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39,200 | 2,161 | 76823_0 | There is phrase that I really liked and was quite articulate, but I can't think of it. This is in response to a debate when analyzing one's position or paradigm. Other ways: * crucial fallacy * serious mistake * flagrant error * pivotal blunder * grave misunderstanding * critical misconception |
39,201 | 167,691 | 76823_0 | I came across the phrases 'crow's feet' and 'worry lines' several times. Please enlighten me about the origin of these two phrases and the difference between them. |
39,202 | 195,442 | 76823_0 | In the British sitcom, The Thin Blue Line, Detective Grim makes three intelligently crafted sentences, which are given below. What do they mean? > It's my arse on the line, so you better pull your finger out > > It's my arse on the line, and I don't want a cock up > > It's my arse on the line, and if you stuff it, I will be red in the face |
39,203 | 14,033 | 76823_0 | Are the phrases "in total" and "in toto" interchangeable, or is "in total" a corruption of "in toto"? |
39,204 | 19,683 | 76823_0 | When we talk about things that we intended to do, but didn't or will not do in the future, we can use past perfect. I did a question in a reference book: > 1. I hadn't intended to become a doctor, I always wanted to become a > teacher. > 2. I had intended not to become a doctor, I always wanted to become a > teacher. > (1) is correct but it doesn't state whether (2) is correct, too. So I want to ask if there is any difference between these two sentences. And what will happen if I change the verb to _decide_? |
39,205 | 158,083 | 76823_0 | In Is there a secular, non vulgar alternative to "for heaven's sake"? Terdon asks for something that is polite, secular, and non-offensive. I am asking for what is a non-secular phrase that you can think of that also has known use. For instance my aunt says, "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!!" Any religion goes as long as the phrase is discernible in English. You can mix in offensive words but really looking for the religious aspect. Bonus if the phrase could be used at work. To clarify vulgarity is OK but the religious aspect is key. (For the "closers" - this question would be the OPPOSITE of Terdon's) |
39,206 | 186,327 | 76823_0 | At work I keep seeing the term _narrations_ as opposed to _narratives_ and I'm trying to understand if this is common across the English speaking world or if this is just a term in the US. |
39,207 | 106,039 | 76823_0 | I have an online friend (here on StackExchange) and I happen to know that he is significantly "more experienced", he's a professor while I'm a student, and his contribution here is larger than mine. Still, we surely consider each other friends, we treat each other equally, make jokes on each other etc. Is it ok to call such a person "pal" in the chat, like: > Thanks a lot, pal! Or is this word too impolite in this case? And would there be a good substitute for this situation? |
39,208 | 186,323 | 76823_0 | Last night, I was asked by a non-native speaker if this sentence is correct: " _Would you mind if I sent you messages while you were away?_ " I replied "no". This is what I would say: " _Do you mind if I send you messages while you are away?_ " She got discouraged and told me that she was practicing making sentences in the past subjunctive mood. To which I said (1) there are much more fundamental points of grammar you need to study, (2) I'll try to get to the bottom of this "past subjunctive" issue. As of now, this is how I would put the sentence in the **normal** subjunctive: " _Would you mind if I were to send you messages while you are away?_ " But, I am not sure about this **normal** subjunctive. And, I've never even heard of **past** subjunctive. Are all of these sentences correct: (1) _Would you mind if I sent you messages while you were away?_ (2) _Do you mind if I send you messages while you are away?_ (3) _Would you mind if I were to send you messages while you are away?_ |
39,209 | 33,420 | 76823_0 | Etymonline and wiktionary don't seem to agree on that one. Many European languages have cognates ( _Ente, anatra, eend_ ), but _duck_ seems isolated. Where does English take _duck_ from? **Edit** As Henry has pointed out, the etymologies of etymonline and wiktionary are actually consistent. See comments. |
39,210 | 106,030 | 76823_0 | The thing I like about _next to_ is that it does not specify whether it is to the left or to the right. However, for the vertical _next to_ , it appears one needs to specify whether it is “above” or “below”. I find quite interesting why this would be the case (cf. various other vertical versus horizontal biases: reading direction, attentional acuity, etc), but I also find it quite annoying. I would like to find a word that is the equivalent of _next to_ but which applies to the vertical case. That is, it indicates that a position is **either** above **or** below, without specifying which of those two applies. Sample Sentences, assuming the preposition is _abaqine_ : > "The sparrow abaqine that falcon is casting a shadow on that sand dune." > > "Look at those macaques, they're all climbing abaqine one another." > > "In my fridge all the good food is abaqine each other, so I can't get it > without toppling it all over." |
39,211 | 106,031 | 76823_0 | Before World War II the word "holocaust" referred most often to a huge inferno. Who first used the term to describe the Nazi murder of 6 million Jews? When and where? |
