputation, 
 to at least a score of men." — Richard Grant White, 
 Words a?id their Uses, ch. 4, p. 79. 
 
 He should have said laith. If Addison is to be 
 compared to the (presumably) able writers referred 
 to, it can not be with '* peril to his reputation." If 
 comparmg him with these men is perilous to his repu- 
 tation, then for his sake the comparison should 
 not be made. The sentence is an attempt to com- 
 bine two ideas incompatible in a single construction, 
 viz., " If he is cojnpared with these men, it will be to 
 his disadvantage," and " He is not to be compared 
 to these men." — Standard Dictionary. 
 
 complected for complexioned is dialectical in the 
 United States, and not sanctioned in general usage. 
 
 complement, compliment : Discriminate carefully 
 between these words. Co?npIe7ne7it means " full quan- 
 tity or number ; that which is needed to complete 
 or fill up some quantity or thing ; or a complete or 
 symmetrical whole.'* A compliment is "a delicate 
 flattery, an expression of admiration or an act of 
 civility or courtesy." 
 
 complete: A speech may hefiiished but far from 
 complete. To finish is to bring to an end, but to co77i- 
 plete is to bring to a state in which there is nothing 
 more to do. You finish your dinner, but cojtiplete 
 
 your toilet. 
 
 52
 
 Krrors in Knglish complected 
 
 con man 
 
 completion. Compare final. 
 
 comprehend. Compare apprehend. 
 
 conciseness. Compare brevity. 
 
 conclude should not be used for " close.'* To con- 
 clude is a mental process ; to close a physical one. 
 
 condign means " well-merited " ; therefore, the 
 common phrase " condign punishment " is cor- 
 rect, but the phrase " Deserving (or not deserv- 
 ing) condign punishment,'' is absurd because tauto- 
 logical. 
 
 conduct : Although the dictionaries give both a 
 transitive and intransitive place to this verb in the 
 signification of " behave," it should properly be used 
 only reflexively, as a transitive. Say, " How did the 
 debutante conduct herself } " rather than '' How 
 did the debutante conduct ? " 
 
 confess. Compare own. 
 
 congratulate. Compare felicitate. 
 
 congregation, corps : Exercise care in the use of 
 these words. A congregation is an assemblage of 
 persons who meet as for religious worship or in- 
 struction ; a corps is a body of men associated in 
 some specific work, as a marine co7-ps ; a corps of en- 
 gineers. A congregation embraces both sexes, corps 
 is restricted to the male sex. 
 
 con man : A vulgar term for a swindler's decoy 
 or ''bunco-steerer"; z. C07ifide7ice ma?i: not used in 
 polite society. 
 
 53
 
 conscious A Desk-Book of 
 
 continual 
 
 conscious, which relates to knowledge within one's 
 self, should not be used for aware, which implies 
 being on the lookout. The one refers only to the 
 past, or a present allied to the past, the other to the 
 future. We are conscious of suffering, but aware of 
 imminent danger. One is conscious of the inner 
 workings of his own mind, but auare of that which 
 exists without him. 
 
 constantly does not always mean ''continually." 
 A man eats constantly but he would soon cease to be 
 a man if he were to eat continuously. In this sense 
 constantly means "regularly" and continuously 
 means "without ceasing." Perpetually, which means 
 "incessantly," must also, and for the same reason, 
 be distinguished from constantly. Compare perpet- 
 ually. 
 
 construct: Although this verb formerly had the 
 meaning of construe, both words having the same 
 etymology, being derived from the Latin con, to- 
 gether, + strua, pile up, it must no longer be used 
 as synonymous therewith. You construe a sentence 
 but construct a theory. 
 
 construction. Compare building. 
 
 construe. Compare construct. 
 
 consul, counsel, council: Discriminate carefully 
 between these words. A consul is an officer appointed 
 to reside in a foreign port or city as the representa- 
 tive of his country's commercial interests; a counsel 
 
 54
 
 Errors in English conscious 
 
 continual 
 is a la^vyer engaged to give advice or act as advocate 
 in court ; a council is a body of persons elected oi 
 appointed to assist in the administration of govern 
 ment or to legislate ; a coimcuor is a member of a 
 council ; a counselor is one wlio gives counsel ; or, 
 who is an adviser or a lawyer. 
 
 contagious, contiguous : Discriminate carefully be- 
 tween these words. A disease may be contagious, 
 that is catching ; fear is contagious when it spreads 
 from one to another. Contiguous is used chiefly of 
 neighboring regions or places and means " adjacent 
 or situated so as to touch." 
 
 contemplate : May be used in the sense of plan, 
 intend, but unless the matter in question be somewhat 
 doubtful and involves further thoughtful considera- 
 tion, it is better to say i?itend or propose. 
 
 contemporary. Compare coeval. 
 
 contemptible, contemptibly, contemptuous, con- 
 temptuously : Discriminate carefully between these 
 W'ords. A co7itemptible person is one deserving of 
 contempt as for meanness or vileness ; co?iie7npiibly 
 means " in a contemptible manner " or " in a manner 
 deser\dng of contempt." A contemptuous person is 
 " a disdainful person." One who speaks cotitemptu- 
 ously of another speaks of him with scorn or disdain. 
 
 continual, continuous : C-^ntinual implies the re- 
 peated renewal of an ac t ; continuous means its 
 unceasing continuit)\ The following sentence will 
 
 55
 
 continually A Desk-Book Ot 
 
 crime 
 
 serve to illustrate the correct use of these words i 
 
 " Continual interruptions impede co7itinuous work." 
 
 continually. Compare constantly. 
 
 controller, derived from the French co7itre rble^ and 
 indicating a person whose office it. is to keep ;i 
 counter roll or check in the accounts of others, 
 should not properly be spelt comptroller, which 
 word originates in a false derivation from cojitpter^ 
 to count. Instead of the word being thus derived, 
 the spelling has been accommodated by some to the 
 imagmed derivation. 
 
 convenient, commodious : These terms are not 
 always interchangeable. A room may be " conven- 
 ient " in that it is suitable for a required purpose 
 and " commodious " because it affords ample accom- 
 modation for the purpose for which it is appHed. A 
 book may be convetiient in size or arrangement but 
 not commodious. 
 
 correspond : When the word means " answer or 
 conform to "it is followed by the preposition to; 
 when it means " hold written communication " the 
 preposition is with. 
 
 cotemporary which implies " equally temporary " 
 should not be used for " contemporary " which means 
 existing at the same time. 
 
 cough up : Used as an equivalent for " pay up, " 
 is vulgar and, therefore, not used in polite society. 
 
 council, councilor, counsel, etc. Compare consul. 
 
 56
 
 Errors in English continually 
 
 crime 
 
 couple : Does not mean merely two, but two united, 
 as it were by links. Thus a man and wife illustrate a 
 couple; but to talk of " a couple of weeks " is an ab- 
 surdit}^ for were t\vo weeks coupled so as to become 
 one, the product (one week multiplied by tw^o) would 
 no longer be a week but a fortnight. 
 
 couple, two : Discriminate carefully between these 
 terms. Couple as an indefinite amount is a Teuton- 
 ism common in America. Do not say " He has a 
 couple of dollars in the bank"; say rather, " He has 
 some money in the bank." Compare couple. 
 
 courage. Compare bravery. 
 
 courier, currier : Discriminate carefully between 
 these terms. A courier is a special messenger sent 
 express with letters or despatches ; an attendant on 
 a party of travelers. K currier \s a man who dresses 
 leather or combs a horse. 
 
 covey : As this word means " a brood or hatch of 
 birds," especially quails or partridges, it should not be 
 applied to persons or things as is done by Thackeray 
 in " The Virginians," ch. 27. 
 
 creditable is sometimes confounded with credible, 
 but the one word means that which redounds to one's 
 credit, whereas the other signifies that which is 
 worthy of belief. 
 
 crime, sin, vice ; Exercise care in the use of these 
 words. Cri7ne is an abstractly, flagrant violation of 
 law or morality in general ; sin, disagreement in 
 
 57
 
 crow A Desk-Book of 
 
 daisy 
 
 word, thought, deed, or desire, whether by omission 
 
 or commission, with the divine law ; vice is the habit- 
 ual deviation from moral rectitude. 
 
 crow, a colloquialism for exult. 
 
 crush implies to force out of shape, therefore, it is 
 pleonastic to say ^^ crush out,'' of a mutiny. 
 
 cultivation, culture : Discriminate carefully be- 
 tween these words. While one of the various senses 
 of cultivation is culture, culture should be used only 
 of the development of the individual. 
 
 cunning, meaning '• artful," and by extension " in- 
 nocently artful," and hence "bright," "amusing," 
 or " characterized by quaint and playful moods," 
 is often improperly introduced to imply "dainty," 
 " choice," especially if applied to anything diminu- 
 tive. Such usage is not permissible. A kitten may 
 properly be said to be cmining, but not a brooch^ 
 although (in archaic usage) that may exhibit the 
 cunning or skill of the artificer. 
 
 curious, in such expressions as " It is a curious 
 fact " has been hypercritically censured. The pro- 
 priety of the usage is unquestionable. " Curious 
 first .... denoted a state of mind, interest or dili- 
 gence in inquiry or prosecution; then it was pred- 
 icated of things which exhibit evident tokens of care 
 {cura), dextrous application, ingenuity; and, as such 
 things are out of the common and are apt to arrest 
 attention, it naturally acquired the sense of ' novel,'
 
 Errors in English crow 
 
 daisy 
 
 'unusual,' or more generally 'novel and notice- 
 able.' " — FiTZEDWARD Hall, Fdlse F/iHology, p. 25. 
 
 cuss : A vulgar corruption of " curse," designa- 
 ting a worthless or disagreeable person, and as such 
 it should be avoided. — To cuss and swear, that is, 
 "to use blasphemous language" is a phrase that 
 also should be avoided by persons having preten- 
 sions to refinement. 
 
 custom, habit : It is the cicstom of a person to do 
 a thing until it becomes a habit. From a voluntary 
 act of the will it has grown into an involuntary' prac- 
 tise. It will thus be seen that whereas a custom is 
 followed, a /z^<^// is acquired. Moreover, as involun- 
 tary acts are not predicated of bodies of people, 
 habits are of necessity compared to individuals, 
 *' The custom of social nipping tends to individual 
 habits of dissipation." 
 
 customs. Compare excise. 
 
 cut it out, with the sense " eliminate," is of recent 
 introduction and may be characterized as expressive 
 though inelegant. 
 
 cute, which is an abbreviation of acute and means 
 *' shrewd, smart, clever, or bright " is a colloquialism, 
 and as such is not favored in certain literary circles. 
 
 D 
 
 daisy : A slang Intensive, and as an equivalent 
 for "fine" or "charming," applied to persons and 
 
 ^9.
 
 damage A Desk-Book of 
 
 deduction 
 
 things, sometimes carelessly as " a daisy time," for 
 
 " a pleasant time." In speaking of a woman, " Ain't 
 
 she a daisy " is a vulgar way of saying " Isn't she 
 
 charming." 
 
 damage should never be used for *' cost " or 
 " charge." Datnage is injury or harm as to char- 
 acter, person, or estate ; cost and charge involve or 
 imply expenditure of money. 
 
 dance, to lead one a : A colloquialism for '' to 
 divert one from a desired course, and thus create 
 delay in its accomplishment." There is but little in 
 the expression to recommend it. 
 
 dander is a vulgarism for " anger " and as such 
 should not be used. 
 
 dangerous : Avoid the vulgar use of this term in 
 the sense of " dangerously ill." A man near death 
 may be dangerously ill, but he can not be dangerous, 
 
 dare, durst or dared, daring : " You daresn't " 
 ** he durstn't " are frequently used — the former al- 
 ways incorrectly, the latter generally so; for in nine 
 cases out of ten, where the expression is used, the 
 speaker desires to signify the present and not the 
 past. The form is inelegant, but under certain con- 
 ditions may be grammatically correct. You dare 
 not; he dares not (daresn't): this for the present. 
 In \\m^ past only, he durst not (or durstn't). 
 
 dead, deceased : Discriminate between these 
 words. One may refer correctly to a dead man or a
 
 Errors in English damage 
 
 deduction 
 
 dead horse, but the word deceased is appHed correctly 
 
 only to human beings. 
 
 dead slow : A colloquialism for " lacking in spirit 
 or liveliness, dull or tedious ; " applied indiscrimi- 
 nately to persons or things. 
 
 deal: Used sometimes loosely for serve. Do not 
 say '' Deal the potatoes ; " here serve is preferable. 
 
 debase. Compare demean. 
 
 decease should never be used as a verb. 
 
 deceive : Deception implies the production of a 
 false impression. It is necessary, therefore, to dis- 
 tinguish between the accomplishment of this object 
 and the bare attempt. Yet one frequently hears the 
 expression " he is deceiving me," when it is clear that 
 (as the attempt is unsuccessful) the idea intended 
 to be conveyed is " he is attempting to deceive me." 
 
 decided, decisive : These terms are not exactly 
 synonymous. A decided fact is one that is unmistak- 
 able and beyond dispute ; a decisive fact is one that 
 terminates a discussion. A decided victory is not 
 necessarily a battle decisive of a campaign. 
 
 deduction is frequently confounded with induc- 
 tion. The in- mounts up from facts to law and 
 is the process of inferring general conclusions from 
 particular cases ; the de- descends from law to facts 
 and is that which is deduced from premises or prin- 
 ciples. Liductio?i is termed analysis ; deduction^ syn- 
 thesis. 
 
 6J
 
 deface A Desk-Book of 
 
 die 
 
 deface, disfigure : Discriminate between these 
 words. Persons deface things, for to deface impUes 
 a dehberate act of destruction ; but disfiguratio?i may 
 take place to person or thing by the operation of 
 either. Thus, an inscription or bond is defaced, but 
 facial beauty is disfigured by smallpox or the weight 
 of care. 
 
 delicious, delightful : These terms should be used 
 with discrimination. Delicious is correctly applied to 
 pleasures of the senses ; delightful to that which 
 charm.s, gratifies, or gives pleasure. A dish may be 
 delicious, but not delighful; an entertainment may be 
 delightful^ but is certainly not delicious. 
 
 delusion, illusion : Discriminate carefully between 
 these terms. A delusion is a mental error arising 
 from false views or an unbalanced state of mind ; an 
 illusion is an unreal image which is presented to the 
 senses. A mirage is an optical illusion. 
 
 demean signifies " to behave " and does not 
 mean debase or degrade. A man demeans (i. e.j 
 comports) himself as a gentleman ; but even if he 
 should demean himself as a churl, the verb would not 
 imply a lowering of his dignity or debasement ; his 
 debasement would result alone from the conduct 
 he pursued. 
 
 denominate. Compare nominate. 
 
 depositary, depository : Discriminated in the best 
 usage, depositary denoting a person with whom, and
 
 Errors in English deface 
 
 die 
 
 depository a place in which anything is deposited for 
 
 safe-keeping. 
 
 depravation, depravity : These terms are not syn- 
 onymous. Depravation is the act or process of de- 
 praving or corrupting ; depravity is the condition of 
 being depraved. 
 
 desert. Compare abandon. 
 
 desert, dessert : Discriminate carefully between 
 these words. A desert is a barren waste ; an uncul- 
 tivated and uninhabited wilderness ; a dessert is a 
 service, as of fruits or sweetmeats, at the close of a 
 dinner. 
 
 despatch : This word may be spelt correctly either 
 " despatch " or " dispatch," notwithstanding the fact 
 that some writers condemn the word " dispatch." 
 
 develop is to " unfold "or " bring to light by de- 
 grees " and should not be used for " expose " vv'hich 
 means to " reveal or lay bare," without regard to 
 manner. 
 
 device, devise : Discriminate carefully between 
 these words. A dei^ice is something designed, in- 
 vented, or constructed for a special purpose or for 
 promoting an end, and may be used in either a good 
 or bad sense. A devise is a gift of lands by a last 
 will and testament. Compare bequest. 
 
 die : A word often misapplied especially by per- 
 sons accustomed to use inane superlatives as " She 
 died with laughing " ; "I thought she'd have died.'' 
 
 63
 
 difference A Desk-Book of 
 
 dissociate 
 
 Die^ as a hyperbole, means, " to have a great desire 
 
 for," and this sense is an undesirable perversion. 
 
 difference : Careful note should be made of the 
 appropriate prepositions. The Standard Diction- 
 ary says : '' Difference between the old and the new ; 
 differences a?nong men ; a difference in character ; of 
 action, of style ; (less frequently) a difference (con- 
 troversy) with a person ; a difference of one thing 
 from (incorrectly to) another." 
 
 different from : Differeiit to, though common in 
 England, is not sustained by good authority. The 
 best literary usage is uniformly f'07n, following the 
 analogy of the verb differ; one thing differs from or 
 is different from another. 
 
 differ from, differ with : One thing may differyr^;/2 
 another, or one person may diR^rfrom another, as in 
 physique ; but one person may differ with another 
 in opinion. 
 
 dippy : An extreme vulgarism for " mentally un- 
 balanced." 
 
 direct should not be used where address is 
 intended. Do not say " Direct your letters to me 
 at Cook's ; " say, rather, " Address your letters," 
 etc. 
 
 directly, which means *' in a direct or straight 
 course or manner," and so "without medium," has 
 not unnaturally been extended to signify " without 
 medium or intervention of time; immediately." 
 
 64
 
 Errors in English diflerence 
 
 dissociate 
 American critics have objected to this use, but in 
 England it is popular. 
 
 disappoint. : Since disappoint implies frustration or 
 defeat, one cannot be agreeably disappointed ; rather 
 agreeably surprised. 
 
 discharge. Compare assume. 
 
 discreet, discrete : Both words are derived from 
 the Latin discretus, pp. of discer?to, dis + cerno^ separate, 
 and formerly discreet was also spelt discrete, and even 
 had the meaning of " separate, distinct," which sense 
 now belongs exclusively to discrete. Discreet is used 
 with the signification of " evincing discernment, 
 judicious, prudent." 
 
 discern, discriminate : The latter word is often 
 treated as synonymous with distinguish, and there is 
 etymological reason for this, as both words mean to 
 separate, but to discern is to " distinguish by the dif- 
 ference or dLfferences ; differentiate." " What we 
 discern we see apart from all other objects ; what we 
 discriftiifiate we judge apart, or recognize by some 
 special mark or manifest difference. We discrimi- 
 nate hy real differences ; we distinguish by outward 
 signs." 
 
 disfigure. Compare deface. 
 
 disremember : Avoid this term as provincial and 
 archaic, and msq forget instead. 
 
 dissociate is preferable to disassociate ; for associ- 
 ate is from the Latin ad, to, + socius, united, whereas 
 
 65
 
 distinguish A Desk-Boolc of 
 
 dose 
 
 dissL date is from the Latin dis-, used with separative 
 force, and socius. Disassociate is therefore nothing 
 more or less than uniting to and at the same time 
 severing from. The word, then, though used, is 
 illogically formed and should be avoided. 
 
 distinguish. See discriminate. 
 
 divers, diverse ; By inattentive persons not in- 
 frequently interchanged. Divers implies severalty ; 
 diverse, difference. Hence we say ; " The Evangel- 
 ists narrate events in divers manners," but "The 
 views of the two parties were quite diverse." 
 
 do : Often used unnecessarily. Do not say, " I 
 shall succeed as others have done before me." Here 
 *' done " is pleonastic. But do may be used where it 
 is purely auxiliary to a missing verb, as " I shall 
 succeed as others do " (succeed). 
 
 dock is not a synonym for wharf although it is 
 often used as such. The dock is water, the wharf 
 is the abutting land or landing. 
 
 Dock is by many persons used to mean a wharf 
 or pier ; thus : " He fell off the dock and was 
 drowned .... A man might fall into a dock ; but 
 to say that he fell off a dock is no better than to say 
 that he fell off a hole."— R. G. White, Words and 
 Their Uses, ch. 5. p. 107. 
 
 donate : Incorrectly used as simply meaning give. 
 As meaning to bestow as a gift or donation, it has 
 been vehemently objected to by some critics, but 
 
 66
 
 Errors in English distinguish 
 
 dose 
 the word has certainly acquired a place in popular 
 use, and is no more rendered unnecessary by the 
 previous existence of give than donation is by the 
 previous existence of gift. Donate should be used 
 of the bestowal of important, ceremonious, or official 
 gifts only. — Standard Dictionary. 
 
 done : Avoid using the past participle of verbs 
 instead of the imperfect. Do not say, " You done 
 it," or "you seen it," when you mean "you did'it,''^ 
 or ^^yo\isa7v it." Nor use the past tense for the 
 perfect participle, as in, " If you had came " when 
 you mean " If you had come."*^ 
 
 don't is a contraction of do not, and in this sense 
 Is permissible ; but as signifying does ?iot, the proper 
 contraction for which is does?i^t-, its use is inaccurate. 
 In writing, the uncontracted forms are much to 
 be preferred, though in conventional speech the 
 abbreviations are accepted. 
 
 don*t believe, don't think : " I dofi't believe I'll 
 go " ; "I do7iU thi?ik it will rain " ; solecisms now in 
 almost universal use. Say, rather, " I believe I will 
 not go" ; " I think it will not rain." 
 
 don't make no error. See error. 
 
 dopey: A vulgar substitute for "sleepy; dull; 
 thick-headed.'^ 
 
 dose, doze : Discriminate carefully between these 
 words. That which a physician prescribes is a dose; 
 that which a sleepy patient may fall into is a doze. 
 
 67
 
 do tell A Desk-Book of 
 
 Dutch 
 
 do tell ! An exclamation of surprise the equivalent 
 of which is " Is it possible 1 " — an inane provincialism 
 to be avoided. 
 
 doubt. See whether. 
 
 doubt but that : In this phrase but is superiluous 
 as it does not add anything to the sense. 
 
 dozen : Exercise care in writing or uttering this 
 word. If a number precedes, then dozeii forms the 
 correct plural : if not, the plural is formed by adding 
 an s. Say " six dozen sheep," but " many dozens of 
 cattle." 
 
 draft, draught : Exercise care in using these words. 
 A draft is an order drawn by one person or firm on 
 another for the payment of money to a third ; a 
 draught is a current of air passing through a channel 
 or entering by an aperture. These words are pro- 
 nounced alike and modern American practise favors 
 the spelling of draft for both. 
 
 drive : Critics have seen fit to cavil at the dis- 
 tinction between drive and ride, objecting that the 
 coachman drives the lady, and asking whether travel- 
 ing by train or trolley-car is a ride or drive. The pop- 
 ular idea is that one rides in a public conveyance 
 but drives when in a private carriage. As a mat- 
 ter of convenience, however, the old-time distinction 
 so far as it concerns riding on horseback and drivifzg 
 in a carriage is good, and in no way encroaches on 
 the question of travel submitted. Horse-back exer- 
 
 68
 
 Errors in English do tell 
 
 Dutch 
 
 cise and a carriage drive are essentially exercises for 
 
 pleasure and so not to be confounded with travel ; but 
 
 if there were no distinguishing expression for the 
 
 two, we should have to add a qualifying term to 
 
 "ride," to indicate the form of recreation enjoyed. 
 
 Again, on the legal principle of Qui facit per aliiim 
 
 facit per se (He who does a thing by another does it 
 
 himself), the lady who commissions her coachman to 
 
 drive, is herself the author of his driving, and drives. 
 
 drunk: In modern usage of the verb this word is 
 confined to the past participle. It is therefore not 
 now proper to say ''They drunk his health/* say, 
 rather, "They drank his health." Do not say "I 
 have drank" when you mean "I have drunk," 
 
 dry up! A vulgar imperative fc^r "be quiet" or 
 "stop talking" and as such not used in refined 
 circles. 
 
 dubersome: Of a vacillating nature, doubtful: an 
 absurd corruption of dubious to be avoided. 
 
 due, owing: Words now often used interchange- 
 ably. Due should be limited in its use to that which 
 has to be paid, the word owing being indicative 
 of the source of the existing condition. An obliga- 
 tion may be discharged as being due to a man's 
 estate or his character. A man's wealth is owing to 
 inheritance, good fortune, toil or thrift. 
 
 Dutch: Often misapplied to the Germans from a 
 mistaken idea of the spelling of the German word 
 
 69
 
 each A Desk-Book of 
 
 either 
 
 Deutsch. The Dutch are Hollanders, and the Ger- 
 mans are '' Deutsch " in Germany. 
 
 E 
 
 each, every : These words should never be used 
 with pronouns or verbs in the plural. 
 
 each other : Strictly applied to two only, whereas 
 one another implies more than two. " The tAvo 
 friends congratulated each otJur " (/. e., each one the 
 other). " This commandment I give unto you that 
 ye love one another:' Yet this expression is now 
 used carelessly as a reciprocal pronoun ; and Whit- 
 tier writes " To worship rightly is to love each other :^ 
 
 effect, affect : Distinguish carefully bet\veen these 
 terms. To effect means to accomphsh ; to affect, to 
 influence. By concerted action men may effect re- 
 forms which shall affect their condition. 
 
 effluvia : A word often used incorrectly from the 
 mistaken idea that it is of the singular number. Do 
 not say " What a disagreeable effluvia " when you 
 wish to draw attention to an unpleasant smell. If 
 you must use the word, say '' effluvium:' 
 
 ^gg. Compare bad. 
 
 either: An adjective denoting "one or the other 
 of two " often used incorrectly with a plural verb ; 
 as, " Either are Hkely to sail." Now, inasmuch as 
 " either " means " one or the other of t^vo the verb in 
 the sentence should be in the singular and to be 
 
 70
 
 Errors in English each 
 
 either 
 correct the sentence should be " Either is Ukely to 
 sail." However, in its best and strictest usage either, 
 as has already been said, means " one or the other 
 of these," as, " either horn of a dilemma" ; but there 
 is authority for its use as "any" and ''each of 
 two " or " both." The former of these is, however, 
 a distinctly improper use, and the latter — though 
 sanctioned by " on either side one, and Jesus in the 
 midst," (^/ohn xix, i8) is better left unsaid. 
 
 either you or I are (am or is) right : Which should 
 it be ? You are ; I am ; who ^>— which of the two? 
 The complete sentence is clearly " Either you (are 
 right) or I (am right)." If the pronoun had been 
 coupled, as in " Both you and I " the plural verb 
 would of course follow ; but the very fact of this 
 would seem to indicate that where they are dis- 
 tinctly disjoined, as here, the verb should not be plu- 
 ral and should therefore be singular. Yet who could 
 say " either you or I a7n right." Peculiar as it is 
 — it being impossible to say either " you is " or " I 
 is " the solution is to be found in the use of is ; and 
 the correct rendering is, " Either you or I — one of 
 us,^?> right." Dr. Latham cites the rule thus, 
 " Wherever the word either or neither precedes the 
 pronouns, the verb is in the third person." He adds 
 a second rule to the effect that if the disjunctive is 
 without the word either or ?ieither, then the verb 
 agrees with the first of the two pronouns. He would 
 
 71
 
 elder A Desk-Book of 
 
 endorse 
 
 therefore say "either you or I is right,'* but "you 
 or I are right.'* It is, however, questionable whether 
 usage bears with him. 
 
 elder, eldest ; older, oldest : Discriminate carefully 
 between these terms. Elder and eldest are correctly 
 applied only to persons and usually only to persons 
 in the same family, as, " his elder brother." Older 
 and oldest are used of persons or things without any 
 restriction , " the oldest inhabitant " ; " the older road 
 is now closed.'* 
 
 elegant : Often misused for pleasant Elega7tt re- 
 fers to qualities of refinement, grace, taste or polish. 
 One may say " an elegant go^n " ; " an elegant outfit " ; 
 but not " an elegant time " nor " an elegant view." 
 
 else: E. S. Gould and certain other critics take 
 *»xception to a possessive use of this word, upon 
 which the former says "A comparatively modern and 
 a superlatively ridiculous custom has been introduced 
 by putting not the noun but the adjective, else, in the 
 possessive case. . . . Else, in the way it is used, 
 means besides , . . [one] might as well say some- 
 body besides's, etc. The proper construction of the 
 several phrases is somebody's else, nobody's else.** 
 
 On this subject the Standard Dictionary says : 
 " The expressions some one else, any one else, every 
 jne else, somebody else, which are in good usage, 
 are treated as substantive phrases and have the pos- 
 sessive inflection upon else ; as, somebody else's urn- 
 
 72
 
 Errors in English elder 
 
 endorse 
 
 brella ; but some people prefer to treat them as ellip- 
 tical expressions ; as, the umbrella is somebody" s else 
 (/. (?., other than the person previously mentioned).** 
 
 embryo : The plural of this word is formed by the 
 adding of " s " not " es " as va potatoes. 
 
 emerge, immerge : Discriminate carefully betsveen 
 ihese terms. To emerge is to come out of ; issue or 
 proceed from something; to reappear as in a new 
 state; as, "the butterfly e??ierges from the chrysalis." 
 To immerge is to plunge into anything, especially a 
 fluid ; or to disappear ; as, " some heavenly bodies 
 imvierge in the light of the sun." 
 
 emigrant, immigrant : These words are to be 
 carefully distinguished with regard, not to the person 
 but to the country from which or to which a person 
 comes. The e = ex, out of ; the /w = in, into. The 
 emigrant ixQ>vi\ Ireland is an immigrant when he lands 
 in New York. 
 
 eminent, imminent : Discriminate carefully be- 
 tween these words. Emiiwit means distinguished, 
 prominent, conspicuous. Ii7i77iine?it means impend- 
 ing; threatening. 
 
 endorse, indorse ; From the Latin in, on, and dor- 
 sum, back, means to write or place upon the back of. 
 It is therefore pleonastic to say, as is frequently 
 done, " indorse on the back of." 
 
 The spelling indorse which follows the medieval 
 Latin is that preferred in law and commerce; en- 
 
 73
 
 enjoy A Desk-Book of 
 
 evacuate 
 
 dorse, a spelling which follows middle English anal- 
 og}^ is the preferred form according to literary 
 usage. 
 
 enjoy : A word often misused. Do not say 
 " I enjoy bad health " nor *'I enjoy good health," 
 when you suffer from illness or are in a per- 
 fect state of health. One enjoys health (here 
 good is superfluous), but how can one e?ijoy bad 
 health ? 
 
 enthuse, said to be of journalistic origin, is char- 
 acterized as slang by the Standard Dictionary, 
 meaning " manifest enthusiasm or delight." 
 
 enthusiast, fanatic : Discriminate carefully be- 
 tween these words. An enthusiast is one who is 
 ardently zealous in any pursuit ; a fanatic is one 
 whose mind is imbued with excessive or extravagant 
 notions on religious subjects. 
 
 epithet: Often misused from the mistaken idea 
 that an epithet must necessarily be opprobrious in 
 character or imply opprobrium. An epithet is an 
 adjective or a phrase or word used adjectively to de- 
 scribe some quality or attribute of its object, as in 
 " a benevolent man," ''Father ^neas," " benevolent " 
 and " father " are epithets. 
 
 equally as well : An erroneous phrase rendered 
 correctly equally well. The introduced conjunction 
 has no grammatical place in the sentence, the mean- 
 ing of which is clear without it. 
 
