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Auto-Train Corp. A private company that hauls passengers and their cars, leasing rails and equipment owned by other companies. Median is the middle number of points in a series arranged in order of size: The median grade in the group of 50, 55, 85, 88, 92 is The average is Norm implies a standard of average performance for a given group: The child was below the norm for his age in reading comprehension. Avianca The headquarters of this airline is in Bogota, Colombia.

See Nobel Prize and Pulitzer Prize. He plans to stay for a while. AWOL Acceptable on second reference for absent without leave. The verb forms: ax, axed, axing. Avoid except in quotes. See academic degrees for guidelines on when the abbreviations B. It does not lose its status as an adjective, however, in a sentence such as I feel bad.

Such a statement is the idiomatic equivalent of I am in bad health. An alternative, I feel badly, could be interpreted as meaning that your sense of touch was bad. See the good, well entry.

Identify a specific island in the text if relevant. It may be posted as follows: —The accused may deposit with the court the full amount or its equivalent in collateral such as a deed to property. The bondsman, in turn, guarantees the court that it will receive from him the full amount in the event the individual fails to appear for trial. It is correct in all cases to say that an accused posted bail or posted a bail bond the money held by the court is a form of bond. Bakelite A trademark for a type of plastic resin.

The balance of payments is determined by computing the amount of money a nation and its citizens send abroad for all purposes — including goods and services purchased, travel, loans, foreign aid, etc. The balance of trade is the difference between the monetary value of the goods a nation imports and the goods it exports.

The sausage or luncheon meat is bologna. Baltimore The city in Maryland stands alone in datelines. Band-Aid A trademark for a type of adhesive bandage. BankAmerica Corp. A merger of BankAmerica and NationsBank. Headquarters is in Charlotte, N. A Baptist uppercase is a person who is a member of the Protestant denomination described in the next entry. Baptist churches It is incorrect to apply the term church to any Baptist unit except the local church.

It has more than 12 million members, most of them in the South, although it has churches in 50 states. The Baptist World Alliance, a voluntary association of Baptist bodies throughout the world, organizes the Baptist World Congress meetings generally held every five years. Pastor applies if a minister leads a congregation. On first reference, use the Rev. On second reference, use only the last name.

See religious titles. See religious movements for definitions of some descriptive terms that often apply to Baptists but are not limited to them. Judaism regards the age of 13 as the benchmark of religious maturity.

A standard barrel in British and Canadian measure contains 36 imperial gallons. In international dealings with crude oil, a standard barrel contains 42 U. See the oil entry for guidelines on computing the volume and weight of petroleum products. Use of acronym on first reference is acceptable if it is identified as a programming language.

But battle station. Capitalize also San Francisco Bay area or the Bay area as the popular name for the nine-county region that has San Francisco as its focal point. Bizarre means unusual.

Acceptable in all references to a calendar year in the period before Christ. Because the full phrase would be in the year 43 before Christ, the abbreviation B. See A. Since is acceptable in a causal sense when the first event in a sequence led logically to the second but was not its direct cause: They went to the game, since they had been given the tickets. Beijing The city in China formerly Peking stands alone in datelines. Belize The former British Honduras.

If Benelux is used, explain that it is an inclusive word for these three nations. See airport. Benzedrine A trademark for a type of pep pill or stimulant. Berlin Stands alone in datelines.

Berlin Wall On second reference, the wall. Bermuda collar, Bermuda grass, Bermuda shorts beside, besides Beside means at the side of. Besides means in addition to. The word to seldom is necessary, but when it appears it should be hyphenated in all constructions: 3-to-2 odds, odds of 3to-2, the odds were 3-to Some examples: bifocal bilateral bilingual bimonthly bipartisan biannual, biennial Biannual means twice a year and is a synonym for the word semiannual. Biennial means every two years.

Bible Capitalize, without quotation marks, when referring to the Scriptures in the Old Testament or the New Testament. Capitalize also related terms such as the Gospels, Gospel of St. Mark, the Scriptures, the Holy Scriptures. Lowercase biblical in all uses. Lowercase bible as a nonreligious term: My dictionary is my bible. Do not abbreviate individual books of the Bible.

