Why do you "let out the clutch" when you technically "engage" it?

In a simplified view, there's a motor and a gearbox and when they both are connected the gearbox makes the motor work. You only can shift the gear when both motor and gearbox are disconnected.   For this part, there's the clutch. The clutch is the connection between motor and gearbox. _To engage_ means _to fit two parts of an machine together_ and the opposite _to disengage_ is then _to free those parts_. From a technical point of view, when you engage the clutch, the motor and gearbox are connected and you are able to drive and when you disengage the clutch, the motor and gearbox are not connected.   Thus, if the clutch is engaged and motor and gearbox are connected, it's **not** possible to change the gear. But I found this example in OALD: > Engage the clutch before selecting a gear. Technically, this means you put motor and gearbox together and then change the gear. That's not possible as discussed above. And this is taken from Merriam-Webster's Learners Dictionary: > I have to learn how to let the clutch out smoothly. Actually, the part you need to do smoothly is to lessen the pressure onto the pedal and eventually to take the foot away. But by taking the foot away, you rather put the clutch between motor and gearbox; hence, technically you let it in and not out. And in Collins Learner's Dictionary, they say: > Laura let out the clutch and pulled slowly away down the drive. You can only drive when the clutch is between motor and gearbox, so actually you can't drive when the clutch is off. In my mother-tongue we literally say _to clutch out_ when we put our foot onto the pedal and _to clutch in_ when removing our foot from the pedal. This corresponds to the technical function. I wonder why in English the terms seem to be used opposite to what they actually represent. Why do you _let the the clutch out_ when actually putting it in, and why you _engage the clutch_ when actually take it out?


What is the difference between "it's up to you" and "it's down to you"?

I see both "It's up to you" and "It's down to you" in conversations. So what's the difference?


"Music with rocks in" - British English?

I've been reading a multitude of Terry Pratchet books lately, and been exposed to some British terminology that doesn't generally make it over to the states. The book Soul Music refers to rock music as "Music With Rocks In". That bothered me at first. As an American, I expect there to be a pronoun at the end ("Music with rocks in it"). Is this merely a quirk of Pratchet's writing, or is it common to drop the pronoun at the end of a phrase like this? Might a British purchase order a "burger with cheese in"?


intellectual and intelligent

What does one mean if he says he is intellectual but not intelligent? What does one mean if he says he is intelligent but not intellectual? Does being intellectual imply being intelligent? Does being intelligent imply being intellectual?


What does "get a workout" of the usage of diaeresis mean?

I found the phrase ‘ _get a workout’ of (the use) of diaeresis_ in the following sentence of an article titled “The Curse of the Diaeresis” in New Yorker magazine (April 2), which I think might be of interest for those who are particlular about the rules of writing: > The special tool we use here at The New Yorker for punching out the two dots > that we then center carefully over the second vowel in such words as “naïve” > and “Laocoön” will be **getting a workout** this year, as the Democrats > coöperate to reëlect the President.   >  Those two dots, often mistaken for an umlaut, are actually a diaeresis > (pronounced “die heiresses” [...]). The difference is that an umlaut is a > German thing that alters the pronunciation of a vowel, and often changes the > meaning of a word: _schon_ (adv.), already; _schön_ (adj.), beautiful. As I am unfamiliar with the usage of “get a workout,” I checked a couple of dictionaries at hand and online: Cambridge Dictionary Online defines **workout** simply as _a physical exercise_. Oxford Advanced English Learner's Dictinary defines it as _a period of physical exercise that you do to keep fit._ Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines it as: >   1. a practice or exercise to test or improve one's fitness for athletic > competition, ability, or performance > >   2. a test of one's ability, capacity, stamina, or suitability > >   3. an undertaking or plan intended to resolve a problem of indebtedness > especially in lieu of bankruptcy or foreclosure proceedings. > > I thought definition 2. of Merriam-Webster is close to the meaning of “get a workout” used in the above quote, and guessed _“getting a workout this year”_ means “is going to be examined or studied.” Is my interpretation right? Is this expression frequently used in this sense as against ‘physical exercise or test’ as an established idiom?


Word or phrase meaning "working hours have ended, and it's time to go home"?

What word or phrase is used to signify that the work day has ended?


Is "will just need to [verb]" grammatical?

Consider this sentence on an official form: > To change the arrangement, you will just need to fill up a new application > form. For some reason, the phrase "you will just need to" sounds awkward. Is it correct/grammatical?


Are emails, videos, and audios, etc, considered telegrams?

What does the word "telegram" mean? It sounds familiar though I've no idea what it is. The dictionary says "telegram" is defined as: "A message sent by telegraph and then delivered in written or printed form." And I looked up the word "telegraph": "A system for transmitting messages from a distance along a wire, esp. one creating signals by making and breaking an electrical connection" Would I be right to say "telegram" is a general term for anything over the wire, and also that: 1) the emails that I receive are telegrams 2) the audio that I hear off of a website is a telegram 3) the webpages that I'm viewing are telegrams 4) the videos that I'm watching over the internet are telegrams 5) every time I hit a submit button or type in a url I'm sending a telegram 6) if a MSN notification pops up on my computer, it's because my friend just sent me a telegram 7) my bittorrent is constantly sending and receiving telegrams


Did regular Americans speak the way actors in the 30s and 1940s did?

I watch a lot of old movies, and I've noticed that American actors of the 1930s and 1940s often spoke in a quasi-generic-posh-British accent. Katherine Hepburn's accent would be the perfect example. It seems exaggerated, and I imagine it was not common off the stage and screen. What was that? Was it just an accent or was it a dialect? Did real people actually speak that way?


Difference between "shall not exceed XXX" and "may be XXX but not longer"

>   1. The candidate's statement shall not exceed two hundred words. > >   2. The candidate's statement may be two hundred words but not longer. > > I think there is no difference in meaning between these sentences, but I'm uncomfortable with the first one. Can I always use the second one in any case? Or is the first sometimes preferable?


How to treat a country name that has a plural meaning

I was wondering if there was a sentence that contains a country name (or generally a proper noun) that has a plural word in it - e.g., the United States or The United Emirates - how do we treat it? (Sorry if I sound non- technical, as I'm not exactly very good at language). > The United States of America have done something. OR > The United States of America has done something. which one is appropriate? Usually, I've been using "has" for countries (treating it as one entity).


Whats the past of present unreal conditonal?

What is the past of present unreal conditional ?   1. I wish I were king ( how to make it past, is it - I wished I had been king ) What's the difference between the following two -   1. "I wish it stopped raining" (actually raining here right now.. lol) and "I wish it would stop raining"


Is the sentence "Anne looked at me disgusted" grammatical?

I have always thought it acceptable to say and write, "She looked at me disgusted." However, I know some consider it ungrammatical, saying it must instead be either "She looked at me disgustedly" or "She looked at me, disgusted." Please give me your opinions and explanations as to whether any of the foregoing sentences _must_ be deemed grammatically wrong. Briefly, my own analysis is as follows. It is correct to say, "She looked disgusted." So why would it be incorrect to say "She looked _at me_ disgusted"? (She was disgusted while looking at me-- _or_ , she was looking at me while disgusted.)


What formal English syntax tree notations are there?

I don't have enough karma to comment on their answer itself, and so I was forced to create a separate question, though this is probably otherwise for the better, anyway. Link to the answer: http://english.stackexchange.com/a/93417/58096 Samples of the syntax used to denote English ASTs:               {The children} forgot either {       their shoes,       their mittens,       or their hat     )          Either {       {the children}{forgot their shoes},       {the children}{forgot their mittens},       or {the children}{forgot their hat}     }          {Each child} forgot either {       his or her shoes,       his or her mittens,       or his or her hat     )      Where can I find more information on this AST denotation style? Is it formally specified? If not, and it was just an adhoc invention of @Blessed Geek's, then what formally specified syntaxes are there for English grammar tree denotation?


Which words to capitalize in Master thesis headings?

I'm writing my Master thesis in English and now I do not know about the headings. Do I have to write heading in upper or only lower case printing? For example: >   1. Processing and Distribution Server >   2. Indoor Navigation and Positioning App > or >   1. Processing and distribution server >   2. Indoor navigation and positioning app > Which version is correct and can also be used in presentation slides?


An adjective or a noun?

In the collocation "baby girl" is "baby" an adjective or a noun?


Is "to share or to have a common interest" a tautology?

I often read and hear "to share a common .." but it seems very pleonastic to me. Isn't it saying the same thing twice? In other words, is it a tautology, and if so, should it be avoided or is it acceptable, even in a scholarly context?


“based in” vs “based out of ”

I have seen people use both forms below. Which is correct? If both are, in which situation is each better used? > I am a software engineer **based in** New York. > > I am a software engineer **based out of** New York.


Sentences which read the same forwards as they do with their words (not characters!) reversed

Are there sentences which read the same backwards as well as forwards once the order of words is reversed? What is the name of such sentences? Just to clarify, I'm not talking about palindromes, in which individual characters are reversed. I'm thinking, instead, of sentences like "that is that" where the characters within words are left alone and the order of the words itself is reversed.


Single word for the feeling of having done the right thing

I cannot think of a word that describes the feeling of "doing the right thing". I.e. the feeling as a result of having made the right choices, of committing an act of altruism, of having made the correct decision. It needs to describe the feeling — there are lots of words for the act itself. EDIT: Great feedback thanks. None are quite hitting it on the head so I'll go further and say that the word needs to imply no selfish motivation - the act of "doing the right thing" is implicitly done for the greater good, rather than to satisfy their own ends. I guess the philosophical arguments about whether anything is ever truly done for non-selfish reasons will need to wait ;)


"Spell check" vs. "spelling check"

I can't remember the exact place I saw this (but I believe it was on another StackExchange site), but when someone was commenting on a software's "spell check" function, they said something to the effect of: > A spell check is something I do with my local coven, a spelling check is > what I do when I'm reviewing a written document. Is it more correct to say: > This paper is horrible! You didn't even use a spelling check. as opposed to > You didn't even use a spell check. ?


