How are these plurals derived?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  When should a singular word ending in “y” end in “ies” plurally? Why is the plural of **_story_** , **_stories_**? Why not **_storys_**? And also, why is the plural of **_boy_** , **_boys_** , not **_boies_**?


Is "grounds" (as in a chunk of land) singular or plural?

Am I correct that _grounds_ , although sounding plural, is actually singular? More specifically, which is better: > I view Fedora as a testing grounds for new ideas. or > I view Fedora as testing grounds for new ideas.


Word for "rush of air"

What do you call the rush of air you experience when riding on a motorcycle or in a speed boat? I want to say _breeze_ , but that is caused by the wind, not the movement of the vehicle. **Update:** I am not looking for a technical term. I want to express this: > Riding my Harley, I felt the _NOUN_ in my hair.


Is there a term for something that is tainted with another's saliva?

From The Encyclopedia Britannica: > "Food left on plates after eating is defined as garbage (jutha) because it > has been polluted by the eater’s saliva. It may be handled in the family. Is there an English word for something that is not eatable or usable by others because it has someone's saliva on it?


Progressive form required for "as", "while", etc.?

Are both forms grammatically correct? > As I **was entering** the shop, I saw her. > > As I **entered** the shop, I saw her.


Reported speech of future time clauses

How should we report sentences including " ** _future time clause_**?" > We will have dinner when your father gets home. Do we have to change the tense of ' _future time clause_ ' or leave it in the original form?: > My mother said we would have dinner when my father **_got_** home. OR > My mother said we would have dinner when my father **_gets_** home.


To cheers of "well played" - meaning

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pro-russian-militants-attack-police-hq-ukraines- odessa-141824310.html > In a bid to calm the crowd, police freed one of the detained pro-Russians, > who emerged to **cheers of "well played"** from the protesters. How do you understand that phrase in bold?


Origin of the word "yummy"

What is the origin of the word _yummy_ , as in _This food is yummy_? All I can find are dates of known first uses.


How to write out dates correctly

I have a document dated 05/05/2012. What should I say? >   * Based on the document from 05 May. >   * Based on the document from 5th May. >   * Based on the document from 05 of May. >


Is there a male equivalent of 'bitch'?

While I know you can attribute 'bitch' to a male, I feel there is a sense of femininity. I was wondering if there is a colloquial equivalent that describes someone with the qualities of a 'bitch' without the feminine connotation. Also Wikipedia says that, > When applied to a man, bitch is a derogatory term for a subordinate. Does this indicate that bitch loses its meaning entirely when attributed to a male? Since the word is vulgar and informal, does it even matter?


"Is it just me or does this annoys you?" Please show me whats the mistake in this sentance

I found it on some 9gag title post and every one commented about the ugly grammar. As a non English speaking person, I can't find the problem with that sentence.


meaning of "i'd kill for that ..."

there is an conversation between two guys in Bigbang Theory. I really don't understand what "I'd kill for taht women's bone structure" mean. > A: which celebrity would you say i look like the most   >  B: Halle Berry(women)   >  A: Thank you, **I'd kill for that woman's bone structure.**   > Please tell me what it mean. Thanks.


What's wrong with "I'll open you the door"?

When I call the buzzer outside my girlfriend's flat, she sometimes says * _"I'll open you the door"_. I correct this to _"I'll open the door for you"_. I've never heard a native speaker say it the first way, which is why I think it's wrong. But I can't explain why. There is a pattern in lots of English phrases that would suggest both are correct. A few common examples:   1. _Give the keys to me before you go_ — _Give me the keys before you go_   2. _I'll buy a coffee for you at the cafe_ — _I'll buy you a coffee at the cafe_   3. _We sent a text to Martin on his birthday_ — _We sent Martin a text on his birthday_ The left-hand side is more formal, and the right-hand side is more common in everyday speech. What do you call this pattern? What makes the _'open-the-door'_ sentence an exception?


Give it me! Write me!

Our young grandson, who is a Mancunian, says 'give it me', and 'give it me back', which is a northern British standard. It made me think that it is not only northerners who omit the indirect object preposition 'to'. Americans will say 'write me, and let me have some news'. In the latter case the pronoun 'me' appears as though it has actually become a direct object of an alternative verb 'to write' which is transitive, but with a slightly different meaning to that used in 'write the answer in the left hand column'. Does anyone else look at it in that way?


" It was a pleasure knowing", "It was a pleasure to have known", or "It was a pleasure to know"?

I am in the process of ordering a headstone for my dad and I wish to have the words > It was a pleasure to have known (as opposed to the more traditional "in loving remembrance", "in memory of", etc.) above his name. I am not sure which phrase is most grammatically correct. A headstone is not a place to make a mistake. Would >   * It was a pleasure knowing >   * It was a pleasure to have known >   * It was a pleasure to know > be correct? Or is something else correct?


What would be the proper abbreviation for an event that has yet occur?

I am looking for an abbreviation for an event that is expected to occur in the future, but has yet to occur. Similar to _TBD_ for _to be determined_ and _TBA_ for _to be announced_. My events are a series of checkpoints and reviews that will occur in the life cycle of a product design at my company. I am looking for an abbreviation to put into the date field before the actual checkpoint occurs. **UPDATE** To clarify, the term I am looking for is for something that will definitively happen. There is a chart that says things like : Initial review - (date), Secondary review - (date), etc. It is not an event that people will need to know in advance, but more of a this happened on this date kind of thing. I just want something to put in the date field instead of leaving it empty to indicate that it is not yet completed.


is it appropriate to use "quinquennial" in academic writing?

I'm conflicted about the trade off between accessibility and conciseness when deciding whether or not to use "quinquennial" in an article for an academic journal. Is it advisable to use another word to avoid sounding pretentious? My use case is the description of survey periods - there is an annual survey and a quinquennial survey.


Term for catchy tune that stays in your head

Is there a term for a catchy tune that stays in your head after you hear it? The Germans call it an _earworm_.


How do we call the act of mumbling a song throughout the day?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Term for catchy tune that stays in your head If we listen to a song in the morning, we'll mumble the lyrics of the song throughout the day.How do we call it in English?


Stealing something for remembrance - is there any single word for the meaning?

Is there any single word for the meaning "Stealing something for remembrance". Or how well can we tell this.


What is the name of these display machines used inside libraries?

They are obsolete now, but I see them often in movies. They are some sort of slide-show projector with a rotating handle that flips to new slide? I uploaded pic of the machine and the displayed slide. ![image 1](http://i.stack.imgur.com/joU25.jpg) ![image 2](http://i.stack.imgur.com/mGkuj.jpg)


Terminology for "New Yorker" vs "lives in New York"

What are the terms that can be used to differentiate between these two nouns? > _New Yorker_ versus _one who lives in New York_ A "New Yorker" would be someone who self-identifies as a practitioner of "New York" culture and values, as opposed to someone who only lives there geographically. In other words, how would you say something along the lines of _"It was telling that someone was described using the XYZ 'New Yorker,' rather than the ABC 'someone who lives in New York'_?


"I so much as look" doesn't make any sense to me

There is a conversation in Californication season 5, ep. 9 where Tyler talks to Charlie and Charlie says: > \- I'd love to Tyler, but they watch me like a hawk here > > \- I so much as look at a naked picture on the Internet, and H.R. swoops in, > and alarm goes off. and I don't understant the second Charlies line. Could you explain it please? Californication series are full of intricated conversations for non-english- speakers, a great part of them I can figure out on my own digging on the Internet, google translate, Collins and urban dictionaries, but sometimes I just can't get over something like this.


Phase transition: 1st order, first-order, 1 superscript st - order

I have read several articles from non-native speakers about phase transitions. They are roughly classified in different orders, depending on the behavior of thermodynamic potentials at the phase transition. Now what is a good way of writing about the different orders: ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/wVzbb.png) Thank you for any advice.


'Simple things make me happy.' Or is it 'makes me'?

I know that 'simple things **make** me happy.' is correct. Then I read this sentence in a novel: 'simple things **makes** me happy.' Where actually, it doesn't sound wrong, but I don't know about the grammar and I want to be sure. Could anyone help?


Is saying "an obsolete remnant" redundant?

Is saying " **an obsolete remnant** " or " **an old remnant** " redundant (or tautologous), or can the adjective be necessary to convey what I'm trying to say? (I imagined "remnant" already carries the connotation of "obsolete" to some extent, but looking at Wiktionary, maybe that is not the case.) **Bonus question** : Is there a better noun for "something that's remaining or left behind, yet obsolete"?


Is ‘Everybody’s cup of tea’ a well-used English idiom?

I found the headline,‘Facebook friendships are not everybody’s cup of tea,’ in 'Ask Amy' of the Lifestyle section of today’s Washington Post (August 9). Without special needs for taking bother of consulting dictionaries, I can easily guess ‘not everybody’s cup of tea’ means ‘not everybody’s liking or taste, or not applicable to everyone. But this is the first time for me to come across this phrase. Can the object of ‘Cup of tea’ be applied to anything, like sports, hobbies, literature, languages, celebrities, science, politics, and credos? Can I replace 'tea' with other items e.g. coffee, cake or even liking? Is ‘Somebody’s cup of tea” a well-used English or American English idiom? The headline is followed by the following sentence: > “I have been invited to be a “friend” on Facebook by two people whom I have > known for years, but time and distance have limited our contact to an > occasional greeting card or e-mail. Maybe I am old-fashioned, but I do not > want this kind of superficial relationship, especially when I see that these > Facebook “friends” are sharing personal information with hundreds of > people.”


Origin of word "xfered"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Why do some words have "X" as a substitute? I came upon the word "xfered" recently. From what I gather, it means "transferred", and I believe it is used in computer-related areas. Am I correct and does anyone know the origin of this word?


How did "Christmas" end up being "Xmas"?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Why do some words have “X” as a substitute? I went to Online Etymology and this is what I found: > "Christmas," 1551, X'temmas, wherein the X is an abbreviation for Christ in > Christmas, from first letter of Greek Christos "Christ". The earlier way to > abbreviate it was Xp- or Xr-, corresponding to "Chr-," and the form Xres > mæsse for "Christmas" appears in the "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle" (c.1100). But I fail to understand how did this transform happen? Mention in popular culture or books would be greatly appreciated.


