Is there a word for 'calling out to anyone who may respond'?

Is there a word for calling out in contexts like:   * if I am in a dark room and I call out "who's there?"   * if I am in a desert and I call out "is anyone out there?"   * if I am sending a broadcast over a communication channel to see who is on the line? Broadcast might work but I am wondering if there is a more "human" word for this?


confused with "had been sent", "was sent" and "had sent"

What will come in the blank made in the sentence > "A letter on import regulations...... on 26.6.2013"? Options are 'had been sent' or 'had sent' or 'was sent' ?


Hypernym for something like a blanket/sheet to cover oneself for keeping warm

* _Blanket_ seems too specific, one can cover oneself with a thin sheet instead.   * _Bedsheet_ somehow seems like what you'd sleep on, not what you'd sleep under.   * _Sheet_ is too general. One has sheets of paper, plastic sheets, and so on. Is there any word or concise phrase for this? It should relate specifically to bedding, and should include any typically-rectangular object made of cloth/fabric-like material, with which one covers oneself while sleeping or lying down. It should not include other kinds of covers, such as a cover for a book, or something kept on a utensil to cover it. It should not include a bedsheet on which one sleeps either. (Aside: Marathi has a word for this, पांघरूण.)


Is it not repetition to say "semantic meaning"?

I was going through an article on wikipedia and somewhere it said, "the semantic meaning of [noun here] is twofold ......" When I look up the word semantic, to me, it is like a defining word that implicitly implies "meaning". Is this not a grammatical mistake?


Antonym of verb “holster”

What is a word that means to remove from a holster as opposed to putting something back in a holster? I’ve searched _deholster_ and _unholster_ , each with no results found.


A word related to idling

Sometimes government officials take an awful lot of time to process a certain file. Or students working on research problems may sit on a problem for long without making any meaningful progress. Could someone suggest a word for the same, say a replacement for 'sit on'? I have a few examples here: 1) Prof to student: Don't **__** on this problem for long, you may end up at a cul-de-sac. 2) You have been **___** and delaying my file for too long, please process it with urgency.


What is the gender of an aircraft?

I know that a ship is always referred using "she", but what about aircraft? What should we use when we're referring to aircraft? Is it the same for automobile?


What does it mean by "Revenge is a dish that tastes best when served cold"?

There's a famous Mario Puzo quote from The Godfather. > Revenge is a dish that tastes best when served cold. How to interpret this sentence?


When to use present perfect and when present perfect continuous?

In my English book it says ''I have done'' is used when an action is ended, but where there are consequences in the future. For example: 'There has been an accident, and as a result the street is blocked'. I understand how to use it, but I am puzzled about the difference with the present perfect continuous' For example: 'It has been raining (and now the street is wet)'. Why could we not use the present perfect? Why can't we say ''It has rained''? When should we use the present perfect and when the present perfect continuous?


From the ECMAScript language specification _ECMA-262 page 1 Section 4_ > This section contains a **non-normative** overview of the ECMAScript > language The text goes on to say > ECMAScript is an object-oriented programming language for performing > computations... What does "non-normative" mean in this context?


"Supposed" versus "expected"

What is the difference between _supposed_ and _expected_? For example, which one should be used in the following example? > I am confused about the two words _base_ and _basis_. I often use one when > the other is **expected/supposed**.


What adjective would mean "both former and still present", but not "original"?

The pop group “Kitties'” original lineup went as follows: Linda, Mary and Amanda. However, Amanda soon left the group and Jenny replaced her. They decided that their first performance in a new lineup would be like this: Linda and Mary would sing first and then, 5 minutes later, Jenny would join them. Imagine you are watching that performance and you don't know the singers' names, but you do know them by their faces and you are aware of their recent lineup change. However, YOU ARE NOT AWARE OF WHAT THEIR ORIGINAL LINEUP WAS. Simply put, you only saw Linda, Mary and Amanda performing together several times before, but you don't know whether those three have been in the group from the very beginning or they have also replaced some other members who went before them. Now imagine, you are writing a report about that performance: > The two **_previous-lineup_** singers were singing first. Then, about 5 > minutes later, the new member of their group joined them. It was really a > nice performance. Here is my question: is there any single adjective in English that I could substitute for " ** _previous-lineup_** " in my quote above? I tried using just " _previous_ ", but that would seem to mean that those two singers are now gone, too (along with Amanda). The adjective " _former_ " seems to bring the same meaning. The word " _original_ " would not work either due to the reason I have already stated above. Perhaps, " _old_ " would fit the bill, but the problem is... the girls are quite young and you don't want to describe them using this word as even if you don't mean to imply their age that could still cause some undesirable and sensitive associations. So, what adjective you would use here?


Common way to say "give it some veracity"

I want a common _idiom_ or expression that says "to give (something) veracity" I was thinking "give it some salt", but that seems like its not a common expression.


How similar or different are "recant", "repudiate", "renounce"

_Recant, repudiate, renounce_ are synonyms of _abjure_. I'm unclear as to how these terms may be utilized in different sentences. I will be delighted to see them all in one sentence. I seek efficient and effective applications and examples, rather than mere citations that could appear to be too obvious or banal.


Difference between "admit" and "accept"

Which of the options sounds correct? > She has been **accepted/admitted** at York University.


Can something become "increasingly smaller"?

I was reading a news story recently, and saw this sentence: > "Police used tear gas and what appeared to be plastic bullets against > increasingly smaller groups of protesters." I wasn't sure if it was right or not. It seems somewhat oxymoronic. Can something become increasingly smaller? Is that logical?


How do we call the use of a negative clause to end a claim by questioning it?

I mean the clause at the end, seemingly asking for confirmation of the claim. > You would like to sleep, wouldn't you? How is this called?


"How many rooms left to clean?"

I want to express how many rooms have yet to be cleaned before the work is finished. Is this correct: > How many rooms left to clean?


Is to + ing (to becoming) correct?

I have read in a newspaper, the writer is using 'to becoming'. eg: "We're on track to becoming developed nation." Is this sentence really correct?


how to reply to Howdy

I hear from people greet saying "howdy". I guess that is short form of how do you do. I normally reply that "I am good and how are you doing?". Is there cultural specific reply that would give more appropriate meaning and value to the person who greeted first? I mean that instead replying just "I am good", would it be more value to reply "howdy" again?


What's wrong with the phrase "eating at me"?

I like to say this in jest when cats & dogs munch loudly on their dinner: "Your cat Molly is eating at me again!" I'm not sure what's "off" about it. Is it in fact incorrect, or is it merely awkward?


Is there dictionary of roots of words?

E.g.   * zeal -> zealot -> zealotry  I'm interesting in short dictionary, in this case it will contain only **zeal**. Of cource, every english roots.


Another way to say "be safe and come back soon"

I am looking into a specific expression I heard but could not remember it exactly. It means that be safe and come back soon, or any similar meaning. You say it to your friend/ relative when they leave. I am sure it has this word: "victorious". Probably it is something like "return victorious". Also, it probably has the word "sail". It is NOT a common expression that you will hear everyday.


Payable to the order of you or Payable to your order

Which phrase is correct "Payable to the order of you" or "Payable to your order".


Usage of the future perfect tense: "... a year will have completed..." Is it correct?

Is the following sentence correct? > By the end of September, a year will have completed for our friendship.


Meaning of "court" in "court languages of Latin and French"

What is the meaning of _court_ as used in _as did the court languages of Latin and French_?


Are "Creep up" and "Climb up" phrasal verb?

In the phrases "Creeping up the backstairs" or "Climbing up the wall",   is _up_ only a preposition, or is it part of a phrasal verb?


Do you windsurf and kitesurf on the sea or in the sea?

* Do you windsurf and kitesurf _on_ the lake or _in_ the lake?   * Do you windsurf and kitesurf _on_ the sea or _in the_ sea?  Which preposition is used for _the sea_ and which for _the lake_? I need help. > I practice windsurfing and kitesurfing _in_ the lake. or > I practice windsurfing and kitesurfing _on_ the lake.


Swearwords and their strength degree

"J*rk", "f*ggot", "*sshole", "b*stard", "idiot", "stupid"... All these words are offensive. "B*tch", "wh*re", "c*nt", "sl*t" and others are offensive words for girls as well. However, as in most of the languages, swearwords in English are not the same. Some of these words are more or less appropriate in some contexts whenever the other words are generally never used at work and inside a family. Can you help me to order the words from the softest ones to strongest? Understanding of the usage of swearwords is important for building a proper reaction to these words.


"Out of the box" — when should I use this phrase?

I send a lot of unsolicited emails. In many of them, I ask to buy traditional advertising spots or to help conceive a non-traditional campaign. Oftentimes, I find myself describing these non-traditional campaigns as "out of the box," as in "let's think outside the box!" But I realize this phrase can also be interpreted as "ready-to-go," "turn key" or "prefabricated." That's not what I'm going for. Am I using the phrase correctly? Is it easily interpreted as I intend? Is there a better phrase?


Using the proper particle in: "Spirit, we are going to call you [x]!"

Suppose we want to talk to a spirit of a deceased person and so, using magic, we want to make the spirit appear. Surely, first of all, we should "call" for their presence in the place where we are, so the word "call" is involved. However, since the deceased person was a native English speaker, and since they only respond to other mother tongues, we need an English flavour in our speech; and, as is well, known, for this purpose there is no better way that correctly using phrasal verbs and/or prepositions. Nevertheless, there are so many phrasal verbs where "call" is involved, and the following is a short list of the ones that, at first look, seem excellent candidates in order to make the aforementioned "call":   * call back, "To communicate the need for (someone) to return from one situation or location to a previous one."   * call down, "To invoke, as from heaven."   * call in, "To summon for assistance or consultation." So, which one is proper English:   * Spirit, we are going to call you back!   * Spirit, we are going to call you down!   * Spirit, we are going to call you in! If none of the above is correct, what is the right particle in this case?


What is a good convention for expressing different currencies?

Using a currency amount such as $1,000 in writing that has an international audience may be confusing (as may £1,000). This amount might represent US, Canadian, Australian or some other currency. I have taken to using the ISO currency codes, such as, USD 1,000, AUD 500, GBP 1,200 to avoid any confusion. Is this a good practice or are there alternative approaches?


