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Here are a couple of phrases I question about.

If something is "absurd on its face" can you also say it is "facially absurd?"


If something is "fraught," doesn't it have to be "fraught with....something?"

Fraught with danger, fraught with hazard, etc.

Neither of these phrases were seen on this forum, they just caught my eye in articles I've read.
 
Posts: 17147 | Location: Lexington, KY | Registered: October 15, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Nullus Anxietas
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"Absurd on its face" is a mangling of "absurd on the face of it." "On the face of it": Apparently, as far as can be seen or determined.

So, to the first question: No, IMO.

As to "fraught": No. See: fraught at Wordnik.



"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system,,,, but too early to shoot the bastards." -- Claire Wolfe
"If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living." -- Seneca the Younger, Roman Stoic philosopher
 
Posts: 26009 | Location: S.E. Michigan | Registered: January 06, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Thanks. The "fraught" definition is confusing. It seems to say fraught means "filled with" or "loaded," which would make another word necessary, but it also says a synonym is anxious. I will bookmark Wordnik. I have Merriam-Webster and an OED, but this has different information in a clearer context.
 
Posts: 17147 | Location: Lexington, KY | Registered: October 15, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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