Howler, in the main sense this article deals with, is a glaring blunder, typically an amusing one.

The word howler is variously used. Some usages are seen as correct English, others as slang (see Howler for disambiguation). This article deals with the slang term in a sense that does not appear explicitly in the third edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary (reprinted as corrected by Charles Talbut Onions 1967). It does however appear in more recent dictionaries and in Eric Partridge's Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English; the 1951 edition of Partridge defined it in part as: "... A glaring (and amusing) blunder: from before 1890; ... also, a tremendous lie ... Literally something that howls or cries for notice, or perhaps ... by way of contracting howling blunder."

Another common interpretation of this usage is that a howler is a mistake fit to make one howl with laughter, and that is the main theme of this article.

There are various colloquial usages of howler, such as the following, largely obsolete, examples, derivatives of the intensifier "howling", as in howling wilderness, (Deuteronomy 32:10) They are most often to be encountered in books of the late 19th to early 20th century:

The word error entails different meanings and usages relative to how it is conceptually applied. The concrete meaning of the Latin word "error" is "wandering" or "straying". Unlike an illusion, an error or a mistake can sometimes be dispelled through knowledge (knowing that one is looking at a mirage and not at real water does not make the mirage disappear). For example, a person who uses too much of an ingredient in a recipe and has a failed product can learn the right amount to use and avoid repeating the mistake. However, some errors can occur even when individuals have the required knowledge to perform a task correctly. Examples include forgetting to collect change after buying chocolate from a vending machine, forgetting the original document after making photocopies, and forgetting to turn the gas off after cooking a meal. Some errors occur when an individual is distracted by something else.

One reference differentiates between "error" and "mistake" as follows:

In human behavior the norms or expectations for behavior or its consequences can be derived from the intention of the actor or from the expectations of other individuals or from a social grouping or from social norms. (See deviance.) Gaffes and faux pas can be labels for certain instances of this kind of error. More serious departures from social norms carry labels such as misbehavior and labels from the legal system, such as misdemeanor and crime. Departures from norms connected to religion can have other labels, such as sin.

Carl Benjamin Pentney (born 3 February 1989) is an English footballer who plays for Hayes & Yeading United as a goalkeeper, on loan from Colchester United .

Born in Colchester, Essex, Pentney started his career with the Leicester City youth system, where he was a regular for the under-18 side as well as the England under-17 team. He was part of the under-18 squad that won the FA Premier Academy League by beating Sunderland under-18s 4–3 in a penalty shootout in the 2006–07 season.

Pentney signed his first professional contract on 5 May 2007, signing a one-year deal alongside Andy King, Max Gradel and Eric Odhiambo. He joined Conference National team York City on a one-month loan on 9 August following a trial, but he failed to make any appearances before returning to Leicester on 8 September. He moved to Ilkeston Town on a one-month loan on 29 January 2008, but was recalled on 8 February. He later had a loan at Fisher Athletic, where he made two appearances. He signed a new one-year contract with Leicester in June 2008.

Michel full name Michel Aires Baroni (or Alves Baroni) (born 9 April 1988) is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Fernandópolis.

Born in Fernandópolis, São Paulo state, Michel started his professional career at Grêmio Barueri, which he signed a 1-year contract in February 2007.

In January 2008, he signed a contract extension which last until 30 August 2009. He was loaned to Fluminense de Feira until the end of Campeonato Baiano 2008. In August 2008, he was loaned to Boavista F.C. of Portuguese Liga de Honra, along with team-mate Renato Santos and Fuska. In February 2009, Michel returned to São Paulo state, signed a 5-months contract for Inter de Limeira of Campeonato Paulista Série A3 but his contract was terminated in April. In July 2009 he was released by Grêmio Barueri.

Iker Casillas Fernández (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈikeɾ kaˈsiʎas feɾˈnandeθ]; born 20 May 1981) is a Spanish football goalkeeper who plays for the Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and the Spanish national team, being the captain of both. In 2008 he led the Spanish national team to their first European Championship in 44 years, and in 2010 to win the World Cup, Spain's first ever, being also named the tournament's best goalkeeper.

Casillas has been nominated for the European Footballer of the Year award twice, ranking fourth overall in 2008 and again receiving more votes than any other goalkeeper in 2009. At the end of 2009 he was voted into the UEFA Team of the Year for the third consecutive time. As of 2011 Casillas is one of a very select group of players who have won all major club and national championship titles. In 2010, he was awarded with the Sports Prince of Asturias Award. On 19 October 2010, Casillas became the most capped goalkeeper of all time in the UEFA Champions League and in November 2011, he became the most capped player of all time for the Spanish national team.