Are we all wrong?

What is an "escape goat"? These 14 expressions changed over time

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If you hear a grammatically incorrect sentence once, you might wince. But if you hear it again and again, you might pick it up and start using it yourself. Have you ever adopted expressions like "my bad" or "doggy dog world"? Let’s at least analyze what is grammatically off in them, and see what versions we could use instead.

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The original version: "Spirit and image" or "spit and image" (meaning "exact likeness")

"Spitting image" is grammatically correct as an expression, but it’s a rather odd one. It likely began as "spirit and image," referring to someone who carries both the essence and appearance of another.

Over time, it evolved into "spit and image," and eventually, speakers slurred it into "spitting image," to the point where we all understand a senseless expression.

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The correct version: "My mistake," or any version that replaces "bad" with a noun.

It might sound casual or charismatic, but it’s grammatically odd. Technically, the phrase lacks a noun—"bad" is an adjective. A bad what? Decision? Move?

The phrase allegedly originated as slang in street basketball during the 1980s, where it was a quick way to own up to a mistake without interrupting the game, much like saying "my oops."

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The original version: For all intents and purposes

This is a classic example of an eggcorn—a misheard phrase that still seems logical. "Intensive" means extreme or focused, so "for all intensive purposes" isn’t entirely nonsensical. But it’s not the original expression.

The phrase "for all intents and purposes" dates back to 16th-century English law and originally meant "in every practical sense."

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The correct version: Nip it in the bud!

The original phrase refers to stopping something early, before it blossoms, like cutting a flower bud. Somewhere along the line, "bud" became "butt," which admittedly sounds funnier but changes the meaning entirely.

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The correct version: One and the same

This phrase means that two things are identical. Some people might associate the incorrect version with phrases like "two peas in the same pod" or "two people in the same club."

The mix-up likely comes from how quickly we speak—"one’n the same" rolls off the tongue and blends the words together.

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The correct version: Case in point

The correct expression refers to a particular instance that illustrates your broader point. It originated in legal and rhetorical contexts, where a "case" (meaning a legal case or illustrative example) is "in point"—that is, directly relevant to the issue at hand.

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The correct version: Should have, would have, could have

The confusion arises from how contractions like "should’ve," "would’ve," and "could’ve" sound when spoken. The word "of" is a preposition—it doesn’t function as a helping verb and doesn’t belong anywhere near modal verbs like "should," "would," or "could."

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The original version: Home in on

While "hone in on" is now widely accepted in informal usage, the original phrase is "home in on," which means to zero in on a target, like a missile homing in. "Hone," on the other hand, means to sharpen something, such as a blade or a skill.

The two phrases are often confused because of their similar sounds, but they originally had different meanings.

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The correct version: Vice versa (Latin for "the other way around")

Since this expression is often picked up through speech rather than reading, many people mispronounce or misspell it. Despite how it sounds, it has nothing to do with the word "vice." It’s frequently mangled in casual conversation, but it’s correctly pronounced "vice ver-sa."

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The correct version: Scapegoat (someone who takes the blame).

Okay, this one is easy to mishear. The term "scapegoat" was coined in the 16th century to describe a goat ritually burdened with the sins of the people and then sent into the wilderness. But to a child (or a distracted adult), "scapegoat" can sound like "escape goat," which amusingly suggests fleeing a crime scene.

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The original version: Deep-seated belief

This one isn’t technically wrong—you can see the logic behind comparing firmly held beliefs to deeply planted seeds that have grown over time.

However, the correct phrase is "deep-seated," as in something that’s been sitting deep inside you for a long time, something fixed or settled.

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The correct version: Moot point

Originally, a "moot point" referred to a debatable topic in British law schools—something open to argument or discussion. But somewhere along the line, we collectively decided it meant the opposite: something no longer worth arguing at all.

Hence, the mix-up with "mute point", which probably comes from people associating "mute" with "silent" or "not worth discussing," which fits the mistaken interpretation.

