"Of two such lessons, why forgetThenoblerand themanlierone?"
"Of two such lessons, why forgetThenoblerand themanlierone?"
Completed.This word is often incorrectly used forfinished. That iscompletewhich lacks nothing; that isfinishedwhich has had all done to it that was intended. The builder of a house mayfinishit and yet leave it veryincomplete.
Condign.It is safe to say that most of those who use this word do not know its meaning, which is, suitable, deserved, merited, proper. "His endeavors shall not lackcondignpraise"; i. e., his endeavors shall not lackproperor theirmeritedpraise. "A villaincondignlypunished" is a villain punishedaccording to his deserts. To usecondignin the sense ofsevereis just as incorrect as it would be to usedeservedormeritedin the sense ofsevere.
Confirmed Invalid.This phrase is a convenient mode of expressing the idea it conveys, but it is difficult to defend, inasmuch asconfirmedmeans strengthened, established.
Consequence.This word is sometimes used instead ofimportanceormoment; as, "They were all persons of more or lessconsequence": read, "of more or lessimportance." "It is a matter of noconsequence": read, "of nomoment."
Consider."This word," says Mr. Richard Grant White, in his "Words and Their Uses," "is perverted from its true meaning by most of those who use it."Considermeans, to meditate, to deliberate, to reflect, to revolve in the mind; and yet it is made to do service forthink,suppose, andregard. Thus: "Iconsiderhis course very unjustifiable"; "I have alwaysconsideredit my duty," etc.; "Iconsiderhim as being the cleverest man of my acquaintance."
Contemptible.This word is sometimes used forcontemptuous. An old story says that a man once said to Dr. Parr, "Sir, I have acontemptibleopinion of you." "That does not surprise me," returned the Doctor; "all your opinions arecontemptible." What is worthless or weak iscontemptible. Despicable is a word that expresses a still more intense degree of the contemptible. A traitor is adespicablecharacter, while a poltroon is onlycontemptible.
Continually.SeePerpetually.
Continue on.Theonin this phrase is generally superfluous. "We continued on our way" is idiomatic English, and is more euphonious than the sentence would be without the particle. The meaning is, "We continued to travelonour way." In such sentences, however, as "Continueon," "He continued to readon," "The fever continuedonfor some hours," and the like, theongenerally serves no purpose.
Conversationist.This word is to be preferred toconversationalist. Mr. Richard Grant White says thatconversationalistandagriculturalistare inadmissible. On the other hand, Dr. Fitzedward Hall says: "As forconversationistandconversationalist,agriculturistandagriculturalist, as all are alike legitimate formations, it is for convention to decide which we are to prefer."
Convoke—Convene.At one time and another there has been some discussion with regard to the correct use of these two words. According to Crabb, "There is nothing imperative on the part of those thatassemble, orconvene, and nothing binding on thoseassembled, orconvened: oneassembles, orconvenes, by invitation or request; one attends to the notice or not, at pleasure.Convoke, on the other hand, isan act of authority; it is the call of one who has the authority to give the call; it is heeded by those who feel themselves bound to attend." Properly, then, President Arthurconvokes, notconvenes, the Senate.
Corporeal—Corporal.These adjectives, though regarded as synonyms, are not used indiscriminately.Corporalis used in reference to the body, or animal frame, in its proper sense;corporeal, to the animal substance in an extended sense—opposed to spiritual.Corporalpunishment;corporealormaterialform or substance.
"That tocorporealsubstances could addSpeed most spiritual."—Milton."What seemedcorporalMelted as breath into the wind."—Shakespeare.
"That tocorporealsubstances could addSpeed most spiritual."—Milton.
"What seemedcorporalMelted as breath into the wind."—Shakespeare.
Couple.In its primitive signification, this word does not mean simply two, but two that are united by some bond; such as, for example, the tie that unites the sexes. It has, however, been so long used to mean two of a kind considered together, that in this sense it may be deemed permissible, though the substitution of the wordtwofor it would often materially improve the diction.
Courage.SeeBravery.
Crime—Vice—Sin.The confusion that exists in the use of these words is due largely to an imperfect understanding of their respective meanings.Crimeis the violation of the law of a state; hence, as the laws of states differ, what is crime in one state may not be crime in another.Viceis a course of wrong-doing, and is not modified either by country, religion, or condition. As forsin, it is very difficult to define what it is, as what is sinful in the eyes of one man may not be sinful in the eyes of another; what issinful in the eyes of a Jew may not be sinful in the eyes of a Christian; and what is sinful in the eyes of a Christian of one country may not be sinful in the eyes of a Christian of another country. In the days of slavery, to harbor a runaway slave was acrime, but it was, in the eyes of most people, neither avicenor asin.
Crushed out."The rebellion was finallycrushed out." Out of what? We maycrushthe life out of a man, orcrusha man to death, andcrush, notcrush out, a rebellion.
Cultured.This word is said to be a product of Boston—an excellent place for anybody or anything to come from. Many persons object to its use on the ground that there can be no such participial adjective, because there is no verb in use from which to form it. We have in use the substantiveculture, but, though the dictionaries recognize the verbto culture, we do not use it. Be this objection valid or be it not,culturedhaving but two syllables, while its synonymcultivatedhas four, it is likely to find favor with those who employ short words when they convey their meaning as well as long ones. Other adjectives of this kind are, moneyed, whiskered, slippered, lettered, talented, cottaged, lilied, anguished, gifted, and so forth.
Curious.This word is often used instead ofstrangeorremarkable. "Acuriousfact": better, "aremarkablefact." "Acuriousproceeding": better, "astrangeproceeding."
Dangerous."He is pretty sick, but notdangerous." Dangerous people are generally most dangerous when they are most vigorous. Say, rather, "He is sick, but notin danger."
Dearest."A gentleman once began a letter to hisbride thus: 'MydearestMaria.' The lady replied: 'My dear John, I beg that you will mend either your morals or your grammar. You call me your "dearestMaria"; am I to understand that you have other Marias'?"—Moon's "Bad English."
Deceiving."You aredeceivingme." Not unfrequentlydeceivingis used when the speaker meanstrying to deceive. It is when we do not suspect deception that we are deceived.
Decimate.This word, meaning as it properly does to tithe, to take the tenth part, is hardly permissible in the sense in which it is used in such sentences as, "The regiment held its position, though terriblydecimatedby the enemy's artillery." "Though terriblytithed" would be equally correct.
