# Commonly Misunderstood/Misused Words or Phrases **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 16, 2005, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misunderstood-misused-words-or-phrases/335922 "2005-12-16T15:48:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misunderstood-misused-words-or-phrases/335922/41 "2005-12-18T02:15:41Z")
> [@AuntPam](#): > > Business jargon that drives me nuts: > > “Escalate” does not mean “tell your boss”–except, perhaps, as verbal shorthand for “I’m going to escalate the level of concern about this by informing my boss.” “Escalating the problem” would mean “intensifying the problem.” > > “Fulsome” does not mean “fuller.” It means “overly effusive, cloyingly insincere.” > > “Hone in on” is a mistake for “home in on” —although you can “hone (sharpen) an argument,” metaphorically speaking. > > Thanks to Weird Earl’s for the Business Jargon “Bull\*\*\*t Bingo” Cards link the other day! I laughed MAO. We have a new one. Rationalize. As in “we need to rationalize our investment in this technology.” They mean understand with a dash of justify and perhaps a bit of leverage. Figure out how it fits. Make rational. I keep hearing “make excuses for.” ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misunderstood-misused-words-or-phrases/335922/42 "2005-12-18T02:48:16Z")
> [@LiveOnAPlane](#): > > 1. Decimated - You lose one out of ten, that is, a 10% destruction rate. dec·i·mate ( P ) Pronunciation Key (ds-mt) tr.v. dec·i·mat·ed, dec·i·mat·ing, dec·i·mates 1. To destroy or kill a large part of (a group). 2. Usage Problem. To inflict great destruction or damage on: The fawns decimated my rose bushes. To reduce markedly in amount: a profligate heir who decimated his trust fund. 3. To select by lot and kill one in every ten of. [http://dictionary.reference.com1/search?q=decimated](http://dictionary.reference.com1/search?q=decimated) ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misunderstood-misused-words-or-phrases/335922/43 "2005-12-18T05:13:57Z")
“Dick” does not mean “cock,” it means “a detective.” And “cock” does not mean “dick,” it means “a rooster.” ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misunderstood-misused-words-or-phrases/335922/44 "2005-12-18T07:03:28Z")
**LiveOnAPlane** wrote: > [@](#): > > 1. Decimated - You lose one out of ten, that is, a 10% destruction rate. From a Roman term, where, I think, they killed one out of ten of their enemies. The Roman army dealt with unruly soldiers by _decimating the ranks_ – killing one-in-ten soldiers in a given company or whatever they called it. ---
**Author:** ![soulmurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@soulmurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulmurk)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misunderstood-misused-words-or-phrases/335922/45 "2005-12-18T07:18:21Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > “Dick” does not mean “cock,” it means “a detective.” And “cock” does not mean “dick,” it means “a rooster.” I know you’re not trying to remove cocksucker and dicklicker from my vocabulary of favorite cusses. But then, I suppose restricting their use adds some other, more interesting aspects to the imagery. > [@fishbicycle](#): > > Ignorance should be fought. If a kind word fails, then sharp sticks are good. Sharp sticks are good, true; but ice sickles are better. ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misunderstood-misused-words-or-phrases/335922/46 "2005-12-18T07:26:52Z")
> [@NinetyWt](#): > > Oh, I left out one of my Most Hated[sup]TM[/sup]: > > It’s _reckless_ driving, not _wreckless_ driving. Come on, now! But how many other word pairs are both homonyms and (nearly) antonyms? ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misunderstood-misused-words-or-phrases/335922/47 "2005-12-18T10:08:59Z")
**Fish** , you got me. Spell check is my friend … spell check is my friend… spell check is my friend … cool user name, BTW 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misunderstood-misused-words-or-phrases/335922/48 "2005-12-18T12:45:50Z")
My 15 year old daughter corrected her English teacher on “intents and purposes” (teacher was saying “intensive purposes”). When my son was in high school he won a bet from his history teacher that Hitler’s first name was “Adolf” not “Adolph”. Not only was the teacher wrong, but she welshed on the bet.` ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misunderstood-misused-words-or-phrases/335922/49 "2005-12-18T13:02:17Z")
Here’s my favourite. Some people use the phrase ‘to grow like Topsy’ to mean growing very quickly or to a greater than usual size. What this phrase actually means is ‘to have grown seemingly from nowhere, without explanation or known source’. For example, you might be discussing a rumour and if you don’t know how it got started, you might say, ‘I don’t know, it seemed to just grow, like Topsy’. It comes from the Brer Rabbit stories, where Topsy is asked where she came from and she says that she doesn’t know, “I guess I just growed”. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misunderstood-misused-words-or-phrases/335922/50 "2005-12-18T13:06:51Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > My 15 year old daughter corrected her English teacher on “intents and purposes” (teacher was saying “intensive purposes”). > > When my son was in high school he won a bet from his history teacher that Hitler’s first name was “Adolf” not “Adolph”. Not only was the teacher wrong, but she welshed on the bet.` I corrected my English Master in front of a class. he asked if I was inferring that he was an idiot. I replied, “Only you can infer that you are an idiot. I am implying that you are an idiot.” I received a variety of punishments. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misunderstood-misused-words-or-phrases/335922/51 "2005-12-18T14:01:05Z")
