Is the term 'String' too jargony to use in a user interface?

Having worked as a software developer for a long time, I'm out of touch sometimes with whether a word would be considered jargon. I am adding something to a user interface where a name is given, and a type. The type would be one of Number, Date, or 'String'. I'm just not sure if 'string' in the technical sense is a term that is in common usage, or if it is still considered jargon. 'Text' sounds mildly inappropriate to use, because that implies a length (to me at least), whereas this would be something short. So, is there a better word I can use?


Phrase: “Colder than a witch’s kiss!”

The following was used in a radio broadcast ( _The Adventures of Harry Lime_ , 14th December 1951, episode 20 “An Old Moorish Custom”) as Harry was hit on the back of his head with a rifle butt by a giant Moorish bodyguard: > “It was a blow that knocked me colder than a witch’s kiss.” Where did the phrase come from and when was it first used? Are there any common variation and is it also (or usually) used for temperature comparisons rather than the violent thwack of the quote?


The all-powerful "to have"

"To have" seems to fill a lot of different needs in the English language, apart from its literal meaning of possessing something. It's an integral part of perfect and perfect progressive verb tenses: _I have run_ , _I had run_ , _I had been running_ , _I will have been running_ , etc. It also indicates need: _I have to eat_ , _I had to leave_ (or is this another tense of some sort?) This leads to forms of _to have_ showing up multiple times in a sentence, and yet it makes perfect sense: _I had to have had at least three apples._ How did this come about? I've noticed _avoir_ and _tener_ also have these same uses in French & Spanish, respectively.


Ten bagger baseball explanation

Why would a "ten bagger" refer to baseball? Where is the ten involved in it?


"Pretty please with sugar on top"

Where does this expression come from? I understand when it's used, but I was wondering about its origin.


"You were already having been going to do that!"

From one of the _Futurama_ episodes: > Farnsworth A: You people and your slight differences disgust me. I'm going > home. Where's that blue box with our universe in it? > > Farnsworth 1: Oh, you'd like to get back to your evil universe, wouldn't > you? And destroy your box with our universe inside it. > > Farnsworth A: Nonsense! I would never do such a thing **unless you were > already having been going to do that**! The part in bold: is it grammatical, or is it just an intentional word play by the scriptwriters to emphasize time travel?


Is "latte" a countable noun?

![screenshot](http://i.stack.imgur.com/A8lNA.png) I have learned that liquids are uncountable, except for measurements such as "three cups of water." So, does "three lattes" in this context refer to three cups of latte?


Percentage expression

Is it correct to say "15 percent less than 25"? To me, it doesn't make 100% sense.


"Learning always" vs "always learning"

What is the difference between _learning always_ and _always learning_ in terms of grammar and connotation? If the connotation is the same then which is preferred?


"fraction of relevant instances that are retrieved": Should it not be 'those are'?

I was reading a Wiki page which had this statement: > recall is the fraction of relevant instances _that_ are retrieved Shouldn't it be the following? > recall is the fraction of relevant instances **_those_** are retrieved


Is there lunchtime analogue of the 'breakfast of champions' idiom?

In British English (possibly US too) there is an an idiom which it is to suggest that something is the 'breakfast of champions' when the content of the breakfast is particularly notable.   * Perhaps a large quantity of breakfast.   * Perhaps something that would not normally be eaten for breakfast.   * Perhaps its not technically a breakfast but in the context of breakfast. Is there a lunchtime analogue of this idiom? Or a phrase that can be used in a similar context where the meal concerned is lunch. Note I am not looking for 'lunch of champions' but real unadulterated idioms.


Origin of "Knee-jerk"

I like to read the Economist to keep my English up to date. And today, reading the following news I came across the above mentioned expression. Merriam Webster defines it as: > reacting in a readily predictable way I'd like to know how come such words like `knee` and `jerk` could come up with such a definition.


"Germany is/are in the NATO alliance." clarification please

American English native speakers watching the World Cup have been very troubled regarding why British English announcers and writers treat country names as plural nouns. This issue has already been raised several times on this forum. I still don't get it. Please consider: (1) "Germany **is** one country in the World Cup."   (2) "One country in the World Cup **is** Germany."   (3) "Germany **are** in the NATO alliance." Are all of those sentences correct in British English? _"Germany **are** through to the final match on Sunday."_ seems to be correct British English. So, should I get the sensation that "Germany" represents:   (a) the members of the German team?   (b) the citizens of Germany? There are great existing threads about this topic. So, I just hope to have my questions above directly answered.


Can none and nor be used together?

Are the following sentences gramatically correct: "None of Tom, Dick nor Harry participated in the contest." "None of Tom, nor Dick, nor Harry participated in the contest." If it were a two-person list, the neither-nor construction would clearly be correct ("Neither Tom nor Harry participated"). It seems to me that nor remains the correct conjunction in a three-person list, but I can't find any supporting references. Thanks!


The verb associated with 'payment': come through or gone through?

Is it "the payment has come through" or "the payment has gone through"?


"Get in" or "Get into the car"

_Get in_ or _get into the car_ : Which is correct or what is the difference between them?


meaning of comparison

> (1) “You are mistaken in supposing me a beggar. I am **no** beggar; **any > more than** yourself or your young ladies.”(Jane Eyre) > > (2) “No blame attached to me: I am **as** free from culpability **as** any > one of you three.” (Jane Eyre) In (2), I and the others are compared equivalently, whereas (1) denotes that the word, beggar, could be applied to me less than you all, I guess, and it should be heard somewhat aggressively in this case. Is this right?


Is "Civic Virtue" related to moral in this context?

I came across this phrase: "While no relationship was found between altruism and intention to leave both the organization and the current job, sportsmanship, **_civic virtue_** and helping others emerged as the strongest predictors of intention to leave the organization and intention to leave the current job." According to Wikipedia: Civic virtue is the cultivation of habits of personal living that are claimed to be important for the success of the community As I am translating this term into my native language, the question appears is:   1. Is Civic Virtue related to moral of society?    2. What is the best definition?  Any idea will be appreciated. Thanks.


What's the difference between "debate" and "argument"?

These words seem to have similar meanings, possibly with different connotations.


Wording for constant in time

Hi I'm writing a scientific paper and want to write something along the line of: "Static in time" objects are ... Is there a single word describing time independent?


"Given that" vs. "Granted that"

Understanding that "given that" and "granted that" are both used to mark the premise of an argument (or conditions that are assumed to be true), and the actual meaning is almost identical, I have to catch the nuance. Is there a colloquial difference between them? Is this a difference in register? Is "granted that" literary/academic? As for the amount of Google hits, "given that" is used about twenty times more.


What does Agatha Christie’s line, ‘Speak through one’s nose full of b's and d's’ mean?

Unlike my usual questions picked up from newspaper sources, this question regards literature. I was asked by one of my friends who is an English enthusiast about the meaning of “speak through one’s nose full of b's and d's.” The phrase appears in the following sentence in the section of ‘Love and the Ridiculous’ of Agatha Christie’s Autobiography. I checked the definition of the phrase in Merriam Webster Dictionary and Cambridge Online Dictionary in vain. Can somebody explain the meaning of ‘Speak through one’s nose full of b's and d's’, specifically what does ‘b and d’ represent? > Anyone can admire somebody for being handsome or amusing or charming, but > that bubble is soon pricked when a trace of ridicule comes in. I should give > as my advice to any girl about to get married: "Well now, just imagine he > had a terrible cold in his head, speaking through his nose all full of b's > and d's, sneezing, eyes watering. What would you feel about him?" It's a > good test, really.


Is "Jack of Christ" a common Britishism for Jesus Christ?

In his poem “If I Were Tickled By the Rub of Love”, Dylan Thomas refers to “Jack of Christ”: > _And what’s the rub? Death’s feather on the nerve?_   >  _Your mouth, my love, the thistle in the kiss?_   >  _My Jack of Christ born thorny on the tree?_ Now, I've heard _jack_ used to mean a man (“every man-jack”, etc.) and Etymonline says it is > Used generically of men (jack-of-all-trades, 1610s), male animals (1620s, > see jackass, jackdaw, etc.), and male personifications (1520s, e.g. Jack > Frost). I understand the line to be talking about a representation of Jesus, but I’m trying to get at how common the expression is. If it’s a common substitution for Jesus Christ I think it’s probably less intentionally profane than if Dylan Thomas had coined the usage here to mean just another human being. Do speakers of British English use “Jack of Christ” as even a rough synonym for Jesus Christ?


