Page:A Desk-Book of Errors in English.djvu/217

 sun"; "a splendid diamond." A heroic deed may be called splendid but a good story hardly so.

split or cleft infinitive: A form of expression in which the sign of the infinitive "to" and its verb are separated by some intervening word, usually an adverb, as in the phrase, "to quickly return": severely condemned by purists.

spondulix: Vulgarism for "money," now passing out of use.

spoonfuls, spoons full: These words have distinctive meanings. Spoonfuls means one spoon filled repeatedly; spoons full means several spoons filled once. Compare.

spout, up the: A vulgarism for "with the pawnbroker," or "out of sight."

spree, to go on a: Formerly this phrase designated indulgence in boisterous frolic and excess of drink: latterly the term has been used to denote "going on an outing for the day."

square, on the: A colloquialism for "with fair intention or with reputation for fair dealing; honest."

stake, steak: Exercise care in the use of these homophones. A stake is a stick or post, as of wood; a steak is a slice of meat. Note the difference in spelling.

standpoint should not be used for "point of view."

stationary, stationery: Exercise care in the use of these words. Stationary is remaining in one place or 201