t audible speech is oral. "He did not write, but
communicated his wishes verbally." It would have been a verbal
communication, also, if written.

_Vest_ for _Waistcoat_. This is American, but as all Americans are not
in agreement about it it is better to use the English word.

_Vicinity_ for _Vicinage_, or _Neighborhood_. "He lives in this
vicinity." If neither of the other words is desired say, He lives in
the vicinity of this place, or, better, He lives near by.

_View of_. "He invested with the view of immediate profit." "He
enlisted with the view of promotion." Say, with a view to.

_Vulgar_ for _Immodest_, _Indecent_. It is from _vulgus_, the common
people, the mob, and means both common and unrefined, but has no
relation to indecency.

_Way_ for _Away_. "Way out at sea." "Way down South."

_Ways_ for _Way_. "A squirrel ran a little ways along the road." "The
ship looked a long ways off." This surprising word calls loudly for
depluralization.

_Wed_ for _Wedded_. "They were wed at noon." "He wed her in Boston."
The word wed in all its forms as a substitute for marry, is pretty
hard to bear.

_Well_. As a mere meaningless prelude to a sentence this word is
overtasked. "Well, I don't know about that." "Well, you may try."
"Well, have your own way."

_Wet_ for _Wetted_. See _Bet_.

_Where_ for _When_. "Where there is reason to expect criticism write
discreetly."

_Which_ for _That_. "The boat which I engaged had a hole in it." But a
parenthetical clause may rightly be introduced by which; as, The boat,
which had a hole in it, I nevertheless engaged. Which and that are
seldom interchangeable; when they are, use that. It sounds better.

_Whip_ for _Chastise_, or _Defeat_. To whip is to beat with a whip. It
means nothing else.

_Whiskers_ for _Beard_. The whisker is that part of the beard that
grows on the cheek. See _Chin Whiskers_.

_Who_ for _Whom_. "Who do you take me for?"

_Whom_ for _Who_. "The man whom they thought was dead is living." Here
the needless introduction of was entails the alteration of whom to
who. "Remember whom it is that you speak of." "George Washington, than
whom there was no greater man, loved a jest." The misuse of whom after
than is almost universal. Who and whom trip up many a good writer,
although, unlike which and who, they require nothing but knowledge of
grammar.

_Widow Woman_. Omit woman.

_Will_ and _Shall_. Proficiency in the use of these apparently
troublesom