Why is this sentence correct?

Why is this sentence correct? > The old, discredited leaders of the Party had been used to gather there > before they were finally purged. The "had been used to" part troubles me. Shouldn't it be "had used to"? The sentence was copied verbatim from Orwell's 1984.


When and why did the letter "u" begin being called [ju]?

We pronounce the name of the twenty-first letter of the alphabet homophonically with the word _you_. Was this what the letter was always called (ever since the analogous letter in Latin), or did it at some point shift from being called [u] to [ju]?


Why is 'an' used with 'an honour'?

Why is 'an' used with 'an honour'? Isn't 'an' limited to the vowels?


What is a female ass called?

I know a male ass is a _jackass_ , but what is a female ass called? Perusal of the internet suggests _jillass_ or _janeass_ , but I haven't found what might be called an authoritative source.


Do onomatopoeic words lose their onomatopoeic character?

Wikipedia mentions that: > Some languages flexibly integrate onomatopoeic words into their structure. > This may evolve into a new word, up to the point that it is no longer > recognized as onomatopoeia. > > One example is English **"bleat"** for the sheep noise: in medieval times it > was pronounced approximately as "blairt" (but without an R-component), or > "blet" with the vowel drawled, which is much more accurate as onomatopoeia > than the modern pronunciation.   * Did bleat really lose its onomatopoeic character?   * Is "baa" used instead in all situations? * * * Furthermore from the book "A Grammar of Iconism" _By Earl R. Anderson_ : ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/AZjwx.png) ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/1PkPi.png) According to the passage above:   * When onomatopoeic words are used as verbs, do they lose their onomatopoeic character? ( not all of them but some of them in time? or depends on the context?)   * Can we still say that shiver, growl and bleat are onomatopoeic words? Or did they inherit their onomatopoeic label from their more mimetic versions: brr, grr and baa?


What does it mean to be "worth someone's keep"?

> “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts > > no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker > is worth his keep. What does it mean to be "worth someone's keep" ?


What is the difference between "guide" and "guideline"

For example, the following is a guide for ... the following is a guideline for ... My understanding is that a guide is like "help" for something. While, a guideline is like a "rule" for something.


has/have got OR has/have been

"The match has got delayed" - Can we use "got" rather than "been" in this sentence? Thanks


Repetition of the type : adjective1+ noun or adjective2 + noun

The question seems simple but so far I do not have a response. I'm wondering how to avoid the following type of repetition : adjective1+ noun or adjective2 + noun For instance (2 examples) : 1- "..a green car or a red car" 2-"It corresponds to a lower bound change or an upper bound change" Here "car" and "change" are repeated twice. Can we change that to 1- "..a green or red car" 2-"It corresponds to a lower or an upper bound change" It looks like we are loosing something by this reformulation. Thanks!


What is opposite of "Love"?

In a argument with my friend who lost her love, I came across her experience of life and what she said is : **Opposite** of **love** is **NOT** **Hate**. why, Because in love people have feeling and think about other person. And in Hate it is same with different intentions. Meaningfully Opposite of Love is not Hate. **Opposite of Love or Hate is Apathy.** Which is actually feelings-free. Is it right. Is she right. I am not looking for discussions?


Synonym for 'reinforce/back up idea/concept'

I'm sure there must be a word for this! I'm looking for a synonym for 'reinforce/back up idea/concept'. Eg: "He looks like an Australian and his accent would seem to back that up/suggest likewise/reinforce that notion." Any ideas for a synonym? Thanks!


What do you call the noise(s) that block you from hearing?

I am looking for a particular word to describe absurd noises which block your hearing. Not so long ago, I was talking to a friend of mine in a public place and we were unable to hear each other well, due to the surrounding voices and noises. Is there a word that fits this description?


How do you refer to the fictional author of a poem?

If a poem is written in the first person, how do you refer to the first person character in the poem? e.g. > Underneath the fallen blossom   >  In my bosom,   >  Is a letter I have hid.   >  It was brought to me this morning by a rider from   >  Duke.


Does "Asbestos sandwich" have nuances of bad health?

In "Clive James in Japan", part 2, which was created in 1986, James says during a bullet train ride that he doesn't know whether he's buying smoked ham or a pair of tights, but that it can't taste worse than a classic British Rail asbestos sandwich. Does "Asbestos sandwich" have nuances of something being bad for your health (as we now know asbestos can cause mesothelioma), as opposed to it tasting bad and possibly being un-nutritious?


What is the difference complementing with prepositional phrase and with to-infinitive?

> To-infinitive complements must be distinguished from PP complement with the > preposition to. The following quotation illustrates the difference.   > > > The global threat **to our security** was clear.   >  So was our duty **to act to eliminate it**.   >  (Angela Downing, English Grammar): PP: prepositional phrase I don’t get what is the difference between complementing a noun with to- prepositional phrase and to-infinitive. Would you show me the difference?


Words (especially homographs or homonyms) with different inflection

Is there a term for words (especially homographs or homonyms of the same word class) that differ in their inflection?   * The Latin _ēdūcō_ whose present infinitive is _ēducere_ (“to lead forth, to erect”) or _ēducāre_ (“to bring up; to educate, to train; to produce”).   * The Icelandic _hór_ meaning a “hook for a pot, an earmark for sheep” for one declension, “adultery” for a second declension and a “lover of a married woman” for a third declension. I can't think of any English examples off the top of my head.


"It is bad practice ..." vs. "It is a bad practice ..."

> "At work, it is bad practice to go to lunch early."   >  "At work, it is **_a_** bad practice to go to lunch early." The noun "practice" is both countable and uncountable. So, could both sentences be usable?


Is it correct to say "on accident" instead of "by accident"?

There is a great chasm on these phrases in the US. The great divide seems to be currently centered at the age of 40. The younger generation has began shifting to "on accident" for unknown reasons. What is your view?


What word best describes a small store that sells only glasses (spectacles)?

What word would or combination of words would best describe a small store, in which only glasses (spectacles) are sold? Here are some of my guesses, but I think they are all wrong:   1. Eye ware   2. Glass Shop   3. Glasses Shop   4. Glass Store   5. Glasses Store   6. Optics Store   7. (What's your option?) I need it for two cases: one is for a sign on that store, the other one is for this sentence: "Two years earlier she had worked in a (small) **___ __ ___ __**." It is very possible that there are different words (or combination of words) for these two different cases. Please, remember that only glasses are being sold in that store/shop.


"Well" and "good" as applied to the quality of photographs

> These photos came out well. or > These photos came out good. According to the proper usage of _well_ and _good_ , the former would be describing the quality of the taking and developing of the photo; the latter would be describing the state of the photo as a finished product. Are both of these acceptable?


Meaning of "par"?

What does "par" mean in this sentence: > The exam was easier than par.


Where would "take your life safety lightly" fit in?

Can you come up with any sensible sentence, into which the following combination of words would fit in well: "take your life safety lightly". Please, don't change the words order. Also, if possible, describe the context, in which that sentence would naturally appear.


What’s the difference between “sauce” and “gravy”?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Spaghetti and gravy For all translators I checked it means the same.


Hyphens after the prefixes “non-” and “anti-” in mathematics

Is there a convention when to attach the prefixes _non-_ and _anti-_ to mathematical terms using a hyphen and when without? One uses _non-zero_ but also _noncommutative_. Likewise for _anti-_. I no longer know which is correct – _anti-isomorphism_ or _antiisomorphism_ , _anti-isometry_ or _antiisometry_.


Why is "ask" sometimes pronounced "aks"?

We've recently moved from New Zealand to New York City, and have noticed that many people (most of whom have good English) pronounce "ask" as "aks". For example: > Could you please go aks her tomorrow? Sure, I'll ax her! :-) What's the origin/etymology of "aks"? It seems to be more common among African Americans, but it's definitely used by others too.


The origin of the word "bats" to mean "mad" or "insane"

What is the origin of the word _bats_ so that it came to mean "mad or insane"?


What is the origin of the phrase "hard and fast rule?"

I just used this phrase in answering another question, only to realize that   1. I didn't know its origin and   2. it is usually used in the negative, as in "..it's not a hard and fast rule, but..." I'd like to know the origin, and perhaps why it seems to be more commonly used in the negative.


