daisy: A slang intensive, and as an equivalent for “fine” or “charming,” applied to persons andthings, sometimes carelessly as “a daisy time,” for “a pleasant time.” In speaking of a woman, “Ain’t she adaisy” is a vulgar way of saying “Isn’t she charming.”
damageshould never be used for “cost” or “charge.”Damageis injury or harm as to character, person, or estate;costandchargeinvolve 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.
danderis 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 bedangerous.
dare,durstordared,daring: “You daresn’t” “he durstn’t” are frequently used—the former always 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 conditions may be grammatically correct. You dare not; he dares not (daresn’t): this for thepresent. In thepastonly, he durst not (or durstn’t).
dead,deceased: Discriminate between these words. One may refer correctly to adeadman or adeadhorse, but the worddeceasedis applied correctly only to human beings.
dead slow: A colloquialism for “lacking in spirit or liveliness, dull or tedious;” applied indiscriminately to persons or things.
deal: Used sometimes loosely forserve. Do not say “Deal the potatoes;” hereserveis preferable.
debase. CompareDEMEAN.
deceaseshould never be used as a verb.
deceive: Deception implies the production of a false impression. It is necessary, therefore, to distinguish 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 todeceiveme.”
decided,decisive: These terms are not exactly synonymous. Adecidedfact is one that is unmistakable and beyond dispute; adecisivefact is one that terminates a discussion. Adecidedvictory is not necessarily a battledecisiveof a campaign.
deductionis frequently confounded withinduction. Thein-mounts up from facts to law and is the process of inferring general conclusions from particular cases; thede-descends from law to facts and is that which is deduced from premises or principles.Inductionis termed analysis;deduction, synthesis.
deface,disfigure: Discriminate between these words. Personsdefacethings, for todefaceimplies a deliberate act of destruction; butdisfigurationmay take place to person or thing by the operation of either. Thus, an inscription or bond isdefaced, but facial beauty isdisfiguredby smallpox or the weight of care.
delicious,delightful: These terms should be used with discrimination.Deliciousis correctly applied to pleasures of the senses;delightfulto that which charms, gratifies, or gives pleasure. A dish may bedelicious, but notdelightful; an entertainment may bedelightful, but is certainly notdelicious.
delusion,illusion: Discriminate carefully between these terms. Adelusionis a mental error arising from false views or an unbalanced state of mind; anillusionis an unreal image which is presented to the senses. A mirage is an opticalillusion.
demeansignifies “to behave” and does not meandebaseordegrade. A mandemeans(i. e., comports) himself as a gentleman; but even if he shoulddemeanhimself as a churl, the verb would not imply a lowering of his dignity ordebasement; his debasement would result alone from the conduct he pursued.
denominate. CompareNOMINATE.
depositary,depository: Discriminated in the best usage,depositarydenoting a person with whom, anddepositorya place in which anything is deposited for safe-keeping.
depravation,depravity: These terms are not synonymous.Depravationis the act or process of depraving or corrupting;depravityis the condition of being depraved.
desert. CompareABANDON.
desert,dessert: Discriminate carefully between these words. Adesertis a barren waste; an uncultivated and uninhabited wilderness; adessertis 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.”
developis to “unfold” or “bring to lightby degrees” and should not be used for “expose” which means to “reveal or lay bare,” without regard to manner.
device,devise: Discriminate carefully between these words. Adeviceis something designed, invented, or constructed for a special purpose or for promoting an end, and may be used in either a good or bad sense. Adeviseis a gift of lands by a last will and testament. CompareBEQUEST.
die: A word often misapplied especially by persons accustomed to use inane superlatives as “She died with laughing”; “I thought she’d have died.”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. TheStandard Dictionarysays: “Differencebetweenthe old and the new; differencesamongmen; a differenceincharacter;ofaction,ofstyle; (less frequently) a difference (controversy)witha person; a differenceofone thingfrom(incorrectlyto) another.”
different from:Different to, though common in England, is not sustained by good authority. The best literary usage is uniformlyfrom, following the analogy of the verbdiffer; one thingdiffers fromor isdifferent fromanother.
differ from,differ with: One thing may differfromanother, or one person may differfromanother, as in physique; but one person may differwithanother in opinion.
