The 2004 list of words that should be banished for “misuse, overuse and general uselessness,” according to Lake Superior State University:
Metrosexual: An urban male who pays a great deal of attention to appearance.
X: As in “X-Files,” Xtreme, Windows XP (news – web sites) and X-Box.
Punked: To dupe, popularized by the MTV show “Punk’d.”
Place Stamp Here: Printed on return envelopes.
Companion animals: Also known as pets.
Bling or Bling-Bling: Flashy jewelry.
LOL: E-mail speak for “laugh out loud.”
Embedded Journalist.
Smoking Gun.
Shock and Awe.
Captured Alive.
Shots Rang Out.
Ripped From the Headlines.
Sweat Like a Pig: The problem is pigs don’t sweat.
In Harm’s Way.
Hand-Crafted Latte.
Sanitary Landfill: Also known as a dump.