Is there a single word that means “hitting the target but missing the point”?

For example the waiting time target in a hospital can be met if enough patients are killed off quickly so freeing up beds. However hitting the waiting time target in that way is rather missing the point of healthcare!


What is a word that describes words that are unnecessarily complicated? Any suggestions for a word or a phrase would be great. For example, the use of many adjectives (which are not be used commonly in conversation) to describe a particle noun. "A predilection by the intelligentsia to engage in the manifestation of prolix exposition through a buzzword disposition form of communication notwithstanding the availability of more comprehensible, punctiliously applicable, diminutive alternatives"


Which is correct here: "*sometime* next month" vs. "*sometimes* next month"?

Are those expressions equivalent, or which one should be preferred? For instance: > I should finish this work **sometimes** next week versus > I should finish this work **sometime** next week


"try" or "try out" (difference?)

What is the difference between "try" and "try out"?


What is the term for words like “Look” and “Listen” followed by a comma at the start of a sentence?

What is the technical term for the part of speech in bold? > **Look** , I'm not sure what you've been told, but carrots don't glow in the > dark unless they mean business. or > **Listen** , the only thing keeping him alive right now is that carrot. I want to find some information on this kind of word for a class I am teaching. I want to find more examples and instances of usage. The problem is that I'm finding it impossible to come up with a search term that correctly encompasses it. I'm sure if I knew the technical word I could find more information myself, but just searching with "look" and "listen" is hopeless, because they are such common words. From what I have been able to ascertain so far, the answer appears to fall somwehere between the camps of _interjection_ and _discourse marker_ , but not into either exclusively or perfectly. Anything to point me in the right direction would be appreciated. **EDIT:** Just to be clear, I need to know the technical term so that _I_ can search effectively for explanations and usage examples. I will then use these to craft an explanation that is easy for the students to understand. I am _not_ looking to use the technical vocabulary to explain things directly to students. **SOLUTION(?)** Not sure enough to post it as an answer, but it may help others with a similar problem to know that term **attention-getting device** seems to be used a fair amount. Here are some interesting (though slightly tangential) resources I found:   * Imperatives of visual versus auditory perception as pragmatic markers in English and Dutch   * Links between Eyebrow Movements and Voice Variations : an Experimental Investigation   * Discourse Markers in Native And Non-native English Discourse Also found some good information here which helped me form my teaching plan, though again not precisely what I was looking for:   * As I Was Saying: How and Why to Teach Discourse Markers


What does the phrase "the fine point" mean?

I heard about this sentence, > "How to do it well? The fine point: ...." What does ' _the fine point_ ' mean in this context?


Opposite word of "addiction"

Though the very obvious opposite of the word _addiction_ is "deaddiction", I couldn't find the latter in any dictionary (I checked in Oxford, Chambers and Cambridge). Why is it so? If "deaddiction" is not the real antonym, then please suggest another.


Usage of "tenebrous"

Can the word _tenebrous_ be used to mean _ambiguous_? > Your statement is ambiguous. > > Your statement is **tenebrous**.


"Impact in" vs. "Impact on"

> This change has no impact _in_ the system's current behaviour. Is the preposition _in_ grammatical here? I think we should have used _on_ instead: > This change has no impact _on_ the system's current behaviour. But I'm not sure if both are acceptable and have their own meaning.


"rumor" vs "unfounded rumor"

If I'm not wrong, "rumor" means: > A story or report of uncertain or doubtful truth and "unfounded" means: > Having no foundation or basis in fact If so, what is the difference between an "unfounded rumor" and a "rumor"?


"Ponder about" or just "ponder"?

Which is correct? >   1. He was pondering about the meaning of life. >   2. He was pondering the meaning of life. >


"Of which many" vs "many of which" as parenthetical modifiers

> The houses on Canal street, of which many had been damaged in the storm, > looked abandoned. Is the modifier "of which many... storm" correct? I know that "on canal street" is a prepositional phrase so it cannot be the antecedent of "which". also, I can say that "of which many... storm" is a subgroup modifier which modifies "houses." But I doubt whether the modifier is properly used. My friend suggested this: > The houses on canal street, many of which had been damaged in the storm, > looked abandoned. Although I know that this is correct and more appropriate, I cannot figure out what is wrong with the original sentence. Is the modifier "of which many... storm" correct or not, and why so?


A 'polite' way to say that someone is fat

Can you help in finding an adjective or expression that you can use to tell a persons that they are fat or overweight in a as neutral as possible way. The overweight person in question is very sensitive to the issue so I need to address the problem in a delicate way.


Professional ways of saying "to know something"

Usually, in our CV or resume, we will say that "I know this, I know that, blah blah". I think the verb "to know" is not formal enough in such situation. Is there a better way to say you know something, like this:   * I know Japanese -> I have knowledge of Japanese


Rules for 'no' and 'not'

Can anyone elucidate a comprehensive list of rules regarding the usage of 'no' and 'not'? I've found rules of thumb, such as 'no' for nouns and 'not' for everything else, but then there's the case of "there are no kids" and "there are not any kids" — what's the rule for that? And are there other rules lurking?


Regarding abbreviations in chapter/section titles in a technical text

What is common practice regarding the use of abbreviations in chapter/section titles in a technical text? Is it encouraged? Should it be avoided? Is it preferable to include the full name of the term in question AND its abbreviation? Does it depend on how recently the term was defined in the text? Let's assume that the abbreviation in question is not necessarily very broadly known. By the way, I happen to believe that the use of abbreviations in the title of the work itself (e.g. a scientific paper or a PhD thesis) is unacceptable (but please correct me if I'm wrong). Section titles seems to me to be a bit of a gray zone, however. For instance, what is preferable out of the following alternatives?               Section 1: The Streamline-Upwind Petrov-Galerkin method      or               Section 1: The SUPG method      or               Section 1: The Streamline-Upwind Petrov-Galerkin (SUPG) method


Word to describe this specific kind of irrational reasoning

I would like to know if there is a word/idiom to describe a certain phenomenon (maybe social inclination is a better word). I think it's kind of an anti- intellectualism, but anti-intellectualism doesn't cut it perfectly because it's not really "anti" intellectualism. It just doesn't use rational thinking and relies on folk knowledge, words of important figures (often by adding a lot of meaning to its original meaning by... zen-like thinking?), customs etc. Best concrete example I can think of is the cultural revolution in China, when Mao instructed the people to "learn from the peasants". As I understand, peasants or life as a peasant was glorified during this time and that's basically the reasoning. Other examples I can think of are from Japan (I am Japanese). The Japanese love the word "effort." When school children learn English, many teachers have them read the English text "a hundred times" and claim that this is useful to understand the text. Similarly, some (thankfully not many) even have the school children memorize the English text book word by word. Sometimes they even use this specific method:   1. Start from the beginning.    2. If you make a mistake anywhere while reciting it, start over from the BEGINNING.  The reasoning here is that "effort is important, so doing this would help." There are probably more extreme examples in North Korea. I don't know any examples outside Asia, but my guess is that there are. So I'd prefer a word that isn't specific to Asia, if possible. **UPDATE** :   To clarify, I'm asking a word/idiom to describe the underlying phenomenon that leads to specific social behaviors like encouraging "Rote learning" (thanks Bogdan). So, rote learning is one of the manifestations of this "thing" I'm asking.


"Are you sure sure" — is this repetition grammatically correct?

A typical conversation among members of my age demographic could go like this: > Person 1: Did you know that x > y?!? > > Person 2: Are you sure? > > Person 1: Yeah, I'm sure. > > Person 2: Are you _sure_ sure? Is this grammatically correct?


Right use of expressions like 'Is today any match'?

I recently went to the US and one day I was talking with one of my colleagues about sports and I asked "Is today any match of World Series?" which was definitely incorrect judging by her reaction (which was, "Are you asking 'Are there any matches today?'") but fairly common in India where I hail from. My question is, we use "Today is my birthday", and "Today is the match between abc and xyz". Are all of these incorrect? Should it be "It is my birthday today"? And speaking of birthdays, I was recently watching a movie, and one line was "Is it your birthday?". That did not go down with me because I think it should have been "Is it your birthday today?" I am not really sure what is the difference between these two. Can anyone help with this?


I need a clean, professional way of saying 'Half-ass'

as in I don't want to do a **__** job of motherhood or my career.


Word to describe a company's brand, products and services

I'm trying to find a word or phrase that sums up a company's brand, products and services. I'm thinking something along the lines of "company initiatives," but that doesn't seem to sum up the three.


What does the word "predict" imply?

I am not sure if I could use the word _predict_ in the context of a scientific forecast. Does this word have a connotation of guessing, transcendental belief, or some kind of humbug? And if so, what to use instead?


What pronunciation does Google dictionary use?

I generally use the "define" Google search tool to find what a word means, and how it should be pronounced correctly. Unlike websites like thefreedictionary.com, Google doesn't tell you what pronunciation it's using. I'd like to learn the British pronunciation, rather than the American one (or at least be aware of which one I'm being taught). Would any one know what pronunciation Google provides? I've looked around the forum and found a question on what phonetic symbols Google Search uses. I think my query is a little different.


What is the metaphoric meaning of silo?

> Process-oriented organizations break down the barriers of structural > departments and try to avoid functional silos. I was wondering what _silo_ means here? Is it a metaphor?


What's single word for fake image?

What is single word in English for a fake/false image (in terms of personality, not in terms of photograph) of someone?


What is the origin of the culinary term "escabeche"

What is the origin of the culinary term or dish "escabeche"


Is "Tasks for life" correct?

"Tasks for life" - Would such a phrase be apropriate for a brand ? Is it correct to say it that way ? I want to create a task managing site, where people would manage their tasks in life. PS: English is not my native language, so please, excuse me.


What's the proper synonym for purchase when used in real-estate context?

How to say   * Buying Price   * Purchase Price   * You name it Note, I need the 'buying' term, as opposed to Sale Price. It's for a form where the user should fill in how much he paid for the apartment and for how much he sold it.


Why does "bananas" mean "crazy"?