dippy: An extreme vulgarism for “mentally unbalanced.”
directshould not be used whereaddressis intended. Do not say “Directyour letters to me at Cook’s;” say, rather, “Addressyour 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.”American critics have objected to this use, but in England it is popular.
disappoint: Sincedisappointimplies frustration or defeat, one cannot beagreeably disappointed; rather agreeablysurprised.
discharge. CompareASSUME.
discreet,discrete: Both words are derived from the Latindiscretus, pp. ofdiscerno,dis+cerno, separate, and formerlydiscreetwas also speltdiscrete, and even had the meaning of “separate, distinct,” which sense now belongs exclusively todiscrete.Discreetis used with the signification of “evincing discernment, judicious, prudent.”
discern,discriminate: The latter word is often treated as synonymous withdistinguish, and there is etymological reason for this, as both words mean to separate, but todiscernis to “distinguish by the difference or differences; differentiate.” “What wediscernwe see apart from all other objects; what wediscriminatewe judge apart, or recognize by some special mark or manifest difference. Wediscriminateby real differences; wedistinguishby outward signs.”
disfigure. CompareDEFACE.
disremember: Avoid this term as provincial and archaic, and useforgetinstead.
dissociateis preferable todisassociate; for associate is from the Latinad, to, +socius, united, whereasdissociateis from the Latindis-, used with separative force, andsocius.Disassociateis 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. SeeDISCRIMINATE.
divers,diverse; By inattentive persons not infrequently interchanged.Diversimplies severalty;diverse, difference. Hence we say; “The Evangelists narrate events indiversmanners,” but “The views of the two parties were quitediverse.”
do: Often used unnecessarily. Do not say, “I shall succeed as others havedonebefore me.” Here “done” is pleonastic. Butdomay be used where it is purely auxiliary to a missing verb, as “I shall succeed as othersdo” (succeed).
dockis not a synonym forwharfalthough it is often used as such. Thedockis water, thewharfis the abutting land or landing.
Dockis by many persons used to mean a wharf or pier; thus: “He fell off thedockand was drowned.... A man might fall into adock; but to say that he fell off adockis 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 meaninggive. As meaning tobestow as a giftordonation, it has been vehemently objected to by some critics, butthe word has certainly acquired a place in popular use, and is no more rendered unnecessary by the previous existence ofgivethandonationis by the previous existence ofgift.Donateshould 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, “Youdoneit,” or “youseenit,” when you mean “youdidit,” or “yousawit.” Nor use the past tense for the perfect participle, as in, “If you hadcame” when you mean “If you hadcome.”
don’tis a contraction ofdo not, and in this sense is permissible; but as signifyingdoes not, the proper contraction for which isdoesn’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: “Idon’t believeI’ll go”; “Idon’t thinkit 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. SeeERROR.
dopey: A vulgar substitute for “sleepy; dull; thick-headed.”
dose,doze: Discriminate carefully between these words. That which a physician prescribes is adose; that which a sleepy patient may fall into is adoze.
do tell!An exclamation of surprise the equivalent of which is “Is it possible!”—an inane provincialism to be avoided.
doubt. SeeWHETHER.
doubt but that: In this phrasebutis superfluous as it does not add anything to the sense.
dozen: Exercise care in writing or uttering this word. If a number precedes, thendozenforms the correct plural: if not, the plural is formed by adding ans. Say “sixdozensheep,” but “manydozensof cattle.”
draft,draught: Exercise care in using these words. Adraftis an order drawn by one person or firm on another for the payment of money to a third; adraughtis a current of air passing through a channel or entering by an aperture. These words are pronounced alike and modern American practise favors the spelling ofdraftfor both.
drive: Critics have seen fit to cavil at the distinction betweendriveandride, objecting that the coachmandrivesthe lady, and asking whether traveling by train or trolley-car is arideordrive. The popular idea is that oneridesin a public conveyance butdriveswhen in a private carriage. As a matter of convenience, however, the old-time distinction so far as it concernsridingon horseback anddrivingin a carriage is good, and in no way encroaches on the question of travel submitted. Horse-back exercise 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 ofQui facit per alium facit per se(He who does a thing by another does it himself), the lady who commissions her coachman todrive, is herself the author of his driving, anddrives.
