DUMB, STUPID.—­Dumb properly means “mute,” “silent.”  Its misuse for stupid is partly due, especially in Pennsylvania, to its resemblance to the German dumm.

EXISTING, EXTANT.—­That is extant which has escaped the ravages of time (used chiefly of books, manuscripts, etc.); that is existing which has existence.

FUNNY, ODD.—­Funny means “comical;” in the sense of “strange” or “odd” it is not in good use.

HEALTHY, HEALTHFUL, WHOLESOME.—­That is healthy which is in good health; that is healthful or wholesome which produces health. Wholesome commonly applies to food.

HUMAN, HUMANE.—­Human denotes what pertains to man as man; as, “human nature,” “human sacrifices.” Humane means “compassionate.”

LATEST, LAST.—­Latest, like the word “late,” contains a distinct reference to time; that is latest which comes after all others in time:  as, “The latest news;” “The latest fashion.” Last, which was originally a contraction of “latest,” is now used without any distinct reference to time, and denotes that which comes after all others in space or in a series:  as, “The last house on the street;” “The Last of the Mohicans.”

LENGTHY, LONG.—­Lengthy is said to have originated in the United States, but the earliest quotations found are from British authors.  In the introduction to the second series of The Biglow Papers, Mr. Lowell wrote:  “We have given back to England the excellent adjective lengthy ... thus enabling their journalists to characterize our President’s messages by a word civilly compromising between long and tedious, so as not to endanger the peace of the two countries by wounding our national sensitiveness to British criticism.” Lengthy is used chiefly of discourses or writings, and implies tediousness. Long is used of anything that has length.

MAD, ANGRY.—­Mad means “insane;” in the sense of “angry” it is not in good use.

NEW, NOVEL.—­That is new which is not old; that is novel which is both new and strange.

ORAL, VERBAL.—­“Oral, in the sense of ‘in spoken words,’ is preferable to verbal, since verbal means ‘in words’ whether spoken or written."[126]

PITIABLE, PITIFUL.—­“Pitiable, in the sense of ‘deserving pity,’ is preferable to pitiful, since pitiful also means ‘compassionate,’ as, ‘The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.’"[126]

PRACTICABLE, PRACTICAL.—­That is practicable which can be done; that is practical which is not theoretical only:  as, “a practicable plan,” “a practical electrician.”

PROMINENT, EMINENT.—­Prominent means “conspicuous,” “standing out so as to be easily seen;” eminent means “distinguished in character or rank.”