Is there a term for metaphors built upon double entendres?

I was thinking deeply about figurative language today, and I read a sentence that _must_ be an example of a specific type of figurative language, but I didn't remember learning about it and couldn't find it on a reference I use. The sentence, from _Street Love_ by Walter Dean Myers, is: > Could it even withstand the _voltage_ of / His mother's _shock_? Myers builds the metaphor of _voltage_ off of one definition of the word _shock_ , while also calling the other to mind, since the mother would be surprised/upset at this event. It seems to me that there ought to be a word for this! Any ideas? I found a similar example, too. It was used as an example of parallelism on the site I was referencing: > She liked sneaking up to Ted and putting the ice cream down his back, > because he was so _cool_ about it. It ins't a metaphor, but it similarly uses both meanings of the word ( _cool_ , in this case). I thought it might be helpful as a clarifying example.


'of yet' and 'as of yet'

Can ‘of yet’ be used with the same meaning of ‘as of yet’? For example: > Most importantly, he’s found footprints of dinosaurs that we haven’t found > bones of yet. Does this mean the same thing as the following? > Most importantly, he's found footprints of dinosaurs that we haven't found > bones as of yet?


If it's cost-efficient, would it be cost-efficiency?

Dictionary.com is showing cost-efficiency, but New York Times shows "cost efficiency." Sentence would be: ... our track record for timeliness and cost-efficiency. I feel like it should have no hyphen. Thoughts? Thank you.


Is the term "ice cream" considered one word or two?

My question is a little broader than the title and applies to a term which is described by more than one "word". Is the term (in this case "ice cream") one word, or two? Based on my research, the three dictionaries that I consulted, Merriam-Webster (MW), MacMillian (MM), and the Oxford Dictionary (OX) all seem to provide some leeway in expressing exactly what a word is and if it **must be** delimited by spaces and/or punctuation. See definitions below: > MW(b)(2): "any segment of written or printed discourse **ordinarily** > appearing between spaces or between a space and a punctuation mark" > > OX 1a: "single distinct meaningful element of speech or writing, used with > others (or sometimes alone) to form a sentence and **typically** shown with > a space on either side when written or printed" > > MM 1: "[countable] a single **unit** of written or spoken language" MW and OX use words like _typically_ and _ordinarily_ indicating that there is the possibility for multi-word words, but don't exactly provide sample sentences with any. Even MM doesn't quite spell out what comprises a single unit. However, I would argue that "ice cream" independently, that is, taken as two separate words, is two units of language, rather than one. Even in looking up compound word examples, these are delimited by a space on either side, that is, condensed into one clear-cut word by means of placement (such as backstab) or they use a hyphen (such as white-collar). With this predicament in mind and as a yes or no question (providing justification), is "ice cream" as is, no hyphen and not stuck together as "icecream" or "ice-cream", one word, or two?


Word for false, self-perpetuating "cure"?

There are situations where a short-term remedy actually perpetuates the underlying long term problem. For example, drinking more coffee is a kind of false cure for a caffeine withdrawal headache. Similarly, scratching at a rash can make it feel better in the moment, but often perpetuates the rash. Is there an adjective or phrase for these activities that seem good, but are actually deceptive and counterproductive? (E.g. "Scratching an inflamed rash is an [something] activity.")


Amber or yellow lights

What is the difference in usage between amber and yellow, when it is the color of traffic lights or some derived meaning? Is this purely a difference between British English and American English, or does the context matter? For example, on each side of the Pond, if you're driving, is it an amber light or a yellow light that announces an imminent red light? When indicating a status between red (no go) and green (ok), is the status amber or yellow? * * * **EDIT:** I already know that the UK has amber lights and the US have yellow light, this is not what I am asking here. What I am asking is whether there is more to it than a simple US/UK distinction. How unusual would it be to use the wrong word? Is the usage for traffic lights the same as for derived meanings such as traffic light rating system? What prompted this question was finding that the Wikipedia article on the rating system uses amber — I don't know if this reflects US usage as well, or if this is merely due to the article having been written by a BrE speaker, or if the RAG rating is a purely British notion and AmE speakers would not think to use a red/yellow/green rating system.


Borrowed idea synonym

I am preparing a presentation to pitch for an 'idea' that I think should be implemented in my team. The problem is that it is not something new and it is not my brainchild. Several implementations of the same 'idea' in one form or the other have been carried out elsewhere. I need help in pitching it. What do I call it in my presentation in text and/or orally. PS: The idea is about building a software tool.


Since when is capital of a country used to denote government actions?

Nowadays, we commonly use capitals (I refer to the cities) to denote a action taken by a government. e.g. > "New Delhi decided to pass the food bill." Here New Delhi refers to the Indian Government. So since when has this trend started? Are there any historical examples in literature?


"Simplicity" vs. "minimalism"

If I would like to say that I like to play around with simple, not overly- complex, sometimes even bare things, should I say I like to play around with _simplicity_ or with _minimalism_? Background: This is to be used as introductory wording to my website, whose design goal is to be as simple as possible while conveying all the information that a personal website should convey.


What is the meaning of the phrase "moving the needle"?

Here is the context: > The network has geographically distributed upload endpoints, featuring end- > to-end encryption as well as patent-pending routing and optimization > technology, letting Box process uploads at a speed up to 10 times faster > than currently possible. > > "From an end user perspective, this is **moving the needle** ," said Jeff > Queisser, vice president of technical operations at Box.


"Vacation days" or "days off"

What is the right expression: _vacation days_ or _days off_?


"through any vehicles" is this an idiom?

In a letter I came across a sentence > Despite of feeling bad for losing one of the best students so far yet for > any further specific info/ query you are welcome to get in touch with me > through any vehicles during business hours. Is "through any vehicles" an idiom? I googled `"through any vehicles" idiom` without any success.


Difference between "social" and "societal"

What's the difference between _social_ and _societal_? Are they perfectly synonymous? If not, what is the difference in nuance? The relevant definition of social reads: > _relating to society or its organization_ The only definition of societal is: > _relating to society or social relations_ NGrams suggests that the word had its origins in the early 20th century and gained in popularity after the 1950s. Why did the use of _societal_ crop up? Was it perhaps it is the more obvious and natural adjective of _society_? If it is used to disambiguate or distance away from certain connotations of _social_ , what are they? According to COCA, _societal_ , while largely used in academia, also sees significant use in magazines and newspapers. It also convincingly outscores _social_ when collocated with terms such as _shift_ and _estrangement_. On the other hand, the use of _societal worker_ , _societal service_ , _societal justice_ etc., do not register on COCA's scales.


Is there a colloquial phrase to describe a sports heckler?

What might you call someone who verbally harasses a player from the stands? > Hey Lincecum. I've seen better curves on a square! Who is that guy?


Meanwhile as a preposition

I'm currently taking an English course that involves picking out adverbs, nouns, prepositions, and pronouns. Myself and my tutor are at a disagreement on if the use of meanwhile in this situation is a preposition. Any input would be greatly appreciated. "These obedient servants prepare meals at the appropriate times, groom them and clean the sanitary facilities. Meanwhile, the servants who pay the taxes and buy the groceries wonder sometimes who is really in charge."


What does it mean by "3 Month Paternity Relief Contract"?

I'm reading a job description where it mentions "3 Month Paternity Relief Contract". That doesn't make sense to me. Does it mean employee can leave 3 months for paternity leave?


Correct place to use the word "Fathomed"

I have used "Fathomed" in the following sentence > "Fathomed the issue. And solved the issue" to mean > "I understood the problem and I solved it" Is this the right way to use _fathomed_?


How about 'play cute' or 'play adorable'?

I wonder if 'play cute' or 'play adorable' is frequently used to stand for 'act cute/adorable' in spoken language. It seems easier to google out 'act cute/adorable' instead of 'play cute/adorable'.


"Opposite of (someone/something)" for "across from/opposite" in nonstandard colloquial prose

Consider the following quotes (emphasis mine). > For a split second, I meet eyes with an older man standing in a still gaze > just **opposite of** me amidst the sudden chaos. source > Taking a seat on a stool just **opposite of** me, he gives me a huge smile. > source > Guards stood at my door and one sat just **opposite of** me, his eyes never > leaving my face. source (see page 39) > I was surprised when I caught sight of Alex, who was waiting just **opposite > of** the bathrooms. source > They were standing just **opposite of** the road and looked hungry, so we > picked some of the grass that was just out of their reach and feed them. > source > There were two groups of people standing just **opposite of** each other. > source These quotes are all using **opposite of** to mean "across from" or "opposite". Are these uses acceptable in formal English writing? Or do they imply a less formal register, i.e. are these meant to merely be reproductions of casual speech? Please also consider this NGram: source


How to pronounce "Holly"

I've heard 2 ways to say it. The first one is "Holy", another one is [ˋhɑli], which is right?


How can I determine the proper stressing of words?

I am working on a sonnet. This pretty much mandates the use of iambic pentameter and therefore requires that I have a good grip on emphasis. However, I'm not exactly sure how to properly research words for emphasis. I was attempting to comprehend Merriam-Webster's Pronunciation Guide, but that just further confused me. Merriam-Webster has a system for indicating the stressing of syllables; almost every page has a set of symbols delimited by backslashes, describing the word's emphasis. I was wondering if anyone experienced in the emphasis and or word pronunciation could help me understand this notation with an example or two.


Is there a word that means "removing noise from communication"?

I'm trying to find a way to describe improving the Signal to Noise ratio of a communication/message succinctly. Using the entire phrase over and over gets clunky. Phrases that are close, but don't have as much of a technical connotation as I would like:   1. "Tuning" as in tuning a radio   2. "Demunge," but it implies the message is scrambled, and I think it's programmer jargon anyway


What is meant by "He Seconds Me"?

I asked my friend to refer me to one of his friends. He replied "I referred you. He Seconds Me". Can someone tell me what is the meaning of "He Seconds Me" here?


"I need him to get washed" — what is wrong?

I said that sentence, implying that a small boy from the next door is kinda stinky. But now I do not know if it is correct to say that. > I need him to get washed. Google 0 hits.