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The correct version: Dog-eat-dog world

"Doggy dog" might be a family-friendly mishearing of the original phrase, which refers to cutthroat competition.

The original expression paints a grim picture: a world so fiercely competitive that even man’s best friend turns on its own. But when misheard as "doggy dog," it sounds oddly wholesome—almost the opposite: a world full of friendly dogs.

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The mistake: Saying "the exact same thing" is widely used, but it is technically redundant.

Both "exact" and "same" convey the same idea; one should suffice. However, the expression has become idiomatic, accepted for its emphasis on repetition. Similar to phrases like "one and the same," it adds a poetic or emphatic tone to the comparison.

Earth’s strangest secrets: 10 facts that will shock you

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Our planet is full of strange phenomena that continue to intrigue and puzzle scientists and curious minds alike. From bizarre weather patterns to unique geological structures, Earth’s quirks often defy explanation, and some of these mysteries are downright mind-blowing. Let’s dive into some of the most unexpected and fascinating facts about our world that might just make you see Earth in a whole new way!

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The continents are constantly moving, drifting at an average rate of about 1 inch per year. Over millions of years, they slowly shift apart or toward each other due to plate tectonics.

This movement causes earthquakes and leads to the formation of mountain ranges, such as the Himalayas. Earth’s continents are not static but dynamic, continually reshaping the planet’s geography.

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Lake Vostok in Antarctica lies buried beneath 2.5 miles of ice, creating an isolated ecosystem.

This subglacial lake has been sealed off from the outside world for millions of years, making it a prime location for studying microbial life in extreme conditions. Scientists believe it may harbor unique, previously undiscovered life forms, despite being entirely isolated.

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Some oceans glow in the dark thanks to bioluminescent organisms.

This phenomenon occurs when certain types of plankton and algae, such as dinoflagellates, emit light when disturbed. The natural glow is often visible in various coastal areas, particularly during the warmer months. It’s a stunning display of nature’s ability to create light from living organisms.

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A full rotation of Earth takes approximately 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds.

While we use a 24-hour day for convenience, the actual time it takes Earth to complete one full rotation is slightly less than that. This discrepancy arises from Earth’s orbit around the Sun, which causes a full solar day to be slightly longer than a sidereal day.

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The temperature at Earth’s inner core exceeds 10,300°F, making it hotter than the surface of the Sun.

Composed primarily of iron and nickel, the inner core remains solid due to immense pressure. Despite its solid state, it is still hotter than the Sun’s surface, which reaches only about 5,500°C (9,932°F). This extreme heat plays a key role in generating Earth’s magnetic field and driving internal convection currents.

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Earth’s magnetic poles flip every several hundred thousand years.

This process, known as geomagnetic reversal, causes the North and South Magnetic Poles to switch places. Although the reversal unfolds over thousands of years and lacks a definitive explanation, evidence from rocks and minerals reveals a long history of these shifts.

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Earth occasionally has a temporary second moon, known as a "quasi-satellite."

This phenomenon involves small asteroids caught in Earth's gravitational pull, orbiting the planet for a period before drifting away. One such object, 2020 CD3, was temporarily captured in Earth’s orbit for about three years before being ejected back into space.

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While deserts are typically associated with heat, Antarctica is actually the largest desert on Earth.

Deserts are defined by their low precipitation, not just temperature. With its extremely cold climate and minimal rainfall, Antarctica qualifies as the largest desert on the planet, spanning roughly 5.4 million square miles.

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Deep beneath the Earth’s surface lies a massive reservoir of water.

This water, trapped in minerals, is located about 400 miles below the Earth’s crust. Scientists believe this subterranean ocean could contain more water than all of Earth’s surface oceans combined. This discovery could have significant implications for our understanding of Earth’s water cycle.

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Earth’s atmosphere is primarily composed of nitrogen, a gas that is inert and does not support life.

Oxygen, essential for life, makes up about 21% of the atmosphere. While nitrogen constitutes the vast majority of Earth's atmosphere, it plays a crucial role in maintaining atmospheric pressure, even though it does not directly interact with most living organisms.