I wanted to know how and when the word "bananas" came to be associated with "crazy". There was nothing detailed on Etymonline, but thanks to OED, I came to know that this book is the origin of this usage. I haven't been able to figure out the reason behind the usage, though. Is it arbitrary? Is it a random usage made popular by others, like videos that go viral on social networks? PS: Incidentally, the use of "jerk" to mean _a fool_ also originates from the same text.


What does the phrase "half seven" mean?

I've heard the British term "half seven" (or "half nine," "half five", etc) used to tell time. I can't remember though if it means 6:30 or 7:30 (i.e. half _an hour before_ seven, or half _past_ seven)? I'm American and have never heard another American use the phrase, but apparently it's very common in the UK.


About using "only" with present perfect

I have seen this sentence in a status from one of my facebook friends. It doesn't sound right to me. > We have only left the city for the day. I think that it should be something like: > We have left the city for only a day (just for a day). Which one is correct and what is the usage of _only_ with present perfect? I consider sentences like > We have only seen a few of the sights of this marvelous city. to be correct, but the above sentence just doesn't sound correct for me.


Use of an ~ing form with another verb

I'm not sure how to describe the use of the bolded words in the following cases: > Pete is happy **singing** a song > > Anna talked **screaming** > > Mike entered the room **screaming** and **laughing** Is it acting as an adverb? Or has a preposition been elided? > Pete is happy **while** singing a song > > Anna talked **while** screaming > > Mike entered the room **while** screaming and laughing


One who reads newspapers

I'm looking to write a Java interface similar to Observer/Observable but with Newspaper/ _insert_word_here_. I'd like the word to not be something simple like _reader_ , but has some sort of reference to what the reader is reading. If someone has other suggestions of an item that is read/viewed/etc and a corresponding noun-ified verb that goes alongside while referencing the item type I would also like to see that. _Meta - I wanted to add a tag 'word-pair' for the alternative second half but I couldn't due to low reputation. If anyone wants to add it, or if they feel like it should be a separate question, feel free to comment._


In work environment, we frequently encounter the words "deployment" and "release" in technical context. I often hear them used interchangeably also. It is mainly related to "Release and Deployment Management". For example, Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) defines the aim of Release and Deployment Management as: > ITIL Release and Deployment Management aims to plan, schedule and control > the movement of releases to test and live environments. The primary goal of > Release Management and Deployment Management is to ensure that the integrity > of the live environment is protected and that the correct components are > released. > > Source: http://wiki.en.it- > processmaps.com/index.php/Release_and_Deployment_Management Additionally, I found the below technical definitions but these are not the only usages: > release:   >  1\. Making a version of software available to the public.   >  2\. A software version which has been made available to the public.   >  Source: http://www.computeruser.com/dictionary > > deploy: To install, test and implement a computer system or application.   >  Source: http://www.webopedia.com/ Wikipedia's "software deployment" article mentions below but it looks like the below definitions can not be applied to all kind of deployments in an IT environment: > Software deployment is all of the activities that make a software system > available for use. > > The release activity follows from the completed development process. It > includes all the operations to prepare a system for assembly and transfer to > the customer site. Therefore, it must determine the resources required to > operate at the customer site and collect information for carrying out > subsequent activities of deployment process. * * * **Questions:**   * What is the difference between "deployment" and "release"? (This question asks a general difference in a technical context but to be more specific, it can be related to a "code change".)   * Can we use these words interchangeably? For example, Can we use both sentences below and can they have the same meaning? > I will release the change to production.   >  I will deploy the change to production.   * ITIL also defines one of the Role/Sub-Process as _Release Deployment_. So, is "release" used as a noun mainly in this context?   Are releases always deployed?   Can we release a release? **Note:** I would like to get answers from real life experiences about the usage of these terminologies in work environments and release management processes. **Note2:** Great subjective questions invite sharing experiences over opinions. Certainly experiences inform opinions, but the best subjective questions unabashedly and unashamedly prioritize sharing actual experiences over random opinions.   Source: http://blog.stackoverflow.com/2010/09/good-subjective-bad-subjective/


What is the word "who"?

Is the word "who" an adverb? If not, what is it? If it is an adverb, what type of adverb is it?


words pronounced with their letters reversed

Why are some words pronounced as though their letters were reversed? For example, why is _bible_ pronounced “buy-bel” and not “bib-lee”, or _Favre_ pronounced “far-vuh” and not “fav-rah”?


"Tip" or "tips" of your fingers?

Which of the following is correct and why?   * opportunity at the _tips_ of her fingers   * opportunity at the _tip_ of her fingers The former seems correct to me, but I don’t entirely understand why.


Usage of "make it" in this context

Consider the following sentence . My boss (say Mr X) wrote this to me in an email and before this paragraph he actually gave a list of items that I need to work on : > We will have a Webex meeting at 9:00 AM on Friday with Y to review these > items. Please confirm that you can make it. Is he saying that I should be done with those items before 9:00 AM on Friday and then have the meeting with Y or is he just asking me to confirm my availablitiy for that meeting ?


Does erudite carry positive or negative or neutral connotation? I received a comment on my writing style from a mathematician a while ago > Why not try for direct active voice and stop trying to make it sound > erudite?


An adjective for something that will happen next month

English is a so cool that I believe even an adjective which means "happening next month" exists. > Tom is a rather strange man. He always has the urge to attend a **___ __ ___ > ___** event but he always changes his mind after fortnight. Nobody can > really account for why he loses interest just about one week before the > event, not even himself. If such an adjective does not exist, how about an adjective that means "happening in one (or two) months' time"? Does the database of English words have space for such a word? Please do not suggest words like "future", "coming", "forthcoming", "prospective", "upcoming", "impending" because they are certainly not what I'm looking for.


What is the “-ine” word that pertains to sheep?

If _porcine_ means pertaining to pigs, _bovine_ pertaining to cows, and _caprine_ pertaining to goats, what is the _-ine_ word that denotes pertaining to sheep?


Plural or singular verb when subject is separated by a comma?

In a sentence when subject is separated by a comma, we use there plural verb or singular verb? There are no conjunction like _and, as well as_ in between. Like I have one sentence as : > Too much cricket, too many teams to lead **_have/has_** left Dhoni jaded. Here Dhoni is the name of a person. I think **have** would sound more appropriate in this context as here comma denote **and** implicitly. But I am not sure. Please clear up my confusion about it.


Is "autodidact" too obscure to use in a résumé?

I'm updating my résumé and I'm trying to describe myself as "someone who learns on his own", though more briefly. I think the word "autodidact" fits but an informal survey around the workplace showed that many people don't know what the word means. I'm concerned that using the word will leave those reading my résumé scratching their heads, or worse, make me appear pretentious. Does "autodidact" fall into the category of "five dollar words" and should I just replace it with a brief phrase?


Difference between the words "validate" and "agree"

What is the difference between agreeing with a persons feelings and validating their feelings?


The Swung Dash ~ Has Anybody Heard of It?

Has anybody ever heard of the _swung dash_? Friends tell me that this is being used by writers in lieu of the dash. See examples below. Has anybody ever seen this usage? If so, is it new? You are the friend ~ the only friend ~ who offered to help me. Never have I met such a lovely person ~ before you. I pay the bills ~ she has all the fun. I need three items at the store ~ dog food, vegetarian chili, and cheddar cheese. My agreement with Fiona is clear ~ she teaches me French and I teach her German. Please call my agent ~ Jessica Cohen ~ about hiring me. I wish you would ~ oh, never mind. Two oaks ~ Cassidy had never seen such amazing trees ~ provided shade to the backyard. Levi wondered how anyone could live like that ~ and why. John ~ blood dripping from his nose ~ stepped into the room. I scrubbed the dog ~ and what a chore it was! ~ only to have the cat arrive covered in mud. When I picked up Karen ~ oh my gosh ~ I was stunned by her beauty. I fell ~ oh no! ~ all the way to the ground. I chased his car ~ was it his? ~ all the way to town. Cars built in Europe ~ particularly in Germany ~ are stylish and sporty. Are you sure" ~ you lying jerk ~ "that you didn't take my car?" He has only one thing on his mind ~ girls! Only one person is qualified for this job ~ you. Thank you.


"On" versus "off"

We're having a debate in our office as to which of the following is grammatically correct: > Get savings of up to 75% **off** name brand clothes […].   >  Get savings of up to 75% **on** name brand clothes […].   >  Get savings of up to 75% **off of** name brand clothes […]. Please help us settle this!


What's a shorter way to say recommendation?

Looking for abbreviation or similar meaning words. The context is recommended songs, movies, books etc. I need a shorter way to say the same thing (preferably half the characters) in order to fit it into a mobile application user interface. I checked Thesaurus but doesn't help.


Punctuating a phrase leading up to a question

In formal writing (like a technical paper), is there a generally accepted way to punctuate the break between an introductory phrase and a question in a sentence like this? > Let's ask ourselves (--insert punctuation here--) what would a world without > computers look like? I know that you could reword it to avoid the direct question, but that's not what I'm asking about. A few possibilities occurred to me: >   1. Let's ask ourselves: what would a world without computers look like? > >   2. Let's ask ourselves - what would a world without computers look like? > >   3. Let's ask ourselves... what would a world without computers look like? > >   4. Let's ask ourselves, what would a world without computers look like? > >   5. Let's ask ourselves, "What would a world without computers look like?" > > Which would be the best to use and why?


Present continuous form for a polite question?

Should we use use the present continuous form " ** _would you mind if_** " to ask a polite question?


Difference between "to foot the bill" and "to fill the bill"

I already knew the expression, "to foot the bill," and there is also, "to fill the bill." I initially thought this was just a variant, but on closer examination it seems to be an altogether different idiomatic expression. So what's the difference?


Term for Indirect Dialogue

There are two different types of dialogue I'm aware of, that for the moment I'll refer to as 'direct' dialogue and 'indirect' dialogue. However, I know these terms aren't the correct ones, and it's been driving me crazy not being able to remember. An example would probably be best. 'Direct' dialogue: "I don't want to do that," he said. 'Indirect' dialogue: He said that he didn't want to do that. One form uses quotes to show explicitly what was said by the person; the other merely states that the person said something, without giving their words exactly. What are the proper terms for these two methods of displaying dialogue? Thanks!