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, “Theydrankhis health.” Do not say “I havedrank” when you mean “I havedrunk.”
dry up!A vulgar imperative for “be quiet” or “stop talking” and as such not used in refined circles.
dubersome: Of a vacillating nature, doubtful: an absurd corruption ofdubiousto be avoided.
due,owing: Words now often used interchangeably.Dueshould be limited in its use to that which has to be paid, the wordowingbeing indicative of the source of the existing condition. An obligation may be discharged as beingdueto a man’s estate or his character. A man’s wealth isowingto inheritance, good fortune, toil or thrift.
Dutch: Often misapplied to the Germans from a mistaken idea of the spelling of the German wordDeutsch. The Dutch are Hollanders, and the Germans are “Deutsch” in Germany.
each,every: These words should never be used with pronouns or verbs in the plural.
each other: Strictly applied to two only, whereasone anotherimplies more than two. “The two friends congratulatedeach other” (i. e., each one the other). “This commandment I give unto you that ye love oneanother:” Yet this expression is now used carelessly as a reciprocal pronoun; and Whittier writes “To worship rightly is to loveeach other.”
effect,affect: Distinguish carefully between these terms. Toeffectmeans to accomplish; toaffect, to influence. By concerted action men mayeffectreforms which shallaffecttheir condition.
effluvia: A word often used incorrectly from the mistaken idea that it is of the singular number. Do not say “What a disagreeableeffluvia” when you wish to draw attention to an unpleasant smell. If you must use the word, say “effluvium.”
egg. CompareBAD.
either: An adjective denoting “one or the other of two” often used incorrectly with a plural verb; as, “Eitherarelikely to sail.” Now, inasmuch as “either” means “one orthe other” of two the verb in the sentence should be in the singular and to becorrect the sentence should be “Eitherislikely to sail.” However, in its best and strictest usageeither, as has already been said, means “one or the other of these,” as, “eitherhorn 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 “oneitherside one, and Jesus in the midst,” (Johnxix, 18) is better left unsaid.
either you or I are (am or is) right: Which should it be? Youare; Iam; whois—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 distinctly disjoined, as here, the verb should not be plural and should therefore be singular. Yet who could say “either you or Iamright.” Peculiar as it is—it being impossible to say either “you is” or “I is” the solution is to be found in the use ofis; and the correct rendering is, “Either you or I—one of us,—isright.” Dr. Latham cites the rule thus, “Wherever the wordeitherorneitherprecedes the pronouns, the verb is in the third person.” He adds a second rule to the effect that if the disjunctive is without the wordeitherorneither, then the verb agrees with the first of the two pronouns. He wouldtherefore say “either you or Iisright,” but “you or Iareright.” It is, however, questionable whether usage bears with him.
elder,eldest;older,oldest: Discriminate carefully between these terms.Elderandeldestare correctly applied only to persons and usually only to persons in the same family, as, “hiselderbrother.”Olderandoldestare used of persons or things without any restriction, “theoldestinhabitant”; “the olderroadis now closed.”
elegant: Often misused forpleasant.Elegantrefers to qualities of refinement, grace, taste or polish. One may say “anelegantgown”; “anelegantoutfit”; but not “aneleganttime” nor “anelegantview.”
else: E. S. Gould and certain other critics take exception 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 somebody besides’s, etc. The proper construction of the several phrases is somebody’s else, nobody’s else.”
On this subject theStandard Dictionarysays: “The expressionssome one else,any one else,every one else,somebody else, which are in good usage, are treated as substantive phrases and have the possessive inflection uponelse; as,somebody else’sumbrella; but some people prefer to treat them as elliptical expressions; as, the umbrella issomebody’selse (i. e., other than the person previously mentioned).”
embryo: The plural of this word is formed by the adding of “s” not “es” as inpotatoes.
emerge,immerge: Discriminate carefully between these terms. Toemergeis to come out of; issue or proceed from something; to reappear as in a new state; as, “the butterflyemergesfrom the chrysalis.” Toimmergeis to plunge into anything, especially a fluid; or to disappear; as, “some heavenly bodiesimmergein 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. Thee=ex, out of; theim=in, into. Theemigrantfrom Ireland is animmigrantwhen he lands in New York.
eminent,imminent: Discriminate carefully between these words.Eminentmeans distinguished, prominent, conspicuous.Imminentmeans impending; threatening.
endorse,indorse: From the Latinin, on, anddorsum, back, means to write or place upon the back of. It is therefore pleonastic to say, as is frequently done, “indorseon the back of.”
