((4 OCTOBER 2024 VERSION -- STILL INCOMPLETE AND PROBABLY ALWAYS 
WILL BE, BECAUSE THERE WILL ALWAYS BE NEW MISTAKES TO MAKE.))

This document is copyright (C) 2006-2024, 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 and other written works 
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 and thus would not count as errors in works set in
the UK or by authors from the UK.

I should mention 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 and prudery 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.

Definitions

A term that will be found frequently in the following, but which 
may not be immediately familiar, is "eggcorn".  "Eggcorns" are 
words or phrases that a person has only ever heard and never seen 
written, which when that person needs to write them down get 
written the way they *sound* to him.  The term comes from the 
transcription someone once made of the word "acorn", which they 
had somehow gotten through their entire life without once seeing 
(or recognizing) in print. The eggcorn is the half-sibling of the 
mondegreen.

An excellent guide to known eggcorns can be found at The Eggcorn 
Database, located at http://eggcorns.lascribe.net/

Related to the eggcorn is "eye dialect". This is a term for the 
writer's device of spelling words as they sound in order to give 
a sense of a speaker with a foreign accent, an odd dialect, or 
poor education. For example, using "gonna" or "gunna" for "going 
to". In general, this is a deliberate stylistic choice made by a 
writer, but on this page it's used also to reflect a variety of 
eggcorn that is caused by poor literacy skills—the key example 
would be writing the contraction "'ve" as " of" (as in "could 
of", "would of") out of simple incomprehension that the words in 
question *are* a contraction.

Mondegreens are the result of mishearing lines, normally song 
lyrics, but poetry is also a frequent victim.  Sometimes it's 
lack of correct enunciation, sometimes it's the speed or pitch 
that a lyric is delivered at, and sometimes it's the listener's
lack of vocabulary.  What ever the cause, a song lyric or recited 
poem will become famous not for what it says, but for what it 
*sounds like it says* to the careless ear.  The classic example
comes from "Purple Haze" by Jimi Hendrix:  "'Scuse me while I 
kiss the sky" has become infamous for being misheard as "'Scuse
me while I kiss this guy".

The term "mondegreen" was coined by writer Sylvia Wright in 1954, 
in an essay she wrote for Harper's Magazine. She wrote:

	When I was a child, my mother used to read aloud to me from 
	*Percy's Reliques*. One of my favorite poems began, as I 
	remember:
	
		'Ye Highlands and ye Lowlands,
		Oh, where hae ye been?
		They have slain the Earl Amurray,
		And Lady Mondegreen.'

	The actual line is "And laid him on the green", from the 
	anonymous 17th-century ballad "The Bonnie Earl O'Murray".

------------- 

That done, it's time to head into the actual list of errors.

Let's start with one that involves a word that'll be used almost
to excess in the rest of the 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".

"absolutions" (formal acts of forgiveness) for "ablutions" 
(washing oneself).

"absorbent" for "exorbitant".  Nabiki Tendo's prices don't soak 
up water, they soak up money.

"accent" (a distinctive way a person pronounces a language, 
usually indicative of a region or nation; a punctuation mark
used to indicate a variation in the pronunciation of a letter)
for "assent" (agreement)

"adapt" (change to fit the circumstances) vs. "adept" (competent,
skilled)

"add" (sum two or more numbers together) vs. "ad" (American
diminution of "advertisement")

"admits" (owns up to something) for "amidst" (in the middle of).
This 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.  (See also "nought" vs.
"naught", below.)

"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".

"and" for "an" -- Usually a typo.  Thanks to muscle memory 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.

"angle" (degree of rotational separation between two intersectng
lines) for "angel" (a minor celestial being created by God as a
messenger or servant)

"annuls" (verb; declares void or null, invalidates) for "annals" 
(noun; records, specifically historical records)

"anomalous" (unexpected, abnormal) vs. "anonymous" (unidentified
or unknown; also unremarkable; also indicative of confidentiality)

"another words" -- eggcorn for the phrase "in other words".

