Discussions about eggcorns and related topics
You are not logged in.
Registrations are currently closed because of a technical problem. Please send email to
The forum administrator reserves the right to request users to plausibly demonstrate that they are real people with an interest in the topic of eggcorns. Otherwise they may be removed with no further justification. Likewise, accounts that have not been used for posting may be removed.
Thanks for your understanding.
Chris -- 2018-04-11
Has anyone else ever heard people use the term “major league” as an adverb?
Example: “Man, I messed that one up major league.”
I think it comes from “majorly” (also a kind of unusual adverb itself), but who knows – maybe this “major league” is a standard coinage I’d just never heard till recently.
Offline
Nice job! I really like that one! I think you make a pretty good case for “major league” being an eggcorn of “majorly.”
Although at least one dictionary classifies “majorly” as slang, I also find at least one dictionary that treats it as standard usage. Perhaps someone will check the OED for us later…
Offline
Here are a few examples from the net…
Testriffic | Quiz your friends | Take my test!Why does one of my phones suck so much? Because its Logitech. Because the flash button hangs up on people. Because the display is messed up major league ...
www.testriffic.com/friendtest/2553670 – 20k – Supplemental Result – Cached – Similar pages
[PDF] SETTING YOUR SEALFile Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat – View as HTML
God, unless you mess up major league. And then you’re excluded & have to do something nice, so God will like. you again. That may sound reasonable—it’s …
www.free-sermons.org/pdf/print.php?t=12952 – Supplemental Result – Similar pages
Democratic Veteran :: Great wordsNo one expects 100% accuracy, but if you screw-up major league, you are dropped. While the Bush gang has embarrassed the US, they have also destroyed access …
www.usndemvet.com/blog/archives/001398.html – 30k – Cached – Similar pages
VarLinux.org – Stories… to entry for any competing desktop OS became so incredibly high that Microsoft would have to screw up major league in order to lose its advantage. ...
www.varlinux.org/vl/html/modules/storie … toryid=766 – 46k – Supplemental Result – Cached – Similar pages
NYU alum discussing school/admissions [Text Version] – Page 11 …I think you’d have to have to screw up MAJOR LEAGUE for them to revoke … screw up major league? what about probation? when do they put u on probation? ...
talk.collegeconfidential.com/archive/index.php/t-647-p-11.html – 14k – Supplemental Result – Cached – Similar pages
Gameboy Advance vs. Playstation Portable—is Nintendo doomed …In fact, they did screw up major league when they were still making the SNES. At the time that Sega put out the Sega CD, Nintendo contacted Sony to make a …
forums.appleinsider.com/archive/index.php/t-24888.html – 49k – Supplemental Result – Cached – Similar pages
Last edited by jorkel (2007-04-13 14:21:05)
Offline
The OED hath spoken:
majorly, adv.
1. a. Greatly; to a major degree.
b. colloq. (orig. U.S.). As an intensifier, modifying an adjective: really, very.
But it definitely has no such entry, even colloquial, for “major league.” The closest one is this:
2. In extended use: of the highest rank; professional; serious, important, impressive.
1951 New Yorker 17 Nov. 71: Four pages of orchestration an hour..is considered major-league speed.
Offline
I always thought “major league” was intentional, sort of like saying “big time.” Not a minor league screwup, but a major league one.
Offline