Jewish Bibles contain the same 39 books, in different order. Roman Catholic Bibles follow a different order, usually use some different names, and include the seven Deuterocanonical books called the Apocrypha by Protestants : Tobit, Judith, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch. Citation listing the number of chapter and verse s use this form: Matthew , Luke , 1 Peter Bible Belt Those sections of the United States, especially in the South and Middle West, where fundamentalist religious beliefs prevail.

Use with care, because in certain contexts it can give offense. See religious movements. The oscillating theory, another hypothesis, maintains that expansion eventually will stop, followed by contraction to a superdense atom, followed by another big bang.

The steady-state theory, an alternative hypothesis, maintains that the universe always has existed and that matter constantly is being created to replace matter that is constantly being destroyed. The organization has headquarters in Philadelphia. For forms, see the millions, billions entry. Bill of Rights The first 10 amendments to the Constitution. Semimonthly means twice a month. Lowercase in other uses. Semiweekly means twice a week.

A fair is a bazaar. Use Negro only in names of organizations or in quotations. Do not use colored as a synonym. See the colored entry. Black Muslims See Muslim s. The term rotating blackout is used by electric companies to describe a situation in which electric power to some sections temporarily is cut off on a rotating basis to assure that voltage will meet minimum standards in other sections.

A brownout is a small, temporary voltage reduction, usually from 2 percent to 8 percent, implemented to conserve electric power. Blessed Sacrament, Blessed Virgin blind See disabled, handicapped, impaired. Block has more than a dozen definitions, but a political alliance is not one of them.

Use blonde as a noun for females. The name is derived from the nickname for Mary I of England. See capitalization. See the organizations and institutions entry. A ship is a large, seagoing vessel. The word boat is used, however, in some words that apply to large craft: ferryboat, PT boat. Use it, not the pronoun she, in references to boats and ships. Boeing Co. Formerly Boeing Aircraft Co. Do not use boldface for individual words within a paragraph.

Baloney is foolish or exaggerated talk. Use a generic term such as audiotape or audiocassette. Boston The city in Massachusetts stands alone in datelines. Boston brown bread, Boston cream pie, Boston terrier boulevard Abbreviated only with a numbered address. Use man or young man afterward. An embargo is a legal restriction against trade. It usually prohibits goods from entering or leaving a country. Headquarters is in Irving, Texas.

Cub Scouting is for boys 8 through Members are Cub Scouts or Cubs. Boy Scouting is for boys 11 through Members are Boy Scouts or Scouts.

Exploring is a separate program open to boys and girls from high school age through Members are Explorers, not Explorer Scouts. Members of units that stress nautical programs are Sea Explorers. See Girl Scouts. BP is acceptable on second reference. Headquarters is in London. Brahman, Brahmin Brahman applies to the priestly Hindu caste and a breed of cattle. Brahmin applies to aristocracy in general: Boston Brahmin. Brand names normally should be used only if they are essential to a story.

Sometimes, however, the use of a brand name may not be essential but is acceptable because it lends an air of reality to a story: He fished a Camel from his shirt pocket may be preferable to the less specific cigarette. Also use a separate paragraph to provide the name of a sponsor when the brand name is not part of the formal title.

Brand name is a nonlegal term for service mark or trademark. See entries under those words. Richard Bright, the London physician who first diagnosed this form of kidney disease. Brill, a U. A form of epidemic typhus fever in which the disease recurs years after the original infection.

See United Kingdom. Headquarters is in Hounslow, England. British Broadcasting Corp. BBC is acceptable in all references within contexts such as a television column. Otherwise, do not use BBC until second reference. British Commonwealth See Commonwealth, the. British thermal unit The amount of heat required to increase the temperature of a pound of water 1 degree Fahrenheit.

Btu the same for singular and plural is acceptable on second reference. British ton See ton. British Virgin Islands Use with a community name in datelines on stories from these islands.

Specify an individual island in the text if relevant. The term off-off-Broadway refers to workshop productions that may use Equity members for a limited time at substandard pay.

