reeking havoc REEKING HAVOC WREAKING HAVOC “Reeking” means “smelling strongly,” so that can’t be right. The phrase simply means “working great destruction.” “Havoc” has always referred to general destruction in English, but one very old phrase incorporating the word was “cry havoc,” which meant to give an army the signal for pillage. To “play havoc with” means the same thing as to “wreak havoc." Avoid as well the mistaken “wreck havoc." List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/reeking.html03/09/2005 15:39:46 regard/regards REGARD/REGARDS Business English is deadly enough without scrambling it. “As regards your downsizing plan . . .” is acceptable, if stiff. “In regard to” “and “with regard to” are also correct. But “in regards to” is nonstandard. You can also convey the same idea with “in respect to” or “with respect to." List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/regard.html03/09/2005 15:39:46 regretfully/regrettably REGRETFULLY/REGRETTABLY Either word can be used as an adverb to introduce an expression of regret, though conservatives prefer “regrettably” in sentences like "Regrettably, it rained on the 4th of July.” Within the body of a sentence, however, “regretfully” may be used only to describe the manner in which someone does something: “John had to regretfully decline his beloved” s invitation to go hang-gliding because he was terrified of heights.” If no specified person in the sentence is doing the regretting, but the speaker is simply asserting “it is to be regretted," the word is “regrettably": “Their boss is regrettably stubborn." List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/regretfully.html03/09/2005 15:39:47 reign/rein REIGN/REIN A king or queen reigns, but you rein in a horse. The expression “to give rein” means to give in to an impulse as a spirited horse gives in to its impulse to gallop when you slacken the reins. Similarly, the correct expression is “free rein,” not “free reign." List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/reign.html03/09/2005 15:39:47 religion RELIGION Protestants often refer to “the Catholic religion.” Catholicism is a faith or a church. (Only Protestants belong to “denominations.") Both Catholics and Protestants follow the Christian religion. List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/religion.html03/09/2005 15:39:47 religion believes RELIGION BELIEVES RELIGION TEACHES People often write things like “Buddhism believes” when they mean to say "Buddhism teaches,” or “Buddhists believe.” Religions do not believe, they are the objects of belief. List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/religionbelieves.html03/09/2005 15:39:47 reluctant/reticent RELUCTANT/RETICENT “Reticent” denotes only reluctance to speak; do not use it for any other form of reluctance. List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/reluctant.html03/09/2005 15:39:48 remuneration/renumeration REMUNERATION/RENUMERATION Although “remuneration” looks as if it might mean “repayment” it usually means simply “payment.” In speech it is often confused with “renumeration,” re-counting (counting again). List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/remuneration.html03/09/2005 15:39:48 reoccurring REOCCURRING RECURRING It might seem logical to form this word from “occurring” by simply adding a RE- prefix—logical, but wrong. The word is “recurring.” The root form is “recur,” not “reoccur.” For some reason “recurrent” is seldom transformed into “reoccurrent." List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/reoccuring.html03/09/2005 15:39:48 repel/repulse REPEL/REPULSE In most of their meanings these are synonyms, but if you are disgusted by someone, you are repelled, not repulsed. The confusion is compounded by the fact that “repellent” and “repulsive” mean the same thing. Go figure. List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/repel.html03/09/2005 15:39:48 . reeking havoc REEKING HAVOC WREAKING HAVOC “Reeking” means “smelling strongly,” so that can’t be right. The phrase simply means “working great destruction.” “Havoc” has