((8 FEBRUARY 2022 VERSION -- STILL INCOMPLETE AND PROBABLY ALWAYS WILL BE, BECAUSE THERE WILL ALWAYS BE NEW MISTAKES TO MAKE.)) This document is copyright (C) 2006-2022, Robert M. Schroeck, and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike- Noncommercial 3.0 Unported License. A Fanfic Writer's Guide To Writing: The Great Misused Words List by Robert M. Schroeck (guide.j.bgcloon@neverbox.com) The following used to be a section of my "Fanfic Writer's Guide" (http://www.accessdenied-rms.net/guide/fwg.txt) until it threatened to overwhelm the rest of that document through its sheer size. It's basically just a huge list of spellchecker/ word choice barfs, all taken from fics I've read. Note that these are based around American usage and spelling; a very few of these ("balk/baulk" and "vocal cords/chords", for example), while wrong by those standards, are in fact correct in British usage. I should note that back in the late 2000s I posted an earlier and less comprehensive version of this list on TVTropes.org, where it remains to this day. In the wake of TVT's eager and loving embrace of censorship in 2012, a copy was brought over to the censorship-free fork of TVT at Allthetropes.org. Both versions have undergone (and continue to undergo) their own changes and revisions separate from the ones I have made to this original list; I feel those qualify it as a different document entirely. You may wish to check out the pages at the tropes wikis as well, but please do not add material from this document to the one at TVT as that page has an incompatible Creative Commons license to the one on this document. Thank you. ------------- ((ref eggcorns as a reminder, likewise mondegreens)) ------------- Let's start with one that involves a word that'll be used almost to excess in the subsequent examples: "verses" as opposed to "versus" (which is frequently abbreviated "vs."). The first is poetry, the other indicates a state of opposition or contrast. It's "Tyson versus Holyfield", not "Tyson verses Holyfield" -- unless Tyson is writing poetry about his opponent. Now, in alphabetical order, usually by the word or phrase that's wrong/misused: "abject" (pitiful) for "object" (thing, goal); the case in point was "an abject lesson". "absorbent" for "exorbitant". Nabiki Tendo's prices don't soak up water, they soak up money. "adapt" (change to fit the circumstances) vs. "adept" (competent, skilled) "add" (sum two or more numbers together) vs. "ad" (American diminution of "advertisement") "admits" for "amidst" -- could be simple typo "adverse" (bad, negative, unpleasant) vs. "averse" (opposed). I am strongly averse to adverse consequences. "aid" for "aide" -- The first is not just the verb "to aid" but also can mean any inanimate object that helps with something; the second is a person who provides help of one sort or another. Neither should be confused with "-ade", a suffix indicating a beverage, usually made from diluted and sweetened fruit juice(s). "all for not" when what was meant was "all for naught". Similarly, "ought" ("should") for "aught" ("nothing"). Oddly, "aught" and "naught" are synonyms. "alley" (narrow little street) for "ally" (someone on your side). Example: "And just like that, Neville knew that he had uncovered an alley in the Slytherin House." from "Longbottom's Army" by kerrymdb. The reverse mistake is made as well; I've frequently seen fics where someone "goes down an ally", which is either unintentionally sexual, or just improbable. "allot" (portion out, divide into shares) for "a lot" (a large quantity, or a small tract of land) vs. "alot" (which isn't a word) "alloy" (a blend of metallic elements) for "allay" (relieve, alleviate) "alright" for "all right" -- a misspelling born of simple ignorance. "alter" (change, transform) for "altar" (consecrated table used for religious ceremonies and/or sacrifices) "amiable" and "amicable". Very similar words that basically mean things like friendly, good-natured or easygoing. However, "amiable" describes the attitude or demeanor of an individual ("he had an amiable air about him"), where "amicable" describes a state or relationship between two or more people ("they were an amicable group") and can also mean "cooperative". "angle" for "angel" "and" for "an" -- Usually a typo. I find myself making this mistake often enough to be annoyed at myself about it. But some writers show evidence of never actually having learned the difference between the two. "annuls" (verb; declares void or null, invalidates) for "annals" (noun; records, specifically historical records) "antimony" (a metal-like element with the atomic number 51) vs. "antinomy" (a contradiction between two beliefs or conclusions that are in themselves reasonable; a paradox). "anyway" (however, whatever) vs. "any way" (an indeterminate direction) "arc" (curve, segment of a circle; in writing, a plotline with a distinct beginning, middle and end) vs. "ark" (box, chest, or a large boat built like a huge box or chest). "ariel" (Disney's The Little Mermaid; a spirit of air in "The Tempest" by Shakespeare) for "aerial" (having to do with or taking place in the air; or an antenna) "armature" (a wire frame, esp. for clay sculpture) when what is meant is "amateur". This has the look of a spellchecker mis- correction. "artesian" (a kind of gravity-driven well or fountain) for "artisan" (a skilled craftsman, or an adjective describing the product of one). "artic" (short for "articulated", hinged in the middle, said especially of a vehicle and particularly a truck) for "Arctic" (the region surrounding the North Pole). Even worse is the eggcorn "Antartic" (against the truck?) for "Antarctic" (of the South Pole). "ashore" (toward or onto land from the ocean) for "assure" (confidently inform someone so as to remove any doubts; to make certain; to ensure something happens) "auger" (a type of drill) for "augur" (as a noun, a soothsayer or fortune teller, usually one who interprets signs in nature; as a verb, to foretell or portend something of the future). "baited breath" (breath that smells like worms) for "bated breath" (breathing that is subdued because of some emotion or difficulty). "Bated" here is actually a diminution of "abated", and the phrase was first used by Shakespeare, who liked to mash and truncate words as needed to fit the poetic structures of his work. It probably should be written as "'bated breath" (with an apostrophe to show the contraction), but not even Shakespeare did that. "banzai" (an exclamation of excitement or success) vs. "bonsai" (the art of carefully growing and sculpting miniature trees). "bare" (to reveal or strip nude) vs. "bear" (to carry; to be pregnant with; to endure (as in "bear with me"); to produce, as in fruit; also a large, dangerous omnivore -- yes, I've seen a "grizzly bare" show up in a story.) "barley" (a grain used to make beer and soups) vs. "barely" ("almost", "by a narrow margin") "barren" (bare, lifeless) for "baron" (a minor noble) "barrow" (peddler's wheeled cart, or a large burial mound) for "borrow" (temporarily take or make use of something owned by another person) "baulk" for both "balk" and "bulk". "Baulk" -- probably constructed by analogy to "caulk" in at least the first case -- is in fact the British spelling for "balk", but outside of writing a Brit (or by a Brit), it's incorrect. "at my beckon call" for "at my beck and call". To "beckon" someone is to physically summon him, usually with a wave of a hand, while to "call" someone in this context is to verbally summon him. And Merriam-Webster defines "beck" as a synonym of "beckon". "Begging the question" used to mean "raising the question", as opposed to in reference to the logical fallacy. "bellow" (yell, shout) vs. "below" (underneath) "bespeckled" for "bespectacled." Megane of "Urusei Yatsura" wears glasses, and isn't freckled or otherwise spotted. "better" (a positive comparative adjective indicating greater virtue, quality or preference) vs. "bettor" (a gambler). "betwixt" (between) for "bewitched" (enchanted, hypnotized, etc.) This might have been a spellchecker miscorrect, if the author had started by typoing "bewitched" as "betwiched". "block" (a solid mass, often rectilinear in form) for "bloc" (a group of political or military allies, united for a common goal) "boarder" (someone who rents a room from you) vs. "border" (the edge of a country or other political unit) "bore" (dull, soporific person) for "boor" (rude, uncultured slob) "borne" (carried) vs. "born" (begin living as an independent organism) "boson" (subatomic