 •^4
 
 Errors in English enjoy 
 
 evacuate 
 
 equanimity of mind. A pleonasm since equa^ 
 nimity means *' evenness of mind^ 
 
 error, don't you make no : An ungrammatical and 
 therefore incorrect phrase sometimes used to assert 
 a fact ; say, rather, "make no error." 
 
 eruption, irruption : Discriminate carefully be- 
 tween these words. An eruptio7t is a bursting forth 
 as from inclosure or confinement. An irruption is a 
 sudden incursion ; an invasion. 
 
 eternal, everlasting : Distinguish carefully betvveen 
 these words. That which is eternal is without be- 
 ginning or end ; that which is everlasting is without 
 end only. 
 
 euphemism. Compare euphuism. 
 
 euphuism is often improperly used for euphemism. 
 Added to the Greek eu, well, is phye, nature, in the 
 former, dindphemi, speak, in the latter. The former 
 is general and denotes a st}'le, an affectation of 
 speech or writing, whereas euphe7?iism is particular 
 and denotes a figure of speech. 
 
 evacuate should be distinguished from vacate. 
 Evaacate does not mean to go away but to make 
 empt}^; and when the word is used in regard to 
 military movements, evacuation is a mere conse- 
 quence, result, or at most, concomitant of the going 
 away of the garrison. (R. G. White, Words and 
 T7ieir Uses, ch. 5, p. 109.) To vacate is to surrender 
 possession by removal. 
 
 T5
 
 event A Desk-Book of 
 
 evidence 
 
 event: Care should be exercised in the use of 
 this word. It means strictly a happening ; that 
 which happens or comes to pass as distinguished 
 from a thing that exists. In interlocutory proceed- 
 ings a defendant was granted costs (which hap- 
 pened to be considerable) in any event. The 
 plaintiff was shrewd enough to drop all further 
 proceedings, and consequently there was no evetit so 
 the heavy costs which he would have had to pay fell 
 upon his opponent. 
 
 eventuate : Although some writers condemn the 
 use of this word as a synonym for " happen " the 
 use is recorded by modern dictionaries and may be 
 considered good English. Originally and in a re- 
 stricted sense eventuate meant " to culminate in some 
 result "; now, it means also " to be the issue of." 
 
 even up : A slang expression much used in the 
 South and West to signify " get even with ; exact 
 compensation from " : an undesirable phrase. 
 
 ever : Where ever is intended to be used as an 
 adverb of degree and not an adverb of time, it is 
 improper to substitute never {xiot ever) for the word. 
 If the substitution be made, it must be with the un- 
 derstanding that the thought of the sentence is 
 changed from degree lo time. " If he run ever so 
 well, he can not win " is not correctly expressed by 
 " If he run 7iever so well," etc., unless the thought 
 intended to be conveyed is " If he run, and run so 
 
 76
 
 Errors in English event 
 
 evidence 
 well, as jiei'er in his life befcre, he can not win." 
 The tendency has been to use both ez>er so and tiever 
 so loosely and vaguely. 
 
 ever so : The phrases ez'er so great, little, much, 
 many, etc., meaning '• very " or " exceedingly great," 
 etc., may be carefully discriminated from fiez'er so 
 great, little, etc., meaning *' inconceivably great, 
 little," etc. Compare never so. 
 
 every : A collective pronominal singular that is 
 sometimes incorrectly used with a verb in the plural. 
 Do not say " Every passenger of the two hundred 
 aboard were detained at the dock." Say, rather, 
 " Every passenger . . . was detained." 
 
 every confidence : The phrase is objected to by 
 some critics on the ground that " every is distributive, 
 referring to a number of things that may be consid- 
 ered separately, while confidence is used as a mass- 
 noun." The adjective, therefore, as signifying rt'// or 
 entire, is not permitted, though the phrase is accepted 
 by many as being elliptical, the words " sort of " 
 being understood after every ; but implicit confidence is 
 a preferable phrase. 
 
 every which way : A pleonastic colloquialism for 
 " every way " ; " in all directions " ; either of which 
 phrases may be used in preference. 
 
 evidence, testimony : These words are often used 
 as if they were interchangeable. Greenleaf says 
 " lestimony, from the Latin, testis, a witness, is, how- 
 
 77
 
 evident A Desk-Book of 
 
 exemplary 
 
 ever, only a species of evidence through the medium 
 of witnesses. The word ez'idence, in legal accepta- 
 tion, includes all the means by which any alleged 
 matter of fact, the truth of which is submitted to in- 
 vestigation, is established or disproved." (Evidence, 
 vol. i. ch. I, p. 3.) Again '' Evide?ice rests upon our 
 faith in human testimony, as sanctioned by experience'* 
 (vol. i. ch. 10, p. 70). We may have the testimony of 
 a traveler that a fugitive passed his way ; but his 
 footprints in the sand are ei'idefice of the fact, 
 evident. Compare apparent. 
 exasperate. Compare aggravate. 
 executer, executor : Discriminate carefully be- 
 tween these words. An executer is one who performs 
 some act ; a doer. An executor is one who in law 
 administers an estate. 
 
 exceed, excel : Formerly exceed (from the Latin 
 ex, forth, 4- cedo, go, = to go beyond the mark) had 
 for one of its meanings excel ( from the Latin ex, out, 
 H- celsus. raised, = to go beyond in something good 
 or praiseworthy ; outdo). Now these words must be 
 distinguished. This is to be particularly noted in 
 the derivatives excessive and excellmt — the former 
 signif}'ing an excess in that which ought not to be 
 exceeded, the latter in that where it is praiseworthy 
 to exceed. It is, therefore, not correct to speak of 
 weather as being excessively cold ; say rather, very or 
 exceedingly cold. 
 
 7a
 
 Errors in English evident 
 
 exemplary 
 
 except, unless : These words are not synonymous. 
 Avoid such locutions as " You will not enjoy it except 
 you earn it." Say rather, "You will not enjoy it 
 unless you earn it." 
 
 exceptionable is to be distinguished from excep- 
 tional. Exceptionable conduct is that which is out of 
 the common and forms the exception to the rule. 
 
 excise, customs, tolls : Distinguish from each 
 other. Mill in his " Political Economy " says : 
 
 " Taxes on commodities are either on production 
 within the country, or on importation into it, or on 
 conveyance or sale within it, and are classed re- 
 spectively as excise^ custo^ns, or tolls and transit 
 duties." (bk. v. ch. 3, p. 562.) 
 
 Thus, excise is a charge on commodities of do- 
 mestic production ; customs is a charge or duty as- 
 sessed by law levied on goods imported or exported ; 
 tolls are charges for special privileges as, passing over 
 a bridge or a turnpike. 
 
 excite, incite : Exercise care in the use of these 
 words. Excite means to produce agitation or great 
 stir of feeling in ; incite is to rouse to a particular 
 action. 
 
 exemplary should not be used for " excellent." 
 That which is exemplary serves as a model or an ex- 
 ample worthy of imitation : that which is excellent 
 possesses distinctive merit or excels that which is 
 good or praiseworthy. 
 
 79
 
 exodus A Desk-Book ot 
 
 farther 
 
 exodus : Sometimes misused for exit or departure. 
 Do not say " I made a hasty exodus " ; say, rather, 
 " My exit (or departure) was hasty." 
 
 expect is commonly misused for think^ believe^ sup- 
 pose ; also for suspect. Expect refers to the future, 
 not to the past or present, usually with the implica- 
 tion of interest or desire. Yet " I expect it is," or 
 even *' I expect it was^^'' is very common. 
 
 expect likely, expect probably. The Standard 
 Dictionary says of these careless locutions, it is not 
 the expectancy, but the future event, that is likely or 
 probable. One may say " I think it is likely,'' " I think 
 it [the act, event, or the like] probable'' or "It seems 
 likely " or '•^probable." When another person's ex- 
 pectancy is matter of conjecture, one may say " You 
 probably expect to live many years " ; /. ^., " I think it 
 probable that you expect'' etc. ; but *' Probably you 
 expect," etc., would be better. 
 
 F 
 
 face the music : Slang for to confront with bold- 
 ness anything of an unpleasant character or any 
 task especially difficult : a metonymic but inelegant 
 phrase. 
 
 fade away: In modern parlance a slang phrase 
 first introduced by Thackeray ( Vanity Fair, ch. 60, 
 p. 540), and meaning " disappear or vanish mysteri 
 ously." The phrase is in good usage, however, in
 
 Errors in English exodus 
 
 farther 
 
 the sense of "to pass away gradually; vanish ; die 
 
 out ; " as, " reHgious animosity would of itself fade 
 
 aivay" (Macaulay, Hist, of England, vol. 2, p. 134). 
 
 faint, feint, and fei^ all come from the French, 
 feindre, which is derived from the Latin, yf//^^, shape. 
 The first two, similarly pronounced, have verj' differ- 
 ent significations. Famt means a sudden loss of 
 consciousness or swoon ; fehit signifies a deceptive 
 move or pretense, ^o feign is to make a false show 
 of ; pretend. 
 
 fake : Slang term for imposition ; fraud ; also, 
 fictitious or manufactured news. Expressive but in- 
 elegant. 
 
 fakement : Slang for an act of fraud. Less desir- 
 able than preceding and equally inelegant. 
 
 fanatic. Compare enthusiast. 
 
 farewell : When separated by a "^xonovi^ farewell 
 
 is written as two words ; as, fare you well. Exception 
 
 has been taken to Eyron's pathetic lines 
 
 Fare thee well, and if for ever, 
 Then for e\ex,fare thee well; 
 
 but this is hypercriticism for here the pronoun is 
 nothing but the Anglo-Saxon dative. 
 
 farther, further : Farther should be used to des- 
 ignate longitudinal distance ; further to signify 
 quantity or degree. Thus, " How much farther 
 have we to go ? " " Proceed no further along that 
 
 course. " 
 
 81
 
 fault A Desk-Book of 
 
 fermentation 
 
 fault : The different meanings of this word should 
 be clearly distinguished. A man perplexed or one 
 who has made a mistake is at fault ; if he has done 
 anything for which he may be blamed he is in fault. 
 A hound is at fault when he has lost the scent. 
 
 faun, fawn : Homophones each with a distinct 
 meaning. Miun is from the Latin Famius, god of 
 agriculture and of shepherds, and signifies a god of 
 the woods ; fawn, from the Anglo S^xon faegen, fain, 
 signifies to seek favor by cringing and subserviency. 
 
 favor in the sense of " resemble " is a colloquial- 
 ism, the use of which is not recommended. 
 
 faze, feeze: Slang terms for "disconcert" or 
 "confuse," either of which is to be preferred. 
 
 feel to : A colloquial expression meaning " to have 
 an impulse ; '* as " I feel to agree with you," which 
 can not be too severly condemned. 
 
 feel bad, feel badly : Discriminate carefully be- 
 tween these terms. If you mean to express the idea 
 that you are ailing in health, feel bad is correct. 
 Feel bad is synonymous with feel ill and is correct. 
 One might as well sdij feel illy 2.^ feel badly if the latter 
 were correct as applied to health. However, feel 
 badly is correct when the intention is to say that 
 one's power of touch is defective as through a mis- 
 hap to the fingers. 
 
 feel good, feel well : Distinguish carefully be- 
 tw^een these phrases. Good signifies having physical 
 
 82
 
 Errors in English fault 
 
 fermentation 
 qualities that are useful, or that can be made pro- 
 ductive of comfort, satisfaction, or enjoyment, as, a 
 good view, good flour ; well signifies having physical 
 health, free from ailment ; as, " two are sick, the 
 rest are well.'''' Compare good. 
 
 felicitate, congratulate : The distinction in the 
 meanings of these words should be carefully noted. 
 To felicitate is to pronounce one happy and in the 
 strict sense, applies to self alone ; congratulate is to 
 wish joy to another. In recent years co?igratulate 
 has been applied to one's self, and felicitate to an- 
 other ; thus the application of the meanings of these 
 words have been reversed by careless usage. 
 
 Trench says, "When I co7igratulate a person (^con- 
 gratulor) I declare that I am sharer in his joy, that 
 what has rejoiced him has rejoiced me also." Gratu- 
 lation, does not signify participation, and therefore, is 
 a mexQ felicitation (or admission of existing happiness 
 or cause for happiness) addressed to another. 
 
 female : An opprobrious or contemptuous epithet 
 for woman. Female should be restricted to its cor- 
 rect use. Do not say " With that modesty so char- 
 acteristic of a female " ; say rather, "... so char- 
 acteristic of a woman." Compare lady. 
 
 fermentation, fomentation : Exercise care in the 
 use of these words. Fermentation is a chemical de- 
 composition of an organic compound ; fojneyUatvm, 
 is the act of treating^ with warm water. 
 
 83
 
 fetch A Desk-Book of 
 
 first 
 
 fetch. Compare bring. 
 
 few : Sometimes used incorrectly for " in some 
 measure " ; " to an extent " ; " somewhat " ; " rather " ; 
 as, " Did you enjoy yourself ? " " Just a_/^7£/." Few 
 is correctly applied to quantity and incorrectly to 
 quality ; therefore, its use as in the illustration given 
 here is not good English. 
 
 few and a few must not be confounded. " Few 
 men would act thus " means that scarcely any would ; 
 but " A few men will always speak the truth " means 
 that there are some, though not many, whose custom 
 this is. 
 
 few, little ; The first of these words is sometimes 
 improperly used for the second. Measurement by 
 count is expressed hy few, measurement by quantity 
 by little; as, " the loss of a few soldiers will make but 
 Httle difference to the result." '' The fewer his ac- 
 quaintances, the fewer (not the less) his enemies.'' 
 Few^ fewer, fewest, are correctly used in describing 
 articles the aggregate of which is expressed in num- 
 bers; little, less, and least are used of objects that 
 are spoken of in bulk. 
 
 figure : E. S. Gould and other critics object to the 
 use of the word in the sense of an amount stated in 
 numbers, as " Goods at a high figure.''^ But Dean 
 Alford is content to give his sanction to its use, 
 and the literary and general public have followed 
 him. 
 
 84
 
 Errors in English fetch 
 
 first 
 
 final : Sometimes misused in such a sentence as 
 "the Jinal completion of the work." This is 
 inadmissible, for completion necessarily implies 
 finality. 
 
 financial, monetary, pecuniary : Discriminate care* 
 fully bet^veen these words. Financial is applied cor- 
 rectly to public funds or to the revenue of a govern- 
 ment. Afofietary and pecuniary apply only to trans- 
 actions between individuals. 
 
 finish. Compare complete. 
 
 fire : As this verb possesses the sense of impel, ex- 
 plode, discharge, as by using fire ; as, "-Jire a mine 
 or gun," it has been humorously applied to dis- 
 charge from employment, as ''Jire2L clerk." But the 
 usage is slang, and as such is avoided by careful 
 speakers. 
 
 first : Say the ''frst two " rather than the " two 
 first,^^ for unless they be bracketed equal there can 
 not be two firsts. For a similar reason the expres- 
 sion seen in cars, "Smoking on the four rear seats," 
 is equally incorrect. There can not be four rear 
 (or last) seats ; but there can be " the last four seats." 
 As meaning the four seats collectively which are sit- 
 uated at the rear, the phrase has its only justification. 
 
 first and firstly : First being an adverbial form 
 is the correct form to use. Firstly has been used by 
 Dickens, De Quincey, and others but in modern 
 usage ^ri-/ is the preferred form. 
 
 85
 
 first-rate A Desk-Book of 
 
 fondling 
 
 first-rate is an adjectival not an adverbial expres- 
 sion. One may say correctly, " He is a Jirst-rate 
 walker," but not that " he ^s^Sks, first-rate T 
 
 fish : When speaking of fish collectively this word 
 represents the plural ; speaking of fish severally the 
 plural is formed by the addition of es. 
 
 fix : The colloquial use of this noun for a position 
 involving embarrassment or a dilemma or predica- 
 ment has not the sanction of literary usage. Do not 
 say " I am in a bad fix " say, rather, "... in a 
 bad condition,'''' As a verb, it is better unused in the 
 sense of set or arrange. As meaning " put into 
 thorough adjustment or repair," with the word up 
 added, it is sanctioned by popular usage ; but the 
 expression is thought inelegant and indefinite. Some 
 more discriminating term is to be preferred. Fix^ 
 in the sense of "disable, injure, jr kill," and "fix 
 up" in the sense of "dress elegantly," are vulgar- 
 isms. 
 
 flap-doodle : An inelegant term for " pretentious 
 silly talk characterized by an affectation of superior 
 knowledge." Twaddle is a preferable synonym. 
 Compare flub-dub. 
 
 flash for ostentatious display, as of money, is inele- 
 gant. Display is a preferable word. 
 
 flew is often misused ior fied. Do not say " He 
 fiew the city " when you mean that he fied from 
 
 it. 
 
 86
 
 Errors in English first-rate 
 
 fondling 
 
 flies on : " There are no flies on him," is a slang 
 phrase not used by persons accustomed to refined 
 diction. 
 
 flock : A word sometimes misapplied. Do not 
 say '' a flock of girls ; " say, rather, " a bevy of 
 girls " and " a flock of sheep." Flock is correctly 
 applied to a company or collection of small animals 
 as sheep, goats, rabbits, or birds. 
 
 flop is an inelegant word used sometimes to de- 
 note change of attitude on a subject. Do not say 
 " He flopped over to the other side • ; say, rather, 
 " He went over. ..." 
 
 flub-dub : A slang term used to designate a literary 
 work that is worthless. 
 
 flummux : A vulgarism sometimes used for " per- 
 plex " or " disconcert." 
 
 fly off the handle : A colloquial phrase meaning to 
 '' lose one's self control " as from anger. 
 
 folks : The modern colloquial plural use of this 
 term is not to be recommended. The word is prop- 
 erly used, both in singular and plural form, 2is/olk, 
 its correct signification being " people, collectively or 
 distributively." 
 
 foment, ferment : Exercise care in the use of these 
 words. Foine7it is to bathe with warm or medicated 
 lotions ; ferment, to cause chemical decomposition in. 
 Both words are also used figuratively. 
 
 fondling, foundling : Discriminate carefully be- 
 
 87
 
 fooling A Desk-Book of 
 
 freeze 
 
 tween these words. A fo7idling is a person fondled 
 or caressed ; a foundling is a deserted infant whose 
 parents are unknown. 
 
 fooling : The use of the word in the sense of " de- 
 ceiving " has been condemned by certain writers as 
 a *' very vulgar vulgarism," but is permissible, having 
 the sanction not only of good literar}'- authority but 
 of modern dictionaries. See Tennyson's " Gareth 
 and Lynette " (st. 127) : "Worse than being fool'd 
 of others is to fool one's self." 
 
 for and to ; These words are often added at the 
 end of a sentence by careless speakers but are re- 
 dundant. Do not say " Less than you think y^r" ; 
 nor " Where are you going toV 
 
 forget it : When used as the equivalent of " don't 
 talk about it," is a vulgarism that can not be too 
 severely condemned. 
 
 fork over : Slang for " hand over," a preferable 
 phrase. 
 
 former : This word can refer to only one of two 
 persons or things previously mentioned, never to 
 any one of three or more. Avoid such construction 
 as the following : " Mr. Henley says that had Rosetti 
 and Byron been contemporaries, some of Wi^ former's 
 (meaning Rosetti) verses would have caused the 
 latter (meaning Byron) to blush." Here, y^rw^r re- 
 fers to Mr. Henley, but the context shows clearly 
 the intention of the writer to refer to Rosetti. 
 
 88
 
 Errors in English fooling 
 
 freeze 
 
 forsake. Compare abandon. 
 
 fort, forte : These two words similarly pronounced 
 must be distinguished. In each case the derivation 
 is the same (the Latin fortis^ strong), and although 
 there is an alternative spelling oifort for " forte " it 
 is not the favored form. Kfort signifies a fortifica- 
 tion held by a garrison ; forte is that in which an 
 individual chiefly excels. 
 
 fracas : A fra-cas is a brawl or an uproar, not a 
 part of the human anatomy. Therefore, avoid such 
 expressions as " He was stabbed in the fracas." 
 Say, rather, " During the fracas he w^as stabbed." 
 
 fraud : Just as cheat has been made to do duty 
 both for the act and the person committing the act, 
 so in colloquial usage has yr*^/^^ been made to repre- 
 sent not only the act but also its perpetrator. It has 
 even been extended to " a deceptive or spurious 
 thing." These usages oi fraud are, however, not to 
 be recommended. 
 
 freeze : This word has nothing in common with 
 frieze save the pronunciation. The former is an 
 Anglo-Saxon term, whereas the latter comes from 
 the French frise, for fraise, a ruff. To freeze is to 
 convert into ice, congeal ; \.o frieze is to provide with 
 2i frieze, which is, in architecture, the middle division 
 of an entablature. 
 
 freeze out : A vulgar phrase for to " treat with 
 coldness, as of manner or conduct." 
 
 89
 
 freeze A Desk-Book of 
 
 funeral 
 
 freeze to : An inelegant colloquialism for " cling 
 to," sometimes found in literature as in Kipling's 
 " Mine Own People," p. 209. 
 
 frequently. Compare commonly. 
 
 fresh in the sense of " full of ignorant conceit and 
 presumption " is slang and as such is avoided by 
 persons careful with their diction. 
 
 friend : Carefully distinguish between friend and 
 acquaintance. The former is an acquaintance who 
 has been admitted to terms of intimacy, and who is 
 regarded with a certain amount of affectionate re- 
 gard. A person to whom one has received a bare 
 introduction is an acquaintance — nothing more. 
 
 frieze. Compare freeze. 
 
 from : A preposition often incorrectly used for 
 "of." From should not be used elliptically. Do 
 not say " He died^r^w pneumonia " when you mean 
 from the effects of -^ne\xmom2i.^^ Here <?^^/ suggests 
 the cause from which the result proceeded. " He 
 died ^pneumonia " is correct. 
 
 froze : A term sometimes misused for frozen. 
 Froze is the imperfect of the verb freeze, while frozen 
 is a participial adjective. It is incorrect to say, 
 " My hands 2lX^ froze, ^'' Y^^x^ frozen should be used. 
 
 -ful. The plural of compounds ending in ////, as 
 spoonful is formed in the same manner as the plural 
 of other nouns of regular formation — by the simple 
 addition of a final " s," as, spoonfuls. So when a 
 
 90
 
 Errors in English freeze 
 
 funeral 
 
 physician prescribes medicine to be taken by the 
 spoonful more than once a day, these are correctly 
 spoken of as spoonfuls. But supposing more than 
 one medicine is to be taken and that the medicines 
 do not assimilate thus requiring more than otie spoon 
 to administer them ; then it would be correct to refer 
 to the different doses as spoons full, since the words 
 denote more than one spoon full. Spoonfuls de- 
 note one spoon filled more than once. 
 
 fulfil : Remember that in this word the " 1 " is not 
 doubled but that it is m fulfilling. 
 
 full, fuller : Terms sometimes incorrectly used. 
 A "///// cup," is a cup completely filled, therefore 
 it w^ould seem illogical to say " my cup is fuller 
 than yours." As a rule all words that in them- 
 selves express the idea of completion or perfection 
 should be used only in the positive degree. A 
 perfection greater than itself is inconceivable, yet 
 in literature, and v;i.h speakers who are accus- 
 tomed to a careful choice of words, this form of 
 expression has been permitted for comparison in 
 the absence of an absolute standard of measure- 
 ment. 
 
 full : A coarse substitute for " intoxicated." 
 
 funeral : A term sometimes misused for " affair," 
 or "business," as in the phrase "Not my fufi^rar^ 
 meaning " No business of mine." The use is not 
 to be commended. 
 
 91
 
 funny A Desk-Book of 
 
 gent 
 
 funny : As a colloquialism signifying " queer " this 
 adjective should be used with care. It is better re- 
 tained for signification of that which is mirth-pro- 
 voking or ludicrous. Funny is sometimes used in- 
 correctly to imply silly impropriety, as in the phrase, 
 * Don't g^tf tinny.'" Such usage should be avoided. 
 
 further. Compare farther. 
 
 future, the : Used sometimes to signify the pres- 
 ent ; as, '* I shall be happy to accept " — this is not 
 what is meant. The meaning is " I am happy to 
 accept, for I shall be happy to come," or " (Because) 
 I shall be happy to (come I am happy to) accept " ; 
 and the elliptical result is that there is elision of the 
 words in parentheses. In a recent lawsuit the plain- 
 tiff lost $10,000 because a so-called guarantee was 
 given in these terms : " I will guarantee " instead 
 of " I (hereby do) guarantee." The guarantee pro- 
 vided had never been asked for, given, or obtained. 
 The credulous victim had accepted a promise, with- 
 out condition, for a performance ; and he lost. Time 
 has improved his knowledge of the force of the Eng- 
 lish tongue. 
 
 G 
 
 galaxy : Exercise care in the use of this word. It 
 signifies any brilliant circle or group ; as, a galaxy of 
 beauties or of gems, and is never correctly used of 
 any person or thing of inferior quality. 
 
 08
 
 Errors in English funny 
 
 gent 
 
 gall; Correctly used is "an intensely bitter feeling." 
 When used as a synonym for " cool assurance " or 
 " impudence " it is slang which should be avoided. 
 
 gang is correctly applied to a squad of laborers, 
 and others detailed to certain given tasks. But 
 sometimes applied also, usually in an uncompliment- 
 ary way, to a company of persons who meet habitu- 
 ally for social intercourse ; as, " He sent a letter to 
 the^^;z<^at Seelig's." 
 
 gazebo : A term often misused for " chief person.'* 
 A gazebo is a belvedere or elevated summer-house 
 and as such is often the highest point of a building : 
 applied to a person the term is slang. 
 
 gee whiz : A slang exclamation of astonishment 
 that it is best to avoid. 
 
 geezer : A vulgar term applied, usually in deri- 
 sion to elderly persons, particularly women. For- 
 merly it was used to designate a mummer or other 
 grotesque character. 
 
 generally. Compare commonly. 
 
 genius, genus : Discriminate carefully between 
 these words. Genius implies the possession of re- 
 markable natural gifts through which their possessor 
 may attain ends or obtain results by intuitive power. 
 Genus is a class or kind. In the natural sciences it 
 is the subordinate of an order, tribe, or family. 
 
 gent : As an abbreviation for gefitleman this word 
 is not permitted in refined speech ; and gentleman is 
 
 95
 
 genteel A Desk-Book of 
 
 got 
 
 never correctly used for man as a mere indication of 
 
 sex. Compare lady 
 
 genteel is sometimes improperly applied to persons 
 who are preferably spoken of as polite or well-bred. 
 If used with regard to persons, it should only be in 
 connection with some specific characteristic, as "a 
 person of genteel speech or appearance," or to indi- 
 cate suitability to the condition of a well-bred person, 
 as in the expression "a genteel fortune." 
 
 genuine. Compare authentic. 
 
 get a gait or move on: Slang phrases for "hasten 
 one's steps or actions," which, while it may not be 
 so expressive, is more elegant and refined. 
 
 get over: Sometimes used for deny or refute. One 
 doesn't get over a charge but refutes it. 
 
 git: Vulgarism used in the imperative for get out. 
 
 go. See WENT. 
 
 go back on: A colloquialism for abandon, deceive, 
 play false. Inelegant and not used by persons ac- 
 customed to nice discriminations of speech. 
 
 going is sometimes used as a synonym for just 
 about. One frequently hears, "I am just going to 
 sing," from a person who is about to do so. The 
 verb go, in the transitive, is sometimes used loosely 
 in the colloquial sense of "endure" or "wager." 
 Polite speech does not sanction such locutions as "I 
 can not go that music;" "I will go you a dollar on 
 
 the race." 
 
 94
 
 Errors in English genteel 
 
 got 
 
 gone : The phrase " He's been gOTie this month," 
 though frequently used, is better rendered thus : *' It's 
 a month since he went." The verb " to go " does 
 not lend itself agreeably to this treatment which is 
 common with other verbs ( as " He has been known 
 and loved for years"), and the expression "this 
 month," for "this past month," is somewhat too 
 elliptical to be received with favor. 
 
 gone case : A vulgarism sometimes used to denote 
 that the affection bestowed by one person on another 
 of the opposite sex shows him to be serious in his 
 intentions. It is also a vulgarism when applied to 
 one who is in a hopeless condition, as from illness. 
 
 good should never be used for well. Do not say, 
 "I feel pretty ^6'^^" or " she plays that pretty ^(?^^" 
 when you mean that you " feel pretty well " or that 
 " she plays fairly well.^' 
 
 go past : " Go " usually implies motion forward, 
 therefore, it is pleonastic to say "go past." Say, 
 rather, that you " go ^7 " and not past. Nevertheless 
 a march pasf is a recognized expression. 
 
 got : This word is used correctly for acquired or 
 obtained, but is incorrectly used to denote simple 
 possession and correctly implies e^07'f to secure 
 something. Sometimes it is used redundantly ; as, 
 " He has got it "; the simpler form, " He has it " is 
 preferable. " We have got to do it," while emphatic, 
 is less so than " we must do it." 
 
 95
 
 go A Desk-Book of 
 
 grammar 
 
 go the whole hog : An inelegant phrase used foi 
 "to go to the utmost limit." Carlyle traces the 
 origin of this phrase from the Irish because in Ire- 
 land hog was a synonym for a ten penny piece, a coin 
 once current in that country. 
 
 graduate : The use of this verb in the intransitive 
 has been condemned by purists but is now well es- 
 tablished. Thus, one may correctly say " He was 
 graduated from a university " or, "He graduated from 
 a university." 
 
 grammar : The phrases good grammar and bad 
 grammar have been condemned as false syntax by 
 some persons unfamiliar with the meanings of the 
 word "grammar." One meaning recorded by the 
 Standard Dictionary is " speech or wTiting con- 
 sidered with regard to its correctness ; propriety of 
 linguistic usage ; as, he uses good or bad gra7fi??iar.''' 
 
 The Ne7v York Herald (March 4, 1906) says: 
 " Good gram??iar is one of those cheap vulgarisms 
 which most offend the scholarly ear. A phrase is 
 either grammatical or ungrammatical. It can not be 
 characterized as either * good ' or * bad ' grammar." 
 
 The writer of the foregoing based his criticism 
 on a misunderstanding. The word " grammar " is 
 not like the word " orthography," a word made up of 
 orthos, correct, and grapho, to write. Grammar does 
 not carry with it the implication of correctness, and 
 modern grammarians bear this out. Prof. Edward 
 
 96
 
 Errors in English go 
 
 grammar 
 Maetzner in his " English Grammar : Methodical, 
 Analytical and Historical," so defines the term : 
 
 *' Grammar, or the doctrine of language, treats of the laws 
 of speech, and, in the first place, of the Word, as its funda- 
 mental constituent, with respect to its matter and lis form, in 
 prosody, or the doctrine of sounds, and morphology, or the 
 doctrine of forms, and then of the combination of words in 
 spee'^h, in syntax, or the doctrine of the joining of words and 
 sentences" (vol. i. p. 12). 
 
 Syntax, which is a part of grammar, is sometimes 
 confused with grammar itself. It is that part of 
 grammar which treats of the sentence and of its con- 
 struction, and embraces, among other features, the 
 doctrine of the collocation of words in sentences in 
 connected speech, treating of their arrangement and 
 relative positions, as required by grammatical con- 
 nection, euphony, and clearness and energy of ex- 
 pression. 
 
