Friday, May 30, 2014

Dictionary Check: Skyrocket


Meat prices are skyrocketing.  (The Atlantic, 5/30/2014)

The threshold for 'skyrocket' is 10% over the course of a year?   If your plans for this weekend include barbecuing a platter of pork chops and sizzling some steaks, get ready to pay up: Meat prices have skyrocketed nearly 10 percent compared to this time last year.

OK, let's say a New York strip cost $12.99 a year ago.  Now it'll set me back $14.29.

Does this column graph illustrate "skyrocket" for you?


Better to say, simply, meat prices have increased 10%.

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