to discreetly mention that 'discreet' has a discrete meaning from 'discrete'?

[IHeartKingThistle]

The one you want for breastfeeding is 'discreet.'

'Discrete' means 'separate from'.

As you were. Except for, you know, the discrete thing.

No wish to offend!

[HoratiaWinwood]

Thumbwitch yes! Breath/breathe on labour threads drives me loopy too.

[Thumbwitch]

I want to add another one! Sooth is not the same as soothe! You soothE your baby, sooth is a noun that means truth (old fashioned) and can be mostly found at the beginning of the word soothsayer these days.

[Thumbwitch]

[HoratiaWinwood]

Thumbwitch - yes, that's the one!

I was thinking it was "wee timeous beastie" which is something quite different.

[Thumbwitch]

Horatia - you were getting mixed up with "timorously", I believe.

OP, YANBU. And I'm glad you mentioned it.

[SauvignonBlanche]

Seeker, you fell for it!

[slouchingtowardsBethlehem]

thanks for enlightening me about timely/timeous - sorry my gratitude was not timeously expressed

[landrover]

Ladies i have an item that is free or for nothing, IT IS NOT FOR FREE!!! when did that phrase start? it is so wrong!

[HoratiaWinwood]

I am corrected. It seems timeous means "early enough", of which the adverb is "timeously", and timely is an adjective meaning "with fortunate timing".

So syntactically they are not interchangeable (one adjective, one adverb) and semantically there is a distinction too.

[WilsonFrickett]

Timely is at a favourable time - a timely warning - timeously is more to do with being in good time for something. Post this timeously to meet the deadline.

[13Iggis]

This! This! Not they.

[13Iggis]

Timeously just means timely or in good time I think? As opposed to timidly.
Not understanding yawn as they is very exciting stuff

[YellowAndGreenAndRedAndBlue]

You are not really being unreasonable, but .

[Thingymajigs]

Everyone on this thread would find themselves very busy over on Reddit. There is a growing number of American adults using "on accident" "should of" "I could care less" and "than" when they mean "then".

[HoratiaWinwood]

I think timeously means "in a frightened way" but am ready to be corrected.

[slouchingtowardsBethlehem]

ooo this is my chance to find out:

timely

timeously

Do they mean the same thing? Can they be used interchangeably? (and that must be wrong too??? go on, enjoy yourselves and educate me)

[SelfconfessedSpoonyFucker]

Oh and I live with a 12 year old grammar nazi who corrects informational signs that DH tapes helpfully around the house.

For example,

"To open door, roll back mat" (new rug was preventing cupboard door opening and trying to force it was not helping new rug stay new).

was changed to

"Before opening door, please roll back the mat" with copious use of red pencil.

DH was not amused at either grammar nazi or his mother who thought it was funny.

Perhaps he has a career as an editor ahead of him!

[SelfconfessedSpoonyFucker]

Has anyone mentioned the awful

"I'll be with you momentarily"?

or

"I feel nauseous"

I'm not one to talk though. I use irregardless and "I could care less" wantonly because they tickle me. It is even funnier when someone thinks I don't know any better and corrects me.

[BoringSchoolChoiceNickname]

Well done OP - that's at least 5 people on this thread converted to the cause of Rightness, not to mention all the lurkers. A good evening's work.

Do we think disinterested/uninterested needs its own thread? It's been done before but it's going to take years of dedicated work to make headway into the tide of Wrongness.

[limitedperiodonly]

Why, thank you apostropheuse

People who mix up disingenuous with naive. Particularly because it's always used in an insult which just makes the insulter look silly.

[Bossybritches22]

ahhhhhh

Lose/Loose next on my list too


Along with the sign for the lift to the Piccadilly line at Earls Court tube station

"The next lift shall be lift number 4" The nice lady recording says it too.

The person banging he head on the lift wall is probably me.

[conantg]

And you keep things in kitchen drawers. Not draws!!!

[seeker]

Ahhhhgggggggg- just noticed you, SauvignonBlanche- how very dare you!

[seeker]

And disinterested and uninterested are completely different words. Grrrrrrrrr!

[conantg]

Yesterday I was given a receipt in the Post Office which contained the word "seperate".