"Conformity" vs. "conformance"

I am curious about the differences in meaning, connotations, style, and correctness of using conformity vs conformance. I haven't been able to find much using a simple web search, only a single un- cited source which suggests that _conformity_ is the "proper" English form. I am primarily interested in American English, but information about other dialects is welcome.


What does "Our Retail Destiny" mean?

I met the following sentence while reading "NoSQL Distilled" by Pramod Sadalage and Martin Fowler (technical book). > ... And as Patriotic Americans, we know how vital it is to support **Our > Retail Destiny**. ... What does this sentence mean? I've googled and tried to find it in dictionary, haven't got any help.


Behind of or in front of?

We daily use terms like "I was sitting in front of the television" and "Spent the all day behind the computer". What is the most appropriate term to use and why is it that _people sit in front of the television_ and will say they _sat behind the computer_? Which one is more appropriate to use? Does it depend? Why?


"Plugable" or "pluggable"

When it comes to programming copy edits, there are lots of words that would otherwise be thrown out or replaced. > Hive uses a **plugable** design. Should that be _plugable_ or _pluggable_? If the paragraph were talking about the Java language, I'd say _pluggable_ , but a search for _Hive and plugable_ has more hits than _Hive and pluggable_. That doesn't make them right.


Is "panko" a common word?

I recently found the word _panko_ in a dictionary. It is derived from the Japanese word "パン粉" and means bread crumbs. Is _panko_ a common word in English? For example, can I ask supermarket staff "Where is panko"?


"I live in Britain" vs. "I live on Britain"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  How small does a land-mass have to be before you live "on" it, rather than > "in" it? Seeing that the term _Britain_ refers to an island, which of the following sentences (if any) is the best way to state the fact that one lives there? > I live **in** Britain. > > I live **on** Britain.


"In Long Island" or "on Long Island"?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  How small does a land-mass have to be before you live "on" it, rather than > "in" it? > I grew up (in or on ) Long Island.   >  (in New York) I've been hearing both versions. Please explain which one is correct and why.


What does 'hip' exactly mean?

A friend of mine said he would like to bring the word 'hip' back in to fashion. I thought of 'hip' as a body part, so I didn't understand him until he said," Riding horses is seriously great; I mean seriously hip." What does 'hip' mean? I've looked up www.dictionary.com , but it also defined it as I have always defined it.


What is the difference between 'speculative', 'hypothetical' and 'conjectural'?


"Specially" vs "especially"

When should each of them be used?


Using multiple verbs with multiple nouns

In a sentence which uses multiple verbs and multiple nouns, is there a way to logically show which verb corresponds to which noun(s)? E.g. >  1\. I like to buy and eat fish and chips. (Both verbs apply to both nouns.) >  2\. I like to drink and watch football and cricket. (Second verb applies to both nouns. The first applies to neither.) Do we have to rely entirely on context?


What is the object in "Anna ate her cold chicken sandwich for lunch"?

In this sentence, where is the object? > Anna ate her cold chicken sandwich for lunch.


"When Adam delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman?"

What do _delve_ and _span_ mean in this quotation from John Ball's sermon addressing the rebels of the Peasant's Revolt? > When Adam delved and Eve span,   >  Who was then the gentleman? It doesn't seem to fit the usual meaning of _delve_ as in "to dig into," and I have no idea what Eve would be spinning in the Garden of Eden.


What is the history and geographic area of the word "finna?"

In St. Louis, I learned of the word, " _finna_." I know it is slang/contraction for "fixing to." By asking dozens of people, I've learned that it is used by people of many different races and cultural backgrounds. I've also learned that many who use this word have been using it all their lives (for some, that means at least 50 years). What I want to know is:   1. When did " _finna_ " first start being used?   2. Where did it originally came from?   3. How far geographically has the usage of this word spread from its original location?


What is the word to express the exclusivity and privileges of a key currency issuer?

Stimulated with a series of press articles dealing with effects of S&P’s recent move for downgrading US rating from AAA to AAA negative and that of Japan from to AA – to AA－negative (If I’m correct) and subsequent argument of trustworthiness of rating firms, and also being a citizen of the country gasping under the mounting public debt surpassing 200% of GDP, I’m interested in reading articles on country debt and sovereign risk issues these days. Though I thought there is a special (technical) term to express the right, privilege and exclusivity of key currency issuing country i.e. United State in one or two words, I cannot recall it. Can somebody teach me that economics jargon, if you know?


Can we use "remain in the dark" in metaphorical sense?

I think, we can use "remain in the dark" when we communicate that we don't have light and are kept being in the dark actually. But, can we use the phrase as metaphor in the academic paper? For example, "The mechanism of the phenomenon remains in the dark." Or, "remains unclear" is better?


Local color / color commentary

What are the origin and history of the phrases "local color" and "color commentary"? There is a tiny bit in the dictionaries about this use of color to mean 'additional detail and anecdotes' but not enough to really explain how it came to be.


What does "There is nobody else I'd rather lie in bed and look at my phone next to" mean?

What does "there is nobody else I'd rather lie in bed and look at my phone next to" mean?


Punctuation of "But you know, Bob, you, too, played an important role"

> But you know, Bob, you, too, played an important role. Is this actually how one would punctuate this sentence? Given how commas work, I think this is correct, but it looks very bizarre.


How to state the negotiation failed?

Are there any grammatical errors in the sentence? > "I regret to inform you that "name of company" people are looking for > students who are from CSE/IT background. We tried to negotiate, but it > didn't work well" I think "it didn't work well" gives a feeling that they did not negotiate well. Instead they should have said "it didn't work out" which I think means the negotiation broke down. Is there really a difference or is it just me?


What does "electrical typical" mean?

I stumbled upon the following text: > Motor starting circuits In the table above is mentioned which electrical > typical has to be used for the motor starting circuits. The attached > electrical typicals (see ...) have to be respected by the contractor. Could you explain what does "electrical typicals" mean? It looks like a noun but google and wiktionary only give explanations for adjective.


How do you state that something is a "reference" to something else?

There's a field in computer science called L-System, created by a man called Lindenmayer. I want to write that the _L_ in L-System is in "---" to Lindenmayer. What word should I use here? Is it in reference/memory/ode to Lindenmeyer?


Question on the use of auxiliary verbs

In Breaking Bad TV series, there's a conversation between Jesse Pinkman and Saul Goodman: > Jesse: You want a job? > > Saul: A job? > > Saul: Who's got a job for me? > > Jesse: I do. I'd like to know why he says "I do" in respond to "who has got ...?" and why not "I have"?


Inversion after "than"/"as"

I'd like to know (1) which of the following is the most natural and (2) whether any of the following is unnatural or ungrammatical: (A) My system is no more expensive than yours would be. (B) My system is no more expensive than would be yours. (C) My system is no more expensive than would yours be. Edit: I'm adding three more examples with "as". The same question as above. (D) My system is expensive, as yours would be. (E) My system is expensive, as would be yours. (F) My system is expensive, as would yours be.


Hypernym for image, video, and audio

I want to put all my images, videos, and audio files from my camera in only one folder on my computer. What should be the name to give to that folder?


Understanding "Mother of God!" or "Holy Mother of God!"

I have come across this term numerous times and this expression is well used when _something unbelievable or shocking_ happens but I don't understand how _Mother of God_ can imply its meaning. Does refer back to the Bible (or any religious book) or mythological event? How is its very meaning originated?


What is the reasoning behind the "urban" slang word "tight" coming to mean "cool/great/slick"?

How and why did the word _tight_ come to be appropriated in this sense, for example as in, " _That car is **tight** , cuh!_" ? I mean, one easily extrapolates from the "normal" definition to understand why slang would appropriate _tight_ to mean "close" -- as in _"Nah, we cool cuz we tight like that"_ -- but this other sense is significantly opaque to me.


Is there a name for this kind of supplementary text?

Here is a link to a crossword published by The Guardian (UK newspaper). As happens from time to time, the puzzle is headed by a brief note marked **Special Instructions**. My friends and I invariably refer to that text as the _byline_ , but we all agree this isn't the right word. Possibly there isn't one. I doubt there's a really common name for it, or The Guardian would have written that instead of _Special Instructions_. Is there a more appropriate term out there?


What does it mean to say that something is a "wash"?

I've heard the word "wash" used in unusual context, where it meant something like "a thing yielding no practical advantage". I would be interested to know if that's a correct interpretation, if there are more examples of similar usage and whether this is appropriate for use in formal setting.


What do you call the the effect that causes people to miss the "the the" in this title?

Ages ago someone told me that most readers will not spot a double-the in a sentence. Something about the way we process words apparently filters out the extraneous "the" but I don't know what that process is called. Does it have an explicit term? What is it?


"impede" vs. "impede on"

I can’t figure out whether the following sentence needs the word _on_ or not: >   1. It was getting crowded, impeding our ability to move around. > >   2. It was getting crowded, impeding **on** our ability to move around. > > For some reason, both sound just a little bit wrong to me.


An inoffensive word for "stupid"?

In my native language, there is a word that has a meaning similar to _stupid_ , but it is friendly and usually used for a close friend or loved one. It even helps the target people to feel happy in some cases, especially romantic situation where the "stupidity" stems from a cute action or misunderstanding. Is there any similar word in English?


Can adverbs be also direct objects?

"The irate customer asked for the chef." The irate customer asked **something**. (Noun phrase?) Since you can fill in **something** in place of 'for the chef,' does that mean it is a direct object and an adverb at the same time?


How to pronounce 'foci' and 'loci'?

What is the correct way to pronounce 'foci' and 'loci'?


Are contractions of "I am" or "I would" rude?

I got edited on Stack Overflow because I used "I'm", "you're" and "I'd" instead of "I am" etc. Is it considered rude to use contractions like that in informal conversations on the internet? I would not use them in papers but, I thought on Stack Overflow it was okay.


Does "dissimulation" have a positive, negative, or neutral connotation?

I tried checking a few online dictionaries and can't get a feel for whether the word is generally used in a positive or negative sense. What is the connotation of "dissimulation"?