Abbreviation. Why *xmas*?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Why do some words have "X" as a substitute? I had seen abbreviations like sk8 (meanning skate, using _sk_ and the number pronunciantion _eight_ ). But why Christmas is abbreviated like **_xmas_**? _x_ pronunciation is _ex_ and _ex-mas_ doesn't works. Maybe is because the _x_ looks like a cross but I don't know. Someone can explain this?


In Moderation, In Revision

1 The forum comments are _under_ moderation.   2 The forum comments are _in_ moderation. 3 The book is in revision.   4 The book is under revision. Could 1 & 2 be the same? Could 3 & 4 be the same too? How are "under" and "in" different?


Contextual meaning of "grown in orchards" and "considered a fruit"

What does _grown in orchards_ and _considered a fruit_ mean here? > ... but if you're willing to think of both as **grown in orchards** and > **considered a fruit** , you can, in fact, compare them ... This refers to a comparison between IBM Lotus Domino and Microsoft Sharepoint.


When does "nature" require an article and why?

I was wondering about a sentence like this: > If nature were to design a bicycle, how would it look? Is _nature_ missing an article? Should it be "a nature" or "the nature", or is it correct as is? Could you also explain why?


Word for in-house jargon

If a word or phrase is used and has evolved its own meaning peculiar to a specific group, is this described as _jargon_ or is there a closer semantic match?


Word for not being happy with something but having to be satisfied with it

Is there a single word that describes the state of not being happy with something but having to be satisfied with it? Example: > I wanted to split the video into small segments. Programming this would take > a lot of time, as there’s no managed interface for C# to the multi media > SDK. So, instead of doing it programmatically and wasting time, I’ll have to > be satisfied with using the Nero application.


Suffix '-ine' vs. suffix '-like'

In previous questions we have learnt how to use words like 'asinine', 'bovine', 'canine' and 'feline', so, after some deep thoughts, a doubt arose to my mind: why does English, in some cases, not use the suffix _-ine_ when describing an animal trait or characteristic present or recognizable in the human beings? For example, after some searches I observed that you cannot say 'bulline' but you must say 'bulllike', you cannot say 'birdine', but you must say 'birdlike', and so on. Can anyone explain, also in reference to 'bull', why in some cases do you prefer '-ine' and in other you use '-like'?


Is the phrase "in function of" proper English?

I'm not sure if this is pure English, or just something I picked up as a direct translation from my native language (Dutch). It applies to maths/computer terms. An example usage would be: > X is created in function of Y. Someone I know claims this is not English. He suggests I use > X is created with respect to Y. instead. Please help me prove him wrong.


Aren't the double verbs "to be" in "..., which is what the X is about" redundant?

Sometimes I find sentences that have the following pattern: > [clause], which is what [noun] is [optional phrase]. For example: > I had just read about a five-petaled rose in the book, the major symbol in a > book of symbols, because it represents the Holy Grail, which is what the > book is about. Another one: > Jackson also anticipates the concept of "enablers", which is what the folks > around Birnam really are. Are the two verbs "to be" in the clauses after the comma not redundant? If not, how to make sense which "is" goes to which subject?


A word for price after tax and service charge but before discount

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_gross_price_and_net_price_mean The gross price is the price before deductions. The net price is the price after deductions. If a something is $100, and:   VAT + service charge = $10   Discount = $5 Then:   $100 -> initial price   $110 -> gross price   $105 -> net price Is that right?


Noun for "playing of the video/audio" object

Is there a word which means _running of this media event_? For example: > The advertisement was played 428 times over the promotions period. > > The advertisement had four-hundred and twenty-eight _word-goes-here_ over > the period. The word needs to encompass both video and audio media. * * * The specific problem I have to solve is what to put on a report:               Media File:                    Buy_Duff_Beer.wmv     From:                          Monday, 1 August 2011     To:                            Wednesday 31 August 2011     Total Playings:                4,523     Average Playings Per Hour:     32      _Playings_ is the best word I've come up with, and I really don't like it.


"Jumped through the fence"

"Jumped through the fence" in meaning he jumped over. Whole sentence: Then he ran across the street, jumped through the fence and walked to the parking lot Is this correct?


The meaning of "This is it"

Does "this is it," mean "this is the end?" How is this possible?


How does "very much" fit in with "thank you very much"?

I would never say, "I am sorry very much" or "You're welcome very much", why is it that it fits well with "Thank You"?


What does it mean to have a "pyloric" house?

When a friend says my house is "pyloric" he says it means dirty. When I look it up it means "part of a stomach". Is there a meaning of "pyloric" for dirty or is he wrong?


Understanding smaller parts without understanding what they mean when put together

I am looking for an which adjective/adverb/phrase which refers to understanding all of the smaller components of something without understanding what they mean when put together. "We understand every letter, but don't understand the words." For example, say we understand what it means when P -> Q and we understand what it means when Q -> R, but we don't necessarily understand what it means when P -> Q -> R (i.e. P -> Q and Q -> R at the same time). The purpose, for those of you who know mathematics, is that I am writing a graph theory paper. Each edge corresponds to certain, well-understood behavior in an algebraic structure, but what happens when these behaviors happen at the same time has not been studied (until this paper, of course).


Most apt word for "sexual humour"

What is the most apt word to describe sexual humour in a movie?


The state of not progressing

What is the state of not progressing called? Going in circles. When the person is not progressing despite the active trying.


supplant : replace :: snatch : take

The title is an analogy appeared in the GRE verbal test, and I yet can't find the analogy in it. "Snatch" means to "take" hastily or eagerly, but I don't see if "supplant" is a more hasty motion than "replace". Actually, I think _to supplant_ is no different than _to replace_. Is that true?


better word for a "delivery guy"

What's the alternative of saying "delivery guy" or "UPS truck driver" if, for example, you are leaving a note and you want to make it sound less menial? I guess you can say "UPS truck operator" but how would you call a "pizza delivery guy"? "Pizza delivery operator" somewhat sounds silly, right?


Compound adjectives functioning as adverbs modifying other adjectives; is it possible and grammatical?

_Soul-crushingly bad_ ; _heartbreakingly sad_ ; _bone-crunchingly violent_ ; etc. I swear I have seen it done, but I am not sure whether it's proper grammar or not.


How does “out” function in “next time out”?

On the recent CBS’s “Face the Nation,” the anchor, Bob Schieffer asked former President, Bill Clinton about whether his wife will run in next election: “Mr. President, I have to ask you about your wife. She’s getting ready to wind up her term as Secretary of State. Do you think she will run for president _next time out_? A lot of people think she ought to if Barack Obama’s reelected.” What does _“out_ ” mean in the line, “she will run for president next time out.”? What extra nuance is added to by adding " _out_ " to “next time” which can be self-complete? I found the phrase, “next time out” in the lyric of Fogging Moll’s “Cruel Mistress": > _Next time out to sea_ , bring enough soil to bury me. For I don’t want my > final jig in the belly of squid, but “out” of “Run for president _next time out_ ” and “ _Next time out to sea_ ” must be different. What does the speaker gain by adding “ _out_ ” to “next time”?


What is the meaning of "limpin' to the barn"?

I was watching an episode of Family Guy and came across this expression: > Peter Griffin: Now stay tuned for whatever FOX is **limpin' to the barn** > with. (Emphasis added) It was said at the end of the episode, when the next show to be aired was also a Seth MacFarlane creation. Is it a common idiom in English?


Antonym of "faction"

I was hoping to find the antonym for "faction", i checked http://www.synonyms.net/synonym/faction which provided other related. However, I didn't want to use a word that could be related to 'evil' :)


"Save up to 50% off"

> Save up to 50% off! Is this correct? To me, it makes it sound like a double-negative, of sorts; you are saving something that has been reduced, therefore increasing it, if that makes any sense. Anyhow, would it be more correct to say this? > Save up to 50%!


Is "bolded" a word?

Is _bolded_ a word? > I just **bolded** the important text in this sentence.


Is it appropriate to use "You're welcome," followed by my name in closing an email?

I replied to an email which mentioned at the end: > Thank you, > > _Signature_ with: > You're welcome, > > _Signature_ Is such a reply correct/appropriate/common?


What does this part mean?

What does the emphasized part (the sentence in bold) mean? > The hackers are the technicians of this science - “It’s a term of derision > and also the ultimate compliment.” They are the ones who translate human > demands into code that the machines can understand and act on. They are > legion. Fanatics with a potent new toy. A mobile new-found elite, with its > own apparat, language and character, its own legends and humor. Those > magnificent men with their flying machines, scouting a leading edge of > technology which has an odd softness to it; outlaw country, **where rules > are not decree or routine so much as the starker demands of what’s > possible.**


What do you call a bunch of garlic (when you don't remove the cloves)?

I can't seem to find the word that refers to this: ![What is this called?](http://i.stack.imgur.com/q3uug.jpg) I usually end up saying "bunch of garlic" and have to explain "the garlic bunch before you peel the cloves apart". What is it called?


Term for strong, forceful mode of speech

How would I best describe a mode of speech that is strong and forceful, especially when voicing a complaint? I’m looking to strengthen this sentence, ideally by getting rid of the adverb construction: > She **complained loudly** about the bad customer service.


Should the past perfect be eschewed?

The past perfect serves a purpose: When describing things that happened in the past, it allows us to discuss things that happened before (i.e., in the past’s past). However, a procession of _had_ , _had_ , _had_ makes writing sound clumsy and labored, especially in a narrative. I treat past perfect similar to constructions using _that_ : Unless it changes the meaning of a sentence, toss it out. > **A** : She had called me weeks earlier, and now I remembered what she had > told me. > > **B** : She called me weeks earlier, and now I remembered what she told me. **A** is strictly correct grammar, but _weeks earlier_ already implies that the phone call happened before my remembering it, so I would favor simple past tense ( **B** ). Am I correct, or did I go overboard in my attempt to avoid the past perfect?