Demean.This word is sometimes erroneously used in the sense ofto debase,to disgrace,to humble. It is a reflexive verb, and its true meaning isto behave,to carry,to conduct; as, "Hedemeans himselfin a gentlemanly manner," i. e., Hebehaves, orcarries, orconducts, himself in a gentlemanly manner.
Denude."The vulture," says Brande, "has some part of the head and sometimes of the neckdenudedof feathers." Most birds might bedenudedof the feathers on their heads; not so, however, the vulture, for his head is always featherless. A thing can not bedenudedof what it does not have. Denuding a vulture's head and neck of the feathers is likedenudingan eel of its scales.
Deprecate.Strangely enough, this word is often used in the sense of disapprove, censure, condemn; as, "Hedeprecatesthe whole proceeding"; "Your course, from first to last, is universallydeprecated." But, according to the authorities, the word really means, to endeavor toavert by prayer; to pray exemption or deliverance from; to beg off; to entreat; to urge against.
"Daniel kneeled upon his knees todeprecatethe captivity of his people."—Hewyt.
Despite.This word is often incorrectly preceded byinand followed byof; thus, "Indespiteofall our efforts to detain him, he set out"; which should be, "Despite all our efforts," etc., or "In spite ofall our efforts," etc.
Determined.SeeBound.
Diction.This is a general term, and is applicable to a single sentence or to a connected composition.Bad dictionmay be due to errors in grammar, to a confused disposition of words, or to an improper use of words.Diction, to be good, requires to be only correct and clear. Of excellent examples of bad diction there are very many in a little work by Dr. L. T. Townsend, Professor of Sacred Rhetoric in Boston University, the first volume of which has lately come under my notice. The first ten lines of Dr. Townsend's preface are:
"The leading genius1of the People's College at Chautauqua Lake, with a [the?] view of providing for his course2a text-book, asked for the publication of the following laws and principles of speech.3
"The author, not seeing sufficient reason4for withholding what had been of much practical benefit5to himself, consented.6
"The subject-matter herein contained is an outgrowth from7occasional instructions8given9while occupying the chair10of Sacred Rhetoric."
1. The phraseleading geniusis badly chosen. Founder, projector, head, organizer, principal, or president—some one of these terms would probably have been appropriate. 2. What course? Race-course, course of ethics, æsthetics,rhetoric, or what?[3]3. "The following laws and principles of speech." And how came these laws and principles in existence? Who made them? We are to infer, it would seem, that Professor Townsend made them, and that the world would have had to go without the laws that govern language and the principles on which language is formed had it pleased Professor Townsend to withhold them. 4. "Sufficientreason"! Then there were reasons why Professor Townsend ought to have kept these good things all to himself; only, they were notsufficient. 5. "Practical benefit"! Is thereanysuch thing as impractical benefit? Are not all benefits practical? and, if they are, what purpose does the epithetpracticalserve? 6. Consented to what? It is easy to see that the Doctor meansacceded to the request, but he is a long way from saying so. The object writers usually have in view is to convey thought, not to set their readers to guessing. 7.The outgrowth ofwould be English. 8. "Occasional instructions"! Very vague, and well calculated to set the reader to guessing again. 9. Given to whom? 10. "Thechair." The definite article made it necessary for the writer to specify what particular chair of Sacred Rhetoric he meant.
These ten lines are a fair specimen of the diction of the entire volume.
Page 131. "To render agiven ambiguous orunintelligible sentence transparent, the following suggestions are recommended." The words in italics are unnecessary, since what is ambiguous is unintelligible. Then who has ever heard ofrecommending suggestions?
Dr. Townsend speaks ofmastering a subject before publishing it. Publishing a subject?
Page 133. "Violations of simplicity, whatever the type, show either thatthe mind ofthe writer is tainted with affectation, orelsethatan effort is makingto concealconsciouspoverty ofsentimentunder loftiness of expression." Here is an example of a kind of sentence that can be mended in only one way—by rewriting, which might be done thus: Violations of simplicity, whatever the type, show either that the writer is tainted with affectation, or that he is making an effort to conceal poverty of thought under loftiness of expression.
Page 143. "Thisqualityis fullystatedand recommended," etc. Who has ever heard ofstating a quality?
On page 145 Dr. Townsend says: "A person can not read a single book of poor style without having his own style vitiated."A book of poor styleis an awkward expression, to say the least.A single badly-written bookwould have been unobjectionable.
Page 160. "The presented picture produces instantly a definite effect." Why this unusual disposition of words? Why not say, in accordance with the idiom of the language, "The picture presented instantly produces," etc.?
Page 161. "The boy studies ... geography and hates everything connected with the sea and land." Whytheboy? As there are few things besides seals and turtles that are connected with the seaandland, the boy in question has few things to hate.
On page 175, Dr. Townsend heads a chapter thus: "Artof acquiringSkillin the use of Poetic Speech." This reminds one of the man who tried to lift himself over a fence by taking hold of the seat of his breeches. "Howto acquire skill" is probably what is meant.
On page 232, "Jeremy Taylor is among the bestmodels of long sentences which are both clear and logical." Jeremy Taylor is a clear and logical long sentence?! True, our learned rhetorician says so, but he doesn't mean it. He means, "In Jeremy Taylor we find some of the best examples of long sentences which are at once clear and logical."
Since the foregoing was written, the second volume of Professor Townsend's "Art of Speech" has been published. In the brief preface to this volume we find this characteristic sentence: "The author has felt thatclergymenmore thanthoseof other professions will study this treatise." The antecedent of the relativethosebeingclergymen, the sentence, it will be perceived, says: "The author has felt thatclergymenmore thanclergymen of other professionswill study this treatise." Comment on such "art" as Professor Townsend's is not necessary.