"Faster, not sooner"

Over the weekend, I watched a talking head on TV saying the following sentence. > An economic recovery will come faster, not sooner. I can't make proper sense of this as both are _synonymous_ to me. I cannot find this as a common phrase either. Has anyone got an explanation for this statement? What are the differences between faster and sooner in this context?


Present and past participle in same sentence

Is anything wrong about this phrase "We build software solutions designed for scalability"? I think there is, because the tenses are not consistent.


what's the meaning of "It is not without interest that"? e.g. It is not without interest that most of the reports of military campaigns and the scenes of destruction of towns are dated to the late Fifth and the early Sixth Dynasty, that is, the final stage of the Old Kingdom.


Can I use "as late as" to express a deadline?

> You must submit your homework as late as tomorrow. Does the sentence have the same meaning as the following one? > The deadline for your homework submission is tomorrow. To be specific, I want to convey the urgency of the matter, not allowance for delay. From the answers, I've learned that "You must do something by some_time." or "You must do something no later then some_time." is what I want. But what if some_time is indicated by the occurrence of some thing? Are these two expressions correct? > You must start the second round no later than the first round ends. and > You must start the second round by the time the first round ends.


What is the correct way to write 'for ever more'?

I know that 'forever' is a word, and I know that 'evermore' is a word, but what is the correct way to write the phrase 'for ever more'? Is it 'forever more'? 'For evermore'? Or even _'forevermore'_ , as a long shot? Any help would be appreciated!


What does it mean to describe the 'inter-relationships' of two things?

Given the essay question: * * * > "Between Canada and Nigeria describe and explain the ' **inter- > relationships** ' between and among Health and Economic Development > > In your answer, focus on the similarities and differences of these **inter- > relationships**." I don't understand what its asking


omitting relative pronoun

"The man who lives in the house likes watching TV all day." when omitting "who", should it be "The man in the house likes watching TV all day" or "The man being in the house likes watching TV all day? Thanks


What's an adverb meaning "without willing to take 'no' for an answer"?

I'm thinking perhaps "insistently", but I don't think that conveighs the absoluteness of what I'm looking for and described in the question's title. Any other ideas?


Why "e.g." and not "f.e."? Why "i.e." and not "t.i."?

As a non-native English speaker without a classical education, it took me quite some time to appreciate the "e.g." and "i.e." abbreviations. What is wrong with "f.e." ("for example") and "t.i." ("that is")?


Does the abbreviation for Saint in a church name require a period?

In referring to a local church, does the name "St Giles" require a period after the "St"? I was told that to add a period confuses it with the abbreviation for street.


What's the neutral measurement unit for masculine and feminine?

When we want to know how tall or how short someone is, we can query for his tallness, shortness, or height (neutral measurement unit). Is there such a neutral measurement unit for the adjectives masculine and feminine? E.g. When we want to know how masculine or how feminine someone is, we can query for his masculineness, feminineness, or **___ __ ___ __** (neutral measurement unit). _Gender_ wouldn't work, since it seems to suggest only two points, either _male_ or _female_.


Is there a non-colloquial equivalent term for "cool"?

As I get older (into my 30s) the less I feel like using youthful slang, and I take extra pride in using professional English. But I can't think of a word that is universally equivalent to the colloquial term "cool" that means "worthy to judgmental youths" or something of that nature. Could you suggest some more professional-sounding terms that can be used instead? Something that would be appropriate to put in a book or research paper or news report on the topic of "coolness".


phrase origin: "sent packing"

What is the origin of the phrase "sent packing," which is used when someone gets the boot? I have seen it used a lot but would like to know where it originally came from.


What does “He is not a man about town” mean?

There was the phrase “ _He is not a man about town_ ” in the article of Time magazine May14 – 20 issue, titled “Brazil’s War on Big Oil,” reporting the oil-spill accident which took place in the sea 230 miles away the northwest of Rio de Janeiro on November 7 last year. The article introduces the background of Gorge Buck, President of Chevron’s Brazil subsidiary who was accused of his and his company’s responsibility for the accident by Brazilian federal prosecutor as follows: “He is 6-foot-5, slender, soft-spoken, and earnest to the point of social awkwardness. - - He lives with his family in Rio’s fashionable Ipanema beach district. _He is not a man about town.”_ As I am unfamiliar with the usage of “about a place,” I consulted OALD at hand. There were so many definitions of “about” as a preposition, adverb and adjective, but it seemed to me that only the definition 6. among them – “(Especially BrE.) able to be found in a place” as an adverb is somewhere near to the phrase, “ _a man about town_ ” used here. What does “He is not a man about town” exactly mean? Don’t we need “the” before “town,” if we are refering to Rio?


Other/the other confusion in a sentence

Consider the following sentence (it is a real medical condition) > These people have blue skin. We should let them get in touch with other > sufferers. I would prefer using **the other** sufferers as **other sufferers** could mean people suffering from anything. Do I get it correctly?


Is it recommended to include a preposition when listing several components of a sentence in parallel?

Consider the sample sentence below (quoted from a manual Here): > When you evaluate a list, the Lisp interpreter looks **at the first symbol > in the list** and then **at the function definition bound to that symbol**. > Then the instructions in the function definition are carried out. My question is: is it recommended to keep the duplicated "at" in the second bold text? Is it ALWAYS recommended to keep the preposition before such parallel structure? Appreciate any advice.


Is "trained up" grammatically correct?

When I hear expressions like "you need to get trained up", I think the _up_ is, at best, superfluous and probably grammatically incorrect. Is that the case, or does the _up_ serve a purpose?


Words with roots from different languages

CP Snow (author of "The Two Cultures") was said to have disliked the word "television" because it was a mixture of Greek and Latin roots. Is there any particular reason to dislike words like this? I'd also be interested in other examples (polyamory, vinopolis...)


What are words called that share the same root?

What do you call words that share the same root (e.g., "network", "networks", "networking"). Also, does the shortest one of them have a specific name (e.g., "network")?


Copying someone in email

I have often seen people writing a line like this in emails: > I have copied xyz on this email. This reads funny to me. I always thought it should be "I have copied this email to xyz". That makes more sense to me. Is the first usage correct? How did it come into being?


Where and how is Geil used?

The urban dictionary writes: > GEIL (Guy-el) The best colloquial word ever established by the German > language. It has slowly assimilated itself into English speaking culture, > particularly the Southeast of America. These cities such as: Charleston, > Charlotte, Atlanta, and Chattanooga the word 'GEIL' is used frequently and > interchangeably between the people whom reside there. > > Simple in Context: > > Im so Geil! (Fucked up) Wanna get Geil? (Wanna get wasted/fucked > up/nutty/lit..etc) She's fucking Geil! (She is hot and DTF) Brad, im so > fucking GEIL! > > Hey Chad, you down to get GEIL tonight? > > Hey is that Wendy Brown over there by the bartop? Yea, it is chad. Damn, > she's GEIL.she's GEIL. > > she's GEIL. **My questions:**   * Is this true and are there other areas where this word is known and used?   * Is there only the sexual connotation or could it also be used like "that's cool" (because the meaning in German has changed that way over the years)   * How taboo is it? mild or strong (I guess peergroup dependent...)?


X should have Y to Z (in the past)

I was doing some literature homework today, when I became confused as to whether or not the following sentence is grammatical: > X and Y should have killed Z **to** have prevented Z from killing them. Should "to" be swapped out for "in order to", or is the whole sentence just plain wrong?


Is there a word that means "both micro and macro"

I am looking for a word that means "micro and macro". For instance, if I was describing an economic phenomenon that can be observed on both the micro and macro levels of the economy, I could call it a **__** phenomenon. If you don't know of a "real" English term for this, I'm open to suggestions for new words!


Constructing compound sentences

Consider the following sentence: > One of the items that needed a further development was a research on child > nodes of a story representing its sub categories being updated the moment > the list of sub categories is changed through edit page for stories. The part from the beginning of the sentence to the word "research" is more or less clear. And then I would like to clarify what the research was about. Other facts that you might need:   1. The research is complete.   2. Child nodes represents sub categories of a story.   3. The research was investigating a possibility of establishing the update mechanism.   4. The mechanism is designated to update child nodes.   5. The update must take place every time when the list of sub categories is changed. Now to the questions themselves:   1. Is my usage of passive voice (being updated) to describe what this research was about correct?   2. What other options (all you can think of) are possible? How do they change the meaning? If you are going to suggest to split this sentence into several, see the question How to rephrase a sentence?


What does "toolbox meeting" or "toolbox training" mean? The context is "Incident Report/ Toolbox meeting minutes /signed attendance sheet"


What's the origin of the saying, "There's no accounting for taste"?

I hear it all the time in arguments over subjective judgements: > There's no accounting for taste. Where does this saying come from? Is it a quote or old proverb?


"An SATA device"? Weird article choice in suggested edit

This question references a suggested edit I rejected on Super User. The edit suggested that the _a_ in > There's no way you're plugging any of those directly into **a** SATA > interface. be changed to _an_. The result would be > There's no way you're plugging any of those directly into **an** SATA > interface. Is this somehow grammatically correct? To me it appears just to be editing in order to work towards the badge awarded upon editing 80 posts.


Where did the name "English" come from?

How is the name for one's own language created?


Use of "especially"

Is there anything wrong with the use of "especially" in this sentence? > Since then, his popularity has increased in other countries, especially > Russia, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan. I don't know if to add "in" after especially up there or not. Even with that something seems wrong with the use of especially followed by a list of countries. Anything wrong or is it just me?


What is a good word for "a group of intellectuals" or "a group of smart learners"?

What could be a good word for _a group of intellectuals_ or _a group of smart learners_? Any suggestions of related terms also invited. I am looking forward to rename _groups_ in a social application with somewhat more fitting word. Thanks in anticipation of your great suggestions.


What to call someone who doesn't care whether the person he talks to understands what he says?

For example, it's the first day at your new job and one of your colleagues is supposed to introduce you to the new working place. The person rants about everything in high speed without paying attention to whether or not you understand what he's saying.


Stay up-to-date "with" or "on"?

Suppose I want to say > Stay up-to-date **with/on** technology news Do I use _with_ or _on_?


What to call someone who laughs off an offense you've taken?

For example, someone strongly offended you and you let them know, maybe hoping for an apology, acknowledgement or just a change in his attitude. Instead he laughs it off, ignores your concern by saying "haha, so what have you been up to/how are you?" What would you call a person like this?


