Is “treat somebody pretty ugly” a common and colloquial English phrase?

There was the following line in a New York Times article (September 17), titled “Rick Perry, Uber Texan”: > “Then he was off to talk some more about economic growth in Texas. And > lambastes the chairman of the Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke, by saying that > _he would be treated “pretty ugly” in Texas_. Some aides seemed surprised to > find this was not regarded as presidential language, since Perry says that > kind of thing in Texas all the time.” I don’t know the idiom, “treat somebody ugly.” Although I guess it means something like beat up (in Texas), or socking a person (Ben Bernanke) on the jaw, what is it in plain English? Is “ _Treat somebody ugly_ ” a common and colloquial English phrase that I can use in day-to-day conversation? I’m asking this because the author (Gail Collins) brackets the word “pretty ugly,” in her article, and Perry’s aides were surprised to find the phrase wasn’t regarded as presidential language outside Texas, which suggests the phrase isn't a national currency.


Is "fasciae" related to "fascism"?

Somebody used _fasciae_ in a game I was playing (it was the bundle of sticks or twigs carried by Roman consuls as symbols of their authority). Can anyone tell me if it is related to _fascism_ as a word?


One who acts in an unusual way, as if they have a mental illness?

What is a term to describe someone who acts abnormally, as if afflicted by mental illness? For example, they talk much too loudly, have conversations with themselves, and exhibit blatantly abnormal behaviors and emotions that appear nonsensical.


Why is "back-" used in "back-order"?

I understand the meaning of the term "back-order": The item is not available, and will be ordered when it becomes available again. But I can't quite figure out why the prefix "back-" is used, when in other words it means either literally "behind", "reverse", or the anatomical "back". When I break it into its components, "back-order" should mean "to cancel an order", and the original term would make more sense as "pre-order" or "ready- order". Is there a reason "back-" made sense in the 1800s, or am I missing a reason that it makes sense even today?


What's the opposite of "extending the deadline"?

Extending or pushing a deadline means giving more time to work on a project. But what if you want to say you are changing it so that the task is due earlier? What are the words or expressions I could use?


What is a good word for a tutor-student?

After asking this question on MathEducators.SE, I was struck by the absolute awkwardness of not having a word to refer to the student of a tutor. As you will notice, the question contains in its title the awkward phrase "tutor- student;" I would like to find a suitable replacement for that word in my day- to-day use [as I am a tutor!]. Question in short: **What is the single-word equivalent for "tutor-student"?**


Is there an English word that means literally 'of the same material'?

and also has homo- or con- in it? It also needs to be a general word that can be used in, for example, a fiction literary story that has nothing to do with science: an imaginary thing, a word somehow like _homogeneous_ or _homologous_. I need to say that something is “of the same material” as something else. If I had the word and could fill in the blank, my sentence should be: > X is **___ __ ___ _** to Y meaning X is made of the exact same material as Y.


Argentine or Argentinian?

I was taught in my school days that _Argentine_ was the correct adjective for something relating to the country Argentina. However, these days, even in common speech (but moreover in formal English on new channels even), the form _Argentinian_ used. My question is, is _Argentine_ in fact the correct form and _Argentinian_ a misconstruction of the adjective done out of ignorance, is conversely the latter correct, or are both correct in fact? In the final case, I would be curious which came first and was traditionally more common in usage in the English language.


Any other way of saying "blah blah blah"

You might say "blah blah blah" when you're not interested in what'd be said. I sometimes say "whatever" to convey the same idea, which does not share the nice rhythm effect of "blah blah blah". As a non-native speaker of English, I often pronounce "blah blah blah" in a very awkward way when speaking out very quick. Any alternatives for "blah blah blah"?


In a theatrical reenactment of a real event, how can the 4th wall be broken?

When a theatre performance is the re-enactment of an event that has happened in real life, can I say that the fourth wall is being broken by the realness of the experience rather than by the actors or any other tool the director chooses to include? I am going to watch a play which is based on real life events, and I am exploring the play's relation to the fourth wall.


Difference between "personal goals" and "Long/short-term objectives"

I've been asked by my employer to complete a "performance review". Within the context of my role at the company, it asks me for my > "Long and Short Term Objectives" and my > "Personal Goals". However, it seems to me that there is no difference between these two things. Can anyone explain what the difference might be.


To 'know' a person — online versus in person

I searched and couldn't find anything — though that surprises me. It feels like there are hard to express differences between knowing a person in real life - people I work with, people I went to school with, that sort of thing - and knowing a person online, such as people you play online games with or people you interact with via forums and posts. I still feel like I know these online-people, or at least, some slice of a persona that they present to me — but the word 'know' doesn't quite feel right, as it at least feels like it should be more different than the word I use to describe knowing someone in real life. However, _guy-I-know-online_ or _lady-I-know-from-forum-postings_ is really awkward and doesn't feel right either. Is there any word that has any kind of common use that attempts to address this difference?


Can I place a sentence between em-dashes? Do I put a period?

Can I place a sentence between em-dashes? If I can, should I put a period, or not?


What do you call the publisher's logo on the title page and spine of a book?

There is a word for the publisher's logo at the bottom of the title page and on the spine of a book, but I can't recall it.


Why do we say 'commentator' instead of 'commenter'?

Another thread addresses the Englishness of the words. My question is different and a lot more convoluted: I hope I can make it plain and simple. **I.** There are straightforward nouns of action and agency with roots in English verbs: procrastinator, loafer, snoozer. And other nouns that arise from _augmented_ (let's say) forms of the verb. 'Commentator' is one such word: there's no verb 'commentate.' 1 'Orientation' meaning 'guidance' or 'adjustment' ("student-orientation week") is another, though hugely more vexed because there _actually is_ a verb 'orientate' meaning to face eastward (both transitively and intrans). But I convolute. **II.** Not long ago, we had a thread about meter and foot in prose: iambic, trochaic, and who knows what else that I've forgotten since college. Arguably, as speakers and writers, we seem unconsciously to choose the iambic (say) over boring spondaic. As listeners, we perhaps naturally find the iambic most pleasant and (umm...) euphonious. **III.** Finally, the question. Let's suppose that we do in truth prefer rhythm that we can grab, that we can lean on and stand on. Do we then invent and manufacture _made-up verbs_ just so as to give us corresponding _made-up nouns_ that feel better to speak and write? That sound better to our ears? 'Commentator' sounds a lot better than 'commenter'. 'Orientator' is somehow easier to say than 'orienter'. Not to go all Chomskian on y'all, but is there an impulsive, inborn, irresistible _way to speak?_ A natural _way of locution?_ 2 * * * 1 Not by our lights, anyway. Right? _Right?_   2 Or am I merely dredging up fragments of Aristotle from dim recall?


Does the casual use of "a la ___" in English preserve the French meaning?

In English, we use _a la carte_ and _a la mode_ , but it is also common for people to add their own word to the basic construction. For example, one might comment on someone's dancing: > He showed us some moves a la 1987. One might comment on a public address: > She addressed the assembled parents a la Evita Perón. This seems to mean "in the style of" or "reminiscent of." Does anyone know if this is consistent with the meaning in French?


I saw this message on an advert: > Get a high speed connection without roaming charges instantly. I am pretty sure that a better way to say it is: > Instantly get a high speed connection without roaming charges. If I am right about the first construction being wrong/poor, is there a name for the _abusage_? I run across such constructions fairly regularly.


idiom request for "classic is good"

I am looking for an idiom for telling "Classic is good.". The term "Classic is good" by itself tells what I want actually, but I want a more intense saying instead.


Rationale behind 'wardrobe' malfunction

I happen to read a lot about 'wardrobe' malfunction and showing some fault in the dress they wear. Why is it called a 'wardrobe' malfunction, as though it happens only due to some messing up in the wardrobe? There must be a history behind this phrasing.


people that will laugh at anything

Is there a word or phrase for either the people who will laugh at anything or something that describes this and can be extended to be used with people?


Is "optical illusion" a tautology?

An illusion is a "visual deception", so is there any type other than "optical"?


Word like "serendipity" but with less emphasis on fortune or development of events

Let's say that the previous week I bumped into a lot of people I knew as a child. Each event was random, occurred independently of the other and all were unconnected except that each of the people involved knew each other at around the same time that I knew them. _Serendipity_ seems a bit too strong a word for this because I gained no fortune and there was no chain of dependence in the events. _Coincidence_ doesn't really fit, either. There must be a word for this - or a way to explain it concisely. What is it?


Word like "decadence" for declining skill

I'm trying to fill in the gap in a sentence like this: > John's true skills were stagnating, even regressing, and in his ___, he > increasingly indulged in fanciful daydreams where he would save the day, > instead of facing his difficulties head-on. I'm thinking of the word "decadence", but I feel like there's a word I'm not remembering that's a better fit.


My wife always gives me a hard time when I say scissors; she insists the only correct way to refer to that cutting device is "pair of scissors". Is "pair of scissors" more correct than "scissors"?


"Many people" vs. "much people" — which one should be used?

>   * There's so _many_ people in here! >   * There's so _much_ people here! > Which one should be used, and why?


Revolutionary is to revolution as reactionary is to _____

I'm trying to think of a noun meaning "the process sought to be undertaken by one who is reactionary."


Which is correct: "when you have finished" or "when you will finish"?

From an English test on Facebook: > When you have finished to move the furniture, let me know. or > When you will finish moving the furniture, let me know. I think the correct one is the former, but (if so) why exactly is the second one wrong?


What's the opposite for "steep learning curve"?

_[Inspired by theSteep learning curve question]_ Is there a phrase similar to _steep learning curve_ (i.e. _[some-word] learning curve_ ) describing something that is easy to learn?


Singular word to mean "both of your hands" or "all of your fingers"

I'm looking for a singular word (not plural) that can be used to represent both of a person's hands (or all fingers and/or toes). Does such a word exist?


