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Happy Holidays!
To our readers celebrating Palm Sunday last weekend and Easter later this week, Happy Easter! To our readers celebrating Passover, we wish a Happy Passover! And if he were around, we'd wish a Happy Birthday (4/13)...to Thomas Jefferson!
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Happy Verrazano Day, New York!
On this day in 1524, the Florentine navigator Giovanni da Verrazano "discovered" New York Harbor. Discover all the right answers here and perhaps we'll name a bridge for you, too.
1. abutment: (a) to end the observance or effect of; (b) the part of a structure (as an arch or a bridge) that directly receives thrust or pressure; (c) the state of being abridged; (d) the outcome of a complex sequence of events.
2. parapet: (a) a low wall or railing to protect the edge of a platform, roof, or bridge; (b) one whose acts are controlled by an outside force or influence; (c) marionette; (d) a shoulder cord worn by designated military aides.
3. focaccia: (a) a gem having the shape of a narrow rectangle; (b) a flat Italian bread typically seasoned with herbs and olive oil; (c) a long thin loaf of French bread; (d) (Antonio ~) mayor of Somervile, Mass.
4. barbican: (a) lacking refinement, learning, or artistic or literary culture; (b) oil can; (c) a native of the Isle of Barbie; (d) a tower at a gate or bridge.
5. podesta: (a) the base of an upright structure; (b) an organized procession; (c) a chief magistrate in a medieval Italian municipality; (d) a system of connected trestles supporting a structure (as a railroad bridge).
If errors in printed publications are taking your readers away into uncharted waters (or worse, unchartered waters), ProofreadNOW has the perfect navigating expertise to bring them back to your safe harbor of contentment and plenty. We examine the spelling, punctuation, and clarity of your ad, proposal, Web page, brochure, or anything else in print. We're triangulating the trusty satellites of good grammar, spelling, and punctuation 24 hours a day.
1:b 2:a 3:b 4:d 5:c Rate Yourself: Lost in the Devil's Triangle.
2 correct: Set out for New York Harbor but ended up in Port-au-Prince.
3 correct: Portsmouth, Va.
4 correct: Raritan Bay.
All 5 correct: Anchored just off Fort Hamilton Park!
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| Weekly Grammar Tip |
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"in order to"
Despite pedantic objection, the use of the phrase "in order to" is a kindness to readers whenever a clause expressing purpose and beginning with to stands at some distance from the verb that heralds it, or when a succession of to's might create confusion. In the sentence Kate had seen no way but to borrow the sleek powerboat which she was not sure she knew how to drive to reach the drowning swimmer in time, the addition of in order before to reach and the setting off of the which clause with commas would improve the articulation.
Kate had seen no way but to borrow the sleek powerboat, which she was not sure she knew how to drive, in order to reach the drowning swimmer in time.
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| Word of the Week |
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purchase
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English purchacen, from Anglo-French purchacer to strive for, obtain, from por-, pur- thoroughly, to a conclusion (from Latin pro- forward, for) + chacer to pursue, chase
Date: 14th century
Definitions: 1: an act or instance of purchasing
2: something obtained especially for a price in money or its equivalent
3a (1): a mechanical hold or advantage applied to the raising or moving of heavy bodies (2) : an apparatus or device by which advantage is gained
3b (1): an advantage (as a firm hold or position) used in applying one's power (2) : a means of exerting power
Example: "He was hard to categorize because we didn't have categories for him. This was part of his power. It denied his foes purchase; they didn't know how to get at him. It allowed others to project on his canvas."
-Peggy Noonan, in the Wall Street Journal, 4/5/2009, p. A11.
Definition source: Merriam-Webster's Eleventh Collegiate Dictionary.
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Copyright 2009 by ProofreadNOW.com, Inc., 447 Boston Street, Topsfield, MA 01983 USA. Published weekly (we try) by the editors at ProofreadNOW.com, Inc. and sent to customers of record and to opt-in guests. Many readers find it is best to read a portion, put it aside, then come back and read more.
Please rate this GrammarTip (10=high, 0=low):
10 - A solid, milk-chocolate bunny.
7 - A hollow, milk-chocolate bunny.
3 - A hollow, mint-chocolate swizzle stick.
0 - An artificially flavored 'chocolate' bar.
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