39,212 | 106,036 | 76823_0 | I see four people in front of me. One is from Wales, one is from Scotland, one is from England and one is from Northern Ireland. I can say about each one "He is Scottish/Welsh/English". But, how do I say it about all of them? As far as I heard, Great Britain is the island, so I cannot say "They are British" because that would exclude the man from Northern Ireland. "They are United Kingdomers"... I doubt that it is correct. So, is there a word that could be used in such phrase and mean "They are from United Kingdom"? Additional question: is there a word that refers to someone from Northern Ireland? Northern Irish? |
39,213 | 146,393 | 76823_0 | I would like to describe how deeply a tree's roots go underground. Burrowing is a term used for animals. Is it appropriate to use it in describing the extent to which a certain tree can dig its roots into the ground? What would be the correct term? |
39,214 | 167,348 | 76823_0 | Is there one specific word in English to describe one's ability to understand, analyse and judge things? I'm trying to find an equivalence for 悟性 in English. Thanks. |
39,215 | 33,422 | 76823_0 | In constructions like the following ones, could _the way_ be replaced with _how_? Is there any difference between them? > I like the way she eats peaches. The way he looked at her... Can anybody provide examples of any phrase where replacing _the way_ with _how_ (or vice versa) changes the meaning of the sentence? To me, _the way_ sounds better, but when I use soulless Google to translate it to my native language, it tells me there is no difference. |
39,216 | 36,439 | 76823_0 | Do > Let's play with each other and > Let's play together mean the same thing? Do they have different connotations? What's the difference? |
39,217 | 57,370 | 76823_0 | So, I've checked Is "must" ever grammatical as a past tense verb? and Past tense of "must" when meaning logical probability and I'm also almost confident that I cannot say "must had to." How can I say that? For example, in these situations (I'm copying the examples from the wordreference forums, where they are still not answered): > But translating a story, which is already in the past tense, I came across > the following problem: What if a text is already in the past, and you > basically have to go one tense further back grammatically to express a > surmise/conjecture about events even further back in the past than the past > of the story. In other words, is there a past perfect form of "must have"? > > Here's the context to make it more clear: > >> […] He was walking down the street, mulling things in his head. Maria? Was it really possible that they would meet again here, in London? **It must had been** 10 years since they had last talked to each other […] The trouble I'm having is that this doesn't sound quite right to me, but neither does it sound good (to me) if I substitute "must have" for "must had." In the context, it doesn't seem "past-tensey" enough, if you catch my drift. So, would the above sentence be grammatical or not? A similar example is the following one: > […] The truth was, Frank was not that much taller than Maria; she must > somehow had made herself appear shorter […] Should it be "must somehow have made herself appear shorter"? Again, would that be "past-tensey" enough? |
39,218 | 36,434 | 76823_0 | One dictionary says ‘you’re on’ is used tell someone that you accept a bet or an invitation to compete against them. Then why does it use ‘you’ instead of ‘I’? What’s the ‘on’? In terms of the meaning, ‘I’m on’ is more understandable and easier to memorize, at least for me. Just for your information, I found the phrase in the following scene. > ”Yeah,” said Harry. “Yeah … we’ve helped each other out, haven’t we? We both > got here. Let’s just take it together.” > > For a moment, Cedric looked as though he couldn’t believe his ears; then his > face split in a grin. > > **”You’re on,”** he said. “Come here.” ( _Harry Potter 4_ [US Version]: > p.634) [Bold font is mine] **N.B.:** Harry and Cedric are competing for the cup a few feet away from them, but they are friends now because they were helping each other during the tournament. I have two questions on this phrase. **1\. Why does the phrase use ‘you’, not ‘I’?** **2\. What’s the meaning of ‘on’?** |
39,219 | 185,989 | 76823_0 | I would like to know how to use them are theres alike? or just two differents words that can be used in the same way? |
39,220 | 36,431 | 76823_0 | Instead of using _massively_ in the following sentence, what else can I use? > I am **massively** running out of time now! I have tried "terribly", "horribly", "incredibly", "unbelievably", and "almost". The first words seem strange to me because this is the first time I have heard of them. The two later are fine since I heard native people use them before. But still, I would like to know your opinions over how they are correctly used both in writing and speaking cases. |
39,221 | 167,347 | 76823_0 | Are they same, like, allophones? To me, they sound like same? |
39,222 | 37,389 | 76823_0 | What's the term for people who cause accidents so that they can step in, save the day and look like a hero? |
39,223 | 37,384 | 76823_0 | I'm curious about the concept of vernacular vs lingua franca. Historically there is a negative connotation to the word 'vernacular,' where it was used to refer to an inferior language (of the slaves) and hence subservient to a higher, more common language. Whether this connotation remains today, I don't know. But could you illustrate with examples from other countries? Can German, which is the mother tongue in Germany, be a vernacular in other nations? And for a tongue to be a lingua franca, must it necessarily be an outside language that's gained currency? Lots of points, but I'd appreciate any inputs/debate on this. |
