"On accident" or "by accident"...

[hackorydackorydac]

"On accident" or "by accident", which do you say?

You know, whenever you make a mistake and explain it away by saying you did it by/on accident.

I've always said "by accident", but someone recently asked me what I say when something is done purposefully. I say "On purpose".

So now I'm thinking of changing to "On accident!"

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I say it was an accident.

 

[hackorydackorydac]

I say it was an accident.

No home version of our game for you!!!

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

"On accident" or "by accident", which do you say?

You know, whenever you make a mistake and explain it away by saying you did it by/on accident.

I've always said "by accident", but someone recently asked me what I say when something is done purposefully. I say "On purpose".

So now I'm thinking of changing to "On accident!"

Why not "by purpose"?

"By accident" and "on purpose".

 

[JMD]

I always say "by accident" & "on purpose", and I've never heard anyone say anything different. They are two seperate expressions, why compare them?

 

[MushyMushy]

I don't use either one. It's "an accident."

 

[NMAmy]

I tend to say accidentally. Or it was an accident.

 

[MAKmom]

Just subscribing to find out the correct answer.

 

[snowy76]

MaryAnn has it right...

http://wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html#errors
http://wsu.edu/~brians/errors/onaccident.html

 

[cybrkitn]

Depends. I'll say, "It was an accident" or "It was by accident". I use an/by interchangably (sp?). Although now while I'm typing this, all I hear is my DS4's voice

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

MaryAnn has it right...

http://wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html#errors
http://wsu.edu/~brians/errors/onaccident.html

Yay! I was right about something today...I fulfilled my daily quota.

 

[CarolG]

Well, first I say "Oh crap!" - but that's just by accident!

 

[snowy76]

Yay! I was right about something today...I fulfilled my daily quota.

Doesn't it feel great to have that done before lunch?

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

 

[hackorydackorydac]

Doesn't it feel great to have that done before lunch?

...and you did it ON purpose too! Yay!

 

[Sparx]

I say "by accident"

 

[LiteBrite]

MaryAnn has it right...

http://wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html#errors
http://wsu.edu/~brians/errors/onaccident.html

I'm soooo glad to see this. I've always said "by accident", but my 19yoDD and all of her contemporaries say "on accident", which drives me crazy! I'll never be able to convince her or any of them, but at least I know I'm right!

 

[shirleyb]

by accident

I know a few people that say "on accident" and it drives me crazy.

 

[SwedishMeatball]

I don't know. I sat here and said them both and then said them again and now I've thoroughly confused myself.

 

[Charade]

I say both "by accident" and "an accident" because they convey to different things.

I say "on purpose"