Wikipedia:WikiProject Dictionary of National Biography/Prose

This is a fuller list of typical Victorian prose expressions (verbose or antiquated) that typically need fixing in DNB articles as adapted to Wikipedia house style. There is some further discussion of specific cases on /Pages needing attention. Please help build up both pages as you find clunking and heavy prose.


 * Afterwards (i.e. later)
 * A greater part of
 * Allude to
 * A question having arisen
 * At once (i.e. immediately, but not by current Internet time standards)
 * Being the work of
 * But small
 * Chiefly (i.e. mainly)
 * Consequent on
 * Desirous
 * Ere long
 * Established in his profession
 * Fine specimen
 * For a considerable time
 * For the most part
 * Heartily
 * In conjunction with
 * Injurious
 * In the room of (i.e. in place of)
 * Is now represented
 * It remains to notice
 * Next to nothing
 * No mean
 * No small
 * No very
 * Previous to
 * Removed to (i.e. moved to)
 * Thence
 * Thenceforth
 * The greater part
 * Thither
 * Thrice
 * To that place
 * Twelvemonth
 * Under these circumstances
 * Viz.
 * Was as fortunate as to
 * Well known to the student
 * Whence
 * Whither

Look out for also, since they will need to be fixed:


 * Noticed below
 * Separately noticed
 * The present writer.