Response Magic 
20 Embarrassing Phrases
Even Smart People Misuse
By: Christina Desmarais
Even reputable websites
have been caught screwing up these idioms, which spell check often doesn't find
When you hear someone
using grammar incorrectly do you make an assumption about his or her
intelligence or education?
There's no doubt that
words are powerful things that can leave a lasting impression on those with
whom you interact.
In fact, using an idiom incorrectly
or screwing up your grammar is akin to walking into a meeting with messy hair.
That's according to Byron
Reese, CEO of the venture-backed internet startup Knowingly.
The company recently
launched Correctica, a tool
that scans websites looking for errors that spell checkers miss.
And the business world
is no exception. "When I look for these errors on LinkedIn profiles,
they're all over the place--tens of thousands," he says.
Correctica recently
scanned a handful of prominent websites and you might be surprised at how many
errors it found.
Here is Reese's list of
the some of the most commonly misused phrases on the Web.
1. Prostrate cancer
It's an easy misspelling
to make--just add an extra r and "prostate
cancer" becomes "prostrate cancer," which
suggests "a cancer of lying face-down on the ground."
Both the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Mayo Clinic websites include this
misspelling.
2. First-come, first-serve
This suggests that
the first person to arrive has to serve all who follow.
The actual phrase is
"first-come, first-served," to indicate that the participants will be
served in the order in which they arrive.
Both Harvard and Yale got
this one wrong.
3. Sneak peak
A "peak" is a
mountain top. A "peek" is a quick look.
The correct expression is
"sneak peek," meaning a secret or early look at something.
This error appeared on
Oxford University's site as well as that of the National Park Service.
4. Deep-seeded
This should be
"deep-seated," to indicate that something is firmly established.
Though
"deep-seeded" might seem to make sense, indicating that something is
planted deep in the ground, this is not the correct expression.
Correctica found this
error on the Washington Post and the White House websites.
5. Extract revenge
To "extract"
something is to remove it, like a tooth.
The correct expression is
"exact revenge," meaning to achieve revenge.
Both The New York Times and the BBC have made this error.
6. I could care less
"I couldn't care
less" is what you would say to express maximum apathy toward a situation.
Basically you're saying,
"It's impossible for me to care less about this because I have no more
care to give. I've run out of care."
Using the incorrect
"I could care less" indicates that "I still have care left
to give--would you like some?"
7. Shoe-in
"Shoo-in" is a
common idiom that means a sure winner. To "shoo" something is to urge
it in a direction.
As you would shoo a
fly out of your house, you could also shoo someone toward victory.
The expression started in
the early 20th century, relating to horse racing, and broadened to politics
soon after. It's easy to see why the "shoe-in" version is so common,
as it suggests the door-to-door sales practice of moving a foot into the
doorway to make it more difficult for a prospective client to close the door.
But "foot in the
door" is an entirely different idiom.
8. Emigrated to
With this one there is no
debate. The verb "emigrate" is always used with the preposition
"from," whereas immigrate is always used with the preposition
"to."
To emigrate is to come
from somewhere, and to immigrate is to go to somewhere.
"Jimmy emigrated from
Ireland to the United States" means the same thing as "Jimmy
immigrated to the United States from Ireland."
It's just a matter of what
you're emphasizing--the coming or the going.
9. Slight of hand
"Sleight of
hand" is a common phrase in the world of magic and illusion, because
"sleight" means dexterity or cunning, usually to deceive.
On the other hand, as a
noun, a "slight" is an insult.
10. Honed in
First, it's important to
note that this particular expression is hotly debated.
Many references now
consider "hone in" an proper alternate version of "home
in."
That said, it is still
generally accepted that "home in" is the more correct phrase.
To home in on something
means to move toward a goal, such as "The missile homed in on its
target."
To "hone" means
to sharpen. You would say, "I honed my résumé writing skills." But
you would likely not say, "The missile honed in on its target."
When followed by the
preposition "in," the word "hone" just doesn't make sense.
11. Baited breath
The term "bated"
is an adjective meaning suspense. It originated from the verb
"abate," meaning to stop or lessen.
Therefore, "to wait
with bated breath" essentially means to hold your breath with
anticipation.
The verb "bait,"
on the other hand, means to taunt, often to taunt a predator with its prey.
A fisherman baits his line
in hopes of a big catch.
Considering the meaning of
the two words, it's clear which is correct, but the word "bated" is
mostly obsolete today, leading to ever-increasing mistakes in this expression.
12. Piece of mind
This should be
"peace" of mind, meaning calmness and tranquility.
The expression "piece
of mind" actually would suggest doling out sections of brain.
13. Wet your appetite
This expression is more
often used incorrectly than correctly--56 percent of the time it appears
online, it's wrong.
The correct idiom is
"whet your appetite." "Whet" means to sharpen or stimulate,
so to "whet your appetite" means to awaken your desire for something.
14. For all intensive
purposes
The correct phrase is
"for all intents and purposes." It originates from English law dating
back to the 1500s, which used the phrase "to all intents, constructions,
and purposes" to mean "officially" or "effectively."
15. One in the same
"One in the
same" would literally mean that the "one" is inside the same
thing as itself, which makes no sense at all.
The proper phrase is
"one and the same," meaning the same thing or the same person.
For example, "When
Melissa was home schooled, her teacher and her mother were one and the
same."
16. Make due
When something is due, it
is owed.
To "make due"
would mean to "make owed," but the phrase to "make do" is
short for "to make something do well" or "to make something
sufficient." When life gives you lemons, you make do and make lemonade.
17. By in large
The phrase "by and
large" was first used in 1706 to mean "in general."
It was a nautical phrase
derived from the sailing terms "by" and "large."
While it doesn't have a
literal meaning that makes sense, "by and large" is the correct
version of this phrase.
18. Do diligence
While it may be easy to
surmise that "do diligence" translates to doing something diligently,
it does not.
"Due diligence"
is a business and legal term that means you will investigate a person or business
before signing a contract with them, or before formally engaging in a business
deal together.
You should do your due
diligence and investigate business deals fully before committing to them.
19. Peaked my interest
To "pique" means
to arouse, so the correct phrase here is "piqued my interest,"
meaning that my interest was awakened.
To say that something
"peaked my interest" might suggest that my interest was taken to the
highest possible level, but this is not what the idiom is meant to convey.
20. Case and point
The correct phrase in this
case is "case in point," which derives its meaning from a dialect of
Old French.
While it may not make any
logical sense today, it is a fixed idiom.
Worried that poorly
functioning spell checkers will make you look bad?
Run things like your
résumé, blog posts and the content of important emails through
Correctica's "Proof It Free" tool.
