More fun with the language............

As promised, here are more tidbits on the proper usage of the English language.  The source is Ambrose Bierce's Write It Right: A Little Blacklist of Literary Faults (courtesy of the Newark Public Library).

Aggravate for Irritate.  "He aggravated me by his insolence."  To aggravate is to augment the disagreeableness of something already disagreeable, or the badness of something bad.  But a person cannot be aggravated, even if disagreeable or bad.

Anxious for Eager.   "I was anxious to go."  Anxious should not be followed by an infinitive.  Anxiety is contemplative; eagerness, alert for action.

Appropriated for Took.   "He appropriated his neighbor's horse to his own use."  To appropriate is to set apart, as a sum of money, for a special purpose.

Apt for Likely.   "One is apt to be mistaken."  Apt means facile, felicitous, ready, and the like; but even dictionary-makers cannot persuade a person of discriminating taste to accept it as synonymous with likely.

Kurt has joined the fun as well