"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; also the continuous discharge
of electricity between two electrodes separated by air) 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.

"aromatic" (having a strong, usually pleasant, scent) for
"aromantic" (lacking any tendency or ability to fall in love).
This seems likely to be a spell-checker glitch.

"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).

"ascent" (the process of rising vertically; climbing a mountain) 
for "assent" (agreement).

"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)

"at play" (engaging in games and relaxation) for "in play"
(involved in or added to a complex situation)

"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).

"backside" (rear end, butt, ass) for "back" (the rear surface of 
the human body from the nape of the neck to the top of the legs).  
The particular story where I found this one had people repeatedly 
cuddling up against the backsides of their loved ones.

"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.

"baklava" (a Middle-Eastern pastry made from flaky dough, nuts 
and honey) for "balaclava" (a kind of headgear designed to 
completely cover the head and face, leaving only the eyes 
uncovered, sometimes called a ski mask).  I suppose covering your
face with baklava would make you unrecognizable, but you run the
risk of it falling off.

"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", an eggcorn for "at my beck and call".
Surprisingly for an eggcorn, it still manages to more or less 
mean the same thing as the correct phrase.  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)

"beside" ("next to", a physical location) vs "besides" ("in 
addition to", or "furthermore".

"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".

"bid" (propose a price for a good or service; an archaic word for
"ask") for "bide" (wait).  The past tense of "bid" is "bid" for 
the modern use and "bade" for the archaic; the past tense of 
"bide" is "bided".

"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)

"bonefied", an eggcorn for "bona fide" (genuine, real; literally 
"good faith")

"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.  Similarly, "bos'n"/
"bo's'n"/"bosun" (boatswain, deck boss on a ship).

"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.

"bottom of the rug", an eggcorn for "bottom rung", referring to 
someone or something that has the least priority or privilege in
a hierarchy.  It's possible that the writer in question had no
idea that "rung", besides being the past tense of "to ring", also
is the word for the horizontal bits on a ladder that you stand 
on.

"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).

"buxom" (possessing large breasts) for "bosom" (the breasts
themselves).

"Calgary" (a city in Canada) for "Calvary" (the hill where Christ
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" (weapon) for "canon" (formal list or body of literature 
accepted as genuine or standard, such as religious scriptures or 
the collected works of an author; also a type of musical 
composition similar to a fugue).  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".
(August 2022: I have come across a third instance of using 
"canon" for "cannon" -- the phrase was "loose canon".)

"cant" (hypocritical talk; or a language specific to a group or
profession) vs. "can't" (contraction of "cannot"/"can not")

"canvass" (to search thoroughly) for "canvas" (heavy cotton
fabric) (and vice-versa)

"capeesh" -- an eggcorn for "capisce".  "Capisce" (Sicilian for 
"(do you) 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.

"carousel" (merry-go-round/roundabout, or a rotating surface used
to store or present items) for "carrel" (a small cubicle or desk,
usually with a partial enclosure around it, for a student or 
reader).

"case and point", an eggcorn for "case in point", a phrase that
means, "here's an example of what I was talking about, 
immediately to hand".

"cast" (throw; perform a spell; the act of 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).

"castor" (a variety of bean which produces a useful oil;  a
secretion from beavers used in perfume; a type of leather made
from goat skins) for "caster" (someone who throws or tosses 
something, or a swiveling wheel attached to the underside of
furniture)

"castrate" (remove the testicles or the entire male genitalia
from a person or animal) for "castigate" (to severely scold or
reprimand someone)

"catspawn" (born of or from cats), an eggcorn for "catspaw"
(fall guy or patsy, someone set up to take the blame for 
another's actions or crimes)

"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).

