CATACHRESIS
Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language
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1998
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© Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language 1998, originally published by Oxford University Press 1998. (Hide copyright information)
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CATACHRESIS [Stress: ‘kata-KREE-sis’]. A traditional term for the mistaken use of one word for another, as in
Royal Anglican Regiment for
Royal Anglian Regiment. An actual or assumed
MISTAKE of this kind may cause confusion and resentment, and lead to controversy, as with the use of
disinterested where
uninterested might be more appropriate. Occasionally, catachresis can lead to the supplanting of one word by another: for example,
humble for
umble in the phrase
humble pie. Such a pie was originally made from
umbles (the innards of a deer) and was so recognized until the 19c. The
OED records
humble pie from 1648, and the figurative usage
eating humble pie from 1830. In the 20c, only the figurative use occurs and there is therefore no confusion or resentment. By and large, catachresis arises when words are similar in form, as with
militate and
mitigate (‘His book was always likely to be serious, which might have mitigated against a large sale,’
Sunday Times, 17 Dec. 1989), or have a converse relationship, as with
learn and
teach,
imply and
infer, in which case one word may take over both senses (
Learn Yourself Scouse: book title;
Are you inferring I don't know what I am doing?). Confusion over such words can persist for centuries and is a popular topic in usage books and letters to editors. The term is neutral in
PHILOLOGY but often pejorative in general use. See
CONFUSIBLE, HOWLER,
MALAPROPISM,
SEMANTIC CHANGE.
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RL: Aubusson hopes rib injury doesn't haunt him
Newspaper article from: AAP Sports News (Australia); 6/14/2008; 462 words
; ...News (Australia) 06-14-2008 RL: Aubusson hopes rib injury doesn't haunt him...AAP - Sydney Roosters centre Mitchell Aubusson is hopeful a rib injury doesn't cost...grade spots heats up at Bondi Junction. Aubusson has been a standout in Brad Fittler...
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RL: Storm see big future for Aubusson
Newspaper article from: AAP Sports News (Australia); 6/11/2007; 590 words
; ...2007 RL: Storm see big future for Aubusson By Melissa Woods MELBOURNE, June 11...of re-signing promising hooker James Aubusson, who they see as being in the mould...Queensland Origin rake Cameron Smith, Aubusson's value has soared on the back of two...
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RL: Roosters bring home Aubusson
Newspaper article from: AAP Sports News (Australia); 6/21/2007; 236 words
; ...Australia) 06-21-2007 RL: Roosters bring home Aubusson SYDNEY, June 21 AAP - The Sydney Roosters have...the signing of promising young hooker, James Aubusson, for three seasons. Aubusson will return to the Roosters in 2008 after two...
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RL: Aubusson brothers square off
Newspaper article from: AAP Sports News (Australia); 5/18/2007; 546 words
; ...Australia) 05-18-2007 RL: Aubusson brothers square off By Melissa Woods...tomorrow night when the talented Aubusson brothers face each other for the...in the NRL. Melbourne's James Aubusson, 20, will host Sydney Roosters...
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RL: Aubusson new Storm No.7
Newspaper article from: AAP Sports News (Australia); 6/19/2007; 283 words
; ...News (Australia) 06-19-2007 RL: Aubusson new Storm No.7 SYDNEY, June 19 AAP...Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy has named James Aubusson to replace injured halfback Cooper Cronk...His absence has provided an opening for Aubusson, who has played the majority of his...
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RL: Aubusson back for Roosters
Newspaper article from: AAP Sports News (Australia); 8/22/2008; 281 words
; ...News (Australia) 08-22-2008 RL: Aubusson back for Roosters Sydney Roosters hooker JAMES AUBUSSON will start tonight's vital NRL clash...MINICHIELLO is at least another week away. AUBUSSON was not named earlier in the week after...
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RL: Mitchell Aubusson added to Roosters' semi-final team
Newspaper article from: AAP Sports News (Australia); 9/16/2008; 197 words
; ...Australia) 09-16-2008 RL: Mitchell Aubusson added to Roosters' semi-final team Utility MITCHELL AUBUSSON has been added to the Sydney Roosters...Zealand Warriors at Mt Smart Stadium. AUBUSSON replaces hooker RILEY BROWN who suffered...
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RENAISSANCE TO UNVEIL LINE.(Renaissance Carpet & Tapestries, Aubusson line)(Brief Article)
Magazine article from: HFN The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network; 6/24/2002; 570 words
; ...Tapestries will unveil its new pile Aubusson line at the Atlanta International Area...collection features traditional French Aubusson designs, colors and standard sizes based on the company's Aubusson flatweave collection, offering the...
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Heirloom presents Aubusson carpets. (Marketplace).
Magazine article from: Interior Design; 10/31/2002; 319 words
; ...Plus over 100 elegant hand-woven French Aubusson carpets and our new Custom Iron Finials...fully refundable) 400 Tapestries, 100 Aubusson Carpets & Finials--$35.00; 100 Aubusson carpets only $5.00. t. 800.699...
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RL: Roosters still a side to fear, says Aubusson
Newspaper article from: AAP Sports News (Australia); 4/27/2009; 443 words
; ...Roosters still a side to fear, says Aubusson By Ian McCullough SYDNEY, April 27 AAP...last year, according to hooker James Aubusson. The 23-year-old said the Roosters...Parramatta, we are a hard side to stop." Aubusson was full of praise for the Dragons and...
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Pierre d' Aubusson
Book article from: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition
Pierre d' Aubusson , 1423-1503, French soldier, a cardinal...accession (1481) of Sultan Beyazid II , Aubusson gave shelter to Jem, Beyazid's brother...exchange for keeping Jem confined. In 1489 Aubusson ceded his valuable hostage to Pope Innocent...
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Aubusson tapestries
Book article from: The Oxford Dictionary of Art
Aubusson tapestries. Tapestries produced at Aubusson in central France. Production of tapestries began there in the 16th century and its greatest period was the second half of the 18th century, when large quantities of hangings and furniture...
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Aubusson
Book article from: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition
Aubusson , town (1993 est. pop. 5,546), Creuse dept., central France, in...15th cent. Aluminum, electric lamps, and rubber goods are also made. Aubusson is the seat of a school of decorative arts and a museum of tapestry.
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tapestry
Book article from: The Oxford Dictionary of Art
...the art, with particularly important factories at Arras , Aubusson , Beauvais, and Paris (see Gobelins ), but in the 15th and...Glory (1952–62) in Coventry Cathedral, woven at Aubusson, is probably the most famous tapestry of the 20th century...
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Lurçat, Jean
Book article from: The Oxford Dictionary of Art
...stylizations of medieval tapestry with modern modes of abstraction. In 1939 he was appointed designer to the tapestry factory at Aubusson and together with Marcel Gromaire (1892–1971) he brought about a renaissance in its work. He made more than...
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