What’s the meaning of “I don’t care…” as a reply to a poor joke?

Is he saying he doesn’t like the playful attitude? Or is he cynically referring to part of the joke? I’m reading a Harry Potter book and found ‘I don’t care …’ in a scene. For the moment, I have three interpretations for that. >   1. I don’t care for your joke. I don’t like your attitude. Don’t make fun > of me when I’m worrying seriously. > >   2. I don’t care if you are attacked by a dragon or whatever. (He is > replying by a little cynical comment.) > >   3. (Either is possible. Only the speaker knows the truth.) > > Would you read the following citation and tell me what it means? (It’d be nice if you could also tell me how you knew that; it’ll help me a lot when I read other books.) > “Now listen …” He looked particularly hard at Harry. “I don’t want you lot > sneaking out of school to see me, all right? Just send notes to me here. I > still want to hear about anything odd. But you’re not to go leaving Hogwarts > without permission; it would be an ideal opportunity for someone to attack > you.” > > ”No one’s tried to attack me so far, except a dragon and a couple of > grindylows,” Harry said, but Sirius scowled at him. > > " **I don’t care …** I’ll breathe freely again when this tournament’s over, > and that’s not until June. And don’t forget, if you’re talking about me > among yourselves, call me Snuffles, okay? ( _Harry Potter 4_ [US Version]: > p.41)[Bold font is mine] **N.B.:** Sirius is Harry’s godfather, a wanted person for a crime he didn’t commit, seriously worrying that villains could attack Harry any moment. Harry is a little annoyed with his parental affection as teenagers often do. So he is trying to turn Sirius’s earnest words into ridicule, by referring to a dragon and grindylows, which Harry has already gotten over through the wizard tournament.


If the letter J is only 400–500 years old, was there a J sound that preceded the design of the letter?

I understand that the letter "J" is relatively new — perhaps 400–500 years old. But since there has long been important names that begin with J, such as Jesus, Joshua, Justinian, etc., and which predate the introduction of a special letter, does that mean that the "J" sound predated the letter, or were such famous names spelled and pronounced differently?


What is a "jigger of Asperger's"?

What is a _jigger of Asperger's_? The context paragraph is: > Page was not a social animal—those who interacted with him often wondered if > there were a **jigger of Asperger’s** in the mix—and he could unnerve people > by simply not talking. But when he did speak, he often came out with ideas > that bordered on the fantastic. As an undergraduate at the University of > Michigan, he became obsessed with transportation and drew up plans to > replace the school’s mundane bus network with an elaborate monorail system, > providing a “futuristic” commute between the dorms and the classrooms. Source: http://www.wired.com/magazine/2011/03/mf_larrypage/all/1


What kind of sound is a chirruping noise?

The sound I’d like to know is that made by a man toward a cat and a horse, not made by animals. According to a dictionary, when **a man** chirrups, it means to make clucking or clicking sounds with the lips, **as in urging on a horse**. However, it doesn’t help me at all when I try to imagine the sound. Also, I have another chirruping noise in a Harry Potter book. > **Filch made a chirruping noise to Mrs. Norris** , who stared blankly at > Harry for a few more seconds before turning and following her master. ( > _Harry Potter 4_ [US Version]: p.474)[Bold font is mine] **N.B.:** Mrs. Norris is a cat. Would you happen to know any ‘sound dictionary’ on the Net? I’d like to hear the sound **to a horse and a cat**. (I couldn’t find them on YouTube.) * * * **Edit:** (after answers by @Thursagen and @Hydrangea)(Thanks for joining me!) > The sound I’d like to know is that made by a man toward a cat and a horse, > not made by animals. The reason I asked is my country’s people have a standard way to call a cat. They make a tut-tut-tut like noise, using their tongue. So I wanted to know if the chirruping noise is different from that. From your explanations, English speaking people seems to have no united way to call a cat. (I didn’t know that!). I guess the chirruping noise in this scene might depend on audience’s imagination. However, I still would like to know a chirruping noise which a man makes toward a horse, because some dictionaries define the meaning by referring to a horse. I’m thinking the definition might make people imagine almost the same sound. **Edit 2:** The second reason to ask this question is my mother tongue has a wide variety of onomatopoeia. If I can get a clear idea of the sound, then I can link the noise to some onomatopoeia in my mind, and I can get a clearer image from that.


Does ‘magnificent head’ sometimes mean ‘magnificent hair’?

While searching the Net, ‘magnificent head’ shows me a lot of lion’s heads, but I found ‘a woman with a magnificent head’ in a book. > “Fleur Delacour, though she demonstrated excellent use of the Bubble-Head > Charm, was attacked by grindylows as she approached her goal, and failed to > retrieve her hostage. We award her twenty-five points.” > > Applause from the stands. > > ”I deserved zero,” said Fleur throatily, shaking her **magnificent head.** ( > _Harry Potter 4_ [US Version]: p.506)[Bold font is mine] **N.B.:** The scene is after Triwizard Tournament. The judges are criticizing and giving points to performers. Fleur, whose hair is beautiful, isn’t satisfied with her own performance. I tried looking for ‘magnificent _hair_ ’ on the Net, which showed me a lot of beautiful hairs. Why does the author write ‘magnificent head’ instead of ‘magnificent hair’? Does it have the same meaning?


Use of "compensate" to mean "help pay cost"

Is using _compensate_ correct in this context? > We are appealing for your help. We've found a great deal for a software > solution we want to teach our kids and it costs 1000 dollars and your > contributions to **compensate** this cost will be much appreciated. I don't mean money for a loss. It should mean _help us to pay the cost_.


Is "wherever it takes to.." ungrammatical

> wherever it takes to... Is this proper grammar? I've heard,"Whatever it takes to do something", but this type is the first example for me. > ...being a writer means going wherever it takes to find “the scale of > things...


Proper conjugation of "to be" in this example

Is the conjugation correct here? I know "A family were there." can be grammatical when "A family" is being treated as a plural noun. But the following example is different. The subject is plural but it's treated as singular. I've never encountered this pattern before. > It is no accident that Seamus Heaney’s selected poems **is** titled “Opened > Ground,” since writing poems for this most remarkable farm boy was a kind of > digging: “Between my finger and my thumb / The squat pen rests; snug as a > gun.” So what's going on here?


Single Word Request: List of town tasks

Is there a single word or small phrase for "a list of tasks that a town or village has set out to accomplish, specifically for the improvement of the community" The best I have so far is "agenda" but it's not quite what I'm going for. If it makes any difference / influences your word choices, this word/phrase is to be the title of the list of achievements in a town-builder game.


Separating sentences with a comma

Should two different sentences with subject and predicate be separated with a comma? > Self documenting code is not your thing I get it. > This is so obviously homework it hurts. Is there a rule for this? Or maybe these examples are grammatically incorrect?


What does the idiom "to sound a little off" mean?

What does the idiom "to sound a little off" mean in American English?


Is there a difference between saying "Members are" and "All members are"?

Which is grammatically correct and why?   1. Members are requested to pay their subscriptions in time.   2. All the Members are requested to pay their subscriptions in time.


What does dax ipsa refer to?

I was listening to a Tripod song, an Australian comedy band, and they used the 'name' dax ipsa (spelled phonetically). It was obviously some sort of joke, but I have no clue what it actually means? Is this something specific to Australia? **Edit:** Adding some context from Russell's answer: > Gatesy: I'm Batman.   >  Scod: Really?   >  Gatesy: No, I impersonate Batman, for photos and that, you know.   >  Scod: I don't really get it. What's your real name?   >  Gatesy: I can't tell you that. People used to tease me at school.   >  Scod: Oh, come on.   >  Gatesy: Okay. It's **"Dax Ipsa"**.   >  Scod: Do you mind if I call you "Batman"?   >  Gatesy: Yeah, sure. **Edit 2:** Found the song on youtube, and linked to the start of the dialog in question: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrlEWc72LWY&t=2m25s


Hypernym for various parts of a plant

_Bark, berry, flower, herb, leaves, nuts, plant, resin, seeds, wood_ , etc. These are all — what? _Parts? components? elements? plant forms? divisions?_ I have the sense there may be a more elegant word that nails it, especially since _plant_ is itself in the list.


"E" at the end of words to make a word

I was wondering about adding an _e_ at the end of a word to change it from a noun to a verb. For example. cloth to clothe, and breath to breathe. **My question here is if this is some special rule, or a quirk to the English Language**.


How do the terms "fanboy" and "fangirl" differ from the generic term "fan?"

Prompted by the question: " How did kool-aid come to be the drink of fanboys? " Wikipedia's explanation on "Fanboy (disambiguation)" provides: > A fanboy is a person considered to belong to one or more fandoms to a point > of obsession. Wiktionary says: > (fandom slang) Someone (normally male) who is utterly devoted to a single > subject or hobby, often to the point where it is considered an obsession. While the general term "fan" derives from "fanatic", its current usage, in the US at least, has waned to be roughly synonymous with "admirer" or "someone who is _fond_ of --." Are the terms "fanboy" and "fangirl" gender-specific synonyms of "fan" or are they supposed to convey the same "fanatic" intensity that "fan" once had? Are "fanboy" and "fangirl" intended to be used in a derisive way?


"Is Ken home?" or "Is Ken at home?"

When you ask someone if your buddy Ken is at home or not, what is the correct question, "Is Ken home?" or "Is Ken at home?"? I'm pretty sure both of those are correct, since I've seen a lot of times when this question was asked without "at" in it. Though, it seems the second choice is more correct in terms of grammar. Maybe the rules are different for British and American English.


"Arnold raced out of the door": grammatical or not?

