Page:A Desk-Book of Errors in English.djvu/75

Rh 'unusual,' or more generally 'novel and noticeable.'"—Author:Fitzedward Hall, False Philology, p. 25.

cuss: A vulgar corruption of "curse," designating a worthless or disagreeable person, and as such it should be avoided.—To cuss and swear, that is, "to use blasphemous language" is a phrase that also should be avoided by persons having pretensions to refinement.

custom, habit: It is the custom of a person to do a thing until it becomes a habit. From a voluntary act of the will it has grown into an involuntary practise. It will thus be seen that whereas a custom is followed, a habit is acquired. Moreover, as involuntary acts are not predicated of bodies of people, habits are of necessity compared to individuals, "The custom of social nipping tends to individual habits of dissipation."

customs. Compare.

cut it out, with the sense "eliminate," is of recent introduction and may be characterized as expressive though inelegant.

cute, which is an abbreviation of acute and means "shrewd, smart, clever, or bright" is a colloquialism, and as such is not favored in certain literary circles.

 

daisy: A slang intensive, and as an equivalent for "fine" or "charming," applied to persons and 59