Part 176

=Divide.=--We divide things _between_ two, _among_ many.

=Drank, Drunk.=--“He was very thirsty, and drunk eagerly.” Say “drank.” “He has drank three glasses of soda water.” Say “has drunk.” “Drunken,” the ancient form of the participle, is not now used.

=Drove, Driven.=--“They have drove very fast.” Say “they have driven.” But, using the imperfect, say “They drove the people out, and locked the gates.”

=Dry.=--“I am dry, let me have a glass of water.” Say “I am thirsty.” Using _dry_ in this sense suggests the dramshop.

=Each, Either.=--“A row of trees stood on either side of the river.” The use of _either_ in such cases is disapproved by some writers, but it is sanctioned by long and unexceptional usage, and by the deliberate judgment of well-informed critics. The use of _each_--“a row of trees stood on each side of the river” is indisputably correct.

=Each=, =Every=, =Either= are singular, and take the verb in the singular number. Such errors as the following should be guarded against: “Each of the daughters take an equal share.” Say “takes.” “Every leaf, every twig, every blade, every drop of water, teem with life.” Say “teems.” Also, instead of “one of those houses have been sold,” say “has been sold.”

=Eat, Ate, Eaten.=--Say “I ate my breakfast at five o’clock this morning,” not “I eat it,” or “I et it.” “I have eaten my dinner,” not “I have ate it,” or “I have et it.”

=Either= is followed by _or_. “I shall either send it or bring it myself.”

=Either and Neither= are used when two objects are mentioned, or two assertions are made; when there are more than two objects or assertions, they need not be employed. In such case, instead of _either_, no pronoun or conjunction need be used; instead of _neither_, _no_ or _not_ may be employed. When two persons are mentioned, “Either you or I must go.” In case of three persons, “You or I or John must go.” With two assertions, negative, “He will neither do it himself nor let any one else do it.” With three negative assertions, “He will not publish the accounts of his office, or allow the public access to them, or permit them to be examined by competent, impartial parties.” Usage on the last point is not uniform. Very many good writers use _neither_, _nor_, _nor_, with three or more negative assertions.

=Emigrant, Immigrant.=--An _emigrant_ is a person who goes out from a country or a state to reside in another; an _immigrant_ is one who comes into the state to live, from abroad.

=Equally as.=--_As_ should not be used after _equally_. Say _equally high_, _equally dear_, _equally handsome_, etc.; not _equally as high_, _equally as dear_, _equally as handsome_.

=Equally as well as.=--“I can do it equally as well as he.” Omit _equally_; it is implied in the words _as well as_.

=Equally the same.=--“It is equally the same.” Say “it is the same.”

=Everybody, Anybody.=--Refers to male and female.

For want of a pronoun of common gender, use the masculine--he, his, him--unless the other sex is specified. “They” is plural and must not be used.

Anybody can do what they like. (wrong.)

Anybody can do what he likes.

Everybody will have to make up their minds. (wrong.)

Everybody will have to make up his mind.

Everybody has their faults. (wrong.)

Everybody has his faults.

If anybody calls, let them wait. (wrong.)

If anybody calls, let him wait.

=Exceeding, Exceedingly.=--“He was exceeding kind to me.” Say _exceedingly kind_. “She was exceeding careful.” Say _exceedingly careful_.

=Except=, =Unless=, are often used confusedly. “I shall go except I am ill.” Say “unless I am ill.” “I saw them all unless two or three.” Say “except two or three.” The correct usage is easily learned by observing that _except_ should be used as a preposition, _unless_ as a conjunction.

=Fall.=--We fall _under_ reproach, notice, censure, etc. We fall _from_ our friends, _from_ virtue; we fall _upon_ our enemies, _among_ evil associations, _into_ bad habits.

=Farther, Further.=--_Farther_ refers to space; _further_ to time, degree, and extensions of thought. The distinction is not a necessary one, but it is now very generally observed.