> Arnold raced out of the door, and started... In its time, it was once reported, this was one of the most often-read lines of fiction in the English language: it is the sentence fragment shown in a brief close-up shot of mystery novelist Jessica Fletcher's typewriter in the opening credits of _Murder, She Wrote_ from 1984 to 1991. You can see it here. Even conceding that "door" can be used as a perfectly legitimate synonym for "doorway," this always bothered me. One may race _out of_ a room, and one may race _through_ a doorway, but I don't see how Arnold could have raced _out of a door_ —unless perhaps he had been standing still in the middle of the doorway before suddenly "racing" out of it, which seems unlikely. What's interesting is that "Arnold raced out the door" doesn't bother me as much without the _of_ , perhaps because I'm subconsciously putting an implied _through_ into the sentence: "Arnold raced out [through] the door." Even so, I was surprised and amused to see that, out of all the examples they could have chosen, Merriam-Webster illustrates its definition of _out_ as a preposition with the phrase "ran _out_ the door." (Were the writers of this definition _Murder, She Wrote_ fans, I wonder?) This doesn't seem to leave much room for my interpretation. How should the clause "Arnold raced out of the door" be evaluated? Is it ungrammatical, grammatical but poor form, or grammatical with no reservations?


Meaning of "Conceptual point of view"

Now and then, I listen the below quoted expression: > From the conceptual point of view ... However I still can't get its meaning, I think it is somehow related to **the way to think about a particular subject** , but I'm not sure.   Can you shed some light on this ?


What is the opposite of "alexithymia"?

Alexithymia refers to a state wherein a person cannot understand or describe his or her feelings, and means literally "without words for emotions". Is there a term (psychological, medical, or otherwise) for someone who is overly conscious of and articulate about his or her emotions?


Which of these is correct? -- question involving helping verbs (I think)

I have no idea how to explain why I generally think well, without having my explanation seem contrived I have no idea how to explain why I generally think well, without my explanation seeming contrived


How do you use "knack" in a sentence?

On this post here, it says: > Another word which comes to my mind is "Knack". It can be used to show how > someone has a specific talent. Again as an example - Tim is good with > musical instruments, and yet he doesn't have **the knack to** come up with > original tunes like his brother has. I'm an American, so I use the Merriam-Webster dictionary. It's just convenient. > 1 a : a clever trick or stratagem b : a clever way of doing something 2 : a > special ready capacity that is hard to analyze or teach 3 archaic : an > ingenious device; broadly : TOY, KNICKKNACK synonyms see GIFT I use the term myself with the _for_ preposition or the _of_ preposition, even though I think the _for_ preposition may be more common. > Little Lucy has **a knack for** getting into trouble, but she's so cute and > friendly that most people never notice. I wish to know the distinctions among _a knack for_ , _a knack to_ , and _a knack of_.


Why "no" rather than "not" in "Life is no Nintendo game"?

I've just seen this sentence on the internet... > You don't get another chance. Life is **no** Nintendo game. If I had to say something like that, I would say "Life is not a Nintendo game." Why did he say " **no** "? What is more correct? and what is the difference?


What's the difference between "content" and "contented"? > I feel **content** with my present condition. > > I feel **contented** with my present condition. > > When she calls me by my name sweetly, I feel **contented**. > > When she calls me by my name sweetly, I feel **content**. Hopefully, that'd be enough examples. One with the preposition, one without.


Usage of "imbed"

> I know how deeply you are **imbedded** in the internet. Is it correct to use _imbed_ here?


Pronunciation of subreddit names

I'm unsure of how to pronounce subreddit names in casual conversation without preface. I read `/r/funny` mentally as "R funny", but this doesn't always work in conversation, especially with acronym subreddits, like `/r/wtf`, as the 'r' could be misinterpreted as part of the subreddit name. Furthermore, it can be sometimes hard to assume that one is referring to a subreddit if no context is given. For example, > I saw the weirdest thing this morning on `/r/wtf`. can be hard to interpret if read aloud in the manner mentioned above.


Name for an electrical element to use multiple appliances on the same plug

Sorry, I don't know what is this element called in English. It is an electric power cord with multiple sockets to allow multiple appliances to be plugged into it. In Spanish it is said to be informally a “ _zapatilla_ ”, but in English? ![Socket Strip](http://i.stack.imgur.com/Mbmmd.jpg) or ![Extension Lead](http://i.stack.imgur.com/Fm6ce.gif)


What would be a a linguistic term for those nouns ending with -ing? Examples: _building, scaffolding, ending_. What are some other examples, and what do they all share in common semantically?


What is the difference between "to allege" and "to claim"?

What is the difference between _to allege_ and _to claim_? Can I use them interchangeably? Or perhaps I can only _allege_ something illegal? For example, from CNET: > Over the past several months, the two companies have been embroiled in > litigation in which Apple **alleges** that Samsung illegally copied > technology and design aspects of the iPad to create the Galaxy Tab. If I replace _alleges_ with _claims_ , does it change the meaning at all?


Why is the common meaning of logical terms ('and', 'or') incongruous from that in math?

If someone wrote that they want "nuts and bolts", they would get a bunch of hardware they could attach things with. If this was software or math, they would only receive nothing, because things are (generally) nuts _or_ bolts. If someone asked for "vanilla or chocolate", they might be given one or the other; "exclusive or" in the math. Why is there this mix-up of logical operators between normal language and math?


Is there a word or phrase for the concept of "thinking something bad happens more often because it's reported more"

That was probably a horrible title, but those length limits are killer :) An example of what I'm talking about: Statistics show that overall crime rates in the USA have been trending downwards for quite some time, yet many people in the general public think that, say, their kids are at huge risk for abduction by strangers. This can be chalked up to enhanced crime reporting and media coverage in the 21st century. It's not happening more often, but it's being reported more often, so people think there's more of it. (Child abductions) Another example: Statistics show that most uses of force by law enforcement is justified, and most police behave themselves and do their job honorably. However, since the media plays up the outrage when the statistical outliers happen (someone gets shot in murky circumstances), people begin to think that cops as a whole are all trigger-happy, un-empathetic morons. It's not happening more often, but it's being reported more often, so people think there's more of it. (Police misconduct) Is there a specific term that describes this phenomenon? I'd guess that "confirmation bias" kind of applies, because when you start looking for bad things, you find evidence of more bad things, but it's really easy to forget the stats in question - however, I was wondering if there's something more specific?


Meaning of "sterile perfection"

I came across the following lines: > Make no mistake: the setting matters. There are many ways to listen to > Indian classical music-in the private, somewhat **sterile perfection** of > the CDs and DVDs we play at home. But I happen to think music sounds best > outside. At first I thought, _sterile_ here meant "pure", but then I stumbled upon another meaning of _sterile_ : "lacking imagination, creativity, or vitality". I want to go with the latter definition, because here the author is against CDs and DVDs and prefers outside, but I am not sure. What does "sterile perfection" mean in this context?


Why is 'c*nt' so much more derogatory in the US than the UK?

What accounts for the strong disapproval of anyone using the word 'cunt' in the US, when the sentiment doesn't exist to the same extent in the UK? To be clear, it's still a strong word to use in the UK, but it's much, much more common to hear it there than it is here in the US. Is it merely due to a discrepancy in popular morals, or are there specific historical occurrences at play in the US that have left their mark? Does the strong feminist movement in the US in the 60/70ies factor in e.g.? Does anyone know how 'acceptable' the term is in other countries with a large English speaking population (India e.g.)? I'm new here, and I ask this genuinely, as I've lived in both England and the States and have been fascinated by the visceral reaction the word tends to evoke by large numbers Americans. Per previous discussions on meta there's a consensus for not shying away from offensive words and a faction that doesn't even recommend censoring them when used in the context of discussing the English language. I chose to only censor it in the title, so nobody can claim to be offended if they click through, and this question will still turn up in search results for the uncensored version.


How to refer to a 'second' last name or family name?

I know in most english speaking countries, there's no such a thing like a "second" last name. But for example in spanish it's quite common (we are fond of long a complicated names lol), our full names consist on usually two names (even more!) and almost [always][1] two "last names". For instance:               Pedro Arturo Rodríguez Loyola     ^ first name ^ last name           ^ middle name    ^ ????      "first last name" it's the father last name and the "second last name", it's the mother's maiden name (women doesn't lose their last name when they get married). This is giving me some headaches when trying to model data for patients name, since I want to pick something that will make sense to developers of countries different from mine. [1]: rarely some people have only one.


Fixing sentences with commas

I am trying to fix this and name the appropriate rules. "Dr. William Brooke O’Shaughnessy supported hemp being used for medicinal purposes during the 1800s he was a rich Irish physician who became recognized for his work in pharmacology his inventions in telegraphy and his experiments with non-traditional therapeutic treatments." Should it be written like this? "Dr. William Brooke O’Shaughnessy, supported hemp being used for medicinal purposes during the 1800s, he was a rich Irish physician, who became recognized for his work in pharmacology, his inventions in telegraphy and his experiments with non-traditional therapeutic treatments." Rules: 1) "Commas often indicate sharply contrasting elements." (avoiding dangling modifiers) For 1800s, he pharmacology, his 2)"Place commas after introductory elements." for Dr. William Brooke O’Shaughnessy,


"the same" and "that particular one"

Consider > I'm driving the same car. It sounds like me and someone else share one and the same car. But I could mean that my car is just another copy of the same model of the car. How do I express that?


Grammatical structure of a complex sentence

Many things are unclear in the following sentence, and I want your help to understand them:   1\. Its grammatical structure is complicated, and I can understand nothing from it.   2\. What is the value of the word **_might_** , and what does it indicate?   3\. Why did we use the present perfect progressive after the use of **_might_**?   4\. Why did we use **_not_** at the end of the sentence?   5\. What is the overall meaning of this sentence? * * * > The lecture on number theory and its applications might have been > particularly trying for the nonspecialists in the audience had [the] > professor not leavened it with humorous asides. * * *


How to pronounce number, say 1024, in programming world?

> This is a 1024-byte length string. How to pronounce the sentence above? > This is a one-thousand-and-twenty-four byte length string. or > This is a one-oh-two-four byte length string.


"Without first having..." vs. "Without having to first..."

Which one of the following is better? > Without first having... > > Without having to first... Is there a difference?


"Despising look" vs "despised look"

>   1. Peter gave me a despising look. > >   2. Peter gave me a despised look. > > Are the two statements above the same? My understanding is that in statement 1, I may have done something that Peter thinks is not good. So he looked down upon me. In statement 2, I may have done something to show that I looked down upon Peter. So he felt that he had been looked down upon. Is my understanding correct?


Where did the word "alphabet" come from?

I heard that it is the names of the first two Greek letters put together. Is this true?


