# Phrases/terms that aggravate the hell out of you **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 26, 2020, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894 "2020-10-26T02:04:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 30
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2021, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/582 "2021-01-03T01:02:55Z")
I was just reading **[a news article](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/murder-calgary-police-officer-andrew-harnett-new-years-eve-traffic-stop-bail-1.5859630)** and came across this statement from the lawyer for one of the accused (bolding mine): > “My client’s name was unexpectedly national news Friday morning. **He was proactive** , he called me, **I touched base with homicide** and within hours we attended together at police headquarters,” said Fagan. “ **I’m dialled in on securing his release now**.” Jesus H. Christ on a pogo stick, I’d proactively dial in on dumping that lawyer right now! 😲 ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2021, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/583 "2021-01-03T02:33:45Z")
You know who could have gotten fully behind this thread? Benjamin Franklin. Here is an excerpt from a letter he wrote Noah Webster about how idiotic new words were infecting the English language: **"I find a verb formed from the substantive _notice_; ‘I should not have _noticed_ this, were it not that the gentleman, etc.’ Also another verb from the substantive _advocate_; ‘the Gentleman who _advocates_ or who has _advocated_ that motion, etc.’ Another from the substantive _progress_, the most awkward and abominable of the three; ‘the committee, having _progressed_, resolved to adjourn.’ … If you should happen to be of my opinion with respect to these innovations, you will use your authority in reprobating them."** This despite the fact that in his youth, Franklin liked to invent new English words. He took even greater pleasure amusing the ladies of Paris by inventing new French words. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2021, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/584 "2021-01-03T03:07:58Z")
If your point is that the English language evolves, that’s an obvious truism. My point, and the point of this thread and the point that others are making, is that our language is replete with counterproductive non-standard usages that arise either out of ignorance or out of some self-serving self-aggrandizing pomposity. These two points are both valid and are not in contradiction. The vast, vast majority of these mutated usages will die out and never be seen again, and meanwhile will irritate us while they persist. If one draws an analogy with biological evolution, they are like the two-headed calf or conjoined twins – evolutionary paths that lead nowhere. We are in the meantime entitled to ridicule the ignorant and the pompous who enable their promulgation. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2021, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/585 "2021-01-04T01:47:19Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > “ **… If you should happen to be of my opinion with respect to these innovations, you will use your authority in reprobating them.** ” Certain irony there, in that I cannot ever recall hearing or reading “reprobate” used as a verb. And over the language rolls, like the breakers that fall, slide up the beach and withdraw silently into the foamy brine. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2021, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/586 "2021-01-04T02:07:07Z")
A former Chief Justice of Saskatchewan used “reprobate” as a verb in a significant jurisdictinal case: > [@](#): > > I have grave doubt that an applicant is entitled in law to maintain the second of these two positions – a position that is entirely at odds with the essence of his own application. A species of estoppel as expressed in the principle that **a person may not approbate and reprobate, or that one may not at the same time blow hot and cold,** comes into play and debars an applicant from so doing. Should the applicant decide to assert these two inconsistent positions, the judge during the course of the proceedings ought to put the applicant to an election. Having made an election the applicant is not entitled to resile from the position he elects. [https://www.canlii.org/en/sk/skca/doc/1993/1993canlii6744/1993canlii6744.html](https://www.canlii.org/en/sk/skca/doc/1993/1993canlii6744/1993canlii6744.html) ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2021, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/587 "2021-01-04T03:42:50Z")
And now that the NFL regular season has come to an end, I was excessively exposed to my least favorite and most abused word in sports - clinch. As in “The Bears can lose today and still clinch a playoff spot if Arizona loses.” No, the Bears would _win_ a playoff spot. To “clinch” a spot means to ensure a spot no matter what happens in future games. There are no future games this regular season, so no “clinching”. The Packers clinched the division title several weeks ago - no one could catch them. They WON (not clinched) the #1 seed by winning today. Had they gone undefeated, they would have clinched the #1 seed a couple of weeks ago. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2021, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/588 "2021-01-04T18:56:13Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Having made an election the applicant is not entitled to resile from the position he elects. And woe betide one who does resile. Now there’s a word I’ve never encountered. Thank you! > [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](#): > > To “clinch” a spot means to ensure a spot no matter what happens in future games. You may be the only person on Earth who makes that particular distinction. Useful though it might be. The entire difference you suppose you see is bvetween: If each case mathematically it means “the number of remaining games is less than the number it would take for you to be pushed out.” It taking one game to push you out and there are zero remaining is NOT mathematically different from it taking 6 games to push you out and only 5 remain. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2021, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/589 "2021-01-04T19:04:04Z")
