Though idioms are illogical, they are not incorrect. They give liveliness and vigor to speech, and we could ill spare them. Some of them belonged originally to that class of slang expressions which meet a real need (§ 205). They have been gradually adopted by educated people wherever the English language is spoken, and so are now "correct English." It is important, however, that we should distinguish between true idioms and those modern slang expressions that have no excuse for being.

We should also distinguish between idioms and provincialisms, which are expressions peculiar to certain districts only. People would laugh at us in most places if we should say, for example, I reckon it will storm, I want off the train, He packed the bundle home, We had a right smart crop this year.