Usage of the word "curious" in the meaning of peculiar: always correct or only as 'artistic' form?

To me the word "curious" would be something you can be i.e. > I am curious what tomorrow will bring I recently read a text of a student I was supervising which used it as follows > A curious phenomenon is ... With which he meant to say that the phenomenon was peculiar, odd or strange. The only other case I have ever seen this is in the movie title: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", but that might be 'artistic freedom' (since Curious Case has the nice C.. C..). My question is: is the usage of the word "curious" in the meaning of peculiar correct?


Why is the beginning of a quote in old text sometimes denoted by a capital letter but no quotation marks?

In the following text of Pamela by Samuel Richardson, _well_ is capitalised — possibly to denote speech, where inverted commas have been neglected. As GEdgar points out, this is not an isolated case. I wonder why only, but there may be no explanation: > He took my hand, in a kind of good-humoured mockery, and said, Well urged, > my pretty preacher! When my Lincolnshire chaplain dies, I'll put thee on a > gown and cassock, and thou'lt make a good figure in his place.—I wish, said > I, a little vexed at his jeer. Well, well, Pamela, said he, no more of this > unfashionable jargon.


Where does the phrase "on the lam" come from?

According to the Online Etymological Dictionary, **lam** means:   > "flight," as in on the lam, 1897, from a U.S. slang verb meaning "to run > off" (1886), of uncertain origin, perhaps somehow from the first element of > _lambaste_ , which was used in British student slang for "beat" since 1590s.   > Does anyone know of any other explanations?


Usage of "than"

> Buying on margin means borrowing money from a broker to buy more securities > **than** can be purchased with one's own money alone.   1. I was wondering if _than_ in the above example is a conjunction or preposition?   2. Is there some word left out in the part after _than_? If yes, is the complete sentence  > Buying on margin means borrowing money from a broker to buy more securities > than **what** can be purchased with one's own money alone. **Added:** "can be purchased", the part after "than", is not a complete sentence because of lacking the subject, compared to a more usual example "He is taller than I am".   3. Can somebody explain a little more about the usage of _than_ in examples like this? I would like to understand how the sentence is grammatically correct.


What do we mean by "the decision was finely balanced"?

To me it can mean either that the decision could have gone one way or the other or that it was very carefully considered "weighing up" all possibilities and outcomes.


What is the meaning of the word "inriation"?

I looked up the definition of the word elation in Webster's Revised Unabridged 1913 dictionary and found the following definition (Page: 476): > Elation > > E*la"tion (?), n. [L. elatio. See Elate.] A lifting up by success; > exaltation; inriation with pride of prosperity. Felt the elation of > triumph." Sir W. Scott." I had never seen the word inriation before and my subsequent attempts to find a definition failed. It is not listed as a word in the 1913 dictionary, or any others that I've found. Is there an example of this word in English literature? Is it made-up, a misspelling? I can infer the definition from context, but is there any dictionary where inriation is defined?


Word/Phrase for the 'news is always wrong'

Not entirely sure this is the best placeto ask, but I'm looking for a word or phrase that I possibly heard a long time ago. It encapsulates one or two ideas: The first (and possibly more important) idea is that the more you know about a subject or event, the more you see that news reporting on the subject or event is incorrect. The second is that because of this, news reporting about something you don't know about should be treated with suspicion. I thought there was a 'blah blah effect' or 'blah blah principle' describing this, but I've come up empty handed in my searches. * * * Edit: Maybe I'll clarify slightly. For example, if you know a lot about cars, it will likely seem that many news articles about cars contain incorrect details and factual errors. But at the same time, if you don't know much about computers, news articles will seem to make sense to you. But given your experience with the news about something you know a lot about (cars), you should be distrustful of the news about computers. Maybe it was only in my head that there was a term for this. If not, I call dibs! As a side note, if this is not the proper place to ask this, where else could I ask?


This year has been being great?

Is it correct to say _this year has been being great_? I have never heard anyone saying **been being**. Though such expression does sound a bit awkward to my foreign ears, I think it stands correct. If I say _I have **been trying** to speak to her_, it means at an unspecified point in the past I started trying to speak to a certain lady and I haven't succeeded so far - but am still trying to speak to her and it's likely I'll continue trying to speak to her until I either reach out to her or simply give up on trying. Getting back to my first sentence, the year begun to be great at a certain point in the past, it's still great and is likely to continue to be great in the future. So the combination _been being_ makes sense as it is analogous to the _been trying to speak to her_ case - but I must say it sounds odd (to me). What are your thoughts?


Meaning of "cavorting with various women"

I've heard of the expression _cavorting with various women_. Apparently, Google says the original expression is _cavorting with the enemy_ , but I take that the definition is slightly different then. What is the meaning of this expression?


Meaning of "whiffling and waffling"

I heard the expression > **whiffling and waffling** all over the place but can't find a definition for it. Maybe it's a misspelling. What does it mean?


dividend/divisor vs. numerator/denominator

From Wikipedia: > In the expression a ÷ b = c, a is called the dividend or numerator, b the > divisor or denominator and the result c is called the quotient. What's most common (in the context of programming)?   1. dividend/divisor   2. numerator/denominator


Capitalization of words derived from proper nouns

Should words derived from proper nouns be capitalized or not? e.g. "Romanize/romanize", "Boolean/boolean" (I have seen both forms in the corpora and dictionaries). Personally I think the derived words are not proper (they refer to a concept rather than a person) and should not be capitalized.


The antonym of word Schadenfreude is Fribbly - the Joy In other's Joy - when did this new meaning of the word start?

For many years the word Fribbly has been used, in various communities as the antonym of Schadenfreude. rather than Harm-Joy or "pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others". Fribbly is Joy-Joy or the "pleasure derived from the pleasure of others" however when I look in websters the definition is "to trifle or fool away" does anyone know where this new usage started and when? It is in common currency in a wide variety of diverse sexual communities. It's often used in the polyamrous communities to describe the pleasure or frisson one feels when ones partner is enjoying themselves with another partner. But it equally has been used to describe the frisson - the Joy one feels when someone else is feeling Joy/pleasure This is a common human experience, something that anyone who isn't a psychopath feels, are there other words that I have missed that also describe the same feeling


Difference between "ditch", "trench" and "gutter"

I have been trying to understand the difference between the three, is this a usage difference between American English and British English? What is the difference?


"The way [the] control of the behemoth would be shared"

> Sechin strictly follows Putin's instructions but also appears to influence > the president. Industry sources say that in 2005 Sechin blocked plans that > Putin had blessed for Rosneft to merge with Gazprom (GAZP.ME) because he did > not like the way **control** of the behemoth would be shared. Source. Why do you think the author didn't use a definite article with _control_?


What does "Cost" mean in this context

I'm reading a book about `Distributed Systems (Computer Engineering)`. I faced with following context : > Full transparency will **_cost performance_** , exposing distribution of the > system What does "Cost" mean?


Opposite of Nightmare?

First off the word **dream** in most contexts _does_ have positive connotations. When talking about dreams that people experience during sleep though the meaning becomes fairly neutral, at least as far as I'm aware. The word **nightmare** means bad dream, of course. **What, though, is the word for a good dream?**


"becomes who I am" or "become who I am"?

I've been experiencing this for a long time now. In _Microsoft Word 2007_ , whenever I type the sentence, > "Thank you for helping me **become** who I am now," it always tells me that my use of "become" in the sentence makes it grammatically incorrect and that I should use "becomes". So which is it really? Become or becomes? (You can try it on your MS Word, see if it gives you the same result)


"Used to" or "used for"?

To me, "used to" and "used for" are incompatible, as shown in the examples below. However, I am unable to substantiate this. MS Word doesn't "see" the differences, so I turned to "Essential grammar in use" (Murphy) and "The Chicago manual of style", but still come up with nothing. And the Internet has proven totally unreliable. Please follow my reasoning: Used ”to” or ”for”? **Google search:**               "button is used for": 2,250,000 hits     "button is used to" : 3,260,000 hits      Sentences below checked in **MS Word English US** : (My interpretation in parentheses)               The button is used to open the dialog.      (Wrong)     The hammer is used to break the glass.      (Wrong)     John is used to read data.                  (Wrong)          The button is used for opening the dialog.  (Correct) (= a tool for opening)     The hammer is used for breaking the glass.  (Correct) (= a tool for breaking)     John is used for reading data.              (Wrong)          The button is used to opening the dialog.   (Wrong)     The hammer is used to breaking the glass.   (Wrong)     John is used to reading data.               (Correct) (= in the habit of reading)      Grammar check results: No corrections whatsoever – Grammar check simply doesn’t react to the above sentences, not even those that are _obviously_ wrong. In lieu of further guidance, I will have to rely on my own interpretation, as stated above. Correct or wrong?


What's the opposite/inverse of "rate"?

Might be better for a math or datacomm exchange, but I'll try here first: Given that "rate" means the number of times that an event occurs in a unit of time, what is the opposite/inverse of that term? Ie, what is a term for the time between events? "Latency" comes to mind but is not quite right since it generally refers to the time between cause and effect, not between essentially identical events.


"With regard to" vs. "with regards to" vs. "in regards to"

I found the following usage notes in the Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary (emphasis mine): > The phrases _as regards, in regard to_ , and _with regard to_ are standard > and occur in all varieties of spoken and written English, esp. in business > writing: _As regards your letter of January 19…_ However, these phrases are > sometimes regarded as unwieldy substitutes for _about_ or _concerning_ , > which may be easily substituted if desired. The phrases in regards to and > **with regards to** are widely rejected as errors. But I just saw this phrase used in some books or read. Like below. > With regard to your general development background, the two assumptions in > this book are that you have some familiarity with Web development, and you > have an understanding of .NET programming. Is it really an error?


"-ing" verb + gerund

I am aware that some verbs require the use of a gerund in certain constructions like _"to avoid doing something"_. However, does this rule extend to the case that _avoid_ is also used in an -ing form? For example: _"By avoiding doing something, ..."_ or do I have to write _"By avoiding to do something, ..."_ to obtain a correct English sentence?


