# Commonly misused words/phrases **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 10, 2000, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misused-words-phrases/15928 "2000-04-10T02:34:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2000, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misused-words-phrases/15928/21 "2000-04-10T15:05:00Z")
Great stuff! I especially loved “enormity” and “hoi polloi”. I should have come up with “could care less”. I’m amazed how frequently it’s used. How about _regime_ used for _regimen_, as in “the doctor used a new treatment regime”? Maybe, but only if she practises in Iraq. ---
**Author:** ![Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myron_Van_Horowitzski)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2000, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misused-words-phrases/15928/22 "2000-04-10T15:31:00Z")
The reason people use “I could care less” is that it used to be part of a larger phrase now forgotten: “I don’t know and _I could care less_.” Now that makes more sense, eh? Your brain-in-jar, Myron * * * Imbibo, ergo sum. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2000, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misused-words-phrases/15928/23 "2000-04-10T15:38:00Z")
How about using literally when they mean metaphorically “He literally jumped out of his skin”-Huh? ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2000, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misused-words-phrases/15928/24 "2000-04-10T15:44:00Z")
How about using literally when they mean metaphorically “He literally jumped out of his skin”-Huh? ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2000, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misused-words-phrases/15928/25 "2000-04-10T15:47:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Myron Van Horowitzski: > \*\*The reason people use “I could care less” is that it used to be part of a larger phrase now forgotten: “I don’t know and _I could care less_.” > > Now that makes more sense, eh? > > Your brain-in-jar, > Myron > \*\* Sorry, but that still sounds just as silly as the short version to me. Here, it should be _“couldn’t”_ as well, IMHO. * * * **Defect borg: _“Refutile is sistance. Your ass will be simulated”._** * * * **WallyM7** on Coldfire: _ **"Yeah, he knows a little about everything because they have a good prison library."** _ ---
**Author:** ![Boris\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@Boris\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boris_B)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2000, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misused-words-phrases/15928/26 "2000-04-10T15:50:00Z")
from [www.m-w.com/](http://www.m-w.com/) : **regime** 1 a : REGIMEN 1 b : a regular pattern of occurrence or action (as of seasonal rainfall) c : the characteristic behavior or orderly procedure of a natural phenomenon or process **enormity** 3 : the quality or state of being huge : IMMENSITY _usage_ Enormity, some people insist, is improperly used to denote large size. They insist on enormousness for this meaning, and would limit enormity to the meaning “great wickedness.” Those who urge such a limitation may not recognize the subtlety with which enormity is actually used. It regularly denotes a considerable departure from the expected or normal \. When used to denote large size, either literal or figurative, it usually suggests something so large as to seem overwhelming \ \… - Boris B, Chief of Counternitpicking Methodology ---
**Author:** ![Boris\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@Boris\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boris_B)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2000, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misused-words-phrases/15928/27 "2000-04-10T15:56:00Z")
You know, the idea of someone literally jumping out of their skin has me all squeamish. You might even say I’m nauseous. [topical joke] I still don’t know about “I don’t know and could care less”. I could understand, “I don’t know and care less,” but the whole _could_ thing makes it sound subjunctive. I don’t care less but if things were different then I might. Maybe it means, “I don’t currently know, and don’t get yer hopes up because if I did know, I would then pay even less mind to this matter.” Hmm. ---
**Author:** ![cygnus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e0b2c6/32.png) [@cygnus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cygnus)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2000, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misused-words-phrases/15928/28 "2000-04-10T16:17:00Z")
Monstrous does not mean huge. It means really awful, as in “monstrous deeds committed by a deranged axe murderer”. * * * MST3K: Best lil’ puppet show on the planet. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2000, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misused-words-phrases/15928/29 "2000-04-10T16:32:00Z")
Oh, the “I could care less” and using nauseous instead of nauseated are big pet peeves of mine, as is “should of,” “could of,” etc. It also utterly amazes me (and drives me nuts - figuratively :)) that so many people mix up “then” and “than.” * * * “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” - Anne Frank “Mom, he’s a neo Nazi! He’s a doctor also? Well…” - WallyM7 ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2000, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misused-words-phrases/15928/30 "2000-04-11T05:19:00Z")
