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Whether you use "kitty" or "catty" before "corner" to describe something that is diagonally opposite, you're not talking about cats. In fact, the origin of "kitty-corner" is more closely related to dice π² π² That wasn't an option on last week's quiz, and we didn't trick you by giving you the option to pick "cats." Most of you guessed "diagonal," and while that is part of the word's meaning now, the origin of "kitty-corner" goes back to the French word meaning "four." English speakers adapted the French word "catre," meaning "four," to "cater" and used it to mean "four" in games involving cards and dice, according to Merriam-Webster. The four dots on a die and the four symbols on playing cards are in the corners of each surface, which positions some of the dots and symbols diagonally across from each other. Hence "catercorner," which evolved to "catty-corner" and "kitty-corner," which is now the most common variant β and the version Stylebot recommends. Here's how that looks in our new Google Docs extension: Remember, educators who sign up to use the Google Docs extension by the end of the month can get a 25% discount. Use code SUMMER2025 at checkout. All right, we're getting ready for next Friday with this week's quiz...
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Hone your writing skills and never use "hone in" again. Get writing tips, have fun with words and learn something new in a one-minute read each week by signing up for Stylebotβs newsletter.
If you thought we only started using slang abbreviations on the internet, think again. You might use "lol" mostly in text messages now, but if the history of "OK" is any lesson, one day it might not be a KG to use it in more formal writing. Confused? We'll explain, but first we'll note that many of you seem to be familiar with OK's origin. It's not a typo: "OK" evolved from the phrase "all correct." In late 1830s slang, it was fashionable to misspell common phrases and use those...
If you've mowed the lawn this summer, you've cut swaths of grass. If you injured yourself while doing it (and we hope you didn't!), you might use a swathe in your recovery. So, apply this logic to last week's quiz, and the answer becomes clear: The storm pummeled large swaths of the state. But it looks like most of you didn't need that help: In American English, "swath" describes a broad strip (usually of land), while "swathe" is a strip of cloth. And that brings us to the little hint in the...
If you really, really wanted to look for it, there was a clue in last week's subject line that might have helped you on the quiz. The subject line was, "Like the ones that came before." Not "befor," which we realize isn't a word. But the second "e" in "before" might help you remember the difference between forego and forgo. "Forego" means to go before, while "forgo" means to abstain from. And we use foregone in the phrase "foregone conclusion." So the correct sentence from last week's quiz...