title: Alternative word for "flame"

text: What word is used as an alternative to _flame_? The word _flame_ sounds negative and violent, but what I want to convey is like the flame that appears on the candle, which is polite and peaceful. In short: > A flame of love - incorrect > > A ------ of love - please fill in this blank. What are some links where I can search for some equivalent words?


title: An exception to The past perfect?

text: > Before he could shoot I knocked the gun out of his hand, and the next > instant **had kicked it into the sea.** > > (my emphasis)   >  _The Lighthouse on Shivering Sand,_ J S Fletcher (1865-1935) Gutenberg > Australia The last part "had kicked it into the sea" This is obviously not prior to the preceding actions. This action happens after the preceding actions. But the past perfect tense is used here? Is it possible? If so, to what effect?


title: Flog meaning to sell in "Flogging a dead horse"

text: I saw an article recently where the author used the term "flogging a dead horse" where the term flogging was meant in the UK slang sense of "to sell".   It was accompanied by a drawing of a stuffed horse being sold at market with a sign along the lines of "fast, living horse for sale". (I can't find the article again). Is this usage of the phrase valid? I always thought that the phrase was a slight rewording of "beating a dead horse" where "flog"/"beat" would mean to physically hit.


title: What is the numb sensation in the mouth caused by some fruits called

text: There are some fruits* that cause a peculiar (unpleasant) numb sensation in the mouth. An unripe perssimon or a quince are two examples that come to mind. I can't describe the feeling any more eloquently so my bet/hope is that you will know what feeling I am talking about. Is there a word in English that describes the mentioned quality of these fruits and/or the sensation in the mouth? *I don't know that only fruit can cause it, but I can't think of anything else at the moment.


title: What's a non pejorative way of saying that a woman is bigger?

text: > **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Euphemisms to replace "fat" In French you could say that a woman is _plus en chair_ , _plus ronde_ , which are not necessarily pejorative. How can I say the same thing in English? > Lindsay Lohan was cuter when she was […].


title: Should a note be addressed with "Hi all" or "Hi All"?

text: It is common to begin an email with the greeting "hi all" when the note is addressed to multiple recipients. What, however, is the correct capitalization of "all" in this context? Does it become a proper noun?


title: What does "would be in" mean in this sentence?

text: I have been learning Python programming from a book and I came across a sentence which I can't understand! > When you enter this code in the IDLE, it will automatically indent, so be > sure to press the backspace or delete key once you’ve typed each print > statement, so that your if, elif, and else statements will start at the far- > left margin. This is the same position the if statement would be in if the > prompt (>>>) were absent. I just don't get this part: > This is the same position the if statement would be in if the prompt (>>>) > were absent. What does "would be in" mean?


title: "emmet-butt" - Westcountry dialect

text: My grandfather's family were from Somerset in the southwest of England and one of his favourite pieces of Westcountry dialect was 'emmet-butt', which apparently meant/means a 'mole hill'. However, I can't seem to find any reference to this term online. The closest thing that I have found is 'emmet- batch', which apparently is an 'ant hill'Dialect of the West of England Is it possible that my grandfather got confused? Or maybe I have made a mistake in my recollection? Any Westcountry dialect specialists out there?


title: Synonym for "a tuple of" time and place

text: Is there an elegant one-word english term for datums made of a combination of (meeting) time (span or point) and place? Naturally you could say "time and place of ...", but when you speek of a meeting, you normally want to refer to them both at a time.


title: What do you call a person who is given money to cash your check, usually using force, when the indebted people refuse to give your money back?

text: There are times when you have received a check from somebody, but there is no money (or not enough money) in their account to cash it. Then you have to resort to asking someone (criminal or something) to tackle the problem and hopefully get the money (or part of it) one way or another. Is there a word to refer to such a person (criminal)?


> I’m gonna open a can of whoop ass on you if you don’t come with me now! I know that "whoop someone's ass" means to beat someone's ass And "open a can of whoop ass" means to beat someone Is there any relationship between this "a can of whoop ass" and the really whoop ass can? ![a real whoop ass can](http://empowermentexperience.com/wp- content/uploads/2011/06/whoopass.jpeg)


title: Why do german speakers use word "moreover" more frequently than others?

text: This is a thing I have noticed among german speaking groups when they write in english. Almost every time I see someone using the word "moreover" I find out that person is german. And on german forums, they all use it _all the time_. So, what is with that word, why is it used so frequently among germans? Or is this just an illusion created by my mind, and the word is actually used as frequently among all groups of people? Moreover, what is the correct usage of that word? Are there cases where you can use only that specific word and not any other words in that place? PS. I'm not native english speaker.


title: Battery is flat

text: I was born and raised in some anglophone Asian country where people use the word "flat" to describe a battery when no electrical current can be generated by it. Some would even use the word "flat" to describe their phone when its battery is dead (although their phones are three dimensional). So one day I looked up OED and realised > **flat** > > _British_ (of a battery) having exhausted its charge. but I couldn't find this definition of flat in the New Oxford American Dictionary. So here are my questions: If I go to the States will people understand me when I say "My battery is flat"? How about "my phone is flat"? Is this usage of flat even common in the UK?


title: Is there a term for spelling errors that occur when heterographs are mixed up?

text: For example: "I am quitting this job with immediate affect."


title: A word for someone who is unwanted, a pariah, someone left to fend on their own?

text: I'm writing a book and I need a word to call a character who is punished for becoming part of a group of people who are socially rejected and unwanted. They are left to fend for themselves on the street.


title: The difference beetween 'nasty' and 'horrible' or 'terrible'

text: For the most situations adjectives 'horrible' and 'terrible' are synonyms. But I often come across with word 'nasty' with similar meaning like 'nasty cough', 'nasty smell'. Is there any difference or 'nasty' is the same like 'terrible' (or 'horrible')?


title: guests young and old vs. young and old guests

text: I came across the following sentence in an American newspaper. "Guests young and old ended up loving the fun socks they were given at the party." Does it make any difference if they say "young and old guests" instead of "guests young and old?"


title: Where to place the word shop, in the extract below. A question of grammar, or are both correct?

text: Which of the two examples works better, and why? Example 1: > Hilary Hummingbird- Smyth’s, “Bonnets and Bows,” was without doubt, the > prettiest shop on the Parade, and what the crooked, half-timbered cottage > lacked in symmetry, it made-up for it with its olde worlde, charming > quaintness. Or, Example 2: > Hilary Hummingbird- Smyth’s shop, “Bonnets and Bows,” was without doubt, the > prettiest on the Parade, and what the crooked, half-timbered cottage lacked > in symmetry, it made-up for it with its olde worlde, charming quaintness.


title: Is 'f-bomb' interchangeable with 'f-words'?

text: I found the word, “f-bomb” in the Time magazine’s (March 20) article titled with “Why insults exist–and Why one man wants to end them” introducing philosophy professor, William B. Irvine’s latest book on gains and losses of insults - http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/03/20/qa-why-insults-exist-and-why- one-man-wants-to-end-them/#ixzz2OPuYu26f It starts with a lovely joke and an agile ripost when a baldheaded guy was ridiculed by his friend, “Marc, your head feels as smooth as my wife’s ass,” and follows: > “To come up with a good insult requires a certain degree of intellect, and > if those things start disappearing, then the nature of the insults are going > to change. - -We live in an increasingly narcissistic society where people > really are quick to unleash insults and are easily hurt by insults directed > their way. The really disappointing ones are those that just drop the > **f-bomb**. That’s one level up from a barking dog. I don’t think I’ve ever heard the word, f-bomb. Does this mean ‘f-word’? Is it interchangeable with 'f-word,' or it has extra meanings tantamounting to the figurative impact of N-bomb?


title: Racial connotations of the word "uppity"

text: I was told that the word _uppity_ has some racial connotations originating from the times of segregation in the South. I never thought of it as such. I kind of like the sound of the word but was wondering if it should be avoided in the presence of black people.


title: "Take care with" something

text: Recently I had a deep discussion with an American person born and raised in the USA who said that when I say "take care with something" it makes absolutely no sense. That was said because she had never heard "take care with" (meaning "be careful") , but only "take care of" (which means something completely different from what I want to convey).   * May I use "Take care with the cars" instead of "Be careful with the cars", for instance?   * May I use "Take care!" instead of "Watch out!" ? Or will it make no sense to USA North Americans? What about to British people?


title: One word for act of anchoring an event/seminar

text: I feel it's pronounced "camp-our-ing"(not correct) I tried searching a lot but couldn't find the exact word. Could someone please help me


title: Should a translated quote be delimited by double quotes?

text: My understanding is that all quotes must be delimited by double quotes, and that a quote must be _exactly_ what was said. This raises the problem of how to handle quotes made in a foreign language. My assumption is that a translated quote is never placed inside double quotes. All translations are interpretations, _not what was actually written / spoken_. So, is this a big deal? **yes**. When translating into one's native language, you can easily spin a translation to make it seem like it has meaning that is not really there. And then, by delimiting it with double quotes, you can make it look like that poisoned quote is _exactly_ what a non- native speaker said. Readers don't stop to think about the possible agenda of the translator. These days, I've started reading the news. And, I am seeing a lot of quotes in doubles quotes assigned to people who I assume cannot speak English at an advanced level. When I read an article in _The Economist_ , _The New York Times_ , etc. and I see a quote, in double quotes, attributed to a foreign leader, was the leader speaking English, or is that double quoted quote really a translation? In my own translation work, might it actually be better to use double quotes to delimit translated quotes because that is the expected standard?


title: 'Spree' as a figure of speech

text: I came across the following sentence in a book by the English nature writer Robert Macfarlane; > Sunlight fell in bright sprees on the floor (of the wood). What part of speech is 'spree' in this context. It's a noun of some sort, but can anyone help more specifically?


title: "Let A be a set, [let] B [be] a group"

text: Math proves often start with "let". For example: > Let A be a set. This is easy. But what about introducing several things in that manner? >   1. Let A be a set, B be a group, and C be a number. >   2. Let A be a set, let B be a group, and let C be a number. >   3. Let A be a set, B be a group, and let C be a number. >   4. Let A be a set, B a group, and C a number. > Which is the most correct one?