History and usage of "dooryard"

I have been interested in the expression "dooryard stop" recently. This is an expression that is used to describe a short visit in someone's dooryard (driveway) that often means not staying long enough to even get out of the car. It is the opposite of what could be called conversational dieseling. I have used it all my life, and only recently learned that it is native to Maine (my home state), and pretty much no one else has ever heard of it. I find this peculiar. My first thought was that _dooryard_ was a hold over from our English roots, but the Free Dictionary indicates that it is "US and Canadian" usage. (I suppose if you overlap the US and Canada, you get Maine.) Indeed, Urban Dictionary describes is usage as limited to Aroostook County, the northernmost part of Maine along the Quebec border. Merriam-Webster puts its first recorded use around 1764 and draws the parallel with barnyard and backyard, and describes it as the yard in front of the door of the house. I believe that nowadays, Mainers would tell you it means the same thing as driveway, which makes sense given that the driveway usually runs beside the kitchen door of the houses here, which would be the entrance for informal guests. Can anyone tell me more about the history of this word, and does anyone know about the actual extent of its usage? I have a hard time believing such a simply formed word is restricted to such a small population.


"proficient <in/at/with>" What is the correct usage?

Which preposition is correct in the phrase " _proficient in/at/with English_ "?


What does the phrase "bounce the moon" mean?

What does the phrase "bounce the moon" as found in this song mean?


What's a term for a motivational phrase?

What is a term for a motivational or inspirational phrase that one repeats to oneself? For example, in the movie Cars, Lightning McQueen psychs himself up by saying to himself: "I am speed...I eat losers for breakfast."


You are my dismay

_Dismay_ , as a noun, means: > Consternation and distress, typically that caused by something unexpected. Is it correct to say that something _is my dismay_ , (Rather than something _happened in my dismay_ )? For example, would the following be correct: > The mentor abandoned me. He _is my dismay_. (As in, the mentor caused me to be distressed). Would saying that something _is your dismay_ be correct, or how would you go about saying such thing?


Usage question: "I hadn't drank any coffee before I lived in Italy."

Ok, so as an English teacher, I know that in the present and past perfect tenses, the auxiliary verb have is followed by the past participle form of the verb. Using most verbs, I find that this is true for all sentences I have heard. However, on several instances, I have run into a native speaker using the past form of the verb (drank) where the grammar calls for the past participle (drunk). For example: _"I hadn't drank any coffee before I lived in Italy."_ According to grammar norms, this sentence should be: _"I hadn't drunk any coffee..."_ More and more, I noticed that people tend to use _drank_ instead of _drunk_ after perfect aspect constructions. This construction was used across all communities of practice and wasn't subject to dialect boundaries. According to results from http://www.phras.in, have drank and have drunk are clear, with the standard have drunk being 4x more prevalent than have drank. However, with an instance rate of about 200,000 for the non-standard form, that is nothing to scoff at. However, the opposite was true with the negative form haven't drank vs. haven't drunk with the non-standard being almost twice as prevalent. _**EDIT: As for the dialect variant idea, I have researched into the various dialectal changes involving the past participle. Most constructions involving the variant are indicated to be dialectal or just plain bad grammar. However, when I started hearing it from people from the UK, this is when I started asking questions. Looking into it further, I have found some linguistic research papers involving corpora and frequency analyses of this phenomena and have found that there is definitely a shift among non-standard verbs to use the past instead of the participle for perfect aspect. At least according to the BNC and COCA. This is usually with germanic-root words such as bid/bade/bid, drink/drank/drunk, bit/bit/bitten._** > Research Paper: I haven't drank in weeks > > Another Example So, my question, then, is whether or not there is some sort of construction that is the exception for this particular situation, i.e. some construction where perfect tense does not use past participle after the aux. verb, or if this is simply some crazy, non-standard phenomenon with the verb _drink_ in the perfect tense.


Two main clauses one after another or another meaning?

I got a letter which says > Your admission is on the basis that you will be classified as a Home (EU) > student for the purpose of University fees and College fees will be paid on > your behalf by the University at the publicly funded undergraduate rate. Does the meaning change if you just split it up into > Your admission is on the basis that you will be classified as a Home (EU) > student for the purpose of University fees. College fees will be paid on > your behalf by the University at the publicly funded undergraduate rate. Or is there another meaning to it that I don't get?


Better name for filter condition operators?

I’m developing a data filtering system and am a little confused regarding how to name the condition operators for this system. Which of these cases are preferable (or quite applicable) for filter condition operators?   * [Within/Not within a radius of] vs [Is within/Is not within a radius of]   * [Inside/Not inside polygon] vs [Is/Is not inside polygon]   * [In/Not in branch] vs [Is/Is not in branch] Typical filter condition example: > [Geographic Point (Lat/Lng)] [Within a radius of] [1000] [meter(s) from] > [1000 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10028, USA]


Are alpha and omega common abbreviations for birth and death?

In Italy, perhaps due to our Greek-Roman influence on culture, it is not uncommon to see something like: > alpha January 9, 1913 -- omega April 22, 1994 ...written on tombstones to mean dates of birth and death respectively. While I thought this was pretty much universal and my previous use of this symbolism didn't seem to raise any eyebrows, I was mildly surprised to see it wasn't suggested on a question like this, especially because it seems to fit the description fairly well. Now, instead of adding yet another answer to that question -- 23 are more than enough -- I have to wonder: are alpha and omega commonly understandable symbols for life and death in English culture?


Does "one of the only" actually mean anything?

I'm a little confused by the phrase "one of the only" - as far as I can tell, it just means the same as "one of the" with the vague implication that the number of things in the set is relatively small. For example, "Neil Armstrong is one of the only men to land on the moon." It sounds like he's one of the _few_ men to do this, just without using the word "few". Because then it's obvious that you're using the vague word "few" and not saying what it means. "He is the only man to do this" - that's clearly saying that only one person has ever done it. "A, B and C are the only people to do this" - again, that's clear, there are only 3. "A is one of only 10 people to do this" - clear. There are 10 in the set, and A is one of them. "He is one of the only people to do this" - doesn't seem to say anything at all. He's not the only one, but there is no clue whether 3 people have done it or 3 million. "He is one of the few people to do this" / "He is one of the people to do this" - not clear, but at least it's clear that it's not clear. If you see what I mean. It's not trying to sound like it's saying something when it's not. Or does "one of the only" actually have some specific meaning?


A word or phrasal verb in place of "Compromise"

Can we use _get in_ instead of _compromise_ in the sentence below where I try to say "I don't want to argue with my wife and I make sacrifices from myself and endure the problems"? I am just not sure this is explaining exactly what I want to say, though. > I get all problems and conflicts in to avoid arguments with my wife. > > I swallowed all the problems to avoid arguments with my wife. If this is not correct, can somebody tell me which phrasal verb and other word I can use in place of this? I am trying to improve my vocabulary and use other words in public as well.


To live in ignorance of just happiness

Is it a valid phrase? Please, accept or reject it. Maybe there is other exact expression.


What is the origin of "eyewash"?

I was passing a sign today that said _Eyewash_ , meaning a place where one could wash an eye that had some foreign matter in it; a common thing in laboratories and factories. But the first impression I gained was of _eyewash_ , meaning something close to _poppycock_ or _codswallop_. This set me to wondering what the origin of this term was; Green's _Dictionary of Slang_ doesn't even include this as a headword. This source here suggests it is the verbal equivalent of a wink; is that so? Does anyone know more about it? **Edit** Sorry if this wasn't immediately apparent but it was the slang term I am most interested in.


"buying cookies will deliver on our promise" - can I use subject and verb like this?

A bit of context: a couple decided not to spend money on unecessary stuff and they promised that to each other. Later, one of them says: > I dont believe that buying cookies will deliver on our promise. Also that would mean - subject and a verb - "buying cookies will deliver" which I have a problem with as the " **buying itself cannot deliver on a promise** ". I would write it like this: > I dont believe that by/with buying cookies we will deliver on our promise. Would that be the same?


Is this comma splice?

> Running outdoors burns about five percent more calories than running on a > tread mill, in part because there is greater wind resistance outdoors. Apparently this is correct and there is no comma splice; could someone please explain why? Isn't the part after the comma an independent clause?


known as (a, the) - which article to pick?

A quote from the Economist: > Part of this naturalistic approach is that the transistors in his systems > often operate in what is known technically as **the** “sub-threshold > domain”. May we use **a** instead of **the** here and if no, why? Google Books comes up with numerous examples of "known technically as a": > The sound of h (aitch) at the beginning of words such as have and house and > in the middle of words such as ahead and behave is known technically as > **a** voiceless glottal fricative. (2008, R. Allen, "Pocket Fowler's Modern English Usage") Are articles in this expression interchangeable? Or do they matter?


what is the difference between everywhere and anywhere

I checked the difference between _anywhere_ and _everywhere_ in the Longman dictionary. I have understood that when the place is not important we have to use _anywhere_ for example: > You can find a man anywhere but not a businessman everywhere. But I do not know how to use this general rule in all times. For example, what is the appropriate word for the gap: > I lost my glasses. I looked `________`, but I couldn't find them. Is it true that generally the usage of _anywhere_ is in negative and question sentences?


What does "pea's knees" mean?

What could an expression **pea's knees** mean in the following text? > Can you see how he is loved in this place? Can you hear how these fishy folk > think that he is the pea's knees? > > (David Almond)


Shift in tense and starting a historical account with the present tense

I was just writing a historical overview of a battle and decided I'd write the introduction in the present tense--the present tense being a narration of a specific event during the war. I just realized though that in the last sentence, I shifted the to how the events are perceived today. So instead of the present tense consistently being about how the event occurred, it shifts to how those events are perceived today at the end of the paragraph. I've fiddled around with the passage a bit, but I'm still not sure how to write it. Is it better to stick to one tense from one perspective? How do I go about that? Do I write it as:   1. This incident would go on to **___ __ ___** OR   2. This incident has since **___ _** Does the option 1. fix the issue (since the perspective remains unchanged)? To me it seems that it looks to the future from the perspective of the event whereas option 2. shifts to things as they are now and looks back from there.


Can start sentence with "Allowing to"

Can I start a sentence as follows? > Allowing to detect only circular shape objects, objects, classified > mistakenly as trees, can be avoided from the modelling process. or may be can we write it as: > Objects, classified mistakenly as trees, can be avoided from the modelling > process allowing to detect only circular shape objects. Please correct me in this.