"Managers are one group to which" vs. "managers are one group to whom"

Which of the following is grammatical? >   1. Managers are one group to which these findings are relevant. >   2. Managers are one group to whom these findings are relevant. >


Plural forms which end in -x such as tableaux

Words borrowed from French and ending in `-eau` originally had plural forms which appended an `-x` rather than an `-s`. For e.g., the plurals of _tableau_ , _beau_ , and _plateau_ were _tableaux_ , _beaux_ , and _plateaux_ respectively. While the use of _plateaux_ and _beaux_ has petered out in favour of _plateaus_ and _beaus_ , _tableaux_ has not. My questions:   1. How are these `-x` plural forms pronounced?   2. Is there any particular reason why _tableaux_ is still the preferred plural form unlike _plateaux_ , _beaux_ , and _portmanteaux_?


"Not possible" and "Impossible"

When we say, > It is **not** fair. or > It is **unfair**. I'm not sure enough to say whether both of the sentences have the same meaning or not though superficially, there is no difference between them but if we say, > Something is **not** possible. or > Something is **impossible**. then there is **really an observable difference** in my first language. Hence, the question - is there a difference between the preceding two sentences **in English**?


As + Adjective only

> The prices _at_ The Economy Center _are_ as reasonable, _if not more_ > reasonable, _as_ those at comparable to the United States. The words in italics are the possible mistakes according to my book. I think that _as reasonable_ must be followed with an _as_ , what's wrong here?


What is the meaning of the phrase "made out to", in the current context?

I have received a letter which has the following sentence. The letter is about reimbursement of my travel costs to their location. > Please note that for tax reasons all invoices have to be made out to the > company. What is the meaning of the term _made out to_ in the current context?


Is it possible to use "extraordinaire" instead of "extraordinary"?

Since they are both adjectives, is it possible to use them interchangeably on various occasions? When is the right time to use _extraordinaire_?


“A threat to us people” or “a threat to we people”?

Which of these is correct:   1. Global warming is a great threat to **us** people.    2. Global warming is a great threat to **we** people.


Present Perfect vs Present perfect continuous

Could you correct the comments in parentheses, please? Are they right? >   1. I have lived in Los Angeles. (A completed action; the person does not > live there anymore). > >   2. I have lived in Los Angeles my whole life. (The person is still living > there, or spent her whole life in Los Angeles, but is currently living in > another location). > >   3. I have been living in Los Angeles. (She doesn't live there anymore, but > was living there recently, or is still living there). > >   4. I have been living in Los Angeles my whole life. (The person is still > living there or spent her whole life in Los Angeles, but is currently living > in another location). > > Thanks


What is the difference between "I have worked here" and "I have been working here"?

What is the difference between the following sentences? When can I use either? > I have worked here and > I have been working here


Asking for an idiom according to literal translation

I translated a sentence into English: > When the details are ignored, the whole problem will be ignored > unintentionally Seems like a logical sentence that says when you don't consider all details while solving a problem, it'll affect the result and the whole problem. I'd like to know if there's an idiomatic expression meaning the same.


Meaning of “bile” from Great Expectations

In the book _Great Expectations_ by Charles Dickens, the character Joe tells Pip, > “Somebody must keep the pot a **biling** , Pip, or the pot won’t **bile** , > don't you know?” What does the word _bile_ mean in this sentence?


Why does the word gobs mean a copious amount?

Gobs is a word I've never seen in print; however, I've heard it used in an old moving picture and in an old situation comedy. I'm curious to know the origin of the word gobs as well as when it was first used to mean a copious amount. I heard it used in the 1930 moving picture _Ladies of Leisure_ when Marie Prevost is ordering a meal at a restaurant and tells the server she'd like "gobs of cheese" on her dish (I believe it was cheese). The next time I heard it used was in an episode of _Three's Company_ "Ground Rules" which aired in 1977. Jack Tripper is with a young lady at the Regal Beagle and tells her "we can have gobs of fun here." Those are the two examples I have for hearing gobs used to mean a copious amount. Any ideas for why gobs is slang for a copious amount and any ideas as to when it was first used or which decade/decades it was most popular.


What's a word or phrase to describe a good book that I cannot put down when starting reading?

What's a (big) word or phrase to describe a book that is so good that I cannot put down when I start to read it?


Question related to cover letter

I have a few queries regarding how to write a cover letter:   1. "make a real contribution as member of your team." or "make a real contribution as **_A_** member of your team."   2. "If I may be a further assistance" or " If I may be of any further assistance"    3. Should we add references before closing the letter with a signature or after ?   4. Any site or source where one can check the American English and British English versions ?


Ellipsis or semantically incomplete sentence?

I've got a resource, say a web-page. The page represents a product that belongs to one of the categories. For instance, Toys(category) -> Robocop (product). There's a link on the page that takes user to another page with suggestions on places where the toy can be bought. Is it going to be grammatically wrong to entitle this link "Where to buy" or it's fine to appeal to ellipsis in such situations ? Thank you.


"In cases when" vs. "in cases where"

This is one I struggle with from time to time. Which is better? >   * Methodology X is more suitable in cases **where** users' needs are well > understood up front. >   * Methodology X is more suitable in cases **when** users' needs are well > understood up front. > Is one of these ungrammatical? Or is it purely a matter of personal preference?


What connotation does "to fork one's repo" have?

In a recent news item, an employee was fired partly for making jokes about "big dongle" and "forking repos", which were alleged to be inappropriate sexual jokes. The employee admitted the dongle joke but defended the other joke, > While I did make a big dongle joke about a fictional piece hardware that > identified as male, no sexual jokes were made about forking. My friends and > I had decided forking someone’s repo is a new form of flattery (the highest > form being implementation) and we were excited about one of the presenters > projects; a friend said “I would fork that guys repo” The sexual context was > applied by Adria, and not us. What inappropriate meaning can be mistaken from "forking one's repo?" and how can it be taken that way? Forking sounds like a legitimate terminology in software development.


The use of "black box" as a synonym of "mysterious"

> Full details are provided so that the method is less mysterious. I would like to replace "less mysterious". Is the following proposal valid for (scientific) writing? > Full details are provided so that the method is less like a "black box".


has just had or just had a baby

My question is not whether the correct grammar is either "She has just had a baby" or "She just had a baby". I am aware that the official grammar is "She has just had a baby". But in a way that sentence sounds wrong. It is correct in the meaning that it follows the grammar rules and guidelines. However, when you "have just had a baby", somewhere in my mind it is as if that person is still having that baby. As in, the birth is still going on. But when you say "She just had a baby", the birth is done. It's finished. Which is (hopefully) the case. So my question is actually more of a wiki-question expecting opinions on the implementation rather than a question expecting a valid and factual answer.


"by" in a Title

If creating a cover page for a draft, should the "by" in the following format be capitilized? Microsoft Word seems to think so, but it looks visibly appealing when it is lowercase.                             Underlined Title Name                   by Firstname Lastname      or                             Underlined Title Name                   By Firstname Lastname


Alternate wording for 'verification and validation'

In technical contexts the idea of 'verification and validation' is often used. However novices to the terminology (or so I claim) on more occasions display a hard time grabbing and remembering which concept is which, or even what are they. An example expression of this confusion can be seen in Difference between "validation" and "verification" It would be unfortunate if people talking about the things meant by either verification or validation would have unclear ideas of what they are talking about. This is a field where communication should be clear. Eg. you don't want to lose time verifying your communication _about_ verification... I think the problem with the two term may include that they both start with `v`, end with `ion`, are generally somehow unfamiliar in precise meaning, denote somehow abstract things, not to speak of the fact that they can include or apply to each other (eg. 'verification is validation by empirical means'). So all in all, introducing them together is risky and inherently prone to errors. I'm looking for alternate wording for either or both of these words, assuming they each have a single intended meaning. If suitable terms could be found that better express their difference, the learning curve to their usage hopefully could be shortened.


Middle English Date citations in Oxford English Dictionary

I have seen some citations in the OED that use dates such as ' _c. 1295_ ', which I assume to mean 'circa 1295'. However, I have also seen dates that appear as ' ** _a. 1393_** ' - what does this ' _a_ ' stand for?


Synonym for "slacker"?

Here's the idea I'm trying to convey: "He was by far the least proficient in his class." Here's the sentence I want to use: "He was the (slacker) of the group." Except that "slacker" sounds a bit wrong for what I'm trying to say. Is there a better noun that would fit here?


Made + Advance and Made + Afford?

I'm flummoxed by how these bolded clauses from The Theory of Moral Sentiments by Adam Smith should be parsed, structured, and interpreted. I'm not asking about its philosophy. > The produce of the soil maintains at all times nearly that number of > inhabitants which it is capable of maintaining. The rich only select from > the heap what is most precious and agreeable. They consume little more than > the poor, and in spite of their natural selfishness and rapacity, though > they mean only their own conveniency, though the sole end which they propose > from the labours of all the thousands whom they employ, be the gratification > of their own vain and insatiable desires, they divide with the poor the > produce of all their improvements. They are led by an invisible hand to make > nearly the same distribution of the necessaries of life, **which would have > been _made_** , had the earth been divided into equal portions among all its > inhabitants, and thus without intending it, without knowing it, **_advance_ > the interest of the society, and _afford_ means to the multiplication of the > species.** Is **_made_** supposed to be coupled with **_advance_** & **_afford_** to form a verb clause, so:   "which would have been made .... advance .... and afford ..." ? If so, could someone please explicate this? These sound aberrant but novel to me (I'm cognisant that this book was published in 1759):   ● "which would have been made advance the interest of the society"   ● "which would have been made afford means to the multiplication of the species. Wouldn't it be more natural to write   ● "which would have advanced the interest ..., and afforded means ..." ?


How rude is "to eat like a pig"?