title: When can a redundant "respectively" be dropped?

text: Over the years I've stuck fast to a possibly self-invented rule that enumerating pairs of things in an out-of-order fashion requires a "respectively": > …where x, y, and z are "ecks", "why", and "zed", respectively. But I begin to tire of this redundant usage where it's clearly obvious (or is it?) that the pairs match up n-to-n in the lists. Is this rule I follow a real rule? Can I drop it in what seem to me, the writer, to be patently obvious cases?


title: What's the conventional style for writing a conversation taking place in another language?

text: I'm writing a story and I'm having a bit of trouble with styling conversations that take place in another language. I want the reader to be privy to this conversation, so it has to be communicated in English somehow. I've considered a few styles but I'm at a bit of a block. Here are the styles I've considered:   1. **Direct quote, in original script** : Useless if the reader doesn't know the language, which in my case, they definitely wont.    2. **Direct quote, in transliterated script, translation in footnotes** : I do this for the first couple of sentences to introduce the fact that they're not speaking English, but this really makes the story unreadable for large amounts of dialogue.    3. **Translated sentence, in unquoted italics** : This is what I've been using since it acknowledges that the translation alters what they're saying and introduces inaccuracies/idioms/colloquialisms. However, in long exchanges it doesn't look like speech.    4. **Translated sentence, in quotes** : Flows most naturally and is what the reader is accustomed to, but I'm against quoting specifically because that's not what they're actually saying.   5. **Passive speech** (e.g.:"Foo asked Bar about Baz."): I'm also against this because it's hard to develop a character when it's entirely up the reader how the dialogue unfolds. Is there a preferred style to how this is done?


title: Is the phrase "Like many another" correct in standard English?

text: I've come across "like many another" in a GMAT question. Its use is similar to "Like many other" e.g. "Like many another in his class, John is thirteen years old." It has 1M hits in google (compare to 135M for "like many other"). I would like to know if it's a mistake or an uncommon but standard phrase.


title: "the best you could say" vs "the best you can say"

text: One want to ask a question in regard to a person's suggestion to contribute: Tina: "You should get laid more than once a year" Tom: "the best you **could** say? should I use **can** or **could**?


title: Use of article in front of product names

text: In English, a definite article is not typically used in front of company names, except if you want to refer to some particular building (e.g. _I went to the McDonald's around the corner_ ). However, does the same thing hold for product names? For example, which of the following sentences would work better?   1. Logitech's new S30 is an improved version of the S29.   2. Logitech's new S30 is an improved version of S29. The former sounds much better to me, but that may be because we throw around a lot of definite articles in my native language :)


title: What does "What are you into?" mean?

text: I personally don't use this question in spoken language but I usually see it in written language. I also frequently see that when someone asks this question, it elicits in turn the question "What do you mean?".   * Is this an ambiguous question?   * What are the different meanings of this question?   * It can depend on the context but in a casual conversation, does it usually mean "What are you interested in?" or can it mean "What are you up to?" also?   * What about sexual connotations? * * * I'm also not familiar with the usage in the below contexts: From the book "The Pillars of Solomon" _By Jon Land_ : > Man: "What the hell is going on?" he demanded...   >  Woman: “I don't know what you're talking about.”   >  Man: “If you don't, you're a bigger fool than I am. **_What are you into > here?_** ”   >  Woman: “This is about the man I asked you to identify" she realized.   >  Man: His eyes blazed at her from driver' seat. "You're damn right it is, > and somebody's going to catch hell for it!"   >  Man: "What are you — "   >  Woman: "You sent me to check out one of our own men!" * * * From the book "The Twelfth Insight: The Hour of Decision" _By James Redfield_ : > I stopped and he stopped, and then I saw something familiar in his posture. > It was Wil! When I got to him, he pulled me down and looked back at the Pub.   >  “ **What are you into here** , my friend?” he asked in his customary half- > humorous tone. “I don't know,” I blurted. “I saw several people watching me > inside. What are you doing here, Wil?" * * * From the book "Reflection: Behind the Rain" _By Robert Clayton Buick_ : > Waehauf returned to his station and called out his cocktail order in > flawless Spanish. As he waited for his drink order, he turned and continued > to stare me down. I continued to stare back at him, and with willing > confrontation, I calmly asked him, “What's your problem Fat Guy, and **what > are you into here**?” His face turned into a bright red flashing light and I > could hear and his feel breath increase in rapid succession. Does it mean "What are you doing here?" or "What are you pulling here?" in these contexts? Did this question gain a new meaning in these contexts?


title: Usage of "such that"

text: I am having issues with the wording of the following sentence: > Overall our research shows an overreaching commonality, such that, social > media has a significant impact on our physical well being and emotions. I am unclear if the words "such that" are proper connectors between the two thoughts (should it be "in that"?). I have tried separating the two parts, but then the first sentence before the connector just sounds "empty". Any suggestions?


title: What is a good replacement for "ununderstandable"?

text: I want to tell a colleague of mine I'm doing something that will prevent her from getting "ununderstandable" errors. I have: > ...so that you will not get unnecessary, [ununderstandable] errors. After googling "ununderstandable", I see that there is no such word, but I'm still looking for something that sounds better.


title: He still thinks that what he sees in the TV and movies is real

text: Is the verb agreement correct in this sentence ( _... is real_ and not _...are real_ )?


title: Use of "manifest" as an active verb

text: Recently I completed an English creative writing exam in which I used the phrase > files and papers manifest, as if by some unholy magic at the tray on his > desk. My teacher stated that my use of _manifest_ was incorrect. She said that it should be used as "manifest themselves". Howeverm I still believe that _manifest_ can be used here as an active verb. Can anyone help explain this to me?


title: Combining numbers and text

text: In the following sentence I am using a combination of numbers and words in a sentence: > The greatest loss in accuracy for the method is between a rate of one and > two hours where, on average, the accuracy of the method dropped from 2.5 to > 7 days. Is this correct? I have to use _2.5_ in the last part of the sentence as this wouldn't really work with _two and a half_. So, my question is: is the _one_ and _two_ OK as it is, or should it be written as _1_ and _2_?


title: Is it correct to ask "can talk?"

text: Whenever I hear my boss asking a colleague through the phone whether he or she is available to talk, his question is " Can talk?" I feel it's quite annoying and something not correct, but please correct me if I'm wrong, and advise what the correct way to ask whether someone is available to talk is? Thanks, guys.


title: What does "dot" mean in this sentence?

text: My first language is Spanish and I can't understand this question about a book (The butterfly lion): > What dot did he have at school? The story is about a kid who have some troubles in school with his professor and colleagues, that's all what I can say after reading two pages. Does the term 'dot' make sense here? Or is a mistake? I'm sure this is not referring to the school marks.


title: What is the origin of "odds and ends"?

text: There's already a question (and answer) for "bits and bobs", which I believe is a Britishism, but what is the origin of "odds and ends"? "Odds" I have some reckoning for (as in, "odd items", meaning leftover). Why is this specie of miscellanea paired with "ends"? Additionally, is "odds and ends" an Americanism?


title: Is "I am going for walking" right?

text: Every evening my friend appears at my door dressed up like Carl Lewis and announces "I am going for walking". I was wondering - is that expression right?


title: a hard close look

text: Are "close" and "hard" the same below? > He took a **_close_** look at the cat.   >  He took a **_hard_** look at the cat. Or are they subtly different? For this particular usage, web dictionaries appear to define "close" with "hard" and "hard" with "close".


title: Meaning - 'the sword and the purse'

text: > Because it lacks the legitimacy and accountability that come with election > and the power that derives from **the sword and the purse** , the Supreme > Court’s authority rests on public acceptance of its status as a nonpartisan > arbiter of the law. I hazard that "purse" refers to monetary influence and that 'sword' = might and main? But why 'sword'? Source: P301, America on Trial, Alan Dershowitz


title: Please explain the pronunciation of "indict."

text: The word _indict_ is not pronounced as it is spelled (big shocker in English, right?). It looks like it should be pronounced _in-dikt_ , but it is pronounced _in- dite_. Why is it pronounced like this? Are there other words that combine _ict_ to make an _ite_ sound? I can think of others that are, instead, pronounced as they are spelled (eg. _edict_ ).


title: What is the correct way to respond to sender with full name

text: I recently received an email I need to respond to, but I am unsure of the correct way to address the sender. > Dear Mr Sayse, > > [ . . . _email body_ . . . ] > > Regards > > Joe Bloggs Is it correct to respond with the sender’s first name, or should it be in the same format as it was in the original email? That is, which of these should it be:   1. Dear Mr Bloggs    2. Dear Joe This is a **formal** email to be sent to someone I will be paying quite a substantial sum of money. I suspect it should be the former but would like to make sure..


title: "vest" as a phrasal verb

text: Rather than memorising the definitions, how could I intuit and rationalise them:   1. **vest in somebody/something = to belong to somebody/something legally**.    2. **vest something in somebody** = to give somebody the legal right or power to do something For example, in 2, the order of **something** and **somebody** is reversed; **something** precedes **somebody** in the phrase but vice versa in the definition? An example of 1: > The Independent Counsel Law—which **vests** the selection **in** a panel of > judges—having lapsed when the Lewinsky matter surfaced, Attorney General > Janet Reno at first decided that she would have to appoint a special > prosecutor to investigate President Clinton. Source: P294, America on Trial, Alan Dershowitz


what's the meaning of "to place on the edge of"? Important for understanding displacements and borderlands associated with global transformation is growing insecurity as the “free market” devalues labor by challenging “local” wage rates and relations and nationally constituted environmental and labor laws in ways that place economically vulnerable populations on the edge of legal protections and secure rights is it meaning that people has no rights?


title: How to correctly express a successful job (where others failed) in a cover letter

text: I was working on a project where the two other person before me failed to get the job done as expected. Basically that was the reason they hired me, and fortunately I did it better than expected. How can I express it in a proper English in the cover letter when I'm applying for a new job? Just in the case that it might help, the first person lost the job (employer didn't renew the contract) however he's still promoting himself using the project name and saying he were working on the project. The second person got fired, however he is also doing the same like the other one. I think, I have to mention it somehow that it was my effort to make the project successful, because that could potentially land me the job, but I really don't know how should I express that that doesn't sound negative, etc. P.S. I know that I have to discuss it while they are interviewing me, however I prefer to increase the chance by putting that in the cover letter first.