What does "sock puppeting" mean?

I found a Meta Stack Overflow post in whose answer Servy says: > it's sock puppeting and is a very serious violation "Sock puppeting" is a picture. But why a _sock_? Is it like playing with your own sock?


Word usage for "excretion"!

The feeling when a person wants to puke, is termed "nauseous". What if a person wants to excrete? What is that feeling called?


Use "you" or "one" in formal writing?

Sometimes people tell me that I should avoid using "you" in formal writing and insist on telling me to use "one" ("One should not use 'you'" as opposed to "You should not use 'you'"). Are there any rules governing the use of these two words in formal writing?


it's raining vs. it rains

I know what does it mean by saying "It's raining" but what about "It rains"? what does it imply when I say "It rains" right after saying "It's raining"? I saw it in a novel and get confused.


What does the statement "Once I did bad and that I heard ever.  Twice I did good and that I heard never" mean?

What does the statement > Once I did bad and that I heard ever. Twice I did good and that I heard > never. mean? In what situations is it meaningful?


Pseudonym of a graffiti artist

What do you call a **pseudonym** of a **street art/graffiti artist**? Word _'pseudonym'_ is too general.   So I need exactly something like _'[street] artist pseudonym'_ , but also not _'tag'_ or _'nickname'_. To the point, Sammie Cox is my pseudonym for artworks, and I want to complete that sentence with that context: > My real name is Krzysztof Kowalski, but my _[the term]_ is Sammie Cox. So, which term is the most correct?


Why is there no word for and/or?

It seems like it would be really useful to have a single word like "anor" instead of the clunky "and/or" construction that people use. After all, "or" by itself is usually used to mean "exclusive or" in English. > I would like to visit the circus _anor_ the museum today. versus > I would like to visit the circus _and/or_ the museum today.


Employing comparative forms without explicit comparison

To highlight our company's benefits we write short statements like "3 times less rate" or "3 times lower rate". Are these correct? Or do such forms require comparison to something else--for instance, "lower _than standard rate_ "? Similarly, if we use the phrase "[a competitor] spends n dollars, we spend half as much", can we end on "half as much" without appending a second "as" phrase?


Can omitting -ly suffix of an adverb cause ambiguity?

Sometimes, I forget to use the proper form when an adverb is required. Or sometimes it simply doesn't appear to me one is required, unless I actually consider the grammar of my sentence. I suppose that's mostly because in my native language (German), there is no morphological difference between an adverb and an adjective. This led me to wonder:   Is this distinction in English merely an idiosyncrasy or can I really semantically convey something other than intended, if I omit the suffix by mistake?


How to pronounce Abbott?

> ABC presenter's pronunciation for his Prime Minister -> Abbott ; original > programme The presenter, as do other Aussies in the programme, pronounces **Abbott** as /ˈɛb ət/, while dictionary.com has /ˈæb ət/. Is the dictionary wrong? When they in Australia call their Prime Minister /ˈɛb ət/, others do /ˈæb ət/? Or /æ/, dragged by /b/, has approached to /ɛ/? (When people say /ɛ/ instead of /æ/ it's called broad accent in wikipedia.org, I don't believe they are using it.)


Referring something which is not the last item, but one before the last one

what is the true phrase to refer something informally and formally which is not the last one, but one before the last?


How can I best describe "making a new discovery"?

The context I am referring to is when someone, for instance, comes into contact with something, a subject ( mathematics, archeology or computer science, just to name a few), a religion or a sport, and discovers that he/she has found a new passion, something he/she didn't know before or didn't think it could be so fascinating. Is there an expression or an idiom to describe this ?


Meaning of "and everyone, but everyone, was calling"

> I recently took a year or so out to return to school. This is something I > recommend for all sorts of reasons. One benefit is the new perspective you > gain afterwards when you revisit a once-familiar world. I came back to > consulting and found that most of my old clients and contacts had taken the > plunge and migrated to Git (I follow suit in this edition). **And everyone, > but everyone** , was calling their development methodology agile. However, > of my first four new clients, three asked me to help evaluate hastily-built > and inflexible codebases. How does _but everyone_ fit in?


How do I define "by" versus "through" to my students?

Over the past five years, my high school students have stopped using "through" as a preposition and use "by" almost exclusively. For example, they might write, "they will do this by a detailed research project". I have looked up the answer and I can't figure out a way to explain the difference to them, and I almost think that I just need to let it go. Does anyone know why these two words have become virtually interchangeable?


Long word meaning "to purify the text in a literary work"

What is the long word that means "to purify (remove vulgarity) in the text of a literary work"? I have been thinking on it for a while - I used to know it - but forgot. There is only one word that fits what I am looking for, but the only words that came to mind were proselytization, bastardization, and vernacularization.


The Condition Holds vs is Satisfied vs Obtains

In mathematical/scientific texts, conditions that are true (within context) are said to   * hold   * be satisfied   * obtain (the last one was news for me) My question is whether there is nuance in meaning among the three versions or are these completely interchangeable (within this specific meaning referring to conditions) and are meant to be frequently interchanged to avoid repetition. I did check NGrams for relative frequencies of these, but it doesn't tell me anything about difference in meaning.


Meaning of “The book that should have been in the box”

http://missingmanuals.com/about.html The missing manual book series has the tagline “The book that should have been in the box” with the images of a dog carries a book in its mouth.Is it just an idiom or it mean that the dog take this book away from reader box so some fatal information is missed away ? the box in this context might refer to a package box of software product perhaps ?


"Real time", "real-time" or "realtime"

Which of _real time_ , _real-time_ and _realtime_ is correct when you are talking about seeing something as it happens?


capitalizing titles after a city name

Is the word "mayor" capitalized when it follows the city name? As in, San Francisco Mayor John Doe or San Francisco mayor John Doe?


Comma usage around the word 'still.'

When I read the following sentence out loud to myself, it seems to me that there should be a brief pause before and after the word 'still,' based on how it is being used in the sentence. However, I am unsure as to how commas should be placed around this word (if at all) to create the correct effect: "What initially motivated me to explore the field of robotics was the realization of the, still, countless opportunities for robots to play a role in people's lives, and have a significant positive impact in doing so." Is my comma usage correct?


With something is ~ - grammatical construction

> The process of relational database model design is the method used to create > a relational database model. This process is mathematical in nature, but > very simple, and is called normalization. **With the process of > normalization are** a number of distinct steps called Normal Forms. Normal > Forms are: 1st Normal Form (1NF), 2nd Normal Form (2NF), 3rd Normal Form > (3NF), Boyce-Codd Normal Form (BCNF), 4th Normal Form (4NF), 5th Normal Form > (5NF), and Domain Key Normal Form (DKNF). That is quite a list. Obviously it is quite clear what it means (there are a number of distinct steps when it comes to normalization), but I still, with your help, would like to see some other examples that use this type of grammatical construction. The pattern appears to be as the following: > **with something is ~** So, will you please show a couple examples with maybe even some explanation along the way? Much appreciated.


Is "Law of Leaky Abstractions" a proper noun?

From Leaky abstraction (Wikipedia), > As coined by Spolsky, the Law of Leaky Abstractions states "All non-trivial > abstractions, to some degree, are leaky." I am not sure if _Law of Leaky Abstractions_ is correct. Which of the following statements are correct (if any)?   1. _Law of Leaky Abstractions_ is a proper noun. It is correct as is.   2. _Leaky Abstractions_ is a proper noun, and it should be _law of Leaky Abstractions_   3. It should be _law of leaky abstractions_ (as in several places in the original source). No proper nouns or capitalisation. _Law of Leaky Abstractions_ is an example of willy-nilly capitalisation of words.


Where / how did the term "sell them down the river" originate?

In a meeting today a colleague used the phrase, "We don't want to _sell them down the river._ " It is my understanding that to _sell one down the river_ is to trick or deceive a person in order to gain some advantage. Three questions:   * Is my understanding of this idiom correct?    * What is the idiom's etymology?   * To _sell one down the river_ is an idiom, correct?


When did commas start appearing after conjunctions?

It seems to me that it's only lately (last 15 years?) that I've seen commas after "but", "and", and "or" in reputable sources (NY Times, etc.). I'm pretty certain this was anathema many decades ago. Was there some reason for a change? When did it happen? Or is this a recency illusion, and it's really been a practice for a long time?


"Analysis on" vs. "analysis of"

Which is the best matching? >   1. I made an analysis **on** the software which I bought. >   2. I made an analysis **of** the software which I bought. >


About 'more general case'

> A relation is often considered to be a more general case of a property I don't fully understand. Is it to say _a relation is a case of a property_ ? then what's _a more general case_?


Analysis of "There is something it is like to be us"

I found these similar phrases (bolded by me) in an article [1] and am wondering how they can make sense. > Ordinary human beings are conscious. That is, **there is something it is > like to be us**. We have conscious experiences with a subjective character: > **there is something it is like to see** , to hear, to feel, and to think. > [...] More broadly, a complete physical description of a system such as a > mouse does not appear to tell us what it is like to be a mouse, and indeed > **whether there is anything it is like to be a mouse**. Now, the meaning the expression conveys is rather straightforward — it is the formulation I have questions about. Can anyone explain this? Is the form even grammatically correct? * * * [1] Chalmers, D. (2010). "The Singularity: A Philosophical Analysis." Journal of Consciousness Studies 17:7-65.


What is a good term to describe different ways to view the same data?

Software gives us different ways to view the exact same data with each "view" targeted at a specific task. For example, in Stack Exchange, questions can be viewed in   * The review queue where you only see questions listed which need to be reviewed   * The main question list where everything is listed   * Edit history pages where you can see and compare every version of a question   * Mods have access to vote fraud tools   * etc Every one of those "views" is highly customized for the task at hand showing only those pieces of the data that matter at that moment. Is there a good term to describe this feature without all the long winded explanation?


How do I determine subject and subject complement in "A side-effect is the spread of commercialese to other domains."?

