NewsBlues mrsbgrammar Page 67
Chapter 2 Word Choice
57
burglary/robbery, in lieu of bond, released on bond
Today's lesson begins with burglary, turns into robbery, and ends
with... well, you'll have to read on.
BURGLARY is about breaking in with the intent to steal.
ROBBERY is about using intimidation or the threat of violence.
A thief BURGLARIZES a house (there's no one at home to be
threatened).
The burglary turns into a ROBBERY when the family comes
home, and the masked man pulls out a knife.
Neighbors call police.
They catch the robber a block away, his pick-up full of booty.
Bail is set at $10,000; the story makes the 11.
And that's when one of Grammar Corner's readers grows terribly
upset.
"I swear that I'm going to reach through the tube and strangle the
next reporter I hear say: `...he's being held ON ten thousand
dollars bond.' If you could reiterate that a person is held IN
LIEU OF bond, not ON it (unless they're sleeping on a mattress
made of old stock certificates). A person can be RELEASED on
bond, not HELD on it. Okay, I feel better now..."
Gary Barrett, Program Manager
Policast.com-All Politics Internet Radio
"Released on bond" it is.