How rude is it to say : > People eat crabs like a pig. Maybe it's not rude in plural sense like the above example but when you talk directly to someone? Also other terms which relate humans to animals, "to eat like a horse" and "to eat like a bird".


Less Objectifying Than If

> KATIE COURIC: Some newswomen dress like they’re going clubbing. > > RACHEL MADDOW: It’s un-businesslike. … But there’s an interesting question > in there: If you make a decision about trying to succeed on the basis of > your looks, **is it less objectifying than if it’s somebody else’s > decision?** Could someone please elucidate the bold sentence? Definition of objectify as a transitive verb:   1. express (something abstract) in a concrete form:   2. degrade to the status of a mere object: Is the apt definition #2? If so, does the bold sentence mean:   Is [ making a decision about trying to succeed on the basis of your looks ] less demeaning/degrading [ of those newswomen who dress inappositely ]   when it's somebody else's decision ?


How do you most correctly use the word "than"? (SAT writing question)

The Piraha people of Brazil communicate(A) almost as much by singing, whistling, and(B) humming than(C) they do(D) by pronouncing consonants and vowels. No error(E) I had chosen E, no error, but the correct answer is c, than. Why is C the right answer?


Why are dictionary definitions for verbs prefixed with a 'To'?

I look up a dictionary for _allow_ and I get   * To permit   * To assign   * To grant or give, esp periodically   * To concede or acknowledge Similarly for _flow_ , I see   * to run   * to move or change form like a fluid   * to rise or come in Why is a 'to' prefixed to all meanings? The meanings work well without that too.


How to properly number paragraph according to APA style

If an article cites (Mara, 2010, “Mission,” para. 1) using APA style, does para.1 refer to first paragraph within   * the "Mission" section?   * or the whole page?


What is the difference between "raise" and "rise"?

What is the difference between _raise_ and _rise_? When and how should I use each one?


"In its original formulation" versus "On its original formulation"

I want to write: > "On its original formulation, the method uses ..." However, I am not sure if it is " _On_ its original formulation" or " _In_ its original formulation". Searching in Google for both cases I found that "in its original" is more common (250,000 hits versus 76,000), but not by a margin big enough to make a conclusion. Which one is the right one?


Which spelling is correct: "benefiting" or "benefitting"?

Which spelling is correct: _benefiting_ or _benefitting_?


Present Continuous instead of Present Perfect Continuous?

Is it possible to simplify sentences like: > **"I've been having soy milk for 10 yrs now"** > > **"I've been standing here for an hour"*** into: > **"I'm having soy milk for 10 yrs now"** > > **"I'm standing here for an hour"**? Seems like I've just heard something like that on TV, but I may have missed or misheard the " _vbin_ " part.


Is there a term to describe speech that has a hidden meaning but is not sarcastic?

I want to describe how someone is saying something but hidden behind their words they are blaming the person they are talking to. It's kind of like sarcasm but not quite as strong. With sarcasm the meaning is obvious and it's meant to hurt. With the situation I'm describing it's not really about cutting down the other person and making yourself feel smart, more like blaming them for something that went wrong and feeling sorry at the same time. The speaker isn't really trying to hit the listener with the hidden meaning, but with just a tiny bit of effort the listener can infer the extra meaning in the speaker's words. If sarcasm doesn't describe this, then what does? What words or phrases can be used?


Is It More Appropriate To Use "One" or "You" When Speaking Of An Indefinite Person?

In high school English, it was imparted to us that in formal American English when speaking about an indefinite party, we should use the word _one_. For example, "One should cover his or her mouth when he or she has to cough". This seems a bit stilted and awkward--before this instruction was given to us, I believe most of us would have used _you_ \--"You should cover your mouth when you have to cough." In formal and business writing, which word should one (or you) use?


Is it acceptable to use the noun "swing" for both a short round trip and an extensive circular tour in AmE?

I remember once coming across, while browsing some bilingual dictionary, the noun "swing" pointed up as an AmE equivalent for "circuit". But, sadly enough, what the bilingual dictionary didn't say was if this usage had any currency at all in modern day AE -- and if it was to some extent more common than the term "circuit", as well as appropriate to use for both a short round trip and an extensive circular tour. In addition, how does a _swing_ differ from a _circuit_ and from a _round trip_? You might want to consider the following sources for this. > http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swing (head to Definition 6b by > the bottom of the page) > > http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Swing?s=t (head to BOP also) > > http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/circuit > > http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/circuit?s=t The prince and princess, winding up a seven-day swing throughout the US... source


Should "time" be capitalized in "it was his time [to go]"

The phrase "it was his time" means that the subject is deceased. In other contexts that require the same meaning for "time" as this, would it be best to capitalize "time" to personify it as an omnipotent thing (or whatever) in the same way "God" is capitalized? For example: "...to escape his inevitable time." Yes or no?


Confusing meanings of "inexorable" and "unstoppable"

I saw these two words, which I had always assumed meant the same thing, in the same sentence (below). It begs a question as to the difference between them: Sentence: > This restless and perpetual change, as **inexorable** and **unstoppable** as > the waves and tides, implies a world in which all human actions necessarily > have uncertain effects.


"Reflects that" versus "reflects the fact that"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  'The fact that' versus just 'That' I want to write something similar to "This reflects the fact that his family is very supportive." There is this notion that "the fact" is redundant and so I thought maybe I could write, "This reflects that his family is very supportive." It sounds wrong to me. I think it is because his family being supportive is a verb whereas something must reflect something else (an object, a noun). So, "the fact", though redundant in a sense, is necessary in terms of structure. Any inputs? Thanks.


Are "so" and "so that" interchangeable?

A book suggests that we should not interchange "so" and "so that". "So" means "therefore", and "so that" means "in order that". However, it seems to me that in many cases they don't actually have a difference. For example: > Alice got up at 5:00 A.M., **so that** she could drive her son to school. If I substitute "so that" with "so", this sentence presents the exact same causal relation to me: > Alice got up at 5:00 A.M., **so** she could drive her son to school. I must have missed something here, since English is my second language. Could somebody explain the difference?


Is using "eager beaver" completely benign?

Person A uses the phrase "eager beaver" to mean an enthusiastic person. Person B chuckles. Basically my question boils down to who the weirdo is, so to speak:   * A, because "eager beaver" is outdated and the sexual connotations are too strong to hope that one should understand the "normal" meaning   * B, because "eager beaver" is a perfectly benign phrase with no sexual meanings whatsoever. Anyone who sees sexual connotations in this phrase is simply being immature.


Difference between "getting divorced" and "splitting up with someone"

Could you kindly tell me what exactly is the difference between "splitting up with somebody" and "getting divorced"? I think _getting divorced_ is done officially and it needs you to sign some paper. However, _splitting up with somebody_ is not like this. You just live separately from someone (that you have been married to) without officially separating from him/her. Are my definitions correct?


What does "on the outside" mean?

> He will be here in 90 minutes on the outside. At the outside means "at the most". Is "on the outside" an equivalent expression?


Why was the ruler of the British Empire not an Emperor/Empress?

Alternatively, why was it called the British Empire when it was really the Kingdom of Great Britain? To me, having a empire without an emperor is as nonsensical as having a kingdom without a king. They seem to imply each other, yet it didn't work that way. Is there a good explanation for it?


Males, Females, Girls and Guys

Is there a predominant pattern of usage of the terms _girls_ and _guys_ based on age of the described individuals? Are the patterns the same in the US and UK? At about what age is it considered inappropriate to refer to young women as _girls_? Is there a point at which such terms are definitely offensive. With young men is the issue the same, or can males of all age can fall under the category of _guys_? Finally, is _guys_ okay to be used in reference to women when not contrasting them with males, or is it considered inappropriate?


Strange usage of "collide"?

I was reading the paper today about a skier > ...losing control on an icy ski slope and **colliding** with a tree. This seems to be rather a strange usage of _collide_ ; the word seems to me to carry the implication that the things that _collide_ are both active agents, and the tree cannot by any stretch of the imagination be held responsible for this accident. This definition here seems to support that idea:- > to strike one another or one against the other with a forceful impact; come > into violent contact; crash: The two cars _collided_ with an ear-splitting > crash. Is that so, or can stationary or even immobile objects _collide_ with things?


He is in his room 'with a book'/'with a table'

(1) He is in his room with a book. (2) He is in his room with a table. Why does (2) sound strange even if it has the same grammatical structure of (1), which works perfectly.


Is it correct to say semi-promise?

I want to say, someone _sort of_ promised to do something, yet it was not a full promise: > She had a semi-promise from his employer to get a raise this year. Is _semi-promise_ correct in this sense? What are the alternatives? **Edit:** Thanks for the comments. I have also come up with _provisional promise_ : > Her boss has made a provisional promise to finally give her a raise.


Most number of items vs Most items

Consider this phrase, would you write this: > The bucket containing the most items or in this form: > The bucket containing the most number of items Some information here: http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=3439 Or would you suggest another form instead of "the most" ?


Why is “cannot” spelled as one word?

Why is “cannot” spelled as one word whereas other similar constructions such as “do not,” “will not,” “shall not,” “may not” and “must not” are spelled as two words (unless they are contracted as “don’t” and so on)? (I know that languages are not always logical, so I would not be too surprised if there is no known reason for this. But I am asking this in the hope that there is some explanation.)


Is "Can not" a valid usage in English, or I can not use that and must use "cannot"/"Can't"?

> **Possible Duplicates:**   >  Why is “cannot” spelled as one word?   >  Is "can not" unambiguous? Is "Can not" a valid usage in English (American English if it differs), or I can not use that and must use "cannot"/"Can't"?


Is "can not" unambiguous?

