Write It Right | Page 4

"commencement day" being their name for the last day of the collegiate
year. It is ingeniously defended on the ground that on that day those on whom degrees are
bestowed commence to hold them. Lovely!
Commit Suicide. Instead of "He committed suicide," say, He killed himself, or, He took
his life. For married we do not say "committed matrimony." Unfortunately most of us do
say, "got married," which is almost as bad. For lack of a suitable verb we just sometimes
say committed this or that, as in the instance of bigamy, for the verb to bigam is a
blessing that is still in store for us.
Compare with for Compare to. "He had the immodesty to compare himself with
Shakespeare." Nothing necessarily immodest in that. Comparison with may be for
observing a difference; comparison to affirms a similarity.
Complected. Anticipatory past participle of the verb "to complect." Let us wait for that.
Conclude for Decide. "I concluded to go to town." Having concluded a course of
reasoning (implied) I decided to go to town. A decision is supposed to be made at the
conclusion of a course of reasoning, but is not the conclusion itself. Conversely, the
conclusion of a syllogism is not a decision, but an inference.
Connection. "In this connection I should like to say a word or two." In connection with
this matter.
Conscious for Aware. "The King was conscious of the conspiracy." We are conscious of
what we feel; aware of what we know.
Consent for Assent. "He consented to that opinion." To consent is to agree to a proposal;
to assent is to agree with a proposition.
Conservative for Moderate. "A conservative estimate"; "a conservative forecast"; "a
conservative statement," and so on. These and many other abuses of the word are of

recent growth in the newspapers and "halls of legislation." Having been found to have
several meanings, conservative seems to be thought to mean everything.
Continually and Continuously. It seems that these words should have the same meaning,
but in their use by good writers there is a difference. What is done continually is not done
all the time, but continuous action is without interruption. A loquacious fellow, who
nevertheless finds time to eat and sleep, is continually talking; but a great river flows
continuously.
Convoy for Escort. "A man-of-war acted as convoy to the flotilla." The flotilla is the
convoy, the man-of-war the escort.
Couple for Two. For two things to be a couple they must be of one general kind, and their
number unimportant to the statement made of them. It would be weak to say, "He gave
me only one, although he took a couple for himself." Couple expresses indifference to the
exact number, as does several. That is true, even in the phrase, a married couple, for the
number is carried in the adjective and needs no emphasis.
Created for First Performed. Stage slang. "Burbage created the part of Hamlet." What
was it that its author did to it?
Critically for Seriously. "He has long been critically ill." A patient is critically ill only at
the crisis of his disease.
Criticise for Condemn, or Disparage. Criticism is not necessarily censorious; it may
approve.
Cunning for Amusing. Usually said of a child, or pet. This is pure Americanese, as is its
synonym, "cute."
Curious for Odd, or Singular. To be curious is to have an inquiring mind, or
mood--curiosity.
Custom for Habit. Communities have customs; individuals, habits--commonly bad ones.
Decease for Die.
Decidedly for Very, or Certainly. "It is decidedly cold."
Declared for Said. To a newspaper reporter no one seems ever to say anything; all
"declare." Like "alleged" (which see) the word is tiresome exceedingly.
Defalcation for Default. A defalcation is a cutting off, a subtraction; a default is a failure
in duty.
Definitely for Definitively. "It was definitely decided." Definitely means precisely, with
exactness; definitively means finally, conclusively.

Deliver. "He delivered an oration," or "delivered a lecture." Say, He made an oration, or
gave a lecture.
Demean for Debase or Degrade. "He demeaned himself by accepting charity." The word
relates, not to meanness, but to demeanor, conduct, behavior. One may demean oneself
with dignity and credit.
Demise for Death. Usually said of a person of note. Demise means the lapse, as by death,
of some authority, distinction or privilege, which passes to another than the one that held
it; as the demise of the Crown.
Democracy for Democratic Party. One could as properly call the Christian Church "the
Christianity."
_Dépôt_ for Station. "Railroad dépôt." A dépôt is a place of deposit; as, a dépôt of supply
for an army.
Deprivation for Privation. "The mendicant showed the effects of deprivation."
Deprivation refers to the act of depriving, taking away from; privation is the state of
destitution, of not having.
Dilapidated for