I wasn't being condescending (I was accepting what you said, actually), I wasn't wrong and I know that synonyms are not interchangeable, Nigel, though they do help to steer towards good word usage. Now I'd far sooner go down this line of argument than revisit those sterile old arguments about the Troubles, etc., but it would be more pleasant if you could just drop your dog-with-bone stance for a minute or two. We're not writing legalese here, we're using language as informally and idiomatically as possible whilst trying to maintain the rules of grammar. Words are not set in stone, at least not since Moses went up the mountain. Their meanings evolve, some senses become less popular, others gain ascendancy. You can't fight it alone. It's fine to occasionally split infinitives and always was, it's fine to say "hopefully" and always was, and we can use words in any way we like irregardless of the opinions of others. 😉 Just never use "albeit" or "on a daily basis" or "prior to" in my presence!