Talk:List of commonly misused English words

On Bicycles…

The number of people who refer to “breaks” and “peddles” is almost enough to drive one to drink. Mr Larrington (talk) 18:13, 24 June 2023 (UTC)

Along those lines what drives me nuts is the current use of "Shooting Brake" to refer to a station wagon (usually English). In the 1800s, a "break" was a wagon or carriage used to break horses to drive. It was large (the heavier the better to control frisky young horses) and typically had a large flat wooden top above the wheels with a seat for the driver. Over time two or more rows of seats were added to the flat surface to carry passengers to a shoot, with an area behind for their guns and, if successful after the shoot, their birds. Thus, the name "shooting break." Sadly, people confused "break" for "brake," not knowing the history of this carriage. "Brake" apparently seemed right because that was what an automobile had to stop it.

Podium

This word is misused all the time. The word refers to a raised standing area. It is confused for "lectern." One does not stand behind a podium. One stands on a podium and behind a lectern.

Prosecute and persecute

Are prosecute and persecute another pair of commonly misused words? Windywendi (talk) 00:50, 18 January 2024 (UTC)

I've never seen them conflated myself, but it warrants inclusion if there's a reliable source showing that they are. Justin Kunimune (talk) 12:51, 18 January 2024 (UTC)

'Prosecute' vs. 'Persecute' - Merriam-Webster Is that a reliable source for you? Windywendi (talk) 21:40, 31 January 2024 (UTC)

Sure, seems reasonable to me. Justin Kunimune (talk) 22:22, 1 February 2024 (UTC)

Lie lay laid

@Nohat: In my experience, lay and laid are two of the most misused words in English, as much as or not far behind its-it's, there-their-they're, and lead-led. This article, I believe, is their most appropriate location. I'm not aware of lie-lay-laid as disputed, only as misunderstood. The Disputed article does not mention any controversy about lie-lay-laid; it simply provides the correct definitions. If you feel duplicating them there and here is harmful, I urge that the words be removed from the Disputed article and included only in this article, where they much more closely fulfill the premise of the article title. DonFB (talk) 00:01, 5 July 2024 (UTC)

The criteria for this page, as written in the introduction, specifies:

The words listed below are frequently used in ways that major English dictionaries do not condone in any definition

As there are major English language dictionaries which give definitions of "lay" as "lie" and vice-versa, they don't meet the criteria for inclusion on this page. This page is only for usages that dictionaries do not acknowledge or condone. Cases like "lay" and "lie", where the supposed "incorrect" usage is frequent enough to be noted in major dictionaries, are discussed on the disputed usage page. Nohat (talk) 21:20, 7 July 2024 (UTC)

Gambit vs Gamut

I see ran the gambit, full gambit, etc. often Fancyshrew (talk) 16:52, 12 November 2024 (UTC)