title: "I and Jane" or "me and Jane"?

text: So I know that it's correct to say: > Jane and I are going shopping I shouldn't use _me_ here because (as stated on Oxford Dictionaries Online) _I_ is what I would use in the singular form of the sentence: > I am going shopping But does this same rule apply if I want to (impolitely) put myself first in the sentence? Should I be saying: > I and Jane are going shopping Because this just sounds incredibly wrong. It _sounds_ much more accurate to use _me_ here.


title: Meaning of "misuse of the word 'only'" in context

text: I am reading the book _Learning Python_ by Mark Lutz, in which there's a passage I don't understand: > I also want to thank my original editor at O’Reilly, the late Frank > Willison. This book was largely Frank’s idea. He had a profound impact on > both my career and the success of Python when it was new, **a legacy that I > remember each time I’m tempted to misuse the word “only.”** Emphasis added. What does he mean?


title: Classification - There is/are

text: What is the official 'name' for the 'there is' / 'there are' construction? Is it a verb phrase or a lexical verb? I'd say possibly a verb but it must be the most difficult term to Google.


title: What does 'disk box' mean here?

text: ![What is a 'disk box' here?](http://i.stack.imgur.com/QUWu0.jpg) The expression is mentioned under the number 1 of the list at the bottom of the picture. The search over the internet hasn't given me a more or less clear idea of what it could be for it to match the context. Please, help.


title: Pleasure of watching someone work

text: Is there a word that the describes the pleasure of watching someone else work? For example, my mother enjoys watching me hard at work because generally she is the one working hard.


title: Why does impugn = oppugn?

text: Their definitions look the same—impugn vs. oppugn—yet they have different prefixes. Why don't they have opposite meanings? Would someone please explain this discrepancy?


title: Intuition - short shrift

text: Would someone please explain the intuition or connection behind the definition of shrift and short shrift? How does the former imply the latter?


title: Single word for "unqualified truth"

text: Suppose someone (let's call him Alex) is bad at playing soccer, but he does not want to hear that. Now if someone says to Alex in his face, "you are a really bad soccer player", what would be an apt word for that? In my mother tongue it is called "unqualified truth" for Alex. Is there an equivalent English term?


title: Difference between "Call into" and "Call"

text: I was reading a text in which the author used "call into" when explaining Templated Razor Delegates within the following sentence: > Note that the delegate that’s generated is a Func. Also, the @item parameter > is a special magic parameter. These delegates are only allowed one such > parameter, but the template can **call into** that parameter as many times > as it needs. I am wondering what "call into" means here and what would the difference be if he used "call" instead. I've done a small research and I found this in which it says "call into" means "to call to a person or a pet to come into something or some place." and well, it doesn't make much sense in this context I believe. Note the complete text can be found here at: http://haacked.com/archive/2011/02/27/templated-razor-delegates.aspx


title: Is there an expression for a principle that is only a first approximation?

text: Is there an expression for a principle that is a close approximation to the truth, but quite possibly has exceptions? For example, "Do not kill". This is a good first approximation, but almost everyone would make allow except for self defense. I don't like the word "general", because it is often used in the sense of meaning universal, such as "The general theory of relativity". I don't like "first approximation" or "heuristic", as they could be unfamiliar to people without a scientific background. UPDATE: Another word I though of is "preliminary"


title: What are meant by “August pick, October pick, and January pick” in the Presidential running mate selection?

text: There were words, ‘ _August pick, October pick, and January pick_ ” in the article titled “Biden’s Brief - Obama picked his running-mate to help him govern,” appearing in New Yorker magazine October 20 issue. The article deals with the character and political records of Joe Biden who made a name in the recent vice presidential debate by making for President Obama’s lethargic representation in the preceding presidential debate. The words appear in the following statement: > In 2004, when John Kerry was conducting his search for a running mate, he > divided his options into three groups, based on the electoral calendar. > “Kerry said you can pick either _a Mr. August, a Mr. October, or a Mr. > January,”_ David Wade, who was Kerry’s press secretary at the time and is > now serving in that role for Biden, told me. “In a perfect world, you have > someone who is all three.” > > By Kerry’s logic, Sarah Palin, the Alaska governor, whom John McCain named > as his running mate, was an _August pick_. An _October pick_ tends to be > political—someone with strong, even strident campaign skills, Kerry’s > choice—John Edwards—may have fallen into that category.” As I’m totally ignorant of political affairs in U.S., I have no idea about what August, October, and January pick mean, though I understand _Mr. August, Mr. October, and Mr. January_ mean respectively those who are picked up as the presidential running-mate according to the political calendar. Are they political jargons, or just an application of greengrocery terms? What do they mean?


title: Aptitude to learn proprietary systems/applications quickly and easily

text: Updating my resume and I am trying to make this "resume highlight" make sense. I originally had it written as "Able to learn proprietary systems/applications quickly and easily" but I was looking for a better word first or rewritten sentence. I was researching this word/sentence using "Google search" and that is where I found you. The Aptitude word was found on this website but I don't think it makes sense, but I need a word that looks good on a resume.


title: Should "culture"  in "Somali culture" be capitalized?

text: Should I capitalize _culture_ in the following sentence? > I am proud to share Somali culture with the community. I know that proper nouns should be capitalized, but _culture_ seems to be a generic noun with a proper modifier. Hence, I am unsure of what to do.


title: Synonym of "s--t eating grin" suitable for polite company

text: Can anyone think of a synonym for "shit eating grin" that would be usable in polite company? This definition from the OED captures the meaning I'm looking for perfectly: > A broad grin expressing uncontrollable delight or (self-)satisfaction, esp. > characterized by awareness of having got away with something normally > considered outrageous or improper. As pointed out in this Metafiler comment, an important nuance is that this sort of grin is uncontrollable.


title: How to group the words in following sentence

text: Shall I group the words as "the cause of [mankind before the sages]" or "[the cause of mankind] before the sages" in the following sentence? Why? > I shall therefore maintain with confidence the cause of mankind before the > sages, who invite me to stand up in its defence; This sentence comes from A Discourse Upon the Origin and the Foundation of the Inequality among Mankind


title: Use of word "Greetings" instead of morning and evening

text: I have a query regarding the use of word only "Greetings" instead of good morning or good evening in the email. As we will be working in different time zones and we will not be sure when the recipient will check the email. So what you suggest whether using the word only "greetings" is better instead of using Good morning or Good evening?


title: Ordinal 3: 3rd vs 3d

text: What is the most correct form for _3_ in ordinal form: _3rd_ or _3d_? I know both are valid. But I heard that _3rd_ is something like spoken form and it's grammatically correct to use _3d_.


title: Is it correct to write "..., so..."? Is it formal to use "so" in writing?

text: Is it correct to write "..., so..."? e.g.               You are handsome, so you are appreciated.      Is it correct to use "so" in formal writing? If not, what are the alternatives?


title: Pronunciation of verbiage and foliage

text: To my ear, the former should be pronounced "vurb-ij" and the latter "fohl-ee- ij" (the endings may vary among "aj", "edge" and "ij"). I occasionally hear people say "vurb-ee-ij" and often hear "fohl-ij". Are they interchangeable? Regional?


title: Third alternative to "between" and "among?"

text: I want to express possibilities on a scale while providing 3 common examples.               blue-----------------------orange---red      If I say "Houses in this neighbourhood vary among blue, orange and red," this means it can be any of the three, but not values in between. If I say "Houses in this neighbourhood vary between blue, orange and red," this is incorrect because _between_ should be used only for two items. Is there another word that can be used to represent variance across the entire scale while allowing me to provide three concrete examples, or must I say something like "Houses in this neigbourhood vary in colour; most are blue, orange or red?" * * * ### update Of course, now that I've asked the question, this option occurs to me: "Houses in this neighbourhood vary from blue to orange to red." Is that clear?


title: "Subpage" vs "sub page" vs is it even a word?

text: I would go with subpage, but the corrector on stackexchange thinks it's a mistake and shows a red underline. You can try it yourself. Click on "Ask Question" link and type subpage in a sentence to the body textarea. Why is that? I don't understand. Is subpage a word? Because according to this: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subpage or http://dictionary.cambridge.org/spellcheck/british/?q=subpage or http://thesaurus.com/browse/subpage?s=t It's not even a word! I don't understand it at all. I and millions are using this term everyday.   Could somebody, please, explain that to me? Btw. Microsoft is using "subpage" word for Office products instead of "sub page": http://office.microsoft.com/en-in/onenote-help/about-pages-and- subpages-HP001112525.aspx


title: An adjective to describe a substance consisting of smaller-size grains

text: What adjective you would use to describe a substance consisting of grains of smaller size compared to those of another substance? For example, "Milk powder is **___ ____**_er than sugar". Addition: And if it's possible, please, come up with an antonym of that word.


title: Infinitive of purpose or "for verb-ing"

text: > The chambers inside the pyramid were closed **(to/for)** visitors **(to > clean and repair/for cleaning and repairing)**. Which is the correct alternative in both the brackets, and why? Please explain in detail the correct usage and grammar. The essence required is: > The chambers were closed so that no more visitors would come inside them and > because the chambers needed maintenance.


Children were sitting on their parents' lap or laps? Can _lap_ be used in plural form at all?


title: Looking for the inverse -- not the opposite -- of "zero-sum game"

text: If I have 5 dollars, and I exchange them for your banana, that's a zero-sum game. If I have a candle, and I use it to light yours, that is not a zero-sum game. It could be said to be the opposite of a zero-sum game, and I'd like to know if there's a more apt description. Now, what if there's some really infectious disease? Eradicating it in one case curbs the macro-epidemic, and spreading it to another is likely to cause an exponential rise. This seems to me the inverse of a zero-sum game. How is it this concept best generically referred to?


title: Which is the correct form: "Parameter set", "parameters set", or "parameters' set"?

text: I have sets of parameters like `(1, 2, 3, 5)` or `(3.14, 2.73, 1.44, 1.73)`. They are named, but I do not think it makes any difference. Which form is the correct one to call one general case or example of such things?   1. Parameter set.   2. Parameters set.   3. Parameters' set. I would opt for choice 2. but I am not really sure. That would impose the plural so maybe choice 1 is correct. Choice 3 sounds really off to me in English, but that would be the direct calque from my native language.


