How to write quotes and singing in dialogue

> Ben stared into the distance, then rose from his seat and with his arms held > wide, “By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes.” > > And as Jane followed his gaze, “My tongue will tell the anger of my heart, > or else my heart concealing it will break.” > > “Though she be but little, she is fierce!” chuckled Victor. Would it be correct to write the quotes in the dialogue in this way or would it be expected that the quotes should be centred in the page? > _And as Jane followed his gaze, “My tongue will tell the anger of my heart, > or else my heart concealing it will break.”_ The above is a subordinate clause. Would I get away with that, so I can avoid the rather tedious _he said, she said_ that breaks flow in dialogue in writing? Or would I have to join it to the sentence above, which could cause confusion as to who the speaker is, or would it? Would it be necessary to capitalise as in Something in the first quote as this would be a new line in the play script. Secondly, would the same rules apply for singing dialogue in a narrative? > At this point Ben was swinging around the lamppost, “Slast Chlistmas, I gave > you my heart.” Is this okay without he sang? > Jenny joined tunelessly, “And the very next day, you gave it away.”


Excusing oneself

What’s the actual meaning of the expression “I will excuse myself ”? I’ve thought of it as kind of a joking expression about doing something that would actually require the excuse of someone else in a more formal situation, but I figure that need not actually be the case.


Proper usage of 'which' in a sentence

I read the post Usage of "which", and am trying to frame my own sentence that uses "which". Consider the sentences below. In the first, I want to say that variable shadowing is the reason that Class Sheltie does what it does. In the second, that the default constructor is also the body of the class. Is _which_ correctly used? > • Class Sheltie of Dog.scala illustrates variable shadowing, which also > explains why this class does what it does.   >  • This causes the default constructor to be invoked, which happens to be > the body of the class itself.


Would "pentaminutely" reflect an event that occurs every five minutes?

Would the compound _pentaminutely_ (from _penta-_ and _minutely_ ) be correct in describing an event that occurs every five-minutes? Or is there a better word? **Edit:** For clarity, I'm looking to name an object in a programming model so it is clear by the name what the object represents. I am trying to avoid writing a short novel to describe the name in the object model.


How do you form the 'north' and 'south' versions of 'occident' and 'orient'?

How does one correctly form the "north" and "south" forms for which _occident_ and _orient_ are "west" and "east"? I found _boreal_ and _austral_ , but those look like adjectives and I'm after the nouns. Bonus: what about "up" and "down"?


Written date formats in US English: how jarring is it to use the UK format?

In general, there is a difference between the common spoken ordering of dates between US and UK usage. So in the UK, we would tend to say: > "the 14th of December, 2005" while in the US, people would tend to say: > "December 14th, 2005" The US ordering is possible in spoken usage (usually with "the", so "December the 14th, 2005"), but probably not the most common in spoken usage, and definitely not in written usage. In written UK usage-- at least in a modern written style-- one would tend to write: "14 December 2005". Now my question: **how _jarring_ does it look to a native US speaker to _write_ dates using the UK format**, i.e. "14 December 2005"? Visually, I quite like the UK style because it keeps the two numbers separated, but the document I'm writing is for a US audience.


Prefix "a-" in abash, abeyance and agape

From Wiktionary, "abash" means "To make ashamed; to embarrass; to destroy the self-possession of, as by exciting suddenly a consciousness of guilt, mistake, or inferiority; to disconcert; to discomfit." "abeyance" means "Suspension; temporary suppression; dormant condition" "agape" means "Being in a state of astonishment, wonder, expectation, or eager attention; as with mouth hanging open. " In the given links, I found that   * in "abash" and "abeyance", "bash" and "bey" both mean gape, i.e. open mouth wide. In the three words, are the meanings and reasons of "gape" the same?   * "a-" in "abash" means "ex- (“out of”)", and in "abeyance" means "to". I am not sure about "a-" in "agape" ( meaning "in")?  Why do the three words mean so differently, given that they basically have the same prefix "a-" and root "gape"? I haven't understood yet, but the above is what I have found.


What does "about now" mean?

> I know you're feeling pretty hey sailor up here about now.   * What does _about now_ mean, in the sentence?   * Is it an informal way of saying?


Correct abbreviation for “byte” and “bit”

What is the correct abbreviation for the word “byte”? What about the word “bit”? For example, isn't it common to see in printed media that “Kb”, “Mb” and “Gb” are used in place of “KB”, “MB” and “GB”, respectively? Is the usage different, depending on the medium? Has this changed over time? * * * Although I don't specifically recall encountering this very-very recently, a quick Google easily reveals a example from about a decade ago, circa 1998/1999: http://archive.arstechnica.com/paedia/celeron_oc_faq3.html > If you are going to use a 100 MHz bus speed, you should plan on getting > PC-100 SDRAM memory. Many people have reported successfully using their old > PC-66 memory, however, if you do try it and have problems overclocking, > memory would be a likely suspect. You should also plan on starting with a > minimum of 64 Mb. It's best to get 64 or 128 Mb DIMM modules since the > number of memory sockets is usually only 3, or 4 at the most. Two 32 Mb DIMM > modules will limit your ability to upgrade memory in the future.


