Writing Tips
http://www.btb.termiumplus.gc.ca
Common menu bar links
Institutional Links
-
Translation Bureau
Language Portal of Canada
-
TERMIUM Plus®
-
Index I
- I
- Ibero-
- ice
- iced
- icono-
- ideal
- ideo-
- idioms: blue-sky
- idioms: get your ducks in a row
- idioms: hat trick
- idioms: in a jiffy
- idioms: pushing the envelope
- i.e.
- if
- if and when
- if I was
- if I were
- if not
- igni-
- ignitable
- ignitible
- il-
- Île-à-la-Crosse
- Îles-de-la-Madeleine
- illegal
- illegible
- illicit (1)
- illicit (2)
- illusion
- im-
- imbue
- immanent
- immigrate
- imminent (1)
- imminent (2)
- immune from
- immune to
- impinge on
- impinge upon
- imply
- imports
- impress by
- impress on
- impress upon
- impress with
- impulse
- in
- in-
- in accordance to
- in accordance with
- in all probability
- inasmuch as
- incapable
- incapable of
- incidence
- incidents
- include
- inclusive
- inclusively
- in conjunction with
- in connection with
- in consequence
- in contrast to
- inculcate
- indefinite pronouns
- indexes: abbreviations and other reference tools
- indexes: alphabetical arrangement
- indexes: blind references
- indexes: capitalization
- indexes: choice of terms
- indexes: combined entries
- indexes: complex entry
- indexes: continued headings
- indexes: cross-references
- indexes: "dangling" entries
- indexes: definition
- indexes: double posting
- indexes: entry versus subentry
- indexes: geographical names
- indexes: government departments and agencies
- indexes: homonyms
- indexes: length
- indexes: listing of subentries
- indexes: newspapers and periodicals
- indexes: personal names
- indexes: referenced material
- indexes: scientific names
- indexes: scope and complexity
- indexes: simple entry
- indexes: syntax of heading
- indifferent to
- indifferent toward(s)
- indirect objects
- indiscriminate
- indispensable for
- indispensable to
- individual
- Indo-
- inequity
- in excess of
- in fact
- infer
- infest
- infested by
- infested with
- infinitive
- infinitive phrase
- inflammable
- influenza
- inform (1)
- inform (2)
- infra-
- infringe
- infringe on
- infringe upon
- infuse
- ingenious
- ingenuous
- ingratiate
- iniquity
- initiative
- initiative (on one’s own)
- innovation
- in preference to
- in proximity to
- in receipt of
- in regard to
- insanitary
- inside of
- insight about
- insight as to
- insight into
- insight regarding
- insinuate
- insinuate into
- insofar as
- in spite of the fact that
- instil
- instill
- insure
- integrate
- integrate into
- integrate with
- intense
- intensive
- intensive pronouns
- inter
- inter-
- intercede for
- intercede on behalf of
- intercede with
- interjections
- interment
- intern
- internecine
- internet
- Internet (1)
- Internet (2)
- internment
- internship
- in the absence of
- in the amount of
- in the circumstances
- in the event that
- in the near future
- in the neighbourhood of
- in the order of
- in the sum of
- in the wake of
- into
- into effect
- intra-
- intranet
- intro-
- Inuit
- Inuk (Linguistic recommendation from the Translation Bureau)
- inukshuk
- inukshuks
- inuksuit
- inuksuk
- invalid
- invest
- invested as
- invest in
- invest with
- in view of the fact that
- invigorating
- in virtue of
- Iqaluit
- Iqalummiuq
- Iqalummiut
- ir-
- Iranian
- irregardless
- irrespective
- italics: emphasis
- italics: French and foreign words
- italics: identifying matter
- italics: introduction
- italics: legal references
- italics: letters and words cited
- italics: mathematical and scientific material
- italics: modes of transportation
- italics: peripheral matter
- italics: titles of works
- its
- it’s
Proactive Disclosure
Important notice
Writing Tips has been archived and won’t be updated before it is permanently deleted.
For the most up-to-date content, please consult Writing Tips Plus, which combines content from Writing Tips and The Canadian Style. And don’t forget to update your bookmarks!
Search and Functionalities Area
idioms: pushing the envelope
Pushing the envelope means testing limits and trying out new, often radical ideas.
The expression comes originally from mathematics and engineering, where an envelope is a boundary, but was popularized by test pilots (especially those depicted in Tom Wolfe’s book The Right Stuff).
In aircraft design and testing, the envelope is the whole set of limitations governing safe operation of the aircraft. The pilots testing new aircraft wanted to take them right to the limits of performance and, if possible, beyond. They did this partly to test the calculated limits and partly to see what would happen.
In some business circles, the expression pushing the envelope has become an annoying cliché, and you should probably avoid it—unless you’re a test pilot, of course.
© Public Services and Procurement Canada, 2024
TERMIUM Plus®, the Government of Canada's terminology and linguistic data bank
Writing tools – Writing Tips
A product of the Translation Bureau