Is it correct: "We don’t have to go there if we don’t want to"?

Which sentences are correct? > We don’t have to go there if we don’t want to. or > We haven’t to go there if we don’t want to.


Which is right: "drop-down" or "drop down"?

What is the proper way to write this term when writing product documentation? Hyphenated or not? > drop down list or > drop-down list?


Alternative phrase to use in place of "to support our claim ..."

I am writing a paper where I face the following situation. 1) I have made a claim (something holds true when something else holds true) 2) To make my claim more concrete I follow the claim with experimental analysis. I want to say something like "To make the claim concrete", we show the experimental results ... I thought of using "to support our claim, ...", but that seems too mild. I want something more imposing. Is there a way to say this more elegantly?


What is the noun for "feeling of being victimized"?

What is the word for "feeling of being victimized"?


What is the verb to take out compromises?

I want to describe the action of a person who is fed up with the many compromises he has made and now would like to "remove" these compromises he hates - what is a verb that means "remove compromises"? _Abolish_?


Word Choice: What do you call a set of elements not including their ends?

I have a set of objects, an example would be this set of letters.               {A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I}      I need to call each part (or group of parts) with short single words. Letter "A" is the Head; "I" is the Tail; Both Head and Tail are called Ends. each element is called a Segment. So my question is, what do we call the middle segments B through H, in a short single word?   * It can't be 'Middle/Center' because it could only refer to E.   * It can't be 'Segment' because it includes the Head and Tail.   * Basically the word needs to mean (w/o ambiguity) the segments not including the Head & Tail.   * Doesn't need to be formal, like what I did w/ Head/Tail, which could've been just Start/End or First/Last. Ironically, it's my homework on programming and naming function/methods, but this is more on language so I decided to post it here. Thank you in advance. P.S.: For admins, "set-theory" might be a good new tag?


"Cash on me" vs. "cash with me"

I know you would normally say, "I don't have any cash on me". But would it be grammatically correct to say, "I don't have any cash with me"?


Why not "skydove"?

In having a conversation with some friends, I noted that I decided at one point to forgo an option that I had at hand. Since I was speaking in the past, I had to put it in the correct tense. I knew the word "forgo", and had heard about "forgone" conclusions, but had never seen "forgo" in the past tense. Being a native English speaker, I paused for a split second to take a stab at the best option which seemed to fit, and therefore explained that I had "...forwent" the option. A quick check in the dictionary later showed that my instincts were correct. (Little happy dance here). That would have been the end of it, except that sometime later I was watching a report on skydiving, mentioning that some of the participants "skydived" a few times in the past. _Now_ I was confused. Skydived? Why not "skydove"? Makes perfect sense. I know that "dived" is a valid past tense alternate, but "dove" is certainly the more preferred usage as a simple past. It seems to me that here we do not use the formula of [for] + [go, p.t.] = [forwent]. It is being conjugated not as [sky] + [dive, p.t.] = skydove, but instead that [skydive] has become inseparable and should therefore be conjugated as "skydived." The first part of my question is: what determines the rules as to whether one should be conjugating the compound as a single word (most likely with +ed), or if the verb part should be separated and conjugated by itself? The second part is to ask if people can come up with additional examples of other such compound words, some where the verb is conjugated separately and others where the compound has made its way into the language as an inseparable case? Much obliged, Questor


What does "ambush Prince Charming's wife" mean?

In the 2014 film “The Other Woman”, there is an exchange between several characters > **King Kate** : So what do I do now? So I'm, now I'm Barb Melman? Barb > Melman got divorced and now she has cheek implants and lives in a condo in > Norwalk and has to go on dates. I am not equipped to go on dates. The last > time I was single, I was 24 and the dating pool was everyone. And now it's > like a shallow puddle of age-appropriate men who are old and gross and I > don't want to do that. > > **Cameron Diaz** : I know that you think that it's that bad, but honestly, > it's a lot worse. You know why? Because even if you meet a nice guy... and > when I mean "nice", I mean that he's, like, not an obvious sociopath... you > can't even actually get excited about it. > > You know why? Because it's just a matter of time before someone gets bored > and unhappy and is saying that it's over, and that's a happy ending. A > shitty ending is that there's lying and cheating and you ambush Prince > Charming's wife. * * * What does Cameron Diaz mean by " _... and you ambush Prince Charming's wife._ "?


What's the word for being passed through a line of armed men to be beaten?

As in the movie _Hunger_ : http://youtu.be/tprMKFaTRPk (first 30 seconds). Does the punishment that comprises being passed through a line of armed men to be beaten, have a name?


A word for "waiting for a reply"

I have a system which has the following structure: Inbound > Open > Pending > Awaiting reply > Ready > Closed I'd like to use single-words, so the one that sticks out like a sore thumb is "Awaiting reply". I obviously can't use "Pending" because that's already in use. And "Awaiting" is too similar to "Pending". Is there a word for "waiting for a reply"?


What is the word for the emotion I feel when I see someone being humiliated?

When I see someone else being embarrassed / humiliated, for example a singer forgetting their words in a concert, I would say something like "I feel embarrassed for them". But is there a better word to describe this feeling? I would say it's a mix of:   * Empathetic discomfort for someone else's humiliation   * Tension; hope that spectators will be forgiving   * Frustration that I cannot help them Other scenarios I would feel the same emotion:   * Seeing someone make a presentation, the slides are all out of order, and their face gets red with embarrassment while there's a tense silence in the room.   * Seeing someone make an embarrassing social blunder in front of unforgiving people.   * Seeing a speaker who keeps making a distracting and annoying gesture, and they don't realize that the whole audience is annoyed.   * Seeing someone be taken advantage of, like seeing someone naively and happily accept a terrible offer on a car.   * Seeing a person of strong image (for example the CEO of your company) do something like accidentally leave their webcam on after a conference call, and employees see him/her let out a big burp and pick their nose or something. In these cases it's important that the audience is not forgiving, even if they don't confront the person about it. The person may or may not know they are being humiliated. "Pity" as proposed in an answer seems very close, but I think it lacks a few components. I think "pity" has a chronic connotation - that you are referring to the general state of things rather than a specific event. I think "pity" also depends on the subject suffering, but in my example they are often oblivious. It could very well be that there is no word for this at all. NOTE: Some people do not feel the same way I do in this scenario, so you may not think this question makes any sense.


Meaning of the word 'rap'

> CIA takes _rap_ for embassy attack.


Is "public listed" an adjective?

The series in the sentence below and its positioning sound awkward. Micro, small and large are all adjectives, but public listed? Has the rule on parallelism been violated? And should anything be hyphenated? I'd like to know what's the best option for cleaning up this sentence: > Data were gathered from all micro, small, large and public listed housing > developers in XXX. My attempts: > Data were gathered from all housing developers, micro, small, large and > public listed, in XXX.


Meaning of "best among the worst"

What does _best among the worst_ mean? For example, if a person is best among the worst does it mean that he is the worst of all or that he is a good person in a group of bad persons?


Looking for a Synonym for Turntable

Is there a more generic word, perhaps a term from math or engineering, that describes a disc that rotates about its centre, like a turntable?


Term for spelling out letters with your body

Is there a term for people spelling out a name or some other word with their bodies (e.g. YMCA), usually for the purposes of a fun photo? This is similar to sign language but uses the whole body with arms and legs.


Do Americans use the world 'turtle' as a generic word to mean 'tortoise'?

Obviously there are two different animals — a tortoise and a turtle. But I have been told by a colleague that in the US the word _turtle_ is used to describe both. I find this odd as for example the Galapagos tortoise was fairly well known (old & big) and it would surely be a mistake to refer to it as a turtle.


In mathematics, when referring to pure numbers is largest or biggest correct?

When referring to a list of number is largest or biggest correct? For example, I want to find the **biggest** number in an array. Or should it be the **largest** number. Finally, would either biggest or largest be correct in this context? [EDIT] In this instance I am looking for a synonym for maximum in the context of an array.


Why is the plural of “deer” the same as the singular?

Why is the plural version of _deer_ identical to the singular version? If _mouse_ became _mice_ , then why did the singular _deer_ not change to something else in the plural?


Your signature vs your mark

Is there a difference between your 'signature' and your 'mark'? One of the comments on this post on Bruce Schneier's blog claims there is: > This might be out of date in these days of 100% literacy (yes, that is > sarcasm) but it's not actually your "signature", it's your "mark". This is > why serious contracts require witnesses. If there is a difference, then what exactly is it?


"Definitely" vs. "absolutely"

What's the difference between _absolutely_ and _definitely_? Actually which of the following sentences is correct? > You are **definitely** right. > > You are **absolutely** right.


"Whom" or "who" and replies to such questions

Which is the most natural way to ask the question below? Are the replies correct? (Words in parentheses show that they are optional.) > Whose are these notebooks? - (Of) our students./These notebooks are of our > students./These notebooks belong to our students./These are the notebooks of > our students. > > Whom do these notebooks belong to? - (To) our students. > > To whom do these notebooks belong? - (To) our students. > > Who do the notebooks belong to? - (To) our students. As far as I know, _to whom_ is a very formal expression. What about the rest? What about the following question? Is _to_ optional in the three replies? > To whom are you talking? - (To) our students. > > Whom are you talking to? - (To) our students. > > Who are you talking to? - (To) our students.


transitive vs intransitive verb

I'm not expert in English grammar, but I need to understand the difference between a transitive verb and an intransitive verb. Can someone explain this to me?


Meaning of "lay down"

What does _lay down_ mean? > One of my closest friends is 24 and clears $100k welding stainless. No > degree, loves his job, but he worked his balls off to get there. > > Hardly unskilled labor. He chills in a warehouse all day listening to music > and **laying down** sick welds.


Why does "groove" mean "take pleasure in"?

The original meaning of "groove" is something like a cave, or as a verb, make a groove. Why can "groove" mean "take pleasure in" as a verb?


What is the right verb for "measurement"?

