“He is not the best person for the position, but his many kindnesses to me _prejudice_ me in his favor.” We may be prejudiced against a person or thing, but cannot be prejudiced in favor. Use _predispose._
This word is often employed when _think, believe,_ or _daresay _would be better.
“I do not _pretend_ to be an orator.” _Pretend_ means _to feign, to sham;_ as, “He _pretends_ to be asleep,” and should not be used when _claim_ or _profess_ would better suit the purpose.
The correct form of the word is _preventive,_ not _preventative._
The adjective _previous_ is often incorrectly used for the adverb _previously;_ as, “Previous to his imprisonment he made a confession of his crime.”
“I _promise_ you we had a good time yesterday.” _Promise_ relates to the future, hence “I _assure_ you,” etc., would be better.
To _propose_ is to set before the mind for consideration; to _purpose_ is to intend. “I _propose_ sending my son to college” should be “I _purpose,”_ etc. “I _propose_ that you go to college, my son.” “Thank you, father, I accept the proposal.”
The word _sparrowgrass,_ which is a corruption of the word _asparagus,_ illustrates how readily the uneducated mind associates an unusual term with another that is familiar, and as the mental impression is received through the ear, and lacks that definiteness which the printed form would give, the new idea, when repeated, often assumes a picturesque, if not a ludicrous, form. Many of Mrs. Partington’s quaint sayings furnish further illustration.
The following incident, from a Western paper, shows the successive stages in the farmer’s mental operations from the familiar terms _skin, hide, oxhide, _up to the unfamiliar chemical term _oxide,_ through which he was obliged to pass before he succeeded in making known his wants:
The man was in a brown study when he went into the drug store.
“What can we do for you?” inquired the clerk.
“I want black—something of something,” he said; “have you got any?”
“Probably we have,” replied the clerk, “but you’ll have to be more definite than that to get it.”
“Got any black sheepskin of something?” he asked.
“No; we don’t keep sheepskins. We have chamois-skins, though.”
“That ain’t it, I know,” said the customer. “Got any other kind of skins?”