Ignore the second part of my post just above; I mangled the rushed edit. Try this instead: > [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](#): > > … > To “clinch” a spot means to ensure a spot no matter what happens in future games. There are no future games this regular season, so no “clinching”. > … You may be the only person on Earth who makes that particular distinction. Useful though it might be. In each case mathematically it means “the number of remaining games is less than the number it would take for you to be pushed out of the playoffs.” It taking one game to push you out and there are zero remaining is NOT mathematically different from it taking 6 games to push you out and only 5 remain. In either case, you’re mathematically guaranteed to remain in the payoffs. You’ve clinched. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2021, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/590 "2021-01-05T04:32:24Z")
> [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](#): > > The Packers clinched the division title several weeks ago… Well, yeah, they came through in the clinch. . . . 😝 ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2021, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/591 "2021-01-05T16:12:38Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > It always sounds to me like a park where you can take the leash off your car, and let it play with other cars. > [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > I would use “parking lot” for a ground level lot, and a “parkade” for a multi-level one (contraction of “parking arcade”). So, a place where your cars can play video games? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/592 "2021-01-08T02:30:56Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > a “parkade” Butter! ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/593 "2021-01-08T02:32:42Z")
? [Remainder of this post is inserted solely to satisfy the Discourse gods.] ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/594 "2021-01-08T04:12:34Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > ? [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-LapXzYhag) ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/595 "2021-01-08T17:54:16Z")
Everything is a “space” now. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/596 "2021-01-08T18:31:38Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > > [@LSLGuy](#): > > > > A “car park” makes more sense to me that the upper Midwest term “parking ramp” referring to a multi-story parking facility. What most Americans call a “parking structure” > > Like **Wolfpup** , I’ve not heard either of those expressions. I would use “parking lot” for a ground level lot, and a “parkade” for a multi-level one (contraction of “parking arcade”). I think the usual generic term here is “parking garage.” ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2021, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/597 "2021-01-09T05:08:10Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Certain irony there, in that I cannot ever recall hearing or reading “reprobate” used as a verb. I thought of that too. ---
**Author:** ![jerseymule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jerseymule/32/3155_2.png) [@jerseymule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerseymule)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2021, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/598 "2021-01-09T14:24:19Z")
Using the phrase “begs the question” to mean “raises the question” is just wrong. This error was very common some years ago, but I thought that it was finally dying out. Then just last evening a local news anchor used the phrase. “Begging the question” is a specific logical fallacy: [Begging the Question](https://www.txstate.edu/philosophy/resources/fallacy-definitions/Begging-the-Question.html) ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2021, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/599 "2021-01-09T14:32:17Z")
> [@jerseymule](#): > > This error was very common some years ago, but I thought that it was finally dying out. IME/IMO it’s not dying out. Instead it’s just become so terribly common that nobody even notices anymore how wrong it is. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2021, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/600 "2021-01-10T01:05:42Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > IME/IMO it’s not dying out. Instead it’s just become so terribly common that nobody even notices anymore how wrong it is. What annoys me about it is that people who use it think they are being Fancy and Upscale and Smart—“this raises the question” is too common for Fancy people like them, who use “this begs the question” (and thereby reveal not elite status, but ignorance). It’s like “play a factor”—another false-gentility usage. “Play a role” and “is a factor” aren’t Special enough for these folks—they combine them into a phrase that’s actually sense-free, but (to them) sounds Really Fancy. And of course that’s another phrase, like “begs the question,” which is so commonly used that its sense-free nature goes unacknowledged. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2021, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/601 "2021-01-10T01:11:32Z")
Perhaps those of us in the know should simply embarrass them in public for their ignorance. DOne early and often we may well prevail. > Gosh, Bob, that sounds really ignorant when you say that like that. I know you don’t want to appear ignorant, so next time you might say it like this instead. Here you’re among friends, but at the next meeting, who knows?? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894.md?page=29) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894.md?page=31)