I have to describe the act of measuring, with _measurement_ used as noun. Which verb(s) fit best? > **taking** a measurement > > **making** a measurement > > **doing** a measurement > > **carrying out** a measurement (suggested by Google translate) > > **performing** a measurement Does it work the same for the passive form ( _the measurement has been taken_ )? The context: > It provides a [...] set of probing points with which it's possible to easily > take measurements; these have been carried out using a DC power analyzer ... The action appears twice, hence the need for synonyms. **Funny fact** : the difference between "taking" and "making" is also debated in photography (also a form of measuring?), with the difference being in the importance of the operator (I take it if it's already there, I make it if it's in my mind, somehow).


'Work hard at it' or 'work hard for it'. Which is grammatically correct?

"Some people dream of success, while others wake up & work hard at it." Me and my friend got into a little argument over which is correct. He says 'work hard at it' is correct. I disagreed and said it should be 'work hard for it'. I'd be grateful if anyone could shed some light on this. Thank you,


One word for "Wild Wild West" - not the movie!

I'd like to capture the spirit of the phrase "the Wild Wild West" in one word, if possible. For instance _"As I stepped back outside, I was shocked to see everything change to --a scene much like the Wild Wild West---"_. I would like to capture the feeling of chaos or frenzy, violence or danger, and lawlessness. What would you suggest?


Reading of the article “an” preceding quotations

Speakers often add “quote” or “quote, unquote” before quotations. But when a quotation is preceded by the article “an”, how should that article be pronounced? As I understand, the choice between “a” and “an” is determined by what phonetically follows the article. When “quote” or “quote, unquote” is inserted between “an” and the quotation, the extra “-n” becomes unnecessary. So should I really pronounce “a” instead?


Origin of "In which ..."

A large number of humorous titles seem to be of the form "in which ...". For example, a quick Google search turns up: In which I form the suspicion that I am not Nature’s intended audience. What's the origin of this form?


Is "life is hard without jam" in use?

I am looking for a translation of the French "la vie est dure sans confiture". Babel Fish gives me "life is hard without jam". But I am not sure whether this phrase is really in use. Are there equivalent English phrases for this French proverb?


Why use the word "copy" in "do you copy that"?

I notice "do you copy that?" is used in movies to ask for confirmation in telephone/interphone conversation. I only know _copy_ means make things duplicated, so why use it in "do you copy that"? Is there a history about it?


Apostrophe after a surname

There is a lot of statistical criteria/tests (statistics) named after a statistician/mathematician/biologist/economist, etc. But for instance, this and this examples have different spelling...   _Do I have to write an apostrophe after a surname in such a situation or not?_


Should it be "100% donations policy" or "100% donation policy"?

Some charities have a "100% donations policy" or "100% donation policy" - e.g. "We abide by a 100% donations policy" - by which they mean that 100% of each donation donated to the charity will go to the charitable cause(s) (and not a penny will be deducted for administration purposes). The question is: should it be **donations** (as a plural) or **donation** (in the singular) in the above _policy_? Or are the two interchangeable? I'm guessing what they're really saying is **We abide by a "100% of your donation _s_ " policy**, in which case both (plural and singular forms) would make sense? Or is the _policy_ just worded badly? Or am I just reading too much into this?


Meaning of suffix '-sex' in 'Sussex, Middlesex'

I know that Sussex and Middlesex are in England. It looks to me as if there is a pattern in names. What does the suffix -sex mean? Where does it come from?


Using "concrete" as synonym to "real"

Can I use the word _concrete_ as a synonym to _real_ in a phrase like this? > Russian beer is a **concrete** shit. Maybe this phrase sounds like drivel for a native speaker?


"Waiting on" and "waiting for"

While purchasing in Walmart, after sliding my card the card machine was saying "Waiting on cashier". What does "waiting on" mean in this case and how it differs from "waiting for"? Would that be wrong to say "waiting for cashier" ?


"Grudge" vs. "begrudge"

In Faulkner's _The sound and the fury_ two sentences arrive close to one another which have made me wonder about the usage of grudge and begrudge. > I know you grudge what I give him. And shortly thereafter, > I know you begrudge him. Now I wonder if the subtle difference of a person or action implies the need for different words. In essence, I am wondering about the correct usage of these two words in comparison with one another.


Where can I find a list of English paronyms?

Can anyone point me to a (more or less) complete list of English paronyms (affect/effect, farther/further, alternately/alternatively, interested/interesting, corrupted/corrupt, adopt/adapt, continuous/contiguous...)? Wikipedia has a list for everything, but not for paronyms. Google is not exceptionally helpful, either. After trying out half a dozen different search strings, I have learned quite a lot about French, German, and even Russian paronyms, but close to nothing about English ones. Any pointers?


Implied Prepositions

I am working on documentation for some work stuff. A reviewer has told me to change this: > Decisions made by the CAB apply to all members of ETG and non-ETG employees > that participate in ETG processes. to this: > Decisions made by the CAB apply to all members of ETG and **to** non-ETG > employees that participate in ETG processes. Now, in my mind both are correct. "To" can be implied. Am I correct? What do style guides such as APA and MLA say about this?


The pronunciation of buoy

How did the word _buoy_ come to be pronounced "BOO-ee" in most of the US? The British pronunciation "BOY" as in the word _buoyancy_ or _buoyant_ (which both countries pronounce the same) seems to be pretty straight-forward, so where did the US version come from?


How to use 'as well as' and 'even'?

When I was doing my English homework, I came across this question: > In his research paper Dr Brown suggests that snacking, if done properly, > makes people healthier and **___ _** helps control weight.   >  A. as well as B. namely C. even D. yet I chose A, but my tutor said the correct answer should be C. But she did not give me a satisfactory explaination. Could you kindly tell me why I can't use _as well as_ in this sentence?


one 'serving' of sugar - a person serving sugar?

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_packet > A sugar packet is a delivery method for **one** 'serving' of sugar. Does **one** there mean a person?


Is "How are you?", when used as a greeting, an idiom? Is there a better word for it?

When passing someone in the hall, you might say "How are you?" as a greeting, but not meaning it literally, as you don't really require an answer. Is "How are you?" (or "How's it going?", etc.) an idiom when used this way? "Idiom" doesn't seem appropriate because that combination of words generally has the literal meaning. Is there another word for this? Sorry if I am not making this clear. If I can clarify in some way, please ask. Edit: Could someone explain why this question might have been voted down? Not complaining, just trying to learn.


Calling Method or Called Method?

I was reading something on MSDN (Microsoft Developer Network) and I saw this and made me confused: > Although variables passed as an out arguments need not be initialized prior > to being passed, the **calling method** is required to assign a value before > the method returns. What I would like to learn whether "calling method" means the method which calls another method or the method which is being called by main method? If you'd love to see more about the context, you are very welcome to visit this page: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/t3c3bfhx(v=vs.80).aspx It is important since it changes the meaning a lot. And also for more information to me, I would love to learn what it is called in grammar? Gerunds maybe?


"huge volume of data" or "huge volumes of data" Should I use a singular form or a plural form? Search in Google results in 178,000 hits vs 256,000 hits.


Can ‘a short of something” be used as “without something”? Do we need “a” before “short”?

I came across the following sentence in the book, “Korean’s Place in the Sun” written by Bruce Comings, Professor in History at the University of Chicago: > Events elsewhere after the Cold War have encouraged most Koreans to think > that reunion might be around the corner: so what can be said about critical > issue to Korea’s destiny as a nation? It seemed to me that for all these > reasons, and a short of a catastrophic war, no reunified Korea will emerge > before a prolonged regional sovereignty, perhaps under one national name and > one flag, perhaps for years to come. Not only what are reasons for “for all reasons” is not explained, but I have difficulty in understanding the subsequent lines:   1. Can “a short of (a catastrophic war)” be used to mean “without, or except”? Do we need “a” before “short of"? Don’t we need any preposition rather than “a”?   2. What does “ _before_ ” of “reunified Korea will emerge _before_ a prolonged regional sovereignty” mean? Does it refer to “time” (previous to) or “place” (in front of)?   3. What does “no reunified Korea will emerge before a prolonged regional sovereignty” mean? If it is a sovereign state, it is a matter of course that the state has, or should have one name and one flag. Isn’t the statement followed by “perhaps under one national name ...” superfluous? Though I trust the accomplished scholar’s writing is infallible, is the quoted statement crystal clear to all native English speakers at a glance?


What's the difference between cunning, crafty and wily?

The definitions are quite similar, but what are the differences in meaning between them, exactly? > cunning: having or showing skill in achieving one’s ends by deceit or > evasion > > crafty: clever at achieving one’s aims by indirect or deceitful methods > > wily: skilled at gaining an advantage, especially deceitfully


Usage of noxious, nocuous and their opposites

I came across the word _nocuous_. It seems that this word is rarely used (and even the spell-checking of my browser does mark it as a mistake). _Noxious_ , in comparison, is used way more often. Interestingly, the opposite statement can be applied to their antonyms _innocuous_ and _innoxious_. Now the comparison between both shows a clear tendency to the use of _innocuous_ (and my browser's spell-checking marks the latter). The question is, in which contexts should I have a preference to _nocuous/innocuous_ and when should I go with _noxious/innoxious_? Or are possibly only _innocuous_ and _noxious_ in practical use, while the others are rather formal? Perhaps, _innocuous_ is the well-established opposite to _noxious_ in colloquial?


"So also in matters psychological" Is that English at all?

I'm reading a book, Gestalt Therapy Integrated, and I stumble on this sentence: > So also in matters psychological. I'm thinking that one line is missing, but I'd like to make sure of that. The paragraph starts in this way: > Were an individual subjected to great heat, he would soon lose contact by > fainting and he might eventually die if his limits for assimilating heat > were seriously trespassed. So also in matters psychological.


What do you call the empty/arid zones on both sides of a highway?

I'm referring to something like the brown areas in this picture: ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/R7XOt.jpg)


Verb meaning "selling charitably"

What term can you use to describe the act of "selling something charitably"? "Donated" is close, but it is referring to giving something away. "Graciously sold" is too wordy. I'm thinking of using the word in this sentence, for example: > Although it was the stall owner's very last orange, and he loved oranges > very much, he __ it to the young orphan for only 20 cents.