 The " New English Dictionary," edited at Oxford 
 University by Dr. J. A. H. Murray, treating this sub- 
 ject says : 
 
 " The old-fashioned definition of grammar as ' The art of 
 speaking and writing a language correctly ' is from the modern 
 point of view in one respect too narrow, because it applied 
 only to a portion of this branch of study ; in another respect 
 it is too -v^-ide, and was so even from the older point of view, 
 because m.any qtcestions of ' correctness ' in language are recog- 
 nized as outside the province of grammar : e. g., the use of a 
 word in a wrong sense, or a bad pronunciation or spelling, 
 would not have been called a grammatical mistake. Until a 
 
 97
 
 grammatical A Desk-Book, of 
 grow 
 
 not very distant date, grammar was divided by English 
 writers into Orthography, Etymology, Syntax, and Prosody, 
 to which Orthoepy was added by some others. The division 
 now usual is that into Phonology, treating of the sounds now 
 used in the language, Accidence, of the inflexional forms or 
 eqixivalent combinations, and Syntax, of the structure of sen- 
 tences." 
 
 In defining grammar, Lindley Murray wrote " Eng- 
 lish grammar is the art of speaking and writing the 
 English language with propriety." Following the 
 style of the Standard Dictionary, Dr. Murray gives 
 one of the meanings of grammar as follows ; " Speech 
 or writing judged as good or bad according as it con- 
 forms to or violates grammatical rules ; also speech 
 or writing that is correct according to those rules." 
 
 If grammar can not be good or bad, as contended 
 by the New York HeraWs editor, then it can not be 
 true or false. Yet Dry den wrote, " And I doubt the 
 word 'they ' \s false grammar^'' (Almanzor, II. Def. 
 Epilogue) ; and Macaulay writing of Frederick the 
 Great, said : " He had German enough to scold his 
 servants, but his grammar and pronunciation are ex- 
 tremely bad^'' (Ess3.ys\ Frederick the Great). Again, 
 elsewhere, " The letter may still be read, with all 
 the original bad grammar zxvdi bad spelling " (History 
 of England, IV., xviii., 245). Both phrases are per- 
 missible. Compare bad. 
 
 grammatical error : A common locution, but " an 
 error in grammar," is to be preferred as avoiding 
 
 98
 
 Errors in English grammatical 
 
 grow 
 
 what is sometimes considered a violation of gram- 
 matical precision. 
 
 grant. Compare accord. 
 
 grass, go to: A vulgar imperative meaning "get 
 away" or "clear out !" 
 
 grass widow: A common term of disparagement 
 applied to a woman abandoned by or separated from 
 her husband: a term which is not used by persons 
 of refinement and one that, if used at all, should be 
 applied only with great care. 
 
 grass widower: A term used to denote a husband 
 who lives apart from his wife or one from whom the 
 wife is temporarily absent. 
 
 gratitude, thankfulness : Gratitude, from the Latin 
 gratitudo, from grains, kind, is a sense of apprecia- 
 tion of favors received, as indicated by actions. It is 
 the actual feeling, of which thankfulness, or the ful- 
 ness of thanks, is the mere outward expression. It is 
 therefore quite possible, and indeed often the case, 
 for a person who at one time is full of thanks to 
 show subsequently a want of gratitude. 
 
 great. Compare big. 
 
 groom should not be used for "bridegroom." 
 
 grouchy: A slang term for sulky or disgruntled. 
 
 grow sometimes used for become is gaining the 
 sanction of usage; as, "to grow smaller." In this 
 sense grow has been used by such masters of Eng- 
 lish as Steele, Gray, Johnson, and ^lacaulay. 
 
 99
 
 guess A Desk-Book of 
 
 had 
 
 guess, suppose, think, conjecture : Words some- 
 times used incorrectly. We guess when we are con- 
 tent to hazard an opinion based on data which are 
 admittedly insufficient, but we suppose when we have 
 good ground fir assuming a thing to be true. When 
 we think, we give thought to a matter on which we 
 yet admit the thought has been insufficient to fur- 
 nish us with exact or certain knowledge. TJiinking 
 is allied to conjecturing, in which, though holding a 
 pronounced opinion, this falls short of absolute con- 
 viction. We guess the outcome of an event, but sup- 
 pose that an event which has happened may result 
 T good. We thi?ik that a certain medicine may effect 
 a cure, but if we have tried it successfully before for a 
 similar complaint, co?ijecture that it will, although not 
 being absolutely sure that the conditions are precisely 
 the same we are not convi?tced and do not k?iow. 
 gums. Compare rubbers. 
 
 H 
 
 habit, custom, usage : Discriminate carefully be- 
 tween these words. In strict usage habit pertains 
 exclusively to the individual ; custom to a race or 
 nation of people, as, the custo7ns of the Jews. Usage 
 refers particularly to habitual practise or something 
 permitted by it or done in accordance with it. 
 
 had better, would better : Although according 
 to grammatical rule had better is incorrect, it has 
 
 100
 
 Errors in English guess 
 
 had 
 been used by writers of correct English and it 
 may be found repeatedly in the English Classics. 
 Therefore, it is generally considered good usage 
 and preferable to would better which, though cor- 
 rect, is seldom heard and usually considered pe- 
 dantic. 
 
 had, have : In such a phrase as " Had I have heard 
 of it," the verb have is redundant, for had here is 
 used elliptically for if I had, and carries the con- 
 tingency to the past. Care should be taken to avoid 
 such locutions as the example given which is one of 
 a class that stamps those who make use of them as 
 grossly ignorant. 
 
 had ought : The use of any part of the verb have 
 with ought \s a vulgarism. Not " I had ought to have 
 written," but simply " I ought to have written"; not 
 *' He had?i't ought to have done it," but " He ought 
 not to have done it." 
 
 had rather, had better : Forms disputed by certain 
 critics, from the days of Samuel Johnson, the critics 
 insisting upon the substitution of would or should, as 
 the case may demand, for had; but had rather and 
 had better are thoroughly established English idioms 
 having the almost universal popular and literary 
 sanction of centuries. '' I would rather not go " is 
 undoubtedly correct when the purpose is to empha- 
 size the element of choice or will in the matter ; but 
 in all ordinary cases " I had rather not go " has the 
 
 101
 
 haa A Desk-Book of 
 
 hang 
 
 merit of being idiomatic and easily and universally 
 
 understood. 
 
 I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God 
 than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. Ps. Ixxxiv. 10. 
 If for " You had better stay at home," we substi- 
 tute "You should better stay at home," an entirely 
 different meaning is expressed, the idea of expedi- 
 ency giving place to that of obligation. — Standard 
 Dictionary. 
 
 " Would rather may always be substituted for had 
 rather. Might rather would not have the same mean- 
 ing. Would and should do not go well with better. 
 In one instance can is admissible. ' I can better 
 afford,' because can is especially associated with 
 afford. We may say might better, but it has neither 
 the sanction, the idiomatic force, nor the precise 
 meaning of had better." — Samuel Ramsey, Eng. 
 Lang, and Gram. pt. ii. ch. 6, p. 413. 
 
 hail, hale: Hail is pronounced as hale (robust; 
 sound) but should be distinguished therefrom, al- 
 though for that word there is an alternative spelling 
 hail, which, however, is rarely used. Hale is from 
 Icelandish heill, sound; hail is from the Anglo- 
 Saxon, haegel, frozen rain. 
 
 hain't: A common vulgarism for have not, haven't, 
 and made worse, if possible, by being used also for 
 has not or hasn't; as " I hain't," " He hain't," etc. 
 ** I haven't" " He hasn't," are permissible, " haven't 
 
 102
 
 Errors in English hail 
 
 hang 
 I ? " " hasn^f he ? " are acceptable in conversation. 
 But when the subject precedes in the first person 
 singular and the plural, it is preferable to abbreviate 
 the verb; as, "/'z'(? ?iot,^^ '■^you've not,^'' etc. 
 
 half : Inasmuch as in equivalent terms of the whole 
 there can not be a single half^ but must be two halves^ 
 one should speak of dividing (the whole) into two 
 or into halves rather than of cutting (it) in half. 
 
 half-cock, to go off at : A colloquial phrase denot- 
 ing " to speak before one is ready " ; not used by 
 persons accustomed to refined diction. 
 
 handful : This word has for a plural handfuls. 
 *' Two handfuls of flour " means a handful taken 
 twice, whereas hands full means both hands full. 
 This last term is often erroneously written handsful. 
 
 handy : Properly said of articles on which one 
 may lay the hand, or possibly of persons, as attend- 
 ants, ready at hand for service. Applied to neigh- 
 borhood, "near," "near by," "close at hand," or 
 the like are to be preferred. 
 
 hang : This verb has for its perfect tense and past 
 participle two forms, hanged and hung ; but in the 
 sense of execution (^sus per col), the former term is 
 alone correctly used, whereas in other senses the 
 latter is applied. Thus, one may say, "A hat is 
 hung on a peg, but a murderer is hanged on the gal- 
 lows," and 7iot that the hat is hanged nor that the 
 jnurderer is hung. 
 
 103
 
 hanger A Desk-Book of 
 
 have 
 
 hanger on : A colloquialism for " a dependent oi 
 parasite : " the term is inelegant and therefore un- 
 desirable. 
 
 hangs on : As a substitute for " remains," the ex- 
 pression finds no favor. 
 
 happen. Compare transpire. 
 
 happen in, to: A colloquialism often met in rural 
 districts and used for " to make a chance social 
 call, " or " to drop in casually " as one passes by. 
 
 happiness. Compare pleasure. 
 
 hard case : An American colloquialism for a per- 
 son of pronounced or curious type. 
 
 hardly. Compare scarcely. 
 
 hardy. Compare rugged. 
 
 hasten, hurry : Although both words imply a ce- 
 lerity of action, the former presupposes consideration 
 and is not opposed to good order, whereas the latter 
 is indicative of perturbation and a measure of irreg- 
 ularity. Therefore these terms are not synonymous. 
 Phelps in his " English Style in Public Discourse," 
 says " the first does not imply confusion ; the second 
 does." Lexicographers do not restrict the meaning 
 of hurry to " to confuse by undue haste or sudden- 
 ness," but define it as " to cause to be done rapidly 
 or more rapidly ; accelerate." You hasten to con- 
 gratulate but hur?y to catch a train. 
 
 have : On the use of this word the Standard 
 Dictionary says ; Used in the past tense following 
 
 104
 
 Errors in English kangei 
 
 have 
 
 another past tense, a use often indiscriminately con- 
 demned, though sometimes proper and necessary. 
 ( I ) Improper construction. Where what was " meant," 
 " intended," or the like was, at the time when in- 
 tended, some act (as of going, writing, or speaking) 
 future in its purpose and not past, and therefore not 
 to be expressed by a past tense ; as, "He meant to 
 have gone'^ for " He meant to go " ; "I meant to have 
 written to you, but forgot it," for '' I meant towrite,^* 
 etc. ; " I had intended to have spoken to him about it," 
 for " I had intended to speak,'' etc. ; " I should like 
 to have gone'' for " I should have liked to go.'' The 
 infinitive with to expresses the relation of an act as 
 so conceived, so that both analogy and prevalent 
 usage require " meant to go " instead of " meant to 
 have gone.'' Such construction, although occasional 
 instances of it still occur in works of authors of the 
 highest literary reputation, and still often heard in 
 conversation, is now generally regarded as ungram- 
 matical. 
 
 (2) Proper construction. The doubling of the past 
 tenses in connection with the use of hai'e with a past 
 participle \s proper and necessary when the completion 
 of the future act was intended before the occurrence 
 of something else mentioned or thought of. Atten- 
 tion to this qualification, which has been overlooked 
 in the criticism of tense-formation and connection, is 
 especially important and imperative. If one says, 
 
 105
 
 have A Desk-Book of 
 
 heir 
 
 ** I meant to have visited Paris and to have returned to 
 London before my father arrived irom America," the 
 past infinitive in the dependent clause is necessary 
 for the expression of tlie completion of the acts pur- 
 posed. " I meant to visit Paris and to retur7t to 
 London before my father arrived from America," 
 may convey suggestively the thought intended, but 
 does not express it. 
 
 have seen, seen, saw: In combining words that 
 denote time always observe the order and fitness of 
 time. Do not say " I have seen him last month ; say, 
 rather, '' I saw him last 7? onth.'' Nor say, " I seen 
 him this week " — a common error in grammar among 
 the careless ; say, rather, " I have seen him this week,''^ 
 a form that should be used also, instead of " I saii) 
 him this week.'*^ 
 
 he, she, her, him, etc. : Pronouns often used incor- 
 rectly; inexcusable errors in the educated, which are 
 illustrated by such expressions as " If I were him (or 
 her), I would," etc. It should be " If I were he (or 
 ^he), I would," etc. 
 
 healthful, healthy : Discriminate carefully between 
 these words. A healthful thing is one efiicacious in 
 promoting or causing health ; healthy denotes condi- 
 tion or characteristics ; as " a healthy child '* ; "a 
 healthful climate." 
 
 heap : A word sometimes used to designate a 
 "large number." A hea^ is " a collection of things 
 
 106
 
 Errors in English have 
 
 heir 
 piled up so as to form an elevation " ; any other 
 application of the word is colloquial. 
 
 hearty : As applied to the appetite is so common 
 at this day that it seems perhaps hypercritical to 
 object to it ; and the dictionaries of course give the 
 sense, for it is the lexicographer's duty to record the 
 language as it exists not as it ought to exist. That 
 is hearty which proceeds from the heart ; to extend 
 the sentiment to the appetite, or to a meal, or to its 
 eater, as is done by common usage, seems taking a 
 liberty with the word, and applying a fine and ex- 
 pressive term to a comparatively unworthy object. 
 
 heir : Pronounce without aspirating the h. Dis- 
 tinguish bet^veen heir apparent and heir presumptive. 
 The former is " one who must by course of law be- 
 come the heir if he survive his ancestor " ; the latter, 
 "one Vv'hose present legal expectation of becoming 
 heir may be defeated by the birth of a person in near 
 degree of relationship." Thus, a man may to-day be 
 heir pe7'sii7nptive to his bachelor brother who by mar- 
 riage may in a year's time become the father of a 
 son, who will then become heir apparent ; and by this 
 circumstance the claims of the former heir presump- 
 tive are quashed. 
 
 The Standard Dictionary says : " Heir is often 
 colloquially applied to one who receives or is to re- 
 ceive a property by will. In legal terminology such 
 a person is a devisee or legatee, not an heir.''^ As 
 
 107
 
 help A Desk-Book of 
 
 holy 
 
 an Jieir does not exist till death either by will o\ 
 operation of law, it is only by impropriet}^ of speech 
 that one talks of the heirs of the living. 
 
 help has the meaning of " assist " ; it has also the 
 somewhat opposed meaning of '' prevent, hinder, or 
 refrain from." This veiled negative makes the cor- 
 rect application of the word difficult. Take, for ex- 
 ample, the sentence " Make no more noise than you 
 can help'' I can not h^lp doing a thing is I can not 
 refrain from doing it : that is, I can not not do it, 
 which means I must do it. The correct form of the 
 sentence just given is shown by filling in the ellipsis, 
 whence it appears that 7iot should also be supplied : 
 " Make no more noise than (such as) you can {jiot) 
 help (making)." Help includes aid, but aid may fall 
 short of the meaning of help. 
 
 hence, thence, whence: As in meaning these words 
 embrace from it is pleonastic to precede them by 
 the word thus implied. Do not say, " go from 
 hence," " from thence he went to Rome," " from 
 whence did you come." Fro}}i is redundant in all 
 these sentences. 
 
 hen-party : A vulgar term for a social gathering 
 of ladies. Compare stag-party. 
 
 herd : A term sometimes applied indiscriminately 
 to persons as well as beasts. Herd is correctly 
 used to designate, " a number of animals feeding 
 or herding together ; " when applied to persons the 
 
 308
 
 Errors in English lielp 
 
 ^ holy 
 
 true designation is "a disorderly rabble," or "the 
 
 lower classes," as the vulger herd. 
 
 him and me: It is a vulgar error to use the 
 objective for the nominative. One should not 
 say, "Him and me are going to Bermuda," say, 
 rather, "He and I (or preferably *we') are going 
 to Bermuda." Do not say, "Between yoti and 
 I," but say, "Between you and me," or "Between 
 us." 
 
 hire. Compare lease. 
 
 holocaust: A term sometimes misused owing to a 
 lexicographical error which attributes to the word 
 the meaning of "any great disaster." According to 
 this the Johnstown Flood, the Galveston storm, and 
 the fire in the Paris bazaar all were holocausts, but 
 this is erroneous. Holocaust is derived from the 
 Greek holos, entire, whole, and kaustos, burnt, and 
 its principal meaning is "a sacrificial offering burnt 
 whole or entirely consumed." Figuratively, the term 
 may be applied to destruction by fire, as the burning 
 of the steamer "General Slocum" in the East River, 
 New York, or the great fire in Baltimore, but not to 
 loss as by shipwreck or collision unless attended by 
 fire. 
 
 holy: The word means not only "morally excel- 
 lent" but also "set apart for the service of God" ; 
 and therefore the criticism that "to keep holy the 
 Sabbath day" is a meaningless injunction as every 
 
 109
 
 holy A DesiC-Book of 
 
 however 
 
 day should be kept holy, is without merit. The word is 
 derived from the Anglo Saxon and means " whole " ; 
 and the divine direction as to the Sabbath is, there- 
 fore, simply that the day be observed in its integrity. 
 
 holy mackerel : An inane expression commonly 
 used to denote surprise and one to be avoided by all 
 persons with pretentions to refined diction. 
 
 hoodoo : A colloquialism designating any person 
 regarded as bringing ill luck, as a " Jonah," on ship- 
 board, m allusion to the Bible story of the prophet 
 Jonah. 
 
 horde : This word means " a gathered multitude 
 of human beings ; a troop, gang, or crew ; as the 
 hordes of Cambyses." It is never correctly applied 
 to things. Do not speak of a horde of rubbish. 
 
 horse sense : A colloquial phrase designating 
 " rough common sense " used by W. D. Howells in 
 " Hazard of New Fortunes," vol. i. p. 4. 
 
 how ? should never be used for " What did you 
 
 say ? " Nor in making a request for the repetition 
 
 of any statement not heard clearly or not readily 
 
 understood. Condemned by Oliver Wendell Holmes 
 
 in " A Rhymed Lesson," st. 43. 
 
 " Do put your accents in the proper spot ; 
 Don't— let me beg you— don't say " How? " for *' What ?" 
 
 how is an adverb, but it is sometimes most in- 
 elegantly used as an interjection and very improp- 
 erly used as a conjunction, which it is not. On
 
 Errors in English lioly 
 
 however 
 this subject the Standard Dictionary says, ''HoWy 
 as an adverb, may be used as an interrogative 
 or a relative in any of its senses. In old or vulgar 
 usage it is sometimes nearly equivalent to the con- 
 junction that: either (i) alone, as, he told me how 
 he had been left an orphan ; or (2) in the phrases 
 had that and as how ; as, he told how that he saw it 
 all ; he told me as how I angered him." 
 
 however : As an adverb however has proper and 
 elegant use as, " However wise one may be, there are 
 limits to one's knowledge." But its use for how and 
 ever as, " However could he do it ? " should be 
 avoided as a vulgarism ; while its employment in the 
 sense of "at any rate; at all," as in the example, 
 *'He tried to keep me, but I'm going, however,'' is 
 provincial and archaic. 
 
 As a conjunction it should not be used indiscrimi- 
 nately, as it often is used, for hut or 7iotwithsta7iding, 
 Not " He was sick ; not, hoivever, so seriously as he 
 thought," but " He was sick, hut not so seriously," 
 etc. ; since the relation is sharply adversitive. " And 
 Moses said. Let no man leave of it till the morning. 
 Notufithstanding (not hut) they barkened not unto 
 Moses " ; since the preceding thought is represented 
 as no impediment to the succeeding one. " I have 
 not seen her since our quarrel ; however (not hut^ or 
 notivith standing), I expect to be recalled ever}' hour " ; 
 since the relation is one of concession and simple 
 
 111
 
 hung A Desk-Book of 
 
 m 
 
 transition, however denoting that " in whatever man- 
 ner or degree what precedes is valid, what follows 
 nevertheless stands firm." — Standard Dictionary. 
 
 hung should never be used for hanged. Beef is 
 hung ; a murderer is hanged. Compare hang. 
 
 hunk, tc get : A vulgar phrase for " to get even " 
 or "to retaliate upon." 
 
 hunky or hunky-dory : Slang terms that should 
 not be used for " all right '* ; " safe " ; or " done 
 satisfactorily." 
 
 hurry. Compare hasten. 
 
 I 
 
 I, and me : " They had come to see my sister and 
 /" is a common error. In this sentence " they " 
 stands in the nominative case, and "my sister ai'i 
 /," being the objects of the action of the nominative 
 ** they," should be noun and pronoun in the object- 
 ive case. To be correct the clause should read 
 "my sister and me,^"* *' They have come to see 7ny 
 sister a7id w*?." 
 
 ice-cream, ice-water : Common English idioms 
 sometimes condemned as incorrect. The Standard 
 Dictionary recording usage recognizes the forms 
 ke-cream and ice-water as correct. Inasmuch as iced 
 means " made cold with ice; as iced milk ox iced tea ^^^ 
 it would seem that by analogy the correct phrases 
 should be iced cream, iced water, for one would not 
 
 1.12
 
 Errors in English hung 
 
 iU 
 
 think of asking for ice tea or ice milk, but these idioms 
 are so firmly established that it is doubtful if they 
 will ever be changed. 
 
 idea. Compare opinion. 
 
 ie, ei: The rule governing the use of these letters 
 in spelling is commonly expressed " I before E 
 except after C." Therefore, remember believe is 
 correct, not " beleive "; receive and not " recieve " ; 
 brief, and not " breif " ; reprieve^ not " repreive " ; 
 retrieve, not " retreive.'* 
 
 if, or : Do not say " seldom or ever,'* say, rather, 
 " seldom ^ever," or " seldom or never." 
 
 if. whether : Sometimes if is incorrectly used for 
 whether. It is used correctly when supposition or 
 condition is implied ; whether^ chiefly when an al- 
 ternative is suggested or presented. " If he sends 
 the money I shall then decide whether or not I will 
 go." 
 
 ill : The Standard Dictionary says : The use of 
 ill and sick differs in the two great English-speaking 
 countries. /// is used in both lands alike, but the 
 preferred sense of sick in England is that of " sick 
 at the stomach, nauseated," while in the United 
 States the two words are freely interchangeable. 
 Still Tennyson and other good writers freely use 
 sick in the sense of ///. The tendency of modern 
 usage is to remand ///and Z£/^// (referring to condition 
 of health) to the predicate. We say " A person who 
 
 113
 
 Illusion A Desk-Book of 
 
 indices 
 
 is ///," rather than " An /// person '' ; "I am well^ 
 but not " I am in a well state of health." /// in the 
 abstract sense of bad or wicked is obsolescent, or 
 rather practically obsolete except in poetic or local 
 use. Compare illy.. 
 
 illusion. Compare delusion. 
 
 illy : This word should never be used for /// since 
 ill is both an adverb and an adjective. Say, " He 
 behaved ///" ; not " he behaved ///y." Illy is now 
 obsolescent. 
 
 immerge. Compare emerge. 
 
 immigrant. Compare emigrant. 
 
 imminent. Compare eminent. 
 
 immunity and impunity are sometimes confounded. 
 They are both from the Latin, the former being pro- 
 duced by in^ not, + munuSy service, and the latter by 
 in + pxna^ punishment. Freedom from any burden, 
 or exemption from evil, duty or penalty has perhaps 
 not unnaturally, been associated with freedom from 
 punishment. A boy may insult his brother with im- 
 punity but can not expect to enjoy a Hke immunity 
 from strangers. 
 
 impending. Compare eminent. 
 
 imperative, imperious : Discriminate carefully be- 
 tween these words. That which is imperative may 
 be either mandatory or authoritative ; while that 
 which is imperious may be domineering or overbear- 
 ing. 
 
 114
 
 ILrrors in English illusion 
 
 indicee 
 
 implicate. Compare involve. 
 
 inaugurate : Phelps declare^ that this word in the 
 sense of " introduce " is improper and restricts its 
 meaning to " investiture in office " But lexicog- 
 raphers disregard this distinction and declare that 
 inaugurate may be correctly used to mean also " to 
 set in operation ; to initiate ; to originate ; as to in- 
 augurate reforms." 
 
 " Indeed ! " " Is that so ? " Discriminate carefully 
 between these terms. ''''Indeed''^ expresses surprise. 
 "/f that soV^ like "you don't say?" implies dis- 
 belief and calls for the reiteration of the statement 
 made. As these interrogations are used chiefly to 
 discredit or disconcert the speaker they may be 
 characterized as specimens of -' refined " rudeness. 
 
 indentation, indention : An indentation is a notch 
 in an edge or border ; it is also a dent ; and indefi- 
 tion is a setting of type in such manner as to leave 
 a blank space on the left side of a margin of type- 
 matter as at the beginning of a paragraph. 
 
 The printers' inde7ition is not (as it is often said to 
 be) a shortened form of i?ide?itatiG7i, but an original 
 word from dent (dinf)^ " a denting in, a depression," 
 and hence is the proper word, rather than indentation^ 
 to express the idea. 
 
 indices : A plural form of ifidex^ generally and more 
 properly reserved for use in science and mathematics. 
 In other cases the plural indexes should be used. 
 
 115
 
 indict, A Desk-Book of 
 
 intend 
 
 indict, indite : Although the pronunciation of these 
 w rds is identical their meanings, iu modern practise, 
 differ materially. Both words are from the Latin 
 in + dico^ say. The first means to prefer an indict* 
 ment (or formal written charge of crime) against. 
 The second means *' to put into words in writing " 
 but it does not carry with it, the legal signification of 
 the preceding. 
 
 induction. Compare deduction. 
 
 inferior: In constant and approved use in such 
 expressions as "an mferior Ymxi,-^ "goods oi 2k.n in- 
 ferior sort " ; corresponding to such expressions as 
 " a superior man," " materials of superior quality " — 
 all of which may be regarded as elliptical forms of 
 speech. In reply to Dean Alford's challenge of this 
 usage {jQucen''s English \ 214, p. 82), it is enough to 
 say that life would be too short to admit of all 
 such ellipses, being supplied, even if such supply 
 would not make speech too prolix for common use. 
 
 inform. Compare post. 
 
 ingenious, ingenuous : Words sometimes used 
 erroneously. Jnge?iious characterizes persons pos- 
 sessed of cleverness or ability ; ready, skilful, prompt, 
 or apt to contrive. Ingenuous vci<^2Ci\'s> free from guile ; 
 candid ; open ; frank. 
 
 in, into : Discriminate carefully between these 
 words. J?t denotes position, state, etc. ; into, tend- 
 ency, direction, destination, etc. 
 
 IIG
 
 Errors in English mdict 
 
 intend 
 
 Inkslinger : A vulgar term for a journalist, writer, 
 or literary worker, and as such one to be avoided. 
 
 innumerable means " that cannot be numbered." 
 Therefore, avoid such a locution as "an itmumerable 
 number," as absurd. 
 
 in our midst : An undesirable and ambiguous 
 phrase for "among us " due to the misinterpretation 
 of "in the midst of us," " in the midst of them" 
 {Matt, xviii, 20) but with some literary authority for 
 its use. 
 
 in so far as : In this phrase the word in is redun- 
 dant and meaningless. Do not say, " In so far as I 
 dared, I spoke the truth." Omit the in. 
 
 in spite of : A phrase which some persons declare 
 not synon3anous with ?totwit/istandi?ig, yet the Stani> 
 ARD Dictionary authorizes its use and says, " form- 
 erly in contempt of; now, notwithstanding: used 
 somewhat emphatically." 
 
 intend, mean : The use of inte?id for 7?iean, as in 
 explanatory sentences, is not commonly approved al- 
 though it has the sanction of literary' usage, and is 
 considered correct by lexicographers who in defin- 
 ing the words treat them as interchangeable. When 
 explaining anydiing that has been said it is prefer- 
 able to say, " By this I mean,''' rather than " By this I 
 intend.''^ Do not say " Do you 7?iean to come ? " when 
 you wish to know whether or not the person you 
 address ifite?ids to come. Compare contemplate. 
 
 117
 
 in A Desic-Book of 
 
 it 
 
 in the street, on the street : Distinctions between 
 
 these phrases are invariably wiredrawn. Both forms 
 
 are permissible; the writer's preference, which may 
 
 be modified according to circumstances, is for the 
 
 iirsi. ''His home is in Eighty-seventh street" is 
 
 preferable to "on Eighty-seventh street." One 
 
 should not say "his heme is on Bermuda," but "in 
 
 Bermuda." "He lives at Hamilton, in Queen 
 
 street." Compare on. 
 
 invest : Properly used only of considerable trans- 
 actions, and always v/ith a suggestion of permanent 
 proprietary right. One does not invesf (except in a 
 humorous sense) in a postage-stamp. 
 
 invite: Used in the sense of "invitation" this 
 term, a colloquialism formerly in wide use, is con- 
 demned as illiterate and bordering on vulgarity. 
 
 involve is to be distinguished from implicate. The 
 latter has a suggestion of wrong-doing or crime, 
 whereas the former contains no such implication. 
 
 irritate. Compare aggravate. 
 
 irruption. Compare eruption. 
 
 I seen him: Vulgar and incorrect; say ^^ I have 
 seen him " or " I saw him." 
 
 Is that so? One of a class of vulgar phrases of 
 which other examples are " You don't say " ; " Don't 
 you know " ; " You know " ; " Well I never," com- 
 monly used but all of which should be avoided aJ 
 ill-bred and undesirable locutions. 
 
 118
 
 Errors in English in 
 
 it 
 
 is, are : The correct use of these words depends 
 in a measure on the intention of the writer or speaker. 
 Therefore, the choice of a singular or plural verb 
 in cases where either form would be proper is 
 often influenced by the writer's way of looking 
 at the subject. " The purpose and conception of 
 the scheme is to do good." Now the mistake 
 with this sentence is that either " purpose and con- 
 ception " represent a single idea (in which case 
 they may, in combination, take a singular verb), 
 or they do not (in which case they require a plural 
 verb), and that in the former case, where the 
 nouns express a similarity of sentiment, one of the 
 words is superfluously used. " Jones and Smith is 
 solvent '* : yes, as a firm, though as individuals they 
 are solvent. 
 
 it : Used sometimes in such manner as to violate 
 the principles of grammatical and rhetorical con- 
 struction, as when referring to any one of several 
 words or clauses preceding, or perhaps to some idea 
 merely implied or hinted at in what has gone before, 
 as in the following : " A statute inflicting death may, 
 and ought to be, repealed, if // be in any degree ex- 
 pedient, without its being highly so." In this sen- 
 tence " if // be " should be replaced by " \i stick repeal 
 be,'* and " //j" should be omitted. 
 
