Errant vs Odious - What's the difference?
errant | odious |
Straying from the proper course or standard, or outside established limits.
* Sir Thomas Browne
Prone to making errors.
(proscribed) Utter, complete (negative); arrant.
* Ben Jonson
Arousing or meriting strong dislike, aversion, or intense displeasure.
*
* {{quote-book
, year=1818
, author=Mary Shelley
, title=Frankenstein
, chapter=6
As adjectives the difference between errant and odious
is that errant is straying from the proper course or standard, or outside established limits while odious is arousing or meriting strong dislike, aversion, or intense displeasure.errant
English
Alternative forms
* (l) (obsolete)Adjective
(en adjective)- seven planets or errant stars in the lower orbs of heaven
- would make me an errant fool
Usage notes
Sometimes is considered simply an alternative spelling and pronunciation of errant', though many authorities distinguish them, reserving '''errant''' to mean “wandering” and using it ''after'' the noun it modifies, notably is “knight '''errant ”, while using ''arrant'' to mean “utter”, in a negative sense, and ''before'' the noun it modifies, notably in “''arrant knaves”. Etymologically, arrant arose as a variant of errant , but the meanings have long since diverged. Both terms are archaic, primarily used in set phrases (which may be considered ), and are easily confused, and on that basis some authorities suggest against using either.Synonyms
*Derived terms
* (l) * (l)References
* “arrant/errant”, Common Errors in English Usage, Paul Brians *
On Language: Arrant Nonsense, (William Safire), January 22, 2006, (New York Times) * Merriam–Webster’s dictionary of English usage, 1995,
“errant, arrant”, pp. 406–407
Anagrams
* ----odious
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- Scrubbing the toilet is an odious task.
citation, passage=He looks upon study as an odious fetter; his time is spent in the open air, climbing the hills or rowing on the lake.}}
