Writing for Business - A Whatis.com Blog » heart-rending or heart-rendering http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/writing-for-business Is your grammar as good as your code? Tue, 21 May 2013 19:44:17 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Is that heart-rending or heart-rendering? http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/writing-for-business/is-that-heart-rending-or-heart-rendering/ http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/writing-for-business/is-that-heart-rending-or-heart-rendering/#comments Thu, 30 Sep 2010 18:45:34 +0000 Ivy Wigmore http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/writing-for-business/?p=1416 Which is correct?
When I responded to a __________ email message from the widow of the deposed King of Nigeria, I was surprised to find myself the victim of a phishing scam.
a. heart-rending
b. heart-rendering


Answer: a.

Explanation:
The expression is “heart-rending.”

To rend is to tear — something that rends your heart rips it apart, like a tale of terrible injustice and tragedy. To render, on the other hand, is to give or supply, as in rendering a verdict. An alternate meaning of render is “to melt down fat.” No matter how pathetic the story was, it wouldn’t give your heart or cook the fat out of it.

Nevertheless, you can’t be too careful — take those messages from deposed royalty with a grain of salt.

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