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3,900 | 167,993 | 76823_0 | When I try to translate the German word "Krug" into English, LEO shows me without further distinction: * flagon * jar * jug * mug * tankard * pitcher But as far as I know, they cannot always used interchangeably, right? What are the differences (maybe also regionally)? |
3,901 | 90,000 | 76823_0 | Is there a word that conveys being absent from an appointment? The closest words I can think of are "ditch" and "dump," but both are rather informal. I want to say something along the lines of: > I went in the office at 3pm to meet Bob, but Bob ditched/dumped me. I realize that it's perhaps more common to say, "Bob did not show up," but I want a stronger expression that connotes a willful act of neglect or carelessness. |
3,902 | 167,995 | 76823_0 | I have a list containing some information and I need to refer to that list. Is a sentence "From the list above ... " ok? Example: * item 1 * item 2 * item 3 From the list above is obvious there is a variety of items. |
3,903 | 90,003 | 76823_0 | Someone made this statement: > You found the perfect partner (looks, finance, personality) but the sex is a > bust, would you cheat? I found it offensive that she was making the question 'would you cheat' look very normal but I didn't really know how to describe it. I pointed it out but she claimed there was no need to brush such a present day reality under the carpet. I considered it logically and eventually used the term _Argumentum ad populum_ to express the fallacy in her statement but **what I actually wanted was a word to use in describing her action** i.e. _making something wrong appear normal because it is common_. I couldn't come up with anything, any help? |
3,904 | 63,113 | 76823_0 | If I want to add a third option to the construct "Some..., others", what is the best way to put it? Some, others and again others? So: _Some people like apples, others like oranges and again others enjoy bananas._ This sounds a bit off, or not? |
3,905 | 163,292 | 76823_0 | According to Webster, "Agree" comes from Latin's ad + gratus. However there are other words such as "aggregate" and "aggression" that also come from ad + [something], and these words have a double "g" while agree only has a single "g". Why does "agree" only have one "g"? |
3,906 | 121,143 | 76823_0 | I am not a native speaker of the English language but have been living in United Kingdom for last couple of years. Once I was with my friend who was an Irish and I said "Its cold outside" and he said that I was wrong and should have said "Its cool outside". I am still not sure why I was wrong? Could someone really differentiate the use of word "cool" and "cold" in that case? |
3,907 | 106,884 | 76823_0 | How to pronounce _sheet_ to minimize the risk of confusion with _shit_? Usually what one means is clear from the context, but it'd still be very awkward if it accidentally sounds like _shit_. |
3,908 | 33,411 | 76823_0 | > **Possible Duplicates:** > "All but" idiom has two meanings? > "to be all but X" > He all but ran out of the building If I understand it correctly (English is not my native language), this sentence means "he ran out of the building", and the "all but" is here to stress the fact that he didn't do anything else (besides running). That being said, the first time I came across this construction, I understood it the other way round. Eventually, I inferred from context the above meaning, but even today, I still have a feeling that it's somewhat illogical. Where does this construction come from (and what does it really mean)? |
3,909 | 156,855 | 76823_0 | What does the phrase "all but" mean in this sentence? > Interpol has all but ruled out terrorism. |
3,910 | 194,750 | 76823_0 | **Example sentence:** "As the concert ended, the atmosphere was _all but_ ecstatic." **Replace words with synonyms:** * all = everything * but = except **The sentence would appear:** "...the atmosphere was everything except ecstatic." Meaning, "the concert was _not_ ecstatic". It was all feelings _except_ ecstatic. I regularly hear similar sentences used in the way where "all but" means the exact opposite of my interpretation. The last straw of "curiosity : need-to- know" ratio broke when I heard it used in Band of Brothers--which very clearly implied the use of "all but" as a similar meaning to "very". There's undoubtedly a hole in my logic. **Edit:** Band of Brothers quote: "He was just one more casualty in a war that was supposed to be _all but_ over." |
3,911 | 165,250 | 76823_0 | Does "but one" mean "only one" or "except one"? This phrase shows up in the song "Love is an Open Door" from the movie "Frozen". The relevant line is "Our mental synchronization can have but one explanation". EDIT: Shouldn't it be "Our mental synchronization can't have but one explanation"? |
3,912 | 51,597 | 76823_0 | > **Possible Duplicate:** > "All but" idiom has two meanings? It seems kind of counterintuitive, but saying that: > I'm all but convinced that ponies eat leprechauns. means > I'm **absolutely** convinced that ponies eat leprechauns. It seems that this is backwards; it would seem to mean "I'm everything except convinced that ponies eat leprechauns," meaning that I'm not convinced, but open to the possibility. What does this "all but _(adjective)_ " conjunction mean? |