I always try to remember to use "cannot" when applicable as in "I cannot take an umbrella" (because I do not have one). I also thought that the problem with "I can not take an umbrella" was that it was ambiguous: it could also mean that I could decide not to take an umbrella. Trying to write unambiguously most of the time, I would therefore never use it. Now I see it claimed that it is in fact not ambiguous, and only carries the second meaning. Usually I would accept such advice at face value and start using "can not" when the second meaning is unambiguously meant, but this comes from a style guide I have other reasons not to respect very much. Does "can not" have a single unambiguous meaning? (I have read http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/4510/why-is-cannot- spelled-as-one-word but my question is more about current usage. The length of the answer to that question does confirm my prejudice a bit, though)


Using conjunction "while" as an archaic prepositonal form for "until"

In my _Penguin English Dictionary_ , I've encountered the word _while_ marked as an archaic form for the preposition _until_. Furthermore, according to my online research, Oxford Dictionary states that it is a Northern England dialect. For me, as an non-native speaker and someone who is interested in poetry, it is a little bit confusing, and therefore I have two questions:   * Is it still used exclusively as a Northern England dialect, or it is an archaic word (which could be used in poetry)?   * And if it's an archaic (literally) word, would it fit into the following concept: **While the end of time.?**


Other academic field distinctions like math vs maths

Growing up in the US, I was taught to say "math" and the British "maths" sounded very awkward to me until I noticed mathematics had an 's' at the end, and it occurred to me that it could be considered plural. (To any British reading this, we use the full word "mathematics" in a singular sense also.) I suppose from this perspective, algebra is a math, calculus is a math, topology is a math, etc., though it seems to me that a Brit doing only algebra would still say they are doing maths. From this new perspective, it occurred to me that physics must be plural as well, but I suppose it would be more granulated. The various physical phenomena themselves (comparable to theorems I suppose) would be too "small" to constitute a single subject (comparable to algebra), and various related phenomena would be grouped together into subjects for study and specialization. (Perhaps this is why we both abbreviate it as the plural physics ... er, wait.) I looked around for other examples of singular vs plural fields of study and couldn't find much. Biology, chemistry, history, etc. all seem to be singular and follow a different naming pattern. One can study art, or study the arts, and an expert in the field might care about the distinction. So here's what I'm wondering. **Are there other good examples of plural fields of study, especially ones that in various nations (Australia, English as used in India(?), ...) are treated differently with respect to singular/plural?** If someone can publish one comprehensive answer, that would be great, but otherwise I'm guessing the localized info will trickle in from many different people, in which case this will probably work better as a community wiki where we can edit all the various information into one good answer.


What's the shortest abbreviation for "see attachment" or "see enclosed file" in an e-mail?

I often send empty e-mails with just some attachments. Since some e-mail clients don't show the presence of attachments very clearly, I prefer to indicate that the e-mail contains attachments. In French I just write "cf pj", which means "see attachment". What's the shortest abbreviation in English for "see attachment", "see enclosed file" or anything equivalent in an e-mail? The best I have found so far is "see att".


Where does the phrase of "boredom punctuated by moments of terror" come from?

I have often seen war described as "interminable boredom punctuated by moments of terror," or some variant thereof. More recently, it seems that I have been hearing this phrase used to describe other activities such as some jobs (i.e. long-haul trucking). I had always attributed this quote to Hemingway, but when I did so the other day I realized that I had no good reason for doing so. Several internet searches offer other attributions such as Emerson or any number of military men. As there seems to be no consensus, I thought I'd ask here. So, Where does the phrase "interminable boredom punctuated by moments of terror" come from?


Are there by chance any synonyms for "synonym"?

I was discussing with some friends about synonyms when we found, that ironically nobody of us knew any synonyms to the word "synonym" itself. Are there any?


*Compared to*: Preposition or dangling participle?

I got these examples from the COCA. Which, if any, strike you as prepositions?   1. _**Compared to** ICS alone, there was a significantly greater improvement in FEV1 with the addition of LABA._   2. _**Compared to** the United States, there is greater interest in exchange of ideas and in cooperative research on political education in Western and Central European countries, where academic interest has not waned._   3. _**Compared to** the Femmes au jardin there is an amplitude here which is a function of the domesticity Monet has meant to parse._   4. _**Compared to** other poets of the period, there is much to recommend the totality of her work._   5. _I like Foursquare because I can actually pick who sees where I actually am, **compared to** Facebook, where I have 1,200 friends_   6. _But part of the beauty of the nuclear path, **compared to** all the energy-farming approaches, is you don't have a problem with location_   7. _These differences may explain why HCV is higher among whites compared to African Americans in incarcerated populations, **compared to** the opposite effect in general populations._   8. _In each panel, the shaded bar (male respondents' ratings) is higher when the lesbian thermometer was administered first, **compared to** when the gay male thermometer came first._   9. _That he is not free -- apparently, pending appeal -- to deliver this message at funerals does not infringe on this nation's legacy of free speech to any significant degree, at least not **compared to** the relief it brings the entirely innocent families of the fallen at their moment of greatest grief._   10. _Second, **compared to** the solution state, molecular mobility is much reduced._   11. _Not one of these programs increased their licensed capacity, **compared to** an average increase from 11.1 to 29.6 in the funded grantee group._   12. _There is a leftward shift in the recovery curve, **compared to** controls._


Purchase vs. Order

What is the difference in meaning between `Purchase` and `Order`? Is there a preference for `Purchase` vs. `Order` in some cases/regions/dialects etc. Specifically in e-shops, when should we use `purchase` and when `order`? When should we use them as a verb, and when as a noun?


He was getting vs being beaten

I would need to understand the difference here: > He was being beaten.   >  He was getting beaten. I know "get" + ppt can be either passive voice or a change of state. What is that in this example? I guess this is the passive voice. But what about this: > He is getting ready.   >  He is being ready _\- obviously wrong but I cannot say why._


Is it grammatical to have duplicate 'it'?: __ it it __

Is it grammatically correct to use the word _it_ twice in a row? When doing so, do you have to separate the two using a comma? If there are different situations please use examples. My examples:   * When I find it it can be filed away.   * Because of the size of it it doesn't fit in the array. I am asking because I am a habitual double it'er and a colleague called me out on it.


Distinction between "belief" and "beliefs"?

Under what circumstances does “belief ” use the plural form “beliefs” ? Does “beliefs” have any unique sense distinguished from “belief” ?


Origin of "Make someday today"

I guess there are other variations for this expression that one can google out on the Internet such as " _Make today your someday_ " and " _Make that someday today_ ". However, is it possible to find out its origin?


Is this quote about music correct?

There's a (famous according to Google) quote by the German-Jewish poet Berthold Auerbach: > Music is a universal language, and needs not be translated. With it soul > speaks to soul. Is the quote grammatically correct?


"afraid to speak up"

What is a the adjective that describes someone who is afraid to speak up? For example: As a young child, I was **___ _**, but as I grew up, I transformed into a courageous and determined woman.


Word for a frequent behaviour?

Don't know whether it's an English literature question or a psychology one but one may have witnessed a very frequent behavior associated with bosses or maybe teachers where they start asking you questions (assuming you are brilliant enough), you start answering them but they don't stop until they have got a question you can't answer...then ridicule you for not answering that last question forgetting the former ones.. Is there a word for the boss's or teacher's behaviour? Is there some named disease for it?


Using "only" to describe amounts? Is it used correctly here?

Say someone notices there's frost and ice on the road. "Wow, there's ice on the road..." they exclaim. They then look at the temperature reading and see 9 degrees celsius, "...but it's only 9 degrees outside!" Is that correct usage of the word "only"? Thanks!


Is there a verb meaning "to come back from fishing without any fish?"

In A Grammar and Dictionary of the Samoan Language there is a verb that means "to return from fishing without any fish." >   * **Taufua** , v. to return from fishing without any fish. _Syn_. ʻAsa.   > > My question is, how is "taufua" translated into English? I'm looking for a single word which renders that meaning in English, but I will accept an expression, too. A bit of searching came up with "duffer" ( _an incompetent, ineffectual, or clumsy person_ ) but it doesn't seem strictly related to fishing, and it isn't a verb.


Reported speech commands - negations which aren't related to subject

First my english ain't pretty good but I hope you can understand me. :) So at the moment I'm doing my homework and I'm pre-finished with it but 2 sentences are very difficult for the exercise. I need to put commands in direct speech to the reported speech. **For example:** Mother: _Don't lose your passport. Keep it somewhere safe_.   -> My mother told me not to lose my passport. She told me to keep it somewhere safe. That's pretty simple but this sentence the negation are not related to the subject or I don't know how I can can describe this ... :/ Mother: _Take a present for your French family. It doesn't have to be something expensive._   -> My mother told me to take a present for my French family.   But she told me it not have to be something expensive. I think that's wrong because it sounds wrong .. :/ Do I need it in this way: ....   But she told me that it doesn't have to be expensive or something like this?   Kinda weird grammar :/ And this sentence is also difficult: Mother: _The journey won't feel so long._ Does anyone has any solutions?:) regards


How to use 'even so'?

_We were staying at the most expensive hotel in town. But, even so, there were no toilet rolls in the washroom._ I was struck by the use of 'even so' in the above sentence. Is it correct? Shouldn't it be more like: _The hotel room didn't have much amenities, but, even so, it had the best view in town._


Where did the phrase "sidewalk prophets" come from?

Where did the phrase “ **sidewalk prophets** ” come from?   Is this a phrase coined in a song or literature?   I know it is a Christian band, but it seems too familiar for just that.


Got started or started

I am a learner of the English language. I have written two sentences, please give your two minutes and let me know, which one is correct? In the below sentences an action was started by my dog, for an example, "my dog has been running for an hour". My question is,"if someone is asking about the action like when this action started?", so which one is correct? This action got started an hour ago? This action started an hour ago? Thanks in advance.


When was the word "phobia" coined?

When was the word _phobia_ coined? And how did the concept of naming different phobias come into existence?


Is phrase "will you be needing ..." correct?

I'm curious about this phrase > Will you be needing [...] ? It seems gramatically correct; I am also fine with "need" used in continuous time. But I'm wondering if it is used in spoken language... For example, I want to take a shower (which might take a while) so I ask my roommate if he is fine with that: > Will you be needing the bathroom? Is this the proper way to do it? Or would native speaker come up with something easier?