I find several noteworthy examples of bad diction in an article in a recent number of an Australian magazine. The following are some of them: "Large capitalalways manages to makeitselfmaster of the situation; it is the small capitalist and the small landholder that would suffer," etc. Should be, "The large capitalist ... himself," etc. Again: "The small farmer would ... be despoiled ... of the meager profit whichstrenuouslabor had conquered from thereluctantsoil." Not only are the epithets in italics superfluous, and consequently weakening in their effect, but idiom does not permitstrenuousto be used to qualifylabor:hardlabor andstrenuouseffort. Again: "Capital has always the choiceofa large field." Should be, "the choiceoffered bya large field." Again: "Should capital be withdrawn, tenements would soon prove insufficient." Should be, "the number oftenements would," etc. Again: "Men of wealth, therefore, would find their FifthAvenue mansions and their summer villas a little more burdened with taxes, but with this increase happily balanced by the exemption of their bonds and mortgages, their plate and furniture." The thought here is so simple that we easily divine it; but, if we look at the sentence at all carefully, we find that, though we supply the ellipses in the most charitable manner possible, the sentence really says: "Men would find their mansions more burdened, but would find them with this increased burden happily balanced by the exemption," etc. The sentence should have been framed somewhat in this wise: "Men ... would find their ... mansions ... more burdened with taxes, but this increase in the taxes on their real estate would be happily balanced by the exemption from taxation of their bonds, mortgages, plate, and furniture." Again: "Men generally ... would be inclined to laugh at the idea of intrusting the modern politician with such gigantic opportunities for enriching his favorites." We do notintrustone another withopportunities.To enrichwould better the diction. Again: "The value of land that has accrued from labor is not ... a just object for confiscation." Correctly: "The value of land that hasresultedfrom labor is notjustly... an objectofconfiscation."Accrueis properly used more in the sense ofspontaneous growth. Again: "If the state attempts to confiscate this increase by means of taxes, either rentals will increase correspondingly, or such a check will be put uponthegrowthof each placeandall theenterprisesconnected with itthat greater injury would be done than if things had been left untouched." We have here, it will be observed, a confusion of moods; the sentence begins in the indicative and ends in the conditional. The words in italics are worse than superfluous. Rewritten: "If the stateshouldattempt to confiscate this increase by means of taxes, either rentalswouldincrease correspondingly, or such a checkwouldbe put upon growth and enterprise that greater injury would," etc. Again: "Thetheorythat land ... is aboonof Nature, to which every person has an inalienable right equal to every other person, is not new." The wordstheoryandboonare here misused. Atheoryis a system of suppositions. The things man receives from Nature aregifts, notboons: the gift of reason, the gift of speech, etc. The sentence should be: "Thedeclaration(orassertion) that land ... is agiftof Nature, to which every person has an inalienable right equal tothat of anyother person, is not new." Or, more simply and quite as forcibly: "... to which one person has an inalienable right equal to that of another, is not new." Or, more simply still, and more forcibly: "... to which onemanhas as good a right as another, is not new." By substituting the wordmanforperson, we have a word of one syllable that expresses, in this connection, all that the longer word expresses. The fewer the syllables, if the thought be fully expressed, the more vigorous the diction. Inalienability being foreign to the discussion, the long wordinalienableonly encumbers the sentence.
"We have thus1passed in review2the changes and improvements3which the revision contains4in the First Epistle to the Corinthians. It has5not, indeed,6been possible to refer to7them all; but so many illustrations8have been given in9the several classes described that the reader will have10a satisfactory11survey of the whole subject. Whatever may be said of other portions12of the New Testament, we think it will be generally admitted that in this Epistle the changes have improved the old13translation. They are such as14make the English version15conform more completely16to the Greek original. If this be17true, the revisers have done a good work for the Church.18If itbe true19with regard to all the New Testament books, the work which they have done will remain20a blessing to the readers of those books for21generations to come. But the blessing will be only in the clearer presentation of the Divine truth, and, therefore, it will be only to the glory of God."
This astonishingly slipshod bit of composition is from the pen of the Rev. Dr. Timothy Dwight. If the learned Professor of Divinity in Yale College deemed it worth while to give a little thought to manner as well as to matter, it is probable that his diction would be very different from what it is; and, if he were to give a few minutes to the making of verbal corrections in the foregoing paragraph, he would, perhaps, do something like this: 1, changethustonow; 2, writesome ofthe changes; 3, strike outand improvements; 4, forcontains changessubstitute some other form of expression; 5, instead ofhas been, writewas; 6, strike outindeed; 7, instead ofrefer to, writecite; 8, changeillustrationstoexamples; 9, instead ofin, writeof; 10, instead ofthe reader will have, writethe reader will be able to get; 11, changesatisfactorytotolerable; 12, changeportionstoparts; 13, not talk of theoldtranslation, as we have no new one; 14, strike out as superfluous the wordsare such as; 15, changeversiontotext; 16, substitutenearlyforcompletely, which does not admit of comparison; 17, substitute the indicative for the conditional; 18, end sentence with the wordwork; 19, introducealsoafterbe; 20, instead ofremain, in the sense ofbe, usebe; 21, introducetheafterfor. As for the last sentence, it reminds one of Mendelssohn's "Songs without Words," though here we have, instead of a song and no words, words and no song, or rather no meaning. As is often true of cant, we have here simply a syntactical arrangement of words signifying—nothing.
If Professor Dwight were of those who, in common with the Addisons and Macaulays and Newmans, think it worth while to give some attention to diction, the thought conveyed in the paragraph under consideration would, perhaps, have been expressed somewhat in this wise:
"We have now passed in review some of the changes that, in the revision, have been made in the First Epistle to the Corinthians. It was not possible to cite them all, but a sufficient number of examples of the several classes described have been given to enable the reader to get a tolerable survey of the whole subject. Whatever may be said of the other parts of the New Testament, we think it will be generally admitted that in this Epistle the changes have improved the translation. They make the English text conform more nearly to the Greek. This being true, the revisers have done a good work; and, if it be also true with regard to all the New Testament books, the work which they have done will be a blessing to the readers of these books for the generations to come."
Die with.Man and brute dieof, and notwith, fevers, consumption, the plague, pneumonia, old age, and so on.
Differ.Writers differfromone another in opinion with regard to the particle we should use with this verb. Some say they differwith, others that they differfrom, their neighbors in opinion. The weight of authority is on the side of always usingfrom, though A may differwithC from D in opinion with regard, say, to the size of the fixed stars. "I differ, as to this matter,fromBishop Lowth."—Cobbett.Different tois heard sometimes instead ofdifferent from.
Directly.The Britons have a way of using this word in the sense ofwhen,as soon as. This is quite foreign to its true meaning, which is immediately, at once, straightway.They say, for example, "Directlyhe reached the city, he went to his brother's." "Directly he [the saint] was dead, the Arabs sent his woolen shirt to the sovereign."—"London News." Dr. Hall says of its use in the sense ofas soon as: "But, after all, it may simply anticipate on the English of the future."
Dirt.This word means filth or anything that renders foul and unclean, and means nothing else. It is often improperly used for earth or loam, and sometimes even for sand or gravel. We not unfrequently hear of adirtroad when an unpaved road is meant.
Discommode.This word is rarely used;incommodeis accounted the better form.
Disremember.This is a word vulgarly used in the sense offorget. It is said to be more frequently heard in the South than in the North.
