title: Do you hand something over or off?

text: I am looking for the correct American English expression and spelling. My particular context is that I am responsible for something precious, which I give to somebody else, who is then responsible from that moment on, e.g., _I handed over the diamonds._ Would you say _I handed something over_ , or would you rather say _I handed something off_? Also, would this transaction then be a _handover_ , a _hand-over_ , a _handoff_ or a _hand-off_?


title: Should it be 'which affect' or 'who affect'?

text: I have this sentence > Persons performing tasks **which** affect product quality should have > appropriate skill and knowledge. in which I am not sure whether _who_ or _which_ is grammatically correct.


title: Use of preposition after 'Follow-up'

text: Could someone suggest what preposition to use after 'Follow-up'? Is it 'on' or 'of' or 'to'?


title: How correct is "quote, unquote" and where does its usage come from?

text: In the following quote, it seems (to me at least) quite difficult to figure out what exactly is being quote: > “The best cure—quote, unquote—for aging is slowing disease,” Daniel Kraft, > the chair of [...] My questions are the following:   1. Isn't it better English to write (and say): "The best cure—quote— for aging—unquote— is slowing disease.”   2. How did the usage of "quote, unquote" come to be? In French, people say "ouvrir les guillemets" then "fermer les guillemets" (literally open/close quotes) which better delimits what is quoted. By the way, I am surprise that this question hasn't been asked already: did I not enter to appropriate search terms?


title: Why does Walt Whitman capitalise the words “personalities” and “are” in this sentence?

text: > But sternly disregarding, shutting our eyes to the glow and grandeur of the > general superficial effect, coming down to what is of the only real > importance, Personalities, and examining minutely, we question, we ask, Are > there, indeed, men here worthy the name? I haven’t come across this usage before. Why does the writer use capitalisation with a common word and with the verb after a comma?


title: "There is a car on/in the street"

text: Do we use _in_ or _on_ when we want to talk about some action or event that takes place in/on the street? >   * This car has been parked [in/on] our street for a week now. >   * There's nobody [in/on] the street. >   * Let's go play [in/on] the street. >   * There was an accident [in/on] their street yesterday. >   * I guess I lost my necklace [in/on] the street. > And so on.


title: abbreviation of units of measure: 'hours' vs. 'minutes'

text: The abbreviation for ‘hours’ is hrs. The one for "Minute" is 'min'. It is a unit of measure, which have standard abbreviations, and they do not change in plural nor have a final period. So, the correct abbreviation for minute(s) is "min". My question is: why this discrepancy and not 'hr' in line with 'min'?


title: "Tomboy" but in reverse

text: The word "tomboy" is used to express the idea of a girl who behaves in a boyish manner. It's not usually considered a negative term, or at least not very negative, and generally just means the girl enjoys more athletic activities and doesn't concern themselves with acting very 'feminine'. On the other hand, the nearest term I can think of for the reverse idea, of a boy who takes pleasure in more feminine activities, and who doesn't concern themselves with manliness, is "dandy" (like a fine dandy boy), which carries some negative connotation that I wish to avoid. Is there a better, less negative term that refers to a boy who acts in a feminine manner, or who enjoys activities that are more female-oriented?


title: Why is the sentence "She sighed, and began whispering again" grammatically incorrect?

text: That's a line from a Twilight book. It's a grammar mistake pointed out by this website. > She sighed, and began whispering again. I don't see anything wrong with it. Is the comma the mistake?


title: grammar - how to use " birth " and born?

text: How to explain the following My mother gave birth to me. So I was born. what is the usage of this " birth "


title: How to specify one had the topmost GPA during his education?

text: I am writing a CV and I want to specify that I had the best GPA among all of the students. What is the best way to write such a thing in north america? Does 'Bachelor with first class honor' work? How about 'Bachelor's degree with distinction'?


title: "A challenge to X" vs. "a challenge for X"

text: > Nile countries are facing tremendous challenges for food security,... Should I use "a challenge for" or "a challenge to" in the above sentence?


title: Origin of "Knocked" in "Have (Got) It Knocked"

text: I read the 11 Nov. 1978 panel of _Garfield_ , in which the phrase "have got it knocked" is used. Transcript: > **Panel 1** > > [ _Garfield is in bed but mobile_ ] > > Garfield: Oh-oh. I feel a nap attack coming on > > **Panel 2** > > [ _Garfield suddenly assumes an immobile, sleeping position_ ] > > **Panel 3** > > [ _Garfield peeks from under covers_ ] > > "Turtles **have got it knocked** " On my own, I thought this was another phrase for "have (got) it (all) figured out," by which I mean something like "one has established an appealing but possibly theoretical model for achieving some end." Citing AHD 4th ed., TFD provides this definition for _have it knocked_ : > **have it knocked** _Slang_ > > To be certain of success: " _He knew he had it knocked after he saw a rough > cut of Chinatown_ " (Time). Strikingly similar definitions can be found for the related phrases _have it made_ (Dictionary.com based on Random House Dictionary: _to be assured or confident of success_ ) and _have it made in the shade_ (TFD citing McGraw- Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs 2002: _to have succeeded; to be set for life_ ). For each but _have it knocked_ I can find reasons to satisfy my curiosity about why its ending might be chosen:   * _Figured out_ is an idiom by itself meaning _to begin to comprehend someone or something_   * _Made_ can be used figuratively to mean _assured of success or fortune: a made man._   * _Made in the shade_ rhymes with the above, retaining its meaning while emphasizing the subject's present comfort I suspect _knocked_ may come from sports, where _knock_ has a sense of finality and success: In boxing, a _knock-out_ means a win; likewise in baseball, _knocking a ball out of the park_ is used to indicate a good hit. But it seems odd to me that _out_ would be omitted, because in the mentioned phrases it emphasizes the action's success and finality. To measure the likelihood of these guesses, I am interested in the origin of the phrase _have it knocked_. I could not find a date like the 1955 Etymology.com provides for _have it made_. Derivations, if found, are also welcome.


title: What is another way of saying "and more"?

text: What is another of way saying "and more" in this sentence? Throughout my life, I have discovered the love for science, mathematics, and literature, all the way to visual arts, badminton, and more.


title: Word for "quietly accumulating shares of stock by traders when the stock is at a lower price"?

text: I'm looking for a word or expression that means "the act of quietly accumulating shares of stock by traders when the stock is at a lower price"?


title: Where and when did "Bucket List" come to mean what it does today?

text: I'm not sure I had even heard the term "bucket list" until the movie came out. I get the feeling though that the term _long_ predates the movie. Can anyone identify how "bucket list" came to mean what it means to us today?


title: Syntax, contrastive analysis

text: Could anyone help me with this question? **What are the main types of contrast involved in contrastive analysis of syntax? Give examples.** I tried to find answer, but unfortunately I find nothing.


title: “Golden crown” vs. “gold crown”

text: In case of the need to describe the color of a crown which is shown as part of an image, which is correct: a _golden crown_ , or a _gold crown_? Is it important if it is made of gold or not, but the color is gold?


title: What does "sex idiot" mean?

text: In this video clip from 30 Rock, the woman says > Ryan is _my_ sex idiot. I wonder what it means? Is it a general usage to add an adjective to "idiot" to give it some special meaning?


title: What does "honey boo boo" mean?

text: What does "honey boo boo" actually mean? Is a rather a good thing when someone calls you that? Is he making fun of you?


title: Long-Lived … how many pronounce it with a long "i"?

text: > **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Pronunciation of "Short-lived" I have read in Beastly Mispronunciations that long-lived is pronounced with a long "i." Does anyone actually pronounce it that way?


title: Is an acronym a word?

text: There is a whiteboard near me with a "Word of the day". Today's word is "G.A.R.P." Does this count as a word? Is an acronym a word?


title: Where does “at any rate” come from?

text: People say _at any rate_ to revert to a previous topic. But what kind of _rate_ is it referring to? Like   * at any rate of exchange?   * at any speed?


title: List of collocations in English

text: Does anybody know of source (probably NLP study) of comprehensive list of collocations in English (not only the frequent one). Additionally, does anybody know the approximate estimate of the total number of collocations.


title: A Less Offensive Word For Crippled Beggar?

text: What would be a nice way of saying a crippled beggar? For example I want to say "I gave some money to a crippled beggar who was begging on the road" but the word _crippled_ and _beggar_ doesn't seem nice (I want to write this down on a journal kind of place). Any suggestions on how to put this more nicely? PS:- By the way I don't need the wording to be very formal or anything. What I meant by "journal" was to mean something like a "diary". Sorry if it confused you.


title: Why 'mention graph' of genuflect is so steep?

text: Google `define genuflect` you will got a 'mentions graph' of 'genuflect'. It's very interesting that the graph is very steep while graph of other words, 'run' for example, are very smooth. Any idea why this happens? ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/BLxUP.png) ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/GQdRy.png)


title: Letter opening with name only--what does it convey?

text: I sometimes get emails (e.g. from professional contacts or people I don't know well) which simply start with > FirstName, > > [ ... letter body ... ] They don't use "Dear FirstName," or "Hello FirstName," just "FirstName,". This always feels quite harsh to me. (Omitting the opening completely in a quick email wouldn't feel that way, but using the name _only_ does.) Can this be considered impolite? Is it bad form? Is it usual? What should I read into this (about the attitude of the writer)? I realize that these things can depend more on the culture than the language. I usually get these letters from Americans. Is it the most usual way of opening an informal email in the U.S.?


title: "all the way down to" phrase with geographical locations

text: Is the following usage correct: > I drove from Los Angeles **all the way down** to San Diego. given that San Diego is at the south of Los Angeles? Can it be used for geographical directions?


title: Difference in starting pronunciations of "station" and "sun"

text: Why do some English speakers have different starting pronunciations of _station_ and _sun_? _Station_ is pronounced as _e-station_ while _sun_ simply as _sun_. Is the difference due to the fact that the second letter is a vowel in _sun_ but not in _station_?


title: What is correct syntax with 'entail'?