particle) for "bosom" (breasts). I know women who will kill over a mistake like that. "bossism" (the ideology of being a boss?), also for "bosom". This is likely less deadly for the one making the mistake, but I prefer to be very careful wherever bosoms are involved. "bowls" (hollow vessels for holding soup) for "bowels" (intestines; colloquially depths or deepest part of). "brazier" (a pan for lighting fires in) for "brassiere" (a sling for carrying breasts in). Also "brasserie" (a small, informal restaurant, often French) for "brassiere" as well. "breaks" (fractures, turns of fortune) for "brakes" (devices for stopping a vehicle) "breath" (the air that goes in and out of your lungs) vs. "breathe" (the act of making air go in and out of your lungs) "breech" (the back end of a cannon; also an obsolete term for the buttocks, as in "breech birth") vs. "breach" (to break a law, rule, or agreement; an opening in something, or making such an opening) "breath" (noun) for "breathe" (verb). "brick-o-brac" -- eggcorn for "bric-a-brac" (random stuff lying about) "broach" (to make a hole in, or the hole itself) vs. "brooch" (piece of jewelry) "brogue" vs. "burr". This is one of those fuzzy cases, but *in general*, "brogue" refers to an Irish accent, and "burr" to a Scots accent. (Quite honestly, "brogue" can also refer to Scots and other accents, but the *usual* usage is for Irish alone.) "buku" -- eggcorn for the French word "beaucoup" (pronounced "boh-coo"), meaning "many" or "much". "bunker" (a fortified underground structure) for "bunk" (a narrow bed, sometimes doubled). "burrow" (to dig a hole, den or tunnel) for "borrow" (to take temporary ownership or make brief use of someone else's property or possession) "Calgary" (a city in Canada) for "Calvary" (the hill where Jesus was crucified). Yes, I actually saw this one in a fic. I can only hope it was a simple typo, as "G" and "V" are adjacent to each other on the standard keyboard. "callous" (uncaring) for "callus" (hardened skin). "cannon" for "canon" -- mostly found in reviews and comments. (The Verne Canon is the body of Jules Verne's fiction; the Verne Cannon is a fictional very-large-bore weapon from "Castle Falkenstein".) I have *once* seen someone use "canon" to mean a weapon. Well, twice, but the second instance was an intentional pun -- it was a very large handgun owned by a priest. Likewise, outside of a certain xkcd strip, it's not "headcannon". "canvass" (to search thoroughly) for "canvas" (heavy cotton fabric) "capeesh" -- an eggcorn for "capisce". "Capisce" (Sicilian for "Understand?") is *pronounced* "capeesh", but it isn't spelled that way. (And it's not even proper Sicilian at that...) "capricious" (whimsically arbitrary) for "capacious" (having lots of room) "caret" (^-shaped cursor or mark for insertion of text into a document) vs. "carat" (tiny unit of mass for gemstones) vs. "karat" (measure of the percentage of pure gold in a jewelry alloy, ranging from 0=none to 24=100%) vs. "carrot" (orange root vegetable). Trust me, they're not interchangeable unless you're Bugs Bunny and giving someone a 24-carrot ring. "cast" (throw; perform a spell; the act of creating creating metal, plastic or ceramic items using a mold; or a plaster or fiberglass casing for splinting a broken limb, among other meanings) for "caste" (socio-economic level into which one is born and semi-permanently positioned, or a system of such levels). "cavalry" (horse-mounted soldiers) for "Calvary" (place where the Romans supposedly stuck some Jewish carpenter up on a stick) and vice versa. "ceasure" (a pause in a line of verse made to reflect natural patterns of speech) vs. "cease" (stop, end). Also frequently found as an eggcorn for "seizure", as a quick Google search will show. And once I saw it as what I presume was a spellchecker barf on a misspelling of "Caesar". "censure" (express disapproval in a formal manner or document) for "censor" (to review a work and suppress unapproved or unacceptable portions of it, or an official who does so). "chaff" (metallic debris used as a countermeasure for radar) vs. "chafe" (literally, to rub the skin raw, but also used metaphorically to indicate impatience or annoyance with some kind of obstruction or restriction). "chalked full" for "chock full" (Eggcorn) "chaplin" (early-20th Century star of humorous films) for "chaplain" (a clergyman who is an officer of a military force or other formal organization) "check" for "cheek". "chic" (stylish, in fashion) for "chick" (baby bird; a girl or woman) "choral" (having to do with music sung by a group) for "coral" (sea creature that produces rocky outcroppings and reefs) "chute" (a slide or duct, as in a laundry chute) misused for "shoot" (a young growing plant; to fire a gun) "clinch" vs. "clench" "close-nit" (characterized by extreme proximity to head lice) -- an eggcorn for "close-knit" (intimately linked and supportive, as in a close-knit family) "cloths" (pieces of cut fabric) for "clothes" (stuff you wear, made out of pieces of cut fabric) "clustered" (gathered in a tightly-packed group) vs. "cloistered" (hidden away from the world) "coach" (advise, motivate, or a person who does so; or a variety of vehicle, often horse-drawn) vs. "couch" (item of furniture; or adjusting one's choice of words or phrasing for a specific purpose) "collaborating" (partnering with, working with) for "corroborating" (confirming an account or story) "collage" (an artform composed of individual images or pieces of paper assembled into a whole) vs. "college" (where you go after high school) "collard" (a leafy green vegetable) vs. "collared" (wearing a collar, or having a collar placed on oneself; also being arrested or apprehended) "college" (an institution of higher learning) for "colleague" (co-worker; someone in the same field as you) "collier" (a coal miner, or a ship that carries coal) for "collar" (a strip of material that goes around the neck, usually an integrated part of a shirt, coat or dress, or a buckled leather band that also goes around the neck) "compliant" (obedient, agreeable) vs. "complaint" (expression of dissatisfaction) "compliment" (speak well of) vs. "complement" (go well with) The verb form of "compulsion" is "to compel", not "to compulse". "compunction" (concern, doubt, reservation) for "compulsion" (something that forces you to do something) "confidant" or "confidante" (someone with whom you share secrets) vs. "confident" (certain of one's ability or course of action) "conscience" (one's moral or ethical "guiding voice") for "consciousness" (the state of one's awareness of his surroundings and situation) "conscious" (awake, aware) for "conscience" (one's moral or ethical "guiding voice") "contingency" (a possible future circumstance or event, or preparations for the same) vs. "contingent" (a group of people, a cohort, band or company) "convient" is ''not'' a synonym for "convenient". It's just misspelled. And "convent" is a complex in which dwells a group of nuns. "council" (a group of people, often a governing body of some sort) vs. "counsel" (advice; lawyer). A typical misuse would be "he kept his own council" (unless he kept a bunch of people in his closet for private and personal consultations). Similarly, "councilor" (member of a council) for "counselor" (one who offers advice and guidance). "coup" (a revolution or other overthrow of a government) vs. "coupe" (a two-door hardtop car with a sloping rear, so called because it looks "cut short" -- "coupe" in French) vs. "coop" (a house for chickens) "course" (path, route) vs. "coarse" (rough, crude) "crawler" for "cruller". This is a wonderful eggcorn, but I'd rather have a donut than something that creeps on the ground any day. "Creamated". Maybe it's just me, but I don't think there should *ever* be dairy products involved in or produced by the disposal of a body. This is an eggcorn for "cremated". "crinching" -- eggcorn for "cringing" "Cro Magnum" -- eggcorn for "Cro-Magnon". This might be a spellchecker glitch, as it appeared in the work of an author whom I know makes this kind of error rarely if at all. Then again, it could come from a garbled memory of the common mispronunciation of "Cro-Magnon" with a hard "g". (The proper pronunciation is as in the original French, with the "gn" sounding like "ny": "cro-manyon".) It also turns out that there are at least two different recording artists going under the name "Cro Magnum", so there may be cause for confusion there, as well. "crock and bull story" for "cock and bull story". The author in question appears to have