39,224 | 33,604 | 76823_0 | It is common to speak of "elaborating on (or upon) a topic." However, I have been told that this is appropriate only when some explanation has already been given; if no information is yet known, then the proper usage would be "elaborating the topic." Is it true or false? For example, if the president issued a statement, and I wanted to explain why he did so, I might say, "I would like to elaborate the motive behind the president's statement." It wouldn't be correct to say "elaborate _on_ the motive," since nothing is yet known about the motive. |
39,225 | 14,782 | 76823_0 | Flapping my ears near other people's conversations, as I am wont to do, I have noticed that the people we used to call _batsmen_ have (it would seem) turned into _batters_. Does anyone know why this should be? |
39,226 | 33,602 | 76823_0 | Which one of the following is correct/better? As usual, I am more interested in **the really good construct** than just a comparison. 1. The power of a programming language lies in abilities of the programmer using it **in** how effectively he is able to break down the program and glue the solutions together. 2. The power of a programming language lies in abilities of the programmer using it, how effectively he is able to break down the program and glue the solutions together. |
39,227 | 142,875 | 76823_0 | How do you use "timbre of the times" and what does it mean? I read: **Given the timbre of the times, I wouldn't have done it.** Thanks. |
39,228 | 38,729 | 76823_0 | The 1950's song Fever (covered, among others, by Elvis Presley) contains the following lines: > Now you've listened to my story > Here's the point that I have made > **Cats were born to give chicks fever** > Be it Fahrenheit or Centigrade > They give you fever when you kiss them > Fever if you live and learn > Fever till you sizzle > What a lovely way to burn How normal is it nowadays to refer to guys as _cats_ , and where does it come from? |
39,229 | 38,726 | 76823_0 | Where does the phrase _along the lines of_ come from, and what are you really saying? For instance, if you were commissioning a sculpture you might sit down with the artist and a pen and paper and say > I want something along the lines of this and then draw a sketch. Or if you were describing a book you wanted you might say > The plot was something along the lines of a murder and a police man. |
39,230 | 66,745 | 76823_0 | Is there a word that means "a way of thought"? For example, whether someone is interested or not, it is simply how he thinks. Whether someone is confident or not, it is simply how he thinks. So "interest" and "confidence" are simply "ways of thinking". I was thinking of the word "mental", however "mental" means "relating to the mind" which is too broad. For example, "tiredness" would be "relating to the mind", but it isn't a "way of thought". What's another word to mean "a way of thought"? |
39,231 | 83,575 | 76823_0 | 1. Is it right to ask "how are you all doing?"? 2. Should I reply to a "How do you do?" with an "Am good" or should I say "How do you do" myself in return? |
39,232 | 83,571 | 76823_0 | I was reading Florence Lamborn's translation, from Swedish, of Astrid Lindgren's _Pippi Longstocking_ (the translation appears to date from 1950). I read the following sentence: > ... Just at that moment the gate of one of the cottages nearby opened and a > boy came rushing out. He looked scared, and that was no wonder, because > **head over heels** after him came five other boys. ... (emphasis mine) I had never seen the phrase "head over heels" to mean, as it seems to from this context, "immediately after." I looked it up and found, in my Shorter Oxford, and on dictionary.com, only the meanings I already knew (topsy-turvy and intensely infatuated). On Wiktionary I did find this second definition, which does seem to fit the sentence: > At top speed; frantically This question and this question both discuss "head over heels" but not with this meaning. Is it commonly recognized, today? And is it more British English? (I do not know, but assume that the translator of this edition was British, based on other expressions in the book). |
39,233 | 83,573 | 76823_0 | I'm running an online e-commerce site but use only e-mails for customer service to cut the expense. When a customer asks me by e-mail if he/she can call me for some questions, how can I politely tell her/him to use only e-mail for enquiries? Is it O.K. to say " _Sorry we accept only e-mail support and don't have phone number_ " or something? |
39,234 | 34,870 | 76823_0 | Someone on a forum wrote > This is not to say it's not a bad system. With some context, > This is not a component system. This is not to say it's not a bad system, > but in this case you should be able to cast the pointer to any of the > interfaces (or just cast it to a Gun object and it should contain the > interfaces) and then use it as appropriate. If the statement is read literally, the two _not_ s negate each other forming > This is to say it's a bad system. What I'm wondering however is: did this person actually mean > This is not to say that it's a bad system or does it look like it should be interpreted literally? |
39,235 | 30,554 | 76823_0 | I'm looking for different ways to say "you're welcome." Is "sure thing" one of those ways? If it is, then how? I looked up its meaning and it doesn't seem to make sense as a replacement for "you're welcome." |
39,236 | 30,555 | 76823_0 | My 7 years old daughter is doing her English homework. She wrote the following sentence: "My parents are face up looking at the cool sky" I reckon it does not sound right. I would have said "My parents are turning their heads up and looking at the cool sky" But not being a native English speaker myself, I am not confident of my suggestion. Is there any better alternative? |
39,237 | 34,875 | 76823_0 | http://hubpages.com/hub/How-many-Days-can-a-Man-stand-without-Sleep: > “If you can't sleep, don't count sheep. Talk to the shepherd.” |