text: My instinct is that when it means "to have as an inescapable consequence", _entail_ must be followed by a noun. In all the grammatical examples I have come across this is how it is used — without it being specifically remarked upon. For example: >   * This responsibility entails hard work. >   * The new job entails regular travel. >   * Motherhood entails sacrifice. > But some people use it in sentences like >   * When I blush it does not entail that I am embarrassed. >   * My lisp does not entail that I cannot be a good singer. >   * I am old, but that does not entail that I am also hard of hearing. > Is the usage "... entail that..." grammatically correct?


title: What kind of inversion is this? "Out come the pocket calculators"

text: Please help me understand the grammar of this sentence: > When the girls get their bills, out come the pocket calculators. What connotations does this inversion add? Can "out come" here be analyzed as a phrasal verb? If so, what other phrasal verbs can be inverted this way so that the preposition precedes the verb?


title: Using adjectives as nouns

text: What is the term for using an adjective in the place of a noun? It seems to come up a lot in fantasy fiction, generally used as a proper noun to describe a group ("the Twisted", "the Hunted"), but it also comes up in everyday use ("the mentally ill").


title: Word for being too fearful

text: Word for being too fearful to act. Sort of like apprehensive but I need a stronger word. Any ideas?


title: Usage of the adjective "smooth"

text: Smooth is a very common term and has a lot of meanings; my question is on smooth meaning: > Ingratiatingly polite and agreeable. Is smooth commonly used with that meaning and is it a synonym of 'polite' or has it different shades of meaning?


title: What is the taste that stimulates your appetite?

text: When we eat something, after munching and swallowing a bite, we are strongly stimulated to have one more bite. What is the taste that causes this effect?


title: Is there an un-informed version of "etc."?

text: I'm updating my resume, and I'm explaining what fields of mathematics I have experience teaching. I list a few, but I want to add something like "etc." to clarify that the list is "including, but not limited to" the mentioned examples. Like if I say; > [...] teaching mathematics, such as arithmetic, algebra, calculus, linear > algebra, **etc.** , [...] It just seems like "etc." implies that the reader is aware of the rest. I've considered "and more", but it seems like something you hear in commercials and sales-pitches. I've also considered preceding it with "including, but not limited to...", but that makes it sound like something you'd read in a contract or another legal document. I might be overly caught up in this, but it's my resume, and you will probably understand that it is quite important for me to get it just right.


title: "...as you and I am" versus "...as you and I are"

text: Which is the correct usage to end the following sentence? > [person] is not as [adjective] as you and I [am/are]. I'd also like to see some good fill-in-the-blanks.


title: Idioms to mean "becoming a teacher/pastor/etc"?

text: Are there common idioms to mean "becoming a teacher/pastor/'insert profession here' ", used in a figurative way?


title: "Disbalanced" vs. "unbalanced"

text: What are the differences in usage between _disbalanced_ and _unbalanced_?


title: What is a generic word for a person being visited?

text: I am looking for a generic word for a person who is being visited. The opposite of visitor according to thesaurus.com is host. That's not what I'm looking for. A couple examples: an employee being visited by a guest; a student being visited by their parent at school. I can't think of anything except "visitee" and that just doesn't happen to be a good english word. Sorry in advance if this isn't the right place to ask.


title: How do I refer to a word?

text: When writing, I sometimes want to refer to a word, as opposed to its meaning. For example: when correcting someone's grammar or semantics ( _there_ versus _their_ ), or when pointing out exemplary vocabulary. On websites like this, I can simply italicize the word in question. > _Abjure_ is a good word. This feature isn't always available, though - notably in simple online chatrooms, and even in this website's question titles. I've been using quotation marks, but now I've started second-guessing myself. > "Abjure" is a good word. > > Abjure is a good word. Is there a good way to refer to a specific word without throwing off the reader?


title: Possessive and plural suffixes for proper nouns ending in -s

text: With a name that ends in _-s_ , such as _Travis_ or _Lewis_ , where and when should you use _-es_ , _-'s_ , _-s_ or just leave it alone to both pluralise, and to infer belonging to? E.g., if the ball belongs to Travis, which suffix would be used in > The ball is Travis[es/'s/s/]. And, referring to a group of people all named Travis, which is correct: > Here come the Travis[es/'s/s/].


title: Modal verb without auxiliary verb

text: I'm used to seeing modal verbs followed by auxiliary verbs, like this: > I should have been reading. However, I've heard people say things like: > I'm glad you did or I wouldn't met you. > > I knew we shouldn't trusted him. Is this construction without the auxiliary informal? Is there a difference if I rewrite those sentences as: > I'm glad you did or I wouldn't **have** met you. > > I knew we shouldn't **have** trusted him.


title: Meaning of "pcm"

text: I'm trying to rent an apartment and the price is written as: > £1,000 **pcm**. What does that mean?


title: Usage of "to be done"

text: The following is a transcript of the well-known recorded lecture by Prof. Michael Sandel of Harvard University (the cited portion starts at 43:36): > The only argument this painter makes is that **the work was necessary to be > done**. But this is no good answer, because by the same rule, **this painter > may** go through every house in Edinburgh and **do what he thinks proper to > be done without the landlord's consent** , and give the same reason that the > work was necessary and that house was the better for it. For easy reference, I'll number the sentences as follows: >   1. "The work was necessary to be done." > >   2. "This painter may do what he thinks proper to be done without the > landlord's consent." > > Here're my questions: Is (1) ungrammatical, grammatical but awkward, or natural? How about (2)? If you find (1) or (2) awkward or ungrammatical, how would you rewrite them?


title: Proper use of pronouns and conjunctions

text: Could someone please verify the grammar in this sentence? Particularly the use of 'her' (should it be she?) and the implied 'her' after the and. Should there be a second 'her'? "They sought treatment for symptoms related to her already diagnosed Generalized Anxiety Disorder and marked episodes of anger and oppositional behavior. "


title: Word for people who change their opinions easily?

text: I'm wondering if there is a specific word describing this trait. For example if I tend to think that 'If I pass this exam I am a genius, if I fail I am an utter imbecile'?


title: "yeah I've heard it all before" or "yeah right"

text: I'm struggling to think of a word to use for the title phrases. The context would be someone promising to do something and it being met with the answer "yeah right" or "yeah I've heard it all before" So I want to finish the sentence - This was initially met with ----


title: use of superlatives

text: What would be correct: Youngest and oldest soldier cut the cake or youngest and oldest soldiers cut the cake, knowing that we are referring to only one youngest and one oldest?


title: Word or Phrase for "Easily Swayed"

text: What word or phrase best communicates the idea that a human (or other sentient being) is easily swayed, particularly between moral good and evil? Words I have found that are close are:   * _Impressionable_ \- _Easily influenced because of a lack of critical ability._     * Implies that the subject lacks critical skills, and misses the concept of good and evil.   * _Gullible_ \- _Easily persuaded to believe something_     * Misses the concept of good and evil I created a typical angels and demons scenario to demonstrate the polar extremes of the the spectrum. In this scenario, I lack the word to describe the humans, who can be influenced towards either end of the spectrum if impressed upon by an external entity. > The angels are devoted to good, and are immovable in their ideals. The > demons are wicked, and will feign morality only to manipulate others. Both > prey upon the humans, who are **________**. I think that the key here is the spectrum of good an evil. Here are examples of other spectrum and their associated words, for comparison.   * Easily pushed from calm to angry: _Temperamental_   * Easily moved from determined to hopeless: _Weak-willed_   * Easily influenced by propaganda: _See answers here_


title: Word or Phrase For Someone Who Overreacts Against Wrong Source

text: The word or phrase (I prefer a word but a phrase will certainly do) I am looking for would describe someone who reacts without thinking and thus attacks something which is not the true source of the problem. For example, there was a recent news story about a girl who dies from a heart attach shortly after drinking an energy drink, and in the news story her mom claims (without evidence) that her daughter's death was the result of drinking the energy drink. In the comments to the story, many people claimed that they also were sure her death was caused by energy drinks and that energy drinks should be banned. Now if we suppose for the sake of argument that the energy drink did not cause her cardiac arrest, what would we call these people calling for a major economic action without just cause to do so? I think overreact may not be the best word here because I intend to convey that a person is not just overreacting but is also reacting towards the wrong thing.


title: Is "waiting times" correct?

text: Is the plural correct in this sentence? > It should cut the time between initial examination and diagnosis, reducing > **waiting times** before treatment. Can I just say _waiting **time_** instead of _waiting **times_**?


title: How to correctly write: "In Spite"

text: What is the correct way to write: "in spite" ? Some references are now saying "in-spite" is permissible? We do not trust that!


title: Log the user out of system or log out the user from the system

text: I was working on a user manual and I want to write that a particular action would result in user being logged out of the system. I'm wondering whether the sentence should be "The action would log the user out of the system" or "the action would log out the user from the system".


title: What is the contemporary usage of the word "blouse", namely in North America?

text: I've red some definitions of the word "blouse" and not all of them agree. From Wikipedia > A blouse is a loose-fitting upper garment that was formerly worn by workmen, > peasants, artists, women and children.1 It is typically gathered at the > waist (by a waistband or belt) so that it hangs loosely ("blouses"2) over > the wearer's body.1 Today, the word most commonly refers to a woman's > shirt[3] but can also refer to a man's shirt if it is a loose-fitting style > (e.g. poet shirts and Cossack shirts).[4] Traditionally, the term has been > used to refer to a shirt which blouses out or has an unmistakably feminine > appearance. From the Oxford dictionary > a woman’s upper garment resembling a shirt, typically with a collar, > buttons, and sleeves. 1) loose linen or cotton garment formerly worn by > peasants and manual workers, typically belted at the waist. 2) type of > jacket worn as part of military uniform. It appears to be technically correct to say a blouse can be a man's article of clothing, but is this accepted in common usage? For example would it be considered offensive (or feminine) to describe a loose t-shirt a man is wearing as a blouse? The following picture is of a man wearing a loose t-shirt but I don't think many would consider it a blouse: http://supersklep.com/i127980-element-t-shirt-man-machine-sea (image upload not working)


title: What's the original/most used variant of "If I had a [dollar/dime/quarter/penny] for every time ____ "?