"cereal" (grain or breakfast food made from grain) vs. "serial"
(making up or part of a series; said of a criminal who repeatedly
commits the same kind of crimes in the same way; or a work of
entertainment that appears in regular installments)

"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) vs. "chaps" (leather leggings worn 
by cowboys over their pants to protect the legs while riding;
also said of irritated skin that gets red and scaly or cracked 
because of wind or cold)

"chaise" (short for "chaise longue", a low, long chair with an
extended seat that supports one's legs) vs. "chase" (to follow at
speed; or to do a fine inlay of metal on an object)

"chalk(ed) 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)

"chateau" (a French castle, of the type whose design influenced
the traditional "fairy tale" castle like Disney's) for "chalet" 
(a small moutainside house distinguished by its wooden 
construction and broad overhanging eaves)

"check" for "cheek".

"chic" (stylish, in fashion) for "chick" (baby bird; a girl or 
young woman)

"choral" (having to do with music sung by a chorus) 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 or other projectile 
weapon)

"clinch" (to seal a bargain or deal, to grapple or wrestle) vs. 
"clench" (to close one's hand into a tight ball, especially when
angry, the act of doing so)

"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)

"collude" (conspire, work together) vs. "collide" (smack into; 
interfere with)

"compliant" (obedient, agreeable) vs. "complaint" (expression of
dissatisfaction)

"compliment" (speak well of) vs. "complement" (go well with)

The usual verb form of "compulsion" is "to compel".  The verb "to 
compulse" *does* exist, but it is more of a "fossil" word no 
longer in common use.

"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)

"congeal" (thicken up, like cooling gravy) for "converge" (come
to meet at a point)

"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")

"continence" (voluntary control over one's bladder and bowels)
for "countenance" (one's appearance or face)

"continents" (the largest bodies of land) for "contents" (what's
inside something).  I actually spotted this one in an article on 
the Rolling Stone's website.

"contingency" (a possible future circumstance or event, or 
preparations for the same) vs. "contingent" (a group of people, a
cohort, band or company; or "dependent")

"convient" is *not* a synonym for "convenient". It's just 
misspelled.  And "convent" is a complex in which dwells a group
of nuns.

"cooperate" (work together) for "corporate" (having to do with a
corporation).  I stumbled across this one on the website for an
event venue which offered locations for "unique cooperate events".

"corporal" (the rank between private first class and sergeant in
the US army; a cloth used during the celebration of Communion/the
Eucharist; also an adjective meaning relating to the human body) 
vs. "corporeal" (relating to the physical world; having physical 
presence or solidity)

"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)

"culperate" -- eggcorn for "culprit", which seems entirely too
common.

"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).

"decent" (modest, proper, seemly; also fairly good or 
satisfactory) for "descent" (the act or process of going from a
higher altitude to a lower one)

"deduct" (subtract) for "deduce" (determine by reasoning using
available data)

"deep-seeded" (planted well below the surface) for "deep-seated"
(firmly established at a profound level)

"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.

"deprivations" (things one has been denied possession or benefit
of) for "depredations" (acts or attacking or plundering, often
with implied cruelty and/or sadism).

"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.  Solid
explosives can be defused by making them diffuse, but fuel-air
explosives *need* to be diffused to work.

"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)

"divulge" (reveal, make known) vs. "diverge" (take a different
route or direction)

"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" (to speak in a slow, lazy manner) for "draw" (produce art
with a pencil, pen or other similar implement; to quickly bring a
firearm to bear).  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.

"drool" (slobber) for "droll" (dryly humorous)

"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"

"duly" (in the correct or expected way or time) vs. "dully" (in a 
boring or unexciting way; in a manner that demonstrates no 
interest or feeling; in a manner that isn't clear, bright or 
shiny)

"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.

"egregious" (excessively bad) for "gregarious" (energetically
friendly and outgoing)

"ellipse" (a round shape like a circle stretched in one 
direction) vs. "ellipsis" (three dots in a row, used as 
punctuation to indicate a pause, or found on various computer
programs as a place to click for a menu).  I actually found this
one in the manual for very expensive, very complex software
package I was training in.

"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)

"enguard" and "onguard", eggcorns for the French phrase "en
garde!", beloved of fencers and swashbucklers the world over.

