Idioms are commonly misused since their figurative meaning is often different from the literal meaning of the words contained within them — you can’t always use context clues to figure out the correct phrasing. Perhaps you heard someone use an expression when you were a child, and while you didn’t know exactly what it meant, you understood the situation. You might repeat the wrong words in the right context for years before someone corrects you. In another example, someone might hear a new phrase while learning English, but because they don’t see it written down, they mix up the words — even though they understand the nuance and tone of the turn of phrase. And then there are misused expressions that result from homophones, words that sound alike but differ in meaning. Here are some of the most common phrases that people get wrong.
The incorrect version might incite a few giggles, but the correct phrase is “nip it in the bud,” meaning to end something before it grows (as in a budding plant) and gets out of hand. No butts involved.
It’s correct to say “on purpose,” so naturally “on accident” is the opposite, right? Wrong. The correct usage is “by accident.”
If you could care less about something, that means you still care about it, and there’s an amount of caring to drop until you reach zero. If you really want to tell someone how few rat tails you have to give, tell them you “couldn’t care less.”
However, this is one of those situations where the “incorrect” version is so popular and commonly understood (as with “irregardless”) that both versions have become widely accepted.
It may sound like “could of” when said out loud, but it’s spelled “could’ve.” It’s a contraction of two words — “could” and “have.”
If worse comes to worse, we’re in exactly the same situation. But if worse comes to worst, we’re in trouble. It’s time to prepare for even worse than the worst you thought could come.
This mix-up kind of makes sense — after all, a seed is planted deep in the ground. But the metaphor is still wrong. The correct phrase is “deep seated,” meaning something is rooted deeply in place and likely hidden.
From a starting point, a 360-degree revolution will land you right back at the beginning, as it’s a full circle. When you’re trying to make big changes, or do the exact opposite of something, the metaphor you want is “do a 180.”
While there’s no “statue” dedicated to limitations, there is a “statute of limitations.” This part of a law specifies how long justice can legally be served after a crime is committed.
This one is tricky, because you could indeed get rid of unwanted items in a pawn shop. However, the original idiom is “palm off,” and it means to trick someone into doing something or accepting something. It’s related to sleight-of-hand magic tricks, such as making a quarter disappear in the palm of the hand.
Skills can be honed (as a blade is sharpened, or honed), but you can’t hone in on something. The correct term is “home in,” such as with a homing pigeon bred and trained to find its way home. If you’re homing in, you’re getting close to your goal, or finding what you seek.
There is something satisfying about the thought of pulling out revenge, but that’s not the correct usage. “Exacting revenge” means you demand your desire for revenge to be satisfied. Imagine Inigo Montoya, demanding exact retribution for his father.