=Fewer, Less.=--_Fewer_ relates to numbers, _less_ to quantities. “No man had less friends,” should be fewer friends. But say _less_ money, _less_ strength, etc.

=Few, Little, Many, Much.=--_Few_ and _many_ refer to number; _little_ and _much_ to quantity. In speaking of articles that are rated by counting, use _few_ and _many_; in speaking of articles which are rated by measure, use _little_ and _much_. “A few potatoes,” “so many days.”

=First.=--“The _two first_” should be “the _first two_.” There can be only one first.

=Fluent, Fluently.=--“He speaks very fluent.” Say _very fluently_.

=Forward=, _backward_, _toward_, _upward_, _onward_, _downward_, _hitherward_, _thitherward_, _afterward_, _heavenward_, _earthward_, etc., should be written without the final _s_ which is often added to them.

=Funeral obsequies.=--Say _obsequies_. The sense of _funeral_ is contained in this word. It would be as proper to speak of a “wedding marriage-ceremony” as of “funeral obsequies.”

=Generally=, _always_, _never_, _often_, _rarely_, _seldom_, _sometimes_, are adverbs which generally come before the verb.

=Gentleman friend, Lady friend.=--Instead of “my gentleman friend,” say “my friend Mr. ----.” Instead of “my lady friend,” say “my friend Miss ----,” or Mrs. ----.

=Gentleman, Lady.=--These titles have been applied without discrimination till they have lost almost all the meaning they once had. Many persons have ceased to use them entirely, and employ _man_ and _woman_ as good enough titles for anybody. There are no nobler titles than _man_, _woman_; no higher expressions for qualities of grace or virtue than _manly_, _womanly_.

=Get.=--“I am afraid Mary is getting crazy.” Say “is growing,” or “is becoming crazy.” “John got left by the train.” Say “was left.” We _get_ anything that we come in possession of. We may also _get_ a disease. But _get_ must be followed by a noun as its object.

=Good for Well.=--“He can do it as good as any one else can.” Say _as well_.

=Got.=--I have a pen. Not I have _got_ a pen.

=Gratuitous.=--“That is a gratuitous assumption.” It is better to say “unfounded,” “unreasonable,” or “unwarranted.”

=Guess.=--_Guess_ is commonly used in the United States to mean _think_, as in “I _guess_ you are right” for “I _think_,” etc.

=Had ought.=--Provincial and incorrect. _Had_ or any form of the verb _to have_ cannot correctly be used as an auxiliary with _ought_. Use _should_ or _ought not_. Not “He _hadn’t ought_ to have gone,” but “He _should not_ have gone.”

=Hain’t.=--A vulgarism. There is no such contraction for _have not_ or _has not_.

=Hang, Hanged.=--The verb _hang_ has two forms for the past participle, _hanged_ and _hung_. _Hanged_ is used for persons; _hung_ for other objects. “The man was _hanged_.” “The coat was _hung_ on the rack.”

=He, Him.=--It is him whom.--“It is him whom you said it was.” Say “it is he.”

=Healthy, Healthful.=--That is _healthy_ which is in good health; that is _healthful_ which promotes health. “Bread and milk is a healthful food which makes healthy children.”

=I and Me.=--“They went with James and I.” Say “with James and me.”

=If I was.=--Use the subjunctive in all cases where the conditions are contrary to fact. “If I _were_ you, I should go.” “If I _were_ a man, I should practice law.” I am not you, and I am not a man. Use the indicative in cases of uncertainty. “If I _was_ in town that day, I did not see you.” I am uncertain as to whether I was or not.

=In, Into.=--Use _in_ to signify rest in a place; use _into_ to signify motion toward a place. “He was standing with his hands _in_ his pockets.” “I put my hands _into_ my pockets.” “I came _in_ an automobile.” “The stranger walked _into_ the room.”