Term for “powerful, moving words”

What is a term for _powerful, moving words_? _Rhetoric_ implies the opposite (“empty” rhetoric). > The nominee’s speech was filled with _XXX_


"Sound" is to "mute" as "visuals" is to what verb?

Looking for a verb that would be the visual equivalent of _mute_ as it would be used on an audio player. That is to say, the content is continuing to be played, but not being displayed on the device.


Who is in charge of determining a pronunciation?

Recently I hear many words that sound different than they used to. There are the classic changes in words like _pecan_ and _Uranus_. But the word that bugs me most now is _caramel_. Is there some group in America that has control of pronunciation? Personally, once I learn a word, I will never change how I say it. Love them pee cans.


Affirmative form of "He has no right to question." while preserving the meaning

> He has no right to question. What would this sentence be if we were to make it affirmative. This question appeared in an exam. I tried > It is unlawful for him to question. but the answer given was > He has hardly any right to question. Now "hardly any" implies "some" so this alters the meaning of the sentence. What would be the answer while preserving the meaning as accurately as possible?


To Be Used Of/For

Does "to be used OF" mean "to be used FOR": > wikipedia   >  The English term "empiric" derives from the Greek word ἐμπειρία, which is > cognate with and translates to the Latin experientia, from which we derive > the word "experience" and the related "experiment". The term **_was used > of_** the Empiric school of ancient Greek medical practitioners, who > rejected the doctrines of the (Dogmatic school), preferring to rely on the > observation of "phenomena". Or is it poor writing?


Verbal strategy that requests action of someone without using a direct command

Is there a word to define the verbal strategy that requests action of someone without using a direct command--e.g., _Could you please open the door_?


Is "if you're not familiar with X, it is..." or "if you're not aware, X is..." correct English?

More and more often I read sentences such as the following:   * If you're not familiar with Miami's “Golden Era”, this film captures it brilliantly.    * If you're not aware of the basics, two teams of five players spawn on corners of a map.    * If you're not familiar with it, Pinboard is a bookmarking service that lets you save URLs.   * If you're not aware of how to transfer funds from your Main wallet to your Australian wallet, this explains how:   * In case you're wondering, mBio wasn't fooled.   * In case you don't know Marco, he was one of Masahiko Kimura's first apprentices. Are they correct? Why? If they are not, then what is wrong, and how can they be best corrected? * * * P.S. By "correct" I mean do they follow Standard English and English Grammar? P.P.S. Although they're harder to find, I found more examples in the New York Times! Publication in the NYT means these sentence structures are correct, right?   * If you’re not familiar with this little tweak, it’s simple.    * If you’re not familiar with your provider’s policy, New York’s Department of Financial Services publishes a helpful chart.    * In case you're wondering, the rupiah is the national currency of Indonesia.


When would you capitalize "Management", if ever?

I'm editing a technical policy/procedure document, and it says: > ...does not limit the right of Management to impose additional training.... Is the capitalization correct?


Confused on how to use "instead" in the middle of a sentence

> I am dumbfounded on why the man does not spring for Walton’s help, instead, > he makes sure the vessel is headed North. I'm confused on how to use "instead" in the middle of my sentence. Is that grammatically correct? Any help would be great!


Word for person who eats insects

I was reading this article about eating insects. What is a word for a person who does it?


Why do we write the name of Judges in a strange way?

I did a bit of law when I was in school, and recently, I recalled a unique feature of the law system regarding the way the names of judges were written, especially those with the title of Justice. Using an example: > Like other common law jurisdictions, when referred to in court judgments as > Surname J. Judges in the New South Wales Court of Appeal are referred to as > Justices of the Appeal (abbreviated Surname JA). > > ...(New Zealand) The "Mr" of the title "Mr Justice" was dropped on the > appointment of Cartwright J to the High Court. In Court, all judges are > addressed as "Your Honour", or "Sir/Madam". So, if I was to write about a case, and the Judge had made a decision, and I wanted to relate that decision, I would write something like: > In view of the evidence and circumstances, it was ruled by _Kritwal J._ that > there was not sufficient evidence to convict the accused, and hence, the > accused was acquitted. Why do the legal people do this? And what is the origin of this practice?


Do you separate an imperative after a conjunction by a comma?

> I want you to go and ask him the price, but don't tell him I sent you. Is this a main clause followed by a coordinating clause (imperative)? > Pour the vodka into the glass, and add orange juice. Here, should the two following imperatives be separated by a comma?


Adjective describing things that can be given value

Some things are valuable, i.e. they are of great worth or appreciated for whatever reason. Some other things, however, are not valuable at all to start with, but we can assign value to them by convention or law, for example. This process is called valorization. When something is valorized, it becomes valuable. I need an adjective to describe things that may be subject to valorization, but which are not valuable yet. _Valorizable_ comes to mind, but it doesn't appear in OED. I am working in the cultural heritage domain, where almost any conceivable thing may be given cultural value by someone at some point. A thing that has cultural value is valuable. What do you call a thing that has no cultural value (yet), but has the potential to become valuable?


A word that refers to spilling or splashing of ink?

Is there any word which refers to the spilling, splattering, sprinkling or splashing of ink? (Or something less “violent”, like the pouring or dripping of ink?)


"Crucial to cell division is/are the alignment and segregation"

I'm in the process of writing a research paper for school. Looking back at the introduction of my original research proposal (which I'm using as a scaffold for my current paper) I realized that the use of "is" vs. "are" in one sentence might not be right, but I don't know how to deconstruct the sentence to figure it out: > Crucial to successful cell division **is** the alignment and subsequent > segregation of chromosomes into daughter cells…


Should I use an article with the word “part”?

I’ve noticed that some people use an article with the word “part” and the bulk of them does not (at least at some web pages I skimmed through). Which is the correct variant? I think that parts of something are countable, so there should be an article, whether definite or not. A few examples right out of my head. Please, do not consider it as meaningful sentences. These are just for demonstrating and mean almost nothing. > KDE is a part of the Linux GUI.   >  The mentioned district is a part of the city.   >  This stick was a part of that tree.   >  Something is the main part of his success. Here you go – a few real life examples I’ve just stumbled with: > … the resulting moc file is included in a _automoc.cpp file, which is then > compiled as part of the target. > > DarwinPorts was started in 2002 as part of the OpenDarwin project. > > It was part of Tax Day protests held throughout the 1990s and earlier.


The implication of "turn the mattress"

The following sentences are from Agatha Christie: > She had at one time been their housemaid. Such a nice girl, Mrs. Hargraves > always said–thoroughly to be relied upon to **turn the mattresses** every > day―exept Friday, of course. Why if a girl (housemaid) is a very nice girl, is she relied upon to turn the mattresses? Are mattresses private?   Does this expression ("turn the mattresses") have some implication or connotation?


Using "to" versus "for" between two nouns ("key to success")

Another user provided an example and I have added others: > Key _to_ exercise   >  Key _for_ exercise   > > > Answer _to_ a problem   >  Answer _for_ a problem   > > > Bullet _to_ a gun   >  Bullet _for_ a gun   > > > She bought a taser _to_ self-defense.   >  She bought a taser _for_ self-defense.   > > > We give alms _to_ the poor.   >  We give alms _for_ the poor.   > > > She gave the order _to_ the cook.   >  He put in the order _for_ dinner.   > Some of these seem pretty clear to me. I would select {to, to, for, for} for the first four, but the last two made me wonder if there is some rule at work, or if I'm basing it off what sounds better from repeated hearing. For instance, I might give "alms to the poor," but if I were poor then I'd bother passerby with "Alms for the poor?" Is there some "pairing" going on (i.e. an answer is always _to_ a question/problem/etc.)? Perhaps by plugging words into "this _goes to_ that" or "this _is for_ that", one could determine the proper usage. I'm looking for an explicit description or "rule" of what feels like an innate quality of the words. I believe Spanish has a similar dichotomy with _para_ and _por_ , but I'm not sure whether this translates (no pun intended) to English.


Are particular seasons proper nouns?

Should _fall_ be capitalised in the following? If yes, is it because _Fall 2011_ is a proper noun? > Where should an app be released in Fall 2011? Context. * * * In a Wikipedia article, _Avatar (2009 film)_ , a particular summer is capitalised (my emphasis): > Work on the language for the film's extraterrestrial beings began in > **_Summer 2005_** , and Cameron began developing the screenplay and > fictional universe in early 2006. * * * (The related question _Should the names of seasons be capitalized?_ is about the seasons themselves (as in _I love the colors of the leaves in autumn._ ), not a particular season, like _Fall 2011_.)


Is the complement considered a part of the predicate?

Is the complement a part of predicate? For example, in the sentence: "He was the strangest person she had ever met" - "he" is the subject, "was" is the link word and "the stangest person she had ever met" is the complement. But at the same time, everything in a sentence apart from the subject, apart from the complete subject to be exact, is considered a predicate. On the basis of this can we say that complement is a part of predicate?


What’s the meaning of ‘wipe slime from his mother’s boots’?

I’m afraid this question might turn out to be stupid, but I’ll give it a try. I’d like to know if it’s a set phrase and its meaning. > ”My mother didn’t have a heart, Kreacher,” Sirius snapped. “She kept herself > alive out of pure spite.” > > Kreacher bowed again and said, “Whatever Master says,” then muttered > furiously, “Master is not fit to **wipe slime from his mother’s boots** , oh > my poor Mistress, what would she say if she saw Kreacher serving him, how > she hated him, what a disappointment he was – “ ( _Harry Potter 5_ [US > Version]: p.109)[Bold font is mine] **N.B.:** Kreacher hates Sirius, his Master. He respects his late Mistress, Sirius’s mother. I’m wondering if it might be related to _wipe one’s boots on_ (to treat with indignity), but I have no idea. Kreacher is a little crazy, indeed, but I still can’t understand why Kreacher brought up _slime_ and _boots_ here. _Slime_ might have figurative meaning of dishonorable things, but why _boots_? Would you give me the right meaning and tell me if it’s a set phrase?