Distinguish.This verb is sometimes improperly used fordiscriminate. Wedistinguishby means of the senses as well as of the understanding; wediscriminateby means of the understanding only. "It is difficult, in some cases, todistinguish between," etc.: should be, "It is difficult, in some cases, todiscriminate between," etc. Wedistinguishone thingfrom another, anddiscriminate betweentwo or more things.
Dock—Wharf.The first of these words is often improperly used for the second. Of docks there are several kinds: anaval dockis a place for the keeping of naval stores, timber, and materials for ship-building; adry dockis a place where vessels are drawn out of the water for repairs; awet dockis a place where vessels are kept afloat at a certain level while they are loaded and unloaded; asectional dockis a contrivance for raising vessels out of the water on a series of air-tight boxes. Adock, then, is a place intowhich things are received; hence, a man might fallintoa dock, but could no more falloffa dock than he could fall off a hole. Awharfis a sort of quay built by the side of the water. A similar structure built at a right angle with the shore is generally called apier. Vessels lie atwharvesandpiers, not atdocks.
Donate.This word, which is defined as meaning to give, to contribute, is looked upon by most champions of good English as being an abomination.Donationis also little used by careful writers. "Donate," says Mr. Gould, "may be dismissed with this remark: so long as its place is occupied bygive,bestow,grant,present, etc., it is not needed; and it should be unceremoniously bowed out, or thrust out, of the seat into which it has, temporarily, intruded."
Done.This past participle is often very inelegantly, if not improperly, used thus: "He did not cry out as some havedoneagainst it," which should read, "He did not cry out as some have against it"; i. e., "as somehave cried outagainst it."
"Done is frequently a very great offender against grammar," says Cobbett. "To dois theact of doing. We see people write, 'Ididnot speak yesterday so well as I wished to havedone.' Now, what is meant by the writer? He means to say that hedidnot speak so well as he thenwished, or was wishing,to speak. Therefore, the sentence should be, 'I did not speak yesterday so well as I wishedto do.' That is to say, 'so well as I wished to do it'; that is to say, to do or to performthe act of speaking.
"Take great care not to be too free in your use of the verbto doin any of its times or modes. It is a nice little handy word, and, like our oppressedit, it is made use of very often when the writer is at alossfor what to put down.To dois toact, and therefore it never can, in any of itsparts, supply the place of aneuterverb. 'How do you do?' Heredorefers to thestate, and is essentially passive or neuter. Yet, to employ it for this purpose is very common. Dr. Blair, in his 23d Lecture, says: 'It is somewhat unfortunate that this Number of the "Spectator" did notend, as it might havedone, with the former beautiful period.' That is to say,done it. And then we ask, Done what? Not theact of ending, because in this case there isno actionat all. The verb meansto come to an end,to cease,not to go any further. This same verbto endis sometimes an active verb: 'Iendmy sentence';thenthe verbto domay supply its place; as, 'I have not ended my sentence so well as I might havedone'; that is, doneit; that is, done, or performed, theact of ending. But the Number of the 'Spectator' was noactor; it was expected toperformnothing; it was, by the Doctor, wished to haveceasedto proceed. 'Did notendas it very well might have ended....' This would have been correct; but the Doctor wished to avoid therepetition, and thus he fell into bad grammar. 'Mr. Speaker, I do notfeelso well satisfied as I should havedoneif the Right Honorable Gentleman had explained the matter more fully.' Tofeelsatisfied is—when the satisfaction is to arise from conviction produced by fact or reasoning—a senseless expression; and to supply its place, when it is, as in this case, a neuter verb, byto do, is as senseless. Donewhat? Donethe act of feeling! 'I do notfeelso well satisfied as I should havedone, orexecuted, orperformedtheact of feeling'! What incomprehensible words!"
Don't.Everybody knows thatdon'tis a contraction ofdo not, and thatdoesn'tis a contraction ofdoes not; and yetnearlyeverybody is guilty of usingdon'twhen he should usedoesn't. "So youdon'tgo; Johndoesn'teither, I hear."
Double Genitive.An anecdote of Mr. Lincoln—an anecdote of Mr. Lincoln's. We see at a glance that these two phrases are very different in meaning. So, also, a portrait of Brown—a portrait of Brown's. No precise rule has ever been given to guide us in our choice between these two forms of the possessive case. Sometimes it is not material which form is employed; where, however, it is material—and it generally is—we must consider the thought we wish to express, and rely on our discrimination.
Dramatize.SeeAdapt.
Drawing-room.SeeParlor.
Dress—Gown.Within the memory of many persons the outer garment worn by women was properly called agownby everybody, instead of being improperly called adress, as it now is by nearly everybody.
Drive.SeeRide.
Due—Owing.These two words, though close synonyms, should not be used indiscriminately. The mistake usually made is in usingdueinstead ofowing. That isduewhich ought to be paid as a debt; that isowingwhich is to be referred to as a source. "It wasowingto his exertions that the scheme succeeded." "It wasowingto your negligence that the accident happened." "A certain respect isdueto men's prejudices." "This wasowingto an indifference to the pleasures of life." "It isdueto the public that I should tell all I know of the matter."
Each other."Their great authors address themselves, not to their country, but toeach other."—Buckle.Each otheris properly applied to two only;one anothermust be used when the number considered exceeds two. Buckle should have writtenone anotherand noteach other, unless he meant to intimate that the Germans had only two great authors, which is not probable.
Eat.Grammarians differ very widely with regard to the conjugation of this verb; there is no doubt, however, that from every point of view the preferable forms for the preterite and past participle are respectivelyateandeaten. To refined ears the other forms smack of vulgarity, although supported by good authority. "Iatean apple." "I haveeatendinner." "Johnatesupper with me." "As soon as you haveeatenbreakfast we will set out."
Editorial.The use of this adjective as a substantive is said to be an Americanism.
Education.This is one of the most misused of words. A man may be well acquainted with the contents of text-books, and yet be a person of littleeducation; on the other hand, a man may be a person of good education, and yet know little of the contents of text-books. Abraham Lincoln and Edwin Forrest knew comparatively little of what is generally learned in schools; still they were men of culture, men ofeducation. A man may have ever so much book-knowledge and still be a boor; but a man can not be a person of good education and not be—so far as manner is concerned—a gentleman.Education, then, is a whole of which Instruction and Breeding are the parts. The man or the woman—even in this democratic country of ours—whodeservesthe title of gentleman or lady is always a person of education; i. e., he or she has a sufficient acquaintance with books and with the usages of social intercourse to acquit himself or herself creditably in the society of cultivated people. Not moral worth, nor learning, nor wealth, nor all three combined, can unaided make a gentleman, for with all three a man might beuneducated—i. e., coarse, unbred, unschooled in those things which alone make men welcome in the society of the refined.
