# Words like 'marathon'

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-like-marathon/590396>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [July 26, 2011, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-like-marathon/590396 "2011-07-26T15:38:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-like-marathon/590396/21 "2011-07-27T01:50:45Z")

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Some philosophical terms:

“Begging the question.” The phrase used to have a specific philosophical meaning. Now it simply means “raising the question.”

The meaning of “Occam’s razor” is similarly expanding unchecked from its original meaning.

And then there’s “logical fallacy.” Some people use it to mean anything that’s not true.

Indeed, the word “philosophy” itself. It used to mean the discipline that is concerned with areas like logic, ethics, etc. Now it has come to mean any attitude that a person lives by.

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**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\
**Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-like-marathon/590396/22 "2011-07-27T02:25:57Z")

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What I don’t care for is the usage of “philosophical” as equivalent to “world-weary” or “resigned to one’s fate.”

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**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\
**Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-like-marathon/590396/23 "2011-07-27T02:41:51Z")

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> [@Larry\_Mudd](#):
>
> While I agree that the figurative use of “literally” is a heinous error, the dark machinations of the cult of Descriptivism hold that this is a [perfectly cromulent usage](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/literally), and it’s not their problem if creates an intolerable ambiguity in everyday speech. (The editorial boards at American Heritage and M-W should literally die in a fire for their crimes.)
> 
> Onward:
> 
> A _cliché_ is a block of commonly-used typesetting text used instead of individual letters.

Actually “stereotype” is the word you’re defining. “Cliche” is the French version, imitating the sound the type makes forming a stereotype.

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