Is there an alternative to the phrase "Going Native"?

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/go_native defines the meaning of the phrase "Going Native" this way:   * (idiomatic) To adopt the lifestyle or outlook of local inhabitants, especially when dwelling in a colonial region; to become less refined under the influence of a less cultured, more primitive, or simpler social environment.   * (idiomatic) Of a contractor or consultant, to begin working directly as an employee for a company and cease to work through a contracting firm or agency. Am I alone in thinking that this phrase has a pejorative connotation towards aboriginal cultures of colonial regions? Is there an alternative to this otherwise useful phrase?


Can you say "absolutely good"?

You often hear people follow up the word "absolutely" with words such as "fantastic", "amazing", "brilliant", "knackered". But to hear say someone say "That was absolutely good" or "I am absolutely tired" would sound ridiculous. Is there actually anything grammatically wrong with these 2 statements, or are they just so unconventional that they sound wrong?


Word for "is best supported by"

I am looking for a single word that means that something is best supported by something else. In the relevant contexts, I would use the word to express the idea that there are better reasons for supporting a position rather than alternative positions. For instance, a context in which I might use such a word is the following: > According to _s_ , _x_ either requires or [is best supported by] _y_ Of course, the expression " _x_ is best supported by _y_ " is perfectly natural. However, I would like a single word in order to eliminate the extra verbiage, the superlative, and the preposition.


meaning of "on bequest of "

What's the meaning of "on bequest of" in this phrase Context: Democracy and the Limits of Self-Government By Adam Przeworski > We are ruled by others, and the only authority that justifies this fact is > that the rulers act on bequest of “the people” expressed in elections Does it mean "at the request of"?


Is there a difference between "ascendants" and "ancestors"?

Without noticing myself, I've mixed the use of "ascendants" and "ancestors" in some documentation I've written. In an arbitrary hierarchy (of either people or _things_ ), what would be the most correct term to use, to describe my parent(s) parent(s) parent(s), etc.? That is, _descendants_ would be my children, their children, and so forth. In the exact reverse order, would _ascendants_ and _ancestors_ be interchangeable, or would one be preferred over the other? Both TheFreeDictionary.com and Dictionary.com lists ancestor as a synonym of ascendants, though neither precisely defines it in the context of a hierarchy per se.


What is the term for a cat who is bossing other cats around?

In a multicat house, there is often a cat who is the boss for other cats. What is the proper term for such cat? Is it "dominant cat"? Are there any other, less formal, terms for it?


Is there a single word to describe the loss of a sibling? Without a proper name it is hard for the grief to be acknowledged.


Meaning of'By the month of April'

What is the meaning of 'by the month of April'? Does it mean full month of April?


"Points movement" or "Movement of points" or "Movement of the points"

I am working on a scientific paper and there is a graph in it showing how some points are moved.... The reviewer suggest me to change "Points movement" to "Movement of points". But I still could not get it why "Movement of points" is more preferable?   1. Isn't it the shorter the better?    2. Why not "Movement of the points"? (I feel quite confused too to see: some people use "Response to reviewers", some use "Response to the reviewers"!)


verb or adjective in "The blue page is *stapled* to the red page"?

Consider the following sentence. > The blue page is **stapled** to the red page. Although "stapled" is (apparently) past-tense, nonetheless the above sentence is clearly expressing something about the present. What gives? In particular, would it be wrong to label "stapled" as past-tense in the above sentence? ( **note:** Er, actually the OP's question involves the difference between a passive construction and a construction with a predicative adjective -- F.E.)


Meaning of "plastic value"

What is the meaning of plastic value below? I read it in the book _The art of painting_. > A work of art may, incidentally, tell a story, but error arises when we try > to judge it by the narrative, or the moral pointed, instead of by the manner > in which the artist has used his materials to produce a work of plastic art; > when, in other words, a literary or moral value is mistaken for a **plastic > value**.


"Know your customers' needs before they even..." - "talk" or "speak"?

What's the best word for that phrase? "talk" or "speak"? "Know your customers' needs before they even talk." or "Know your customers' needs before they even speak." The idea is to say "before they even talk to you", but there's no space for that.


Is "a very good read" grammatically correct?

Is it grammatically correct to describe a book or article as _a very good read_?


Is the word "bespoke" associated with Southern American English, kind of how "bonafied" is in my mind?

Is _bespoke_ associated with the American South, as "bonafied" ( _bona fide_ , properly) is to me? When I hear the latter, it brings to mind aristocratic Southern gentlemen sipping mint juleps; when I hear the former, it brings to mind some Negro sharecropper telling his son, "we're gonna get you your first bespoke suit..." I can't recall where these images come from, exactly....


Is "Selected 1 of 1 Entries" correct pluralization?

I'm trying to work out any possible pluralization strings for an application that handles dynamic values, and I'm a little stuck on the English here.. What I think sounds right doesn't feel right. Pluralization options:   * Selected 1 entry (correct)   * Selected 2+ entries (correct) But if I want to include the total as well:   * Selected 1 of 1 entries (is this correct? it sounds correct to me)   * Selected 0 of 1 entries (is this correct?)   * Selected 1 of 2 entries (correct) I know it's trivial, but these little details matter to me.. **EDIT:** If the count is the max, another option is to express this as:   * Selected all 2 entries (correct)   * Selected all 1 entry (this doesn't sound correct? is it?) Thanks in advance :)


Use of "promise", "guarantee", "swear" and "assure" for future and past

Can verbs such as _promise_ , _guarantee_ , _swear_ and _assure_ be used to mean _convince others that something will (not) happen in the future or did (not) happen in the past_? In other words, are they used for things both in the future and in the past, or just one of them?


Getting to the bottom of common nouns

What would you call a noun which lives at the very bottom of a hierarchy of common/proper nouns? For example, say we have the proper noun "Regent Street". The common noun is "Street", which is a name we give (among many others eg. "Avenue", "Road") to a thoroughfare. But what kind of noun is "thoroughfare"? Root noun? Perhaps I'm thinking of this with too much of an engineers head :) Would thoroughfare in this case qualify as an abstract noun? Another example:   * Proper Noun - "Ford Mondeo"   * Common Noun - "Car" (among Van, Lorry, Motorcycle etc)   * Abstract(?) Noun - "Vehicle"


What's a single word for the context a word is used in (used to differentiate similar words)?

I saw a question on this site asking about the difference between two similar words and one of the answers said it was the specific context each word was used in, except they used a single word that meant that.


What is synonym of Abide?

What is synonym of Abide? a) Pays b) Diverts c) Hang Real sentence is "Curse abides on a tyrant for ever!"


what is the difference in usage of 'pertain' and 'appertain'?

In the dictionary the meanings of these two words seem interchangeable so why do the two words exist? Are there different contexts for their usage? Definitions by Merriam-Webster: > Definition of PERTAIN > > 1 > >   * a (1) : to belong as a part, member, accessory, or product (2) : to > belong as an attribute, feature, or function <the destruction pertaining to > war> (3) : to belong as a duty or right <rights that pertain to fatherhood> >   * b : to be appropriate to something <which rule pertains?> > > > 2 > >   * : to have reference <books pertaining to birds> > * * * > Definition of APPERTAIN > >   * : to belong or be connected as a rightful part or attribute : PERTAIN >


"catch the rhythm of life" or "catch the life's rhythm" Which one is better slogan for a new health product?

I am going to find a slogan for a brand new health product. It includes vitamins, energy drink, etc. There are two slogans:   * catch the rhythm of life or   * catch life's rhythm Thank you.


Difference in pronunciation between "won't" and "want"

Which is the difference in pronunciation between "won't" and "want"?