3,913 | 167,059 | 76823_0 | I sent an email to a client with this sentence: > Tried sending 39 packets this afternoon, all came fine but 2. I meant 37 packets processed fine but 2 were unsuccessful. Did I convey right? |
3,914 | 9,967 | 76823_0 | Here's two ways I've seen the "all, but" idiom used: **"Close all tabs but this one"** (Any modern application with a number of tabs might have this as an option.) It means "close all the tabs, but not this one". **"With that goal, the championship is all but decided".** This seems to mean "you can say/do whatever (all) you want, (but) it won't change who wins the championship." Is one of these usages more correct than the other? |
3,915 | 8,941 | 76823_0 | Is an indentation (Tab button in Word) needed for a new paragraph when you start one? I was told to do that a long time ago but 3 years after I stopped doing it and have done it since. Are you meant to indent when you start a new paragraph? |
3,916 | 112,608 | 76823_0 | > Father: “It may not be exactly the car you want but..” > Daughter: “It’ll be rubbish, some old wreck that I’ll look totally stupid > **in**.” > (BBC, The Archers, 2013-04-26 Friday, 8’55”~9’01”) Does the ‘in’ make adverbial in the text, a supplementive as an adjective, or something else?  source: The Lexicogrammar of Adjectives: A Systemic Functional Approach to Lexis, p201) |
3,917 | 8,945 | 76823_0 | Can you think of any sayings about change, especially ones expressing * how a big change must begin with a little change? * how certain institutions, ideas, or God remain eternally unchanged? * * * Note: the above is an edited version of @lovespring's question. See edit history for original question. |
3,918 | 54,957 | 76823_0 | Every time you call a customer service center they say: let me pull up your account, please. Is it correct to say that? Oxford dictionary explains **pull up** a little bit differently: > pull up 1 (of a vehicle or its driver) come to a halt: he pulled up outside > the cabin. 2 increase the altitude of an aircraft. > > pull someone up cause someone to stop or pause; check someone: the shock of > his words. Ideas? |
3,919 | 142,026 | 76823_0 | What I mean is, if I said "Write the number **_** ", then you would write "5", "27", etc. Whereas if I said instead "Write the number **_** ", then you would write "five", "twenty-seven", etc. I'm not just looking for the oft-used expression "write it out"....I'm wondering if there are proper terms for these two options, possibly obvious ones I'm not thinking of. |
3,920 | 8,948 | 76823_0 | While reading Paulo Coelho's novel, I came across a word that left me doubting whether it was of English origin. Following is the sentence: > She fell in love for the first time when she was eleven, en route from her > house to school. What is the meaning of the word _en_? Please elaborate on its meaning, origin and usage. |
3,921 | 21,727 | 76823_0 | > a. They have been throwing papers. > > b. They have been throwing papers since the teacher left. Does the sentence (a) have the same meaning as sentence (b), even though the period of time is not stated in sentence (a)? Or is it that sentence (a) can only mean that they threw the paper and have stopped now? |
3,922 | 50,355 | 76823_0 | Sometimes I feel confused about if I should add a preposition, like "come back to Seattle" or "come back Seattle". If I want to ask a question about where something is made, how to say the question "Where is it made?" or "Where is it made in"? |
3,923 | 48,365 | 76823_0 | I'm translating some documents to English which deal with some measurements. Most of the measurements have a unit dimension (length is in meters, weight is in kilograms, etc) but some of them do not have a specific dimension, e.g. Number of samples. What word to use to describe such measurements? The direct translation of the original terms leaves me with "undimensional", but I don't think that's it. |
3,924 | 48,366 | 76823_0 | I know what it means to download something from a website or upload a video to YouTube. But do the terms "download" and "upload" only apply when referring to one device transferring data to another remote device over the Internet (or LAN even)? Say I was transferring a file to my USB flash drive or copying a file from one HDD to another HDD. Would this technically be considered downloading/uploading? |
3,925 | 48,361 | 76823_0 | > The thief waded through the stream hoping to keep the policemen's dogs **at > bay**. > > The captain sailed knowing that the weather would keep the ill-equipped > pirates **at bay**. What is the source of the idiom _"at bay"_ , is it anything to do with baying dogs, or ships in harbour? |