> [@](#): > > O.K. now… “writing” this post reminded me of another (that I’m guilty of). I didn’t actually write this post… I typed it. But you composed it, drafted it, created it. You wrote it. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2000, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misused-words-phrases/15928/31 "2000-04-11T05:20:00Z")
What you were really guilty of was writing “that I’m guilty of” when you really meant “of which I am guilty.” ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2000, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misused-words-phrases/15928/32 "2000-04-10T18:02:00Z")
Incorrect usage of “that” vs. “which,” which are, IMO, incredibly easy to understand (as opposed to the who/whom rules, which are a lot more difficult to grasp Incorrect punctuation when using quotation marks (every time I watch the Millionaire show, I just want to scream - they never get this right!) ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2000, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misused-words-phrases/15928/33 "2000-04-10T18:14:00Z")
The underuse of the word “me”. For some reason, people seem to think that “I” sounds more proper, even when used (incorrectly) as an object. **Wrong** : She took Sally and _I_ to see a movie. **Right** : She took Sally and _me_ to see a movie. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2000, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misused-words-phrases/15928/34 "2000-04-10T18:18:00Z")
(Oh yes, and **missbunny** , please pardon the inorrect use of punctuation with quotation marks in my previous post!) 😛 ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2000, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misused-words-phrases/15928/35 "2000-04-10T18:22:00Z")
That’s okay, most persons of the SDMB persuasion are granted a special grammar dispensation. [insert smiley here] ---
**Author:** ![Occam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Occam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Occam)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2000, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misused-words-phrases/15928/36 "2000-04-10T18:29:00Z")
It’s LEND! You cannot ‘borrow’ anything to someone else!!! ---
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2000, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misused-words-phrases/15928/37 "2000-04-10T19:21:00Z")
This reminds me of the thread I started ([here](http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/006655.html)) about people using “as Hell” to describe everything - “fat as Hell,” “noisy as Hell,” etc. The only things I could honestly see as being acceptable “as Hell” would be hot or crowded. 🙂 “Cold as Hell” bugs the Hell out of me! Esprix * * * [Ask the Gay Guy!](http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/001376.html) (or, if you prefer the Jesusfied version, [Asketh the damn Priest Guy!](http://www.askjesus.org/ask.cgi?http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/001376.html)) ---
**Author:** ![ignatiusjreilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/2acd7d/32.png) [@ignatiusjreilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ignatiusjreilly)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2000, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misused-words-phrases/15928/38 "2000-04-10T20:01:00Z")
It makes me so frickin’ sick to hear someone use “literally” in a figurative sense. My freshman comp teacher jumped all over my ass in college for using it and I thought he was just being an asshole. Now I see that I could have learned so much in that class and that I was just 18 and stupid. [Of course, he **did** introduce me to Flannery O’Conner, so he wasn’t that bad a guy… 🙂] And in a mini-hijack - Adverbs are like water in the desert. Got it? ---
**Author:** ![ignatiusjreilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/2acd7d/32.png) [@ignatiusjreilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ignatiusjreilly)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2000, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misused-words-phrases/15928/39 "2000-04-10T20:05:00Z")
Oh yeah - **Missbunny** I have always used who and whom in a simple subject and object way. And I always thought it was pretty simple. Am I missing something? ---
**Author:** ![ignatiusjreilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/2acd7d/32.png) [@ignatiusjreilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ignatiusjreilly)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2000, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misused-words-phrases/15928/40 "2000-04-10T20:07:00Z")
Of course, he introduced me to the _works_ of Flannery O’Conner. Perhaps I should be a little more specific. Oops. I’m not that old… OK now, no more posts. Must – stop – goofing off – aarrrggghh [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misused-words-phrases/15928.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-misused-words-phrases/15928.md?page=3)