Upside word usage

Suppose I wrote a word and underlined it but that line is not immediately below that word,It has left little space between word and that line. So I want to say, "The line should not be at lower side", Is this correct? And in this context Can I use a word "Upside" here? Or Is the sentence given below grammatically correct? "The horizontal line should be a bit upside?"


Difference between "alternate" and "alternative"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  "Alternately" or "alternatively" What is the difference between _alternate_ and _alternative_? For example, I have two versions of the same software and I want to write one of the following: > Software Name ( **alternate** version) > > Software Name ( **alternative** version)


Change of meaning by changing  "of" to "in"

> Poland is the historical bone in the throat **of** both Germany and Russia, > and it is in the American interest to make sure that it is firmly lodged > there. and > Poland is the historical bone in the throat **in** both Germany and Russia, > and it is in the American interest to make sure that it is firmly lodged > there I wonder if the semantics of the sentence change when I use _in_ instead of _of_ Please elaborate.


Linguistics term for word choice

I was taught a word once by a linguist. I can't remember it, but it would be very useful for a Google search I am trying to do to solve another question on a different StackExchange. It was a similar word to _vocabulary_ , but rather than refer to all the words a person knew, it referred to the set of words a person would choose to use in a particular situation. English speakers from different regions might select different words from the set of _swimmers_ , _trunks_ , _cossies_ , _bathers_ , while understanding they are all referring to the same thing - they are all in their vocabularies, but not in their [blank]. My recollection was the linguistics term was also a common English word, like _class_ or _style_ , which made it confusing when I first encountered it.


double negation: unless followed by a negative verb form

"We will not cancel the game if the weather gets better." Replacing "if" with "unless", you end up with either: "We will cancel the game unless the weather gets better." or "We will **not** cancel the game **unless** the weather does **not** get better." Is the latter sentence an absolute no-no? Or even a no-no-no!


Distinctions between "Goods" and "Commodities"

I was wondering what differences and relations are between goods and commodities, from economics perspective?   1. From good: > In economics and accounting, a good is a product that can be used to satisfy > some desire or need. More narrowly but commonly, a good is a tangible > physical product that can be contrasted with a service which is intangible. > As such, it is capable of being delivered to a purchaser and involves the > transfer of ownership from seller to customer. For example, an apple is a > tangible good, as opposed to a haircut, which is an (intangible) service. > **One usage that preserves the distinction between goods and services by > including both is commodity.** In microeconomics, a 'good' is often used in > this inclusive sense of the word (Milgate, 1987). Does the highlighted sentence mean that commodities consist of goods and services?   2. From commodity: > A commodity is a good for which there is demand, but which is supplied > without qualitative differentiation across a market.1 Does it say that a commodity is some special kind of good? Is this contrary to Part 1?


What does "a'me" mean?

> Only boss a'me, is me. What is the meaning of "a'me" in the above sentence? ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/oKSPs.jpg)


How do bare clauses beginning with "in which" work?

The latest Stack Exchange blog post contains the following section header: > In which we stop being dumb I have never really understood what is going on in these "in which..." constructions at a grammatical level. Is it just an elision of something like "this is a section in which..."? Or, perhaps, is it an imitation of a famous quotation/title/etc. that has the same structure? I feel like I've only seen this construction on the internet, which suggests to me that it is either a piece of internet lingo that I've somehow missed or a very new construction that hasn't caught up to me yet. I am a native speaker of American English, but am relatively ignorant of other varieties, so perhaps this is just a feature of BrE that I'm unaware of or something. * * * Note that I am _not_ asking about constructions like: > In which of these two fields should I write my name? These constructions are full sentences in which the preposition "in" has been hoisted to the beginning of the sentence, and I understand them perfectly well.


Using the semicolon in my sentence

I am writing an essay and don't have a fundamental understanding in using semicolons, and in fact writing as well. My sentence is below: > Group dynamics is the study of the processes and functions of two or more > people who interact with one another, the term could also be used to explain > the processes that are involved between the group members. Should I add a semicolon where the comma is (after the word _another_ )?


How to write a message if I need a new job (searching/looking, contact me/turn on me)

Which makes more sense? > Don't hesitate to turn on me / Don't hesitate to contact me Also, > I am searching for a new job / I am looking for a new job


"The process was done correctly" Confirm the correct steps have been taken

My question is if the sentence > "the process was done correctly" is grammatically correct and in a logical sequence of words that can be understood. I seems straight forward to me but I'm not sure it would to others.


Are there popular English sayings to express “Big fuss, tiny result”?

The recent EL&U question asked by Mikhail about the alternative expressions of ‘To shoot out of cannon into sparrows’ reminded me of Japanese saying - 大山鳴動鼠一匹- literally meaning people find (get) “Only a small mouse coming out after hearing rumblings and experiencing shaking of the big mountain, (and jumping out of the house)” which I believe was imported from Chinese classic literature. I think it has a different meaning from “Shoot sparrows with cannon” and “Chop a chicken using the blade for cow.” Instead it means “a very small result attained with great effort” or “marginal consequence or gain after making a big fuss” Are there similar English sayings to express “大山鳴動鼠一匹 - Big fuss, tiny result”?


"I have received" vs. "I received"

The option of using simple past vs. present perfect in situations like the following has been bothering me for quite some time. > I sent you a letter a few days ago; I was wondering if you _have received_ > it. > > I sent you a letter a few days ago; I was wondering if _you received_ it. People use both of them, in most cases I would say interchangeably. I also searched it on google books, which turned out to be used in roughly the same way. I was wondering if someone could shed some light on what the difference between the two was? Which one is used more often and seems more appropriate over the other?


"Professor of entomology" or "a professor of entomology"

Which is correct?   1. This is Dr. Yang Jeng-Tze, professor of entomology.    2. This is Dr. Yang Jeng-Tze, a professor of entomology.


Why is there an apostrophe in "h'm"?

By that I refer to the sound people make when they're thinking. Most people write "hm" nowadays, so they may not know of this, but traditionally, people wrote it as "h'm". The apostrophe can't indicate elision, since "h'm" is an onomatopoeia, so why is it there?


Paucity of words for relationships

Please refer the following questions asked elsewhere on this site:   * Is there a word that means "the wife of one's brother"?   * What is the relationship name of my wife's brother to me? I am a native Hindi speaker; Hindi has a plethora of terms referring to relationships. To take a trivial example, the term uncle may refer to father's elder brother, father's younger brother, mother's brothers, father's sister's husband, mother's sister's husband, all of which have specific addresses in Hindi. I discussed the same with one of my teachers. She had the opinion that the development of language mirrors the cultural moorings of the society that uses the language. Now, since all of the above relationships have distinct status and reverence in the Hindi speaking society, that calls for different addresses. That may well not be the case in English speaking societies. Is that correct? What other linguistic reasons may account for such a dearth of vocabulary in English in this area?


What's the antonym of "buy-in"?

At a casino gambling table, to _buy-in_ means to convert cash into chips, but what about its antonym, what's the word for _to convert/exchage playing chips to/for chips that could be exchanged to cash at the cashier_? Is it _cashout_?


"An" average of vs. "The" average of

When nouns such as average, total, sum, etc., are modified by a prepositional phrase, how do you choose between the definite and indefinite articles? I cited sentences 1, 3, and 5 below from various sources on the Internet. As an English learner, I have always wondered what difference there is if the indefinite article is replaced by the definite article. Are sentences 2, 4, and 6 below correct or possible? Here are example sentences:   1. He finished the season with **a** batting average of .357.    2. He finished the season with **the** batting average of .357.   3. That will use **a** total of about 3.3 million tons of lead.    4. That will use **the** total of about 3.3 million tons of lead.    5. What two prime numbers have **a** sum of 7?   6. What two prime numbers have **the** sum of 7? I would appreciate your help much.


Does "Who knows" need a question mark?

Although " _who knows_ " is almost as an expression for giving sense however, expressions can be statements, orders, and questions, so does the expression: " _who knows_ " need a question mark?


What are the most common ways to say "die", i.e. pass away?

It seems like my question was too broad to answer. I'm sorry for the inconvenience. I've edited my question a little. So, I would like to know what common terms I can use instead of the word "die." Below are some words/phrases that I've heard before. I would very much appreciate if you could tell me in what context (such as at a funeral or in a casual conversation) we use those words.   1. pass away. (Also, are there any differences between _pass away, pass on, pass over?_ )   2. kick the bucket   3. meet one's end   4. depart this life   5. have left us   6. went to sleep   7. decease    8. lose one's life   9. expire Thank you.


How to use "new" as a noun?

In some languages "new" could be used both as a noun or as an adjective. I read that in English, "new" is only an adjective. Is it true? When I say: "a new", is it wrong? How else can I properly say something along the lines "a new"? In other words, is it ok to say: "a new is being created"? If not, how to say it properly? Edit: Example - hmm, I cannot really think of one. Maybe: "a miracle is when a new comes to life out of nothing". I try to _name_ the result of a creation. The problem is, in my native language there is no distinction between "new" as a noun and "new" as an adjective. "Newness" is, if I understand correctly, the general quality of "a new" or of "something new", hence it is a bit different from what I'm looking for. "The new" is almost perfect - but I'm not sure if I can use "the" as this is the first time I talk about that "new".


Where did we get "buster" as in "Look here, buster"?