 In general, personal and relative pronouns with 
 ambiguous reference to preceding words or clauses 
 
 119
 
 ivories A Desk-Book of 
 
 jollier 
 
 in the sentence are stumbling-blocks of inexperienced 
 
 or careless writers; 
 
 ivories : A slang term used to designate the keys 
 of a piano ; hence, the phrase, tickle the ivories, a 
 coarse way of expressing ability to play the piano. 
 
 J 
 
 jag : Formerly a provincialism for '' a load of 
 hay " ; now a euphemism for '' drunk "; but as such 
 a term to be avoided in polite society. 
 
 jar : Used in the phrase " Doesn't (or wouldn't) 
 it jar you " is an erroneous use of the word jar in 
 vogue among persons addicted to using the vulgar- 
 isms of the street. To jar is "to cause to shake as 
 by a shock or blow ; to jolt " ; nof, to disconcert or 
 discompose. 
 
 jaw should not be used as a synonym for '* mouth " 
 or " talk." Such expressions as " Hold your jaw " ; 
 " Shut your jaw," and " What are you jawing 
 about ? " have no place in the vocabulary of persons 
 of refinement. 
 
 Jew, Hebrew, Israelite : These terms are some- 
 times incorrectly used as synonyms. Hebrew is the 
 ethnological and linguistic name, Israelite the na- 
 tional name, and Jew the popular name of the peo- 
 ple; as, "The Egyptians oppressed the Hehreu^s''' \ 
 "David was the typical king of the Israelites'' ; "The 
 Jerivs ro^olted under the Maccabees." The three 
 
 120
 
 Errors in English ivories 
 
 jollier 
 names have their special application to the people in 
 the premonarchical period {Hebrew), in the monarch 
 ical period {Israelite), and in the period subsequent 
 to the return from the Babylonian captivity {Jew), 
 
 jewels, jewelry: Words, sometimes, but mistakenly, 
 used interchangeably. Jewels forming the stock in 
 trade of a jeweler are termed collectively jewelry, the 
 articles of adornment, as gems and precious stones, 
 worn by a lady are her jewels. 
 
 jiggered, to be : A form of minced oath sometimes 
 used as an equivalent for "to be hanged" ; as, "I' 11 
 be jiggered if I do " : an inelegant form of oath com- 
 mon among Engh'shmen. 
 
 join issue : Not to be confounded with to take issue. 
 To take issue means "to deny" ; to join issue, in 
 strict usage, "to admit the right of denial," but not 
 also "to agree in the truth of the denial." In th*? 
 example "In their career father and son meet, join 
 issue, and pursue their nefarious occupation in con- 
 junction," join issue is improperly used for "agree" 
 or "come to an agreement." To join issue is prop- 
 eriy 'to take opposite sides of a case," etc. 
 
 jollier : A slang term used to designate a person 
 who treats another (from whom he expects a favor, 
 .>r -with whom he desires cordial relations) pleasantly 
 «nd good-humcredly, or in an agreeable w^ay so as to 
 obtain his end. In its English sense a jollier is one 
 given to chaffing and joking at another's expense. 
 
 121
 
 joUy A Desk-Book of 
 
 kindness 
 
 jolly. Compare nice. 
 
 jolly, to : The occupation of a jollier : slang of 
 widespread usage. Compare jollier. 
 
 josh : A vulgarism for ''chaff," "hoax," or "ban- 
 ter," which are more refined terms. 
 
 journal : From the French, properly means daily. 
 Therefore to speak of a "daily journal" is absurd. 
 Say, rather, " daily paper. " Likewise avoid " weekly 
 journal,'' "monthly journal,'' "quarterly journal** 
 which mean weekly daily, monthly daily, quarterly 
 daily, and are forms of expression in popular use as 
 examples of violent catachresis. Say, rather, "daily 
 newspaper," "weekly newspaper," "monthly" or 
 "quarterly magazine" or "review," or simply 
 "monthly" or "quarterly." 
 
 jump at or to : To embrace eagerly, as an offer or 
 opportunity. In this sense never "jump to," but one 
 inay jump to the floor, as from a chair, 
 
 just going to. Compare going. 
 
 K 
 
 kettle of fish, pretty : A colloquial phrase for "a 
 perplexing state of affairs," or "a muddle," both of 
 wLi^h are preferable expressions. 
 
 key, quay : Exercise care in the use of these words* 
 A key is that with which something is opened or dis» 
 closed; also, a small low-lying island; a quay is a 
 wharf or landing place where ships discharge passen- 
 
 122
 
 Errors in English jolly 
 
 kindness 
 gers or cargo. These words are pronounced alike. 
 Compare dock. 
 
 kibosh : A slang term for "humbug." To put the 
 kibosh on, a slang phrase for "to put an end to or 
 stop anything." 
 
 kick is not used instead of "protest" by careful 
 speakers, notwithstanding the fact that George Eliot 
 introduced it into literature (see Silas Marner, ch. iv. 
 p. 52). The term is slang. 
 
 kid: A common \Tjlgarism for *' child " and as such 
 one the use of which can not be too severely con- 
 demned. 
 
 kid on : A vulgarism used in England for ''hum- 
 bug; hoax; or, try to induce one to believe something 
 that is not true: " — no kid, no kidding : Vulgar terms 
 for** without any humbug." Undesirable locutions. 
 
 killing. Compare pertectly. 
 
 kinder : For kind of, pronounced as one word, is 
 merely a low \Tilgarism. The same remark holds 
 of sorter similarly used for *'sort of." See kind 
 
 OF. 
 
 kindness : WTien used in the plural is sometimes 
 objected to on the ground that kindness is an abstract 
 noun. ** He wishes to express gratitude for many kind- 
 nesses.'*' Nothing is commoner than the making of 
 abstract nouns into concrete in this way; " affinities" ; 
 ** charities " ; *'His tender mercies are over all His 
 
 works." Besides, by **many kindnesses^* is meant> 
 
 123
 
 aind A Desk-Book of 
 
 last 
 
 not "much kindness," nor *' great kindness," but 
 "kindness manifested in many forms or shown on 
 many occasions, many acts of kindness." 
 
 kind of is an American provinciaHsm for somewhat 
 and has no Hterar}^ authorization. "I am somewhat 
 tired'' should be substituted for "I am kind of tired." 
 Again, after kind of do not use the indefinite article. 
 "What kind of man" is preferable to "what khid of 
 
 a man." 
 
 kind of, sort of : Indefinite phrases used by some 
 lexicographers to introduce definitions; as "a kind of 
 bird" ; "a sort of box." If the subject treated be a 
 bird of some species or a box of a specific make it is 
 best usage to describe first what it is and then to 
 follow with the characteristics; as, "a bird of the 
 swallow family," " a cage-like box," etc. 
 
 king-pin is not a desirable substitute for "chief 
 man" or "person in charge." As a colloquialism it 
 should be avoided. 
 
 kinsman. Compare relation. 
 
 knife, to : This term should not be used as a sub- 
 stitute for " stab " or " defeat. " Although widely used 
 by politicians in the United States the term has no 
 justification outside of ward politics. 
 
 knock, to : Slang for " to harass or find fault with 
 continually; " a similar and more recent word used 
 also in this sense is hammer. Both should be 
 
 avoided. 
 
 124
 
 Errors in English kind 
 
 last 
 
 L 
 
 lady : The use of this word as "a mere distinction 
 of sex is a sheer vulgarism." Never say "A man and 
 his lady,'' but "a man and his wife," or preferably, 
 by name, "Mr. and Airs. John Smith." Where wo- 
 man, as indicative of sex, is intended, say woman — 
 not lady or female. A female is equally female, 
 whether person or beast. In the United States 
 "woman" is preferable; in England "lady" is used 
 chiefly when the term is not preceded by a qualifying 
 adjective. The word woman best expresses the rela- 
 tion of the female sex to the human race. Some ill- 
 informed persons use lady for womayi under the mis- 
 taken idea that woman is a derogatory term; such use 
 is downright \ailgarity. As one never hears sales- 
 gentieman but salesman, therefore saleslady should 
 be avoided ; say, rather, saleswoman. 
 
 lambaste is slang and as such should not be used 
 as a substitute for "flog," "whip," or beat." 
 
 lassitudinous is not a desirable substitute for "lan- 
 guid" or "weary." 
 
 last, latter : The first of these words is not properly 
 used of only two, since it is a superlative; the second, 
 not properly of more than two, since it is a compara- 
 tive. Notwithstanding the fact that the use of last for 
 latter and of latter for last has had wide sanction, the 
 present tendency is toward strict construction. 
 
 125
 
 last A Desk-Book of 
 
 least 
 last two. Compare first and two first. 
 lay, lie : In discriminating the uses of these words 
 the Standard Dictionary says: Lay, vt.^ "to put 
 down," "to cause to lie down," is a causal derivative 
 of lie, vi., "to rest." The principal parts of the two 
 verbs are : 
 
 Present. Imperfect. Past Participle. 
 
 lay, vt. laid laid 
 
 lie, vi. lay lain 
 
 The identity of the present tense of lay, vt., with the 
 imperfect tense of lie, vi., has led to the frequent con- 
 founding of the two in their literary usage. Lay (in 
 the present tense) being transitive, is always followed 
 by an object; lie, being intransitive, never has an ob- 
 ject. Lay, in "I lay upon thee no other burden," is 
 the present tense oilay, vt., having as its object burden; 
 in "I lay under the sycamore-tree in the cool shade," 
 lay is the imperfect tense of lie, vi., having no object; 
 laid, in "I laid the book on the table," is the imper- 
 fect tense of lay, vt., having as its object hook. The 
 presence or absence of an object, and the character 
 of the verb as transitive or intransitive, may be de- 
 cided by asking the question " Lay [ or laid ] what ? " 
 The past participles of the two verbs (laid and lain) 
 are also frequently confounded. Laid in tense-com- 
 binations is to be followed by a object always; lain, 
 never; as, "He has laid (not lain) the book on the 
 table" ; "He has lain (not laid) long in the grave." 
 
 126
 
 Errors in English last 
 
 least 
 
 The statement in present time, "The soldier lays 
 aside his knapsack and lies down," becomes as 
 a statement of a past act; as, "The soldier laid 
 aside his knapsack and lay down" ; "The hen has 
 laid an tgg'' \ "The egg has lain (too long) in the 
 nest." 
 
 In poetic phraseology especially, the transitive lay 
 (in all its tenses) is used reflexively as an equivalent 
 of lie, lay, etc., as in the following examples : 
 
 Intransitive. Transitive. 
 
 Pres. I lie down = I lay me dowm. 
 
 hnp. I lay down =^ I laid me (myself) down. 
 
 Fut. I will lie down = I will lay me (myself) 
 
 down. 
 Pltip. I had lain down = I had laid me (myself) 
 
 do^Ti. 
 
 learn, teach : Once learn was good English for 
 teach, and signified both the imparting as well as the 
 acquiring of knowledge. An example of this use may 
 be found in Shakespeare {Romeo and Juliet) and the 
 Book of Common Prayer, but general modern usage 
 restricts learn to the acquiring and teach to the im- 
 parting of knowledge. 
 
 least : Grammatical ^^Titers have reason on their 
 side in objecting to the use of a superlative for a com- 
 parative. "Of two evils choose the less,^' is better 
 than "choose the least.'" A careful speaker will 
 observe this form. See more and most. 
 
 127
 
 leather A Desk-Book of 
 
 liable 
 
 leather as a colloquialism for "thrash" should not 
 be used by persons accustomed to refined diction. 
 
 lease and hire are loosely used interchangeably. 
 An agent says he has property to hire { = for hire) 
 while the tenant says he leases it. Strictly, the for- 
 mer leases and the latter hires. 
 
 leave is used transitively and intransitively, but 
 critics have objected to the latter use on the ground 
 that the verb to leave is not expressive of any occupa- 
 tion — does not, in fact, of itself convey any complete 
 idea. It is true that if you speak you can speak only 
 that which can be spoken, whereas if you leave you 
 may leave home or any one of a thousand things; but 
 as home (business or domestic) may be regarded as 
 the chief of a man's possessions, it has been fancifully 
 treated as being the one all-important subject to which 
 unqualified leaving applies. One certainly may say 
 with propriety "He has just left" ; "We leave to- 
 morrow." Avoid such locutions as "Leave me 
 alone" ; "leave her see it," as illiterate. Use let in- 
 stead of leave. 
 
 left, to get : A slang phrase for "to be left behind; 
 be beaten or outdone." Avoid such a vulgarism as 
 "Did you ever get left? " 
 
 legacy. Compare bequest. 
 
 lend. Compare loan. 
 
 lengthen, lengthy : The verb means to "make oi 
 to grow longer." I<-s participle lengthened no more 
 
 128
 
 Errors In English leather 
 
 liable 
 
 means "long" than heighkned means "high" or 
 strengthened means "strong." It is correct to say 
 "He lengthened the discourse, but it was still too 
 short" ; but not to say "He quoted a lengthened pas- 
 sage from tbe sermon." In the latter illustration 
 lengthy should be used. A sermon is lengthy when 
 "unusually or unduly long" (with a suggestion of 
 tediousness), not when it is sii' ply "long." 
 
 lengthways, sideways, endways : Common but 
 none the less undesirable variants of lefigthwise, side- 
 wise, endii'ise. 
 
 less. Compare few. 
 
 lessen. ComDare reduce. 
 
 let her rip : Farmer, in his "Americanisms Old 
 and New," says, this "most vulgar of vulgarisms" is 
 used to convey the idea of intensity of action. The 
 phrase is coarse and should not be used as a substi- 
 tute for "go ahead." 
 
 level, on the : A \nilgar intensive used to empha- 
 size the fact that the thing stated is stated truthfully, 
 or that the person spoken of is, to the speaker's 
 knowledge, upright and "on the square." Compare 
 
 SQUARE. 
 
 levy, levee : Exercise care in the use of these words. 
 Levy is to impose and collect by force; levee, sl morn- 
 ing reception. 
 
 hable, likely : The first of these words which is 
 properly used as expressive of "having a tendency" 
 
 129
 
 libel A Desk-Book of 
 
 limited 
 
 is improperly used in referring to a contingent event 
 regarded as "very probable." Thus, though one 
 should not say "It is liable to storm," but ^^ likely to 
 do so," one may say, "the building is liable to be 
 blown down by the storm." 
 
 libel, slander : These are not synonymous terms. 
 Libel differs from slander in that the latter is spoken 
 whereas the former is written and published. 
 
 lick : An inelegant term used colloquially as a syn- 
 onym for "effort" ; as, "he put in his best licks. ^* 
 Say, rather, "He put forth his best efforts." 
 
 lid : A slang term for cover, hat, etc., used espe^ 
 cially in the phrases keeping the lid down, sitting on 
 the lid, political colloquialisms for closing up places 
 of business, as pool-rooms, saloons, etc., or keeping a 
 political situation in control. 
 
 lie. Compare lay. 
 
 lightening, lightning : The spelling of these words 
 is sometimes confused. Lightening is to relieve "of 
 weight" ; as, "to lighten a burden" ; lightning is a 
 sudden flash of light due to pressure caused by at- 
 mospheric electricity. The shorter word designates 
 the flash of light. 
 
 like, in the adverbial sense of "in the manner of," 
 
 as, "He speaks like a philosopher," is correctly used, 
 
 but the tendency to treat this word as a conjunction 
 
 (which it is not) in substitution for as is altogether 
 
 wrong. Do not say "Do like I do"; say, rather, 
 
 130
 
 Errors in English libel 
 
 limited 
 ''Do as I do." It is also a colloquialism, not sanc- 
 tioned by good usage, to give the word the significa- 
 tion of as if, as "I felt like my final hour had come" ; 
 and the use of the word as synonymous for some- 
 what is a \ailgarism. Say "He breathed somewhat 
 heavily" — not " hea\y /i^e. " When like is followed 
 by an objective case, as "Be brave like him," the 
 preposition unto must be supplied by ellipsis. For 
 this reason as for the fact that like here has the force 
 of a conjunction, introducing the implied phrase "he 
 is brave," it is better to say "Be brave as he is." 
 
 like, love : Discriminate carefully between these 
 words, which are often erroneously used interchange- 
 ably. A woman may love her children and like 
 fruit, but not like her children and love fruit, 
 
 likewise. Compare also. 
 
 limb, leg: There exists an affected or prudish use of 
 the word limb instead of leg, when the leg is meant, 
 which can not be too severely censured. Such 
 squeamishness is absurd. 
 
 limit, the : A \'ulgarism designating the extreme 
 of any condition or situation : used indiscriminately 
 of persons or conditions. 
 
 limited : Often erroneously used for small, scant, 
 slight, and other words of Hke meaning; as, "He had 
 a limited (slight) acquaintance with Milton" ; ''Sold 
 at the limited (low or reduced) price of one dollar" ; 
 "His pecuniary means were likely to remain quite 
 
 131
 
 lineament A Desk-Book of 
 
 lovelily 
 
 limited" — admissible if suggesting the reverse of un- 
 limited wealth, otherwise small or narrow. 
 
 lineament, liniment: The lineament is the outline 
 or contour of a body or figure, especially the face. 
 Liniment is a medicated liquid, sometimes oily, which 
 is applied to the skin by rubbing as for the relief of 
 pain. Exercise care in spelling these words. 
 
 lip: A very vulgar substitute for "impudence." 
 
 lit in the sense of lighted is not used by careful 
 speakers. Do not say "Who lit (but 'who lighted') 
 the gas?" 
 
 lit on: A common error for "come across," "met 
 with," which should be discountenanced. Do not 
 say "I lit on the quotation by accident" ; say, rather, 
 "I came across the quotation." Nor "I lit on him 
 at the fair." One does not light on people whom 
 one meets. 
 
 little. Compare few. 
 
 loan, lend: One may raise (put an end to) a loan 
 by paying both principal and interest, and another 
 may lend money to do so. The use of loan as a verb, 
 meaning, "to grant the loan of or lend, as ships, 
 money, linen, provisions, etc.," dates from the year 
 1200 and is accepted as good English. Some purists, 
 however, characterize it colloquial. 
 
 lobster: A slang term used originally to designate 
 a British soldier, probably, in the phrase boiled lob- 
 ster, from his red coat : now applied indiscriminately 
 
 132
 
 Errors in English lineament 
 
 lovelily 
 to gullible persons, perhaps on account of the reputed 
 gullibility of the British soldier. 
 
 lonely, solitary : These two words must not be con- 
 founded, for their meaning is not exactly the same, al- 
 though the Latin solitarius is derived from solus, alone. 
 Solitary indicates no more than absence of life or so- 
 ciety ; lonely suggests the idea of being forsaken or 
 isolated. A solitary person is not of necessity lonely, 
 even though he take a solitary walk in a lonely place. 
 A man is not lonely if he is good company to himself. 
 
 look : In the intransitive sense of "seem," this verb 
 should be followed by an adjective, not an adverb. 
 Thus, "he looks kind (not kindly)." It is otherwise 
 in the sense of "exercising the sense of sight." Here 
 the adverb is used to the exclusion of the adjective. 
 "He looks kindly (not kind) upon the fallen foe." 
 Actions are qualified by adverbs, but adjectives qual- 
 ify what one is or seems to be. 
 
 lot or lots : A slipshod colloquialism for "great 
 many" ; as, "We sold a lot of tickets" ; "'He has lots 
 of friends" ; to be avoided, as are all other vague, ill- 
 assigned expressions, as tending to indistinctness of 
 thought and debasement of language. Compare 
 
 HEAP. 
 
 love. Compare like. 
 
 lovelily : To the general exclusion of this word, 
 
 lovely is now made to do duty both as adverb and 
 
 adjective. 
 
 133
 
 lovely A Desk-Book of 
 
 marine 
 
 lovely : A valuable word in proper use, as applied 
 to that which is adapted and worthy to win affection; 
 but as a colloquialism improperly appHed indiscrim- 
 inately to every form of agreeable feeling or quality. 
 A bonnet is lovely^ so is a house, a statue, a friend, a 
 poem, a bouquet, a poodle, a visit; and it is even said 
 after an entertainment, "The refreshments were 
 lovely 1 " — all examples of careless diction. 
 
 low-priced : Often confounded with cheap. A 
 thing is cheap when its price is low compared with its 
 intrinsic worth, it is low-priced when but little is paid 
 or asked for it. A low-priced article may be dear; a 
 cheap article may not be low-priced; as, " One horse 
 was low-priced (he paid only $50 for it), and it was 
 dear at that price; the other cost him $500, but was 
 cheap at that price." 
 
 lurid should not be used for brilliant. Lurid 
 means ''giving a ghastly, or dull-red light, as of flames 
 mingled with smoke, or reflecting or made visible by 
 such hght. '* 
 
 luxuriant, luxurious : These words are not iden- 
 tical in sense. The former signifies growth, as " hair 
 of luxuriant growth" ; the latter implies luxury, as 
 ^^ luxurious ease." 
 
 *' But grace abused brings forth the fondest deeds, 
 As richest soil the most luxuriant weeds." 
 
 ** And send the sentinel before your gate 
 A sUce or two from your luxurious meals." 
 
 134
 
 Errors in English lovely 
 
 marine 
 
 M 
 
 mad : Used for "angry" by the careless or the in- 
 different. A colloquialism not in vogue among per- 
 sons who use refined diction. Mad may, however, be 
 used correctly to designate a condition of overmaster- 
 ing emotion, intense excitement, or infatuation due to 
 grief, terror, or jealousy; as inad with grief; mad with 
 terror. Formerly used correctly as a synonym for 
 "angrv" it is now used only colloquially in this sense. 
 Mad, in the present day, denotes a species of insanity. 
 
 main guy: A vulgar phrase derived from circus cant 
 in which it designates the chief guy-rope as of a tent. 
 It is commonly used to designate the manager of an es- 
 tablishment, or the person in charge of an undertaking. 
 
 make : Often used incorrectly for " earn. " Do not 
 say ''How much does he make a week? " Say, 
 rather, "How much does he earn a week? " 
 
 man. Compare gent. 
 
 manifest. Compare apparent. 
 
 manner born, to the : A phrase often incorrectly 
 WTitten to the manor from a faulty knowledge of its 
 meaning — familiar with something from birth, or born 
 to the use or manner of the thing or subject referred to. 
 
 marine, maritime, naval, nautical : There are dis- 
 tinctions among these words. Marine and maritime y 
 ivom the Latin mare, the sea, signify belonging to the 
 sea; naval, from the Latin navis, a ship, signifies be- 
 
 135
 
 marry A Desk-Book ot 
 
 merely 
 
 longing to a ship; nautical^ from the Latin natita^ a 
 
 sailor, signifies belonging to a sailor or to the sailor's 
 
 pursuit, navigation. A maritime nation must be well 
 
 suppHed with marine stores, must have alargewaz;a/ 
 
 force and be skilled in matters nautical. 
 
 marry: Now used correctly of both acceptance in 
 marriage and union in matrimony : formerly con- 
 demned as incorrect. 
 
 masses : The tjmsses, in the sense of the common 
 
 people, the great body of the people, exclusive of the 
 wealthy or privileged, has so entered into popular 
 speech that the expression is now beyond criticism, 
 although exception has been taken to it, on the ground 
 that the subject of the mass should be specifically 
 named. The masses of what ? 
 
 matinee from the French matin, morning, is strictly 
 a morning reception; and to talk of an '' afternoon 
 m^titiee" is therefore, if not a solecism, a contradic- 
 tion in terms. Still nowadays the word is used to 
 mean an afternoon rather than a morning reception, or 
 entertainment. 
 
 me : ''It is /," never "It is me." And so with all 
 personal pronouns following the verb to be and in ap- 
 position with its subject. The same form of error is 
 constantly made in such phrases as "She is better 
 looking than we," where, if the elliptical verb were 
 supplied, the correct construction would readily be 
 seen to be "She is better looking than / (am)." 
 
 136
 
 Errors in English marry 
 
 merely 
 
 mean : A word often erroneously used. Its generic 
 meaning is "common" and therefrom it has been ac- 
 cepted as meaning " of humble origin, of low rank or 
 quality, of inferior character or grade" and is used in 
 England as a synonym for "miserly in expenditure, 
 stingy. " In the United States it is commonly misused 
 as a substitute for "ill-tempered; disagreeable." 
 
 mean. Compare intend. 
 
 means : As yneans or some means covers ''any 
 means," it is pleonastic to write "iy some means or 
 another.''^ For the same reason some means or other 
 may be condemned; its only excuse is that "other" 
 refers not to "means" but quahfies the word " proce- 
 dure " (understood). If this form of speech is desired, 
 the correct utterance would be one mean or another. 
 
 memoranda should never be used as a singular. It 
 is the plural of memorandum and the distinction should 
 always be observed in speech or \\Titing. 
 
 me or my going : Erroneous combinations some- 
 times used by persons careless with their diction. Dc 
 not say "Instead of 7ne (or 7ny) going to London I 
 went to Bermuda" ; say, rather, "Instead of going 
 . . ." Here "me" and "my" are redundant. 
 
 merely : Sometimes misused for simply. Merely 
 implies no addition; simply, no admixture or com- 
 Dlication; e.g., "The boys were there merely as spec- 
 tators; it is simply incredible that they should have 
 so disgraced themselves" ; "It is simply water." 
 
 137
 
 midst A Desk-Book of 
 
 monetary 
 
 midst : The Standard Dictionary has the follow- 
 ing : "In our, your, or their midst^ in the midst of us, 
 you, or them : a form pronounced analogically irre- 
 proachable by Fitzedward Hall, in Modern English^ 
 p. 50, but objected to by some authorities." Dr. 
 William Mathews is one of these. In his work on 
 "Words : their Use and Abuse," he asks "Would any 
 one say *In our middle? ' . . . The possessive 
 pronoun can properly be used only to indicate posses- 
 sion or appurtenance." 
 
 mighty used as a synonym for very, exceedingly, or 
 extraordinarily is colloquial but borders on the vulgar. 
 *^ Mighty fine," "A mighty shame," ^^ Mighty doubt- 
 ful" are phrases to be avoided. 
 
 misspell : Do not write this word mispell. Its 
 component parts are mis + spell, and it retains the 
 double s, 
 
 mistakable : Although formerly correctly mistake- 
 able this word does not now retain the "e" after the 
 "k" — an evidence of speUing reform along lines of 
 least resistance due probably to phonology. 
 
 mistaken : Originally mistake meant "to take 
 amiss, misconceive, or misunderstand," and on this 
 account some persons claim that yoii are mistaken 
 means "you are misunderstood" ; and that when 
 this observation is made it expresses precisely the re- 
 verse of the meaning that the speaker desires to con- 
 vey. According to them to tell a man he is mistaken^ 
 
 138
 
 Errors in English midst 
 
 monetary 
 that is, misunderstood, is a very different thing from 
 telling him that he mistakes or personally misunder- 
 stands. 
 
 The Standard Dictionary treating this word says: 
 The anomalous use of mistaken has naturally attracted 
 the attention of speech-reformers; we ought to mean, 
 "You are misapprehended or misunderstood," they 
 tell us, when we say "You are mistaken, ^^ and if we 
 mean "You are in error," we ought to say so. But 
 suppose the alleged misuse of mistaken gives rise to 
 no misunderstanding whatever — that everybody, high 
 or low, throughout the English-speaking world, knows 
 what is meant when one says "You are mistaken^^ — 
 in that case, to let alone seems to be wisdom. The 
 corruption, if it be one, has the sanction not only of 
 universal employment, but of antiquity. 
 
 mitten : An obsolete substitute for glove now re- 
 vived as a colloquialism in the phrase to get the mit- 
 ten, that is "to get the glove with the hand with- 
 drawn : said of a rejected suitor for a lady's hand. " 
 An allied phrase is to give the mitten to. None of 
 these is used in polite society. 
 
 moment, minute : These words are not exactly 
 synonymous. A moment is an infinitesimal part of 
 time; as, "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye" 
 (I Cor. XV. 52). A minute is the sixtieth part of an 
 hour. One does not take a minute to wink the eye. 
 
 monetary. Compare financial. 
 
 139
 
 moneys A Desk-Book of 
 
 most 
 
 moneys, not monies, although often so (improperly) 
 spelt. The rule is clear. Words ending in y neces- 
 sarily have as their penultimate letter either a vowel 
 or a consonant. If a vowel the plural is formed by 
 adding s; if a consonant by changing the y into ies. 
 Thus, hoy^ hoys; baby, babies. 
 
 money to burn : A slang phrase used to denote pos- 
 session of ample means. 
 
 more : Superlatives are often used, though im- 
 properly in a comparison of two. "He is the more 
 promising pupil of the tw^o " — not most. Certain 
 scrupulously careful writers, as Augustine Birrell, will 
 even write "the m,ore part," instead of the customary 
 "the most part " ; and this usage, though possibly 
 pedantic, is in other respects to be commended. 
 
 more strictly correct : A pleonasm. A correct 
 statement may for the sake of emphasis be qualified 
 as strictly correct. If "more strictly correct" is good 
 grammar then "most strictly correct" would be also. 
 Both sentences are erroneous. 
 
 more than probable : That which is probable is 
 likely to happen, but that which is more than prob- 
 able is almost sure to happen. To object to "more 
 than probable," as some persons do, one would have 
 to show that " probable" was absolute and incapable 
 of degrees of comparison, whence of course it is a 
 matter of common observation that some things are 
 highly probable, wnile others are barely so. That a 
 
 140
 
 Errors in English moneys 
 
 most 
 lover of truth will speak the truth is highly probable, 
 whereas that a confirmed liar will do so is so little 
 probable that the probabilities are on the other side. 
 
 'most : Often used colloquially but incorrectly for 
 "almost" ; an inexcusable and unwarranted abbre- 
 viation. Do not say *'my work is most done " ; say 
 rather, ". . . is almost done." Most is used oc- 
 casionally and correctly for "very" — a use that some 
 ^Titers condemn as incorrect but which is sanctioned 
 by Hterar}' usage. Shakespeare says : " So, Sir, heart- 
 ily well met, and ftwst glad of your company." — Cor- 
 iolanus, iv. 3. 
 
 most is well used as a superlative. Most per- 
 fect, thorough, intense, complete, extraordinary, are 
 in common use and have the support of literary 
 
 usage. 
 
 Frederic Johnston says : "Concerning the phrase 
 'most perfect' some question might be raised. 'Per- 
 fect' means, literally, 'made through, to the end,' 
 'utterly finished,' therefore, of supreme excellence. 
 In that case, 'more' and 'most' perfect are meaning- 
 less. We are to remember, however, that the literal 
 is not alwavs the true m^eaning of a word. Thus 
 'melancholy' does not mean full of 'black bile,' but 
 'gloomy' for any reason. ^Moreover, it has of late 
 been pointed out by the best authorities that the true 
 sense of a word is not what it ought to mean, but what 
 it does mean, in the mouths and ears of the upper half 
 of the people. And there can be little doubt that 
 'perfect,' in this case, merely exoresses great rather 
 
 141 '
 
 'most A Desk-Book of 
 
 mutual 
 
 than supreme excellence. We may even sav, further, 
 that the word in its original sense could not be used 
 without a^ qualifying word (as ' nearly perfect ' for 
 example) in a world in which nothing 'is utterly free 
 from defect. To go about saying that things are 
 nearly perfect' would be gross pedantry." 
 