Other unions maintain a hands-off policy, agreeing with the Equity attitude that actors should have an opportunity to whet their talents in offbeat roles without losing their Equity memberships. Bronze Age The age characterized by the development of bronze tools and weapons, from to B. Regarded as coming between the Stone Age and the Iron Age. Headquarters is in Cleveland. For possessives: Warner Bros. Use brunette as a noun for females. See British thermal unit.

Budapest The capital of Hungary. In datelines, follow it with Hungary. Buddha, Buddhism A major religion founded in India about B. Buddha, which means enlightened one, was the name given to Gautama Siddhartha by his followers. Buddhists believe that correct thinking and self-denial will enable the soul to reach nirvana, a state of release into ultimate enlightenment and peace. Until nirvana is reached, believers cannot be freed from the cycle of death and rebirth.

There are three major groups within Buddhism: — Theravada or Hinayana some find the latter term pejorative : Followers stress monastic discipline and attainment of nirvana by the individual through meditation. The ideal life is that of virtue and wisdom. The sect is found mostly in Japan, Korea and eastern China.

Zen is a distinctive Mahayana movement in which followers seek enlightenment through introspection and intuition. The doctrines are similar to Mahayana and like Mantrayana there is a loose structure of leaders and disciples. This group is found mostly in Japan. Its most prominent leader is the Dalai Lama. It is similar to Mahayana but also has a structure of spiritual leaders and disciples, believes in various evil spirits and deities, uses magic, and has secret rituals.

Bufferin A trademark for buffered aspirin. A tap is a device attached to a telephone circuit to pick up conversations on the line. Capitalize the proper names of buildings, including the word building if it is an integral part of the proper name: the Empire State Building. Lowercase when used alone or to designate a corporate subdivision: the Washington bureau of The Associated Press. Larceny is the legal term for the wrongful taking of property.

Its nonlegal equivalents are stealing or theft. Robbery in the legal sense involves the use of violence or threat in committing larceny. In a wider sense it means to plunder or rifle, and may thus be used even if a person was not present: His house was robbed while he was away. Theft describes a larceny that did not involve threat, violence or plundering.

The verb forms: bus, bused, busing. See buss, busses. To convert to liters, multiply by See liter. The verb forms: buss, bussed, bussing. See bus, buses. Some examples: byline bypass byproduct bystreet By-election is an exception. See the next entry. The term most often is associated with special elections to the British House of Commons. Nicknames should not be used unless they specifically are requested by the writer.

The capital letter distinguishes the word from the common noun meaning cupboard, which is lowercase. See department for a listing of all the U. Cabinet departments. Cabinet titles Capitalize the full title when used before a name; lowercase in other uses: Secretary of State Cyrus R. Vance, but Juanita M. Kreps, secretary of commerce. Caesarean section caliber The form:. See weapons. California Abbrev. Such stations include amateur radio and NOAA weather stations.

See channel; citizens band; radio station; and television station. Cambodia Use this rather than Kampuchea in datelines since the country continues to be known more widely by this name.

In the body of stories Kampuchea may be used as long as it is identified as another name for Cambodia. Cameroon Not Camerouns or Cameroun. See geographic names. Headquarters is in Kansas City, Mo.

Both girls and boys are included in all levels of the organization. Children in third through fifth grades are Adventure club members. Children in sixth through eighth grades are Discovery members. Youths in ninth through 12th grades are Horizon members.

For all other datelines, use the city name and the name of the province or territory spelled out. The provinces have substantial autonomy from the federal government.

The territories are administered by the federal government, although residents of the territories do elect their own legislators and representatives to Parliament. Canada goose Not Canadian goose. Canadian Broadcasting Corp. CBC is acceptable in all references within contexts such as a television column. Other- wise, do not use CBC until second reference. Canal Zone Do not abbreviate. No longer used except when referring to the Panama Canal area during the time it was controlled by the United States, See the weapons entry.

A canon is a law or rule, particularly of a church. See dialect. Better is: can hardly. Canuck This reference to a Canadian is sometimes considered a derogatory term.

It should be avoided except when in quoted matter or in terms used in Canada, such as references to the hockey team, the Vancouver Canucks. Canvass is a noun and a verb denoting a survey. Lowercase when standing alone. Although local practice may call for capitalizing the Cape when the rest of the name is clearly understood, always use the full name on first reference in wire copy.