If someone won a match now what should be used? I know both are fine but using past simple I think it does not tell when he won, right now or sometime ago in past, or should for recent past we use now? He has won the tennis match. He won the tennis match.


Asking a permission to ask a question by saying the word Question, followed by the actual question

My Mom does something that irks me. Either when she calls me, or sends me an e-mail, she says or writes "Question." Then asks whatever question it is. I find this rude. In my opinion starting the question this way becomes a demand, versus a question. Typically when I ask a question I either just ask it, or say "May or Can I ask you a question?" It depends on who I'm talking to and what we're talking about. In Italian that is the proper way to ask a question, but I don't think it's proper etiquette to ask that way in English.


Meaning of Early Modern English "iuie"

I found this phrase in Featherstone's Dedication at the front of an English translation of the _Commentary on John_ by John Calvin: > It is an old saying, (Right Honorable,) and no lesse true then olde, that > saleable wines neede no **iuie** bush which prouerb importeth thus much. What does "iuie" mean? My guess is "ivy," but I'm not knowledgeable enough to be confident of that.


Legitimacy of "construct from nothing"

I was thinking today about the phrasing of 'construct something from nothing' (the context was constructing ideas), and I began to wonder if 'construct' was really a good word to use. Maybe I'm just getting into picky semantics, but I think of 'construct' as forming something out of some form of raw materials, or some type of resource. Anyway I was just wondering how legitimate this usage is and what alternatives might be better.


Is there a word for "extreme feminism"?

`Feminism` is defined as > Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and > defending equal political, economic, and social rights for women. in Wikipedia and > A social theory or political movement supporting the equality of both sexes > in all aspects of public and private life; specifically, a theory or > movement that argues that legal and social restrictions on females must be > removed in order to bring about such equality. in Wiktionary. Masculism is defined as the exact same but with equality for men's rights, which actually means the same. I think that this is in fact a wrong use of the word `feminism` which puts emphasis on the word women (~ Latin `femina`) instead of equality between sexes. I'm looking for a word that represents a movement which can be assumed and extremist feminism and that supports more or better rights for women above men. Or just supporting more women's rights regardless of those of men. This is what I would think of when hearing `feminism`, until I discovered this wasn't true.


Who ''coined'' the term “scare quotes,” and why is the word “scare” used?

I have seen this term used frequently and I had never heard of it until a few months ago. I am wondering if most readers of general newspapers and magazines (where such a term is often used) are aware of its meaning and understand why it is called a quote-unquote "scare" quote.


Can "should be" be used for past possibility?

I was reading the following report on the NY Times, and came across the following: > The goal has to be to shut down all of the program that gives Iran the > capability to build a bomb. The United Nations Security Council ordered that > all enrichment **should be ended** six years ago, but the major powers were > right to start the talks with a more short-term goal: to stop the most > dangerous kind of enrichment. Since the part in bold refers to a past wish and should possibly use the _should have_ construction, how could this be justified instead? And how is it different from the _should have_ one?


What are differences between "let", "allow" and "permit"?

> Dad doesn't let me watch that program. Can we use "allow" or "permit" instead of "let"? What are the differences in grammar? Which one is common use?


"Please do not repeat the mistake" and "Please do not repeat the mistake again"

"Please do not repeat the mistake" "Please do not repeat the mistake again". Should the again be omitted? “Repeat” means “do again”. So to “repeat again” means “to do again again”. So is the second sentence grammatically wrong?


"Work" (noun) is plural or singular?

I couldn't find an answer to this question by searching the archive. If it's duplicate please let me know, and I'll remove it. I was wondeing if "work" (noun) is plural or singular? for example, I want to talk talk about "previous work" (meaning previous published papers): Is it correct to say: "I provide a high-level overview of the previous work, including 'their' limitations." Or I should say: "I provide a high-level overview of the previous work, including 'its' limitations." I also appreciate any suggestion for a more elegant way of saying that there are "niche" in the previous papers, that I'm going to highlight. Thanks for your help!


Where did the phrase "washing one's hands of" originate?

I know that the phrase "to wash one's hands of" comes from Pilate in the Bible, Matthew 27:24: > When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was > starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. "I am > innocent of this man's blood," he said. "It is your responsibility!" > > _Matthew 27:24 New International Version_ But in all of the versions I've looked at, the phrase "washing [one's] hands of" doesn't appear directly. Can anyone tell me when this phrase was first used outside of the Bible to mean "absolving oneself of responsibility" or similar? Related, but not a dupe: Should I wash my hands of this?


"They are..." vs. "these are" when answering the question "What are these...?"

When asked, "What are these called in English?" or similar, should we use just the right pronoun or can we also answer with the right demonstrative pronoun? For example, which is grammatical or preferred: "They are chopsticks" or "These are chopsticks"?


"And" or "with" when comparing

If one were to try and compare mixed food with food and a side which would you use? For example, what is the difference between "Green Salad **with** Dressing" and "Green Salad **and** Dressing" and which one would you use to imply the dressing was on the side?


"Hand over hand" and "hand over fist"

The expressions "hand over hand" and "hand over fist" seem to be related. Apparently "hand over hand" was a British term for the act of moving quickly up a rope or hoisting a sail, which was a matter of pride and competition among sailors. It is thought that American sailors changed this term to "hand over fist", and the term now means to advance or accumulate rapidly. But why "fist"?


How to explain accent variations to students

I am an ESL teacher working in China. During lessons, I am occasional interrupted by students or parents who point out that my pronunciation of some words is incorrect. They then produce a dictionary or text book and point to the IPA guide or pull out a electronic dictionary and play the rather tinny sounding, low quality, usually American, recording of the word. Usually I am unable to discern any significant difference in pronunciation. If there is a difference, it will be in the vowel sound which in English is highly variable from one region to another. However the student/parent will argue adamantly that their book or dictionary is correct even though I am a native English speaker with an middle class, albeit regionally slanted, accent. I think the situation is exacerbated in China as they have a concept of Putonghua or 'Proper Speech' in their native tongue. My university students have to take Putonghua exams to show that they can speak Chinese in a correct, standard, style. They thus extend the same concept to English. They know that AmE and BrE are not the same but they fail to understand that within these, there are large variations in accent and that nobody speaks a truly standard accent. So with that background, on to my question. I am looking for explanation and/or resources that can assist me in explaining English accents to students and parents who query the correctness, or rather validity, of my pronunciation. Does anyone have any ideas on how to teach students about accent differences within English?


Adjective describing a person who does work to get it done

I have a friend who always goes on that I have a bad work ethic, though I am not lazy. At the same time, he says he has a good work ethic, but is lazy. The definition of having a good work ethic is that you believe work helps further your character/moral fibre, while the definition of lazy is not wanting to do work. My friend usually treats homework as something that needs to be done, for its own sake. For example, if a maths problem is particularly difficult, then he'll skip over it. Nothing wrong with that per se, but if he later learns how to fix it, he does not bother because he's done with it. Thus, he is disinclined to do the work (lazy), but does it anyway (not an attribute of having a good work ethic). What is a better adjective to describe my friend? Or, failing that, is there a quick way to describe him eloquently?


What do you call a disk with a hole in the middle?

Compact Discs, washers and Aerobie frisbees are all disks with a hole in the middle. Is there a word (either mathematical or not) to describe this shape? I mean the specific case of a round hole in a flat disk such that the inner and outer rings are concentric circles, like below. ![Some Disks with holes in the middle](http://i.stack.imgur.com/99Ypm.png) \--Edit: Accepted answer I feel rather unqualified to select one answer as correct, so I'm going to choose the one that says "It depends who you're talking to". I hope that future readers will choose between the various helpful answers here depending on their exact object and their audience. After reading the etymology of annulus, I also hope that nobody ever tries to market an "Incredible Flying Annulus" to 13-year old boys.


Use semicolon or period when telling a result of an action?

If you look at these sentences, the second one is result of the first: > Alex shouts and feels pain in his leg, and he rubs the place with hand and > looks at the leg. His leg swelled little bit. So these two should be separated by a semicolon or by a period? I mean that the sentence above would become this one: > Alex shouts and feels pain in his leg, and he rubs the place with hand and > looks at the leg; his leg swelled little bit.


The difference between 'have mercy,' 'extend mercy,' and similar phrases

Is there a difference between 'having mercy' and 'extending mercy?' Are there other phrases that mean similar things?


When does realisation of velar nasal /ŋ/ as alveolar nasal [n] happen along with tensing of the preceding vowel (/ɪ/ to [i])?

I have observed some English speakers in North America who seem to produce this assimilation in words like "running" /ˈrʌnɪŋ/ (as /ˈrʌnin/) or "winning" /ˈwɪnɪŋ/ (as /ˈwɪnin/). I'm specifically interested in when the final vowel becomes /i/ or /iː/ not /ɪ/ (as in some Southern American English accents which produce "runnin'" and "winnin'"). Is this a regional accent? I found some additional anecdotal discussion at the following links:   * http://www.antimoon.com/forum/t879.htm   * http://www.unilang.org/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=8279   * http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061106105504AAHqy1S   * http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AmericanAccentTraining/message/874


Meaning of "And a more strange narrative than the two between them unfold it has not been my lot to come across"

I am puzzled by the line "And a more strange narrative than the two between them unfold it has not been my lot to come across." in Dracula. Would any native speaker be so kind to tell me its meaning?


Is there a word for the feeling like you have a spider on you?

So, sometimes when you see a spider, or walk through a spider web, you have this terrible sensation of having a spider crawling on you, even though you know for a fact that it isn't happening. Is there a word for that feeling?


What is the difference between "electric" and "electrical" and their usage?

What is the difference between **electric** and **electrical** and their usage? For example, what is the difference between "electrical machine" and "electric machine"?


Terminal preposition / adposition question

So I was hoping to know if the phrase > as many as I can think **of** is improper or incorrect because it ends with the word "of"? What would be a way to _minimally_ change this to not violate any don't-end-with-a-preposition guideline? And yes - I know it's not really a big problem to do this, I am just curious if there is a "proper" way to write it. :)


Adapting to OR Adapting with

I wish to have a slogan for a software company. The slogan that I thought of is something like > "Adapting **to** your Changes" What I want to say with that slogan is, our company adapts well with the changes in requirements of the customers. Is it supposed to be "Adapting **with** your Changes" instead?