unintentionally combined "crock" (as a term for something bogus or false) with the latter, a term for an absurd or improbable tale presented as the truth. A "crock" might be believable on its face, but is false; a "cock and bull story" isn't believable, but still might be true. "cubical" (shaped like a cube) for "cubicle" (a box to work in) "dammed" (said of a watercourse that has been blocked to form a lake) for "damned" (having had one's soul condemned to hell) "days of yours" -- eggcorn for "days of yore" (some near-mythic era long ago). "dead wringer" (deceased twister of soaked cloth), an eggcorn for "dead ringer" (a virtual twin of another person). "debase" (humiliate, degrade, or corrupt) for "disabuse" (to free from a falsehood or misconception). "decedent" (someone who has died) for "descendant" (the child, grandchild, great-grandchild, etc. of someone else). "deduct" (subtract) for "deduce" (determine by reasoning using available data) "defiantly" (refusing to bow to the will or orders of another) for "definitely" (with no uncertainty involved). This is so common in fanfiction that it's almost comic, and has always struck me as likely to be a spell-checker mis-correction. "definitive" (archetypal, prototypical, a defining example) vs. "definite" (certain, sure). "deformation" (a change in shape caused by pressure or damage) for "defamation" (slander, libel, damaging someone's good name) Special note for illiterate authors of "Buffy" fanfic: It's "demon", not "deman". "Demure" (shy, reserved, or modest, said of a woman or her behavior) for "demur" (object, raise doubts, hesitate, or show reluctance). "depilated" (stripped of hair) for "dilapidated" (said of a building that is in danger of falling down). It is a rare building indeed that even *needs* to be depilated, but many are falling down. "devise" (verb, to build or create) for "device" (noun, gadget) "devise" for "divine" (in the sense of determine or discover, as in "to divine someone's motive"; this is the sense of the word as used in "divining rod") "different from" (correct) vs. "different to" (nonstandard) vs. "different than" (Kill It With Fire) "differ" (to exhibit differences) vs. "defer" (yield to). "differential" (Of, showing, or depending on a difference, or a difference in amounts) vs. "deferential" (respectful, reverent) "diffuse" (spread out, thin or wispy, or to make something so) vs. "defuse" (to reduce or eliminate the volatility or explosive possibility of a situation or object). And vice versa. "disburse" (pay out money) for "disperse" (scatter, spread about) "discreet" (cautiously secretive) for "discrete" (in distinct pieces or amounts). And vice versa. The noun-form of "discreet" is "discretion", though. "disguarded" for "discarded". Another perfect eggcorn, in that the "sound-alike" isn't even a real word. "disillusion" (the disappointment felt when you discover something isn't what you thought it was) for "dissolution" (the formal end of an alliance, treaty, organization or political body). "dissemble" (obfuscate, lie) for "disassemble" (take apart) "dose" (a prescribed amount) vs. "doze" (sleep lightly, drowse) vs. "does" (third person present tense of "to do" or more than one female deer, depending on the pronunciation). "dottering" (an obscure variety of medical procedure) for "doddering" (senile) "dotting" (making dots) vs. "doting" (maternally solicitous) "douse" (extinguish, usually by pouring water on) for "dowse" (to search for things with a forked stick) "dower" (variant/synonym of "dowry", a financial investment in a marriage paid by the parents of the bride) vs. "dour" (severe, harsh, stern) "draw" (to scribe a picture, or to pull something along) for "drawer" (a box with a handle you pull sideways out of a dresser) "drawl" for "draw". And vice versa. "dress" vs. "skirt": Some males are confused on this topic. A dress is an item of clothing that covers the body both above and below the waist; a skirt is below the waist only. "drought" (an extended period of little to no rain) vs. "draught" (a beverage, potion or other drinkable liquid) "drudge" (scullery maid, scutworker) for "dredge" (drag something along or through a liquid or powder) "duffleback": eggcorn for "duffel bag" "dyeing" (changing the color of something) for "dying" (ceasing to live) "edition" (revision or printing of something) for "addition" (something that is added to something) "effluent" (water outflow, frequently sewage) vs. "affluent" (wealthy); despite the phrase "filthy stinking rich", these should never be confused "emaciated" (reduced to skin-and-bones by starvation) for "emancipated" (freed from control by another and given the rights and privileges of an adult citizen) "emaciated" for "emasculated" (gelded, rendered impotent; or metaphorically, stripped of strength, power or influence) "emphasize" (to highlight or make prominent in speech or writing) for "empathize" (to deeply understand and share the feelings of another person) "empress" (female ruler of an empire) for "impress" (to get a favorable or awed reaction from) "enormity" for "enormousness". "Enormity" means "huge badness", not "hugeness". "entropy" for "atrophy" "epitaph" (the writing on a tombstone) for "epithet" (a descriptive word or phrase expressing a specific quality of a person or thing; sometimes used specifically for insulting or abusive terms; also general profanity). "eschatological" (having to do with the end of days) vs. "scatological" (having to do with poop). Admittedly, anyone who actually knows one of these words is probably unlikely to use it incorrectly, but any context in which the mistake can be made is liable to be rather grating. But don't sweat it: this shit ain't the end of the world. "-esk", an eggcorn for "-esque" (a suffix meaning "like" or "resembling", e.g. "picturesque" = "like a picture"), as in "No 'Back to the Future'-esk fading in *this* photo". This has not been helped by the frequent deliberate misspelling of "burlesque" as "burlesk". "evade" (dodge, move out of the way of, escape) for "avoid" (try not to encounter or be near) "evidentially" (having to do with the existence or state of being of evidence) vs. "evidently" (apparently, seemingly) "exasperate" (to annoy or irritate) for "exacerbate" (to make something worse than it already is) "exclude" (deny access or consideration) for "exude" (emit, radiate, discharge; to display when said of an emotion or quality) "exercise" for "exorcise". It's the difference between Richard Simmons and Linda Blair. "exiting" (leaving through the out door) for "exciting" (giving or encouraging a heightened state of thrill or energy) "extracircular" (outside the circle) for "extracurricular" (in addition to one's schoolwork). "exult" (celebrate, cheer) for "exalt" (lift up on high) "eye" (organ of vision) for "aye" (synonym for "yes"). "eyrie" (the nest of an eagle or other raptor bird) for "eerie" (strange, spooky) and vice versa. "facilities" (fixtures or features of a place that make it useful; also a euphemism for "bathroom"/"WC") for "faculties" (senses and/or mental attributes) "fairy tail" (the flexible extension of a fairy's backbone) vs. "fairy tale" (a story usually involving magic and a moral, told to children) "fallow" (a field plowed and tilled but not planted) for "follow" (come after, pursue). Also, "fallowing" (enriching a field's soil by plowing and tilling but not planting) for "following" (subsequent, coming after). Unless the story is set on a farm, the author probably meant the latter. "fantom" (a French word for "ghost", equivalent to the English "phantom") for "fathom" (six feet in nautical measure; also to understand or comprehend something). "faucet" (plumbing fixture which dispenses water) for "facet" (any of the flat surfaces of a gem; alternately, any of the details or aspects of an object or situation) "feet" (things at the ends of your legs; no, the other ends; or an imperial unit of measurement) vs. "feat" (accomplishment) "feat" (accomplishment) for "fete" (party) "feet square" vs. "square feet" (or other unit of length). There is a profound difference between these two phrases, rooted in a basic (mis)understanding of how to measure the area of a room or other space. When one describes a room as being, say, "900 square feet", that means its length times its width equals 900. This could be a room that is 30' by 30', or 15' by 60', or any other set of dimensions that multiply out to 900. It can also refer to rooms of other, non-rectangular shapes that are the same size. However, when one describes a room