[GoodGrief]

[quote author=somnambule link=topic=6675.msg49775#msg49775 date=1350344090]
Regardless, my biggest takeaway from that article was that defense has become a verb while I wasn't looking:

Besides the interception, Sherman was credited with three tackles and three passes defensed. Thomas had five tackles (two solo) and two passes defensed.

I hate the trend of verbing nouns. ;)  It's particularly bad when there's already a perfectly good verb with exactly the same meaning (such as "defended").  The other one like this that really bugs me is saying "gift" or "gifted" instead of "give" or "gave."
[/quote]

I love verbing nouns, and I wish it was considered grammatically acceptable; it streamlines language and makes it so much more colorful. You can say, "When I type, I hunt and peck with two fingers around the keyboard," or you can say, "When I type, I lobster-claw it." Which one creates a more evocative image?

But you're absolutely right--there's no reason to do so if there already exists a verb with that exact meaning. Doing that is just stupid.

[GoodGrief]

[quote author=somnambule link=topic=6675.msg49775#msg49775 date=1350344090]
Regardless, my biggest takeaway from that article was that defense has become a verb while I wasn't looking:

Besides the interception, Sherman was credited with three tackles and three passes defensed. Thomas had five tackles (two solo) and two passes defensed.

I hate the trend of verbing nouns. ;)  It's particularly bad when there's already a perfectly good verb with exactly the same meaning (such as "defended").  The other one like this that really bugs me is saying "gift" or "gifted" instead of "give" or "gave."
[/quote]

I love verbing nouns, and I wish it was considered grammatically acceptable; it streamlines language and makes it so much more colorful. You can say, "When I type, I hunt and peck with two fingers around the keyboard," or you can say, "When I type, I lobster-claw it." Which one creates a more evocative image?

But you're absolutely right--there's no reason to do so if there already exists a verb with that exact meaning. Doing that is just stupid.