text: I hear this a lot, even in songs, e.g. > If I had a bill for all the philosophies I shared > > If I had a penny for all the possibilities I presented > > If I had a dime for every hand thrown up in the air > > My wealth would render this no less severe I guess it started with one of such variant, and everybody then just began using the others. Am I correct? Which variant is the original or the most used one? Or is it just randomly equivalent?


title: Is it grammatically correct to capitalize pronouns referring to God

text: In the bible, "he" and "his" are capitalized when they are used to refer to God. Is this grammatically correct? If so, what rule do we have that allows these words to be capitalized?


title: "Not as heavy as an elephant." Which literary device is this?

text: I was having a conversation with a friend today. He jokingly asked me to help him pick up a desktop printer later (he's obviously strong enough to carry one on his own - a typical desktop printer is usually quite light for a man of average size). I asked him, also jokingly, how heavy the printer is (so much that it requires two people to carry). He replied (in his exact words): > Have you ever seen an adult elephant? Well, it is not quite as heavy as > that. What sort of literary device did he use in the last part of this conversation? Hyberbole? If yes, what sort of hyperbole?


title: "Most of what" and "is" or "are"

text: I've gotten into an argument about whether "Most of what I've read is books" or "Most of what I've read are books" is correct. I think it should be "is" because "most of" refers to "what I've read" which is singular but my friend insists it should be "are" because "most of" refers to "books" which is plural.


title: Are Anglo-Saxon words better at expressing emotion?

text: Twice recently I've seen someone on this site state that Anglo-Saxon words, or words of Germanic origin, are better for expressing emotion than words derived from Latin. Does anyone have any information about this? My intuition says that this has to be false. One example is this answer to a question about four letter words, and the other is this answer about emotional writing. Now, I'm not saying, and I don't think the original speakers were saying, that one language is better than another at expressing emotion, but rather that _English_ words whose _origin_ is one language or another are better for that purpose. This seems to me to be something that would be illogical, given that the emotions evoked by a word would depend entirely on what the reader put into that word. However the certainty expressed by the two examples suggests to me that I may have missed something. This is a subjective question, but what I want to see is whether there is any evidence on this subject?


title: Where does the pejorative meaning of "shower" come from?

text: > **shower** _British informal_   >  a group of people perceived as incompetent or worthless I think this term is becoming obsolete. It's certainly not something I've heard in the street recently. The first place I encountered it was the 1959 film _I'm Alright Jack_. > _Major Hitchcock:_ They're a shower. Absolute shower. According to wiktionary it comes from _shower of shit_ but there is no justification given.


title: turn right backward or turn slightly right backward?

text: ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/erQBT.png) Please see the image. Could anybody tell me what it should be said when telling direction as arrows indicates on the road ? My ideas are, 1\. turn right backward 2\. turn slightly right backward I'm not sure if they make sense.


title: Why are "connection" and "connexion" both used in the same work?

text: This question, Google Ngrams, Wikipedia, and several dictionaries all say that _connexion_ is an alternate, obsolete spelling of _connection_. I am reading a several-hundred page treatise (Milton S. Terry, 1890, _Biblical Hermeneutics_ ), wherein the author uses both forms, favoring _connexion_ considerably. The instances of _connexion_ (84) are listed here, and the instances of _connection_ (9) are listed here. I think what I am reading is the author's 500-page condensation of the work linked. My question is this: Why is _connection_ used at all? Does it really mean something different? It appears to be used synonymously. Is it merely an instance of non-standardized spelling (as with the diaries of Lewis and Clark, where a word can spelt multiple ways in a very short space)? This would be the only instance of this that I have found so far. Is there a different explanation that I haven't yet considered?


title: Are 'dysfunction' and 'malfunction' complete synonyms?

text: Dictionaries give both _dysunction_ and _malfunction_ the meaning 'failure to function properly'. Are they complete synonyms?


title: What does 'to fairer climes' mean?

text: What does "Led by your scent to fairer climes at last" mean?


title: What is the derivation of the statistical term "Histogram"?

text: There are conflicting definitions of origin. Unclear as to whether it is derived directly from the Greek, coined by Pearson, or used and named prior to Pearson. Refer to "The History of Histograms - 1. Prehistory" - Yannis Ioannidis The etymology of the word histogram is uncertain. Sometimes it is said to be derived from the Greek histos 'anything set upright' (as the masts of a ship, the bar of a loom, or the vertical bars of a histogram); and gramma 'drawing, record, writing'. It is also said that Karl Pearson, who introduced the term in 1895, derived the name from "historical diagram". Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/histogram#ixzz1G2OoF7hB


title: What is the difference between "that's odd", "that' s weird", and "that's strange"?

text: What is the difference between _that's odd_ , _that's weird_ , and _that's strange_?


title: Now and forever

text: > I want you to be with me only two times in my life.. now & forever I came across this sentence the other day, and thought that the usage of "two times" for "now and forever" is incorrect, since forever encompasses now. Am I right?


title: Word for a police man getting money from someone forcefully

text: My wife bought a puppet from a roadside salesman. She noticed a policeman taking away the money from the salesman forcefully. Is there an appropriate word for the policeman's behaviour? Bribe is not the word because the salesman was not trying to bribe here. Words like rob, steal, loot come to my mind. But I want to know if there is a better fit. Update: The way the incident was perceived by my wife (and the original intention in my question) is that the policeman did this for his personal gain and was not doing it as a part of his duty.


title: Is the use of 'has' appropriate with first person singular?

text: We have been learning since childhood that > _Has_ can only be used with third person singular but I have seen and heard people using _has_ otherwise. For example, the other day I was reading that article in which the author wrote 'I **has** no other choice' (which according to grammar rules should be 'I have no other choice'). Is this appropriate use? If yes, then does it indicate some kind of emphasis or Is it used to give weight to sentence?


title: "Please leave the tomatoes at home" - meaning

text: I found this phrase "Please leave the tomatoes at home" in an email. On searching online I found it used in several places which are related to inviting people for an event. What exactly does this phrase mean? I am guessing it's meaning to be like "come without any things which can be a distraction for the event happening"


title: What is a term for an invalid comment which is claimed to be the cause to something?

text: A comment that isn't related and ultimately doesn't make sense. E.g., someone doesn't clear the garden and another person calls him by "dude, are you a woman/dog/cat...etc. (you could put any word here)?" Another example to clarify this question, is when a person A doesn't do or complete a certain task, B. Another person, C, claims a D to be the cause of A not doing B. However, D couldn't, logically, be claimed to be the cause for A not doing B, since it doesn't make sense, logically (D and A are not related, so D couldn't be claimed to be the cause for A not doing B.) The calling person saying something which he thinks is the typical cause of that other person not doing something (as clearing the garden), but actually it's unrelated.


title: Other expressions for 'coming of age'

text: I understand that the expression 'coming of age' may refer to both the legal and natural definitions of a young person that becomes an adult. The age specifically may be different according to the different contexts, but what are other common expressions both in legal or everyday language that are used to refer to this specific transition in life?


title: Differentiate and Integrate

text: Further to my last question about the history of calculus terms, I am wondering about   1. the etymology of **differentiate**   2. the etymology of **integrate**   3. why we speak of a "derivative", but we "differentiate" instead of "derive" Please note that by "etymology" I mean the _mathematical_ history of these terms. This may get answered _en route_ , but I am specifically interested in what (if any) relationship there may be between the ideas of "differentiating" (breaking apart) and "integrating" (putting together), and the fact that these two operations do in fact "undo" each other in mathematics, which is the essence of the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. * * * **EDIT:** It just occurred to me that while "derivative" would seem to go with "derive", "differentiate" would go with "difference", and in fact "difference equations" were used by Leibniz when he developed calculus (although I don't know if he called them as such) - can anyone verify this?


title: Why "mind" means "pay attention to"

text: Why the word "mind" can be used as a verb, synonym of "pay attention to"? It has the same etymology of the "mind" (centre of thought, feelings, brain) noun? When it is better to use "mind" in place of "pay attention to" (or similar phrases)?


title: Plural form of titles

text: I've heard certain titles pluralised in apparently odd ways, such as a Secretary General being Secretaries General when plural, rather than "Secretary Generals" as I'd have guessed, and I'm wondering if there's a rule on this. For example if you were addressing two female Presidents, would is be "Madames President" (multiple females who preside over something) or "Madame Presidents" (multiple Presidents who are female)?


title: What is the difference between initialize and initiate?

text: What is the difference between **initialize** and **initiate** words? Where should we use and can somebody explain it with some examples.


title: Why the present perfect in "It is closed since 1900"?

text: I am struggling to understand the present perfect tense as my language does not have it. > It **is** closed since 1900 should it not be: > It **has been** closed since 1990? How is it grammatical? What is its meaning?


title: Which phrase is better?

text: "In cases where either party is unable to perform the contracted obligation" or "in the event either party is unable to perform the contracted obligation"? I prefer the second but having used "in the event" several times, I would like to change the phrases a bit.


title: Linking confusion

text: I just want to ask a quick question that is confused to me, in the verb phrase: "picked out". When I link these words together, I say "pick tout". However, my English teacher told me that is not correct. He said that I should say "pick dout". And I dont understand it since I think "picked" is pronounced as "pickt". Therefore, could somebody help me to explain the rule here? Thank you in advance and have a nice day.


title: Will my audience understand the phrase "lead time"?

text: > ...results in a relatively long lead time for our software products. Should I use this expression in an article for average software developers? (i.e. an international Java magazine) Would it generally be understood?


title: What would you call a person who doesn't like questions being asked of them?

text: My sister says I ask too many questions, such as "What have you been up to lately?" She is the only person who says that. What do you call a person who doesn't like questions being asked?


title: Past Simple and Past Perfect Simple with 'already'

text: Do these two sentences have the same meaning? > When we arrived, David had already got home and > When we arrived, David was already home


title: Usage of recommend?