 For the sanction of literary usage see the quotations: 
 " It would be strange, doubtless, to cfill this the 
 best of Burns's writings : we mean to say, only, that 
 it seems to us the most perfect of its kind as a 
 piece of poetical composition strictly so called." 
 — Carlyle, Essay on Biirjis^ referring to his poem 
 " The Jolly Beggars." 
 
 *' Our battle is more full of names than yours, 
 Our men more perfect in the use of arms." 
 
 — Shakespeare, 2 Hen. IV. iv. i. 
 ''' Most perfect goodness." — Cymbelinel. 7. 
 
 mought : Although recorded by the dictionaries as 
 the imperfect of "may" and often used for might, the 
 use is one which does sufficient violence to euphony 
 to be characterized as undesirable. 
 
 muchly : Although formerly in vogue is now obsolete 
 and stigmatized as slang, an^i as such to be avoided. 
 
 mug ; A vulgar characterization for the human face, 
 
 murderous should not be used for ''dangerous" 01 
 ** deadly." 
 
 music. See chin. 
 
 Mussulman : The plural of this word is formed by 
 adding 5 — Mussulmans not Mussulwew. Here the 
 word ''man" is no component part of Mussulman 
 
 143
 
 Errors in English 'most 
 
 mutual 
 
 mutual, common : These words are often con- 
 founded and have been so by writers of correct Eng- 
 lish. Mutual implies interchange; common belonging 
 to more than two persons. Before the middle of the 
 eighteenth century ymutual had two meanings: "joint" 
 or "common," and "reciprocal." When Dr. Samuel 
 Johnson published his great dictionary he gave it but 
 one meaning, that of reciprocal^ and, his authority as 
 a scholar having gro^^m so great, this meaning became 
 considered the onlv one which might be correctlv given 
 to the word. ^'Mutual,'' says Crabb, "supposes a 
 sameness in condition at the same time; reciprocal 
 supposes an alternation or succession of returns." 
 Thus we properly speak of "our common country, 
 mutual affection, reciprocal obligations." While mu- 
 tual applies to the acts and opinions of persons, and 
 therefore to what is personal, it is not applicable to 
 persons. Macaulay condemned the phrase ^^ mutual 
 friend" as a low xoilgarism. A ^^ common friend" is 
 certainly more accurate but unfortunately carries with 
 it the disagreeable idea of inferiority, and probably 
 for this reason is seldom or never used. There is 
 authority of such prolific ^^Titers as Scott and Dickens 
 for '^mutual friend," but the rapidity with which they 
 \^TOte their books may suggest that they paid little heed 
 to such refinements of language as did Macaulay 
 Yet centuries of English literature authorize the em- 
 ployment of mutual in the sense of joint or common, 
 
 143
 
 my A Desk-Book of 
 
 neither 
 
 On the other hand, the very strong disapproval with 
 which this and like uses of mutual are regarded by 
 many writers of good taste may not unreasonably be 
 considered as sufficient ground for avoiding mutual 
 friend and kindred expressions. '' Mutual friends/* 
 says Phelps, "would not be accurate" meaning that 
 two persons are friends each to the other. 
 
 my. Compare me. 
 
 myself : An emphatic pronoun sometimes misused 
 for "I" or "me" ; as, "The property was willed to 
 my wafe and myself. ^^ For "myself" substitute "to 
 me" and the sentence is correct. "Myself" is U3ed 
 correctly with a reflexive verb, that is, one whose ob- 
 ject, expressed or implied, denotes the same person 
 or thing as the subject; e. g., "I will control 77iyselfP 
 
 N 
 
 nasty : This word should not be applied to that 
 which is merely "disagreeable," as nasty weather, for 
 strong terms should not be robbed of their significance 
 by being applied to conditions which could only 
 be referred to in such terms by exaggeration. A 
 pigsty is properly termed nasty, as there filth finds its 
 habitat, and an obscene book is n isty as morally foul. 
 
 naught. Compare ought under aught. 
 
 need, needs : As an adverb need is now obsolete; 
 
 needs means "necessarily." Do not say "as need he 
 
 must," say, rather, "as needs he must." 
 
 144
 
 Errors in English my 
 
 neither 
 
 neglect, negligence : The meanings of these words 
 are sometimes confused. Neglect is the act of failing 
 to perform something, as a duty or task, to leave un- 
 done; negligence is the habitual omission of that which 
 should be done. Negligence is a trait of character 
 while neglect may result from preoccupation. Fernald 
 in "Synonyms, Antonyms, and Prepositions," says: 
 ^^ Neglect is transitive, negligence is intransitive; we 
 speak of neglect of his books, friends, or duties, in 
 which case we could not use negligence." 
 
 negociate, negotiate : The first, now obsolete, was 
 the spelling formerly in vogue; the second is the cor- 
 rect spelling of to-day. 
 
 neither, either : For "none" and "any one, "is not 
 the best usage; "That he [Shakespeare] ^Tote the 
 plays which bear his name we know; but . . . 
 we do not know the years ... in which either 
 (correctly, any one) of them was first performed" ; 
 "Peasant, yeoman, artisan, tradesman, and gentle- 
 man could then be distinguished from one anothei 
 almost as far as they could be seen. Except lu 
 cases of unusual audacity, neither (correctly, no 
 one, or 7ione) presumed to wear the dress of his 
 betters." 
 
 neither, nor : In considering these words the 
 Standard Dictionary says : "' As disjunctive correl- 
 atives, each accompanied by a singular nominative, 
 
 often incorrectly followed by a plural verb form; as, 
 
 145
 
 > n 
 
 nerve A Desk-Book of 
 
 nightly 
 
 'neither he nor I were (correctly was) there. 
 Neither, that is, 7tot either, means not the one nor the 
 other of two. '' Through dihgence he attained a posi- 
 tion which he jieither aspired to nor coveted" — the 
 proper correlative to use here is nor. 
 
 nerve : A slang term sometimes used as a substi- 
 tute for "impudence," "over-assurance" or "inde- 
 pendence," any one of which is preferable. 
 
 never, not : While literary authority sanctions the 
 use of never for not in cases where a lapse of consid- 
 erable time is thought of, as, " I shall be there — never 
 fear" (for do not fear now, or at any time in the in- 
 terim, that I shall disappoint you), it does not justify 
 its use in a sentence where the time referred to is mo- 
 mentary or short. The emphatic use of this adverb 
 in the sense of not a single one, not at all, is perfectly 
 good, as instanced by Coleridge — " And never a saint 
 took pity on my soul in agony." But the usage will 
 not sanction an extension to things which, from their 
 very nature, could take place — as, say, death — but 
 once. Thus, do not say "Robert Fulton never in- 
 vented the steamboat" ; say, rather, "Robert Fulton 
 did not invent the steamboat." "Paul Jones was 
 never born in the United States" is incorrect. Say 
 ". . . was not born in the United States." Do 
 not say "I met him to-day but he never mentioned 
 the subject." Say, rather "... but he did not 
 
 mention the subject." 
 
 146
 
 Errors in English nerve 
 
 ^ nightly 
 
 never so : Often misused for ever so from which it 
 should be carefully discriminated. Never so means 
 " to an extent or degree beyond the actual or conceiv- 
 able; no matter how." In common use ever so^ 
 meaning no more than "very" or "exceedingly," is 
 often confounded with and used for nei>er so. 
 
 never mean : A common slip of the tongue in such 
 phrases as "I never mean to" which is frequently 
 used when "I 7nean never to" is intended. Compare 
 
 don't. 
 
 nibs : A ^oilgar title given usually satirically, to a 
 person in authority; as "His nihs sailed to-day" : a 
 term to avoid. 
 
 nice : This word has undergone a peculiar trans- 
 formation in sense. Derived from the Latin nescius^ 
 ignorant, and originally meaning "ignorant, silly 
 weak," it has now come to signify "characterized by 
 discrimination and judgment, acute, discerning ; as, 
 a nice criticism." The word has, however, also been 
 used colloquially in the sense of "pleasing, jolly, or 
 sociaUy agreeable; as, a nice girl," and the use has 
 been condemned but is too well established to be 
 abandoned. 
 
 nicely as a colloquialism for "very well" — as "He 
 is doing nicely ^^ — should be avoided. 
 
 nifty : A voiigarism for "stylish." 
 
 nightly, nocturnal : These words do not have the 
 
 same signification. The one means night by night, 
 
 147
 
 no A Desk- Book of 
 
 none 
 
 the other happening at night. A man has nightly 
 sleep in which he suffers from nocturnal dreams. 
 
 no : According to critics no never properly qualifies 
 a verb, that is, it should never be substituted for 
 **not." But the practise has Hterary sanction. 
 
 no : Often used for "any" by the illiterate. Do 
 not say "We didn't see no flats" ; say, rather, "We 
 did not see any flats." 
 
 nobby : A vulgar synonym for ''having an elegant 
 or flashy appearance; showy; stylish" : haberdash- 
 er's cant. Compare noty. 
 
 nohow : A vulgarism for "in no way" or "by no 
 means." If after a negative, say "in any way," "by 
 any means," "at all." "I don't believe in them 
 nohow^' should be "I don't believe in them in the 
 ^easty^' or "a/ a//." 
 
 nominate : Distinguish from "denominate," which 
 is now only an obsolete sense of the word. To nom- 
 inate is to designate or specify; as, "Is it so nominated 
 in the bond? " whereas to "denominate" is to give a 
 name or epithet to. Washington was nominated pres- 
 ident, but was denominated "Father of his country." 
 
 nominatives : The coupling of singular and plural. 
 What number, singular or plural, shall the verb take. 
 It couples two sentences — one on either side — the one 
 having a singular nominative and the other a plural. 
 As to which sentence shall be first and which second, 
 there is commonly but little compulsion : it is a mat- 
 
 148
 
 Errors in English no 
 
 none 
 ter of choice. But should this choice affect the verb ? 
 — " The wages of sin is death. " " Death is the wages 
 of sin. " It is merely a matter of taste in forceful dic- 
 tion which nominative shall precede. Yet which is 
 to govern the number of the verb? "What we seek 
 is riches"; "Riches are what we seek" — Probably 
 these two forms of one idea best illustrate the better 
 usage, which appears to be that the verb is dependent 
 upon the nominative which precedes. In explanation 
 of the scriptural phrase, it may be stated that although 
 the prevaiKng rule with the translators of the Bible 
 appears to have been to use plural verbs when either 
 nominative was plural (that is, in all such cases), stiU 
 * Death," being here that upon which special empha- 
 sis is laid and to which attention is particularly drawn, 
 is permitted to govern the verb. 
 
 no more : Often incorrectly used for "any more." 
 Do not say "I don't want to see you no more'' ; but 
 "I don't want to see you any more,'' or '^ again." 
 
 none : Although etymologically equivalent to not 
 (a single) one this word is commonly used as a singu- 
 lar under a mistaken idea that it can not be used cor- 
 rectly as a plural, but many wTiters of standard ' 
 English have used it as a plural. The Standard 
 Dictionary authorizes the use of the word both as 
 a singular and plural according to the meaning of the 
 context. Where the singular or the plural equall)! 
 expresses the sense, the plural is commonly used an \ 
 
 149
 
 nor A Desk-Book of 
 
 notorious 
 
 is justified by the highest authority. "Did you buy 
 melons? " " There w^r^ wowe in the market. " "Did 
 you bring me a letter? " *' There was none in your 
 box." ^^ None of the three cases have been received" 
 is correct. In illustrating this point the Standard 
 Dictionary gives the following quotation : "Mind 
 says one, soul says another, brain or matter says a 
 third, but none of these are right." And says, "In 
 the preceding quotation the 'are,' altho ungrammati- 
 cal, connects 'right' with any one of the persons 
 named — not with any one of the things named. If is 
 be substituted for ' are, ' * right ' may be as reasonably 
 connected with 'mind,' 'soul,' or 'brain' as with the 
 persons (or classes of persons) spoken of." None 
 used with a plural verb is found repeatedly in such 
 English classics as the works of Bacon and Shakes- 
 peare, as well as in the Authorized Version of the 
 Bible. 
 
 nor, or : Discriminate carefully between these words 
 when using them after no and 7iot, In such a sentence 
 as "He has no cash or credit," the word "credit" is 
 used as an alternative for "cash," and merely, though 
 perhaps redundantly, to amplify the thought. But 
 if one says "He has no cash 7ior credit" the meaning 
 is very different, and implies he is without both, 
 "credit" being here considered as an additional asset. 
 In more involved statements the distinction may be 
 of great importance. "Will or disposition," "power 
 
 150
 
 Errors in English no? 
 
 notorious 
 or faculty," may be but pairs of synonyms. The lo- 
 cution "will nor disposition/' "power nor faculty," 
 distinguishes the two members of a pair as different 
 
 not. Compare never. 
 
 notable ; Discriminate carefully between the differ- 
 ent meanings of this word. A no'tahle event is an 
 event worthy of note; a not'ahle woman is one who 
 exercises care or skill or is prudent as in housewifery. 
 
 noted. Compare notorious. 
 
 nothing like ; Not to be used adverbially for not 
 7iearly. Do not say "He was nothing like as hand- 
 some as his brother," but "He was not nearly so 
 handsome," etc. 
 
 nothing to nobody : An ungrammatical phrase used 
 for "no one's business." Say, rather^ "not anything 
 to any one. " 
 
 not on your life : A \'ulgar phrase for " not by any 
 
 means." 
 
 notorious is so commonly applied to that which is 
 unfavorably kno\Mi to the general public, as a notor- 
 ious crime, just as noted is applied to that which is 
 favorably distinguished, as a noted speech, that it is 
 well not to confound the expressions, but to reser^^e 
 their use for their own several functions. However, 
 the rule is not invariably followed; for the following 
 expression by Spencer, on " Education" is good. " It 
 Is notorious that the mind like the body, can not 
 
 dssimilate beyond a certain rate." 
 
 151
 
 no A Desk-Book of 
 
 of 
 
 no use : Often incorrectly used for "of no use.'* 
 Do not say "It's no use to discuss it with you," say, 
 rather, "It is of no use to discuss it." 
 
 novice. Compare amateur. 
 
 number should not be used with such words as 
 innumerable and numerous, which themselves contain 
 the idea of number (Latin numerus). Say "A counU 
 less number," not "an innumerable number." 
 
 numerous : O^'ten misused for 7nany. Do not say 
 ^^ numerous cattle were in pasture" ; say, rather, 
 **Many cattle were in pasture." 
 
 nutty : Used in the sense "lacking in intelligence," 
 this word is a vulgarism to be avoided. 
 
 o 
 
 obnoxious : Formerly this word meant "liable, 
 amenable, subject," but the meaning is sometimes 
 forgotten in the more recently acquired sense, " odious, 
 hurtful." This difference is beautifully illustrated 
 by a question propounded lo Dean Alford— " Which 
 of these two is right, 'Death is obnoxious to man' or 
 * Men are obnoxious to death? ' ' ' Death, or the idea 
 of death, is certainly distasteful to most men, but, this 
 notwithstanding, all men are subject to death. 
 
 observance : Distinguish from observation. 
 Though the act of observing is signified by both, it 
 is, as regards observance, in the sense of holding sa- 
 cred, whereas, so far as observation is concerned if
 
 Errors in English no 
 
 of 
 is in the sense of making examination or careful note. 
 Thus there is an ohseruance of the law, but an obser- 
 vation of the works of nature. 
 
 occupancy, occupation : The word occupancy dif- 
 fers only slightly from occupation in meaning. The 
 first refers rather to the state or fact of possession, 
 while the second carries with it an idea of the rights 
 or results of such occupancy. The right or legal fact 
 of occupancy entitles a person to occupation at will. 
 One may speak of the occupancy of a domain and the 
 occupation., not occupancy, of a region by troops. 
 
 occur, take place : These terms are not always 
 synonymous. Occurrences are due to chance or acci- 
 dent but things take place by arrangement. Compare 
 
 TRANSPIRE. 
 
 of : That the force of this word is not fully under- 
 stood is proved by the fact that many ministers choose 
 to omit it from the title of Scriptural books. Dean 
 Alford in referring to the habit of announcing " The 
 Book Genesis" instead of "The Book of Genesis," 
 says, " This simply betrays the ignorance of the mean- 
 ing of the preposition of. It is used to denote author- 
 ship, as the Book oj Daniel; to denote subject matter, 
 as the first Book oj Kings; and as a note of apposi- 
 tion signifying which is called, as the Book oj Gene- 
 sis. . . . The pedant, who ignores oj in the read- 
 ing-desk must however, to be consistent, omit it else- 
 where : I left the city London, and passed through 
 
 153
 
 of A Desk-Book of 
 
 only 
 
 County Kent, leaving realm England at town Dover. " 
 Of is also frequently misused for jrom. Nothing but 
 custom can justify the common form of receipt, " Re- 
 ceived of . . ." 
 
 of any : Sometimes used incorrectly for of all; as, 
 "This is the finest of any I have seen; say, rather, 
 ''finer than any other, ^^ or "finest of all.^^ 
 
 off of : The preposition off, when noting origin and 
 used in the sense of from is frequently followed most 
 ungrammatically by of. No well educated person 
 would say "I got these eggs off of Farmer Jones," 
 nor would they "buy a steak off of the butcher " but 
 "of" or "from" him. Off should not be used of a 
 person, where froryi would suffice. You take a book 
 from, not off, your friend; who may take it off a shelf. 
 You do not even, in correct speech, take a contagious 
 disease off him, as though it were something visible 
 and tangible, and were bodily removed from his per- 
 son. 
 
 official : A term sometimes used incorrectly for 
 officer. An official is one holding public office or 
 performing duties of a public nature; usually he is a 
 subordinate officer; an officer is one who holds an 
 office by election or appointment, esr,ecially a civil office, 
 as under a government, municipality, or the like. 
 
 of the name of. Compare by the name of. 
 
 older, oldest : These terms are, according to best 
 
 usage, applied only to persons belonging to different 
 
 154
 
 Errors In English of 
 
 only 
 families or to things, as, Lincoln was older than Hay, 
 this book is the oldest in the library. Compare elder, 
 
 ELDEST. 
 
 on is frequently used where in would be preferable. 
 Fitz-Greene Halleck once said to a friend, " Why do 
 people persist in saying on Broadway? Might they 
 not as well say Our Father, who art on Heaven?" 
 
 once in a way (or while) : A colloquialism for " now 
 and then," better expressed by a single word, as oc- 
 casionally. 
 
 one : Used sometimes as in wTiting narrative in- 
 stead of "I," "he," or "a." Bain ("Higher Eng. 
 Grammar") says : ^^ One should be followed by one 
 and not by he (nor for that matter by / or a); as, 
 'What one sees or feels, one can not be sure that one 
 sees or feels.' " To begin with one and to continue 
 with any one of the substitutes suggested would not 
 only be incorrect but would confuse the reader. 
 
 one another. Compare each other. 
 
 one-horse : A slang term for "second rate" ; im- 
 plying "of inferior capacity, quality or resources." 
 
 only : This word, whose correct position depends 
 
 upon the intention of the author, is often misplaced. 
 
 The examples of the uses of only here given will serve 
 
 to illustrate correct usage. " Only his father spoke 
 
 to him" ; here only means that of all persons who 
 
 might have spoken, but one, his father, spoke to him. 
 
 "His father only spoke to him" implies that his father 
 
 155
 
 on A Desk-Book of 
 
 opinion 
 
 'only spoke^^ and did not scold him, which, perhaps, 
 he might have felt his duty called upon him to do. 
 "His father spoke only to him" means that,of all the 
 persons present,his father chose to speak to him alone, 
 but this sentence may perhaps be more lucidly ex- 
 pressed " His father spoke to him only. " 
 
 on the level. See under level. 
 
 on the street. Compare in the street; on. 
 
 onto : A word meaning "upon the top of," avoided 
 by purists as colloquial or vulgar. Condemned by 
 Phelps as a vulgarism but now gradually growing in 
 popularity. Inasmuch as its form is analogous to into, 
 unto, upon, all of which are sanctioned by best usage, 
 Phelps's condemnation is perhaps a little premature. 
 The word has been objected to by some critics as re- 
 dundant or needless. "Considered as a new word 
 (it is in reality a revival of an old form), it conforms 
 to the two main neoteristic canons by which the ad- 
 missibility of new words is to be decided. (See Hall, 
 Modern English, pp. 171, 173.) It obeys the analogy 
 of in to = into. It may also be held to supply an an- 
 tecedent blank, as may be shown by examples. It 
 never should be employed where on is sufficient; but 
 simple on after verbs of motion may be wholly am- 
 biguous, so that on to, meaning ' to or toward and on, * 
 may become necessary to clear up the ambiguity. 
 'The boy fell on the roof may mean that he fell whilv, 
 
 on the roof, or that he fell, as from the chimney-top 
 
 156
 
 Errors in English on 
 
 opinion 
 or some overlooking window, to the roof so as to be 
 on it; but if we say ^The boy fell on to the roof,' 
 there is no doubt that the latter is the meaning. The 
 canons for deciding the eligibility of new words ap- 
 pear therefore to claim for on to the right to struggle 
 for continued existence and general acceptance." So 
 says Dr. I. K. Funk in the Standard Dictionary. 
 0, Oh : Although often used indiscriminately it ij 
 generally conceded that "O" is used to express ex- 
 clamation or direct address while "oh" is used to 
 express the emotion of joy, pain, sorrow, or surprise. 
 See the examples. 
 
 " O Mary, go and call the cattle home." 
 " O God, whose thunder shakes the skies.** 
 
 " Oh ! say, can you see by the dawn's early light " — 
 " Ohl why should the spirit of mortal be proud ? " 
 
 open up is properly used to signify "explore; dis- 
 cover; as, to open up a new country," but not so in 
 the sense of "introduce; as, to open up a subject." 
 Here the word up is superfluous; but in this, as in the 
 majority of cases where open up is used, it would be 
 better to substitute a more specific term. See up. 
 
 opinion is sometimes more than an impression, be- 
 ing a conclusion or judgment held with confidence, 
 though falling short of positive knowledge. The word 
 should therefore not be used interchangeably with 
 idea, which may be a mere conception, with or with' 
 
 157
 
 or A Desk-Book of 
 
 overflown 
 
 out foundation for its belief. One may have an 
 idea of enjoyment, but hold an opinion on the result 
 of a campaign. 
 
 or. Compare if; nor. 
 
 oral should be differentiated from verbal. The for- 
 mer applies to what is spoken by mouth, whereas the 
 latter indicates that which has been reduced to words. 
 
 orate : A term to avoid when " speak, declaim, ha- 
 rangue," or a like word will express what is intended. 
 It may, however, be fittingly used meaning "to play 
 the orator, talk windily in round periods": it meets 
 the canon of "supplying an antecedent blank," and 
 is a legitimate word, especially in humorous or con- 
 temptuous use. 
 
 ordinance, ordnance : These words have no rela- 
 tion in common. An ordinance is a regulation or- 
 dained by some one in authority as a "municipal 
 ordinance.'' Ordnance is artillery, especially heavy 
 guns, cannon of all kinds, mortars, howitzers, etc. 
 
 ornery : A barbarous dialectism for "ordinary" 
 which can not be too severely condemned. 
 
 other : This word is often improperly omitted from 
 general comparisons ; for instance, " All men are bet- 
 ter than he" obviously should be "All other men," 
 etc., as the person excepted of necessity belongs to 
 the class embraced by "all men." 
 
 other, otherwise : When these words introduce a 
 clause of comparison they should be followed by the 
 
 158
 
 Errors In English or 
 
 overflown 
 
 conjunction than, instead of which the words hut and 
 except are often erroneously introduced. Than is in- 
 deed the conjunction of simple comparison, and 
 should be used after adjectives in the comparative 
 degree. In better usage else is also followed by thaUy 
 unless the word is introduced, as frequently, without 
 appreciably adding effect to the sentence; as, "She 
 did nothing (else) hut weep," though even here the in- 
 troduction of the unnecessary word would make than 
 the preferable sequence. "He knew no other course 
 than this" — not hut or except. "It can not operate 
 otherwise than for good" — not but. "No quicker did 
 he climb the rope thatt (not hut) back he fell." 
 
 ought. Compare aught. 
 
 ought, hadn't. See had ought. 
 
 out of sight : An intense \'ulgarism for " superb. " 
 
 over and above, if redundant, is an undesirable 
 expression. Avoid the addition of words to a sen- 
 tence that fail to add to the sense. " Ch-er and ahove 
 his debts illness had now to be provided for." It 
 were better to say "7w addition to his debts," etc. 
 
 over, across : Over is sometimes misused for 
 "across." Do not say "go over the bridge" when 
 you mean across it. 
 
 overflowed : The banks of a river may be overflowed; 
 they should never be spoken of as overflown. There 
 is no verb to overfly, but there is one to overflow the 
 participles of which are overflowed, overflowing. The 
 
 159
 
 over A Desk-Book of 
 
 paraphernalia 
 
 termination — -jiown used commonly by the illiterate 
 
 is the past participle of -fly. Although f.own originally 
 
 meant "flooded" the word in the sense is now obsolete. 
 
 over, not over : Opposed by some wTiters when used 
 as equivalent to more than, not more than, but defen- 
 sible as having a tinge of metaphor suggestive of over- 
 flowing quantity or overtopping height and having the 
 support of literary usage. 
 
 overshoes. Compare rubbers. 
 
 over with : Avoid as incorrect all such sentences as, 
 "When the game was over with, we enjoyed a cold 
 collation." Here the word "with" is redundant. 
 
 owing. Compare due. 
 
 own : Some critics object to the use of this word 
 in the sense of confess, but it is sanctioned by literary 
 usage and dates from the seventeenth century. To 
 own up, or to, in the sense of "to make a full confes- 
 sion" or "to admit unreservedly when challenged" is 
 a colloquialism. 
 
 P 
 
 pack : A word sometimes misapplied especially in 
 speaking of a number of persons; as, " the whole pack.'' 
 It is correctly used when applied to dogs or wolves, 
 hence, from the latter application, also to any band of 
 men leagued together for evil purposes; as, "a pack of 
 thieves ": sometimes, also, correctly styled a gang. 
 
 pain. Compare pane. 
 
 160
 
 Errors in English over 
 
 ^ paraphernalia 
 
 pair : Great care should be exercised in applying 
 modifying adjectives to this word. Thus one may say 
 "a new pair of trousers ;" "a new pair of scissors ;" 
 but not "a new pair of shoes." There is a distinc- 
 tion in the use — " a new pair " as applied to gloves or 
 shoes implies exchange of one pair for another; here, 
 " a difjerent pair " would be preferred. In general, 
 say, rather, "a pair of new shoes" ; "a pair of new 
 gloves." This word remains pair in the plural w^hen 
 it is preceded by a number : otherwise it takes the 
 s. "Two pair of gloves," but "many pairs of trou- 
 
 sers." 
 
 pane : Sometimes confused with pain. The first 
 designates "a piece, division or compartment, most 
 commonly a plate of window glass" ; the second de- 
 notes "a distressing or disagreeable emotion." The 
 spellings of the two words should never be confused, 
 but occasionally are. 
 
 pants : A \ailgarism or tailor's cant for pantaloons^ 
 meaning trousers which should be the word used by 
 preference. 
 
 paradox : Commonly used incorrectly in the phrase 
 "a seeming paradox," — a thing that does not exist, 
 a paradox being a statement that seems to be at va- 
 riance with common sense. A statement may, how- 
 ever, be characterized as paradoxical. 
 
 paraphernalia, from the Greek para, bevond, + 
 
 pherOj bring, is properly applied to the personal ar- 
 
 161
 
 pare A Desk-Book of* 
 
 peculiarly 
 
 tides, as jewelry, reserved to a wife over and abova 
 her dower or marriage portion, and should not be 
 used in the sense of finery or regalia. Yet the ap- 
 pUcation is common but savors of grandiloquence. 
 The finery and regaha are not, or should not be, 
 "over and above," but should be as of right or of 
 good taste. Compare over and above. 
 
 pare, pair : Words the spellings of which are some- 
 times confused. Pare, to remove the outer covering 
 from is from the Latin paro and means "prepare" ; 
 pair, designating two persons or things, is from the 
 Latin par, which means "equal." See pair. 
 
 parenthesis : The phrase in parenthesis includes 
 both signs, and an expression placed between these 
 signs is therefore said to be " in parenthesis. " Paren- 
 theses refers only to two or more sets of parenthetical 
 expressions. Due care should be exercised in using 
 this word. 
 
 parson : Although a good word used to designate 
 " the clergyman of a parish, " parson is often used con- 
 temptuously, and from this use has acquired a sense 
 that detracts from the dignity of the ofiice; therefore, 
 is one to be avoided. Do not say " Our parson is a 
 popular man" ; say, rather, "Our minister . . ." 
 
 partake should never be used as a synonym for 
 "eat" or "drink. " One may partake of a meal with 
 other persons, that is, share it with them, but one does 
 not partake a meal by one's self. 
 
