tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">ALIENATE.

ante-, anti-: Discriminate carefully between these prefixes. Ante- means “before;” anti- means “opposite to.” Antediluvian means “before the flood”; Antichrist means “opposed to Christ.”

anticipate, expect, hope: As anticipate implies “expectation with confidence and pleasure,” never use it where mere expectation is meant, which applies to that which we have good reason to believe will happen. “I hope for a visit from my friend, though I have no word from him; I expect it, when he writes that he is coming; and as the time draws near I anticipate it,” for I look forward to it with confidence and pleasure.

antiquated. Compare ANCIENT.

any, all, at all: Avoid using any adverbially in place of the adjective. Don’t say “Did you sleep any?” when you mean “Did you have any sleep?” or “Did you sleep at all?”

Since any individualizes or separates, signifying one or some out of a certain quantity or number, and thus differentiating from the whole or entire quantity or number, the word should not be used interchangeably with all. “He is the finest fellow of all” (not of any = of any one fellow) “I have known.”

any, either: Any is used of more than two; either of two only. Do not say “the United States or either of them,” say, rather, “any of them.”

anyhow, anyway: “Forcible colloquial expressions often used to indicate that something is to be done, admitted, believed, or the like, be the circumstances, results or conditions what they may; as ‘Anyhow, I have lost it;’ ‘anyway, I am going.’ In place of these, such expressions as ‘In any event,’ ‘At any rate,’ ‘Be that as it may’ are ordinarily preferred.”—Standard Dictionary.

any place, some place: “He won’t go any place;” “I want to go some place.” Say, rather, “He won’t go anywhere;” “I want to go somewhere.” These are solecisms, unfortunately common, which should be avoided. “Place” may be used as an indirect object only when preceded by a preposition.

anyway, anywhere: Frequently misspelled anyways, anywheres. These words should never be written with a final s.

apostasy: In modern usage the last syllable is spelled with an s. The alternative spelling, apostacy, though occasionally used, is not preferred.

apparent, evident, manifest: Do not confound apparent with evident, because what is apparent may or may not be evident. That is apparent which appears to be, as apparent sincerity; but appearances may be false. Things are not always what they seem. “That is evident of which the mind is made sure by some inference that supplements the fact of perception. That is manifest which we can lay the hand upon: manifest is thus stronger than evident, as touch is more absolute than sight.” See HEIR.

appear, seem: Discriminate carefully between these words. Appear refers to that which manifests itself to the senses; seem applies to that which is manifest to the mind on reflection. Seem gives or creates the impression of being. A man may seem honest but cannot appear so.

appreciate: This verb has the intransitive sense of “to increase in value,” despite the fact that some critics (though without justifiable cause) object to its use in such a phrase as “real estate appreciates as the city grows.”

apprehend, comprehend: These terms are neither synonymous nor interchangeable. To apprehend is to perceive; to comprehend is to understand.

approach: Sometimes incorrectly used for address, petition, etc. One is approached by indirect or covert intimation, suggestion, or question, which he may encourage if he will, or may put aside without formal refusal. Approach is often used in a bad sense, implying the use of bribery or intrigue. Do not say “the teachers have approached the Educational Department for longer intermissions,” when you mean “the teachers have petitioned,” etc.

apt, likely: Words sometimes misapplied. Apt implies natural fitness or tendency; likely applies to a contingent event considered as very probable.

aren’t: For are not when the subject follows; as, “Aren’t you?” “Aren’t they?” The best conversational usage contracts the verb when the subject precedes: “we’re not,” “you’re not,” etc. Similarly we say “I’m not,” “I’ll not.”

argue. Compare AUGUR.

arraign at, before, for, on, after: “The criminal was arraigned at the court” is incorrect; a criminal is arraigned at the bar; before the court; for a crime; on an indictment; after the discovery of his crime.

articles: Two or more words connected by and referring to different things should each be preceded by the article; but when they denote the same thing, the article is commonly used with the first only. “The black-and-white horse” would denote one horse marked with the two colors black and white. “The black and the white horse” would denote two horses, one black and the other white.

as ... as, so ... as. The Standard Dictionary says: A shade of difference in their meanings, as strictly used in comparisons, is often neglected. So ... as suggests that, in the comparison of the persons or things mentioned, there is present in the mind of the speaker a consciousness of a considerable degree of the quality considered; as ... as does not carry this impression. In “John is not as tall as James” there is no implication that the speaker regards either John or James as tall; there is merely a comparison of their heights. So, too, in “John is not as old as James” there is merely a comparison of ages. But if one says, “John is not so tall as James,” though the so is not emphasized, there is understood usually to be a reference more or less distinct to something uncommon in the height of James as compared with the stature of other men or of other boys of his age; the speaker regards James as being tall. “John is not so old as James” suggests that, in some relation or other, James is thought of as being old; as in “James is taller than John.” “Yes, but my boy is not so old as yours.”

In affirmative sentences so