Which verbs apart from the pure copula follow the existential 'there'?

The existential 'there' is usually followed by a form of the verb 'to be', used as a pure copula. For instance, rather than saying, `a wrench is on the bench`, you'd say `there's a wrench on the bench`. Biber, Conrad and Leech (2002) list a number of syncategorematic/copular verbs which can also follow the existential 'there', eg: There used to be a house ... there's supposed to be a plot ... there seems to have been a mistake ... there's said to be a ghost ... They don't make a distinction which I've noticed about what I call 'emergent- type' verbs, always used in the past, describing, as I see it, an action which has emerged, but seems as yet incomplete, eg: ...there arose such as clatter ... there appeared a great multitude ... there emerged, out of the freshly tilled soil, ... I noticed today another type which I hadn't clocked before ... the use of the intransitive after 'Once upon a time', eg: Once upon a time, there lived ... I can't think of an instance where you'd use a transitive verb in this construction. Are there any other types of verbs that can follow the existential 'there' in declarative sentences that you know of that I can add to my list?


Is there a more common phrase that means "preponed"?

I was aware of this and this stackexchange post discuss the same. There is no _prepone_ in English. Ok, then how do I say _Our meeting is preponed_ in correct way? What is the correct word/phrase for _prepone_?


Antonym of Postpone

what is the antonym of postpone. I have seen the usage of "prepone" at many places. If that is correct, the is the post used in postpone a prefix ?


What is the plural form of "Software"?

Is it correct to use "softwares"? For example: > There are various video conversion softwares in the market.


Which is correct - 'did with the egg' or 'with the egg did'?

I'm writing a story, which takes place in a past. Can you tell me which option is correct? When I was wondering what   1)did with the egg   2)with the egg did   someone pushed me. I've chosen 1) but I'm not sure.


"Is there any news" or "are there any news"?

Which is better? Which is grammatically correct? >   * Is there any news about my candidacy? >   * Are there any news about my candidacy? >


News - Singular or Plural

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  "The news is good." Why? Does one ask "What are the news" or "What is the news"? Or are both correct in different situations?


"To set up" for "to arrange/prepare" or "to organize" in colloquial AmE

I already heard and read on various occasions Americans use the expression "to set up" to seemingly mean "to arrange" as in "I'll set up reservations for you" or "I'll be more than happy to set up a custom tailored schedule of activities for as long as you're with us". The funny thing is I can't seem to find one dictionary online that states this sense of "to set up" as fact. Actually, the definitions of "to set up" that I found to approximate "to arrange" the most are "to make carefully worked out plans (usually mischievous ones) for" [set up a kidnapping, a jewelry heist, etc.] -- and "to assemble and erect" [set up a new machine], which, I guess, can also be used metaphorically. And so, I wish you could tell if "to set up" for "to arrange [a reservation, a program, a schedule, etc.]" has any accuracy in modern day AmE, and if it's safe to use in every which context and register but the most formal ones. E. g. > Teen campers will be contacted by their group leader prior to camp to find > out their goals for the week and set up a program of activities for the > group. source


What does ‘achy old pros‘ mean , and what is an allegory of ‘Old pros returns to holy rituals of this game (Super Bowl)?,

I would like to thank many of answerers for giving detailed discourses about the gist and meaning of the sentence of the Washington Post’ article dealing with saturated TV commercial spree during Super Bowl. There is still one phrase left unexplained (or un-translated) in the line - ‘But willingly, like ‘achy old pros,’ we returned to the holy rituals of this brutal game. What does ‘achy old pros’ mean on the earth? And what is an allegory of ‘Old pros returns to holy rituals of this game? I tried to insert this question in yesterday's post, but couln't. I appreciate your further explanation. I repeat the original text of the part in question for your reference. > Too many insipid Black Eyed Peas songs will do that to a civilization. The > cheese really is baked into the crust. But willingly, like achy old pros, we > returned to the holy rituals of this brutal game, this billion-dollar > boondoggle, tweeting our delight that seven-layer dip has somehow become > nine. Distraction is the real attraction, which gets a little more true each > year.


"How-to" or "how to" in reference to tutorial

Should I refer to a tutorial as a _how-to_ or a _how to_? Is there a grammatical rule for this?


Does this sentence require the pronoun 'they'?

I have the following sentence: > There were several dominoes--some so precariously placed that I'd swear > should have toppled over. I believe it's correct, but when read quickly or out loud, it sounds kind of funny, almost like a "they" is missing. > There were several dominoes--some so precariously placed that I'd swear > **they** should have toppled over. My reason for thinking that the first sentence is the correct one is that if I strip the sentence to its essentials, the "they" definitely doesn't fit. > There were dominoes that I'd swear should have toppled. Am I right in thinking that "they" is not required, or is there something incorrect happening here?


Ambiguous connotation of "just" - How do natives interpret these?

First of all, these questions are a bit related but not what I'm actually asking about:   * Is “I just spent all my money” grammatically incorrect?   * “I just ate them” and “I've just eaten them” - What's the difference in American and in British?   * When is the present perfect tense used instead of the past tense? And this answer to the second question as well as its comment does indicate the problem I'm continually encountering. I tend to overuse the word _just_. Sometimes I don't even recognize it but if I carefully re-read my English I often find sentences like:   * I've just implemented the method.   * I've just eaten an apple.   * I've just closed my eyes for a few seconds. The problem is, that in all these sentences I **don't want to emphasize that I did that recently** , _just_ a couple of seconds/minutes ago, or that it might have any connection to the present, i.e. my present actions, although the action indeed _just_ happened of late (and that's why I use the perfect). In these cases _just_ is meant to be _simply_ or _only_ : > A: Are you gonna eat with us to lunch now? > > B: Sure, I only ate an apple and now I'm really hungry. * * * > A: Are you tired? > > B: No, I simply closed my eyes for a few seconds trying to focusing on the > issues. While these two sentences are _just_ examples I invented for this question, the first sentence I introduced above is one of those I actually wrote. Regarding this first example, I consulted an American colleague and asked him how would he interpret the sentence   * I just implemented the method. and he answered: > When a native English speaker reads that, they do not understand the 'just' > to mean that you recently performed the action - they understand it to me > that you 'simply' performed the action. It gives the connotation that you > could have done more if you had spent more time on it, but getting it done > quickly and easily was more important to you. So far I'm happy with this answer, but I still have some further questions:   * How do British natives interpret that, especially when using the perfect?   * How do you (Briton or American) emphasize the other meaning, i.e.      * if you understand _just_ as _recently_ do you use _only_ (which sounds somehow awkward to me in sentences in perfect tense) or do you rephrase the sentence as I did with the invented examples, or     * if you understand _just_ as _only_ how do you then emphasize _recently_? * * * The main purpose of this question is to find out if I should put more focus on phrasing these kind of sentences, i.e. using simple past even for an action happened just now when I want to emphasize _only_ , or if I can go ahead using this sentence structure.


What does “as” represent for in “Cantor quits as Majority leader” and “Cantor to resign as Majority leader”?

Today’s New York Times reported Eric Canter’s defeat in Primary election in Virginia under the headline: “Eric Cantor to step down **as** House Majority leader” followed by the text copy: “Representative Eric Cantor of Virginia, the No. 2 House Republican, will resign **as** majority leader within weeks,” Time magazine also reports “Cantor to resign **as** Majority leader” in the headline, followed by the copy: “Eric Cantor said Wednesday that he will step down **from** his post as House Majority Leader.” Washington Post reports: “Cantor to step down **from** leadership post in July.” I’ m quite comfortable with the expression, “He will step down from his post as House Majority leader,” but not clear with the meaning and specific function of “ **as** ” in “step down / resign as majority leader.” What does “as” represent for in “Cantor steps down ( resigns) **as** majority leader,” and why is it “as,” not “from”?


Which of these two expressions is correct? > 1) Of course not, I am here. > > 2) Of course not, I am not here. For example: > Yes, he is a boy The word "yes" emphatically introduces a positive statement. It could not be followed by a negative statement as "yes, he is not a boy." Likewise, "no, he is not a boy." The word "no" has to be followed by a negative statement. Can I treat "of course" and "of course not" like "yes" and "no"?


What's the exact meaning of "flat eyes"?

In the American novels, there are a lot of expression of this 'flat eyes'. Seemingly not very favorable expression, but what's this phrase insinuating exactly? I am not a native speaker of English.


Should this abbreviated question use "lose" or "lost?"

The main site Meta is currently displaying a banner that reads > Lose some reputation points? A system-wide recalc of scores happened. This raised the question Fix the grammar please? “Lose”->“Lost” some reputation points? In this case "lose" sounds correct to me, since the full sentence is "Did you lose some reputation?" Is one form more correct than the other, or does it not matter?


"the above" is correct, "the below" is not?

I have often read "None of the above" at the end of multiple-choice questions (and I guess this is shorthand for "None of the above items"). Recently, in answering a help center email with my answer on top of the help center’s suggestions, I wrote "none of the below helps me". It struck me as incorrect just after having send it. I guess I should have put "None of the items below". But it seems to me it is a matter of usage rather than logic : if "the above" is OK, what’s wrong with "the below" ?


What is the formal way of expressing 1990s?

How do you express the last decade of 20th century in formal written English? "1990s"? If the century is known from the context, can you simply say "the nineties"? As in: "The involvement of US in Kosovo in the nineties"


What does this person say in this video?

I don't know if this is allowed but I want to know what this Gwyneth Paltrow say in this video at 0:51 to be exact. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZORey6EHF3g or http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1380647/Gwyneth-Paltrow-shatters- clean-cut-image-dropping-C-bomb-U-S-chat-Chelsea-Lately.html *scroll down to see the video Does she say "I really sight or cite?" I have a feeling that it basically means that she's so happy but I do want to know how to spell the word. Again, I am heaps sorry if this isn't allowed but I do no know where to ask. Thanks heaps!