 162
 
 Errors In English pare 
 
 peculiarly 
 partially should not be used for "partly," as,having 
 
 the meaning "with unjust favoritism" it may be mis- 
 understood. 
 
 party, person : Except in legal terminology, person 
 is preferable; party means, in general, an entertain- 
 ment. In the legal sense, party is a person (or body 
 of persons collectively) who (or which) takes a cer- 
 tain specified part in a legal transaction, as " A. B., 
 the party of the first part." From this application of 
 the term, the word has been loosely extended to 
 mean person. Do not say " A certain party/' etc., 
 but " A certain person"; party in such a connection 
 is a vulgarism. 
 
 pathos. Compare bathos. 
 
 patrons should not be used for " customers." A 
 patron is one who fosters a person or thing; a cus- 
 tomer is one who deals regularly at one establishment. 
 
 peach : Used in the sense of " beauty," possibly 
 from the delicate and downy skin of the fruit, is a 
 playful though ^undesirable expression used common- 
 ly by young men and boys, especially in referring to 
 women; as, "Isn't she a peach!" Lexicographers 
 do not recognize this usage of the word. 
 
 peculiarly impressive : A phrase heard sometimes 
 for " singularly " or " strikingly impressive " ; but the 
 word is from the Latin peculiaris, "one's own," and it 
 is in this respect that the individuality enters the case. 
 What belongs exclusively to a person is peculiarly his; 
 
 163
 
 pecuniary A Desk-Book of 
 
 persuade 
 
 and the sense of remarkable, as from singularity, in- 
 tensity, or exceptionality, is better expressed by the 
 word of this class best adapted to the case. 
 
 pecuniary. Compare financial. 
 
 peel should not be confused with peal. The first 
 designates "rind"; the second, "ring." 
 
 pell-mell: This word etymologically implies a 
 crowd and confusion and is not applied to an indi- 
 vidual. Thus, "He rushed out pell-mell" should be 
 "He rushed out hastily and excitedly." 
 
 penny: In the plural this word is either pennies or 
 pence. In the one case it means a number of indi- 
 vidual coins ; in the second case it signifies a specific 
 sum of money. 
 
 people: Where individual persons, or a number of 
 such, are intended, this word should be discarded in 
 favor of persons; as, "most persons are of this opin- 
 ion." People means persons collectively ; as "People 
 say." 
 
 per: This is a Latin preposition, correctly joined 
 only with Latin words; as, per centum, abbreviated 
 per cent.; per diem; per annum. Per head and 
 per person, per year, per day are common commercial 
 locutions; use preferably the English forms a head, 
 a person, a year, a day. If you must use a Latin 
 phrase be sure you use all Latin. 
 
 perfectly killing: An inane expression used com- 
 monly by women for "in stylish attire," and also, 
 
 164
 
 Errors in English pecuniary 
 
 persuade 
 intensely comic" or "absurd.'" Compare splen- 
 did. 
 
 perform does not mean play. One performs music 
 on a piano or plays the piano, but does not perjorm 
 the piano. To perform on the piano would rather 
 indicate "to strum" upon it or (if you like) play upon 
 or play with it than to play it, 
 
 perform. Compare assume. 
 
 permit. Compare allow. 
 
 perpetually ; Distinguish from continually. There 
 is a difference between that which is done unceasingly 
 and that which merely takes place constantly. 
 
 person. Compare party. 
 
 personalty is sometimes considered to mean articles 
 of personal adornment. It does not. It is a legal 
 term, now in contradistinction to realty^ and includes 
 therefore all movables, as money; personal property 
 of any kind whatever, as household goods; chattels 
 real and personal; things movable as distinguished 
 from realty or landed property in any form. 
 
 persons. Compare people. 
 
 perspicacity, perspicuity * Terms often confused. 
 Perspicacity is "acuteness, clear-sightedness or pene- 
 tration" ; perspicuity is "clearness of expression or 
 style, lucidity" ; and is applied to speech and wTiting. 
 
 persuade, convince : That which persuades, leads 
 or attracts (Latin suadeo, advise), that which con 
 vinces, binds (Latin vinco, conquer). A person when 
 
 165
 
 peruse A Deslc-Book ot 
 
 pleasure 
 
 convinced that he is wrong is persuaded, by justice oi 
 
 interest, to amend his ways. 
 
 peruse should not be used when the simple read is 
 meant. The former implies to read with care and 
 attention and is almost synonymous with scan, which 
 is to examine with critical care and in detail. A per- 
 son is more likely to read than to scan or peruse the 
 Bible. 
 
 petition, partition : Sometimes pronounced as if 
 they were homophones, but they are not. Exercise 
 care in their use. A petition is a request, a partition 
 is that which separates anything into distinct parts. 
 
 phenomenon is the singular of phenomena, and the 
 distinction should be observed in speech. Avoid as 
 incorrect such locution as "A remarkable phenom- 
 ena." 
 
 piece, a : A provincial vulgarism used in such 
 phrases as "We went along the road a piece'' ; "he 
 followed me a piece,'* etc. 
 
 pike '. A \Tilgarism used as a verb for "to move 
 away rapidly," and as a noun, contemptuously, foi 
 "a shiftless class of pe^^^ons." 
 
 pillar, pillow : Discriminate carefully between these 
 words. A pillar is a firm, upright, separate support; 
 a pillow is a head-rest. Note the difference in the 
 spellings. 
 
 pile-in : Slang for "get to work.'* 
 
 pipe-off t A \nilgarism for to " take in at a glance. '' 
 
 IfiG
 
 Errors in English peruse 
 
 pleasure 
 
 pity, S5nnpathy : Not synonymous terms. Pity 
 awakens a feeling of grief or sorrow in one for the 
 distress of another; sympathy is a feeHng kindred 
 with that of another for his state or condition. Syyrt- 
 patJiy impHes a degree of equahty which pity does not. 
 We may pity one whom we disdain but we can not 
 synipatliize with him. 
 
 place : Used objectively without a preposition, or 
 even adverbially, a pro\'incialism common in parts 
 of the United States; as, "She is always wanting to 
 go places'' ; ''Can't I go any place (correctly any- 
 where)? " "I must go some place {somewhere) " ; "I 
 can't find it any place. '^ Such forms are solecisms. 
 
 place, plaice : Homophones, so care should be ex- 
 ercised in their use and spelling. A place is a particu- 
 lar point or portion of space; a plaice is a fish. 
 
 plank: Used usually with "down" this term is 
 c Dmmonly employed by persons careless of their dic- 
 tion for "pay out" or "lay down" : said especially of 
 money, and a term to be avoided. 
 
 plead, pleaded or pled, pleading : The spelling of 
 pled for the past is not warranted, and is a colloquial- 
 ism. Careful speakers use pleaded. 
 
 pleasure is distinguished from happiness, although 
 in common conversation the terms are frequently used 
 as if they were synonymous. "By happiness,'' says 
 Hamilton, "is meant the complement of all the pleas- 
 ures of which we are susceptible." Crabb says, 
 
 167
 
 plentiful A Desk- Book ot 
 
 possessive 
 
 "" Happiness comprehends that aggregate of pleasur 
 able sensations which we derive from external ob- 
 jects" : it is "a condition in which pleasure predom- 
 inates over pain or evil; a continued experience of 
 pleasures and joys." "Pleasure is the accompani- 
 ment of the moderate and suitable activity of some 
 organ or faculty of the mind." 
 
 plentiful. Compare bouxtiful. 
 
 plenty : The colloquialism by which plenty, which 
 is a noun, is treated as an adjective or adverb 
 is altogether inadmissible. In such cases plcntijul 
 and plentijully should be used. "We have plenty 
 oj money." "Cash is plentiful.^' "We are plen- 
 tifully supplied" — not "We have plenty enough 
 cash." 
 
 plunk : A vulgarism for a silver dollar. 
 
 polite, civil, polished : Civil, from the Latin civilisy 
 from civis, a citizen, denotes that which is becoming 
 to a citizen. Polite is the Latin politus, participle of 
 polio, polish. Civility is therefore negative, the mere 
 absence of rudeness, whereas politeness is the positive 
 evidence of good breeding. A polite man is naturally 
 so, but a polished man is one who has, by art, ac- 
 quired the smoothness which comes of having had 
 the rough edges rubbed off. Polite denotes a quality; 
 polished denotes a state. 
 
 politics is a singular word of plural form. "His 
 hobby is politics^' — not ''Politics are his hobby." 
 
 168
 
 Errors in English plentiful 
 
 possessive 
 
 poKty and policy both come from the Latin politica, 
 (Gr. politeiay polity, /^o//^, city); but they must not be 
 confounded. " Polity is the permanent system of gov 
 ernment of a state, a church, or a society; policy i: 
 the method of management with reference to the at- 
 tainment of certain ends. The national polity of the 
 United States is republican; each administration has 
 a policy of its own." 
 
 pore: Compare POUR. 
 
 possessive case, the : A very unnecessary difficulty 
 appears to be felt, even by educated men, in the use 
 of the apostrophe in the possessive case. It is placed 
 immediately after the noun under consideration. If, 
 for instance, you are talking of a lady and refer to 
 her glove, you say "the lady^s glove" — then the apos- 
 trophe, should immediately follow the noun in ques- 
 tion; viz., lady J in the singular. If, however, there are 
 two ladies or more, you say "the ladies^ gloves," and 
 the apostrophe should follow ladies; that is, lady, in 
 the plural. In like manner, you wTite "the hoy''s 
 father," or "the hoys^ father," when referring to one 
 or to two or more boys, respectively. "The man's 
 hat," "the men's hats," with the apostrophe follow- 
 ing the noun man or men, will note the possessive in 
 the singular and plural for the noun Juan. 
 
 The nearest approach to a difficulty is where a 
 plural ends with an " s " or a sibilant sound; but here 
 the rule is still the same — place the apostrophe after 
 
 169
 
 possessive A Desk-Book of 
 
 power 
 
 the noun referred to, that is, the plural, though for 
 the sake of smoothness and euphony, omit the suc- 
 ceeding (or rather non-succeeding) "s." Thus, " the 
 boss's desk" in the singular, "the bosses^ desks," in 
 the plural. When the singular ends in "s," the pos- 
 sessive "s" is usually retained, excepting where the 
 noun has three or more syllables and the word follow- 
 ing commences wdth this letter. Thus, Charles's 
 uncle; Burns's poems; Burns's stanza; Damocles' 
 sword. The possessive *'s" is also generally omitted 
 before "sake" — as, "For conscience^ sake'^ (con- 
 science having the "s" sound); "for Jesus' sake." 
 
 In speaking of a firm, where the partners consti- 
 tute but one object of contemplation, the apostrophe 
 is used but once — after the complete object of con- 
 templation, that is, after the title or firm name; as, 
 "Jones and Robinson's store." If Jones and Rob- 
 inson, instead of being in partnership had independ- 
 ent businesses you would speak of " Jones's and Rob- 
 mson's stores" — this being no exception to, but merely 
 an exemplification of, the rule that the apostrophe 
 immediately follows the noun or name (or firm name) 
 under consideration. 
 
 Occasionally, the possessive appears in double form, 
 the substantive being preceded by of and followed by 
 the apostrophe with 5. This occurs, however, only in 
 idiomatic phrases,as, " He was a friend of my father's," 
 which is equivalent to "He was one of my father's 
 
 170
 
 Errors in English possessive 
 
 power 
 
 friends" or "He was a friend of (the number of) my 
 father's (friends)," when it may be supposed that the 
 person spoken of possesses more than one object of 
 the kind referred to, this double form of possessive 
 is properly used. *' It was a fault of my friend to be 
 loquacious" would signify the one particular weakness 
 of my friend : "It was a fault of my friend's to be 
 loquacious," that is, "of my friend's faults," would 
 signify that this was one of various faults. 
 
 The apostrophe is not used with the possessive per- 
 sonal pronouns. Write "yours {not your's) truly." 
 Compare 's. 
 
 post : A colloquialism, generally undesirable, for 
 ihjorm. It is derived from the bookkeeping signifi- 
 cation of the term, where it means that the ledger is 
 supplied, by transfer, with the information contained 
 in the books of original entry. 
 
 pour, pore : Exercise care in using these homo- 
 phones. The first is of Celtic origin and means "to 
 cause to flow, as a liquid, in a continuous stream" ; 
 whereas pore is from the ]\ fiddle English poren, and 
 means " to gaze or ponder with close and continued 
 application, as in reading or studying. " 
 
 power : In the sense of " a great number or quan- 
 tity," this word is an undesirable colloquialism that 
 has gained ground especially in rural districts. One 
 may say of a man "He was a power among the 
 people," but not "A power of people heard him." 
 
 171
 
 practical A Desk-Book of 
 
 preposition 
 
 practical : Do not confound with practicable, '.the 
 former means "that can be put into practise or ren- 
 dered appHcable for use; as, practical knowledge"; 
 whereas the latter is perhaps best expressed by the 
 synonym "feasible." Practical has a general appH- 
 cation, being governed by actual use and experience; 
 as, practical statesmanship or wisdom : practicable, 
 on the contrary, is particular, and signifies the suita- 
 bility of the particular thing named to the desired end. 
 Thus one may know a practical man but not a prac- 
 iicable one. 
 
 pray, prey : Exercise care in using these homo- 
 phones. Etymologically they are distinct. Fray is 
 from Old French praier, to ask; while prey is from 
 Old French preier, booty, probably from the Latin 
 pmhendo, to seize. Note the difference in spell- 
 
 ing. 
 
 precedent, president : Although almost homophones 
 these terms have widely different meanings. A prece- 
 dent is something that has occurred before in time and 
 is considered as an established rule or an authorized 
 example; a president is the head of a nation, society, 
 or the like. 
 
 predicate, predict : Though these words are both 
 derived from the same Latin source, the one must not 
 be used for the other. To predict is to foretell, 
 whereas to predicate is to proclaim as inherent. In 
 United States usage predicate, with on or tipoUy is 
 
 172
 
 Errors in English practical 
 
 preposition 
 
 sometimes treated as synonymous with establish ; as, 
 
 "On what do you predicate the assertion? " 
 
 prefer : The act or thing preferred should never be 
 followed by than. Prefer is properly followed by the 
 preposition to, or occasionally by above or before. 
 Thus do not say "I prefer to talk than to dance," but 
 "I prefer talking to dancing." 
 
 preferable : If the preference is stated in terms, as 
 "This is preferable to that," the word is follov/ed by 
 the preposition to — never by than. The perference 
 may, however, be implied; as, "This is preferable.''^ 
 
 prejudice : Sometimes erroneously used for " pre- 
 possess" or "predispose." A prepossession is always 
 favorable, a prejudice always unfavorable, unless the 
 contrary is expressly stated. Predispose means "to 
 dispose or incline beforehand. " Therefore, we should 
 not say that a person is prejudiced in any one's favor 
 but that he is prepossessed or predisposed. 
 
 preposition : " The part of speech or particle that 
 denotes the relation of an object to an action or thing; 
 so called because it is usually placed before its ob- 
 ject." The correct use of these little words is often 
 puzzling to persons of education. For the purpose 
 of their guidance the following partial list is given. 
 A comprehensive work on the subject of their correct 
 use is "English Synonyms, Antonyms and Preposi- 
 tions," by Dr. James C. Fernald. 
 
 27?
 
 preposition 
 pretty- 
 accord with (neuter) 
 accord to (active) 
 accused of crime 
 acquit persons of 
 adapted to or between 
 adapted to a thing for a 
 
 purpose 
 affinity to ox between 
 agreeable to 
 agree with persons, to things, 
 
 among ourselves 
 amuse with, at, in 
 angry with (a person) at (a 
 
 thing) 
 anxious y27r, about, sometimes 
 
 on 
 attend to (listen) 
 attend upon (wait) 
 averse from, vv'hen describing 
 
 an act or state, 
 averse to, when describing 
 
 feeling 
 bestow tip on 
 boast of 
 call on 
 change /i7r 
 compliance with 
 confer on (give), with (con- 
 verse) 
 confide in, when intransitive 
 confide it to, when transitive 
 conform to 
 conformable to 
 consonant to, sometimes with 
 convenient to or for 
 conversant with persons ; in 
 
 or o/" affairs; about subjects 
 correspond with (by letter), 
 
 to (similar things) 
 dependent on, tipon 
 derogate yrcw 
 
 A Desk-Book of 
 
 derogatory to a person oi 
 thing 
 
 die ^or by 
 
 differ from or with 
 
 difference with a person 
 
 difference between things 
 
 difficulty in 
 
 diminution of 
 
 disappointed of a purpose; 
 and in a matter if it fails to 
 meet our expectations. 
 
 disapprove of 
 
 discouragement to 
 
 dissent from 
 
 distinguished y^^jy^f?/;?, some- 
 times by 
 
 eager iti 
 
 entertain by (a person), with 
 (a thing) 
 
 exception is taken to state- 
 ments ; sometimes against 
 
 ex)iert at or in 
 
 fall under 
 
 free frojn 
 
 frightened at 
 
 glad of something gained, 
 and of ox at what befalls? 
 another 
 
 grieve at, for 
 
 independent of 
 
 insist upon 
 
 made of, for, from, with 
 
 marry to 
 
 martyr for a cause, to a dis 
 ease. 
 
 need of 
 
 notice of 
 
 observance of 
 
 prejudiced against 
 
 prejudicial to 
 
 profit by 
 
 174
 
 provide yj^r 
 reconcile to 
 recreant to, from 
 reduce to a state 
 
 jection 
 regard to ox for 
 replete with. 
 resemblance to 
 resolve on 
 respect for 
 smile at, upon 
 
 Errors in English preposition 
 
 pretty 
 
 ^v^exve from 
 
 taste of what is actually en- 
 joyed ; for what we have 
 under s,^2^y the capacity of enjoying, 
 
 think ^or on 
 thirst y^r, after 
 true ^(predicable) 
 true to (faithful) 
 wait on (serve), at (a place), 
 
 for (await) 
 worthy of 
 
 present is to be distinguished from introduce. In- 
 troduction takes place among equals, but a presen- 
 tation takes place by act of grace. Then the fa- 
 vored person is brought into the presence of some 
 superior or other persons, be it lady or celebrity, who 
 is graciously pleased to grant the privilege, which 
 however does not permit the subsequent familiarity 
 of an introduction. A man may be presented at court 
 or to a reigning beauty, but he is merely introduced 
 to the man who may afterwards become a college 
 chum. 
 
 pretend is so commonly used in a bad sense that 
 it becomes improper to use it (even in the sense of 
 claim) for projess; for a profession is made only of 
 what one is happy or proud to profess. Therefore 
 say, "I projess (not I pretend to) skill in surgery.'* 
 
 pretty as an adverb may properly be used to signify 
 moderately, tolerably, fairly, somewhat (extensively), 
 but the expression lacks elegance and definitiveness, 
 as is shown by the following sentence: " He is a pretty 
 
 175
 
 prevail A DcblC-Book of 
 
 propose 
 
 sick man, but is pretty sure to recover, being at aU 
 
 times pretty fortunate." 
 
 prevail: In the sense of ''triumph," this word 
 is usually followed by the prepositions over or 
 against; as, "We have prevailed over our enemies" ; 
 "None can prevail against us." In the sense of "to 
 have effectual influence," follow it with o;z, upon or 
 with; as, "He prevailed on me to go." In the sense 
 '*to have general vogue, currency or acceptance," it 
 should be followed by through or throughout ; as, 
 "Mohammedanism prevails throughout Northern 
 Africa." 
 
 preventive is preferable to preventative, which is 
 a corruption of the former, has been described kxs a 
 "barbarism," and is said to stamp any one using it 
 as lacking in common education. 
 
 previous : In higher literature, the adverbial use of 
 previous with to, in the sense of "prior to" is not 
 favored. The adverb previously or the expression 
 prior to is preferred. 
 
 prey. Compare pray. 
 
 principle, principal : Exercise care in the use of 
 these homophones. Principle is a source or cause 
 from which a thing proceeds: principal, first or high- 
 est in rank. Note the difference in spelling. 
 
 profess. Compare pretend. 
 
 promise should never be used for "assure." A 
 promise always implies futurity. Do not say "He 
 
 17f)
 
 Errors in English prevail 
 
 propose 
 
 was alarmed, I promise you ;" say, rather, *'I assure 
 
 you." 
 
 pronouns in the objective : Often the coupling of 
 one pronoun with another leads a careless speaker 
 into error, where had one pronoun only been used, 
 no doubt or difllculty would have been experienced. 
 "If he calls for {yon and) /, we will go." If the 
 words in parenthesis be omitted no one would think 
 of saving "for /," but would naturally use the correct 
 pronoun vie. This method of elision will generally 
 elucidate the correct usage. " To talk like that before 
 (you and) / was atrocious." Say me, as you cer- 
 tainly would if you omitted the words in parenthesis. 
 
 prophecy, prophesy : Discriminate carefully be- 
 tween these words. A prophecy is a prediction, the 
 foretelling of an event; to prophesy is to predict, or 
 foretell an event. Note the difference in spelling. 
 
 proposal, as distinguished from proposition, refers 
 to the difference in treatment of the matter at issue. 
 The one invites a plain "yes" or "no," whereas the 
 other suggests consideration or debate. A proposal 
 of marriage usually anticipates an immediate reply, 
 whereas a proposition for partnership involves reflec- 
 tion and discussion of terms. 
 
 propose, purpose : Words often used incorrectly. 
 To propose is to offer; to purpose is to intend. One 
 proposes to a young lady if one's purpose is to marry 
 her. Compare contemplate. 
 
 .177
 
 proven A Desk-Book of 
 
 quite 
 
 proven : An irregular form of the past participle 
 of prove used correctly only in courts of law. The 
 word should be restricted to the Scotch verdict of 
 "not proven, ^^ which signifies of a charge that it has 
 neither been proved nor disproved. The modern 
 pernicious tendency among reporters is to use proven 
 instead of proved. 
 
 providing, provided : The first of these words, 
 which is not a conjunction, is sometimes improperly 
 used for provided, which is. Say, " You may go, pro- 
 vided {not providing) the weather be fine." 
 
 provoke. Compare aggravate. 
 
 pull used to designate "influence" is a vulgarism 
 of the street and the political arena that should be 
 discountenanced. "Influence" is a better word. 
 
 pupil. Compare scholar. 
 
 push, the whole : A vulgar phrase used to desig- 
 nate all the persons that form a party: an Anglicism. 
 In English slang "push" is used for "crowd" prob- 
 ably from the proverbial restlessness and crushing in 
 which English crowds usually indulge. 
 
 put : For run or ran; as, " You ought to have seen 
 him piiV^ ; "Then he ptit (sometimes, put out) for 
 home" : an archaic usage now appearing as a col- 
 loquial Americanism. Stay put in the sense of 
 *' remain where (or as) placed" is also an Ameri- 
 canism, never used (unless playfully) by correct 
 speakers. 
 
 in
 
 Errors in English proven 
 
 quite 
 
 Q 
 
 quantity is properly applied to that which is meas- 
 urable, as is "number" to that which may be counted. 
 "A quantity of people" ; *'a quantity of birds," are 
 both incorrect; substitute the word number in both 
 cases. 
 
 quarter of : As applied to time this is incorrect. 
 Such an ambiguity can be avoided by substituting 
 to for of. For example, a quarter of seven is one and 
 three-fourths not a quarter to the hour of seven; yet 
 the phrase " quarter of " is often misapplied to time 
 by persons of average education. 
 
 quit is sometimes used incorrectly for cease. You 
 may quit business, but do not ask your companion 
 to ''quit fooling." 
 
 quite : In general quite means "to the fullest ex- 
 tent, totally, perfectly" ; colloquially, it means "very, 
 considerably." It is from the French quitte, meaning 
 "discharged," being the equivalent of the Enghsh 
 "quits," a word used in games to designate when the 
 players are even with one another. Therefore such a 
 phrase as "quite a number" is unjustifiable. "Num- 
 ber"' is indefinite in its signi^cance just as are also 
 "few," "little," and "some." As Richard Grant 
 White says, "A cup or a theater may be quite full; 
 and there may be quite a pint in a cup or quite a 
 thousand people in the theater; and neither may be 
 
 179
 
 quite A Desk-Book of 
 
 recipe 
 
 quite full." Yet Thomas Hughes, author of "Tom 
 Brown's Schooldays," wrote in a letter concerning an 
 intercollegiate boat-race ^^ quite a number of young 
 Americans." The local colloquialism "quite some" 
 is wholly indefensible. 
 
 quite so : An undesirable locution, common in 
 England and to some extent in America, and used 
 to signify assent, which should be avoided. "He 
 jabbers like an idiot." ^^ Quite so, quite so." 
 
 quite the lady : A vulgarism for " very ladylike. " 
 
 R 
 
 rabbity rarebit : The correct form of this term is 
 rabbit. A Welsh rabbit is toasted or melted cheese 
 well-seasoned and served on toast. This term, prob- 
 ably of slang origin, is analogous to Munster plums 
 designating Irish potatoes, and Glasgow magistrate, 
 designating a salt herring. 
 
 rag. Compare chew the rag. 
 
 raise : As a verb this is often misapplied to the 
 bringing up of human beings. One rears cattle, raises 
 chickens, but brings up children. Rear, meaning " to 
 nurture and train," may also be used of children. 
 
 You may raise a fund for rent because the rent 
 
 has been raised; but in speaking of this it were better 
 
 to say "has been increased.''^ The colloquial use 
 
 of raise for an increase in salary should also be 
 
 avoided. 
 
 180
 
 Errors In English quite 
 
 recipe 
 
 raise, raze : Discrimina*^ carefully between these 
 homophones. To raise is to cause to rise, elevate; 
 but to raze is to level with the ground, as a building. 
 
 rare : In the United States rare applied to meat is 
 used to designate meat that is not well done; in Eng- 
 land, the term is used to designate meat that is not 
 fresh. 
 
 rarely or ever : Often incorrectly used for "rarely 
 ij ever" : the word seldom is preferable. 
 
 rather : Superfluous with adjectives ending in -ishy 
 when this implies rather; as, "rather warmish," 
 "rather coldish." Charles Lamb jestingly made the 
 error apparent in closing a letter with "yours rather- 
 ish unwell. " But with adjectives where -ish expresses 
 quality only, not degree, rather is admissible, and may 
 make a neat distinction; as, "rather foolish." 
 
 rattle : In the sense of "to throw suddenly into 
 confusion" this word is a colloquialism which has 
 much currency. Disconcert is a preferable term 
 though not nearly so expressive. 
 
 read. Compare peruse. 
 
 real used for very is an undesirable colloquialism. 
 Avoid such locutions as "real glad" ; "real smart" ; 
 "^ea/ pleased. " Very is the correct word to use. 
 
 realized should not be used for "obtained." 
 
 receipt. Compare recipe. 
 
 recipe refers to the thing — the combined ingredients 
 — directed to be taken, and receipt refers to what is 
 
 181
 
 reciprocal A Desk-Book of 
 
 remit 
 
 taken, i. e., the identical thing prescribed. The two 
 
 words have thus come to acquire the same meaning, 
 
 though, strictly, the doctor gives the recipe (thing to 
 
 be taken) or formula, and the patient acknowledges 
 
 the receipt (of the thing given). 
 
 reciprocal. Compare mutual. 
 
 recollect is not the same as remember. You only 
 recollect after making the effort to do so; you remember 
 because you have never forgotten, therefore without 
 effort. You remember the rent is due, but recollect the 
 date of your friend's birth. 
 
 recommend : As a noun used instead of recomrnen- 
 dation, this word is a colloquialism the use of which 
 should be discouraged. 
 
 recourse, resource : Two words often confounded. 
 Recourse means a resort to, as for help or protection; 
 the adoption of a means to an end. A resource is that 
 which one resorts to, as in case of need; the source 
 of aid or support; an expedient. In the plural, re- 
 sources are one's means, funds, or property of any 
 kind, as distinguished from one's liabilities. 
 
 reduce, lessen : To reduce is to bring to a specified 
 form or inferior condition; to lessen is to diminish. 
 Do not say '* to reduce cases in which the death penalty 
 may be inflicted" ; say, rather, "to lessen the number 
 of cases, etc." 
 
 regardless is an adjective meaning "exercising no 
 regard; heedless," and should never be used as m 
 
 182
 
 Errors in English reciprocal 
 
 remit 
 the common vulgarism "got up regardless'* which is 
 incomplete, and which to be correct should be ren- 
 dered "got up regardless of expense. '* 
 
 relation, relative, kinsman : The distinction be- 
 tween these words is not commonly known. A rela- 
 tion or relative is one to whom another may be related 
 bv ties of blood or by law. Thus, a brother is a re- 
 lation or relative by ties of blood; and a brother-in-law 
 ib a relation or relative by law. A kin^fnan, as the 
 formation of the word shows, is a "man's kin" ; that 
 is, one of his o\mi blood, as a brother or cousin. 
 
 relic, relict ; These words, though once interchange- 
 able are no longer so; relict in the sense of relic now 
 being obsolete. A relic is a fragment that remains 
 after the loss or decay of the rest. A relict is either 
 a widow or a widower. In this sense the term, com- 
 mon in law, is archaic or humorous in general use. 
 
 relieve. Compare allevla.te. 
 
 remainder. Compare balance. 
 
 remains should not be used for " corpse " or " body. " 
 
 remit : In commercial usage this word implies the 
 discharge of an account by payment sent; and it 
 should not generally be used as a synonym for send. 
 To remit is "to send or place back." Thus, to for- 
 give, release, withdraw a demand for — any of which 
 actions may replace the recipient of the favor in his 
 former position — is properly spoken of as remit. It 
 's in this sense only that remit is permissible for dis' 
 
 183
 
 rendering A Desk-Book of 
 
 restive 
 
 charge of an obligation, though by payment, as this 
 procedure places the parties in the same state as that 
 in which they were before the obligation was incurred. 
 
 rendering. Compare rendition. 
 
 rendition : Although this word has the meaning of 
 *' artistic interpretation or reproduction, as of the 
 spirit of a composer," the word rendering is prefer- 
 ably employed in referring to a delineation or inter- 
 pretation in art and the drama. Describe an artisti-: 
 version or a literary translation as a rendering, and an 
 amount rendered or produced, as a yield of cocoons, 
 as a rendition. The former specially signifies the act, 
 the latter the thing produced by the act, though there 
 is of course a blending point of the two which is none 
 other than the whole. 
 
 replace : The use of this word with the sense of " suc- 
 ceed " has been subjected to criticism, usage decrees 
 that to replace is to " take or fill the place of ; super- 
 sede in any manner." To succeed is to "come next 
 in order especially in a manner prescribed by law." 
 
 reply. Compare answer. 
 
 reputation. Compare character. 
 
 requirement, requisite, requisition : Whereas a 
 requisite is that which can not be dispensed with, a 
 requirement is rather that which is insisted on, if de- 
 sired conditions are to be fulfilled. Fresh air is a 
 requisite of life; the apology you ask is a hard re- 
 quirement. My requirements are few; my requisites 
 
 184
 
 Errors in English rendering 
 
 restive 
 
 but clothing, food and air. \Vlien a requirement par- 
 takes of the nature of a legal or authoritative or even 
 popular demand, it then becomes a requisition; as, a 
 requisition for accounts; to be in requisition, 
 
 resemble. Compare favor. 
 
 reside, residence : Somewhat stately words, not to 
 be indiscriminately used for live^ house or honie. In 
 the legal sense, as affecting, for instance, the right to 
 vote, a man's residence may be in a cheap lodging- 
 house; but commonly the word v/ould be understood 
 to designate a building of some pretensions. " Where 
 does he live ? " is ordinarily better than ''Where does 
 he reside? " and to call a plain little cottage "my 
 residence'^ is a bit of petty affectation. 
 
 resource. Compare recourse. 
 
 respectfully is often confounded by the thoughtless 
 with respectively. While the former means "in a re- 
 spectful manner" the latter signifies "singly, in the 
 order designated, or as singly considered." Respec- 
 tively must also be distinguished from severally, the 
 meaning of which is " separately, or each for himself 
 or itself." For example, "The three men severally 
 undertook to do the share of work allotted to them 
 respectively, that is, A, B, C, each promised for him- 
 self to do work in the following proportions — A, one- 
 sixth, B, one-third, and C, one-half of the whole. " 
 
 restive : Objection has been made to the use of this 
 word in the sense of restless, as commonly applied to 
 
 185
 
 reticule A Desk-Book of 
 
 right 
 
 a horse, on the ground that it formerly meant "stub- 
 bom, balky, refusing to go." On this subject Fitz- 
 edward Hall ("False Philolog}^" p. 97) says : "The 
 ordinar}^ sense of the v/ord has always been ' unruly, * 
 ' intractable, ' ' refractor}-. ' Proofs are subjoined from 
 Lord Brooks, Dr. Featly, Fuller, ^lilton, Jeremy Col- 
 lins, Samuel Richardson, Burke, Coleridge, Mr. De 
 Quincey and Landor. As concerns a horse, however, 
 if he resists an attempt to keep him quiet, he shows 
 himself restive.^* 
 
 reticule, ridicule : Two words^ widely different in 
 meaning but liable to confusion when spoken hur- 
 riedly. A reticule is a bag-like receptacle used by 
 ladies for carrying such articles as embroidery, needle- 
 work, etc.; ridicule is speech or behavior intended to 
 convey contempt and excite laughter; wit, as of the 
 pen or pencil, that provokes contemptuous laughter. 
 
 reverend, reverent : These words are sometimes con- 
 founded. The one is objective and descriptive of the 
 feeling with ".^^hich a person is regarded; the other is 
 subjective and descriptive of the feeling within a per- 
 son. In explanation of the difference. Dean Alford 
 offers the following instance: "Dean Swift might be 
 Very Reverend by common courtesy, but he was cer- 
 tainly not very reverent in his conduct or in his 
 
 writmgs. 
 