3,926 | 62,866 | 76823_0 | In an excerpt from a forthcoming popular science book I found this claim: > As Villarreal points out, the word literate originally meant “one who can > read holy scripts.” Really? I went and looked in the OED, and that was no real help, as it just said that it's from "classical Latin litterātus". The American Heritage Dictionary entry online has a usage note, which tells me something interesting in a usage note: > For most of its long history in English, literate has meant only "familiar > with literature," or more generally, "well-educated, learned." Only since > the late 19th century has it also come to refer to the basic ability to read > and write. _[...]_ but not only does this not mention "holy scripts", it pretty much seems to be a contradiction. Is the quoted claim completely off-base, or is there an argument to be made for it? (Note that the article excerpt doesn't explain who "Villareal" is, but I think it's this guy.) |
3,927 | 151,668 | 76823_0 | Whats the term for profiling someone or doing background research on somebody before you meet them. A reference to the behavior is Gary Walsh in the TV show VEEP where he whispers seemingly random information about somebody into the Vice Presidents ear before she meets the person. Then she is able to talk to them about their kids, dogs, hobbies, etc. I imagine diplomats are briefed like this before they meet other foreign dignitaries. I think it's both a verb and a noun, but I'm not sure. It's not vetting, but it's something similar. Vetting happens before a decision, this would be just to gain knowledge about the other person. |
3,928 | 62,861 | 76823_0 | What is the difference between the following two structures? > Have you been back home **in** the last ten years? > > Have you been back home **for** the last ten years? Could we also replace the present perfect with simple past as in the following: > Did you go back home **in** the last ten years? > > Did you go back home **for** the last ten years? _(this one doesn't seem to > be in accordance with the law of the books, but I don't see any problem with > the structure assuming the person has visited once in the past 10 years at a > particular time)._ |
3,929 | 26,972 | 76823_0 | What is the etymology of the word _medicine_ and how did it come to be used by Native Americans to describe something that does not strictly meet the denotative meaning of medicine? Or is that just a Hollywood piece of nonsense? |
3,930 | 111,100 | 76823_0 | I'm writing a paper about an algorithm that I have developed. Just for illustration, I will say that the method name is "quicksort". My question is about the usage of _the_ in the following context: > This paper proposes quicksort, a novel and fast algorithm. The advantage of > quicksort is that... My question is whether I should use "The advantage of _the_ quicksort..." or "The advantage of quicksort". I am also looking for resources explaining the usage of _the_ in this context. * * * [Meta] Usually, to check if a certain sentence is correct, I search Google using wildcards. However, in this case, the correct answer is depends on the context. I have also tried to find a answer in the following book but without success: Science Research Writing: A Guide for Non-Native Speakers of English. |
3,931 | 153,294 | 76823_0 | I heard that the plurals of letters, numbers and words could be punctuated - with single quote marks on both sides - in this manner (especially in Britain): 'X's 'd's '5's 'thank-you's 'maybe's 'his's 'as's I am sufficiently aware that we could italicize the letter, number or word and follow it with an unitalicized apostrophe 's'. We could also use just one apostrophe: x's, thank-you's, maybe's. This makes 'thank-you's and 'maybe's look possessive, not plural. In the two examples I just used in the previous sentence ('thank-you's and 'maybe's), the insertion of a single quote mark before and after each word (followed by an 's') definitively defines the plural of the word as a word. The same logic is applied to individual letters and numbers ('9's, 't's). Bottom line, is my usage (albeit probably somewhat antiquated) correct? |
3,932 | 154,151 | 76823_0 | Do these look right to you? I'm pluralizing the following words. In doing so, I'm italicizing the word to be pluralized but not the 's': _and_ s (instead of and's) _wherefore_ s (instead of wherefore's) _his_ s (instead of his's) |
3,933 | 152,664 | 76823_0 | > I have to remember to contact Sarah sometime this week about the party, so I > add her to my _person-listy-thing._ I think there may be a (somewhat archaic?) concise term for this along the lines of 'datebook'. Thoughts? **EDIT** : To clarify, this is a to-do list but with contacts' names; not simply a list of contacts. |
3,934 | 152,042 | 76823_0 | Jane Austen once said: > When Mr. Collins said any thing of which his wife might reasonably be > ashamed, which certainly was not unseldom, she involuntarily turned her eye > on Charlotte. Now readers of the book will know Mr Collins is pretty shameless and socially inept, yet if we remove the double negative it becomes > When Mr. Collins said any thing of which his wife might reasonably be > ashamed, which certainly was seldom, she involuntarily turned her eye on > Charlotte. which is certainly not what the author intended (I assume). Does anybody have an explanation for this ? |
3,935 | 182,063 | 76823_0 | I have seen both sentences below: > I will get married. > > I will marry. So what is the difference? Which one is recommended? Is there any difference in meaning or just grammar? |