text: > I can’t recommend the book enough. Does it mean that it’s not a good book or it’s a really really good book?


title: Is Administratium an actual word?

text: We commonly use this word in office, and the definitions point to its meaning. But is this an actual word? It's not in the _Oxford English Dictionary_.


title: Overboard and ashore

text: i think it is possible to say 'throw someone overboard' (= meaning that person will thrown into the water) in a similar sense, can you throw someone ashore (= from the boat to the pier, for example)?


title: What is the verb for "Glossary"?

text: Some software I am using has got the word "Glossarise" in it, which baffles me immensely. My spell checker hates it but googling for the word returns results for sites like Urban Dictionary but no reputable dictionaries or resources. Since I am in the position where I work for the company that writes this software, I figured I'd suggest it gets fixed and replaced with an actual word. In the software, the word is used to apply custom glossary entries to text on a page, following a process where you select the word or phrase and then click a button on a toolbar which is labelled as "Glossarise". What is the verb for "Glossary"?


title: What does “Love arrives with a bonk on the head with a balloon” mean?

text: The New York Time’s (September 12) article in Theatre section titled “Letting Lips Do What Hands Do” with a sub-head, “ A voice instructor for the leads in ‘Romeo and Juliet” bigins with the following line: > “Sometimes love arrives like a thunderbolt. Sometimes **it arrives with a > bonk on the head with a balloon**.” http://theater.nytimes.com/2013/09/15/theater/a-voice-instructor-for-the- leads-in-romeo-and-juliet.html?src=dayp According to Wikipedia, “Bonk on the Head” is a novel written by John-James Ford. Published in 2005. It is about coming of age in a journey that takes the protagonist through the final years of high school, a reserve regiment and the Royal Military College of Canada. I understood the origin of the phrase, but what does it mean in the the context of the above quote? Additionally, I surmise “Let lip do what hands do” means “Let your speech be consistent with your action / motion,” but I’m very unsure. Is this a popular saying?


title: How to describe useless conversation?

text: Is there a word or concise English expression for the kind of discussion that is heated, perhaps a bit contentious or pretentious, but ultimately off-topic, vague, or too abstract to be useful? A word-picture that comes to mind are a bunch of stuffy politicians or inexperienced young professionals arguing for argument's sake, to display their knowledge or make their voice heard yet without contributing any value to the discussion at large, or worse, derailing it entirely.


title: The word "geriatric"

text: Would you say describing somebody as "geriatric" is offensive? I think it's neutral in American English, but the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary describes it as "informal" and "offensive".


title: As much [as] or more than

text: On dailymail.co.uk there is a news article titled "Can love survive when a woman earns MORE than a man?" Obviously, I don't want to spend my time asking silly questions, but the journalist confuses me when she writes both " _...nearly half of women are paid **as much as or more** than their man_" and " _It means that almost half of us now earn **as much or more** than our husbands and partners._" So, I am wondering if (or when) _as_ should appear in the phrase " _as much [as] or more than._ "


title: A question on this common sentence structure

text: I saw these lines in a children's book today: > The tourists gathered around the lake, taking photographs of the wildlife in > the area. > > The cat sat itself down on the veranda, stretching its lazy body. It seems like both sentences can be modified to become more "parallel". > The tourists gathered around the lake to take photographs of the wildlife in > the area. > > The cat sat itself down on the veranda and stretched its lazy body. Is there any particular reason why the original sentences are structured the way they are? Is there a formal name for this sentence structure?


title: Etymology of "seat-of-the-pants"

text: Where does the expression _seat-of-the-pants_ come from? These dictionaries (1, 2, 3) don't give much insight. What is the etymology of _seat-of-the-pants_?


title: Is there any extant movement for the revival of elements of Early-Modern English in regular, or academic usage?

text: I love Early-Modern English. It seems to me that words in Early-Modern English encode more information than their counterparts in Modern English. I know of a few English reform movements, but none of them advocate for the revival of some of the most compendious elements of Early-Modern English. Do you know of a (fringe) movement that advocates reviving some elements of Early-Modern English?


title: What's a nice way to say "fool's errand"?

text: I have a situation in which i want to say that a particular task i just completed was rather silly, a fool's errand, but i need to phrase it in such a way as it doesn't insult the management team that gave me the task --as they regard it, currently, as vital.


title: Why do we say "Present Arms" instead of "Present Your Arms"?

text: There is a military command to **Present Arms**. And, depending upon the military and the situation, the typical response is to either salute or hold one's weapon in front of them in the prescribed manner. I've always wondered why this became the standard construction for this command in place of **Present Your Arms** or **Present The Arms**? It just strikes me as a strange construct even for an imperative. It feels like it's missing an article or a possessive which would normally be present. You wouldn't say: _Wash plates!_ , or _Open door!_ Rather, you'd say: _Wash your plates!_ , _Open the Door!_ Is this just a nod to brevity? Is there a historical reason for the deletion of articles from military jargon?


title: What is the meaning of "A is not as old as B"?

text: In my understanding, the following sentence > _A is not as old as B_. may have 2 meanings, either > _A is older than B_ or > _A is newer than B_ . So what is the actual meaning of "A is not as old as B"?


title: What does the phrase "We'll keep you whole," really mean?

text: I understand it to mean possibly the following things   * If you've been wronged, the person / entity which wronged you will reimburse you or replace what was lost or broken.   * "Keep you alive" as in "Stay whole"   * Something else entirely?


title: "I love you for who you are" vs. "I love you as you are" vs. "I love you for what you are"

text: > I love you for **who** you are. I came across the line from a BBC Radio’s drama, and wondered what’s the difference from saying “I love you **as** you are,” or “I love you for **what** you are.” Would you explain the three of them?


What are the differences in pronunciation of "borrow", "burrow" and "burro" in American English? To me they all sound quite the same, especially when spoken quickly.


title: Is it two-third or two-thirds?

text: Is it two-third or two-thirds? If both are correct, how does their usage differ?


title: "Accounts for last year" or "Accounts of last year"?

text: > The accounts for last year showed a profit of $2 million. or > The accounts of last year showed a profit of $2 million. Which one is correct? My idea is that both of them is OK, anybody can confirm it?


title: Is the sentence "A lot of resources is available" correct?

text: I recently came across this sentence : > A lot of resources is available: quoted from the webpage http://cheat.errtheblog.com/s/rvm. Since this is a very reputed website, I don't think that can be a wrong grammar. From my understanding of grammar. I think that the sentence should be > A lot of resources are available: Please guide me.


title: Is there a word for the total amount of time you weren't working in a day?

text: I can say that I plan to work 7 hours today, but how do I say I plan to "not work" for 2 hours? "Be on a break/pause for 2 hours" or "Rest for 2 hours" doesn't work because I might take several smaller breaks. "Not work for 2 hours" sounds too vague because I am referring to periods of rest during the workday. Maybe, "I plan to take breaks that add up to 2 hours". Any ideas?


title: We were/have been together all day?

text: When you have specific dates in the past, do you always have to use the simple past? > On 01/31/2013 I met my friend. We **were/have been** together all day long.


title: "I see someone every two days"

text: "I see someone every day" - meaning you see someone every day. "I see someone every other day" - meaning you see someone one day, not the next, then the day after, but not the next and so on. What is "I see someone every two days"? I am sure it means you see someone, have a 2 day break, see them again, then have another 2 day break. But then I thought, every two days could be one day in between, because every day has no days in between, and 2 comes after 1. So: What is seeing someone every two days?


title: Pronunciation of words such as "hot" and "stop"

text: I would like to ask how to pronounce the o sound in words like _hot, stop_ in AE and BE. I noticed that BE's pronunciation is different from AE's for these words. According to Cambridge University online dictionary, _hot_ is pronounced in BE as /hɒt/, so h + o (just like the letter) + t. But in AE it is pronounced /hɑːt/, which is like "hut" or h + u + o + t, or h + o + u + t, where the u is pronounced as in _hut_.


title: How do you pronounce "O'Nions"?

text: I'm going to a talk by Keith O'Nions and I'm wondering how to pronounce his name. Oh neons? Onions?


title: Is it "moved into" or "moved in to"?

text: I suppose I am confused in general about the use of "into" versus "in to." For this case, though, consider the sentence, "I moved into my apartment today" as opposed to "I moved in to my apartment today." I like the sound of "moved into," but is "moved in" like an idiom that needs to be left in that form to work? Any assistance in sorting out my confusion would be greatly appreciated.


title: How should "vice versa" be conjoined to a negative prase that uses "cannot"?

text: In a passage of proposed programming language documentation I was reading today, I came across this sentence: > Strings cannot directly be compared with binary sequences, and vice versa! The "and" seemed very jarring to me (lets ignore for this question the position of "directly", and the perhaps over-emphatic exclamation point). I would have expected "nor" (or maybe just "or") there instead. However, when I think about it further, I can understand what the original author had in mind. The "vice versa" clause can be expanded in two different ways, which both seem to be grammatically correct:   * > Strings cannot be directly compared with binary sequences, and binary sequences cannot be directly compared to strings.   * > Strings cannot be directly compared with binary sequences, nor can binary sequences be directly compared to strings. In the second version the "cannot" is changed to "can" (and put in a different place), with the negative sense coming from the conjunction "nor" which replaces "and". I suspect that in my own writing (AmE), I'd prefer the second form, which is probably why I expected "nor" in the original version with "visa versa". It is, however, a less direct "other way around" transformation of the first clause. Since both expansions seem fairly reasonable, I'm wondering if my initial reaction to the sentence was incorrect. Is "and" the right conjunction to use with "vice versa" in this situation? Would "nor" be better, or are both equally good (or bad)?


title: Is this phrase "2- or 4-person" correct?

text: When listing a numerical hyphenation...,for example "2- or 4-person", does the first number have a unconnected hyphen? What is the general rule?