Is the quantifier a modifier or is it modified, in semantic respect?

> "You've met Malfoy before?"   >  Harry explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley.   >  "I've heard of his family," said Ron darkly. "They were **some of** the > first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd > been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't > need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side."   >  (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone) When you say ‘some of’ is the qualifier, does it mean ‘some of’ modifies ‘the first’? Or unlike pre-modifiers, ‘some’ is modified by ‘the first’?


Why is it "have someone wrapped around your LITTLE finger"?

I just had occasion to write _she's got him wrapped around her finger_ (under complete control). I'd never really thought about this one before, but my guess would have been the idiom had some connection to **_wedding rings_**. On the other hand, intuition (and a Google Books search) tell me that the expression usually involves a **_little_** finger - not normally associated with wedding rings. Does anyone know when/why the idiomatic usage arose? I can't find anything in OED or a cursory search online.


How should this be read?

> We all know that you do not belong here, have no idea what you are talking > about, and can't actually script. Should this be interpreted as >   1. We all know that you do not belong here > >   2. You have no idea what you are talking about > >   3. You can't actually script > > Or >   1. We all know that you do not belong here > >   2. We have no idea what you are talking about > >   3. We can't actually script > > And why?


Parallel structure "both from A and B" grammatically correct?

Can I write this? > His results, derived both from research and observation, are critical for > the project. Or will I have to write either of these? > His results, derived both from research and from observation, are critical > for the project. > > His results, derived from both research and observation, are critical for > the project. In my particular context, I tend to like the original version most as it emphasizes ' _both_ ', i. e., the combination of _research and observation_. However, I'm not sure if the parallel structure _both from A and B_ is grammatically correct.


"Starting with" vs. "starting from"

I would like to ask about the difference between the two phrases _starting with_ and _starting from_. Take the following two sentences for example: >   1. Please give me all the names starting with A. >   2. Please give me all the names starting from A. > I can gather that _starting from_ means that I am interested in finding out all the names, but I have requested the listener to start listing names that begin with the letter A. _Starting with_ means that I am only interested in names that start with the letter A, such as Anthony, Alice, etc. The problem arises with sentences such as: > Let's start cutting back on our expenses, starting with/from the money we > spend on food. Does a change in the phrase _starting with_ to _starting from_ make a difference in this case?


Meaning of "pragmatic"

What is the meaning of _pragmatic_ in this example? > Another C construct, the #pragma directive, is used to instruct the compiler > to use **pragmatic** or implementation-dependent features. A most notable > user of this directive is OpenMP. According to online dictionary, _pragmatic_ means: > Dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on > practical rather than theoretical considerations. But I can't see how this explains the word in the example above.


Is the sequence of tenses applied properly in this example?

I found this sentence in some book: > When Mom asked Gramma why she hasn't been answering the telephone, Gramma > said. . . . My question is about the sequence of tenses: shouldn't the **past** _perfect continuous_ **tense** be used here in the reported speech?


Are vowel ligatures common in any disciplines these days?

Are there any areas of writing, literature or science where æ or œ are still used? Are there contexts where they are still considered mandatory?


"Too much time has passed."

> Too much time has passed. Is this grammatically correct? Wouldn't it be better to say > Too much time has passed by. or > Too much time has gone past.


Single word for one who is a great fan of movies?

Is there a single word to denote **a person who watches more movies** in free time?   Single word with meaning similar to "Movie Freak"?


Better phrase for "lengthy date"

Is there a better phrase or word to use than _lengthy date_? For example: > We give this **lengthy date** to accommodate the dispute respecting the > Hermas who is the author of the Pastor. This seems a bit archaic to me. Is there a better word, phrase or anything else to express the above thought? Note, Hermas was “a man in Rome to whom Paul sent greetings”, second century, possibly “the author of the celebrated religious romance called _The Shepherd_ ” or _The Pastor_.


"has gone by" or "has gone bye?"

Is it correct to say, "so much time has gone by", or should "by" be replaced with "bye?" What are some other things someone can say with "by" at the end?


Difference between "choose" and "select"

These two words are often used interchangeably and the greatest difference I can find between the two is "choose" for choosing multiple items from a set, and "select" for selecting a single item from a set. Are there other qualifiers to consider and is this singular/plural distinction on the right track? So, really, what _is_ the difference between the two, if any?


"The key to/of the door"

I would like to know what the difference between "the key _to_ the door" and "the the key _of_ the door", or between "the servant _to_ the master" and "the servant _of_ the master" is.


Are there any practical uses of onomatopoeia in contemporary English?

Do we have any practical uses of onomatopoeia in contemporary English? I can not claim to have read many materials, but I have to confess I have rarely seen it used a lot.


What does "imperio in imperium" mean?

I've heard the Latin phrase _imperio in imperium_ used in political discussions a few times. While I understand what the phrase literally means in Latin ("by command into command"), I'm not sure what the intended meaning is when the phrase is invoked in English as a discussion of political strategy or reality.


Is there a term for the traced keys or legends sometimes accompanying complicated photographs or paintings?

For example, Howard Chandler Christy's _Scene at the Signing of the Constitution_ ![painting](http://i.stack.imgur.com/aTmqf.jpg) might come along with a line drawing cartoon identifying each famous subject: ![key for painting](http://i.stack.imgur.com/mMRKW.jpg) Is there a technical term for this kind of cartoon? If not, what's the best descriptive name?


Does "speak in a low voice" refer to volume/loudness or to pitch?

Does the _low_ in > speak in a _low_ voice > > he said in a _low_ voice refer to the _volume_ / _loudness_ or to the _pitch_? Does it mean _quiet_ , or _low-frequency_? EDIT: After understanding from your answers that the meaning is ambiguous (it may apparently mean either the first or the second or both), and after reading some answers to Please "Mute your voice"! suggesting " _lower_ your voice" as a request to speak _more quietly_ , I am adding a related question: Is the meaning of > _Lower_ your voice! also ambiguous, or does _this particular_ phrase refer unambiguously to loudness?


The opposite of 'Mutual admiration society'

When person A is talking about person B and wants to convey that they both like each other, they might use the expression "We're a mutual admiration society". If A wants to convey the opposite, that is, both A and B hate/dislike each other, is there a similar expression A can use? "We're a mutual X society" I need a word I can use in place of X, preferably ending in - _tion_ so as to make the reference to the original phrase more apparent. This is intended to be humorous rather than serious. Any suggestions?


Is "iff" considered a real word or just an abbreviation?

I wonder if **"iff"** is considered a real word (as LEO says) or is it just an abbreviation (as in Wiktionary)?


Origin and meaning of "from out of left field"

What is the origin of the phrase _from out of left field_? My understanding is that the meaning is _unexpected, or odd_. Is that correct? Real world examples of the phrase being used badly would be great :)


What does it mean : to cut it anymore?

I was reading in Wall Street Journal that says: > ..., the company BlackBerry just doesn't cut it anymore. What does the phrase mean?


What is the origin of Zulu time?

As I understand it, in aviation and some armed forces, the term **Zulu time** (denoted by the letter Z) is used to refer to GMT. What is the origin of this? Why the use of "Z"/"Zulu"?


Suggestion phrased as a question

I recently received a mark-down for the following phrase: > With this regard, will you please accept the Takeover agreement on this > quote so that we can proceed with the validation process? The quality evaluator (I work with a Customer Service Team) told me that the use of a question mark in this sentence is incorrect. Is his evaluation correct, and why?


Is 'we thought your pharmacy would be interested' wrong?

Let's say I'm a person who's sending an e-mail to a person or a company who owns a pharmacy - I'm trying to promote my medical device to them. Would the following be considered wrong or "bad" English? > We thought your pharmacy would be interested in our product If the above _is_ wrong, how can I paraphrase the whole thing so it becomes right?


Omission of verbs

This following sentence is puzzling me. Neither can I understand the meaning, nor can I reason the grammatical soundness of the sentence. > Some symbols acquire a multitude of meanings, **some widely shared, others > personal, some contradictory, conflicted, or ambivalent**. Please help understand the meaning and grammatical explanation.


Other words/expressions for "mathematical equation"

Do you know any expressions that have the same meaning as _mathematical equation_? I search through list of synonym and I cannot find any replacement.


Is there an expression or word to describe a person who does something that is unnecessary?

Is there a single word or phrase that describes a person who:   1. Does something that is _not important_ or is unnecessary AND   2. Does not do something that is _important_ or necessary? I would appreciate it if the word can be slotted into the following gap: > Ali is a ____ person. He doesn't always get his priorities right. He always > does things that are not important and forgets to do things that are > important. Thank you very much.


"Eat" is to "feed" as "drink" is to what?

I can say "I feed someone". Am I forced to say "I give someone a drink", or is there a single word for this (as in "I [verb] someone")? Unfortunately my thesaurus can't really help me.


What is the appropriate command when one is thirsty?

If when I am hungry I can command someone to "feed me", what is the equivalent command when I am thirsty? For years I have joked with friends that it must be "quench me", however, I doubt that this is right.


A single word adjective for "having only one interpretation; leaving no doubts"

I am looking for an adjective with a meaning: this is definite, clear, and there's no room for misinterpretation; nothing's left variadic. For example: logical statements have only one, very strict interpretation. The purpose of the word is similiar: to be used for a mathematical model thoroughly describing a real object. The real object comes in tons of varieties, but the model points to strictly only one. I've searched the uncle Google and came up with _unequivocal_ but that doesn't seem right.


Punctuation after "I couldn't help but to think" introducing a quote — colon or comma?

> I couldn’t help but to think: “Is this really what the meaning of success > has become?” and to make matters even worse, this idea was just spread to > the thousands of viewers. Is the colon correct? I am unsure about using a colon versus a comma.


It it wasn't FOR or BECAUSE OF

> If it wasn't for the view, this would be a lovely room and > If it wasn't because of the view,... Which one should I use? Are they different from each other


Usage of "is" and "does"

Which sentence is correct? > The directory is not exist OR > The directory does not exist This message informs a user about a folder he or she is trying to access.


