Shouldn't it be 'pique' their interest, not 'peak' their interest?

[Brucebogtrotterswife]

I've seen this a few times lately.

'This book may peak your interest'.

Isn't it 'pique', or is it interchangeable?

@DropYourSword

Yes but it’s only ever used after a phrase starting “If you think xyz…” like in the Judas Priest lyrics linked above. In this context think makes much more sense than thing. What is the thing that came first? What is the other thing that’s coming?

It’s a play on words meaning to have second thoughts if you think this you’ve got another think coming - two thinks ie second thoughts.

It’s definitely think.

According to Merriam Webster both think and thing are acceptable and both have been used since the 19th century, so there really isn’t one right answer, regardless of how many people argue otherwise

I love that people are getting so worked up over grammar! Makes such a refreshing change from politics or religion or, god forbid, Covid!

Thing doesn’t make sense because there isn’t always a ‘thing’ coming. For example, if a child says ‘I think I should be allowed out by myself’. If parent says ‘if you think that you’ve got another thing coming’ what thing is coming their way? There isn’t one! That’s why the phrase is ‘you’ve got another think coming’ because the child needs to think again.

Here's one that immediately springs to mind... "I can't bare her". No, you can't BEAR her. Another one is "I seen him walking home". Again, it's saw not seen in this instance.

They think they’re going out unaccompanied.
They go out accompanied.
The “thing” is that they are going out accompanied. How is this difficult for some people

But that’s not a ‘thing’ is it? A thing is an object. What object has come to the child in that circumstance?

How is this difficult for some people

Yes but thinking they are going out unaccompanied isn’t actually a thing, it’s a thought, or jocularly a think. They are not going out unaccompanied so need to think again ie “”have another think coming”. They can’t really have another thing coming in this context because they didn’t have a thing in the first place.

How is this difficult for some people?

@Feelingoood

Had a friend who self published the most wonderfully pompous book describing his trip to the Sahara where ‘ there wasn’t a sole to be seen’ Had me in stitches!

Don't know why you found that funny. I doubt there was a sole to be found (or a salmon or a trout or a...).

I had a friend who self published too and he kept using "infinitesimal" to mean a large amount. It was quite a good story and would have made a good read with an editor significantly simplifying the language.

Can I add in the confusion over eek and eke? So many people "eek things out" on here and I just imagine so much shrieking. 😆

@Blueuggboots

His instead of he's, ect instead of etc, their/there/they're 😡😡😡😡

Ect. rather than etc. is more a typo though. I often mistype it. I usually spot it and correct it but I'm sure it's slipped through occasionally.

@ChessieFL

But that’s not a ‘thing’ is it? A thing is an object. What object has come to the child in that circumstance?

How is this difficult for some people

.... the word thing has a much wider definition than simply an object!!

Not according to Cambridge Dictionary dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/thing

@ChessieFL
Scroll down a little on the link you posted!!

It's definitely another think coming.

Seen instead of seeing, been instead of being. I once saw "Am I Been Unreasonable".

My current pet peeve is " you're doing amazing"
Amazingly.
^"Yass Queen! You're doing amazing!"
^
It really annoys me.

Also the usual
bare/bear
wander/wonder
loose/lose

There's another one that I've noticed has just suddenly appeared in great numbers and I can't remember what it is. I'm sure it I'll be reminded of it soon as I browse MN!

... and it's definitely another think coming. Otherwise the saying would have to be "if you thing that, you've got another thing coming."

Still doesn’t define ‘going out accompanied’ as a thing!

The whole point of the phrase is that there is repetition i.e. they have another think coming because they had a think in the first place. As a pp said they can’t have ‘another thing’ coming because they didn’t have a thing in the first place, they had a think!

Thing just doesn’t make sense in this phrase. The fact that enough people get it wrong for it to have become common parlance doesn’t make it correct!

nb to all posters above....for a hobby watch Susie Dent on Countdown.....so interesting

My personal bugbears...

"Bare with me" - I'd rather not, but thanks for the offer.

"I have six pounds to loose" or "My trousers are too lose!"

Loose and Lose don't even sound the same in my Scottish accent - loose has a definite sssss sound and lose has a zzzz sound. Appreciate in other areas of the country this may be different.

I see “diffusing” an argument so often now that “defusing” looks wrong

thing noun (IDEA/EVENT)
A2 [ C ]
used to refer in an approximate way to an idea, subject, event, action, etc.

Pretty sure that covers the idea of going out unaccompanied.

Again, people will argue until they’re blue in the face about this, demanding they’re right. Rather than accept that for well over 100 years either version has been entirely acceptable!

Seen in Oliver Bonas ... ( yes I did tell them)

Like I said DropYourSword, enough people getting something wrong so it enters common parlance doesn’t make it correct!