3,936 | 152,093 | 76823_0 | I'm trying to write "3 and a half year old," as in, "He is a 3 and a half year old dog". I know a hyphen or two is supposed to go in there somewhere. Per Ways to write "2000 year old" , I suspect it should be "3-and-a-half-year-old", but that reads like death-by-hyphen, even if it is correct. What's the proper way to hyphenate "# and a half year old" in this context? |
3,937 | 49,949 | 76823_0 | I'm thinking that there must be a word that means, rather than "feeling pleasure in the misfortune of another", "the pleasure of feeling superior to another". This certainly seems (at least) as common a phenomenon as schadenfreude, but has it been condensed into a single word? Addendum: I see that I ought to have been much more specific in my question. Feelings of _smugness_ or _self satisfaction_ do not require another person to whom one feels superior. _Elitism_ , is far too general and is usually applied to groups or classes, not individuals. Naturally when you feel superior you feel " _Superiority_ ", but I was looking for a word that means _taking pleasure in_ superiority, not the feeling of superiority itself. I intended a specific instance, such as when one person has just bettered another in a game. I believe schadenfreude is usually also applied in specific instances / for specific events - as when one sees someone get what is viewed to be their "comeuppance", for example. It's not something one goes around feeling more or less continually, which in many cases might validly be applied to superiority, elitism, or arrogance. |
3,938 | 68,771 | 76823_0 | I can't find any grammar reference to the correct usage of a specifying adjective clause. Consider an example: The physical activity, **so vital for the developing body** , is often overlooked by the child's parents. Is it grammatically correct? Am I right to surround the clause by the commas? Thanking you in advance for any help. |
3,939 | 171,102 | 76823_0 | When a new software is developed, often it is named using a combination of different words, which may or may not me in English, or be partly English and partly in other language. Example: WhatsApp made from the words What's Up and Application Can such a word be said to be in English? |
3,940 | 68,772 | 76823_0 | Can a person be described as "fugue" or is it reserved only for a state? Can the word be used as a modifier for something other than a living thing's state? **Fugue:** (from merriam-webster.com) > a disturbed state of consciousness in which the one affected seems to > perform acts in full awareness but upon recovery cannot recollect them |
3,941 | 157,677 | 76823_0 | What is origin of word airfoil (e.g. wings of the airplane)? Why it has part "foil", which is a very thin metal sheet. "Dictionary.com Unabridged" says only "Origin: 1920–25; air 1 + foil 2" (© Random House), and "foil 2" is defined by them exactly as thin metal, e.g. aluminium foil (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foil_(metal)). |
3,942 | 1,997 | 76823_0 | Was someone just trying to be funny by being ironic? |
3,943 | 1,999 | 76823_0 | I can't recall it, but there is a word in American English which now means the opposite of itself in British English. What words are there that have opposite (not just different) meanings in different regions? |
3,944 | 142,791 | 76823_0 | This is written on a railroad platform:  Is the English text OK? Or "cross the line" is better? Or both are equally correct? |
3,945 | 32,822 | 76823_0 | Which comes first in a sentence? I know some word pairs such as _bacon and eggs_ , where _bacon_ always comes first. E.g: > Make me bacon and eggs for dinner, honey. Cats and dogs are the two most common pets I know of. What is the preferred order? 1. Dogs are superior. > Don't put dogs and cats together, they might fight! 2. Cats are superior. > Don't put cats and dogs together, they might fight! |
3,946 | 142,795 | 76823_0 | How does the original meaning of _racket_ lead to the following metaphoric meanings? * an illegal or dishonest scheme for obtaining money * a person’s line of business or way of life |
3,947 | 48,093 | 76823_0 | I'm working on a program that essentially removes all duplicates from a list, i.e. reducing the list to its unique components. Is there a single word or small compound word that conveys this transformation? |
3,948 | 48,091 | 76823_0 | Often, I hear people say something like this: > You best be going. Or: > You'd best sweep the floor before you leave. Essentially, _you'd best/you best be_ just means _you should_. Is it grammatically correct to use these phrases? |
