Champing at the bit or chomping? Champing is the original, chomping is now more common. See the dates, what usage guides say, and which to use when.
Champing at the Bit or Chomping? Which Is Correct Read More »
Sleight of hand or slight of hand? Sleight is correct. See what the old word means, why it is related to sly, and a quick way to remember it.
Sleight of Hand or Slight of Hand? The Correct Spelling Read More »
Toe the line or tow the line? It is toe. See what the phrase means, where it is safe to use, and what the references prove about its origin.
Toe the Line or Tow the Line? The Right Spelling and Why Read More »
Bated breath or baited breath? Bated breath is correct. See the Shakespeare citation and the Merriam-Webster explanation for why the mix-up is so common.
Bated Breath or Baited Breath: Which Is Right? Read More »
Piqued my interest is correct, not peaked or peeked. See the meaning, the French origin of pique, and how to use it in a sentence.
Piqued My Interest, Not Peaked or Peeked Read More »
Free rein or free reign: only one is correct. See the horseback-riding origin, why the mix-up spread, and how to remember it for good.
Free Rein or Free Reign? The Correct Phrase Read More »
Wreak havoc or wreck havoc? Only wreak havoc is standard English. See the correct form, why the mix-up happens, and where it comes from.
Wreak Havoc or Wreck Havoc? The Correct Phrase Read More »
It’s “beck and call,” not “beckon call,” an old phrase for a silent signal. See the real meaning and how to use it correctly.
Beck and Call or Beckon Call? The Correct Phrase Read More »
Nip it in the bud or butt? Bud is correct. Merriam-Webster calls butt an eggcorn, and Phrase Finder traces bud to a 1607 play.
Nip It in the Bud or Butt: Which Is Correct? Read More »
It is ‘intents and purposes,’ a legal phrase the OED dates to 1546. Why ‘intensive purposes’ sounds right, and how to remember the correct form.
For All Intents and Purposes or Intensive Purposes? Read More »
