“Accept” and “Except” are almost opposites, in the you could define “accept” as “receiving something for consideration,” and “except” as “excluding something from consideration.” That doesn’t cover all possible uses, but it does explain what’s so funny about an ad that says “All applications will be excepted.”
The personal injury lawyer whose ad promises “Piece of mind” is pretty funny too.
Also, “penultimate” does not mean “better than ultimate.”
“Quintessential” does not mean “more important than essential.”
“Preternatural” does not mean “unnatural.” It doesn’t mean “supernatural,” either.
Free rein: the authority to proceed in an enterprise as one sees fit.
Free reign: a non-existent term, often used by people who are apparently make their living by being wrong, and seem to believe that it has something to do with absolute monarchy.
flown is the past participle of fly. “This bird has flown.” flowed is the past participle of flow. “Water has flowed here.”
In recent months I have heard about fluids that “have flown” two or three times.
a while (two words, noun phrase) - a brief period of time. “I waited for a while.” awhile (one word, adverb) - for a period of time. “I waited awhile.”
viola (“vee-oh-la”) - a stringed instrument voilà - (“vwah-la” not “wal-la”) - a word from French used to call attention to something
flounder - to flop or thrash around or to have difficulties founder - to sink to the bottom or to fail completely
envelope (“EN-ve-lope”, noun) - a paper pocket for mailing letters, etc. envelop (“en-VEL-op”, verb) - to surround
canvas (noun) - a type of cloth canvass (verb) - to conduct a poll or survey
I disagree with the “never has been” part. Politically, the colonial-era Dominion of New England included parts of New York and New Jersey. Geologically, the province of New England includes parts of New York.
Bale - a large bundle of loose items tightly tied together, as in a bale of straw, also evil (as in a baleful look) Bail - lots of things: the act of scooping water, the thing you scoop water with, a hooped handle on a bucket, the release of a prisoner in exchange for money, or the money used to fund the release…
In other words, please don’t feed your horses the bail and then bale your deadbeat brother.
Right: (n): something permissible, direction opposite of left (v): to orient properly (adj): correct or permissible Rite: (n): A formally defined ritual
After the Vatican II council, Catholic priests all over the world had to change their practices to ensure that they were performing the right rite on Sunday.
“Drink” is drink; drank; drunk, so the simple past is “I drank it,” but the pluperfect is “I have drunk it.” And that’s true for non-alcoholic beverages. I guess “drunk” is such a loaded word, that people are afraid to use it, but I hear “I have drank” all the time from people who normally don’t make that sort of error.
So many people use the simple past tense with “I have” or “I had” that I stop listening to anything they have to say. And, my cat got ran over. What is that?
Another mix-up that I hate is were and was. We was going to the store.
Just thought of another. Have crazy people south of the border started using “ask” as a noun (I assume they mean “request”) too or is that abomination of the English language just occuring up here?!
Sell: Verb denoting the act of exchanging an object or service for money, funds, credit, etc. When are you going to sell me your car? Sale: Noun referring to a) the transaction in which the above exchange was completed. The sale of the boat was cause for celebration. or b) an event during which multiple items are offered for such transactions – often ostensibly at a price which is less than the seller(s) normally charge for such items. The Memorial Day sale didn’t yield much profit.
I think splice probably gets misused a lot in faux-pirate speech, in which nonsensical context (Ahaaaarrr! Splice me timbers!"), it might mean anything - and it sounds like slice, so it’s easy to see how a mistaken usage could arise.
(“Splice the mainbrace”, OTOH, used to refer to repairing a line, but now means issue the rum ration)
