San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-03-05
FOR GOOD ENGLISH.

E6ss dSsOCidutou Wy Nhi' <h' Ai'
Lockwood, we quote lists OF hints
to writers regarding the meaning
of certain words in common use
which have synonyms, or words
very nearly synonyms
Abortive means untimely in its
birth and 80 brought out before it
is we'll matured. A plan may be
abortive, but an act cannot.
Accord is a stilted substitute
for give.
Ability and capacity are not
exact synonyms. The former is
the power of applying, the latter
of acquiring, knowledge. a
Aggravate means to add to the
weight OF, and is not equivalent to
irritate. *
You can administer govern
ments, oaths, medicine, but not
blows nor punishment; they are
dealt or given.
Adopt is poor substitute for
take, in such phrases as "What
course will you adopt?"
We write of an aggressive sales
man, an aggressive firm. The
word does't mean enterprising or
pushing, but hitting first, making
the first attack.
Do not confonnd amateur with
novice. An amateur may be an
artist Of great experience and skill,
but he is not a professional artist.
A novice is a beginner.
An audience is, an assembly of
hearers. There can be no audience
at a gymnastic performance, a pan
tomime. a boat-race, sparring
match, and the like. Where only
the eye is appealed to, use the
word spectators.
Avocation is not synonymous
with vocation. A mans vocation
is his calling, his business; his
avocations are the things that &C.
cupy him incidentally.
Do not use balance in the sense
of rest, remainder, residunm, or
remnant. The word is only per-
Missile where the smile OF the
scales will apply as in bookkeep-
er's balance.
Do not confound bountiful with
plentiful. Bountiful means liber-
al, beneficent.
Distinguish character from repu-
tation. SANDER may harm repu-
tation, but not character.
I Commence is called vulgar by
many authorities. Begin is far
preferable, because it Is shorter
and is Anglo-Saxon.
Consider means to contemplate,
to ponder. Do not use for think,
suppose, or regard.
Constantly is not synonymous
with frequently. Constantly means
uninterruptedly.
Deprecate is wrongly used for
disapprove, censure, condemn.
The word really means to beg or
pray against.
Description should not be used
for kind or sort. Say, ellis clothes
were of the meanest Sort" and not,
"of the meanest description
Dirt means filth. A thing that
is dirty is foul. Do not used earth,
loan, gravel or sand.
Do not use expect for suppose,
think, or guess.
Farther should be used exclu-
sively with reference to distance
In other connections use further,
Got is more misused than any
IVORY in the language. Get expresses
attainment by exertion; posses
sion is completely expressed by
have. 81 have got" is in nine
cases out of ton vulgar error /;
as in, 81 have got a book in my
hand"
Gratuitous should not be used
for unbound, untrue, unreason-
able.
Less relates to quantity; fewer
relates to numbers.
A man is liable to that to which
he is exposed, or obliged or sub
ject; but he is not liable to act.
Do not confound with likely.
Mutual is not synonymous with
common. Macaulay says: "Mutual
friend is a low vulgarism for
friend"
Number is often used as a verb
where has is meant, as in "the
lodge numbers forty members"
In the fall of 1898 son of Mr..
L. A. Mcfarland, prominent
merchant of Live Oak, Suffer Co.,
Cal. was taken with q very heavy