Effectuate.This word, together withratiocinateandeventuate, is said to be a great favorite with the rural members of the Arkansas legislature.
Effluvium.The plural of this word iseffluvia. It is a common error with those who have no knowledge of Latin to speak of "a disagreeable effluvia," which is as incorrect as it would be to talk about "a disagreeable vapors."
Effort without Effect."Some writers deal in expletives to a degree that tires the ear and offends the understanding. With them everything isexcessively, orimmensely, orextremely, orvastly, orsurprisingly, orwonderfully, orabundantly, or the like. The notion of such writers is that these words givestrengthto what they are saying. This is a great error. Strength must be found in thethought, or it will never be found in thewords. Big-sounding words, without thoughts corresponding, are effort without effect."—William Cobbett. SeeForcible-feeble.
Egoist."One of a class of philosophers who professed to be sure of nothing but their own existence."—Reid.
Egotist."One who talks much of himself."
"A tribe ofegotistsfor whom I have always had a mortal aversion."—"Spectator."
Either.This word means, strictly, theoneor theotherof two. Unlikeboth, which means two taken collectively,either, likeeach, may meantwo considered separately; but in this senseeachis the better word to use. "Give meeitherof them" means, Give me the one or the other of two. "He has a farm oneitherside of the river" would mean that he has two farms, one on each (or either) side of the river. "He has a farm onbothsides of the river" would mean that his farm lies partly on the one side of the river and partly on the other. The use ofeitherin the sense ofeach, though biblical and defensible, may be accounted little if any better than an affectation.Neitheris the negativeofeither.Eitheris responded to byor,neitherbynor; as, "eitherthisorthat," "neitherthisnorthat."Eitherandneithershould not—strictly—be used in relation to more than two objects. But, though botheitherandneitherare strictly applicable to two only, they have been for a very long time used in relation to more than two by many good writers; and, as it is often convenient so to use them, it seems probable that the custom will prevail. When more than two things are referred to,anyandnoneshould be used instead ofeitherandneither; as, "anyof the three," not, "eitherof the three"; "noneof the four," not, "neitherof the four."
Either Alternative.The wordalternativemeans a choice offered between two things. Analternative writ, for example, offers thealternativeof choosing between the doing of a specified act or of showing cause why it is not done. Such propositions, therefore, as, "You are at liberty to chooseeitheralternative," "Twoalternatives are presented to me," "Severalalternatives presented themselves," and the like, are not correct English. The word is correctly used thus: "I am confronted with a hardalternative: I must either denounce a friend or betray my trust." We rarely hear the wordalternateor any of its derivatives correctly pronounced.
Elder.SeeOlder.
Elegant.Professor Proctor says: "If you say to an American, 'This is a fine morning,' he is likely to reply, 'It is anelegantmorning,' or perhaps oftener by using simply the wordelegant. This is not a pleasing use of the word." This is not American English, Professor, but popinjay English.
Ellipsis.The omission of a word or of words necessary to complete the grammatical construction, but notnecessary to make the meaning clear, is called anellipsis. We almost always, whether in speaking or in writing, leave out some of the words necessary to thefullexpression of our meaning. For example, in dating a letter to-day, we should write, "New York, August 25, 1881," which would be, if fully written out, "I am now writing in the city of New York; this is the twenty-fifth day of August, and this month is in the one thousand eight hundred and eighty-first year of the Christian era." "I am going to Wallack's" means, "I am going to Wallack'stheatre." "I shall spend the summer at my aunt's"; i. e., at my aunt'shouse.
By supplying theellipseswe can often discover the errors in a sentence, if there are any.
Enjoy bad Health.As no one has ever been known toenjoybad health, it is better to employ some other form of expression than this. Say, for example, he is infeeble, ordelicate, health.
Enthuse.This is a word that is occasionally heard in conversation, and is sometimes met with in print; but it has not as yet made its appearance in the dictionaries. What its ultimate fate will be, of course, no one can tell; for the present, however, it is studiously shunned by those who are at all careful in the selection of their language. It is said to be most used in the South. The writer has never seen it anywhere in the North but in the columns of the "Boston Congregationalist."
Epigram."The wordepigramsignified originally an inscription on a monument. It next came to mean a short poem containing some single thought pointedly expressed, the subjects being very various—amatory, convivial, moral, eulogistic, satirical, humorous, etc. Of the various devices for brevity and point employed in such compositions, especially in modern times, the most frequent is a play uponwords.... In theepigramthe mind is roused by a conflict or contradiction between the form of the language and the meaning really conveyed."—Bain.
Some examples are:
"When you have nothing to say, say it."
"We can not see the wood for the trees"; that is, we can not get a general view because we are so engrossed with the details.
"Verbosity is cured by a large vocabulary"; that is, he who commands a large vocabulary is able to select words that will give his meaning tersely.
"By indignities men come to dignities."
"Some people are too foolish to commit follies."
"He went to his imagination for his facts, and to his memory for his tropes."
Epithet.Many persons use this word who are in error with regard to its meaning; they think that to "apply epithets" to a person is to vilify and insult him. Not at all. Anepithetis a word that expresses a quality, good or bad; a term that expresses an attribute. "Alladjectivesareepithets, but allepithetsare notadjectives," says Crabb; "thus, in Virgil's Pater Æneas, thepateris anepithet, but not anadjective."Epithetis the technical term of the rhetorician;adjective, that of the grammarian.
Equally as well.A redundant form of expression, as any one will see who for a moment considers it.As well, orequally well, expresses quite as much asequally as well.
Equanimity of mind.This phrase is tautological, and expresses no more than doesequanimity(literally, "equalmindedness") alone; hence,of mindis superfluous, and consequently inelegant.Anxiety of mindis a scarcely less redundant form of expression.A capricious mindis in the same category.
Erratum.Plural,errata.
Esquire.An esquire was originally the shield-bearer of a knight. It is much, and, in the opinion of some, rather absurdly, used in this country. Mr. Richard Grant White says on the subject of its use: "I have yet to discover what a man means when he addresses a letter to John Dash,Esqr." He means no more nor less than when he writesMr.(master). The use ofEsq.is quite as prevalent in England as in America, and has little more meaning there than here. It simply belongs to our stock of courteous epithets.