Usage of "against" in "progress against our strategic objectives"

I have one more question concerning Lucy Kellaway’s 2012 Golden flannel Award . The another contender of the Preposition Award was a usage of _against_. > The first was shown to advantage recently in a statement from Lloyds: “We > have made substantial progress against our strategic objectives”, which > suggests the bank is moving in the wrong direction. This usage of _against_ sounds completely wrong to me. Do you think this is deliberate ? If so, what is the intension of the author ?


What is the primary meaning of 'knocked up'

There seem to be several meanings; Awoken in the morning; Made pregnant; Put together/prepared quickly or on the fly; Made tired/worn out. I have never heard of this last meaning which (used earlier by my father) needless to say was the one that nearly started a very fraught conversation! What is the primary or dominant meaning? Many thanks


What does "was born in black and white" mean?

I've heard a song with the words "She was born in black and white". Could anyone say what this phrase means?


Distinguish "naming" and "telling" part of simple sentence with compound predicate

> Dad caught fish and cooked them for supper. This is a question from a test that my son missed; he is in the second grade. The instructions for the test are as follows: > Put one line under the naming part of the sentence, and two lines under the > telling part. My B average from high school English tells me the following:   1. Naming Part = Subject   2. Telling Part = Predicate   3. The subject of the second independent clause is omitted because it is understood to be _Dad_ (What is the term for this?) What part of the above sentence would you put a single line under? What about the double line? Specifically, I'm curious about the conjunction _and_. Is that naming, telling or neither?


How can i answer this question?

One of my client asked, How do I know YOU ARE NOT GOING TO RIP ME OFF. How can i answer for this question?


"Insecure" or "unsecure" when dealing with security?

Which is the appropriate word to be used in the sentence: > The system we were testing was determined to be insecure/unsecure. The usage is in the context of security, specifically a lack thereof. I've always said _insecure_ , because I didn't believe _unsecure_ was a word (although _unsecured_ is). Even as I type this, I'm getting a spell check complaint about it. However, I was laughed at once when I called a particular device "insecure."


Why the indefinite article in "my son has a swollen left eye"?

"My son has a swollen eye." is correct English, meaning only one eye is swollen, out of two. But why do we say "My son has a swollen left eye" rather than "the swollen left eye", even though he only has one left eye?


What is the category name to describe "day", "night", or "dusk"?

I'm applying tags to a set of recorded data files, and I have to classify by when the recording appears to be taken (if it's light or dark).               TimeOfDay: Day     TimeOfDay: Night     TimeOfDay: Dusk      TimeOfDay: Dawn     TimeOfDay: Night/Day # (the recording spans both Day and Night)      Is there another term to describe "time of day"? Edit: As per the comments, removed most of the specific constraints - question now focuses on the terminology.


"onto" versus "on to"

Should the single word _onto_ or the two words _on to_ be used here? > She held **onto** the cushion instead of holding **onto** the metal frame.   >  She was grabbing **onto** the seat cushion.   >  There's nothing saying what hand to use to hold **onto** any portion of the > helicopter, and what part of the helicopter not to hold **onto** while > getting in.


Finding a better way to say "put to good use"

Better way to say: "put to good use" Trying to figure out in terms of being accountable with resources.


what does it mean, "foot up" as verb?

I'm just guessing "foot up" means "kick something up"? Can I say "do it , or foot up your face"? Thanks,


Etymology: to till the land

ODE gives a connection between the German verb _zielen_ and the English preposition _till_. The semantic connection between cultivating land and German _zielen_ seems a bit far-fetched. I would rather see a connection between German _das Land bestellen_ and English _to till the land_. I wonder why this connection is not seen or discussed. And it is for me an example of how easily in etymology one sticks to similar words as _zielen_ even when the semantics is doubtful.


Jig or template to hold a workpiece

Technical English for a foreigner - please correct and rephrase if you can come up with better alternatives. > A machine in manufacturing usually is fed material or a workpiece to be > processed. Sometimes, the orientation of the workpiece [synonyms?] is > defined by a kind of jig into which the workpiece is inserted. Is there a better word for _jig_?


Is there a shorter term for "divided by" in American English?

Given the following expression: > 5 (+-×÷%) 4 You would say "5 plus 4," "5 minus 4," "5 times 4," "5 divided by 4," and "5 mod(ulo) 4" respectively. As far as I know, "divided by" does not have any shorthand form in the same way the above examples do.


Cardinal British Dates - A Kiwi Original?

I had never heard the use of cardinal numbers in dates when speaking until I moved to New Zealand. It seems particularly prevalent in TV and radio advertising, but doesn't seem to follow either British or American "standards". As a Commonwealth country, dates are usually written in the British order, but I often hear them spoken thus: > 24 October 2010 as _twenty-four October two-thousand and ten_ or without a year: > 1 November as _one November_ Not using ordinals in dates seems "American" to me, but I guess Americans would prefer: > October 24 2010 as _October twenty-four, two-thousand-ten_ Is the first way unique to New Zealand or is it used in America too?


Is there an English saying like "cut to the chase", but with a negative connotation?

If I say: "You really cut to the chase there." I think it's not clear whether I'm expressing approval or disapproval. I'm wondering if there's a similar saying which would express the sentiment that someone has transitioned too abruptly from one thing to another.


Is there bad grammar in Cinemark's "No Texting" warning?

The sentence in question is "Do not be the person we ask to leave the auditorium, because we **will**." It sounds very wrong to me, but I can't put my finger on the exact problem. Nobody on the Internet has jumped on this, so I'm wondering whether I'm right about it being wrong. The sentence comes from an announcement which is shown before every movie at Cinemark theaters (at least the ones where I live). It's also on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgU2ue37hgY. The objectionable sentence is at 0:26. My best description of the problem is that one of the two ideas that "because" is linking is missing. The speaker means "Do not be the person we ask to leave the auditorium, (and don't think we won't) because we **will**.".


Pronunciation of final T sounds in English

What's the word to describe the phenomenon of the final 't' sound becoming a stop without aspiration, vs. how it sounds at the beginning of a word? Does any one particular dialect/accent of English exhibit this characteristic more or less than another?


Word for morally negative sexual behavior

I'm searching for a broad word that is summarized by _sexual transgression_. Is there a single word to describe a type of behavior of those that pursue _rape, pedophilia, adultery, incest_ , or _molestation_?


"Take advantage" vs. "make advantage"

I'm worried that 'take advantage' could have a slightly negative connotation. Could you say "make advantage [of a situation]"?


"Pay attention" vs. "give attention"

Between 'pay' and 'give' I guess you are most likely to choose 'give' for the blank below. However, 'pay' sounds more suited for the second 'attention.' I wonder why. Is it because the second sentence is in the negative, or because the first is in the order of (person) (attention), not the other way around: (attention) to (person)? > All of us were supposed to _[pay/give]_ Chris our undivided attention for > the next hour, but I didn't pay him much attention because I was not at all > interested in the topic.


What does “gallowdance” mean?

Here is the context: > Dance with me the gallowdance. This is a piece from Lebanon Hanover's lyrics.


Use the word "higher" or "more" when referring to costs?

Is it proper to say that "the cost of X is more than the cost of Y" or "the cost of X is higher than the cost of Y"? Or are they interchangeable?


Synonym of bad effect or bad situation - one word

I want to use a noun to describe the bad effects of AIDS on the population of a country. The context of the word is this sentence: > In this report, we also provide some statistics on the **bad effects** of > AIDS on the population. However, it seems that **bad effects** not the appropriate words.


What would be a valid replacement of "as"?

Say I want to write something to say: > John looked over his shoulder as he opened the door slowly. However, for stylistic reasons I don't really want to use _as_ in that sentence. There must be other ways of expressing simultaneity. What words or phrasing could replace the _as_ in that sentence? The Help Center here says > To prevent your question from being flagged and possibly removed, avoid > asking subjective questions where every answer is equally valid: “What’s > your favorite **__**?” ... so please **explain** your choice and **why** your suggestion works [e.g. its grammar] as that introduces some objective measure of validity.


Are we using "Aswaddumization" word?

"Aswaddumization" is a derived word from Sinhalese language(Sri Lankan native language ) and gone to English (as I heard), the meaning of "Aswaddumization" is cultivation of land. However I cannot see this is used practically ,please let me know if this is used in English language as accepted word. I did search in goole and couldn't find good reference.


Did English ever have an informal version of “we”

Related question: Did English ever have a formal version of "you"? In Portuguese (and probably other languages as well), similar to what happens with the second-person, there are two words for "we": "nós" (formal) and "a gente" (informal, only used in colloquial speech). Both pronouns have the same meaning: they refer to the person who is talking and can include the hearer and/or other people. Did English ever have this feature?


I have a problem in "Look + preposition" Rule

I have a problem in deciding preposition Sentence A : > She's looking at me, I want to change "me" with "here" , the sentence became : > "She's looking at here"   1. Please correct the sentence above (at least what would a native english speaker use for this sentence)   2. Please give me guide about "Look + Preposition"


Are "not uncommon" and similar phrases double negatives? Should their use be avoided?

When I think of double negatives I think of phrases that grate on the ears, like: > I'm not going to do no homework. > > I'm never going to not go visit Graceland. There are some phrases that appear to technically be considered a double negative, but seem more common and are, in my opinion, actually pleasing to the ear. And I've seen such uses in newspaper articles, magazine articles, and other edited content. I'm referring to phrases like: > It's not uncommon for two people to meet serendipitously. > > Baseball is not unlike golf - both are boring to watch without a beer in > hand. > > It's not unusual to be loved by anyone. Are the above examples of double negatives? Should their use be avoided?