Where does the intrusive R come from in “warsh”?

My grandmother, who grew up in western Pennsylvania, pronounced _wash_ and _Washington_ with an intrusive R: “warsh” and “Warshington.” Where does the intrusive R come from in that dialect? It doesn’t seem to be produced by the same mechanism that changes _law and order_ to “lawr and order” in non-rhotic dialects (plus, my grandmother’s dialect was rhotic, if I recall correctly).


the similar meaning of impress and strike...as

I learnt a phrase said 'strike sb. as sth.' it means to seem to have a particular quality or feature. I think it is similar to 'impress sb. with sty' Maybe it is most common to you native speakers to use either of them, but as the second language learners, we must say 'impress' at once, but rarely use 'strike', it seems a little authentic and can't remember. And how do you choose words and phrases in the written English?


meaning of an expression in a sentence

what is the meaning of _so patent a manner_ in the following sentence Seeing him like this, dressed just for her **in so patent a manner** , she could not hold back the fiery blush that rose to her face.


Have somebody get (verb)

I have asked a question that turned out to be more complicated than I thought. It consists of the meanings of GET and HAVE somebody DO something constructions. What I understood, > I will have him get killed would not be used in regular speech. But I have read e.g.: > Have him get addicted to drugs! Why not to say just "Have him addict to drugs" as I would expect with "have somebody do something" construction? I was told that there is a construct "have [something happen]" yet I do not fully understand the difference between this and "have somebody do something". Isn't there also difference between the usage of GET KILLED and GET ADDICTED? I mean - He got killed means simply "He was killed" while "He got addicted" implies a change of a state. My point is whether it is verb-dependent?


Is the definition of browser generally poor?

In regards to this question on meta Stackoverflow I had a look at what definitions one find for _"browser"_. My definition of _to browse_ is in short looking for information or things of interest. In this question I concentrate on computer based browsers. One can for example have:   * web-browser   * file-browser   * code-browser   * image-browser   * meta-browser   * (browser-service)   * ... But, if one look at various definitions for _"browser"_ one find:   * Merriam Webster: _a computer program used for accessing sites or information on a network (as the World Wide Web)_   * Oxford: _A program with a graphical user interface for displaying HTML files, used to navigate the World Wide Web: 'a web browser'_   * Collins: _a software package that enables a user to find and read hypertext files, esp on the Internet_   * Cambridge: _a computer program that makes it possible for you to read information on the internet_   * Google: _a program with a graphical user interface for displaying HTML files, used to navigate the World Wide Web._ From these examples I'd say Oxford and Google is furthest off, esp. as it does not require a graphical user interface, nor is it limited to _display HTML files_. Why is this? Why does seemingly all dictionaries limit _"browser"_ to some software for sifting through The World Wide Web when it comes to _computing_?


Word/phrase that means "the sound that is produced when objects are being moved by a stream"

Is there a word/phrase for that? Example: > I closed my eyes, and listened to the [...] stones.


Is there a specific name for a portmanteau of two alternative spellings?

This question came about in a discussion between myself and another user of the Gaming.SE chat after I linked in this chiptune track called   An Eskimeau Experience * * * Here is the gist of the discussion: > It's either Eskimo or Esquimaux. Not a portmanteau of both. > > **"Eskimeau"** is a portmanteau of two of the different spellings. It's half > English, half French. That's like calling something a biscookie. > > So it's wrong, and I want to know the name of the 'mistake' (or stylistic > device, if you prefer) > > I thought there was a specific name for a portmanteau of two alternative > spellings... This probably isn't very clear, so I suggest you check out the link below, which will take you to the transcript of the original discussion. * * * Original chat transcript


"Important for someone to do" vs. "important that someone does"

As I know, there is no difference in meaning between the following two sentences. >   1. It is not important for you to eat good food. >   2. It is not important that you eat good food. > But I believe that there is a little difference between the two sentences at least because the letters in them are different. Does anybody know the difference?


"Whose difficulty is in-between"

> This doctoral thesis is very technical and therefore hard to read. On the > other hand, this book on the subject is a bit too naive. Our goal is to give > a text whose difficulty is in-between. I think that the last sentence above is incorrect. How could one phrase that the text is more precise and detailed than the book, but still less detailed than the thesis?


Is "was always with you" or "had always been with you" grammatically correct?

>   1. In those days wherever you went I **had always been** with you like a > shadow. >   2. In those days wherever you went I **was always** with you like a > shadow. > Which one is grammatically correct?


Use of comma separating two adjectives

If I had the phrase > two blond haired, blue eyed people   1. would the comma be out of place?    2. should I hyphenate "blond haired" and "blue eyed"?


Is there a word to represent the feeling on never being somewhere before?

When I go to a new place there is a feeling of seeing everything for the first time, and the newness of it, but even just the second time I know where things are (vaguely) and its not much of a surprise. Is there a word for the feeling of newness and exploring of going somewhere new? I want to use this word to say things like "right now im experiencing a strong feeling of [insert word here]" like a contrapositive for wanderlust.


If America has a woman President, will her husband be known as 'The First Gentleman'?

If, for example, Hilary Clinton becomes President, will Bill re-enter the White House as 'the First Gentleman of America'?


How to say one has been accepted directly at a competitive examination?

In France, access to some educational institutions is allowed only after a competitive examination. However, for special achievements, some students may be offered a seat directly, bypassing the examination altogether. The French idiom is to have been selected “sur dossier” (“on file”). That is, your (implicitly: school) file was convincing enough to exempt you from the examination. Is there any way to express this in English? If there are disparities between English-speaking countries, please specify them  :)


Usage of two hads in a sentence, not continuously

Is the second sentence correct? > Are we going ahead with this now? Earlier, you had told me that they had > quoted a huge fee the last time we asked. Or should it rather just be "You told me that they had quoted a huge fee..."?


Can I say this? "To spank my shoulder when needed"

Can I say this: "To spank my shoulder when needed" or "to spank on my shoulder when I'm down in life"? Is there a way instead not using spank? Is there any other way to express the same feeling?


What does "going blue" mean?

I'm familiar with the expression _to feel blue_ , but I recently stumbled upon the expression _to go blue_ on two different websites in one week. > Vork from The Guild goes a bit blue > > _Source_ : > http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/BlogtownPDX/archives/2011/03/24/in- > which-i-discuss-the-topic-of-web-series-with-my-head-on-my-desk The second site: > Our panel from ECCC last weekend. It went a bit blue. Thanks Wil Wheaton, > hehe. > > _Source_ : http://felicia.posterous.com/eccc-11-the-guild-panel-part-1 Usually I can track down the meaning of expressions myself, but since Google isn't being very helpful I'm turning to you guys. I'd also like to know if this expression is used widely across the English-speaking world or if its use is limited to certain regions. (Please forgive me if my English isn't flawless... I'm a 19-year-old non- native speaker.)


Noun version of 'Compel'?

I want to say a word 'compellance' or 'compelation', but I don't know what the correct word is.


Does this mean 'he was doomed'?

Given the sentence: > Now he'd done it. He hadn't even lasted two weeks. He'd be packing his bags > in ten minutes. What would the Dursleys say when he turned up on the > doorstep? I guess that in this context _he’d done it_ means “he’d been doomed.” Does **_do it_** has a meaning?


What does “flooded” mean when referring to people?

I know the meaning of “flooded” as in “covered with water”, but what is the meaning here? > Over 200 students from all over the state flooded the helpline calls on the > first day of its launch. How was “flooded” used here?


What does "get to" mean?

I know there are a lot of meanings to the verb "get", so I am unable to understand which one is used in the following sentence: > They had a baby which was different, so it got to live. I know that "get to" can be:   * allowed to,    * have a chance to, or   * become (eventually) But neither works for me. Maybe the first one would make sense. Or should it be "have got to"? That would make sense, but I thought I had to use it with "have".


What dictionary should be used when citing the dictionary in an American PhD-level dissertation?

In an Australian PhD dissertation, the Oxford English Dictionary would be the obvious choice when needing to make reference to a dictionary definition. However, I am writing for an audience of (mostly) American computer scientists and would like to follow US conventions. **Which dictionary would be widely regarded as the source of the most authoritative, prestigious and "academic" definitions within the US?** (There is a related question at US Equivalent to the Oxford English Dictionary but the question and answers are based on a reader's point of view, rather than as an authoritative source)


Why is "safe haven" used so frequently, by those who should know better?

A haven is a place that is safe. So, "safe haven" is redundant. Shockingly, several state legislatures have even passed laws for dropping off babies with no penalty; these laws are usually referred to as "safe haven" laws.


What does it mean "a piece of schlock"?

What does _a piece of schlock_ mean in the following phrase? > "You aren't in this game to write a piece of schlock."


Usage of "As ..." in the beginning of a sentence, Any alternatives?

I use the following type of sentences a lot, because I do not know any alternatives: E.g. > **As** my child grows over time, I become older. By which I mean that I my child is growing, and I am getting older, and this is a constant process. What are the alternative ways to express such things? Thanks!


Usage of "What does who want?"

I have stumbled upon the phrase "What does who want?" which puzzles me. Its unusualness makes me doubt.   * I have been told it is used just as "What does he want?", with [who] replacing [he] when we don't know who we are addressing, but that is unclear to me. Is it the same than "Who wants what"?    * Grammatically, where is the subject and which is the interrogative pronoun? Does it become a double question which we expect two answers? Which answer is expected (what + who)?  Can you enlighten me about the different cases we ought use it? Is it formal written english?


"Here is/are" followed by plural

>   * Here **is** the documents needed. >   * Here **are** the documents needed. > Which is grammatically correct and why? My guess would be the second one because of the plural form.


"Technology" vs. "a technology"

> (Company) develops _transactional data technology_ that aggregates > information for payment service providers and merchants. or > (Company) develops **_a** transactional data technology_ that aggregates > information for payment service providers and merchants. Which is correct?