Consider this example: > Commercialese is an instrument of art, designed to enrich and invigorate our > language—surely you will all agree with this—, and we should encourage > newcomers to learn it. However, a side-effect is the spread of commercialese > to other domains. This we must object to, because we need to keep this > precious instrument in our exclusive possession. How do we determine what the subject complement is in the second sentence, "a side-effect" or "the spread"? In this case you might say it doesn't really matter. **[Edited]** Here are a few examples from Fowler's: > The only comment necessary ... is that, when ... it makes no difference to > the meaning which of two words is made the subject and which the complement, > the one that is placed first must (except in questions) be regarded as > subject and have the verb suited to its number: _Our only guide was the > stars_ , or _The stars were our only guide_. Such apparent exceptions as > _Six months was the time allowed for completion / The few days Mrs. Kennedy > will spend in London is in the nature of a rest for her_ , are not true > ones, for here the complement makes it clear that the subject, though plural > in form, is singular in sense (*a period of — *). So we are to take "six months" as singular because we can imagine it to be an attribute to an omitted, singular head noun, "a period of". But couldn't we imagine this for many other sentences? Consider "the stars were our only guide": I could say "the light of the stars was our only guide". So how is "six months" much different? Isn't there inversion at work here? And is there no way to pinpoint a subject, apart from its position before the verb?


Word for relative position

I believe there is a special term for words that convey relative position but I cannot seem to remember or find what it is. For example Sam is **_behind_** Mitch in the queue.


What is the origin of the place name Privett vs. plant name Privet?

The _Ligustrum vulgare_ , the English Privet, seems to have a confused history. It was known to the ancient Greeks as an important plant in making their formal gardens or _topia_ "places" which gives us the word _topiary_ for which Ligustrum vulgare is well-suited. If you've ever cared for a privet hedge, you know that they need to be pruned very early in spring. Which fact makes the historical name primprint somewhat apt even if this etymology "first spring" is in dispute. What seems to confuse things is a much earlier attestation to an English place name in the Anglo Saxon Chronicle. Pryfetes flode, now Privett, Hampshire. However, I think this is a false cognate. I have some Welsh ancestry and an old Welsh dictionary which lists _Pryfydd_ as vermin-killer. I read elsewhere that the older meaning was rabbit-hunter, but I can no longer find that reference. _Flode_ is a gulch. Why is there a place name in Hampshire with a Welsh name? Or is this not the origin of the name at all? Welsh rabbit- hunter's gulch? Is this a joke? I looked on a map and Privett is at a high point in the Chalk Ridge of South Downs not a gulch providing easy access to the great forest beyond. And in the Anglo Saxon Chronicle, a nobleman was thrown from the cliff whether to his death or to dispose of the body is unclear. Is this another example of the English poking fun at the Welsh their frequent object of derision? **Can anyone shed any light on the confused and entangled history of Privett, Hampshire and Privet, Ligustrum vulgare? I think they are unrelated, but separately interesting etymologies.** OED: > privet: Origin unknown. Compare later primprint n., prim n.2, and primp n., > and also primet n. A connection between the present word and later private > adj.1, privy adj. has frequently been suggested, but there is no evidence to > support this. > > Apparently attested early in place names, as Pryfetesflode (c900 in an annal > for the year 755), Prevet (1207), Pruuet (c1245), Privet (1248), now > Privett, Hampshire; bosco de Prevet (1268), boscus de Pryvet (14th cent.), > now Privett Farm, Wiltshire. The β forms are perhaps attested earlier in the > following place name: Prinelegh (read Priuelegh) (1380), Preuelegh (1481), > now Prewley, Devon


Is "wtf" an abbreviation or a euphemism?

In the English language we have a lot of euphemisms for profanities that take the form of abbreviations; for instance, people may say _the f-word_ or _the s-word_ if they don't want to say _fuck_ and _shit_. I always used to assume that _WTF_ was the same type of thing. However, I've noticed lately that if people are reading out loud a sentence that contains _wtf_ , they often pronounce it as _what the fuck_ \- for instance, if they get a text message saying "Hey, wtf just happened?" and another person asks them what the text says, they are likely to say _what the fuck just happened?_ instead of _double you tee eff just happened_? In this usage, _wtf_ isn't a euphemism; it's just an alternate way of writing the profane phrase so that it is easier to type, i.e., an abbreviation. So, my question: Which do we consider it? (And has it always been that way? For instance, perhaps it started out as a euphemism but is evolving into an abbreviation?)


Reading out numbers in English

What are the accepted guidelines for reading out numbers in English? For example, should 1351 be read out as "one thousand and three hundred and fifty one", or should the "and"s be removed completely? Note that I'm not talking about _years_ as I asked it in a separate question.


“Quainted the auto supplier has hit share of potholes.” Did I hear right? What does it mean?

I’ve been practicing listening of English language news on FEN for years, and heard the latest (March 24) Wall Street Journal Barron’s magazine news as follows: > “Visteon is maneuvering to be a key player in this fast growing cockpit > electronics market. **Quainted** the auto supplier has hit share of potholes > since being spun out from Ford 14 years ago, But this week’s Barron’s says > Visteon is back on track now, as it shifts away from lower margin businesses > , and toward lucrative high growth areas.” I think I heard “Quainted the auto supplier has hit ---,” but I don’t understand what “quainted” means here. OALED defines ‘quaint’ only as an adjective meaning "attractive in an unusual, or old-fashoned way." And if it is adjective, why there is “ **the** ” between ‘quainted’ and “auto supplier”? Did I hear wrong? If I’m wrong, what would the right word that sounds like ‘quainted” be?


Punctuation between 'like' and a list

I would like to know what punctuation mark need to be placed after the word _like_ in the sentence below: Filter by genre shall display the list of genre like, Action, Adventure


"A bit" vs. "a little bit" vs. "a little"

Is there a difference between _a bit_ , _a little bit_ and _a little_ in the following context? > He is a little bit angry.   >  He is a little angry.   >  He is a bit angry. Or do these sentences mean the same thing?


Meaning of "A Moment's Worth"

What is the meaning of the "a moment's worth" in the following > Using this equation, we can generate the graph with a moment's worth of > calculation and plotting. Is it equivalent to "more acurate" and "faster" or depends on the subject of the context?


What should I use? "The ways of something" or "The path of something"

I am always learning stuff about computers and I switch between saying "The Path of the Computer Knowledge" and "The Ways of Computers" every time. When I use those expressions I want to express that I dedicate my life to the pursuit of knowledge and nothing else. Which would be the best to use, and why? I understand the exact meaning of the first one (The Path of the Computer Knowledge) but I can't understand completely the meaning of the second one.


"Hope" versus "I hope"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Why is there omission of subject in sentences like "Thought you'd never > ask." Is it correct to use hope without subject? I have seen may times something like: > Hope you feel better soon instead of > I hope you feel better soon Is this grammatically correct? Can this be done with other verbs?


What are the differences between "ghost", "phantom", "wraith" and even "haunter"?

I **think** that "ghost" refers to just a "spirit of someone who just died randomly". In superstitious/religious/occultist circles, I think that this is the word that would be used to refer to some random folk that just died, and that for some reason became "communicable" or "visible" in our "reality of the living". I see "phantom" as a "non-random-ghost". I mean, a more serious and well-known subject, for example: "Do you mean the phantom of THE princess who died in THAT castle in THAT century?" (And therefore it's "more known" and more frequent in legends or whatever). I see "wraith" as something similar to a phantom, but less well-known and that for some reason just became "visible" (Not communicable). And "haunter", just a ghost (random human) who insists to stay in one specific place due to some traumatic death or whatever. What do you think about it? I would really like to know your answers for this.


Does "clandestine ignorance" make sense?

Does the following make sense, "clandestine ignorance"? I would like to see if anyone else is thinking the same way as to the meaning or definition as I do. Thanks.


Teachers' Title

I'm an English teacher in Iran. My students call me "Teacher..., ...", and I mind that. Is it usual in English speaking countries? I mean do the students in English speaking countries call their teacher "Teacher!"?


What do you call the tip on an umbrella? Yes, since _tip_ means 'the usually pointed end of something', I know that tip itself can be used for -- i.e. umbrella tip --, but I'm looking for a single word which has that meaning? * * * ![](http://i.stack.imgur.com/uaoCo.png)


What's meant by wishing for a child "as red as blood, and white as snow"?

An English learner recently posted about the tale The Juniper Tree, collected by the Brothers Grimm (possibly related - who knows?). She notes that a woman wishes for a child "as red as blood and as white as snow", and wants to know how a child can be both red and white. (Without being pink, of course!) Does it mean that the parts of the child that are red are as red as blood, and that the parts of the child that are white are as white as snow? Searching for "red as blood" came across the following quote, from a different fairy tale: > "I can love only a man with those three colors: cheeks red as blood, hair > black as a raven, and body white as snow." Should I assume that in The Juniper Tree, the woman is referring to wanting a child with cheeks as red as blood, and the rest of her skin as white as snow? The only alternative I can think of is if "red" and "white" had some sort of metaphorical, rather than literal, meanings. But looking up Wiktionary for red, the main metaphorical meanings are from politics, which would post-date the story.


Usage of "other" with singular nouns

Reading an English textbook and learning stuff, they mention that that "other" is used only with plural or uncountable nouns. But what about this? > There is no **other** way..no **other** option. Car ends up on its side, No > **other** car involved! Especially the last one, how could I say that without the "other" word?


Common test result attributes

I am having troubles finding the right words or labels for a part inspection as my native language is not English and I can't seem to find the right search keywords to look at application descriptions. In the medical sense, a test is positive if the assertion (a condition/sickness) results true, e.g. "yes, I'm sick", the illness tested for is present. But what about "binary binning" of objects/parts?   * Good/Bad   * OK/Not OK   * positive/negative   * true/false   * ??/defective   * ??/error ... ?


Why is one "sent to Coventry"?

