# Holy shit. Nobody knows the difference between "lose" and "loose" any more. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 1, 2010, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-nobody-knows-the-difference-between-lose-and-loose-any-more/562547 "2010-12-01T16:25:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-nobody-knows-the-difference-between-lose-and-loose-any-more/562547/42 "2010-12-02T00:37:28Z")
The one that grates my craw is “bare with me” – mainly because I don’t realize it’s a typo until I’ve already taken most of my clothes off. ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-nobody-knows-the-difference-between-lose-and-loose-any-more/562547/43 "2010-12-02T01:51:15Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > Then there is “rein in”, often done as “reign in” > > And it’s “to the manor born” not “to the manner born” [uh, no](http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=19990721) [another cite](http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/to-the-manner-born.html) ---
**Author:** ![Implicit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Implicit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Implicit)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-nobody-knows-the-difference-between-lose-and-loose-any-more/562547/44 "2010-12-02T02:01:41Z")
This thread is painful to read. I’ve tried to correct people on lose/loose and most of the time they insist that loose means to ‘not win’. It fucking does not. ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-nobody-knows-the-difference-between-lose-and-loose-any-more/562547/45 "2010-12-02T02:04:50Z")
I just remembered a Facebook status I saw the other day. It read, “I hate men! They always think we’re at their beckon call!” It makes me laugh to imagine her justifying it in her head… “Yeah, he’s like, beckoning me, right? Sure… beckon call.” ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-nobody-knows-the-difference-between-lose-and-loose-any-more/562547/46 "2010-12-02T02:09:52Z")
> [@Cub\_Mistress](#): > > [uh, no](http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=19990721) > [another cite](http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/to-the-manner-born.html) It really depends on what you are using it for. I am familiar with the phrase as a result of the BBC series _To the Manor Born_. It refers to someone who is upper-class or entitled. I was not aware of the other phrase “to the manner born” until just now. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-nobody-knows-the-difference-between-lose-and-loose-any-more/562547/47 "2010-12-02T03:17:15Z")
> [@DooWahDiddy](#): > > I just remembered a Facebook status I saw the other day. > > It read, “I hate men! They always think we’re at their beckon call!” > > It makes me laugh to imagine her justifying it in her head… “Yeah, he’s like, beckoning me, right? Sure… beckon call.” You’re giving her way too much credit. Her inner dialogue is probably more like “well I’ve heard people say this and because I’ve never read a book in my life I have no idea what the words mean or how they’re written but this is what it sounds like.” ---
**Author:** ![BDoors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BDoors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BDoors)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-nobody-knows-the-difference-between-lose-and-loose-any-more/562547/48 "2010-12-02T10:50:35Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Even people [who call themselves journalists](http://gizmodo.com/5697235/always-have-the-latest-gadgets++without-going-broke) are doing it these days. :smack: That’s not journalism, it’s Gizmodo. I don’t care what they call themselves, it’s just a fancy blog. I’ve seen plenty of amateurish articles at sites like Gizmodo, Engadget, LifeHacker and so on. ---
**Author:** ![BDoors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BDoors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BDoors)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-nobody-knows-the-difference-between-lose-and-loose-any-more/562547/49 "2010-12-02T11:05:22Z")
> [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > It really depends on what you are using it for. > > I am familiar with the phrase as a result of the BBC series _To the Manor Born_. It refers to someone who is upper-class or entitled. I was not aware of the other phrase “to the manner born” until just now. The sitcom title was a play on words. The main characetr has to move out of the family manor, right? If people are using “to the manor born” sincerely, it’s a mistake along the lines of “just desserts”, in that if you squint at it it can seem to make sense. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-nobody-knows-the-difference-between-lose-and-loose-any-more/562547/50 "2010-12-02T11:15:19Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > You expect journalists to hold themselves to a higher standard. Bwahahaha! Sorry! I just had to express my opinion about journalists being able to get anything right, be it factual or linguistic (a large part of them anyway). ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_Doubt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7cd45c/32.png) [@Angel\_of\_Doubt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_Doubt)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-nobody-knows-the-difference-between-lose-and-loose-any-more/562547/51 "2010-12-02T16:17:36Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > If you think that’s weird I heard a radio commercial awhile back where the guy mispronounced “suite”. You think that even if the people who wrote the commercial didn’t know the difference the guy doing the commercial would. Was he talking about furniture, perchance? I’m not native to the area I’m living in, and I don’t even know if it’s a regional thing, but the first time I heard “living room SOOT” I about emitted a brick. Would they ask for a deluxe hotel SOOT? Agree about the lose/loose thing. We’re “loosing” the battle, I guess 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-nobody-knows-the-difference-between-lose-and-loose-any-more/562547/52 "2010-12-02T17:00:37Z")