=Indeterminate possessive.=--“Every child should obey their parents.” Say “his parents.” “No one should incur censure for being careful of their good character.” Say _his_, or _her_ if talking more particularly of women. “Let each of us mind their own business.” Say “his own business.” _Their_ is frequently used improperly, as a substitute. In such cases, _his_ or _her_ should be used, according as the object most prominent in the expression, or in the speaker’s thought, is masculine or feminine. In cases of doubt or indifference, use _his_. In the nominative we may say _one_. But in the possessive and objective we must say _his_, _him_ or _her_.

=Indifferent, indifferently.=--“He was indifferent honest.” Say “_indifferently honest_.”

=Infinitive.=--See Split Infinitive.

=Ingenuous, Ingenious.=--_Ingenuous_ is simple, honest, open, unaffected. _Ingenious_ is skillful, versatile, ready in contriving.

=Jew, Hebrew, Israelite.=--A _Jew_ is a member of the Hebraic division of the Semitic race; in consequence _Hebrew_ is the linguistic name of the _Jews_. Historically, under the theocracy, they were known as _Hebrews_; under the monarchy, as _Israelites_; and during foreign domination, as _Jews_. The modern representatives of this stock call themselves _Hebrews_ in race and language, and _Israelites_ in religion, but _Jews_ in both senses.

=Jewelry, Jewels.=--_Jewelry_ is a collective noun, and _jewels_ is a plural noun. In nice usage the term _jewelry_ designates the stock of a jeweler; _jewels_, the articles of adornment worn by a lady.

=Join issue and Take issue.=--In nice usage, “_join_ issue” means to _admit the right of the denial of a statement_. “_Take_ issue” means merely _to deny_.

=Kind of= should not be used for _somewhat_. Instead of “I am _kind of_ tired,” one properly says, “I am _somewhat_ tired.”

=Kind of a.=--A is superfluous in such constructions as, “What _kind_ of man is he?” (not “kind of _a_”). The same rule applies to _sort_.

=Kind and Kinds.=--See _These_ and _This_.

=Know, Knew, Known.=--“I knowed it.” Say “I knew it.” “I have knowed it all along.” Say “I have known it.”

=Latter end.=--“I expect to get through by the latter end of the week.” Say “by the end of the week.” “The latter end of that man shall be peace.” Say “the end of that man.”

=Learn, Teach.=--These words are often confounded. The pupil _learns_, the instructor _teaches_. One person cannot _learn_ another, but must _teach_ him.

=Leave, Lief.=--Say “give me leave to tell you,” not _lief_. But “I would as lief do it as not,” not _leave_.

=Leisure upon one’s hands.=--“If you have any leisure upon your hands.” Say “if you are at leisure.”

=Lend, Loan.=--“Loan me five dollars.” Say “lend me five dollars.” The money having been lent him, the borrower has obtained a _loan_ of that sum, or has borrowed it.

=Lengthways, Sideways, Otherways.=--These forms are erroneous. Say, and write, _lengthwise_, _sidewise_, _otherwise_.

=Lie, Lay.=--Distinguish between the verbs:--lie--to tell lies

_Present Tense_--He lies like truth. He is lying.

_Past Tense_--But he lied unto him. Wherefore have ye lied to me? Why have you been lying to me?

lie--to lie down

_Present_--The dog lies under the table. The dog is lying under the table.

_Past_--He lay upon the bed. He has lain there for hours. He has been lying there for hours.

lay--to put a thing down

_Present_--The boy lays his books on the table. The boy is laying his books on the table.

_Past_--He laid his head upon the block. The hen has laid an egg. The hen has been laying all the winter.

=Liable, Apt.=--_Apt_ means fit, ready, quick to do a thing, or to be subjected to certain conditions. It generally implies willingness. _Liable_ signifies bound to duties, subject or exposed to inconveniences or dangers, and implies no regard to the will of its subject. “John will be apt to catch the fever if he goes into that house,” should be “John will be liable,” etc. A person who is studious may be spoken of as _apt_ to learn, and _liable_ to become dyspeptic.