Can "still" and "yet" be used interchangeably when placed at beginning of a sentence?

Example: > The three picked up their chopsticks and started on the food. The scene > seemed strangely normal to Naomi. It was as if everything were OK, and her > mom were perfectly healthy. In fact, she looked more lively and energetic > than Naomi remembered. The whole illness issue seemed like a distant, bad > dream. Something that belonged to another reality. > > **Still** , Naomi couldn't take the thought out of her head, so she decided > to ask. If I changed **still** for **yet** , would the sentence mean the same thing?


Annotation symbols

Let's say you were going to put 3 annotations all on one page. What are the 3 different symbols you would use if you weren't going to use numbers?


"The title of Bachelor of Engineering" vs "the title Bachelor of Engineering"

>   1. ... obtained the diploma and the title of Bachelor of Engineering > (B.Eng.). >   2. ... obtained the diploma and the title Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng). > Which sentence is correct? Which is better?


"misunderstand" vs "misunderstood"

If speaking or writing to someone and it becomes apparent they did not interpret something correctly, is it correct to inform them "you misunderstood" or "you misunderstand"? I'm not sure because the faulty assumption took place in the past but the person is still under the influence of the faulty assumption. On a related note, I was taught that when speaking of something that could happen it is spoken in the past tense but then why does it sound so unnatural to say something like "Since Bob is not a native English speaker he will surely misunderstood the meaning of the letter"?


What does it mean when someone writes a word in upper case while typing?

An American wrote this to me: > The runup was completely insane and obvious (and scary). I was in the > financial industry at the time, and everyone was figuring out how to protect > themselves WHEN. It was all about risk management. I am not getting the meaning of _WHEN_ in it.


What does "a culture of expectations" mean here?

I was reading this. > Many of them just don’t have a culture of expectation at home,... > > Hard to do without a culture of expectation. I don't understand.


What does Rick Perry’s “God uses broken people to reach a broken world" mean?

In the New York Times article of September 17 titled “Egghead and Blockheads,” Maureen Dowd introduces that GOP Presidential candidate, Rick Perry made light of his bad grades at Texas A&M in his speech to students of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. Aside Perry’s acknowledgement that he ‘struggled with college, Dowd quotes Richard Oppel’s testimony that Perry’s D’s include Chemistry, the principles of economics, Shakespeare, Feeds & Feeding, Veterinary anatomy and Meat, plus C in Gym and one F in courses. Dowd continues: > "It’s enough to make you long for _W.’s Gentleman’s C’s_. At least he was a > mediocre student at Yale. - - -Perry told the students, _“God uses broken > people to reach a broken world.”_ What does that even mean?" It is a great challenge for a foreign English learner to try to understand the line that even a reputed NYT columnist isn’t sure of. But I don’t think the America’s promising Presidential candidate spoke Greek to the university students. My guess of Perry’s line, “God uses broken people to reach a broken world,” means that "the stressed country at the difficult time requires the ‘square- shouldered’ (cowboy type) brave leader who was hammered out of struggles (from collegehood) rather than an intellectual but Hamlet-type indecisive leader who kept being alpha plus at college." But I'm not sure at all. What is the correct interpretation of the “God uses broken people” line? By the way, what is _W_ in "W.’s Gentleman’s C’s."


Is "specialness" a mock euphemistic noun form of "mentally retarded"?

In https://gist.github.com/brixen/6705046, there's > I recommend monkey patching Symbol#name in MRI. You can even do this with > refinements for extra **specialness**. (As background, refinements is a feature that the author strongly disagrees with) Is "specialness" a noun form of "special" (Urban dictionary link), which is used by some as a mock euphemism for mentally retarded?


Might "equivocal" be applied to our scientific understandings?

I just read the question and answers about the meaning of "equivocal". Might "equivocal" be used to describe the wave and particle appreciations of light? The results of all inquiries and investigations that continue to be lit by doubt?


Difference between "socket" and "outlet"

While translating a technical document I began thinking about _socket_ and _outlet_. It seems like they're mostly interchangeable. Is that correct? Or is there a difference between the two?


Why does European packaging use "gb" to represent English?

Something I've always wondered is why companies that are based in Europe tend to use "country" abbreviations to represent a language instead of the language abbreviation itself. Given that there are European countries with more than one official language does it make sense to use, for example, "gb" which only includes 3 of the English speaking countries? Note, that although many languages are named after the geo-political region they come from, it doesn't guarantee it. What abbreviations would Hebrew and Arabic have? ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/vdiPc.jpg)


Subscribed/unsubscribed

I am using a notification system where I have trouble naming a category of user. A user can subscribe to the newsletter of the week.   * If the user set his settings, and decides to receive the newsletter of the week, he is a **Subscribed User**   * If the user set his settings, and decides Not to receive the newsletter of the week, he is an **Unsubscribed User**   * If the user did not set his settings, he is a **? User**. How do we call this category of user?


Words obtained by inversing the order of the sounds

How do you call a word that was obtained by inversing the sound in another word? Is there a word for it? Although _cheat_ and _teach_ would seem an easy example of such a pair, it is only close. When we don't restrain ourself to English word, we have the pair _Made/Maid_ with the Latin word _diem_ , which could be argued as being used in English, notably in the idiom "carpe diem".


What is the difference between "subscription" and "membership"?

A friend of mine is trying to coin the correct English word for the people paying for his company's services. My initial choice was "subscriptions", but I'm not so sure about "membership". Do you know what the difference between these two words is?


What are best resources for passing TOEFL test?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  List of good resources for TOEFL preparation? I'm familiar with Caplan test preparation, but wonder if there are sources for faster preparation. Especially, sources regarding writing essays would of great help.


In my example, can I use parentheses in such a way?

This is for writing a research paper. Some of the different regressions include higher polynomial orders with (or without) the birthday variable


Two technical times in one sentence

Which of these sentences should I use? > Algorithms 1 and 2 work in time O(n) and O(n^2) respectively. Or > Algorithms 1 and 2 work in times O(n) and O(n^2) respectively.


What is it called when the word "sorry" is not used for apologizing?

When I use the word "sorry" for something I did wrong > I'm sorry I bumped into you. I would be apologizing. However, when I used the word "sorry" to express pity for something that is not actually my fault, > I'm sorry you couldn't figure that out. > > I'm sorry for your loss. is it still called an "apology" in English? In Chinese, we wouldn't use the same word in these different sentences. I would love to know what this type of sentence is called.


Pls help me modify this sentence

So he had to end his football career in getting a neck injury during match in 2007


"Get to do something"

What's the meaning of "get to do something"? > I get to spend a lot of time with you and the kids.


Is "willfully disingenuous" a tautologism?

It seems to me that definitions of disingenuous such as the following might imply willfulness: > adjective > >   1. lacking in frankness, candour, or sincerity; falsely or hypocritically > ingenuous; >insincere: "Her excuse was rather disingenuous." > > Is the adjective necessary?


How would you interpret this statement?

How would you interpret this statement? It was posted on a social media site. I am looking for impressions of how other readers would interpret the sentences in context to why it would appeal to the writer. I am perplexed in wondering if the writer really misses the person or rather enjoys the fact the person is gone and the silence is endearing. > I would tell you I miss you, but I don't know how. I've never heard silence > quite this loud.


Symbol and sign in mathematics

Mathematical notations are usually called _symbols_ in the large, yet particular symbols seem to be blessed, they are often called _signs_ ('equals sign', 'multiplication sign', ...). Is there a linguistic justification for this, or more precisely, is there a generally agreed difference between _symbol_ and _sign_?


Need right word; don't think "sardonic" is it

I'm looking for the word(s) that describes a situation where, physically, you'd see someone smiling but shaking their heads, as in "Oh, no, my dear friend has (comically) screwed up again!" For this situation, I currently use my own emoticon: : ) : ( : ) I see that some writers use the word "sardonic" to describe the situation above, but dictionaries often attach some cruel connotation to the word. Thanks for any help!


Does "within" have an antonym? If so, what?

Does "within" have an antonym?   If there is an antonym, which one is it?


What does ‘The vast majority (some 63%) of employees in the world are not engaged, “checked out”’ mean?

The Forbs magazine article titled “Unhappy employees outnumber happy ones by two to one worldwide” dealt with the latest survey on international employee satisfaction being conducted by Gallup since late 1990s. It reads: > The vast majority, some 63% (of employees worldwide) are “not engaged,” > meaning they are unhappy but not drastically so. In short they’re **checked > out**. They sleepwalk through their days, putting little energy into their > work. --- The highest levels of disengagement are in the Middle East and > North Africa. --- I would have thought that Israel would have more happy > workers but only 6% are engaged, 73% are **checked out** , and 22% hate > their work. http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2013/10/10/unhappy- > employees-outnumber-happy-ones-by-two-to-one-worldwide/ I checked up the definitions of the usage of the words, ‘checked out” in English dictionaries at hand (For instance, Collins Cobuild Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary gives four different definitions of ‘check out,” i.e., (1) pay the bill and leave, (2) find out information about sth to make sure everything is correct, (3) It’s correct and satisfactory, (4)=checkout.), but was unable to find pertinent one to the expression, “73% workers are checked out.” What does “being checked out” mean? Are they simply _checked out_ by time card?


What is a better way to name "The Wrong Question"?

On StackOverflow.com I often find that people ask questions about problems that arise due to poor design choices (typically due to a lack of knowledge about the particular programming language). For example, the OP will make a choice at point A that is wrong, then in order to correct follow-up errors goes on to B, C, D ... and at point X (s)he gets stuck, and thus asks a question about X, when the solution to the problem is actually to fix A. Note that this is not limited to programming, but can be any project. Earlier, I came up with _The Underwater House_ problem to describe a similar situation: _Q: "I have this underwater house. I am having big problems with leaks and water damage. What is the best way to stop a leak?"_ To which the answer of course is: _"The best way is to not build a house under water."_ When faced with such a question, I often feel the urge to name it, or create some classification, to let the OP know right away what the mistake is. The best way to state this that I have come up with is: _"You are asking The Wrong Question."_ However, I feel that this is inadequate, and requires further explanation. Is there a more self-explanatory way to state this? Some simile, saying or phrase? **Update:** I felt that no answer really fits the bill _better_ than "The Wrong Question", though "treating the symptom" was arguably the best answer. The amalgam "you're treating the symptom of a design problem", while dead on the money, is not as clear, concise and pithy as one would like. And sometimes not correct.