I was reading in the paper today of some hapless wight who had been _sent to Coventry_ (meaning ostracised and given the silent treatment) by his colleages. It then occurred to me to wonder why _Coventry_ should have been chosen for this idiom. Phrases suggests:- > The story - and it is no more than that - is that Cromwell sent a group of > Royalist soldiers to be imprisoned in Coventry, around 1648. The locals, who > were parliamentary supporters, shunned them and refused to consort with > them. Michael Quinion also notes:- > Another story, undated but usually taken to refer to events of a similar > period, is that Coventry was strongly opposed to having troops billeted on > townspeople, and that soldiers sent there were ostracised by the local > population. but he remarks that > My own feeling is that neither is convincing, not least because of the > century-long gap between Civil War events and the first appearance of the > idiom As neither of thes two things were peculiar to Coventry, I'm also inclined to doubt. Can anyone shed any light on the matter?


'In order to' or 'to'

Which sentence is correct and why? What is the difference in meaning? >   1. I have already written to you, and I received your reply to submit my > documents. >   2. I have already written to you, and I received your reply in order to > submit my documents. >


Em-dash vs colon: "Remind me: what's your name again?" or "Remind me—what's your name again?"

I have a sentence (and other sentences like it) in which I'm not sure what punctuation to use. > Remind me—what's your name again?   >  Remind me: what's your name again? Or is there something else that would work better in sentences like this?


Difference meaning :having ving vs having p.p

Having learning English in three months, Jovovich grabbed the attention of photographer, Richard Avedon. Having learnt English in three months, Jovovich grabbed the attention of photographer, Richard Avedon. Would you kindly elaborate their differences? Thanks in advance Source: www.myfdb.com/people/2645-milla- jovovich]https://www.myfdb.com/people/2645-milla-jovovich


Usage of the word "envy"

If Joe envied something, would it be proper to call that something "Joe's Envy"? Considering the usage in a team name but I am not sure if it makes sense.


Avoiding confusion with the word "before"

I wrote this sentence: > I do not trust what has been written before me. Now, I was trying to use 'before' in the sense of 'prior to,' but just realized that 'before me' might also be taken to mean 'in front of me.' What might be a better way to reword this? I have thought of omitting 'me'--would that be correct?


How exactly to pronounce 'alphabetical' and 'pharmaceutical' in American English

How does one pronounce 'alphabetical' and 'pharmaceutical' in American English? Is it **phar•ma•ceu•di•cal** or **phar•ma•ceu•i•cal**? And is it **al•pha•bet•di•cal** or **al•pha•bet•i•cal**? Do you pronounce 'ti' as 'di' or do you pronounce just the 'i' with the 't' silent?


Where does "on one's last legs" come from?

To be on one's last legs means to be worn out, tired, run down, and ready to die or otherwise cease working. Some examples I've found are > Grandfather is on his last legs. He'll be on his way to Heaven soon. > > I just ran a mile to tell you this; I can't walk up the steps. I'm on my > last legs. > > My car is on its last legs. I doubt it will get me down the street to the > used car dealer. I've searched a bit on the interwebs, and while definitions abound, I can find no reference to the origin of the phrase. Why "last legs"? What happened to the first ones? What has interchangeable legs anyhow?


Hump, Rump, Lump, Bump

I’m referring to the similar definitions of these four nouns – something raised and rounded. Why do these four rhyming words have similar meanings? I have not found very specific sources for these words on the Online Etymology Dictionary and Wiktionary. **Hump** is “probably from Dutch homp.” **Rump** is “from a Scandinavian source,” “from Old Norse rumpr” ultimately from Proto- Germanic “rumpo.” **Lump** is “perhaps from a Scandinavian source” and finally, **Bump** is “perhaps from Scandinavian,” “probably of North Germanic origin.”   1. Could these words come from the same root? Other than the fact that they all _might_ come from northern Europe, the only hint I have in this direction is the following from Wiktionary, tracing the origin of **Hump** through Dutch, Middle Low German, Old Saxon and Proto-Germanic, to Proto-Indo-European * _kumb-_ , * _kumbʰ-_ (“curved”). Could this PIE root, which is not given in these online sources for any of the other three words, be a common root to all four words?   2. I find myself looking at other **–ump** words and “seeing” a curved or rounded line: jump (a curved trajectory), grump (a downturned mouth), pump (the action of the pump handle), clump (a rounded clod of earth, not sharp), etc. Am I just seeing this because the words sound similar, or is there something more to my tendency? For example, the Online Etymology Dictionary suggests the origin of **jump** is "perhaps onomatopoeic (cf. _bump_ )" although this view is not echoed on Wiktionary. Is it possible that these words do all share a common root and are simply onomatopoeic variations of each other?   3. Are there other pairs or groups of words like these in English? (Wham! Bam! Ka-blam!) Does this phenomenon have a name?


Can I use 'be going to' instead of 'will' in this situation?

When we see dark clouds, because of the situation now, we must say: > It's going to rain. **Not** _It will rain_. Or when we see somebody is going toward the wall and can't see the wall in front of him, because of the situation now, we must say: > He is going to walk into the wall. **Not** _He will._ Now, when we see shoes which are very well made, can we **suppose** this situation as _**a situation now_** -because we can see and get that these shoes are very well made- and say so: > These shoes are very well made. They _**are going to**_ last a long time. \----Instead of: > These shoes are very well made. They _**will_** last a long time. Raymond Murphy has used _**will_** in his book.


"If/as/when necessary"

Is there any difference between the following sentences? >   1. Please press the bell if necessary. >   2. Please press the bell as necessary. >   3. Please press the bell when necessary. >


Something "down at" somewhere

I hear this phrase a lot these days:               The guys down at CompanyName…      And I also hear some people say:               Folks up at SomePlace…      Can there be any difference in the meaning of "down at" and "up at", like diminishing the importance of a place, or reference to the altitude of a location?


Why doesn't the second verb agree with the subject of that verb?

In "We watched Obama speak," what is the technical reason for it not being "We watched Obama spoke"?


usage of infinitive after feel

What is grammatically wrong with the sentence, "I feel to eat."? After the verb feel, can the infinitive of another verb be used?


In the 2010 film "Easy A", there is an exchange between several characters:

Rhiannon: Aren't you supposed to be like, eternally in love with him, and shit? Olive Penderghast:Yes, I believe so. If I was "A Gossip Girl in Sweet Valley with traveling pants". What does Olive mean here by "Yes, I believe so. If I was "A Gossip Girl in Sweet Valley with traveling pants".? Please note: English is not my native language, so the simpler and clearer you can make your explanation, the better.


Difference between "form" and "shape"

What's the difference between _form_ and _shape_? I'm reading a philosophy book and these are used to denote different "things". I considered these words as almost synonyms.


Do you still pronounce the "g" in "language" and "English"?

I'm hearing more and more people pronounce "language" as laŋ-wij instead of laŋ-gwij. The same goes for the word "English" (ˈiŋ-lish instead ofˈiŋ-glish). How prevalent has this pronunciation become in the "inner circle" of English speakers? How do you pronounce these words?


Your Site Visitors or Your Site’s Visitors?

Your _site/site’s_ visitors are very active. How is correct to write: **your site visitors** or **your site’s visitors**?


What does "here's to someone/thing" mean?

I got an email from an instructor today. Towards the end of email she says: > "Here is to finishing off the semester in a positive way." What does that mean?


What is the difference between "in conclusion" and "by way of conclusion"?

"In concluson" is common, while "by way of conclusion" is quite formal. But what does "by way of conclusion" truly mean that differs from "in conclusion"? Baffled.


"much of the time" vs "most of the time"

Are these two phrases different in meaning? When do you use "much" or "most"? I was reading a book named "The world of words" where I saw this sentence > _Substitution in context will help you **much of the time**._ This was the first time I saw this expression. So I wonder if there are any differences between two.


Word for the building/structure in which primates are kept

What is the word for monkey keeping facilities at the zoo? Birds are kept in an aviary, monkeys are kept in a **___ __**.


How to write down this name?

Is there an english name or English translation that matches the following voice recording? https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/62131673/audio/endesuelax2.wav The name might be Russian or Ukrainian.


Word for a person who succumbed to their bad habits

I'm looking for a single English word that refers to:   * A person who has bad habits   * And used to do those bad habits   * Tried to escape them but then fell into them in perpetua I'm not sure if such a word exists. I've thought of:   * Hypocrite (but that doesn't contain any connotations of habit)   * Habitual (an adjective; whereas I want a noun) Any ideas? I'm pretty sure there's a word for a person who relapsed back into their bad habits.


A term for the phrases of exaltation following the utterance of a holy name (ie. god or prophet)

In the Islamic tradition, whenever the name of God or the prophet Muhammad is uttered, the speaker often injects a short phrase of exaltation immediately after: for instance, the words Subhanahu wa ta'ala may be spoken (or some other variation on the same theme). Is there a technical or theological term for this practice? I have tentatively settled on 'exaltation', as per the definition "the action of praising someone or something highly," but given the colloquial nature and everyday usage of these utterances, I suspect a more fitting word exists. **Edit** : There is a Wikipedia article that addresses this topic specifically, referring to the phrases as Islamic honorifics. From the article: "Strictly speaking, it is incorrect to describe this or any of the following phrases as 'honorifics', since the latter are titles (as in the Persian form Hadrat-i Muhammad, where the honorific precedes the name). There seems to be no precise English word for the terms discussed here, but salawat could translate as 'blessings' or even 'prayers'."


is the phrase 'accelerate success' proper english?

Is the phrase 'accelerate success' proper english? Any suggested phrases to replace if this is not?


Word expression to say "Stopped smoking" or "got rid of some unhealthy habit"

I'm looking for words ( or word groups) that can be used to say "I stopped smoking", or "I stopped taking drugs" or, in other words, "I got rid of some bad and unhealthy habit". I have found "relinquish" , "get out" , "give over", but I'm not sure if they can be used that way. Of course, I'd like to see more examples, if they are present.


How to use the question mark in multiple choice questions?

