Over-liked: a rant.

It's a simple enough question: do you like butter?



Annoyingly, the answer nowadays will quite probably be yes, I like it over margarine. 

But why would anyone want to spread butter over margar...

...oh, I see. You mean you prefer butter to margarine. Then why not say so?

It gets worse.

Do you like wearing leggings?

Yes, I like them over skirts.

Do you like elephants?

Yes, I like them over people.

There must be some reason why a way of stating one's opinion has suddenly become so much harder to understand. 

But I shudder to think what it might be.

Word To Use Today: prefer. This short, easy, unambiguous word comes from the Latin praeferre, to carry in front.