3,949 | 48,096 | 76823_0 | I found the phrase “ _lend a cachet_ ” in the following sentence of the New York Times’ (November 11) article, titled “Picking brand names in China is a business itself”: > “For some products, having a foreign-sounding name _lends a cachet_ that a > true Chinese name would lack. Many upscale brands like Cadillac (Ka di la > ke), or Hilton (Xi er dun), employ phonetic translations that mean nothing > in Chinese. Rolls-Royce (Laosi-Laisi) includes two Chinese characters for > “labor” and “plants” that more or less have become standard usage in foreign > names - all to achieve a distinct foreign look and sound. “ I understand “lend a cachet” implies “give prestige, or add prestigious image” from the context of the above statement. I checked both Cambridge and Merriam-Webster online dictionaries to find neither of them registers “lend a cachet.” On Google, I found the following examples of the phrase in use. * Her presence _lends a certain cachet to_ the company. – The Free Dictionary. * Where's the party? Sun Bowl _lends cachet to_ Camino Real's New Year's bash. - El Paso Times. From the above, I realized “lend a cachet” is a simple combination of “lend” and “cachet,” not an idiom that I first conceived. However, is “lend a cachet” frequently used phrasing as opposed to other plain expressions, say “give prestige or “add a fashionable (Western) image”? |
3,950 | 45,065 | 76823_0 | I was talking about a new logo with a friend and I asked him why there's so much white. He told me that it's not white, he just doesn't know what colour will it be. I replied: > Then use transparent background, which, unlike white, couldn't end up in the > final logo. The question is, are the commas properly placed in the sentence? |
3,951 | 193,911 | 76823_0 | How would I talk about something that is either a laptop or a desktop, but not a smartphone or tablet? Is "computer" ok, even though technically speaking, smartphones and tablets are or contain computers? For example, how would I say something like "If you're on a [computer], click on the arrow to see the relevant chat message"? |
3,952 | 68,115 | 76823_0 | Although I could substitute ' _identify_ ' in place of 'ID', would it be considered improper to use 'ID' as a verb? Here's what I mean: > That boy looks underage, I think we should ?ID him. |
3,953 | 59,859 | 76823_0 | I'm reading The Inflatable Volunteer by Steve Aylett, and I'm stuck with this sentence: > Last week I was flooding the banks with saliva, slivers of gill and drifting > snot, paddling hell-for-leather away from a harmless seal. It's a pretty bizarre novel, so I don't know if I don't understand because of my bad English or if this was the author intention. |
3,954 | 169,847 | 76823_0 | > They were like puzzle pieces that slipped from my hands the moment I picked > them [up]. Is the _up_ necessary? Why or why not? |
3,955 | 2,863 | 76823_0 | Should I say that an engine can output 552 horsepower or 552 horsepowers? I've heard people use both. If it is just "horsepower", what is the justification for the nonstandard pluralization? |
3,956 | 44,337 | 76823_0 | Depending on where you look, people state that the words "egotistical" and "egocentric" are and are not synonymous. There is certainly some overlap, but are the two words technically interchangeable? |
3,957 | 44,335 | 76823_0 | In the context of a business report would there be a difference (albeit subtle) between writing of "a seemingly unambitious plan" and "an apparently unambitious plan"? To me the first seems to suggest that in reality the plan is ambitious, we just can't see it. Is this also the case for the second? **Edit** — more explanation: One of my difficulties is the differences in definitions (seemingly doesn't appear in most dictionaries). The definitions from Google: > _seem_ : > > 1. Give the impression or sensation of being something or having a > particular quality: "Dawn seemed annoyed". > > > _apparent_ : > > 1. Clearly visible or understood; obvious. > 2. Seeming real or true, but not necessarily so. > Definition from Merriam-Webster: > _seeming_ : outwardly or superficially evident but not true or real So the MW definition of _seeming_ seems to closer to the definition of apparent in Google to me. My query really is whether and to what extent does either word imply that the reality is or may be different to the appearance. |
3,958 | 2,867 | 76823_0 | I'm making a database, establishing the fields where data is entered. The database stores a list of school systems that our company has worked with. So there's a field for the year we started working with them; but I'm drawing a blank as to how to summarize that in a small phrase. Is there a better phrasing for the title of the field, rather than "YearWeStartedWorkingWith"? |
3,959 | 2,868 | 76823_0 | Suppose you were presenting two different conditions. Which of the following is preferred? Does it matter? > If the flower is red, it may be a rose. On the other hand, if it is blue, it > may be a violet. or > If the flower is red, it may be a rose. If, on the other hand, it is blue, > it may be a violet. |
3,960 | 44,339 | 76823_0 | Are _obvious_ and _evident_ totally synonymous? I've noticed that both are generally translated to the same French word. However, as a native English speaker I kinda interpret them differently; _obvious_ indicates that something should be known to people already because it is common knowledge, or because it doesn't require complex thought to determine, whereas _evident_ suggests that something is obvious because there is a lot of evidence showing its truth. Do others make this distinction or am I alone here? :-) |
3,961 | 28,564 | 76823_0 | I knew a word that meant wayside grass in English; but now I can not remember. |