"turn them all off" or "turn all them off"?

"turn them all off" 84,800 results "turn all them off" 63,200 results both are correct?


Is a certification “gotten”, “earned”, or “obtained”?

When you pass the exam for certification in ABC, which if any of these work, and which if any do not work?   1. You **get** a certification in ABC.   2. You **earn** a certification in ABC.   3. You **obtain** a certification in ABC.


ambiguity in understanding

I have some confusion on punctuations such as , ; **and** conjuctions such as "and", "but" in framing the sentences. In the above sentence, I used the conjunction **and** to denote that I have doubts on framing the sentences with both punctuations and conjunctions. But the meaning can also be interpreted as confusion on punctuations (confusion is not given clearly on which aspect) and the confusion on framing the sentences with conjunctions. I have faced this problem lot of times particularly when I do not know the real subject of the paragraph. Could you please clarify my doubts by taking 2 to 3 sample of sentences.


Calque pairs like 'praeternatural/metaphysical'

There are words (not paired normally) which are, say, close relatives with (sometimes) totally different lives. For example, **praeternatural** = ( _Lat._ praeter [beyond] + natura [nature]) and **metaphysical** = ( _Gr._ meta [beyond] + phusis [nature]). The both have different meanings, at the same time they are _calques_ of each other. Do you know of any other such pairs? P. S.: It is interesting that in Russian one of such pairs has just been created within my generation: the word _прейскурант_ (from German _Preiskurant_ ) had to make room in usage for the more recently introduced _прайс-лист_ (from English _price list_ ). **SUBMITTED PAIRS** : _By myself_ : **Praeternatural** ( _Lat._ praeter [beyond] + natura [nature]) / **Metaphysical** ( _Gr._ meta [beyond] + phusis [nature]). _By Colin Fine_ : **Adrenaline** ( _Lat._ ad [to, near] + renal [of the kidneys]) / **Epinephrine** ( _Gr._ epi [near] + nephros [kidneys]). _By Janus Bahs Jacquet_ :   1. **Aqua vitae** ( _Lat._ ) / **Whisk(e)y** (abbr. whiskebae/usquebaugh < _Irish_ uisce beatha/ _Scottish_ uisge beatha). _Water of life_.   2. **Vladimir** ( _Slavic_ vladi- [rule] + mir [world]) / **Henry** ( _Germanic_ heim(i)- [home, world] + rīkaz [rule]). _Ruler of the world_. _By choster_ : **Sarcophagus** (from Greek) / **Carnivore** (from Latin). Both stem from words meaning _flesh-eating_. _By Fred2_ : **Overman** (over + man) / **Superman** ( _Lat._ super [over] + man). Coined to translate German _Übermensch_. _By Merk:_   1. **Putsch** ( _Swiss German_ blow) / **Coup** ( _Old French_ blow), former meaning 'riot, revolt', the latter any sudden, decisive political act (popularly restricted to the overthrow of a government).   2. **Chirography ( _Gr._ , chiros (hand) + graphe (which is written)) / **Manuscript** ( _Latin_ , manus (hand) + scriptus (which is written).


"didn't need to have done" or "needn't have done"

The sentence, "The examination has been cancelled. You needn't have done all the revison, after all."means that the student didn't have to do the revision, but he has done that. Can "need't have done" be changed into "didn't need to have done", by all means, "didn't need to have done" seems grammatical-corret.


What does "popping bottle" symbolise?

I keep hearing the phrase "popping bottle" in contemporary music. Does it simply mean "opening an alcoholic drink"? Why do they keep using it?   * > I invented swag, poppin bottles, putting supermodels in the cab.   >  _Otis_ — Kanye West   * > popping bottles in the club   >  _Love In This Club_ — Usher   * > popping bottles in the club   >  _Lollipop_ — Lil' Wayne ft. Static   * _Poppin Bottles_ — T.I. feat. Drake   * > Popping bottles with model   >  _Troublemaker_ — Akon   * > Popping bottles in LA   >  _Best Night_ — LMFAO   * > Popping bottles up for free   >  _Reminds Me_ — LMFAO   * > Popping bottle in the house with model in the V-I-P   >  _Sorry for party rocking_ — LMFAO   * > Popping these bottles, touching these model _Right Round_ — Flo Rida   * > Popping bottles in the ice   >  _Like a G6_ — Far East Movement Why this choice of words? Does this phrase symbolise something?