The video will start presently

_Presently_ * meaning "in a very short time, soon", is a widely accepted term, but why does its usage meaning "at the present time, currently" still remain an open area for dispute? Disputed usage: I am presently reading an financial paper. Undisputed usage: I will be finished with my meeting presently. Usage note: The meaning “now” of presently dates back to the 15th century; it is currently in standard use in all varieties of speech and writing. The sense “soon” arose gradually during the 16th century. Strangely, it is the older sense “now” that usage guides sometimes object to. The two senses are rarely if ever confused. presently meaning “now” is most often used with the present tense (The professor is presently on sabbatical leave) and presently meaning “soon” often with the future tense (The supervisor will be back presently) Source: Webster Dic. Usage note: An original meaning of presently was "at the present time; currently." That sense is said to have disappeared from the literary language in the 17th century, but it has survived in popular usage and is widely found nowadays in literate speech and writing. Still, there is a lingering prejudice against this use. The sentence General Walters is ... presently the United States Ambassador to the United Nations was acceptable to only 48 percent of the Usage Panel in the 1999 survey. Source: The America Heritage Dic. Usage note: both senses 1)"in a very short time" and 2)" at the present time" are flourishing in current English, but many commentators have objected to sense 2. Since this sense has been in continuous use since the 15th century, it is not clear why it is objectionable. Perhaps a note in the Oxford English Dictionary (1909) that the sense has been obsolete since the 17th century in literary English is to blame, but the note goes on to observe that the sense is in regular use in most English dialects. The last citation in that dictionary is from a 1901 Leeds newspaper, written in Standard English. Sense 2 is most common in contexts relating to business and politics Source: Merriam Web. Dictionary


Is this usage of “luxury of knowing” correct?

I would like to use "luxury of knowing" phrase. I searched for its meaning in internet. It seems that it is used in a song Lori McKenna – The Luxury of Knowing and a movie A Few Good Men Lori McKenna Song: > Turns to ice and your whole world just starts snowing   >  And I don’t have the luxury of knowing A few Good Men uses following: > You have the luxury of not knowing what I know:   >  that Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives. Is following usage is correct in meaning? > We do not have this luxury of always knowing true answer in XXX domain. What I mean is sometimes we know an answer, and sometimes we do not, but always knowing an answer in this domain is a privilege or luxury.


How would you describe the technique/etiquette or "do's and don'ts" of having a conversation?

I'm trying to find a good word to describe "things to do" while having a conversation with someone. For example, you would want to make eye contact, affirm your speaker, and not check emails on your smart phone. These simple examples, to me, appear like etiquette. However I feel that word etiquette is really only used for "good or acceptable" manners. If I were to add conversation techniques, tips, or tricks, then I feel that I'm outside the scope of etiquette, and really need a word that combines the two together.


Pronoun for antedecents of different gender connected with "or" ,"either... or..."

I know that the sentence "David or Michael forgot to take his parasol" is correct. But what about the case when two opposite genders are connected by _or_? > David or Alice forgot to take ___ parasol. Which pronoun fits the blank? Likewise when _or_ connects plural and singular nouns. E.g., "either the manager or his assistants failed in their duty" is fine, but what if I switch them around? > Either the assistants or their manager failed in ___ duty. Again, which pronoun should be used here?


''We average 8 hours’ work a day.'' Is this a correct sentence?

"We average 8 hours’ work a day." Is this sentence correct? This is just a sentence written from my friend and I'd like to know the usage and form of the word, "average") Please give me some examples to explain the usage. Thanks, everyone!


"Unsuccess" versus "failure"

Are there differences in usage between _unsuccess_ and _failure_? Is _failure_ harsher to hear than _unsuccess_? In other words, is _unsuccess_ a euphemism of _failure_?


What is another word for "boss" for a company with a flatter hierarchy?

In today's more modern companies (especially IT startups etc.) that have a flatter hierarchy, the word "boss" seems to be outdated and doesn't describe the job role of someone who takes care of a team, making sure they have everything they need, making sure they stay on target, meet deadlines, but also has a superior role (e.g. can hire and fire) etc. I'm looking for a word for the sentence when writing a client, "I'll be coming to the meeting with my **_**."   * **boss** : too out-dated   * **manager** : a boxer has a "manager", he's not my personal manager, sounds odd, or sounds like we work in a warehouse   * **supervisor** : sounds to high, as if he tells me what to do, as a child needs an "adult supervisor"   * **team-leader** : sounds odd and he doesn't really "lead", sounds like the army The best I can think of is " **team manager** " but if he only has two people that he takes care of, it's a bit misleading to call us a "team", plus it has the same connotation as "manager" as if I can't "manage" things by myself and need someone else to do it. And "assistant" sounds as if he follows me around gets me things I need, which also isn't the case. **What is the best word for someone who takes care of the needs of e.g. developers so that they can get their job done more efficiently but also has the ability to hire/fire and highly influence decisions on which projects they work on?**


Usage of "throw the net wide"

Can I have an example of a context in which the expression _throw the net wide_ is used? I have heard it in passing but it is not clear to me what was meant.


How to write the date of an event that lasts a few days [American / British English]

I saw this topic: How to write the date of an event that lasts a few days But have some questions. Firstly, I would like to know how to say the same but in British English. I think that "The event will take place from July 1 to July 10, 2011" would be ok in British English too - am I right? I found somewhere on the Internet also some other form: "The event will take place from 1st July to 10th July 2011". Is that correct?


Is there an alternative, one-word name for the question mark?

Is there an alternative name for the question mark? For example, the exclamation point is often called a _bang_ , the number symbol is called a _pound sign_ or _sharp symbol_ and the asterisk symbol is often called a _star_. Is there such an alternative name for the question mark whether it be slang or otherwise?


Is "spatial contiguity" a pleonasm?

I used the terms "spatial contiguity" to emphasise the relation between two objects as opposed to synchronism, i.e. chronological contiguity. I then questioned myself whether or not that would constitute a pleonasm. What do you think?


Which version of this sentence is the best?

I can think of three variants of this sentence, which are intended to have the same meaning. I'm not sure which of these are grammatically correct, and which are just preferable. I'm leaning towards the second, but the third might also be Ok. The first looks a little odd (`me` followed by `my`), but I can't say if it is actually wrong. Please educate me - I'm woefully ignorant about grammar. > There is no higher authority that can legally deny me my right to do so. > > There is no higher authority that can legally deny me the right to do so. > > There is no higher authority that can legally deny my right to do so.


Single word which refers to restaurants, bars and clubs?

I need a word that refers to restaurants, bars and clubs. Places where you usually talk with friends, go on dates, or dance. I thought about "Spots" or "Places" but I'm not sure if people will associate them with travel.


Where does this translation of Saint-Exupery's quote on design come from?

A very well-known aphorism from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry is > _Il semble que la perfection soit atteinte non quand il n'y a plus rien à > ajouter, mais quand il n'y a plus rien à retrancher._ ( _Terre des Hommes_, > 1939). The canonical English translation is > _...perfection is finally attained not when there is no longer anything to > add, but when there is no longer anything to take away..._ (translation by > Lewis Galantière). If this were prefaced by the words "It seems that", it would be a literal translation from the French. Unfortunately I don't have a better source than wikiquote to see if Galantière's version includes those words. However, the quote in English seems to be most common in the active voice: _A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away_ (Google) When did this version of the quote originate, and am I correct that this version is more recognizable in English? It seems "better" and more powerful to me, but it does change the sense of the original.


Confusion about a stanza from Rudyard Kipling

Following is the stanza: > Teach us delight in simple things,   >  And mirth that has no bitter springs;   >  Forgiveness free of evil done,   >  And Love to all men 'neath the sun! What does second line and third line mean? And does the last line mean love to all people who work hard under the harsh sun? A brief explanation will suffice. (I hope that this is not a subjective question! Also, please change the tag; my reputation is not quite enough to create new one.)


Nuances between "stoic" and "stolid"

The words "stoic" and "stolid" seem quite similar to me: _**stoic_** : seeming unaffected by pleasure or pain; impassive [cite]   **_stolid_** : having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; not easily aroused or excited [cite] When would you use one versus the other? Under what circumstances would you not use one of them?


A word for a statement that sounds true because it sounds good

A statement that appears true mostly because it sounds good / poetic / alliterates / rhymes. I'm pretty sure there is such a word. I heard it a few years ago, but have since forgotten it.


Bracket placement

My idea of using of various brackets is unclear; can anybody clarify as to where exactly I use _()_ and _[]_? Furtermore, are _{}_ used in regular grammar?


Is it bad behavior to add filler words such as "so", "um" in business speak?

Sometimes when I speak with my fellows at work, I start my sentences with "so" or "um". I don't know if this a bad behavior in business speak or not? If so, how can I get rid of those filler words?


What is phenomenal price?

If we ignore the context, what is the meaning of 'phenomenal price?' Positive or negative?


Idiom for someone who is in good position/mood

What is the idiom for someone who is in a good mood or position? For example, your colleague is in a very good mood because of a recent thing that happened to him.