"after abusing it for three years" vs "after having abused it for three years"

I was writing a blog post about my phone this morning, and this is how I started it: > Last week, after abusing it for over three years, I retired my trusty old > HTC Desire and replaced it with an HTC One. This sentence didn't feel quite right to me, so I changed it to: > Last week, after having abused it for over three years, I retired my trusty > old HTC Desire and replaced it with an HTC One. But this doesn't feel quite right to me, either. What am I doing wrong? Which one of these sentence is correct? Why?


What do you call the green slippery thing formed, due to standing in water?

I can only think of "algae" or preferably "green algae", these are in the context of science. But is there any other general word in English used for this green slippery thing? In Hindi we say, _Kaayi_ , so what is _Kaayi_ in English?


Term for intentionally blanking or blurring parts of images or videos

Names or other sensitive information in an official document, or in a previously secret document now made public, are often deleted to protect the privacy of the individuals. It's usually done visibly, with the parts of the text painted over by a thick black line, or by blurring it. I know this practice is called "redacting", even if the word has a different original meaning. I often see "[redacted]" written over a removed part of text. However, what is the term used if parts of images or videos are hidden. For example, a face of a person in an interview is pixelated to keep viewers from recognizing the person. A technical drawing which might end up in a video is pixelated to keep people from stealing it. A license plate of a car is pixelated, or painted black, etc. Is the word [redacted] used in this case? **I'm looking for a single word or a short phrase to _print across_ a part of an image or video which is blanked, blurred, or pixelated intentionally** to keep people from discovering any sensitive information. The point is for viewers to recognize that it's not a mistake, but intentional. "Censored" would be an alternative, but I don't think it fits this situation, as that word is often used for the purpose of hiding details people might find shocking, embarrassing or taboo.


"Request of modification" vs "modification request"

As the title says, which one is better? The entire phrase should be something like > Any **[request of modification/modification request]** should be sent to the > Manager first Thank you


Can we use 'for what' in relative clauses?

I feel that the following sentence is not correct: > He wants to paint the walls of his flat, for what he needs the best tools. So 'what' refers to the whole first clause in the sentence. Okay, I could say something like: > He wants to paint the walls of his flat, so he needs the best tools. or I could use _therefore_ , _thus_ , etc. But is there a solution which is somehow nearer to the first sentence in meaning? Can I use a preposition before 'what' in a relative clause, similarly to the case of 'which'?


What does " 'Nation " stand for in this context?

I was reading the novel _A Tale of Two Cities_ by Charles Dickens. In Chapter 2, there are sentences like: > “I hope there ain’t, but can’t make so ’Nation sure of that,” said the > guard, in gruff soliloquy. “Hallo you!” I don't know what that apostrophe in the word _'Nation_ stands for. I searched for it on the Internet and in dictionaries, but could not discover the answer. Or is this just a printing error? (In China, Google is banned, so the only PDF I can find is the Project Gutenberg edition, which has the same text in this spot.) Can anybody help me with this?


Is it common to use “grocery” as a verb?

My favorite NY-Times columnist Maureen Dowd who consistently supplies me the material for posting questions in EL&U site begins today’s (December 8) article titled “A Lost Civilization” with the line: > “My college roommates and **I used to grocery shop** and cook together. The > only food we seemed to agree on was corn, so we ate a lot of corn.” All of Cambridge, Oxford, and Merriam-Webster dictionaries register “grocery” as a noun meaning “grocery store (Cambridge),” “grocer’s shop or business (Oxford)” and “(1) grocer’s store, (2) groceries sold by a grocer.” However, none of them lists “grocery” as a verb. I know a noun are often used as verbs like 'bicycle a trip,' 'pen a letter,' and 'market a new product,' but is “grocery” widely used as a verb meaning ‘to visit a grocery store,’ or simply ‘shop around’? Is the use of "X-shop" as a verb 'trendy' and universal? Can I say “I barber shop once a month," "He golf shopped to buy a new club," "She used to barger shops for a lunch," "I sport shopped to buy a new ski wear," "I computer shopped a new i-phone model yesterday," "I book shopped for a Jeffery Archer's paperback yesterday," and "I pawn shopped to loan $300," without being frowned?


Subscriber is to subscription as provider is to ...?

As the title suggests I am looking for a noun which describes the connection between a person (the provider) and the objects or services he provides. It will be used in the same context as the pair “subscriber”/“subscription”. “Provision” sounds right, yet has a different meaning (the one of reserving).


Equivalent word for 'Unfriend' on Social media sites?

I understand that 'Unfriend' is not a valid English word. But, is there an equivalent word for the act of 'Unfriending' someone, like on Facebook? _'Not being on talking terms'_ is something a friend suggested. I am looking for one word here. from @Hugo :   _Because social media "friends" are sometimes just acquaintances and not necessarily actual friends (and sometimes not even acquaintances), a good answer will also apply to this weaker relationship._


Origin of "egg on my face"

Where does the phrase "egg on my face" come from, and what is its meaning?


Word for "drawing a decisive conclusion about a phenomenon according to specific personal experience"

What is a single word for "drawing a decisive conclusion about a phenomenon according to specific personal experience"? I often encounter people who can follow a pattern like that in an argument: > A: What do you think about the new X cell phone? > > B: My sister bought one, and she could not operate it, so it's not user > friendly. It's not only generalization, but also taking a case that you are familiar with and making conclusions about a certain object according to that case even if the conclusion is not relevant or connected.


A person or entity that decides how an obligation should be fulfilled

Let's say that I caused some nasty accident and someone was hurt and a judge told me that I have an obligation to amend their damage somehow. However, some other person (or entity) will decide _how_ these damages should be amended. E.g. paying the claimant 1000$ or helping mow their lawn for a month. What could this person be called in this context? Something more graceful than _damage-fulfilment-decider_.


Meaning of “a rage of vision”?

What is the meaning of “had sent him a rage of vision” in this excerpt: > The old man was in a position to know what his ideas were. He had lived for > three months in the nephew's house on what he had thought at the time was > Charity but what he said he had found out was not Charity or anything like > it. All the time he had lived there, the nephew had secretly been making a > study of him. The nephew, who had taken him in under the name of Charity, > had at the same time been creeping into his soul by the back door, asking > him questions that meant more than one thing, planting traps around the > house and watching him fall into them, and finally coming up with a written > study of him for a schoolteacher magazine. The stench of his behaviour had > reached heaven and the Lord Himself had rescued the old man. He **_had sent > him a rage of vision_** , had told him to fly with the orphan boy to the > farthest part of the backwoods and raise him up to justify his Redemption. > The Lord had assured him a long life and he had snatched the baby from under > the schoolteacher's nose and taken him to live in[…]” From the book _The Violent Bear It Away_ , by Flannery O’Connor (ch.1, p.4).


"Consist in" vs. "consist of"

I would like to have this clear once and for all: What is the correct use of consist in / consist of? > "Meditation consists in/of attentive watchfulness." > > "The body consists in/of cells." More examples of correct and incorrect use would be appreciated.


Describing a well-respected person who is welcomed in a foreign country

Is there an English term to describe someone who is welcomed with high respect in a country, for example, the Chinese vice president on a recent trip to the US?


What does “Mitt Romney pretends to be a Nascar, cheesy-grits guy” mean?

In New York Times (March 17) article titled, “Is Elvis a Mormon?” Maureen Dowd criticizes Mitt Romney as his manner being so “inauthentic.” She says: > “You can’t find him anywhere. Is he the guy he was on Wednesday or the guy > he was on Thursday?” and then, > “Mitt works overtime pretending he’s _a Nascar, cheesy-grits guy_ and > masking his pride in his bank account and faith.” To me, Nascar is the abbreviation of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. Does this mean he enjoys car racing as a racing driver? As for cheesy –grits, www.mrfoodcom defines it as “a recipe for classic down- home cheese grits is chock-full of sharp Cheddar cheese.” What does Mitt Romney pretends to be _a Nascar, cheesy-grits guy_? What do “a Nascar” and “Cheesy-grits” symbolize? Is Dowd trying to say Romney wants to be seen by voters, just as a commonplace person and a docile husband, not a plutocratic politician?


Where does the phrase "on end" come from?

The phrase "on end" means "without end". It very much sounds like the German "ohn End" which itself is the short form of "ohne Ende". Is this etymologically the right direction? (Sometimes these similarities are misleading!)


Is there any other literary technique other than metaphor in the following quote?

I'm writing an essay required for school, involving the analysis of texts. > “remove **the shackles of prejudice and intolerance** ” I was wondering if there is any other literary technique in the above quote, other than just a metaphor? > Context: These, then, are our common hopes that unite us -- that as **the > shackles of prejudice and intolerance** fall from our own limbs we can > together strive to identify and remove the impediments to human development > everywhere. The mechanisms by which this great task is to be achieved > provided the proper focus of this great Forum. I feel sure that women > throughout the world who, like me, cannot be with you join me now in sending > you all our prayers and good wishes for a joyful and productive meeting.


Is it okay to make up your own words at times?

Let's say you're writing an essay and you want to convey a message as concisely as possible with a time-constraint on your hands, and you don't really get the right words.   Is it okay to make up words to express what you want to say, as in "the stock prices dropped so low,the entire company was 'blue-d' out" (as opposed to severely demotivated)?


Does the position of "while" in a sentence affect its meaning?

"While I hate to watch TV, my wife loves it very much." (self-made) When denoting a contrast, "while" is to be in the beginning of the first clause. I complained about the unfair competition in getting the official position in the government, while my father told me that he was ruled out from the Union because of his ethnicity. (self-made) In this sentence, "while" means no contrast, just that something happens at the same time. It seems, to mean "happen at the same time", "while" better be situated in the second clause. Is it so?


Can I say a spirit conveyed by something?

Confucius already manifests a spirit perfectly conveyed by these words of a much later text : “ If a foreigner comes to China, and lives like a Chinese, then treat him as a Chinese. (self-made) I am not sure about the notion that "a spirit conveyed by these words" is a good expression, although I know "message conveyed in.." is good. Shall I changed it into: Confucius already manifests a spirit best embodied/best illustrated in these words of a much later text?