39,238 | 133,063 | 76823_0 | How to describe a person who have a fossilized mind? whatever he hears he will not (get it into one's head) |
39,239 | 113,498 | 76823_0 | This is my first question here. I am not a fluent English speaker. I just know the basics. My question is how many _m_ 's should be there in "hmm" as when I try typing it anywhere, it suggests "hmmm," even on SO sites, including this one. Is there is any reason for this ? |
39,240 | 40,118 | 76823_0 | I see the abbreviation everywhere at stackoverflow.com to represent the user who asked the question. I'd like to know the complete form of `OP`. |
39,241 | 113,496 | 76823_0 | I am facing a bit of a dilemma / problem. I am an amateur programmer ( profile ) , and in programming languages some terms are accepted, known to everyone and frequently used everywhere. My confusion is that when I am passing my code in a spell checker, some terms are marked as wrong and / or need corrections. Some examples: `accepted term` = the suggested / correct (alternative) * `plugin` = plug-in ( plug in ) * `uploader` = up-loader ( up loader ) * `textarea` = text-area ( text area ) * `checkbox` = check-box ( check box ) * `submenu` = sub-menu ( sub menu ) * `metatag` = meta-tag ( meta tag ) * `screenshot` = screen-shot ( screen shot ) Now for those of you that have ever experienced basic programming, those terms would be very familiar, but how should I treat those terms when releasing my software ? (Even while writing here, My firefox browser marks all those terms as spell errors. Better yet, the name "`firefox`" itself is marked as an error :-) ) I must stress that I am not a native speaker and English is not my mother tongue (it is a mere 1 out of 8), But I would still like to know what is the correct way to handle those situations. I do suspect that some of these terms (like `checkbox` or `plugin`) have become an adjective by themselves and are no longer exclusively used as a noun or as descriptive term for an action. |
39,242 | 113,497 | 76823_0 | In the English language Wikipedia article on noh theatre, "Noh" is frequently capitalized even when it's in the middle of a sentence. The only reason I could see someone doing that deliberately is because it's a loanword from Japanese. (The other possibility is that some of the authors are writing in English as a second language, but I doubt that's the explanation) Assuming that italics are available, should words be capitalized because they're loanwords? |
39,243 | 113,494 | 76823_0 | This is my edited question: I look up in the etymological dictionay about **prick** , and find that prick is not a word derived from **Proto-indo-european etymon**. Meanwhile, I find a lot of words meaning " **prick, stick, pierce, spear, rod, etc.** ", words starting with " ** _br-_** " > such as **_brad, bristle, brittle_** words starting with " ** _st-_** " > such as **_stick, stake, stipe_** and find **_pierce_** , which contains p and r, but etymologically it is composed with *** _per1_** "forward, through" + *** _(s)teu-1_** "To push, stick, knock, beat". So, I start to wonder whether there is or no words derived from PIE, which starts with "pr-" and has the similar meaning to prick, such as " **prick, stick, pierce, spear, rod,etc.** ". |
39,244 | 113,493 | 76823_0 | I really enjoy the connotations of words, particularly now because I'm looking for a name for something. I'd like to know what this word ( **hakim** ) sounds like to native English speakers. **Obs:** If there's a foreigner and in your country this word is used and makes sense in a different context or it's pejorative, please let me know the points below. * Is it good? * Is it an easy to recognize word? * Is it commonly used? * In which context is this word used? * What do you first remember when see **_hakim_** in a text, phrase, etc? |
39,245 | 40,111 | 76823_0 | I found two examples of this kind in _Harry Potter_ so far and in both cases, the speaker is Mr. Weasley and the listener is Harry. Does it add some nuance? Is it his habit of saying? 1. (In a lift of the Ministry of Magic building. They reach their story.) > ” **This is us** , Harry,” said Mr. Weasley, and they followed the witch out > of the lift into a corridor lined with doors. “My office is on the other > side of the floor.” ( _Harry Potter 5_ [US Version]: p.130-131) [Bold font > is mine] 2. (They are looking for the camp site they booked in advance.) > ”Always the same,” said Mr. Weasley, smiling. “We can’t resist showing off > when we get together. Ah, here we are, look, **this is us.** ” They had > reached the very edge of the wood at the top of the field, ( _Harry Potter > 4_ [US Version]: p.79) [Bold font is mine] |
39,246 | 12,542 | 76823_0 | Is the sentence below correct? > The place is lousy with hippies I looked it up on merriam-webster.com but they said that lousy was: > infested with lice Close, but not quite there... |
39,247 | 147,118 | 76823_0 | While watching the latest episode of 'Poirot' series, I came across this Goethe quote in the beginning of the episode. > Beginnings are always delightful; the threshold is the place to pause. What is its meaning? |
39,248 | 112,729 | 76823_0 | Asking this question in strict propriety out of genuine curiosity, why is that in (American) English animal-related names are used for vulgar names for the private body parts? In fact, all of the examples I can think of, at least one vulgar term for each body seems to come from an animal. I am sure there are exceptions but even then, why are they so common? What is this fascination with having animal names as "dirty" words, i.e. 1. Cock - A rooster 2. Pussy - A cat 3. Tits - A small bird 4. Ass - A donkey - okay I see this so this can be taken out. Is this only in America or does it happen in other parts of the English- speaking world as well? |