The spellingindorsewhich follows the medieval Latin is that preferred in law and commerce;endorse,a spelling which follows middle English analogy, 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 perfect state of health. One enjoys health (here good is superfluous), but how can oneenjoybad health?
enthuse, said to be of journalistic origin, is characterized as slang by theStandard Dictionary, meaning “manifest enthusiasm or delight.”
enthusiast,fanatic: Discriminate carefully between these words. Anenthusiastis one who is ardently zealous in any pursuit; afanaticis 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 describe some quality or attribute of its object, as in “abenevolentman,” “FatherÆneas,” “benevolent” and “father” are epithets.
equally as well: An erroneous phrase rendered correctlyequally well. The introduced conjunction has no grammatical place in the sentence, the meaning of which is clear without it.
equanimity of mind. A pleonasm since equanimity means “evenness ofmind.”
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 between these words. Aneruptionis a bursting forth as from inclosure or confinement. Anirruptionis a sudden incursion; an invasion.
eternal,everlasting: Distinguish carefully between these words. That which iseternalis without beginning or end; that which iseverlastingis without end only.
euphemism. CompareEUPHUISM.
euphuismis often improperly used foreuphemism. Added to the Greekeu, well, isphyē, nature, in the former, andphēmi, speak, in the latter. The former is general and denotes a style, an affectation of speech or writing, whereaseuphemismis particular and denotes a figure of speech.
evacuateshould be distinguished fromvacate.Evacuatedoes not mean to go away but to make empty; and when the word is used in regard to military movements, evacuation is a mere consequence, result, or at most, concomitant of the going away of the garrison. (R. G. White,Words and Their Uses, ch. 5, p. 109.) Tovacateis to surrender possession by removal.
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 proceedings a defendant was granted costs (which happened to be considerable)in any event. The plaintiff was shrewd enough to drop all further proceedings, and consequently there was noeventso 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 restricted senseeventuatemeant “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: Whereeveris intended to be used as an adverb of degree and not an adverb of time, it is improper to substitutenever(not ever) for the word. If the substitution be made, it must be with the understanding that the thought of the sentence is changed from degree to time. “If he runeverso well, he can not win” is not correctly expressed by “If he runneverso well,” etc., unless the thought intended to be conveyed is “If he run, and run sowell, asneverin his life before, he can not win.” The tendency has been to use bothever soandnever soloosely and vaguely.
ever so: The phrasesever so great,little,much,many, etc., meaning “very” or “exceedingly great,” etc., may be carefully discriminated fromnever so great,little, etc., meaning “inconceivably great, little,” etc. CompareNEVER 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 aboardweredetained at the dock.” Say, rather, “Every passenger ...wasdetained.”
every confidence: The phrase is objected to by some critics on the ground that “everyis distributive, referring to a number of things that may be considered separately, while confidence is used as a mass-noun.” The adjective, therefore, as signifyingallorentire, is not permitted, though the phrase is accepted by many as being elliptical, the words “sort of” being understood afterevery; butimplicit confidenceis 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 “Testimony, from the Latin,testis, a witness, is, however, only a species of evidence through the medium of witnesses. The wordevidence, in legal acceptation, includes all the means by which any alleged matter of fact, the truth of which is submitted to investigation, is established or disproved.” (Evidence, vol. i. ch. 1, p. 3.) Again “Evidencerests upon our faith in humantestimony, as sanctioned by experience” (vol. i. ch. 10, p. 70). We may have thetestimonyof a traveler that a fugitive passed his way; but his footprints in the sand areevidenceof the fact.
evident. CompareAPPARENT.
exasperate. CompareAGGRAVATE.
executer,executor: Discriminate carefully between these words. Anexecuteris one who performs some act; a doer. Anexecutoris one who in law administers an estate.
