Borne, with an e, is synonymous with carried. It’s the appropriate participle corresponding to bear in contexts unrelated to birth. So it is the correct word in the phrasal verb borne out (e.g., His prediction was not borne out in reality), and it’s used in phrasal adjectives such as food-borne, mosquito-borne, and water-borne. [Read more...]
In the process of
In the process of is wordy for currently, which itself is almost always unnecessary. So, in most cases, in the process of could be removed with no loss of meaning. [Read more...]
Currently
The adverb currently is almost always unnecessary. It usually just restates information already conveyed through verb tenses and can be dropped with no loss of meaning. [Read more...]
Obsolescent vs. obsolete
Things that are obsolescent are fading from general use and soon to become obsolete. Things that are obsolete are out of date or no longer in general use. So, for example, the Windows XP operating system (released in 2001) is not obsolete because some people still use it, but it is obsolescent because it will presumably be fading from use over the next few years. [Read more...]
Impassive vs. passive
The adjectives impassive and passive may seem like they should be opposites (im- sometimes being a negative prefix), but they are actually very similar in meaning. Impassive means (1) devoid of or not subject to emotion, or (2) not showing emotion. It describes a mental state. [Read more...]
Psychiatry vs. psychology
Psychiatry is a branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental and emotional disorders. Psychology is the science of mind and behavior. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor. Psychologists may work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts, but they generally can’t prescribe medication (at least in the U.S.). [Read more...]
Chasten vs. chastise
Chastise means to punish or castigate. Chasten means to discipline or subdue. So chastisement is harsher, and chastening can be subtle and event gentle. Both verbs are rooted in the adjective chaste, and they were interchangeable until a century or two ago. They are still often mixed up, but careful writers keep them separate. [Read more...]
Marshal vs. martial
Martial is only an adjective, and its definitions are narrow—namely, (1) of or relating to war, (2) relating to the armed forces, and (3) characteristic of or befitting a warrior. [Read more...]
Throw under the bus
The clichéd expression throw under the bus means, roughly, (1) to betray, (2) to callously dispose of, or (3) to pass blame onto another for selfish reasons. It has been ubiquitous in the U.S. media for several years. While the expression might work in rare circumstances, it reeks of hyperbole and introduces violent imagery where it usually isn’t called for. [Read more...]
