For/To all intents and purposes

[Laurence Horn]

At 1:21 AM -0800 1/10/07, Benjamin Barrett wrote:
>I sent in a dictionary correction for this item and was told that the
>expression is "to all intents and purposes". The citation given me as
>evidence is
>http://www.faqfarm.com/Q/Is_the_saying_%27all_intents_and_purposes%27_or_%27all_intense_purposes%27.
>
>To me, "for" sounds much better" and I don't see a reason to cite one or
>the other as being correct (and Google gives over a million hits for each).
>
>Another point in my favor is the citation actually claims "to" is
>correct" but then gives "for" in its example.
>
>Most of the citation:
>-----
>The correct phrase is "TO all intents and purposes" which dates back to
>the 1500s and originated in English law, where it was to all intents,
>constructions, and purposes. The phrase is generally used to compare two
>unlike acts or deeds, i.e., "She went to his room and drank with him,
>which he viewed - for all intents and purposes - as consent to sex."
>
>>From being misheard and repeated, people also say "FOR all intents and
>purposes" but that is a product of the original phrase being misheard
>and repeated.
>-----
>
>Can anyone provide guidance here?
>
>Benjamin Barrett
>Baking the World a Better Place
>www.hiroki.us
>

You mean it's not "for all intensive purposes?"      ;-)

LH

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