title: Parallelism between past perfect and present continuous

text: In the following sentence: > Anyone who has stumbled glumly through a British airport recently, trapped > in endless queues, will already know the stench of bogus security hanging > heavy in the air. I always knew at some subliminal level that even as my > nail scissors were being seized by a censorious official,some monstrous > breach the size of the Channel **was blithely** disregarded elsewhere. The part which is bold seems incorrect to me. I think it should be " **was being blithely** ". Although if " **while** " was used as in, " _while some monstrous breach the size of the Channel was blithely disregarded elsewhere_ ", it would have been correct. How should one ensure parallelism between something which is happening now and something in past which still happens?


title: How widely used is the "two-space-sentence-ending" convention?

text: I was reading a manual discussing about how a sentence should be properly ended by convention. Here I quote: > you follow the American typist's convention of putting two spaces at the end > of a sentence. That is, a sentence ends wherever there is a ‘.’, ‘?’ or ‘!’ > followed by the end of a line or two spaces, with any number of ‘)’, ‘]’, > ‘'’, or ‘"’ characters allowed in between. -Reference I was not in American area and I study English as a second language. I have never heard about such convention before. Therefore I am a bit curious of how widely this convention is used. Since the mentioned section of this manual was discussing about human language. It seems relevant to ask here.


title: What are the key difference among a liberal, liberalist and libertarian?

text: There was the following statement in Time magazine’s article (June 14) titled, “The geeks who leak” > “Both Edward J. Snowden and Bradley Manning (who leaked massive volume of > military and diplomatic secrets in 2010) had come of age online, in chat > rooms and virtual communities where this new antiauthority, free-data > ideology was hardening. **They identified as libertarians** , with Manning > using the word to describe himself and Snowden sending checks to Ron Paul's > presidential campaign.”- http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2145506,00.html#ixzz2W7z2Hqkd: In trying to find the exact definition of ‘libertarians’ they claim, I came across the following statement in an article titled “Are you liberal, a liberal, or a liberalist?” in uproothealthcare.com” - http://www.uproothealthcare.com/politics/are-you-liberal-a-liberal-or-a- liberalist: > “Some political scholars assert that the terms "libertarian" and > "libertarianism" are synonymous with anarchism, and some express disapproval > of capitalists calling themselves libertarians. Conversely, other academics > as well as proponents of the free market perspectives argue that free-market > libertarianism has been successfully propagated beyond the U.S. since the > 1970s and political parties and that "libertarianism" is increasingly viewed > worldwide as a free market position.” It may require thousands words to explain what are a liberal, a liberalist and a libertarian exactly, but would you provide me with the basic definitions of these three words or key differences among them in a brief and clear way so that a layman like me can easily understand the meanings and distinguish basic differences of the words? Are they akin, or totally different and irelevant creatures each other?


title: Is it possible to "defy the laws of physics"?

text: Assuming that it's impossible to circumvent the laws of physics, is it possible to **_defy_** them? That is, in order to _defy_ something, do you necessarily have to have some success in resisting it, or can your defiance be totally futile?


title: Is there a difference between 'reform' and 'reformation'?

text: According to the OED, 'reform' is defined as, > [mass noun] the action or process of reforming an institution or practice. The same definition appears in its entry for 'reformation'. In terms of usage, is there any difference between the two words? Are they completely interchangeable, or is one preferable over the other? Would 'Progressive reforms" mean the same as 'Progressive reformations'?


title: Fail trumpet onomatopoeia

text: There are several sound clips that are widely understood to mean "(epic) fail". I think the most famous one is the one with the oboe or trumpet... 4 notes with declining pitch, the last one being stretched out.   * Is there a common way to capture that in writing?


title: Verb for "to make something show its characteristics"

text: > Using a real dataset with a limited variety of characteristics might fail to > _____ the true performance of the algorithms. I need a verb with the meaning "to make something show its characteristics", to fill in the blank.


title: When I inherit, my father does what?

text: If I inherit something, what has my father done to the something? I've found the word 'bequeathed' but I'm not sure that this is the colloquial word. I need the word to describe a programming class from which another class inherits. Rather frustratingly, in no OOP papers can I find this word being used in English!


title: What is the correct punctuation of e.g. when used with a single example?

text: After e.g. do you always put a comma even if the example is only one thing? DO you write e.g., chicken soup or e.g. chicken soup? My question refers explicitly to using just a singular example.


title: Is there a single word meaning 'to grow and flourish'?

text: Can anybody tell me if there a single word which has the meaning 'to grow and flourish'?


title: Why do we say "honeymoon" instead of "honeymonth"?

text: I was curious about the etymology of the word _honeymoon_ and found out that its sense was partially literal (serving honey for the couple), and partially metaphorical (sweet and happy times). But I found no explanation to why it is moon instead of month, since both cases refer to a month time period. Can anyone explain why?


title: What is the difference among "human," "human being" and "humankind"?

text: Those words all mean ..... WE!


title: Etymology for Mc and O' in names

text: There is clearly a prefix in names like McDonald, McChrystal, O'Brian, O'Neal What does this Mc and O signify? Looks like Donald, Chrystal, Brian, Neal are perfectly fine names on their own so why is there a prefix


title: Why are "player", "researcher" and "designer" referred to by a feminine gender specific pronoun?

text: > **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Can the feminine pronouns be gender-neutral?   >  Reason for the current trend to use "she" as the gender-neutral pronoun? In a lot of academic literature that I'm reading for school, I find constructions similar to this: > "Thus enters the question of values in research activities as well, and a > fuller discussion of what is good – that is, what values should guide the > researcher in **her studies** and interventions – is required. (Ravn 1991: > 112)" I'm wondering as to what the gender rule is here. I'm not a native English speaker and I have limited education in English, although I speak and understand it fluently.


title: Use of subjunctive with "in order that"

text: Is it correct to use "that+subjunctive" after the phrase "in order"? For example: Nutritionist recommend that people at risk for anemia consume iron supplements in order that blood counts remain stable.


title: A word for non-language sound

text: I am looking for a word that describes **audio that does not contain words**. For instance:   * John William's piece _Duel of the Fates_ would be this, since they are just vocables for their musical effect, similar to the way any other instrument is used in that context.   * A recording of machine gun fire would be this, since there is no linguistic meaning.   * A song where someone is singing would **not** be this, because there are words with actual meaning.   * A book recording would **not** be this. _Speaking in Tongues_ by the Talking Heads, and the main theme of _Close Encounters of the Third Kind_ are sort of borderline, I'm really not sure which side they would fall on. Does anyone know of a word or phrase that would describe this category of sound?


title: "I can have had been"

text: Can you say "I can have had been..." doing something? Example: > I can have had been reading a book if I could send a letter back in time to > tell myself. So, not could have had been, specifically can. Like, I can be doing something, but the something has already happened. If you can not grammatically express the idea like that, how can you?


title: What does "No Thanks!" mean?

text: > Alice: Do you want some cookies?   >  Bob: No thanks! Does it mean that Bob doesn't want cookies but still is thankful or its just opposite of thanks?


title: "Shakespearean English" - What English or American writers have adjectives coined after their names?

text: > Shake·spear·ean - adjective \shāk-ˈspir-ē-ən: of or relating to William > Shakespeare or his writings. Almost every English speaking person has heard or read something about Shakespearean English. That adjective is perhaps the most frequently used of its kind. I once came across an adjective related to Shaw's writing, but I can't remember or find it. Are there other adjectives in current usage related to writers other than William Shakespeare?


title: Modern-day equivalent of "dog my cats"

text: As you know, somewhere in _The adventures of Huckleberry Finn_ , Jim expresses his certainty that he's noticed that a noise came from the garden of Miss Watson by saying (my emphasis) > "Say, who is you? Whar is you? **Dog my cats** ef I didn' hear sumf'n..." I wonder if: a) the expression in boldface was a common one in those days (at least, in the area where the story develops), b) it is totally obsolete these days, and c) you know expressions that are equivalent to it and not at all uncommon to listen nowadays. Why do I believe that it may have been an actual expression from those times? To begin with, there is the disclaimer by M. Twain that appears at the beginning of the book: > IN this book a number of dialects are used, to wit: the Missouri negro > dialect; the extremest form of the backwoods Southwestern dialect; the > ordinary "Pike County" dialect; and four modified varieties of this last. > The shadings have not been done in a haphazard fashion, or by guesswork; but > painstakingly, and with the trustworthy guidance and support of personal > familiarity with these several forms of speech. > > I make this explanation for the reason that without it many readers would > suppose that all these characters were trying to talk alike and not > succeeding.


Can "You are an officer and a gentleman" be used to praise a good deed done by a person completely unrelated to armed forces? I would like to praise a friend of mine for an act of kindness. Is it appropriate to use this phrase for civilian people?


title: Is "(gerund) among the (superlative) (noun)" missing a reference?

text: Can I say this? > Working at Stevens & Son means designing among the most glamorous > tablecloths in Eastern Europe. I'm not entirely sure if _among the most glamorous_ is not missing a reference. I guess, I could alternatively say: > Working at Stevens & Son means designing tablecloths that are among the most > glamorous in Eastern Europe. But I tend to like the first version better because   * is more compact/to the point   * it makes _most glamorous_ stand out more


..., for many generations, they had lived in so respectable a manner, as to engage the general good opinion of their surrounding acquaintance. (My question) What does 'engage the general good opinion of their surrounding acquaintance' mean? Here my ideas. ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/0H7qC.png)


title: What is the word for "a series of two related works"?

text: Here _dilogy_ is defined as "a series of two related works". I can't shake off the feeling that there is a more commonly used word for this. Is there? If yes, what is it?


title: Usage of the Oxford Comma with "and"

text: I was told that this sentence is correct with the usage of a comma before and after the word _and_. I want to correct my grammar if I am in error. > To claim a prize, send a Private Message to me stating: which prize you won, > your geographical location, and, if necessary, your address for sending a > physical prize. Is the comma usage in this sentence correct?


