Misused and abused words / The Phrase

Lead/led - "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink."

from WinCustomize Forums

Let's start with the most common verb form of "lead": It's pronounced leed, with a long e, and it means, more or less, "to guide," "to direct," or "to be first." So far so good. Its past tense is "led," pronounced with a short e. So, "lead"=present, "led"=past. Sounds easy, right?

The reason this gets confusing is that "lead" can also be a noun. With a long e it means "the person in front" or "leash" or "the first card played" or "the distance a base runner is from the base," as well as some others. But it can also be pronounced with a short e, in which case it's the metal that's in a pencil. (Or was, before lead poisoning, but anyway.) So because "lead" can properly be pronounced with a short e, it's easy to think that that's how the past tense of the verb is spelled--but it's not.

Harry leads his year in detentions
Jack has led SG-1 into some interesting situations.
The lead in my pencil needs sharpening.
Why isn't your dog on a lead?
You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.
Jim led Blair to the temple.

In example:

You Can Lead A Horse To Water, But You Can't Make It Drink ( you can show people how do do things, but people must help themselves ... )
(proverb) says that you can give people what they need to help themselves, but you can't force them to do it; people need to help themselves. Example: "I told her exactly what to do, but she didn't listen to me." Reply: "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink."

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Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I recently misused the word lead instaed of led here in the forums. I caught it just after posting but didn't care enough to change it. I'm not getting paid or earning a grade so people can be grammar natzis all they want. The point is still well made. Especially this day and age where everyone is out to screw up the english language. FFS, have you seen the new snickers marketing clusterfudge? I can't believe someone bought that idea as a marketing ploy. Fashizzleitupyourbum. :grin:

I know building and maintaining homes. Maybe I'll leave notes in peoples mailboxes listing all the things they are doing wrong maintaining (or not) their homes.

There and their I screw up all the time as well. :thumbsup:

 

Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Red...as in the color red.

Read...long 'e' as in reading a book.

Read...short 'e' past tense as in read the book.

Interesting how the change of just one letter makes a big difference. Easily confused if you have a problem pronouncing 'r's and 'l's.

Fashizzleitupyourbum....good one:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Star Control: Origins
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top

natzis
End of quote

 

:typo: :w00t:

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Here and hear...place and audio. how disparate can you be.

Bear and bare...wild animal and nude or lack of...but then again a nude person can be considered...wild in a sense, right:maybe:

Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Night Train......I'd like to credit you with coining the word 'fashizzleitupyourbum'. It's rather unique and I'd like to use it as a fav saying for one of my characters in a my book. Are you Okay with that?

Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top

There and their I screw up all the time as well
End of quote

they're = they are (contraction)

The science textbooks are over there on the floor.

My friends have lost their tickets.

Hurry up! They're closing the mall at 6 tonight!

Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I hear people use this phrase all the time: I could care less.

Person one says: The cat just farted.
Person two says: I could care less.

Really? You could care less about something else?
The proper phrase is: I couldn't care less.
It's just lazinesses.

Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top

It's just lazinesses.
End of quote

It is supposed to be sarcastic so I could care less is correct. :P

Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Sarcasm aside, the proper phrase is: I couldn't care less.
Here is another one: borrow me 20 bucks.(lend me 20 bucks).

Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top

borrow me 20 bucks
End of quote

yeah that one I blame on rap. :grin:

In all seriousness, none of this matters. Immigrants refuse to learn the language so in a decade or so we won't know whether people mean up or down.

Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Just FFS it's NOT 'rediculous'...there IS NO 'E' in 'ridiculous' ..... JAFOCHECK

Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Let me axe you a question? :typo:

Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Hey! What time it is? :time: :P

Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Just FFS it's NOT 'rediculous'...there IS NO 'E' in 'ridiculous'
End of quote

I could care less. ;P :grin:  

 

:blush:  

 

Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Hey! What time it is?
End of quote

Time for you to get a new watch.:rofl:

Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top

That's one small step for man and one giant leap for mankind. #:( X| X( :'(

I know Armstrong is quoted as saying he meant to say "a man" but let's just rewrite history...literally.

 

Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Wow looks like some people here are having a goodtime while I was working today.

Just got home to see this and like the cow tried to jump over the moon... or did it here?

The real thread was about what all the world is about with slang and how we try to use it maybe?

Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top

They learn you something every day ;p

Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top

A whole thread just to establish and illuminate the obvious: "It's all Jafo's and Zubaz's fault."

Sumboddy shoulda outta learned 'em Inglish.

And RedneckDude shoulda oughtta  learned 'em Suthin the way its spoke.

And whuts with them apostrophys anyway!? ;P

Ah koodn't care a dayum lessern nuttin' 'bout dis.

 

Problem phrases:

Supposed to: Do not omit the 'd'. "Suppose to" is incorrect.

"Used to": Same as above. Do not write "use to".

Toward: There is no 's' at the end of the word.

Anyway: Also has no ending 's'. "Anyways" is nonstandard.

Couldn't care less: Be sure to make it negative. (Not I could care less.)

All walks of life: Not woks of life. This phrase does not apply to oriental cooking.

Chest of drawers: Not chester drawers.

For all intents and purposes: Not intensive purposes.

Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Ah koodn't care a dayum lessern nuttin' 'bout dis.
End of quote

Reminds me of one the smartest men in the world.
Just 'cause he can't read don't mean he ain't smart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6FfHhamRFs

Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top

    "No no no...It am like dis. Maybe I are just a wee person but...if you goes over to here then to there what am da difference. Over to here to there...so what...fashizzleitupyourbum. Hahahahahahahaha". My character's name is Seely. She has a dual personality.

Reply #25 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I forgot the reason I wanted to add to this lol.

Bread - Something to make a sandwich with.

Bread - Slang for money.

Bred - Past tense for breed.