couple, for the number is carried in the adjective and needs no
emphasis.

_Created_ for _First Performed_. Stage slang. "Burbage created the
part of Hamlet." What was it that its author did to it?

_Critically_ for _Seriously_. "He has long been critically ill." A
patient is critically ill only at the crisis of his disease.

_Criticise_ for _Condemn_, or _Disparage_. Criticism is not
necessarily censorious; it may approve.

_Cunning_ for _Amusing_. Usually said of a child, or pet. This is pure
Americanese, as is its synonym, "cute."

_Curious_ for _Odd_, or _Singular_. To be curious is to have an
inquiring mind, or mood--curiosity.

_Custom_ for _Habit_. Communities have customs; individuals,
habits--commonly bad ones.

_Decease_ for _Die_.

_Decidedly_ for _Very_, or _Certainly_. "It is decidedly cold."

_Declared_ for _Said_. To a newspaper reporter no one seems ever to
say anything; all "declare." Like "alleged" (which see) the word is
tiresome exceedingly.

_Defalcation_ for _Default_. A defalcation is a cutting off, a