Word Choice

This is an error that may get me some nasty letters from my fellow Southerners. It involves the usage of the word mash. Having grown up in the southern United States, I have become accustomed to hearing the word mash used in sentences such as, “Mash the button on the elevator.” However, the best word to use for this sentence would be press. Mash means “to crush,” but press means “to act on with a steady force,” “to bear heavily down on,” or “to squeeze or compress.” Just remember that you mash potatoes, but you press buttons.

Momentarily can have two meanings: (1) in a moment, or (2) for a moment.

Examples:

1. The food will be served momentarily.
2. The meeting will adjourn momentarily.

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Nauseous and nauseated have two different definitions, but recently they have become almost interchangeable. (more…)

The peak of something is the highest point or level:

The hikers reached the mountain’s peak in four hours.

Home values in my neighborhood reached their peak five years ago.

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See peak/pique.

If you’ve ever given a speech or lecture, you more than likely have used a stand called a lectern as a place to lay your papers or notes. However, you probably didn’t refer to the stand as a lectern. Like most people, you probably called it a podium. But a podium is actually a raised platform used to stand upon when speaking in front of a group. Remember that you stand behind a lectern, while you stand on a podium. (more…)

Posterity refers to the future, specifically future generations (often used with for as in “for posterity.”) :

The historical documents were preserved for posterity.

Prosperity refers to wealth or abundance:

Saving and investing wisely will lead to prosperity.

Precede is to go or come before.

Dark clouds and wind often precede a thunderstorm.

Proceed is to move forward or continue.

After presenting your boarding pass and ID, you may proceed to the plane.

According to Merriam-Webster Online, preventive and preventative (as  in preventive or preventative medicine) are interchangeable. Both words originate in the 1600s, though preventive precedes preventative by about 40 years.

My preferred word of choice? Preventive: it has one less syllable and rolls off the tongue more easily.

See also: Merriam-Webster Dictionary’s entries for preventive and preventative.