"In Branch"

[lankeela]

how I hate that phrase! In a branch or in branches but not in branch! We don't say in shop or in hotel so why in branch when referring to banks or building societies?

[hellywelly4]

Just seen your post and you have said exactly what I’ve thought for several years. I first noticed it when Julie Walters did an advert for a bank (Lloyds?) and I thought how odd it sounded. Seems we are alone in our thoughts!

[douglas9401]

Best keep this stuff in house.

[Everhelpful]

On a par with "Reach Out",why not just ask?

[jno]

we used to do things in house. (Not meaning a house literally but within the organisation.) I think it started out as a compound adjective, in-house preparations and so on, but evolved into a free-floating adverb. Quite an old one too.

[Buenchico]

>>> We don't say in shop

. . . but we do say "in store". (e.g. "It will cost you more if you buy it in store, rather than purchasing it online")

[jno]

would you say that in school, Buenchico?

[chelle7272]

Makes sense to me. We do now go 'in shop' as opposed to an online shop. We still use in house at work and use in premise for our IT.

[JimF]

I also hate "reach out". Never heard "in premise", though. "On prem(ise)", certainly, but never "in premise".

[gingejbee]

I hate the commonly used "for free". You get something "free" or "for nothing", but NOT "for free".

[Buenchico]

^^^ The OED recognises that usage, Ginge, but describes it as 'pleonastic', thus essentially agreeing with you:
https://ibb.co/sybr3bX

Missing words can be just as annoying too. I hate "Up to Half Price Sale". The wording implies that nothing in the sale is offered at more than half of its regular price. (It should be "Up to Half Price Off Sale").

[Buenchico]

The mention of 'premise', above, reminds me that I find "premises" a frustrating word.

It looks like a plural, and I want to treat it as such. (e.g. "The premises are close to the river").

However the media treats it as singular in most press and broadcast reporting (apparently correctly). e.g. "The premises is close to the river".

It just doesn't seem right to me!

[douglas9401]

A scissors.

Get some rest people. :-)

[JimF]

The relatively recent usage of premise as the singular of premises is a perfect example of one of the ways language evolves over time, in this case, due to the fact that it just sounds like that's what it should mean". Licensed premises, so why can't we have a licensed premise and, by extension, why can't any building be a premise? :-)

[shoota]

I am in premise at the moment.

[davebro]

Martell Maxwell gets me on Homes under the Hammer. Keeps missing words out that should be in sentences.

"This house needs a lot done." Grrrrrrrr!

Numerous other examples I can't think of just now.

[shoota]

Listen to her with the sound off.
Works every time.

[lankeela]

. . . but we do say "in store". (e.g. "It will cost you more if you buy it in store, rather than purchasing it online")

Chris I don't! I would say "it will cost you more if you buy it in A store/shop"