What is the true antonym of "successive"? Did the the "true" sound weird? Well everywhere I looked, I only found subjective antonyms like Broken, Discontinuous, Infrequent, Intermittent, Interrupted, Unconsecutive etc.. But what is the "true" antonym? For example, if the subjective antonym of "Concentrated" is "Dilute", then the True antonym of "concentrated" is "dispersed". Hope you understand. Or the True antonym of "Forward" is "Backward" or "moving in reverse" Likewise, if "successive" was understood as something in relation to "progressive", what is its antonym? Definitely something in the lines of "anti-succession" or likewise. If it does not in fact exist in the English vocabulary, will I be wrong in the convenient neologism "anti-succession"? The premise is where I was drafting a question in the Microsoft forum, answers.microsoft.com, in which I wanted to know how to view elements in the clipboard. The elements are supposed to be stacked and displayed in "succession" but I was only seeing the last element (that was stored in succession to the previous element(s) that was strangely extant). So to draft the question I had to address the elements that were lost or not displayed, that were in fact stored previously/opposite to succession. So what is the true antonym or opposite of succession? Thanks immensely!   * well sorry, my bad. well here it is:   I don't just want the programmers at Microsoft to know that, the "previous elements" seem to have dropped out of display (of which I could have just said "the elements prior to the only one displayed are not.. err don't seem to be there). I want to specify that the "order" of elements don't "stretch back" from the one's displayed. Now I hadn't hoped to expect that the Programmers at Microsoft are "linguistic morons". The correct word usage may be essential in their coming with the accurate response ye?   * here it is Trevor. Well what I meant was this: the clipboard programme is supposed to list out all the clipboard elements in order of their employment. so imagine the carriages of a train, starting from the engine (if the engine is the "middle" carriage). there are 5 carriages before/behind the engine and 5 after/in front of the engine. in my case, the problem is not the carriages in front of the engine, but the carriages behind the engine. I want the programmers to know that the carriages behind the engine are not displayed, and not just "displayed", but they are not displayed in the way they should: in order. or the backward order. now is there a word for backward order? "reverse order" could be a solution, but is there a word, an antonym for the forward flow of things, or "succession". there. cheers! counter-successive sounds perfect thanks indeed Kris. But I still haven't come across the availability of a single word. but thank you all!


title: English translation for the different parts of a course as found in French schools/universities

text: What would be the transposition to the US school/university system of the French expressions:   * “cours” (that is _lecture_ , listening to the teacher)   * “travaux dirigés” (lit. _directed works_ , students usually do exercises on a sheet of paper, and they might sometimes be asked to show their solution on the blackboard)   * “travaux pratiques” (lit. _practical works_ , exercises in the lab, doing experiments or working in front of a computer) I am aware of the terms “lectures“, “tutorials“, and “laboratory”, but are they used in the same way? I also heard that the US system often doesn't have “travaux dirigés”, but I don't know to what extent that's true.


title: 'harvest' as a metaphor -- alternatives

text: I was wondering if it is fine to write > From this project, I have learned [blah blah], and this is the most > important **harvest** I have received from this project. What is a better metaphor or better way to express the meaning?


title: The plural of "domain"?

text: Which is the correct use of plurality in the following sentence: > This field is approached from the **domain** of Investment Theory, > Optimization and Machine Learning. or > This field is approached from the **domains** of Investment Theory, > Optimization and Machine Learning. Note that these are each one "domain":   1. Investment Theory   2. Optimization   3. Machine Learning


title: Origin of "spick and span"

text: I recently described my room as being _spick and span_ and I realized I had no idea what that really meant. It occurred to me that it might stem from a derogatory term ( _spick_ ), so I thought I'd ask here to make sure there wasn't some racist historical origin. What is its origin?


title: Can you end a sentence in parentheses?

text: I am a supporter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).


title: What are "coherence" and "cohesion" in text linguistics?

text: I am still learning English. My English language professor has given me an assignment on _coherence_ and _cohesion_. But it seems difficult to me. I've consulted my friend and he told me: > _Cohesion_ and _coherence_ are terms used in discourse analysis and text > linguistics to describe the properties of written texts. > > A text may be cohesive without necessarily being coherent: Cohesion does not > spawn coherence. Cohesion is determined by lexically and grammatically overt > intersentential relationships, whereas coherence is based on semantic > relationships. _Phew_ too difficult! Can anyone please explain the meanings, differences and examples of these to me, in simple and easy English?


title: Semicolon in "These reasons show why England even went to America in the first place [?] god, gold, and glory"

text: Should there be a semicolon between _place_ and _god_ in this sentence, in place of the [?]? > These reasons show why England even went to America in the first place > **[?]** god, gold, and glory.


title: Correct usage of "to coin a phrase"

text: I've always thought "to coin a phrase" means to invent a phrase or be the first person to use it. Today I came across this usage by a reporter for the Lancashire Telegraph > The Burnley board are damned if they do and damned if they don’t, to coin a > Kilby phrase, ‘bet the ranch’. In this statement, very clearly the reporter is _using Kilby's common phrase_ and not making up her own Some searching led me to the Cambridge dictionary > to coin a phrase > > something you say before using an expression that has been very popular or > used too much In this definition this becomes equivalent to **cliched** The same sentiment is explained at http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/coin-a- phrase.html So my question is _whether this is universally the case or is it a British English thing_? Is it now incorrect to use "coin a phrase" with a meaning of "a new phrase" ?


title: Equivalences between Australian English and American English

text: Where can I find a good source (book or web page) of equivalences between Australian English and American English? I am looking for ordinary words, clothing-related words, food-related words, etc.


We have a TV that folds into the roof in our car and one morning, as it was folded away my son asked, "Please would you take the television down?". I didn't think this was the correct use of the word 'take' - the TV was not being moved anywhere, just folded down for viewing. Am I correct or is my son?


title: Question about the word class of "righteous"

text: I'm wondering about the word class. > It does not mean to make righteous just, but to declare or pronounce > righteous. As far as I know the word "righteous" or "just" is an adjective. But in the sentence above, "righteous" seems to be located in position for objective, behind "make" and "declare". Is this sentence right? Then how is it possible?


title: Weekly Twice - One word

text: Is there any single word which can substitute "weekly twice" or "twice in a week"?


title: What does ‘go nuclear’ mean in “Senate Democrats go ‘Nuclear’ to curb the filibuster”?

text: There was the following sentence in the article of Time magazine (November 21) titled, “Senate Democrats go ‘Nuclear’ to curb the filibuster”: > “During the Bush Administration, Republicans threatened to **go nuclear** > when Democrats held up judicial appointments. But use of the filibuster has > skyrocketed to unprecedented levels during the Obama Administration, as > Republicans harnessed the procedural tactic to stop the President’s agenda. None of Cambridge, Oxford and Merriam-Webster English Dictionary carries the words, “go nuclear” as an idiom. Google Ngram shows usage of this word, which was observed early back in late 1930s, much earlier than the drop of atomic bombs in Hiroshima / Nagasaki in August, 1945, and dropping sharply (to 0.0000029% level in 2008) after peaking around 1980 (0.0000060%level). Though the online slang dictionary defines it as ‘become enraged,’ it doesn’t seem to fit the context of the above quote - _Republicans threatened to go nuclear_ when Democrats held up judicial appointments. What does “go nuclear” mean, and what is the origin of the word? Can I say “My boss _went nuclear_ when I told him in face that our business goal is unrealistic and unattainable”?


title: What is the word for someone who helps you finish a sentence (but in a good way)?

text: You know that feeling when you’re about to finish a particular thought and suddenly someone else, a friend or a stranger, finishes your sentence better than you possibly could have? Is there a word for that in English, or in any language?


title: Are the rhetorical meanings of "elliptic", "hyperbolic", and "circular" connected to their mathematical meanings?

text: The words "elliptic", "parabolic" (or "like a parable"), "hyperbolic", and "circular" all have meaning in rhetoric. Are these meanings etymologically connected to the conic sections?


title: Is "Obtuse" related to "Dull"?

text: I'm imagining a knife. Not very sharp = dull, right? Is that the origin of the use of "obtuse" to mean "not very bright"?


title: Plural or Singular after "no"

text: After searching product on website, should I show one of these? `There is no any product` or `There is no any products` ? Some people on Internet said that singular is used after uncountable noun and plural after countable one but I don't agree with that. I think singular should be used after "no".


