“It is above a week since I heard from my brother.” We may say “above the earth,” “above the housetops,” but in the preceding sentence it is better to say, “It is more than a week since I heard from my brother.”
“In the above paragraph he quotes from Horace.” Say, “In the preceding or foregoing paragraph,” etc. The awkwardness of the use of the word above becomes very apparent when the line in which it occurs is found at the top of a page, and the passage to which reference is made appears at the bottom of the previous page.
Climax
The Greek word climax means literally a ladder, and implies ascent, upward movement. The best authors use it only in this sense, and not to denote the highest point.
Factor
This word, from the Latin factor, a doer, an agent, signifies working, doing, effecting. Its frequent use in the sense of source or part should be avoided.
“All are but factors of one stupendous whole,
Whose body Nature is, and God the soul.”
Pope employs the better word parts.
Hung, Hanged
Pictures, signs, bells, and other inanimate objects are hung; men are hanged. While some writers ignore this distinction, the best authorities observe it.