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of these words are in good use?—

      Pianist, harpist, poloist, violinist, phiz, ad, co-ed, curios, exam, cab, chum, gent, hack, gym, pants, mob, phone, proxy, photo, prelim, van, prof, varsity.

Misused Nouns.[22]—Many errors in English consist in using words in senses which are not authorized. Sometimes the use of a word in a wrong sense makes the speaker's meaning obscure. Sometimes it makes him seem ridiculous, as when a person of the writer's acquaintance told a friend to clean an oil-painting by washing it in "torpid" water.In every case the misuse of a word leaves an unpleasant impression on the mind of a cultivated person, and, like all bad English, should be avoided as we avoid bad manners. In the following definitions and exercises a few nouns[23] are selected for study. The distinctions given are not always observed by reputable authors, but they indicate the tendency of the best modern usage.

I. A RESEMBLANCE IN SENSE MISLEADS. [24]

      House, home.—A house is a building. Home means one's habitual abode, "the abiding place of the affections." It may or may not be in a house, and it may include the surroundings of a house.

      Person, party.—A person is an individual, a party is a company of persons, or, in legal usage, a person who is concerned in a contention or agreement.

      Series, succession.—A series is a succession of similar things mutually related according to some law. Succession is properly used of several things following one after the other; it denotes order of occurrence only, and does not imply any connection.

      Statement, assertion.—A statement is a formal setting forth of fact or opinion; an assertion is simply an affirmation of fact or opinion.

      Verdict, testimony.—A verdict is a decision made by a number of men acting as a single body. Testimony is an expression of individual knowledge or belief.

      The whole, all.—The whole is properly used of something which is considered as one thing. When a number of persons or things are spoken of, the proper word is all.

[22] TO THE TEACHER.—It may not be desirable to drill pupils on all the words whose meanings are discriminated here and in chapters V. and VI. In that case it will be easy to select for study those words which the pupils are most likely to misuse. The words discriminated in this book are for the most part those which are mentioned in the "Foundations of Rhetoric," and they have been arranged in the same order. A few other words often misused by my pupils have been added.

[23] For misused verbs and adjectives see pages 92 and 119. [24] "Foundations," pp. 50–53.

       EXERCISE XVIII.

      Tell the difference in meaning between the following:— 1. Mr. Roscoe has no house (home). 2. The hotel clerk says he expects three more parties (persons) on the six o'clock train. 3. There are three persons (parties) concerned in this contract. 4. A succession (series) of delays. 5. This morning's papers publish an assertion (a statement) by Mr. Pullman, which throws new light on the strike.

       EXERCISE XIX.

       Insert the proper word in each blank, and give the reason for your choice.—

      House, home. 1. Whenever a tramp comes to our——, the dog is untied. 2. His new—— will be finished in November. 3. Mr. S. owns a beautiful—— and has a happy——. 4. One can build a very good—— for $6000. 5. ——s are built to live in, not to look on.

      Party, person. 6. There is another—— coming on the evening train, but he will leave to-morrow. 7. A cross-looking—— alighted from the stage-coach and entered the inn. 8. The cause of both——s shall come before the court. 9. Is the—— that wants a carriage at dinner or in his room? 10. He is attached to the king's——. 11. Who was that fat old—— who kept us all laughing?

      Series, succession. 12. The—— of Presidents is a long one. 13. This stamp belongs to the—— of 1864. 14. A—— of calamitous events followed this mistake in policy. 15. A—— of accidents prevented the sailing of the yacht.

      Statement, assertion. 16. The last—— of the bank has been examined. 17. ——unsupported by fact is worthless. 18. The Declaration of Independence contained a clear—— of grievances. 19. The orator's—— was shown to be false.

      Verdict, testimony. 20. The—— of history is that Christianity has improved the condition of women. 21. Let us await the—— of the public. 22. The early Christian martyrs sealed their—— with their blood. 23. The—— of those who saw the murder was contradictory.

      The whole, all. 24. ——(of) the dishes came tumbling to the floor. 25. Tell—— (the) truth. 26. Then you and I and—— of us fell down. 27. Washington was respected by—— (the) people. 28. We sold—— (of) our apples at sixty cents a bushel. 29. He has already packed—— of his books. 30. ——(the) adornments took an appropriate and sylvan character. 31. He readily confided to her—— (the) papers concerning the intrigue. 32. In the afternoon—— of them got into a boat and rowed across the lake.

II. A RESEMBLANCE IN SOUND MISLEADS.[25]

      Acceptance, acceptation.—Acceptance is the "act of accepting"; also "favorable reception": as, "The acceptance of a gift," "She sang with marked acceptance." Acceptation now means "the sense in which an expression is generally understood or accepted."

      Access, accession.—Access has several meanings authorized by good use: (1) outburst; (2) admission; (3) way of entrance. Accession means (1) the coming into possession of a right; or (2) an addition.

Acts, actions.—"Acts, in the sense of 'things done,' is preferable to actions, since actions also means 'processes of doing.'"[26]

      Advance, advancement.—Advance is used in speaking of something as moving forward; advancement, as being moved forward.

Allusion, illusion, delusion.—An allusion is an indirect reference to something not definitely mentioned. Roughly speaking, an illusion is an error of vision; delusion, of judgment. "In literary and popular use an illusion is an unreal appearance presented in any way to the bodily or the mental vision; it is often pleasing, harmless, or even useful. … A delusion is a mental error or deception, and may have regard to things actually existing, as well as to illusions. Delusions are ordinarily repulsive and discreditable, and may even be mischievous."[27]

Avocation, vocation.—"Vocation means 'calling' or 'profession'; avocation, 'something aside from one's regular calling, a by-work.'"[28]

      Completion, completeness.—Completion is "the act of completing"; completeness is "the state of being complete."

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