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Point Blank. “He fired at him point blank.” This usually is intended to mean directly, or at short range. But point blank means the point at which the line of sight is crossed downward by the trajectory–the curve described by the missile.

Poisonous for Venomous. Hemlock is poisonous, but a rattlesnake is venomous.

Politics. The word is not plural because it happens to end with s.

Possess for Have. “To possess knowledge is to possess power.” Possess is lacking in naturalness and unduly emphasizes the concept of ownership.

Practically for Virtually. This error is very common. “It is practically conceded.” “The decision was practically unanimous.” “The panther and the cougar are practically the same animal.” These and similar misapplications of the word are virtually without excuse.

Predicate for Found, or Base. “I predicate my argument on universal experience.” What is predicated of something is affirmed as an attribute of it, as omnipotence is predicated of the Deity.

Prejudice for Prepossession. Literally, a prejudice is merely a prejudgment–a decision before evidence–and may be favorable or unfavorable, but it is so much more frequently used in the latter sense than in the former that clarity is better got by the other word for reasonless approval.

Preparedness for Readiness. An awkward and needless word much used in discussion of national armaments, as, “Our preparedness for war.”

Preside. “Professor Swackenhauer presided at the piano.” “The deviled crab table was presided over by Mrs. Dooley.” How would this sound? “The ginger pop stand was under the administration of President Woolwit, and Professor Sooffle presided at the flute.”

Pretend for Profess. “I do not pretend to be infallible.” Of course not; one does not care to confess oneself a pretender. To pretend is to try to deceive; one may profess quite honestly.

Preventative for Preventive. No such word as preventative.

Previous for Previously. “The man died previous to receipt of the letter.”

Prior to for Before. Stilted.

Propose for Purpose, or Intend. “I propose to go to Europe.” A mere intention is not a proposal.

Proposition for Proposal. “He made a proposition.” In current slang almost anything is a proposition. A difficult enterprise is “a tough proposition,” an agile wrestler, “a slippery proposition,” and so forth.

Proportions for Dimensions. “A rock of vast proportions.” Proportions relate to form; dimensions to magnitude.

Proven for Proved. Good Scotch, but bad English.

Proverbial for Familiar. “The proverbial dog in the manger.” The animal is not “proverbial” for it is not mentioned in a proverb, but in a fable.

Quit for Cease, Stop. “Jones promises to quit drinking.” In another sense, too, the word is commonly misused, as, “He has quit the town.” Say, quitted.

Quite. “She is quite charming.” If it is meant that she is entirely charming this is right, but usually the meaning intended to be conveyed is less than that–that she is rather, or somewhat, charming.

Raise for Bring up, Grow, Breed, etc. In this country a word-of-all-work: “raise children,” “raise wheat,” “raise cattle.” Children are brought up, grain, hay and vegetables are grown, animals and poultry are bred.

Real for Really, or Very. “It is real good of him.” “The weather was real cold.”

Realize for Conceive, or Comprehend. “I could not realize the situation.” Writers caring for precision use this word in the sense of to make real, not to make seem real. A dream seems real, but is actually realized when made to come true.

Recollect for Remember. To remember is to have in memory; to recollect is to recall what has escaped from memory. We remember automatically; in recollecting we make a conscious effort.

Redeem for Retrieve. “He redeemed his good name.” Redemption (Latin redemptio, from re and dimere) is allied to ransom, and carries the sense of buying back; whereas to retrieve is merely to recover what was lost.

Redound for Conduce. “A man’s honesty redounds to his advantage.” We make a better use of the word if we say of one (for example) who has squandered a fortune, that its loss redounds to his advantage, for the word denotes a fluctuation, as from seeming evil to actual good; as villification may direct attention to one’s excellent character.