Meaning of the German "ersatz" in English

As a native German I know some well-known uses of German phrases, but I was astonished that a book from a British reporter I am reading today used "ersatz" without explanation. Is the word "ersatz" well-known in anglo-saxon countries ? What is the connotation of "ersatz": Do you use it more humorously or more in earnest. From the context it is not clear what connotation it has, how would you use it and how do you understand it ?


"as it so happens" idiom meaning and usage

What is the meaning of "As it so happens" and when do we use it? Refer to a synonym if you can please. Thanks.


Using "are" or "were" for warnings

Which of the following sentences is correct? > If you are caught stealing you will be fined. > If you were caught stealing you will be fined.


How do you punctuate a list of titles and names?

I want to write a sentence that has a list of descriptive terms and then names, but I'm unclear as to how to do it... > Herman my brother, George my nephew and I went to the market. If I put commas between _Herman_ and _my brother_ then it can be understood that someone named Herman as well as whoever my brother might be were going to the store with me. There are three people going to the market in the sentence above, not five. What's the correct way to punctuate this to make it clear that Herman _is_ my brother and not just one of the five people heading out?


Word for outdoor area on the side of a ship

What is the term for the narrow uncovered walkway that fringes the sides of a ship? It's enclosed by a _railing_. I wouldn't call it a _deck_ , because _deck_ implies a larger open area. It's a passageway from the bow to the stern, or between different decks.


Am I using the subjunctive mood correctly?

Does this sentence use the subjunctive correctly? > He spoke as though he was the only one to tell the truth.


Can an approximation be “lifted”?

Let's say we make some approximation in some theory (such as there being no friction, when in fact there is). Now we want to remove this approximation, and thus improve the real-world meaning of the theory. Is it correct to say this? > This approximation can easily be lifted by (whatever, adding whatnot > constant to whatnot formula on whatnot page). Any alternatives?


Is the phrase "make the grade" correctly used in this context?

I was interested in the following sentence which appeared in an article titled “How My Child Skipped the State Tests" by Robert Kulesz in The New York Times, School Book, (May 9, 2012). > To be fair, I’m sure she felt she acted in the best interest of her school, > given Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s insatiable desire to shut down public > schools if they fail to “make the grade.” _[note that the double quotation > marks are of the journalist, NOT MINE]_ Can someone clarify if the idiom, or idiomatic phrase, "make the grade" is correctly used? I have found (The Free Dictionary) the below meanings for this phrase, **but no one is referred to academic grading** : >   * **to be satisfactory; to be what is expected.**   > I'm sorry, but your work doesn't exactly make the grade. This meal doesn't > just make the grade. It is excellent.   >  _McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The > McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc._ > >   * **to succeed at something, usually because your skills are good enough > (often negative).**   > He wanted to get into medical school but he failed to make the grade.   >  _Cambridge Idioms Dictionary, 2nd ed. Copyright © Cambridge University > Press 2006._ > >   * **to be good enough An excuse like â€œ**   >  I didn't call because I couldn't find your numberâ€ doesn't make the grade > for most women.   >  _Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms Copyright © Cambridge University > Press 2003._ > > (Apologize in advanced if the question is not good for this site or if it is a dupe of another question. If so, please delete rather than close. Thank you.)


"Going to go" vs "going to"

> 1) I am going to go watch a game. > > 2) I am going to a game. > > 3) I am going to golf. > > 4) I am going to go golfing. What are the differences and similarities between and among sentences 1,2,3 and 4? > 5) I am going to Canada. > > 6) I am going fishing. It is easy to differentiate sentences 5 and 6 in that sentence 5 sees _going to_ point to a place while sentence 6 sees _going_ point to an action. But sentence 3 clearly shows that _going_ can also show progression towards an action. > 7) I am going to shopping. Sentence 7 is a very common mistake by ESL students.


Making up words - considered bad grammar, or bad spelling, or what?

If someone makes up a word, is it considered bad grammar, or bad spelling, or something else? The word and phrase I have in mind is "housecolding party", but this is a general question.


"Software craftsman" as complimentary term for programmer

Is _software craftsman_ a complimentary term for a programmer or is it just neutral?


Is this usage of "woo" proper?

> John doesn't actively participate in class discussion, unlike his > classmates. He thinks they act a bit overly and he doesn't like to **woo** > the teachers. Woo has two meanings: >   1. Try to gain the love of (someone, typically a woman), esp. with a view > to marriage. >   2. Seek the favor, support, or custom of > In the above example, the second meaning is intended, but I wonder if the wide usage of the first meaning will perhaps make the usage of the second meaning seem weird. What would you think? Are there better alternatives? PS: is the usage of "overly" correct in the example?


> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  "A wrong answer" vs "the wrong answer" Can I say "you are asking a wrong person"? A quick google search seems to suggest that this is wrong and you should say "you are asking the wrong person", instead. I can't seem to get it. Why? There should be a lot of wrong persons to ask a specific question, right?


new features in vs. new features of

Which of the following sentences is correct? The new features of the software are given below: OR The new features in the software are given below:


"Normal to" and "inclined"

When something is normal to a plane, is it also inclined with respect to that plane?   Or does incline imply a non 90 degree angle to something? >   1. The flow is normal to the plate. >   2. The plate is inclined with respect to the flow. > Is it clear from the 2nd sentence that the plate is not normal to the flow?


"Rent income" or "Rental income"

My understanding is that "rental" is a word implying that income is being received from a property one owns and leases to a tenant. "Rent" is used more in the sense of what a tenant pays a landlord. I am looking specifically for a two or three word phrase to be used in a list of possible sources of income. Which option is more correct? > "rent income" or > "rental income"


Searching for words with the same root as greedy

The word **greedy** comes from the Indo-European root *gher which meant something like **to like/want** (source). This is also the root for the incredibly common German word gern and other every day German words. I really let my fantasy roam freely but I was not able to find another English word with that origin. I would find this quite surprising to see that a root with such a basic meaning almost entirely vanishes. So my questions is: Does anyone know of other words that have the same origin (no matter, if they are imports from Latin)?


What is the difference between the suffixes -ize and -ify

The dictionary ascribes the same purpose to both these suffixes: to denote 'to make, or become'. However, for some neologisms, _-ize_ seems much more appropriate than _-ify_ does, and vice-versa. There must be some reason for this. Is there a rule that governs, or describes, when to use one over the other?


'The leader of' vs 'the leader in'

> "Red Kennels, The Leader _of_ Dog Training Kennels" > > "Red Kennels, The Leader _in_ Dog Training Kennels". Which preposition should I use-- _of_ or _in_?


What is the origin of 'common or garden'?

Why do we speak, for example, of a 'common or garden' bicycle, meaning one that simply does the job of a bicycle without alloy wheels, Sir Bradley Wiggins pedals or any other bells and whistles. 'Common or garden' means much the same thing as 'bog standard' and can apply to anything animate or inanimate.


Pronoun : Antecedent :: Abbreviation : ___________ ? I.e., is there a name for the corresponding word/phrase to which some abbreviation refers?

E.g., when you use 'BAL' to refer to 'Baltimore'-- or even the 'Baltimore Orioles'-- we call 'BAL' an abbreviation. What is 'Baltimore' in this context? I've yet to find support on Wikipedia for my hunch, that this too is an antecedent. It is a logical antecedent, anyway, if not a grammatical one. But the inspiration for this question comes from a real need for the grammatical term, if one exists. (For my purposes, I really hope it does. "There are only two hard problems in computer science...")


What does this rapper mean by "swagger on super"?

In a song called "Fancy" by Iggy Azalea, she raps: "Swagger on super, I can't shop at no department" What does she mean by "swagger on super"? If you know this catchy hip hop already, please help me understand this part of the lyrics. Here, you'll see the full lyrics after you click off the pop-up. Here, you can listen to the entire song _(it's at 1m 10s in there, and there's currently some debate as to exactly what the third word is - feel free to listen and comment [FumbleFingers])._


if you pushing a lawn mower across the grass,as shown below,can you increase the horizontal component of the force that you exert on the mower without increasing the magnitude of the force?enter image description here


Many French loanwords lost their inflections (for example the irregular plural inflection x) when borrowed into the English language

except the gender inflection in words like fiancé and fiancée. Would the reason lie in the fact that maybe these words have not been around for a long period of time so they kept their original distinction or would there be other factors?


"No, I don't" or "No, I do not" in responding English questions

Consider: > A: Do you like ice cream?   >  B: No, I don't. Usually in a grammar book when you answer someone's question with negation you'll use shortened answer as in "I don't". I know you can answer with a fuller response as in "No, I don't like ice cream". But why should it be "No, I don't" rather than "No, I do not"? This has been puzzling me for years. I think both answers are acceptable for me. Just want to know if there are any syntactical rules behind this.


Units of Measurement Part II — Hours, Minutes and Seconds

Again, I prefer the brevity and concision of these examples. It was a 2hr 3min 4sec marathon. (Is this correct if we opted to abbreviate?) The Guardian and the BBC use this so I'm assuming it's okay. They also use both versions below: 1\. The marathon lasted 2hrs 3mins 4secs. 2\. The marathon lasted 2hr 3min 4sec. (Which would you pick, 1 or 2?)


Origin of "old school"

I always thought the phrase "old school" was a rather modern, hipster invention. It turns out the term itself is rather old-school, with Webster reporting the first recorded use in 1803. But I'm curious where the term came from. I can imagine it might be a shortening of "old school of thought" or something similar. I could also imagine it having more colloquial origins, as possibly implied by Wiktionary: > That teacher's **old school** methods aren't effective, they're just > annoying. Do we know the etymology of this phrase?


