Dictionaries are *never* intended to be guidance. Do some research. They are intended to capture relatively current usage. That's why you will soon see "loose" and "lose" cited as interchangeable.
Well, they are entirely separate words with different meanings. "Current usage" is only popular usage, and it demeans language in many cases. More importantly it coarsens expression. Many people say that they "Could care less." What they mean is that they "Couldn't care less." If you "unloosen" something does that mean that you're tightening it? If you "loose" a thing does it mean that you can't find it? Precision of language is absolutely vital in science, technology, and the arts. There is a distinction to be made between "disc" and "disk". Not the least because I believe the "disc" spelling was promulgated by Sony and Philips as a trade name for a product they codeveloped. It's come to specifically refer to an optical disc. Like kleenex means a facial tissue, regardless of source. "Disc" was always an alternate spelling of "disk", but it was definitely less common in casual American English usage than "disk". A "Compact Disc" is never a "Compact Disk." Anyway, I couldn't care less about those who play fast and loose with the English language. ************************************************************************* ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *************************************************************************