39,249 | 112,728 | 76823_0 | I remember finding this word in P. Spufford's _Power and Profit_ , and now can't read it without once again fruitlessly checking reverse dictionaries. It was used to describe a mass revival of investment after a downturn, and was either in the context of, or specifically referred to, removal of money stored in chests. I doubt it was divest or another common word; it could well have been a compound of re-, dis- or de-. |
39,250 | 147,116 | 76823_0 | I wrote an erroneous sentence recently. My teacher corrected it. Here is the sentence. Thus, the driver experiences a poor vision while driving, or sometime a faulty vision due to reflection of water droplets. |
39,251 | 47,463 | 76823_0 | When people describe any object (such as a career, or for instance, a computer cluster, etc) and they describe it as "commodity", what is it supposed to mean? According to Wikipedia, a commodity is basically something that fills in a need or a want, but if that's true, then isn't _everything_ a commodity? Basically, what kind of connotation does the word have in everyday usage? |
39,252 | 147,114 | 76823_0 | Is British English considered a foreign language for someone whose native language is American English? I need to know this for technical purposes. |
39,253 | 15,783 | 76823_0 | Joyful, happy, angry, hilarious, lovable, annoying, poignant, melancholic, depressing, cheerful, hateful, etc. All these ones are adjectives. Some of them can be applied to those objects who experience those feelings that these adjectives imply. Some of them can be applied to those objects that only cause those feelings in others. However, they are all related to feelings whether those are physical feelings (those that one's body can feel, like pain) or "soulish" feelings (those that are felt in one's soul, like liking or sympathy). So, the question is how to name all these adjectives? Is there any term for such ones? (A term consisting of only one adjective is preferable). |
39,254 | 15,786 | 76823_0 | One of my friends argues that _princessship_ is the only word which has 3 identical letter together ("s") ,but I think there is no word such as _princessship_. Can anyone tell me whether this is a real word, and if there are any English words which have 3 letters that are the same consecutively? |
39,255 | 138,908 | 76823_0 | I am looking for a translation of the French **military** term _coup de main_. (Not the common French civilian usage which translates as _helping hand_.) The term occurs frequently in the correspondence between Napoleon and his subordinate commanders, as something one should always look out for both on offense and defense. (See **Saski** : _Campagne de 1809 en Allemagne et en Autriche_ , for examples.) In context it refers to a quick victory or acquisition, inevitably by surprise, often bloodless or nearly so, and commonly _on the run_ (meaning by simply not stopping or holding when expected to do so). It seems to capture imagery from all of the English terms, but I am looking for a better single English term that comes closer than any of these: * _Flick of the wrist_ (emphasising the quickness and adroitness); * _Stealing a march_ (emphasizing the unexpectedness and surprise); and * _snatch and run_ or _grab and run_ (misses on the _and run_ part). Any thoughts? |
39,256 | 6,898 | 76823_0 | Any funny euphemisms or synonyms for plagiarism? |
39,257 | 103,120 | 76823_0 | In his book _A Complete Collection of Scottish Proverbs: Explain'd and Made Intelligible to the English_ (1721), James Kelly offers this interesting saying (page 74, #138): "Butter is Gold in the Morning, Silver at Noon, and Lead at Night." Kelly then comments: "A common Saying, of whose Truth or Reason I know nothing." What is the literal sense of this adage? Does it refer to color changes in different light, to phase changes at different temperatures, to effects on the body at different stages of digestion, to monetary value at different times, or to something else? And what is its most likely figurative meaning? Thanks! |
39,258 | 175,295 | 76823_0 | From the first decade of the 20th century and up till the 1940s, the word _waddy_ was a popular word meaning unappealing and unattractive. Can anyone help me better understand this word and it's origin? The only reference I could find for _waddy_ on the internet I've copied below: http://hubpages.com/hub/College-Slang-From-the-1900s-That-Still-Sounds-Fresh |
39,259 | 52,312 | 76823_0 | > He has started feeling the heat of the chill. Is the above sentence correct grammatically and does it make some sense? We know that the word "heat" can be used in the following ways - "..... in the heat of the moment" or "... feeling the heat". So is such a sentence, trying to emphasize the cold weather, correct? |
39,260 | 175,299 | 76823_0 | What are the age group names for each increment of a decade,starting from 0 and up? i.e. Octogenarian or teenager ?? Thanks |
39,261 | 171,265 | 76823_0 | I've read definitions that differ from each other only by the words _marked by_ and _having_. E.g. 'Marked by a calm demeanor' and 'having a calm demeanor'. I see this often enough that I suspect lexicographers distinguish between the two phrases. For dictionary definitions, how do the denotations of _marked by_ and _having_ differ from each other? |