=Like.=--“We don’t do that like you do.” Say “as you do.” This misuse of _like_ is common with English women novelists. _As_ should be used when a verb follows, or is understood to follow. Where no verb is implied, _like_ may be employed.

=Like for As.=--Like should not be used as a conjunction. Say: “Do as I do,” not, “do like I do,” or, “do like me.”

=Like, Love.=--_Love_ is often used instead of _like_, and is thereby made to lose all its force. We _love_ what the heart goes out to, that for which we entertain a fond and lasting affection. We _love_ wives, husbands, parents, children, near friends. We _like_ what we have a taste for, what pleases us in passing, or what is generally agreeable to us, as acquaintances, sweetmeats, pleasant weather, music, painting, reading. We regret for a long time the loss of what we _love_, we soon cease to be troubled at missing what we _like_.

=Limb.=--“She fell, and bruised her limb.” Say what limb. The arm is a limb, as well as the leg. The foolish shame which avoids mentioning the leg by name, is not modesty, but prudery.

=Lit.=--Not to be used for _lighted_. Instead of saying “He _lit_ the gas,” say “he _lighted_ the gas.” Do not say “He _lit_ on his feet,” but “he _lighted_ on his feet.”

=Locate.=--“I shall locate in Iowa.” Say _settle_. _Locate_ has acquired a certain technical currency. The purchaser of land warrants _locates_ by selecting a particular tract to claim under it. _Place_, _settle_, _fix_, _establish_, can be substituted for it in most cases, and are better.

=Mad.=--Should not be used for _angry_.

=Mail man.=--An inelegant form for _postman_.

=Me being.=--“Me being absent, the young folks lived high.” Say “I being absent,” or “while I was absent,” or “during my absence.”

=Me, I.=--“Is it me you mean?” Say “is it I?” or “do you mean me?”

=Me, My.=--“In consequence of me neglecting.”--“The horse got away in consequence of me neglecting to fasten the gate.” Say “in consequence of my neglecting,” etc.

=Monstrous.=--_Monstrous_ does not mean large. It means _ill-formed_, _misshapen_, deviating from the course of nature, of a character to inspire unpleasant feelings. But an object so unusually large as to appear terrible may be figuratively styled _monstrous_.

=More--than=, not _more--as_. “He was _more_ beloved but not so much admired _as_ his brother.” This sentence must be recast.

“He was _more_ beloved _than_ his brother, but not so much admired.” Or,

“Though not so much admired as his brother, he was more beloved.”

=Mortgagor, Mortgagee.=--The _mortgagor_ is the debtor, who pledges the property which is in mortgage. The _mortgagee_ is the creditor, to whom the mortgage is made.

=Most.=--Not to be used for _almost_; as “He is here _most_ every day.”

=Mutual.=--Does not mean _common_, but _reciprocal_. “We may have a _common_ friend, but a _mutual_ dislike”; that is, a dislike for each other.

=Myself.=--Not to be used for _I_. Do not say “John and _myself_ are friends”; but “John and _I_,” etc.

=Near, Nearly.=--“I lost _near_ twenty pounds.” Say “_nearly_ twenty pounds.”

=Neither for Either.=--“That is not the case, neither.” Say “either.” The double negative is wrong.

=Neither, Nor.=--Negatives other than neither may take _or_ or _nor_ as their correlative. With subjects connected by “either--or,” “neither--nor,” the verb must be singular:--

Neither he nor his brother _were_ trained for the ministry.

should be

Neither he nor his brother _was_ trained for the ministry.

Either the master or his servant was responsible.

Neither ignorance nor negligence has been the cause of his ruin.

=New beginner.=--Say _beginner_. When one begins anything, he is new at it of course.

=Nice.=--A very generally misused word. Properly _nice_ means _delicate_, _discriminating_, _fastidious_. The works of a watch show _nice_ construction; a man may be _nice_ in his manners. The word should not be used to mean _agreeable_ or _charming_ as “I had a _nice_ time.”