On second reference in wire copy, either repeat the full name or use the cape in lowercase. Cape Canaveral, Fla. Formerly Cape Kennedy. See John F. Kennedy Space Center. Do not capitalize. When used in a financial sense, capital describes money, equipment or property used in a business by a person or corporation. Use a capital letter only if you can justify it by one of the principles listed here.

Many words and phrases, including special cases, are listed separately in this book. Entries that are capitalized without further comment should be capitalized in all uses. Use lowercase if the dictionary lists it as an acceptable form for the sense in which the word is being used. As used in this book, capitalize means to use uppercase for the first letter of a word. If additional capital letters are needed, they are called for by an example or a phrase such as use all caps.

Some words, such as the examples just given, are always proper nouns. Some common nouns receive proper noun status when they are used as the name of a particular entity: General Electric, Gulf Oil. Lowercase these common nouns when they stand alone in subsequent references: the party, the river, the street. Lowercase the common noun elements of names in all plural uses: the Democratic and Republican parties, Main and State streets, lakes Erie and Ontario.

The principle applies also to shortened versions of the proper names of one-of-a-kind events: the Series for the World Series , the Derby for the Kentucky Derby. This practice should not, however, be interpreted as a license to ignore the general practice of lowercasing the common noun elements of a name when they stand alone.

Lowercase words that are derived from a proper noun but no longer depend on it for their meaning: french fries, herculean, manhattan cocktail, malapropism, pasteurize, quixotic, venetian blind. See sentences and parentheses.

In poetry, capital letters are used for the first words of some phrases that would not be capitalized in prose. See poetry. See composition titles; magazine names; and newspaper names.

Lowercase formal titles when used alone or in constructions that set them off from a name by commas. Use lowercase at all times for terms that are job descriptions rather than formal titles. See academic titles; courtesy titles; legislative titles; military titles; nobility titles; religious titles; and titles.

See the abbreviations and acronyms entry. Capitol and the Capitol when referring to the building in Washington: The meeting was held on Capitol Hill in the west wing of the Capitol.

Follow the same practice when referring to state capitols: The Virginia Capitol is in Richmond. Thomas Jefferson designed the Capitol of Virginia. Lowercase and spell out in such uses as team captain Carl Yastrzemski. A carat is equal to milligrams or about 3 grains. The proportion of pure gold used with an alloy is expressed in karats. Headquarters is in Atlanta. Castor is the spelling for the oil and the bean from which it is derived.

Use lowercase for the wormlike larva of various insects. Most subsequent references may be condensed to Catholic Church, Catholic or Catholicism. Roman Catholic should continue to be used, however, if the context requires a distinction between Roman Catholics and members of other denominations who often describe themselves as Catholic. They include some high church Episcopalians who often call themselves Anglo-Catholics , members of Eastern Orthodox churches, and members of some national Catholic churches that have broken with Rome.

Lowercase catholic where used in its generic sense of general or universal, meanings derived from a similar word in Greek. Those who use Catholic in a religious sense are indicating their belief that they are members of a universal church that Jesus Christ left on Earth.

Caucasian cave in v. CB See citizens band radio. CD-ROM disc is redundant. The proper term is concrete not cement pavement, blocks, driveways, etc. The verb form is cease fire.

To censor is to prohibit or restrict the use of something. To censure is to condemn. Use celebrator for someone having a good time: The celebrators kept the party going until 3 a. Celsius Use this term rather than centigrade for the temperature scale that is part of the metric system. The Celsius scale is named for Anders Celsius, a Swedish astronomer who designed it. In it, zero represents the freezing point of water, and degrees is the boiling point at sea level.

To convert to Fahrenheit, multiply a Celsius temperature by 9, divide by 5 and add 32 25 x 9 equals , divided by 5 equals 45, plus 32 equals 77 degrees Fahrenheit. When giving a Celsius temperature, use these forms: 40 degrees Celsius or 40 C note the space and no period after the capital C if degrees and Celsius are clear from the context. See Fahrenheit and metric system entries.