> [@dhkendall](#): > > Regionlism _where_? He is from Alberta, if that helps, I have yet to hear other Albertans speak that way. Pronouncing guarantee as GAR-antee (rhymes with car), as opposed to GARE-antee (rhymes with hair) is popular all over the place: like the British Isles, and Eastern Canada for example. Come to think of it, probably in Australia and New Zealand too. That’s not a biggie at all. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-nobody-knows-the-difference-between-lose-and-loose-any-more/562547/53 "2010-12-02T17:20:16Z")
We’re also _loosing_ the lie vs. lay battle. You lie down, but lay something down. Yes, lay is also the past tense of lie, which makes it confusing. I grant that. Still, you’re friend is not laying there unless she’s a chicken. OK, I need to go _lay_ down. ---
**Author:** ![Buttercup\_Smith](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buttercup_smith/32/473_2.png) [@Buttercup\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buttercup_Smith)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2010, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-nobody-knows-the-difference-between-lose-and-loose-any-more/562547/54 "2010-12-03T02:31:10Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Even people [who call themselves journalists](http://gizmodo.com/5697235/always-have-the-latest-gadgets++without-going-broke) are doing it these days. :smack: > > (Note for those playing at home: I wrote an e-mail to the writer of this piece so they may correct it, but as of this moment the first paragraph says the following) > > Now I don’t usually hop on the grammar/spelling pedantry train too often, but I’ve seen this error even in _published books_. What the hell people? It’s not hard. First ever post here. I am so glad I am not the only one bothered by this. Looking forward to reading this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Sine\_Nomine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sine_nomine/32/513_2.png) [@Sine\_Nomine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sine_Nomine)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2010, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-nobody-knows-the-difference-between-lose-and-loose-any-more/562547/55 "2010-12-03T02:59:50Z")
Sometimes I feel as though I’m the last person on earth to know that _every day_ is two words when you’re describing how often something happens. I even had an English prof in college try to tell me that it’s always _everyday_. I also see \*discrete \*replacing _discreet_ in privacy-related contexts. Some grammar checkers will catch the everyday/every day issue, but there’s not much technology can do about discrete/discreet. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2010, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-nobody-knows-the-difference-between-lose-and-loose-any-more/562547/56 "2010-12-03T04:34:21Z")
I grew up with so many people misusing discreet and discrete, I still have to look them up any time I want to use them. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2010, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-nobody-knows-the-difference-between-lose-and-loose-any-more/562547/57 "2010-12-03T04:42:48Z")
I have a friend who took a class in “discreet math”. I will leave the myriad of jokes as an exercise for the reader. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2010, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-nobody-knows-the-difference-between-lose-and-loose-any-more/562547/58 "2010-12-03T05:35:37Z")
On Futurama, Bender’s dating service is advertised as being “Discreet and Discrete” ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2010, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-nobody-knows-the-difference-between-lose-and-loose-any-more/562547/59 "2010-12-03T05:37:38Z")
Less and fewer. Even a TV station is doing it now. “More movie, less commercials”. A news anchor doing a story about the pound stated “and now we’ll have less animals that need to be destroyed”. How the heck can a JOURNALIST not know? GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! Fewer, FEWER commercials, FEWER animals. Unless you mean it in the mathematical sense and the movie has NO commercials. (Disclaimer, I make NO pretenses to understanding mathematical terms correctly, so that could be completely incorrect :D). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2010, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-nobody-knows-the-difference-between-lose-and-loose-any-more/562547/60 "2010-12-03T05:50:11Z")
Confusing ‘less’ and ‘fewer’ doesn’t make sense unless the person doesn’t know what the words mean. I gay-ron-tee it. Do I get to be the first person to wish flaming death on those who talk about something or someone being a certain way for all intensive purposes? Hot diggity. ---
**Author:** ![Snake\_Plissken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@Snake\_Plissken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snake_Plissken)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2010, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-nobody-knows-the-difference-between-lose-and-loose-any-more/562547/61 "2010-12-03T06:11:17Z")
> [@CanvasShoes](#): > > Less and fewer. Even a TV station is doing it now. “More movie, less commercials”. A news anchor doing a story about the pound stated “and now we’ll have less animals that need to be destroyed”. How the heck can a JOURNALIST not know? > > GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! Fewer, FEWER commercials, FEWER animals. Unless you mean it in the mathematical sense and the movie has NO commercials. (Disclaimer, I make NO pretenses to understanding mathematical terms correctly, so that could be completely incorrect :D). This is the one that bugs me the most. Another one that I see alot is congradulations. I’ve even seen it abbreviated as congrads. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-nobody-knows-the-difference-between-lose-and-loose-any-more/562547.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-nobody-knows-the-difference-between-lose-and-loose-any-more/562547.md?page=4)