What's the difference between "act" and "action"? More specifically in the way they are generally used (and not more specific theatrical definitions, for instance)?


title: Difference between "log in", "authenticate" and "sign in"?

text: I didn't find the difference between them by googling **Edit** : Thx litterally, authenticate, means prove its identity, which is a just a subprocess of global access authorization   btw I forgot to mention "Sign In", that's another confusing term for me ;)


title: What does “put a floor under the crash” mean?

text: There were the following lines in former President Bill Clinton's speech at the Democratic National Convention held on September 5th; > “In Tampa the Republican argument against the President’s re-election was > pretty simple: _We left him a total mess_ , he hasn’t finished cleaning it > up yet, so fire him and put us back in. > > I like the argument for President Obama’s re-election a lot better. He > inherited a deeply damaged economy, _put a floor under the crash_ , began > the long hard road to recovery, and laid the foundation for a more modern, > more well-balanced economy that will produce millions of good new jobs, > vibrant new businesses, and lots of new wealth for the innovators.” What does “ _put a floor under the crash_ ” mean? Does it mean to lay the solid foundation by cleaning up rubbles? Is it a popular idiom? Additionally, I’d like to know why it’s ‘We’ in the phrase referring to the Republican argument “ _We left him a total mess_.” Who is “We”? Is it Republicans? Isn’t it Republicans’ argument that “He (President Obama) left us (American economy) a total mess, not Republican left Obama a total mess? This sounds like Republicans destructively left President Obama (and his policy) a total mess.” I don’t think former President misspoke, but I can’t understand who “We” are. Can you clarify the logic?


title: Why is “a” used here: “When a Mr. Andrews, the butler...”?

text: I posted a question several days ago about the significance of using “ _a_ ,” in the sentence of Jeffery Archer’s novel, “False Impression” - “General Harry Wentworth was commanding his left flank when _a_ defeated Napoleon rode off the battle field and into exile. Most of answers from you were “a”, not “the” was used to reflect one of various aspects of Napoleon’s character, which I think I was sold. With that said, what is the role of _a_ in the following sentence that appears in the subsequent chapter (P.59): > "When _a_ Mr. Andrews, the butler at the Wentworth Hall, had rung the > previous day to say that painting would be ready for collection in the > morning, Ruth had scheduled one of her high-security air ride trucks to be > at the hall by eight o’clock." Is _a_ necessary before _Mr. Andrews_ in the above sentence? Or does it imply Andrews the butler is _a_ member of the Andrews family known for serving the distinguished family of Earl of Wentworth for generations? I’m asking this as I’m occupied with the significance and functions of article, because it is always a persistent headache for an English learner of a country devoid of the habit of using the article.


title: Etymology of "at large"

text: > The killer is still at large. Where does the meaning of _at large_ ( _not captured; free_ ) come from? Besides being _big_ I know that _large_ means also _wide in range and involving many things_. Is there any connection between that meaning and the idiom?


title: Is there a word or term to describe a statement that implies a question so sufficiently that the question is not actually included?

text: I have often noticed people who make statements, actually ending with a question mark when written, but where there is no actual question asked. The question is implied sufficiently enough in the context of the statement, and/or the previous statement that the question portion can be omitted. Some examples: > Sandra: I'm not walking to the theatre as I didn't bring a jacket.   > Julie: I have a spare jacket? In the above, it is clear that Julie is asking "would you like to borrow my spare jacket so that we can walk to the theatre". > Paul: We aren't going to Pizza Hut at lunch as it's too far to walk in an > hour.   > Dave: I have my car today? Again, it is clear that Dave is offering to drive and asking if that is an option. Is there a term to describe this?


title: "Stickied thread" or "sticked thread", when talking about internet forum thread

text: What is the more correct form? Quick Google research tells that first form is more popular, but don't give a definitive answer about what is the most appropriate.


title: Using the gerund "Starting"

text: Does the gerund clause _Starting in_ imply the future tense? For example, is this correct? > Starting in January, 2012, we will use public transportation. Or is it proper to use the following: > Starting in January, 2011, we use public transportation.


title: I wanted to know

text: Is this sentence grammatical with _were_ (for talking about the present), or is _are_ is better? >   1. I wanted to know if there **were** any accounts assistant posts > available. >   2. I wanted to know if there **are** any accounts assistant posts > available. >


title: "hot topic" as phrase in thesis

text: I'm currently writing the introduction of my Ph.D. thesis, which is about theoretical computer science. I stumbled upon the phrase > To put it in a nutshell, **X** is a hot topic where **X** refers to some topic, which is not important here. I would like to use this phrase in myintroduction, but I'm not sure whether it is too colloquial. Does anyone has experience in this matter? Is there a more formal way of expressing something similar? Thank you!


title: How do you spell wifi / Wi-Fi / WiFi?

text: This is probably related to whether one should capitalize Internet or not. I am looking for the correct spelling of wifi when referring to a wireless connection to the Internet. I want to tell the users of my iPhone app that they cannot use their cellular network to watch the HD videos. If I use the capitalized and hyphenated version as seen on Wikipedia, will I be referring to the Wi-Fi brand rather than the concept of wifi? > "Wi-Fi" is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance and the brand name for products > using the IEEE 802.11 family of standards. Some dude on Meta.stackoverflow made this claim with no explanation: > WiFi" is a bit better than "wifi" as it asserts the etymology, compare > history of usage of "hifi" from which it derives. – Steve-o Aug 29 at 3:59


title: Contextual meaning of "compromise"

text: Looking up the dictionary shows only that _compromise_ has the definition: > to reach an agreement in which everyone involved accepts less that what they > wanted at first However, what is the meaning of _compromise_ in the following contexts? > Hackers hit Acer website, **compromise** 40K users' data > > Hacker Claims Full **Compromise** of Royal Navy Website In Longman dictionary of Contemporary English there's no relevant explanations. In Oxford dictionary there's no relevant explanations. In Merriam-Webster there's no relevant explanations. I found a definition here, which seems right: > to expose or make vulnerable to danger, suspicion, scandal, etc.; > jeopardize: a military oversight that compromised the nation's defenses. But this explanation is different from what says by WikiDictionary, one says exposé to danger, the other says breach into system what's the exact meaning of this word?


title: What does the gesture to touch the side of your nose with a forefinger mean?

text: I came across the phrase, ‘touching the side of his nose with a forefinger’ in Jeffery Archer’s short story titled ‘Politically Correct’. The hero of the story warns the porter of his apartment about a neighbor he feels ‘dodgy’: > ‘Keep your ear to the ground, Dennis,’ he added, _touching the side of his > nose with a forefinger._ ‘Although our masters have decided it’s not > politically correct, I have to tell you I don’t like the look of him.’ It seems to me the gesture of touching the side of nose to be a sign of saying ‘be careful.’ Am I correct? Though using the forefinger, not the middle finger, isn’t this gesture confused with the bird? I’m asking this as we Japanese don’t have this kind of gestures, but for pointing my own nose with a forefinger, signifying ‘It’s me.’ Additionally, I’m thankful if you tell me who ‘our masters’ are?


title: Can I say "We don't must", any alternative using a modal verb if I can't?

text: Let me explain. Suppose someone says "We must play a game now". I disagree, but only on that we have to do it. I shouldn't answer "We must not" because I would be saying that the game is not to be allowed to happen. "We don't must" feels incorrect, I'm not sure if it is. So, other than completely changing the phrase answering things like "I don't feel like playing" or "I disagree", how do I express that idea that I don't think that we must, using the verb must? Is it possible?


title: Is "as energetic as a stalk of whipped asparagus" an idiom?

text: I came across a sentence (shown below) and I'm wondering whether "as energetic as a stalk of whipped asparagus" is an idiom? I can't seem to find it in the dictionary, nor on the Internet. > I came home from school the next day feeling as energetic as a stalk of > whipped asparagus.


title: Why do we use '/' sign as a representation of 'or'?

text: Imagine that you want to write something about colors and you know that **red or blue** would work in that context. How do you write that? I've seen these styles:   1. Red or blue   2. Red, or blue   3. Red/blue Why is this sign used as a substitute for 'or'? I mean, in computer engineering, '|' represents 'or' and in mathematics, 'V' represents 'or'. Is there any reason why this symbol is chosen? PS: The same case is true about '&' sign (ampersand).


I read this in the novel 'Of Human Bondage' by Somerset Maugham. It follows as below. 'Philip was even more than usually shy and abrupt; and whether on account of this, **unconsciously bent upon exerting the fascination he knew was his only by the results** , or whether from sheer kindness of heart, It was Rose who first took Philip into the circle.' Is it all right if I suppose like this? (For Rose being) unconsciously bent upon exerting the fascination he knew was his (fascination) only by the results Please help me.


title: What does "the once and future" mean?

text: I've encountered the phrase “the once and future X” and I'm confused by it. It seems to be closely related to Arthurian legends: the book The Once and Future King (referring to Arthur) or the episode The Once and Future Queen of the TV show Merlin (referring to Guinevere; this use is likely derived from the aforementioned book). When I try to understand what the phrase means, I would think it's something like “the one who was king in the past (i.e. once) and will be king again (i.e. in the future)”. But that doesn't make any sense to me, based on what I know about the legend of Arthur (which isn't much), he didn't stop being king and then became a king again. So, what exactly is the phrase supposed to mean?


title: Bora Bora, Here We Come

text: Saw this phrase/expression in CIBC advertisement. The pleased client asked, "should we re-investment or expand", and the bank clerk said, "you can do both", then the old lady in the back happily claimed, "Bora Bora, Here We Come" What does this phrase/expression mean/imply? Where is it coming from?


title: Use-case of `as less as possible`

text: Are following two usages are both valid and have same meaning?               Use tools as less as possible.     Use as less tools as possible.      Thanks.


title: What does "fraction of Blue Book value" mean?

text: On this page : http://boston.craigslist.org/i/autos the fourth point of "How to recognize a vehicle scam attempt on CL" What does "fraction of blue book value" mean?


title: Does 'pinch' have an opposite?

text: Recently, I've found myself talking about the use of pinching to zoom out on mobile devices, and I've been struggling with an opposite for the word 'pinch'. In lieu of a better word, I've been saying 'unpinch'. I'm wondering if there's a more appropriate word to use to describe the motion of spreading the fingers from a pinch position.


title: What is the word to describe trying to find the right word for something?

text: There is a "meanings" tag on English.SE, but I would like the opposite way around — I have a meaning already, I want the word (if it exists) for doing just this.


title: Etymology of "Inviolate"

text: What is the etymology of the word "inviolate" and where does it appear out of the context of privacy (as opposed to how Warren and Brandeis used it to help define privacy)? For the full context please see my question here http://mi.yodeya.com/questions/6012/is-the-term-idea-inviolate-used-in-the- old-testament


title: Difference between "normal person" and "average person"

text: Is there any difference between _normal person_ and _average person_? Can I use these interchangeably?


title: How can I understand "thirty-seconds of a dollar"?

text: I read the following sentence in the book _Options, Futures, and Other Derivatives_ : > Treasury bond prices in the United States are quoted in dollars and > **thirty-seconds of a dollar**. Here is my question: How should I understand the phrase in bold, namely, "thirty-seconds of a dollar"? I think the plural form "thirty-seconds" means _several_ thirty-seconds of a dollar. Does it make sense?


title: How can I interpret “talk somebody out of” in “He talked the mutawwa out of beheading or lashing me”?