"enjoin" (to impose an order; to forbid or prohibit, as by a
judicial order) for "enjoy" (have a good time)

"enormity" for "enormousness".  "Enormity" means "huge badness",
not "hugeness".  I've spotted this one *many times* in 
professional publications that really should know better.

"entropy" (the gradual but inevitable loss of energy from a 
closed system) for "atrophy" (wasting away; gradual decline of a
skill or ability due to disuse or neglect)

"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)

"expandable" (can be made bigger) vs. "expendable" (can be 
disposed of without consequence)

"extort" (blackmail) vs. "exhort" (strongly urge)

"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)

"fair" (impartial; light-colored; carnival or other celebration)
for "fare" (cost of a ride on public transportation, or to travel 
in general; perform; a range of food items of a specific type)

"fairy tail" (the flexible extension of a fairy's backbone) vs.
"fairy tale" (a story usually involving magic and a moral, told
to children).  And yes, I know there's an anime called "Fairy
Tail" which is deliberately playing on the confusion.

"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 and
is deep into its day-to-day operations, the author probably meant 
the latter in each case.

"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"/fiancee" 
(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)

"fisher" (someone who catches fish) for "fissure" (crack, crevice,
chasm)

"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).

"gaff" (a stick with a hook on the end used for landing large
fish) for "gaffe" (an embarrassing error or blunder, usually
social)

"gambol" (to dance or caper about) for "gamble" (to make a bet or 
take a chance)

"give up the goat" -- eggcorn for "give up the ghost" (die or
otherwise cease to exist)

"gouache" (a style of painting involving water-based pigments 
with a gluelike composition) vs. "gauche" (graceless, crude, or
unsophisticated) 

"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)

"headset" (a set of headphones, usually with a microphone; less
commonly, a system of bearings that connect the fork of a 
bicycle to its frame) vs. "headdress" (a covering, ornament or 
decoration for the head, such as a cap, a veil, or a Native 
Americans war bonnet with feathers)

"heal" (get better) for "heel" (back bottom of your foot)

"hear" (to perceive a sound) for "here" (in the immediate 
vicinity, not at a distance).  And vice versa.

"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" and "homing pigeon"

"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).  Amusingly, if you mix it with dirt and let it
sit long enough, hummus will *become* humus.

"illicit" (illegal, immoral or otherwise under-the-counter) for
"elicit" (encourage or motivate), and vice versa.

"illusive" (illusory or deceptive in some way) for "elusive"
(actively being hard to find)

"immanent" (inherent, existing within) for "imminent" (about
to happen)

"immanently" (in a manner that is inherent or existing) 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)

"incredulous" (disbelieving) vs. "incredible" (unbelievable).
The first is a *reaction* someone might have to something that
is the latter.

"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.

"jamb" (part of a door) for "jam" (shove something into a space
that might be too small for it; a type of fruit preserve)

"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)

"kiddie gloves" (gloves for children) vs. "kid gloves" (gloves
of a fine, soft leather made from the skins of young goats).  
By the 19th century gloves of kidskin were an item of clothing
associated with the aristocracy, and became a metaphor for 
treating something or someone with great care and delicacy.

"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 that acts as an all-
purpose substitute for any other word, along the lines of "that
thing", "that person", or "that action" -- a metastyntactic
variable -- 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)

"loath" (unwilling or reluctant, almost always used in the form
"loath to" -- "I am loath to do X") vs. "loathe" (hate, despise;
"Bob loathes Alice")

"long behold", an eggcorn for "lo and behold".  Similarly, "low
and behold".

"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 resources)

"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)  (Note that this is a proper usage in 
the UK.)

"mate" (parter, spouse, or to join) for "matte" (not shiny or 
glossy)

"matt" (short for "Matthew") for "mat" (flat pad on the floor)

"mean while" (a cruel duration) for "meanwhile" (during the 
intervening period of time).

"meld" (merge, blend) for "melt" (liquefy 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.

"minuet" (a stately ballroom dance from the 1700s) for "minute"
(sixty seconds; or an adjective meaning rather small)

"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 former 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); similarly, 
"muted" (silenced) for "mooted" (discussed).