exceed,excel: Formerlyexceed(from the Latinex, forth, +cedo, go, = to go beyond the mark) had for one of its meaningsexcel(from the Latinex, out, +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 derivativesexcessiveandexcellent—the former signifying 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 beingexcessivelycold; say rather,veryorexceedinglycold.
except,unless: These words are not synonymous. Avoid such locutions as “You will not enjoy itexceptyou earn it.” Say rather, “You will not enjoy itunlessyou earn it.”
exceptionableis to be distinguished fromexceptional.Exceptionableconduct 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 respectively asexcise,customs, ortollsand transit duties.” (bk. v. ch. 3, p. 562.)
Thus,exciseis a charge on commodities of domestic production;customsis a charge or duty assessed by law levied on goods imported or exported;tollsare charges for special privileges as, passing over a bridge or a turnpike.
excite,incite: Exercise care in the use of these words.Excitemeans to produce agitation or great stir of feeling in;inciteis to rouse to a particular action.
exemplaryshould not be used for “excellent.” That which isexemplaryserves as a model or an example worthy of imitation: that which isexcellentpossesses distinctive merit or excels that which is good or praiseworthy.
exodus: Sometimes misused forexitordeparture. Do not say “I made a hastyexodus”; say, rather, “Myexit(ordeparture) was hasty.”
expectis commonly misused forthink,believe,suppose; also forsuspect.Expectrefers to the future, not to the past or present, usually with the implication of interest or desire. Yet “Iexpectit is,” or even “Iexpectitwas,” is very common.
expect likely,expect probably. TheStandard Dictionarysays of these careless locutions, it is not the expectancy, but the future event, that islikelyorprobable. One may say “I think it islikely,” “I think it [the act, event, or the like]probable,” or “It seemslikely” or “probable.” When another person’s expectancy is matter of conjecture, one may say “Youprobably expectto live many years”;i. e., “I think it probablethatyou expect,” etc.; but “Probably you expect,” etc., would be better.
face the music: Slang for to confront with boldness 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 mysteriously.” The phrase is in good usage, however, inthe sense of “to pass away gradually; vanish; die out;” as, “religious animosity would of itselffade away” (Macaulay,Hist. of England, vol. 2, p. 134).
faint,feint, andfeignall come from the French,feindre, which is derived from the Latin,fingo, shape. The first two, similarly pronounced, have very different significations.Faintmeans a sudden loss of consciousness or swoon;feintsignifies a deceptive move or pretense. Tofeignis to make a false show of; pretend.
fake: Slang term for imposition; fraud; also, fictitious or manufactured news. Expressive but inelegant.
fakement: Slang for an act of fraud. Less desirable than preceding and equally inelegant.
fanatic. CompareENTHUSIAST.
farewell: When separated by a pronounfarewellis written as two words; as,fare you well. Exception has been taken to Byron’s pathetic lines
Fare thee well, and if for ever,Then for ever,fare thee well;
Fare thee well, and if for ever,Then for ever,fare thee well;
Fare thee well, and if for ever,Then for ever,fare thee well;
Fare thee well, and if for ever,
Then for ever,fare thee well;
but this is hypercriticism for here the pronoun is nothing but the Anglo-Saxon dative.
farther,further:Farthershould be used to designate longitudinal distance;furtherto signify quantity or degree. Thus, “How muchfartherhave we to go?” “Proceed nofurtheralong that course.”
fault: The different meanings of this word should be clearly distinguished. A man perplexed or one who has made a mistake isat fault; if he has done anything for which he may be blamed he isin fault. A hound isat faultwhen he has lost the scent.
faun,fawn: Homophones each with a distinct meaning.Faunis from the LatinFaunus, god of agriculture and of shepherds, and signifies a god of the woods;fawn, from the Anglo Saxonfaegen, fain, signifies to seek favor by cringing and subserviency.
favorin the sense of “resemble” is a colloquialism, 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 “Ifeel toagree with you,” which can not be too severely condemned.
feel bad,feel badly: Discriminate carefully between these terms. If you mean to express the idea that you are ailing in health,feel badis correct.Feel badis synonymous withfeel illand is correct. One might as well sayfeel illyasfeel badlyif the latter were correct as applied to health. However,feel badlyis correct when the intention is to say that one’s power of touch is defective as through a mishap to the fingers.