3,962 | 28,567 | 76823_0 | I would love to know the different meanings of "tea" in current usage in the U.K. I know that it can be the usual lovely cream tea one takes at four, while at the same time it means a light dinner around 5 or 5:30. I wonder about different class meaning of the expression. |
3,963 | 28,560 | 76823_0 | I'm analyzing a bunch of late 16th century Hungarian names, and I need a word for those extra bits that sometimes get appended to names, like _junior, senior, the late_ and the like. My "working title" has been _prefix_ (because they generally come first in Hungarian), but that's inaccurate, because they're not actually attached to anything. I thought of _appelation_ , but that's just another term for "name", and as such is too broad. Suggestions? |
3,964 | 27,310 | 76823_0 | The example I am thinking of is GNU, which stands for "GNU's not unix". It may be that there are no other examples. And maybe that's the whole joke. I was just wondering. |
3,965 | 69,610 | 76823_0 | > **Possible Duplicate:** > The same word used to define itself For example TLA is a three letter acronym; Antepreroxitone (words with the stress on the third from last sylable) is an antepreroxitone; Noun is a noun. |
3,966 | 36,945 | 76823_0 | > **Possible Duplicate:** > Is there a word for an acronym which spells out one of its component words? My coworker's wife is Margaret Elizabeth G... (I'll withhold the last name to protect the innocent). The joke is that the shortened form Margaret is Meg and her initials are also MEG. I hope this doesn't get closed as a stupid question but this situation feels like it might have a real name in the flavor of a palindrome (obviously not a palindrome, but in sense of a word or phrase having transmutable qualities). |
3,967 | 160,672 | 76823_0 | I recall there being a word for nasal singing, I might be imagining things, but haven't had any luck finding that word on Google. Does any one have any suggestions? |
3,968 | 58,450 | 76823_0 | Is the following sentence correct, and is its use of the semicolon correct? Note that the use of the word 'concurrency' is meant to indicate a computer science term. > A host of design issues are encompassed by concurrency; that of interaction > amongst processes, the sharing and competition for resources, the > synchronisation of the activities of multiple processes and the allocation > of processor time to processes. |
3,969 | 24,230 | 76823_0 | I wonder if I should use 'said' or 'told' in the following dialogue: > I waited for too long. He took her away. > > I said to him crying, "I saw her first!" > > He said to me smiling, > > "finders keepers." (by the way, is it correct to use "finders keepings" in this situation?). |
3,970 | 24,232 | 76823_0 | I found the following definition of "prairie" online: > An extensive area of flat or rolling grassland, especially the large plain > of central North America. I understand what "flat grassland" means, but what does "rolling grassland" refer to? I couldn't find my answer using Google. I do get different sets of images for each search phrase in Google Images, but can't figure out the difference between the two. |
3,971 | 157,998 | 76823_0 | I want to say: "Michael annoyedly turned to face his brother." I haven't found any solid evidence that the word "annoyedly" is an actual word, but I like the way it sounds for some reason. How _wrong_ is it if I choose to use this word in writing I'd ideally like to have others read? |
3,972 | 151,630 | 76823_0 | The context here is "You should record your speech". I mean you should record both your audio (the speaking) as well as the visual (gesticulation, etc.), but the context of this sentence strongly suggests that only audio is intended. This sentence appears in sales copy and so word count is limited. "You should video record your speech" sounds clumsy. How can I phrase this smoothly and succinctly? |
3,973 | 151,631 | 76823_0 | Are hyphens needed in these? If so, where would you insert them? > 1. Joel applied for the assistant store manager position. > (Not: assistant-store-manager position, right?) > > 2. Joel was enrolled in the assistant store manager trainee program. > (Not: assistant-store-manager-trainee program, correct?) > > 3. Chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream > (Not: chocolate-chip-cookie-dough ice cream, correct?) > > Do you support my original versions without the hyphens? |
3,974 | 94,786 | 76823_0 | I'm writing a paper and would like to know whether my quoted sentence is right or not. To add more information, I have an improved algorithm which needs a threshold size. If we set that threshold size to a low value, algorithm 1 plays leading role, and if we set it to a high value then algorithm 2 plays leading role. > From what was said, it is clear that it could be argued that what is the > best threshold because of trade-off between using algorithm 1 and algorithm > 2. |
