A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

depart out of this world • go out of this world
depart out of this world —(euph.) die; pass away: But one
thing, at times, assuages my grief, which is this: I am sure that
he departed out of this world in peace.
go out of this world —
1
. (also: go from this world) = depart out
of this world: This put people to their graves a lot quicker than
they should have gone out of this world. 2. have one’s mind
far away from reality: He hadn’t talked to anybody since then
and it seemed he had gone out of this world.
Note: 
Neither expression correlates in meaning with the phrase
retire from the world
—
1
. live alone from principle, seeing no
one: After a busy life teaching, he retired from the world and
considered his own inner development. 2. enter a monastery or
become a hermit: To think that Catharine Glover nourished
the private wish to retire from the world!
descend on someone • descend to someone
descend on someone —
1
. arrive suddenly to stay with smb.:
The whole family descends on us every Christmas. 2. attack
a person suddenly: Thieves descended on the travelers while
they slept.
descend to someone —pass to a person after smb.’s death: The
property descended to the man’s eldest son.
desk-book • table book
desk-book —a reference book suitable for use at a desk: This
desk-book for business executives is highly recommended.
table book —
1
. (also: coffee-table book) a big sized richly il-
lustrated book: She sat in her wingback chair flicking through
one of the table books. 2. (dated) a small book for making
notes or memoranda: He was observed to busy himself by
writing in his table book.