One man may be a party to a contract or agreement.  Several men may form a party.  When no contract is implied, one man or woman must be spoken of as a person, not as a party.

Patron, Customer

Unless there is a sense of obligation or condescension, use the term customer and not patron.  In like manner, use custom instead of patronage.

Per

Per is a Latin preposition and should be used only with Latin nouns.  We should say per annum, but not per year; per diem, and not per day; per capita, and not per head.  “He received a thousand dollars a year is shorter and better than “he received a thousand dollars per year.”

Perchance, Peradventure

These are poetic and archaic forms that should be avoided in ordinary prose.

Performers

“The entertainment consisted of reading, recitations, and singing, and the performers acquitted themselves well.”  Readers, reciters, and singers are not
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performers.  The term is applied to the stage, and to those who play on musical instruments.  Even in the latter application, “he plays well on the piano,” is better than “he performs well on the piano.”

Period, Point

Do not use period for a point of time.  Period implies extended time.

Nothing like

“James is nothing like so successful as his brother” illustrates a colloquialism that should be avoided.  Use not nearly so, etc.

Notorious, Noted

“He was elected to Congress, then Governor, and we now think of sending him to the United States Senate.  He is becoming quite notorious.”  The word notorious implies some bad or doubtful quality or characteristic, and must not be used in the sense of noted or famous.

Nowhere near so

“He trapped nowhere near so many rabbits as his cousin.”  This vulgarism should be avoided.  Use not nearly.

Plead

The past tense of read is read, but the past tense of plead is pleaded, not plead.  “The prisoner pleaded for mercy.”
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Plenty, Plentiful

“Money is plenty this summer.”  Plenty is a noun and should not be used as an adjective.  Therefore “money is plentiful this summer.”  Shakespeare says, “If reasons were as plenty as blackberries,” etc., but words have settled into more definite grooves since Shakespeare’s time.  “This house is plenty large enough.”  Neither is plenty an adverb.  Say, “This house is quite large enough,” or, simply, large enough.

About, around

“She was pleased with the conversation about her.”  Use “around her.”

“She was pained by the conversation about her.”  Use “concerning her.”

Overlook, Oversee