For all intensive purposes this is an Eggcorn
Do you feel like you’re dancing the jive when things don’t seem to jibe? Perhaps someone has told you they are floundering when really they are foundering. Do you have problems honing in on the pronunciation of certain words and phrases, such as homing in. Could it be possible that you believe mighty oaks come from tiny eggcorns rather than acorns?
If so, the Eggcorn database might be the resource for you. This linguistic database contains more than five hundred examples of commonly misspelled or misused expressions. Browse some of the 580 entries and soon you will eliminate one fowl swoop in one fell swoop.
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Comments
I am not one who compulsively corrects another’s misused expressions (I usually just enjoy them). However, when I saw “intensive purposes” in my RSS list I thought, “I need to drop this guy a quick note … maybe he can correct it before he gets embarrassed.”
Thank you for the trick and the laugh.
Now, I’m going to enjoy browsing the database to see if they have any jewels that can compete with my mom “playing it to the hill” or “playing it up the hilt.”
Misused words and phrases are high atop my list of pet peeves. You had me going there… “intensive purposes” made me twitch.