feel good,feel well: Distinguish carefully between these phrases.Goodsignifies having physicalqualities that are useful, or that can be made productive of comfort, satisfaction, or enjoyment, as, agoodview,goodflour;wellsignifies having physical health, free from ailment; as, “two are sick, the rest arewell.” CompareGOOD.
felicitate,congratulate: The distinction in the meanings of these words should be carefully noted. Tofelicitateis to pronounce one happy and in the strict sense, applies to self alone;congratulateis to wish joy to another. In recent yearscongratulatehas been applied to one’s self, andfelicitateto another; thus the application of the meanings of these words have been reversed by careless usage.
Trench says, “When Icongratulatea person (congratulor) I declare that I am sharer in his joy, that what has rejoiced him has rejoiced me also.”Gratulation, does not signify participation, and therefore, is a merefelicitation(or admission of existing happiness or cause for happiness) addressed to another.
female: An opprobrious or contemptuous epithet for woman.Femaleshould be restricted to its correct use. Do not say “With that modesty so characteristic of afemale”; say rather, “... so characteristic of a woman.” CompareLADY.
fermentation,fomentation: Exercise care in the use of these words.Fermentationis a chemical decomposition of an organic compound;fomentation, is the act of treating with warm water.
fetch. CompareBRING.
few: Sometimes used incorrectly for “in some measure”; “to an extent”; “somewhat”; “rather”; as, “Did you enjoy yourself?” “Just afew.”Fewis correctly applied to quantity and incorrectly to quality; therefore, its use as in the illustration given here is not good English.
fewanda fewmust not be confounded. “Fewmen would act thus” means that scarcely any would; but “A fewmen 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 byfew, measurement by quantity bylittle; as, “the loss of afewsoldiers will make butlittledifference to the result.” “Thefewerhis acquaintances, thefewer(not theless) his enemies.”Few,fewer,fewest, are correctly used in describing articles the aggregate of which is expressed in numbers;little,less, andleastare 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 highfigure.” But Dean Alford is content to give his sanction to its use, and the literary and general public have followed him.
final: Sometimes misused in such a sentence as “thefinalcompletion of the work.” This is inadmissible, for completion necessarily implies finality.
financial,monetary,pecuniary: Discriminate carefully between these words.Financialis applied correctly to public funds or to the revenue of a government.Monetaryandpecuniaryapply only to transactions between individuals.
finish. CompareCOMPLETE.
fire: As this verb possesses the sense of impel, explode, discharge, as by using fire; as, “firea mine or gun,” it has been humorously applied to discharge from employment, as “firea clerk.” But the usage is slang, and as such is avoided by careful speakers.
first: Say the “firsttwo” rather than the “twofirst,” for unless they be bracketed equal there can not be twofirsts. For a similar reason the expression seen in cars, “Smoking on thefour rearseats,” is equally incorrect. There can not be fourrear(orlast) seats; but there can be “thelast fourseats.” As meaning the four seats collectively which are situated at the rear, the phrase has its only justification.
firstandfirstly:Firstbeing an adverbial form is the correct form to use.Firstlyhas been used by Dickens, De Quincey, and others but in modern usagefirstis the preferred form.
first-rateis an adjectival not an adverbial expression. One may say correctly, “He is afirst-ratewalker,” but not that “he walksfirst-rate.”
fish: When speaking of fish collectively this word represents the plural; speaking of fish severally the plural is formed by the addition ofes.
fix: The colloquial use of this noun for a position involving embarrassment or a dilemma or predicament has not the sanction of literary usage. Do not say “I am in a badfix” say, rather, “... in a badcondition.” As a verb, it is better unused in the sense ofsetorarrange. As meaning “put into thorough adjustment or repair,” with the wordupadded, 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, or kill,” and “fix up” in the sense of “dress elegantly,” are vulgarisms.
flap-doodle: An inelegant term for “pretentious silly talk characterized by an affectation of superior knowledge.”Twaddleis a preferable synonym. CompareFLUB-DUB.