"even allowing" or "although allowing"

In the dictionary, the meaning of "allowing for" is " In consideration of sth". So in this sentence, "Even allowing for his age, he still acts very immaturely". Can I change the word “ even" into "although"? Why or why not?


What do you call someone who doesn't know how to swim?

Is there one word for someone who does not know how to swim? Even better if there is one word for someone who doesn't know how to swim but dives to save a drowning person? If no, then suggest a similar phrase.


Is there any difference at naming of inverted comma and quote?

There is one symbol `‘ . . .’` that can be called as quote or inverted comma. Is there any difference between these names? What is the origin of term `inverted comma`? I think it's legacy of our industrial society and computers where term inverted used very often.


Why does the word "joed" mean weary, tired, exhausted, fatigued, etc.?

The word "joed" is a word I use frequently to describe my feeling tired or exhausted. As a child, I used to hear my grandfather say "I feel joed" before he would sit down for a respite or turn in; however, I'm not certain why the word joed means tired. Has anyone the least notion why "joed" means tired?


Does “observed” entail existence?

In an experiment that includes checking for defects, the results are described as follows: > Defects: A. None, B. Observed Does “observed” necessarily entail that a defect was present, or could it simply mean that defects were checked for, but not necessarily seen?


Proper usage of the verb "use"

I just want a confirmation because it sounds weird to me... Is the following sentence correct, or is there a better word than "used"? > This picture is used twice in this book. I can't tell you why but this "used" doesn't seem to be right at all...


"Trawling through" or "trolling through"

There are quite a few discussions online about whether one can "trawl through" or "troll through", looking for something. From what I can see, both are fishing terms so both are legitimate in particular contexts. What I was hoping was to clarify which of the two specifically means "work hard", as in: "I had to [trawl/troll] through lots of archives to find what I wanted". A guide I'm reading has the following phrase, which I suspect is used incorrectly: "without trolling through each script to find all the files they call" Thanks.


Is "down the years" a common idiom?

Is it possible to say that "something horrible will happen **down the years** "?


What is the correct greeting to use in a formal email addressed to a department/team/company?

If the email were to be addressed to a specific person, you could write "Dear [Name]". But is it appropriate to write "Dear [Team / Department / Company]"? For example, "Dear Service Desk," and "Dear Microsoft,".


thanks again, Many thanks or thanks and Regards

Most of the time we write Thanks and Regards in mail , recently i observed most people or humble UK they write Ta (thanks Again.) wanted to understand which one is more effective while writing mail to seniors


jungle town and sporting woman

I wanna know the meaning of "jungle town" and "sporting woman" in the following context from Hemingway's To Have and Have Not: > We stopped the car in back of this place and went into the kitchen where the > man's wife was cooking at a stove. "Hello, Freda," Harry said to her. > "Where's Bee-lips?" He's right in there, Harry. Hello, Albert." "Hello, Miss > Richards," I said. I knew her ever since she used to be in jungle town, but > two or three of the hardest working married women in town used to be > sporting women and this was a hard working woman, I tell you that. Miss Richards used to be a sporting woman but, after getting married, became a hard working woman?


Meaning of "I think"

What is the usage and meaning of 'I think' in colloquial language? Does it mean 'suppose' or 'cogitate'? For example, 'He is a nice guy, I think.' My opinion is that, in the above sentence 'I think' does not mean 'I am thinking' rather, it is a supporting colloquial word. Am I right?


One who believes in their own religion and criticizes other religions?

What is the word for a person who strongly believes in their own adopted or birth religion and opposes or criticizes other religions?


What's a good word for "to turn into a library"?

I'm looking for a single word to describe the act of making something into a software library. Software libraries are collections of code with a well-defined interface, such that it is easy to integrate the library with other software. Making libraries is a common activity in software development. The actions involved are not well defined though; sometimes it is to extract a portion of a bigger software package into a form easily used by other software, sometimes it is to agglomerate a set of disparate pieces of software to use a common interface. Since the activity is defined by its end result, I was thinking of the made-up words **_librify_** and **_librarify_** (since the -ify suffix seems to fit), but I see these words are very uncommon. Is there an existing word that fits this definition? Perhaps one not in a dictionary but commonly used or well understood by the target audience?


When writing the date, why do we write "8th December 2013", instead of "8th of December, 2013"?

I've always been taught to write it alike the former, but personally, I think the latter looks better. Why is it that most people write it alike the former?


Gendered terms — particularly female — becoming neutral?

I have been hearing that many gendered terms are simply being absorbed into the masculine equivalent, while many other words are retaining their usage. A few examples are the terms "actress" becoming "actor", and "headmistress" becoming "headmaster". There are others, however, that manage to remain, such as "aviatrix" for a female aviator. Can someone please explain if/why the feminine terms are dying out, and whether or not you prefer the use of gendered terms? I have personally always liked the use of female terms because I think it grants respect to the woman concerning whatever field she is in.


Term for a person who can read but cannot write

I'm looking for a term to accurately describe a person who can _only read_ but _cannot write_. While I'm primarily concerned with people who have never learned to write, I would also be interested in any _additional_ terms used to represent people who have lost the ability to write as a result of disuse. Both _illiterate_ and _unlettered_ imply an inability to read as well as to write.


Meaning of "this is a routine chapter"

Does "this is a routine chapter" mean that there is no creativity in this chapter? Context: > This is a routine chapter. There is almost nothing creative here. I just > generalize theorems about funcoids to the maximum extent for (defined below) > preserving the proof idea. The main idea behind this chapter is to find > weakest theorem conditions enough for the same theorem statement as for > above theorems for funcoids. > > For these who know pointfree topology: Pointfree topology notions of frames > and locales is a non-trivial generalization of topological spaces. Pointfree > funcoids are different: I just replace the set of filters on a set with an > arbitrary poset, this readily gives the definition of , no need of > creativity here.


Verb to use when the light of the sun 'falls" on your skin?

I wrote the following: > The sun **hit** Erin's skin as she wandered through the alley. It felt > comfortable, like a warm blanket enveloping her entire body. "Hit" is the only verb I could think of. But I wonder if there's a "gentler" verb to replace it?


Difference between "have had" and "having"

What is the difference between the following two sentences? >   * I have had a headache since this morning. >   * I am having a headache since this morning. >


Word order in imperative sentence

What are the correct possibilities for word order in the following sentence? Is there any general rule for imperative sentences? (Like SVOMPT?)   1. _Please, check regularly the updated information about the meetings on the EBC website._   2. _Please, regularly check the updated information about the meetings on the EBC website._   3. _Please, check the updated information about the meetings on the EBC website regularly._ Something is telling me 1 isn't entirely correct, 2 maybe. I think 3 is correct, however I don't like the word _regularly_ to be so far from the words _check_ and _information_. **EDIT: attempt to summarize the answers:**   * #1 sounds awkward to most people except for Barrie   * #2 seems to have least opponents   * the comma should be omitted   * new solution raised (from Hellion & Barrie England): 4) _Please check regularly for updated information about the meetings on the EBC website._ Do you all think #4 is the best?


First usage of parentheses or brackets ( and )

I have found several sources (Wikipedia, Eats Shoots & Leaves) that claim Erasmus was the first person to use parentheses (also known as brackets). He supposedly called them lunulae (because they looked like moons). But I can't find any source citations. Can anyone provide more information about this supposed fact? In which book did Erasmus first use them? What year was the book published? The reason I want to know is that Erasmus lived (and died) in the town where I live (Basel, Switzerland). I am trying to determine if parentheses were invented here in Basel. Extra upvotes for answers with excessive amounts of bracket usage.


What is the difference between the adjectives "live" and "alive"?

What is the difference between "live" and "alive"? When would I better use the first and when the latter? **EDIT**   Say, there are several players actively participating in a game and some others are waiting on the bench. I used to call those "active" players "live players". Although there may be other valid phrases for that I believe this one should be ok as well (right?). But I am unsure if "live" works with questions: can I ask "Is this player live" or should it be "Is this player alive"? The first one sounds awkward to me, but the latter sounds to me as if I was asking whether he's dead and not only whether he's out of the game.


Single word for happy and envious at the same time

I'm looking for a word, doesn't have to be English, that expresses the complex emotion of being sincerely happy for someone and a bit jealous at the same time.


Is it grammatically correct to use different languages in a sentence?

To give some examples: > He has a certain _je ne sais quoi_ about him. (French) > > I thought I'd go _au naturel_ for our girls' night out. (French) > > That skirt with that blouse, I must say, what a fashion _faux pas_. (French) > > I don't like my meat _al dente_ , I prefer it well-done. (Italian) > > Your _meshugge_ cousin can be quite the _klutz_! (Yiddish) > > _Oy vey_ , that _kamikaze klutz_ almost gave me a heart-attack! (Yiddish, > Japanese) My question here is, is it grammatically correct to use more than one language in a sentence? I know it is accepted to do so (appropriately). But! if anything this site in particular has taught me, just because it is accepted, it doesn't mean that it is correct. I found these websites (1 and 2) that say you should italicize them when you use them, but that doesn't answer my question if it is _grammatically correct_. Reference(s) would be nice. * * * There is a comment regarding _au naturel_ meaning **naked** , and while that is one definition, I'd like to point out that it also means > in a natural state


He nodded his head yes; she shook her head no

Here I am editing this book I am trying to get ready for publication. I am running into a number of places where I've got nodding and shaking of the head in response to questions. The original author writes:   * "I nodded my head yes."   * "...she shook her head no..." I am also seeing occasional "shake...yes" and "nod...no". I'm reasonably certain that one shakes one's head for "No" and nods for "Yes". But how do you write it?   * I nodded my head "Yes." - I shook my head "No."    * I nodded my head yes. - I shook my head no.   * I nodded my head "yes." - I shook my head "yes." **Or should the "Yes" or "No" even be included in the sentence, since the gesture substitutes for the affirmative or negative?** If "Yes" or "No" _does_ have a place there, how would it be best formatted? EDITED TO ADD: I've edited this to make it clear that it is not merely a formatting issue with regard to "Yes" or "No".


"Not worth the paper it's printed on" - wrong meaning?

Technically a small piece of paper is worthless - having zero resale value, so why is the saying not: It is worth the paper it's printed on?


"Defense" or "defence"

Is the only difference that in USA they write it with _s_ and in UK they write it with _c_ , or is there anything more?


Assume someone says, "When individual investors enter the market, I know it's time to get out." The speaker is making a serious statement -- yet he is an "individual investor" himself. What do you call this type of statement? It sounds like _hypocrisy_ or _irony_ , but neither term is on target.


Word for someone who is burned out at work

Could someone suggest a _cool_ word or expression for someone who is tired at work? Such a person is not doing his job properly and is waiting to quit; basically, he is not interested in his job and doesn't like the management that he is working for.


Some of us + Noun

I don't know why we can use **Some of us + Noun** like this: > **Some of us boys** are planning to drive throughout the country during the > summer holidays. Can anyone explain it for me?


English sentence structure

My daughter wrote a short story at school and wrote ''said the woman'' the teacher corrected this and wrote '' the woman said'' Is it not correct either way?


Noun form of primary

I'm looking for a noun that would equate to primariness, but which isn't so clumsy. Something like 'primarity', though it doesn't exist. > "Thing has the quality of …"


Meaning of "unbundling"

In New York Times, > The first hint of television’s **unbundling** actually came back in the > 1980s, when viewers snapped up videocassette recorders. I found defintions of _unbundle_ in the dictionaries (Merriam-Webster, Dictionary.com), but it seems they are not quite fitting in this context. What's your understanding of _unbundling_ here?


"Have this been" or "Had this been" provided

Which of the following sentences is grammatically correct? > Had this been a solution that can be provided in Java 5 and above, the > overloaded `replace(charSequence, charSequence)` may be used. > Have this been a solution that can be provided in Java 5 and above, the > overloaded `replace(charSequence, charSequence)` may be used.


Can the terms "jingoism" and "ethnocentrism" be used interchangeably?

> Maniacal belief that "your" race, gender, culture, religion, language, > country, group, beliefs are better than everyone else's. Which term would be more suitable: "jingoism" or "ethnocentrism"?   Can they be used interchangeably?


"Last Name" and "surname"

Between _last name_ and _surname_ , which one is British and which one is American? If I talk with somebody from Great Britain, which one is preferable?


How to understand "like it or not"?

This is from the transcript of a podcast. > How many times has it happened to you: you’re sitting around watching a > rerun of Friends and you think: Man, if only I could catch a whiff of that > hazelnut mochaccino they’re all pretending to drink. Well, me neither. > > But engineers have now developed a programmable, odor-emitting device that, > **like it or not** , brings us one step closer to realizing the dream of > smell-a-vision. Here is my question: How to understand " **like it or not** " here?


Growing abruptly and aggressively - words

How to describe a sudden increasing in size, volume. For example when fires grow suddenly and rapidly. What does that fire do?


What is the difference between "by contrast" and "in contrast?"

Can anyone explain the difference between _by contrast_ and _in contrast_?


Is it correct to use "City Name-area" in a sentence?

Is it possible to use this: " **Phoenix-area** businesses" instead of "businesses in Phoenix" or "Phoenix businesses?"


Is "It's raining cats and dogs" out?

My impression is "It's raining cats and dogs" is old-fashioned. Is that right? If I used it, would people think I'm 70 years old, or something like that?


Word for "from this point of the document on it will be called simply XYZ"

Is there any word that could replace the phrase in bold below and retain the same meaning? > This document defines the intended behaviour for the AVI to XYZ conversion > tool ( **which from this point of the document on will be called simply** > "conversion tool").


why use "be of something", is there some meaning for this "of"?

I saw a sentence when reading some technical articles: > When we call this function, it expects the second parameter to be of type > Collection. The actual argument is of type Collection. So my question is why use "of" in this sentence? Does it change some meaning for this sentence? Can I delete the "of" and directly say, "The actual argument is type Collection"?


What method of counting puts Twelfth Night on January 6th?

I know English has (or at least had) some strange usages of _eve_ and _night_ , but I still can’t figure out how December 25th and 12 can be combined to come up with January 6th. (This stems from my annual rant about the twelve days of Christmas, namely that despite what modern commerce would have you believe, they come **_after_** the 25th, not before.)


What does 'Moonshots' mean?

I read an article on TechCrunch titled, > "Gates Foundation Picks Its Moonshots In India To Reinvent Toilets Globally" The 'Moonshots' is not familiar to me; it is not defined in the dictionary. What does it mean?


Hypothetical declarative with the present subjunctive

So there's this usage of what seems to be the present subjunctive that I haven't been able to find references on: > A: "He said he was going to kill you." > > B: "What? He _kill_ me? Fat chance!" > > Or, > > B: "What? Him _kill_ me? Fat chance!" Now, I was under the impression that the subjunctive no longer appears in contemporary English outside of idiom and specific subordinate constructions. But here, _kill_ appears in the main clause and seems to be a free use of the subjunctive (entertaining a hypothetical future action). I also can't imagine the present indicative being used instead, unless one is asking a declarative question about a future progression of events. Does this usage have a name? Any references would be much appreciated.


"Introduce person to object" or "introduce object to person"?

>   * I'd like to introduce you to this technology. >   * I'd like to introduce this tech to you. > Which one is right and what are appropriate uses?


Is it "despite" or "despite of"?

Should I always use 'despite' instead of 'despite of'?


Word meaning "two paragraphs previous"

Is there a word that can be used to mean two previous places? I want to reference something two paragraphs ago; _former_ would work if it was only one before, and I cannot use _penultimate_ because it may be confused with the second to last of the entire work.


What is the translation of the French word "erre"?

In French, there is a word _erre_ which is the residual speed of a train, a ship or a car (or whatever is moving and needs propulsion). For example, if you see a red light in your car, you stop accelerating, but you don't brake either; you just let the car move on its own. You can say that your car is _on erre_. For a ship, if you cut the propulsion of the engine, you are _on erre_. In a train, it is used if there is a switch of electrical alimentation. For a hundred meters, the train is no longer fed with electric power, and it continues moving with its residual speed. The train is _on erre_. What is the best English expression for this?


Word for being biased "towards the other direction"?

Excuse the phrasing of the question, but I'm not sure how to put it. **Example:** Let's say we know for a fact that Smith is working as a police officer and that police officers have very small salaries. We also know that this causes Smith to lead a lesser life than if police officers were to have larger salaries. When we ask Smith if the government should lower salaries for police officers and raise salaries for firemen, he replies that they should. **Question** I don't think it's correct to say that Smith is _unbiased_ in this scenario, but to say he is _biased_ is misleading. If I were to tell someone that Smith thinks the government should lower police salaries and raise firemen salaries and that Smith is biased, the conclusion would probably be that Smith is a fireman. So, what is Smith?


Of + articles + general references

1) a) A roof of a car is made of many different materials   b) The roof of a car is made of many different materials 2) a) The branch of a tree will make decent firewood   b) A branch of a tree will make decent firewood If we're talking about ageneral reference, not a spefic one, what's the correct ones ? a or b or both? if so what's the difference? What comes into play? Any extra comments would be appreciated.


Don't understand the phrase: "each one"

When I tried to read an article, I got a below sentence: > One problem many developers encounter while defining and analysing data > requirements is the situation where a number of different attributes can be > used to describe an object, but only few attributes actually apply to **each > one**. I don't know what does "each one" phrase mean here, and how is it used? Here is original link of it


Sequences or Sequence? - Mathematics Subject

I wish to know the correct one of the two 1) Sequence and Series 2) Sequences and Series I am preparing the syllabus for Mathematics class and one of the chapters must have one of the above titles. I am not sure which one is the right one to use.


A connection between them

I need a term that establishes connection between a person and a certain object. As an example, if one of my friends(not with me now) used to have one particular chocolate bar, say X, and now I get reminded of him whenever I see th bar X or hear of X, then what could that connection be called? likewise, if some particular event or object has the same reminiscence or connection, what can such a relation or situation be called?


Oh my God, Oh my Lord, Oh my Gosh

What are the differences between them? Is there a cultural and/or social interference? Do young people say `"Oh my Gosh"` more than others?


What is it called when an antecedent noun follows the pronoun?

Here is the example that raised the question in my mind: > He was splashing, enjoying the jungle's great joys, when Horton the elephant > heard a small noise. Here, _He_ refers to _Horton_ ; but one cannot see that until one reads the rest of the sentence. This contrasts with the normal placement of the nounal referent _before_ the pronoun: > Horton the elephant was splashing, enjoying the jungle's great joys, when he > heard a small noise. Of course, now the meter isn't nearly as pleasant, so that is presumably why the former was preferred. However, it doesn't occur only in poetry. What is this form called?


What does the phrase "smiling to beat the band" mean? In Vera Farmiga's new film _Higher Ground_ , a character describes her uneasiness with door-to-door religious solicitors in this way: "Really nice, but in a creepy way. Too nice. It's like they're smilin' to beat the band." What does that phrase mean?


Trying to know the place before the jaunt

Here is the the situation: whenever I plan going out on a vacation to a beach or hill-station, I inquire about the weather, I search for accommodations, I call people who have been there and do other stuff to ensure I get the best out of it. What am I doing here? What is the process called?


What does “You should have been christened Eve” mean?

In the new novel of Jeffery Archer, “False Impression,” there is the following conversation between the heroine, Anna Petrescu who has snatched Van Gogh’s self-portrait away from a murderer banker, Bryce Fenston, and is trying to sell it to Nakamura, a Japanese business leader and well-known art collectors on behalf of the proper British proprietor, Arabella Wentworth: > “Artist?” > > “Van Gogh.” > > “Title?” > > “Self-portrait with Bandaged Ear.” > > “With a famous Japanese print reproduced on the wall behind the artist, if I > remember correctly,” said Nakamura. > > “Geisha in a Landscape,” said Anna, “demonstrating Van Gogh’s fascination > with Japanese culture.” > > “ _You should have been christened Eve_ ,” said Nakamura. > > "Now it's my turn." Anna looked surprised. > > "I presume that it has to be the Wentworth Self-portrait purchased by the > fifth earl?" I don’t know what “You should have been christened Eve,” means. I came across the phrase, _christened Eve_ , for the first time. Can you tell me what it means?


Meaning of "rolling stone"

In the song _Papa Was a Rollin' Stone_ , what does _rolling stone_ mean?


Is it true that a word ending in -y is more likely to be an adjective than a noun?

Claim: a word ending in _-y_ is most likely not a noun but an adjective. Don't have my tagged corpus handy to check. Anyone have the stats on Parts-Of- Speech of words ending in _y_ and assuming they don't end in _-ly_?


Should I use 'whoever' or 'whomever' here?

I know this sentence is a little awkward. Bear with me. "I will kill whomever I despise." -- This one feels correct. However... "I will kill whoever despises me." -- Is this right? Would this one also be whomever? Or is 'whoever' correct here?


"You are not going to be able to ... " versus "you can't ..."

Are there any differences between these two expressions?


Term encompassing thread, string, lanyard, and wire

Looking for a general term for things one would store on a spool -- thread, string, lanyard, wire, that sort of thing. Things that occur in long lines and will get tangled up if you don't organize them properly.


What punctuation mark should I use here?

> Eventually we're hoping to compile a list of schools[?] ones that would > benefit considerably from ... Where `[?]` is, would a semi-colon suit? What punctuation mark would be correct here and why? A simple comma perhaps?


Are "go on"; "go for it"; "Carry on" and "go ahead" synonymous?

I saw “Carry on” vs. “go ahead” A friend of mine said this to me, and it sounded kind weird for me... > If you know a better way "go on" I would say > If you know a better way "go for it" Are they synonymous? and `Carry on` and `Go ahead` could also be used on this kind of phrase? > "Carry on" if you know a better way for it > If you know a better way "Go ahead"


Professional term for "useless: should be omitted"

I need a way to say something is _useless_ , in that including it is actually _harmful_ , but not so harshly. As in, > "The last sentence is **useless** and should be omitted" Where the last sentence in a paragraph is run-on, blather, useless, not interesting, misleading, something like that, kind of like this one ;)


Origin and meaning of "game on"

What is the origin of the phrase "game on"? Can it be used in formal conversations?


"Winner team" vs. "winning team"

I would like to know which of the following fragments is correct when referring to somebody who is part of the team that won a championship: >   * Member of the winning team of... >   * Member of the winner team of... >


Buy it at or for?

When I buy something and pay $5 for it, what would I say? > I bought it at $5. or > I bought it for $5.


Verb to describe fluid pouring out in portions?

Is there a verb to describe fluid that pours out in portions? I mean, not a constant flow but partial. For example, _gush, pour_ etc. mean a constant flow. But is there something consecutive? The only word that comes to my mind is _squirt_ but it depicts a small amount of fluid. Is there a verb for a bigger portions?


How did the phrase "much of a muchness" come to be?

This is a great way of saying that two things are so similar that there is no significant difference between them. I'm sure there are many more and thought this might make a great community wiki. How did the phrase/idiom come about and is it more prevalent in one english-speaking region than another?


How do you spell Muammar Qaddafi?

This name, which is spelled القذافي in Arabic, is spelled in so many different ways in the Latin alphabet: > Gadafi, Gadaffi, Gaddafi, Gaddaffi, Gadhafi, Gadhaffi, Ghadafi, Ghadaffi, > Ghaddafi, Ghaddaffi, Ghadhafi, Ghadhaffi, Kadafi, Kadaffi, Kaddafi, Kadhafi, > Khadafi, Khaddafi, Khaddaffi, Khadhafi, Khadhaffi, Qadafi, Qadaffi, Qaddafi, > Qaddaffi, Qadhafi, Qadhaffi, Qadhdhafi, Qathafi Why are there so many ways of spelling it? Which one should be used in general usage?


What do you call it when a group of neglected people spontaneously forms a cruel society?

I'm trying to come up with a word to describe what happens in cartoons (and probably real life) when a traumatic event leads to a group of ordinary people (usually children) to fend for themselves. They then form a new society resembling a dictatorship ruled by bullies.


Gerund ending in -ings?

Examples:   * Savings   * Shavings   * Drippings Are these gerunds? I found some resources (below) that don't seem to provide definitive answers.   * Page 57   * Page 320


Word describing the smallest amount possible

The specific usage I'm thinking of is something like: "He exerted a single ____ of effort to..." (blah blah blah). The word I'm thinking of is "modicum" but after looking up the definition, that apparently just means "small quantity." I'm looking for a single word describing the smallest amount - like modicum - but also implies "indivisible" or something like that. Preferably a noun, so it fits the usage above without rewriting. Am I crazy, or does a word like this exist? I swear a word like this exists.


Why is the letter "w" not pronounced "double v"?

Was "w" written with smoother curves back then?


What's the upshot?

_Upshot_ has been used in my presence about six times today. I know what it means in the figurative sense, and I assumed it was derived from sports so I looked up its etymology. Dictionary.com confirms that it originated from archery: "originally, the final shot in an archery match." I don't understand why the final result in an archery match was called the upshot, though. One source cited "Hunting with the Bow and Arrow" and used this quote > it was often customary to shoot a return round over the same field. as though that were self-explanatory, but I don't see what that has to do with "up." Why would the final shot be called "the upshot"? Was it shot straight up into the air? Did the archer have to aim up over the target because it was so distant? Is there a sense of 'up' that I am missing?


Word for consolidating a dataset to a single type

I believe there is a single word that represents what I am trying to say, but for the life of me I can’t remember it. I have a line graph of amounts vs. time. The amounts are for different currencies. I then have a derivative graph where all the amounts are in one currency. > The second graph is [blanked] to the same currency. I thought of _normalized_ , but it doesn't feel quite right. The idea behind this word is to take a disparate dataset and to make it the same.


Origin of "canoodle"

There have been times in my life where I've enjoyed kissing and cuddling. I'm sure many of you can think of times you've enjoyed canoodling on the couch. Especially in these colder months. Now I'm reminiscing in my ivory tower, I wonder what the origin of the word _canoodle_ is. Etymonline and Oxford Online Dictionaries both say "origin unknown". Does anyone know where the word comes from?


Can the verb "wonder" simply take an object?

In this question, the questioner states > I wonder the origin of the word. Can _wonder_ take a simple object like that? Or should it be _wonder about_ or _wonder at_ or something similar (or something else)? _Wonder_ can certainly be used in other constructions: >   * I wonder if that’s right. >   * I wonder whether we’re dreaming of butterflies or a butterfly dreaming > we’re awake. >   * I wonder about that whole Mayan thing. > But all of those are not **just** a simple object. Even > I just wonder. ...generally indicates wondering _at_ something or _about_ something, which might not be specified. ODO specifies _wonder_ as a verb with no object, but the quoted use is quite deliberate. Should we simply take this as a poetic use?


Difference between "now" and "right now"

Is there any difference between the two following sentences? >   * We can't connect to Outlook right now. >   * We can't connect to Outlook now. >


Plural of "abacus"

A colleague and I were having a discussion as to the proper plural form of _abacus_. I believe the plural would be _abacuses_ and he feels that the proper form would be _abaci_. I believe that _abacuses_ is more appropriate as it derives from the root word and _abaci_ is a forked word that is part of the Arabic language. Any opinions or history to this matter would be appreciated.