Which one of the following three forms is correct for a multiple choice question? > Do you prefer the blue dress? or the red shirt? > > Do you prefer the blue dress or the red shirt? > > Do you prefer the blue dress? or the red shirt. The first form seems the most syntactically adequate, as both "blue dress" and "red shirt" are equal options of equal value in the sentence. The second form also seems adequate, as the question mark is marking the entire sentence as a question. However, it is ambiguous whether "blue dress" and "red shirt" are two separate choices, or "the blue dress or the red shirt" is a single choice. Finally, the third form is the one that represents the spoken form most accurately. However, it looks somewhat strange for a question sentence not to end with a question mark.


Nominalization of the phrase “the way they are normally represented”

In a past exam on technical writing, we were required to rewrite the italicized part of the following clause using nominalization, that is, turning verb phrases to noun phrases: > "[...] this approach has the ability to also recognize patterns that are > modified from _the way they are normally presented_. [...]" I might try rewriting it as "the way of their normal presentation." This sounds a bit weird to me, and I'm not sure if it is common to put a noun phrase after "the way of" in this meaning of "way". How would you answer this problem? EDIT: I misquoted the question a bit: the word _presented_ was _represented_ originally.


It's not affect, but can you "effect" something?

I understand the differences between affect and effect, and generally when to use them. However, in some cases while reading I have seen authors use the phrase "effect a change" (among others) meaning, I think, to cause a change, or to bring about a change. Using "affect a change" seems wrong/awkward; so is this acceptable use?


It's all I can do

> It's all I can do to stop myself from checking the website every 5 seconds! I know what this phrase means, but does anybody know where it came from? On the face of it, it doesn't make any sense. This phrase stands on its own, and means "I find it difficult not to check the website every 5 seconds", so what, exactly, is all the speaker can do to stop himself from checking? What does the "it" stand for?


What is the meaning of "all year long"?

I can not understand this sentence because of this one **all year long**. > Oh, it sounds like it's raining all year long in Belgium. Which season is > actually the nicest one? Can someone explain it?


Can you say "he too wanted to do it" or is it better to say "he wanted to do it too"?

English is not my mother tonge and I had this argument with a friend the other day. I think that putting the "too" after the subject instead of at the end of the sentence is not correct but he disagrees. Can anybody help me? Thanks a lot!


"A sensible person like you" vs. "a sensible person like yourself"

What is the difference between _you_ and _yourself_ in the following context? >   * My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like _yourself_ can call him > by his name. >   * My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like _you_ can call him by > his name. >


"What do you be?"

A guy in this video comes up with a very unusual greeting: > Hello, top of the morning to ya! What do you say? What do you be? I know that the first sentence is an old Irish idiom. But what is the meaning of the rest? Especially the question "what do you be"? What is the intention of the guy saying it?


One who expresses (or the act of) feigned sympathy/interest in hopes of being recognized for it

I'm trying to find a word that encompasses both these ideas. I thought **pharisaic** would be a bark up the right tree, but it appears to pertain more to hypocrisy and legalism. Ideally the word should encapsulate the idea that some form of _good_ is being displayed for the primary purpose of _self-gain_. I understand that such an action could be **hypocritical** , but that word does not necessarily imply the act of _doing good only for the praise it brings_. _The Pharisees_ are a great example of this (with their ostentatious tithing), but the word named after them doesn't seem to have been applied to that aspect of their character.


"-ee" and "-er" word endings

There are a few examples of pairs of words ending with _-ee/-er_ like _employee_ and _employer_ or _advisee_ and _adviser_. What I was curious about is if there was any rule that would describe the relationship of the objects in a pair like this and situations when it's appropriate to create a counterpart for a given word. I'll give you an example. It's relatively common in the computer programming world to see the word _dragee_ , which describes an object that is being dragged with a mouse. I understand that this is a relatively new word and could not be found in any dictionary (I've tried). Is that acceptable to make up words like this one or is it just bad English?


Why is heavy machinery called "plant"?

A discussion of machinery today set me wondering why it is called "plant"? Is there some metaphor I am missing out on?


What does "to score 180" mean?

Here's some context: > The lift’s taking an eternity. A smidgeon of Mr Staffa’s exceedingly pure > cocaine **would score 180 right now** – my tea-time Red Bull’s worn off – > but a glug of Kilmagoon Special Reserve from my cunningly concealed hip- > flask will have to suffice. It's from Earth calling Taylor short story by David Mitchell. Possibly, it's reference to Scrabble score for word "smidgeon" or something because earlier in this story characters are talking about Scrabble a bit. Since I'm not a scrabble player I'm not really sure.


Should I say “to your daily life” or “in your daily life”?

> As you grow up, you realize your philosophical views don't apply much to/in > your daily life. Which option is more grammatically correct?


Capitalization: when does a phrase become a proper noun?

This is a question on capitalization. Proper nouns are capitalized. But how can I tell which parts of a term constitute a proper noun? Take, for example, the nickname for traveler's diarrhea (sorry, the first thing that came to my mind). I've seen it written as **Montezuma's Revenge** (proper noun), as well as **Montezuma's revenge** (common noun). Which is correct? What about a journalist referring to a specific set of letters sent by prisoners -- would he call them the **Guantanamo Letters** or the **Guantanamo letters**? Or is it simply a matter of context?


"different" as a preposition

Is is acceptable to use "different" as a preposition, as you would use "unlike" or "in contrast to", like in the following example? > Thus, different from previous work, we aim to answer those questions.


"To ride a bicycle" vs. "ride a bicycle"

I want to describe my hobbies and would like to say that I like bicycles. >   1. ride as noun: I like **ride** a bicycle >   2. ride as verb: I like to **ride** a bicycle > Which variant is right?


Regarding Re: ; what is the correct usage in an email subject line?

I want to know what is the recommended way to use Re: in the subject line of an email. I use Re: in the subject line as a shortform of 'in regards to'. Whenever I have used Re:, people have told me that Re: is only to be used when replying to an incoming email and shouldn't be used when starting a new email thread. I remember being taught that **Re** is an preposition, which means “in the matter of, with reference to.” I have also observed that I get immediate responses if I use Re: in the subject line. So, should I continue to use Re: in the subject line or is that incorrect usage?


Can the term 'loss of service' be used to describe a service offered to an unsatisfactory standard?

I'm trying to get a full refund for my services with my Internet Service Provider. My speeds are extremely slower than usual and they have recognised that the problem is their own fault. I am attempting to receive a full refund or service upgrade from one of their customer service representatives, but they say they can **only give a full refund in the event of a service loss**. They refer to this page which does state that technically a full refund should be provided for a **loss of service** (depending on the number of days in that month). Could the word 'loss' therefore also mean an unsatisfactory service being provided, or does it _have_ to mean that I have no service? Thanks!


Difference between "he said something" and "he mentioned something"

(a) What is the difference between _he said something_ and _he mentioned something_? Can they be used interchangeably? (b) Is it proper to respond to _Did I tell you X?_ with _Yes, you mentioned it_?


What do you call a definition in which some (but not necessarily all) criteria must apply?

This is an algorithm for deciding whether a patient suffers from a specific disease or not: > A patient has rheumatoid arthritis if at least four out of the following > seven symptoms are present: > >   * Symmetric swelling (arthritis) >   * Rheumatoid nodules >   * The presence of rheumatoid factor (in serum) >   * ... > There are similar classifications for many conditions. I remember seeing a specific term used for this kind of definition. It was fairly technical and could be unique to the fields of medicine or medical informatics. What is this definition type called?


"Times ahead of us" vs. "times ahead for us"

What is the difference between these two phrases? > good times ahead **of** us > > good times ahead **for** us


Are "the fact of the matter" and "as a matter of fact" the same?

For a long time, I had only known the phrase "matter of fact" to be used in "as a matter of fact..." However, for quite a few days, I have also been hearing, "the fact of the matter is..." in news debates. Are these one and the same? If not, how and where they can be used?


"For a long time" vs "in a long time"

Which preposition is correct and what is the difference in meaning if any? > I went to the gym, something I haven't done **for** a long time. > > I went to the gym, something I haven't done **in** a long time.


What are general rules to form this superlatives: "adjective + most"?

I happen to find superlatives with the structure below: Adjective + most, which are: the rearmost, the frontmost, the uppermost, the headmost, the outermost, the topmost, etc. What are the general rules to form this type of superlative? Is it related to direction?


Antonym of 'sample' ('example')

What is the antonym of the adjective "sample" (example/specimen) besides "whole"? I'd like to replace "non-sample" in the following sentence: > I saved my _sample_ code but accidentally deleted my _non-sample_ project.


Word for describing someone whose name is the opposite of what they are?

I was wondering if there is a word to describe someone whose name is diametrically oppossed to who they are. For instance a firefighter whose last name is Arson or a swimmer whose last name is Dry.


Antonym for Claim

I am looking for an antonym for the word _claim_. The closest words I could find are _reject_ , _deny_ , and, of course, _disclaim_. My problem with _disclaim_ is that I have only ever seen it used as _disclaimer_ , which has a rather special, almost legal, meaning in American English. My problem with _reject_ and _deny_ is that it sounds as though I am turning something down. They aren't necessarily opposite in meaning, and they convey an entirely different message. If claim means... > state or assert that something is the case ... then I am looking for > not state or assert that something is the case, but not necessarily state > that it _isn't_ the case Consider the following sentences:   1. I claim X.   2. I do not claim X.   3. I reject X. I am looking to replace the "do not claim" in sentence number two.


Adjective or noun when referring to plural citizenship

What is the right form to use when talking about plural citizenship?   "We are Italian" or "we are Italians"? (or American, Or German or any other ending with "*an") Same issue for "Saudi" or "Saudies", "Israeli" or "Israelies", etc. I understand that one is used as a noun and one as an adjective, but which is right and why? And on the same topic, how can for example, "Chinese", "Taiwanese" or "Japanese" be used differently for plural and singular? And what should one do with "Korean" - is "Koreans" even valid? Somehow it sounds strange to say "Koreans". **EDIT I** : as result of the comments : I am not specifically talking about "nationality" . the same can be asked about a city: would It be "Londonian" or "Londonese" , "New-Yorkean" or "New-Yorker" "New Yorkian" or "New-yorkese"? ..and also about non-human objects or concepts like books, food, drinks, art , company etc. I am sorry if I combine different concepts here , But I have a difficulty in pin pointing a common logic .


