Revised as of
28 June 2023
This trio of heterographs makes me nuts, and I find it misused quite often. And it’s not really fair. It’s but one letter difference and, in some ways, very similar as well as completely different. Still, imagine the cachet of using it properly!
Well, that was helpful, wasn’t it?
Seriously, the similarity is in the perception of unusual quality which these words share. Hey, I’m trying to provide y’all with an excuse . . .! A cache will always be a collection whether it’s the physical objects or the storing of them. It will always be physical.
Cachet is more metaphysical, a state that is a perception of quality. Audrey Hepburn epitomizes the general idea of high class, of quality; she has cachet. Perception can also be the clothes or jewelry you wear, the car you drive. Hey, if you’re driving a Rolls Royce, I am definitely going to think you have a certain level of cachet . . . *grin* . . .
The difference is one of physical reality — cache — versus the metaphysical — cachet.
Cash is another “physical reality”. It may convey a certain cachet and could be kept in a cache, but only cash will buy what you want.
Word Confusions . . .
. . . started as my way of dealing with a professional frustration with properly spelled words that were out of context in manuscripts I was editing as well as books I was reviewing. It evolved into a sharing of information with y’all. I’m hoping you’ll share with us words that have been a bête noire for you from either end.
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Cache | Cachet | Cash |
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Part of Grammar: | ||
Noun; Verb, transitive
Plural for the noun: caches Third person present verb: caches |
Noun
Plural: cachets |
Noun 1, 2; Verb, transitive 1
Plural for the noun: cash |
Noun: Collection of items of the same type stored in a hidden or inaccessible place [Computers] An auxiliary memory from which high-speed retrieval is possible
A hiding place, especially one in the ground, for ammunition, food, treasures, etc. Anything so hidden [Computers] A temporary storage space or memory that allows fast access to data [Alaska and Northern Canada] A small shed elevated on poles above the reach of animals and used for storing food, equipment, etc. Verb, transitive:
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State of being respected or admired
Prestige Superior status Distinguishing mark, feature, stamp, or seal
[Pharmacology] A flat capsule or hollow wafer enclosing a dose of unpleasant-tasting medicine An official seal, as on a letter or document A sign or expression of approval, especially from a person who has a great deal of prestige |
Noun: Money in coins or notes, as distinct from checks, money orders, or credit 1
[Historical] A coin of low value from China, southern India, or Southeast Asia 2 Verb, transitive:
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Examples: | ||
Noun: We found a cache of gold coins. Store it in the cache. Clearing out the cache should fix it. She hid her jewelry in a little cache in the cellar. The enemy never found our cache of food. If you run into problems on the Internet, consider clearing your cache. A CPU cache is a smaller, faster memory which stores copies of the data from frequently used main memory locations. Verb, transitive: Cache it in the memory. |
She does have a certain cachet.
It added a certain cachet to her and her paramours. No other shipping company had quite the cachet of Cunard. Courtesy is the cachet of good breeding. The job has a certain cachet. Greenies puts out a cachet to make it easier to give pills to pets. |
Noun: The staff were paid in cash. Is there a discount for cash? She was always short of cash. It’ll have to be a cash transaction. Verb, transitive: “In order to cash dummy’s ace, you must play a card in a different suit, so that dummy will win the trick (Bridge World). He cashed his ace and led the queen. |
Derivatives: | ||
Noun: cache memory | Adjective: cashable, uncashed Noun: cashability, cashableness |
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Phrasal Verb | ||
cash in cash out cash something in |
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History of the Word: | ||
Late 18th century from the French cacher meaning to hide. | Early 17th century from the French cacher in the sense of to press based on the Latin coactare meaning constrain. |
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C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!
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