Page:A Desk-Book of Errors in English.djvu/174

 foundation for its belief. One may have an idea of enjoyment, but hold an opinion on the result of a campaign.

or. Compare.

oral should be differentiated from verbal. The former applies to what is spoken by mouth, whereas the latter indicates that which has been reduced to words.

orate: A term to avoid when "speak, declaim, harangue," or a like word will express what is intended. It may, however, be fittingly used meaning "to play the orator, talk windily in round periods": it meets the canon of "supplying an antecedent blank," and is a legitimate word, especially in humorous or contemptuous use.

ordinance, ordnance: These words have no relation in common. An ordinance is a regulation ordained by some one in authority as a "municipal ordinance." Ordnance is artillery, especially heavy guns, cannon of all kinds, mortars, howitzers, etc.

ornery: A barbarous dialectism for "ordinary" which can not be too severely condemned.

other: This word is often improperly omitted from general comparisons; for instance, "All men are better than he" obviously should be "All other men," etc., as the person excepted of necessity belongs to the class embraced by "all men."

other, otherwise: When these words introduce a clause of comparison they should be followed by the 158