Americans, at least, have for some time used _buster_ in speech or dialogue as a generic form of address. It has a range of tonalities, from light to affectionate to grimly confrontational. > Listen, buster, you can't beat me no matter how hard you try! > > All right, buster, this time you're going down for the count. As an aside, few people know that Jimi Hendrix's nickname, which his close friends used, was _Buster_. (The guitar duo of Rodrigo y Gabriela dedicated one of their tracks, Buster Voodo, to him.) Etymonline.com has this to say: > As a generic or playful address to a male, from 1948, American English. The OED gives this: > Also used as a slang form of address, usu. friendly or slightly > disrespectful; ‘mate’, fellow and has a few citations beginning in 1948 (no doubt where Etymonline got its origin date): > 1948 A. Seager Inheritance 174 ― ‘Hi-ya, buster. What’s new?’ he heard a > woman’s coarse voice say. 1962 A. Shepard in Into Orbit 101 ― ‘OK, Buster,’ > I said to myself, ‘you volunteered for this thing.’ 1965 P. Arrowsmith > Jericho xix. 199 ― If you go on accusing me of attacking you lot, buster, > you’ll have the police to answer to. Yet it's used as a name much earlier (Buster Keaton, Buster Brown, etc.), and as the title of comic strips and even a play (see below). It's hard to imagine that the two uses are unrelated. ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/bhWUm.jpg) Indeed, Partridge's _A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English_ (Supplement, page 1042), gives us this: > **Buster**. 'A name for anybody whose real name may or may not be known to > the speaker. Usually but not necessarily pejorative. "Now listen here, > Buster, this means trouble!"' (Leechman): Canadian: adopted, ca. 1920, ex > U.S. It's not clear to me how it got its present meaning from _burster_ or _buster_ (meaning "a gay, roistering blade"), and it certainly doesn't seem likely that it arrived from the meaning of a breaker of horses. So I'm wondering. Did this just spring into the language fully formed, like Athena from the head of Zeus? Or is there a more mundane, less divine explanation?


Does the expression, “As sound as a pound” still holds its currency?

There is the following sentence in the New York Time’s (July 24) article titled, “A Chinese gold standard?” written by its Op-Ed Contributor, Kwasi Kwarteng. > “For most of the 19th century the British pound had been the world’s > “reserve currency," the currency in which trade and finance were > denominated. “ **As sound as a pound** ” became a widely used expression. > The pound was pegged to gold at a fixed rate of just under £4 per ounce”. > http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/25/opinion/a-chinese-gold-standard- > renminbi.html I am interested in finding out whether the idiom, “As sound as a pound” still holds its currency today or not, when the pound has given its post as the key currency to US Dollar, with Chinese Yuan at its heels now. Although the author says “As sound as a pound” was a widely used expression, Google Ngram doesn’t show the record of any incidence of “As sound as a pound, ” over the past 170 years, but Urban dictionary gives the definition of this phrase as: > “The word sound showing approval and acknowledgement and pound to show > whatever you are referring to. Therefore showing approval towards something. > Originally from the days when the pound coin was introduced was said around > London as there was a good exchange rate. Example: "The party was sound as a > pound". Showing good humored feelings towards it. Was the expression, “As sound as a pound” popular as the NYT article writer says, and still is current? If not, what word can I substitute for “Pound” with, e.g. dollar, gold, Federal Reserve Bank or something else to express a 100 % assurance by using 'sound as X' pattern? BTW. We have a Japanese cliché to express a 100 per cent certainty – 大地を槌で叩くより確か- as sound (certain) as the chances of your hitting the ground with your hammer without miss.


What's the difference between nauseous and nauseated?

I read an article about the difference between nauseous and nauseated: It seems the article at last indicate that both nauseous and nauseated can mean the state of wanting to vomit. Is that true? Is that a mistake that too many people make so people basically accept this misusage as correct one?


Meaning of "f*ck" in the following conversation

This conversation is from "Youth in Revolt" movie. A boy named Nick met his colleague, a girl, in a music shop while purchasing a DVD and after a little talk, her boyfriend hugged her from behind in front of Nick. Then the girl chuckles and says: "Chad, fuck you". He replies — "Oh, fuck you, you love it." Obviously, _fuck_ here doesn't mean "sexual intercourse" or "destroy or ruin" or "make someone angry", which are meanings from Oxford Dictionary online. What is the meaning of _fuck you_ here?


Usage of 'enable' in a sentence

I have just written a sentence on an e-mail which looks like weird to me: > provide the following details in order to **enable** us to provide you a > proper service. Is the structure of the sentence correct? if not, what would be the alternative to express the message?


Is “misogyny” only applicable to men? What is the antonym of misogyny?

I came across the following sentence in New Yorker’s (February 23) article, titled “In Defense of Liz Lemon”: > “She behaves as if Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) is her daddy. She doesn’t > trust her own judgment, she’s bad at her job, and there’s something awfully > _misogynist_ about all this! Liz Lemon is pathetic.” When I checked the word, misogynist on dictionaries at hand, OALD defines it as “ _a man_ who hates women.” CALD likewise defines it as “ _a man_ who hates women or believes that men are much better than women.” But here it is used for Liz Lemon, a woman. Is misogynist used only for male as both OALD and CALD define, or for both sexes? According to www. memidex com, misogyny derived from modern Latin, misogamia from Greek “misein” (to hate) + “gamos” (marriage). Then, what is Latin equivalent antonym to misogamy?


Single word for 'women hate men'

We would like to know a single word for the phrase "women hate men". Please tell us the single word for future use.


How to join the conclusion to the sentence?

I am in the process of creating a post on one of the other Stackexchange sites, and I came across something I've been wanting to ask for a while: > When I VPN to work from my Windows desktop, I don't have to assign an IP > address, the server _automatically_ gives me one. Conceptually there are three clauses:   * When I VPN to work from my Windows desktop   * I don't have to assign an IP address   * the server automatically gives me one Commas are usually used to denote a pause in the sentence: > When I VPN to work from my Windows desktop [pause] I don't have to assign an > IP address [pause] the server _automatically_ gives me one. But I also remember commas are use to separate out optional clauses: > When I VPN to work from my Windows desktop [snip] the server automatically > gives me one. Well, that makes no sense; something's wrong here. The _last_ clause could be removed: > When I VPN to work from my Windows desktop [pause] I don't have to assign an > IP address. That sentence could stand on its own, but the point is that _the server gives me one_ — I need that. Returning to the "pause" version: > When I VPN to work from my Windows desktop [pause] I don't have to assign an > IP address [pause] the server _automatically_ gives me one. It sounds like the first two clauses can be run together, and the final clause is being attached. That's the job of a semi-colon, isn't it? > When I VPN to work from my Windows desktop, I don't have to assign an IP > address; the server _automatically_ gives me one. But it it feels like it depends _too_ heavily on the initial clause. Also, the final clause is the conclusion of the whole sentence. Perhaps I should use a _colon_ to present it: > When I VPN to work from my Windows desktop, I don't have to assign an IP > address: the server _automatically_ gives me one. Or while I'm at it, just try other random things (some of which I know I shouldn't do): > When I VPN to work from my Windows desktop, I don't have to assign an IP > address — the server _automatically_ gives me one. > > When I VPN to work from my Windows desktop, I don't have to assign an IP > address... the server _automatically_ gives me one. > > When I VPN to work from my Windows desktop, I don't have to assign an IP > address (the server _automatically_ gives me one). * * * The clauses could also be turned around: > I don't have to assign an IP address when I VPN to work from my Windows > desktop: the server _automatically_ gives me one. > > The server _automatically_ gives an IP address when I VPN to work from my > Windows desktop; I don't have to assign one. **Note:** I assume this has been covered to death... although I can't find it; feel free to vote to close (with the link to question that covers this ground — if available).


Is it a misprint or a correct expression 'I could have also have called the method without brackets'?

I want to know the following sentence is correct or contains a misprint. I could have also have called the method without brackets, as these are optional in Ruby and can make the syntax much more readable. Thanks for your answers.


Subject Verb Object Pattern

Can someone tell me what are subject,verb,direct object and indirect object in below subject. Show me that photo - this is the sentence. Thanks in advance.


Alter vs Modify vs Change (in Legal Documents)

Consider the quote from "What is a Grantor Trust" article. > This trust is revocable, which simply means **it can be altered, modified, > and otherwise changed** or even terminated during the life of the grantor, > provided that the grantor has full mental capacity. As far as I could figure out from other forums words "alter" and "modified" mean "to change slightly", and "change" is more generic word and may also mean "replace" or "exchange for something else". The text in bold sounds to me like " _it can be slightly changed, slightly changed, and otherwise changed_ ". Are there some differences in meaning between "alter" and "modify" in this context or in general? Are they generally interchangeable?


"What do children aged/ages 5 to 11 years old know about the sun?" — redundant?

I truly believe there is something a tad... non-normative about constructions like "children **ages 5 to 11 years old** " or "children **aged 5 to 11 years old** ". Isn't that redundant? Shouldn't it read "children aged/ages 5 to 11"?


Is "Tsuki hits" an example of alliteration?

I understand alliteration to be "repetition of a sound in successive stressed syllables". Assuming that's correct then "Tsuki hits" should be alliterate (since stress pattern is "TSU-ki HITS"). But when I say 'hits', the 'ts' seems quieter and less forceful than the 'hi' despite being in the same syllable. While it falls under the definition, "Tsuki hits" doesn't feel like it should. I'm wondering if this means that my understanding of alliteration is incorrect (e.g. it's not based on stressed syllables, but rather on some other word divisions) or if despite how it sounds to me, "Tsuki hits" is alliterate.


Is there a word that means "not yet open"?

I'm looking for a single word that means "not yet open". For example: > Registration Status: (Open|Closed|XXX) "Closed", while technically correct, can lead to confusion as it implies (in this case) that registration was open at one point in time. Also, due to length constraints, "Not yet open" cannot be used (8 characters or less is preferred).


Can the protagonist be the antagonist?

The dictionary lists these as antonyms, although the definitions of both don't really oppose each other. I mean a case where the central figure of a story (and possibly simultaneously the narrator) is a black character, a meddler, evil guy with no redeeming values, who causes all the trouble, while the rest of the "crew", all secondary roles, are the opposition. The traditional approach equates main character = the good guy = protagonist, and the opponent = "person causing problem" = the antagonist, but what if the protagonist is the one causing the problem? How do you call the protagonist's opponents then? Or maybe one should cease to call the central character "protagonist"?


what does the phrase "To bid on the drumsticks" mean?

I couldn't find the translation of this phrase so I'm looking for the meaning of it.


