A little while back, a person on TikTok started a craze regarding the word “demure.”

“Demure” is an adjective that essentially means “modest,” “reserved,” “shy,” or maybe “coy.”

Predictively, “demure” has gotten confused with “demur.”

“Demur” is a verb that means to “object,” “hesitate,” or “express reluctance.”

“Demur” is also a legal term, that means “to take issue with an initial pleading,” such as a complaint. When a defendant demurs, they file a responsive pleading, called a “demurrer.”

The other day, an MSNBC host said, “So and so demured to something or other.”

I suggest hitting up the dictionary. And, don’t be bashful.

When my kids were in grammar school, I sometimes heard classmates saying “verse” when they meant “versus.”

As is often the case, this misuse has found its way up the evolutionary ladder.

Now I hear sportscasters doing it all the time.

I was listening to Sirius radio this morning.

There was an advertisement for, I believe, a station featuring Conan O’Brien.

Conan talked about his station, and ended with:

“Listen to Joe, Harry, and myself on the Conan O’Brien station.”

This guy has a Bachelor’s degree from Harvard?