as "900 feet square", that means it is a room that is a literal square which measures 900 feet along each wall -- a considerably different thing. A room that is 900 feet square is 810,000 square feet in area -- the size of 18 (American) football fields. "feint" (a deceptive tactic intended to make an opponent move into weak position) for "faint" (to collapse into unconsciousness). "finance" (money and/or investments) for "fiance(e)" (person you're going to marry). "finely" (precisely, with quality) for "finally" (at long last) "firry" or "firey" (both misspellings) for "fiery" (either literally flaming, or metaphorically in the sense of being hot- tempered) "flair-up" (a sudden increase in one's style or fashionableness) for "flare-up" (a sudden increase in activity or intensity). "flaunt" (display provocatively or enthusiastically) for "flaut" (defy or resist). "fool moon" for "full moon" (May be a simple typo, but it's unintentionally amusing. Or it may be an intentional reference to the title of the second "Harry Dresden" novel by Jim Butcher.) "footsteps" (the individual movements of walking, or the sounds made thereby) for "footprints". "foreboding" (implying or forecasting ill events) for "forbidding" (frighteningly impressive, as well as its more common usage). "foreword" (part of a book) for "forward" (direction) "formerly" (previously, at one time) for "formally" (officially, properly) "forth" (a direction) for "fourth" (a number) -- seen a lot in Harry Potter fics ("forth year") "full proof" (maximum alcoholic content, or complete evidence), an eggcorn for "foolproof" (resistant to damage or detrimental alteration by the vicissitudes of chance or the actions of total morons) "further adieu" (more French "goodbyes") -- eggcorn/malaprop for "further ado" (any more fuss). "gambol" (to dance or caper about) for "gamble" (to make a bet or take a chance) "grizzly" (a type of brown bear -- Ursus arctos horribilis -- found in Alaska, western Canada, and parts of the northwestern United States) for "grisly" (terrifying, horrible), or vice versa. A grizzly bear attack could cause grisly wounds to its victim. (And let's not even complicate matters with the bear/bare confusion, as a "grisly bare" does not, ahem, bear imagining.) "hansom" (a horse-drawn taxi) for "handsome" (good looking) "hart" (a deer) vs. "heart" (organ of circulation; seat of emotion) "heal" (get better) for "heel" (back bottom of your foot) "Here, here!" for "Hear, hear!": a common eggcorn not limited by any means to fan writing -- it can be found in the first paragraph of http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3413940 at "ESPN The Magazine", which supposedly employs editors. Enjoy the extra "i" in signify and the erroneous apostrophe in "Awards" at no extra cost! "hollowed" (having its interior removed) vs. "hallowed" (holy, revered, honored). Oh, and "Deathly Hollows"? They're holes that will kill you. Likewise, the reverse also applies -- it's not "Godric's Hallow" unless the entire town has been consecrated. "hone in on" for "home in on". "Hone" means "to sharpen", while "home" in this context is the same as used in "homing missile". "horde" (a mob) vs. "hoard" (a large cache of treasure, or to collect and preserve something obsessively) "horse" (four-legged riding animal) for "hoarse" (rough and harsh, usually said of a voice) "hostler" (a person who runs a hotel or hostel) and "holster" (an apparatus for carrying a gun) "humus" (decomposed plant matter that makes up the organic part of good soil) vs. "hummus" (a spread made of ground chickpeas, sesame seeds and various seasonings, used in several Middle Eastern cuisines) "illicit" (illegal, immoral or otherwise under-the-counter) for "elicit" (encourage or motivate) "immanently" (in a manner that is about to happen) for "eminently" (usually meaning "extraordinarily good for" or "better than most at") "impetuous" (having low impulse control) for "impetus" (inspiration or motive for doing something) "improving" (progressively getting better) vs. "improvising" (coming up with ideas and plans on the spur of the moment). Although this one smells of a spellchecker "correction". "in a tether" (within a rope tied to something), an eggcorn for "in a dither" (seized by a whirlwind of emotion). "inciteful" (provocative, trouble-making) for "insightful" (perceptive, understanding) "indigent" (needy, impoverished) for "indigenous" (native, aboriginal). This error can potentially make a writer look racist, or at the very least condescending; be careful here! "inequity" (the state of not being equal) for "iniquity" (immoral behavior) "intelligentsia" (intellectuals and other highly-educated people as a group) misused to mean "intelligence services" (spy agencies). "interrupt" (break into the middle of) for "interpret" (translate, render meaningful). This has the look of a spellchecker "fix" for a particularly bad typo. "intestine" (what's inside your abdomen) for "internecine" (destructive to both sides of a conflict, usually said of warfare or other fighting). This, too, has the look of a spellchecker mis-fix. "jeans" (heavy cotton pants, usually blue) for "genes" (blocks of genetic information which encode specific traits). "Karma Sutra" for "Kama Sutra". Possibly a spellchecker barf, as it's likely "kama" is not in most checker dictionaries while "karma" is. "kibbutz" (an Israeli variety of commune or collective farm) vs. "kibbitz" (Yiddish for offering uninvited and/or unwelcome advice on matters that do not concern you) "kine" (an archaic word for cattle, also an obsolete term for a cathode ray tube, depending on which roots you take it from) for "kind" (good, sympathetic, nice, humane; also type or variety). "Kine" is also a word in Hawaiian pidgin with a role similar but not identical to "kind" in the sense of "type or variety" -- but should not be used in that manner in a sentence that is otherwise standard English. "kiwi" (a round, brown fruit; a round, brown bird; or a nickname for people from New Zealand, not all of whom are round or brown) for "kawaii" (Japanese for "cuuuuuuuuute!" as squealed by a tweenaged girl). I would almost think this could be a spellchecker error, except I would expect a spellchecker to "correct" kawaii to Hawaii. "knickers" (short pants with buckles at the knees, worn by young boys in early 20th century USA; also, ladies underwear in the UK) vs. "nickers" (sounds a horse makes) "laconic" doesn't mean "sarcastic", "snide" or anything similar. It means "using as few words as possible". There is no possible way you can say a long sentence laconically. "lassie fair" (a festival for collies or Scottish maidens), an eggcorn for "laissez-faire" (a French phrase meaning roughly "to let it happen", used in English to describe a "hands-off" approach to something). "latterly" (recently, in the later stages of a period of time) for "laterally" (sideways). "leach" (to make a soluble substance drain away from soil) for "leech" (blood-sucking parasite, or to habitually exploit or rely on someone or something in a manner similar to a leech; e.g., "he leeches off the generosity of others"). "least" (smallest, most insignificant) for "lest" (unless). "led" (past tense of "to lead") and "lead" (soft, heavy dark grey metal). This is one I do all the time if I'm not careful; I think it has something to do with my memory for words being mostly phonetic rather than visual, since they sound exactly alike. Up until recently I would have said that the confusion between these two words was limited to using "lead" for "led", but I just read a passage in a "Star Wars" fic which used the reverse. "lei line" (a series of Polynesian flower necklaces) for "ley line" (a natural path of magical energy) "lesson" (a period of eduction) vs. "lessen" (make less) "lessor" (one who leases a property to someone else) vs. "lesser" (have a smaller quantity or quality) "letch" for "lech" (an eggcorn) "lightening" (increasing the brightness level or reducing the weight) or "lighting" (sources of light) for "lightning" (bolt from the blue) "liquorish" for "licorice" (an eggcorn) "loop" (a circle or circular motion) vs. "loupe" (a kind of magnifying glass, used by jewelers) vs. "loup" (French for "wolf") "loose" (not tight, or to release) for "lose" (not win, or to misplace, or to shake off pursuit) "lop" (to cut off) vs. "lob" (to throw or toss) "lunge" (leap forward suddenly) vs. "lounge" (lay around comfortably) "lushes" (two or more drunks) vs. "luscious" (delectable; sweet; sexy, when said of a woman) vs. Lucius (an elder Malfoy, or a Fox who helps a Bat). "Maggi" (a brand of instant soups, stocks and seasonings owned by Nestle) for "magi" (plural of "magus", meaning wizard or wise man; also the three supercomputers used by the organization NERV in "Neon Genesis Evangelion") "magnet" (metallic or semi-metallic object that possesses a magnetic field) vs. "magnate" (a leader of industry or finance) "make due" (force a deadline to expire immediately) for "make do" (improvise with available materials) "manna" (food from heaven) for "mana" (a Polynesian word now used in English to mean the raw energy of magic) "manor" (a house or estate) vs. "manner" (a way of doing something) "marquee" (the lighted sign over the entrance of a theater) for "marquis" (an aristocratic rank; also a particular cut for diamonds) "marquis" (an aristocrat or cut of diamond, as noted above) for "maquis" (French Resistance fighters from World War II, or a similar paramilitary group from "Star Trek" that were named for them) "mash potatoes" (potatoes made from a slurry of barley malt and water), an eggcorn for "mashed potatoes" (potatoes that have been cooked and then mechanically broken down into a smooth, semi-liquid consistency) "mean while" for "meanwhile". "meld" (merge, blend) for "melt" (liquefy as by high heat, flow). They're clearly related words, but they don't mean the same thing. "memorandum" (an inter-office note) for "memoriam" (memory). I committed this one decades ago in high school, when as the editor-in-chief of the school yearbook I mistakenly used "In Memorandum" as the title of a page dedicating that year's book to a recently-passed schoolmate. The head of the English department raked me over the coals for that one. "middle ages" (500 AD through 1500 AD in Europe) for "middle age" (36 through 55 years in people) "mindsight" for "mindset". This is another perfect eggcorn. "Misses" as an expansion of "Mrs." "Mrs.", while it *looks* like an abbreviation, is *not* -- at least not in modern English. It is, in fact, the abbreviation of "mistress", from back when "mistress" meant something like "lady of the house" or "lady of the manor" (among other things). Over the past few centuries, the pronunciation has been worn down and the meaning changed to its modern sense, "the wife of X", turning "Mrs." into a completely different word from "mistress" (which itself has changed in meaning). It is, as a result, an unusual case -- an abbreviation for which no unabbreviated word exists. "Misses" is always and only either the plural of "miss" (young woman) or a conjugation of "to miss". If you *must* expand "Mrs.", the only valid choice is the eye dialect form "Missus". "mitten" (glove without separate fingers) for "midden" (garbage heap) "momentum" (possessing a velocity on a specific vector) for "memento" (something to remember a person or thing by) "mopping" (cleaning a floor with a wet brush or sponge on a broomstick-like handle) vs. "moping" (loitering sulkily) "moral" (adhering to strict principles of right and wrong) vs. "morale" (confidence, spirit, willingness to fight) vs. "morel" (a type of mushroom). "murderess" (obsolete feminine equivalent of "murderer") vs. "murderous" (homicidal). "mute" (silent, incapable of speech) for "moot" (irrelevant or meaningless, or an archaic term for a meeting) "mystic" (arcane, having to do with magic) vs. "mystique" (mysterious allure) "nativity" (having to do with birth; when capitalized, specifically the birth of Christ) for "naiveté" (innocence, unworldliness). "naval" (having to do with a navy) for "navel" (belly button). A "navel cruiser" is too small to help anyone. "night close", a bizarre eggcorn for "night clothes" committed by someone who apparently never made the conceptual leap that pajamas and nightgowns and the like are *clothes* one wears at *night*. Women wear nightgowns, men wear nightshirts. Both can wear dressing gowns, however. "no-nothing" for "know-nothing". Although I'd prefer someone who'd never contradict or overrule me to someone who was ignorant, I'm afraid the first phrase is just plain wrong. "nob" (a rich person, or someone from the upper classes) vs. "knob" (rotating handle for a door or a control) "Nobel" (the name of the inventor of dynamite, and of the annual prize he established) vs. "noble" (aristocratic; of high birth; having high principles and/or ideals) "oblivious" for "obvious" -- the difference is between "unlikely to see it" and "unable to miss it". "off-cores", an eggcorn for "off-course" "offal" (animal guts; garbage; rotting meat) for "awful" (very bad or unpleasant). Offal may be awful, but they're not the same thing. "on the lamb" (perched upon a young sheep) for "on the lam" (fleeing from officers of the law). I suppose it is possible, though unlikely, for one to be on the lam on a lamb... "once and a while" -- eggcorn for "once in a while". "one in the same" -- eggcorn for "one and the same" "one to do" -- eggcorn for "wont to do" (regularly or habitually did) "orderves" -- eggcorn for "hors d'oeuvres" (appetizers and/or finger food at a party) "pad" for "pat" "pallet" (a wooden platform for shipping things; also a thin, flat bedroll) vs. "palette" (a flat surface, often a thin board, which artists use to hold and blend paint; also a range of colors from which one can select) vs. "palate" (part of your mouth; colloquially, your sense of taste). "partition" (to divide into parts; a wall or barrier that divides a larger space into smaller ones) vs. "petition" (to make a formal request; such a request in written form, usually signed by the people making it) "pause" (stop, usually briefly) vs. "paws" (the feet of certain animals) vs. "pores" (noun, small holes; verb, reads something intently) vs. "pours" (empties liquid from a container). "payroll" (the list of one's employees and their salaries) for "parole" (the temporary or early release of a prisoner) "peak" (mountain, highest point) vs. "peek" (sneak a look) vs. "pique" (either whet, as in "pique an interest"; or a minor state of bad temper, as in "a fit of pique") "pedaller" (someone riding a bike) for "peddler" (itinerant seller of small portable goods) "pee" (urine) vs. "pea" (small, spherical green vegetable). I would not have thought this was a distinction that had to be made, but I just came across the line "two pees in a pod" in a "Harry Potter" fic. "persecute" (to persistently harass or mistreat someone) vs. "prosecute" (to subject to a trial or other legal proceedings; to pursue a course of action) "Perserve" may be how some people pronounce "preserve," but it's not the correct spelling. "perspective" (point of view, or the technique of drawing with the illusion of depth and/or distance) vs. "prospective" (likely to be something or take place at some point in the future). "pheasant" (a wild game bird) vs. "peasant" (a poor person, often a farmer, of the lowest social class during the medieval era) "physic" (archaic word for medicine) vs. "psychic" (having to do with ESP and other mental powers) vs. "physique" (the fitness and form of one's body) "physician" (a medical doctor) vs. "physicist" (a scientist specializing in the study of matter and energy) "plaque" (an ornamental tablet, often with writing on it; also the stuff you're trying to remove when you brush your teeth) vs. "plague" (a virulent disease, or to afflict someone in some way) "planer" (a tool for smoothing wood) for "planar" (flat; or having to do with two-dimensional geometric forms; or having to do with planes of existence in a fantasy universe, especially ''[[Dungeons and Dragons]]''). "pleat" (crisp folds, as in a skirt or a curtain) vs. "plait" (braid, as in hair) "pneumonic" (having to do with inflation or lung disease) for "mnemonic" (having to do with memory). "populous" (an adjective meaning "having lots of people living there") vs. "populace" (the people doing that living) "porpoise" (a marine mammal) vs. "purpose" (an aim or a goal). Of course, those who know better will often do this one on porpoise. Just for the halibut. (See the North American dub of "Excel Saga" for a particularly convoluted example caused by a combination of [[Gratuitous English]] and puckish translators.) "porthole" (round window on a boat) vs. "portal" (a door, often used for magical or technological apertures that transport one far distances. "post-humus" (after the fertile earth) for "posthumous" (after death). May be related to "post-hummus" (subsequent to mashing the chickpeas). "Pot-marked" for "pockmarked". (This brings some really bizarre images to mind...) "Pock" is