hard case: An American colloquialism for a person of pronounced or curious type.
hardly. Compare [SCARCELY].
hardy. Compare [RUGGED].
hasten, hurry: Although both words imply a celerity of action, the former presupposes consideration and is not opposed to good order, whereas the latter is indicative of perturbation and a measure of irregularity. Therefore these terms are not synonymous. Phelps in his “English Style in Public Discourse,” says “the first does not imply confusion; the second does.” Lexicographers do not restrict the meaning of hurry to “to confuse by undue haste or suddenness,” but define it as “to cause to be done rapidly or more rapidly; accelerate.” You hasten to congratulate but hurry to catch a train.
have: On the use of this word the Standard Dictionary says; Used in the past tense following another past tense, a use often indiscriminately condemned, though sometimes proper and necessary. (1) Improper construction. Where what was “meant,” “intended,” or the like was, at the time when intended, some act (as of going, writing, or speaking) future in its purpose and not past, and therefore not to be expressed by a past tense; as, “He meant to have gone” for “He meant to go”; “I meant to have written to you, but forgot it,” for “I meant to write,” etc.; “I had intended to have spoken to him about it,” for “I had intended to speak,” etc.; “I should like to have gone” for “I should have liked to go.” The infinitive with to expresses the relation of an act as so conceived, so that both analogy and prevalent usage require “meant to go” instead of “meant to have gone.” Such construction, although occasional instances of it still occur in works of authors of the highest literary reputation, and still often heard in conversation, is now generally regarded as ungrammatical.
(2) Proper construction. The doubling of the past tenses in connection with the use of have with a past participle is proper and necessary when the completion of the future act was intended before the occurrence of something else mentioned or thought of. Attention to this qualification, which has been overlooked in the criticism of tense-formation and connection, is especially important and imperative. If one says, “I meant to have visited Paris and to have returned to London before my father arrived from America,” the past infinitive in the dependent clause is necessary for the expression of the completion of the acts purposed. “I meant to visit Paris and to return to London before my father arrived from America,” may convey suggestively the thought intended, but does not express it.
have seen, seen, saw: In combining words that denote time always observe the order and fitness of time. Do not say “I have seen him last month”; say, rather, “I saw him last month.” Nor say, “I seen him this week”—a common error in grammar among the careless; say, rather, “I have seen him this week,” a form that should be used also, instead of “I saw him this week.”
he, she, her, him, etc.: Pronouns often used incorrectly; inexcusable errors in the educated, which are illustrated by such expressions as “If I were him (or her), I would,” etc. It should be “If I were he (or she), I would,” etc.
healthful, healthy: Discriminate carefully between these words. A healthful thing is one efficacious in promoting or causing health; healthy denotes condition or characteristics; as “a healthy child”; “a healthful climate.”
heap: A word sometimes used to designate a “large number.” A heap is “a collection of things piled up so as to form an elevation”; any other application of the word is colloquial.