Bryson's Dictionary for Writers and Editors - Bill Bryson [41]
Elstree. Film studios, England.
Élysée Palace, Paris. Official home of French presidents. Not the.
Elysium, Elysian Fields. In Greek mythology, paradise.
embalmment. Note -mm-.
embarrass, embarrassment. Both are misspelled more often than they should be. Note, however, that the French spelling is embarras, as in embarras de richesses (“an embarrassment of riches”) and embarras du choix (“an embarrassment of choice”).
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. (1803–1882) American poet and essayist.
émigré. An emigrant, particularly a political refugee.
Emilia-Romagna. Region of Italy; capital Bologna.
Emmanuel College, Cambridge University, England.
Emmental. A type of cheese.
empathy, sympathy. Empathy denotes a close emotional understanding of the feelings or problems of another. It is thus close in meaning to compassion. Sympathy is more general. It can denote a closeness of understanding, but it can equally suggest no more than an abstract or intellectual awareness of another’s misfortune. Empathy generally applies only to serious misfortunes; sympathy can apply to any small annoyance or setback.
Empedocles. (c. 495–c. 435 BC) Greek philosopher and poet.
emphysema.
empower. Not en-.
EMU. In the context of the European Union, it stands for Economic (not European) and Monetary Union.
encomium. A lavish tribute or eulogy; pl. encomiums.
encumbrance. Not -erance.
encyclopedia, encyclopedist, but Encyclopaedia Britannica.
endemic. See EPIDEMIC.
Endymion. In Greek mythology, a young man loved by the moon and condemned to eternal sleep.
enfant terrible. (Fr.) Troublesome young person; anyone of embarrassingly indiscreet or unruly behavior.
Engels, Friedrich. (1820–1895) German socialist.
Englischer Garten, Munich, Germany.
Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, site of infamous IRA bombing in 1987.
ennoble.
ennui.
enormity does not, as is frequently thought, indicate size, but rather refers to something that is wicked, monstrous, and outrageous (“The enormity of Hitler’s crimes will never be forgotten”). If what you require is a word denoting large scale, try “immensity” or “vastness.”
en passant. (Fr.) “In passing.”
enroll, enrollment.
entelechy. The act of changing from potential to actual, or a kind of vital force for living things.
entente cordiale. Term used to describe a long-standing amity between countries.
Entertaining Mr. Sloane. Not Sloan. Comedy by Joe Orton (1964).
enthrall.
entomology. The study of insects.
entr’acte. Interval between acts or an entertainment performed then.
entrecôte. Tenderloin.
entrepôt. A trading place or storehouse.
envelop. (Verb.) To wrap up.
envelope. (Noun.) Container for letters, or anything that envelops.
envisage, envision. Both words suggest the calling up of a mental image. Envision is slightly the loftier of the two. You might envision a better life for yourself, but if all you are thinking about is how the dining room will look when the walls have been repainted, envisage is probably the better word. If no mental image is involved, neither word is correct. A rough rule is that if you find yourself following either word with that, you are using it incorrectly, as here: “He envisaged that there would be no access to the school from the main road” (cited by Gowers).
EOKA. Ethniki Organosis Kypriakou Agonos (National Organization for Cypriot Struggle), Greek Cypriot underground movement.
E.On. German utility company.
epaulet. A decoration worn on the shoulder of a uniform; in French, épaulette.
EPCOT. Environmental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, Disney World, Florida.
épée. Thin, flexible sword used in fencing.
ephemera, pl. ephemeras/ephemerae.
epicene. Of uncertain sex.
epicurean. Person devoted to the pursuit of pleasure; when capitalized it refers to the philosophy of Epicurus.
epidemic. Strictly speaking, only people can suffer an epidemic (the word means “in or among people”). An outbreak of disease among animals is epizoötic. It is also worth noting that epidemic refers only to outbreaks. When a