text: I read the following sentence in Maureen Dowd’s article titled _The Saudi Ambassador of Sangfroid_ in today’s (October 22) New York Times: > “When I was walking around a luxury mall in Riyadh with Jubeir, the robed, > bearded religious police bore down on us, pointing at me and scolding in > Arabic. They say they can see the outline of your body,” Jubeir translated. > It took a surprisingly long time, given his stature as a top adviser to the > future King Abdullah, but he _talked_ the mutawwa _out of_ beheading or > lashing me." It seemed to me that the usage of _out of_ in the sentence “He talked the mutawwa out of beheading or lashing me” is very different from the _out of_ in the sense of _from_ , _without_ , _apart_ that I got used to. Does _out of_ here mean _not to (do)_? Or, should I take it as _talk someone out of (doing)_ in the sense of _discuss with (persuade) someone thoroughly for him not to do_? Is "talk somebody out of" a very popular usage?


title: Is there a word for fake company history?

text: I'm looking for a word to describe history made up by a company for marketing purposes.


title: "You should have also named" vs. "you should also have named"

text: Out of the two sentences, which one is correct? >   1. You should have also named it the Daily prophet. >   2. You should also have named it the Daily prophet. > My guess is it's the first one.


title: What is a less ambiguous word for "confuse" in context of describing two similar things?

text: What is the most natural way to express "confuse" in the sense of "unable to tell apart" as in following sentence: > John always confuses the twins and is never able to tell them apart. I don't want it to sound like he is making the twins confused. To make the question clear, I would like to add one more sentence where this discussion might be applicable "Do not confuse activity with productivity".


title: Is a statue made of bronze called bronzed or brazed?

text: When do you use bronzed vs. brazed? Is a bronze statue bronzed or brazed? What would be the best word for a man that was commemorated with a bronze statue?


title: Chewing corn for gummy parrots? (Meaning? Origin? )

text: What does this saying mean and it's origin? I heard it on Coronation Street a few years back - spoken by the late Blanche at Peter's Aa meeting. Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e54gzq5Xr0Y She says it around 1.10


title: What does "to get in line soldier-style" mean?

text: I read the following sentence and was wondering what does the phrase 'to get in line soldier-style' mean in the context - > A third person familiar with the bank told Reuters that Pandit and O'Neill > clashed because the chairman wanted the CEO "to get in line soldier-style." Does it mean to be obedient and follow orders blindly?


title: Is it normal to use ‘the second’ without a preposition in expressing ‘as soon as” or ‘no later than’?

text: I saw the following sentence in Time magazine’s (December 3) article titled “Betraying physical book: A book lover’s e-dilemma: > “When electronic books first came out, I embraced them wholeheartedly. In > fact, I was one of the first to buy Amazon’s Kindle electronic book reader > **the second** it was available.” Is “the second” used adverbially? What is the function of ‘the second’ as a part of speech in this instance? Is it common to drop a preposition (in or at) before ‘the second (minute, moment, or instant)’ in expressing simultaneity?


title: When to use commas (if at all) with subordinate clauses?

text: I'm finding conflicting guidelines about the use of commas with subordinate clauses. What are the rules? Also, which of the following is correct, and why? >   * Some of what Mike did needs to be adjusted. >   * Some of what Mike did, needs to be adjusted. >


title: Phenomenon of overused and popular words

text: Certain words or phrases become really popular. These words are picked up by many people, are overused, and sometimes misused to such an extent that the whole meaning of the word changes, or is even lost. I would describe these words as fads, because they become popular, but then (usually) disappear again. Two examples:   * Like: This morning I was, like totally, late for work.   * Literally: If I do not get my phone back, I will literally die of boredom. What is that phenomenon called? Is there a definition of what I just described? **Edit:** After reading all the comments and responses I realized that my question was confusing. I was looking for a word that describes the phenomenon of (initially odd usages of) words being picked up and used by other people. I gave the examples and stated what happens to these words to clarify what I meant.


title: The hole in a character

text: Forgive any naivety. I have come from SO to SE to ask a question. I am looking for a font, where the hole in a character ie O, A, P, Q. Can be used to insert an image. I do not need a recommendation for a font. But what I am asking for is the word used to explain this area. Can someone please provide me with the specific word that explains the whitespace within these particular letters.


title: Where versus were

text: New York Times editorial today says: > The Bronx district attorney should be applauded for refusing to prosecute > bad arrests that officers were unable to prove _were_ warranted. Should it be: > The Bronx district attorney should be applauded for refusing to prosecute > bad arrests that officers were unable to prove _where_ warranted.


What do you call someone who always talks a situation in their favor? For example, Tom tells Mary that she has a piece of meat stuck in between her teeth. Mary replies "Oh I purposely left it there". How do you describe Mary's character? Thanks.


title: Answering the phone outside work

text: When I was learning English at school, I was taught that one ought to answer the phone saying "X speaking". In films however, I sometimes see people answering any phone with a simple 'hello' and, in family homes, with "the Smiths' residence" (or something similar), possibilities that 'teaching books' omit (for example, "Hello" will always be used together with "X speaking" or similar) . Recently, I've surveyed a book for teaching non-native speakers who says the phone should be answered by saying the number of the phone followed by "X speaking" So I'm wondering: is there a general rule for answering the phone (outside work situations)? I'm mostly interested in American and British 'rules', since that's what students usually ask about, but variants from other countries will always be interesting and welcome for comparison.


title: Meaning of 'an old hat'

text: I found the phrase “old hat” in the following sentence of The New York Times’ article (April 20) titled, “The Tech-Savvy Traveler.” > AT 28 years old, Soraya Darabi is _an old hat_ at staying on the cutting > edge of social media. Her first job out of college was in the communications > department for Condé Nast Digital for products like epicurious.com. At 23, > she became the manager of digital partnerships and social media at The New > York Times and went on to help found Foodspotting (foodspotting.com), a Web > site and digital application that aggregates real-time dining advice. What did the journalist mean when she wrote "an old hat"?


title: Is the verb "to steer" derived from driving oxen?

text: While answering another question, I read through the Online Etymology Dictionary's entry on _steer_ : > steer (v.)   >  "guide the course of a vehicle," Old English steran (Mercian), stieran > (West Saxon), from Proto-Germanic *steurijanan (cf. Old Norse styra, Old > Frisian stiora, Dutch sturen, Old High German stiuren, German steuern "to > steer," Gothic stiurjan "to establish, assert"), related to *steuro "a > rudder, a steering" (cf. Old English steor "helm, rudder," German Steuer and > first element in starboard), from PIE *steu-ro- (cf. Greek stauros "stake, > pole"), from root *sta- "to stand" (see stet). > > The notion is of a stiff, upright pillar or post used in steering. To steer > clear of in the figurative sense of "to avoid completely" is recorded from > 1723. Related: Steered; steering. Steering committee in the U.S. political > sense is recorded from 1887. > > steer (n.)   >  "young ox," Old English steor "bullock," from Proto-Germanic *steuraz (cf. > Old Saxon stior, Old Norse stjorr, Swedish tjur, Danish tyr, Middle Dutch, > Dutch, German stier, Gothic stiur "bull"), perhaps from PIE *steu-ro-, a > root denoting "strength, sturdiness" (see taurus). So, both the verb and the noun are traced back to the same Proto Indo-European root meaning "strength, sturdiness". The etymology I have posted does not link the two beyond suggesting that they have independently arisen from the same root. This kind of convergent evolution goes very much against my training as a biologist which has taught me to look for the most parsimonious explanation of an observed lineage. In this case, that would be to have one sense of the term develop from the other. At the time when these words entered English, the only things people could steer (drive) were various types of boats and carts. Carts which were often pulled by oxen, by steers. I would guess that _steering_ as a verb developed from driving steer drawn carts. Is there any evidence for my suggestion or am I just spinning pretty stories?


title: Reciprocal or converse definitions

text: I am writing an article where I need to describe an equation like the one below, in reference to two mathematical objects, A and B, that I have already defined in the text. > f = #merge errors + #split errors To do so, I need to define what merge and split errors are with respect to A and B. One possibility is: > "A merge error refers to a pair of elements that were grouped in A, but not > in B, and a split error refers to a pair of elements that were grouped in B, > but not in A" The above description is technically correct, but I would like to find a description that is less redundant (i.e. more compact). I thought of the following possibilities, but none of them sound correct to me: > "A merge error refers to a pair of elements that were grouped in A, but not > in B, and a split error **refers to the converse** " > > "A merge error refers to a pair of elements that were grouped in A, but not > in B, and a split error is **defined reciprocally** " > > "A merge error refers to a pair of elements that were grouped in A, but not > in B, and a split error is **defined conversely** " How can I define two objects where one is implicitly defined as the converse of the other?


title: From the 4th to the 8th of June - [date ranges]

text: In a business letter, what's the correct or more frequent way to write date ranges? > from the 4th to the 8th of June 2014, we have been working on the project or > from 4 to 8 June 2014, we have been working on the project or > In June 2014, 4 to 8, we have been working on the project


title: What is a "dear grandma, love egg" moment?

text: Robert Peston recently wrote on his BBC blog: > But it would mean that the perceived quality of all the trillions of dollars > of bonds it has sold would deteriorate (here is one of my "dear grandma, > love egg" moments - when a government issues a bond, it is borrowing from > investors). What on earth is a “dear grandma, love egg” moment?


title: Is "offer sb with sth" ungrammatical? If it is, why do so many people use them?

text: I've looked in all the major dictionaries and there is no such way of using "offer."   1. I offered him with a raise. <= incorrect (according to dictionaries)   2. I offered him a raise. <= correct But a quick Google search shows that many people use (1). Is it because it's correct or is it because it's natural to some people?


title: A word for a “re-lyricized” song?

text: I am not a native English speaker. I look for a proper English word for a “re- lyricized” song. I mean the case when someone writes his own lyrics for a melody of a well-known song. For example, if I take the melody of The Beatles’ _Yesterday_ and sing it with my own lyrics like “Funny thing, let me sing a really funny thing…” (or any other words that fit the melody). It is not a parody as such, because I have no intention to mock or imitate The Beatles; the lyrics are not related to the original song, its author or performers. I have heard this kind of songs in stand-up comedy and student performances. What is the word for this? _A skit_ , _a cover_ , _a rendition_ , maybe _a filk_?


