words and phrases II

pl. n.
(informal) legless underpants worn by women and girls; knickers.

I know, I know. What is my problem, right? Well, I have to say I hate this word because it seems I would always hear it on "Law & Order", (or Witness for the Prosecution) in a creepy sex-crime way.

The word is mischievous. Say it correctly.

adj.
1. causing or disposed to mischief.
2. intended to cause harm or trouble
(USAGE Mischievous is a three-syllable word; do not pronounce it with four syllables, as if it were spelled mischievious (/ms'ti:vs/).)
.

I have a coworker who will argue until he is blue in the face that "irregardless" is acceptable because it has been in use since the early part of the 20th century.

This is from Merriam-Webster Online:
The most frequently repeated remark about it is that "there is no such word." There is such a word, however. It is still used primarily in speech, although it can be found from time to time in edited prose. Its reputation has not risen over the years, and it is still a long way from general acceptance. Use regardless instead.

adj.
& adv. (informal) regardless.
- ORIGIN C19: prob. a blend of irrespective and regardless.
(USAGE Irregardless means the same as regardless: the negative prefix ir- is unnecessary as it merely duplicates the suffix -less. The word is regarded as incorrect in standard English.)

1. A crack producing an opening in the surface or through the thickness of anything solid; a cleft, rift, chink, fissure.

besotted

mentioned in Disney's "Bambi" (1942) and used to this day by my grandmother to describe me, my brother and our cousins to a brain-searingly annoying degree. please don't tell her I said that because I love her.

http://www.worldwidewords.org/weirdwords/ww-twi1.htm