"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, nightgowns and the like are *clothes* one wears at 
*night*.

Women wear nightgowns, men wear nightshirts.  Both can wear
dressing gowns -- bathrobes, for Americans -- 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)

"none stop" -- either an eggcorn or typo for "non-stop".

"nought" (zero) vs. "naught" (nothing).  The distinction is 
subtle but telling:  a common error involving this pair is "all
for nought", which literally means "all for zero", when what is
meant is "all for naught", meaning "all for nothing".

"oblivious" for "obvious" -- the difference is between "unlikely
to see it" and "unable to miss it".

"occur" (happen, take place) for "incur" (sustain, bring upon 
oneself).

"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.

"offhand" (offensively or obnoxiously nonchalant) vs. "off hand"
(one's non-dominant hand -- your left, if you're right-handed, or
vice-versa).

"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)

"pack" (fill a suitcase or box; a bag one carries on one's back)
for "pact" (oath, vow, solemn promise).

"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) vs. "perdition" (Hell or the punishment
suffered therein)

"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 that
grows in pods).  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.  And a subsequent Google 
search reveals that a *lot* of people make this error, to my 
complete and total astonishment.

"peel" (remove the skin or rind; a tool not unlike a giant 
spatula used to move baked goods into and out of an oven) for
"peal" (ring out like a bell)

"peet" (a brand of coffee) for "peat" (a variety of moss grown
in bogs, which is used as both a fuel and a soil amendment)

"permeation" (the process of one substance spreading through
another) for "permutation" (a way, usually one of multiple 
options, that a group of things can be arranged)

"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 become 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)

"piled" (stacked in a heap) vs. "plied" (used a tool, 
particularly on requiring steady repetitive movements; or 
followed a regular route; or insistently offered or provided
someone with food and drink)

"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 setting, 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 the lungs) vs. "pneumatic" 
(inflated with air, as in balloons or automobile tires ) vs.
"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
great 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.  Whereas "pots" are large ceramic or metal
containers in which one cooks.  Someone with a "pot-marked" face
probably has more (and more severe) problems than just a bad 
complexion.

"potter" (someone who makes pots or kills dark lords) for 
"putter" (perform a series of small tasks in no particular order 
or hurry)

"pounce" (leap upon) for "ponce" (British slang for a pretentious 
person, a fop, and/or a gay man)

"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)

"premier" (head of state in some politcal systems; also means
"first and foremost") vs. "premiere" (the first showing of a 
film, TV show or theatrical work).

"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.

"prescience" (foresight, precognition) for "precedence" (right
of earlier position, priority)

"prodigious" (huge, gigantic) for "prestigious" (having respect,
admiration and/or high status)

"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)

"proprietary"  (having to do with an owner or ownership) for
"propriety" (adhering to standards of proper or moral behavior).

"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)

The "pupil" is the black center of one's eye (and the actual 
"window" through which light enters the eye, which is why it's 
black -- it's *dark* in there).  The "iris" is the colored part 
surrounding the pupil.  One cannot have pupils of any color 
other than black unless they have an eye structure radically 
different from just about every vertebrate life form on Earth.

"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)

"pyretic" (relating to or causing fevers) for "pyrrhic" (a 
victory so costly that it damaged the winner more than losing
might have)

"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.  There is also the eggcornish "que", usually 
used in place of "cue" by someone who vaguely remembers both 
words but not that they *are* different words.

"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).

"reword" (revise, rephrase) vs. "reward" (benefit gained from 
some action)

"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)

"ring his neck" (make his neck make a sound like a bell), 
probably an eggcorn for "wring his neck" (twist his neck between
your hands like a towel you're trying to squeeze dry)

"risky" (having the chance of loss, failure or danger) vs.  
"risqué" (sexually suggestive, mildly indecent and/or shocking)

"rivet" (a mechanical fastener, usually metal) vs. "rivulet" (a
little stream of something liquid)

"roll" (move along a surface by rotation, or to move in place in
a similar manner; or a small loaf of bread; or one of a set of 
records or documents) 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, with 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 (but incorrect) 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 beFrench), and still follows its original 
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)

"sever" (cut or separate) for "severe" (intense or great; harsh)

"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)

"sparing" (careful with the amount of some quality or substance 
one is using or sharing ) vs. "sparring" (mock or light combat, 
usually one-on-one, for training).