Best way to describe "turning ideas into reality"

I'd like to ask if sentence “We accelerate ideas” sounds odd or natural? What is the best word/phrasal to describe transformation of the ideas into reality/real things?


Which word best describes something opposite to "delay"?

My application displays a column which shows if tasks are delayed or not and how big the delay is. The delay may be positive (if a task is delayed) or negative (if it's on time). The time difference between now and the scheduled date is shown. I'd like to describe this column in a short way. How to call something opposite to _delay_ in this case? _Ahead? Advance?_


Group difference or Group Differences

I am comparing males with females and young adults (18 to 44 years) and adults (45 to 65 years). I want to say:   1. The group difference based on gender and age is very small.   2. The group differences based on gender and age are very small. Which of the above is correct? I am particularly concerned with "difference" versus "differences".


What is implied in calling someone "Citizen"?

In many dystopian stories, people call each other _citizen_. In other contexts too, I'm thinking _Citizen Kane_ for example. Why? What is implied here?


A key is bound to a function or a key binds to a function?

For example, I have a shortcut Ctrl-x that executes "Cut" action when press. Should I say "Ctrl-x is bound to Cut" or "Ctrl-x binds to Cut"?


Is “I’ve got an Eiffel Tower, I want to sell you,” a popular or set-phrase used when you heard the story you can’t believe from somebody?

I was interested in the phrase “If you believe that, I’ve got an Eiffel Tower I want to sell you,” which appeared in Maureen Dowd’s column, titled “The Libertine on the Loose” in New York Times (May 1st). The article seems to be mocking the former IMF President, Strauss-Kahn for his appearance in the birthday party of Julien Dray, France Socialist Party deputy together with a troop of celebrities. The article wraps up with the following lines: “According to Le Figaro, a stripper-hooker named Jade testified that “I did not go and sleep with Dominique Strauss-Kahn simply for pleasure. First of all, he is old. He is stout.” The 63-year-old insisted that the “pretty new things” were motivated merely by lust for him. And, if you believe that, I’ve got an Eiffel Tower I want to sell you." In Japan, we have popular sayings such as “If your story is true, I’ll show my somersault dive from the top of the Mt. Fuji before your eyes,” and “(Your story is laughable to) 'make a water in the kettle boil on my belly button'” when we don’t believe what the other party is saying to you. Is Dowd’s “(If) I’ve got something (like Eiffel Tower or the Empire State), I want to sell you,” a popular or set phrase like our “somersault dive from the top of Mt. Fuji” and “make a kettle of water boil on my naval.”? Associated question on her remark: What does "lust" of "motivated merely by _lust for him_ " mean?


What's the word for words that roll off the tongue?

I'm looking for a single word for words that are fun/easy/pleasant to say—words that roll off the tongue, so to speak.


what should I use after "improvement"?

> In 2014, the organization of the “media-capital” prize in the business > journalism field is the main project focused on improvement the financial > literacy of the population. Or can you help me to structure this sentence correctly?


Which is correct? "In as greater detail as possible" or "In as great a detail as possible"

The question title really says it all. I have Googled the subject but not found the answer!


Where does the word "shibby" come from?

In Dude, Where's My Car?, Jesse and Chester use the word "shibby" a lot. I could not find this word in any dictionary, but Urban Dictionary defines it as a slang term. What is the origin of this word? When did it start being used? I checked etymonline.com but there is no entry for _shibby_.


Is a prefix any set of letters that could be the beginning of a word?

For example, is it accurate to say that _unac_ is a prefix of _unacceptable_ , or is _un_ the only valid prefix? If it is not a prefix is there a word for what _unac_ would be in the above case?


Etymology of "If I had my druthers..."

I understand the phrase, "If I had my druthers..." to mean, "If I had my way," as in: > If I had my druthers, we'd all have Mondays off and work a half day on > Saturdays and Sundays. EtymologyOnline.com gives the following note for _druthers_: > 1895, from jocular formation based on _I'd ruther_ , Amer.Eng. dialectal > form of _I'd rather_ (used by Bret Harte as drathers, 1875). But I'm curious how this morphed into, "If I had my druthers." It would seem that the saying would be: > Druthers have Mondays off and work a half day on Saturdays and Sundays. Also, I'm curious as to the etymology / first use of the full phrase, "If I had my druthers..."


Is the expression "blocking point" correct?

In a bullet list, I want to say there is a point which is "blocking". Is "blocking point" the correct expression or not?


What does “walking middle finger” mean? Is it popular English word?

In the pretty old article of Time magazine, titled “The Outsider: Where Is Sarah Palin Going Next? (July 9, 2009), I found the phrase, “She is _a walking middle finger_ to the BosNYWash elite.” The text reads: “She _hates on_ the media, never forgets the troops and is a walking middle finger to the BosNYWash élite. As Rush Limbaugh interrupted his vacation to declare, "She is going to continue to fire up people in the conservative Republican base as often as she speaks to them." Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary simply provides the definition of ‘middle finger’ as ‘the longest finger in the middle of each hand.' Though I interpret “walking middle finger’ here as the typical object of mockery, is this popular words? As an additional question, do we need ‘on’ after ‘hate’ aparently used as a transitive verb in ‘She hates on the media’?


What are the differences between "hoarse", "husky", and "raspy" when describing a person's voice?  Which should describe someone with a cold?

1. What are the differences between hoarse, husky, raspy, ..., when describing a person's voice?   2. When a person is sick by cold, which word from above is used to describe his voice? Suppose if he goes to see a doctor, what is the word to describe his voice more professionally?


Best Dictionary for Indian English

English (India) has evolved over the years. It's being given a separate place of its own since the no. of English-speakers are growing rapidly. An example would be the addition of the option English (India) in many popular websites and softwares. What dictionary would be the most reliable standard for English (India)?


Is "vice-versa" to a dyslexic just plain redundant?

One of my friends asked me this question, but I really don't understand what it means. Please can someone explain it to me.


Original use of kosher in the English lanuage

Recently I saw a post on the meta.rpg.se site that asked When is editing your answer not kosher?, and it got me thinking. Why is the word Kosher used, instead of, for example, Halal, Permissible, or even just Okay? They would all have the same meaning, more or less. When did kosher first enter the English language, and how has it been popularised to being used in the context above? The definition on Etymonline is: > "ritually fit or pure" (especially of food), 1851, from Yiddish kosher, from > Heb. kasher "fit, proper, lawful," from base of kasher "was suitable, > proper." Generalized sense of "correct, legitimate" is from 1896. It seems a fair leap from _'ritually fit or pure_ ' to the common usage, which almost connotes something being 'socially' acceptable as opposed to 'religiously' acceptable or even acceptable by fixed standards (in contrast to the freeform 'social' standards). Can anyone help me here?


Use of the word "referable"

Can the word "referable" be used to denote something that can be referenced and what is the difference between "referable" and "referenceable"?


What is the difference between "options" and "settings"?

It is quite easy to separate _preferences_ , and _configuration_ , but _options_ , and _settings_ have much similar meaning; So similar,in fact, that I can't pick one over another. Could you please describe the meaning of these two words? What is it common between them, and what is it different? I have removed "software UI" from the title, as it seems to lead answers off topic. I'm genuinely interested in subtle difference in **meaning** of named words.


"Dream of" vs. "dream about"

What is the difference between the usage of _dream of_ and _dream about_? For example, > I dream of becoming a doctor.   >  I dream about becoming a doctor. > > I dream of going to places.   >  I dream about going to places. If I mean _dream_ as in dreaming while I am asleep, then which is preferable?


What do you call the action of making desserts?

A person who makes desserts is called a pastry chef, but is there a name for the action itself of making desserts? "Cooking" is too general, and "baking" implies bread, cakes, etc. which is not quite what I mean. Any ideas?


Describing a place that is not very busy

How would you describe a place, a dorm to be more specific, that's not very crowded? > At dorm X there is not a lot of people who live there ( this is my wild > guess )


Have unnecessary quotation marks evolved?

Salutations, EL&U folks. I came across a curiosity this morning and I'm wondering if anyone can shed some light on the issue. The introduction is long, but here is a summary: > Can or should quotation marks be applied around company and product names? > Has this practice fallen out of favor or merely evolved? (thanks, David M) For a some time, I've had an odd fascination with commercial supply branding. It's always intrigued me that you can usually find some mark from the company who makes commercial-grade door hardware, for example. When I was in grade school, this fascination revolved around the idea of getting commercial-grade things at home so they would be more durable. Judge me not, dear reader. One specific subset of this interest is in plumbing fixtures. In the United States, I suspect you'd recognize brand names like Mansfield, Crane, or American Standard, but might have trouble naming what those companies do without prompting. I find that fascinating. This morning, I was visiting a restroom at an educational institution (the remaining context is superfluous) and was, as is common for me when bored, passively noting the logos around me. What caught my eye is that the positively ancient commode wore the "Standard" logo, and the quotes were included. Here's an example. ![Standard Company Logo Example](http://i.stack.imgur.com/IU1DD.jpg) Curious! These quotes would seem to be improperly placed, but the fact that the plumbing hardware and other advertisements from that period in the company's history were so dated led me to hypothesize that perhaps there was another use of quotation marks, like this example, that I didn't know about. First, I looked at the company itself. "Standard" is a shortened version of Standard Manufacturing Company, which, through a company juggling routine, is now part of American Standard. Standard Manufacturing Company was founded in 1875, confirming my suspicion that this company is old. Next, I looked for other companies with similarly quoted names. ![The Capitol Gears](http://i.stack.imgur.com/mp3SH.jpg) ![Standard](http://i.stack.imgur.com/BwVwg.jpg) There are plenty of standard usages as well. ![Coca-Cola](http://i.stack.imgur.com/iQ0kp.jpg) ![Cream](http://i.stack.imgur.com/hBWYl.jpg) With thanks to Allan Peters for his awesome Badge Hunting project. I also found this idea behind what the author calls "Decorative Quotation Marks." Then, I found another well-known company that appears to be giving the exact same treatment to quotation marks. ![Jiffy](http://i.stack.imgur.com/HGHlm.jpg) These observations led me to a couple of ideas.   1. "Jiffy" and "Standard" are intended as very brief quotations, for example, of customer testimonials. "The toilet is standard" could be shortened to "It's standard" and then to just "Standard." In this way, the adjective becomes the brand name and the company is pivoted to embody that word. "Jiffy" is fast, "Standard" is universal.   2. This is an appropriate but dated use of quotations for emphasis.   3. The company name is intended to be both a brand name and a slogan, or tag line. Does anyone know if one of these ideas is correct? If not, what do you think? Thanks, all.