What is the origin of the word "Latin"?

I'm prompted by a question on the origin of the word English. Being English myself, I pretty much know that one. But "Latin"? Why call it that? As soon as this question crossed my mind, I realised it wouldn't exactly be an easy thing to Google, so I'm not even going to try. Surely someone here knows.


Where did "There, there" (in consoling) come from?

I never understood why "There, there" is supposed to cheer someone up. Does anyone know?


Word for someone who collects dice

I collect game dice as a hobby. What is a word for someone who collects dice?


What's a "right old roarer" in British English?

I was reading an Amazon review just now, and came across someone (Tchaikovsky) being described as a _right old roarer_. I'm guessing this is familiar slang to Brits, but I'm not getting good search results, and it's a bit difficult to infer the meaning through context. What does it mean? Is it common use?


Ebb - is it right to say "ebb toward", or does this word have negative connotations

"[company name] is a company of specialists who _ebb_ toward new and innovative technologies.." I'd like to use the word _ebb_ in the above sentence, although the dictionary tells me that it has negative connotations "a point or condition of decline". So my question is, does the word _ebb_ have negative connotations, and can I use a preposition _ebb toward_ as a way to direct its connotation?


"Whet your appetite?" as confirming question

As part of a header on a website, I'd like to say "Have we whet your appetite yet? " or something of similar meaning. Not being a native English speaker, I'm looking for a short/condensed way of saying the above. I'm thinking of "Whet your appetite?", but I'm not sure this conveys correctly what I'm saying. "Ready for more?" could perhaps be a good alternative.


Difference between 'kludge' and 'kluge'?

As far as I can tell the two have different etymologies and have both possible pronunciations, _CLUH-J_ and _CLOO-J_ but seem to be used interchangeably. I had not idea _CLOO-J_ even existed until my school business librarian used it.


I'm trying to teach Non-English kids the alphabet. What is a good list of words starting with A-Z?

I am writing a small software program to teach non-English-speaking kids English Alphabets from A to Z. Is there any list of simple English words which begin with each letter? For example Apple for "A", Black or Blue or Blackboard for "B", Zebra for "Z", Snake for "S", etc? Is there any book for teaching the English alphabet to non-English-speaking kids so I can borrow a list of words for every letter? * * * I found this list, But some words seem strange and unfamiliar to kindergarten kids. Do you have a better recommendation?   * A - Apple   * B - Ball   * C - Cat   * D - Dog   * E - Egg   * F - Fan   * G - Goat   * H - Hand   * I - Indian   * J - Jam   * K - King   * L - Lamp   * M - Man   * N - Nurse   * O - Owl   * P - Pizza   * Q - Queen   * R - Rail   * S - Sun   * T - Tiger   * U - Umbrella   * V - Vase   * W - Woman   * X - Box   * Y - Yard   * Z - Zoo


Difference between "society" and "the society"

I am not very clear on the difference between "society" and "the society". As far as I know, "society" (without "the") refers to a society that is more general. But I don't have a clear distinction between them. Could anybody explain to me? For example, if I want to say "socialization is the process of learning to live in (the) society", should I use "the"? Edit: I am still a little confused here: it seems that "society" can still refer to a subset of people. After seeing your answer, my understanding is that without the article, "society" doesn't emphasize a specific society: it doesn't matter which society it refers to (although through context, which one is referred can be inferred). With "the", however, the speaker emphasizes a specific society. Then the sentences should be different: > Soldiers protect society. > > Soldiers protect the society. Am I right? Could someone further explain it to me?


Should we always use the exclamation mark in expressions like "thank you", "my pleasure", etc?

If someone (for example, John) retweets my tweet, should I add the exclamation mark in my reply? Which of the following options is correct:   1. Thank you for the RT, John!   2. Thank you for the RT, John. I have noticed that the exclamation mark is not always used by native English speakers.


What does "check" mean in "check your privilege"?

The phrase "check your privilege" is currently enjoying some popularity on the Internet. It seems that "check" could have several meanings:   * holding back so as to avoid applying unwanted force: "The batter checked her swing."   * examine closely: "This item has been checked for defects."   * give to one's host for safekeeping: "All firearms must be stowed in checked baggage." Which meaning best applies in this phrase? It's not entirely clear if the intent is to get people to halt the oppressive use of unearned authority (the "holding back" or "safekeeping" meanings) or to get people to look more carefully at it (the "examine" meaning).


Trouble with the semi colon

I'm really confused about the semi colon. From what I read you can use it if you A) need something in-between a punctuation and a comma B) connect two different statements C) both clauses are independent. I'm having trouble with the sentence below as I don't know what I'm supposed to replace the semicolon with. Do I have to rephrase it? I'm confused because of the 'which' clause, which is dependent on first clause and I need some kind of pause. > The one thing that sets you aside from the other sharks is you: your > personality, your experiences and your ambitions; none of which can be > replaced by fins and teeth.


Managing Director in a School below university level

Is the title, "managing director" used in American or European nonprofit organizations, specifically in elementary or high schools? And if so, does that person stand below, equal to or above the principal?


What is the origin of "scrilla"?

> **scrilla** _(uncountable) (slang, African American Vernacular)_ money > > **scrilling** : making money. > > _I'd buy a car, but I don't have any scrilla!_ > > _That car is worth mad scrilla._ So what is the origin of **scrilla** and **scrilling**? How did they emerge?


What does repetitive “#s” before “pushy, bossy, polarizing women and men” account for?

New York Times (May 17) reported Arthur Sulzberger Jr., the publisher of The New York Times decided to fire its executive editor, Jill Abramson, under the headline, “Times publisher denies gender figured in top editor’s dismissal." While citing “a pattern of Abramson’s behavior including “arbitrary decision- making, a failure to consult and bring colleagues with her, inadequate communication and the public mistreatment of colleagues” as the reasons behind Sulzberger’s decision, the article says; > “Ms. Abramson has not responded to messages seeking comment since her > ouster. But a message appeared this week on the Instagram account of her > daughter, Cornelia Griggs. “Big thank you to all the **#pushy #bossy > #polarizing** women and men who get it,” Dr. Griggs wrote. “The story isn’t > over, not even close.” http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/18/business/times-publisher-denies-gender- figured-in-top-editors-dismissal.html?hp What does **#** before 'pushy, bossy, polarizing women and men' account for? Is it just for the purpose of putting emphasis? To me, it doesn't seem to be necessary at all in the above context.


What is the likely definition of a women's "'health' west" from 1891?

In an 1891 newspaper advertisement (published in Manitoba, Canada) there is a reference to "wool 'health' wests in girls and ladies" which on first glance looks like a spelling error but is repeated in other ads in the same year. Unfortunately, this is a very difficult combination of simple words to search for, does anyone have a reference for a definition of this garment term? ![Scan of original advertisement](http://i.stack.imgur.com/wpgwI.jpg)


Synonym for "Social Program"

I'm looking for a synonym for "Social Program" which would fit better into the following schedule: > Annual Distributors Meeting Schedule:   >  1\. Sales Workshop   >  2\. Distribution and Logistics Meeting   >  3\. Round Table Discussion   >  4\. Social Program ??? Social Program just doesn't sound right to my ear.


Why "off" in "off to the sides"

I found online the following: > Pedestrians are pushed **off** to the sides. > > either in the middle or **off** to the sides. > > **Off** to the sides were open fields. > > ...flows **off** to the sides of the... > > ...swam **off** to the sides. > > Even people **off** to the sides of these stage speakers enjoy well- > balanced, detailed sound... > > ...protesters would stand **off** to the sides yelling or booing... Why not _at the sides_ or simply _to the sides_? I understand _swam off to the sides_ to mean _swam away to the sides_ , but many others elude me. * * * Back to: "Pedestrians were pushed off to the sides". Interestingly, "push off" is also an idiom/phrasal verb with a totally different meaning. I imagine one can guess in our discussed case "pushed" and "off" are separate. That's one of the hardest things for non-native speakers of English, however, figuring out when those particles are part of the preceding verb, and when they are part of something else in a sencence. It adds to confusion. That's why you hardly ever hear non-natives using phrasal verbs and particles where the meaning is not very very very obvious. In addition I have not heard of a single book on the Enlish language explaining particles beyond the basics. Just saying.


why do we say "she" referring to a general user of a program

I often hear people say "she" when they refer to a user of their application, for example. In documentation, or in email. Why do we say "she", why not "he or she" or "they"? I am not a native speaker, maybe this is a trivial question, but I do not know the answer.


"Exhibition" or "exhibit"

Yesterday, I went to my friend's art exhibition and heard people using the word _exhibit_ instead of _exhibition_. I told him > I like your **exhibition** with which I meant that I loved his show and pieces, but later when I heard native speakers using > I love your **exhibit** , it is amazing that makes me wonder which is the correct word to use here.


Origin of "hashing out plans"

What is the origin of the expression _hashing out plans_? I can't find a definition when googling for:               definition "to hash out plans"     definition "hash out plans"     definition "hashing out plans"


Origins and meaning of "can you not"

What is the origin and meaning of the phrase _can you not_? To my ear, it has an archaic tone, but searches yield entries in the urban dictionary, along with one quote from _Sense and Sensibility_. Its twisted syntax, potential ambiguity, and indirectness intrigue me. Part of my language heritage is from Irish American, so I also wonder if this hints at its source.


The word for "Those who are notified"

In general usage (and hopefully correct usage) a "notifier" is someone who notifies. What is the word for the person who is notified? For example: "Instruct each [X] to respond to the notification within 3 days."


Why are fishermen(women) referred to as 'Anglers'?

I teach fishing, at a local community college - recently was awarded a Master Baiter honorary certificate, and one of my students asked me "Why are fisherman called Anglers"? I floundered around for a few minutes but could not come up with a conclusive answer - help?


Show I use "before" or "until" in the following sentence?

> I'm not really sure how long I was in there. All I know is that I didn't > come out from the toilet **before/until** I'd thrown up four times. Should I use _before_ or _until_? (I third option is also welcome).