 >> 
 
 Reverend, abbreviated Rev. as a title, should, like 
 Honorable^ be preceded by the definite article, the 
 
 186
 
 Errors in English reticule 
 
 ^ right 
 
 phrase being adjectival; as, "The Reverend Thomas 
 Jones"; or, if the first name is not used, "The Rev- 
 erend Mr. Jones" ; but Rev. Jones," used widely in 
 the United States, is harsh if not rude. The title 
 or distinction of a husband is not correctly applied 
 to the wife. Never say The Rev. Mrs Smith or Mrs. 
 General Brown, etc. 
 
 reverse should not be confounded with converse 
 Reverse is the opposite or antithesis of something; 
 minus is the reverse of plus. The "converse'' is "the 
 opposite reciprocal proposition," reached by trans- 
 position of the terms of the proposition, the subject 
 becoming predicate and the predicate subject. The 
 converse of the proposition, "If two sides of a 
 triangle be equal, the angles opposite to those sides 
 are equal," is, "If two angles of a triangle be equal, 
 the sides opposite to those angles are equal." 
 
 revolts: The use of this word as a transitive verb, 
 although supported by high authority, is not favored. 
 "This revolts me" is far better expressed by "This 
 is revolting to me." 
 
 ride, drive: One rides in a saddle or drives in a 
 carriage ; a distinction drawn by English people but 
 condemned as "mere pedantry without a pretense 
 of philological authority" by Gould ("Good English," 
 p. 84). Compare drive. 
 
 rigged out. Compare togged out. 
 
 right: In the adverbial sense of in a great degree, 
 
 187
 
 right A Desk-Book of 
 
 rise 
 
 is archaic or colloquial, except in some titles, as 
 Right Reverend. Say of a thing that it is utterly (not 
 right) nonsensical. Again, the use of this adverb in 
 the sense of precisely and zvithout delay is not ap- 
 proved by many purists, who suggest that some moie 
 suitable term be chosen. "Stand right there," foi 
 "Stand precisely where you are" or "stand just at 
 that spot" is not approved ; so is it also with "Do this 
 right away" for "do this instantly." 
 
 right as a noun should not be used for "just cause 
 to expect" or the verb "deserve." Thus, instead of 
 "You have a right to suffer" say "You deserve (or 
 have just cause to expect) to suffer." 
 
 right away, right off: Common and undesirable 
 colloquialisms for "at once," "instantly." 
 
 right back, to be: An unwarranted colloquialism 
 for "to be here (or there) again in a moment." 
 
 right man in the right place, the: It is claimed by 
 some persons that it is impossible for the right man 
 to be in the wrong place, or the wrong man in the 
 right place — the result being in either case that right, 
 or the thing desired, would not prevail. But the re- 
 verse, the exact thing not desired or the wrong, may 
 be that which ensues — Why? Possibly because the 
 man who was the very man to bring the transaction 
 to a successful issue was wrongly placed, or because 
 the thing desired, which could easily have been 
 achieved with a certain man or type of man to do it 
 
 188
 
 Errors in English right 
 
 rise 
 ^as attempted by a less efficient man — good perhaps 
 for some things but not for that particular work. 
 The poor fellows who rode so gallantly to death at 
 Balaklava were the right fellows for the work in 
 hand, but at that fatal moment were forced into a 
 wrong place. The phrase expresses a felt meaning 
 and is good, as is acknowledged when, in terms of 
 pride and satisfaction, we refer to " the man behind 
 the gun." 
 
 rights and privileges : To be used with discrimi- 
 nation. A privilege is " something peculiar to one or 
 some as distinguished from others; a prerogative " ; 
 so that the term is to be employed relatively. "The 
 rights and privileges of the people," as often used ab- 
 solutely in political platforms, demagogical speeches, 
 and radical newspapers, is incorrect, since the people 
 in this sense can have no privileges, i. e., "things pe- 
 culiar to individuals." Milton's use is correct when 
 he says "We do not mean to destroy all the people's 
 rights and privileges, ^^ since he is speaking of the 
 people relatively, as distinguished from the magis- 
 strates and the king. — Standard Dictionary. 
 
 rise : Some lexicographers claim a distinction in 
 the pronunciation of the word rise as a noun and rise 
 as a verb, making the noun rhyme with "rice" and 
 the verb rhyme with "prize," but common usage 
 sanctions only one pronunciation, that rhyming with 
 
 "prize." 
 
 189
 
 roast A Desk-Book of 
 
 's 
 
 roast : A slang term used occasionally by journal- 
 ists and members of the theatrical profession as an 
 equivalent for "banter" or "ridicule," as in a press 
 notice. 
 
 rooster : A word often incorrectly restricted in its 
 meaning. This is due in a measure to usage as re- 
 corded by lexicographers. If a roost is a perch upon 
 which fowls rest at night, then a rooster is any fowl 
 which perches on a roost, be it cock or hen. But the 
 domestic fowl is not the only bird that roosts, there- 
 fore any bird that does so, be it what it may, is as 
 much a rooster as the male or female domestic fowl. 
 
 rope in, to : A colloquialism for " to cause to par- 
 ticipate in" or in a bad sense "to swindle." In the 
 latter sense it is used especially when the intention 
 is to induce a person to invest in a scheme that is 
 known beforehand to be of questionable worth. 
 
 rubber should not be used as a synonym for 
 "crane" ; nor rubber-necking for "craning the neck." 
 These terms are slang which have been derived from 
 rubber-neck, a playful expression said to be current 
 among the children of Nova Scotia and used by them 
 on April ist instead of the more common "April 
 
 fool." 
 
 rubber-neck : Slang for one who cranes his neck 
 so as to see things that are none of his concern. 
 
 rubbers : As a rule an article of clothing should not 
 be referred to in terms of the material of which it 
 
 X90
 
 Errors in English roast 
 
 's 
 
 consists. Overshoes, for instance, should be so styled, 
 and not called either rubbers or gums. 
 
 nigged, hardy : Rugged in the sense of robust, as 
 in health, is an undesirable Americanism for it means 
 primarily " superficially rough, broken irregularly; as 
 rugged cliffs." Hardy means inured as to toil, expo- 
 sure, or want. 
 
 s 
 
 's : " The sign or sufl&x of the possessive or genitive 
 case singular and of the same case plural when the 
 noun ends in n; as, men's lives; children's books; 
 shortened since the 17th century from ^Middle Eng- 
 lish -es. The apostrophe now replaces the e. Some 
 words ending in a sibilant omit the ^ of the possessive 
 to avoid the disagreeable repetition of a hissing sound. 
 The rules formulated for this work are as follow: (i) 
 Singular monosyllabic nouns ending in a sibilant sound 
 (Sj X, ce, se, or dental ge) add the apostrophe and s^ 
 except when the following word begins with a sibilant 
 sound; as, Jameses reign; Joneses hat; a fox^ skin. 
 (2) Singular dissyllabic nouns ending in a sibilant 
 sound add the apostrophe and s, unless the sibilant 
 is followed by another sibilant or the last syllable is 
 unaccented; as, Fonts' defeat; Moses' face; Jesus 
 disciples; Laplace's theor}-; Hortense's fate. (3) Sin- 
 gular polysyllabic nouns ending in a sibilant sound 
 
 add the apostrophe and s only when a principal or 
 
 191
 
 •ame A Desk-Book of 
 
 school 
 
 secondary accent falls on the last syllable; as, Boni- 
 facets mistake; Qiiackenhos^s Rhetoric; Orosius's His- 
 tory." — Standard Dictionary. 
 
 same : This word should not be used, as it is in 
 commercial correspondence — in substitution for it. 
 If "the same" is correctly used, a noun is implied; as 
 " it is the same (referring to an illness) as he suffered 
 from." However, do not say, "Tell me what you 
 wish, and the same (meaning it) will be attended 
 to." Same is also often used where similar is the 
 proper word. A gale blowing to-day with a ve- 
 locity of 60 miles an hour is similar to, but is not 
 the same as, one that blew with a velocity of 60 
 miles one year ago, although it has the same amount 
 of velocity. 
 
 sameness, similarity : Discriminate carefully be- 
 tween these words. Sameness is the state of being 
 identically the same; absolute resemblance; similar- 
 ity is likeness or partial resemblance. See same. 
 
 sappy: An undesirable colloquiahsm for "weakly 
 sentimental; silly." 
 
 sass : Vulgar term for "impertinence" ; "sauci- 
 
 ness." 
 
 satire, satyr : Note the difference in the spelling of 
 these words. A satire is a dramatic farce or medley; 
 a satyr is a woodland deity. 
 
 saw, seen : In popular use, in some regions, often 
 
 carelessly and inexcusably interchanged. Saw is the 
 
 192
 
 Errors in English same 
 
 school 
 
 imperfect tense of see^ and to be used as such only; 
 
 seen is Its past participle, and the foim to be used, 
 
 with the proper auxiharies, in the tenses formed with 
 
 the aid of the past participle. Not "I seen him," but 
 
 "I saiv him" ; not "I have (or had) never saw it," 
 
 but "I have (or had) never seen it." 
 
 say. Compare utter. 
 
 says I : A vulgarism sometimes heard from even 
 the educated : entirelv indefensible. 
 
 scan. Compare peruse. 
 
 scarcely, hardly : These words are not strictly syn- 
 onymous. Scarcely is applied to quantity, hardly to 
 degree; as, "Scarcely an hour has passed since we 
 parted" ; "He is nardly well enough to rise." 
 
 scared of should not be used for "fearful of." It 
 should be used only when positive alarm, absolute 
 fright is felt. 
 
 scholar : Alliteration is probably responsible foi 
 "Sunday-school scholar'' for although the word origi- 
 nally signified one who attends school for instruction, 
 it has now come to imply one who is distinguished for 
 the pursuit and possession of knowledge; and, as such, 
 it is a high-sounding title for a pupil, who may be a 
 mere beginner, and is supposedly under the close per- 
 sonal supervision of a tutor. 
 
 school : A term which, apart from its use designa- 
 ting an educational institution, formerly also described 
 '*a, large multitude or company" but is now re- 
 
 193
 
 scrap A Desk-Book of 
 
 settle 
 
 stricted in its application to marine animals only; as, 
 
 "a school of whales." 
 
 scrap : A vulgarism for "fight" or "quarrel." 
 
 screw loose, to have a ; A slang phrase used some- 
 times as a substitute for " to be irrational or mentally 
 weak." 
 
 sealing. Compare ceiling. 
 
 search me : A colloquialism used usually as a non- 
 commital reply to an interrogatory and best rendered 
 by a decisive answer as, "I don't know." 
 
 seasonable, timely : These terms are not synony- 
 mous. That which is seasonable is in harmony or 
 keeping with the season or occasion; that which is 
 timely is in good time. A thing may be timely in 
 appearance that is not seasonable. 
 
 see, witness : These words are not synonymous. 
 See is used of things, witness of events. Thus, we 
 may see soldiers, but witness a review; see a man, but 
 witness an assault. 
 
 seem. Compare appear. 
 
 seldom or ever : A very common error for " seldom 
 if ever." One may say "I seldom if ever speak 
 so," meaning to imply doubt; thus, "I seldom speak 
 so ij indeed I ever do." An alternative form is 
 "I seldom or never speak so," which is more em- 
 phatic and implies personal opinion, as "I speak so 
 very seldom or (according to my belief) probably 
 
 never. " 
 
 194
 
 Errors in English scrap 
 
 settle 
 
 semi-occasionally : A meaningless expression for 
 **once in a while" which is decidedly preferable. 
 
 sensation should not be used for "noteworthy 
 tvent." 
 
 sensual, sensuous : These are not synonymous 
 terms. A sensual man is one who is given to the in- 
 ordinate indulgence of his animal appetites; a sen- 
 suous one is one w4io has a warm appreciation for 
 the beautiful and is keenly alive to sense-affecting 
 influences. 
 
 separate : One of a class of words which are per- 
 sistently misspelled. Note that it contains only two 
 "e's", one in its first syllable and one in its last ; and 
 that "a" forms its second syllable. 
 
 serial. Compare cereal. 
 
 session. Compare cession. 
 
 set, sit : According to strict grammatical rule, sit 
 when referring to posture is always an active intrans- 
 itive, and set an active transitive. "To sit on eggs" 
 has been characterized as colloquial English, but is 
 sanctioned by the translators of the King James ver- 
 sion of the Bible. "As the partridge sitteth on eggs 
 and hatcheth them not" (Jer. xvii. ii). Shakespeare 
 wrote " Birds sit brooding in the snow" (L. L. L. act v. 
 sc. 2). On a poultry-farm the farmhand sets the hen 
 but the hen sits. 
 
 settle : Do not speak of settling a bill unless there 
 
 is some matter in dispute concerning it that requires 
 
 195
 
 severally A Desk-Book of 
 
 siege 
 
 settlement. Under ordinary circumstances you pay 
 
 an undisputed account. 
 
 severally. See respectively under respectfully. 
 
 sewage, sewerage : These words are often con- 
 founded. Sewage is the waste matter which is carried 
 off through drains and sewers; sewerage is the system 
 of piping and draining by means of which the sewage 
 is carried off. 
 
 shakes, no great : An undesirable colloquialism 
 for "not much good," "of no great importance." 
 
 shall, will : " Often erroneously interchanged. In 
 general simple futurity is expressed by shall in the 
 first person and will in the second and third, while 
 determination is expressed by will in the fu-st and 
 shall in the second and third. In interrogations in 
 the second and third persons the usage is not so 
 simple, the speaker often putting himself in the 
 place of the one spoken to or spoken of, and using 
 shall or will^ as if for the first person." — Standard 
 Dictionary. 
 
 Sheeny : An offensive appellative for a Jew used 
 only by the illiterate and \ailgar. 
 
 shire : As this word means county, do not say 
 "county " when speaking of any "shire." " Oxford- 
 shire" and "the county of Oxford," are correct, but 
 not "the county of Oxfordshire." 
 
 shoal : In general this word is applied to an as- 
 semblage, a multitude or a throng, but, specifically 
 
 196
 
 Errors In English severally 
 
 siege 
 it designates a number of fish that move together; as, 
 "a shoal of porpoises." Compare school. 
 
 should setm, would seem : Terms used chiefly to 
 soften requests, orders or directions. The use of 
 should in such a remark as ''It should seem so" — 
 implying that something suggested was correct — • 
 dates from pre-Elizabethan time. Here would should 
 be substituted for should. 
 
 should, would : These words follow in the main the 
 usage of shall and liill, but with certain modifications 
 required by their common use in dependent sentences. 
 In general, in indirect quotation, should is to be used 
 after a historical tense where the speaker quoted em- 
 ployed shallj and would where the speaker quoted 
 will. Thus: 
 ( Direct quotation : *' He said to me, ' You shall go. ' " 
 ( Indirect " "He said that I should go." 
 
 ( Direct " "He said to me, 'Will vou go?' " 
 
 j Indirect " "He asked me if I would go." 
 
 The mixture of direct and indirect is always WTong; 
 avoid, "He asked me would I go." 
 
 shut up : A coarse expression often too commonly 
 used instead of "keep quiet." Compare torget 
 
 IT. 
 
 sideways should not be used for sidewise. 
 
 siege, seige : Discriminate carefully between these 
 words. A siege is an investment as of a city by miH- 
 tary forces; as, "the siege of Paris" ; a seige is a flock 
 
 197
 
 eieve A Desk-Book of 
 
 soppy 
 
 of birds; as, "a seige of cranes." Note especially the 
 orthography of these words. 
 
 sieve, seive : Homophones of widely different mean 
 iixg. A sieve is a utensil for sifting; a seive is a rush 
 or rush-wick. 
 
 sight : As a colloquialism meaning a very great 
 quantity, number, or amount; as, " a sight of people, '* 
 the noun is to be avoided, as in the still more objec- 
 tionable expression, "powerful sight," in which the 
 adjective is altogether misapplied. 
 
 similax. Compare same. 
 
 sin. Compare cruie. 
 
 since, ago : Since is used generally to imply 
 time only recently lapsed; ago, to imply time long 
 past. "How long since did he call? " "Nelson 
 fought Trafalgar a century ago." 
 
 siree ; sirree Bob : Vulgar and silly intensives of 
 afl&rmation. 
 
 site. Compare cite. 
 
 skidoo : Recent slang for "get out" which is to be 
 preferred. 
 
 skin, to : A vulgarism for " to deprive by extortion 
 or trickery; get the better of," either of which is 
 preferable. 
 
 skunk : As applied to a person of mean disposition 
 or of objectionable character the term is to be con- 
 demned as unsuited to polite society no matter how 
 fittingly it may apply to the individual designated by it. 
 
 198
 
 Errors in English sieve 
 
 soppy- 
 slob : A vulgar equivalent for ** a careless, negli- 
 gent and incompetent person," and as such one to 
 be avoided. 
 
 so. Compare such. 
 
 soap: A vulgar euphemism for "wealth"; used 
 usually interrogatively as, "How's he off for soap? " 
 A vulgarism for "How rich is he?" which is to be 
 preferred. 
 
 so far as. Compare AS far as. 
 
 sojourn : This term formerly obsolete has recently 
 been revived as meaning to " have a residence, definite 
 though temporary, in some place that is not one's 
 home. " Sojourn is better than stop, which may imply 
 merely cessation of motion and does not express even 
 temporary residence; more specific than stay, which 
 may apply to a delay of an hour between trains or the 
 passing of a night. 
 
 some : This word should never be used for " some- 
 what." In such sense, some is dialectal and provin- 
 cial. Do not say "He has grown some^^ but "gro^vn 
 sotnewhatj^' that is "in some degree" or "to some ex- 
 tent." "Is he better? " "Yes, soj?ie: " avoid such 
 a locution. 
 
 someone else, somebody else. See under else. 
 
 some place. Compare any place. 
 
 somewhat. Compare kind of and like. 
 
 soppy : A vulgarism for "emotional" : expressive 
 
 but inelegant. 
 
 199
 
 sorry A Desk-Book of 
 
 stationary 
 
 sorry, grieved : Distinguish between these words in 
 their use. If we are sorry, it is for a matter concern- 
 ing ourselves; but when we are grieved, another is in 
 some way connected with the case. 
 
 sort of. Compare kind of. 
 
 sparrow grass sometimes abbreviated grass are 
 common corruptions in domestic use for asparagus. 
 There is no excuse but lack of education or lack of 
 intelligence and courage to use the right word when 
 the majority prefer the wTong for this vulgar provin- 
 cialism. 
 
 speciality, specialty : These words should not be 
 confounded. The distinction between them is clearly 
 illustrated by the editor of the Standard Diction- 
 ary as follows : "Speciality is the state or quality of 
 being special ; specialty is an employment to which 
 one is specially devoted, an article in which one spe- 
 cially deals, or the like." 
 
 spectator. Compare audience. 
 
 spell should not be used for " period of time. " Do 
 lot say "I shall stay a spell" if you mean you will 
 'remain a little while,'' the latter is to be pre- 
 ferred. 
 
 splendid : Often used indiscriminately and inanely 
 especially by women; as in the expression "perfectly 
 splendid,'' to express very great excellence. Splendid 
 means imposing ; as, "a splendid woman"; shedding 
 brilliant light or shining brightly; as, "a splendid 
 
 200
 
 Errors in English sorry 
 
 stationary 
 sun"; "a splendid diamond." A heroic deed may 
 be .called splendid but a good story hardly so. 
 
 split or cleft infinitive: A form of expression in 
 which the sign of the infinitive " to " and its verb are 
 separated by some intervening word, usually an ad- 
 verb, as in the phrase, " to quickly return " : severely 
 condemned by purists. 
 
 spondulix: Vulgarism for "money," now passing 
 out of use. 
 
 spoonfuls, spoons full: These words have distinc- 
 tive meanings. Spoonfuls means one spoon filled re- 
 peatedly; spoons full means several spoons filled 
 once. Compare -ful. 
 
 spout, up the: A vulgarism for "with the pawn- 
 broker," or " out of sight." 
 
 spree, to go on a: Formerly this phrase desig- 
 nated indulgence in boisterous frolic and excess of 
 drink: latterly the term has been used to denote 
 " going on an outing for the day." 
 
 square, on the : A colloquialism for " with fair in- 
 tention or with reputation for fair dealing; honest." 
 
 stake, steak: Exercise care in the use of these 
 homophones. A stake is a stick or post, as of wood ; 
 a steak is a slice of meat. Note the difference in 
 spelling. 
 
 standpoint should not be used for " point of view." 
 
 stationary, stationery: Exercise care in the use of 
 these words. Stationary is remaining in one place or 
 
 201
 
 statu© A Desk-Book of 
 
 stricken 
 
 position; stationery , writing-materials in general 
 These words are pronounced alike. 
 
 statue, statute : These words are sometimes con- 
 founded; a statue is a plastic representation of a human 
 or animal figure as in marble or bronze. A statute is 
 a properly authenticated legislative enactment, es- 
 pecially one passed by a body of representatives. 
 
 stay and stop : Stay is sometimes used incorrectly 
 for stop; do not say "I shall stay in Paris on my way 
 to Berlin," but "I shall stop in Paris " etc. Do not 
 say "How long will you stop there? '* but "How long 
 will you stay ? " etc. Compare sojourn and stop. 
 
 step. See stop. 
 
 stiff is used for a "corpse" only by the ver}^ lowest 
 type of humanity. 
 
 stile, style : Exercise care in spelling these words. 
 A stile is a step or series of steps on each side of a 
 fence or wall, to aid in surmounting it; style is fashion. 
 
 stimulant, stimulus : The first of these words de- 
 notes that which stimulates the system, as coffee does 
 the action of the heart. A stimulus is that which im- 
 pels or urges on; as, "a stimulus to hard work is of- 
 fered by the pecuniary reward it yields." 
 
 stinker : A coarse term applied to an undesirable 
 acquaintance only by the vulgar. It is a term that 
 unfortunately has some vogue in commercial life. 
 
 stop : The word is frequently misused, both for 
 step and stay. ^^ Stop in next time you pass" or " stop 
 
 202
 
 Errors in English statue 
 
 stricken 
 
 ofj on your way do\NTi by car" are colloquial but ob- 
 jectionable expressions. The latter clearly means 
 ^^ step off and call in" and would be met by a simple 
 "call in." Slop implies finality, and should therefore 
 never be used in the sense of a temporary stay. The 
 true meaning of the word stop was well understood by 
 the man who did not invite his professed friend to 
 visit him: ''If you come at any time within ten miles 
 of my house, just stop.^' — Mathews, Words^ Their 
 Use and Abuse, ch. xiv. p. 359. 
 
 straight, strait : Exercise care in spelling these 
 words. That which is straight lies evenly between any 
 two of its points or passes from one point to another by 
 direct course; not curved. A strait is a narrow channel 
 connecting two seas. In the plural, strait denotes a 
 difficult or restricted condition; distress or perplexity. 
 
 street : According to law, land includes all above 
 and all below. Thus a house on the land or a gold 
 mine beneath is covered by the word land, and its 
 possessor is entitled to both one and the other. In 
 the same way a street includes the houses there built; 
 and it is therefore not strictly correct to speak of a 
 certain house as being on a certain street : it is in the 
 street and is part of it. Compare on. 
 
 stricken : As a past participle of strike, archaic 
 in England, except when there is an implication in it 
 of misfortune; as, "He was stricken with paralysis." 
 In the United States stricken, in general application. 
 
 203
 
 string A Desk-Book of 
 
 take 
 
 is not so distinctly archaic, and its use in reference to 
 the erasure of words is very frequent; as, "It is or- 
 dered that the words objected to be stricken out. " In 
 the best Hterary usage of both countries struck is pre- 
 ferred to stricken when no impHcation of misfortune 
 is conveyed in it. Stricken is the appropriate parti- 
 cipial adjective; as, "a stricken man" ; "a stricken 
 deer." — Standard Dictionary. 
 
 string, to get on a : A harmless but inelegant equiv- 
 alent for "to hoax," which is to be preferred. 
 
 subtile, subtle : "Subtile Siud subtle have been con- 
 stantly used as interchangeable by good ^\Titers but 
 there seems to be a present tendency to distinguish 
 them by making subtile an attribute of things and 
 subtle a characteristic of mind." A penetrating per- 
 fume is described as subtile y whereas a wily sage's 
 predominating characteristic is subtlety. 
 
 succeed should not be used now in the archaic sense 
 of "to make successful, promote" ; as, "to succeed 
 an enterprise." 
 
 succeed himself : An absurd phrase. A person 
 who takes the place of a predecessor succeeds him; 
 one who has occupied a public office for a term pre- 
 scribed by law and is reelected to that office succeeds 
 his own previous term of office but not himself. 
 
 such : This word is often erroneously used for " so. " 
 Do not say "I never saw such a high building" ; say, 
 tather. " . „ . 50 high, a building. " 
 
 ^0^
 
 Errors in English string 
 
 take 
 
 such another. Compare another such. 
 
 sucker for "sponger" or "parasite" is slang of 
 the lowest type and should be avoided by all persons 
 of refinement. 
 
 summons : You smnmon a person to court upon a 
 summons. There is properly no such verb as sum^ 
 fnons, the colloquial use of the term being altogether 
 unjustifiable. 
 
 superior. Compare inferior. 
 
 sure : Often misused for "surely" in the sense of 
 "certainly." Do not say "Sure I'm going"; say, 
 rather, "I'm surely going." 
 
 surprise. Compare astonish. 
 
 sympathize with, sympathy for : The verb sym^ 
 pathize takes only with; the noun sympathy^ in its 
 secondary sense of "commiseration," is often properly 
 followed by for. \\q have sympathy with one's aspi- 
 rations, jor his distress; the sound man has sympathy 
 jor the wounded; the wounded man has sympathy 
 with his fellow sufferers. 
 
 sympathy. Compare pity. 
 
 T 
 
 take : Often incorrectly used for have, especially in 
 extending hospitality, in such a sentence as "WTiat 
 will you take ? " 
 
 take on for grieve, scold, etc., like carry on for 
 behave sportively may both be tolerated as colloqui- 
 
 205
 
 takes A Desk-Book of 
 
 thanks 
 
 alisms that are popular because of their irrationality, 
 
 or because they require no discrimination in statement. 
 
 takes the cake. See cake. 
 
 take up school : An objectionable local American- 
 ism for begin school: used also intransitively; as, 
 " School took tip at 9 o'clock " : avoid this. 
 
 talent should not be used for " talents" or " abiHty. '* 
 
 talented : Inasmuch as adjectives of the participial 
 form are justified by strict grammarians only if de- 
 rived from an existing verb, this word has been cav- 
 iled at by Coleridge (who denounced it as " that vile 
 and barbarous vocable") and many Uterary pedants. 
 Burke, Hazlitt, Lamb, De Quincey, Macaulay and 
 Newman have however, spoken of "a talented man" ; 
 and in the face of this array of learning and authority 
 we can raise but a modest protest in favor of the 
 contention of the grammarians. Such formations 
 are, however, not to be indiscriminately recom- 
 mended. 
 
 talk, back. Compare back talk. 
 
 tasty in the sense of tasteful is without authority 
 and is considered an illiterate use. A person or his 
 work may be tasteful, but his food, however savory, 
 can be no more than tasty. 
 
 team : Strictly a team consists of two or more 
 beasts of burden harnessed together, but in the Uni- 
 ted States the word is extended to cover " team and 
 accessories," the latter being the harness or equip- 
 
 200
 
 Errors in English takes 
 
 thanks 
 ment, together with the vehicle to which the animals 
 are attached. 
 
 tell on : A common expression with children used 
 in the sense of "to inform against a person," is de- 
 rived from Biblical use (i Sam. xxvii. ii). The 
 plirase lost to literary English has now no equivalent. 
 
 temper, anger, wrath : Words in the use of which 
 discrimination should be used. Temper is disposition 
 or constitution of the mind, especially in relation to 
 the affections or the passions; anger is violence or 
 vindicated passion aroused by real or imaginary in- 
 sult or injury. One may have an irritable temper 
 without being necessarily angry. Wrath is deep, de- 
 termined, and lasting anger, usually accompanied by 
 outward expression of displeasure. Anger may be 
 only inward feeling without the outward expression 
 of passion. 
 
 tender should not be used for "give." You tender 
 a payment; give a reception. 
 
 testimony. Compare e\tdexce. 
 
 than as a conjunction should be used only in the 
 case of direct comparison; as, "I esteem this more 
 than that." When the comparison is merely im- 
 plied, or covered by the verb, as by the verb prefer, 
 than should not be used. See prefer. 
 
 thanks has been condemned as an undignified col- 
 loquialism bordering on incivility; but what serious 
 objection is there to this pithy acknowledgment of 
 
 207
 
 than A Desk-Book of 
 
 the 
 
 obligation or gratitude ? It has been said that Shakes- 
 peare made use of the expression no fewer than fifty- 
 five times, and that the Bible four times contains the 
 utterance ''thanks be to God," Shakespeare's use 
 of the word with "much" as an adjective is indeed 
 most forcible — "for this relief much thanks.'* 
 
 than me should never be used for than I. Say, 
 "He is taller than I"; not "He is taller than me." 
 
 than whom: A phrase objected to by some gram- 
 . matical critics, in such locutions as "Cromwell, than 
 whom no man was better skilled in artifice" ; but 
 shown to be "a quite classic expression." Formerly 
 than was often but not always used as a preposition, 
 and than whom is probably a survival of such usage. 
 "Than zvhom'* is generally accepted as permissible — 
 probably because the sentence where it occurs can 
 not be mended without reconstruction, and it has 
 abundant literary authority. 
 
 that : In construing this word, it must be recollected 
 that it is not only a conjunction but also a pronoun, 
 both demonstrative and relative. The peculiarity 
 of the word is such that it can be used more times in 
 succession than any other word in the English lan- 
 guage. Exception having been taken to a certain 
 "that" found in a school-boy's exercise, it was shown 
 that that that that that boy used was right. Dean 
 Alford constructed a sentence on these lines which 
 contained no fewer than nine thats in succession. 
 
