| Front | catachresis \kat-uh-KREE-suss\ |
|---|---|
| Back | noun 1. The misuse of words. 2. Use of a forced and especially paradoxical figure of speech [Here's a catchall word for all those mixed metaphors and malapropisms. It derives via Latin from Greek katakhresthai (to misuse).] "Our neighbors to the north aren't spared the disease of catachresis, either. A Canadian politician displayed this manifestation of the illness: 'If this thing starts to snowball, it will catch fire right across the country.'" - Jaime O'Neill; A Verbal Ship Lost in a Sea of Words; San Francisco Chronicle; Sep 25, 2005. |
Tags: priorityhigh
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