To wonder what mental image people have for 'towing the line'...

[LaFlambeau]

When the correct expression is 'toeing the line'?

Yes, mad, isn't it? I also always wonder what people think a fine "toothcomb" is...

I was about to comment that it was actually "toeing"

'Toothcomb' - for combing outbthe bits of gristle between your teeth, right?

Toothcomb... Like a toothbrush, obviously

And when people 'reign someone in' (rein them in). To be fair, reign does have connotations of getting someone to do what they're told, but the original is a nice metaphor which actually makes sense!

Or when people take a different 'tact' instead of tack. Loses all sense of meaning.

Although incorrect, 'giving free reign' almost makes sense. Perhaps that's where the reign/rein confusion arises.

'Intensive purposes'

I think the towing the line brigade imagine someone hauling on a rope, possibly in the manner of sailors, so maintaining the image of working together.

Duck tape. Made from ducks or used to stick a few ducks together?

I realise this topic should be in Pedant's Corner really, which annoys the pedant in me...but while we are here, may I vent my spleen about "unfortunately"?
I am hearing it pronounced (on the BBC!) as "unfortunely" over and over again!

Fine tooth comb is just picky, it's just the emphasis you are questioning?

I mean this thread, not this topic. Apols!Soz!

And duck tape is a brand

I thought the saying was 'going at a rate of noughts', instead of 'nots', i thought there were lots of naughts because you were literally going soo fast, ie add on lots of noughts.....

Duck tape is a trade name for a brand of duct tape, so either would be ok. Like saying Sellotape instead of sticky tape, or Hoover instead of vacuum cleaner.

X post Gymbo!

its a fine toothed comb gymboywalton.

It's not pedantry - I'm genuinely curious to know what people imagine 'line towing' to be!

And a "shoe in" is surely very different from a "shoo in"?

That's brilliant, Schnicky!

laflambeau, it gets right on my dh's tits, so i make sure to always say it now :)

Shnickyschnackers it's actually a rate of knots, not 'nots' or 'naughts' . 'Tis a nautical measure of speed.

I'll tell you one that's on the tv all the time here (Australia), 'the pointy end of the stick'. In Masterchef etc they often say its getting to the pointy end of the competition. WTF does that mean, where does that 'saying' even come from?

Schnicky it's actually a rate of knots, ie nautical miles...