Pet peeves: Words that are used too much

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It's a Pet Peeves page this week, and the subject is:

So, I have read many books this week, and in TWO (yes, 2!) of them, the overused word was BACKPEDAL.

And here is a montage of pictures illustrating BACKPEDAL.

The GIFS don't seem to work, so I'll post them on Google+ (HERE).

So, the Collins English Dictionary lists BACKPEDAL as:

pedals, -pedalling, -pedalled, (US) -pedals, -pedaling, -pedaled intr

1. to turn the pedals of a bicycle backwards
2. to retract or modify a previous opinion, principle, etc
3. (boxing) to take backward steps

But does that mean that BACKPEDAL must be used all the time? No, it does not.

Instead of BACKPEDAL, you could use:

About-face, backtrack, to go back, change, fall back, rethink, retract,retreat,retrocede, retrograde, reverse, withdraw.

And, ladies and gentleman, TWELVE (yes, 12) lovely words that can be used instead of BACKPEDAL. 

And now, for a sentence using BACKPEDAL and replacing it with words other than BACKPEDAL. 

She did not like the thought of going near him, and so BACKPEDALED to stand next to her brother.

She did not like the thought of going near him, and so FELL BACK to stand next to her brother.

She did not like the thought of going near him, and so RETREATED to stand next to her brother.

She did not like the thought of going near him, and so WITHDREW to stand next to her brother.

She did not like the thought of going near him, and so RETROCEDED to stand next to her brother.

So, four sentences using words other than BACKPEDAL. 

In the case for BACKPEDAL, I bring up bicycles. I love BACKPEDALING on bicycles. Who doesn't?

I leave it down to the jury to decide: Should backpedal be banned?

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