Intensive or Intents: What is the world is an Eggcorn?
Posted By RichC on August 16, 2025
Earlier this month while sending a few quick text messages back and forth, I started to type the message “for all intensive purposes” to my brother when my iPhone started a predictive typing suggestion: “for all intents and purposes.” Hm .. so down the rabbit hole I jumped.
According to Merriam-Webster …
In a 1546 Act of Parliament, the phrase “to all intents, constructions, and purposes” was used to convey that King Henry VIII had unlimited power to interpret laws. Apparently, the people of England took a liking to the phrase—just not the “constructions” part. Thereafter, the phrase began appearing in legal documents and other writings in forms such as “to all intents” and “to all intents and purposes.” Nowadays, the latter phrase has survived—chiefly in British English—and “for all intents and purposes” was popularized in American English.
When looking up the semi-idiom desultory thought, it brought me to Eggcorn … or “slip of the ear” repeated word or phrase. Very interesting … and I don’t think 
I’ll ever say “intensive” again without remembering this post?
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