"Woman front bits" meaning

Whats does "woman front bits" actually means? This question is surprisingly inspired by one of the answers to this question: "Is there any slang I should avoid in the UK or Ireland". It is appropriate to quote it here: > Avoid the use of the word "fanny", as it is slang for, ah, a woman's front > bits. Be very careful when referring to your fanny pack! In dictionary I have it is written that "fanny" indeed is a British English pejorative term for female genitalia. On the other hand, in urban dictionary we can read about two different meanings of "front bits" term:   * The male private parts.   * the way a Brit explains breasts. So, not that it is the most important slang word in my life, but what does this term exactly mean talking of women.


"to a degree" vs. "to an extent"

Is there a measurable difference in meaning between the phrases "to a degree" and "to an extent" (or "to some degree" and "to some extent")? Examples:   * To [some degree / some extent] that is a better solution.   * To [a degree / an extent], she is correct. Just a matter of a style, or are there different connotations?


"I was to go to America at the end of the week. It would be the first time I had flown to America." Is the second sentence correct?

I am using exactly the same sentence as the one used in a question already posted by someone else to ask whether one should not say and write "It will be the first time I fly to America." rather than "It will be the first time I have flown to America." The question of what happens when the first verb is in the conditional (a future in the past: telling about someone who was about to do something) was not asked. So, here it is… Why should one say > "It would be the first time I had flown to America." rather than > "* It would be the first time I would have flown to America.*" or > "* It would be the first time I have flown to America.*" or > " * It would be the first time I would fly to America.*" or > "* It would be the first time I flew to America.*" ?


Treat Hypothetical Entities as Proper Nouns?

I am working with mathematical papers and commonly encounter situations where the author designates hypothetical entities. For example: > We assume that **_player 1_** moves first. Should references to hypothetical (otherwise unnamed) players such as **_player 1_** be capitalized?


Dedicated "To women" or "To the women"?

If I want to dedicate my article to all the women in the world, should I write "To women" or "To the women"?


What is a word in English that means "able to learn new things quickly"?

What is the English word to describe the following skill: “able to learn new things quickly”?


Is there a difference between "leading edge" and "bleeding edge"?

It seems to me that "leading edge" is the more established phrase, while "bleeding edge" is basically the same thing but the user has adapted the phrase for extra (rather meaningless) emphasis. Or is there a meaningful distinction between the two?


I was confused about which of the following 2 sentences are valid, does anyone know which is proper? >   1. We have a special machine, like no other. > >   2. We have a special machine, unlike no other. > >


Meaning of "dog" in the "updog" joke

I don't get this joke: > It smells like up dog in here, > > What's up dog? > > Nuuthin dog, what's up with you? (source) I understand that the person asking "What's up dog" is tricked into asking a question they didn't intend to ask. I also understand the meaning of the "What's up?" question. I don't understand why this exact question has been chosen. If anything, it sounds demeaning to the person who's making the joke and is referred to as _dog_ by the receiver of the joke. If I were to make a similar joke, I'd replace _dog_ with something like _master_ , so that it'd sound like the receiver of the joke respects the person making the joke more than it might be in reality. Does the word _dog_ in this context have some alternative meaning, perhaps? Or is this joke funny simply because the receiver of the joke asks a funny question, no matter what the question is?


Uncountable noun + of + uncountable noun with or without definite article

It would be much appreciated if you could identify any differences regarding whether using the definite article or not in the two citations below brings about any changes in meaning. What is being considered questionable is the phrase: "globalization of markets." Ex 1: "As used in this book, globalization refers to the shift toward a more integrated and interdependent world economy. Globalization has several facets, including **the globalization of markets and the globalization of production**." Ex 2: "The lowering of trade barriers made **globalization of markets and production** a theoretical possibility. ... Despite all the talk about the emerging global village, and despite the trend toward **globalization of markets and production** , as we shall see in this book, many of these differences are very profound and enduring." What would be the differences between the two of them?   * I have another example: "The primary duty of an evolutionary biologist is to study the trends of **evolution of animals, plants, human beings, reptiles, or any other form of life** as specified in the particular task or project that has been assigned to him." Why, in the example above, didn't the writer use the definite article? Thank you for any help you can provide!


What do you call "How do you do" type questions?

Does English have a name for questions with counterintuitive answers? For example: "How do you do?" -> not "I am fine."


Word for foundation patches

Sometimes when you put powder on your face after applying a foundation it leaves white patches due to heavy sweating.What are such patches called?


Word that corresponds to "flew" or "drove" when riding a train

My daughter recently journeyed several hundred miles by rail. Had she taken a bus, I could say: > _"She was **bussed** from San Francisco to Houston"_ Had she flown in an airplane, I could say: > _"She **flew** from San Francisco to Houston"_ Of course, these definitions are recognized by the dictionary; from NOAD: > **fly** ( _verb_ ) transport in an aircraft   >  **bus** ( _verb_ ) transport in a communal road vehicle While talking to a friend about her trip, though, I found myself wondering if there's a similar verb used to describe transportation by rail. Obviously, there are plenty of ways to say it – I'm not asking for one of these: > _"She **took a train** from San Francisco to Houston"   >  "She **rode on a train** from San Francisco to Houston"_ Instead, I'm wondering if a single verb could do the trick. I did consider the verb _railroad_ : > _She was **railroaded** from San Francisco to Houston_. but I was hoping for a better word than that, because that verb generally connotes something other than travel: > **railroad** ( _verb_ ) press (someone) into doing something by rushing or > coercing


Finding the complete predicate

I am having trouble understand why the first part of the sentence provided is part of the complete predicate? > From the Appalachian Mountains, the land falls gradually to great river > valleys to the west.


Plural or singular after "what .... is / are + plural noun"

Example: "what the researchers are looking for is / are materials that ..."


Looking for a word that describes mental retardation in computer programmers

So I started writing a new blog post titled "My personal struggle with mental retardation" about how impossible it is for me to think in the simplest terms and come up with the simplest solution to a given computer programming problem. No matter what I do, I can't help but overcomplicate almost every piece of code/application I write. My mind automatically jumps to thoughts of 'OK, I'll need to write this, this, this, and this, and I'll need to make sure to use a repository and MVVM patterns, utilize this and that library' etc. An hour of coding later and it's already spiraling out of control with features & settings that don't need to be there. The blog post starts out reading like I have actual clinical mental retardation but then goes into the various mental processes that I went through this past week. So I was wondering if there is an actual word directed specifically at computer programmers that implies a type of mental retardation related to their inability to "think" in simple terms and their propensity to jump ahead and overcomplicate / self sabotage their work without even realizing it. If there is no such word… well that's your cue to help me come up with one! :P


What are the uses of "totality"?

Often I find myself wanting to use 'totality' in a sentence that would otherwise work with 'total'. What are the correct usages of 'totality' given that both nouns describing the sum or completeness of something?


another greeting aside from "i hope you are well" in an email?

I'm stack with "i hope you are well" every time i compose an email. is there other greetings aside from "i hope you are well" in an email. During i composed an email, i keep on thinking what other greetings i could possibly use for my colleague. Can you please help me out.


work 'at' the weekends or work 'during' the weekends?

I wrote "Many college students work at the weekends." My colleague changed 'at' to 'during' = Many college students work during the weekends. Do you feel there is a difference, however subtle?


Base on home work

Which one is right I wanna used was or where it were a puppy or it was a puppy I think it were a puppy am I right I need some help am kinda baffle thank you


Use of the word "mentee"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  "Trainer" is to "trainee" as "mentor" is to what? My employer has instituted a formal mentoring program for new employees. I was horrified (but should not have been surprised) to read the company information that referred to the new employees as "mentees" in the mentoring relationship. Apparently the word has been in use since the 1960's (I don't know where it was first used). Is this word really considered correct English?


What do you call a slip of the tongue in writing?

Is there any phrase or word that can be used to describe a slip of the tongue that happens in writing? Calling it a slip of tongue directly feels awkward, especially when the written text is never intended to be read out loud (for example text from a discussion on an SE site such as this). I've just read "slip of the keyboard" but I'm pretty sure that this is not (yet?) a common phrase. "Typo" is a very similar term, but I usually use "typo" more for mis-typed words rather than mistakes that actually change the meaning of the text.


Term for someone who has a last name that can also be a first name

There _is_ such a term but I can't remember it. We learned it in Junior High. A co-worker of mine can't remember it either, but she thinks it begins with _para-_ , which helps me none.


Is it right to use a verb in singular form for a noun in plural form as in “Your pigs is so much better than our pigs”?

I felt a bit puzzled to find the line “Your pigs is so much better than our pigs” in the following section of Jeffrey Archer’s novel _Not a penny more, Not a penny less_ : > Harvey could never resist asking a policeman the way to Buckingham palace, > just to compare his reaction with that of a New York cop. As Lenny Bruce had > said on being deported from England, “Your pigs is so much better than our > pigs.” Yes, Harvey liked England. Microsoft Word spell-checker keeps warning me to correct “Your pigs is” as “Your pigs are” at this moment when I’m texting this question. Is the spell-checker correct, or is the rule to use the singular form verb, “is” after the plural noun, “pigs"? Does it mean the verb in singular form should be used for the noun in plural form regardless of the rule of number agreement anytime the noun is used as a generic term or a collective noun?


"At the Passing" Or "On the Passing"

Steve Ballmer writes: > “I want to express my deepest condolences **at the passing** of Steve Jobs, > one of the founders of our industry and a true visionary. My heart goes out > to his family, everyone at Apple and everyone who has been touched by his > work.” I can't say if it's wrong, but what is the difference between "on the passing" and "at the passing"? As most other websites use "on the passing".


When to use "generally", "usually", or "normally"

_Generally_ speaking what are the _usually_ accepted usage scenarios for the above mentioned words in a _normally_ occurring English vernacular? In short, what are the rules/guidelines for using _generally_ , _usually_ and _normally_?


Another name for sub-sub-group

I have a group that is named "Service Group". Within that service group, there are service sub-groups. Within those service sub-groups, there is another level down. Is there another word that is better than "Service Sub-Sub-Group"? I wanted to avoid using level 1, level 2, etc. since _sub-group_ sounds more intuitive.


Eggs fried/scrambled "over easy" or "over hard" — refers to the pan, the egg, or something else?

To me, "over easy" seems to refer to the pan, because I think of a pan sitting atop an easy flame. "Over hard" makes me think it refers to the egg, because the liquid becomes solid. Then again, maybe it's something else altogether.