What is the word “spirituality” derived from?

What is the word spirtuality or spirit derived from? Is it's origin based on the Christian idea of the Holy Ghost, or perhaps something earlier, like how the Greeks and Romans believed in spirits? Thanks


Another way of saying "as if it didn’t even exist"

This will be the opening sentence for a book chapter, so please forgive me for being a little hypercritical here... And it's also an important statement: > 'X' may be the most important invention in Computer Science, but most > developers behave as if it didn’t even exist. My question is: is there a better way to say _"as if it didn’t even exist"_ in the sentence above? What's bugging me is the contraction, plus the sentence looks wordy and sounds convoluted to my simple ears. Thanks!


Capitalization and punctuation rules for formatted quotations appearing in the middle of the sentence

My question regards situations when the mid-sentence quotation, such as > This is a mid-sentence quotation which stands out by its formatting , stands out by its formatting. I understand that this can be rephrased in such a way that the quotation goes to the end. But even in that case there remains the question of writing the final full stop on the following line. What are the punctuation and capitalization rules for these situations?


Choosing a title of academic article about theoretical comparison and implementation

First, I am not looking for title suggestions. I am wondering if there is a proper expression that express very well the content of my paper. The article theoretically compares between four algorithms and nominate one of them as the best and implement it. I found many use `comparative analysis` but these article compare and implement all of the algorithms. Does it apply to my situation? What alternatives could be ?


what does " Plant Your arse" mean?

What Does " Plant your arse" mean? for example in greeting? And Is it Rude and offensive? or is politely? or if its meaning changes in different situations please explain. And please provide me some synonyms.


so mainstream or too mainstream

Should I say "something is so mainstream" or "too mainstream". They are both grammatically correct but which one is more common to use?


bother and intrude question

There is no need to ___ with insurance.         I am not going to ___ to comment on what you told me.         I am sorry to ___ you at this time of night.         I will tell Joe not to ___ about being there then.      Please, I want to choose one of the following to complete each sentence.               a) bother     b) intrude     c) interfere     d) trespass


Usage of "since" in "Since the last release, we have integrated feature X"

Does the following sentence imply that X is included in the last release or not? > _Since_ the last release, we have integrated feature X.


Is "ultimated" a word?

Is "ultimated" a valid word? For example: > Range requests were originally proposed by Ari Luotonen and John Franks, > using an extension to the URL syntax instead of a separate header field. > However, this approach proved less general than the approach **ultimated** > used in HTTP/1.1, especially with respect to conditional requests. (source)


Word to describe putting a body part in a place thus not allowing fresh air in...?

I'm trying to look for a word that describes an act, a word that describes the action of putting a body part for example, foot, into a place where there is little or no fresh air, or where little or no fresh air will be able to enter (such as a shoe, a sock, or anything that surrounds, covers, wraps it etc.) in a way that has a negative effect on that body part (esp. an injured body part). When a part of your body is injured, or has a open wound, it's obvious that you should allow as much air to pass through it as possible to promote healing, and avoid having anything surrounds or covers it that lessens the air flow to the area. So if someone's foot is injured and I want to tell them not to put it in a place where there are little or no fresh air, or where little or no fresh air will be able to enter, is there a verb to describe that? i.e. "don't [...] your foot while it's healing".


Is there any connection between Polari and Nadsat?

While reading the Wikipedia article on _Polari_ , I was struck by the similarities between Polari words and these used by the Droogies in Clockwork Orange. Does anyone know if there are any links between the two?


Which is correct: "confirm with somebody" or "confirm to somebody"?

I want to talk to someone and make sure something is done. How to express this meaning using the word _confirm_? I'm not sure whether it should be _confirm **to** sb_ or _confirm **with** sb_. Is there another way to say it?


“The influence of ... on/upon ...”

I always have a hard time with the use of _on_ and _upon_. I have looked at the general comments made in this question, but have the following specific use case in mind that does not seem covered to me: in the sentence _we study the influence of anion size **on/upon** localisation_, is one more common than the other?


Correct position of the word "hence"

Which one of those two versions is correct: > ... and seems hence to be ... > > ... and hence seems to be ...


Intend by or intend with?

Someone gives a parable whose wisdom is not quite understood, so they are asked: 'What did you intend **_by_** this parable?' Or: 'What did you intend **_with_** this parable?' Which preposition is more acceptable?


What's another way of saying "closed the laptop"?

**So I want to say "I angrily closed the laptop." Like this:** ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/6vkTZ.gif) Instead of using the quote above, what else can I say?


Which is correct: "All the media is" or "all the media are"?

I think I know that _media_ is a plural word. So then which of the following is correct? >   * All the media is... >   * All the media are... > When you search Google, both seem to appear at the same frequency.


"Any arbitrary" versus "An arbitrary"

"The roots could be **any** arbitrary distance apart."   "The roots could be **an** arbitrary distance apart." Using "any" is more redundant as I could take out "arbitrary" and it would still make sense (although it wouldn't quite convey the meaning I want), but it flows better than "an". Hence, would it be better to use "any" for the sake of flow or "an" for the sake of non-redundancy?


meaing of the expression: It’s a safeguard for the creep of subjectivity

"It’s a safeguard for the **creep of subjectivity.** " Read more


Origin of "happen"

What is the origin of the word _happen_? If it comes from the word _hap_ , what is the early usage of that word?


What is the correct definition and usage of "for all I know"?

I saw some sentences using this phrase "for all I know" but wasn't quite sure what is its exact definition and also whether a modal verb such as "could, may or might" expressing uncertainty must be present in the sentence. The following are some possible definitions:   * According to the information I have; I think; probably. (usually implies uncertainty)   * Based on what I know (usually expressing displeasure)    * As far as I know (used to show indifference)    * I really don't know (used to show complete ignorance)  And these are statements containing the phrase:   * For all I know, the mayor has resigned already.   * She may have gone to town for all I know.   * He wears a ring, but he may be single, for all I know.   * For all I know, there may be someone with you now.   * The man I met on the beach yesterday seemed friendly, but he could be a thief, for all I know.   * For all I know, the girl was buried alive in the Arabian sands.   * They've decided to hire Jack for all I know. References:   http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/for+all+I+know   http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=22340   http://esl.about.com/od/vocabularyreference/a/all_expresions.htm   http://dictionary.reverso.net/english-definition/for%20all%20i%20know   http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/for+all+i+know   http://www.classic-country-song-lyrics.com/foralliknowlyricschords.html What does the phrase "for all I know" mean exactly?


look on vs look into

look ok, look into, look in to, look at. What will me correct ? My manager send me a mail related some information I have to reply on that email. what will be correct ??               Thanks for information I will look on this.     Thanks for information I will look into this.          look into      To inquire into; investigate: The police looked into the disturbance.               look on/upon      To regard in a certain way: looked on them as incompetents. Thanks!!


Is ‘Today, Japan’s old age social security system is running at a deficit, is the whole country” in Forbes magazine a right sentence?

I’m puzzled about the meaning of “is the whole country” in the following sentence of the article titled “Japan’s choice: Sink the welfare state or collapse – Whither Japan,” in October 21 Forbes magazine. > “Today, Japan’s old age social security system is running at a deficit, **is > the whole country**. In my last post, I presented some of the warnings being > voiced by the IMF at Japan’s fiscal improvidence.” This seems to be a quote from an essay by Hitotsubashi University professor Oguro Kazumasa, published in the October 18 Nihon Keizai Shimbun. Is “is the whole country” necessary? How does it relate to the preceding clause? Does it make sense grammatically at all? If this is a mere mistake of Japanese scholar whose command of English isn’t excellent, therefore it’s ‘local,’ and doesn’t worth the question, I’ll live with your 'Close' vote.


punctuating phrases

How do you punctuate a phrase such as "Waste not, want not." to indicate that the second phrase is dependent on the first. To me, you could read the above punctuation, which is typical, as "Waste not and want not."--which makes its own sense. I have written, "Know where you've been, know where you are, know where you're going." I'm trying to indicate that you have to know where you've been and where you are to know where you're going.


"There are a couple of apples" or "there is a couple of apples"?

You have only _one_ couple of apples, so it's singular.   There are multiple apples, so it's plural. Which one is right, "there are a couple of apples" or "there is a couple of apples"? I have seen both used. In Dutch you would say "there is a couple of apples" because you only have one couple of apples. How about English?


What does "sense of community" mean?

Currently, I'm living in HK. But I am Chinese and I know nothing about Cantonese which is the mother tongue of Hongkongers. So, I feel lonely here and I don't think I belong here. So, can I say **I don't have a 'sense of community' in HK**? If not, what phrase should I use?


"Iran diplomats return to heroes' welcome"

That's an example of the type of headline increasingly seen in the media - I first noticed the trend on Sky News but it seems to have become endemic. To my mind the example above should read "Iranian Diplomats Return To Heroes' Welcome". Is the original example grammatically valid at all, or just journalists copying other journalists ?


"Scheduled on" vs "scheduled for"

What is the difference between the following two expressions: > My interview is scheduled **on** the 27th of June at 8:00 AM. > > My interview is scheduled **for** the 27th of June at 8:00 AM.


