over and more than

At some point, you've probably been told never to use over in such sentences as Jackie's emerald ring cost over a thousand dollars.

If you've been feeling guilty about your attachment to over, you'll be relieved to learn that the above example is correct.

As Canadian grammar guru Frances Peck points out, "Over is an acceptable substitute for more than or in excess of, particularly in combination with a number."

If that is so, then why are we still debating this point?

Well, the confusion started a hundred or so years ago, when some American newspaper editors banned the use of over to mean more than. However, the ban seems to have stemmed from editorial preference rather than any usage problem.

While some style guides still object to using over in this sense, major dictionaries accept this usage. Interestingly, Fowler's says over has always been considered standard in Britain.

So now you can feel guilt-free about using over in your writing.

We consulted the following references in drawing up this linguistic reminder:

Canadian Oxford Dictionary (2004)
Collins Gage Canadian Paperback Dictionary (2006)
Fowler's Modern English Usage (1996)
Gage Canadian Dictionary (2000)
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage (1994)
"Usage Myths" by Frances Peck (in Language Update, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2004)