 208
 
 Errors in English than 
 
 ^ the 
 
 That used adverbially is wholly inexcusable. "He 
 sv^as that sick" could only be tolerated if an ellipsis 
 such as "he was (to) that (degree) sick," could be 
 supposed, but this is more than can be done; and the 
 expression is therefore regarded as an unpardonable 
 vulgarism. Compare as, that (p. 22). 
 
 that there : An illiterate expression commonly used 
 with the mistaken idea that the use of "there" adds 
 emphasis to what follows, as, " That there man. " Say, 
 rather, "That man there" or simply, and preferably 
 "That man." 
 
 that, who : Discriminate carefully between these 
 words. That implies restriction; who generally de- 
 notes coordination. As an illustration of this dis- 
 tinction, Alfred Ayres says ( " The Verbalist," p. 202), 
 " ' I met the boatman who took me across the ferry. * 
 If who is the proper word here, the meaning is 'I 
 met the boatman, and he took me across the ferry,' 
 it being supposed that the boatman is known and 
 definite. But if there be several boatmen, and I wish 
 to indicate one in particular, by the circumstance that 
 he had taken me across the ferr}', I should use that. " 
 That ought, therefore, to be preferred to who or which 
 whenever an antecedent not otherwise limited is to 
 be restricted bv the relative clause. 
 
 that's him; No, "that's /^e" — this is correct. 
 
 the : Before titles of honor, such as Reverend, Hon- 
 orable, the definite article (though now frequently 
 
 200
 
 the A Desk-Book of 
 
 this 
 
 omitted) should be used. As the title is specific and 
 personal, this is the more necessary. 
 
 the infinitive : The particle to is an inherent and 
 component part of the infinitive, and is strictly in- 
 separable therefrom, in precisely the same way that 
 the prefixed syllable which assists to form a compound 
 word (as ^constant) is a necessary part of the com- 
 pound. But this to belongs to the present infinitive 
 only, and properly finds no place in such expressions 
 as "He was fool enough to have risked his good 
 name. " Despite the hundreds of uses of this method 
 of expression, it is a blunder : the sentence should 
 read "fool enough to risk.^' It is, too, on the 
 ground of inseparability that the split infixitiv5- 
 (which see) is so reprehensible. "To dance grace- 
 fully" should not be transposed into "to gracefull^i 
 dance." 
 
 them : The use of this word as a demonstrative 
 adjective for a pronoun is wholly unpermissible. A 
 common error due to a desire to designate particu- 
 larly the article required. Do not say " Give me them 
 things"; say, rather, "... those things." 
 However, of things previously mentioned one may 
 say " Give them to me. " 
 
 then : The use of this word as an adjective, as in 
 the phrase "the then Bishop of York," has been ques- 
 tioned; but the usage is expressive and convenient, 
 and is supported by good literary authority. 
 
 210
 
 Errors In English th6 
 
 this 
 
 thence, whence : As these words mean " from 
 there," "from where," they should not be preceded 
 by the word jrom as is often erroneously done. 
 
 these is, them are ; Ungrammatical phrases used 
 by the illiterate for "this is"; ''those are." The 
 pronouns should both agree in number with the verb 
 they govern. 
 
 these kind, those sort, etc. : Such expressions, 
 though common, are now usually considered alto- 
 gether wrong. Nouns in the singular require demon- 
 strative adjectives also in the singular. But this may 
 be used instead of these in collective expressions, such 
 as "this ten years." Yet Shakespeare has many in- 
 stances of this use. Thus, in " Twelfth Night " 
 (act i, sc. 5) he wTites ^' these kind of fools," and in 
 " King Lear " (act ii, sc. 2) a precisely similar ex- 
 pression, "these kind of knaves." In "Othello' 
 (act iii, sc. 3) he has, "these are a kind of men." 
 
 think, don't. See don't believe. 
 
 this or that much : Not elegant perhaps, but still 
 correct or at least passable. A careful speaker would 
 prefer to say "this much," because much being an 
 adjective of quahty requires, for its elucidation, not 
 a pronoun but an adverb. It is true that in the ex- 
 pression "this" or "that much," the word "much" 
 could generally, if not always, be omitted without 
 affecting the correctness of the sentence wherein it is 
 used; still the sense would not be precisely the same. 
 
 211
 
 threatening A Desk-Boolc of 
 
 to-morrow 
 
 "This much I know" denotes a limitation in the ex- 
 tent of knowledge which is not restricted by " this I 
 know," 
 
 threatening. Compare eminent. 
 
 three first, the : Incorrect for the first three : one 
 may, however, correctly use three first if referring to 
 a race, or the like, in which three of the competitors 
 run a dead heat. Compare two first. 
 
 through : An undesirable colloquialism for "at an 
 end" ; "finished" ; generally applied to speakers 
 who have completed an address, or to diners who 
 have finished a meal. Both applications are marks 
 of ill-breeding and border on vulgarity. 
 
 tickled to death : An absurd phrase used to ex|^ess 
 "greatly pleased." 
 
 till : In some parts of the United States oddly mis- 
 used for by ; as, "I'll be there till [hy] ten o'clock.'' 
 
 time : Avoid such an incongruity as " Heaps of 
 time.^' "Plenty of /fwe," or "/ime enough" are to 
 be preferred. 
 
 timely. Compare seasonable. 
 
 tinker's dam : A colloquialism for something worth- 
 less, used usually in the phrase "Not worth a tinker's 
 dam." Avoided in polite society. 
 
 tiny Uttle : The use of words as mere intensives 
 should be avoided, for by judicious selection a single 
 word can probably be found which is capable of con- 
 veying the precise sense desired. To speak of a " tiny 
 
 212
 
 Errors in English threatening 
 
 to-morrow 
 
 little watch" or "a great big house," indicates a 
 
 deplorable poverty of vocabulary. It is true that 
 
 Shakespeare spoke of ''the most unkindest cut of all" ; 
 
 but he made use of intensives only when the unusual 
 
 circumstances of the case required them. 
 
 tired, to make one : A colloquialism for "to weary," 
 or "reduce the patience of" as by absurd stories or 
 silly conversation: a commonplace expression good to 
 avoid. 
 
 to : Beware of using the preposition to when at is 
 intended. A common error of this sort is instanced 
 by "He was /o school this morning." Possibly the 
 error is made rather in the verb than the preposi- 
 tion, though the influencing cause of error in the un- 
 educated does not always admit of certainty. We 
 suggest, therefore, that the verb "to be" is used 
 unintentionally for "to go," and that the sentence is 
 perhaps intended to read "he went to school this 
 morning." Compare and; for. 
 
 *ogged out or up : An undesirable and \'ulgar ex- 
 pression for "well-dressed" or "attired in clothes that 
 mav attract attention." 
 
 to-morrow : This word is often used with different 
 tenses, the question being raised as to whether it 
 should be "to-morrow is Christmas day" or "to- 
 morrow will he Christmas day. " Both forms are cor- 
 rect. But, generally, in using this word, the supposi- 
 tion is that to-morrow has not arrived at the time of 
 
 213
 
 to-morrow A Desk-Book of 
 
 turn 
 
 speaking, and, therefore, "to-morrow will be Christ- 
 mas day" is preferred. Longfellow {Keramos, line 
 331) says: " To-morrow m// he another day." But 
 the other form also has the sanction of usage, as the 
 following quotations will show: 
 
 "To-morrow, what deHght is in to-morrow!" — 
 T. B. Read, The New Pastoral, bk. vi. 1. 163. 
 
 "To-morrow is a satire on to-day." — ^YouNG, Tlie 
 Old Man^s Relapse, 1. 6. 
 
 The Bible affords numerous instances of this use of 
 '*is." Ex. xvi. 23: "The Lord hath said, to-morrow 
 is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord "; xxxii. 
 5: "And Aaron made proclamation and said, to- 
 morrow is a feast to the Lord"; I Sam. xx. 5: "Be- 
 hold to-morrow is the new moon "; Matt. vi. 30: "If 
 God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, 
 and to-morrow is cast into the oven." 
 
 Most people would say " Yesterday was Friday." 
 If the thought is fixed upon the name of the day, it is 
 better to use is, if upon the time future it is better to 
 use will he. 
 
 toney : A vulgarism for "fancy" or "stylish," 
 either of which is a preferable term. 
 
 touch, to: A slang term for "to borrow" not 
 used by persons careful of their diction. Do not say 
 "I touched him for a ten-spot" ; say rather, "I bor- 
 rowed ten dollars from him." 
 
 214
 
 Errors in English to-morrow 
 
 turn 
 
 transpire is condemned by the best ™ters in the 
 sense of happen. "The verb transpire formerly con- 
 veyed very expressively its correct meaning, viz., to 
 become known through unnoticed channels — to ex- 
 hale, as it were, into publicity through invisible pores, 
 like a vapor or gas disengaging itself. But of late, 
 a practise has commenced of employing the word 
 . . . as a mere synonym to to happen, . . . 
 This vile specimen of bad English is already seen in 
 the dispatches of noblemen and viceroys." — Mill, 
 Logic, bk. iv. ch. 5, p. 483. 
 
 truth. Compare veracity. 
 
 try : This word is often erroneously used for 
 " make. " Do iiot say " Try the experiment yourself" 
 but ^'Afake the experiment.'* An experiment can 
 only be tried, as a speech (in its literal, that is verbal, 
 sense) can only be spoken. 
 
 try and : A common but incorrect locution. Do 
 not say "Try and come to-day," but, rather, " Try to 
 com.e to-day." 
 
 tumble to: Slang for "to understand." Do not 
 say " Do you tumble to it ? " Say, rather, " Do you 
 understand it? " 
 
 turn down : Undesirable, though perhaps expres- 
 sive slang for "reject" ; "ignore" ; or "dismiss." 
 In commercial circles, this expression has wide usage 
 but is not the less inelegant and should be avoided. 
 A proposition is quite as fully disposed of when it is 
 
 il5
 
 turn A Desk-Book of 
 
 two 
 
 "rejected" as when it is "turned down; " besides, 
 "rejected" should be given preference if only by rea- 
 son of its brevity. 
 
 turn up : Used in the sense of to " put in an ap- 
 pearance" this expression has been condemned. The 
 remark of a barrister in a London County Court that 
 a defendant had "not turned up" caused the Judge 
 to exclaim: "Pray do not use such slip-shod expres- 
 sions. " The barrister apologized. " These are high- 
 pressure days," he said, "and since your Honor's 
 days at the bar we have no longer time to indulge 
 in perfect English." 
 
 twenty-three : A slang term used as the equivalent 
 of "fade away" in theatrical and sporting circles: a 
 recent expression the origin of which has been va- 
 riously explained. Compare fade away. 
 
 two. Compare couple. 
 
 two and two is (or are) four : As an abstract prop. 
 
 osition or statem_ent, is is undoubtedly correct; foi 
 
 four is two added to two, or twice two; but when two 
 
 specific things are added to two others, the verb must 
 
 be in the plural. In the former case we are saying 
 
 that a certain single and definite result is attained oi 
 
 total given by the combination of two numbers; in 
 
 the latter we say that in a given body or number of 
 
 things are so many single or individual things. Two 
 
 me^ and two are undoubtedly four; that is, four men 
 
 are ^constituted of) two and two; Beyond doubt, 
 
 216
 
 Errors in English turn 
 
 two 
 twice one is two; for it can not be that two (as a single 
 and specific number) are twice one. 
 
 two first : Of this expression James Murdock says: 
 "The only argument against the use of two first, and 
 in favor of substituting first two, so far as I can recol- 
 lect, is this: In the nature of things, there can be 
 only one first and one last, in any series of things. 
 But — is it true that there can never be more than one 
 first and one last ? If it be so, then the adjective fiist 
 and last must always be of the singular number, and 
 can never agree with nouns in the plural. We are 
 *old that tJie first years of a lawyer's practise are sel- 
 dom very lucrative. The poet tells us that his first 
 essays were severely handled by the critics, but his 
 last efforts have been well received. Examples like 
 these might be produced without number. They oc- 
 cur everywhere in all our standard writers. . . . 
 When a numeral adjective and a qualifying epithet 
 both refer to the same noun, the general rule of the 
 English language is to place the numeral first, then 
 the qualifying epithet, and afterwards the noun. 
 Thus we say, ' The two wise men, ' ' the two tall men ' ; 
 and not ' the wise two men ' ' the tall two men. ' And 
 the same rule holds in superlatives. We say * the two 
 wisest men, ' ' the two tallest men ' and not ' the wisest 
 two men,' 'the tallest two men.' Now if this be ad- 
 mitted to be the general rule of the English language, 
 it then follows that we should generally say 'the two 
 
 •217
 
 ugly A Desk-Book of 
 
 unique 
 
 firstf* 'the two last,^ etc., rather than *the first twOy* 
 'the last twOj^ etc. This, I say, should generally be 
 the order of the words. Yet there are some cases in 
 which it seems preferable to say, *the first two,' 'the 
 first three,' etc." Compare first. 
 
 u 
 
 uglyt which signifies the reverse of beautiful or want 
 of comeliness (actual or figurative) is colloquially ex- 
 tended in the United States to uncomeliness of char- 
 acter or personal demeanor; as an tcgly fellow; an 
 ugly beast; anger makes him ugly. In polite speech 
 this usage is not sanctioned. Say "irritable,'' 
 "vicious," "quarrelsome," as the disposition inclines 
 or indicates. 
 
 un- : For the sake of lucidity the use of a negative 
 prefix with a negative antecedent should be discour- 
 aged. Avoid such expressions as "He spoke in 7io 
 immistakable terms" which means, of course, "mis- 
 takable terms" the direct opposite of the speaker's 
 intention. "Not an unkempt one among them" 
 means that all were well kempt. 
 
 unbeknown : A vulgar provincialism used chiefly 
 in the form unbeknownst. 
 
 uncommon : Used for uncommonly : a vulgarism 
 meaning "to an unusual degree or extremely." Do 
 not say "Her «yes are uncommon beautiful"; say, 
 rathe?, ** . . . uncommonly beautiful."
 
 Errors in English ^igly 
 
 unique 
 unconscionable : When used for tinconscionahly is 
 a bad provincialism. Used also by the illiterate in- 
 stead of uncommonly ; as, " She is an unconscionable 
 handsome girl " — this is bad English. 
 
 under ; Much philological nonsense has been \\Titten 
 in disapproval of the expression "under his signa- 
 ture," for which "over his signature" — that "prepos- 
 terous conceit," as Gould aptly terms it — is suggested 
 as a substitute. But it is clear that the expression 
 is elliptical, and means "under sanction or authority 
 of his signature." '^ Under oath" is good enough to 
 impress upon an unwilling and prevaricating ^^^tness 
 the distinction between perjury and a lie, and that 
 although he does not physically lie under the oath. 
 
 understand should not be used as an expletive with 
 interrogatory inflection, as a contraction of "Do you 
 understand .?" There is no excuse for this nor for its 
 objectionable iteration. Avoid such absurdities as: 
 ** Grammar, understand, is the science that treats of 
 the principles, understand, that govern the correct use 
 of language," etc. See is also misused in the same 
 
 manner. 
 
 unique : As this word implies " being the only one 
 of its kind" it should never be preceded by "very" 
 which implies degree. On this subject the Standard 
 Dictionary says: "We may say quite unique li we 
 mean absolutely singular or without parallel but we 
 can not properly say very unique.'* 
 
 219
 
 United States A Desk-Book of 
 utter 
 
 United States : Under this designation the several 
 states comprising the American Union are known col- 
 lectively as one great nation. As such the expression 
 is singular and accordingly is correctly followed by 
 a verb in the singular. 
 
 universally by all : A common error. Where any- 
 thing is done universally , it must be done hy all, and 
 these words being redundant should be omitted. 
 
 universe should not be used where earth is intended. 
 If one desires to say of a certain person that he " thinks 
 he owns the earth,'' one should certainly be careful to 
 limit his vast possessions and not extend them to the 
 universe. The latter embraces all comprised in space. 
 "No doubt, there is a universe; but the word means 
 all created things, as a whole; not only our entire 
 solar system, but all the other systems of which the 
 fixed stars are but the centres." — E. S. Gould, Good 
 English, Misused Words, p. 83. 
 
 unless. See without. 
 
 unwell, owing to its common euphemistic applica- 
 tion, should not be used for "ill." 
 
 up : In general the word up, used in such a phrase 
 as "Open up" or "He opened up his sermon with a 
 parable" is redundant and should be omitted. Com- 
 pare OPEN. 
 
 up against it : A colloquial expression used as the 
 equivalent of "face to face with" some condition or 
 thing, usually of a discouraging or disastrous char- 
 
 220
 
 Errors in English United states 
 
 utter 
 acter. Though common in commercial circles it is 
 an expression that it is best to avoid. 
 
 upon : Often used for on in such phrases as "call 
 upon,^' whether meaning visit or summon^ and "speak 
 (or write) upon.^* The reasonable tendency now is 
 to use the simpler Ofi whenever the idea of superpo- 
 sition is not involved. 
 
 usage. Compare habit. 
 
 use : This word is used in all sorts of incorrect and 
 inelegant ways; yet the conjugation of the verb is 
 positive and very simple — use; used; using. 
 There appears to be no difficulty in applying it af- 
 firmatively but when used in a negative form one often 
 hears such uncouth expressions as "You didnH use 
 to," "you hadnH used to " instead of "You used not 
 to," etc. It need scarcely be said that these expres- 
 sions are vulgarisms of the worst type. "I usedn't 
 to" is not pretty, but is less formal than "I used not 
 to," and can not be objected to on grammatical 
 grounds. 
 
 usually. Compare commonly. 
 
 utter as a verb should be distinguished from say^ 
 as articulate expression is differentiated from wTitten. 
 To utter, save in the legal sense, is to emit audibly. 
 Adjectively the word can be used only in an unfavor- 
 able sense for "complete." Utter discord there may 
 be, but not utter harmony; utter silence, but not utter 
 speech. 
 
 221
 
 vain A Desk-Book of 
 
 visit 
 
 V 
 
 vain, vein : Words of similar pronunciation whose 
 spelling is sometimes confused by the careless. Vein 
 is the Latin vena, blood-vessel, from veho, carry, and 
 is therefore totally distinct from vain, which is from 
 the Latin vanus, empty. 
 
 valuable is occasionally misused for valued. Valih 
 able is said correctly only of things that have mone- 
 tary value or derive worth as from their character or 
 quality. One may have valued friends and valuable 
 art- treasures, but not valuable friends nor valued art- 
 treasures. 
 
 venal, venial : Discriminate carefully between these 
 words. One who is venal is ready to sell his influence 
 or efforts for some consideration from sordid motives; 
 he is mercenary. But one who is venial has com- 
 mitted only a slight or trivial fault. A man who has 
 sold his vote for preferment is a venal poHtician; a 
 starving man who has stolen a loaf of bread for his 
 family has been guilty of a venial offense. 
 
 ventilate should not be used for "expose" or "ex- 
 plain." 
 
 veracity, truth : Do not confound these words. 
 Truth is applied to persons and facts; veracity only 
 to persons and to statements made by them. One 
 should not speak of the veracity of anything that has 
 occurred. A man of integrity may have a' reputation
 
 Errors in English vain 
 
 visit 
 for veracity; if so, there is no doubt that he told the 
 truth or that the account he gave was true. 
 
 verbal nouns, especially such as could be replaced 
 by a noun pure and simple, etymologically coordinate, 
 should be preceded by a possessive in sentences of 
 this character: "The cause of Henry ('5) dying was 
 appendicitis." Dying is here equivalent to death; 
 and we should (if we substituted the pronoun) cer- 
 tainly say "the cause of his dying" rather than "the 
 cause of him dying." 
 
 verse : The chief meaning of this word Is a single 
 line of poetr}'; sometimes it is used as a synonym for 
 stanza. Some grammarians advocate the use of verse 
 instead of stanza, and the familiar character of the 
 word seems to argue in favor of this use. 
 
 very : Excepting where a participle is used solely 
 as an adjective, it is now thought to be more gram- 
 matical to interpose an adverb between the participle 
 and this word. Thus, ^^very greatly dissatisfied" is 
 preferred to "very dissatisfied," whereas ^^very tired" 
 is accepted as correct. Compare real. 
 
 vest : In the sense of waistcoat, this word, which 
 is in better usage a synonym for imderuest, is not used 
 by precise speakers. 
 
 vice. Compare crime. 
 
 vicinity should not be used for ''neighborhood." 
 
 visit : A term sometimes misused. Do not say 
 "The actor has just visited, with much abuse, the 
 
 323
 
 vocation A Desk-Book of 
 
 ways 
 
 head of the critic," when you mean that he abused 
 him roundly. This is an erroneous apphcation of the 
 word, which is confounded with the Scriptural usage 
 *'to send judgment from heaven upon" as punish- 
 ment. 
 
 vocation. Compare avocation. 
 
 w 
 
 wa'n't : A contraction of was not, or improperly of 
 were not; as, "He wa^n^t (or they wa^nH) at home" : 
 a common vulgarism. 
 
 want and need are not synonymous terms, although 
 both denote a lack. Want, however, refers more 
 properly to a personal conception of shortcoming or 
 shortage, whereas need denotes the matter of fact. 
 Thus a delinquent son may need castigation, w^hile 
 he distinctly does not want it. Want, therefore, sig- 
 nifies a wdsh to supply what is lacking. But the word 
 want is sometimes less strong than need, for a covet- 
 ous man wants (i. e., desires) many things he does not 
 need (or things for which he has an absolute neces- 
 sity). "I need assistance or I shall drown." Again, 
 *'I want a position, but do not need it, because I 
 can continue as I am without it; but when resources 
 fail I shall need it." 
 
 want of : An undesirable colloquialism. Do not 
 say "What does he want of a yacht? " say, rather. 
 want with, or " What need has he of a yacht ? " 
 
 2-Zi
 
 Errors in English vocation 
 
 ways 
 
 warm : A slang term used for "rich," formerly in 
 ^ogue in England. 
 
 warm, not so : A vulgar phrase applied to persons 
 and meaning usually "not as important" or "not as 
 accurate" as the person to whom the epithet is ap- 
 plied may think himself to be. 
 
 was, is : These terms are sometimes confused, es- 
 pecially in dependent sentences that state unchanging 
 facts. Then the present tense should be used in the 
 dependent sentence notwithstanding the fact that the 
 principal verb may denote action in the past. Say, 
 "Ke said that space is (not was) infinite"; "We 
 assert that life is everlasting. " 
 
 watch, observe : These words have a similarity of 
 meaning, but watch expresses a scrutiny or close ob- 
 servation which is not implied by the latter. You 
 obsen-e a preacher's manner but carefully watch a 
 thief. When you observe intently and concentrate your 
 entire thoughts upon the thing observed you watch. 
 You observe the hour of day but watch the time 
 lest you lose your train. 
 
 way or 'way, as an abbreviation of the adverb away, 
 as *'^way out West," is an impropriety of speech. 
 Say, rather, "He has gone (or is in the) West." 
 
 ways, for way : In the sense of " space or dis- 
 tance," the erroneous form ways, for way, is often 
 used colloquially, perhaps originally through confu- 
 sion with the sufl&x -ways; as, " The church is a long 
 
 225
 
 weary A Desk-Book of 
 
 wherever 
 
 ways from here," which should be "The church is a 
 
 long way,^^ etc. 
 
 weary. Compare tired. 
 
 weather, under the: In the sense of "somewhat 
 ill," as though depressed by the weather, this is a 
 colloquialism better avoided. 
 
 went : This word should never be used as a par- 
 ticiple; say, "He went'' or "he has gone" instead of 
 "he has went.'' Never use went after any part of 
 the verb have. Do not say "I have went there 
 often" ; but "I have been there often. " Went should 
 yiever be used for go. Some illiterate people say "I 
 should have went" when they mean "I should have 
 gone. " 
 
 were her : Often used incorrectly as in the sentence 
 "If I were her. " Say, rather, " If I were she. " Her 
 is the objective case ; here the nominative she should 
 be used. 
 
 wharf : E. S. Gould declares that as dwarves 
 would be an improper plural for dwarf, so is wharves 
 for wharf. However, both forms are now admitted. 
 Compare dock. 
 
 what : As what is both antecedent and relative the 
 use of the antecedent with this word is wrong. "All 
 what he said was false" should be corrected by the 
 elision of "all." What is used only in reference to 
 things, whereas that can be said of persons, animals, 
 and things, and can be substituted for it. 
 
 226
 
 Errors in English weary 
 
 wherever 
 
 what was, what was not : ''What was" and "what 
 wasn't my surprise" may both be used correctly to 
 express considerable surprise, and with almost the 
 same meaning, the one expression differing from the 
 other but by a shade in sense. "Hew great was my 
 surprise," and "What surprise could equal or be 
 greater, than mine," would about paraphrase the 
 usages. The former sentence implies great surprise, 
 but the possibility (though unref erred to) of a greater; 
 the latter indicates that there could not be any greater 
 surprise 
 
 wheels in the (or his) head, to have : A slang phrase 
 used as a substitute for "to be eccentric, pecuHar, 
 or erratic." 
 
 whence : "Whence came you" is sufficient and 
 correct. "From whence^' is pleonastic, the whence 
 being nothing less than "from where" and thus in- 
 cluding the from. Compare thence. 
 
 where : The prepositions to or at should never end 
 a sentence beginning with where. Such use is vulgar 
 and illiterate. Avoid: "Where has he gone to?^* 
 "IF/^ercwas I at?" 
 
 whereabouts : This word, plural in form, but sin- 
 gular in construction, always takes a verb, in the 
 singular. "Husband and wife disappeared; their 
 whereabouts is a myster}'. " 
 
 wherever : This word, although a combination of 
 
 two words "where" and "ever" is not spelt "where 
 
 227
 
 whether A Desk-Book of 
 
 without 
 
 ever" when written as a solid word. Then it drops 
 
 the first "e" in "ever" and is correctly "wherever." 
 
 whether : Avoid such a locution as " whether or no," 
 which is rapidly gaining ground, and say instead the 
 preferable phrase," whether or not." Whether prop- 
 erly means "which of two." Therefore, in express- 
 ing doubt, make mention merely of the exact thing 
 doubted without using the word whether unless It be to 
 introduce an alternative subject of doubt or a compar- 
 ison of doubts. Just as either, which is strictly appli- 
 cable to two only is vtrongly applied to more than two, 
 so is whether, which is a contraction of which of either. 
 
 which. Compare that, who. 
 
 who : Often improperly used for whom : a mark of 
 ignorance when so applied. Do not say " Who do you 
 refer to ? " but " To whom do you refer ? " Not " Who 
 is that for?" nor "Who did you give it to?" but 
 "For whom is that? " "To whom did you give it?" 
 Compare that, who. 
 
 whole, whole of : The whole or whole oj should be 
 used before a plural noun carefully, and then only 
 when the body is referred to collectively. In general 
 the word entire w^ould better express the phrase. In 
 such cases all should never be employed, as this re- 
 lates to the individual of which the body is composed. 
 Thus, one may say, " The whole staff accompanied the 
 general," or (for emphasis) "The whole oj the staff," 
 etc., but it would be better to say "The entire staff." 
 
 228
 
 Errors in English whether 
 
 without 
 If referring to the individual officers, the sentence 
 should read "All members of the staff accompanied 
 the general." 
 
 whole push, the. See push. 
 
 widow woman : A pleonasm. Do not use the 
 word widow, which applies only to a woman, with the 
 words woman or lady. It is an error of speech, com- 
 mon in rural districts, against w^hich it is wise to con- 
 tinually guard. 
 
 wife. Compare lady. 
 
 wild : A colloquiaHsm for *' angry" w^hich is to be 
 preferred. 
 
 windbag : A coarse term for a boastful and wordy 
 talker: not used by persons who cultivate a refined 
 diction. "Braggart," " braggadocia, " are more ele- 
 gant, yet equally expressive terms. 
 
 with, and : A nominative singular is sometimes used 
 with an objective after with to form, jointly, the subject 
 of a plural verb; as "The captain with all his crew 
 were drowned. " But according to best usage the con- 
 junction a7id is substituted for "with" ; thus, "The 
 captain and all his crew were drowned." Where the 
 objective is separated parenthetically by commas, a 
 verb in the singular is used; as, " Aguinaldo, with all 
 his followers, was captured by Gen. Funston." 
 
 without: This, as used for "except" or "unless" 
 is at the present day a vulgarism. " Without you in- 
 tend business, do not call" ; say, unless. 
 
 229
 
 witness A Desk-Book of 
 
 you 
 
 witness. Compare see. 
 
 woman. Compare lady. 
 
 worse : An adverb sometimes used for more; as, 
 "He disliked tea worse than coffee" : a vulgarism. 
 
 worst kind: For much or extremely; as, "I need 
 (or want) a new pen the worst kind " : a vulgarism, be- 
 sides equivocally suggesting " the worst kind of a pen. " 
 
 would better. Compare had better. 
 
 would say : A hackneyed expression used by many 
 commercial correspondents; inelegant and useless. 
 
 would seem should not be used for "seems." 
 
 wrath. Compare temper. 
 
 write you : This expression, for '* write to you, " 
 though common,is not grammatically correct. Where 
 an object is expressed the dative " to" may be omitted. 
 "He shipped me costly fabrics," for "he shipped 
 costly fabrics to we" is permissible, but ''he shipped 
 we" without any objective, or rather other objective 
 of me would imply that the person speaking had been 
 shipped. Of the expression "I will write you," the 
 only justification for it that can be found is in the 
 supposition that the words "a letter" are understood. 
 
 Y 
 
 yappy : A slang term used as an equivalent of 
 
 "foolish" which is to be preferred. 
 
 yes : Discard such vulgarisms as yeh and yep and 
 
 oronounce as a single syllable, and not with affecta- 
 
 230
 
 Errors in English witness 
 
 you 
 
 tion, as, sometimes in England ya-as, or with a Yankee 
 drawl ye-es. Avoid, too, the objectionable habit of 
 using this word as the sole response in conversation; 
 a habit which is indeed fatally destructive of conver- 
 sation, which should partake more or less of an inter- 
 change of ideas. "Yes! she would reply encourag- 
 ingly . . . and *yesl * conclusively, like an 
 incarnation of stupidity dealing in monosyllables." 
 (Meredith, "Beaucharop's Career," vol. iii. ch. lo, 
 p. 185.) Also, when speaking in English do not inject 
 the German " Ja! " when you wish to signify assent. 
 This practice is rapidly gaining ground among the 
 middle class. 
 
 Yid : A Jew: an appellation common among the 
 ^Tilgar and therefore one to be avoided. 
 
 you even when used in relation to one person, is 
 still grammatically plural, always requiring the plural 
 verb; as, "You -were fortunate," not ''You was for- 
 tunate" ; "If you were to curse you would sin," not 
 "If you was to curse," etc. 
 
 you and I, you or I : Phrases in which the objective 
 pronoun me and the first personal pronoun / are often 
 confused; as, "This will not do for you and /," in- 
 stead of "This will not do for you and me.'" The 
 rule is very simple, viz. : use I or me in such connec- 
 tion just as if the words "you and" or "you or" were 
 omitted. "They were not citizens as {you and) /" ; 
 "He is not so tall as (you or) /." 
 
 231
 
 you A Desk-Book of 
 
 zeugma 
 
 you don't say ? Compare is that so ? 
 
 your's truly : An incorrect form, yours being a pos- 
 sessive pronoun does not need the sign of the posses- 
 sive after it. 
 
 zeugma : " Is the J oining of two or more words (as 
 nouns) to a third (as a verb) with which only one or 
 a part of them can be made to agree except by using 
 the nouns in different senses, or by taking the verb in 
 different senses in relation to the different nouns, or 
 by letting the underlying logical relation overrule the 
 grammatical — in Greek a very common figure, but 
 in English quite unusual and ordinarily a violation of 
 the principles of construction and a grave fault in 
 diction. " The control, as well as the support, which a 
 father exercises over his family were, by the dispensa- 
 tion of Providence, withdrawn" ; control is properly 
 exercised, but support is not; the verb-form were is 
 made plural to accord, not with the grammatical re- 
 lation of control and support, but with the logical rela- 
 tion underlying as well as regarded as equivalent to 
 and.'^ — Standard Dictionary. Compare with 
 
 AND. 
 
 232