39,262 | 171,261 | 76823_0 | While looking up the history of kip for a previous question of mine, I realized that the information about its origins is rather scant. The noun and verb _to kip_ in BrEng is often said when a person wishes to take a _short sleep_ or a **_quick nap_** , it's a colloquial expression and sounds very post-war Britain to my ears. Surprisingly, Etymonline completely ignores the word, listing only _kipper_. Wiktionary on the other hand comes to the rescue: > **1760–70** , probably related to Danish _kippe_ (“dive, hovel, cheap inn”) > and Middle Low German _kiffe_ (“hovel”). From the same distant Germanic root > as _cove_. > > Noun **kip** (plural kips) > (informal, chiefly UK) _A place to sleep; a rooming house; a bed_. > (informal, chiefly UK) _Sleep, snooze, nap, forty winks, doze_. "I’m just > going for my afternoon kip." (informal, chiefly UK) _A very untidy house or > room_. (informal, chiefly UK, dated) _A brothel_. But thanks to a comment made by a respected user it seems the connection between _kippe_ and _kip_ is quite strained. (If he gives me his permission, I will link and post his pertinent observation.) EDIT Janus Bahs Jacquet has! > ... but kippe (as a noun) is beyond vanishingly rare in Danish. It’s a > marginally common verb, meaning ‘tilt’ or ‘lop’ (or ‘dip’ as in ‘dipping the > flag’), but according to the dictionary, the noun and the verb are > unrelated. The noun is allegedly the same as kipe ‘basket for carrying > grain’. Supposedly, the shift from ‘basket’ to ‘hovel’ was helped along by > Middle Low German kiffe ‘hut’, whence it was used in compounds to refer > specifically to a real dive or a brothel, which is when English presumably > borrowed (?) it. Quite a shaky etymology overall, I’d say So on my trek to find the truth, I came across the _Chinese-English Dictionary of the vernacular or spoken language of Amoy_ by Carstairs Douglas, printed in 1873, London. The language Amoy or otherwise known as Xiamenese, Xiamen or Hokkien dialect, I believe gives some insight as to how _kip_ was loaned to the British English language to mean a short sleep or nap. It says > **Kip** [R. hasty; urgent; in extremity]. > **tioh-kip** , in very great haste; not willing to wait a moment, as in > some very urgent matter. > **kip-kip** , very swift, like the demon of thunder [...] said also > figuratively of anything to be done in great haste. > **kip-sio** , a small thin flat-bottomed earthen kettle for warming things > quickly. Could it be that Dutch sailors adopted this expression? I am blissfully unaware of Danish maritime history but I seem to remember reading somewhere that the Dutch traded with the Chinese, was it the 13th century or later? This in turn reminds me of the Italian explorer Marco Polo and his tales in China in _The Travels of Marco Polo_ or, in Italian _Il Milione_ ("The Million"). But in Italian the letter _K_ is a foreign letter and I can think of no Italian words beginning with ch = /k/ which are remotely related to the meaning of haste, urgency or velocity. Could **_kip_** therefore be a _Chinese_ loanword in the Danish or English language? |
39,263 | 132,087 | 76823_0 | I am a bit unsure about putting a verb in the "ing" form when it follows "as well as". Can somebody please explain which one (A or B) is grammatically correct and which one sounds more natural? > A. He documented a number of processes and workflows as well as **liaising** > between the development team and its internal clients. > > B. He documented a number of processes and workflows as well as **liaised** > between the development team and its internal clients. |
39,264 | 39,458 | 76823_0 | These two kinds of phrase frequently pop out in the topics of GRE analytical writing. Is there any substantial difference in meaning? EDIT: I know the difference between the word "endeavor" and "inquiry", but can the "field of endeavor" and "field of inquiry" be used interchangably to some extent? For example, can the former include scientific research? |
39,265 | 191,820 | 76823_0 | I am Minh Tran Nhat Nguyen. I later picked "Michael" as my English name when I first came to the U.S. Not everyone knows my English name (especially Americans) so I'm thinking about putting one of the following on my business card: 1. Minh Tran Nhat "Michael" Nguyen ->it seems like the standard form, as used on Wikipedia, but this looks too long. 2. Minh T. "Michael" Nguyen -> is this acceptable? 3. Minh T. Nguyen (Michael) -> how about this? Normally, people put nicknames in quotation marks (like "Mike", "Andy", "Dragon Slayer" etc.), so in my case, is Michael (a full name) in quotation marks acceptable? |
39,266 | 39,454 | 76823_0 | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stative_verbs: > The same verb may act as stative or dynamic. An English phrase like "he > plays the piano" may be either stative or dynamic, according to context. Could someone elaborate, exactly according to what context can "he plays the piano" be stative, and according to what context can "he plays the piano" be dynamic ? |
39,267 | 39,451 | 76823_0 | I came across one word that is "gas-bag." Are there any other specific (not slang) words? |
39,268 | 185,912 | 76823_0 | I live in Israel, and at the 12th of August I need to travel to some place in Russia. My travel goes through Turkey, as the place I am traveling to costs more and takes longer if I travel through Moscow. Now Israel is at war, and Turkey goes against Israel and the news says: > Please avoid non-essential traveling to Turkey What does that mean? Real message translation: > Warning: Avoid non-essential travel to Turkey > > The face of violent protests in Turkey against Israeli Foreign Ministry > called avoid unnecessary visits and take precautions. Diplomats were > evacuated close |
39,269 | 31,608 | 76823_0 | In this part of the song "2 Out Of 3 Ain't Bad " by Jim Steinman, I cannot understand the phrase "poured it on and poured it out": > ... > And maybe you can cry all night > But that'll never change the way that I feel > The snow is really piling up outside > I wish you wouldn't make me leave here > > _**I poured it on and I poured it out_** > I tried to show you just how much I care > I'm tired of words and I'm too hoarse to shout > But you've been cold to me so long > I'm crying icicles instead of tears > And all I can do is keep on telling you > ... |
