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Previous: Thames Path sign | Main | Next: Single-serving food packages
June 27, 2005 12:03 AM
Broken: Merriam-Webster definition
Mac Davis wonders why the Merriam-Webster's entry for "deflagrate" begins with "to cause to deflagrate".
Mac adds helpfully, "Simply put, deflagrating reactions are chemical reactions between very finely divided fuel and oxidizer particles that explode with sub-sonic velocities."
Er... because that's the definition when it is used in an transitive sense, and transitive senses are always listed first in Merriam-Webster? The definition makes use of the intransitive sense, which immediately follows.
I'm not seeing whats wrong with the defenition, 'to burn rapidly..." where is "to cause to deflagrate" in that pic anyhow.
I don't see "to deflagrate" either perhaps it was fixed?
Also mix-ups in dictionaries are not uncommon they are put their intentionally by the publisher in order to prove if another publisher has infringed on their copyright.
No, Kent, "to cause to deflagrate" is the definition of the transitive sense, as Lionfire pointed out. And it's not technically wrong. But I notice that on m-w.com's definition for "detonate", they put the intransitive sense first, which makes a little more sense when you're reading through -- I'm surprised they didn't do the same thing here.
(Incidentally, "deflagrate" is a terrific word, I'm going to have to find some way to use it today!)
'Defenestrate' is kewler. It means to throw something (or somebody) out of a window.
Stop playing that loud music or I'll defenestrate your boom box!
Not if I defenestrate you first!
Anyway, I was always taught that no matter what the tense, the definition of a word should NOT contain that word. That was 8th grade Language Arts. These guys are pros. They should know better.
If you write the m-w people, they are very nice. I got a nice note back when I complained about not being able to look up words with cedillas. ( I think it said it couldn't find it, then gave you the same word back as the suggestion. Talk about broken!)
Not broken.
Causing something to burn is not the same as something burning. It would have been better if the intransitive were first, though.
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Previous: Thames Path sign | Main | Next: Single-serving food packages
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First Post!
that is defitanlly broken
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Posted by: dont start the "this isnt broken" at June 27, 2005 12:25 AM