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Any. This word is sometimes made to do service for at all. We say properly, "She is not any better"; but we can not properly say, "She does not see any," meaning that she is blind.

Anybody else.

"Public-school teachers are informed that anybody else's is correct."-N. Y. Times. An English writer says: "In such phrases as anybody else, and the like, else is often put in the possessive case, as, 'anybody else's servant'; and some grammarians defend this use of the possessive case, arguing that somebody else is a compound noun." It is better grammar and more euphonious to consider else as being an adjective, and to form the possessive by adding the apostrophe and s to the word that else qualifies; thus, anybody's else, nobody's else, somebody's else.

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The expressions some one else, any one else, every one else, somebody else, etc., are in good usage treated as substantive phrases and have the possessive inflection upon the else: as, 'somebody else's umbrella'; but some prefer to treat them simply as elliptical expressions; as 'the umbrella is somebody's else' (i. e., other than the person previously mentioned).”—Standard Dictionary.

Anyhow. "An exceedingly vulgar phrase," says Professor Mathews, in his Words: Their Use and Abuse. "Its use in any manner, by one who professes to write and speak the English tongue with purity, is unpardonable." Professor Mathews seems to have a special dislike for this colloquialism. It is recognized by the lexicographers, and I think is generally accounted, even by the careful, permissible in conversation, though incompatible with dignified diction, in which such phrases as "in any event," "be that as it may," "at any rate," and the like, are to be preferred.

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Aphorism. A principle or precept, either in science or in morals, that is presented to the understanding in a a few words, is called an aphorism.

"Strain the phraseology and you weaken the effect."

"When the words outnumber the thoughts, some of them are only in the way."

"He that writes thoroughly well never uses more words or bigger words than are really necessary."

'Intemperance in the use of language is as much to be censured as intemperance in anything else; like intemperance in other things, its effect is vulgarizing."

Apostrophe. Turning from the person or persons to whom a discourse is addressed and appealing to some person or thing absent, constitutes what, in rhetoric, is called the apostrophe. The following are some examples: "O gentle sleep,

Nature's soft nurse, how have I frighted thee,
That thou no more wilt weigh my eyelids down,
And steep my senses in forgetfulness?

"Sail on, thou lone imperial bird

Of quenchless eye and tireless wing!"

"Help, angels, make assay!

Bow, stubborn knees! and heart with strings of steel,
Be soft as sinews of the new-born babe :

All may yet be well!"

Appear. See SEEM.

Appreciate. If any word in the language has cause to complain of ill-treatment, this one has. Appreciate means, to estimate justly—to set the true value on men or things, their worth, beauty, or advantages of any sort whatsoever. Thus, an overestimate is no more appreciation than is an underestimate. A man is appreciated when his good and his bad qualities are justly considered

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in our estimate of him. "I appreciate him highly' -an expression we often hear-is nonsense. "I have great regard for him," or, "I think a great deal of him," or, "I hold him in high esteem," is what we should say.

We value, or prize, things highly, not appreciate them highly. This word is also very improperly made to do service for rise or increase in value; thus, "Land appreciates rapidly in the West."

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Dr. L. T. Townsend misuses appreciate in his Art of Speech, vol. i, p. 142, thus: "The laws of harmony may allow copiousness . . . in parts of a discourse . . . in order that the condensation of other parts may be the more highly appreciated." If the doctor had written more thoroughly appreciated he would have " 'passed muster."

Here is a very extraordinary use of the word by Mr. Chauncey Depew: "He appreciated that his countrymen had a claim on his memory."

Apprehend-Comprehend. The English often use the first of these two words where we use the second. Both express an effort of the thinking faculty; but to ap prehend is simply to take an idea into the mind-it is the mind's first effort-while to comprehend is fully to understand. We are dull or quick of apprehension. Children apprehend much that they do not comprehend. Trench says, "We apprehend many truths which [that] we do not comprehend." 'Apprehend," says Crabb, expresses the weakest kind of belief, the having [of] the least idea of the presence of a thing."

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There is a distinction between the faculties of comprehension and apprehension. If I take the distance of a fixed star, it is beyond my mind to grasp the enormous distance. If I calculate that distance, at every step I know I am right. So we are able to support and sustain a truth,

and yet we can not entirely grasp and master it. It is in this manner that we apprehend the infinite.”—Monsignor Capel.

Approach. Sometimes very improperly used in the sense of address, petition, memorialize, appeal to; thus, “The teachers have approached the Educational Department in some matters that concern their interest."

Approach is frequently used in a sense that implies bribery, when the approaching is supposed to be done covertly, by insinuation or cautious intimation.

Apt. Often misused for likely, and sometimes for liable. "What is he apt to be doing?" "Where shall I be apt to find him?" If properly directed, it will be apt to reach me." In such sentences as these likely is the proper word to use. "If you go there you will be apt to get into trouble." Here either likely or liable is the proper word, according to the thought the speaker would

convey.

Arctics. See RUBBERS.

Aren't. A contraction of are not, frequently heard, yet never to be preferred to are you not or are they not. Unlike "we're," "you're," "I'm," "I'll," "they'll," "he'll," etc., which are all contractions of the verb only, aren't can hardly be considered good colloquial usage.

Artist. Of late years this word has been appropriated by the members of so many crafts that it has wellnigh been despoiled of its meaning. Your cook, your barber, your tailor, your bootmaker, and so on to satiety, are all artists. Painters, sculptors, architects, actors, and singers, nowadays, generally prefer being thus called, rather than to be spoken of as artists.

As. In an affirmative proposition, as corresponds to as: "This is as good as that."

In a negative proposition, so corresponds to as: "This is not so good as that." Many writers are not careful to make this distinction.

As is sometimes very improperly used instead of that: "Not as [that] I know." "I don't know as [that] they have either as a matter of law or of necessity."

As, preceded by such or by same, has the force of a relative applying to persons or to things. "He offered me the same conditions as he offered you." "The same conditions that" would be equally proper. See also

LIKE.

Ascribe. See IMPUTE.

Aside. Sometimes misused for apart.

"Words have a potency of association aside from their significance as representative signs."-Dr. William Mathews.

"Aside," says Prof. J. S. Blackwell, "in the sense of separately, as a subject of thought, is an Americanism, and is unknown and altogether unexemplified in correct and classical English. The proper word is apart."

Asperse. This word and its synonyms are employed by few persons in their true sense. Each word denotes an effort made in a particular way to injure. To asperse, is to speak slightingly of any one, and to insinuate that he is less worthy than he is generally believed to be. To detract, is to ascribe acts to unworthy motives, or otherwise to seek to lessen seeming merit. There must always be some supposed good in the object detracted-charity or liberality, for example. To defame, is openly to advance some serious charge against a person; to censure maliciously and falsely in public. To slander, is to circulate an evil report, being heedless of its truth. To calumniate, is to fabricate and circulate anything to the injury of another. Ill report

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