Use of colon when addressing someone

When addressing someone in an email (I understand grammar rules are pretty loose in this medium), should the sentence after the colon start with a capitalized letter? For example: > _Example A:_ > > I'm going to bring my car. David: What about you? > > _Example B:_ > > I'm going to bring my car. David: what about you? If a colon is the incorrect punctuation used in this scenario, please feel free to correct me.


What do you call the objects shown in this picture?

If I'm not wrong, the girl shown in the picture below is called 'majorette', a girl who entertains the audience at football games with their spectacular performances, or something similar. I don't know. However, what are the things indicated by the red arrows called? I try to search something, but I didn't have luck. ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/SLvSe.png)


Is there a word to convey something that is barely in your sight lines?

So you have a piece of dead skin on your nose. Every once in a while something bothers you but you don't know what it is. Then you realize you keep seeing the dead skin flake. Is there a term to describe this? Note: I should have mentioned this from the beginning, but my bad, peripheral is not what I am looking for. I would tend to use this for field of vision on the outside corner of my eyes. Looking for a word that convey something - either above or below - that may be on your face. I am looking for that "hazy" area that you see the tip of your nose or eyebrows or the occasional cheek.


What is a word to describe how something bad looks good because it is being contrasted with something worse?

I was wondering if there was any word or terminology for any such literary device that uses this effect.


"Screwed" vs. "nailed": why is the slang so different?

![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/CnFtA.jpg) While the two names _nail_ and _screw_ have similar shapes and functions, why do the verbs differ so much? _Someone has screwed something_ sounds like they have ruined something to me, while _someone has nailed something_ sounds like they have successfully accomplished the thing. So why have these similar words acquired this much dissimilarity? From Merriam-Webster: > **Screw:** > > (1) : to mistreat or exploit through extortion, trickery, or unfair actions; > especially : to deprive of or cheat out of something due or expected (2) : > to treat so as to bring about injury or loss (as to a person's reputation) > —often used as a generalized curse * * * > **Nail:** > > to perform or complete perfectly or impressively From Urban Dictionary (which I am aware is not a reliable source, but sometimes it can be helpful): > **Screwed** > >   1. To be in serious trouble. >   2. A word describing something in a state of disrepair. >   3. A word to describe a person who is heavily under the influence of > alcohol and/or narcotic material, to an extent where it affects their > behavioural patterns. > >     1. "When my parents found out I killed their parrot, I'm screwed!" >     2. "Wow, someone screwed that car up pretty bad!" >     3. "Wow, that guy is screwed!" > * * * > **Nailed** > > Having completed a task with great accuracy. > > "A+! I nailed that test." > > or > > "I threw the rock and, nailed that guy between the eyes!" * * * * * * ## Update: It would be invaluable, if someone could elaborate more on the historical etymology of these definitions as well.


What does "Chintzy Voice" mean?

I've come across the phrase, used in the sentence below, while I was reading a novel written by Raymond Chandler. "I'm Miss Vermilea, Mr. Umney's secretary," She said in a rather **chintzy voice**. I looked up the word "chintzy", and still can't understand what it tries to describe.


"They do not agree --neither with ... nor with ...": Wrong?

"The significant effects proposed by the 5 packages do not agree -- **neither** with each other **nor** with the book." Is this really wrong? I know the rule about using neither/nor only with affirmative statements, but it just feels so right. I'm proofreading a text and wanted to add this. But the grammar check insists that it's incorrect (I know, not always reliable). I was hoping that setting it apart with the double-hyphen would separate it sufficiently from the affirmative verb.


'Is also on the works' or 'is also in the works', which is correct?

An android version of the app is also on the works. or An android version of the app is also in the works. Which is correct?


How to write a pair of pairs without sounding awkward

I am attempting to write a list of pairs of people, like so: "The pairings are Bob and Jane, Joe and Mary, and Fred and Ashley." This works fine in that the comma lets you know where each pairing is broken up. However, if I only have two pairings, I'm not entirely sure how to phrase that. Both options I can think of look incredibly awkward to me, and I'd like to know which is the preferred way of phrasing it (or if there is another way that I did not mention). Option 1 is "The pairings are Bob and Jane and Joe and Mary." without a comma, which is hard to parse. Option 2 is "The pairings are Bob and Jane, and Joe and Mary.", which looks awkward to me because there are only two things in the list, and usually you omit the comma for that. Any help on this would be much appreciated.


Is it grammatical to say "the batmen"?

As far as I know, the five actors to have played the role of Batman in films are Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, and Christian Bale. Is it grammatical to call them "the batmen"?


"for which" usage

I am writing comments to my algorithm and I used this sentence to describe one variable. But I am not entirely sure if it makes sense and if I used commas right. > id of node, for which, program is currently creating blocks It should mean that "program is currently creating blocks for node with id" (but id has to be a subject)


"Text" vs "literature" to refer to technical writings?

When you want to refer to technical writings of a field, do you use **text** or **literature**? For example, which sentence is more common and more correct?   1. In music _literature_ , micro-tonal describes ...   2. In music _texts_ , micro-tonal describes ...


Why do they call it a "movement" in music? Is this a metaphor?

I can't understand this. In symphony you hear the word "movement" to refer to independent sections. But it seems that it's not really that relevant. Movement almost everywhere has something to do with **motion**. Is this nomenclature a kind of metaphor for something in music, like moving from one section to another?


"On the one/other hand" vs. "on the one/other side"

There are two slightly different expressions which do mean the exact same thing, these are: >   * On the one hand [...]. on the other hand [...] >   * On the one side [...]. on the other side [...] > Is using _side_ here correct? I'm sure the _hand_ version is tremendously widespread, whereas the _side_ version just shows up from time to time. My English teacher always told me "'on the one side..., and on the other...' does not exist!", however I do see it sometimes. So is it grammatical or not?


How to write that I used a graphic from another source and modified it?

I'm writing a thesis in English (I'm from Germany) in which I'll use a graphic from a book that I modified just a little bit. How do write it correctly? >   * see [source], slightly modified. >   * slightly modified from [source]. >


Word for someone who loves bright colours

How do we call a person having deep love towards bright colours (like he loves to wear very brightly-coloured clothes)?


Our coach forbids (us) 'drinking'/'to drink'

In my grammar book "Grammatica Inglese Facile (Simple English Grammar)" I read that the following sentences are both correct: >   * Our coach _forbids drinking_. > >   * Our coach _forbids us to drink_. > > But the book adds that the latter cannot rewritten in this way: >   * Our coach _forbids us drinking_. > However the book doesn't explain its last statement, thus I'm asking if someone can explain whether what the book states true is. If so, why?


What is the name of the Division line?

What is the name of the horizontal division line? Is there a name for it other than "division line? ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/JoYwN.png)


Do I update or renew my eyewear prescription?

If I'm going to the optometrist to get a pair of new lenses with a new prescription for my glasses, do I say I'm going to _renew_ , or I'm going to _update_ my prescription?


How can I properly indicate a "day off" in a tournament using "sports terms"?

When showing a tournament calendar with an odd number of teams, how can I say (in sport terms) to indicate the team that is not playing on a given match day? For example a tournament with five teams (A, B , C , D, and E): > A vs B > > C vs D > > E "has a day off"


Isn't "dummy" in "HTML Parser for Dummies" considered offensive?

What does "dummy" mean here (in the section _Getting Started_ )? > **Getting Started**   >  For novice users, an introductory guide on how to set up your environment > to use the HTML Parser is provided in HTML Parser for **Dummies**. Does it mean _stupid person_? If it does, isn't it too offensive to use like that?


Is there any other idiom for "Hundred blows of goldsmith is comparable to one blow of iron-smith"?

The idiom `Hundred blows of goldsmith is comparable to one blow of iron-smith` comes from a hindi idiom _"Sau sunar ki, ek lohar ki"_. Literal meaning is > _One powerful blow is comparable to a hundred smaller blows_. The figurative meaning is > _One tactic from a smart man is equal to the hundreds tactics of an idiot._ Or can be used in a fighting/boxing > One knockout is better than hundred punches. I'm looking for another idiom or small phrase to use.


If I write this sentence in others ways, what differences do you think they will bring to native speakers?

I just read the following sentence in the text book _New Concept English_ : > A public house which was recently bought by Mr. Thompson is up for sale. My question is, how is it different from saying > A public house which has been recently bought by Mr. Thompson is up for > sale. In other words, if the present perfect is used instead of the simple past, what are the differences? Lastly, how is either different from saying: > A public house which Mr. Thompson bought is up for sale.


Is it always possible to inverse the subject and the verb?

I am wondering whether we can invert the subject and the verb in english. Ex (illustrative only): > A car is provided to the players. The keys must be retrieved at the office. would become > Is provided a car to the players, whose keys must be retrieved at the > office. > > In the house, there exists a gohst would become > in the house exists a gohst


Captures or capture the imagination

Which of these two sentences is the correct one please? "[Store X is] the preferred place to shop for unique decor items that **capture** the imaginations of children" or "[Store X is] the preferred place to shop for unique decor items that **captures** the imaginations of children" **EDIT:** The decor items being the item that capture the imagination of children.


Is the usage "God only knows" correct?

I was watching a movie last night and a character, when asked a question, replies, "God only knows". Is that the correct usage? It sounds to me as if God just knows stuff and can't do anything about it, if you know what I mean. Isn't "Only God knows." more appropriate?


"Baby blues" - metonomy or synechdoche?

I understand the basic difference between _metonymy_ and _synecdoche_ (thanks in part to this question) but got stumped on "baby blues" as another way of saying eyes. Am I right that it is synecdoche as the "blue" iris is a part of the eye, even though blue is an attribute of the iris rather than the iris itself? **Edit:** An example of what I mean by "baby blues" for eyes is "She looked away, tears sparkling in her baby blues."


what percentile? 99th percentile!

I have used it many times and without a problem until one day, a tyke asked me, "why is it 99th percentile and not just 99"? I don't know how to explain it to him. Then I thought, jeez, I don't know myself. can anyone explain? I have found out so many definitions given online but I couldn't connect with any of them. they only had examples of its usage and no account of why it was so. so why is it called 99th percentile?


