The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1871-01-05
Dailr 1r9ua.
- Words and their Uses."


From Richard Grant Whites new volume,
bearing the above title. we quote few par
agraphs, showing a nice sense of discrimi
nation founded on practical views Of the
subject
Aggrdrate-Thisw word should never be
employed IN reference to persons, as
means merely to add weis ht too make an
evil more oppressive inJurr Is ags,1
| by insult. IL is sometimes Improperly USED
in the sense of irrita,e, as II was much ag-
gravated by his conduct"
Balance In the sense of rest, re main der,
residue, remnant, is an abomns,ion.
Balance is. metaphorieally, the difference
between two sides of an accountable amount
which is necessary to make one equal to the
other. Yet We continu-
even the balance of a congregation or of an
army !
Bounttm-Is applicable only to persons.
A giver may be bountiful, but his gift can
not it should be called plentiful or large.
" bountiful slice is absurd
Fefch-Expresses double motion first
from and then toward the speaker it is ex-
actiy equivalent to go and bring" and
ought not 10 pe useu III ihc seuse Vi pfihe
alone.
Ca{culate-besides it's sectional misuse,
think or suppose, is sometimes, in the par
ticular form calculated, put for likely or apt;
That nomination is calculated to I'M ure
the party" 1t is calculated (designedl to do
no such thing, although 1t may be likely to.
Cftizea-Should not be used except when
the possession of political rights is meant to
ID
bad habi, of bringing 1t out on all occasions,
would express their meaning much better.
Coupie-Applies to two things which are
bound together or united in some way. "a
couple OF apples" is iucorrec,-tuo apples
is what is meant.
Dut-Means filth, and is lot synopy
nous with earth or soil. Yet people some
times speak of a dirt road or of packing
dirt around the roots of trees they are set
ting. They mean earth.
Eaecute-When murderer il hanged his
sentence is executet-the man is not A
man cannot be executed-that ia followed
ont and performed.
! Expect looks always TO The future. You
cannot expect that anything has happened
or is happening, but oely that it will hap
pen.
Get means to obtain, not to possess. "He
has got all the mum bers of the Country
Gentteman;' "Have you got good mols.-
ses % They have got bad manners"
Why will people persist in introducing the
word in such sentences as these, where it is
so evidently supertiuous ?
Help 4Neet-An absurd use of these two
words. they together were the name of
one thing wife-is too common. The
sentence in Genesis is !: II will make him
an help meet fer him E., a help fit for
him. There is no such word es helpme ct.
Lje-Lay-Persors not grossly ignoran,
sometimes say they will lay meaning lie
down, that they. have laid lain an hour.
| or that the hammer is LAYING lying BY the
tacks. Lie means to recline; its past tense
is 1ay-"I lay there all that night its par
ticiples, lying and tain. Lay used of pres.
ent time) means to put something down
one lays Garrett past is laid Ill laid i,
myself ;" its Participates, laying and laid
81 was interrupted while laying it, aud i,
was not all land till night"
| Lore rules the heart, not the stomach
| 1ou lore your wife. or ought to; but favorite
articles of food you like.
! Obserre should not be used for sag, as is
the oft-heard sentence, "Whst did you
| observe %
| Sit. often mispronounced set, is occas
ionally written so, but, it is to be hoped,
rarely.