Help me with this GRE question

Human nature and long distances have made exceeding the speed limit a (i)__ in the state, so the legislators surprised no one when, acceding to public demand, they (ii)__ increased penalties for speeding. > (i)   >  A. controversial habit   >  B. cherished tradition   >  C. disquieting ritual > > (ii)   >  D. endorsed   >  E. considered   >  F. rejected The correct answer are B & F. But I just wonder what is wrong if I select A & D? I think the sentence still makes sense and correct grammatically.


Is the practice of calling others by initials acceptable?

The answers and comments on my question about English alternatives to “Senpai” reminded me of the odd feeling I used to have almost 25 years ago when I observed my client’s staffs were referring to each other or others by initial (e.g., T.H, K.A) in conversation in the meeting. I wasn’t sure of whether it is common American practice to call or refer to others, even their seniors by initials. I wondered then if it’s special corporate culture of the client (which happened to be a renowned American financial service company), or just in jest. Though this was an internal matter, and may be special case I witnessed, I’ve seen several cases of a person(s) being mentioned by the initials in public. For instance, Maureen Dowd always refers to the former President by **G.W**., or **W**. in public. Time magazine features disagreement of Saudi Arabia and U.S. under the headline, " **The King and O** (King Abdullah and Barack Obama)" in its April 7 2014 issue. Tina Fey calls her old boy friend like “I met HRW (note: representing for a handsome Robert Wuhl) the next morning at his off-campus apartment,”“HRW motioned for me to sit down near him,” “It was surprise by the time HRW dropped me off,” (P.56-59), and even abbreviatesstrong YMCA as “ **The Y** had a preschool attached to it,” (P.66) in her million-seller book, “Tina Fay Bossypants. Is it accepted, or very uncommon practice to refer to other person by the initial in English speaking countries? Isn't it rude to call others by the initials like "Hey, K.A. What's your opinion," and "I don't agree J.K's idea."?


"talk over the phone" or "talk over phone"

> We just talked over (the) phone.   1. Should there be a "the" in front of "phone"? I.e., should "phone" be specific or not?   2. If there should be a "the", should "phone" be "phones" instead，since there were two phones being used during the conversation?


What is difference among "a tad," "a bit," "a little?" Why do you use "a tad?"

I came across the word “a tad” which is unfamiliar to me in today’s New York Times’ article, titled “Yankees Bracing for Cold in Opener and in April.” The article starts with the following line: > “March is not going out quite as lamblike as the adage would have it, which > makes the prospect of opening day in New York just a tad less idyllic than > one might hope.” (Aside: My initial interest was the adage of “March is not going out quite as lamblike,” which I could easily make out.) I looked for another example of the use of “a tad” through Google and found the following sentence in www.dictionary30.com. > “March comes in like a lion, as they say, and goes out like a lamb, and here > in the middle of the month I'm feeling a little lamblike and ‘a tad’ lion- > ish. "You're a liberal, so you're probably scared of guns,'' I was told by > an ...” I guess ‘a tad’ means ‘a bit’ or ‘a little’ or ‘slightly.’ However, what is good for using ‘a tad’ instead of using ‘a bit’ or ‘a little’ or ‘slightly’? Are there great differences among these three words? Is there any ‘added value’ in using ‘a tad’, in place of familiar ‘a bit’ and ‘a little’ and ‘slightly’?


Can you also say "Take you care" or "Take you care, too"?

As a greeting in parting you often say "Take care" (at least in the US, I am not so sure about the UK). Can you also say "Take you care" or answer with "Take you care, too"?


Is ‘Take something cum grano salis’ a popular phrase? Can I use it in casual conversation?

I came across the phrase, _‘cum grano salis’_ in the article written by Chris Cillizza, a political pundit in the August 8th Washington Post’s article under the title ‘GOP smells blood in Presidential race.’ The article deals with the results of latest polls that show significant erosion of the President Obama’s support basis after the downgrading of American credit by S & P’s last Friday. The phrase in question appears in the following lines: > “Polls are, of course a snapshot in time and are rightly **taken cum grano > salis**. But, it’s not hard to read between the data points on this > particular survey.” As I am totally unfamiliar with the phrase, “take something cum grano salis,” I checked online dictionaries. Both Free Merriam-Webster and Oxford Dictionaries had an entry of 'cum grano salis' as a phrase of Latin origin meaning ‘take something with a grain (pinch) of salt.’ I wonder how popular this phrase is among native speakers. Is it just a liking or style of the author to have used deliberately a ‘big word’ like ‘cum grano salis’ instead of simply saying ‘with a grain of salt’ that can be understood by everybody? If I use “take something cum grano salis ” mimicking the author - like 'You'd better to take Taro's story _cum grano salis_ , in day-to-day conversation among chums, am I taken for granted, or ridiculed?


The word ‘dryly’ as an adverb

What is the correct use of the word _dryly_ in the following sentence? > You said that very dryly. Is _dryly_ correct in this context?


What is the difference between "illicit" and "illegal"? Are they just synonymous? Used in different contexts?


Correct use of "circa"

I understand the use of _circa_ / _c._ as it applies to approximating dates. However, I have a writer who (over)uses the word in other contexts. Examples: > ... from circa early 1990's up until circa 8 years ago ... > > ... said population is circa 92-94% ... > > ... making one stop circa Pacific Coast Highway ... > > ... cost of circa $300,000 ... > > ... Rarely was I at either bar past circa 10:00PM ... > > ... circa 5 car widths from ... Is this just my hatred of obfuscated language that's annoying me when I read this, or is it always appropriate to use "circa" when you mean "approximately?"


Meaning of "it's long past time to ..."

Saw a lot of such sentences (examples below). What does the "it's long past time to..." mean? Example: It's long past time to ditch the use of the ubiquitous bulleted-list templates found in both Powerpoint and Keynote


When do you use "is being" in English?

When should I use _is being_ in English? For example, do you say "something is changed," or "something is being changed"?


What are the substitutes for "it should be noted that", "consider" and "As it was mentioned previously"?

Could you please tell me what are the good substitute for >   * It should be noted that? >   * Consider >   * As it was mentioned previously > I don't want them to be repeated many times.


Improving written English and Grammar

What is the best way to improve your Grammar and improve your writing style?   What would be the best online resource to improve my grammar? I maintain a blog of my own, and I have reasonably good spoken English, but it seems that I make a lot of grammatical mistakes, which are annoying to the readers; it also seems that I write unusually long sentences, and I can do a better job at breaking them. Does reading older literature help in improving style?


Another word for workbench or tools?

I'm about to launch a website that will help business by providing them various tools (management tools mostly) they require to run their business. I would like a word to capture the objective of the site. Workbench is the best I've come up with so far but I really do not like the way it sounds. Do you guys have any suggestions? Thanks


What is the difference between "as though" and "as if"?

I'm genuinely in confusion when it comes to using those two: can I draw a distintive line in using them? Thank you.


Why do we use "accessible to" instead of "accessible from"?

I wonder why we use "accessible to" as a meaning of "can be accessed from", for example, "How to Make Your Blog **Accessible to** Blind Reader". It makes more sense to me when using 'accessible from'. Is it wrong to use 'accessible from'?


What does “organizing a Trust that would skin the taxcollars off the whole herd” mean?

From _A Dog's Tale_ by Mark Twain: > He was a renowned scientist. I do not know what the word means, but my > mother would know how to use it and get effects. She would know how to > depress a rat-terrier with it and make a lap-dog look sorry he came. But > that is not the best one; the best one was Laboratory. **My mother could > organize a Trust on that one that would skin the taxcollars off the whole > herd.** I don't understand the last sentence.


Is there a term for ambiguity coming from a modifier modifying multiple parts of a sentence?

Given the sentence > Before starting the machine, mount the machine with the battery installed on > the harness. This could be taken to mean that   1) the battery is installed on the harness and the user is to mount the machine onto it   2) the battery is installed in the machine and the user is to mount the machine onto the harness   3) the battery is installed on the harness of the machine and the user is to mount the whole setup onto something not mentioned here, depending on what the reader thinks "with the battery installed" modifies. In linguistics, is there a technical term for this kind of grammatical situation? If so, what is it?


about "please be advised"

> Please be advised you have until Friday of this week to be finished. I understood what this sentence means. But can you separate the sentence into phrases or clauses? If I separate it, one is "please be advised you", another is "until Friday of this week", the other one is "to be finished". Where can I put the "have"? I mean I need an explanation about that sentence grammatically.


Should I place a comma in "I live in London where I work at a coffeeshop"

Should I put a comma between "London" and "where" in the following sentence, or is it acceptable not to include it? > I live in London where I work at a coffeeshop brewing delicious coffee.


Is writing "My English is not the best around" wrong?

I was wondering if I can use "is not the best around" in conjunction with language skills, but some mild googling gave me no results for languages like German or French (in a context where I'd probably expect a native English speaker to use such a sentence construct), but on the other hand there are plenty results for "My English is not the best around" which obviously stems from non-native speakers. This makes me assume that saying "My English isn't the best around" is probably wrong, but I'd like to know why exactly.


"She can argue her point" right or wrong?

Is it OK to say in that way? > She can argue her point. For example, to say it when describing a person. Meaning she knows what she is talking about and her speech can be proved by certain facts, if required. The reason why I'm asking is that a trustful friend of mine told me it's not ok to say in that way, but it sounds normal to me. **UPD**   Thank you for replies!   Context. Speaking about person: > — How would you describe her?   >  — She is definitely not a chatterer, **she can argue her point**. That is, she is sufficiently knowledgeable and articulate to make a logical argument (Case A is Jay's answer). Friend's thoughts (in my translation): > Phrase is not entirely correct. According to Oxford dictionary [1], second > example “exchange or express diverging or opposite views, typically in a > heated or angry way” is not suitable since we don’t want to say she can > argue in an angry way. In first example (“give reasons or cite evidence in > support of an idea, action, or theory, typically with the aim of persuading > others to share one’s view”) we have to use “argue that / argued for / argue > someone into/out of.” But it’s my personal opinion. I haven’t heard natives > to use argue in a meaning “to give arguments”, they rather use “to prove” / > “to give arguments” / “to state your point of view” etc. > > Also we have to keep in mind that dictionaries are being made with certain > inaccuracy. References:   1. http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/argue   2. http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/argue


What is an unambiguous single word for a five-pointed star without enclosure?