Is "Viet Nam" a mistake, a typo, an archaic spelling, a regional spelling, or an idiosyncrasy?

Is "Viet Nam" a mistake, a typo, an archaic spelling, a regional spelling, or an idiosyncrasy of the author? I found the word in this book, and I can't really tell what type of spelling it is.


"Accountability over" or "accountability for"?

I want to talk about "teacher accountability __ their work within the classroom". I'm not sure which preposition follows _accountability_ , _for_ or _over_. Any help would be greatly appreciated.


Does “I don’t have either late-night nor between-meal snacks” sound natural?

Does the sentence sound natural? > I don’t have either late-night nor between-meal snacks.


What is the simple subject in "Is that my bike"?

> Is that my bike? I'm not sure if the simple subject is _that_ or _bike_.


What is the word for something that is punishable by law, but is not a crime?

What is the legal term in English for something that is punishable by law, but is not a crime (i.e. does not affect your criminal record)? I mean all the lesser (than crime) violations of the law, such as   * parking where is it forbidden   * not wearing seat belts   * crossing the street on a red light   * drinking alcohol in public (in jurisdictions where is it punishable but not a crime)   * not registering your place of residence (in jurisdictions where such registration is compulsory) Any violations for which you can be punished by law, but once convicted, can still legally answer the question "Do you have a clean criminal record?" with "Yes", and doesn't prevent you becoming a member of parliament, taking certain jobs which require a clean criminal record, etc. Is there such a single legal term which unmistakably means only these "non- crime" actions punishable by law, and is not a broad term which just means any action punishable by law, be it crime and non-crime? The word in Polish language is "wykroczenie", but online dictionaries translate it as "offence". However the definition of "offence" is any breach of a law, so it is not the correct word. I am looking for the word which would be formally used in the legal code. Do the US/British/Australian laws even have such a distinction between crime and non-crime offences? I think there must be some, because I don't think a parking violation would go on your criminal record.


Word for "when somebody does something without realizing it"

I can't think of this word. It's when somebody is doing something but they don't realize they are doing it. For example: Suppose you're a girl and you are falling in love with a guy. When he laughs, you think hes so cute and you love it, but he doesn't realize that you love it. Or maybe the way he kisses your forehead, and he doesn't realize you go crazy over that. I'm not looking for _oblivious._


Bad Words in America

Why are cuss words bad? Like, they are just like any other word. And how come when people get mad, cussing helps them feel better?


Meaning of "I had just finished year 10 and summer break had begun"

> I had just finished year 10 and summer break had begun. What's the meaning of that year 10? Does it mean his age is 10? Or does it mean it's his tenth year of his school?


"Second," "Minute," and "Hour"

Would anyone happen to know where the terms for the units of time came from, and why? I know "minute," which also means something extremely small, comes from the latin meaning "small," but then why is it not the smallest unit of time? Also, is there any relation between the time unit "second" and the ordinal number "second"?


Why is the word "pepper" used for both capsicum (e.g. bell pepper) and piper (e.g. black pepper)?

They clearly look different and they don't have that much in common. Taxonomically, they also belong to different families ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/syCSG.jpg) ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/XxpJf.jpg)


Expression for asking a question in a way that assumes a certain solution?

Especially (but not only) with technical problems, people often ask questions in a way that assumes a certain solution. For example: > Where can I get a cheap taxi to the airport? But the person really just wants to get to the airport cheaply, and the best answer might be "Take the train." However, the question already assumes that a taxi is the right solution. Or: > What is the best glue to assemble a wooden garden shed? Which assumes that using glue is appropriate, when nails or screws might be better. This behaviour is also described in "How To Ask Questions The Smart Way" by Eric Steven Raymond: Describe the goal, not the step. Is there an expression for this kind of questions? It is similar to "begging the question", but not quite the same.


Grammatical relation of "time"

> Throughout the history of Europe, from the beginnings of heraldry up to our > time, national frontiers have shifted **_time_** and again, often as the > result of war, but also for example through marriage or inheritance. > (Volborth, Carl Alexander von., Heraldry of The World, pp177,178) What is the grammatical relation of "time" in above sentence? Does it mean "frequently" in here?


What does it mean when you say " you, there" in English?

I was watching Titanic the movie today. Someone came out of a room and saw another person and said with anger : you there? DOES IT MEAN " I AM HAPPYYOU ARE HERE" OR " I AM SURPRISED YOU ARE HERE" ?


Is  "choose from one of four options" wrong?

I need backup in pressing my case that the phrase “choose from one of four options” is grammatically incorrect. Is there some resource that can prove my case, that the incorrect phrase should be replaced with one of the two following ones? >   * Choose one of four options >   * Choose from four options >


May versus would

Which one of the sentences is the correct / preferable one? > May you send me a screenshot of the application you are developing? > > Would you send me a screenshot of the application you are developing?


What is 'Shrove Tuesday' called in protestant parts of the USA?

In England, and countries where the Anglican church has predominated, the Tuesday before Lent is known as 'Shrove Tuesday' from the word 'shrive' (to confess), which is what people traditionally did prior to Ash Wednesday. It is also known as 'Pancake day' when we traditionally indulge ourselves on things which were once forbidden during Lent. Across Europe the day has various names mostly all tending to mean 'Fat Tuesday', such as 'Mardi Gras'. In the Catholic and originally French parts of the United States it is called 'Mardi Gras'. But what is Fat Tuesday called across the vast swathe of protestant USA? By the way it is next Tuesday, 3rd March - one of its latest possible dates - since Easter is so late this year.


"of the three" vs "of all three"

If we make a sentence comparing the age of three people, we can say "A is the oldest **of the three**." At that time, would it be possible to say, "A is the oldest **of all three**." Is the sentence grammatically incorrect?


Origin and meaning of "The eagle flies at midnight"

> The eagle flies at midnight. What's the origin and meaning of this idiom?


When is it correct to start a sentence with a participial phrase?

> Spending an hour in the beauty salon, Melissa got a facial with a steam > mist. Are there cases where starting with a participial phrase is not correct?


What is “Kludgeocracy” in short, in plain words?

In Washington Post January 26, 2013 issue, Ezra Klein introduces the word, “Kludgeocracy” in his article titled, “Is America a ‘kludgeocracy’?,” which begins with the following sentence: In "Kludgeocracy: The American Way of Policy," Johns Hopkins political scientist Steven Teles argues that; > "The great agenda of the next four years of the Obama administration, and > probably the nation’s next thirty, is coming to grips with > **kludgeocracy**." > http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/01/26/is-america-a- > kludgeocracy/ And in the article, titled “Kludgeocracy in America” in National Affair, Steven Teles, the coiner of "kludgeocracy" writes: > “While we can name the major questions that divide our politics — liberalism > or conservatism, big government or small — we have no name for the dispute > between complexity and simplicity in government, which cuts across those > more familiar ideological divisions. For lack of a better alternative, the > problem of complexity might best be termed the challenge of " > **kludgeocracy**." A "kludge" is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as "an ill-assorted collection of parts assembled to fulfill a particular purpose...a clumsy but temporarily effective solution to a particular fault or problem," but I have difficulty in relating it to "kludgeocracy." What does "kludgeocracy" mean in short and in plain words? Is it easily understood by every Americans? Does it have to be computer-specific as a political terminology?


Sentence correction problem. GMAT related

**Compared to alligators, crocodiles are better able to tolerate high salinity, because, unlike alligators, the glands on crocodiles' tongues can expel salt.** The whole sentence is in question: A: Salt can be expelled through the glands on crocodiles' tongues and not through those on alligators' tongues; therefore, compared to alligators, crocodiles are more tolerant of high salinity B: Unlike alligators, crocodiles can expel salt through the glands on their tongues; crocodiles are thus more tolerant of high salinity than are alligators My question is which one of these is a better replacement. In choice B, do you need the last "are"? Is it redundant? IN choice A, is there anything wrong? What's wrong, if anything, with the word "and" in choice A?


Difference between "belong to" and "belong in"

How would you understand this example? > I actually belong in his world.


"A 1000 accounts" or "1000 accounts"

A friend tweeted > I am following a 1000 accounts now and I told him it was wrong but he says it's correct. I'm of the view that the correct one is > I am following 1000 accounts now. So which one is correct?


One word for 'Uncondition Learning'

'uncondition learning' refers to forgetting the conditioning, society has given us. Also suggest related words.


what is the difference betweeen "accumulation" and "aggregation"

I looked up meriam webster and the two definitions seem to semantically largely overlap. the only thing hinting towards the existense of distinctness between the two terms, seemed to be: that the term "aggregation" is claiming certain qualities from the collection of elements. It doesn't suffice to have a group of elements to call them aggregation, there also has to be some other quality inherent to such a collection... but since I'm far away from being a native speaker, I would appreciate any help.


Ending sentence with "supposed to"

Is the following sentence acceptable? > He arrived ten minutes earlier than he was **supposed to**. It doesn't sound right, but I can't think of any better way to end the sentence.


Escalade vs escalate

Our company uses project management software called Jira. In Jira you can mark one issue so that it 'escalades' another, or 'is escaladed' by another. I think that is something like 'cause', but you can set 'cause' or 'is caused', so they are different. And I find the meme 'that escalated quickly', and looks like it has a similar meaning to escalade. Can anyone tell me what _escalade_ means in 'one issue escalades another'? Can I use _escalate_ instead?


Do "lamb" and "ram" share a common etymology?