39,270 | 31,601 | 76823_0 | I'm looking for a sports-related term in English, that means that one side had won without the other side having scored a single point, e.g. 1:0 or 5:0. Is it "a clean win", or does a clean win mean anything with a large gap between the winner and the loser? |
39,271 | 31,607 | 76823_0 | In this song's lyrics, I cannot understand the phrase "two out of three ain't bad" : > ... > I want you, I need you > But there ain't no way I'm ever gonna love you > Now don't be sad > 'Cause **_two out of three ain't bad_**. > ... |
39,272 | 31,605 | 76823_0 | I have never heard anyone call a pan of brownies anything other than a "pan of brownies". Thinking about this, I realized that there is nothing plural about a pan of brownies. Is it just that everyone assumes it will be cut and refers to it as such? |
39,273 | 31,604 | 76823_0 | One of the examples in my English composition book (for learning to write my language's sentences in English) was "Why he committed suicide under such a good circumstance is an unsolved question.", but what I would have written would have been "Why he suicided...". What's the difference between "commit suicide" and "suicide"? (I think I saw 'commit suicide' more than just 'suicide', and the spell checker of Google Chrome says that 'suicided' is not a word, even though I think it isn't wrong.) |
39,274 | 88,401 | 76823_0 | I am trying to rephrase a sentence : > I believe that life is like a “signed, blank check” and therefore, the > beneficiary should make the decisions that revolve around his/her self- > satisfaction and happiness otherwise; it would lead to a “bounced check”. What I mean from the above statement is one should work in the area that keeps him happy and satisfied. I am not having a good feeling about the above statement but I kind of like the idea. Do you think it is too vague or am I trying to forcefully put across an idea? |
39,275 | 88,400 | 76823_0 | My intention is to use on the following sentence: The administrator has the right to **___ ___** the user time slot for the venue A inside the online system. So, which word would be suitable: override or overwrite or are there more suitable words? |
39,276 | 34,127 | 76823_0 | I am reading an article by Bill Keller ( _The Times_ ). He wrote: > Through the years, The New York Times’s coverage of the Roman Catholic > Church and the Vatican has received sharp criticism from practicing > Catholics — including the past eight years that Bill Keller has been the > paper’s executive editor. Why has he used a hyphen (-)? |
39,277 | 88,409 | 76823_0 | What is the verb for removing spaces from a sentence? Is it _de-space_? |
39,278 | 72,315 | 76823_0 | American Heritage Dictionary defines: > plaza: a public square or similar open area in a town or city. > > gallery: a roofed promenade, especially one extending along the wall of a > building and supported by arches or columns on the outer side. Which is the better word defining the space shown in the picture below: "plaza" or "gallery"? Or is there a more appropriate word?  |
39,279 | 103,784 | 76823_0 | The joining-comma rule mentions that two complete clauses may be joined with a comma if the clauses are short or the comma is followed by a coordinating conjunction. So, I suppose that I should write > When I arrived home I fell asleep, for I was exhausted. > > When I arrived home I fell asleep because I was exhausted. However, what puzzles me is that "for" does have a causal (subordinate) role. Here, the logic of the language escapes me. Please, can someone clarify this point? |
39,280 | 72,310 | 76823_0 | Reading some of the comments on StackExhange, I came across > this is irrelevant for this question Shouldn't it be "irrelevant _to_ this question"? Searching on Google I found both are used in various academic texts. |
39,281 | 184,216 | 76823_0 | It's happened to me tons of times. See some people on Tv, live in office or anywhere, meet them and without their saying much you feel some positive energy oozing out of them. Although sometimes it is negative too. When it is -ve you don't like seeing them again. I was wondering if there is a word for such people ? Thank you. |
39,282 | 9,123 | 76823_0 | Which is more correct: > This rule specifies that an object should **be either** visible or > invisible, but not partially visible. Or > This rule specifies that an object should **either be** visible or > invisible, but not partially visible. Is there any rule for that? Also, should the _be_ be repeated after the or in the second statement? |
39,283 | 177,954 | 76823_0 | > I would like that he was normal. This sounds a little awkward but plausible. Is it valid English? How about another example: > I would like that he bathed before going to sleep. It sounds a little better with that additional clause. Both sentences sound normal with _it if_ replacing _that_ : > I would like it if he was normal. > > I would like it if he bathed before going to sleep. Is it just a matter of preference? Are both valid and _it if_ instead _that_ just sounds more natural? |
39,284 | 129,395 | 76823_0 | I have researched and found out long time no see is a direct translate from the Chinese phrase, 好久不见. As much as we use it almost everyday in our lives, is it actually grammatically correct? Since it is a direct translate, is it grammatically approved? |
39,285 | 185,814 | 76823_0 | Looking at the definition of these words it appears they are pretty similar: Pretentious: Having or showing the unpleasant quality of people who want to be regarded as more impressive, successful, or important than they really are [Merriam-Webster] Ostentatious: Displaying wealth, knowledge, etc., in a way that is meant to attract attention, admiration, or envy [Merriam-Webster] The way I usually see pretentious being used infers a kind of naivete (an under-educated/lower class person trying to sound intelligent/aristocratic) were as an ostentatious person _is_ upper class, but is flaunting it in an arrogant/gaudy way. Am I way off base here? |
