50 Mistreated Words and Desecrated Phrases: Giving leadway

This awkward phrase leads folks far astray down the leeward way. It also makes editors and English teachers want to get the lead out - for real.

Although it’s charitable to give a person the benefit of the doubt, there really is no such way as giving leadway. It’s not about giving someone the lead, as when we might offer someone a head start or a boost.

The correct expression is giving leeway. It means to allow extra freedom, room to move, or time to achieve a desired goal.

Giving leeway can spell smart leadership.

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50 Mistreated Words and Desecrated Phrases: For all intensive purposes

Talk about overreacting! This idiomatic uh-oh really irks me.

Maybe a person’s purposes are truly intense, but the real expression pertains more to intentions than to intensity.

For all intents and purposes, proper writing makes an intense impact on readers, and precise speech has a similar effect on listeners.

For all intents and purposes, it’s an issue of credibility, based on correctness.

(Oh, that’s intense!)

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50 Mistreated Words and Desecrated Phrases: Extract Revenge

Grr. This phrase is ill-gotten at best.

When revenge hits the mark, it’s not extracted, but exacted.

Extract actually means “to remove,” so extracting revenge might refer to removing vengeance, not applying it. 

Extract can also be a flavoring for culinary purposes. In my kitchen cupboard, for example, I have almond extract, peppermint extract, and vanilla extract.

Right or wrong, revenge aims at exactness, not extraction.

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