3,975 | 79,002 | 76823_0 | My current work is creating a kind of node that is connectable to other nodes. However, since the connection is made by wiring these nodes I always use the word _wireable_. > This node is wireable to other nodes that are exposing the required > interface. While creating a presentation I recognized that the spelling checker does mark the word as wrong. I first thought that this could be one of the words in which the _e_ is dropped but in none of the dictionaries (several Oxford Dictionaries, Merriam Webster, Urban, Wordnik) I found _wireable_ or _wirable_. I can only find some unreliable sources, so I wonder if this word does really exist or is just a kind of neologism. Is it appropriate to use the word _wireable_ or should I go with _connectable_? |
3,976 | 79,005 | 76823_0 | I live by Internet, as both a user and a developer. This dual role gives me a chance to observe. Every time I try to ask something in communities like StackOverflow, I always pick words carefully and provide sufficient information, hoping that my questions will be answered in a short time. But even so, sometimes my questions still get ignored. Maybe StackOverflow, or even the whole Internet, is too big a world, filled by floods of information. Small people try to fit in, but end up being swallowed by Twitter and Facebook, without even a sound. So, enough of complaining, I just want to know: Is there a word or a phrase to describe this phenomenon where people find themselves lost in the the great Information Age, ignored by others? |
3,977 | 60,801 | 76823_0 | What does "Thundering typhoons" mean? Actually it was in the 2011 movie The Adventures of Tintin. |
3,978 | 164,742 | 76823_0 | Looking for a descriptive word or phrase to describe a nonprofit organization that includes the essence, values, mission and promotion of social reform. Not a place, or agency, business, but a word that describes more of the efforts, people, community, etc. Could be a word that suggests growing, building, promoting change, movement. An all encompassing word describing the entity. The sentence is in a letter to volunteers and supporters that starts with "without each and every one of you, we would not be able to create this amazing (need word). |
3,979 | 62,244 | 76823_0 | _Point in_ , _point of_ , _point to_. ( _Point_ in the sense of "purpose".) What are the differences among these -- in meaning? in usage (each is used in certain constructions or with certain collocates, say)? in dialect? in register? etc. Some examples (though I'm asking more generally than just about these examples): > (1a) There's no point in going. > (1b) There's no point of going. > (1c) There's no point to going. > > (2a) Is there a point in his action? > (2b) Is there a point of his action? > (2c) Is there a point to his action? > > (3a) What's the point in that sculpture's being there? > (3b) What's the point of that sculpture's being there? > (3c) What's the point to that sculpture's being there? |
3,980 | 76,907 | 76823_0 | Seesaw and teeter totter are two names for the same piece of playground equipment. I grew up using the word teeter totter mostly, but was aware of seesaw, as it was used in books. I was wondering whether it is a regional difference or a generational difference. From thefreedictionary, I found that there are even more terms used for this equipment: _tilt_ or a _tilting board_ , _teedle board_ , _dandle_ or _dandle board_. _Teeter_ or _teeterboard_ , and _teeter-totter_ , which is probably the most common term after _seesaw_. So it is indeed a regional term, which also explains why Google Ngrams has no recorded use of teeter totter in British English: Link to Ngram for seesaw teeter totter in British English Yet, if seesaw was in use since before 1800, how and why did teeter totter come into use seemingly all of a sudden just before 1920? Link to Ngram for seesaw teeter totter in American English Link to Online Etymology Dictionary for seesaw |
3,981 | 44,566 | 76823_0 | A common grammar lesson that was taught to me in the US and that I've had to teach abroad in EFL classrooms is that we're not to use adverbs of emphasis with absolute modifiers, just as we're not supposed to use them as comparatives or superlatives. Classic egregious examples of this mistake include _very unique_ and _more perfect_ , which seem obviously flawed to me. Other instances of further modified absolute modifiers are similarly meaningless or contradictory in nature. I wonder, though, if the rule that I learned isn't overly broad, and whether it's taught similarly in the UK and elsewhere. I find myself modifying absolute modifiers quite regularly, and in some circumstances I think it's not only logical and correct, but quite meaningful. Phrases like _almost exactly_ or _virtually all_ or _practically infinite_ possess a specific meaning that can't really be replicated using nonabsolutes like _very nearly_ or _most_ or _quite long_. In my own speech and writing, I use such phrases exactly as I see fit, so this isn't a request for permission, per se. I'm more curious about whether there's a more appropriate rule regarding absolutes that you rely on (and might be used in a classroom). |
3,982 | 120,819 | 76823_0 | UNIQUE should not have a qualifier? Does it not mean "one of a kind" and thus it is incorrect to say, for example, "more unique'? One sees this misuse in advertising frequently. Is it now acceptable as sloppy but common usage? |
3,983 | 133,286 | 76823_0 | Can you be more certain about something or is certain absolute? I have always understood that the word certain is absolute. |