flashfor ostentatious display, as of money, is inelegant.Displayis a preferable word.
flewis often misused forfled. Do not say “Heflewthe city” when you mean that hefledfrom it.
flies on: “There are noflies onhim,” is a slang phrase not used by persons accustomed to refined diction.
flock: A word sometimes misapplied. Do not say “aflockof girls;” say, rather, “abevyof girls” and “aflockof sheep.”Flockis correctly applied to a company or collection of small animals as sheep, goats, rabbits, or birds.
flopis an inelegant word used sometimes to denote change of attitude on a subject. Do not say “Hefloppedover 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 “perplex” 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 properly used, both in singular and plural form, asfolk, its correct signification being “people, collectively or distributively.”
foment,ferment: Exercise care in the use of these words.Fomentis to bathe with warm or medicated lotions;ferment, to cause chemical decomposition in. Both words are also used figuratively.
fondling,foundling: Discriminate carefully between these words. Afondlingis a person fondled or caressed; afoundlingis a deserted infant whose parents are unknown.
fooling: The use of the word in the sense of “deceiving” has been condemned by certain writers as a “very vulgar vulgarism,” but is permissible, having the sanction not only of good literary 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.”
forandto: These words are often added at the end of a sentence by careless speakers but are redundant. Do not say “Less than you thinkfor”; nor “Where are you goingto?”
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 theformer’s(meaning Rosetti) verses would have caused the latter (meaning Byron) to blush.” Here,formerrefers to Mr. Henley, but the context shows clearly the intention of the writer to refer to Rosetti.
forsake. CompareABANDON.
fort,forte: These two words similarly pronounced must be distinguished. In each case the derivation is the same (the Latinfortisstrong), and although there is an alternative spelling offortfor “forte” it is not the favored form. Afortsignifies a fortification held by a garrison;forteis that in which an individual chiefly excels.
fracas: Afracasis 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 was stabbed.”
fraud: Just ascheathas been made to do duty both for the act and the person committing the act, so in colloquial usage hasfraudbeen made to represent not only the act but also its perpetrator. It has even been extended to “a deceptive or spurious thing.” These usages offraudare, however, not to be recommended.
freeze: This word has nothing in common withfriezesave the pronunciation. The former is an Anglo-Saxon term, whereas the latter comes from the Frenchfrise, forfraise, a ruff. Tofreezeis to convert into ice, congeal; tofriezeis to provide with afrieze, 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.”
freeze to: An inelegant colloquialism for “cling to,” sometimes found in literature as in Kipling’s “Mine Own People,” p. 209.
frequently. CompareCOMMONLY.
freshin 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 betweenfriendandacquaintance. The former is an acquaintance who has been admitted to terms of intimacy, and who is regarded with a certain amount of affectionate regard. A person to whom one has received a bare introduction is an acquaintance—nothing more.
frieze. CompareFREEZE.
from: A preposition often incorrectly used for “of.”Fromshould not be used elliptically. Do not say “He diedfrompneumonia” when you mean “from the effects ofpneumonia.” Hereeffectsuggests the cause from which the result proceeded. “He diedofpneumonia” is correct.
froze: A term sometimes misused for frozen.Frozeis the imperfect of the verbfreeze, whilefrozenis a participial adjective. It is incorrect to say, “My hands arefroze,” herefrozenshould be used.
-ful. The plural of compounds ending in-ful, asspoonfulis 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 aphysician prescribes medicine to be taken by the spoonful more than once a day, these are correctly spoken of asspoonfuls. But supposing more than one medicine is to be taken and that the medicines do not assimilate thus requiringmore than one spoonto administer them; then it would be correct to refer to the different doses asspoons full, since the words denote more than one spoon full.Spoonfulsdenote one spoon filled more than once.
fulfil: Remember that in this word the “l” is not doubled but that it is infulfilling.
full,fuller: Terms sometimes incorrectly used. A “fullcup,” is a cup completely filled, therefore it would seem illogical to say “my cup isfullerthan yours.” As a rule all words that in themselves 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 with speakers who are accustomed to a careful choice of words, this form of expression has been permitted for comparison in the absence of an absolute standard of measurement.
full: A coarse substitute for “intoxicated.”
