Selective Tendencies, etc.
laborious way through a pass, is coming into popularity, especially in this country. Negotiate is used in this sense by many of our writers and by some of our authors. The first time I remember to have seen it so used was in 1910, February number of Hampton’s Magazine: “We had some three hundred and fifty miles of almost solid ice to negotiate before we could reach our hoped-for winter quarters at Cape Sheridan.” (R. E. Peary.)
One of the everyday phrases of the business world is, “to take it up with” so and so. “I will take it up with him,” means that I will see him about it—consider and discuss the matter with him. It is not a very attractive phrase, nor especially needed. Yet it implies the careful and the detailed consideration of a matter; and, as it is ordinarily used, the phrase suits its purpose well enough. “In the near future” is another phrase offensive to many without reason. “In the near future:” at a time not far off—surely is as good as “in the far future,” or as any other of
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