Misused and abused words / The Phrase
Lead/led - "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink."
Friday, June 12, 2009 by ShelbyGT_The_Car | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
Let's start with the most common verb form of "lead": It's pronounced leed, with a long e, and it means, more or less, "to guide," "to direct," or "to be first." So far so good. Its past tense is "led," pronounced with a short e. So, "lead"=present, "led"=past. Sounds easy, right?
The reason this gets confusing is that "lead" can also be a noun. With a long e it means "the person in front" or "leash" or "the first card played" or "the distance a base runner is from the base," as well as some others. But it can also be pronounced with a short e, in which case it's the metal that's in a pencil. (Or was, before lead poisoning, but anyway.) So because "lead" can properly be pronounced with a short e, it's easy to think that that's how the past tense of the verb is spelled--but it's not.
Harry leads his year in detentions
Jack has led SG-1 into some interesting situations.
The lead in my pencil needs sharpening.
Why isn't your dog on a lead?
You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.
Jim led Blair to the temple.
In example:
You Can Lead A Horse To Water, But You Can't Make It Drink ( you can show people how do do things, but people must help themselves ... )
(proverb) says that you can give people what they need to help themselves, but you can't force them to do it; people need to help themselves. Example: "I told her exactly what to do, but she didn't listen to me." Reply: "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink."
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Reply #22 Saturday, June 13, 2009 6:25 AM
A whole thread just to establish and illuminate the obvious: "It's all Jafo's and Zubaz's fault."
Sumboddy shoulda outta learned 'em Inglish.
And RedneckDude shoulda oughtta learned 'em Suthin the way its spoke.
And whuts with them apostrophys anyway!? 
Ah koodn't care a dayum lessern nuttin' 'bout dis.
Problem phrases:
Supposed to: Do not omit the 'd'. "Suppose to" is incorrect.
"Used to": Same as above. Do not write "use to".
Toward: There is no 's' at the end of the word.
Anyway: Also has no ending 's'. "Anyways" is nonstandard.
Couldn't care less: Be sure to make it negative. (Not I could care less.)
All walks of life: Not woks of life. This phrase does not apply to oriental cooking.
Chest of drawers: Not chester drawers.
For all intents and purposes: Not intensive purposes.
Reply #23 Saturday, June 13, 2009 9:43 PM
Reminds me of one the smartest men in the world.
Just 'cause he can't read don't mean he ain't smart.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6FfHhamRFs
Reply #24 Sunday, June 14, 2009 8:55 AM
"No no no...It am like dis. Maybe I are just a wee person but...if you goes over to here then to there what am da difference. Over to here to there...so what...fashizzleitupyourbum. Hahahahahahahaha". My character's name is Seely. She has a dual personality.
Reply #25 Sunday, June 14, 2009 8:59 AM
I forgot the reason I wanted to add to this lol.
Bread - Something to make a sandwich with.
Bread - Slang for money.
Bred - Past tense for breed.
Reply #26 Sunday, June 14, 2009 9:32 AM
Again, say it like this...
I could care less.
Reply #27 Sunday, June 14, 2009 10:35 AM
I coudn't care less that you could care less... and that's being careless. 
Reply #29 Sunday, June 14, 2009 7:29 PM
What pisses me off is: "could of" when it should be "could have"
... and "rather then" when it should be "rather than"
... as well as "than we will get action" when it should be "then we will get action."
Also: "I lost wait.' when it should be "I lost weight."
Now maybe I could care less if everybody said that they couldn't care less... but I doubt it.
Reply #30 Sunday, June 14, 2009 7:43 PM
Somehow I suspect that once again we're rowing the same boat.
Reply #31 Sunday, June 14, 2009 10:53 PM
Tho I suspects us 'd actually git somewhar if'n everyone wos rowin' in tha same direcshun... like all tha rowers in tha longboat wur facin' tha same way, mebbe then us'd reach tha shore.
Reply #32 Monday, June 15, 2009 7:38 AM
Coulda...shoulda...dint.
Could've...should've...didn't.
Could have...should have...did not. It's all about saving paper. Scrunch it all up and one less tree gets chopped down. This way when we're in the boat and everyone's rowing this way and that we just might get someplace...maybe...sometime......
Reply #33 Monday, June 15, 2009 9:32 AM
That thar's all well n' good... 'cepting they cuts down that thar "one less tree' t' build tha boat. 
Reply #34 Monday, June 15, 2009 1:49 PM
EEEUUUWWWWW, This has gone bad I think? Smell this!!!!
Reply #35 Monday, June 15, 2009 3:04 PM
I couldn't care less, I'm eating it.
Reply #36 Monday, June 15, 2009 7:36 PM
Oh well, that'll teach you to go for a third helping of curried cabbage. 
And so you should, my good man... curried cabbage never hurt anyone... 'cepting perhaps the missus on 'Dutch Ovens' night.
Reply #37 Monday, June 15, 2009 7:58 PM
Tho I suspects us 'd actually git somewhar if'n everyone wos rowin' in tha same direcshun... like all tha rowers in tha longboat wur facin' tha same way, mebbe then us'd reach tha shore.
Howzit possible? You're upside down!
Reply #38 Monday, June 15, 2009 8:11 PM
There is no such thing as 'more pregnant'. Pregnant is an absolute.
Same goes for 'full'.
and 'empty'.
Reply #39 Monday, June 15, 2009 9:01 PM
Same goes for 'full'.
Hehe, back when I was drinking there were times when I got more full than others... on the occasions I only got half full, well that was because I ran out of funds and couldn't get completely pissed.
Reply #40 Monday, June 15, 2009 10:10 PM
I'm not too sure if it's "refusal"............. I've seen anything and everything in whatever language You can name, and I too have wondered, why haven't all these poeple learned English by now ??? On Saturday I made an observation and I think I've found the answer! I saw an ad for English lessons that I've seen hundreds of times before on the side of an N.Y.C. M.T.A bus .......and then it hit Me!!!! ( No, not the bus!!! ) The ad is in English!!!! 
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Reply #21 Saturday, June 13, 2009 6:13 AM
Towards is not a word. It is toward..no frikkin S.