=Nicely.=--Do not use _nicely_ for _well_, as “The sick man is doing _nicely_.”

=Nobody else.=--“There was nobody else but him.” Omit _else_.

=No for Not.=--“I cannot tell whether this is correct or _no_,” is wrong. Say, “I cannot tell whether this is correct or _not_.”

=None=, is the same as no one, and is properly singular. It is, however, used in both numbers, according as the context seems to make appropriate.

=Not as I know of.=--Incorrectly used for _not that I know of_.

=Not me.=--“Who made that noise?” “Not me.” Say “not I.” “It wasn’t me.” Say “it wasn’t I.” The use of _me_ is defended by some writers.

=Not only--but also.=--Correlatives must be placed immediately before the words connected.

“He _not only_ lent me his horse _but also_ sent his carriage.”

“He lent me _not only_ his horse _but also_ his carriage.”

=Number, Quantity.=--_Number_ should be used in speaking of objects that are counted, _quantity_ with those that are measured. _Much_, _little_, and _less_, answer to quantity, and _many_, _few_, and _fewer_, to numbers; _more_ answers to both.

=Of.=--“A child of four years old.” Say “a child four years old,” or “a child of four years.”

=Off of.=--“There were ten yards of the cloth before I cut this piece off of it.” Say “before I cut this piece off it,” or “from it.”

=One.=--_One_ is the only singular personal pronoun of common gender.

“_One_ must not forget _one’s_ duty to _one’s_ country.” This frequent repetition is disagreeable.

“No man must forget his duty to his country.”

“A man must not forget his duty to his country.”

=Only= is best placed immediately before the word it modifies. In case there can be no ambiguity it may be placed immediately after the word it modifies.

_Only_ I wrote to him to-day. (No one else wrote.)

I _only_ wrote to him yesterday. (I did not telephone.)

I wrote _only_ to him to-day. (I wrote to no one else.)

I wrote to him _only_ to-day. (No longer ago than to-day.)

I wrote him to-day _only_. (I had not written before.)

This car for members _only_. (For none but members.)

=Only, Alone.=--“He alone can do it,” implies that he can do it without help. It would be better, “He can do it alone.” “He only can do it,” signifies that he, and no other person, can do it. Using _alone_ in the sense of _only_ may lead to ambiguity.

=Onto.=--We get _on_ a horse and _on_ a chair, not _onto_.

=Orate.=--An unauthorized form commonly used to mean _to give an oration_.

=Over.=--Do not use _over_ in the sense of _more than_; as, “I have _over_ a hundred dollars”; “The stick is _over_ a yard long.”

=Over a bridge.=--“He went over the bridge.” It is more exact to say, “he went across the bridge.” A bird may fly _over_ a bridge, if it does not touch the bridge.

=Overhead and ears.=--“We went in overhead and ears.” Say _overhead_. The head carries the ears. But “overhead and ears in debt” is a phrase which it will be hard to abolish.

=Partial, Partially.=--“This view is partially correct.” “Partly correct,” or “in part correct,” is better. _Partially_ means, properly, one sided, with bias.

=Persuasion=, in the sense of religious denomination or belief, is objectional. _Sect_, _denomination_, _belief_, or “school of belief,” are proper substitutes.

=Plunge down.=--“He plunged down into the stream.” Omit _down_.

=Possessives.=--

Rule.--Use the apostrophe and the letter _s_ (or change the form) only when the noun (or pronoun) itself represents the possessor.

This is a photograph _of_ my uncle.

She is a servant of my _aunt’s_.

This is a criticism _of John_. (Some one else wrote it about John.)

This is an opinion _of John’s_. (John’s opinion; that is, John uttered it.)

This is an opinion _of John_. (Some one else uttered it.)