title: Word or short expression to describe basic foods as a dish ingredients (like rice, potatoes or pasta)

text: Is there a word or a short expression to describe such basic foods like potatoes, pasta or rice in a context of dish ingredients? So you can say for example: > "Broccoli isn't usually eaten as a ___ _". Edit: Originally I used a word _meal_ instead of _dish_ , what was probably confusing


title: "in pretence" and "lordship"

text: > There was no doubt that a man, in succeeding to a **_lordship_** in right of > his wife, would wish to bear the arms associated therewith. He placed them, > therefore, upon his own, and arms exclusively of a territorial character > have certainly very frequently been placed **_in pretence_**. His own arms > he would look upon as arms of descent ; they consequently occupied the field > of his shield. The **_lordship_** of his wife he did not enjoy through > descent, and consequently he would naturally incline to place it **_in > pretence_**. (Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles., A Complete Guide to Heraldry, > p539)   1. I do know what is the conception of "in pretence" in heraldry exactly, but what is I can not perceive is the exact meaning of the term in English; does it mean "to claim" or "to pretend" or something else?   2. Which one is the meaning of "lordship" in above paragraph: "the rank or dignity of a lord" or "the authority or power of a lord" or "the domain or territory belonging to or under the jurisdiction of a lord"?


title: Speak of the Devil

text: In native English people say "Speak of the devil and he doth appear" when someone walks in unexpectedly when they are speaking about him oblivion to his appearance in a short while. But the same thing is said differently in India. We Indians take it in a positive way. We say "Let God bless him with 100 years of longevity". Why is this difference? Is there no sentence in English that is used to bless a person instead of just scoffing at him when he arrives? Your input is highly appreciated thanks.


title: Verbs for "and" and "or"?

text: Are there (better) verbs for "and"ing or "or"ing a bunch of clauses together? * * * ### Edit: Can't believe I didn't think of this earlier... would "conjoin" and "disjoin" work?


title: Why are the words hundred, thousand, million, and trillion singular after plural numbers?

text: Can anyone give a grammatical explanation why the words hundred, thousand, million, and trillion are singular after plural numbers? For example, why can't we say _three hundreds_ or _4 thousands_ or _five millions_ , etc? One of my students asked me and all I could say is that it is an exception to the rule of bringing a plural word after a plural number!


title: Something like "ragtag group"

text: I'm looking for a word/phrase that means "a team quickly put together from miscellaneous people". It is NOT "ragtag group"/"motley crew". I think it is "[something] team"


title: What do you call the practice of using generic terms in favour of genericized trademarks?

text: I occasionally find myself searching for the generic version of a proprietary term; for example _flying disc_ for toys like a Frisbee, or _search_ rather than Google. Is there a name for the practice of using generic terms in preference to single-vendor, trademarked or otherwise proprietary terms? (I just discovered that these terms are known as _proprietary eponyms_ or _genericized trademarks_. A close-enough answer would be the name of their opposite. For a given value of opposite.)


title: Is the phrase "My current educational and residential situation" correct?

text: Is the phrase > ... because of my current educational and residential situation a correct way to refer to where and why I study what I do and why I live where I do? Or should it be "education and residence situation"?


title: What is the inverse of "guardian"?

text: If I am your guardian, what does that make you to me?


title: What is meant by "sth"?

text: I came across this line in a site: > Can u make sth effective for a sports betting related product? I can't understand what is meant by _sth effective_ here. I tried to google it but was unable to understand. Can anybody explain to me what is meant by this word? Is it an English word or is it from another language?


title: it were best (to) & I were best (to)

text: Shakespeare's plays are replete with both these constructions. Is _were_ in these constructions equivalent to the modern _would_?


title: "Enter a market" vs. "break into a market"

text: Could you please shed light on the difference, if any, between "enter" vs. "break into" a market? Are they synonyms and interchangeable, or does the latter of the two imply more force?


title: "such a day" or "such day"?

text: > It's such a nice day today! I'm interested in the usage of the indefinite article. I know this sentence is correct. We use an indefinite article in exclamations with countable nouns. But the question is: If it's NOT an exclamation, what do we use? Let's say:   1. I went for a walk because it was such a wonderful day.    2. I went for a walk because it was a such wonderful day.    3. I went for a walk because it was such wonderful day. Which variant is correct?


title: What is the structure of "a goal remote in the pursuit is so easy to lose sight of"?

text: > **A goal remote in the pursuit** is so easy to lose sight of. What does "a goal remote in the pursuit" mean here? I don't understand it structure-wise.


title: One word for "take into consideration"?

text: Is there one word for "take into consideration". I searched online, but didn't find any. For example, > We also have to take into consideration the fact that the requirements might > change later on.


title: Do I use a semicolon before 'and' in a complex list?

text: I am listing things in a sentence which includes commas between the internal parts. Do I finish with an 'and' at the end of it? For example: > I arrange interviews through phone and film; co-ordinate the editorial > team’s travel; and I write blog posts, articles, and reviews of local London > events. It would be great if I knew the definitive answer, or any tips on how to restructure this.


title: What is the meaning of "I'm aware it rhymes"

text: What does it mean ? > See, that's why he's the genius!   >  It even rhymes!   >  **I'm aware it rhymes.** It was in Lorax 2012


title: What preposition do we use with the adjective 'telling' when it means 'revealing'?

text: Example I: > "How telling this is [ **of/about** ] the way international students > continue to be perceived by their American peers on U.S. campuses?" Example II: > "Public opinion is telling [ **of/about** ] its culture." What preposition should be used with _telling_ in sentences of this kind — _of_ , _about_ , or neither?


title: What is the difference between 'making a trip' and 'taking a trip'?

text: Germans _make_ all their trips. We _take_ some trips and _make_ others.   What is the difference for English speakers between "making a trip" and "taking a trip"?


title: "greater than I am" versus "greater than myself"

text: If I look in the corpus of contemporary American English, I mostly find the **_... greater than I am/he is/etc. ..._** version. But there are a couple of instances, even in academic texts, of the sort **_... greater than myself/himself etc. ..._** sort. As far as I understand the rule, _comparative + than_ is followed by a clause - i.e., subject and verb. Where do the reflexive pronoun _...self_ instances come from? Am I missing something, or are they just falling for the "looks like an object position, so let's use an object pronoun" trap?


title: A word meaning "more related"

text: > Nana travels to America to have a surgery done. One that could put an end to > her life-long affliction. But is her problem exclusive of her body? Or is > rather a condition **more related** to her soul? What word could I use to replace **"more related"** in the passage above? I think the phrase _more related_ won't have much impact in the reader. (By the way, is **but** necessary in the second last sentence)?


title: British English - "In two hours time"

text: From users of British English, I have noticed the pattern of adding "time" after a unit of time, as in: > He has class in 30 minutes time. My initial impression as an American is that this is quite silly as the fact that we are talking about time is already implicit in the unit minutes, which can only be used to describe time. (Edit: Okay, they can also be used to describe latitude or longitude, or angles, but I find it hard to conceive of an example where it isn't already obvious whether we're talking about time or a location on a map even without adding 'time'.) However, I wonder if saying "He has class in 30 minutes time" contains more information than, say "He has class in 30 minutes." Is there some bit of information encoded into the use of the word 'time' here? My questions are these: 1) Does the use of the word 'time' in this sense add additional information, or would removing 'time' from any sentence (when used in that way) not alter the meaning? 2) Is this slang? Is this formal English? 3) Are there cases where it wouldn't be OK to say "X [units] time", but it would instead be correct to say "X [units]", in British English?


title: What is meant by this use of quotation marks?

text: I was reading an article Meet the Artist Who Blows Things Up for a Living in 4th paragraph the author says > When I visit Cai (as everyone calls him, pronouncing it “Tsai”) in his spare > East Village Manhattan studio with a big red door and a feng shui stone lion > guarding the entrance within, we sit at a glass table flanked by wall-size > wood screens: his gunpowder “drawings.” I didn't understand why author puts _drawings_ in double quotes. If you read the article, he has used it for many other words like _“signs”_ , _“crop circle”_. My question is what the intends by putting the words in double quotes?


title: Polite alternatives to "as soon as possible"

text: I’ve found myself writing the phrase “as soon as possible” just too often. Sometimes I wonder if it sounds a little rude. How can I convey the same meaning in a more polite way but without losing sense of urgency?


title: German words in common English

text: Just curious: Which words are often used in everyday English? * * * I came across the Wikipedia article about List of German expressions in English.   There are listed thousands of words. I was surprised about the mass and that almost every word that I checked has its entry in Oxford Dictionary; but though, I can barely think of that all these words are known by native English, let alone frequently used. One example of which I know that it is used is zeitgeist, at least the Guardian has a rubric zeitgeist.


title: Word to describe one who loves friends more than family

text: Is there a word to describe someone who loves his friends more than his family? For example, my brother is a sort of person who seems to be only interested in his friends (not me nor the rest of the family). I'm looking for any words and/or idioms to describe my brother.


title: Word for expressing pushing one's health limit as if overdrafting a bank account?

text: Suppose Tim is working very hard and constantly pushing his limit, at the cost of his health, by often staying up late and forgetting to take breaks. This is similar to overdrafting one's bank account, but here he is "overdrafting" his health "account". So I wonder if there is a verb or an expression that closely means "overdrafting" one's health "account"? Thanks!


title: "Some characteristic C is what distinguishes A from B"

text: In "some characteristic C is what distinguishes A from B", does characteristic C belongs to A but not to B, or to B but not to A? For example: > Imposing restrictions on the available resources is what distinguishes > computational complexity from computability theory.


title: What does "to spit a rat" mean?

text: I know what _spit_ means, and I know what _rat_ means, but what does _to spit a rat_ mean? I was unable to find any idiomatic meaning in the dictionaries either in the entry for _rat_ or _spit_. The literal meaning just seems too absurd or random. I came across the phrase when I was rereading _The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy_. When Zaphod Beeblebrox tries to remember why he has carved his own initials into his brain, he says: > I don't seem to be letting myself into any of my secrets. Still I can > understand that. I wouldn't trust myself further than I could spit a rat. Will I have to attribute this weird combination of words to Zaphod Beeblebrox's eccentricity (or the author's, perhaps?) or does it have an idiomatic meaning?


title: Where does the phrase "cool your jets" come from?

text: When was it first used and in what context?