Meaning of "exported from somewhere"

I don't quite understand how one should use the expression "exported from somewhere". What does it mean when an item is exported from a given place? So far I've always seen the verb _export_ used like this: > The UK **exports** veal **to** many European countries. I've also seen the verb _import_ being used like this: > The UK **imports** asparagus **from** Bolivia. But I don't understand what _exported from_ means. For example: > Wheat is **exported from** the UK.


What does "pretense" mean in this context?

> You answered me with no pretense Context I checked the definition but I still don't really get it. What would be another way of saying this?


Sentence with Present Perfect

I am studying Present Perfect now and I am wondering if it is correct to say, for example, "The summer has been over"?


Is "paiement" an english word?

I'm wondering if the `paiement` word is an English word. It looks like a French word. Could you confirm that `paiement` is an English word?


Passive, present perfect continuous, past simple

I have been going down my path for few years. I am still going down and find new things. And now I am telling a story about it and how my path started in the past. What to use? how my path started? how my path is started? how my path has started? how my path was started?


Expressing an opinion: to me or for me?

Which one should be used? > To me, it makes no difference, but I'm not really sure why. vs > For me, it makes no difference, but I'm not really sure why.


What does “to put it charitably” mean?

There was the following sentence in the article titled “Why Rick Perry may be out of luck” appearing in the New Yorker (August 19): > "Last Friday, the Texas Governor was indicted on two counts: abuse of > official capacity and coercion of a public servant. What those charges mean, > though, is hard to say. The indictment itself is just two pages and, **to > put it charitably** , unelaborated." http://www.newyorker.com/news/daily- > comment/rick-perry-may-luck I’m unfamiliar with the phrase, “to put it charitably.” CED defines “charitably” as; Verb. in a kind way, not judging other people in a severe way: example. She described him, rather charitably, as quiet whereas I would have said he was boring. But the above definition doesn’t look sit well to me with the sentence, “two- page indictment, to put it charitably is unelaborated,” because “unelaborated” indictment is felt to be rather a bitter criticism. Google Ngram shows popularity of “to put it mildly” (0.0000183846% in 2007) in comparison with marginal currency of “to put it charitably (0.0000005512% in 2007). What does “to put it charitably” here mean? Is it same with “to put it mildly" or "to say the least”? If it is, I wonder why the writer preferred to use a phrase not so popular.


What is the infinitive of "can"?

Like the title says: I don't think "to can" is right :) I mean "can" as in _to be able to_. I'm aware of other meanings. I can't find the answer here. (There's What is an "infinitive"? which sidesteps this precise case). Online dictionaries draw a blank (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/can, e.g.). I'm looking for some official indication that the infinitive doesn't exist for this irregular verb. It would be nice if someone could share any information on how this has evolved to be the case.


"In the last 3 months" vs "in the past 3 months"

What's the difference between _in the **last** 3 months_ and _in the **past** 3 months_ if there is any?


"without any core banking words"

What is a better way of saying this sentence? > The banker explained the working of bank in an easy way for a layman to > understand **without any core banking words**. The emphasis is on the highlighted part.


Is the use of "-based" ending acceptable for two words expression?

When describing something as being based on a major element, one can use the "-based" ending. How does it work when the major element is an expression formed by two words, such as _body tracking_? Is it ok to write > ... body tracking-based interaction ... Or would it look better reversed? > ... interaction based on body tracking ...


Origin of "clip" in "clip around the ears"

"Clip" commonly refers to a device for holding things together. One dictionary says it's "of unknown origin, first occurring in the 15th century." In such phrases as "giving him a clip around the ear", where does the word come from?


"Our head" or "our heads"?

When speaking of a group of people and referring to a body part of which there is only one (e.g. head, nose, mouth, etc.), do we use the singular or plural form? Which of the following is correct, or are both possible? _Our stomach is full._ _Our stomachs are full._


What do you call the type of verb that by saying it you actually perform the action?

What do you call a verb that by saying it you actually perform the action? Common example: Apologize -- "I apologize for hurting you." (You just apologized by saying that) I vaguely remember hearing a specific term for this sort of verb once...


Abbreviations and Full Stops

What are the rules for putting a full stop after an abbreviation. For instance, I want to say the following on my business card. Tel: xxx-xxx-xxx Do I need to put a full stop after the Tel? Tel.: xxx-xxx-xxx


In Legal English (law) is there an authoritative meaning to “over the age of ‘X’”?

[This is a question about Legal English, that is, English language used in legal writing, not about strict usage of English outside of legal writing. —DN] In Legal English what does “over the age of ‘X’” mean? I see both these wordings in California Law:   1. “over the age of 18”   2. “age 18 or older” Literally interpreted, these have different meanings. I would tend to prefer the second wording, but is there some reference that defines and clarifies the correct, authoritative or preferred wording in law?


Synonyms for "get off medication"

How would you say "I'd like to get off the medication" not using the colloquial phrasal verb "get off"? I.e., something that you'd hear someone well-versed in the English language say. For example, can someone fill in a word or phrase to complete the following sentence: > I'd like to be _**___ __**_ medication by next month.


Usage of the phrase 'reviewing over'

I've come across the phrase 'reviewing over' and at first I disregarded it as a hold over from grammar in a foreign language but now I've seen a native English speaker use the same phrase. For example: While reviewing over the documents the lawyer found many loopholes. I have looked around a good bit on the internet but cannot find any explanation as to why this phrase would be written like this versus 'going over' or 'reviewing'. Can the great minds of stack help me feel better about this or have a good reason to discourage it?


Is "deers" correct when referring to different species?

The plural of _deer_ is _deer_ , but if you are referring to different species of deer, would it be correct to say " _deers_ "? Considering that the plural of _fish_ is _fish_ , but when referring to different species one would use _fishes_. Does this rule apply for other animals such as deer and sheep when referring to multiple species/breeds? If not, any explanation as to why the difference would be appreciated.


Object complement adjective, or direct object, or?

> Jill painted the kitchen rosey red. In this sentence, would _red_ be considered an object complement adjective? If so, what do I do with _rosey_ , since I cannot have an adjective modifying another adjective? I think it is a stretch to say that _rosey_ is an adverb modifying _red_ , answering the question, "What degree red?" Is this actually a `S-Vt-IO-DO`? Something substantive ( _red_ ) is being applied to/for the kitchen. Can someone shed some light on this?


A single word with the same meaning as: "Latest activity"

I've been trying to find a single word that would say "latest activity" or "most recent activity". The word is to be used as a column header, and it will probably read either "latest activity" or "latest retry". The column cells will hold time stamps that is stamped every time a state is changed or when a request to change state is sent. **It's really to identify idle workflows**. I've tried searching for it but I don't seem to find any. Is anyone here aware of a single word that would communicate this?


Is there a word for something that isn't your first intention?

For example if a student wishes for a storm because he wants his classes to be suspended. His main intention is to have no school but not necessarily to have a storm. Not sure if this makes any sense. I'm pretty sure there's no word for it but I don't know because English is not my first language.


What was the cricketing metaphor used by Margaret Thatcher which provoked Howe's retort?

Sir Geoffrey Howe, in 1990, used a cricket simile to devastating effect in the House of Commons to bring down the premiership of Margaret Thatcher. He famously said of her on the subject of negotiations over the EMU: "It is rather like sending your opening batsmen to the crease, only for them to find, as the first balls are being bowled, that their bats have been broken before the game by the team captain". This has now become so legendary that everyone has forgotten the cricketing analogy which Thatcher, herself, had used against some of her party colleagues, and which provoked this response from Howe. Does anyone know what it was?


Difference between "funny" and "strange"/"weird"

I noticed that in English the word _funny_ is sometimes used in the meaning of _strange_ or _weird_. What's the exact difference? What is interesting for me is that you have a single word meaning at the same time _causing laughter_ and _odd or strange_ (http://www.merriam- webster.com/dictionary/funny). The examples given at Merriam-Webster can then have a funny connotation, such as: > What are you laughing at? There's nothing funny about it. Could you please give examples where using _funny_ in the meaning of _strange_ is better than _strange_ itself? N.B.: I am aware of the question What is the difference between "that's odd", "that' s weird", and "that's strange"?


Forming the possessive of a username that is a contraction

Suppose there was a user of one of these sites whose handle was `Won't`. How would one form the possessive of this username to refer to that user's post?* > Won't's answer Given that the `'s` possessive construction is apparently derived from a contraction, and the existence of a fair number of double contractions, I suspect this first one might be correct, but frankly, it looks weird to me. > Won'ts answer One apostrophe in its usual place looks a little better to me, but it also looks like it might be a pluralization,** even though that doesn't make sense in context. This choice might read confusingly. > Wont's answer This seems to be a non-starter, since it changes the name for the sake of forming the possessive. Is the first one right, or is there a possibility I've missed?* * * * *Aside from using "the post by Won't" or similar rewriting.   **Especially given "Do's" and "don'ts" or "do's" and "don't's"?


Give me more examples using the word 'legerdemain.'

I came across the word, 'legerdemain' in the newspaper. This part says about Romney. ...And, his tax legerdemain has made him seem shady. A dictionary says that it is skill in using your hands to perform magic tricks often used figuratively. I think it is a deceptive way of concealing, hiding, or cheating on others. Where can the word be used? Could anyone give me some examples?


"a" and "the" before time markers

For my linguistics course I was asked to explain the difference in meaning of the following: > 1\. I would like to have lunch with you on Friday   >  2\. I would like to have lunch with you on a Friday Also, a similar example: > 3\. We will have a test the next week   >  4\. We will have a test next week


Between friend and acquaintance?

What do I call people in between friends and acquaintance? I want to refer to my classmates who I know somewhat well and are friendly with, but not friends.


Where does "pop it in the oven" come from?

Where and when did the phrase "pop it in the oven" originate?


Does "neighbor" really mean "he who lives close"?