=Plural and Singular Words.=--_Molasses_ is singular. The habit of giving it a plural construction is an error. Say “that molasses is souring,” not “them molasses are souring.”

Words like _scissors_, _snuffers_, _tongs_, _trousers_, etc., denoting articles which are paired or coupled, are plural, and take a plural verb. “The scissors are dull,” not “is dull.”

This is the birthplace of the President. (Not President’s.)

This is the private office of the Secretary. (Not Secretary’s.)

He is a friend _of the Bank’s_. (One of several friends.)

He is an enemy _of mine_. (One or more possessed by me.)

He is a brother _of mine_. (One or more possessed by me.)

He is a friend _of hers_. (One or more possessed by her.)

I cannot endure that rasping voice _of Bridget’s_. (One voice.)

=Prepositions.=--Never use a preposition to end a sentence:

For whom is that? To whom are you writing? The matter to which I am referring.

Two prepositions should not come together, as: “That is the man I went _to for_ advice.” But, “That is the man to whom I went for advice.”

=Previous, Previously.=--“He wrote me previous to his coming.” Say “previously to his coming.”

=Quantity, Number.=--_Quantity_ is used of that which can be measured; _number_, of that which can be counted; as, “There is a large _quantity_ of sugar on hand”; “There are a large _number_ of eggs in the basket.”

In connection with the use of the singular or the plural verb with the word _number_, note that the plural verb is used when _number_ means _several_; the singular, when _number_ is used to stand for a unit; as, “A _number_ of persons _are_ going” (several); “The _number is_ limited to five.”

=Quite.=--“There are quite a number of Americans here.” Say “there are several.” One is _quite_ a number. It is correct to say “there are quite twenty” to express that the number is completely made up--which is the meaning of _quite_.

=Raised.=--“I was raised in the South.” Say “brought up.” “I was raised in Mr. Stephens’ family.” Say “taken care of,” “brought up,” “instructed,” or “trained.” We “raise” horses, cattle, sheep, swine, poultry and crops, but apply a more refining process to human beings.

=Ran, Run.=--Say “this horse has often run a mile in two minutes and a half; yesterday he ran a mile in two minutes and three-quarters.”

=Rang, Rung.=--“I have rang the bell half a dozen times.” Say “have rung.” But say in the imperfect, “they rang the bells merrily for Christmas day.”

=Rather--than, Prefer--to.=--“He _preferred_ doing nothing _rather than_ run the risk of doing wrong,” should be “He preferred doing nothing rather than running the risk of doing wrong”; or “He preferred to do nothing rather than to run the risk of doing wrong.”

=Receipt and Recipe.=--One properly says, “The _receipt_ calls for three cupfuls of flour,” _recipe_ being restricted in its use as a medical term. Century gives the following: _Receipt_ is distinguished from _recipe_ by the common restriction of that word [_recipe_] to medical and relative uses; as, “A _receipt_ for a pudding.”

=Reckon.=--Provincial for _think_. “I _reckon_ he will come soon.” Say “I _think_” or “I _believe_.”

=Reference, Recommendation.=--A person seeking employment or position, names certain persons who know him as his _references_. They may, if they are so disposed, and can do so with truth, give him their _recommendation_.

=Regard.=--“In regard _of_ this matter.” Say “in regard _to_,” or “with regard _to_.”

Regarded _from_ that standpoint, but looked at _in_ that light.

=Relations, Relatives, Kin, Kindred.=--It is better to speak of ones _relatives_ than of his _relations_. _Relations_ has other meanings. _Kin_ and _kindred_ are old English words, which deserve to be more in fashion than they are.

=Relative Pronouns.=--_Who_ is used exclusively with persons, _which_ exclusively with things, and _that_ with persons and things. In common conversation _that_ is more frequently used with persons than _who_. But _who_ is considered more elegant.

Examples of the correct use of the relative pronouns, _who_, _which_, _that_, and _what_:

I gave the money to the driver, _who_ will give it to his employer.