Page:A Desk-Book of Errors in English.djvu/167

 or faculty," may be but pairs of synonyms. The locution "will nor disposition," "power nor faculty," distinguishes the two members of a pair as different.

not. Compare.

notable: Discriminate carefully between the different meanings of this word. A notable event is an event worthy of note; a notable woman is one who exercises care or skill or is prudent as in housewifery.

noted. Compare.

nothing like: Not to be used adverbially for not nearly. Do not say "He was nothing like as handsome as his brother," but "He was not nearly so handsome," etc.

nothing to nobody: An ungrammatical phrase used for "no one's business." Say, rather, "not anything to any one."

not on your life: A vulgar phrase for "not by any means."

notorious is so commonly applied to that which is unfavorably known to the general public, as a notorious crime, just as noted is applied to that which is favorably distinguished, as a noted speech, that it is well not to confound the expressions, but to reserve their use for their own several functions. However, the rule is not invariably followed; for the following expression by Spencer, on "Education" is good. "It is notorious that the mind like the body, can not assimilate beyond a certain rate." 151