Difference between conjunctions and prepositions

Conjunctions are usually defined as words that join words, clauses or sentences together. Prepositions are defined as expressing relations between parts of a sentence. However, by expressing relations prepositions also join parts.   On the other hand, most conjunctions do in fact also express a relation. The only one that seemingly doesn't is and, although "being in a group" is also an information... just that we see it as the default. It can't be argued though that "but" does indeed express something quite different than "and" in the following example. > Thomas calls Maria and/but he is in a hurry. So... with conjunctions also relating and prepositions also joining... what is the difference? Is there a definition that clearly excludes the other group without naming specific words? I have searched the web quite a it but all I could find was stuff like this > "The FANBOYS are conjunctions, the others are prepositions" This is not what I am looking for. I want a definition that leads to those 2 groups.


When should I choose "had come" over "came" in the following sentence?

Take for example: > I met Raschel three years ago. He represented a small company of which he > was also the proprietor. He came to show the presentation of his product > plan. Many companies, big and small, sent their representatives to grab this > opportunity. The board held a meeting and decided to call upon companies > specializing in these products. I have few queries:   1. Is it appropriate to start the second line with " _He came_ " or it should be " _He had come_ "?   2. The last line, when checked with www.paperrater.com, gets underline under "held a meeting". What is the proper way to replace these words?


What's the origin of the common phrase "I call shenanigans"? Note that I'm not so much looking for the origin of _shenanigans_ itself, which I expect could easily be found in the OED or something, but when the entire phrase took on a life of its own as an independent construction. Who coined it? When was it first attested? Did anyone make it particular popular?


Do the words "peasant" and "pissant" mean the same thing?

I recently completed reading the novel "Cat's cradle" by Kurt Vonnegut. In this novel he describes _peasant_ as: > "A _pissant_ is somebody who thinks he's so damn smart, he can never keep > his mouth shut. No matter what anybody says, he's got to argue with it. You > say why you like something, and, by God, he'll tell you why you're wrong to > like it. A pissant does his best to make you feel like a boob all the time. > No matter what you say, he knows better." I have never seen this word before so I checked it with the online dictionary. However, there was only an explanation for the word "peasant". Can anyone please explain me if these words mean the same thing? Is the word "pissant" with the meaning above in wide use today?


“…easy enough, except…” Is this correct?

I heard this line in the movie "The social network". The full line is "The truth is she has a nice face. I need to do something to take my mind off her. Easy enough, except I need an idea." What I know is that the meaning of the word "except" means "not including" or "other than" . I am sure he is not saying "something except an idea". How does this line make sense?


"consider x as y" or "consider x to be y"

Which of these alternatives seems more correct or natural? > We consider death as an enemy   >  We consider death an enemy   >  We consider death to be an enemy


Etymology of the phrase "the whole shebang"?

What is the etymology of the phrase "the whole shebang", or "whole shebang"? I only know the term "shebang" from a computer science standpoint, but I'm not sure of any other uses of it outside of this phrase. So, I was wondering if that's where the phrase originated.


Is "scopperloit" a real word?

> Bysshe, Bysshe, Bysshe! What are we going to do about you? I hope you'll > pardon this mesonoxian and inaniloquent lamprophony from a nihilarian pronk; > it is not so much a phenakist scopperloit as it is a finnimbrun, an infinite > floccinaucinihilipilification (The Guardian) I found it, as comment, in The Guardian. After a lot of efforts to decipher its meaning, I encountered some hard trouble problem in searching for "scopperloit." In Google "define scopperloit" does not produce serious hits. Can anybody explain the meaning of "scopperloit"?


My son (12 years old) had some homework and was asked to find the subject of the sentence: Whether or not to bomb Syria is the pertinent question. The complete subject seems to be: Whether or not to bomb Syria. What would be considered the simple subject?


Exact word for the material which is used to thread Tennis racquets

I am a non-native English speaker, I have searched a lot in google to find the exact word for the material which is used to thread Tennis racquets or the material which is used to connect the fishing hook and the fishing rod. But i did not find any. Can anybody tell me what's the exact word for that.?


Singular action for a plural subject

Consider the following:   * I pull my ear.   * He pulls his ear.   * She pulls her ear. What would be the correct form of "ear" for plural subjects? Is there a generalized rule that I can be pointed to? For example, _they pull their ear_ just sounds wrong to me (do "they" collectively have an ear sitting around somewhere to pull?), leading me to think it should be _they pull their ears._ Similar is the case for, say, _we pull our ear_ , but these plural forms can be misunderstood as pulling both ears. Is the only solution here to recast the sentence to something more specific like "We each pull one of our ears?"


Difference between "stick with" and "stick to"?

The more I think about it the more confused I get: One good example is here: > Hmm. Maybe something like this. It's the end of the day and things didn't go > well. We're meeting to talk about what we'll do tomorrow. Should we stick > with the original plan or try something new? > > We're at work, and I wander by to see how everyone is doing. You think that > you'd like to try something difference. "Stick to the plan for now," I say. > > So maybe while planning - stick with, and while doing - stick to? > > I'm speculating ... sometimes the more you think about something the harder > it is to remember. Is there a difference between > to stick with something/somebody and > to stick to something/somebody ...and if so could you please give examples that make the different usages clear?


Inline citation for source refrenced a second time

I'm using IEEE citation style. If information is cited from one source, then another, then again from the first how does the inline citation work? Take the following made up example: > Dogs make good pets[ 1 ]. Scientific studies show that dog owners get more > exercise[ 2 ]. As long as dogs receive walks on a regular basis they will be > well behaved[ 1 ]. Then would the works cited look like the following? [ 1 ] J. Doe. _Benefits of Dogs_   [ 2 ] A. Jim. _Healthy Habits_ or would I have to include a [ 3 ] inline citation and add another entry to the works cited that would be identical to [ 1 ]?


"Hospitable transition"

In a resignation letter, would it be right to say: > Please let me know how I can assist to make a hospitable transition. Specifically, does the combination "hospitable transition" make sense in this context (or at all)?


What does it mean in this context by "Gem"?

From here, I found such a sentence: > This Gem won't cover hardware details... Besides, I also found a book named: > GPU Gems I could not look up the meaning of "Gem". What's its meaning in this context?


Was the term "Knights of the Round" ever commonly used?

There's an arcade game by Capcom called Knights of the Round, whose name always piqued my interest. It's based on the Arthurian legend of the finding of the Holy Grail. During the game ending, the game text says that Arthur's knights were referred to as the 'Knights of the Round', so it looks like the game name isn't "poetic licence"; those writing the game seem to have thought that the knights were referred to as the 'Knights of the Round'. Now, I've only ever heard Arthur's knights referred to as the 'Knights of the Round Table'. This leads me to a couple of possibilities as to what might be the case:   * Some people really did refer to these guys as the 'Knights of the Round', eliding the word 'Table', poetically.   * Capcom made an error in translation, and the term 'Knights of the Round' is only ever used in this arcade game. Which is it? Was the phrase 'Knights of the Round' even occasionally used to refer to Arthur's knights?


What is a good word to describe a large geographical area

What is a good word (or a phrase) to describe a large, extensive geographical area, spanning several regions? I am not looking to use this in a particular context, but to help in conceptualizing a product name.


Synonymity of "is that so" and "really"

Do these have the same meaning? > Oh is that so? > > Oh really?


Another "which" question

In this sentence > Green tea contains the vitamins and healthy properties of the green tea > leaf, which makes green tea popular among health-conscious people. what is the "which" referring to?? Is it referring to the green tea leaf or the vitamins and healthy properties?


How to derive a noun or adective or adverb from "nya"?

In Russian network jargon there is adjective "няшный" (originating from anime fandom's "nya"). It is somewhat related to "kawaii" (cute) or "nice", but not the same. However in English any attempts to add adjective or adverb suffix to "nya" results in ugly word (unlike in Russian). How to make it properly? Alternatively, how to translate phrases with this word English in a good way (with reference to "nya" or cats and with meaning of niceness or goodness)? The question two is how to translate it be comprehensible. The adjective seems to fit is "nice". What should be the noun? I should be like "cutie", but less diminutive.


Is "reserved" an adjective or verb in this example?

I need an answer about this sentence please: > We had a **reserved** seat. _Reserved_ in this sentence is a verb. I read that in a morphology book. My question is: how does this become a verb? I thought it was an adjective.


generic term: thieves trap

If police set up a trap in order to either identify or even catch a thief (e.g. by means of a bait car, or a special invisible dye on bank notes), is the general term for such a ploy a "thieves trap"?


A person who twists facts to appear infallible?

What is the correct term for a person who twists facts and provides misinterpretations in an effort to appear infallible? The kind of person who is given a simple logic puzzle, fails to solve it correctly and tries to persuade others that he was in fact correct e.g. by denying obvious implications that were necessary to be deduced in order to find the correct solution.


"I like it that" vs. "I like that"

I want to express the following: You are blaming me for your lack of concern and I like that (in a sarcastic way). Which one of the following sentences would be correct? >   * I like it that your lack of concern is my fault. >   * I like that your lack of concern is my fault. >


Usage on farewell remark

I found several forms of farewell remarks like these:               Goodbye     Good-bye     Good-by     Bye     Bye-Bye      Are these remarks equivalent in both written and spoken English ?


"Answer to my question" or "answer on my question"?

What's the right usage: an answer _to_ my question or _on_ my question?


"You all should have" vs. "you should have all" vs. "all of you should have"

Which one of these three constructions is more correct: > By now, _you all_ should have received your insurance cards. > > By now, _all of you_ should have received your insurance cards. > > By now, _you_ should have _all_ received your insurance cards.


Is the expression "may or may not" semantically void?

I personally have a hard time accepting the use of "may or may not." To me, it seems as if "may" and "may not" effectively cancel each other out, so the semantics of the sentence in which it appears are no clearer: > I may go to bed early tonight. This seems to indicate that it is likely I will not go to bed early tonight. > I may not go to bed early tonight. Contrariwise, this seems to indicate that it is likely I will go to bed early tonight. > I may or may not go to bed early tonight. This seems to leave me with absolutely no clarity as to which eventuality is likely to occur. Am I missing something obvious here, or is this particular expression just a rhetorical device for saying, "I'm on the fence?"


Question directed to someone or at someone?

> That question was directed at Sasha OR > That question was directed to Sasha what is the difference?


When to prepose an auxiliary in a sentence?