title: "Answerer" and "asker"

text: I just went to post a question on another Stack Exchange site and my spell checker is telling me that _asker_ is incorrect but _answerer_ is correct. Is _asker_ wrong? What should I use instead?


title: In the early 1900s, would the name (Nettie/Nette) have been more likely to be spelled Nette or Nettie?

text: I am developing a family album. In doing so, I have seen the name (Nettie/Nette) spelled both as Nette and as Nettie. I have not been able to locate relevant birth records. Can someone tell me what the dominant spelling of this name was in the early 1900s. In this instance, the specific year of birth was 1910. I believe this is a question of etymology or usage.


title: What is the etymology of "bugger-lugs"?

text: I have recently heard the phrase _bugger-lugs_ used to refer to a person present, as in "How much do I owe you, _bugger-lugs_?". I have also heard it used to refer to a moderately mischievous child ("what have you been up to, _bugger-lugs_?"), and I can also remember my mother using the phrase to refer to the cat, in the same way as the mischievous child. But does anyone know where the phrase comes from? I have tried a search and found the results here, which doesn't shed much light on the matter. Green's _Dictionary of Slang_ suggests it is an affectionate term of address, usually among men, and hints at a naval origin, but otherwise sheds no light on the matter. **Edit** following Hugo's link produces possibly an alternative meaning:- > "Well known in 40s / 50s Lancashire. For many years I thought it was 'bug-a- > lugs', never having seen it written ... gross or corpulent habit' from fusty > + lug.('lug' in the sense of heavy or slow) Perhaps from buggy-lugs or bugs- > in-lugs?"


title: Spoil/Spoiled Vs. Indulge/Indulged

text: What are the differences between _spoil/spoiled_ and _indulge/indulged_ as verbs and adjectives respectively?


title: Dropping the subject from sentences

text: Consider this example: > He got into the car. Started the engine, checked the mirrors. Stepped on the > gas and headed down Main Street. Omitting the subject from a sentence isn't proper construction, strictly speaking, but it infuses the writing with a sense of breathless urgency. I've seen a few writers use this style (notably in fast-paced suspense novels).   * How common is this style?    * Is there a name for it? (I was thinking **staccato style** , but that refers to short, choppy sentences in general)


title: What is the equivalent of "Jack o'lantern" in British English?

text: Sometimes the constant stream of exported American culture overpowers the vocabulary. Thanks to the explosion of posts on Reddit in the last month I know that Americans call a a carved pumpkin a "jack o'lantern". But I can't for the life of me remember what I used to call it. Is there even a specific name for it in British English?


title: Are "academic society" and "industrial society" correct?

text: I'm writing a Personal Statement and I need to say something like "this research topic is hot in both _academic society_ and _industrial society_ ". Are these phrases correct?


title: Is there a term for an acronym "parody" / "backformation" / "re-purposing"?

text: I've engaged the task of trying to legitimize the presence of a listing of DRM standing for "Digital Restrictions Management" on Wikipedia's disambiguation page for the acronym DRM. _(This is a case where the original term stood for "Digital Rights Management", which is considered by the activist cause as whitewashing the true implications; as it may only limit/restrict and never grant any rights on the digital media to the users if the limitations were not present. It is advocated as a replacement meaning for the acronym by theDefective by Design movement.)_ I'm not sure what to call an acronym with this character. The terms that came to mind were "parody", "backformation", or "re-purposing". Is there a more general term for taking an acronym that was marketed and understood as meaning one thing and promoting an alternate meaning?


title: How do I punctuate a question with a guessed answer in it?

text: How to punctuate a question directly followed by the asker's guess at the answer? E.g. >   1. What's in here? Your books? >   2. What's in here, your books? >   3. What's in here; your books? > Which of these (if any) is correct?


title: Pronunciation of "again"

text: What is the Standard British English1 pronunciation of "again"? I looked in Wiktionary and it gives two UK pronunciations, /əˈɡeɪn/, and /əˈɡɛn/. * * * 1 I mean Standard British English as in the tag description for `received- pronunciation`: "Received Pronunciation (RP) is the prestigious and non- regional variety of British English often considered to be Standard British English."


title: Unit of measurement for services

text: I try Googling but couldn't come up with a valid answer. If I were to create a quotation, what is the correct unit to use for various kind of services. For other object, the unit would be like piece, unit, device, pair, roll, box, etc For example, heater installation, repairing 3 phones, wiring 2 rooms. Thanks


title: What does this usage of "with" mean?

text: I'm sorry for asking what will be such a simple question but I'm not sure exactly how _With_ is used in sentences where that's the first word. > Is that what it took to fall in love with someone? Would it take years of > living with Nali to love her? Then so be it. **With** those thoughts he > turned on his heel and... [ _Nali_, Esther Henry] > > "Where did Grant go? Shit, he must have left. I wonder if he knows that I'm > still alive... That would be rather careless of him to not kill me if he > wanted me dead. Hmm..." **With** those thoughts, the man stood up and walked > off. ["God of War" on Zetaboards] > > "It has been almost a year since it began, I can not go on like this much > longer." **With** those thoughts he started the day. [Martin Wolf on The > Indie Stone] etc


title: Capitalization of "Assembly Language"

text: This Wikipedia article does not capitalize "assembly language," for understandable reasons. It uses it as an indefinite article, i.e. "an assembly language." But how should it be written when using it as a definite article? > He wrote it in Assembly. Versus: > He wrote it in assembly.


title: What part of speech is "chiropractic"?

text: "Chiropractic" sounds like an adjective because of the "ic", but the title "Doctor of Chiropractic" seems like a noun. Am I just confused?


title: Why is it that Frisian is considered the closest related language to English?

text: It is commonly asked "What is the closest language to English?" and the equally common answer is > Frisian Except that there is rarely a reason given for this connection; the most that is given are baldly stated 'facts' (e.g. "English and Dutch are in the same 'Low German' group") Can anyone give any substantive reasons? For example, an comparative overlap of vocabulary, a distance metric of phonology, privately shared syntactic rules among all the rules in West German languages.


title: Pending vs. left vs. remaining

text: When should one use _pending_ , as opposed to _left_ or _remaining_?


title: Etymology of "manhole"

text: I don't think _man_ stands for _male_ here, I think it stands for _human_ --it is a _humanhole_. Does it have this name because its purpose is to provide access to the sewer for _men_? ![enter image description here](https://encrypted- tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3aANd9GcQ4-70U2IxQpN3AyAJoWF7h1D71B2dbYK7Ovj3AP7rCj8WDw4gC)


title: Synonyms for "Needs some attention" and "getting attention"?

text: I have a particular English issue. I'm looking for short (one word if possible) descriptions of two concepts mentioned in the subject of this question. I'm building a software application and I need to give the user one of two statuses on an object. The first context is " _This is a new thing and needs your attention_ "; the second context is " _this thing is being looked at by someone_ ". The visual space I'm working with is quite small, which yields my need for a short description. Any ideas for words that express this concept? **EDIT** : To add some context, I'm using this software in a sort of ticketing environment, i.e. that an issue affecting a customer has come up. I just need two indicators to say "This thing i new!" and "Someone is looking at it" for our customer service people to keep track of it internally.


title: Is "it is no calculus" correct grammar?

text: I often hear people saying, _it's no big deal_ , or _I am no […]_ , etc. I was wondering if it is acceptable to say _it is no calculus_ in a college essay.


title: Word meaning “convalescing” their mental health

text: Is there an alternative to the verb _convalescing_ for someone recuperating from a mental breakdown, as opposed to convalescing after a physical illness?


title: "Benefit" is to "pro" as what is to "con"?

text: What word would best suit this analogy?


title: Why is it “objections to moving”, not “objections to move”?

text: I got this sentence from the _Economist_ : > There are two primary objections to moving to the chained CPI. My question is, why have they used _moving_ instead of _move_ after _objections to_?


title: "Within" and "in" when referring to time

text: I know that both can mean "inside" but what I don't have clear is whether both mean the same when talking about time. For example:   * The party is in two days = The party is within two days ?? According to this link http://oilpatchwriting.wordpress.com/2012/02/03/in-vs- within/ _within_ means a limit that can be exceeded, so I'm wondering too if say "the party is within two days max" is correct or redundant.


title: Using "beyond" with nothing following behind

text: I wrote the following: > Her words hung in the air as I gazed out of the hotel window. The mountain > lay quietly in the dark, like a calm, sleeping giant. **A cluster of city > lights glittered beyond.** In the forest nearby, pine trees bowed slightly > in the wind, and the loud cries of cicadas reverberated among the trunks. By _glittering beyond_ I meant **glittering below or on the other side of the mountain** (but trying to keep the sentence short). Something to illustrate what I want to describe: ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/9PydQ.jpg) Is it OK to use **beyond** like in the example above? Should I change it to something else?


title: Word that means to "get something good but loses something else good in return"

text: I was at the optical store getting a new pair of glasses and lens. Since I have a somewhat high prescription, when selecting the features for the lenses I asked the clerk whether there is an option where the lenses can be made thinner than the regular lenses with the same prescription and she said yes, those are the high-index lenses and they cost a little bit more. Then I asked her since these lenses are thinner thus better, will it lose quality in other areas such as clarity, impact resistance, etc.. I feel the way I asked this is somewhat wordy and I wonder if there's an expression that means what I'm trying to say. An expression that describes the fact of getting something that improves its quality, but will in turn cause the lost of quality in something else sort of like a balance, I guess similar to the word _sacrifice_? But using _sacrifice_ doesn't seem that correct in this context.


title: "Suspended" vs "Blocked" meaning

text: What's the difference between:               Process A is suspended.        And               Process A is blocked.        (Process refers to process running on computer).


title: "Least expected" or "least unexpected"

text: When I was talking to my girlfriend, she mentioned an incident where one of her friends surprised her with a gift. She said something like _that least unexpected ..._ after which we got into a debate that _least expected_ is right rather than _least unexpected_. I said that _least unexpected_ would be more like _expected_. After this, I googled the phrase and to my surprise found that _least unexpected_ is used to express something that was not expected in many places. For instance, this: > “A Gem in the least unexpected place” So I'm a bit confused now. Which one is right?