39,286 | 184,218 | 76823_0 | Can some one tell me the appropriate word instead of 'very fast' in sentence: > Don't loose hope _very fast_. |
39,287 | 53,048 | 76823_0 | What does 'let it bleed' mean in the following sentence? > Though the actors give their all, notably Stellan Skarsgård as the brother > of the missing Harriet and Joely Richardson as an estranged relative, the > film hangs back when you want it to come out swinging. **Only Mara lets it > bleed**. Her defensive, bruised-animal performance inexorably draws you in. Is it common enough in daily conversation or English texts? I have seen it before, but it also in a film review (and The Rolling Stones album). Could you give me another example of its use in a sentence? If possible, the origin of the phrase would be nice too. |
39,288 | 100,479 | 76823_0 | For usage like this: > I _freaked out_ when I saw that file was not there. > > Every time I talk to him, he _freaks me out_ by his strange stories. What similar expressions can I use instead of ' _freak out_ '? |
39,289 | 35,832 | 76823_0 | I know that generally _autumn_ is the British term and _fall_ is the American one, but what is the geographical distribution of the two terms outside these countries? I'm fairly sure that no British person would use _fall_. Do Americans sometimes use _autumn_? |
39,290 | 152,275 | 76823_0 | What word best describes the sound made by an object passing through water for a prolonged period of time? "Whoosh" and "Splash" both come to mind, but neither really describes what I'm thinking of of. "Whoosh" sounds too airy and "Splash" connotes a sudden, loud, impact with a liquid as opposed to a gradual passage through it. |
39,291 | 35,837 | 76823_0 | Why is the word 'bologna' (as in a bologna sandwich) pronounced so differently from the way it's spelled? The word 'lasagna' isn't pronounced 'lasagney'... The American sausage is derived from a similar Italian sausage that originated in the city of Bologna, yet the name of the city is pronounced more like the word 'lasagna', which leaves me wondering where the pronunciation came from... |
39,292 | 133,935 | 76823_0 | When "air kiss" is treated as a verb, as in "they air kissed", should it be hyphenated to "air-kissed"? |
39,293 | 133,933 | 76823_0 | The OED supplies no clue to the origin of either gully or googly. It does not in fact mention etymology of the cricket sense of gully, which has led me to infer that it is from the ordinary meaning of gully, i.e. a channel between point and slip. However one responder to an earlier question suggests it is of Indian origin. As regards googly, the OED says 'origin unknown'. It is interesting because of the derived verb 'to google', which nowadays has acquired an entirely different meaning. > a. A ball which breaks from the off, though bowled with apparent leg-break > action. > > 1903 C. B. Fry in P. F. Warner _How We recovered Ashes (1904)_ ii. 29 You > must persuade that Bosanquet of yours to practise..those funny ‘googlies’ of > his. > 1904 P. F. Warner _How we recovered Ashes_ 106 Bosanquet..can bowl as badly > as anyone in the world, but, when he gets a length, those slow ‘googlies’, > as the Australian papers call them, are apt to paralyse the greatest > players. > 1909 P. A. Vaile in _Westm. Gaz._ 17 Sept. 14/2 The ‘googly’ is merely the > American service at lawn-tennis introduced into cricket. > 1920 E. R. Wilson in P. F. Warner _Cricket_ ii. 74 The ‘googly’ or ‘Bosie > ball’ as it was afterwards christened in Australia. > 1924 N. Cardus _Days in Sun_ 48 Hirst cultivated the swerve and Bosanquet > the ‘googly’. 1930 C. V. Grimmett Getting Wickets i. 22 It was at this time > that I learned to bowl the ‘bosie’ or ‘googly’—an off-break with a leg-break > action. > 1954 J. H. Fingleton _Ashes crown Year_ 46 Australians call it bosie after > Bosanquet..Englishmen call it the google, or googly. > 1955 K. R. Miller & R. S. Whitington _Cricket Typhoon_ i. ii. 32 > In..Yorkshire, the ‘Chinaman’ is regarded as the lefthand bowler's off- > break... In Australia..the ‘Chinaman’ is..the left-hander's googly. Can anyone supply any further clue to the origin of either word, please? |
39,294 | 133,931 | 76823_0 | As the title says, when a Brit in modern times writes 'since the war' which war is being refereed to -WWI or WW2? |
39,295 | 87,988 | 76823_0 | Could someone explain the difference between these two words? Here is an example of using each. * Your hair and eyes **remind** me of your mother. * I can **remember** people's faces, but not their names. |
39,296 | 131,579 | 76823_0 | Is it allowed to replace the highlighted words in the following sentence with a comma? 1. This is the book **which was** stolen by Taro. 2. This is the book, stolen by Taro. |
39,297 | 159,226 | 76823_0 | What is the exact meaning of "acoustic perfume" in the sentence: Let's get out of here - this acoustic perfume is too much for my ears. |
39,298 | 100,786 | 76823_0 | Should I say “I only have one distinct memory from the movie, _that of_ a scene where …”, or would it work without the _that of_? If it wouldn’t work without the _that of_ , what if I replace the comma with a colon? Would it be ok then? |
39,299 | 100,787 | 76823_0 | What do you call someone who is shy, withdrawn, fearful of being approached, and with little interest for or even fear of social events? _Sociopath_ would be too harsh of a term (but close) and _shy_ too mild. |
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