"Mesh, Solid or Surface modeling technology" vs. "Mesh, Solid or Surface modeling technologies"

Which of the following should I use? >   * Select between Mesh, Solid or Surface modeling **technology**. >   * Select between Mesh, Solid or Surface modeling **technologies**. >


Usage of the word "insert"

My textbook set a test question: > Check the usage of the word "insert" in the following sentences: > >   1. It is his habit to insert new topics in the discussion. >   2. The country is planning to insert a new satellite into the orbit. > According to the book, the answer is to use "introduce" instead of "insert" in the first sentence as it is more apt. For me using "launch" instead of "insert" in the second sentence should be correct, as it is most often used in this way. Am I wrong in assuming this? And is the book correct? What is more apt ?


Word meaning profitable and looking like "ludicrous "

There is a word meaning profitable and looking like "ludicrous". I couldn't recall it. Maybe lucri..? Can you help? or are there some websites for searching look-alike words?


Mean or Median?

My textbook sets this question: > In each of the following sentences, a word has been used in sentences in > different ways. Choose the option corresponding to the sentence in which the > usage of the word is incorrect or inappropriate. > >> _The average of 3, 4, 5, 7. and 10 is 6 whereas the mean is 5._ The books says that it is wrong and **median** should be used instead: > In this sentence, mean has to be replaced with median for the sentence to > make sense. My question is: isn't _mean_ correct? For years I've studying the word _mean_ in mathematics, and now the book says: use _median_. I don't think the sentence is wrong due to the mean being written as "6", because even if I write the wrong mean, the usage of the word is correct, I'm just writing the wrong answer. # More Sources If you look at this link, it says, mean should be used for symmetrical data sets, and median for skewed data, In the above sentence, the data being skewed my guess is that is probably the reason median is being used and not that mean is written as 6 whereas actually median is 6.   Mean or Median


A word for an object that contains two evolutionarily related objects

For example, what should I call the animal that came before ape and human (each version of some object)?


What is the meaning of "often mistaken, never in doubt"? In what context is the phrase used?


What's the difference of "I'am find that ..." and "I find that ..." and "I found that..." and "I have found that..."

What's the difference of the following sentences?   1. `I'am find that ...`   2. `I find that ...`   3. `I found that...`   4. `I have found that...` is "I'am find that ..." a correct sentence? Can you explain to me in example that exact meaning (and differences) of these sentence?


What does Mitt Romney’s “I only spent four years as a governor? I didn’t inhale,” mean?

I was arrested by the former Massachusetts governor, Mitt Romney’s remark, “I only spent four years as a governor. _I didn’t inhale_ ,” made in the Republican Presidential candidates debate on Fox News channel aired on September 22nd. I thought it means Romney hadn’t inhaled marijuana at top of my mind, but rethought it shouldn't be all what he meant. Michael Scherer of the Time magazine reports that when Romney is asked if he thinks President Obama is a socialist by the moderator, he avoided the answer, and said: “I love this country. I spent my life in the private sector, not in government. I only spent four years as a governor. _I didn’t inhale.”_ Scherer continues; “This is funny. It seems like an attack on Bill Clinton who famously did inhale, but it is actually an attack on Perry, who not only has been in government for decades, but appears to have _inhaled Benadryl dust.”_ From the context of the sentence, I guess “inhale (dust)” means “being spoiled by bureaucratic atmosphere / trapped into trite, bureaucratic thinking patterns," but am not sure. What does “inhale” or “inhale Benadryl dust” (I know Benadryl is a brand name of diphenhydramine hydrochloride) exactly mean? Is it understood to everybody for its own as “I didn’t inhale,” as Romney used without supplementing “what”?


Addressing a person with "man"

Is there any issue to address or call a person (a gentleman, of course) with _man_? I think the word _man_ has a strange meaning. Which is the best way to address? Is _hello_ enough?


What is the meaning of P.S. in a name?

I have a project to parse names and there's a thing called title (mr. dr.), suffix (esq. ph.d.) and generation (ii, iii, jr.), but I don't have the faintest idea what p.s. is. It's in the following format and it's a lawyer:               Sunde, Kit T. P.S.


When did television become known as the 'tube'?

I searched Google's "YouTube", it seems like "tube" is a nickname for "television". So, when did television get this nickname, and why? _EDIT_ I have once considered `tube` as `TV cube`, does it make sense?


Word usage in emphatic sense

Consider the sentence: "The need for lawful intervention is being felt more after the terror attacks in November last year." Shouldn't it be _even more_ instead of just _more_?


Past-Tense of the Verb "CC"

I commonly use the verb "CC" (carbon copy). I know I could use the word "copy" instead, but I prefer to say "CC" (pronounced see-see). For example, I might say (and have told my co-workers): > I will CC you on that email. But **what's the past tense of the verb CC?** Is it "CCed" (which seems strange)? I find that to be strange, so I usually apostrophe it to "CC'd" (which draws more attention to the strangeness). And no, I don't want to say "copied." Please provide proof in the form of a similar case with a different strange verb (eg. google => googled).


"Difficulty of" vs. "difficulty in"

In the sentence: > I understand the difficulty **of** remaining objective. Should it be as is, or should it be like this: > I understand the difficulty **in** remaining objective.


Difference between “improvisation” and “extempore”

What is the difference between _improvisation_¹ and _extempore_² and where should one use each of these terms?


"housing" and "hosting". Differences

what's the difference between the words "housing" and "hosting" or between for example "I will host a friend at my home" and "I will house a friend at my home"?


"To be headed for" and "To be headed over to"

Can these expressions be used just about interchangeably for all but the most formal prose, or is there a subtle difference to them? E.g. He _is headed over to_ the garage. He _is headed for_ the garage.


Can "both" be used in this way as an appositive?

Although not a preferred style, in the following example, is it incorrect to treat "both" as an appositive, and therefore to insert commas around it? > Thank you, both, for helping.


What is an English word to mean “something that makes already strong one much stronger”?

We have a Japanese idiom, “鬼に金棒- oni ni kanabo,” of which literal translation is “let an ogres get an iron club,” or an ogres carrying with an iron club. For instance, the United States of America has (or had) been seen as an “oni ni kanabo” country that owns vast land, abundant natural resources, extraordinary wealth, plus the world’s strongest military power. If China endowed with vast land and huge population gets much wealthier and strengthens military power, it will be oni ni kanabo – invincible country. Is there English phrase(s) to mean the same effect – something that makes already strong one much stronger or invincible, or something that adds a telling strength to already strong one? P.S. I’m looking for the saying to account for the strong gets **absolutely** strong, like Achilles gets iron tendons, not the average gets strong.


Is "a/an" an example of liaison in English?

French there is a process called liaison, where final consonants are omitted unless the next word starts with a vowel. Would it be accurate to say that the English indefinite article (a/an) is an example of this as well, or are these two separate words that mean the same thing?


Trans Fat is italicized

Why is trans fat always italicized on food labels, so that it says _trans_ fat? Is it just due to convention, or is there an actual reason (like for emphasis)?


Mnemonic for 'onomatopoeia'?

It's hard to remember its spelling because it has so many syllables, I often say it as 'on-na-ma-to-pee-a'... and even if I pronounce it correctly, the last few letters are a nightmare for me. Is there a mnemonic for 'onomatopoeia'?


What is the proper way to refer to the Original Poster (OP)?

In a Stack Exchange comment, I was corrected by referring to a user named `alice` as a "he". I said (context): > I know **he** thinks **he** needs all of the eigenvalues, but I've learned > that ... and was corrected to by another user > But a protip: the username "alice" and the pronoun "he" typically don't go > together. Probably better to stick to gender-neutral singular they. Which of these would be correct?   1. I know **he** thinks **he** needs all of the eigenvalues, ...   2. I know **he/she** thinks **he/she** needs all of the eigenvalues, ...   3. I know **they** think **they** need all of the eigenvalues, ...   4. I know the **OP** thinks **they** need all of the eigenvalues, ... Clearly this question is related: Is there a correct gender-neutral, singular pronoun ("his" versus "her" versus "their")? I'm interested in the last case where **OP** is essentially a pronoun, but the usage sounds awkward. Is there a good way to refer to OP or should I stick with "they"?


What does "It is a means to an end, not an end in itself" mean?

English is not my native language and I'm struggling to get the meanings of:   1. It is a means to an end, not an end in itself.   2. It is more of a means to an end rather than an end in itself. I'd highly appreciate if someone explain the meanings of these two sentences to me. Thanks


Why is the verb form of "record" pronounced [ri-kawrd] but the noun form is pronounced [rek-erd]?

Is there a different origin of pronunciation style for record as a verb and as a noun? Fun fact: in OS X, if you type `say "this record"` and `say "record this"` — the text to speech system picks up the difference. Impressive.


Term for a bullet hitting a bystander in a gunfight

What is the term for a bullet hitting a bystander in a gunfight? When it misses the intended target and hits a bystander.


What is the meaning of "a roach in the rushes"?

In George R.R. Martin's _A Game of Thrones_ , > I would have given a hundred silver stags to have been _a roach in the > rushes_ when he learned that Lord Beric was off to behead his brother. what does _a roach in the rushes_ mean?


What does "Gay as Dad's old hatband" refer to?

I have seen the phrase "Gay as Dad's old hatband" more than once in twentieth century American fiction. I think it is playing on the double meaning of gay, but what is the happy (bright colored?) hatband that is being referred to? Edit: Quote found in "Needful Things" by Steven King (1991) "George T. Nelson, the high school wood shop teacher. George T. Nelson, who, under his bluff, macho exterior, was just as gay as old dad's hatband." Edit #2: Steven King must really like this phrase. A Google Books search also lists it in "The Dark Tower" and "Mile 81".


Single word for time and place of birth

Is there a single English word that describes the geographic place and time of a person's birth?   My real question is how do I express where I was born at a particular time in history with a single word.


Does the phrase "legend has it" mean a legend is factually accurate?

What does the term "legend has it" specifically mean? Does it just mean "There is a legend which says...", or does it mean "There is a legend which is actually accurate in saying..."? My understanding is that a legend "has it" when it's factually accurate. Is this correct?


Proper use of "you" with a second person's name

Which is correct? > It was nice to meet you and Bob. or > It was nice to meet Bob and you.


What's the meaning of "low" in this context?

