I love all words, but a few annoy me. It’s not the words’ fault I guess, just the way they’re used. Right now the #1 on my Annoying Word list is “even” – not even as in “I’ll buy the next round and we’ll call it even,” or “bust the heel off the other shoe and you’ll look even.” Even as in “save 30% or more on sofas, loveseats, even chairs!”

You’re kidding – even chairs?  OHMYGOD, that’s so unexpected!

“To raise money, students were selling cookies, candy, even cakes!”

Even cakes? What were these kids thinking? That’s too out there!

Even, in this sense, should be used to warn us that something that you’re about to say is something we wouldn’t normally assume, something we should brace ourselves to hear.

“Save 30% on sofas, loveseats – even our own internal organs!”

That’s how you correctly use even. And that’s a sale I want to see.