the singular form of "pox", as in "chickenpox" and "smallpox" (formed in the same way as "sock/sox"), and it means a divot or crater in the skin caused by disease or infection. "potter" (someone who makes pots or kills dark lords) for "putter" (perform a series of small tasks in no particular order or hurry) "pouring over (something)" (dumping a liquid on something) vs. "poring over (something)" (reading or studying something closely and with great attention to detail) "A power onto herself" when what was meant is "a power *unto* herself". "pray" (trying to get some deity to pay attention to you) vs. "prey" (trying to exploit someone's weakness, or the target of a predator). "pre-martial" (before the war) vs. "pre-marital" (before the wedding). People don't get nearly as worked up about having sex before wartime as they do about sex before marriage. "precedence" (priority, rank, or position relevant to those of a lesser or lower one) vs. "precedent" (an earlier event or action that acts as guide or justification for subsequent action in similar circumstances). "precluded" (prevented, usurped the place of) for "preceded" (came before) "predication" (a state of being contingent upon a prior condition, action, or event) for "predilection" (a taste, tendency or preference for a particular item or action) "prestigious" (respected, famous) for "prodigious" (very very large) "principle" (fundamental truth, proposition, or rule) vs. "principal" (person in charge of a school, or an adjective meaning "foremost" or "primary") "privet" (a shrub, used in hedges and as a street name in certain British suburbs) vs. "private" (personal or secret; belonging to or for the use of one person or a small group only; the lowest possible military rank) "predominantly" (mainly, overwhelmingly, made up mostly of) for "prominently" (visibly, obviously), and vice versa. "prodigy" for "protégé". A protégé is someone a mentor has taken under his wing. A prodigy is a person with an extraordinary talent. Chiyo-chan from "Azumanga Daioh" is a prodigy, but not a protégé. Similarly, "progeny" (offspring) for "prodigy" (precocious genius). "proof" (a line of reasoning deriving a conclusion from a set of premises) for "evidence" (information supporting such reasoning). "prophesy" (verb) vs. "prophecy" (noun) "proscribe" (forbid or denounce) vs. "prescribe" (recommend, advise and/or authorize the use of something, such as medicine) "prostate" (a gland that is part of the male reproductive system) for "prostrate" (laying face down) "Provence" (an area of southern France) for "province" (a subdivision of a country). The former is an example of the latter. "providence" (protection or care provided by some supernatural being) for "provenance" (origin; the documented history of a piece of art or an artifact). "provincial" (having to do a province; also small-minded or parochial) vs. "provisional" (temporary, evaluative) "psyche" (one's mind or consciousness; also the name of a nymph in Greek myth; pronounced "sigh-key") for "psych" (short for "psychology" or "psychological", as in "psych ward", usually pronounced "sike") "psychically" (having to do with psionics or mental gifts) vs. "physically" (having to do with the body or corporeal world) "puissant" (strong, powerful) vs. "pissant" (jerk, asshole, with implications of being small or insignificant) "purgative" (a medicine that makes you throw up) vs. "prerogative" (a right or privilege) "purport" (to claim or appear to be something, usually falsely) for "comport" (behave) "puss" (shorted form of "pussy" used as a nickname for a cat as in "Puss in Boots", or slang for a person's face) vs. "pus" (thick cream-, greenish- or yellowish-hued liquid oozed by infected wounds or cysts) "queue" (a line of items or people which is dealt with in sequential, first-in-first-out order) and "cue" (a signal to act, or a stick for pool) -- these are often interchangeably misused for each other. However, there is at least one context where *either* can be correctly used, although the meaning does change: a DJ or radio station can cue up *or* queue up music -- the first means setting up a piece to play immediately at the touch of a button, while the second means to prearranging several pieces to play in sequence. "quite" and "quiet" -- *far* too common a confusion, most likely because this is an easy typo to make. "quote" (verb) for "quotation" (noun). This is becoming acceptable in informal situations, but some Grammar Nazis will look down on you if you say "That was a quote from person X." "quote" vs. "quoth" -- "quoth" is the past tense form of an obsolete verb which meant "to say." "Quoth the Raven" means "said the Raven," and has nothing to do etymologically with the word "quote." "rack" (to hang up or place on a rack) for "wrack" (to stress or torture, sometimes to the point of destruction; sometimes used metaphorically, as in "wrack one's brain"). "rapped" (knocked) for "rapt" (completely engrossed in, involved in or fascinated by) or "raped" (violated, sexually assaulted) "rational" (logical, sane) vs. "rationale" (a reason or justification) vs. "rationality" (sanity, mental stability) "ravish" (traditionally, to rape; contemporary romantic novels and art reviews use it to mean something more like "insistently thrill") vs. "ravage" (to destroy, devastate). As in "Smaug then flew away to ravish a town of men". Thank you, Lin Carter. Even Fritz Leiber got this wrong once, too, stating that the Gray Mouser "began to ravage" a pretty girl. (She'd just made a completely unprovoked murderous attack on him, so the Mouser no doubt felt he had cause, but still...) "raze" (to demolish) vs. "raise" (to elevate or to construct, among other meanings) "realistate" -- a perfect eggcorn for "real estate". "recent" (in the immediate or near past) vs. "recite" (tell, often in a dramatic manner) vs. "recant" (verbally abandon one's beliefs or convictions) "recourse" (an alternative or backup plan) vs. "resource" (a supply or stockpile) "reek" (stink, smell offensive) for "wreak" (inflict, perform) "refuge" (sanctuary) for "refuse" (garbage) "regent" (a temporary interim ruler while the actual ruler is too young or ill to serve) vs. "reagent" (a reactive substance) "regime" (a particular government or period such a government is in power) vs. "regimen" (a regular schedule of activities or medical treatments) vs. "regiment" (a military unit of a certain size) "rein" vs. "reign". The errors in question were along the lines of "reigning (person) in" or "giving (person) free reign". I have also seen the opposite, as in "the two reins of Voldemort". This is perhaps inevitable, since most people no longer have a daily contact with horses and may not realize that it is "reining X in", as in pulling on the reins of a galloping horse to cause it to slow or stop, and "free rein" (as in not holding the reins tightly and allowing a horse to go where it will). "Reign", meaning "to rule" or "the duration of one's rule", is a different word related to "regal". Unfortunately, the confusion seems to be widespread and growing -- in May 2013 I saw "reign" misused for "rein" on CNN.com, of all places. "relevant" (pertaining to) vs. "revelant" (a metathesis). In the noun form, "relevation" vs. "revelation", it's the former that's the metathesis. Metathesis plus spellchecker has led to the misuse of "revenant" (a type of ghost or undead). A revelant can also be a noun, when referring to a person who has revelations, such as John the Divine (who wrote the Book of Revelation ). "repel" (drive off) vs. "rappel" (to descend at the end of a rope) "reprisal" (a return strike or act of revenge) for "reprise" (to repeat a passage of music; more broadly, a repeat of any event) "resolution" (degree of detail in an image, or a formal statement of a position or policy) vs. "revolution" (a radical change like an armed insurrection, or one instance of a cycle like an orbit.) "restraint" (the voluntary choice to not take a possible action; a device or arrangement intended to restrict a person's freedom of movement) vs. "restrained" (held back, bound or restricted in some manner, either literally or figuratively; past tense of "to restrain") "retched" (past tense of "to retch", to vomit) for "wretched" (deplorable; of very poor quality or condition). Likewise "retch" for "wretch" (a pitiful, suffering person). "revile" (to drive away with insulting or hateful words) vs. "revel" (party, enjoy). "ridged" (like Ruffles potato chips) for "rigid" (not floppy) "ridicules" (makes fun of) for "ridiculous" (deserving to be made fun of) "riggers" (people who set up rigging) for "rigors" (challenges or hardships) "risky" (having the chance of loss, failure or danger) vs. "risqué" (sexually suggestive, mildly indecent and/or shocking). "roll" (move along a surface by rotation, or to move in place in a similar manner; or a small loaf of bread) for "role" (part to play in an organized operation like a military strike or a theatrical production) "rouge" (red; a variety of face powder used for highlighting the cheekbones) for "rogue" (uncontrolled, defying authority) -- the context being the infamous "Rouge Boomer" of "Bubblegum Crisis" fanfiction fame. It's supposed to rampage, not apply make-up. "route" (path, course, or other sequence of directions leading from one location to another) vs. "rout" (a chaotic, unplanned retreat with overtones of panic and fear) "rubix cube" (a misspelling) for "Rubik's Cube" (a trademark designating the rotating-cube puzzle invented by Hungarian architect Erno Rubik). "sac" (a hollow area of living tissue) for "sack" (a medium- to large-sized bag). "Santa Clause" (a movie title punning on the idea of a clause from a legal document) vs. "Santa Claus" (mythological figure associated with Christmas, no "e" on the end of his name). "scrapping" (brawling, fist-fighting; also to dispose of, possibly to turn into parts) for "scraping" (dragging one object roughly along another) "sedate" (calm, low-key, relaxed) for "sedated" (drugged into a stupor) and vice-versa. "segue way" when the writer simply means "segue", under the reasonable impression that the final "ue" in "segue" is silent, as in "rogue" or "morgue". (Dean Kain and his little scooter are also indirectly responsible as well, I am sure.) However, "segue" is a word directly imported far more recently than these from another language (Italian, I believe, although it might be French), and still follows its origin language's pronunciation rules. "seize" (grab) for "cease" (stop) "self-conscious" (feeling conspicuous or noticeable for some poor aspect of one's looks, behavior or possessions) for "self-aware" (being aware of one's own existence, especially of one's own consciousness). To be honest, in philosophical discussion the two terms are both used with the meaning of the second, but the usual usage outside of specialized discussion is as noted. "seminar" (a class or other meeting for the purpose of training or teaching) for "scimitar" (a curved sword, often seen in Middle Eastern settings). "sepulchre" (tomb, mausoleum) for "sepulchral" (eerily resonant) "sew" (run thread through cloth with a needle) vs. "sow" (to plant, as in seeds) "sewage" (liquid stinky stuff) vs. "sewerage" (pipes the liquid stinky stuff runs through) "shear" (to slice or cut) for "sheer" (translucent, almost transparent). "Sheer" is sometimes used in the sense of "pure", "extreme", or "solid", as in "sheer force of will"; there's also a usage in the sense of "intimidatingly vertical", as in a "sheer cliff face". "Shear force of will" is a meaningless phrase (although it might be turned into the name of a martial arts ki attack by a sufficiently clever author). "sheave" (the grooved wheel on which the rope runs in a pulley block) for "sheath" (scabbard for a knife or other blade). "shew" (an archaic, obsolete form/spelling of "show") for "shoo" (to frighten or urge away a person or animal). "shirking violet" (which means a flower that won't do what it's supposed to) for "shrinking violet" (idiom for a shy person). "shoal" (an area of shallow water) for "shawl" (a piece of fabric, often triangular, worn around the shoulders or over the head like a hood) "(be) shod of something" (have that something put on your feet) an eggcorn for "(be) shut of something" (escape something or put it behind you). "shortsided" -- eggcorn for "shortsighted". "shutter" (covering for a window) for "shudder" (a convulsive shiver throughout the body) "sic" (to set someone or something -- like a dog -- upon a target; also a Latin term used to indicate that the immediately preceding turn of phrase or spelling is presented literally as it initially appeared elsewhere) vs. "sick" (not well) "sight" (sense of vision; thing or place to see) vs. "site" (a location) vs. "cite" (refer to) "skivvies" (an old-fashioned word for underwear) vs. "civvies" (civilian clothing). Your civvies should *include* skivvies, but not be *limited* to them. "sometimes" (occasionally, every once in a while) for "some time" (some unspecified duration). "sooth" (archaic word for "truth", as in "soothsayer") for "soot" (black carbon residue from fire) "sooth" ("truth", as noted above) for "soothe" (to calm someone, or to take away pain or discomfort) "Spackle" (trademark for a brand of patching material for plaster walls) for "speckle" (to possess or apply a multitude of tiny dots or marks) "specter" (a particularly nasty ghost) for "scepter" (ceremonial mace-like implement that is part of a king or emperor's regalia) "spinal chord" for "spinal cord". It's not music, it's a rope made of nerve fibers. Likewise, "vocal cords", not "vocal chords". (I will point out, however, that this advice is mainly for Americans -- "chord" is the proper spelling in both cases for British usage.) "spurn" (dismiss brusquely, shun, ignore) for "spur" (encourage, prompt, force into action; or a metal apparatus worn on the heel while riding to goad a horse into motion) "stanch" (block, plug or stop up, as in a flow of blood) and "staunch" (unwavering, devoted) "steel" (an alloy of iron and carbon) vs. "steal" (to deprive someone of their possessions) "straight" (not curved) for "strait" (a narrow channel between two larger bodies of water; a plight or crisis), and vice versa. "strife" (conflict, battle, fighting) vs. "strive" (make great effort to do or achieve something) "subbing" (diminutive for "substituting", or adding subtitles to a work in a foreign language) for "sobbing" (crying). "subtly" (carefully, unnoticeably) vs. "subtlety" (the quality or state of being subtle) "suite" (a connected set of things, such as rooms or computer applications, or in music several short pieces intended to be played one after the other) for "suit" (one or more pieces of clothing; or a legal proceeding); also idioms like "following suit" use the latter, not the former. "surly" (grouchy, angry) for "surely" ("certainly", "truly") "swaray" -- eggcorn for "soirée" (a party or gathering held in the evening). In the context where I discovered this gem, it was not just misspelled, it was used for an afternoon meeting. "switchback" (a 180-degree turn in a road up a slope) for "kickback" (a bribe paid to someone who has facilitated an illegal transaction or process) "tact" (discretion) for "tack" (heading, said of a ship). The idiom is "to change tack", a nautical metaphor. "tactical" (having to do with directing small groups of combatants) vs. "tactile" (having to do with touch or the sense of touch) "tapir" (a pig-like animal with a short elephant-like trunk native to South America) for "taper" (a long, thin candle; to progressively change in thickness or width from wide to narrow). "Lighting a tapir" is unnecessarily cruel to the animal in question. "taught" (educated, given a lesson) vs. "taut" (flat, smooth, tight, often said of a fit and well-toned body, or a rope stretched tight) "temp" (a short-term employee) for "tamp" (to pack or press a powder into a solid mass, a step in loading black powder weapons like Civil War-era rifles and cannon). "ten year" (well, what do you *think* it means?) for "tenure" (one's time in a particular position or office, or in academia, a guarantee of permanent employment). "tenant" (someone who rents from you) vs. "tenet" (rule or item of belief) vs. "tenent" (misspelling)/"Tennant" (the 9th Doctor). Similarly, "tennis" vs. "tenets" (!). "test their metal". An eggcorn of "test one's mettle" (ie., put one's abilities or nerve to the test). "there" (indicating a location or direction) vs. "their" (showing ownership by a group of people) vs. "they're" (conjunction of "they are"). Absurdly common, especially among non-native English speakers (who can generally be forgiven). "thou" (second person pronoun from Elizabethan English, "you") vs. "though" (a conjunction meaning "in spite of the fact that" or "in spite of the possibility that"). If you *must* abbreviate "though", "tho'" (with the terminal apostrophe) is the usual way to do it. "threw" (propelled something into the air by muscle power) vs. "through" (a preposition meaning