I am looking for a single word that describes this thing (1): ![5-pointed star with internal lines](http://i.stack.imgur.com/dohgO.png) but not this thing (2): ![5-pointed star with internal lines and enclosing circle](http://i.stack.imgur.com/nBWEc.png) The obvious choice here would be **pentagram** , but in colloquial use, that word unfortunately refers to both (1) and (2), as well as a number of variants of (2) that have other enclosures surrounding the 5-pointed star. (In mathematical use, "pentagram" uniquely refers to (1) and not (2), but I am not writing for a mathematical audience, so that's still a no-go.) It also has connotations I would like to avoid (devil worship, goat sacrifice, etc.). If all else fails, I can just call (1) a "five-pointed star", but that gets to be a bit of a mouthful.


Can I say "Where can I find 'a' post office"?

It's a question in a grammar app. "Where can I find **_ _**post office please?". I chose "a", but it says "the" is the correct answer. Same problem with this question: "Let's go to **__** cinema tonight." I know the answer is "the", but I don't know why "Let's go to a cinema" is wrong. I thought when you specific mean which cinema or which post office you should use "the", otherwise "a/an" is also okay. Could someone please help me?


What's the similar word for Answer Sheet?

There is a quiz section on my blog, and a list of quiz result. I need a title for the list of quiz results. I prefer not to use "Replies" because I've already used it up in forum discussions. "Submission" sounds not good enough because it feels like "surrender". "Answer" is close but it's been used up in other part of the blog, too. Is there a single word for this?


Does "8 days" mean "after 8 days"?

If I say _I will be here in 5 minutes (or in 5 days)_ , in this context, does **in** mean _after_ or _between now and 5 minutes after_? And, in that context, does **within** mean the same as _in_?


Tenses and completeness of actions

When one uses simple past tense for some action, does it imply that the action is complete? For instance, when you say “I wrote my article yesterday,” does this imply that at this moment you have a finished article or not? So it’s > I wrote a bit of my article yesterday, but I still have to finish it. vs. > I started and finished writing my article yesterday and now I have a > finished work, so I can publish it. What about present perfect? Does it imply completeness? If you say “I have watched this film,” does this mean that you have actually watched it from start to end? If both these tenses imply that the action was completed, do I have to use past continuous to emphasize the incompleteness of action? For instance, “I was watching this film,” so that the implied meaning is that I started watching it, but it’s not certain that I finished it.


Is size inherent in the meanings of "plant" and "factory"?

I always had the impression that a _plant_ was bigger than a _factory_ and that a plant might contain several factories, but we wouldn't say that a factory contains several plants. According to oxforddictionaries.com,   * > _plant_: a place where an industrial or manufacturing process takes place   >  _the company has 30 plants in Mexico_   * > _factory_: a building or group of buildings where goods are manufactured or assembled chiefly by machine Not very specific.   Disregarding adjectives like "small plant" and "large factory," just looking at the words _plant_ and _factory_ , is one bigger than the other to the average native English speaker?


Do I travel "up" or "down" to London from north of the city?

I am travelling geographically down the country from north of the city of London. Do I state "I am travelling down to London" or do I state "I am travelling up to London" in reference to its capital city status?


Does "coming down" mean "traveling south"?

In the context of traveling, I have heard of and used the phrase "coming down" when referring to a journey from one place to another place that is further south. Perhaps, it's because I have always related the "down" part to "from north to south". For example: > My cousin in New York is coming down to visit me (in Atlanta) next week. Recently, a friend of mine used the phrase to refer to any journey regardless of the direction of travel. For example: > She is coming down from Miami to join us in Atlanta. Is the phrase used only to refer to traveling south? Or is it not related to the direction?


"To look down the road"

In this sentence > He went outside. _He looked down the road._ What is meant by down? I don't think he's in higher place.


What time do/should/would I call you?

Here's the question I saw on a test: A: What time ………… I call you?   B: You could call me after lunch. a) am   b) do   c) should   d) would I think _(b)_ , _(c)_ , and _(d)_ are possible options. Please correct me if I'm mistaken.


What kind of rhyme is "pan" and "screen"?

I know there're various types of rhyme in English, such as slant rhyme. There're also things called assonance and consonance. I plan to rhyme "pan" with "screen". Essentially two monosyllabic words ending with "n". Obviously this is imperfect rhyme at best. Is there a linguistic term to describe this type of pairing? If so, what is it called? Thank you.


How to ask for a repeat in different way politely?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  How do you decide which phrase to use when asking people to repeat what > they said? If I can't understand what someone said very well, how to ask him to repeat his words, but in slightly different way? If I say, `I don't understand`, he may think that I'm not agree with his opinion. I'm not sure if `Pardon?` or `Sorry?` work in written English. If what he said looks very simple: there is no uncommon words, then, I am expected to understand, however I can't. So it's more likely that I'm against their opinions if I say I don't understand. Because what he said is so easy. So, I would like him to repeat his sentence in a different way, using different words maybe. How can I ask him to repeat in different way politely?


Is “Write something also on. . . .” ok?

In the following sentence, is the usage of _also_ considered grammatically correct, or is there something wrong with it? > Write something also on an alternative approach to this problem; explain the > pros and cons of that alternative. The sentence doesn't feel right, but I thought I would seek the input of the well-informed before jumping to conclusions. I would like to make it known that I am not the one responsible for this sentence, nor will the person responsible ever know of this inquiry — it is purely for the sake of self-satisfaction.


What is the correct usage of contractions like "isn't" and "wasn't"?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Do contractions (e.g. "don't") and full phrases (e.g. "do not") have the > same meaning? I frequently see contractions such as "isn't" and "wasn't" used in sentences such as: > Why wasn't she there? Which would be equivalent to: > Why was not she there? Which doesn't make any sense. Considering how often I see this used I thought I could find something online about it, however I haven't had any luck. Is it grammatically correct to use "isn't" and "wasn't" in sentences like the one above, and the one below? If so, why? > Why isn't Dad home yet?


The use of "Doesn't" and "isn't"

I was on stackoverflow.com asking a question on programming the question was: "Doesn't the code i currently have do x?" When i then realized that if i were to write it as: "Does not the code i currently have do x"? it would not make sense, does that mean that the use of "doesn't" in that question is incorrect? And the same with "isnt": "Isn't the code that i have supposed to do x?" vs "Is not the code i have supposed to do x?" Is using "doesn't" and/or "isn't" in the context that i did incorrect? _**I use "x" instead of describing the actual question i had_**


Connotations of trite, passé, and cliché

What are the differences between trite, cliché, and passé? They seem to all have a similar denotation, but what are the subtleties of their connotations? The only difference I really see is that cliché is an expression that has become trite or passé, whereas trite and passé can be related to anything, e.g. ideas, words, fashion, etc. I’d love to hear your thoughts.


Meaning & usage of "buy me cake"

When someone says: "buy me cake", what's his meaning? Does it mean anything except its normal meaning? Thanks Edit: I've seen this in a language file of a computer program: "Buy Me Cake :)" http://singularlabs.com/software/ccenhancer/


What is the meaning and usage of the word "very" in the following sentence?

> XSLT (Extensible Stylesheet Language: Transformations) is a language that, > according to the **_very_** first sentence in the specification (found at > http://www.w3.org/TR/xslt20/), is primarily designed for transforming one > XML document into another.


Word to describe a person who decides what to eat amongst a group of people?

The situation is as follows: After a college alumni event, old classmates are all sitting in a roundtable to discuss which restaurant they should go to eat that night. There are total of 8 guys and 8 girls. As one guy asks, "Where should we eat?" others reply, "I don't care", "I don't mind. Anything is good", or "Whatever you want, man". For few rounds, nobody brings an opinion on where they want to dine in, except to leave comments such as, "I'm so hungry. I can eat a horse now". Then, Peter stands up and say "Let's go to XXX. They have really nice foods and the prices are reasonable. We have to check this place out. I can guarantee you'll all love it!! Let's go!" **Question: What's the best word or expression to describe Peter's personality or the act of what Peter just did (made an opinion amongst a group in assertive manner) in this situation?** Example: decisive, assertive, charismatic COMMENT: Please suggest me if you have any slang that fits in this context.


Is it acceptable to use a tilde symbol to sign your name?

Should the tilde symbol (~) be used to sign your name? It seems quite commonplace on Internet forums but I don't believe I've ever seen it used in books.


Does an object have "specificity to" or "specificity for" another object?

Does an object possess specificity **_to_** or **_for_** another object? Every time I go to express this concept in writing, I struggle over which preposition is the more appropriate and more precise. This is dilemma is encountered all the time in technical scientific writing, for example in biology where one speaks of enzymes with specificity to/for a particular substrate. I can't find much of a consensus there: I'm just as likely to see one form as the other in articles and published papers. My trusty Google consensus search isn't of much help either: the phrase "specificity to" occurs just about as often as the phrase "specificity for" does. Although all of the examples I can think of at the time are biological in nature, I'm certain that there are others, so I'm asking this as a more general grammatical usage question. Do they mean something subtly different? Should one form always be preferred over the other? Of course, it may be that either is entirely correct. Given that preposition usage is highly idiomatic in all languages (and English especially), there may not be a rule that definitively resolves this question.


Is it correct to use "on" with the meaning of "inside"?

I was wondering if it is correct to use "on" meaning that something is _on_ (inside) something else. For example: > There is a book on the drawer If it is wrong, it is correct to use "in" instead?


What does “show some (a little) leg” mean?

There was the following sentence in the New York Times (August 16) article under the title, “Where the justice at justice.”: > “Attorney General Eric Holder said in May that “no reporter who is doing his > job is going to go to jail,” trying to **show some** leg and signal that his > intention is benign, merely to put pressure on (former C.I.A. agent) Jeffrey > Sterling so that he will plead guilty before his trial." > nytimes.com/2014/08/17/opinion/sunday/… OED carries the word, “leg show,” but not “show leg(s). CED carries neither “leg show” nor “show leg.” However, definitions are available in www.wordreference which says; "to show some leg" means to reveal some skin, usually as an inducement to get someone to do something, or to make yourself more attractive. and in www.englishforums. com, which says; "show some leg" literally means to expose one’s legs to view, thus, to tempt sexually or to flirt or to seek attention. GoogleNgram shows “show leg” in an almost insignificant currency level (0.0000000590% in 2007). I know "show **a** leg" means to get up, but what does “show some ( **a little** ) leg” mean ? Does it mean to tempt a desired reaction from the other, or to reveal one’s real intention? Is it a common phrase?


Is there a word or term for an attempt to simplify but which complicates instead?

Specifically something which seems simpler than an alternative at first glance but is actually complex on a closer examination. There are some things that have been coming up at work that fit this description, but I feel like if I had a good word or term for the phenomenon people would better heed my warnings. Edit: My particular situation is in software development, but isn't exactly scope creep or over-engineering. I'm not at liberty to provide a detailed example, of which there have been several, but the one that motivated this post is the selection of a tool. The tool that a coworker has recommended has a very simple interface. The fallacy that I'm trying to describe is that the tool will make easy tasks easier at the expense of making harder tasks harder. Edit 2: A better example (for the software engineers, anyways) would be duck- typing like in Python. At first glance, it should make things easier, you don't need to declare a type for every parameter and variable. In large projects (IMHO) this adds complication because its harder to track which parameters expect which data types.


The Function of “breathing" in This Sentence

> For sometime, all that could be heard in the dim subway with its melancholy > ambiance, was the sound of Joe and I breathing. How to analyse the word "breathing" used in the sentence above? Are they trying to say "I and Joe who was breathing" or "the breathing of I and Joe"?


lexy - definition

I have just encountered this word on a news entitled " 'Unfriend' or 'Defriend?' Facebook Fans Debate", and here is the sentence: "No, unfriend is definitely more lexy," wrote another commenter. (link: http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/AheadoftheCurve/unfriend-defriend-facebook- fans-debate/story?id=9106240) Actually I have looked for the definition of the word "lexy" online ( that's the only tool I have now) and Urban Dictionary was the only one I found mentioning this, but the definitions given in this dictionary doesn't seem fit the sentence well (except for the second one, which seems to fit the sentence above most and the writer of which wrote that it is a combination of "lush+sexy", whereby it means "highly fashionable"), so I would like to ask you. Thank you.


the difference between "no", "not" and "none"?

How do we differentiate the use of "no", "not" and "none" ?   _I do not have a chair_   _I do no have a chair_   _I have no a chair_   _I have none a chair_


What do you call a person who is always online on the Internet?

Is there any specific word for a person who is always online on the Internet? I am just curious to know because staying online is like a profession nowadays.


How to pluralize "Air de cour"?

An _air de cour_ is a type of Baroque song. If I’m talking about several of these, would I say “we played some _airs de cour_ ”? Frankly, and especially since this is a foreign phrase (French), the thing that seems most natural to me in speaking it aloud is actually to say “ _air de cours_ ”. I realize this is not correct in French speech, but in English, it wouldn’t sound right at all to say “ _airs de cour_ ”, particularly since the “ _de cour_ ” means nothing to most saxophones. Of course, I would never say “I bought some _jar of chocolates_ ”, but that’s because the “ _of chocolates_ ” means something in English, so it would sound wrong and be wrong. It seems to me that in pluralizing a foreign noun phrase, it may as well be treated as a single word when spoken aloud, with the _s_ added at the end. Is there a rule on this?


Why is it called a semi-truck? Doesn’t “semi” mean “part”?

I was wondering why semi-trucks are called that. Doesn’t _semi_ mean “part of”? A semi-truck is a whole truck if I ever saw one!


The Black Country in UK

I have encountered the name _The Black Country_ in old books. From Wikipedia: > The Black Country is a loosely defined area of the English West Midlands > conurbation, to the north and west of Birmingham, and to the south and east > of Wolverhampton. Is that name still applicable to this area nowadays? Is it a widely known definition among the UK population and English speaking society, in general?


Alternatives to "kick your a**"

I would like to have an alternative phrase that is equivalent to _kick your ass_ , but without using _ass_. What other words can I use instead? Some friends suggested _kick your bacon_ (but I am not sure if this means the same thing). I thought about using _butt_ but this is another word I would like not to use. Can I be classy and have the same impact at the same time? Or at least not be that vulgar? The context I am using the expression is > I am gonna **kick your ass** out of the bed.


Use of "and lo" in a sentence

What, if any, is the right way to use "and lo" in a sentence? My basic structure is "[discussion about thing], and lo, [example of thing]", kind of like: There's a cliche about circus clowns being creepy and dangerous, and lo, last night I saw a clown violating a teddy bear. Is this proper? Should there be a colon or semicolon after "lo"?


Is there a word/ short phrase for extension of self / positive reflection of self?

I'm looking for a word / short phrase for "extension of self" (or at least "positive reflection of self") one could give to something they've created. E.g. A company could be named `_______` implying that the company and or products/services share characteristics/traits of the owner. _Related words: representation, pride, personification, legacy._   What I'm looking for is almost like inheritance but more like "inheritance of my self", in a word. * * * The 'coolest' sounding answer will get preference.   If you don't fully understand my question, don't downvote or even answer; post a comment and I'll explain. * * * ### Edit: "Extension of self" pretty much defines it but it needs to imply "extension of me" not "extension of one's self"; i.e. the word/phrase needs to imply self- embodiment. E.g. A portfolio of projects could be named "Pieces of Me" or something. Hope this helps.


consecutive occurrences in one word

I need to know the common word used for the event which occurs consecutively. Can anyone suggest me some commonly used words which describes the same? Thank you


How can I describe a "one or more" condition (one that has many options; a "non-boolean")?

Generally speaking a boolean condition is understood to be an "either/or" relationship; for example, something is hot or cold. What's do you call a "one or more" condition, e.g. something that can have many colors? To add a bit of clarification, in conversation most people understand Boolean to be an "either/or" proposition, whether there are two or more conditions, as when you ask someone to pick a single color of paint (red, green, or blue). When discussing that with non-programmers, I find they perfectly understand that when I describe it as a boolean condition. However, I don't seem to know what to call a "one or more" condition, for example, "pick any colors that you like: red, green, blue, yellow, orange, purple." I find my self saying "non-boolean" which isn't all that useful. \-- EDIT -- Rubergly's answer gave me an interesting thought: Boolean is similar to "dichotomous" and also similar to "binary" (1 or 0). Trinary means set of three... so is "polynary" a word, or is there something similar?


What are the origins of the idiom "dying to..."?

Where did the expression "dying to..." come from? e.g. > I'm dying to meet you.


What does the door do?

We would like to enlist your help in arbitrating this grammatical dilemma. Given the question: > What does the door do? Which of the following options is most correct as a response to the question? >   1. Close. >   2. Closes. > Please pick _only_ from the given options and _do not modify_ them in any way. (I have asked people in the past and they have responded with more-than-one- word answers. ) Please explain your answer. There are 20 dollars riding on the answer to this question.


a passage in Dracula

In _Dracula_ , there is this passage: > Tell your friend that when that time you suck from my wound so swiftly the > poison of the gangrene from that knife that our other friend, too nervous, > let slip, you did more for him when he wants my aids and you call for them > than all his great fortune could do. in which I am puzzled by " _you did more for him when he wants my aids and you call for them than all his great fortune could do._ " How comes present tense " _when he wants_ " goes with past tense " _you did more for him_ "? What does it mean as a whole? Would any native speaker be so kind to explain?


What's built-in bull detector

"Ernest Hemingway decided to write stories that spotlighted the harsh truth alive in this world, he said anybody trying to do that better have a built-in bull detector" What is " built-in bull detector "


Euphemism for poo

In German, we call the result of one particular dump as well as the doing it itself > sein Geschäft machen (to do a deal/business) This is common and fit for print. Is there something similar in English that I could use in the following sentence > After his morning ___ ,... Or what other ways are there to express that without being vulgar or too technical?


Difference between "town", "city" and "metropolis"?

Is there a certain size for each of these terms?


British usage of “cha”, “char” or “chai” to mean “tea”

By happenstance, I stumbled upon the words _cha_ , _char_ and _chai_ in the dictionary today, all defined as meaning _tea_ in informal British English. I lived and worked in London for some time, but never heard it used, so I am wondering: **is it specific to certain dialects? Or is it dated?** The _Oxford English Dictionary_ doesn't mention anything like that.


What's the difference between "null" and "void" in legal language?

In the legal term "null and void," what is the difference between _null_ and _void_? Why not just use one of the two terms? And can either term be used without the other?


What is the counterpart of an appendix?

The appendix is what is appended to something. How do we call something that is prepended to something else?


Should I say this forum is a free 'voting discussion' or 'voted discussion' site?

I'm building a forum where people can ask questions and get replies. Those questions and replies can get votes but no one can be targeted as best answer. What's the right way of saying that? This forum is a free 'voting discussion' or 'voted discussion' site?


"What kind of stuff is it?" vs "What kind of stuff it is?"

Please advise which version of the question is correct and what's the rule governing it?


What word is complimentary, but sounds like "chunky"?

For a discussion I'm having with a colleague, we're trying to think of complimentary words that sound ugly. Any that rhyme with chunky (or anything else for that matter).


Preposition to follow "copy and paste"

> The rows should be copied and pasted to the spreadsheet. Does that sound right? If not, how could we reword the sentence? I ask because "to" applies to "paste" but not to "copy". The logical preposition to follow "copy" would be "from", but I don't see how it would fit in this sentence.


Neither... nor... nor (more than one "nor")

Is it correct to use more than one "nor" clause in a "neither" expression? For instance: "Neither the question, nor the answers, nor the comments"? Even if it is, is it so rarely used that it would be better to reword the sentence, or it is fine to use it?