Euphemism.A description which describes in inoffensive language that which is of itself offensive, or a figure which uses agreeable phraseology when the literal would be offensive, is called aeuphemism.
Eventuate.SeeEffectuate.
Everlastingly.This adverb is misused in the South in a manner that is very apt to excite the risibility of one to whom the peculiar misuse is new. The writer recently visited the upper part of New York with a distinguished Southern poet and journalist. It was the gentleman's first ride over an elevated road. When we were fairly under way, in admiration of the rate of speed at which the cars were moving, he exclaimed, "Well, they do justeverlastinglyshoot along, don't they!"
Every.This word, which means simply each or all taken separately, is of late years frequently made, by slipshod speakers, to do duty for perfect, entire, great, or all possible. Thus we have such expressions aseverypains,everyconfidence,everypraise,everycharity, and so on. We also have such diction as, "Every onehas this in common"; meaning, "All of ushave this in common."
Every-day Latin.A fortiori: with stronger reason.A posteriori: from the effect to the cause.A priori: from the cause to the effect.Bona fide: in good faith; in reality.Certiorari: to be made more certain.Ceteris paribus: other circumstances being equal.De facto: in fact; in reality.De jure: in right; in law.Ecce homo: behold the man.Ergo: therefore.Et cetera: and the rest; and so on.Excerpta: extracts.Exempli gratia: by way of example; abbreviated,e. g., andex. gr.Ex officio: by virtue of his office.Ex parte: on one side; anex partestatement is a statement on one side only.Ibidem: in the same place; abbreviated,ibid.Idem: the same.Id est: that is; abbreviated,i. e.Imprimis: in the first place.In statu quo: in the former state; just as it was.In statu quo ante bellum: in the same state as before the war.In transitu: in passing.Index expurgatorius: a purifying index.In extremis: at the point of death.In memoriam: in memory.Ipse dixit: on his sole assertion.Item: also.Labor omnia vincit: labor overcomes every difficulty.Locus sigilli: the place of the seal.Multum in parvo: much in little.Mutatis mutandis: after making the necessary changes.Ne plus ultra: nothing beyond; the utmost point.Nolens volens: willing or unwilling.Nota bene: mark well; take particular notice.Omnes: all.O tempora, O mores!O the times and the manners!Otium cum dignitate: ease with dignity.Otium sine dignitate: ease without dignity.Particeps criminis: an accomplice.Peccavi: I have sinned.Per se: by itself.Prima facie: on the first view or appearance; at first sight.Pro bono publico: for the public good.Quid nunc: what now?Quid pro quo: one thing for another; an equivalent.Quondam: formerly.Rara avis: a rare bird; a prodigy.Resurgam: I shall rise again.Seriatim: in order.Sine die: without specifying any particular day; to an indefinitetime.Sine qua non: an indispensable condition.Sui generis: of its own kind.Vade mecum: go with me.Verbatim: word by word.Versus: against.Vale: fare-well.Via: by the way of.Vice: in the place of.Vide: see.Vi et armis: by main force.Viva voce: orally; by word of mouth.Vox populi, vox Dei: the voice of the people is the voice of God.
Evidence—Testimony.These words, though differing widely in meaning, are often used indiscriminately by careless speakers.Evidenceis that whichtendsto convince;testimonyis that which isintendedto convince. In a judicial investigation, for example, there might be a great deal oftestimony—a great deal oftestifying—and very littleevidence; and theevidencemight be quite the reverse of thetestimony. SeeProof.
Exaggeration."Weak minds, feeble writers and speakers delight insuperlatives." SeeEffort without Effect.
Except."No one need applyexcepthe is thoroughly familiar with the business," should be, "No one need applyunless," etc.
Excessively.That class of persons who are never content with any form of expression that falls short of the superlative, frequently useexcessivelywhenexceedinglyor even the little wordverywould serve their turn better. They say, for example, that the weather isexcessively hot, when they should content themselves with saying simply that the weather isvery warm, or, if the word suits them better,hot. Intemperance in the use of language is as much to be censured as intemperance in anything else; like intemperance in other things, its effect is vulgarizing.
Execute.This word means to follow out to the end, to carry into effect, to accomplish, to fulfill, to perform;as, to execute an order, to execute a purpose. And the dictionaries and almost universal usage say that it also means to put to death in conformity with a judicial sentence; as, to execute a criminal. Some of our careful speakers, however, maintain that the use of the word in this sense is indefensible. They say thatlawsandsentencesare executed, but notcriminals, and that their execution only rarely results in the death of the persons upon whom they are executed. In the hanging of a criminal, it is, then, not the criminal who is executed, but the law and the sentence. The criminal ishanged.
Expect.This verb always has reference to what is to come, never to what is past. We can notexpectbackward. Instead, therefore, of saying, "Iexpect, you thought I would come to see you yesterday," we should say, "Isuppose," etc.
Experience."Weexperiencegreat difficulty in getting him to take his medicine." The wordhaveought to be big enough, in a sentence like this, for anybody. "Weexperiencedgreat hardships." Better, "Wesuffered."
Extend.This verb, the primary meaning of which is to stretch out, is used, especially by lovers of big words, in connections where to give, to show, or to offer would be preferable. For example, it is certainly better to say, "Theyshowedme every courtesy," than "Theyextendedevery courtesy to me." SeeEvery.
False Grammar.Some examples of false grammar will show what every one is the better for knowing: that in literature nothing should be taken on trust; that errors of grammar even are found where we should least expect them. "I do not know whether the imputationwerejust or not."—Emerson. "I proceeded to inquire if the 'extract' ...werea veritable quotation."—Emerson. Shouldbewasin both cases. "Howsweetthe moonlight sleeps!"—Townsend, "Art of Speech," vol. i, p. 114. Should besweetly. "There is no questionbutthese arts ... will greatly aid him," etc.—Ibid., p. 130. Should bethat. "Nearly all who have been distinguished in literature or oratory have made ... the generous confession that their attainmentshave beenreached through patient and laborious industry. They have declared that speaking and writing, though once difficult for them,have becomewell-nigh recreations."—Ibid., p. 143. Thehave beenshould bewere, and thehave becomeshould bebecame. "Many pronominal adverbs are correlatives ofeach other."—Harkness's "New Latin Grammar," p. 147. Should beone another. "Hot and cold springs, boiling springs, and quiet springs lie within a few feet ofeach other, butnone of them are properly geysers."—Appletons' "Condensed Cyclopædia," vol. ii, p. 414. Should beone another, andnot one of them is properly a geyser. "How much better for you as seller and the nation as buyer ... than to sink ... in cuttingone another'sthroats." Should beeach other's. "A minister, noted for prolixity of style, was once preaching before the inmates of a lunatic asylum. In one of his illustrations he painted a scene of a man condemned to be hung, but reprieved under the gallows." These two sentences are so faulty that the only way to mend them is to rewrite them. They are from a work that professes to teach the "art of speech." Mended: "A minister, noted for his prolixity, oncepreachedbefore the inmates of a lunatic asylum. By way of illustration he painted a scene in which a man,who had beencondemned to behanged,wasreprieved under the gallows."