It works with state health departments to provide specialized services that they are unable to maintain on an everyday basis. The normal form for first reference is the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC is acceptable on second reference. Move a decimal point two places to the left in converting to the basic unit: There are 10 millimeters in a centimeter. A centimeter is approximately the width of a large paper clip.

To convert to inches, multiply by. See meter; metric system; and inch. The formal title for the individual who heads the agency is director of central intelligence. Numerals alone, with or without a decimal point as appropriate, may be used in tabular matter. Ceylon It is now Sri Lanka, which should be used in datelines and other references to the nation. The people may be referred to as Ceylonese n.

The language is Sinhalese. Do not capitalize as a casual, temporary position: meeting chairman Robert Jones. Capitalize when used before a name. See the premier, prime minister entry and titles. No channel will broadcast the game. Also: the English Channel, but the channel on second reference. Always use Arabic figures: Chapter 1, Chapter Reputation refers to the way a person is regarded by others.

Charlestown is a section of Boston. Charles Town is the name of a small city in West Virginia. The terms come from Nicolas Chauvin, a soldier of Napoleon I, who was famous for his devotion to the lost cause. Chemical Mace A trademark, usually shortened to Mace, for a brand of tear gas that is packaged in an aerosol canister and temporarily stuns its victims. Use the algebraic notation in providing tabular summaries.

Thus, each square is identified by its file letter and rank number. No symbol is used for the pawn. For instance, Bb5 means the bishop moves to square b5. Thus, e4 means the pawn on the e file moves to e4. The other half is queenside. Thus, if a rook on d1 were to move to d4, but another rook also could move there, instead of Rd4 the move would be given as R1d4.

If there are black knights on c6 and e6, and the one on e6 moves to d4, the move is given as Ned4. The form, taken from a championship match: 1. Qg6 Bxh6 Rxh6 Rc5 Rh7 Formerly Standard Oil Co. Chevy Not Chevie or Chevvy. This nickname for the Chevrolet should be used only in automobile features or in quoted matter.

Chicago The city in Illinois stands alone in datelines. Lowercase when it is not a formal title: union chief Walter Reuther. The officeholder is the chief justice of the United States, not of the Supreme Court. See judge. Use the last name, however, if the seriousness of the story calls for it, as in a murder case, for example. Use the surname for those 18 and older. Chile The nation. China When used alone, it refers to the mainland nation.

Use it in datelines and other routine references. For datelines on stories from the island of Taiwan, use the name of a community and Taiwan. In the body of a story, use Nationalist China or Taiwan for references to the government based on the island. Use the formal name of the government, the Republic of China, when required for legal precision. Chinaman A patronizing term. Confine it to quoted matter. Chinese names For most Chinese place names and personal names, use the official Chinese spelling system known as Pinyin: Senior leader Deng Xiaoping, Beijing, or Zhejiang province.

Note that the Chinese usually give the family name first Deng followed by the given name Xiaoping. Second reference should be the family name only: Deng. The Pinyin spelling system eliminates the hyphen or apostrophe previously used in many given names.

If the new Pinyin spelling of a proper noun is so radically different from the traditional American spelling that a reader might be confused, provide the Pinyin spelling followed by the traditional spelling in parentheses. For example, the city of Fuzhou Foochow.

Follow local spellings in stories dealing with Hong Kong and Taiwan. Some Chinese have Westernized their names, putting their given names or the initials for them first: P. Chen, Jack Wang. Use the courtesy titles Mrs. Never use Madame or Mme.

Christian Church Disciples of Christ The parentheses and the words they surround are part of the formal name. The body owes its origins to an early 19th-century frontier movement to unify Christians. Stone in Kentucky, merged in The local church is the basic organizational unit. National policies are developed by the General Assembly, made up of representatives chosen by local churches and regional organizations. The church lists , members. All members of the clergy may be referred to as ministers.

Christmas, Christmas Day Dec. The federal legal holiday is observed on Friday if Dec. Never abbreviate Christmas to Xmas or any other form. Lowercase in phrases where the church is used in an institutional sense: She believes in the separation of church and state. The pope said the church opposes abortion. See religious titles and the entry for the denomination in question. Churches of Christ Approximately 18, independent congregations with a total U.