I read this at Time.com, and it's in the second line of the third paragraph. > And **wouldn’t you know it** , their theory proved to be both true and > statistically meaningful. I suppose it means "And **in case that you don't know, I tell you that** their theory..." because I tend to understand it's structure this way:"And **if you wouldn't know it** , their theory..." But I only know words like 'were', 'had' and 'should' can be preposed in a subjunctive mood, and they are used to suggest an assumption. e.g. Were I you, I would go back. = If I were you, I would go back. And I think sentences like "Somebody wouldn't know something" suggest that He don't know **nor care** , but this sort of logic doesn't fit the context of the original sentence I quoted. So here are my questions:   1. How to comprehend the quoted sentence?    2. When can/must I prepose an auxiliary?


How do you remember the difference between a "stalactite" and a "stalagmite"?

Is there a good mnemonic for remembering the difference between "stalactite" (hangs down) and "stalagmite" (points up)?


"Find out about my solutions"

"Come visit me to **find out about** the solutions" **find out about** sounds weird to me: what are some synonyms to better express the concept?


Comma placement between two clauses

Based on my research, #2 is most correct, with two independent clauses separated by the "and". For some reason, a pause after "and" SOUNDS better to me. Is one of these correct and the others incorrect? > I am a third year student at Blank College Law School, and, as a native of > State, I have a special interest in clerking in City. > > I am a third year student at Blank College Law School, and as a native of > State, I have a special interest in clerking in City. > > I am a third year student at Blank College Law School and, as a native of > State, I have a special interest in clerking in City. > > I am a third year student at Blank College Law School, and as a native of > State I have a special interest in clerking in City.


Is "another link in the daisy chain" an idiom?

I've found the phrase "another link in the daisy-chain" in Nabokov's Lolita. Here's the whole sentence: > I do not know if the pimp's album may not have been another link in the > daisy-chain; but soon after, for my own safety, I decided to marry I understand it as similar to "another notch on one's belt"—perhaps a more poetic version. Is it an idiom or just a linguistic invention of Nabokov's?


Straight quotes vs. curly quotes in formal writing

Should I use “ or " in very formal English writing?


Word for a quote that was never actually said

Many well-known quotes such as "Elementary, my dear Watson" were never actually said by the person they are attributed to. Is there a specific word that means this kind of quote? If not, is there a more general word for commonly held belief that is wrong?


difference between facts, knowledge and wisdom

Can someone explain the difference between a `fact`, `knowledge` and `wisdom`?


"Sleep through a single night" vs. "sleep a single night"

> For the next two weeks he did not sleep through a single night. Can we recast the sentence as follows? > For the next two weeks he did not sleep a single night. That is, is the use of _through_ mandatory? Is there a difference between these two sentences?


Softer word for "validated"

I'm looking for a word with less certainty than "validated", as in > Has this testimony been validated? I'd like something like " _sanity checked_ " which flows better. Any suggestions?


First use of the slang term "Scrub"?

The slang term "scrub", when referred to a person, can mean several things. It seems like the original usage as an adjective is someone who is not good at something - video games, sports, etc. I am interested to know if the first time it was used to refer to a "guy who thinks he's cool but he's not" was in the TLC song "No Scrubs". I am not familiar with the term before that and it seems like an isolated usage.


Is it typical to say "How to get rich and don't go crazy"?

In my native language sometimes we use humorous titles of books, articles, tutorials, etc among the lines of: > "How to get rich and don't go crazy?" I thought that I meet with it once or twice in english too. But now I did search in google and Corpus Of Contemporary American English and all I found is only one page titled: > How to Follow Your Interests and Don't Go Crazy or Broke So it seems that it isn't nearly as popular in english as I thought. Is such form used in English occasionally or I'm totally off-track? Is there any valid replacement for that?


title for 1 year old boy

What will be the title for 1 year old boy? will it be Mr. or Master or anything else I am not aware of? Pre marriage girls are addressed as Miss. and post marriage Mrs. is there anything similar to boys?


Is there a word that means "measure temperature"?

You can measure the weight - it is called weighing You can measure the temperature - it is called what? Is there one English word that means "measure the temperature"


Is there a word for this situation?

Some co-workers of mine from another office play a "question game." I wasn't there for the question, but here it is: > Is it accidentally impregnating someone if you know you're trying to get her > pregnant, but she doesn't? It's obviously not _accidental_. Is there a word for this situation? Edit #1: I mean a word for the whole situation, not just switching accidental for another word.


Is “the many” grammatical?

The homework is as following > As it stands, our rule allows just one determiner in an NP.               NP → (D) (AdjP+) N (PP+) (CP) (PP+)      > How can we revise this rule to account for the following data:               ...     b. the many faces     ...      Now people in `#english` on freenode argued that _the many_ is rather forced, on the edge of acceptability. Does this hold?


Word/phrase for mindfulness of health and nutrition?

I'm trying to explain that in the summer months, when there may be an inclination to hit the beach and exercise outside, some people may be more careful about what they eat and try to reignite their workout habits. So is there a word or phrase that captures this healthful focus/mindset?


What is the difference between "Height" and "Summit"؟

What is the difference between "Height" and "Summit"?


Phrase meaning "To have passed or currently be at"

I have 40 characters, (broken up into two lines of 20,) to send hints to users about the location of a "prize" buried somewhere in a grid. There is ambiguity when I tell the user if, at any time during the exercise, they have visited the same square as the prize. Previously I would send one of these messages: * * *               You have not passed        the prize yet.      * * *                 You have already       passed the prize.      * * * If the user has _just_ entered the same square as the prize, it should count as a pass. This is problematic, because the phrasing of the hint makes most users believe they have already missed it, while it's entirely possible the prize is currently below their feet. Users agree that a "pass" involves walking into the prize's square, _then walking away from it_ \- which is not what I mean to imply. This is confusing for everyone, but I can't seem to rephrase the hint without it becoming more confusing, or completely giving away the position of the prize. How could I unambiguously convey this in 40 characters or less?


What is the usage of "wore on"?

> 22- It was hard work and, as the day ……………, I became more and more tired.   >  a) wore on   >  b) wore out   >  c) wore off   >  d) wore down The answer is "wore on": what is the meaning of it?


The phrase, "It's on tonight."

Is the sentence, "It's on tonight," grammatically correct? What about "It's on for tonight?" Are they both correct? Is there any difference at all?


Differences between "vulgar" and "coarse", "crass", "crude", "rough", "rude", "unrefined" as applied to language

This question specifically covers how these terms are used to **describe language** , it is a followup to What's the difference between "informal", "colloquial", "slang", and "vulgar"? In the former question it arose that _vulgar_ has at least two senses, and perhaps three:   * "of the people" as in _Vulgar Latin_ (not considered to be a productive sense anymore)   * an antonym to "refined" as used to label words in various dictionaries   * a synonym for "obscene" or "offensive" - I take this sense to be newer and perhaps regional to America - but it does seem to be replacing sense 2 So my question is how do these other words overlap in meaning with the 2nd and 3rd senses above: "coarse", "crass", "crude", "rough", "rude", "unrefined"?


What is a person called who is writing exams in the name of another person?

Is there a word for a person who is writing exams in place of/in the name of other persons?


Approximating Fancy Punctuation

Is it ever okay (or acceptable in modern casual usage) to approximate an ellipse glyph '…' with three full-stops '...' or spaced full-stops '. . .'? The textbooks say you shouldn't, but more and more people use this style nowadays. The differences are particularly noticeable in monospaced fonts: ` … ...   . . . ` Also, is it okay to approximate the em-dash '--' or en-dash '-' with hyphens?


She went around in about a hundred and seventy, for nine holes - meaning

I read the "Catcher in the rye" and I found it difficult book for not native reader (Compared to for example Steve Jobs biography. There is a lot of guessing what the author means by particular sentence. Context : > "Her mother belonged to the same club we did," I said. "I used to caddy once > in a while, just to make some dough. I caddy'd for her mother a couple of > times. She went around in about a hundred and seventy, for nine holes." I wonder what the main character refer to by : > She went around in about a hundred and seventy, for nine holes. Are the numbers refer to numbers in golf? What does : > "Go around" means here ?


How to remember using "have" instead of "of"?

I'm (reasonably) sure these are wrong:   * I would of won.    * I could of done that. and are likely so common because if you phonetically transcribe "would've", "could've", etc, that's what you get. Nevertheless, I commonly make that mistake over and over again. How can I definitively correct this error?


Difference between "game" and "sport"

Can any one tell me for meaning about the difference between _game_ and _sport_ in the broadest context possible? I mean, _Magic: The Gathering_ tournament play is still a game, while hunting is considered a sport.


"Miniscule" vs. "minuscule"

Does the former have a typo or are they synonyms? Do they always have the same meaning? Please enlighten me as I am confused on this matter.


Why haven't we used "it" instead of "he or she"?

There is a related discussion on this forum. My questions is different. I'm all for gender awareness, but why hasn't a properly defined pronoun "it" been used instead of "he/she" or "he or she", etc. Am I missing anything? Oxford English Dictionary: > It: 1. a. As the proper neuter pronoun of the third person singular. Dictionary.com: >   1. (used to represent a person or animal understood, previously mentioned, > or about to be mentioned whose gender is unknown or disregarded): * _It was > the largest ever caught off the Florida coast. Who was it? It was John. The > horse had its saddle on. *_ >


Connotation of the word "pile"

We would like to start an info-service for programmers and we came up with a name: > Code Pile How does it sound for native-speakers? Is it ok?


Louis Theroux, rhetorics and his documentaries

For my Audiovisual theory class I am required to do a research project. I have gotten 2 criteria that my research project should consist of. The first is about documentary film. The second is rhetorics. Now as a 'case' I have received the documentary film maker Louis Theroux. I am finding it very hard to link rhetorics so his documentary's since I have no formal training in rhetorics. I have researched the model about Ethos, pathos and logos for quite a bit. I have found that he acquires some pathos from his audience by being his naive self. And that he tries to blend in the extreme communities by being himself. But really, I do not know where to go from this point. I hope you can help me in any way. Thank you.