3,984 | 139,155 | 76823_0 | This is a word choice question. Can something be very (extremely) unique? Or is it either unique or not unique? |
3,985 | 114,272 | 76823_0 | As a math and computer-science person, I use the phrase "more optimal" quite often, such as _"This algorithm gives more optimal results."_ However, I was recently corrected, and told that _"more optimal"_ is incorrect grammar, since "optimal" means "best," and something can't be "more best." I searched online, but this doesn't appear to come up very often. In this pointless flame war, someone suggests that the correct phrase is _"more optimized"_ or _"better optimized,"_ while this page suggests using _"more nearly optimal."_ However, aside from the fact that "more optimized" wouldn't actually mean the same thing to a computer programmer, Google NGram suggests that neither of these alternative phrases are widely used:  So, am I using the phrase correctly, or am I (from the first link) _"showing my ignorance of the basics of English grammar?"_ |
3,986 | 191,918 | 76823_0 | I overheard someone at work describing a task as "quite critical", and then describe another task as (direct quote) "über critical". Forgetting for a minute the colloquial nature of the conversation, is it acceptable in English to use the word _critical_ with a magnitude or degree? In short, can something be more _critical_ than something else? Or are things simply _critical_ , or _not critical_? |
3,987 | 59,581 | 76823_0 | I'm using text as follows to categorize some information. It goes from the general to the specific much as is done in libraries with books. * `languages/english/spelling` * `science/biology/genetics` What I'd like to find is a word to describe the line above and also each individual word. There's `path` like in the computing world but that doesn't quite convey the idea. |
3,988 | 62,397 | 76823_0 | > **Possible Duplicate:** > How to write decimal values in words How do you read numbers like these? 0.12 "oh point twelve", "zero point one two", "zero and twelve hundreds" And these ones? 0.345, 12.45 |
3,989 | 168,045 | 76823_0 | For example, in this picture:  How would you call this kind of picture? |
3,990 | 143,779 | 76823_0 | How does one decide whether an adverb of manner should precede or follow the verb? In some cases, it seems to be more natural to have the adverb follow the verb, as in: “She moved slowly and spoke quietly.” But in other cases, it seems to be more natural to have the adverb precede the verb, as in: “The minister solemnly addressed his congregation.” But I can’t work out why this is the case. Is there a general rule to follow to decide where to place the adverb? Does it have anything to do with whether the verb is used transitively or intransitively? |
3,991 | 175,647 | 76823_0 | "Never play the podcast from anywhere but the start" What does this sentence mean to you? By podcast I mean a house music episode that is one hour long. |
3,992 | 128,737 | 76823_0 | I was told by my thesis advisor not to start a sentence with "even though". Does anyone agree? May I know why? |
3,993 | 143,773 | 76823_0 | Let's say I've sold a product to a customer. A bit later the costumer tells me "wow, this is fantastic". Now, do I better answer with "Thanks, I am glad to hear that" or "Thanks, I am glad to hear this"? What's more correct? |
3,994 | 34,206 | 76823_0 | I understand _on the other hand_. But what's _on the grasping hand_? Source: Stack Overflow blog. |
3,995 | 35,159 | 76823_0 | Why would someone frequently say "Someone set us up the (thing)" when referring to things done to or for them. > For example: > > * "Someone set us up the breakfast." > > * "Someone set us up the game." > > * "Someone set us up the fail." > > Is this a common phrase? |
3,996 | 178,077 | 76823_0 | I'm looking for a word that means excessive encouragement. Example: "We encourage our kids to study - but when does encouragement become excessive encouragement"? punishment? overzealousness? |
3,997 | 48,407 | 76823_0 | > **Possible Duplicate:** > What term describes a non-offensive substitute for a swear word? Is there a term for replacing one slang word with another made-up slang word? For example `f*cking` => `fricking`, `fracking`, `smurfing`, `frelling`, or `freaking` At what point do the made up words turn into recognized/official words? For example I'm pretty sure I can use most of the above replacements and people will know what I mean, `fricking` and `fracking` being most used. Even if a replacement becomes commonly used, at what point would it end up in say the OED? |
3,998 | 35,154 | 76823_0 | As a German _horse riding_ seems to be to the point. Why is it _horseback riding_ in English? Isn't it obvious that you ride on the back of the horse? Is there a difference between British and American English on this point? |
3,999 | 148,892 | 76823_0 | Here is the sentence I'm confused about: > If I have not seen as far as others, it is because giants were standing on > my shoulders. > > (Hal Abelson, MIT Professor) My difficulty is to understand the verb _were_. I know we can't use _are_ because that is not the truth. However, why _were_? |
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