accidentally on purpose

accidentally on purpose

English

WOTD – 23 February 2011

Pronunciation

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Adverb

accidentally on purpose (not comparable)

1. Deliberately, though apparently accidentally.
   • 1860, Cornwall Simeon, Stray Notes on Fishing and Natural History, page 159:

     However, having accidentally-on-purpose got hold of a piece of the fish, down it went; and, apparently thinking that under the circumstances he might do worse, he set to work with no ill-will or appetite, and soon got through a good part of a haddock.

   • 2003, The Continuum Encyclopedia of American Literature, edited by Steven R. Serafin and Alfred Bendixen, page 512 (entry "Hemingway"):

     When a buffalo charges at her husband, Margot, directly in back of him and standing up in Wilson's open car, fires toward the buffalo and kills Francis — whether accidentally, on purpose, or accidentally on purpose, H. leaves ambiguous.

   • 2008, Karen White, The House on Tradd Street:

     “Or maybe,” Jack added, “her mother accidentally on purpose lost it.”

Translations

deliberately but seemingly accidentally

Dutch: per ongeluk expres Finnish: näennäisesti vahingossa Greek: καταλάθος εξεπίτηδες (kataláthos exepítides) Japanese: 偶然を装って (gūzen o yosootte)

Portuguese: sem querer querendo Russian: как (kak) бы (by) случа́йно (slučájno) (kak by slučájno), наро́чно (ru) (naróšno) (on purpose; for fun) Spanish: sin querer queriendo (es)

See also

• casu consulto