John
If you want to pursue this, it should not be on the list.
Just to answer your question, dictionaries are a guide, they are written by
people who may interpret things in different ways or the information on which
they base their definition may be different..
One compares entries in different dictionaries to see whether a particular
meaning or pronunciation is accepted . Being in a dictionary does not make it
right although many people think so.
Sometimes different definitions of the same word in a particlar dictionary
can be contradictory. My three volume Encyclopaedia Britannica Websters, which I
picked up in a junk shop for a fiver, gives one definition of 'moot' as to
'argue from a legal standpoint', sounds quite important, but another is 'deprive
of practical significance' Both definitions are acceptable in different
contexts in different places.. That's why it's worth checking.
Yes, I know it's confusing, but that's life.
Terry
Received on Tue Apr 11 10:12:16 2006
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