What does the idiom, 'bolt from the fold', mean?

While reading a novel I've found this expression: > bolt from the fold Does anyone know what it means? Here is the whole sentence to provide some context: > It is possible that Godfrey found the lifestyle more than a little > alienating, for, sometime during the course of his studies at Fargo > Congregational College, he bolted from the fold and, to the enduring agony > of his parents, fell into worldy pursuits, and ended up, somehow, getting a > Ph.D. in Classics from a small private university in Ohio.


One word for a "very tough task"

I need one word to describe a very tough task or a task which one is unwilling to do. like in the sentence: > It's very tough to talk politely with the person who is rude to you.


Difference between "substantive" and "substantial"

My professor has asked us to give a _substantive_ presentation in order to complete a course. I needed to look up the dictionary as this was a new word for me. Dictionaries do not point to a clear difference between _substantive_ and _substantial_. How do these words differ in terms of the usage? Their etymology is the same, so this is a matter of usage, I guess.


Etymology of "inkhorn"

I had never heard the word _inkhorn_ before I saw it used in http://english.stackexchange.com/a/62354/13812. The NOAD says that this is a historical noun meaning _a small portable container for ink_ , and that as an adjective it denotes _pedantic words or expressions used only in academic writing_. How did we get from the one to the other?


Decent way to say "I would have gone to say XXX if you didn't mention YYY'"

I need help from a native speaker on this question A hypothetical scenario is as below: A friend comes to you and says, "Coffee?". However, before he asked me, I was thinking of saying "Have a coffee break?" to him. I might compose a response like the following; but are there more decent ways? " _Oh great! I'd have asked you to have a cup of coffee if you didn't ask!_ "


Been watching Masterchef and . .

Been watching Masterchef for a while now and I notice than Gordon _always_ says: > Your **sixty minutes** _starts_ . . . now! I notice it often because it sounds wrong to my ear. I was just watching it and now Joe's at it too. Shouldn't it be: > Your **sixty minutes** _start_ . . . now! Or is sixty minutes up there somehow equivalent to: > Your **time** _starts_ . . . now!


What do you call the plastic/rubber protector on electrical connectors like headphone jacks?

In the image below, between the connector and the cable is a bit of stiff plastic that covers and protects the joint. The entire covering, from where the metal ends (visually) to where uniform cable begins (visually). Is there a (preferably non-technical) term for this? ![turtles](http://i.stack.imgur.com/tjRuQ.jpg)


Single word for 'being one step ahead of others'

I am looking for synonyms as single words having the meaning of 'being one step ahead of others'.


A question of informal punctuation: How do you correctly end a sentence with 'haha'?

What is the best way to end an informal sentence (such as a text or over Facebook chat) with _haha_? Consider the following options: >   1. It's always bugged me haha > >   2. It's always bugged me haha. > >   3. It's always bugged me haha! > >   4. It's always bugged me; haha > >   5. It's always bugged me; haha. > >   6. It's always bugged me; haha! > >   7. It's always bugged me. Haha > >   8. It's always bugged me. Haha. > >   9. It's always bugged me. Haha! > >   10. It's always bugged me, haha > >   11. It's always bugged me, haha. > >   12. It's always bugged me, haha! > > All of them which end with an exclamation mark are too loud. All the ones which have punctuation between the 'haha' and the word 'me' have a very broken flow. All of the ones with a period on the end look like it's an excessively boring laugh. The first one without any punctuation doesn't have punctuation and seems incorrect. My only thought was perhaps 'haha' itself could be considered punctuation. Technically 'haha' is an exclamation. _Update: I added 10-12 based on JeffSahol's answer._


Why did Old Testament scholars choose to employ "to know" in a sexual sense?

For those of us not familiar, the verb _to know_ once had an archaic sexual sense, often found in the Old Testament, and as illustrated in the following story found in _Genesis 19_ : > **4** But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both > young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. > > **5** And they called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? > Bring them out to us, that we may _know_ them." > > **6** Lot went out to the men at the entrance, shut the door after him, > > **7** and said, "I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly." > > **8** "Behold, I have two daughters who have not _known_ any man. Let me > bring them out to you, and do to them as you please. Only do nothing to > these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof." > > This story is used Biblically to illustrate why Sodom was truly a wicked > city and deserved to be destroyed: Despite Lot's offering his daughters to > the evil men of Sodom to fulfill their rape fantasies, they opt instead for > 1) homosexual relations, 2) to assault Lot's favored guests and 3) to > assault God-sent angels (albeit, in disguise.) When I look things up on the Online Etymology Dictionary, it says, > The Anglo-Saxons used two distinct words for this, _witan_ (see wit) and > _cnawan_. **Meaning "to have sexual intercourse with" is attested from > c.1200, from the O.T.** OK, cool. So it seems to be telling us that those first English translators of the Hebrew Old Testament were the ones who first adopted this new meaning of _to know_. But my question is: Why did they choose _know_ in the first place? What made this seem like a good word to translate to? Did it have a closely related sense in Old English that made it easy to slightly shift its meaning? ("To intimately know", perhaps?) Or was it that they were so puritanical about writing vulgar thoughts in a Holy Book that they consciously chose _know_ as a euphemism so as not to distract readers from their communion with God's Word? Does anybody know anything? I'd appreciate any thoughts.


"Seek his benefit at the expense of yours". How to say that properly?

I want to say that if someone truly loved you, he would not seek his benefit at the expense of yours. How can I say that better than I did in the title of this question?


Is "thought'd" Proper English?

Instead of "I thought I would" or "I thought I'd", I sometimes write "I thought'd". I don't know if this is correct English, however. I mean, you can say "We'd", right? So, why not "thought'd"?


Is there a single word for "one who speaks/boasts a lot about everything"?

I'm looking for a single word to most aptly describe a person possessing the following "qualities":   * Appears to be superior in every technology/skill under the sun, which he deems worthy of knowing   * On being questioned/assigned the task, is found to have only superficial/no knowledge of the said skill.   * Inherent tendency to "one-up" anyone and everyone - example: "I didn't work hard at all in my undergrad days, but yet I have better/equal grades than you have! " Could someone help? **Edit:** I've got some very good responses, but despite popular opinion for "braggart", I'm going with "pretentious" as it suits what I was looking for more aptly IMHO.


What does "You are not Irish" mean?

Jeffery Archer’s new mystery, “False Impression” ends up with the following sentence in the very last scene where a shrewd FBI agent, Jack Delaney, invites his girlfriend, Anna Petrescu, whom he saved from a ferocious assassin by the skin of her teeth, to Irish stew dinner at his mother’s house to introduce her as his Miss Right. > “But before you agree, there’s something I have to tell you,” said Jack. > > “And what’s that?” asked Anna. > > “My mother is under the illusion that you’ve already been married three > times, you have five children, not necessarily by three husbands, four of > them are on hard drugs. Other one is in jail. She also thinks that you work > in a far older profession than art consultancy.” (Jack actually made the > same joke to his mother before). > > Anna burst out laughing. “But what will you tell her when she discovers that > none of it’s true.” > > “ _You’re not Irish_ ,” said Jack. I don’t understand what this very last line, “ _You are not Irish_ ” means. Does it mean you aren't innocent like my mom (or dumb like me), who is Irish? But readers already know his mother is Irish and Anna isn't. There must be a definite reason why Arther Jeffery took bother to emphasize this great mystery with the specific phrase "You're not Irish." He shouldn't have inserted this phrase just for naught. Does it still make sense if I replace Irish with other nations, say British, Scottish, American, French, Italian, or even Japanese, provided Jack’s family is as such?


Meaning of "Everybody loves a lover" idiom

While doing homework for "Introduction to Mathematical Thinking" course on Coursera I came across the phrase "Everybody loves a lover". At first I thought that the meaning of it is straight-forward, but then the task description said it was an idiomatic expression. The exact problem description was: > Which one of the following means "Everybody loves a lover", where L(x,y) > means (person) x loves (person) y and a lover is defined to be someone in a > mutual loving relationship? (If English is not your native language, you > might want to discuss this sentence with a native English speaker before you > answer. It's an idiomatic expression.) I couldn't find the meaning of it on the Internet, so I'm asking here: what is the exact meaning of this expression?