"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 prod a horse into motion)

"staid" (stoic, reserved) for "stayed" (held back, prevented)

"stanch" (block, plug or stop up, as in a flow of blood) and
"staunch" (unwavering, devoted)

"statue" (scupture) vs. "statute" (law).  This one could very
easily be a simple typo rather than a vocabulary failure, and
a good example of an error that a spellchecker won't find.

"steel" (an alloy of iron and carbon) vs. "steal" (to take
something that doesn't belong to you)

"straddled" (standing with one's feet on either side of 
something) for "saddled" (wearing a saddle or putting one on
a riding animal; colloquially, being given a job, usually
unwanted)

"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)

"stripped" (divested of clothing) vs. "striped" (having parallel
bands of alternating colors)

"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; one of the four basic groups
of playing cards).  Idioms like "following suit" use the latter, 
not the former, as do phrases like "not my strong suit", which 
is basically a poker reference.

"summery" (weather conditions indicative or reminiscent of
summer) vs. "summary" (an abbreviated account of something's most
important parts)

"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)

"tail" (the flexible hindmost part of an animal, especially 
those that extend out of the animal's body) vs. "tale" (a story)

"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) vs. "Tennant" (the ninth 
Doctor Who).  Similarly, "tennis" vs. "tenets" (!).

"test their metal".  An eggcorn of "test one's mettle" (ie., put 
one's abilities or nerve to the test).

"then" ("at that time" or "after that") vs. "than" ("in comparison
to", "instead of", "apart from/except").  This is one of the 
*classic* errors made by would-be writers, and is a major red flag.  
It seems sometimes that there are *far* too many beginning authors 
who have no idea that "than" is even a word, let alone how to use
it properly.  Rule of thumb for the beginning writer:  If you're 
not talking about time, use "than".  That will have you right far
more often than not.

"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" (which means "but", "however" or something similar).

"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.

"toot sweet" -- eye dialect for the French phrase "tout suite",
which is pronounced almost identically and means "right now".

"torchered" -- an eggcorn for "tortured" which I came across in a
"Harry Potter" fic riddled with errors which, like this one, 
couldn't be blamed on the spellchecker.

"tousle" (rumple or mess up, said of hair or something like bed 
sheets) vs. "tussle" (to take part in a vigorous struggle or 
scuffle)

"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.  Similarly, 
"track" vs. "tract" when describing a parcel of land.

"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.

"usher" (verb) (to show or guide someone; to indicate the start of
something new, or cause something new to start) for "issue" (to
deliver, to send forth)

"vassal" (feudal subordinate or servitor) vs. "vessel" (ship or 
boat; a container like a jar or bottle)

"Vaugner" -- an eggcorn for "Wagner" (the composer)

"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.

"violation" (transgression or infringement; desecration; sexual
molestation) for "volition" (intention, willingness, choice)

"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.  I have also seen
"for want of x", meaning "for lack of x" misspelled as "for
wont of x".

"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.

"whicker" (a quiet neighing sound made by a horse) for "wicker"
(a method of making baskets or furniture by weaving and folding
together long, thin pliable sticks of natural woods such as 
willow or rattan, or of plastic or resin).

"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.  Similarly, 
"wreck" for "wrack" (among other meanings, "to subject to extreme
stress", as in "wracking one's brain" in an effort to remember
something).  If you wreck your brain, you're not going to 
remember anything.

"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)

"your" (second-person possessive, indicating you own something) 
vs. "you're" (contraction of "you are" or "you were") vs. "yore"
(of ancient or legendary times)

-----------

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!"



-------------------------

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