Common antonyms to "happy ending"?

I know you may specify to something like _tragic, open end_ to describe actually what the end is like. But do English critics/reviewer in movie magazines use a common term for movies with _bad/evil endings_ or simply refer to them as _no happy ending_ (as most movies have to have a happy ending) to classify such films? I mainly ask as I need some proper keywords to find those rare films.


Idiom about a chicken or not?

I faced this phrase when the author of the blog post titled The Future Of Lisp wanted to show that nothing is clear: "What, when, why and where did my chicken go?" What does this phrase mean? Is it an idiom or not?


Where does the phrase "dry run" come from?

I've heard the phrase "dry run" being used with the meaning of rehearsal, experiment or test exercise in various contexts. For example:   * They did a **dry run** of the demonstration before showing it to the CEO.   * Practice with a **dry run**. Organise a dress rehearsal within two weeks of the wedding to ensure...   * A **dry run** of the software release will be executed to ensure that the release plan is correct and clear to everybody.  However, **wet run** would not make sense in any of these contexts. So, why "dry"? Where does "dry run" come from?


Is “Not to generalize or anything” an idiomatic parenthesis?

September 18 Time magazine’s article titled “How Mitt Romney’s Luck Ran Out” introduced GOP Presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s observation covertly recorded at a Florida fundraiser to the effect that: > ... the 47% of Americans who pay no federal income taxes will never vote for > him because they "believe they are victims" entitled to endless government > support and will never "take personal responsibility and care for their > lives.” It is followed by this sentence: > _Not to generalize or anything_. _This,_ just days after Romney’s rash > statement late on the night of Sept. 11 suggesting that the Obama > Administration sympathized with the violent mobs in Cairo and Benghazi. What does “ _Not to generalize or anything_ ” mean? Doesn’t “Not to generalize” suffice? Is “or anything” necessary? Is this a common idiomatic phrase, or parenthesis? In passing, I don’t find a verb that explains what “ _This_ ” that follows “Not to generalize or anything” in the above excerpt. What is the predicate of “This”?


What does "the globe over" mean?

I read this sentence in a book review. I can understand the sentence but, I am confused by _the globe over_. > Human history? Global economy? Her evidence for women _the globe over_ > consists of thin, small facts cherry-picked to support outsize claims.   * What part of speech is "the global over" in the above sentence and what does it mean?   * How about _cherry-picked_?


What's the word in English for something that could have attachments to it?

I'm a programmer and making an attachment system. Where you could have a weapon, and different components that you could attach to it, to give it extra behavior. Example: an M16 and a: silencer, scope, laser, etc. Now, I could call the components "attachments" - But what about the weapon? I thought I could call it "Attachee" but it didn't turn out to be an English word. Also thought about "Attachable", but not sure about it... is it correct? If not, then what is the right word? Thanks.


which one should I use for this question 'faster or fast'

I should walk **_______** so I can catch up with my brother. Is the answer is fast or faster?


"It was my birthday yesterday" vs. "My birthday was yesterday"

Is there a difference between the following sentences? > It was my birthday yesterday. > > My birthday was yesterday. When should I use "it was something yesterday/a few days ago/..." and when should I use "something was yesterday/..."?


"physically attractive" vs. "attractive physically"

I have come across the following sentence in a dictionary: > Though not very **attractive physically** , she possessed a good sense of > humour. I think the adverb "physically" postmodifies the adjective "attractive" to form the adjective phrase "attractive physically". But as far as I know the usual order is **adverb(s) + adjective** (where adverbs premodify an adjective), so I wonder if this is a special case and if there is a rule for it. If I change the sentence to > Though not very physically attractive, she possessed a good sense of humour. does this sound as good as the original sentence?


Humans or people?

This is the sentence I've read: > Freedom is something humans in all times have fought for. I am under the impression that the use of _humans_ is not adequate here. Thus, my question is: when to use _humans_ and when _people_ in general and what is the semantic difference?


What does "low" mean in this context?

> That's some 3rd world begging skill right there. Obviously she isn't from > here, but that's low as f***. The comment was made based on this video.


Is there a word that means the results of a test can only be positive or inconclusive?

Is there a word for this? For instance, a medical test where a positive result would be conclusive but any other result would not be.


double whammy usage for two good things?

The phrase "double whammy" is used in a situation where two bad things happen but can it be used in a situation where two good things happen? I didn't know "double whammy" is used in a situation with two bad things! All I believed was whammy was something good. Can anyone suggest another phrase for a situation where two good things happen?


Verb for blowing up zombies

A zombie is approaching you, but all is well since you happen to have a live grenade in your hands. Is there at all a one-word term for the act of throwing that grenade at the zombie and successfully blowing it up? More generally, is there an explicit one-word term for actively blowing something up (not necessarily with a grenade), preferably one with some sort of corresponding noun? Consider firearms... a good example, if in bad taste: > I will _shoot_ you, zombie. > > I _shot_ the zombie. > > I fired two _shots_ at the zombie. In my case: > I will ???? you, zombie.   >  (candidates: "explode" - sounds awkward; "will blow you up" -works, but I > really need a one-word phrase for elegance) > > I ???? the zombie. > > I fired two _grenades_ at the zombie. I am designing a small game where I am already using one-word terms like "snipes", "kills", etc. It would be nice to have some one word expression for blowing things up that I can easily use with quantifiers. "Explosions" isn't a bad choice, but I feel like I can do better - it seems odd to say "I scored 4 more explosions than you did," and it also seems a bit ambiguous (could just as easily mean a place or object just as easily as personnel or zombies, whereas 'snipes' and 'kills' are not ambiguous). Yes, the game does involve zombies.


"Sorting on" vs. "Sorting by"

Recently asked a question of a colleague: > Are you _sorting_ this list _by_ acronym? He responded: > Yes, I’m _sorting on_ acronym (ascending). Emphasis mine in each case. Is one correct and not the other? Or does it depend on what is being sorted?


What does "trigger-happy on broken windows" mean?

What does this expression mean:   * to be "trigger-happy on broken windows"


What do "muckraker" and "rake muck" mean?

Are they the same? What do they mean? Here is the sentence: > I was one of the most experienced. All of us were judged by our ability to > **rake muck**. The head **muckraker** was Frederica Jansz...


Which of these meanings for the word "pet" came first?

The word "pet" has a few different definitions (my own paraphrase):   * n: An animal kept for companionship.   * v: To affectionately caress. My question is, which of these usages originated first? Do we refer to companion animals as "pets" because we pet them? Or is the act of "petting" so dubbed because it is what we do to pets?


When should you use "Title Case"?

Are there any guidelines for when you should capitalize titles/headings or not? Should you always do this in English? I am referring to **A Capitalized Heading** vs **A capitalized heading**


What's a good word for a person that's being followed?

Wondering what the correct word to use for a person who is being followed. All I can think of is a followee, which doesn't seem correct. It's being used in a twitter like system of followers and people being followed (followees).


Are there metaphoric English expressions meaning “keeping composure at a fatal moment, never panicky”?

We have a Japanese old saying, “俎板の上の鯉－manaita no ueno koi, a carp laid on a chopping block” for describing (1) a critical situation you cannot avoid, and (2) a person who is self-poised at such a critical moment. This metaphor comes from the legend that carp is still and composed unlike other fish, like eel when laid on a chopping board. I think it corresponds to the spirit of ‘葉隠-Hagakure’, the Bushido’s bible written by Yamamoto Tsunetomo, a senior samurai in Saga-Nabeshima fief in 1716, in which he says the ultimate goal of Bushido is to recognize when, where, how, and for what you should die. Though I’ve never seen a carp placed on a cutting board, we use this simile for various occasions for facing predicament and requiring rational judgment / action in such a way; “The company is considering a massive layoff, I’m a carp on a chopping block,” “The governor behaved like a carp on a chopping block when he was sued for sex scandals,” "My husband said "I'm a carp on a chopping block," when he was told he was at the terminal stage of cancer by his doctor." Are there metaphoric expressions similar to “a carp laid on a chopping block” which implies keeping composed at eleventh hour, preferably using a bird, beast, or fish, like a carp?


decoration or remodel or upgrade?

Suppose that I bought an old house, and changed walls and windows, repainted the house, used new wallpaper, bought new sofa, table, etc... For this kind of thing, which word is more appropriate, "decoration" or "remodel" or "upgrade"?


Why do English writers avoid explicit numerals?

> The junction has a stop sign on each of the four entrances.   >  The junction has a stop sign on each of the 4 entrances. The first is preferred, for some reason, by many English texts. Why? I haven't seen this phenomenon in other languages.


Writing numbers that are less than two digits in length

I was told that numbers under two digits should be written out alphabetically (e.g. one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine), and that anything two digits or over should be written out numerically (e.g. 10, 20, 100, 200, 1,400). Is this best practice, and if so, how come? I feel that it looks better but I'm not quite sure why this is objectively better than writing them all out numerically (e.g. 1, 2, 3, 10, 20, 100 etc.) Thanks


When I use numbers, when should I spell the word as opposed to just using the number?

I've just read this in a review: > Thankfully, the energy efficient Qualcomm chip helped the handset reach a > best-ever score of 17 hours and 30 minutes in our continuous video rundown > test. Compared to the outgoing model, which lasted ten hours 43 minutes in > the same test The first part uses _17 hours_ while the second part uses _ten hours_. Which is correct? What are the rules to determine when which should be used?


Spelling of small numbers?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Why do English writers avoid explicit numerals? In German, numbers below (and including) twelve are spelt out (eins, zwei, ...) while the numbers above twelve are usually written as numbers (13, 14, ...). It's an informal rule, but still. Is this similar in English?


When to spell out numbers

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Why do English writers avoid explicit numerals? Based on my previous question regarding spelling out monetary amounts, is there a rule of thumb when a number should be spelled out? These examples are easy: > I have **two** brothers. > > It's exactly **823** miles to New York. But do I have **15** minutes of fame, or **fifteen** minutes of fame? **Edit:** This related question asks how the practice of spelling out numbers originated; I'm looking for _specific guidelines_.