> [@ianzin](#): > > It comes from the Brer Rabbit stories, where Topsy is asked where she came from and she says that she doesn’t know, “I guess I just growed”. Actually, it’s from _Uncle Tom’s Cabin:_ > [@](#): > > “Have you ever heard anything about God, Topsy?” > > The child looked bewildered, but grinned as usual. > > “Do you know who made you?” > > “Nobody, as I knows on,” said the child, with a short laugh. > > The idea appeared to amuse her considerably; for her eyes twinkled, and she added, > > “I spect I grow’d. Don’t think nobody never made me.” You can read the relevant chapter [here.](http://www.pagebypagebooks.com/Harriet_Beecher_Stowe/Uncle_Toms_Cabin/Topsy_p1.html) ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misunderstood-misused-words-or-phrases/335922/52 "2005-12-18T18:27:14Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > Actually, it’s from _Uncle Tom’s Cabin:_ Thank you! I sit corrected. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misunderstood-misused-words-or-phrases/335922/53 "2005-12-18T18:34:29Z")
> [@don't ask](#): > > I corrected my English Master in front of a class. he asked if I was inferring that he was an idiot. I replied, “Only you can infer that you are an idiot. I am implying that you are an idiot.” I received a variety of punishments. Okay, I’m not usually in favor of correcting folks’ grammar. But **that’s** awesome! Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misunderstood-misused-words-or-phrases/335922/54 "2005-12-18T18:36:27Z")
Although technically, **don’t ask** , you were wrong. You could certainly infer that your teacher was an idiot. It happens to me all the time: I read someone’s\* post on the Internet, infer that they’re an idiot, and move on. Daniel - (Not yours, in case that reads like an oblique insult; I infer from yours that you’re awesome) ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misunderstood-misused-words-or-phrases/335922/55 "2005-12-18T19:22:36Z")
I would recommend that the OP give all of his students a link to [Common Errors in Englsh](http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/index.html). It is an invaluable reference (and that doesn’t mean worthless). ---
**Author:** ![FinbarOS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/85e7bf/32.png) [@FinbarOS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinbarOS)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2014, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misunderstood-misused-words-or-phrases/335922/56 "2014-06-22T14:31:00Z")
Sheets are not sails, they are the lines attached to the sails to control the angle. If a sheet is free (in the wind) that corner of the sail is uncontrolled. If three sheets are in the wind, the entire sail is out of control and the ship risks lurching like a drunken sailor. ---
**Author:** ![DChord568](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2014, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misunderstood-misused-words-or-phrases/335922/57 "2014-06-22T21:39:15Z")
Almost everyone I’ve ever heard use the phrase says “He was chomping at the bit.” He was not, of course. He was champing at it. ETA: Sorry, should have figured that someone would have beat me to it in this old thread. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2014, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misunderstood-misused-words-or-phrases/335922/58 "2014-06-22T22:24:21Z")
And police get cranky if you drive **without due care and attention** , not **with undue care and attention** (unless maybe they get cranky because they had one less opportunity to write a ticket). ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2014, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misunderstood-misused-words-or-phrases/335922/59 "2014-06-23T00:22:24Z")
Penultimate does not mean the best, the top, the super-ultimate. It means “second to last.” In Latin, the last syllable of a word is called the _ultima_. The second to last syllable is called the _penultima_. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2014, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misunderstood-misused-words-or-phrases/335922/60 "2014-06-23T01:34:04Z")
Data vs Datum: yes, technically “data” is plural, but in modern usage it’s both singular and plural, like geese or sheep, but takes the grammar of non-count nouns, so the data **is** , like the shampoo, in the bathroom. If needed to be counted, it also takes helping words like any non-count nouns, e.g. one sheet of data. Datum is _literally_ on death’s door. My pet peeves: a/an: it’s not the consonant/vowel that matter, it’s the sound: an herb a herbivore a universal accord an unusual request Double negatives are not a crime against humanity: I don’t feel so bad. It’s not that I don’t like him. You’ve never not been an asshole. You can end a sentence with a preposition: I’ll do it when the game is over. Your mother stopped by. Why is the light on? Everybody should know the names of the symbols above the number keys. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misunderstood-misused-words-or-phrases/335922.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misunderstood-misused-words-or-phrases/335922.md?page=4)