title: How to say "find a way to do something" better, in English?

text: For example, I want to do something, but I don't know how to do it even I had tried. A real example, I'm using an open-source library, and I want to add some of my own functions: > I may want to add a until() and trimLeft(..) and trimRight(...), that I can > write it as: > > string("/ _").trimLeft().until(string("_ /")) > > But I don't find a way to do it. Here I'm using "find a way", but I don't know if it's good. Or "find a solution"? Or "find a method"? Or some other words? In other case, e.g. I don't know how to open a box, is there any other way(right?) to express "I don't know how to do it"? There may be a lot of mistakes in this question, I'll be very appreciate if you can point them out.


title: What is the verb used for check payments?

text: What is the verb used when a bank check has been paid? Is the word `cleared`?   **EDIT:**   To be more specific, I'm looking for the word that means the check has been completely processed and it has either been cashed or deposited to another account. Should I just use the words `cashed` or `deposited`?


title: Self Service. To hyphenate or not?

text: Self-Service or Self Service. For example, Self-Service restaurants, Self-Service Websites, etc.. Another example, multi-platform, multi-factor, etc.. Is the hyphen a must?


title: Usage of "Which Birthday"

text: On the day of a Colleague's Birthday, I asked him "Which birthday" meaning to ask "How old have you become today". He was of the opinion that it is not a correct usage. Is the usage "Which Birthday" correct? If not what would be the right way (both I and my Colleague are not native English speakers)


title: A word for an experience that must be lived

text: I believe that I had read the definition for a word that was described as an experience that must be experienced in order to be understood. The example was parenting in that you cannot Simply read about it to gain understanding and that you must actually live it. Is there a single word that describes this?


title: What are days that are not present in all calendar months called?

text: Is there a term for days that are not present in all (Gregorian) calendar months? E.g. January has 30 and 31 but February doesn't. What are days like 30 and 31 called? **update:** The word, if it exists, was supposedly to be used as something like: > If special recurring date is a [day-not-present-in-all-calendar-months] day, > it becomes the 28th instead.


title: Definition by example

text: Consider the following two ways of defining a chicken egg:   1. An oval-shaped white object with a hard shell and soft interior containing albumin.   2. An object that a chicken lays. These are really two different types of definitions. The first describes the object itself explicitly, so one knows what the object is. The second describes how the object is produced, so essentially whatever results from the defined process is, by definition, such an object. I would like to know if there are names or these two types of definitions. Initially I was thinking about "explicit/implicit definition", but I am not sure that is the best way to put it. Perhaps "constructive definition"? "empirical definition"?


title: Can last names be shortened just as first names?

text: I know first names are usually shortened in verbal communication for reasons that I am not clear about. For example, _Andrew_ becomes _Andy_. But is it also the case for last names? If yes, what is the reason? Is it polite or impolite? For example, if I am correct, I heard once that _Robinson_ is shortened to _Robin_ by a third person in the US.


title: Structure of title

text: If the title of a book is in two parts and the parts are separated by a colon, which is the main part and which is the optional or dependent part. An example of such a title is "The Quest for Freedom: Struggles of Migrants".


title: Word for opposing sides in a war

text: What word would I use when describing two opposing sides in a war? Assuming I want to refer to them in a manner similar to the following: > Comparing/contrasting the **___ ___**'s of the war. Using _opposing sides_ lacks eloquence in my opinion. I'm also open to rewording the above so that _opposing sides_ is not needed.


title: *seniority* in the context of work

text: generally I associate "seniority" in the workplace with where an employee in the organizational hierarchy, and not with the amount of time an employee has been with the company. This term often comes up in board meetings. In the language of the land I live in, Hebrew, there are two distinct words used- ותק (vetek- the amount of time an employee has been employed at a company) and בכירות (bechirut- low-level vs high-level employees). Are there two distinct terms in English for this? Thanks!


title: Adjective, "but" adjective question

text: > _How about a burger?_ > > _Delicious, but healthy?_ Is the proper interpretation of the second phrase ("Delicious, but healthy?") what follows below?   * The part that comes before the comma should be interpreted as an affirmation stating that the burger is delicious, and the part that comes after the comma should raise the curiosity of the reader about how healthy the burger is.


title: How does “to entail” develop to mean “involve (something) as an inevitable part”?

text: What's the logical derivation behind definition 1 of **to entail**: >   1. Involve (something) as a necessary or inevitable part or consequence: > How does the etymology (listed in that link and here) lead to the foregoing meaning? > **Etymonline:** mid-14c., "convert (an estate) into 'fee tail' (feudum > talliatum)," from en- (1) "make" + taile "legal limitation," especially of > inheritance, ruling who succeeds in ownership and preventing it from being > sold off, from Anglo-French taile, Old French taillie, past participle of > taillier "allot, cut to shape," from Late Latin taliare. Sense of "have > consequences" is 1829, from notion of "inseparable connection." Related: > Entailed; entailling.. Moreover, this intricate, complicated presentation confuses me.


title: What does “bupke” mean?

text: There was the following passage in the _New Yorker_ 's (August 27) article titled, “A scandal at the C.I.A. May be.” : > In January I (David Shafer, novelist) filed a Freedom of Information Act > request with the C.I.A., asking for any information relating to my > grandfather and Thomas Whittemore and the events of June 1950. They took two > months to give me bupkes. But to give me bupkes, they were required to > invoke a FOIA exemption, and the exemption that C.I.A. involved were (b)(3), > which means the records are protected by another federal statute, and (b)(1) > --- Though I was unable to find the definition of “bupke” in OED (10th ed.), OALD (2000), and Collins Cobuild (4th ed.) at hand, I happened to find its definition at bageldrive.com, which says “bupke” is; > A mini-bagel deliciously baked to perfection with fully functional USB 2.0 > flash memory and a shmeer. It’s the world’s first electronic bagel. The > Bagel Drive is ideal for storing files, photos, video, music and all of your > digital tchochkes. The site also shows photos of USB attached to plastic > bagel models. What does _bupke_ mean? Is it a flash memory in a bagel shape as described in bagldrive com.? Does it pass as the generic term of flash memory? Beside, I wonder why CIA takes bother of using such a funky shape of all flash memories to provide data to the requester.


title: Is it spelled "propeling" or "propelling" in American English?

text: Since _travel_ becomes _traveler_ and _traveling_ in AmE (no double **l** ), I thought that the same rule applied to _propel_. However, reading and writing _propeling_ feels awkward. (And _propeler_ feels even more awkward...) What is the correct spelling in American English? (Google ~~seems to~~ **definitely** favors _propelling_ , but I thought it best to ask the experts.)


title: Uses of the word "lyrics"

text: I don’t understand how to use of the word _lyrics_. I would like to know how it is used by a native English speaker. The Concise Oxford English Dictionary says: _lyric_ noun (also _lyrics_ ) the words of a song. Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary says: the words of a song ― often used in plural. So, I can guess that _lyric_ could be used as a singular word, but I want to be sure that it is commonly used. When we talk about what a singer says in a song we are talking about the _lyrics_. By using the Internet, I can download all the _lyrics_ of an artist. What happens if I want just one? I will download _one lyric_ , _the lyrics of one song_ or both ways are correct? I read that the word _lyric_ is related to poems but what happens in this case. Likewise, in the context menu of some lyrics software, if I want to edit the lyrics of a song, which is the best option "edit the lyric" or "edit lyrics"?


title: Specifying a moment in the future when something will happen

text: Is one of these phrases correct: > as soon as I earn enough money   >  as soon as I have earned enough money   >  as soon as I'll earn enough money   >  as soon as I'll have earned enough money or are all wrong? I want to point to a moment in the future when I'll have some/enough money to purchase something.


title: What is the correct pronunciation of Hele?

text: I’ve always wondered what the correct or considered correct pronunciation of the old Saxon word hele is. The Oxford English Dictionary states it should be pronounced as /hiːl/ and that’s what I’ve always used – > hele > > Pronunciation: /hiːl/ > > To hide, conceal; to keep secret. I’ve also heard it pronounced as /heɪl/ and whenever I’ve questioned that pronunciation, I’ve always been told that it is correct or that is the preferred way of pronunciation. So which is it /hiːl/ or /heɪl/?


title: What's another word for Guinea Pig, i.e. when you call someone a "test dummy"?

text: If someone is being used to test a new product or idea, they can be called a "guinea pig" (because Guinea Pigs are usually used by medical labs for testing). What is another term that would carry the same meaning (other than "lab rat")? I don't simply want other words for "guinea pig", like rodent or cavy. I'm hoping someone knows of a good term with the same interpretation but completely different and unrelated to "guinea pig". My main motivation is to avoid the cliche, since I find "guinea pig" and "lab rat" are used too often and the characters in my story use more sophisticated terms. The leaders of the tribe within the fantasy world in which the story takes place, have devised a new system they want to secretly institute. They approach the first character, let's call John and try to convince him to start using a certain something (John doesn't know about the secret plan). Catching on to what is happening, his close friend Jim tries to talk him out of it by calling him a "guinea pig". [However I am looking for a different word than "guinea pig" if possible].


title: Meaning of "Updated As Reported"

text: I have a question about this example: > link   >  (move mouse over the blue question mark)   >  Choose the ID that matches the office you want to visit. This information > is reported by the doctor directly and **_updated as reported_** for each > plan. What is the meaning of " _updated as reported_ "?


title: What is the difference between born and borne?

text: What is the difference between _born_ and _borne_. Can anyone cite any solid examples?


title: Is "is" an auxiliary verb?

text: > John is working now. Is the verb 'is' in this example an auxiliary verb?


title: "Surprising to" vs. "surprising for"

text: Should I say "one thing is quite surprising _to_ me" or "one thing is quite surprising _for_ me" in the sentence below? > I've read your article. I am not going to say it's completely dud, don't > worry. But one thing is quite surprising [to/for] me: you say in your > article that...


title: Use "underway" or "under way" as an adverb?