"A food is fed (to) someone or something" vs. "Someone or something is fed on (or with) a food"

Focusing on the passive voice, which of the following grammatical constructions is (or are) more typical of AE? > More research is necessary before ***soy formula is fed to babies^** source > > More research is necessary before **_babies are fed on soy formula_**. > > More research is necessary before **_babies are fed with soy formula_**. > > More research is necessary before soy **_babies are fed soy formula_**. - > Reductions in mother-to-child transmission are optimized when **_babies are > fed on formula milk_** source>/ > > Reductions in mother-to-child transmission are optimized when **_formula > milk is fed to babies_**. > > Reductions in mother-to-child transmission are optimized when **_babies are > fed with formula milk_**. > > Reductions in mother-to-child transmission are optimized when **_babies are > fed formula milk_**. . > In the winter, certified organic **_fodder is fed to_** our Jersey and > Guernsey cows. > > In the winter, our Jersey and Guernsey **_cows are fed on_** certified > organic fodder. > > In the winter, our Jersey and Guernsey **_cows are fed with_** certified > organic fodder. > > In the winter, our Jersey and Guernsey **_cows are fed_** certified organic > fodder is fed. . > This ensures that a clean supply of **_ink is fed to_** your printer every > time. source>/ > > This ensures that your **_printer is fed on_** a clean supply of ink every > time. (sounds weird). > > This ensures that your **_printer is fed with_** a clean supply of ink every > time. > > This ensures that your **_printer is fed_** a clean supply of ink every > time.


Difference in meaning of "frustrated at" and "frustrated with"

What is the difference in meaning of "frustrated at" and "frustrated with" used in sentences like _He is frustrated with me_ or _He is frustrated at me_ When is each of these sentences above are used?


Synonym for 'arrive independently' at same solution

In biology, convergent evolution describes the process whereby different animals acquire similar traits in separate lineages. Two people can arrive at the same solution to a problem, or invent something, without the influence of each other. Is there a word (or phrase) that sums up the coincidence of 'arriving independently' at the same solution? A convergent solution? Synchronicity?


Is *race* a synonym of *species* or is just a common mistake?

It's very common -- specially in fantasy and science-fiction -- to use _race_ instead of _species_. For example:   * “In Middle Earth (...) Aragorn ( _race_ : men) (...) Bilbo ( _race_ : hobbit)” 1   * “Tarkin's motivation was the enslavement of the Wookiee _race_ for use as manual (...)”2   * “The human _race_ has only one really effective weapon and that is laughter.”3 Shouldn't be used _species_ instead? From the Oxford dictionary: > **species.** > > _Biology_. a group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals > capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding. The species is the principal > natural taxonomic unit, ranking below a genus and denoted by a Latin > binomial, e.g. _Homo sapiens_. > > **race 2**. > > each of the major divisions of humankind, having distinct physical > characteristics: _people of all races, colours, and creeds_.


The meaning of "Even if I should"

Consider the following: > Even if I... > > Even should I... These all mean the same thing, right? What about > Even if I should... Does that have the same meaning? "If you should ever," is grammatically correct, so shouldn't, "Even if I should" also be grammatically correct?


How widely used is the word "tush"

In my dialect of American English, the word "tush" or "tushy" is a dimminuitive of "rear end" (e.g., something you'd say about a baby, not as harsh as "butt" and a word you aren't ashamed to say to your mother). The word derives from Yiddish, and I am from a Jewish family in the New York area, so I'm generally understood when I say it. How broadly is this word understood? What do folks who don't use it say in its stead?


Am I using "spend a day" correctly here?

Is this a correct usage? > How do you spend a typical day at school? What are the alternatives?


Can 'egalitarian' be used for gender bias also?

_Egalitarian_ is typically used when discussing equality in political, social, economic and civil issues. Can it also be used to portray equality in gender issues? E.g. an egalitarian does not discriminate on the basis of gender, or favor one gender more than the other.


Contractions regarding the word 'it'

My question is: Is there a contraction for the phrase 'it was'? Would this contraction be 't'was'? - Thanks


An expression similar to "frame of reference"

I am trying to explain a mathematical point that is used for comparison such that all values are compared to it, like a "frame of reference". I've also thought of "pivot of comparison". Are any of these two correct or is there a better expression for this? Thanks in advance.


Is a period needed in a mid-sentence parenthetical quotation?

In this sentence ... > Correct wool velour carpeting is used ("It didn't hold up as well as Porsche > would've liked," says Jim, "and they discontinued it after a while") and the > restored mahogany dash trim glows with ethereal warmth in direct sunlight. ... even though the parenthetical quote is a complete sentence, I believe it doesn't need a period after "a while" in this case. Am I right? Or should there be a period for the quote itself?


Word for "Source of Unpleasant Disclosure"

I want to describe a kind of object, ideally a person. It's for a person who verbally discloses something that deeply troubles another. A possible state of mind for the listener is given well by this article's definition of _aporia_: > You know that feeling of crazy emptiness you get when you realize that > something you believed isn't actually true? And then things feel even more > weird when you realize that actually, the thing you believed might be true > and might not — and you'll never really know? That's aporia. One might say the speaker caused or induced the listener to have an _anagnorisis_, defined by WP to be > a moment in a play or other work when a character makes a critical > discovery... Aristotle defined anagnorisis as "a change from ignorance to > knowledge, producing love or hate between the persons destined by the poet > for good or bad fortune." _**But what is a noun to describe the speaker?_** If the so-called listener brings this grief upon himself, I have found a phrase I like from the works of Nietzsche to describe him: the "Don Juan of knowledge". As this translation describes: !["Don Juan of knowledge"](http://i.stack.imgur.com/rwhz4.png) Given the destructive attitude in that passage, words like _bully_ or _agitator_ come to mind if someone imposes this on another. And there are times when the unpleasant revelation is a **hostile disclosure** : In the film _Galaxy Quest_ , extra-terrestrial Mathesar mistakes fictional television shows for documentaries, and seeks sci-fi actor James Nesbitt's (who does not tell Mathesar about his mistake) help against the evil reptilian Sarris. When Sarris learns the truth behind this ploy, he forces Nesbitt to tell Mathesar that Nesbitt has been pretending the whole time about being a starship captain. There is a slightly **more neutral disclosure** where the exchange is relatively unmeaningful to one party but deeply troubling to the other. A modern example of this is found in the Internet meme (best to assume this link is NSFW) Overconfident Alcoholic, where OA boasts, is _shot down_ or _put back into place_ by an off-screen character, and then enters a state of depression. The off-screen character may not have meant to upset OA as severely as he did; maybe he was just being playfully hostile and _talking smack_, for example. But this character has also given his listener an unpleasant revelation. There can be **unintentional disclosure** where the revealer does not fully know what he's doing. The child in Andersen's _The Emperor's New Clothes_ is an example of this. The boy declares the king is wearing nothing, implying that the king was conned by the tailors he hired. The king's response is embarrassment, which is not as severe as the emotional response I wish to convey with my word. But this story is an example of unintentional, unpleasant revelation. There are examples of **well-meaning disclosure** that backfired, if only temporarily. Some are in Knowles' _A Separate Peace_: In a fit of jealousy, Gene impulsively causes Finney to suffer an injury that shatters Finney's dreams of becoming an athlete. Finney holds Gene in high regard and refuses to believe that he caused the accident, even when Gene tells him so in private. Later, other boys at the school stage a mock trial for Gene, which upsets Finney to the point of injuring himself further. And there are cases of **noble disclosure** , where the revelation is unpleasant but means well and soon helps the listener. Dickens' _A Christmas Carol_ has several instances of this: The tortured spirit of Marley, who comes to warn Scrooge away from his fate of exile, for one. The other ghosts, too, have something like this: the first ghost shows Scrooge the life he could have led; the second ghost shows him disturbing personifications of Ignorance and Want. These all played their part in Scrooge's reclamation but the ghost I want to describe is the third, who shows Scrooge a vision of the cold and opportunistic reception to Scrooge's death. Scrooge is troubled so deeply by this unpleasant disclosure that he feels moved to _drastically change_ his way of life > “Am I that man who lay upon the bed?” he cried, upon his knees.... “Spirit!” > he cried, tight clutching at its robe, “hear me! I am not the man I was. I > will not be the man I must have been but for this intercourse. Why show me > this, if I am past all hope!” Here are some terms I have come up with, and why I think they do not fit:   * _Revealer_ describes the action but not the response or the gravity of the issue; the word I'm looking for is a _revealer of a deeply unpleasant idea_.   * _Bubble-burster_ or _bearer of bad news_ , which are taken from expressions the speaker might use (sincerely or caustically) to prepare the listener for the impact of the statement. I would like a more formal word.   * _Truth-teller_ assumes the revelation is true, when it need not be; the malignant source may be lying.  Given the literary examples above, I suspect there is a term related to _anagnorisis_ to describe the object (or device) that motivates it. My ideal term would be for a person, but one for an object works too. **Is there a formal name for "source of deeply unpleasant disclosure"?**


How much is he keen not to do something when he’s saying “I do never – if I can help it”?

I guess ‘if I can help it’ is a kind of ‘if possible’. It seems _help_ means to prevent or avoid. By the way, how much are the speakers keen not to do something in the following sentences? I can’t figure out why _never_ (not in any circumstances) and _if I can help it_ are compatible.   1. ( _Harry Potter 3_ [US Version]: p.226)[Bold font is mine] > I **never** wear those socks **if I can help it** ….   2. (from Google search)[Bold font is mine] > And stuff on the list I will **never EVER** eat **if I can help it**


Pronunciation of 'A'

When a sentence begins with the letter _A_ , e.g., > A parent called me about his child. does it matter how the _A_ is pronounced? Is it 'A' parent or 'ah' parent?


What is the meaning of "... to felicit you ..."

Recently I have received some comments about my work, and it used "... felicit you and your work". What is the meaning of this word? Is is positive or negative?


Are there English variations to ask people to smile other than “Say cheese!” when taking a picture of others?

We ask people who become the photographing subject(s) to smile when taking a picture of a family, team, and group of people by calling “Hai (Say) cheese!” to them. I think we imported this practice from English speaking countries. I don’t know other variations of “Hai cheese!” than “Waratte – laugh, meaning “Smile!” in Japanese. Are there any other variations than “Say cheese” being used when taking a photograph in Anglophonic countries?


What's the difference between superpose and superimpose?