Female.The termsmaleandfemaleare not unfrequently used where good taste would suggest some other word. For example, we see over the doors of school-houses,"Entrance for males," "Entrance for females." Now bucks and bulls are males as well as boys and men, and cows and sows are females as well as girls and women.
Fetch.SeeBring.
Fewer.SeeLess.
Final Completion.If there were such a thing as a plurality or a series of completions, there would, of course, be such a thing as thefinalcompletion; but, as every completion is final, to talk about afinal completionis as absurd as it would be to talk about afinal finality.
First rate.There are people who object to this phrase, and yet it is well enough when properly placed, as it is, for example, in such a sentence as this: "He's a 'first class' fellow, and I like himfirst rate; if I didn't, 'you bet' I'd just give him 'hail Columbia' for 'blowing' the thing all round town like the big fool that he is."
Firstly.George Washington Moon says in defense offirstly: "I do not object to the occasional use offirstas an adverb; but, in sentences where it would be followed bysecondly,thirdly, etc., I think that the adverbial form is preferable." To this, one of Mr. Moon's critics replies: "However desirable it may be to employ the wordfirstlyon certain occasions, the fact remains that the employment of it on any occasion is not the best usage." Webster insertsfirstly, but remarks, "Improperly used forfirst."
Flee—Fly.These verbs, though near of kin, are not interchangeable. For example, we can not say, "Heflewthe city," "Heflewfrom his enemies," "Heflewat the approach of danger,"flewbeing the imperfect tense ofto fly, which is properly used to express the action of birds on the wing, of kites, arrows, etc. The imperfect tense ofto fleeisfled; hence, "Hefledthe city," etc.
Forcible-feeble.This is a "novicy" kind of dictionin which the would-be forcible writer defeats his object by the overuse of expletives. Examples: "And yet thegreatcentralization of wealth is one of the [great] evils of the day. All that Mr. ——utters[says] upon this point isforcible andjust. This centralization is due to theenormousreproductive power of capital, to theimmenseadvantage thatcostly and complicatedmachinery gives togreat[large] establishments, and tothe markeddifference of personal force among men." The firstgreatis misplaced; the worduttersis misused; the secondgreatis ill-chosen. The other words in italics only enfeeble the sentence. Again: "In countries whereimmense[large] estates exist, a breaking up of thesevastdemesnes intomanyminor freeholds would no doubt be a [of]verygreat advantage." Substitutelargeforimmense, and take outvast,many, andvery, and the language becomes much more forcible. Again: "Theveryfirst effect of the —— taxation plan would be destructive to the interests of thisgreat multitude[class]; it would impoverish ourinnumerablefarmers,it wouldconfiscate the earnings of [our]industrioustradesmen and artisans,it would[and] paralyze the hopes ofstrugglingmillions." What a waste of portly expletives is here! With them the sentence is high-flown and weak; take them out, and introduce the words inclosed in brackets, and it becomes simple and forcible.
Friend—Acquaintance.Some philosopher has said that he who has half a dozen friends in the course of his life may esteem himself fortunate; and yet, to judge from many people's talk, one would suppose they had friends by the score. No man knows whether he has any friends or not until he has "their adoption tried"; hence, he who is desirous to call things by their right names will, as a rule, use the wordacquaintanceinstead offriend. "Your friend"is a favorite and very objectionable way many people, especially young people, have of writing themselves at the bottom of their letters. In this way the obscure stripling protests himself thefriendof the first man in the land, and that, too, when he is, perhaps, a comparative stranger and asking a favor.
Galsome.Here is a good, sonorous Anglo-Saxon word—meaning malignant, venomous, churlish—that has fallen into disuse.
Gentleman.Few things are in worse taste than to use the termgentleman, whether in the singular or plural, to designate the sex. "If I was agentleman," says Miss Snooks. "Gentlemenhave just as much curiosity asladies," says Mrs. Jenkins. "Gentlemenhave so much more liberty than weladieshave," says Mrs. Parvenue. Now, if these ladies were ladies, they would in each of these cases use the wordmaninstead ofgentleman, andwomaninstead oflady; further, Miss Snooks would say, "If Iwere." Well-bred men, men of culture and refinement—gentlemen, in short—use the termsladyandgentlemancomparatively little, and they are especially careful not to call themselvesgentlemenwhen they can avoid it. A gentleman, for example, does not say, "I, with someothergentlemen, went," etc.; he is careful to leave out the wordother. The men who use these terms most, and especially those who lose no opportunity to proclaim themselvesgentlemen, belong to that class of men who cock their hats on one side of their heads, and often wear them when and where gentlemen would remove them; who pride themselves on their familiarity with the latest slang; who proclaim their independence by showing the least possible consideration for others; who laugh long and loud at their own wit; who wear a profusion of cheap finery, such as outlandish watch-chains hooked in the lowestbutton-hole of their vests, Brazilian diamonds in their shirt-bosoms, and big seal-rings on their little fingers; who use bad grammar and interlard their conversation with big oaths. In business correspondence Smith is addressed asSir, while Smith & Brown are often addressed asGentlemen—or, vulgarly, asGents. Better, much, is it to address them asSirs.
Since writing the foregoing, I have met with the following paragraph in the London publication, "All the Year Round": "Socially, the term 'gentleman' has become almost vulgar. It is certainly less employed by gentlemen than by inferior persons. The one speaks of 'a man I know,' the other of 'a gentleman I know.' In the one case the gentleman is taken for granted, in the other it seems to need specification. Again, as regards the term 'lady.' It is quite in accordance with the usages of society to speak of your acquaintance the duchess as 'a very nice person.' People who would say 'very nice lady' are not generally of a social class which has much to do with duchesses; and if you speak of one of these as a 'person,' you will soon be made to feel your mistake."
Gents.Of all vulgarisms, this is, perhaps, the most offensive. If we saygents, why not saylades?