A couple of times, I've noticed Japanese people mistakenly use "ram" instead of "lamb". For example > You broil lamb [correct] or mutton with vegetables. There are roughly two > ways to have Genghis Khan; either you broil the marinated meat or dip the > broiled meat in sauce. The difference between mutton and **ram** is in > stages of growth. The sheep for mutton is two or more years after its birth, > and that for **ram** is less than 12 months after its birth. [emphasis > added] This made me wonder: is the similarity between the two words, apart from the l/r difference, describing the same animal a coincidence? Etymology online says that ram and lamb are West Germanic and Germanic respectively, while Wiktionary traces lamb back to Proto-Indo-European but merely says that ram comes from Old English. Is it known whether the two are related? Failing that, is a change from an "l" to "r", or vice versa, unlikely enough to rule out this possibility?


What word best describes a "living hell"

I am looking for a word (or a phrase for that matter) to describe a "living hell". The word I am looking for should describe a situation that people would usually want to give up. To put things in context, here is the sentence where this word would fit. > Even in this **__** , I find a sense of solace. **Edit:** Since I am new here at ELU, I didn't realize that my question was that vague. But I want to describe the pain that I went through in the gym and how, despite the pain and the discomfort that I have been through, I have come to love it and how it soothes me. I hope it puts it in some context.


"In [noun] terms" vs. "in terms of [noun]"

What are the differences in meaning between the followings? >   * In society terms >   * In terms of society >


What is the full form of e.g.?

What is the full form of **"e.g."** as we use it to say **"for example"**? Like > There were people from many Asian countries e.g. India, Japan..


To hear something makes it audible, to see is visible, so what are touch and smell?

As the title states, if sound is audible, light is visible, what is a smell? And what is an object when you touch it?


What's the difference between “bucket” and “pail”?

What is the difference between _bucket_ and _pail_?   * Is there a distinction between the shape of a bucket and the shape of a pail?   * Are buckets and pails made of different materials?   * Is there a difference between substances carried in buckets and pails?   * Is there dialectal variation in the use of these words?   * Is one of these words old-fashioned? In other words,   * When is a native English speaker more likely to use the word _bucket_? (Please state the whereabouts of the speaker in question)   * When is a native English speaker more likely to use the word _pail_? (Ditto)


Are there any archaic words in older strands of English that approximate the modern term "badass"?

The reason I ask is that the feeling evoked by the term _badass_ feels to me like a human universal, so ought to have synonyms in any era. Trying to confirm my hypothesis, I hunted through the Online Etymology Dictionary, where I hoped to find archaic substitutes, which unforunately did not provide me a direct history for _badass_. Instead, it directed me toward "bad + ass", which feels sort of strange to me since I'm not sure you can get the feeling of this word by breaking it down into constituents -- one needs real-life examples, really. The "bad" of _badass_ seemed relevant towards the meaning, though, and here's what the Etymology Dictionary has to say: > [ _Bad_ 's] [i]ronic use as a word of approval is said to be at least since > 1890s orally, originally in Black Eng., emerging in print 1928 in a jazz > context. It might have emerged from the ambivalence of expressions like bad > nigger, used as a term of reproach by whites, but among blacks sometimes > representing one who stood up to injustice, but in the U.S. West bad man > also had a certain ambivalence: > >> _These are the men who do most of the killing in frontier communities, yet it is a noteworthy fact that the men who are killed generally deserve their fate._ [Farmer & Henley] Right, so _bad_ and hence _badass_ is a modern term, with the former appearing no earlier than 1928, and the latter having a '70s era feel for me. My question is, what were people using to describe badasses like William the Conqueror, William Wallace, and Samuel Whittemorein their time?


The opposite of "contains"

I was just wondering if anyone could think of a single word meaning the opposite of _contains_. E.g.   * This bottle of beer contains alcohol whereas this one doesn't.   * This bottle of beer _doesn't contain_ alcohol whereas this one does. Basically, I'm looking for a single word which means _doesn't contain_.


What does “It (the debt ceiling) is one law too many” mean?

There was the following sentence in Sept 29 New York Times article, titled “Obama should ignore the Debt Ceiling”: > “The debt ceiling is the fiscal equivalent of the human appendix — a law > with no discoverable purpose. **It is one law too many.** Once Congress has > set tax rates and spending levels, it has effectively said what it wants the > debt to be. If Congress leaves the debt ceiling at a level inconsistent with > duly enacted spending and tax laws, the president has no choice but to > ignore it.” http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/30/opinion/obama-should-ignore- > the-debt-ceiling.html What does (the debt ceiling is) “one law too many” mean? I found the idiom, “one too many” in the freedictionary com, which is defined as a euphemism implying drunkenness that comes from ‘one drink of liquor too many.’ Is “one law too many” a variation of “one too many”? Is the author Henry J. Aaron, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution saying the debt ceiling is a superfluous fiscal measure by likening it to human appendix?


Grammatical differences between "curio" and "curiosity" when used as an object noun

I've recently heard the term _curio_ when talking about a strange or foreign object, whereas previously I would have used the term _curiosity_ in that context. Is the use of the use of _curio_ a more correct term when speaking about an **object** , compared to _curiosity_ which is a better term for a **behaviour** , or can they be used interchangebly in the context of talking about an object? For example, contrast:   * I brought this **_curio_** back from the orient, but I'm not sure what it does.   * I brought this **_curiosity_** back from the orient, but I'm not sure what it does.


What does "smoothing" mean in the context?

Google Ngram Viewer On the page above, there is such a sentence: > Graph these case-sensitive comma-separated phrases between 1800 and 2000 > from the corpus English with a **smoothing** of 3. What does _smoothing_ mean in that context?


Category of words — 'another', 'an additional', "an alternative", etc

I'm afraid I've had a sudden lapse of memory and have forgotten what category these kinds of words belong to. These words are used to expand upon another point within the same category. For example: >   * One factor >   * **An additional** factor >   * **Another** factor >   * **An alternative** factor >


Difference between explaining and explanatory?

What's the difference between explaining and explanatory? I've looked in the dictionary and the translations are the same. Are they synonyms?


Divergence in meaning of "just about" between UK and North American English

Does anyone know anything about how the meaning of "just about" came to have opposite meanings in the UK and North America. For example, in the UK, **_The team just about won._** means that the team won, but it was close (ie **_The team barely won._** ). However, in North America, it means that the team almost won.


Can't , can not and cannot

Can't, can not and cannot is a bit confusing. I know that can't and can not are both grammatically correct. Is cannot a real word? Is it grammatically correct? Should it be written as one word or two?


Is 'win' or 'winning' more suitable?

In this sentence, which word is more suitable: > I'll think of you as we watch the Blue Socks **win/winning** the game. Any help about the grammar here would also be appreciated.


Word for a system that exhales gas

I'm looking for a word to describe a system that filters certain gases from a space and 'exhales' them outside. What verb can be used to describe that action?


Where is the root morpheme in Modern English abortion?

The question is not so easy as it seems. Let's analyze some derivatives: abortion, abortive, abortiveness, abortionist. The analysis of derivational suffixes (-ion, -ive, ive+ness etc.) helps to identify the end of the root. But what about the prefix? Is it possible to consider ab- in this word as a negative prefix, as for example in ab-normal or ab-duct? From etymological point of view the root must be OR (from L. abortivus "pertaining to miscarriage; causing abortion," from abort-, pp. stem of aboriri "disappear, miscarry," from ab- "amiss" (see ab-) + oriri "appear, be born, arise"). What about the root in Modern English (ort or abort) ?


What is a concise word or phrasing for "in a context without a user"?

I'm looking for a concise word or phrasing for "in a context without a user"? This is obviously in the context of software. More generally, what is a concise way of saying, "in a context without X (where X is usually assumed)?"


what is 'Oblique half sentences'?

I love comic books and I met these sentences in a comic book. > **"Do not speak in oblique half sentences. Bad habit. Helped stop what?"** What is **'oblique half sentences'**? I googled it a lot, but I'm still confused. Does this mean: 'The sentences which are not full sentences' or 'the sentences which can have at least two meanings'? Which one is right? I don't have anyone around me to help me with this. If anyone knows what this means, please help.


Word to describe quality of being a blind study

I'm writing an application that deals with blind studies. What would be the correct term to use when describing whether or not a study is blind? No matter which word I use it always ends up sounding awkward so I'm wondering what the correct term would be.   * Blindedness   * Blindness   * Blind   * Masked (?) I am also looking for the opposite words, for example, is it correct usage to describe users as "blind/unblind" or "blinded/unblinded"?


How to change the narration of this sentence?

"Going to marry a banker's daughter ,are you,jimmy?" said Ben to himself. Source - "The Retrieved Reformation"


Such is the way of American policymaking in health care

why did we use "Such" here ? is there any alternate to this sentence?


How to improve grammar ? i want to be a writer- recommendation needed

I want to improve my English grammar, including every little information like where to use exclamation, where to or not to use semi-colon etc. Can someone recommend any elementary or high school level or anything from where i can comfortably start working on my grammar? Thank you


Is there a more concise term for a long-term girlfriend/boyfriend than "significant other"?

I've been together with my boyfriend for around 9 years now. There are times when I want to communicate that I am referring to someone who plays a major role in my life, like that of a husband, and "boyfriend" does not seem adequate. To me, "boyfriend" seems to signify a newer relationship, one that is still in the experimental phase. I've tried out a couple of other words, but they don't seem to carry the meaning I want. "Partner" seems too detached, and makes me think of business partners. "Companion" makes me think of a dog. "Lover" seems too casual and is not really something I'd want to use in the workplace or when I'm trying to appear professional. "Significant other" is what I would like to say, but I dislike using the term because there are so many syllables and it seems so wordy. Is there a shorter term to use to describe a long term boyfriend/girlfriend that fills the role of a husband/wife?


Contraction for "owe on"; would it be "owe'n" or "ow'n"?

What would the contraction for _owe on_ be, _owe'n_ or _ow'n_?


When did the expression "Poor man's <noun>" originate?

Just wondering where the expression comes from and who is considered responsible for coining it.


Provide the medical term

Is there a **medical term** that defines when a person gets uncontrollably scared during a frightening action, such as on a roller coaster ride when it is going fast and turns a person upside-down and they scream and cry out of control?