Definitions
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective Attributive form of
false friend , noun.
Etymologies
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Examples
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Nick Drew said ... failsafe means 'designed so that, if it fails (which it may), it comes to a safe state' but you hear people using it who clearly think it means 'incapable of failing' (I think we got there via the false-friend 'foolproof', which neatly straddles the otherwise vast conceptual divide) kudos (kewdoss) means 'prestige' but Americans say 'kudos to him for getting that right', which could be OK except they say kewdoe-s, and you realise they think it is a plural noun & means 'brownie-points' it's not just Americans: loads of Brits think 'taking a rain-check' means sticking your hand outside the tent to see if it gets wet ...
Progress At Last Newmania 2008
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