"Glaringly obvious" vs. "blaringly obvious"

I've heard both phrases in everyday speech, so there's little doubt in my mind that the answer is _both_. I suspect, though, that one of these phrases is more the original than the other, and the other sprang out of it from mis- hearing. _Glaringly obvious_ seems essentially redundant; the word _obvious_ occurs in the definition of _glaring_ in the three dictionaries I looked at. _Blaringly obvious_ is less favored by, say, Google, but actually describes the _obviousness_ , as opposed to repeating it. Are these two statements identical? Is one the forebear of the other?   * It is difficult to resist the urge to fix these glaringly obvious errors.   * It is difficult to resist the urge to fix these blaringly obvious errors. What about this third? Is it preferable, or does it change the meaning?   * It is difficult to resist the urge to fix these glaring errors.


The friend who has the same dream

Is there any phrase or just a word for a person (a friend or someone else) who has **the same dream (goal, purpose)** as someone else? How can I define it in English? For instance: > We both want to travel around the world by car. Is the only way to call this person`"the friend who has the same dream"`?


Are all mobile enabled mobiles considered to be smartphones?

I'm hoping this is not a grey area as 'smartphone' means a lot of things. But I need to know if I am looking at statistics that say 'smartphone' does this cover all phones with a browser or are there phones with browsers that are not included in this statistic. For example this Google infographic: ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/FoP0X.jpg) Says 37% - 50% of Australians now use a smartphone. Am I safe to assume this means approximately half of Australians have browser enabled phones _or_ is there another percentage say 10% or whatever that has crappy old phones that also have a browser like my wife's old Motorola?


What does "pocketbook" mean here?

Does **pocketbook** in the following paragraph mean _3\. Also, pocket book . a book, usually paperback, that is small enough to carry in one's coat pocket_. (Dictionary.com:http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pocketbook)? These two paragraphs are taken from NY Times. > As Germany embarks on this journey of self-discovery, the question is > whether it will leave behind a European project which was built in no small > measure on the nation’s postwar guilt and on its **pocketbook**. > > On the one hand, no nation has benefited more from the euro than Germany, > whose trade surpluses come largely from imports by its European neighbors.


What does "dragged along" mean here?

What is meant by **along**? This is taken from an article at NY Times. > Ms. Markel also was the most reluctant participant in the bailouts first of > Greece and then of Ireland, as she tried to calm anger over what Germans see > as a need to bail out their profligate neighbors. > > But after months of feeling **dragged along** by the crisis, Ms. Merkel in > February 2011 made a remarkable about face, declaring her support not only > for propping up the euro but creating a more closely integrated economic > system.


Term/Phrase for telling something including necessary context

Let's say I want to tell someone a story, but in order that he'll be able to deeply understand it, I need to tell (or better - start with quite a lot of) certain additional facts, incidents, whatsoever. How would this be expressed usually? **Edit:** To clarify here's a more concrete situation: Let's assume someone is in severe problems concerning several aspects of his life. Now he calls a friend tells him about the situation he is in, but to make him understand he needs to start with things which happened long ago already, e. g. that in his youth he once had a certain incident and then moving on from there adding facts which will lead to a proper understanding of his situation. The conversation could start like this > Joe: I have some serious problems, Peter.   >  Peter: What is it?   >  Joe: I will tell you, but I have to ...   >  Peter: It's fine, go ahead.


How to make sure "you" is interpreted as plural?

It strikes me as unfortunate that in English the word "you" stands both for a single person and a group of people. This is different than other languages I have had contact with so far --- there, you have a "singular you" and a "plural you", which are quite different. Usually this is not a problem, since the cardinality can be inferred from the context. However, sometimes it would be nice to explicitly state that you are referring to the whole group. Is there a generic way to do it? If not, then for a particular example, consider a situation when out of politeness one wants to ask a pair of people some causal question, like "How do you like the weather?" or "How was your journey?" or something in that spirit. Suppose such question is included in an email or a text message sent to one of them. There may be, depending on precise situation, some ambiguity as to who the question is directed to - just the recipient, or both of them. How does one remove this ambiguity in a simple way?


Why the word 'mean' in the phrase 'No mean feat'

Just started wondering this after seeing the phrase in an article. I assumed `mean` in this context came from the mathematical mean, basically making the phrase mean 'no average feat'. I googled it anyway out of curiosity, the only thing I could find on _why_ this word is used in this phrase (rather than 'it just means small') was it originates from `meager` which didn't seem right to me. Just here to see if any of you could clarify that my assumption is correct on its origin.


Sentence Fragment dispute with MS office 2010. Is this the right way to write my sentence?

"Many of the owners of the solutions mentioned in the bullet points above pay royalties to the original collectors of the data." That sentence gets a flag in MS office 2010 as a Fragment. To me, it sounds bumpy, but is grammatically correct. Am I wrong?


Has the killer monopolised the serial actions?

_Serial_ is an adjective so often associated with the word _killer_ that its usage in a different context may sound sinister. Can _serial_ be used properly to describe other activities such as:   * a serial entrepreneur   * a serial piano player  or alternatively what would be a more appropriate adjective to describe activities carried out in regular succession?


opposite of 'via'?

On the internet, you might have seen a lot of " **via** :xxx" links. But the originating site never seems to mention which sites has it been linked on. If it were, to, what should it put? As an example, suppose somebody on twitter tweets this question and tags/hashes it as " **via** :english.SE". Now if english.SE were to also acknowledge it, what should it put? **____** :twitter?


Is ‘USAers’ just an ordinary English word today?

I saw the word, ‘USAers’ in the lead copy of Reuter’s news titled ‘Gippered’ in Time magazine (September 6), which says: > “More than 1/3 of USAers say they are worse off under Bam. Warning-sign > numbers galore in fresh WashPost/ABC poll. Conducted Aug. 29-Sept. 1, error > margin 3.5 points.” I think I’ve met the word, ‘USAers’ for the first time. Is this a day-to-day English word to substitute for Americans? Can I say ‘You USAers’ as a vocative in conversation with Americans? In the same token, can I say ‘UAEers’ instead of the nation of the United Arab Emirates?


Intuition - "to enjoin"

Would someone please explain the etymology or the intuition behind this verb? I'm aware of the etymological fallacy, but still want to intuit its definition.


What does ‘be worse off under Bam’ mean?

I saw the phrase ‘ _be worse off under Bam’_ in the Reuter’s news titled ‘Gippered’ in Time magazine (September 6), which says: > “More than 1/3 of USAers say they are _worse off under Bam._ Warning-sign > numbers galore in fresh WashPost/ABC poll. Conducted Aug. 29-Sept. 1, error > margin 3.5 points.” I looked for definitions of ‘bum’ that seem relevant to the context of the above sentence. There were six headings of ‘bum’ in Kenkyusha’s Reader Plus English Japanese Dictionary, but none of them seemed to be applicable to the case. What does ‘they are worse off under Bam’ mean? Why does B of Bam come in capital?


Madam vs. Ma'am

I suspect that the answer to this depends on region, so insights from multiple areas would be beneficial: It has been my impression that in the US addressing a woman as "Madam" is considered borderline-vulgar due to the term's usage as the title of a female proprietor of a brothel. Is it acceptable to use "Madam" when addressing a woman you do not know or should the alternative "Ma'am" (silent "D") be used? Does it depend on spoken vs. written communication?


Singular or plural: "The figure(s) in the center and on the right show that..."

In a paper I'm writing, there are three figures: one on the left, one in the center and one on the right. I want to say something about the one in the center and the one on the right. Should I use the singular or the plural form of the word _figure_ in this sentence? > The figure(s) in the center and on the right show that... I had assumed I should use the plural form. A native speaker said I should use the singular. If both usages sound awkward, I would also appreciate suggestions for alternatives.


What's a noun to describe the state of blinking?

To follow an existing pattern in my program, I need a noun to describe the state of (not) blinking or flashing. > Default color > > Default brightness > > Default...? 'Solidity' almost works, but implies transparency or opacity. What else can I use?


Choosing the better word order

In these two examples, what types of reasons (assuming the writing is generally about both characters) make a particular style a better choice? Or is this just an arbitrary choice that doesn't really matter?   * Hillary, Bill's wife, called this morning...   * Bill's wife, Hillary, called this morning...


Meaning or definition of "substantional"

Recently I came across the word _substantional_. What's its definition, and how can it be used in a sentence? Are there any common synonyms? Where did this word come from? I suspect it's related to _substantial_ , but it's not entirely clear. This was used in a context looking for reference back to an authority of some kind, but I'm unsure if this is relevant.