What does "burning the candle at both ends" mean?

I was reading some random book and came across this idiom.   Can anybody explain the meaning?


"Amount of boxes" vs "number of boxes" in non discrete graph

I have a graph where I show number of boxes that a machine can service per minute. The data may not always give a whole number (for example, a machine may be able to service 2.3 boxes / per minute). I am wondering how to label the axes on this graph. I have observed that _number_ tends to be used for integer quantities (for instance, _number of people_ , or *number of potatoes), whereas _amount_ is used for uncountable quantities, that often have fractions (such as _1.5 gallons of paint_ ). Which should I use to label my graph, _number of boxes_ or _amount of boxes_?


"Choices" vs. "options"

Are the two words synonyms? Is it grammatically correct to say "you have two choices, this or that?" Isn't that one choice? Should it not be "you have one choice, this or that" or "you have two options, this or that?". For two choices, don't you need a minimum of three options?


Is there a word for someone who loves blood but is not a vampire?

Is there an English word for someone who loves blood but is not a vampire? I just saw Excision (2012) and this question came to my mind.


I have a technical sentence that is: > The lower the mixing paramter, the more obvious the clustering structure and > thus _the easier to identify_ the correct clustering structure. My question is about the italic part of the sentence i.e. the easier to identify. Is that grammatically correct? Or I should use something like "the easier the correct clustering structure is to be identified" or "the easier it is to identify the correct clustering structure" or anything else? If the technical words make no sense, this is the simplified version of my question: > The cheaper the car, the easier to buy it. Is the above sentence correct? Thanks in advance.


Is the use of the phrase "left as an exercise for the reader" appropriate for technical documents?

I'm updating a technical document, and the phrase "left as an exercise for the reader" is used twice. However, that phrase is something that just irks me, so I'm thinking about removing it and revising those sentences. One of the instances is this quotation: > ...a precise account of the principles and practices is left as an exercise > for the reader. So I have two questions:   1. Is this phrase one that can be considered appropriate for technical writing?   2. Is there a better way to phrase this idea in a technical document? If so, what is it?


What is "Got it!" short for?

When you say "got it", what is it short for? Is it for:   * I have it?   * I have got it?   * I have gotten it?   * I got it? _(Is this even valid?)_   * Something else? Also: What is the tense of the verb?


Occupation vs. Job vs. Employment vs. Profession

What's the difference between those, if any? (In the U.S., in case it matters.) * * * ### Edit: Well, the reason I ask is that Google+ has both an "Employment" section and an "Occupation" section. :P Confused me as to what that meant.


Usage of "flock" for a singular subject

> Turned on by by his pheromones, she flocked to him. Can we use _flock_ when we have a singular subject? What might be a better alternative to the verb? Something like _ran_ , but with a connotation of immediacy.


"There are two parts on this spreadsheet" vs. "there are two parts in this spreadsheet"

>   * There are two parts on this spreadsheet >   * There are two parts in this spreadsheet > Which is grammatical? And what is the preferred usage? By _parts_ I mean some data or information（pictures, production's name, etc.).


Ellipsis in noun phrases with possessive case

Can you omit the second occurrence of the word "poems" in a sentence like the following?               I like Lord Byron's poems, and also enjoy a number of Percy Shelley's [poems].


A question of articles!

There are 2 citations related to the question. > Bankruptcy of a corporation does not in itself cause dissolution. > > A partnership may be dissolved by agreement of the parties. I reckon, in the first sentence, "bankruptcy" needs an article before itself to make sense because it is also okay; but why, here, the writer did not use it? because of nuance? or because it is academic? The same with the second sentence: why not "the agreement of the parties," but "agreement of the parties?" The two sentences are from the same book, an introductory book of law. Thanks for any help!


"Differ to", "differ with" or "differ from"

In what ways are _differ to_ , _differ with_ and _differ from_ different? Providing examples would be really appreciated.


Use of single and plural in the sentence structure "one of ______ is..."

Hi I want to clarify in the following sentence: > "One of the processes is brought by aversive emotional responses, and is > likely to be controlled by the xxxxx pathway." We usually use "One of the **__** " followed by singular verb "is". However "emotional responses" is plural? Is this correct? Second following question would be - should I still use "is likely" or "are likely" Thanks.


"From time to time"

Aside from the usual meanings in common parlance, what writers want to to say by the expression "from time to time", mainly in financial contract wording? It doesn't seem to me that they want to convey the idea of "occasionally" and so forth. For instance, in contracts you can see phrases such as > The meeting will be adjourned from time to time and from place to place. I think that if I can get the meaning for "from time to time", I'll tackle the "from place to place" wording.


"The childrens' blankets" or "The children's blankets"

I know that when we're talking about something that is possessed collectively by all children it is "children's". What about a scenario where one of the possessed nouns belongs to each individual child?


“Shooting themselves in the foot/feet”: Which is preferred?

To “shoot oneself in the foot” is to do something harmful to oneself by accident. How should this phrase be worded to apply to several people?   * This is provided to stop people from shooting themselves in the **foot**.   * This is provided to stop people from shooting themselves in the **feet**. The people don’t all share a single foot; on the other hand, using _feet_ just doesn’t seem right. Are there parallel examples?


Is “get sb / sth off the way” an accepted idiom or ‘theatrical nerd’s line’?

There was the following sentence in New York Times (December 12) article, titled “Govern in poetry”: > This guy can write and he can speak, but he’s put those talents in a drawer > for much of his presidency. In just the last few weeks, though, Obama has > shown that his lyrical gifts could still **get him off a road** leading to > yet another mediocre presidency. Strangely enough neither Cambridge nor Oxford English Dictionary carries “get sb. sth off a road” as an idiom, while GoogleNGram shows that the usage of “get off the road” emerged around 1900, tailed off during 1930 through early 1980, picked up again around 1986 (still low at 0.000000019% emergence level in 2009). Urban Dictionary defines “get off the road” as: > this phrase is widely used among many of the "nerd" factions, mostly used in > conjunction with the popular theatrical line from the movie: Fellowship of > the Ring. Getting off the road implies removing oneself from harms (I think > this should be “harmful”) way. Now my question: Is “get sb, sth off the road” accepted as an idiom, or is it just a ‘theatrical term’ meaning removing oneself as Urban Dictionary defines?


Word or phrase for "make someone see dreams"

Is there a better way to say "make somebody see dreams", e.g. in the sentence > Don't make me see dreams when I know they won't come to be true.


What's a good word for displayed non-frozen non-canned vegetables in the grocery store?

_Fresh vegetables_ seem to imply they are freshly harvested. If I say _non- frozen vegetables_ that would include canned vegetables, which I don't mean. What's a good way of referring to non-canned non-frozen vegetables that are put on a display at the grocery market? I'm asking because a commenter on my skeptics.SE question said his definition of fresh appeared to be different from how I used it.


How many syllables BrE and AmE regarding the word 'secretary'?

I am from Germany and I am having a question regarding the pronunciation of AmE and BrE. I have a book and the text there says that there is a two syllable- pronunciation in BrE R.P. of the word secretary [sektrɪ] and in rapid BrE speech whereas in AmE it is pronounced [ˈsɛkrəˌtɛrɪ] In the lecture we learned that 'in the UK' secretary consists out of three syllables (but it is not R.P. meant but standard BrE???) since the book says two. other words that can be included are dictionary and necessary Thanks,


When you want to refer to "family" in general, which should be used: "family" or "families"?

I want to confirm the general rule on expressions which refer to generality. Many reference books say that "you should use "zero article + plural noun" to refer to generality. For example, (1) is better than (2): (1) Children like animals. (2) The child likes the animal. The books say that (2) sounds too formal, so (1) should be used. According to this suggestion, when you want to refer to "family" in general, you should use "families". (3) You should consider victims' families. (4) You should consider patients' families. However, I have often seen the expressions "the victim's family" or "the patient's family". When you refer to "family", do you prefer to use the simple noun followed by the definite article? More specifically, which is better, (3), (4) or (5), (6) when you write an essay or letter? (5) You should consider the victim's family. (6) You should consider the patient's family.


"Measure" vs. "measurement"

_Measure_ has a lot of meanings, but I am not sure whether it is or is not a partial synonym of _measurement_. Let's say that I have an algorithm, and I measure its execution time under different conditions, hence obtaining different execution times. How do I call those execution times I have measured: _measures_ or _measurements_?


Which of these sentences use the correct grammar?

>   1. Me and Larry had a meeting today. >   2. Larry and me had a meeting today. >   3. I and Larry had a meeting today. >   4. Larry and I had a meeting today. > I know the third one is wrong (because it doesn't sound right). Which of the rest have the correct grammar? Usage: writing a mail to a third person telling him this.


Term for an insincere invitation..?

Is there a term or phrase to describe an invitation you extend to someone only because you expect that they will not accept it? I've been using the made up "faux-vite," but I suspect there must be a proper name for this.


What is the meaning of "laying a fuse"?

What is the meaning of the phrase "laying a fuse"?


"of the following" vs "from the following"

In the context of a website form, a user is required to use at least three of four listed character types in his or her password. Which is correct: 1)               Your password must contain three of the following:      - Uppercase letters      - Lowercase letters     - Numerals     - Non-alphanumeric characters      2)               Your password must contain three from the following:      - Uppercase letters      - Lowercase letters     - Numerals     - Non-alphanumeric characters


Common Literary Techniques for Drama Texts?

Right now we're studying a piece on drama (Disclosure: This is for school, but not necessarily for an essay or homework - It's just further study on other literary techniques that are used within drama texts.) As drama texts are part of English Literature (Short stories, etc), they share some literary techniques with normal English Literature as well as English Poetry; However, it appears to me that there are numerous different techniques utilised for drama texts. Could anyone list commonly used techniques for drama texts please? So far, the words that I've compiled in my techniques list are:   * Sub-text   * Bathos   * Dramatic Irony   * Hyperbole   * Comic Relief   * Juxtaposition