I thought that's what it means, but Dictionary.com says that it can also mean >   1. One's fellow human being: _to be generous toward one's less fortunate > neighbors_. >   2. A person who shows kindliness or helpfulness toward his or her fellow > humans: _to be a neighbor to someone in distress_. > Basically I was asking Christians why they translated the Hebrew word _rhea_ as "neighbor" given that it means "comrade". Turns out, the word _neighbor_ in English also has the secondary meaning of "comrade", though I think the main meaning is "he who lives nearby". So how accurate are these secondary meanings of the word _neighbor_?


on multiple infinitives

1. It is my greatest intellectual satisfaction to be able **to** read a line from Plato's dialogues **and see** what is sounds like in any of the languages in which I can read.   2. It is my greatest intellectual satisfaction to be able _to_ read a line from Plato's dialogues and _to_ see what is sounds like in any of the languages in which I can read. Which one sounds grammatically and stylistically better?


What is the name of a repair shop specialized in fixing flat tires?

Here in Brazil we have "borracharias" a repair shop with many tires where they replace or fix flat tires. "Borracha" means rubber. Neither Google Translate nor Wikipedia could help me to find an English translation for "borracharia".


"The behavior is seen in other properties" vs. "for other properties"

> The same behavior can also be seen [in/for] other properties such as the > color and the mass. Which one is correct here, _in_ or _for_? EDIT: Adding more context: > The charge of quarks increases as we move to the heavier region. The same > behavior can also be seen [in/for] other properties (of the quarks) such as > the color and the mass.


why it is "How are you" and not "How is You"

my english is not very good,just want to ask this simple question "these are" ,"this is","those are","that is" it means "are" used for plural,but when asking to someone how is he,why people use "how are you" instead of "how is you".


Why do we pronounce "disease" like that?

What is the rule of pronunciation in this case? Why do we say like if there was an "e" in place of the "i"?


Should I capitalize peace, love, and happiness?

I am writing in our family Christmas card this year: Wishing you peace, love, and happiness. My question is, should peace, love, and happiness be capitalized? It's driving me crazy! Thank you!


metaphor of "lily" and the meaning of "emerging from the mire"

I ran into this: "And you, Madame Lucrezia, flower of the Borgias, if a poet painted you as the catholic Messalina, a skeptical Gregorovious turned up and almost completely absolved you of that quality; so that, if you have not become exactly a lily, at least you have emerged from the mire." I would like to know if there is a metaphor of lily in this text. if so, what does it mean? more over, what does "emerging from the mire" mean? I understand from the text that Gregorovious absolved her from the reputation for promiscuity.


Do you change your career or careers?

When you change from one thing to another, you say like you change trains, shirts, etc. How about when you make a career change? Do you say you change your career or you change careers?


Is 'Regards by' a valid usage

Is 'Regards by' term correct when we end an e-mail. I have seen ending mail using "With Regards, Warm Regards, Regards" but 'Regards by' seems somewhere wrong, please correct me if I am.


A word for indescribable pain; melancholic longing?

"Have you ever experienced a brand-new feeling that welled up inside of your heart and filled you with indescribable pain?" A quote from the English translation of _Cowboy Bebop: The Movie_. Two characters are discussing a sort of painful, melancholic longing, like love but perhaps a new feeling entirely. The Portuguese word _saudade_ seems close, but I am aware that it does not have an English counterpart. Is there a word I haven't heard that fits this description?


Why is "feminism" good but "racism" and other "-isms" bad?

Feminism is generally seen as a good thing. It means something or other about achieving equality of the sexes; of treating people of different sexes the same or as well as each other. Racism is generally seen as a bad thing. It means something or other about not achieving equality between people of different races; of treating people of different races differently and badly. Why is there this difference between _-isms_? Where did it come from?


In the UK - what does "cheeky half" mean?

And what is the expression's origin? (I believe it's related to beer)


Does the idiom "in lieu of" for "instead of" sound legalese or affected in modern day AmE

I once came across the idiomatic "in lieu of" in some bilingual dictionary I can't seem to put my hands on anymore, but I remember pretty well the phrase being defined as an Americanism. And so, I wish you could tell if "in lieu of" is safe to use instead of "instead of" in everyday speech and writing. Or does it sound sort of legalese or stilted for the most common prose? > http://www.thefreedictionary.com/in+lieu+of E.g. More and more health conscious consumers are becoming aware of the value of raw milk and raw milk products in lieu of pasteurized milk and milk products. source


Doing drugs vs having breakfast

Why do we _do_ drugs but _have_ food? Or even _have_ a beer, which is alcoholic beverage thus a sort of drug too. In both cases we consume something. Is there a rule for this?


On the Origin of the Universal Quantifier: A Semiotic Etymology

What is the "etymology" of the symbol ∀ (for all), the universal quantifier. I can't find anything here, but I suspect it was adopted in the same way our numerals were adopted. * * * ## REMARK ABOUT A COMMENT As simchona has pointed out, the symbol appears to have come from a shorthand (see here) from Gerhard Gentzen's publication "Investigations into Logical Deduction" in the _The American Philosophical Quarterly_ , a symbol which shares an interesting likeness to the symbol in the link above. Perhaps the symbol had an earlier meaning, which gave reason to its usage in the Gentzenian way. Thank you, simchona.


What does the 'it' mean now?

In the example, can I accept that _it_ in ‘it’s all here in your head’ indicates ‘you could be great’? > "Not Slytherin, eh?" said the small voice. "Are you sure? You could be > great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on > the way to greatness, no doubt about that—no? Well, if you're sure—better be > GRYFFINDOR!"


Who is pleased?

In the sentence, who is pleased, Malfoy or Crabbe and Goyle? > Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with > himself.


Difference between seed, nut, kernel, pit, grain

I was reading on a food package that it contained seeds AND grains. I thought, aren't they the same thing? I thougth for a second and it seems like the following are all the same thing:               Seed (as in apple)     Grain (as in wheat)     Nut (as in almond)     Kernel (as in corn)     Pit (as in olive)     Bean (as in fava/broad bean)      Aren't they all the same thing - seeds? Are there particular differences in meaning or etymology between them?


Word for "unaware of surroundings"

What's a word that describes a person that does not recognize their surroundings of where they live?


How did the Swedish word "fartlek" make it to the English language running vocabulary?

This is a question originally from Fitocracy by ivh: > Btw, does anybody know how the Swedish word "fartlek" made it into English > running lingo? ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/U9djm.png)


'I don't like fish.' 'Me, too.' Is this natural?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Can "me, too" be used to reply to a negative statement? 'I don't like fish.' 'Me, too.' Is this sentence natural or unnatural? I mean not the grammatical but the communicational.


Plural of 'quiz'

The plural of "quiz" is spelled with double "z" while the plural of "box" (and sometimes "bus") is spelled with single last consonant. Why is it so? Is this the general rule to double the last consonant to keep the syllable closed?


Expression for a situation where most prominent stakeholders give up

I am a Tango for D adopter and appreciate it very much but I am very concerned with a threatening trend. I noticed that many prominent early members leave it. I perceive that as a strong vulnerability signal to the community because it's not outweighed by new entries. I am looking for an appropriate idiomatic way to convey the fact that they abandon/leave/quit with emphasis on the threat that it involves (Something akin to the French: "Ils quittent/abandonnent le navire").


Word/phrase for importance being reduced

For example when you stop doing one thing before it's finished, and start something else because you, or someone else, considers it more important than the thing you were doing. The thing you was doing is now less important than this new thing that needs doing. I am trying to think of a heading for list of things like this, things have been dropped half way through to start something else "more important", but still need finishing at some point. _De-prioritised_ is not the correct word for this in my opinion, as you can de-prioritise jobs that haven't yet been started, or may never be started. I am after a word that clearly gets across that I was in the middle of a job that is now sitting half done because I started something "more important".


How do I express the plural of a letter in writing?

My last name has two occurrences of the letter "s" in it, so in speech I tell people all the time that it's spelled "with two esses". However I don't know how to express such a thing in writing. I can see half decent reasons for any of "s's", "S's", "ses", "Ses", "ss", "Ss", or "esses" . Which is/are correct?


"as such that" vs. "such that"

I would like to see if the following sentence is correct: (context: the tool performs an analysis during which alarms may be raised) > _1._ we had set up the tool such that a raised alarm stops the whole > analysis. Someone proposed > _2._ we had set up the tool as such that a raised alarm stops the whole > analysis.   >  _3._ we had set up the tool such that a raised alarm would stop the whole > analysis.   >  _4._ we had set up the tool as such that a raised alarm would stop the > whole analysis.


What are the polite and neutral versions of “cut the bull*’?

I was wondering what are the polite and neutral versions of _cut the bullshit_? Suppose one calls his mobile customer service for signal problem, but the representative endlessly tries to promote irrelevant products. I seem to remember there is some word other than _bullshit_ to be used with _cut_ , which is more neutral, but I cannot recall it.


Are phrases with implicit meanings considered incorrect/wrong?

An example phrase is > ... Internet is out ... The implicit word here is "connection." The full phrase would be > ... Internet connection is out ... Is the first incorrect? Is there a general rule to acceptance of dropped/implicit words in phrase meaning?


What does "didn't pace himself" means?

_For example_ , > **Raimund Preußen didn't pace himself at all** , and after a series of > daring offensive runs he was too tired to help out in the defensive play.


Anti followed by phrase, usage of hyphen

See this headline > Anti-police brutality march declared illegal, broken up I felt they should have written `anti police-brutality` or `anti-police- brutality`. Which one is more proper? Edit: It is funny that they have now changed the headline! Did they see this thread :)


Origins of the word "terrible"

What are the origins of the word "terrible". Do the words "terror" or "terrific" come from the same roots? I am curious since I believe the word "terrible" can be used to mean "great" in French.


"This chapter, and the following chapters in this section" — singular or plural?

I have some technical documentation that has the phrase: > This chapters describes how to... And I need to upgrade it to refer to the current and following chapters. What is the correct English phrase to use? > This chapter, and the following chapters in this section, describes how > to... or: > This chapter, and the following chapters in this section, describe how to... In other words, is the thing doing the describing a multitude of chapters (that would "describe" something), or are the multitude considered a single item here (needing "describes")? Or, are both phrases wrong?