Which is better: "Powered by X" vs. "X-powered"

We say "Powered by Microsoft"; can one also say "Microsoft powered" instead of this?


Repeating "to" in a list of verbs connected by "and"

> "This group’s main duties are to carry out information systems audits in > Colombian banks and to make research and develop new regulations on > information technologies and systems in the banking sector." Should I put a " ** _to_** " behind " ** _develop_** "? Or are any other commas needed?


An adjective for a secret that is known to a third party

I am writing some text for a piece of software and am stuck with this sentence: > Use this function if you think that your private key has become known to a > third party. While the sentence explains very well when you should use a specific function, I take issue with the last part `has become known to a third party`. I feel that it's too long and not good enough to emphasize what I mean. I have been looking at `compromised`, but that means that the situation happened because of `indiscreet, foolish, or reckless behavior` (Oxford American Dictionary), which might not be the case. I also gave `leaked` a try, but that has the connotation that something was knowingly published to a broader audience, which is not what I am looking for. What I am looking for is an adverb that explains exactly the situation, where a private key to access certain information was obtained by a third party, which can then use it for malicious purposes (they use it for themselves).


Possessive Form of a Proper Noun Ending in a Plural Noun Ending in "s"?

I don't think this has yet been covered in any of the other questions on similar topics. There was one other very similar question, however, it was not specifically talking about the case where the proper noun ends in a plural noun. Feel free to vote to close if I am wrong. What is the correct way to make a proper noun ending in a plural noun ending in an "s" possessive? This frequently happens with corporations, _e.g._ , "Dunkin' Donuts." Should one work off of the fact that the entity is singular—suggesting _Dunkin' Donuts's_ —or should one work off of the fact that "Donuts" is plural and ending in an "s"—suggesting _Dunkin' Donuts'_? I expect that the answer might depend on dialect because some regions refer to corporations in the singular form ("Dunkin' Donuts is a company") while other regions refer to corporations in the plural form ("Dunkin' Donuts are a company"). I am specifically interested in American English, but would be interested in hearing answers for other dialects too.


What does the phrase “it’s like Groundhog Day every day” mean, and where does it originate?

Some background first: I was reading about the futility that has become the Cleveland Cavaliers’ NBA season after Lebron James’s departure in the newspaper of the Plains Dealer, when I came across this sentence quoting Antwan Jamison: > “It’s like Groundhog Day every day,” Jamison admitted of their epic losing > streak. What does this mean? Yes, I’ve read up on and know what Groundhog Day literally is: a holiday that celebrates a quaint folk tradition of determining the seasons. But I would have thought that a metaphor or an idiom involving the day would give an indeterminate or anticipatory impression, while Jamison’s construction here makes it seem like its usage is uniformly negative. So I was wondering, does anyone know if there's something interesting in the history of this holiday that would explain this particular negative usage? How was the phrase coined? I’d also be interested in knowing whether this is a common term in certain areas of the country, as I’ve never heard it before, and the demographics of the sort of people who use this phrase.


what is the difference between a spy and an informer?

Is a "spy" different from an "informer"? If the answer is yes, what differences are there?


Why do we say "your letters" and not "the letters"?

So I was reading "A Game of Thrones" by George Martin and at one point one of the characters asked another: "Do you know your letters?" meaning "Can you read/write?". So I was wondering why does she said "your letters" not "the letters". I thought that the word "my" describes something that you own like "my car" or "my hand". And nobody owns letters, they just exist.


Categorization of figures of speech

Is there a clear categorization of tropes? Some talk of the four master tropes (Metaphor, Synecdoche, Metonymy, Irony),   Whereas some give An extended, unsorted list of tropes Some talk about the 13-18(?) types of metaphors,   Whereas some categorize types of tropes as matephors (Allegory, Parable...) Is there a specific, clear categorization of Figures of speech?   So far from what I've gathered it may look like this:   * Figures of speech      * Schemes      * Tropes        * Metaphor       * Synecdoche       * Metonymy       * Irony Each trope is further subdivided, in a way I'm not yet sure of.   Is it even mildly correct?


what is the difference between later and latter?

As cited above what is the difference between **later** and **latter**? **Latter** : occurring or situated nearer to the end of something than to the beginning, the meaning of latter is similar to later only. so please throw the real difference between both of the words.


Do bands perform "live at somewhere" or "live in somewhere" or ...?

I saw a video (of a band performing on a stage, typical "live performance", inside a theatre) which had this title: > (Band name), Live at (Town) Theatre But it occured to me that `in` might fit: > (Band name), Live in (Town) Theatre One of my peers also pointed out (NOTE: None of us is a native speaker!) that `'s` should be there, which would lead to two more "options": > (Band name), Live at (Town)'s Theatre > > (Band name), Live in (Town)'s Theatre Which one is the "proper" way of saying it ? _Bonus question: "Theatre"/"Theater" ? I read there is no actual difference other than the former being enGB and the latter being enUS ?_


Article and plural for a title of a section

Which one of the following titles is better? > (1) The Specifying of the Planning Horizon   >  (2) Specifying of the Planning Horizon   >  (3) Specifying of Planning Horizons The context is : a planner works in a cyclic way; for each planning cycle, it needs to specify a planning horizon according to the situation at the start of the planning cycle. In the corresponding section, the author would like to introduce how the planner specifies the planning horizon each time. Thanks!


When moving one's head to answer a question does "nod" mean yes and "shake" mean no?

I was reading the Green Mile by Stephen King and when John Coffey shook his head in answer to questions it was implied that the word "nod" referred to the lowering and raising of his head in affirmation and the moving of his head side to side is negatory. Is this correct in usual speech? I thought to shake ones head was ambiguous and could mean "yes" or "no"?


"Curious to learn" vs. "curious to learning"

I know that in case of "looking forward to" I have to use the gerund form. So e.g. > I am looking forward to hearing from you. Now I am not sure about this sentence: > I am always curious to learning new languages. Is this correct? Or should I use: > I am always curious to learn new languages.


Is there a rule prescribing the absence of the -eth third person ending in late middle English?

Is there a rule prescribing the absence of the _-eth_ third person ending in late middle English ? In the King James Bible, there are many verses which contain verbs in the third person without the -eth a the end, for example : > Psalm 7:2 Lest **he tear** my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while > there is none to deliver. Is there a particular reason for this ? Would "Lest he teareth" have been correct ? (I've been thinking that maybe it was a subjunctive, that wouldn't take the ending or something of the sort)


Difference between "about" and "Around"

What is the difference between "`about`" and "`around`" in following example ?               I'll see you around 6 O'clock.          I'll see you about 6 O'clock.       Now, I usually the first one, but I heard the second one on the phone from one of my friends (native English speaker). Thanks.


invalid vs handicap vs disabled

When is it appropriate to describe a person as an invalid versus handicap versus disabled? My friend broke his leg and could hardly do anything physical. I guess invalid would be the most appropriate because he was not born with, is temporary and is severely debilitating. For completeness sake is it ever acceptable or preferable to call someone a cripple or lame?


One word for “saying ‘Farewell’ to someone”

We have, for example, phrases like, “When I was _greeting_ …” in which _greeting_ is essentially shorthand for “saying ‘Hello’ to someone” derived from a related verb (to greet). However, to my knowledge, English does not have a term for “saying ‘Goodbye’ to someone” despite all the related verbs (farewell, goodbye, etc.). Are there any words which come close to fulfilling such a role? If not, is it due to an absence of such phrases in English's primary language influences (Germanic and Anglo-Francophone), or was it a phrase that existed in those contributing languages but failed to persist in Modern English?


Do the words with non-palatalized pronunciation of g/c ("get", "give") always have a Germanic origin?

In English, _ge_ / _gi_ is sometimes pronounced as [ge]/[gi], but mostly as [dʒe]/[dʒi]. The second form is explained as palatalization in the topic What is the origin of the different pronunciations of C and G before different vowels?. The topic connects palatalization with Roman languages.   1. Does the non-palatalized [ge]/[gi] pronunciation as in `get`, `target`, `git`, `give` and many other words typically mean that the word has a Germanic origin (and is traceable back to the Old English), whilst the palatalized [dʒe]/[dʒi] is a sign of a later Norman ("Latin"/"French") origin?  Of course I don't mean modern loan words such as geisha, gingko :)   2. Are there (non-Greek) words in English where _ce_ and _ci_ are pronounced non-palatelized [ke]/[ki]? If so, can they also be connected with the Old English (Germanic) origin?