title: differences between 'ourselves' and 'one another'

text: Please, what is the usage of these two? When should we use ourselves and when not to use it? Thanks. "Eg, ... That we should benefit from ourselves." Is this correct??


title: Recommended pronunciation of international English for foreigners

text: There are some differences in the pronunciation of English in USA and in UK. Furthermore, there are differences in the pronunciation in different areas of the same country. Examples: "go" is pronounced with /o/ in USA and /ə/ in UK. In USA, some areas have the cot-caught merger, other areas have the pin–pen merger and other areas has the Northern cities vowel shift. Since I will not live in an English-speaking country, I will use English with people from different parts of the world, including Americans, British and non-native English speakers, such as French, Germans and Russians. Therefore, I need use a neutral or international version of English and I have no need to learn details of specific dialects. Non-native English speakers do not have a dialect. My writing is messed, it mixes features of American English and British English in the same text. I learn English from different sources and the varieties became mixed in my head. Do I have to follow the IPA in the dictionary totally? Can I choose some easier features from each dialect to make my own pronunciation? Is it strange to pronounce some words like someone from London and other words like someone from New York? The English vowels are really difficult for me. I prefer the American vowels and the British consonants. The use of the cot-caught merger will make my life easier. The American "t" is strange and I prefer the British "t".


title: Word to describe sending an out of date email after spending a long time composing it

text: I sometimes spend a chunk of time (lets say 30 minutes) composing an email which, when I've checked it, I send. My next step is almost always to re-check the inbox. Occasionally I discover that whilst I was composing the email, the situation to which the email relates has moved on and the email I sent is now inaccurate. The same word might also apply to a scientist who spends perhaps years doing research and then publishes, without checking that the assumptions his work is based on are still correct. The upshot of the situation would be the need to issue a rapid update to the email/work to correct it. UPDATE: Thanks for the answers so far. I think that 'obsolete' describes the situation that the work (or email) finds itself it. Could also be 'superceded'. Also liked E-moot. However, I think that 'scooped' comes closest to what I was after. I'm really looking for a word which describes the experience of the person having done the work that is now obsolete (superceded or E-moot). As in "Jack was left feeling ?????? on realising his carefully constructed email was rendered obsolete by Tim's reply sent 5 minutes earlier". Something that combines 'scooped' with 'deflated' might fit the bill. It's probably adding to much to say that the feeling of deflatedness is caused in no small part by the knowledge that if less time had been spent on spelling, grammar and formatting, the work could have been sent/published whilst still relevant. UPDATE 4/4/14: Got to say that "Ninja'd" comes closest to what I'm after. It combines the notion that I was beaten by someone with superior speed with the feeling of being phyiscally assaulted. If this does have a basis in internet culture then all the better. Nuts to the scientists. "Ninja'd" also addresses the 'too much time spent on formatting etc.' requirement since it suggests whoever Ninja'd me was possible more efficient or focussed. Really enjoying this SE site - thanks everyone.


title: Examples of using "dead" to mean directly

text: I'm looking for more examples that use "dead" to mean directly. Some I already have include: 1.) "It's dead ahead. You can't miss it." 2.) I looked him dead in the eye. Or perhaps to mean exact/exactly: 3.) "Dead on! Absolutely correct!" 4.) This town is the dead center of the country.


title: Verb to refer to people yelling "wooh!"

text: I'm looking for a verb which refers to the sound that people make when they are excited. The typical "wooh." At first I thought it was called **wooing/wooed**. But then I checked the Free Dictionary: > woo (w) v. wooed, woo·ing, woos v.tr. 1\. To seek the affection of with > intent to romance. 2\. a. To seek to achieve; try to gain. b. To tempt or > invite. 3\. To entreat, solicit, or importune. v.intr. To court a woman And realized it was not. What's the correct word?


title: Is there a feminine equivalent to the adjective "avuncular"?

text: My brief researches only bring up the word "auntlike" to render the feminine equivalent of avuncular. Surely, though, and given the etymology of "aunt" [ < Latin _amita_ -father's sister, old feminine past participle of _amāre_ to love, i.e., beloved ], there must be a more lyrical word to hand.


title: Is "chill" out of place to say to someone after a not so particularly good exam?

text: I am not a native speaker of English. Now, this was the conversation: > A: How was today's exam? > > B: It was just okay. > > A: Well, you've got 2 more, right? You'll do well in those. Now when you say > "okay" I believe yesterday's wasn't bad either. Anyways, _chill_. Good luck > with your next exam. Now, is the usage of _chill_ appropriate in context? Also, how acceptable is the reply by A in terms of selection of words (again keeping in mind the context)?


title: Etymology of "housework" and "homework"

text: In American English (perhaps British as well), "housework" and "homework" have different meanings. "Housework" refers to working around the house, such as dusting, vacuuming, etc., whereas "homework" refers to doing some school assignments at home, after school is out. Homework can be completed outside the home, such as in a library. In order to do housework, however, one must be at one's house. How and when did two words which seem so similar at first glance gain such different meanings?


title: "Between" or "among"?

text: Is it correct to use _between_ or _among_ in the following sentence? Plus, should it be _no offset_ or _no offsets_? > In the current application, it is assumed that the origins of the lasers > have no **offset** (s) **between** (among) them. It should be pointed out that there are more than two lasers.


title: Which saying is correct?

text: I've been having a small argument with a family member. She insists "It's no skin off my teeth" is the correct saying, though I've only heard "It's no skin off my nose" before. Which saying is more "correct" than the other? By this, I mean which came first, which is more commonly used, and which is more acceptable to use.


title: Other analogies similar to "flu and "influenza"

text: Medically speaking, _flu_ is a derivative of _influenza_ ; but in common usage _flu_ includes colds and other flu-like symptoms. _Influenza_ is a condition caused by specific viruses. While colds are also caused by a virus, the viruses are different and distinct and produce different though similar symptoms. I want to find another example of words that describe specific as well as global situations/conditions that are used interchangeably by the public yet have distinct technical differences.


title: In the blink of an eye

text: I wanted to say - time flies very fast with the usage of the idiom "in the blink of an eye". The sentence goes like this - Time flies like in the blink of an eye. Is this the correct usage of the idiom?


title: Only then or then only?

text: I am not a native speaker. I have seen people at my place uses similar kinds of sentences interchangeably. > If he comes, **only then** I will go. > > If he comes, **then only** I will go. Which of these sentences is correct or appropriate if the desired meaning is that _his coming is the required condition,_ not that _a single person (me) will go_?


title: Past perfect in Crime and Punishment

text: I've just started reading the English translation of Crime And Punishment, and come across the following sentences where the usage of past perfect tense has confused me: He was so badly dressed that even a man accustomed to shabbiness would have been ashamed to be seen in the street in such rags. In that quarter of the town, however, scarcely any shortcoming in dress would have created surprise. Owing to the proximity of the Hay Market, the number of establishment of bad character, the preponderance of trading and working class population crowded in these streets and alleys in the heart of Petersburg, types so various were to be seen in the streets that no figure, however queer, would have caused surprise. The use of past perfect appears in each of the three sentences. In all of them, for me, "would" instead of "would have" seems to be clearer. "Would have" leads me to read them through a subjunctive or a speculative mood, which I don't see them should imply, according to the scene being described. Or they do imply something that I've missed? Could you guys share your opinions. Thanks.


title: What terms and expressions can be used in English to show one's love to his/her girlfriend/boyfriend?

text: I know in every language there are a lot of ways and cute names to address your girlfriend or your boyfriend to show you love her/him. The names can be creative for any couple. As Andy mentions these names are called terms of endearment. These are some very ordinary I know for examples: > Come here, **sweetheart**. > > Relax **baby** , we're on holiday! > > Look, **darling** , there's Mary. What else can be used to address your girlfriend/boyfriend?


title: Need some good video tutorials

text: Can you guys suggest me some good easy to understand English learning video tutorials to download?


title: Comma or "that"

text: A sentence reads: > Keep in mind the offer ends at the end of the month. Should there be a comma after "mind," or a "that" inserted between "mind" and "the"? Or is it correct the way it is written? And what is the reasoning/rule? Many thanks!


title: What words should I use in replacement of lazy

text: Say you're back home from hiking, feel tired and just suddenly don't want to do anything. What word could I use? > I'm pretty **__** now. The first word that came to mind was _lazy_ but it's unlikely to be correct here.


title: probable word over-use in an introductory clause

text: > "So, first things first. Let's check out the . . .." In the above example, is the first clause redundant?


title: Is “It comes with a hitch” an idiom or a simple statement?

text: I noticed the phrase “ _It comes with a hitch_ ” in today’s (October 24) New York Times article, titled “Precious water: Empty fields fill farmers’ pocket,” followed by the lead copy: > “With water increasingly scarce in the West, a new program is allowing some > farmers to sell their allotment of it for whatever price they can find, but > _it comes with a hitch_.” From the context of the sentence, I understand “It comes with a hitch” means “It comes with a problem” or “It faces an obstacle.” I checked online dictionaries including Oxford, Cambridgie and Merriam- Webster, none of which registers the usage of “(It) comes with a hitch.” as an idiom associated with the word, “hitch.” But I found many examples of “Come with a hitch” being used, for example:   * Harry's' Trailers Come With a Hitch; Warners Forces Theaters to Run Double the Usual Film Previews. – Washington Post (Nov. 24, 2001)   * China’s high-speed rail record comes with a hitch. – Smart Planet (July 22)   * No Child Left Behind waiver comes with a hitch. – USA Today (Sept 26) Shoud I understand “Comes with a hitch” just as a plain statment, not a fixed or well-used pattern of the words, I mean, an idiom? Is that the reason why no dictionary registers this expression? If it isn't an idiom, which is a fixed word pattern, can I replace “(It) comes with a _hitch_ ” with “(It) comes with a _glitch_ or an " _obstacle_ ” or " _difficulty_ ," " _hardship,_ " whatever to purport the same meaning?