They sponsor numerous educational activities, primarily radio and television programs. Each local church is autonomous and operates under a governing board of elders. The minister is an evangelist, addressed by members as Brother. The ministers do not use clergy titles.

Do not precede their names by a title. The churches do not regard themselves as a denomination. Rather, they stress a nondenominational effort to preach what they consider basic Bible teachings. The churches also teach that baptism is an essential part of the salvation process. The Mother Church in Boston is the international headquarters. Its government provides for a board of directors, which transacts the business of the Mother Church.

A branch church, governed by its own democratically chosen board, is named First Church of Christ, Scientist, or Second Church, etc. The word Christian is used because its teachings are based on the word and works of Jesus Christ.

The word Science is used to reflect the concept that the laws of God are replicable and can be proved in healing sickness and sin. The church is composed entirely of lay members and does not have clergy in the usual sense.

Both men and women may serve as readers, practitioners, or lecturers. The preferred form for these titles is to use a construction that sets them off from a name with commas. Capitalize them only when used as a formal title immediately before a name. Do not continue use of the title in subsequent references. The terms reverend and minister are not applicable. Do not use the Rev. Church of England See Anglican Communion. Mormon church, LDS church or the Latterday Saints can be used, but the official name is preferred in first reference in a story dealing primarily with church activities.

The church is based on revelations that Joseph Smith said were brought to him in the s by heavenly messengers. The headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah, lists membership at 5. Church hierarchy is composed of men known as general authorities. Among them, the policymaking body is the First Presidency, made up of a president and two or more counselors. It has final authority in all spiritual and worldly matters.

They can be ordained elders after age 18, usually after graduating from high school and before serving as missionaries. They may later become high priests, or bishops. The only formal titles are president for the head of the First Presidency , bishop for members of the Presiding Bishopric and for local bishops and elder for other general authorities and church missionaries.

Capitalize these formal titles before a name on first reference; use only the last name on second reference. The terms minister or the Rev. The largest is the Community of Christ, headquartered in Independence, Mo.

The parent holding company is Citicorp of New York. See datelines for guidelines on when they should be followed by a state or a country name. Capitalize official titles, including separate political entities such as East St. Louis, Ill. The preferred form for the section of a city is lowercase: the west end, northern Los Angeles.

Cities and states in the United States do not confer citizenship. To avoid confusion, use resident, not citizen, in referring to inhabitants of states and cities. Citizen is also acceptable for those in the United Kingdom, or other monarchies where the term subject is often used.

National is applied to a person residing away from the nation of which he or she is a citizen, or to a person under the protection of a specified nation. Native is the term denoting that an individual was born in a given location.

CB is acceptable on second reference. The term describes a group of radio frequencies set aside by the Federal Communications Commission for local use at low power by individuals or businesses. The Federal Communications Commission no longer requires a license to operate a CB station, and such stations do not have call letters. Lowercase elsewhere: a Texas city; the city government; the city Board of Education; and all city of phrases: the city of Boston.

Lowercase when not part of the formal title: city Health Commissioner Frank Smith. See city council and governmental bodies. Use the proper name if the body is not known as a city council: the Miami City Commission, the City Commission, the commission; the Louisville Board of Aldermen, the Board of Aldermen, the board. Use city council in a generic sense for plural references: the Boston, Louisville and Miami city councils. Lowercase plural uses: the Boston and New York city halls.

Civil actions generally involve a charge that a contract has been breached or that someone has been wronged or injured. A criminal case is one that the state or the federal government brings against an individual charged with committing a crime. Civil War claptrap clean up v. Cleveland The city in Ohio stands alone in datelines. A union shop requires workers to join a union within a specified period after they are employed.

An agency shop requires that the workers who do not want to join the union pay the union a fee instead of union dues. A guild shop, a term often used when the union is The Newspaper Guild, is the same as a union shop. See the right-to-work entry for an explanation of how some states prohibit contracts that require workers to join unions. Whenever practical, use a phrase such as closing debate or ending debate instead of the technical term.

Use no hyphen in other combinations: coed coeducation coequal coexist coexistence cooperate cooperative coordinate coordination Cooperate, coordinate and related words are exceptions to the rule that a hyphen is used if a prefix ends in a vowel and the word that follows begins with the same vowel. See company. Do not capitalize when referring to smaller regions: the Virginia coast.

