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Merriam-Webster offers Trump a spelling lesson after Twitter mistake

The dictionary stepped in after Trump misused the word 'pour' in a recent tweet 

Clarisse Loughrey
Wednesday 04 July 2018 10:10 BST
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Trump corrects tweet boasting about his writing after it has spelling mistakes

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Merriam-Webster Dictionary's official Twitter account couldn't resist a quick jab at Donald Trump's misuse of the word "pour" in a recent (now deleted) tweet, especially since that same tweet saw him brag about his "ability to write".

Complaining that the "Fake News" likes to "pour [sic]" over his tweets looking for mistakes, Merriam-Webster quickly pointed out a few useful definitions: that "pore over" means "to read or study very carefully" and to "pour over" means "to make expensive coffee".

And just to ensure Merriam-Webster's target was clear, the tweet added that "comb over" means "to comb hair from the side of the head to cover the bald spot".

"After having written many best selling books, and somewhat priding myself on my ability to write, it should be noted that the Fake News constantly likes to pour over my tweets looking for a mistake," Trump had written. "I capitalize certain words only for emphasis, not b/c they should be capitalized!"


Merriam-Webster has used the power of the dictionary to mock Trump and his associates before, clarifying for Ivanka Trump what the meaning of "complicit" is after she confessed: "I don't know what it means".

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