THE MOST ANNOYING WORD SO FAR OF THIS MILLENNIUM .......

 .......... GOD.

No, just kidding. That's the most annoying word since the emergence of mankind.

The most annoying word of this millennium is - literally.

1. LITERALLY
   
   adverb
   
   1. In a literal manner or sense; exactly.
   e.g. "the driver took it literally when asked to go straight over the roundabout"
   
   Similar:
   verbatim
   word for word
   line for line
   letter for letter
   to the letter
   exactly
   precisely
   faithfully
   strictly
   strictly speaking
   accurately
   
   Opposite:
   loosely
   imprecisely
   metaphorically
   2. INFORMAL
   used for emphasis while not being literally true.
   "I was literally blown away by the response I got"
   
   
2. 
   




I don't mind the first meaning which is what I was taught many years ago. It's the second one, the 'informal' meaning that really gets up my nose.

Yeah, yeah, I know it's not entirely relevant but I like this cartoon.

I see and hear the word 'literally'  being used everywhere, particularly by younger people.  

What's wrong with them!*

The definition of 'literally' is above (Oxford dictionary). 

When something literally happens it  means that it happens exactly as described. Someone who is literally dying actually falls down or back, stops breathing and all life is expelled from their body. They don't just continue to enjoy eating a piece of chocolate cake or get excited at the view of something.

Usually, the intended word is figuratively, which means that whatever is happening is being described metaphorically. Someone who is figuratively on pins and needles with anticipation is really looking forward to something. Someone who is literally on pins and needles is currently experiencing small puncture wounds on their body.

LITERALLY

* Pedantic old school teachers will, no doubt point out that a question like that should be followed by a question mark but I mean it as an exclamation.