text: Is it proper to use _underway_ as an adverb? Or should _under way_ be used? Merriam-Webster defines _underway_ as an adjective and _under way_ as an adverb. The Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus makes no distinction. I think this might be a split between British English and American English. Or at least using _underway_ as an adverb is becoming more popular.


title: Difference between "fell to the ground" vs. "fell on the ground"

text: What is the difference between the following two: > A young bird was flying in cold weather; after awhile, her wings froze up > and she _fell to the ground_. > > A young bird was flying in cold weather; after awhile, her wings froze up > and she _fell on the ground_. I understand that the first conveys the movement toward the ground, while the second merely says that she fell _on_ the ground. But I am not sure which one to pick. Is there something more to the usage of these two prepositions?


title: When is "will" used in an "if" clause?

text: Given the following sentences that use _will_ in the _if_ clause (which is seldom with if-clauses and therefore, I'm not sure they all are even grammatical or not). >   * If you **will/would** kindly lend me your book, I will be thankful to > you. >   * If you **will not/would** not mind lending me your book, I will be > thankful to you. >   * If you **will/would** wait for a while, I will check it for you. > * * * >   * If you will use it, you can have it >   * If you will not arrive before six o'clock, I cannot meet you. > What if the last sentence is modified as follows? > If you will not **be arriving** before six o'clock, I cannot meet you. Once upon a time, it was found in a grammar book. * * * > If the play will not be finished until ten o'clock, I will have to spend the > night at your place. Can the following version of this sentence have a different meaning (or no meaning at all — a wrong sense)? > If the play is not **going to be finished** until ten o'clock, I will have > to spend the night at your place. After all, the question is when is _will_ used in if-clauses as the title implies? * * * Moreover, both the following sentences appear to indicate a probable condition. >   * If he came, I **should** help him. >   * If he came, I **would** help him. > Using _should_ and _would_ interchangeably in such contexts implies a significant difference in meaning?


title: Is there a concise word for "cough tea"?

text: I'm looking for the word that describes a tea making coughing more productive. Is there any concise word for that?


title: "Prevalent" vs "prevailing"

text: What is the difference in meaning between _prevalent_ and _prevailing_? I'm not sure I get the nuance, if there is one.


title: A Question On Relative Pronouns & Conjunctions

text: I came across this quote from the movie _RocknRolla_ : > Oh, beauty is a beguiling call to death and I'm addicted to the sweet pitch > of its siren. That that starts sweet ends bitter, and that which starts > bitter ends sweet. I understand the metaphor. But I'm confused with the sentence structure of > That that starts sweet ends bitter, and that which starts bitter ends sweet. Are the first _that_ and the _that_ before 'which starts bitter ends sweet' conjunctions while the second _that_ and _which_ relative pronouns?


title: What's the context of use of the word kudos?

text: What's the origin and context of use of the word **kudos**? I think these phrases are similar:               Kudos for you     Karma for you     Points for you      The first time I read kudos was playing Metropolis Street Racer


title: Which is better, "on" or "in" + place?

text: I am sometimes confused the usage of prepositions. I say, "It happened in the bathroom." Native speakers of English would say, "It happened on the bathroom." Is one, both, or none correct? What is the actual difference between "on" and "in"???


title: Could you lend me any/a little/../money?

text: I would like to know how to say that correctly and whether some/any could stand as a subject in the sentence: Could you lend me ... money? Sure, If I find some/any.


title: Hypernym for "approve" and "reject"

text: User A goes to the web page and clicks a menu called 'Submit Request', where User A will fill out a form request and submit it to his/her Supervisor. Then User A's Supervisor will go to the web page and click a menu called 'Approve/Reject Request', where User A's Supervisor will either approve or reject User A's request form. Now, I was wondering if there is a term or word to describe 'Approve/Reject' collectively. I had a term in mind, which is 'Inspect Request' but I don't think it's perfect in our case and so would like to hear more suggestion from the ground.


title: Another word or term to describe 'Not correctly and properly maintain for quite a long time'

text: I was thinking of the word "dysfunction" to describe 'Not correctly and properly maintain for quite a long time' for electrical devices & heavy machinery. However, personally I also feel quite inappropriate to use that word to describe it. Are there better word(s) or term(s) to describe it?


title: Is it "GPL License" or "GPL license"?

text: Every time I write _GPL license_ the spelling checker of my Mac OS X keeps to underline _license_ in green; if I write _GPL License_ , the spelling checker doesn't underline _License_.   When I hover the mouse over the word, the Mac shows a tool tip with the following sentence: > The word _license_ may not agree with the rest of the sentence. This happens whatever I write, even if I write _The GPL license is commonly used._ If I write _the GPL Licence is commonly used_ , the word _Licence_ is underlined in red, and I get the suggestion to replace it with _License_ or _Licensee_.   The same happens if I use _licence_. What I am doing wrong? PS: My Mac is set to use the American English as default language.


title: Etymology of "Sidejacking"

text: How did the term "Sidejacking" come out? What is its origin?


title: The meaning of "oxymoronic state"

text: Can the term "oxymoronic state" be paraphrased somehow like "a state of paradoxes?" I know that "paradox" and "oxymoron" are completely different, and I need to translate an article for my thesis, so I need to be really sure that I understand correctly. The context is this: > The new Czechoslovakia was one of a number of nominally national but in fact > multinational states created in East Central Europe after the collapse of > empires in 1917-1918. In the Czechoslovak case, the high-minded principle of > Wilsonian self-determination combined with the Realpolitik of postwar > alliance politics to produce what is perhaps best described as an > _oxymoronic state_. Sorry for the text being so long and thank you for helping.


title: Origin of the expression "landed in a tub of butter" (meaning lucky)?

text: I've heard a friend say "he says he was so lucky, it's like he _sat his ass in a butter tub_ " a few times. Even though I'm from the same area (northeast USA) as the speaker, the expression wasn't familiar to me. I'm curious to learn more about its history, but can't find much. I did find several examples in recent books: _Hollywood Monster: A Walk Down Elm Street with the Man of Your Dreams_ (2009): ![I'd landed my butt in a tub of butter](http://i.stack.imgur.com/zOWxp.png) and _Dashing Through the Snow_ (2008): ![she certainly landed in a tub of butter](http://i.stack.imgur.com/Ud9Yn.png) as well as blogs, (2009, someone writing about their 85-year-old grandmother's expressions): > “Well, he just landed in a butter tub!” – (referring to Reesie, the little > puppy we found this summer) and in a much earlier newspaper example in the _Milwaukee Journal_ (1922, a humorous story about a lucky escape from the embarrassment of a wardrobe malfunction): ![How Diogenes sat himself in a tub of butter](http://i.stack.imgur.com/yHsOe.png) The expression, or at least the _sat in_ version, seems to be well-known in the 1922 example (though the story includes a giant tub of butter, so perhaps the audience is supposed to understand it from context). But here my Google-fu fails me and I haven't found anything earlier. Where does the expression _landed in a tub of butter_ come from? I'm not sure if _sat_ or _landed_ is more common, if cursing or mentioning the posterior is required, or if _tub of butter_ or _butter tub_ is the more usual phrasing. So for bonus points*, which version is the most normal or idiomatic? *Bonus points may be even sharper and more imaginary than regular points.


title: What is a word that means both silly and scary?

text: To find music, my friend and I were trying to think of a word that means both silly and scary. She says that she knows she's used it before but can't remember it. Any ideas?


title: Is there a single word to express the idea of "remove from existence"

text: I'm writing a simple application which will remove any trace that I was ever at a PC. (Not for nefarious reasons before anyone asks - I do a lot of temporary work at client sites and when I leave, I want an easy way of uninstalling all my applications and software licenses) Coding is the easy part but what to call it... that has me stumped. Don't laugh, names are important! I could just go with something boring like "AppCleaner" but I was hoping to find something a little more interesting. It's probably getting into the realms of philosophy but are there any words (in any language) to express the concept of "remove from existence"? **edit** the original wording was "never existed" but, as pointed out in the comment, that's not quite the same thing as removing from existence which is what I'm actually after.


In terms of betting, how would you say "You will get 5× in return if you win"?


title: Meaning of "my having completed my packing"

text: I ran into this in a novel: > This expedition began this morning almost an hour later than I had planned, > despite my having completed my packing, and loaded the Ford with all > necessary items well before eight o’clock. I suppose "despite my having completed my packing" equals "although I had completed my packing". I would like to know if there is a rule for _despite_ \+ _possessive adj_ \+ _having_ \+ _p.p._. If so, any links would be appreciated so that I could study more on it.


title: "The larger of A and B" or "the larger of A or B"

text: I was wondering which one is more correct between "the larger of A and B" and "the larger of A or B". I use the former, but I saw in IRS instruction for Form 1040: > In most cases, your federal income tax will be less if you take the larger > of your itemized deductions or standard deduction.


title: Contraction in "Your file'll be downloaded..."

text: Is it correct to use the contraction in _Your file'll be downloaded..._? I don't know. It just doesn't sound right to me. English is not my first language, so maybe someone here could shed some light on this issue.


title: What does “sayd” (etc.) mean in old book clipping?

text: Quotation from A history of the cries of London ancient (p24, 25). ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/1xdop.jpg) Noisy parties of wits and **Paul** 's men crossed to Bankside to see _Romeo and Juliet_ , _or Hamlet the Dane_ , or else 'The most excellent **historie** of the _Merchant of Venice_ , with the extreme **crueltie** of _Shylocke_ , the **Jewe** , towards the **sayd** merchant, in cutting a just pound of his flesh, and obtaining of Portia by the **choyse** of three caskets, as it **hath** diverse times been acted by the **Lord Chamberlain** , his servants. Written by William Shakespeare.'


title: Does one hyphenate height when given in feet and inches?

text: In a work of fiction I'm writing, I'm using the colloquial phrase _five-one_ to refer to someone's height. Should that be hyphenated as _five-one_ , or should it just be written woth a space separating the two parts, so as _five one_?


title: What's the meaning of "real gone"

text: As in the song ' _Real Gone_ ' by Sheryl Crow: > "Everybody's lookin' for a way to get real gone." Does that mean something cool?