What does _low_ mean here? > It is also known as the common shoulder muscle, particularly in **lower** > animals (e.g., in domestic cats). Deltoid is also further shortened in slang > as "delt". The plural forms of all three incarnations are deltoidei, > deltoids and delts.


A request for a word similar to 'stumble in speech'

I am looking for a rather formal **verb(phrase)** to mean **"involuntarily inserting a word from one's mother tongue in a speech made in one's foreign language because the person in question is in a very nerve-wrecking situation such as speaking in court"** Example: > A person whose second language is English, and first language is French says > the following: > > "I don't mean to blow things out proportion, but I think that what you said > is, uh, uh, 'injuste', uh, I mean, unfair!" (Heart pounding hard) Note the involuntary insertion of the French word _injuste_ into the English speech is involuntary because the person was **too nervous or self- conscious.** The insertion does not come from a lack a competency or command of lexicon, only nervousness. I thought of _stumble_ but I don't think it serves the purpose well.


Why is a successful period for someone or something referred to as their "heyday"

I'm interested as to where the word _heyday_ comes from, and how has it come to mean what it does. The definition is: > **hey·day** 1 [hey-dey] noun > >   1. the stage or period of greatest vigor, strength, success, etc.; prime: > the heyday of the vaudeville stars. > >   2. Archaic . high spirits. > > Dictionaries seem to suggest it is linked to the phrase "high day" (meaning a holy day or festival day), but I don't know which came first. Also why would a holy/festival day come to mean a successful period? Does it mean "hey" in the sense of an exclamation (e.g. "Hey, that's great!"). I must be honest... until I looked it up, I thought it was spelt "hay-day" and had it's origins in farming somehow. Guess that's not likely.


What would you call the sound a flute makes?

All I can come up with is the adjective lilting.


Is there a term for someone who loves cute things?

Such as arctophile or entomophile? Looking for something more formal sounding than 'cuteophile' or something similarly made up.


Which syllable is stressed in the word "nineteen"?

The dictionaries list both possibilities to stress _nineteen_ (or any other _-teen_ , for that matter): **_,nine_** -teen and nine- ** _'teen_**. Are the two pronunciations completely interchangeable, a matter of dialect, or a matter of meaning? I am asking because I've never heard _nineteen_ stressed on the first syllable in sentences like: > I am nineteen years old. > > He had only nineteen dollars. And I have never heard _nineteen_ stressed on the second syllable in dates: > He was born in nineteen sixty-four. Is it acceptable (where, when?) to stress the first syllable in the first set of examples, and is it acceptable(where, when?) to stress the second syllable in the last example? P.S. Surprisingly there's no stress tag. Am I using the wrong linguistic term?


What is the difference between “we might be seeing” and “we might see”?

I have noted that when something unprecedented is coming, the phrase _we might be seeing something_ is frequently used. E.g. > We might be seeing yet another crisis soon. Is there any difference between this form and the simple _we might see_? During my short research it seemed to me that both are used for simple future with a degree of probability.


Word order in questions

I would need to know whether the following is correct: **What should be your best friend like?** _//what character should your best friend have_ **What is his strange car for?** _//question_ **I do not know what his strange car is for.** _//the answer with different word order_ And one more question - I would like to ask what features your dream car should have. Could I use:   What should be your dream car like? _//maybe this is used only for people?_


What do you call it when a name/word is better known by a pejorative?

A while back, the US Congress passed a bill called the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act”. The bill quickly became known as “Obamacare”. During the time prior to when cannabis was made illegal in the United States, proponents of its prohibition called it “marijuana”. In both cases, a thing with a proper name became known by a pejorative to the extent that many people wouldn't even recognize the proper term for the thing. Is there a word or expression in the English language for describing the situation where a thing becomes best known by a pejorative term?


"Endorse" vs. "condone"

What is the difference in meaning/connotation between the two words? Is _endorse_ "stronger", more positive? Also, _endorse_ is to _endorsement_ as _condone_ is to what? Is there a noun counterpart?


Is thanks a countable noun? Many thanks or much thanks?

A colleague of mine recently wrote in an email "much thanks for your efforts." Does this usage make sense? How does "much thanks" differ from "many thanks"? This is similar to "Is “Many thanks” a proper usage?"


Salutation punctuation: is "Hi!," okay?

A friend of mine uses both an exclamation mark and a comma in his letter salutations, like so: > Hi George!, I have never seen this before, and was wondering if it's grammatically kosher. Thoughts?


Time agreement. Using past simple/continuous and present perfect together

Should it be **present perfect** ( _has felt_ ) / **present simple** ( _cannot understand_ ) in the sentence below or the tense of the first sentence implies that these verbs fall into past aspect so **past perfect** / **past simple** pair ( **backshift** ) is to be applied? > I was reading a funny article today. Its author jokingly asked whether > anyone has felt himself labeled as a 'cookoo' because of his acts others > cannot understand.


X’s language is so rich and . . .?

I’m looking for a word to describe the language of a writer which has the characteristic of being rich and at the same time says that the words that this writer uses have many layers of meanings. The word _polysemous_ (having multiple meanings) and the word _multivalent_ (defined as having many values, meanings, or appeals) seem to fit the description. Yet both words sound quite technical to me. I’ve never encountered the word _polysemous_ outside the field of linguistics and _multivalent_ — according to the dictionary — is used mostly in chemistry. So which word is better?   * The writer’s language is so rich and **polysemous**.   * The writer’s language is so rich and **multivalent**. Also, are there other, better synonyms?


“Contest against an argument” or “contest an argument”?

I have a student that repeatedly writes of “contesting against former arguments”. Is this correct? I know it is normally “contest an argument”, but I’m not sure if the other use is valid also.


Correct usage of determiners and prepositions

I am confused between two sentences: >   1. The houses in the cities are more beautiful than that of villages. >   2. The houses in the cities are more beautiful than those in the villages. > Which one is more appropriate in usage?


Meaning of the sentence

"Eliot Ness hounded out graft in all forms—he even helped nab Al Capone". I know "hound" means "follow and pursue", but no meaning of "graft" in the dictionary seems to fit the sentence.


Word or expression for an opinionated and easily offended person

Is there a word or expression for someone who uses a lot of opinions to judge himself and/or things around him (such as other people) (e.g. to "defend" himself from receiving judgement), however who is easily offended by someone else based on trivial things they say?


What is "taking gongs"?

What is the meaning, if any, of the expression "taking gongs"? I know what a gong is (a large Oriental cymbal). But I don't understand the expression in the context of the following article: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/09/mad-men-modern-family-win-emmys-glory/ > LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Cult ad agency drama “Mad Men” won the best drama Emmy > for the fourth year late Sunday, while “Modern Family” again took the comedy > glory at US television’s awards show. > > British shows also triumphed at the annual Hollywood show, the Oscars of the > small screen, with Kate Winslet leading a string of Brits **taking gongs** , > notably for “Downton Abbey.” > > “Mad Men,” which has spawned a host of lookalike shows, fought off the > strongly-tipped “Boardwalk Empire” to take the best drama Emmy at the climax > of the show. The expression only appears in the said article:   http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=%22taking+gongs%22&oq=%22taking+gongs%22 so I am guessing is a typo of some sort... or does it refer to another show?


To say that he went to the gym and did not go to the store, is it OK to say, "He didn't go to the store, but to the gym"? It seems that this would mean, "He didn't go to the store, but [he didn't go] to the gym," which was not the intended claim. Likewise: He did not marry Peggy, but Sue. <-> He married not Peggy but Sue. He didn't listen to my lecture, but to his iPod. <-> He listened not to my lecture but to his iPod.


Do we have established terms yet for persons either addicted or averse to social media?

Terms for addicts are easily enough improvised by adding _-oholic_ to the name for a specific social media platform, e.g. "Twitter-oholic," but is there something more generic, & less unwieldy & artificial than "social-media- oholic"? Terms for abstainers seem even harder to come by. The very term "social media" seems to me to provoke the question: "How could any communications medium _not_ be social?" The M-W definition for "social media" would appear applicable to EL&U itself, so although I am a total abstainer from Facebook & Twitter & even smart phones, one of the addict terms may apply to me, though the recipe above would generate a pretty unwieldy result.


Cottage Cheese: So called to differentiate from "expensive" cheese?

I have been unable to find an etymology for the term Cottage Cheese in English. Interestingly, the Hebrew Wikipedia lists the etymology as being due to cottage cheese being prepared from the wastes of other milk products, hence its association with the poor and named after houses typical of the poor. The English Wikipedia has a single line alluding to such with no reference, and the Hebrew reference is rather dubious as well.


How to describe someone who often has his own idea and judgment

Suppose someone often has his own idea, opinon and judgment on a lot of things, regardless of whether his agree with others'. I wonder what kinds of words can be used to describe such a quality/characteristic/personality? **Added:** Such a person does not need to show to others that they are strong- minded, or even may not like to speak out their mind on purpose. In negative way, I think maybe "stubborn"? Honestly, I feel hurt if being called this way. Am I too sensitive? What else is better? How about in neutral and positive ways respectively? **Added:** Can "strong- minded" serve the positive purpose?


What is the opposite of "Last updated"

I have a web site that manages issues with a building. I'd like to be able to sort the issues by   1. "Last updated" - the most recently updated issues.   2. "Opposite of last updated" - the issues that have not been updated recently. I tried "Stale" and "Inactive" but they don't quite capture what it means to be the opposite of "Last updated". Is there a direct opposite or should I maybe look for another way to describe "Last updated"?


Are "flower" and "flour" always homophones?

_Flower_ and _flour_ are said to be homophones. However, considering the number of different pronunciations (`/flaʊə/` like BrE _sour_ , `/flou(-ə)r/` like AmE _sour_ , `/flɑː/` (forvo) like BrE _car_ , etc.) floating around, are they always homophonous for each particular speaker? **Edit:** As tchrist points out in the comments, the same question could be asked of _dower_ and _dour_.


The "of" in "the month of January"

Why is it called 'the month of January' and not 'the month January'? As I was learning German, I noticed they used the latter (der Monat Januar). Why the discrepancy?


Use one word to express this: be unable to tell "s" and "th" apart

Someone cannot tell the pronunciation of "th" and "s" apart. I am sure there's a single word that can express this in the context. But I can't remember it now. Anyone can help?