Honor the Definite (or How to Clean Up Your Act)
The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.
—Mark Twain
Are we ever definite about anything? Ask me if I can have lunch with you a week from today and I will most likely say, “Probably.” Ask me if I think I have enough money saved to retire when I turn 70, and I most likely will say, “I hope so.” Heck, even in these examples I am using will most likely. Life happens, and with the amount of information that comes at us these days, being definite on issues may be difficult. But you can help clear up some of the haze by being definite in your word choices.
A definite word is a word whose meaning is clear. Grammatically, ...
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