Capitalize the Coast when standing alone only if the reference is to the West Coast. Do not use the abbreviation USCG, except in quotes. Use lowercase for similar forces of other nations. This approach has been adopted for consistency, because many foreign nations do not use coast guard as the proper name. See military academies. Coast Guardsman Note spelling. Capitalize as a proper noun when referring to an individual in a U.

Coast Guard unit: He is a Coast Guardsman. Lowercase guardsman when it stands alone. See military titles. Acronym for Common Business-Oriented Language. Coca-Cola, Coke Trademarks for a brand of cola drink. Crack is a refined cocaine in crystalline rock form. Acceptable in all references for cash on delivery or collect on delivery.

Use only in the historic sense. Some usage examples: The committee is meeting to set its agenda. The jury reached its verdict. A herd of cattle was sold. Right: A thousand bushels is a good yield. A unit. Right: A thousand bushels were created. Individual items. Right: The data is sound. Right: The data have been carefully collected.

An automobile cannot collide with a utility pole, for example. It is not local or regional in nature, as dialect is. Examples include bum and phone. Other colloquial words normally should be avoided because they are substandard. See the dialect and word selection entries. In some countries of Africa, it is used to denote individuals of mixed racial ancestry. Whenever the word is used, place it in quotation marks and provide an explanation of its meaning.

Columbia Broadcasting System It no longer exists. See CBS. Columbus Day Oct. The federal legal holiday is the second Monday in October.

Capitalize when used as a formal title. Capitalize when part of a for- mal name: the House Appropriations Committee. Do not capitalize committee in shortened versions of long committee names: the Special Senate Select Committee to Investigate Improper Labor-Management Practices, for example, became the rackets committee.

See subcommittee. See state. Commonwealth of Independent States Founded Dec. Russia is the largest and richest. Three other former republics — Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia — became independent nations earlier in The Soviet Union was formally dissolved in December Its last leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, resigned on Dec.

Follow all other datelines with the name of the state. The members of this free association of sovereign states recognize the British sovereign as head of the Commonwealth. Some also recognize the sovereign as head of their state; others do not. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. See entry under that name. Communications Satellite Corp. See Comsat Corp. Communications Workers of America The shortened form Communications Workers union is acceptable in all references.

See the political parties and philosophies entry. But: Aluminum Company of America. If company or companies appears alone in second reference, spell the word out. The forms for possessives: Ford Motor Co. Do not, however, use a comma before Inc.

Generally, follow the spelling and capitalization preferred by the company: iMac, eBay. But capitalize the first letter if it begins a sentence. Others should be uppercase and lowercase. Complaisant means eager to please. The tie complements his suit.

Compliment is a noun or a verb that denotes praise or the expression of courtesy: The captain complimented the sailors. She was flattered by the compliments on her outfit. They received complimentary tickets to the show. It commonly is used in both the active and passive voices: She composed a song. The United States is composed of 50 states. The zoo is composed of many animals. Comprise means to contain, to include all or embrace.

It is best used only in the active voice, followed by a direct object: The United States comprises 50 states. The jury comprises five men and seven women. The zoo comprises many animals. Constitute, in the sense of form or make up, may be the best word if neither compose nor comprise seems to fit: Fifty states constitute the United States. Five men and seven women constitute the jury.

A collection of animals can constitute a zoo. Use include when what follows is only part of the total: The price includes breakfast. The zoo includes lions and tigers. The guidelines, followed by a block of examples: —Capitalize the principal words, including prepositions and conjunctions of four or more letters. In addition to catalogs, this category includes almanacs, directories, dictionaries, encyclopedias, gazetteers, handbooks and similar publications.

He did it one time. Test your knowledge of AP style with this series of more than 90 automatically scored quizzes. The classic, practical spiral-bound edition now is published every other year. AP Stylebook, 55th Edition spiral-bound print Published in , the 55th edition of The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law includes more than new or revised entries, with chapters covering data journalism, business, religion and sports terms, as well as media law, news values, punctuation, social media and polls and surveys, plus a new chapter on digital security for journalists.

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