Lili Saintcrow4d ago
To “hone” something is to sharpen its edge. To “home in” is to find and follow the signal that helps a plane return to base.
Show threadLili Saintcrow4d ago

Also, to “bail out” is to remove water from inside a boat so it may continue to float. To “bale out” is to jump from a plane. A “bailout” is when a company is kept afloat by an infusion of cash.

English is fun.

Show threadLili Saintcrow
To “reign” is to rule over something; “free rein” is when a horse’s reins (leather bridle straps) are held loosely to allow the horse its choice of speed and direction.
Apr 2 at 4:45pmWeb
Show threadLili Saintcrow4d ago
No, really, I swear, English is fun!
Show threadLili Saintcrow4d ago
Using these terms precisely and correctly adds meaning (or in certain cases in-jokes and shades of irony) to one’s writing. It’s part of the fun of making art, and you must *know* the rules before you can break them *effectively*.
Show threadLili Saintcrow4d ago
(Not so incidentally, newspaper editors ought to know these differences, if only to appear of basic competence.)
Show threadLili Saintcrow4d ago

I’ll break grammar rules all day, punctuation ones idiosyncratically, and spelling occasionally when it pleases me. But by and large I want to break them *consciously*, to impart meaning.

Thus endeth the (small, irritated) lecture.

Show threadStoneface Vimes4d ago
@lilithsaintcrow and all of this has earned you a follow.
Show threadD. G. Marshall4d ago

@lilithsaintcrow

I have read a published novel where one page contained the following:

"Edit: Diffuse is to cause to spread out freely. You want defuse, which is to make less dangerous, tense, or hostile."

Show threadKeith Dawson4d ago

@lilithsaintcrow

The Treasury Secretary wanted to bale out the banks but the president rained him in.

Show threadHerzleid4d ago
@lilithsaintcrow YES.Thank you.
Show threadBytebro 🇬🇧 🇺🇦 🇬🇱4d ago

@lilithsaintcrow

I like words. Little posts like this make me happy 🙂

Show threadMichael W Lucas 4d ago

@lilithsaintcrow

"Romance and espionage writers understand "discreet" vs "discrete"" Challenge 2026--and every other year.

Show threadnethope4d ago
@mwl @lilithsaintcrow AMEN!!! to all of the above
Show threadLili Saintcrow4d ago
@mwl bwahahahaha omg don’t get me started on “peaks” vs “peeks”
Show threadEsslar24d ago
@lilithsaintcrow @mwl "Lead" instead of "led."
Show threadMy camera shoots fascists4d ago

@lilithsaintcrow @mwl

This discussion piques my interest in these words

Show threadOwen G. Richards - ANTIFAscist4d ago

@lilithsaintcrow

😇 Is this a general observation of "faux pas" usage of words?

Without mentioning homonyms - what about "bring" vs "take" / would have (done sth) vs had (done sth)?

Just curious...

Show threadAlexxKay3d ago

@lilithsaintcrow
And "pique"!

I have occasionally seen amateur porn writing referring to breasts in a way that either "peaks" or "peeks" could be correct, though not with the same meaning 🙂.

Show threadMikeStok4d ago
@lilithsaintcrow don’t forget rain!
Show threadCharnock4d ago
@lilithsaintcrow and "Rain" is just a state of existence here in Ireland
Show threadquixote4d ago
@lilithsaintcrow Thank you! Sometimes I think we need a CarTalk-style dope slap tradition. Did you just say something without knowing what it means? Dope slap!