Gerund."'I have workto do,' 'there is no moreto say,' are phrases where the verb is not in the common infinitive, but in the form of thegerund. 'He is the manto doit, orfor doingit.' 'A houseto let,' 'the courseto steerby,' 'a placeto liein,' 'a thingto bedone,' 'a cityto takerefuge in,' 'the meansto doill deeds,' are adjective gerunds; they may be expanded into clauses: 'a house that the owner lets or will let'; 'the course that we should steer by'; 'a thing that should be done'; 'a city wherein one may take refuge'; 'the means whereby ill deeds may bedone.' When thetoceased in the twelfth century to be a distinctive mark of the dative infinitive or gerund,forwas introduced to make the writer's intention clear. Hence the familiar form in 'what went ye outfor to see?' 'they camefor to showhim the temple.'"—Bain.
Get.In sentences expressing simple possession—as, "I havegota book," "What has hegotthere?" "Have yougotany news?" "They havegota new house," etc.—gotis entirely superfluous, if not, as some writers contend, absolutely incorrect. Possession is completely expressed byhave. "Foxes have holes; the birds of the air have nests"; not, "Foxes havegotholes; the birds of the air havegotnests." Formerly the imperfect tense of this verb wasgat, which is now obsolete, and the perfect participle wasgotten, which, some grammarians say, is growing obsolete. If this be true, there is no good reason for it. If we sayeaten,written,striven,forgotten, why not saygotten, where this form of the participle is more euphonious—as it often is—thangot?
Goods.This term, like other terms used in trade, should be restricted to the vocabulary of commerce. Messrs. Arnold & Constable, in common with the Washington Market huckster, very properly speak of their wares as theirgoods; but Mrs. Arnold and Mrs. Constable should, and I doubt not do, speak of their gowns as being made of fine or coarsesilk,cashmere,muslin, or whatever the material may be.
Gould against Alford.Mr. Edward S. Gould, in his review of Dean Alford's "Queen's English," remarks, on page 131 of his "Good English": "And now, as to the style[4]of the Dean's book, taken as a whole. He must be held responsible for every error in it; because, as has beenshown, he has had full leisure for its revision.[5]The errors are, nevertheless, numerous; and the shortest way to exhibit them is[6]in tabular form." In several instances Mr. Gould would not have taken the Dean to task had he known English better. The following are a few of Mr. Gould's corrections in which he is clearly in the right:
Paragraph
4. "Intoanotherlandthan"; should be, "into a landother than."
16. "We do not follow rule in spelling other words, but custom"; should be, "we do not followrule, but custom, in spelling," etc.
18. "The distinction is observed in French, butnever appearsto have been made," etc.; read, "appears neverto have been made."
61. "Ratherto aspirate morethanless"; should be, "to aspirate morerather thanless."
9. "It is said alsoonlyto occur three times," etc.; read, "occur onlythree times."
44. "This doublingonly takes placein a syllable," etc.; read, "takes place only."
142. "Which canonlybe decided when those circumstances are known"; read, "can be decided onlywhen," etc.
166. "I willonlysay that it produces," etc.; read, "I willsay only," etc.
170. "It is said that this canonlybe filled in thus"; read, "can befilled in onlythus."
368. "I canonlydeal with the complaint in a general way"; read, "deal with the complaint only," etc.
86. "Inso far as they are idiomatic," etc. What is the use ofin?
171. "Try the experiment"; "triedthe experiment." Read,makeandmade.
345. "It ismostgenerally used of that very sect," etc. Whymost?
362. "The joining together two clauses with a third," etc.; read, "of twoclauses," etc.
Gown.SeeDress.
Graduated.Students do notgraduate; theyaregraduated. Hence most writers nowadays say, "Iwas, hewas, or theyweregraduated"; and ask, "Whenwereyou, orwashe, graduated?"
Grammatical Errors."The correctness of the expressiongrammatical errorshas been disputed. 'How,' it has been asked, 'can an error be grammatical?' How, it may be replied, can we with propriety say,grammatically incorrect? Yet we can do so.
"No one will question the propriety of sayinggrammatically correct. Yet the expression is the acknowledgment of thingsgrammaticallyincorrect. Likewise the phrasegrammatical correctnessimplies the existence ofgrammaticalincorrectness. If, then, a sentence isgrammatically incorrect, or, what is the same thing, hasgrammatical incorrectness, it includes agrammatical error.Grammatically incorrectsignifiesincorrect with relation to the rules of grammar.Grammatical errorssignifieserrors with relation to the rules of grammar.
"They who ridicule the phrasegrammatical errors, and substitute the phraseerrors in grammar, make an egregious mistake. Can there, it may be asked with some show of reason, be an error in grammar? Why, grammar is a science founded in our nature, referable to our ideas of time, relation, method; imperfect, doubtless, as to the system by which it is represented; but surely we can speak of error in that which is error's criterion! All this is hypercritical, but hypercriticism must be met with its own weapons.
"Of the two expressions—a grammatical error, andanerror in grammar—the former is preferable. If one's judgment can accept neither, one must relinquish the belief in the possibility of tersely expressing the idea of an offense against grammatical rules. Indeed, it would be difficult to express the idea even by circumlocution. Should some one say, 'This sentence is, according to the rules of grammar, incorrect.' 'What!' the hypercritic may exclaim, 'incorrect! and according to the rules of grammar!' 'This sentence, then,' the corrected person would reply, 'contains an error in grammar.' 'Nonsense!' the hypercritic may shout, 'grammar is a science; you may be wrong in its interpretation, but principles are immutable!'
"After this, it need scarcely be added that, grammatically, no one can make a mistake, that there can be no grammatical mistake, that there can be no bad grammar, and, consequently, no bad English; a very pleasant conclusion, which would save us a great amount of trouble if it did not lack the insignificant quality of being true."—"Vulgarisms and Other Errors of Speech."
Gratuitous.There are those who object to the use of this word in the sense of unfounded, unwarranted, unreasonable, untrue. Its use in this sense, however, has the sanction of abundant authority. "Weak andgratuitousconjectures."—Porson. "Agratuitousassumption."—Godwin. "Thegratuitoustheory."—Southey. "Agratuitousinvention."—De Quincey. "But it is needless to dwell on the improbability of a hypothesis which has been shown to be altogethergratuitous."—Dr. Newman.
Grow.This verb originally meant to increase in size, but has normally come to be also used to express a change from one state or condition to another; as, togrowdark, togrowweak or strong, togrowfaint, etc. But it is doubtful whether what is large can properly be said togrowsmall. In this sense,becomewould seem to be the better word.