The definitions seem very much alike: > superposed - Place (something) on or above something else, esp. so that they > coincide: "superposed triangles". > > superimpose - Place or lay (one thing) over another, typically so that both > are still evident. Are they just synonyms?


I read this sentence in the Steve Jobs Biography about his biological mother > She was primed to start a new life. What does 'prime' mean in this sentence?


Is there a straightforward word for "The thing in between first and second"?

Sometimes when writing I find myself looking for a word to describe something in the “³⁄₂th” place — exactly between first and second. I would like to ask, does there exist an easy expression for this? If so, does it generalise to other “in-between” places as well? (I mostly encounter this problem when writing mathematics, where I wish to write the “³⁄₂” order derivative, and normally have to endure clumsy or imprecise expressions (“Taking the fractional derivative. . . .”).)


What is the correct way to write this long sentence?

Is the following sentence grammatically correct? > My abilities to work as a part of a team, to lead a group of people, to have > the courage to admit my mistakes and learn from them are the best qualities > I would bring with me to the program. There are two specific questions:   * Because I am using _abilities_ , I need to use _are_ in the end. Is this correct?    * Should "learn from them" be "to learn from them" to preserve parallelism?


Must "nominate" be applied to an object other than the subject itself?

If you declare yourself as a candidate for office, can that declaration be considered a _nomination_? Or, is the verb _nominate_ only applicable when it is applied to someone _other_ than the nominator? * * * _Self reference:_ I ask this in response to a discussion regarding the use of nominate in Stack Exchange elections, where all "nominations" are done by the candidates themselves.


Is there any difference between "true" and "real"?

I know they have the same meaning. But I'm wondering if there is any difference between them, like in some cases we can only use one of them?


What does the line, “The foreign 3 Idiots , 1911, a China-backed war docudrama starring Jackie Chan, bombed. Go figure: India 1, China 0” mean?

Time magazine's November 10, 2011 article titled “The ChIndian Century, ” deals with the prospect that the combined power of China and India can be a spearhead of global growth in the coming decades. The article starts with an anecdote that says the 2009 Bollywood flick, _3 Idiots_ , was well-received by a Chinese audience in Hong Kong: > ... the majority of viewers, it seemed to me, got the universal moral about > breaking free from social straitjackets. They laughed when they were meant > to, and didn't when they weren't. While the foreign _3 Idiots_ was a box- > office monster, _1911_ , a China-backed war docudrama starring hometown > celebrity Jackie Chan, bombed. Go figure: India 1, China 0. I don’t understand the meaning of the ending line. I understand that 1911 was when the revolution to overthrow the monarchy in China took place, and _1911_ is the name of a war docudrama. Is _3 Idiots_ a war docudrama? What does “... bombed. Go figure: India 1, China 0” mean? It sounds like a cipher to me. Can somebody spell out or decode the sentence for me?


"And to you" or "you too"?

I really like to chat with English folks, so I have wished them Merry Christmas. To my surprise I have noticed the following pattern — the British answered "and to you", but Americans "you too". The former was a form I hadn't seen before and I felt really awkward. My question is, which one is more polite and what is the difference between them?


What is the proper way to punctuate "but no"?

I'm trying to figure out the proper usage and punctuation of "but no". I think it's one of the following: >   * You figure I would have made at least one post about Arthur C. Clarke’s > “2010” _during_ 2010\. But no, I missed the entire year. >   * You figure I would have made at least one post about Arthur C. Clarke’s > “2010” _during_ 2010\. But, no. I missed the entire year. > Is one of those accurate, or is there a better way?


Is there a word for "map illiteracy" or "geographic illiteracy"?

I once read about the inability to locate a country in a world map, make any sense of a world map or the utter ignorance regarding geography, but I cannot find the resource again. I know there's an specific English word for that condition which is to maps what illiteracy is to books. I remember it being a single word, Latin/Greek derived term, much like "agraphia" ( the inability to write ). I remember it has the "a" negative prefix. Can anyone shed some light on it?


Are there words native speakers don't use?

This question reminded me of a question I've often asked myself: is there such a thing as a non-native vocabulary? I can think offhand of three words that I have only heard from foreigners: the one in the question, _touristic_ , the related _folkloric_ , and _academician_ (usually from Russians, even though the Russian equivalent, академик, is directly cognate to the actual English word, _academic_ ). Is this a thing? Are there other words in the same category? Or somewhere are there native English speaker who use these words?


Why does Polly want a cracker?

Where does the expression "Polly wants a cracker" come from? Why is the parrot named Polly, and why doesn't she want seeds?


Omitting article “the” in front of plural nouns

I'm helping someone learn English (second language), and I'm having trouble explaining when to use _the_ and when not to. For example: > Students learn better when teachers are passionate about teaching. versus > The students learn better when the teachers are passionate about teaching. There's a subtle difference. The first one is a general statement, whereas the second might imply a study where a group of students learned better than another. Is the difference simply that, general v. specific?


If the rule is "such (a) + adj. + noun", why is "such fun" correct?

According to my Cambridge Grammar of English, 'such (a)' is used in noun phrases with attributive adjectives. > She's such a quiet girl. (such a + adjective + singular countable noun) > > They're such nice kids. (such + adjective + plural countable noun) > > She always uses such fresh food. (such + adjective + uncountable noun) And indeed, those are the rules as explained in the manual I use: such (a) + adj. + noun. But then, out of nowhere there's this exercise that requires the answer: > It was such fun for all of us to be together. There is no adjective, and unfortunately no explanations either. So why is that structure acceptable? Or is it just a 'freak exception'?


Punctuating a Question Ending with an Exclamatory Quotation in American Style

I've done quite a bit of looking for some definitive advice on this scenario to no avail, so I turn to you. What is the proper way to punctuate a question ending with an exclamatory quotation, such as the example sentence below? > What would have happened if he had screamed "Help!"? All the advice I've been able to find regarding exclamation points and question marks around quotation marks admonishes the writer to do what is logical, which would seem to suggest punctuating the sentences as the example shows; but this solution seems awkward to say the least. Also, please note that I am specifically looking for the accepted American English practice.


What is the etymology behind the phrase "bad dope"?

What is the etymology behind the phrase "bad dope", as in these examples:   * "This efficiency stuff is bad dope when it makes a man forget his meals!"   * HEADLINE: "Computer given bad dope"   * Bad Dope: “But Case Shiller Data is 2 Months Old”


Are there any good books or articles on the etymology of dermatology-related terminology and/or cutaneous condition names? This list is an example of some of the conditions/terminology I am referring to.


What does "all the more" mean and how is it used?

Here is a sample context: > As you might expect, the framework also provides some convenience classes to > make the task of writing custom validators **all the more** agreeable. (Emphasis added.)


Difference between "get" and "take"

What is the difference between "get" and "take"? Both are used to describe receiving something. By intuition I mostly guess which one to use, but would like to know some rule which will stick in my head.


An easy way to differentiate between Compendium, Encyclopaedia, and Almanac?

Are there any tips/tricks for easily differentiating between Compendium, Encyclopaedia, and Almanac? To give you an idea—the question goes like this: **Which reference would you use to find the following information?** Some examples (and my guessed answers): > When Queen Elizabeth II was born.   >  ( **My Guess:** Almanac, as in calendar) > > How long the US Civil War lasted.   >  ( **My Guess:** Encyclopaedia) > > How long a kangaroo lives.   >  ( **My Guess:** Encyclopaedia) > > Who won the Football World Cup last time.   >  ( **My Guess:** Compendium, as in collection of statistics) > > Who invented the zero.   >  ( **My Guess:** Encyclopaedia) > > Who discovered Radium.   >  ( **My Guess:** Encyclopaedia) It's very confusing as to which reference each piece of information (above) falls into. For example, it's easy to presume that the information about "Who invented the zero" could be present in an encyclopaedia or a compendium on the discovery of numbers. So, is there a good way to differentiate between the three? PS: I am not after a real-world answer, which these days would pretty much always be Wikipedia, an encyclopaedia. :)


Saying that some action is optional

I am trying to find phrase or word which would properly cover following statement: > You can bring back the book tomorrow if you like, and if not it is fine. I am trying to find a way to same that some action is optional, and if not done it will not have repercussions including hurt feelings. Hope my question makes sense. **Edit:** a better explanation is that I am looking for a word similar to _optional_ but implying it must be done in the future; that it can be procrastinated.


'balls have dropped' what does it mean?

I am seeing an episode of a British sitcom, The Thin Blue Line, where an officer makes a remark > Just once in a while, I'd like to nick someone whose balls have dropped! What does this sentence mean exactly? I understand that this is an offensive remark, but please excuse me for that.


what is change window?what does that mean when someone says july change window I have been coming across this term quite frequently


Why is an actor sometimes called 'ham'?

I came across the word 'ham' in an article which was used to refer to an actor. I referred the dictionary. But I was unclear of the fact that how can it be used to refer to an actor?


the 2014-2015 academic year

Can someone advise on whether the definite article "the" is necessary in the following sentence? > Though normally completed in one year on a full-time basis, allowances are > made to extend that to 24 months to assist students who may need to juggle > various other commitments. And from the 2014-2015 academic year, a new > combined mode will be introduced. Thank you.


Prefix di- and bi-

I was wondering if there are differences between the cases of using di- and the cases of using bi-? For example,   * why carbon dioxide instead of carbon bioxide?   * Why binoculars instead of dinoculars?   * Why bisexual instead of disexual?   * Why bilateral instead of dilateral?


How to write date range succinctly and unambiguously in American written English? In a sentence I usually use "from January 1, 1923 through December 31, 1986". But it is too long for use in section titles. It is relatively easy to find documentation on single date formatting compliant to standards and conventions for different locales. But I can't seem to find standards on date ranges formatting. For example, for American English, how to format a date range so it's both succinct and unambiguous? If the ends have different years, both should show up, e.g. `5/1/2011 - 5/4/2012`. What if the two years are same? I don't like `5/12/2012 - 7/21/2012` as it repeats the year unnecessarily; 5/12 - 7/21/2012 seems odd too. Any suggestions?