funeral: A term sometimes misused for “affair,” or “business,” as in the phrase “Not myfuneral” meaning “No business of mine.” The use is not to be commended.
funny: As a colloquialism signifying “queer” this adjective should be used with care. It is better retained for signification of that which is mirth-provoking or ludicrous.Funnyis sometimes used incorrectly to imply silly impropriety, as in the phrase, “Don’t getfunny.” Such usage should be avoided.
further. CompareFARTHER.
future, the: Used sometimes to signify the present; as, “Ishall behappy to accept”—this is not what is meant. The meaning is “Iamhappy to accept, for Ishall behappy 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 plaintiff lost $10,000 because a so-called guarantee was given in these terms: “Iwillguarantee” instead of “I (herebydo) guarantee.” The guarantee provided had never been asked for, given, or obtained. The credulous victim had accepted a promise, without condition, for a performance; and he lost. Time has improved his knowledge of the force of the English tongue.
galaxy: Exercise care in the use of this word. It signifies any brilliant circle or group; as, agalaxyof beauties or of gems, and is never correctly used of any person or thing of inferior quality.
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.
gangis correctly applied to a squad of laborers, and others detailed to certain given tasks. But sometimes applied also, usually in an uncomplimentary way, to a company of persons who meet habitually for social intercourse; as, “He sent a letter to thegangat Seelig’s.”
gazebo: A term often misused for “chief person.” Agazebois 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 derision to elderly persons, particularly women. Formerly it was used to designate a mummer or other grotesque character.
generally. CompareCOMMONLY.
genius,genus: Discriminate carefully between these words.Geniusimplies the possession of remarkable natural gifts through which their possessor may attain ends or obtain results by intuitive power.Genusis a class or kind. In the natural sciences it is the subordinate of an order, tribe, or family.
gent: As an abbreviation forgentlemanthis word is not permitted in refined speech; andgentlemanisnever correctly used formanas a mere indication of sex. CompareLADY.
genteelis 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 ofgenteelspeech or appearance,” or to indicate suitability to the condition of a well-bred person, as in the expression “agenteelfortune.”
genuine. CompareAUTHENTIC.
get a gaitormove 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 fordenyorrefute. One doesn’t get over a charge butrefutesit.
git: Vulgarism used in the imperative forget out.
go. SeeWENT.
go back on: A colloquialism for abandon, deceive, play false. Inelegant and not used by persons accustomed to nice discriminations of speech.
goingis sometimes used as a synonym forjust about. One frequently hears, “I am just going to sing,” from a person who isabout todo so. The verbgo, 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 notgothat music;” “I willgoyou a dollar on the race.”
gone: The phrase “He’s beengonethis 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.
goodshould never be used forwell. Do not say, “I feel prettygood” or “she plays that prettygood” when you mean that you “feel prettywell” or that “she plays fairlywell.”
go past: “Go” usually implies motion forward, therefore, it is pleonastic to say “go past.” Say, rather, that you “goby” and notpast. Nevertheless a marchpastis a recognized expression.
got: This word is used correctly for acquired or obtained, but is incorrectly used to denote simple possession and correctly implieseffort to securesomething. Sometimes it is used redundantly; as, “He hasgotit”; the simpler form, “He has it” is preferable. “We havegotto do it,” while emphatic, is less so than “wemustdo it.”
go the whole hog: An inelegant phrase used for “to go to the utmost limit.” Carlyle traces the origin of this phrase from the Irish because in Irelandhogwas 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 established. Thus, one may correctly say “Hewas graduatedfrom a university” or, “He graduatedfrom a university.”
grammar: The phrasesgood grammarandbad grammarhave been condemned as false syntax by some persons unfamiliar with the meanings of the word “grammar.” One meaning recorded by theStandard Dictionaryis “speech or writing considered with regard to its correctness; propriety of linguistic usage; as, he usesgoodorbad grammar.”
TheNew York Herald(March 4, 1906) says: “Good grammaris 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 oforthos, correct, andgrapho, to write. Grammar does not carry with it the implication of correctness, and modern grammarians bear this out. Prof. EdwardMaetzner in his “English Grammar: Methodical, Analytical and Historical,” so defines the term: