What is the precise meaning of "fuck" in the context of the hip hop mantra, "Fuck bitches, get money"?

I've been hearing the line "Fuck bitches / Get money" in hip hop songs recently. I mostly noticed it lately in a couple of notable songs by Lil Wayne and other Young Money affiliated artists, but through some casual searching, the term seems to originate in pop culture from a Notorious B.I.G. song called "Get Money." Until recently I assumed that the term was supposed to be a tongue-in-cheek _raison d'être_ for hip hop figures; that is, to have sex with lots of women and to make a lot of money, in rock-star fashion. But I sometimes see young people use the phrase as a hustler mantra, to disregard the pursuit of women/love for the pursuit of money/status/career.[1] The female counterpart would be "Fuck niggas / Get money." Could I get some clarification on this, and possibly an explanation for how this latter meaning could be popularized when it (in my opinion) clashes with the hyper-masculine rock star image in mainstream hip hop culture? I know this phrase's precise meaning is in some dispute in pop culture.[2] [1] http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/joseph-ducreux-archaic-rap     * see also: the Urban Dictionary entry for "fbgm" [2] http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3qvlyk/


What is the correct pronunciation of “regex”?

The term _regular expression_ is often shortened to _regex_. What is the correct pronunciation of the _g_ in _regex_? Is it like the _g_ 1 in _gallium_ , or is it like the _g_ 2 in _giraffe_? I’ve heard it said both ways. * * * 1\. IPA /g/   2\. IPA /dʒ/


Why does the pronunciation of the word "wife" [waif] change in the word "midwifery" [ˈmɪdˌwɪfərɪ]?

I recently found out that the word _wife_ is pronounced differently in the following examples: _wife_ [waif] / _midwife_ [midwaif] / but _midwifery_ [ˈmɪdˌwɪfərɪ] This appears to be another inconsistency of English phonetics. Does anyone know why this is?


"Nice to see you, to see you nice!"

Look at this famous phrase used by a British talkshow host when saying goodbye to his audience: > 'Nice to see you, to see you nice!' Nobody in the UK (including my grandmother who was a frequent viewer) seemed to think it sounded strange... I think it's grammatically acceptable - due to some missing but understood elements of the sentence. Can you have a go at estimating what they may be?


Correct way of saying I want a list of the names of each individual entity in a group?

I'm a programmer and in a program I'm currently creating, I want to get a list of all the accounts names that can access a database. I have no idea if I'm supposed to "get account names", to "get accounts name" or to "get accounts names". My best guess is that "get accounts names" is the correct answer as it seems more logical to say it that way, but I see the first case used the most, which makes me doubt about this. The way I see it, "get account names" would refer to multiple names given to a single account and "get accounts name" would be the name of the group of accounts, but I'd like some clarification on this.


Is 'irony' the correct word to describe a character's delusionary observations?

In the following passage, would it be correct to say that the bolded sentence uses `irony`? > She walks past one of the farm workers (is his name John?), a robust, small- > headed man wearing a potato-coloured vest, cleaning the ditch that runs > through the osier bed. He looks up at her, nods, looks down again into the > brown water. **As she passes him on the way to the river she thinks of how > successful he is, how fortunate, to be cleaning a ditch in an osier bed.** > She herself has failed. She is not a writer at all, really; she is merely a > gifted eccentric.


Is “the One” self-explanatory in the line, “If 2008 was about exalting the One, 2012 was about the disenchanted Democratic base.”

Subsequent to my question about Club’s telephone tips in Maureen Dowd’s article, "Mitt Romney is the president of white male America” in New York Times (Nov. 10), I was interested in the usage of “the Ones” in the following sentence: > > “Just like the Bushes before him, Romney tried to portray himself as more > American than his Democratic opponent. But America’s gallimaufry wasn’t > knuckling under to the gentry this time. > > If 2008 was about exalting **_the One_** , 2012 was about the disenchanted > Democratic base deciding: “We are **_the Ones_** we’ve been waiting for.” There is no explanation about “ _the One" and "the Ones_ ” in this paragraph, and before and after this sentence. Although I surmise “the Ones” means We, awaken populace – middle class, colored, ethnic, college students, working females, and you can name it, I don’t know what it exactly mean. Are “the One" and "the Ones” self-explanatory to native speakers, when “one” and "ones" are written with the capital O. What are the exact definitions of “the One / Ones”? Is the difference (upper case O vs lower case O) discernable in audio, i.e. when they are read out?


This site wont help beginners i think

This website seems hard to me.always getting down votes.Its highly degrading me.I am frustrated to use this website.I wont post comments or discussion or questions in this website.If i ask questions always down voting and also when answering .This site wont help beginners i think.and i want to mention another thing also tags which is extremely disguising thing and also reputation.so that i am tagging here


Origin of the phrase "That is how it is"

Where does this come from? > That is how it is.


Telecommunication(s)

Are _telecommunication_ and _telecommunications_ interchangeable, or are there some contexts where one is preferred? For example, the Wiki page on “Telecommunication” has a section entitled “Telecommunication networks,” but the main article on this topic is called “Telecommunications network.” Is it that the singular is used when the main concern is the act of transmitting information in the abstract, but the plural when the writer wants to stress the various media involved? There might be a similar issue with _communication(s)_ as well.


A word that describes a smooth and feel-good transition

Is there a good adjective that describes the experience of entering from one magical world to another as a very smooth, magical yet almost like real and feel-good way? I thought of a few like say "sleek" experience between the two worlds, "neat" experience between the two worlds, etc. But all of these words sound not enough to give that smooth and feel good effect.


What is the origin of "stitched up like a kipper"?

I've heard the phrase so many times, but only now am wondering where it comes from. I know it is used to mean that someone has been tricked, or has in some way fallen for a trap. e.g. > _Bob_ : So I ended up buying the volcano insurance from the salesman in the > end. > > _Geoff_ : Wow! He **stitched you up like a kipper**. But what on earth have " _kippers_ " got to do with anything?


Quoting poor English in a news article? I don't often see "[sic]"

I don't stumble upon "[sic]" as I read newspapers. I think it's safe to assume that plenty of those who are quoted in articles have botched their grammar more often than not. Here's what I'm asking: Are grammatical errors overlooked in the editing process when it comes to quotes? Are they fixed and the errors are swept under the table? I've seen some related questions asked here on this forum, but they didn't answer my questions adequately.


Eat lunch or have lunch

Yesterday, one of my friend updated his status _Eating lunch at a hotel_.   I thought that _Having lunch at a hotel_ is correct. So, I did a quick search on Google and got mixed responses.   Google fetched about 15,90,00,000 results for _eat lunch_. While, for _have lunch_ , it fetched around 42,50,00,000 results.   From these results, it is sure that both are used. But, Is it correct?   Can one eat lunch? Because, lunch is not food itself, one cannot eat it.


using "was" twice in this sentence

In this sentence should it be public "was" given or does the first "was" cover it? > _A notice was published in the newspaper, and the public given 30 days to > comment._


Dialect "rules" and the pronunciation of individual words

Consider an American actor who is tasked with mastering British Received Pronunciation for an upcoming role. If he has a talent for vocal mimicry, as many actors do, he should have no trouble picking up the "rules" of RP just from listening to people speak it: the non-rhotacism of the dialect, the aspiration of intervocalic _t_ , the characteristic intonation patterns and prosody of RP, and so on. For the most part, he should have no trouble speaking RP like a native. Yet he would never in a million years figure out on his own that _lieutenant_ should be pronounced "leftenant," for example, or that _controversy_ is often pronounced with the accent on the second syllable, unless he hears those specific words pronounced. To my knowledge, there are no general characteristics of RP that account for the mysterious appearance of an _f_ in _lieutenant_ (or, if you prefer, there are no general characteristics of General American that account for its absence). You just have to know how those specific words should be pronounced, because you'll never figure it out on your own. Do linguists recognize a distinction between the "rules" of a dialect on the one hand and its individual pronunciation "quirks" on the other? Is there a term for this phenomenon? Is it considered merely a variation on regional preferences for certain words over their synonyms (e.g., _rubbish_ vs. _garbage_ ), or is there something else at play here? _(Disclaimer: I take no position on whether the BE or AE pronunciation of any of these words should be considered the "quirky" one; I simply note that one couldn't easily intuit one pronunciation just from knowing the other.)_


Referring to adult-age sons and daughters as children

Is it normal to refer to adult-age sons and daughters of someone as children? A native speaker of Arabic learning English has said that in Arabic, the word for sons and daughters is "أولاد" (awlaad) (Wiktionary link), and that it applies no matter how old they are, and that the word for people who are not adults is "أطفال" (atfaal) (Arabic language Wiktionary link). The person wanted to know whether you can still use "children" to mean "sons and daughters", even after you can no longer describe someone as a child in the "not yet adults" sense.


"We strongly advise you to enjoy this book before turning to the Introduction"

This was part of _General Introduction_ (it's right before the Introduction) of some Wordsworth Classics series, > We strongly advise you to enjoy this book before turning to the > Introduction. What does that mean? I'm little confused.   1. Since the Introduction is before the actual text, how should I "enjoy" the book? Maybe I didn't get it.   2. Enjoyment is a rather personal feeling: how could I be _advised to enjoy_ the book?


What is the ", gerund" sentence called, and how can I improve it?

I'm proofreading a friend's paper, and she often creates sentences of the form:               Sentence, gerund-phrase      Examples: > Consumers may question the legitimacy of producer actions, **determining** > their practices undermine the community. > > Groups operate as focal points, **creating** a sense of community. > > Research typically focuses on what unites individuals within a community, > **documenting** consumer's shared experiences. Is there a name for such a sentence structure? For me, although I can understand the intent of the sentence, I think they're a bit confusing and could be better worded: > Consumers may question the legitimacy of producer actions **and determine > that** their practices undermine the community. > > Groups operate as focal points **and create** a sense of community. > > Research typically focuses on what unites individuals within a community > **and documents** consumer's shared experiences. Does anyone have any experience or opinions on the matter?


Grammar question regarding correct usage of participial phrase

I have trouble with an SAT grammar question:   1. The delegates coming this far, they did not want to return without accomplishing something. I got it down to 2 choices:   * (B) Coming this far, the delegates felt they   * (C) Having come this far, the delegates The correct answer is (C); however, I do not understand the differences between (B) and (C).


"feint" and "feign": Are they synomyms?

Both _to feign_ and _to feint_ seem to mean _to pretend_. Are they synonyms or the same word with only a different spelling? Or is there an actual concrete difference in their meaning?


Use of holier-than-thou phrase

Can I use the phrase (new to me) `holier-than-thou` like               don't give holier-than-thou attitude.      And what is more possibilities of using this phrase? What is the correct pronunciation of the phrase? **P.S:** English is not my first language.


How to describe gesture to shut up?

I want to use a word/phrase/idiom etc. to describe someone action by which they try to stop another person talk or sharing their plans. I want specifically to use it in following situation: > During conversation with my uncle, he was telling me their future plans to > sell house but my Aunt stopped him by secretly putting her finger on lips as > a gesture to shut up.


I'll take you home / I'll bring you home

Being both non-natives, I had some discussion today about the following situation: suppose you're at a party and you want to take/bring your drunk buddy home. **I believe that:**   * "I'll take you home" means come, I'll bring you away and then I'll go back or go to my place. This is _going away from_ the party.   * "I'll bring you home" means come with me and we both go home. We probably both live at that place or it is our end stop. This is _coming to_ home. **She believes that:**   * "I'll take you home" means either of the above, because you're both in the same room when you ask and you're _going away from_.   * "I'll bring you home" is an invalid construct in that situation, or actually is always invalid. I was opposing to that that I actually remember to have heard the phrase quite often. I know the general meaning and differences between bring and take. However, I somehow couldn't get my head around this. Any native speaker that can shed some light here? There's an extra beer at stake!


Meaning of "balls to the wall"

According to this article's first two sentences (which I find a bit confusingly formulated), there are two different meanings to the expression.   1. No way out and no options other than a single, not pleasant one.   2. Full speed ahead, all-in, whole-range approach. After reading/googling, I'm unclear on which of the meanings is the correct one. Furthermore, I realize that it's possible that both are valid, in which case I wonder if there are geographic relation to which is the most commonly used. Is there a trend of popularity (raising/dropping) for any of them?


Meaning of "up" and "off" in "I live up north off some_region"

I am only familiar with sentences like > I live in New York   >  I live on the north side of New York I guess > I live up north off some_region. means the place I live in is a little bit northern than _some_region_. Do the following sentences make sense, too and mean the same thing? > I live north off some_region.   >  I live up north of some_region.   >  I live north of some_region.


Do we have a term for this analysis combination?

I'm in the middle of a programming article, and I don't know if this thing has a name or not. Lot's of times you can analyse something in isolation. But as soon as you put that thing among other things, you have to analyse the relationships too. For example, if you want to analyse a word individually, you might use morphology, phonetics, and phonology. But if you want to analyse that word in a sentence, you should stick to syntax, intonation, and stuff like that. What I'm searching for is a title for **"things can be analysed both in isolation, and in context, and these analyses are different from each other in approach, and in result."** Do we have a term for that?


"On one of such days" Vs "On one such day"?

Which of the two is correct? Or are they both. In which cases would one be preferred over the other? **Edit 1: Context** I made other adjustments. Adjustments which included leaving my car at home parked. `On one of such days`, I see it from . . .


"Cola" vs "Coke" when asking for a drink to order

Is it better to say "Cola" or "Coke" when ordering a Coca-Cola drink in a restaurant/bar?


What does "a man lives in the mind of his own confinement" mean?

Can anyone explain what this line means? > A man lives in the mind of his own confinement.


First use of “learnings”?

When was the word _learnings_ first used as a noun, as a synonym for _lessons_?


Transcribing long repeating phone numbers

I always have this problem of telling people my phone number which consists of a series of repeating numbers: > 184 555 5555 (DO NOT CALL, this is just as an example) I can tell people it is:   * one eight four, five five five, five five five five, or;   * one eight four, five, double five, double five, double five, or;   * one eight four, five, triple five, triple five, or;   * one eight four, five, sextuple five. Is there a prescribed way or a widely practised method of transcribing long repeating phone numbers?


Program summary "Usage" section

I often need to include summaries of source code or tools, for example on GitHub. It's useful to have a section that describes how to use the component. The "Use" vs "Usage" debate has been answered in another thread, and the consensus seems to be "Use use", however that seems awkward as a section title. For example: ## Gizmo The Gizmo recombobulates the froop flux capacitors. ## Use   1. Download Gizmo   2. Find your flux capacitors   3. gizmo [-fp FroopLevel] FluxCapacitors ## Contribute Send pull requests to this.guy@emails.com "Instructions" isn't clear because there are at least 2 different audiences to this text: developers interested in contributing, or users interested in using the tool. Instructions could refer to multiple use cases, so it's ambiguous. The same goes with "How To". What is the appropriate word for the second section title in the example? Thanks for your time.


Is it really rude to use the terms "the john" and "the loo" in lieu of "the restroom"?

I usually use the term "restroom" (or "toilet" if I want to make sure that everyone in the Czech Republic understands me at once), and, while I've always understood that the terms "john" and "loo" are quite informal, I wouldn't have thought these were rude words, as the article in the link below claims: http://reallifebh.com/potty-talk-22-expressions-with-toilet-in-english John: (should be used only with friends) –Example: Where’s the John? I have to take a number 2. Loo: (UK - can be familiar or rude, depending on where you are) –Example: I’ll be right back, I’m gonna go to the loo. Native speakers, would you please confirm or refute this?


Use of 'as' instead of 'because'

Is the use of 'as' in place of 'because' considered to be poor grammar/style? For example > I cannot come with you as I am too busy instead of > I cannot come with you because I am too busy


Difference between "I am really sorry" and "I really am sorry"

I know they are slightly different, but I can't tell how. I've read about the usage of the word "really" in a negative sentence. But it didn't tell me about how the position of the word "really" can affect the meaning in a positive sentence. I've heard sentences I'm confused about:   * I **am really** sorry   * I **really am** sorry And these are the ones I've made up myself (I don't know if this kind of sentence exists):   * She **can be really** persuasive   * She **really can be** persuasive How do I tell them apart (the grammatical structure)? Are they different in meaning too? How?


"Losing the semester"

Is the following expression common among native speakers: > If you don't enroll now, there is a chance of _losing the semester_. Any better alternative?


Difference between "I'm fine" and "I'm good"

When my coworker in the US asks me "How are you?" I usually answer "I'm fine", but the last time I told him "I'm good" and he replied "I'm glad to hear that". It looks like "I'm fine" means "I'm OK" but not quite good as "I'm good". What is the difference between them and if the score of happy is 10, what is the score of "I'm fine" and "I'm good"? (higher score means happier)


"professions' and "occupations" what's the differnce?

"professions' and "occupations" difference "Transborder activities and the general dynamics that they produce can be performed by socioeconomic categories, such as professions, occupations, or classes,"


"Must be" with a meaning like "must do"

I see that `somebody must do something` usually means that someone is obliged to do something. I also see that `you must be kidding me` means that it is highly likely that `you are kidding me`. But can `Alex must be working on the project` mean an obligation (e.g. Alex must work on the project but with a sense of continuity) ?


Pronunciation of OS X versions

I don't feel like this belongs on SU, so I put it here. I know that "OS X" is pronounced "oh-ess ten," but how should the common construction "OS X 10.9" be pronounced? The primary possibility I can think of is:   * The X becomes silent: "oh-ess ten-point-nine" However, this feels awkward when reading from paper and there are suddenly silent words in the middle of sentences. Because of this, I also see as a possibility:   * This construction is unpronounceable and should be read "oh-ess ten mountain lion" Of course, my personal favorite (the least accurate) is:   * The 10 becomes slient: "oh-ess eks-point-nine"


Does “I’m available” mean “I’m single”?

Does “I’m available” mean “I’m single” (not married or not had a girlfriend or a boyfriend yet) when someone asks about your relationship status?


The usage of slander, defame, vilify, and calumniate

English is not my native language. I am confused about the usage of these four words: slander, defame, vilify, and calumniate. They are all verbs with almost the same meaning and I don't which one should I use in any situation. Are there any big differences in usage? For instance, is one more frequently used than the others? Are there any that are obsolete or not commonly used? I am particularly interested in knowing if there are contextual differences in usage, like when someone says a bad thing to me in daily life, in business, or in any formal or informal situation. I would like to know how native English speakers use them.


Is there a list of all English words (singular and plural) anywhere on the net?

Does anyone know of a resource online that lists all known English words, including plural and singular forms of a word?


Grammaticality of linking two questions like "how often" and "why" together

I would like to ask the postage department the questions like "how often the packages got lost in the mail" and "why the packages got lost in the mail". While it is absolutely correct in Russian to "weld" such a questions together how can I do it in English? Is it correct to ask a question like this: > **How often and why** does this happen when the packages got lost in the > mail?


What dialect is this man speaking?

Ignoring the linguistically incorrect and wrong-headed things said in this video, the more puzzling problem: I have no idea what dialect or type of English the man in the video is speaking. I have never heard English that sounds like this. I can't even tell whether or not he is a native speaker; his website implies that he is American, but doesn't say outright. Any ideas?


Do people who metathesize "ask" do it to other words as well?

As most of us have heard (and some people get offended about), there are dialects of English in which the word _ask_ undergoes metathesis and is pronounced _aks_. Are there English dialects in which this process is productive and replies to other words? That is, do some people who say _aks_ for _ask_ also say _flaks_ for _flask_ , _deks_ for _desk_ , etc?


"Train approaching"

Is it correct? It's the message I see right before the metro/subway train shows up. Shouldn't it be "train is approaching" or "train approaches"?


Push somebody over the edge

From TheFreeDictionary, _pushing somebody over the edge_ is defined as: > If an unpleasant event pushes someone over the edge, it makes them start to > behave in a crazy way. Can _crazy_ here be to mean all of the following: non-sensible/stupid, very angry, and mentally ill/insane?


I am "friends" with John, then John is "x" to me

I'm looking for a word that defines the direction of friendship between two people. For example, when I say "I am friends with John" or "John is my friend". How would I describe the same thing, but from John's perspective. The reason I ask is that I am trying to write a database schema that uses words to define the direction of friendships. One possible option is to use two phrases "friend with" and "friends to". So that I could describe who John is friends with from both directions. If this doesn't make any sense, sorry ;)


What do you call a person who does not go out with his friends?

What do you call a person who does not go out with his friends because he thinks he is superior to them?


Why use "his" in association with the word "mankind"?

I have a doubt. The economist Keynes in a book wrote: > The power to become habituated to **his** surroundings is a marked > characteristic of mankind. I would have used "its" instead but since English is not my mother-tongue and Keynes was probably a good writer I am sure I am the one being mistaken. Can anyone please explain ?


Which is the verb of the 'that' clause?

here is the sentence: We condemn such behavior that can risk damaging a company’s brand and reputation risk or damage, which is the verb？ I remember that two verb ( one verb after another) must use the verb+Infinitive, so why not "risk to damage" ?


Plural of “advice”

The dictionary says that _advice_ can only be used in the singular. But in a specific part of computer science (aspect-oriented programming) this word is used to reference some object that implements some specific functionality. There can be many such objects in the program, and sometimes it's required to say something about a number of them. Is it OK to use _advices_ in this case, or is it absolutely wrong? What is the best solution?


Is ‘Not a peep’ an idiom, or just plain statement?

I found a phrase ‘ _not a peep_ ,’ in the Washington Post’s article (September 16) written by Eugene Robinson, which was captioned “Where are the compassionate conservatives?” In the article, Robinson describes the scene of Republican Presidential candidate, Ron Paul’s answering the moderator, Wolf Blitzer’s question at the Tea party debate held on September 12th: > “Wolf Blitzer asked Ron Paul a hypothetical question about a young man who > elects not to purchase health insurance. The man has a medical crisis, goes > into a coma and needs expensive care. “Who pays?” Blitzer asked. > > “That’s what freedom is all about, taking your own risks. This whole idea > that you have to prepare and take care of everybody. . . .” > > Blitzer interrupted: “But Congressman, are you saying that society should > just let him die?” > > There were enthusiastic shouts of “Yeah!” from the crowd. “You’d think one > of the other candidates might jump in with a word about Christian kindness. > _Not a peep_.” What does “Not a peep” mean here? Does it mean “No sound, no voice”, or “No answer”? Does it mean the Congressman was unable to talk back even a single word, or other candidates zipperd their mouth, or audience who shouted 'Yes' in accord suddenly fell into silence? I checked online dictionaries for the words. None of Cambridge, Merriam- Webster, or Urban dictionary has entry of “Not a peep.” I don't know why. Isn’t this an idiom, or just an abridgement of ‘There was no peep.”?


Difference between "instantly" and "instantaneously"

Is there a case in which "instantaneously" can be used in which "instantly" cannot? If not, why does the former exist? If so, what are the circumstances dictating that usage?


First usage of "get a handle on it"

I'm editing a manuscript that uses the phrase "get a handle on it". The action is taking place in the late 19th century, and this usage seems somewhat anachronistic to me. However, I can't locate anything to back up this feeling. Does anyone know when this phrase was first used? (Even better would be knowing when its use was in vogue.)


Why did they spell it "URL’s"?

I was reading this documentation file of some software and note the plural spelling of this abbreviation is “URL’s”. Why isn’t it “URLs”?


"suggestions on" or "suggestions at"?

Example usage: > I've changed the post a lot by following suggestions on the original > question. Is it correct?


Why the letter "g" discrepancy between *giant* and *gigantic*?

A little look through an etymology dictionary shows that the root is Latin _gigas_ with adjective form _gigant_. So in its derivation to English, why did the second "g" get retained in _gigantic_ but was dropped from _giant_? I have an inkling that the word _giant_ may have travelled through French on its way to English, where it may have been pronounced "gee-yant" or "jee-yant" with a change to the second "g" that was then dropped when taken into English. However, the "g" is retained as a hard "g" in gigantic.


Is the usage of word, “Deck” as a package of paper limited to cards?

I felt nostalgic to find the word ‘copy deck’ in the latest EL& U question, “Is subcopy a word?”followed with the statement: > “A copywriter just sent me over a **copy deck** that had the word subcopy to > describe the text immediately after the page title.” I remember that when I was working in an ad agency, expatriate staffs, particularly my senior who happened to be British liked to use the word “deck” for the package of presentation documents and a set of handouts at the meeting. I followed his suit. Seeing the word, “Copy deck” again after long time, I checked online dictionaries to reconfirm whether I had rightly used the word, ‘deck’ around that time, and was embarrassed to find none of Cambridge, Oxford, Merriam- Webster, and OALED registers the definitions of “Deck” other than (1) a floor of ship, (2) a package of cards, and (3) a component or unit for playing records, or recording tapes, or compact discs. Beside ‘a floor of a ship,’ Cambridge English Dictionary defines ‘deck’ as: (mainly US) a set of cards used for playing card games. Oxford Dictionary defines: (1) chiefly North American, a pack of cards. (2) a component or unit for playing or recording records, tapes, or compact discs: a cassette deck Merriam -Webster Dictionary simply defines: a pack of playing cards. Is it far-stretched to use “deck” for a package of items (documents, exhibits, and writings) as we had used to and as used in the question other than cards? Were we using the word wrong way?


Do Americans "gee things up", or is it just a British usage?

As a Brit, I've always thought to _"gee things up" (often followed by "a bit")_ was a relatively well-known Americanism - probably because I assume most figurative usages relating to horses come from the great American cowboy tradition. In my usage, to _"gee_ **things** _up"_ always means to get things moving (normally figuratively, as of say _action to deal with some problem_ ). But I also hear/use _"gee him up"_ with the sense of _to tease or provoke_ , similar to rattle his cage or _wind him up_. But checking gee things up in Google Books I found only 15 results, and to my admittedly untrained eye, they seem to be mostly British. Is the expression (and the _tease/annoy_ meaning) familiar to Americans?


To what reading level does a specific word like 'verbose' belong?

How does one determine the reading level to which a specific word belongs? For example, I want to use the word 'verbose' in some software. So, if I want to determine if it is appropriate to use the word based upon the users of the system, is there a web site where I can enter the word and get feedback?


Adjective/noun usage, use of 'ones', comparing A with B

Please tell me which sounds better: > “In the other three cases a positive deviation of about 2 or 3 mm is > observed when comparing the measured with the calculated values.” or > “In the other three cases a positive deviation of about 2 or 3 mm is > observed when comparing the measured values with the calculated ones.”


What does "to be the lowest common denominator" mean?

I'm not English and I never encountered this saying: > In almost all cases, it is possible and within reason to write completely > portable code. > > In practice, this means that you shouldn’t assume much about the host > compiler (and Visual Studio **tends to be the lowest common denominator** ). What's the meaning of the "to be the lowest common denominator" in a sentence? That it is a concept that applies for all or something else? Also: I'm not sure this question answers my problem, I read it but couldn't figure out the above sentence appropriately


Is it right to say "Is John lie?"

So is it right to say "Is John lie?"? If yes, why not "Does John lie?" or "Is John lying?". Sorry if it sounds stupid, but I'm a bit confused.


How do you properly follow a subjunctive with a related statement?

I recently wrote the following: > …even if the story were originally true, there's no way that Obama was > president when it happened. And then I stared at it, trying to figure out if the second phrase implied that it _had_ happened. I thought about other ways to phrase it, _…when it would've happened_ , etc, but everything felt more cumbersome than the original. Does the second phrase belie the subjunctive and make it sound as if the story _is_ true? If so, how could I phrase it better?


Why should I say 'One Hundred' when 'Hundred' seems enough?

I just want to know whether both the usages are right or not. Also, do these usages depend on geography?


Why does "impregnable" mean *cannot be impregnated*?

Well not exactly, but according to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, _impregnable_ means: > ADJECTIVE:   >  1\. Impossible to capture or enter by force: _an impregnable fortress_.   >  2\. Difficult or impossible to attack, challenge, or refute with success: > _an impregnable argument_. Or, according to Wiktionary's short definition: > (Of a fortress, wall, etc.) Too strong to be penetrated. On the other hand, the meanings of _impregnate_ , in addition to "make pregnant", include > 3. To fill throughout; saturate: _a cotton wad that was impregnated with > ether_.   >  4\. To permeate or imbue: _impregnate a speech with optimism_. See Synonyms > at _charge_. > > 2. to make a substance such as a liquid spread all the way through > something: _a pad impregnated with natural oils_ > > 1. a : to cause to be filled, imbued, permeated, or saturated   >  b : to permeate thoroughly which, at a stretch, are closer to the "penetrate" meaning. Hence the question in the title. Why is this? I guess it's because, as with _inflammable_ and _flammable_, the two words come from different meanings of the _in-_ prefix; _impregnable_ from a "negation" meaning and _impregnate_ from an "into" meaning. (And indeed, the AHD gives etymology with _in- 1_ for _impregnable_, and _in- 2_ for _impregnate_.) Is this right? Some dictionaries also list a meaning for _impregnable_ that come from _impregnate_ and seem the opposite (in a loose sense) of the meaning above: the same AHD gives, as its second definition for _impregnable_ , > ADJECTIVE: Capable of being impregnated. and some Hutchinson's Dictionary of Difficult Words gives: > impregnable   >  a. able to withstand attack; capable of being fertilized; able to become or > be made pregnant. Are these "capable of being impregnated" meanings for _impregnable_ common? [Finally, if one _does_ want to express the 'easily penetrable' meaning, as in "This badly designed bulletproof jacket is easily penetrable", can one use "pregnable"? "non-impregnable"? Is there risk of confusion that "pregnable" may mean "can be made pregnant"?]


Is this usage of 'for which' correct?

I recently typed the following to a friend in an email: > Last night I went to the theatre to see a play with X. Before that, we went > for dinner at a nearby pub _for which_ my cousin came along. Now is that the correct usage of 'for which', or should I have used 'which my cousin came along to'?


"My hand is paining" or "my hand is hurting"

After a series of pull-ups, Mr P tells me   1. my hands are paining   2. my hands are hurting What is the rationale behind using _paining_ and _hurting_? What is the difference? Is one of them more appropriate or is one of them totally incorrect?


Present Perfect in reviews

When explaining an experiment from a paper which one of the following seems more suitable and natural. > In this paper they study the genetic structure of human body. They _have_ > examined over 100 patients... Or should it be simple past: > In this paper they study the genetic structure of human body. They examined > over 100 patients...


On the use of “technique” as a mass noun

The following passage appears in the preface to the first edition of P. Morse’s _Vibration and Sound_ (1936). > The vacuum tube and the other applications of electronics have provided > immensely powerful tools for the measurement, recording, and reproduction of > sound; tools which have revolutionized acoustic technique. The word **technique** is apparently being used as a mass noun, though my intuition is that in today’s American English such a usage is not common. Would someone care to discuss on the mass/noun status of this noun in different dialects of English during different time periods, or provide a general discussion of historical changes between mass/count status? I have made no effort to consult readily available reference works in order to answer my question before posting here.


Hyphenation of parameter(s)

How is `parameter`(`s`) hyphenated in UK English?                  pa-ram-e-ter (Merriam-Webster)     or pa-rame-ter  (Word XP)     or para-met-er  (TCItex)     or para-meter   (OAL Dictionary)     or pa-ra-me-ter (seems to bee the hyphenation of Parameter in German)     or pa-ra-m-e-t-er (combination of all possible locations for hyphenations)     or some other way?      Is there a difference for `parameters`? I know that there are rules about the minimum number of letters before the first hyphenation (two letters) and after the last hyphenation (three letters), but those don't appear to be strict rules but more like a recommendation. Or do they prohibit something like "paramet-er" and allow "paramet-ers" (regardless of the hyphenation being right or wrong otherwise)? As there are differences between US and UK English also regarding hyphenation, please point out if US hyphenation of `parameter`(`s`) is different. (I don't need it, but the information might be useful for somebody else.)


Sound you make with your mouth

The word that I can't remember was in a movie where one of the main characters made flower arrangements, and this guy who liked her saw them somewhere on a table in a hallway and tilted the picture that was hung on the wall behind the flowers, then he went to a book store and looked the word up in a dictionary and its definition was something like "the popping sounds your lips make when you pop your lips". It was a really weird sounding word.


Question regarding capital letter in scientific report

I'm writing a scientific report (due this evening), and I'm having some problems regarding capital letters. As usual, figures, tables, sections, etc., are given capital letters. Example: Results given in Fig. 2. See Tabs. 4-5. In one of the tables I have defined 14 integrals, where each integral is paired up with a number. These integrals are referred to by: Integrals 3-4 in Tab. 2. My question is this. Should I capitalize the I in integral, when referring to them in the middle of a sentence? Should I say: When testing with integral 4. Or: When testing with Integral 4. If the latter case, should I use an abbreviation for Integral, like I do for Figure (Fig.), Table (Tab.) and Section (Sec.)?


Should I refer to a person by his/ her name?

When writing emails, I come across a problem of whether I should refer to that person by name, or just a simple 'Hi'. Like if I don't know say Thomas Anderson and I want to mail him for the first time, do I start with a 'Hi!' or 'Hi Mr. Anderson'? I really don't know how formal this sounds, English is not my first language. (I am asking this question when emailing people professionally)


Why does one scream blue murder?

To scream blue murder is to shout loudly and make a huge fuss, sometimes with the implication that the fuss is excessive. But does anyone know why murder should be _blue?_


What is the origin of the phrase "blue moon"? Any alternate phrase for it?

Was just wondering how this phrase came into being? Was it inspired from some natural or astronomical observation? or is it the result of poetic imagination?


Preposition for referring to a tool

Is it ok to use _via_ to refer to a tool (The camera in this context) or should I use _with_ or some other conjunction > Photo by John Doe **via** Canon EOS 60D


"I had to go see about a girl"

In one of my favourite movies _Good Will Hunting_ , the main character played by Matt Damon says > I had to go **see about** a girl. Is this sentence correct, and if so does it mean the same as the following? > I had to go **see** a girl.


"What score are we playing until?" or how to ask it?

Every day Jack and Ted have about 5–15 minutes to go outside and play table tennis in the afternoon. As their free time varies each time (sometimes it's 5 minutes, sometimes 10, sometimes 15), they always agree before the game about how long their game is going to be. Though it's the time that is really limiting them, they still prefer to take their scoring in the game as their limiting factor (it's not a big problem for them if they finish one or two minutes before or after their free time is over). So, each time before the game Jack usually asks Ted,   1. "What score are we playing until?"   2. "Until what score are we playing?"   3. "What score are we playing till?"    4. "Till what score are we playing?"   5. "What score will we play until?"   6. "Until what score will we play?"   7. "What score will we play till?"    8. "Till what score will we play?"   9. or... What question would you ask in this situation?


"Scene", "episode", or "sequence" when talking about a movie?

How do you refer to one part of a movie, in which you would see only one character or a group of characters usually interacting with each other in one particular setting (= situation = place). This part may be only 30 seconds long, but in some movies it may last as long as 10 minutes or even longer. The words that I've heard from different native English speakers when referring to it are these:   1. scene   2. episode   3. sequence Perhaps, some of these words don't really refer to what I mean. What I want to know is the differences in meaning between these 3 words. And also, if you know another word to refer to what I have described above, please, tell me.


Meaning of "it takes a measure of doing"

In the novel _Dune_ by Frank Herbert, it says: > "Some day, lad," the old woman said, "you, too, may have to stand outside a > door like that. **It takes a measure of doing.** " What does it mean?


What is the implication of "eye of the storm"?

I was confused by the following sentence found in this post: > French bank shares, which have been in the eye of the storm, recovered > sharply (BNP Paribas was up 13% on the day while Société Générale rose by > 5%). My impression is, and Wikipedia says that: "The eye is a region of mostly calm weather found at the center of strong tropical cyclones." If French bank shares were in the calm region, wouldn't that imply that they were largely unscathed (in comparison to their neighbors perhaps) and that they wouldn't really have anything to "recover" from? Is there some distinction that I am missing between eyes of storms, cyclones, hurricanes, etc? Am I missing something else, or does the sentence not really make sense?


Words for distinguishing between published/official papers and unpublished papers

Imagine that one wanted to present a list of (a) published academic papers and theses, and (b) unpublished papers and/or essays (I'm not sure if there is a real difference between these two concepts). Which headings would make most sense to separate the two? Papers and essays? Official papers and unofficial papers?


Antonym of "extol"

What would be the perfect antonym for _extol_?


What is a word for a man who has a lot of sexual relationships?

What do you call a man who loves and tries to have many sexual relationships with girls and usually doesn't fall in love with any of them? To clear what I'm looking for, Suppose a guy at work/university who tries to have sexual relationship with many girls and changes his choice continually one after another!


Opposite of "mute" or "silence" as verb

If I said > I **silenced** him during our online conversation or > I **muted** the television what would I use to indicate the reverse event occurred? I've seen _unmute_ used in various contexts, but it's not a real word.


How should you read proper nouns aloud in English?

When people don't know how to pronounce a word in English, they can look it up in the dictionary. However, lots of proper nouns usually can't be found, for example, English names. Here are my questions:   * When people want to read some English texts out loud, what do they usually do when they get a proper noun that they don't know how to pronounce? Are there any general rules of thumb for such a situation?    * Are the students in English-speaking countries required to read English texts out loud in elementary school? And how are they told to deal with the problem I mentioned above?


What is the difference between adjust and adapt?

I know the basic similarities between _adjust_ and _adapt_ , but I would like to know more about the differences between them. For example, which of the following sentences would be true? > It took time to adjust myself to fatherhood. or > It took time to adapt myself to fatherhood.


"Make of that what you will" – meaning of "will"

**Make of that what you will** or **Do what you will** What is the meaning of 'will' in these expressions? Here's some examples: > I have had my share of desires and goals, but my life has come to me or I > have gone to it mainly by way of mistakes and surprises. Often I have > received better than I deserved. Often my fairest hopes have rested on bad > mistakes. I am an ignorant pilgrim, crossing a dark valley. And yet for a > long time, looking back, I have been unable to shake off the feeling that I > have been led - **make of that what you will**.   >  (Wendell Berry, Jayber Crow)   >    > _**Do What You Will_** (Collected works of Aldous Huxley)    >   > Wiccan morality is largely expressed in the Wiccan Rede: _An [if] it harm > none, **do what you will_**. ... is usually interpreted as a declaration of > the freedom to act, along with the necessity of taking responsibility for > what follows from one's actions.    Here are two definitions of 'will': > v.tr.   >  1\. To decide on; choose.   >  2\. To yearn for; desire: "She makes you will your own destruction" (George > Bernard Shaw).   >  3\. To decree, dictate, or order.   >  4\. To resolve with a forceful will; determine.   >  5\. To induce or try to induce by sheer force of will: We willed the sun to > come out.   >  6\. To grant in a legal will; bequeath.   >  v.intr.   >  1\. To exercise the will.   >  2\. To make a choice; choose.   >    and: > aux.v.   >  1\. Used to indicate simple futurity: They will appear later.   >  2\. Used to indicate likelihood or certainty: You will regret this.   >  3\. Used to indicate willingness: Will you help me with this package?   >  4\. Used to indicate requirement or command: You will report to me > afterward.   >  5\. Used to indicate intention: I will too if I feel like it.   >  6\. Used to indicate customary or habitual action: People will talk.   >  7\. Used to indicate capacity or ability: This metal will not crack under > heavy pressure.   >  8\. Used to indicate probability or expectation: That will be the messenger > ringing.   >  tr. & intr.v.   >  To wish; desire: Do what you will. Sit here if you will.   > Which of these 'will's is meant? Is it short for **Make or that what you will [make of it]**? Or is it **Make of that what you determine/resolve/induce my the force of your will?** Can it be used in other tenses? eg > They made of that what they would   >  They made of that what they willed


The origin of "the long and the short of it"

I am not after the meaning, I am wondering how this phrase originated.


Which of "chafing at the bit" or "chomping at the bit" is more accepted/proper?

I've used "chafing at the bit" for quite some time, but have also heard "chomping at the bit" as a way to indicate impatience, etc. Which of these two is the more "proper" or accepted variant?


Meaning of "hinder parts" in the 17th century

While reading the works of William Laud in the edition by William Scott, I came across a description (No 2 on page 345) where it seems the Scots are upset about a ritual in which a priest turns his back to those present. Laud uses the term "hinder parts," and I'm wondering if it just means his back side (so that they're upset about the priest looking in the other direction), or if it could actually be an expression for "bottom", and the uproar is due to them feeling that the priest is turning his derrière towards them. Does anybody know a source where I could find out such things? It would be helpful if it is possible to cite the source in an academic paper. * * * Thanks to everybody who answered! Here's the entire paragraph where the term occurs: > It seems to be no great matter, that without warrant of the Book of England, > the presbyter going from the north end of the table, shall stand during the > time of consecration at such a part of the table where he may with more ease > and decency use both his hands; yet being tried, it importeth much: as that > he must stand with his **hinder parts** to the people; representing (saith > Durand) that which the Lord said to Moses, 'Thou shalt see my **hinder > parts**.'" William Laud, _The History of Troubles and Tryal Of the Most Reverend Father in God, William Laud, Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury_ , in: William Scott, The Works of the Most Reverend Father in God, William Laud, D.D., Sometime Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, Vol III, Oxford: Parker, 1853, p. 345 * * * _Note: The title of the chapter has been added by the editor, but the author is still Laud; anyone who is interested can find much of his work digitized on archive.org. This one, for example, can be foundhere._


Geek vs Geek Out - beyond computers

I am struggling with new usages of the word "geek" or "geek out". In social media outlets, it's no longer confined to computers or technology, but can be related to other subjects _including_ athletics. * * * Even a quick trip to Urban Dictionary gives conflicting stories: > **geek** > >   1. The people you pick on in high school and wind up working for as an > adult >   2. Not to be confused with Nerd. A geek does not have to be smart, a Geek > is someone who is generaly not athletic, and enjoys Video Games; Comic > Books; being on the internet, and etc. > and yet > **geek out** > > The act of becoming emotionally and physically aroused by the sight or the > thought of a technicality of a certain topic of major interest. > > It resembles an "orgasm of the mind". > > Geeking out is not a universal feeling. As a result, if one person in a > group geeks out, everyone else is wondering in curiosity what is wrong with > that person. Can anyone explain what is going on here? We seem to have two points if view:   * the geek who has very specialized interests which we cannot relate to   * geeking out, when we have a specific interests and nobody can relate to us Any other theories? Even geek has achieved positive status, beating out nerd according to New York Times data. Finally when did this stop being about computers? * * * Is there a word for a non-geek? Which term correctly identifies those who enjoy programming/technology: "geek" or "nerd"? English word for taking a derogatory term and owning it with pride


Sequence of tenses missing - not in Reported Speech

SITUATION: A year ago, my friend had some financial problems of which his relatives were aware. Why do we say: _They **believed** he **was** in debt._ but: _He **was** believed to **be** in debt_ instead of: _He **was** believed to **have been** in debt_? Or do we?


What is the subject in this sentence?

I would like to know whether to use the singular or plural verb in the following sentence: > In cases where there is/are headroom, .... It seems to me that the subject ought to be "In cases where", hence the plural form should be taken. BUT, it could be argued that we are actually referring to the individual cases instead, and therefore, the singular form should be employed. Thanks for the help in advance.


How do I punctuate the phrase "final final exam"?

What is the correct punctuation for a final "final exam" that has been taken? Should the sentence read: 'That my was my final, final exam!' or 'That was my final final exam!'


How to express "nice to hear from you" on telephone call in business situation?

I am expecting a call from a staff management company who will call me. I want to reply that I am happy that they call me. How do I say this in professional (british) english? > Nice to hear from you > > Glad to hear from you > > Great to hear from you > > Please to hear from you So the context is:               "Hi, this is xxx form xxx company, you applied for the job ad xxx, do you have time?"          "Good morning, yes. I am glad to hear from you."      Is this correct to say?


Robbed off vs Robbed of

Can you please tell me which one of the following two sentences is right, and why? He is robbed **off** a huge amount of money? OR He is robbed **of** a huge amount of money? Also, is the comma here necessary? -> Can you please tell me which one of the following two sentences is **right, and why?** Thanks in advance. This is my first question, and the site has been hugely helpful to me so far. You are doing a great job.


The insured vs. the assured

Consider the following statement (written in the context of marine cargo insurance): > The _insurers_ plead negligence on the part of the _assured_. The writer is British. Is the use of _assured_ appropriate here? Or should it be _insured_? The relevant definition of _insure_ reads: > arrange for compensation in the event of damage to or loss of (property), or > injury to or the death of (someone), in exchange for regular payments to a > company or to the state: The corresponding entry for _assure_ reads: > _chiefly British_ cover (a life) by assurance:   >  we guarantee to assure your life Does this mean that you can insure _anything_ and assure only _a life_? What is the difference between _life insurance_ and _life assurance_?


About type in application form

In the application form it says print or type. If we want to type do we need to type in capital letter or just by usual way(small and capital as necessary). Thank you.


"an hour and a half" or "one and a half hours"

Are both `"an hour and a half"` and `"one and a half hours"` correct? If so, is either more appropriate in different contexts? Example context: > "The Superbowl starts in less than one and a half hours." > > "The Superbowl starts in less than an hour and a half."


Is this quote derogatory toward women? What does it mean?

What does it mean that " all soldiers stand at attention" when referring to a woman entering a room? Someone told a woman this.


Why do American and British English use different quotation marks?

American English uses double-quotes, while British English uses single-quotes: > "This is a quote." > > 'This is a quote.' Why do we use different quotation marks? When did this difference originate? Were quotation marks not standardized until relatively recently?


Why is “bloody” considered obscene in the UK but not in the US?

Why is the word _bloody_ considered obscene in the UK but not so in the US?


Are these consecutive prepositions?

> If Gryffindor won, they would move (1) **up into** second place in the house > championship. (Harry Potter book1) > > They follow him (2) **out into** the farmyard, and (3) **on into** the old > flint barn. (The Secret Intensity of Everyday Life) Are those examples of (1), (2) and (3) the same consecutive prepositions as the case in J.R.’s reply?


Exact meaning of "You are brand new"?

I run across a phrase of "You are brand new to GitHub" on the web. What makes me confused is the word "brand"; is it a noun, an adjective or an adverb?


What is the most appropriate pronoun for humanity?

Humanity lived thousands of years in the environment without any source of electric power, but in the environment with radiation **they** will be dead in a few days.


How to use "posthumous"?

I know that "posthumous" means "after one's death." But how would you use it to say: > This is shown by his posthumous weakening of the monarchy. What I mean to say is that after his death, _other people_ weakened the monarchy. Would you still use "his", or would you just say "the posthumous weakening"?


Are "shower gel" and "body soap" regional synonyms?

In Australia where I'm from solid soap has practically been replaced by shower gel except for the older generations. I expected that this type of stuff and its name came from Euro-English but now I'm in Japan where English isn't anyone's first language and the liquid soap in the shower is labeled "body soap" which I assumed was a translation by someone unaware of our "shower gel" idiom. To my surprise everybody else here thought "body soap" was the normal name for this stuff and didn't know the term "shower gel". So my question is are the two regional synonyms? Is "shower gel" only used in Australia? Or are they slightly different products neither of which is as popular in all English-speaking markets?


Difference in pronunciation between 'warship' and 'worship'?

I basically came these words across together in a text, and I was wondering whether or not they are pronounced the same way. 'War' is actually pronounced as 'wor', so I'm not entirely sure. Personally, when I pronounce them I do not hear a difference, but I'm not a native English speaker. Therefore, could anyone perhaps shed some light on the pronunciation, whether or not it is different?


Which of these is the correct usage "working [with / on / in]"?

I am trying to update my profile. Which one of these is the correct sentence that I should use in my profile?   1. I am a developer working **on** Microsoft technologies.   2. I am a developer working **in** Microsoft technologies.   3. I am a developer working **with** Microsoft technologies. (Currently, I have this after I tried the above two.)


How to say: after have waited or after waiting e.g. 4 hours ?

I' like to know which one of these (or maybe there is another correct way to say it)is correct:   * after have waited ( e.g. 1 hour )   * after waiting ( e.g. 1 hour )


Is the phrase 'according to me' correct?

Is the saying "According to me" correct? I believe it's incorrect, and that "In my opinion" is better. Can anyone clarify?


What does "coming apart at the seams" mean?

> Meanwhile, Europe’s single currency is coming apart at the seams. In the example above and in general.


Is this an example of irony?

> It's ironical that Linux, the most secure OS, is commonly used to hack other > machines. Is that sentence correct, with respect to the irony part?


A word for a joke so poorly told and so unfunny that one cannot help but laugh

There is a word for this in Indonesian language: **jayus**. (Maybe, it is used in Filipino and Malaysian language also.) It is a joke that is so bad, it's funny. It is often mentioned as untranslatable. I wonder if there is any English equivalent though. (and yes, English does not have to have a word for everything but there is always a chance or we can find a close match at least.) * * * **Lame joke** is mentioned in some of the sources but it does not quite fit. Here is an explanation: > Some argue that “lame joke” would do just fine, but not all lame jokes can > make one laugh. A joke becomes a jayus when those who heard it laughed, not > at the joke but at the person’s failed attempt to deliver a punch line.   >  Source: ~


Which of "is acquired by" or "is acquired to" is preferred?

In the following sentence: > They have access to private information that can only be acquired by those > who invest millions of dollars in network communication... should I say the following instead? > They have access to private information that can only be acquired **to** > those who invest millions of dollars in network communication...


Is this 'as' a conjunction?

I guess ‘as’ is a conjunction. If then, is as-clause an adjective clause that modifies ‘Muggle money’? > There was a train to London in five minutes' time. Hagrid, who didn't > understand 'Muggle money,' **as he called it** , gave the bills to Harry so > he could buy their tickets.


What is the meaning of the phrase "common humanity"?

What is _common humanity_ as Dickens uses it? > “You will excuse me,” said the gentleman contemptuously, “if I am too much > in advance of common humanity to trouble myself at all about it. I have > passed the night — as indeed I pass the whole of my time now — in spiritual > intercourse.”


What is the name for words which, when the order of letters is reversed, spell other words?

For example:   * Lamina / Animal   * Dog / God    * Ogre / Ergo   * Desserts / Stressed   * Tuba / Abut These are all anagrams, but they are a special type of anagram, where the order of letters is exactly reversed. They aren't palindromes, as they spell a _different_ word when read backwards. I feel like there should be some sort of latin-sounding name for them, but the best I can come up with is the rather imprecise-sounding "backwards words", "mirror anagrams" or "reverse spelling pairs"...


Words for not keeping up with supposed pace

I was wondering if there are some words that describe the characteristic of some person that does not keep up with some supposed pace. For example, in orchestra performance by a team, one performer playing his instrument always lags behind by a certain amount of time. Another example, unlike other students, a student seldom ask questions in classes. But he asks a lot of questions after classes. The reason is that he needs more time to think in classes than other students, so not able to keep up with the paces of the classes and not to say to ask questions (although I don't think it is a bad thing).


Best single word for work chain

Can you suggest a single word that convey the meaning ' **hierarchy of developers engaged in work** '?


Number of noun modified by coordinated PP: "the [X-sg] of [Y] and [Z] is", or "the [X-pl] of [Y] and [Z] are"?

I've tried searching Google and StackExchange for this one, but I find it difficult to state the problem generally and therefore have had no luck so far; apologies if the answer is already out there somewhere (and easily to be found given the right formulation). Now to flesh out the rather abstract phrasing in the title of my question - which of the following (if any) is correct: > (a) The performance of Y and Z is comparable. or > (b) The performances of Y and Z are comparable. My intuition is that both are at least commonly used, and perhaps even correct. But do you know of any grammar book that addresses the issue? And what is your intuition as a native speaker (if applicable)? Please don't argue by saying that (b) is more logical, language as a rule doesn't have to be logical :) I'm interested in a normative body's opinion and/or your native speaker's intuition. (If _I_ were a native speaker myself, I'd use whichever would feel most natural to me, not being overly fond of prescriptive grammar, but I don't have that choice.) Thank you!


What's the origin of the idiom "to cut your teeth on something"?

I understand that it means to acquire a new skill, but what does it refer to? It makes me cringe every time I read it!


Problem converting 'even though' clause to 'despite' clause: 'Despite losing...'

I stumbled across this question in 'Intermediate Language Practice' by Michael Vince: 'Even though they were losing at half-time, City won in the end. Despite________________________________' The answer given is 'Despite losing at half-time, City won in the end.' For me, the answer doesn't work. Something like 'Despite being behind at half- time...' would be better. However, I am having trouble explaining _why_ it doesn't work. Is it because the tenses for 'lose' and 'win' do not agree in the original 'even though' sentence so there is ambiguity when you try and reduce 'were losing' to 'losing' because the 'won in the end' makes us read the subordinate clause as 'they lost'?


Plural of  "presence"

What is the correct way to indicate multiple "presence"s in the sense of "I have a strong presence in this community"? For example: > I have multiple online presence[s?].


Use of "that" when proceeded by people, proper nouns, or pronouns

"I admit that I am a student in college" I came across this sentence in an online post one day when a comment below it corrected the user, saying "that" should not be used when it is preceded by people, proper nouns, or pronouns. Can someone explain this rule? Is there actually something wrong with this sentence? How should this sentence be corrected? Perhaps "I admit I am a student in college"? When should "that" be used? In my first paragraph, would it have been wrong to say "...corrected the user, saying that "that" should not be..."?


Comma placement: "Hi, my name is Joe and I work in a button factory."

Will someone please tell me where commas should go in the following sentence: > Hi, my name is Joe and I work in a button factory.


Where's the irony? Truth and falsity are reversed?

> Hamilton quickly focused on the last part of his opponent’s argument as > support for his attempt to introduce evidence of the truthfulness of his > client’s publications. Hamilton offered the following brilliantly ironic > response: > >> Well, suppose it were so, and let us agree for once that truth is a greater sin than falsehood: Yet as the offenses are not equal, and as the punishment is arbitrary, that is, according as the judges in their discretion shall direct to be inflicted; is it not absolutely necessary that they should know whether the libel is true or false, that they may by that means be able to proportion the punishment? For would it not be a sad case if the judges, for want of **a due information** , should chance to give as severe a judgment against a man for writing or publishing a lie as for writing or publishing a truth? And yet this (with submission), as monstrous and ridiculous as it may seem to be, is the natural consequence of Mr. Attorney’s doctrine that truth makes a worse libel than falsehood, and must follow from his not proving our papers to be false, or not suffering us to prove them to be true. I'm trying to apprehend why this rseponse is 'ironic' and confirm my reading comprehension. I'd summarise this to have reversed the importance of truth and falsity, so is this swap the irony? Here, Alexander Hamilton first hypothesises (for the sake of this argument) that truth is worse than falsehood, then argues that it would be a 'sad case' if judges by chance punish a liar more severely than a truthteller? Finally, Hamilton submits that this is a monstrous counterargument, because he's trying to confute "Mr. Attorney's doctrine." Did I read this 100% rightly? Source: P38, _America on Trial_ by Alan Dershowitz


Isn’t “Take hits” a well-received English phrase?

I came across the phrase, ‘ _Take hits’_ in the headline of Washington Post article (July 20) titled, ‘Federal workers will _take hits_ in any deal’ which is followed by the following sentence: > “No matter how the debt crisis ends, federal employees will take a double > dose of a bitter pill. Even the best-case scenario of Congress and the White > House agreeing on a plan to raise the debt ceiling would have federal > employees _taking a hit_ through whatever medicine is prescribed for > Americans in general, in addition to money-saving measures aimed directly at > the federal workforce.” From the context of the above sentence, I interpreted “take hits’ implies ‘take a hard blow or damage.’ As I was unable to find definition of ‘take hits’ in dictionaries at hand, I checked into online dictionaries, and found that there is no entry of ‘take hits,’ but ‘take a hit’ meaning ‘inhale through the nose’ with one accord in Free English language Dictionary, Audio English net and www. definitions net. Is my understanding of “take hits” in the sense of ‘get a blow’ right? Why apparently ordinary phrase like ‘take hits’ is registered in neither in ordinary dictionaries nor in online dictionaries, though ‘take a hit’ is registered in online dictionaries under sole definition, ‘inhale through the nose,’ which does not seem to me applicable to the above context?


Success or successes? Which is correct?

I am making a greeting card for our Client's Company Anniversary, which of these two is correct? "May you achieve greater success in years to come." or "May you achieve greater successes in years to come."? And is it safe to add "even" or "much" before the word "greater"? Thanks!


Affirmative reference for the origin of “caucus”

Etymonline gives a rather noncommitting origin for the word _caucus_ : > perhaps from caucauasu "counselor, elder, adviser" in the Algonquian dialect > of Virginia, or the Caucus Club of Boston, a 1760s social & political club > whose name possibly derived from Mod. Gk. kaukos "drinking cup." Do other references exist that give a different origin, or a more detailed one?


please suggest that if it is a correct sentence

Happy with the strong performance in the test, it was decided that Ram give himself a five day rest. here above is my Question ,please correct it.


Can 'trains' be used as a synonym for 'postponement'

Was solving a cryptic crossword clue recently which reads > Coaches for postponement (6) The answer is 'trains' obvious from coaches , but dont get the postponement reference. The solution mentions > Trains = postponement (collective noun) Is this correct? Or is it even a synonym reference or something else?


Does every countable noun have to be preceded by an article?

The usage of articles is a little tricky for me. My question is do we have to add an article to every singular countable noun? For example: _License is the credential for using various value-added features and storage capacity..._ My colleague says there has to be an article before "license".


Opposite of "qualifier"

What is the appropriate term for a modifying clause that generalizes, rather than limits, the preceding statement? For example: "It is crucial to bring a canteen on the trip, even if the sky is cloudy."


Satisfying Demand

Certain expressions rely on pairs of words. We have some word-pairs as such: > Quench Thirst   >  Sate Hunger   >  Satisfy Desire   >  Satisfy Demand It seems strange to me that _satisfy_ would be used for both _desire_ and _demand_ , though the two words are mostly synonymous. At the same time, _satisfy_ is a rather general term — we can _satisfy_ many things, but we can _quench_ only _thirst_. So is there a more specific word than _satisfy_ for either of these, a word that creates a word-pair that 'fits better'?


What is the origin of the noun "satellite town"?

A satellite town is a town that is located in the outskirts of a major city. What is the origin of this name, _satellite town_? What does "satellite" exactly mean here?


Is addressing a guy as "guy" rude?

Non-native here, is addressing a guy as just "guy" considered rude? Like, while addressing a pet-store clerk: "Hey, guy, how many mice will $13 buy?" Also, how long has it been in use?


Is "inbuilt" a word? Is it alright to use it or should I use "built in"?

I searched and found this: “Built-in” or “In-built”, which says _inbuilt_ is fine. But in a reddit comment, I was told that I should use _built in_ instead of _inbuilt_. Which is correct? I am using the word _inbuilt_ on http://www.inboundio.com/features


they are being removed or they are removed?

which one is correct **they are being removed from the black list?** or **they are removed from the black list?** i want to use a passive sentence to express the removal of something from the black list.


In the last hundred years and the last time

Should 'the last time' always be followed by past simple and **in the last hundred years** by present perfect? Eg., The last time I **went** to South America, I **visited** Brazil and Peru. I **spent** two weeks in the Amazon, **hiked** for a week near Machu Picchu, and **flew over the Nazca Lines.** Eg.,In the last hundred years, traveling **has become** much easier and very comfortable. Thanks


"False reasoning" psychiatric term

I am looking for a one word English equivalent for "false reasoning" of schizophrenia patients. There are two type of this - one is non pathological when low-educated people explain some phenomenon on a base of their own limited knowledge. The second type, is pathological - when people explain phenomenon as a consequence of a disease. Thanks.


What is the right preposition after "report"?

"He will report into Charles." or "He will report to Charles." ? "He will report into the Collectorate." or "He will report to the Collectorate." ?


Why are financial terms not self-descriptive or well-chosen?

There are some lingual debates about naming concepts correctly so that you can understand the real concept from its given name. I'm entering into financial markets (I'm a computer programmer who is going to analyse the financial market, in order to develop some applications), and I find it really hard to understand some basic, underlying concepts. I feel like the nomenclature isn't correct. For example:   1. Why do people call something a **Security**? Why not something as simple as a **Financial** or a **Monetary**? Why not **Financial Documents** instead of **Securities**?   2. What does **Instrument** mean? I expect the word **Instrument** to represent a physical tool that can be used for a specific purpose. I know that some words have different meanings, but **instrument** etymologically means **something prepared** and I can't figure out the connection between being financial and being prepared.   3. A bond is a solid, robust connection between people. Why is it the name of a kind of financial document? For each of these terms, I tried to find an alternative, which represents that underlying concept better:   1. Financial instead of Security   2. Legal Document instead of Instrument   3. Repayment Guarantee instead of Bond I know these terms might sound normal to you, but I do have a tough time learning them. For example, my mind doesn't accept the word **phone** to describe **something that can make food cold (refrigerator)**. I searched Google and didn't find good answers. Even this guy complains about it. The more I read Wikipedia about financial concepts and articles, the more I get puzzled. I try to find other examples too. Is there a good, lingual explanation for this?


What does the phrase "His mouth worked when he thought" mean?

“Jody was only a little boy, ten years old, with hair like dusty yellow grass and with shy polite gray eyes, with a mouth that worked when he thought.” (Steinbeck, 4) -The Red Pony


Using the word permeate

Does 'The two movies permeate pop culture' make sense or should it be 'have permeated pop culture'?


(out of the year) VS (during the year)

I read this sentence: > In the Arctic tundra, temperatures are below freezing for nine months out of > the year. Why didn't the writer use "during the year"? What is the difference between "during the year" and "out of the year"?


"In the market" or "on the market"

I am trying to help a friend of mine proofreading an English email and she has a preposition there that I am not completely certain is correct. The original sentence was this: > [Name of the competitor] had the lowest price in the market -- [the price]. This seems a bit odd to me, but I can not be completely sure if I am right about the proper usage. My intuition wants to say "on the market" at this point...


Is the computer-related term "character" understood by the general population?

The following kind message is common in programming: > Your password must be at least six characters long and include at least one > letter and one number Would an average person understand what that message means? Is it reasonable to assume they'd understand the distinction between a character and a letter? Is there a better, jargon-free, way to phrase this message that does not sound torturous?


Difference in meaning between create/make/have impact

Came across "create a great impact" today, and I have never seen "impact" used with "create" (as far as I can remember). Is there a difference in meaning and usage between:   1. create an impact   2. have an impact   3. make an impact


"to" or "of" or both whilst referring to cities and places

I saw these billboards today: ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/nJgr0.jpg) > Turkey home of Istanbul   >  Turkey home of Nemrut Nemrut is a mountain in Turkey with prehistoric monuments, and I think _home of_ is the new slogan for Turkey. My instincts shouted: "Turkey, home of Istanbul" was wrong, it didn't sound right. It felt it should be "Turkey, home to Istanbul", especially if the sentence is indicating a city. Of course I asked Google to see whether _home of_ or _home to_ was more often used for cities. And _home to_ is more common. For instance:   * France, home of Paris    * France, home to Paris My instincts tell me "France, home to Paris" and "France, home of the Eiffel Tower" are both correct usages, but "France, home of Paris" does not sound correct. Google concurs, "France, home to Paris" is more frequent. Perhaps the determiner makes a difference? If the sentence was "Turkey, home of the Turks", it would be correct; but, without the determiner, "Turkey, home of Turks" wouldn't be correct usage, but "Turkey, the home of Turks" might be; _the_ , the determiner, dictating the preposition. I feel "Turkey, home of" is therefore a bad slogan because some contexts will call for "Turkey, home of", while others will necessitate "Turkey, home to". Which one do you think is the correct usage? Is there some kind of rule for this? Are my instincts on to something?


Statements that are courtesies

When you say the sentence: > The two men **exchanged courtesies** before getting down to business. What are the examples of such a courtesies? May it be compliments (flattery)? Is it something formal like _Good evening my friend._ Can you show the contrast between statements that are courtesies and aren't courtesies and try to classify them if there are more types of courtesies-statements?


“It took me all of ten minutes to find out” - what does “it took me” mean?

I have a little confusion on understanding the sentence: > It took me all of ten minutes to find out . Why couldn't it be "I took all of ten minutes to find out"?


Where did the term "OK/Okay" come from?

I've heard lots of varying histories of the term "OK". Is there any evidence of the true origin of the term?


What's the reason behind using "innings" more frequently than "inning"?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Where did the singular “innings” come from? Is there any difference between _inning_ and _innings_? I think both can be used interchangeably. But I haven't seen _inning_ frequently used by any news channel or English newspaper. Is there any particular reason behind using _innings_ more frequently than _inning_?


What is a common English expression for when you were very tired or out of it and said something extremely stupid?

I kept thinking of "spazzing out" but that doesn't quite seem to be it. An example is when you're very tired and kind of dozing off and you say something or ask a question that is incredibly stupid and makes no sense.


Term for adjectives attached after names

What is the term for adjectives attached after names? For example, there is _terrible_ in _Ivan the Terrible_. Are these counted as post-positive adjectives?


What does mean "pot commited"?

I cann't understand the meaning of "pot commited" in this phrase: **Law grads who lost their scholarships feel "pot committed," to use a poker term,** Any idea?


Where can I get a model / template English text that is translated in more than 30 languages?

I'm sorry for this off-topic question, but you guys could know and help me out. I created an application for language recognition and I need a model text to test with. The more languages the better. Any ideas please ? I was searching for that more than half an hour. Can't find anything appropriate


"I was gone" vs "I had gone"

What is the difference between the following two statements. > By the time you sent me the email, I was gone. > > By the time you sent me the email, I had gone. Both of them clearly expresses what had already happened.


"Can" or "may" and "have to" or "must"

There are two typical situations: when someone asks for a permission or for a obligation. I am totally confused, because there seems to be two ways to ask and to reply, and I don't know which one is right. PERMISSION: > Q1. Can I go play? > > Q2. May I go play? > > N1. No, you must not. > > N2. No, you may not. > > P1. Yes you can. > > P2. Yes you may. OBLIGATION: > Q1. Do I have to go to school? > > Q2. Must I go to school? > > N1. No, you don't have to. > > N2. (I guess there is no second possibility) > > P1. Yes you have to. > > P2. Yes you must. Which one of the two forms is correct?


What's the difference between "mistrust" and "distrust"?

Are **mistrust** and **distrust** synonyms? And if so, how have two such similar words coexist for so long? Google N-grams suggests the two words have coexisted since the 1700's. ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/YoOlW.png)


Why do we say that someone “practices” law or medicine?

I’m wondering why we refer to providing legal or medical services as a _practice_ of law or medicine, respectively. For example, we say that a lawyer _practices_ law or a doctor _practices_ medicine. This makes these fields sound like they’re some special art, but what is the historical origin of the usage of the word _practice_ in this context?


Can an abandoned software project "gather dust"?

I was reading a blog of someone who is trying to emulate Nintendo Gameboy hard- and software as a hobby project. In the oldest post, in the following sentence: > I eventually [...] bought myself a flash cardridge [...] to make a few > little test programs which are still gathering dust on an old HDD somewhere. the author says that old software he wrote is _gathering dust_ on a [Hard Disk Drive]. The meaning of this idiom is that something remains untouched for a certain amount of time, but I'm not sure whether this can be used if it doesn't apply literally, which it always seems to do. You can leave any _object_ sitting unused somewhere and it will gather dust in the physical world. Computer programs are digital, they have no relation to the physical world, as of such they cannot literally gather dust. Is the quoted sentence linguistically correct? If so, does that mean this idiom can be used for anything non-physical?


Past perfect sentence in "I would have killed the snake if I had hit him..."

Is the following a correct past perfect sentence? > I would have killed the snake if I had hit him hard with a stick.


Does calling an app "the Instapaper" with a definite article suggest a non-technical speaker?

Listening to an episode of a tech podcast with very tech-literate persons talking, I noticed them saying things like "I use the Tweetbot", for the iPhone app "Tweetbot", or "building the Instapaper", for the iPhone app "Instapaper". They don't use the definite article all of the time: they mostly talk about apps without "the". As a non-native English speaker, this sounds wrong to me. I interpret it as a parody of someone not very familiar with technology, but I'm not sure my intuitions are accurate. I certainly see how a tech-literate person would say "I used the calendar" for the iPhone app "Calendar", but with a less generic name like "Tweetbot" or "Instapaper", I get the impression they're aiming to be funny. Or that they were at one point aiming to be funny, and now they do it by rote, as with "funny" expressions like "What can I do you for?" Would you say I have this right, or does "the Instapaper" not suggest a non- technical speaker to you? I'm guessing users of this site are technical enough to tell.


What do “a bare foot” and “flat on his belly” mean in this context?

In the opening prologue to the novel _A Game of Thrones_ , two sentences left me with questions: > The great sentinel was right there ať the top of the ridge, where Will had > known it would be, its lowest branches a **bare** foot off the ground. What does _bare_ mean in that sentence above? > Will slid in underneath, **flat on his belly** in the snow and the mud, and > looked down on the empty clearing below. And what does _flat on his belly_ mean in that one?


Letter writing: Refering to enclosed items

I am writing a letter, in it I want to refer to other items enclosed within the letter, is there any proper way to do this? As an example of what I mean, I was thinking something like: > ... my id card (see item 1 enclosed) ... And then having an item within the envelope labeled item 1 I feel like I have seen or heard of a cleaner way to do this.


Which word meaning "someone who kills bad substances" can be used in an ad campaign?

We have an idea to post short ads like "our company is hiring" in company blog posts. The company develops software and one of duties of people we want to hire will be finding, locating and fixing bugs in programs. Can we refer to such people as "bug assassins"? Won't "assassin" word have some negative meaning?


Multiple 'as' (subordinate conjunction) in the same sentence

> Performance is poor as losses have increased and are projected to remain > negative going forward as the company works through problem assets and > realizes related expense. Is this sentence correct? If not, why? I couldn't find much on the internet in regards to utilizing multiple "because", multiple "as" or multiple subordinate conjunctions in general but I feel that this sentence is a bit "off".


Comprehensive list of grammar rules?

Does anyone know of a near-comprehensive list of grammar rules? (Specifically those which a poor writer of English might violate.) The most amusing candidate I've found was http://www.listsofnote.com/2012/01/fumblerules-of-grammar.html but that doesn't count ;)


Two word phrase to refer to community of people who come together to exchange knowledge

I need a two word phrase to refer to a community of people (academia + non- academia) who come together to share/exchange their knowledge/ideas openly on topics of their interests/ specializations. I would appreciate the use of small and easier/common words for the phrase. Single words are also acceptable. Feel free to throw out your creative ideas and newly invented phrases.


"My ear hurts" Or "My ear is hurting"

Which tense is best suited to describe sickness and pain? In the example below, what are the differences between the two usages? Which one sounds more natural? >   * My ear hurts > >   * My ear is hurting > >


How would you express colons in speaking?

There are two colons in the following lines a radio personality is speaking. How does the speaker get his listeners to feel the existence of colons? Maybe intonation? or a shorter pause? (On the radio) > ”Listeners, that brings us to the end of another _Potterwatch._ We don’t > know when it will be possible to broadcast again, but you can be sure we > shall be back. Keep twiddling those dials: The next password will be ‘Mad- > Eye.’ Keep each other safe: Keep faith. Good night.” ( _Harry Potter and the > Deathly Hallows (7)_ [US Version p.444])


Is “Can’t wipe one’s ass if somebody don’t hand paper,” a pattern phrase, or just a one-off play of words?

In association with a couple of questions about unfamiliar expressions used in Jeffery Archers fiction, “The Fourth Estate,” I was amused by the phrase, “can’t wipe one’s ass if somebody didn’t hand paper,” appearing in the scene (Page 281) where one of the main characters, Dick Armstrong, British Army captain who rose from an illegal immigrant from the Czech in W.W. II and now controlling German newspapers published in British sector of Berlin bets with Max Sackville, American Army captain who controls German newspapers in American sector on Max’s capability of sacking Julius Hahn, the owner of Del Berliner, the largest German language newspaper in American sector. > “Julius Hahn claims he knows you.” > > “Yeah, sure does,” said Max. “He’s responsible for bringing out the paper in > this sector. Not that I ever read it.” > > “He seems pretty successful,” said Armstrong, dealing another hand. > > “Certainly is. But only thanks to me,” said Max. > > “What do you mean’ because of you’?” Armstrong asked. > > “He **couldn’t even wipe his ass in the morning if I didn’t hand him the > paper**. I issue his monthly permit. I control his paper supply, I decide > how much electricity he gets. I decide when it will be turned on and off.” I understand the statement, “He couldn’t even wipe his ass in the morning if I didn’t hand him the paper,” is linked with Max’s control of paper supply to Julius Hahn, but I wonder whether “One can’t even wipe one’s ass” can be used as an idiom or stand-alone expression in English, or it’s merely a one-off play of word. Incidentally, we have a Japanese word, ‘尻拭い- literally ' _wipe one’s ass_ ,’ which means to take one’s own or other’s responsibility in association of self-disposition of one’s discharge, e.g. We have to wipe our government’ ass - the national debts amounting to US$ 9 trillion being accumulated through their lax financial management over time. Archer’s “Can wipe one’s ass” is ability to do a job, Japanese “Can wipe one’s ass” is ability to take responsibility. The same turn of word, but different meaning by language.


wedding invite template

I sent the below wedding invite to few of my friends for proof reading               Born unknown to each other, we are stepping into a new beginning of wedded life,          with new dreams, new hopes, new aspirations          and a desire to reach new horizons.          Together with our parents, we invite you to share the celebration of          our wedding as we begin our eternal bonding with nuptial knot!!!      one of my friend said that the last line should be `eternal bonding with` **a** `nuptial knot`. Few say that "a" is not required. Which is correct? and are there any other grammar mistakes in the invite?


Does "effusive" have a negative connotation?

> He was very effusive in his praise of the features. The definition on wordnik shows a lot of words that gives me the feeling that _effusive_ has a negative connotation:   * unrestrained   * excessive   * extravagant And the related meaning of a volcanic rock that is pouring heightens that feeling. Is _effusive_ a negative word or can it express positive connotation, too? Does the connotation change if I replace _effusive_ with _gushy_?


What is the term for replacing one word/phrase with one that is more friendly/appropriate

I apologize for such a simple and stupid question but the word is completely skipping my mind and my google fu seems to be failing me for this one. An example would be something along the lines of _shit_ to _poop_ or _fuck_ to _fudge_.


which was given me VS which was given to me

I have come across occurrences of _which was given me_ on many occasions; mostly in 19th century novels, where the mark of the dative case, _to_ , was usually omitted. _Which was given to me_ , on the other hand, I have stumbled on, as it were, on the printed page especially in contemporary English. My question concerning these two is actually twofold: a) is there any semantic or stylistic difference between _which was given to me_ and _which was given me_? b) is _which was given me_ (or _which was given you_ , etc.) an old-fashioned way of expressing this? Example: I asked for water, which was given me, and she then retired. Why _given me_ , and not _given to me_?


What is/are the part(s) of "out of" in the phrase "move out of the way"?

In the phrase “move out of the way”, what is the part of speech of the word “out”? of the word “of”?


One word for "fierce passion"

I am looking for one single word to replace the phrase _fierce passion_. The entire sentence is: > I found in myself a **fierce passion** to understand the language of man.


"Normalise" or "normalize" (British English)?

Is **_normalise_** perhaps obsolete in British English, and **_normalize_** preferred instead? I **have** done some Googling, it seems British English dictionaries prefer **_normalize_** , but I haven't found any satisfactory answers from native speakers. I would like to hear about usage and "how it sounds" (the formality), maybe if there are any reasons to use both forms in different situations. (The question arose when reading something about _vector normalization_.)


Can we use all "nouns" as adjective?

can we use "truth" or "thought" as adjective for example; "truth" nurturing is through imagination or "thought sun", thought grove" &...? This question body meets the quality of words combination. it includes what you make as a new combination of words.


Wrapping with "of"

How should the following sentence be wrapped:               Data compression of     file system      or               Data compression     of file system      "of" should stay on the upper line, or should be placed in next line?


Is "I can't go on, I'll go on" an idiom or not?

What does the following phrase mean? > I can't go on, I'll go on. And is it an idiom or not? I've found it in a Gogol Bordello song. The text is in _Forces of Victory_.


Hex, curse, spell, jinx, charm

I'm listening to some Harry Potter audio books, and there are so many words describing the work of the spell. One can be _cursed_ , _charmed_ , _hexed_ or _jinxed_. What's the difference?


Listing three items where the latter two are in a group. Put two "and"?

I am trying to write a sentence similar to the following. This one looks dumb as there are many jargon in my original sentence. This is an example with simple wordings:               Our candidates include Tom, who is a boy and Betty and Mary, who are girls.       Clearly, Betty and Mary are in one group. However, the sentence is hard to read as there are two "and". What is the correct way to write it? Thanks in advance.


Lots of questions for a lot of clauses!

I am confused over the use of _lots of_ vs _lot of_. I am phrasing a sentence having the following clause : > [Article] [lot-of/lots-of] [noun singular/plural] [verb] ... As an example : > A lot of mail keeps arriving. Ignoring the structuring of the sentence for the moment, what are the rules for matching up the article, noun and verb when using either lot of or lots of?


Why does the 'i' in 'explain' disappear when written as 'explanation'?

The word 'explain' has an 'i'. Why does that 'i' disappear when we write it as 'explanation'.


Is 'damn you' abusive or offensive?

I would say in jest to someone, _"Damn you!, you always get your way."_ He insisted that I was being abusive. Since my tone or tenor did not convey it, I put it down to his studying in a Catholic school. My question is, in Christian dominated countries today, is 'damn you' offensive or can it be used in jest?


‘The’ Days of Our Lives

In the show 'Friends' there is an exchange between Ross and Joey that goes like this: > _Joey:_ I'm in this show called 'The Days of Our Lives'.   >  _Ross:_ Dude, it's just 'Days of Our Lives'. There's no 'the'. Sadly, I fail to see humor in this and it's most likely due to my poor understanding of the many meanings of the article 'the'. I also think understanding this joke could make me understand how the reception of the name "The Facebook" differs from just "Facebook" (the site used to be called thefacebook.com in the past, there's even a mention of that in the movie "The Social Network"). Could you help me understand this, please?


What is differences between "Dear and Darling"?

What is differences between them? Are they similar or not? > Dear Mrs. Smith.   >  John, darling, could you pass me the sugar, please? Johnny dear, please > listen up. May I introduce my dear wife / May I introduce my darling wife What is the difference between those last two? Are the two interchangeable, or not, or sometimes?


For medicine we need a prescription; for having medical tests, what do we need?

A prescription is a written order, especially by a physician, for the preparation and administration of a medicine or other treatment. What do we call the written order the physician gives us, where he has written down what medical tests have to be run?


Word For: Didn't Find Anything Wrong

Working on some software, in the moderation we are using the word "ignore" for reported/flagged topics by users, but we didn't see anything wrong with what was reported. I don't really want to use the word ignore, because it sounds like an individual action rather than a group action. Choosing to "ignore" a flagged post, makes that post invisible to all moderators. What are some other terms that cane be used in place of "ignore".


Examples of Apheretic forms in English?

I am looking for a comprehensive list of Apheretic forms in English. I remember seeing in old books words being prefixed with apostrophes which do not require them in modern writing, but can't remember many instances. Wikipedia provides a list of apocopations but none for apheresis.