Word meaning "improves over time"

Is there a word meaning "improves over time"? For example, if someone doesn't trust another, but later trusts them, what could that be described as?


What is a person if they are described as a "wet hen"?

In Terry Pratchett's _Discworld_ books ( _Witches Abroad_ in particular), the character Magrat Garlick is often called a "wet hen" by at least one of her witch colleagues. Web searches only yielded the phrase [to be] "mad as a wet hen". From the description there I think it could mean that she is looking for her "nest", meaning she is trying to get a man, but I am far from certain. From context in the books I am pretty sure that it does _not_ mean she is mad. She does actually seem quite sane, for a Discworld character anyway. Here are some quotes for context: > Even Magrat had one [a witch hat], although she hardly ever wore it on > account of being a wet hen. > > "That's 'cos you're a wet hen, Magrat Garlick," said Granny.


Correct usage of the verb "to hock"

Sometimes I read/hear the verb "to hock" used as a synonym of "peddle/hawk", as in "The street vendor hocked his wares." Is that correct? I always thought that "to hock" meant "to pawn". Perhaps it's a colloquial/street usage? Edit: As coincidence would have it, I stumbled upon an infographic that uses the verb exactly like that. WARNING: it's a comparison between comedians Bill Hicks and Denis Leary, **there's some mild swearing** , so might be NSFW. Also in this article as well. ("In businessese, this means that businesses will have more tools to **aggressively hock** their brand to Facebook users who like their product.")


Beauty and beholder in respect to other senses

I've asked a question about olfactory's relation to observational and it got me thinking about other senses as well. There are five (or six if you're supernaturally believing), so, what are the exact term to fill out the blanks in the below? It's the bold parts that are interesting and I wonder if the already filled out ones are correct.   1. **Visual**   _the **beauty** is in the **eye** of the **beholder_**   2. **Audial**   _the **euphony** is in the **ear** of the **listener(?)_**   3. **Olfactious**   _the **fragrance** is in the **nostril** of the **inhaler_**   4. **Flavorous(?)**   _the **taste(?)** is in the **bud** of the **eater/taster(?)_**   5. **Touchy/sensefull(?)**   _the **feeling** is in the **hand** of the **caresser_**   6. **Supernatural**   _the **spookiness(?)** is in the **mind(?)** of the **medium(?)_** Kindly, please note that I've no intention to start using these expression outside when interacting with average people. I'm just curious about the linguistic translation between senses and my mathematical mind craves completeness. I know how to express all six sentences in English. I just don't know how to express those while "following the suit", so to speak. It's a purely and strictly academic curiosity.


A single word for "in the process of being replaced"

Context: > If a practice is obsolete, it may be in the process of being replaced. Please provide a single word for "in the process of being replaced".


Double apostrophe-s?

I want to say _parking of McDonald's_ , i.e. using an apostrophe S. Would I say _McDonald's's parking_?


Is there reference material for dictionary abbreviations used in the first half of the 20th century?

I have a lot of abbreviations that I can't work out the meaning of from an old etymological dictionary and I'm looking for a reference that will explain them all. I have a copy of an etymological dictionary about the Sinhala language, written in English by Wilhelm Geiger (a German), published in 1941. It has a table at the front to explain the abbreviations used for each language's name used but not for the different parts of speech. E.g. (italicised text transliterated from Sinhala into English): _pahan_ , _pasan_ **a. pprt.** pleased, glad _temanavaa_ **v., prt.** _temuvaa_ to wet, moisten _mala_ **s., st. f.** _mal_ flower I have highlighted the abbreviations in bold. I have omitted the actual etymologies because they are not relevant to my question. I can work out that **a.** is adjective and **v.** is verb and he also uses **adv.** for adverb but he uses **s.** for nouns (the majority of the entries are nouns) and **st. f.** and **st. ff.** for single and multiple plural forms respectively (i.e. one _mala_ , two _mal_ using the example above). I'm guessing that he's using the same convension as **p** =page and **pp** =pages for the "f"s, **st. f.** =one plural form, **st. ff.** =multiple plural forms. I have no idea what **prt.** and **a. pprt.** mean. It must have been common enough knowledge for his intended audience that he didn't need to explain these terms. Could it be that even though he has written the dictionary in English that he is using the German abbreviations ( **s.** =substantiv noun)? Where can I find out what all these (and the others I haven't mentioned) actually mean?


basketball expression: "Plays with a lot of flair"

This is an expression that I don't really know the meaning of when applied to basketball playing: "Plays with a lot of flair" Can anyone elucidate the meaning for me? EDIT: after reading a couple of answers, I still don't know if people will usually refer to `enthusiasm` or to `skills/ability/elegance`. There are sports where one and the other don't mean the same. In actual fact, in many sports, people who are highly-skilled and elegant don't usually play very enthusiastically...


> **"we do not want to overstate our welcome"** meaning "we **DO VERY MUCH** welcome you!" OR “we'd better keep our message of welcome at **a moderate level** ”？ as in this context > each season, more people are watching the show, more awards > > more attention, the reviews continued to be wonderful > > and I think that's part of why Vince was like “hey we do not want to > overstate our welcome”


a definition of the phrase " On both accounts"

> hi I have a problem with this phrase " on both accounts". what's the > definition? I see this phrase in TOEFL IBT tes 7. the student said two > characteristic of something and the teacher said that. ****sorry I listen again to thas lecture and I think she said on both counts and this means in both ways. according to longman dictionary: on all/several/both etc counts=in every way, in several ways etc


''didn't have'' versus ''haven't had''

Which of the following sentences is correct? >   1. In the last two weeks I didn't have much time. >   2. In the last two weeks I haven't had much time. > If both are correct, are they different in meaning? I think that option 1 seems to be correct since the auxiliary verb ' _did_ ' helps to make present perfect when the main verb ' _have_ ' doesn't show possession.


Using "actually" to talk about the present

The word "actually" is widely used more or less in the same context as "in fact": > You're a doctor, right? > > Yes ... well, **actually / in fact** I haven't graduated yet. But, is "actually" also used to talk about the present? (like "currently") > What do you do for a living? > > **Actually / Currently** , I'm working at an Insurance Company.


What is the name for a word or name that is used to replace another that is forbidden?

For example, a king may forbid people from using the previous king's name. People loyal to the old king may name their children some alternate name that secretly refers to the forbidden name. A specific example (I can't find a source, but did read this) is that the name Marion is a stand-in for Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie, full name Charles Edward Louis John Casimir Sylvester Severino Maria Stuart). I am looking for the name of the (single) word that defines the "replacement" word.


Should "earlierly" be avoided?

I found myself writing the word "earlierly" in my text editor and got a little red line underneath it. I must admit I was unsure about the spelling but was a bit surprised when I didn't find a spelling suggestion. I googled it and Google also suggested: "Did you mean: earlier?". Now I wonder, is "earlierly" a construction that should be avoided? Is it perhaps even a case of such a strong word as _incorrect_? And, if so, (I am sure you can understand _what_ I am trying to say, but) how should I instead put what I am trying to say? EDIT: I wanted to use it a bit like: "I have earlierly introduced this problem". A bit like: "I have eagerly / happily / sadly introduced you to this"


Meaning of "that" in "holomorphic function in the sector S that is continuous"

I have encountered a confusing sentence in a math textbook: > Suppose F is a holomorphic function in the sector S that is continuous on > the closure of S. What does _that_ mean in the above sentence? Does it mean the function F?


Formal personal introduction to a letter

I've received an e-mail of a colleague that I meet once. He wrote as introduction, "I hope you're doing well" and then he continued directly with the matter of the mail. I would like to use some kind of similar introduction, but it cannot really be very personal, as we don't know each other so well (I thought about using "I'm glad to hear from you"... but probably he will not believe it :) ) The recipient of my mail is a colleague and we have never worked together, but now we will work in the same project. He is an Englishman and he is extremely correct. Thanks!


The use of question formation in non-question phrases?

I have read the following text some time ago: > [...]   >  Only here can you enjoy dazzling entertainment, get the thrill of your life > on the exciting rides, and be face-to-face with some of the most fascinating > creatures on Earth.   >  [...] Is _Only here can you_ correct? I mean, it's not a question but it is formatted as it was. If it's correct, how, where and when can I use it?


Conditional + Let you know

The context is that a group of us asked a friend to come and have a breakfast, instead of study for a test (bad influence, I know). Initially she said she wouldn't come, but after some badgering on our part she gave us some leeway. Which of these responses is grammatically correct? >   1. If I change my mind, I let you know. >   2. If I change my mind, I'll let you know. >


Implementor vs. Implementer

> He is the implementor of the library. > > He is the implementer of the library. Which is correct?


Is there an historical thesaurus?

Is there something like a thesaurus that offers terms more often used in the past? For instance, _I beg you_ would, in Shakespearean times, be _prithee_ , while _chicks_ during the 1920s would be _dolls_. * * * _Meta:_ Seeing how the question on a thesaurus with archaic and obsolete words and several other thesaurus-related questions have been closed, I fear this one might be, too. However, I am hoping it’s more on-topic. Please, if this must be closed, at least tell me where I should go to receive a good answer.


What's the difference between 'ask' and 'inquire'? Can I use them interchangeably?

For example, see the following reference: > Denison was interested, went over to him, and watched the swift, skilful > manner in which the thin brown fingers worked. > > "Where are you going to fish?" he inquired. > > The broad, flat face lit up. "Outside in the dam deep water--sixty, eighty > fa'am." Can I also use "he asked" here? Where are the places I cannot use _ask_ instead of _inquire_?


I will drive into town... but I can't drive

My girlfriend messaged me earlier to say "I will drive into town with my mother". I thought this was odd, since she doesn't have a licence. Turns out she meant that her mother will be driving, and she pointed out that it is perfectly fine to say "I will drive" in that case, citing the second usage of the verb from here. I guess she is right then. Really though? _I drive,_ can also mean _I will be in a vehicle that somebody else is actually driving?_


Is there a word for a cure which is also a poison?

The concept I'm trying to capture is a cure or medicine which can also be poisonous. An example which comes to mind would be treating syphilis with mercury, or perhaps chemotherapy for cancer treatment.


