FullReads

Opine for Think. The word is not very respectably connected.

Opposite for Contrary. “I hold the opposite opinion.” “The opposite practice.”

Or for Nor. Probably our most nearly universal solecism. “I cannot see the sun or the moon.” This means that I am unable to see one of them, though I may see the other. By using nor, I affirm the invisibility of both, which is what I wanted to do. If a man is not white or black he may nevertheless be a Negro or a Caucasian; but if he is not white nor black he belongs to some other race. See Neither.

Ordinarily for Usually. Clumsy.

Ovation. In ancient Rome an ovation was an inferior triumph accorded to victors in minor wars or unimportant battle. Its character and limitations, like those of the triumph, were strictly defined by law and custom. An enthusiastic demonstration in honor of an American civilian is nothing like that, and should not be called by its name.

Over for About, In, or Concerning. “Don’t cry over spilt milk.” “He rejoiced over his acquittal.”

Over for More than. “A sum of over ten thousand dollars.” “Upward of ten thousand dollars” is equally objectionable.

Over for On. “The policeman struck him over the head.” If the blow was over the head it did not hit him.

Over with. “Let us have it over with.” Omit with. A better expression is, Let us get done with it.

Outside of. Omit the preposition.

Pair for Pairs. If a word has a good plural use each form in its place.

Pants for Trousers. Abbreviated from pantaloons, which are no longer worn. Vulgar exceedingly.

Partially for Partly. A dictionary word, to swell the book.

Party for Person. “A party named Brown.” The word, used in that sense, has the excuse that it is a word. Otherwise it is no better than “pants” and “gent.” A person making an agreement, however, is a party to that agreement.

Patron for Customer.

Pay for Give, Make, etc. “He pays attention.” “She paid a visit to Niagara.” It is conceivable that one may owe attention or a visit to another person, but one cannot be indebted to a place.

Pay. “Laziness does not pay.” “It does not pay to be uncivil.” This use of the word is grossly commercial. Say, Indolence is unprofitable. There is no advantage in incivility.

Peek for Peep. Seldom heard in England, though common here. “I peeked out through the curtain and saw him.” That it is a variant of peep is seen in the child’s word peek-a-boo, equivalent to bo-peep. Better use the senior word.

Peculiar for Odd, or Unusual. Also sometimes used to denote distinction, or particularity. Properly a thing is peculiar only to another thing, of which it is characteristic, nothing else having it; as knowledge of the use of fire is peculiar to Man.

People for Persons. “Three people were killed.” “Many people are superstitious.” People has retained its parity of meaning with the Latin populus, whence it comes, and the word is not properly used except to designate a population, or large fractions of it considered in the mass. To speak of any stated or small number of persons as people is incorrect.

Per. “Five dollars per day.” “Three per hundred.” Say, three dollars a day; three in a hundred. If you must use the Latin preposition use the Latin noun too: per diem; per centum.

Perpetually for Continually. “The child is perpetually asking questions.” What is done perpetually is done continually and forever.

Phenomenal for Extraordinary, or Surprising. Everything that occurs is phenomenal, for all that we know about is phenomena, appearances. Of realities, noumena, we are ignorant.

Plead (pronounced “pled”) for Pleaded. “He plead guilty.”

Plenty for Plentiful. “Fish and fowl were plenty.”

Poetess. A foolish word, like “authoress.”

Poetry for Verse. Not all verse is poetry; not all poetry is verse. Few persons can know, or hope to know, the one from the other, but he who has the humility to doubt (if such a one there be) should say verse if the composition is metrical.