roughly by way of the middle of something, either by inter-penetration or puncture). "Through" is sometimes shortened to "thru"; sometimes it is misspelled as "though". "throws" (tosses or pitches; or small rugs or blankets) for "throes" (violent fits of spastic movement). "tick" (a small biting insect that carries disease; the sound of a clock, or a measure of time denoted by that sound; a large blue idiot with superpowers) for "tic" (an involuntary muscle spasm, usually on the face). "till" (a cash register) vs. "'til" or "til" (a colloquial abbreviation of "until") "timber" (wood, trees) for "timbre" (a quality of a sound or voice other than its pitch and volume) "toe-headed" (bizarrely mutated) for "tow-headed" (tousled- and/or blond-haired); I spotted this one in Issue 30 of "Weird NJ" Magazine, so it's not just fan writers who commit eggcornery. "tomb" (a burial site) vs. "tome" (a large book). "tongue and cheek" as an eggcorn for "tongue-in-cheek", regarding a type of humor or humorous delivery. "towing the line" vs. "toeing the line" -- the "line" here isn't a rope that can be pulled, it's a mark on the ground that you're stepping as closely to as possible without crossing, by putting your toes right up against it. Think of Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam -- "I dare you to step over *this* line." Sam refuses to toe the line, and ultimately gets in trouble. The general meaning, though, is to adhere closely to some restriction or order without deviation. "track house" (a house likely to be run over by race cars or horses) for "tract house" (small, inexpensive home mass-produced in suburban developments). An obvious eggcorn. "trammel" (an impediment or restriction) vs. "trample" (to stomp on or grind underfoot). "trice" (a moment or other very short increment of time) vs. "tryst" (a secret romantic rendezvous) "troth" (faith or loyalty, when sworn as an oath or promise) for "trough" (oblong container for holding water or food for animals to consume). And vice-versa. "undo" (reverse an action) vs. "undue" (beyond appropriate or normal, excessive, improper) An unstable instability destabilizes. "upmost" (at the tippy-top) for "utmost" (greatest, most extreme). Another eggcorn. "vassal" (feudal subordinate or servitor) vs. "vessel" (ship or boat; a container like a jar or bottle) "Vegas" (a city in Nevada) vs. "vagus" (either of two nerves that extend from the brain to the abdomen) "vile" (repulsive, disgusting) for "vial" (a small jar or bottle) "viola"/"wa-la"/"voila". The French word "voila" (literally, "look there", colloquially "check this out!") is pronounced (approximately) "vwah-lah". I suppose I should note that "wa-la" is just an eggcorn for a mispronunciation, and that "viola" is a stringed instrument, the next step up in size from a violin, but not nearly as big as a cello. "visa vi" when the writer meant "vis-a-vis". Again, an eggcorn. "viscous" for "vicious". It either flows like molasses, or it's got a bad temper. You decide. Then there's the blended misspelling "viscious", which is meaningless. "voyeurism" (liking to watch) vs. "exhibitionism" (liking to show off). This, like "itch/scratch", is one of those strange confusions that I could never understand. If you know what even one of the root words actually means ("voy-" = "view", and "exhibit" is a bit obvious), how could you mix them up? But I still see things like in "True Angel" chapter 24, where someone walking around nude is said to be enjoying her "voyeurism". "waffled" (vacillated, or formed with a regular pattern of indentations or grooves) for "wafted" (drifted gently through the air) "wailing on someone" (howling shrilly while standing on a person) for "whaling on" or "waling on" (in USA slang, punching someone repeatedly.) "waist" (a part of the body) vs. "waste" (garbage, excrement, or something else you want to get rid of). Someone once told me that they read a "Buffy" fanfic with the sentence "Willow put her arm around Tara's waste." All I could envision was Willow hugging a trash can while Tara stood to one side, blinking in confusion. "want" (desire, need) for "wont" (habit, usual practice). The idiomatic phrase "as is their wont", meaning "as they usually do", is very often mangled in this manner. "wave" (friendly gesture with one's hand, or a rhythmic propagation of energy through a medium) vs "waive" (voluntarily relinquish or refrain from enforcing a right or obligation) "waver" (show weakness or inconstancy) vs. "waiver" (a legal document relinquishing some right or privilege) "weary" (tired, exhausted) for "wary" (cautious, concerned) "weather" (wind, rain, snow and other phenomena) for "whether" (used to delineate two possible choices, one of which might be implied). "weighing" (to determine the weight of something) vs. "weighting" (to add weights to something). "whales" (more than one very large aquatic mammal) for "Wales" (an area of Great Britain known for its Celtic-derived ancestral language, unique dialect, and long, unpronounceable place names). "whence" (an archaic adverb meaning "from which" or "from where") for "when" (an adverb and conjunction relating to time). "where" (adverb indicating or querying location) vs. "were" (third person plural past tense of "is", also subjunctive mood of the simple past tense). "wherefore" does not mean "where", it means "why". When Juliet asks "Wherefore are thou Romeo?", she's not asking about his location, but why he must be the son of the family with which hers is feuding. "whiles" (periods of time; misspelling of the adverb "while" meaning "during which") for "wiles" (devious plans or stratagems, employed to manipulate someone) "wipeout" (to take a bad fall while surfing) vs. "wipe out" (to destroy utterly, to kill every last individual) "wither" (dry up, shrivel) for "writhe" (move with twists and turns) "wisened" (having gained wisdom) for "wizened" (shriveled up, wrinkled with age). "Women" is a plural; "woman" is the singular. You cannot have "a women", although I have seen allegedly professional outlets up to and including CNN.com make this error. "work" for "walk". This one just astounds me. I cannot imagine someone who is not functionally illiterate confusing these two words. But I have seen it. "worn" (used as clothing, or eroded by use) for "warn" (alert) "wrath" (anger, rage) for "wraith" (ghost, spirit) "wreck" (to destroy or ruin) for "wreak" (to commit) -- "wrecking havoc" means you're just neatening up the place. "yoke" (a collar or frame used on beasts of burden to let them pull a load) vs. "yolk" (the yellow-orange center of an egg) ----------- Material to be edited and moved into the main list: * "Fine toothcomb" for "fine-toothed comb". Here's an example of someone simply not thinking about what they're trying to write. If you know that a comb has teeth, and that this expression is used for an extremely detail-oriented examination of something, then you *should* be able to get the right phrase. I have, I should note, received a few communications contesting this. "Fine toothcomb" is, I've been assured, not only a common usage but a correct one in some regions. Quite honestly, I have problems accepting that for numerous reasons of logic and linguistics, but hey, English does weirder things all the time. Still, I prefer the alternative. * "A power onto herself" when what was meant is "a power unto herself". * One of the most unusual eggcorns I've ever seen is "devilruss" for "devilish", as in "devilish laughter", from "Illusion" by chaoseternus. From *numerous* "Sailor Moon" fics: "Burning Mandella". Rei does *not* ignite the former president of South Africa and throw him at her target. Not even with his name spelled *right*. This should be, of course, "Burning Mandala"; a "mandala" is a kind of magic circle, and Rei's attack, IIRC, is a circle of fire that contracts into its victim. quote: It did seem a bit extreme. I mean, of course I've heard of "a love of giant robots", but "amoured" trooper Votoms suggests something a bit beyond the limits of what is healthy... From a crossover fic that I will not identify because although it is sadly rife with errors, it's still pretty damned good and I don't want it to suffer: "HOLD, FOWL SORCEROUS!" What the author actually meant was "HOLD, FOUL SORCERESS!" but what he ended up writing was functionally equivalent to "Stop, magic chicken!" ------------------------- This document is copyright (C) 2006-2022, Robert M. Schroeck, and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike- Noncommercial 3.0 Unported License.