Can food be described as "nice"?

Can food be described as 'nice'? > This food is nice;   >  This dish is nice. I always thought it could be, but I was speaking to a few friends and they argued (and strongly may I add) otherwise.


How should "Merry Christmas" and "Happy New Year" be capitalized? Here are some examples taken from some of the top results on Google: > I’d like to be among the first to wish you a very Merry Christmas. > > Share the spirit of peace and joy on this occasion of Merry Christmas with > your acquaintances and loved ones. > > Just wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, or a Happy > whatever you are celebrating at this time of year. And here is what Wiktionary says: > Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Is this capitalization correct? If so, does this mean that "Merry Christmas" and "Happy New Year" are proper nouns?


Signs in states which say "Only Trash Litters"

In many states I can see signs posted which state "Only Trash Litters" which I certainly have no problem understanding and which appear to be correct usage to me. "Trash" can be singular or plural so I have no problem about this. If the s is dropped on "litters" would both be correct? Or is one use correct?


Pink elephants when drunk

It's a common proverb that you would see pink elephants if you drink to much. In particular there is a quite memorable scene from Disney's 1941 "Dumbo" where Dumbo and his mouse companion receive a whole music show from pink elephants after they drank spiked water. My question is if this proverb was in the English language before that movie or if that movie is somewhat the source of it, it is old enough to be after all.


What does the fox say?

It is true that as a fox, I should know this, so consider this a spoilers warning. In a recent post, Geek Girl mentions that the mating call of the fox is a series of sharp, eerie barks and that this is called _gekkering_. This is supported by a citation in Wikipedia, but the reference is not one I have access to. I am very curious about how this sound came to be named _gekkering_. There is nothing to be found on Etymonline, and _gekker_ only appears in Wikitionary as far as I can tell. A Google search of the word turns up _Gekker_ as a surname, but not much else. Interestingly though, there is Chris Gekker, who is a master trumpteer and has a published series of "Gekker Articulation Studies". I don't know if he is old enough to have any sort of influence on the naming (his pictures make me think he is younger than the term) but I wonder if there is some connection there. Does anyone know the etymology or history of the term "gekkering"?


Supposed acronym expansions for common words

I have seen expansions of many English words such as _POLICE_ , _MUSIC_ , _GOD_ , _LASER_ , where each letter supposedly stands for another word, as in an acronym. Are these expansions in any way real, that is, written in a standard dictionary, or are they just made up?


Difference between "the" and "that"

I wonder what the difference between _the_ and _that_ in this context is: > A: Hey, I've heard we have a new printer.   >  B: Really? Let's print the documents on _the/that_ new printer then.


What is the meaning of “barinyas”

Quotation from _Anarchism and Other Essays_ She was outraged by the terrible treatment to which the female servants were subjected: maltreated and exploited by their **BARINYAS** , they fell to the tender mercies of the regimental officers, who regarded them as their natural sexual prey


What is the meaning of “knobbie”

What is the meaning of the word “knobbie” from Words and phrases http://www.wordandphrase.info/ ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/3dVUl.jpg)


What is an idiom/slang for "someone who pretends to be good when they're not"?

This is not from real life, but from a movie on my local TV. A character in the movie is really bad, but when she talks with others, she pretends to be an innocent/ good woman. I want to know how to describe this kind of person.


What part of speech are non-human "interjections" like "oink" and "bang"?

As a spin-off from this comment: If a human exclaims something like "ouch!", I believe it's considered an interjection. But if a pig exclaims "oink!", what is the part of speech? And if a bell goes "bong!", what is the part of speech? You could speak of "an oink" and "a bong" as nouns, but I mean in a context like > The man went "ouch!", the pig went "oink!" and the bell went "bong!" Are interjections only for humans?


Appropriate word for internet name of a person

What is the appropriate word or phrase which means the **internet name** of a person. I mean the nickname that a person uses in almost all places on the internet like blog, IRC, forums, mailing lists etc.


"Testification" in US English

> The usage of Dieter Wisclieceny’s statements and testifications from the > Nuremberg Trials as the basis for the interrogation and trial of Eichmann is > also accurate. In Microsoft word, the "testifications" is being underlined in red. The spell check language I have is US English. A google of the term reveals that there is indeed a term called testifications. It probably is a British English term. Should I just ignore the red line or is there a replacement word for 'testfications'. As a side question, is there a better way to formulate the sentence above?


"What time?" instead of "What day?"

I was talking with a friend about an event that was going to happen in the future. He asked me "What time?" referring, as I discovered after a while, to the day this event was going to happen. I didn't know that "time" could be used instead of "day". I thought it could be used instead of "hour", or "minute", asking **for** the time of the event. But my friend meant to ask me the day. Is this common usage? If two people are talking about something in the future, can one ask the other "what time", meaning the day of the event, not the actual time?


Why use "at" in this way?

I always see signs such as > Men at work or > Children at play I was wondering why we use "at" in this way. Is it just a formal way of saying _Men Working_ / _Children Playing_? Saying "At Lunch" seems sensible, yet even so I would only use this if I were out of the office etc, I wouldnt say "I'm at lunch" if I weren't changing location. If I were to say "I'm _At Work_ " I would use this to inform someone I am at my workplace, not that I am actually working, and no one I know would say their children are "At Play" rather than "Playing". _At_ to me has always seemed more a word used with a location rather than an action.


Work Gives Professional Experience, School Gives ___ Experience?

If I'm trying to differentiate between my knowledge base, how do I address the experience gained in school? For example, "My professional experience includes C#, .NET, etc." "My _educational?_ experience includes Java, C++, etc."


Why does "unisex" mean both sexes?

There are some places where men and women are segregated — for example public toilets and public swimming pool changing areas. By this I mean, for example, that there are "Men's toilets" and "Ladies' toilets". However, in some more cosmopolitan swimming baths, and other places, there are such things as unisex changing areas, or unisex toilets. From my understanding _uni-_ implies one, as in _universe_ , _unilateral_ or _unicycle_. However when it comes to unisex, this means both sexes, so applies to two things. How does _uni-_ mean one in _unisex_? Does it mean one?


Does "will" and other auxiliary verbs spread on all the sentence?

Consider the following example — I want to write down several sequential actions in future. Should I write: > I will go home, will have dinner, will play tennis, etc. or: > I will go home, have dinner, play tennis, etc. And the same for _would_ , _have_ , and other auxiliaries. Is there a common rule? P.S.: There is another question on a similar topic, but I don't know if separating verbs by comma and by _and_ is equivalent.


"Write out a prescription" vs. "make out a prescription"

Are "write out a prescription" and "make out a prescription" used more or less interchangeably?


What phrase is "you betcha" a descendant of?

"You bet you"? That's the closest I could think of. Or is it "you bet yourself", with the "self" omitted so it's quicker to say? Or is it something else altogether?


Is it customary to omit or replace ‘head’ with ‘x-year / mile/ pound’ in the idiom “have a head start on sb” when the advantage should be quantified?

There is the following statement in Jeffery Archer’s fiction “The Fourth Estate,” of which I admit I’m a terribly slow reader: > “The tactics made it possible for Armstrong Communication to declare a > profit of 90,000 the year he and Hahn (co-owner) parted, and a year later > the Manchester Guardian named Richard Armstrong Young Entrepreneur of the > Year. Charlotte reminded him that he was nearer forty than thirty. “True,” > he replied, “but never forget that all my rivals **had a twenty-year start > on** me.” - P359 I surmise “a twenty-year start on me” equals ““a twenty-year head start on me.” Is it customary to omit ‘head’ of the idiom, ‘have a head start on’ by replacing it with a placeholder such as X-year / mile / pound/ class, and grade as used here, when quantification is required?


Is the Latin abbreviation "f" (folio) commonly used in page ranges?

When citing from an inclusive range of two consecutive pages such as pages 25 and 26, one can write > 25–26 or > 25f I know this is a question of style, but I am having little luck with Google on this one. Is one much more common than the other? Is _f_ only used with pages, or with lines of a poem and other references as well? Are there any rules which allow both to be used in different circumstances? Does CMoS have anything to say about this? I am also aware of _ff_ , but unlike _f_ , there is no equivalent for “25ff” other than the strange-looking “25–” (no upper limit).


What is the relationship between canon and cannon?

The spelling is similar and the meaning so different. Wiktionary indicates that there might be some relation by linking to _canon_ from _cannon_ but I didn't see any specific statements regarding their relationship. Are these related? How could they evolve into such different meanings?


"To sit in a Parliament" or "To sit on a Parliament"?

The phrasal verb "sit on sth" means "to be a member of a group of people". Well, according to Longman, "to sit in / on sth" means "to be a member of a committee, parliament, or other official group", the same thing. I don't know why my phrasal verbs book "says" just "sit on sth" and doesn't say the "in" too. Perhaps Parliament can only be used with "in" with this meaning, I don't know. When I found the meaning of "sit on sth" for the first time, I realised that I could say "To sit on a Parliament" and not "To sit in a Parliament". Is my phrasal vebs book incomplete? Can "sit on a Parliament" be correct? I hope you understand my question.


Difference between "empathetic" and "empathic"

Apparently both words _empathetic_ and _empathic_ mean the same thing, yet I see one person refer to the specific type of writing as _empathetic writing_ , while another _empathic writing_. Who's correct and why?


Synonym for "such as"

As in: > Many factors are to blame for this disaster, **such as** : «bulleted list»


How should I understand this sentence from the transcript of a podcast?

This is an excerpt from the transcript of a podcast online: > "We did some calculations and the results were remarkable. We determined > that the average shark was worth about $200,000 over the course of its life. > **And when you compare it to finning that animal--a one-time extractive use > --seeing it for diving is worth about 40 percent more.** " I don't understand the sentence in bold. Here are my **questions** :   1. What does "finning that animal" mean? I've looked up the word "fin" into the Merriam-Webster Dictionary online, but I can make sense of the entries.   2. What does "it" refer to in "seeing it for diving is worth about 40 percent more" refer to?   3. What's the subject for the word "seeing"?