Why is "listen" always followed by "to" in the command voice?

When I say, **read it** or **drink it** or **take me** , there is no **to** in-between. Why is it that when I use the verb _listen_ , I have to say **listen _to_ me** or **listen _to_ it**?


Telling someone that they are rude

I happened to tell a co-worker today "I'm sorry to say this, but I think you are being rude by asking me to do XYZ despite me telling you repeatedly that I'm not going to be able to do it". I understand this wasn't a polite way to put it, but I was very angry, and many softer means of conveying the message had failed earlier. I'm not a native English speaker. In retrospect, could this point have been made in a better way, without me being as rude and wild?


What's a tuple in normal English?

A _tuple_ in mathematics is a sequence of numbers (n1, n2, n3). In databases, a _tuple_ is a single row of data from a table. What is a _tuple_ in normal everyday English, or where does the word come from? Is there a concrete real-life object from which this word is derived? WordNet does not have a definition.


y with respect to t

In math, you say: **velocity** is the _rate of change_ of **position** _**with respect to time_**. I'm looking for a better, mathematically correct way to say that, without using the phrase _with respect to_ and _velocity is the time-derivative of position_.


How to use "no pun intended"?

The phrase "no pun intended" is often added after someone made a pun or something that could be considered a pun. If this should be taken literally (i.e. it really was unintentional), then I'm not sure what exactly the reasons are for adding this phrase or if you should even add it at all. I guess the intention could be to avoid that a statement will be viewed as a joke because of the pun. This seems reasonable when used verbally. You realise what you just said was a pun and try to clear it up. When written, it seems unnecessary though. You could just rephrase the sentence and get rid of the pun if it isn't appropriate or too confusing in the context. At other times it seems that the purpose of the phrase is to get the readers attention to the pun you just made. If that's the case why does it seem to be so well accepted? Isn't it the same as saying "hey guys, I made a joke, please laugh!?", which would be considered lame? I believe it would be more witty to just let it pass and let the more clever readers figure it out on their own. Some people are even more direct and just add "pun intended" or a sarcastic interjection like " _(ha!)_ " for obviously intended but bad puns. So it seems there are multiple reasons to use "no pun intended". What is the general reception of the phrase, should I always assume it was intentional and how do I tell if it really wasn't? Should I use it if I want to make a pun or only to prevent confusion when there is a double meaning?


What's the meaning of “local” here?

A person from England said to me that Canada (where I live) is one of his favourite locals. From my understanding, _local_ means a local person or thing, so a person or thing that belongs to or connected with the place where you live. However, he lives in England, so what does his usage of _local_ mean here?


Longer than a word — smaller than a sentence

What would you call a linguistic construct that is just big enough to convey a meaning within a context, longer than a word but not having the length and proper form of a complete sentence? Like, for example, "good job" or "nice shirt" — neither of those is a full sentence but both get the point across. A _sentencette_ , or is there a formal term for it?


Is ‘that’ the short form of ‘of all that’?

Given the sentence: > It was lucky that Harry had tea with Hagrid to look forward to, because the > Potions lesson turned out to be the worst thing **that** had happened to him > so far. The relative ‘that’ after the superlative ‘the worst’ seems to have the meaning of ‘of all that.’ If yes, is ‘that’ the short form of ‘of all that’?


make rare game of

It's a part of fairy tale 'The Giant's Heart' by George MacDonald. As soon as he began (to sing), other bird replied, making rare game of him. what's the meaning of 'rare game' in this sentence ?


Is “Yelp review” a phrase that's current, or just one-off?

I was drawn to the phrase, “Yelp review” appearing in the New Yorker (March 17) article, titled “New SAT Practice Questions.” It reads: > “Write a controlled yet scathing **Yelp review** that conveys just how > profoundly wrong your waiter was to refer to you and your friends as an > “especially large” party, causing this waiter deep moral shame and personal > fear.” > > http://www.newyorker.com/humor/2014/03/17/140317sh_shouts_frazier I surmise “yelp review” means negative review or customer’s criticism on services at the service establishments, but I’m not sure. None of online CED, OED, and Merriam-Webster Dictionary shows “yelps review,” though they carry “peers review.” Is “Yelp review” a coinage of the New Yorker writer?


Flights with all inclusive stay/living, some jargon for this?

Suppose a competition has a prize that contains flight tickets, all food and accommodation. Is there some special term in English to describe it? `Flights with all inclusive stay` or `Flights with all inclusive living`? Or something else? `Luxurious living` is an overkill, how to describe the prize with flights tickets, accommodation and all food covered?


Use of "approximately"

Is _approximately_ used correctly in the following sentence? > Our congregation is comprised of approximately sixty to eighty different > ethnic and cultural groups.


Meaning of "… is king"

The word **king** alone is not an adjective. And since it is countable it should be either **a king** or **the king**. So the expressions like " _money is king_ " or " _the Lord is king_ " are ungrammatical. How would you explain it, and what meaning **king** bears here?


You're Coming On All-(blank), Coming Over All-(blank)

I'd like to know how widespread these statements are in the UK. In the movie 'In Bruges' Ralph Fiennes says to, a suddenly, soft-sounding Brendan Gleeson (employed as a hit-man by Fiennes): > You're coming on all-Gandhi, a sarcastic remark ridiculing Gleeson's non-violent stance toward Colin Farrel (another hit-man). I suppose a person who gushes about saving the people of the world would draw the comment: > You're coming over all-Mother Theresa. Expressions of sweetness and light might draw the comment: > You're coming on all-Little Mary Sunshine. Are these phrases a part of British slang or just one-off remarks by the movie characters? If they are part of British slang, do the names of the people change?


How is tense handled in a parenthetical clause before a verb?

> She will (or already has) leave for Jamaica soon. > > She will leave (or already has left) for Jamaica soon. I'm uncertain which of these (if either) is more correct. Should I simply not use this language construct, opting for this instead: > She will leave for Jamaica soon, if she has not already. I find the previous constructs, despite being awkward, do a better job of conveying the uncertainty of tense. Is there a better way to construct the parenthetical version to avoid tense conflicts?


'Ours' meaning 'our home' - where is it used outside the UK, if anywhere?

In expressions like: > Let's go back to ours and have some food.   >  There's a party at ours on Friday.   >  There's a bottle of brandy at yours, isn't there? ' _ours_ ' and ' _yours_ ' are synonyms for ' _our/your home_ ' or ' _our/your place_ '. ' _Mine_ ' can also be used in this way. **Is this usage solely BrE or does it occur in other Englishes?** Note: "I (don't) use/understand ' _ours_ ' like this and I live in X" answers are welcome, but I'm really looking for hard data such as corpus research, dictionary entries that mention this usage etc.


Style Guide: Bold, Italic, or Quotes When I Want to Emphasize Something

Let’s say I have many lists of this kind on a page:   1. Click on the Foo button.   2. Tick the Bar box.   3. Click on the Save button. How should I emphasize _Foo_ , _Bar_ , and _Save_?   1. Bold?     1. Click on the **Foo** button.     2. Tick the **Bar** box.     3. Click on the **Save** button.   2. Italic?     1. Click on the _Foo_ button.     2. Tick the _Bar_ box.     3. Click on the _Save_ button.   3. Quotes?     1. Click on the “Foo” button.     2. Tick the “Bar” box.     3. Click on the “Save” button. NOTE: I want the lists to be read as easy as possible.


Compound words/noun phrases in english with different number of words in plural/singular form

Are there any cases where the plural and singular form of an English compound word or noun phrase differ in the number of words contained? In all cases I can think of, the actual words within the noun phrase will change based on the grammatical number, but the number of words will not. Examples,   * `large red car` becomes `large red cars` in plural form. _Both phrases have 3 words_   * `this apple` becomes `these apples` \- _2 words in each form_ Are there any cases where the number of words will be different? _Background: I'm writing an app that performs basic natural language processing and, if my hypothesis is true, I can simplify its implementation significantly._


Term for an enchanted place

I'm looking for a noun from English folklore. It should describe a place where unusual, mysterious, possibly magical, occurrences happen. The locals shun and avoid this place. Its influence might be beneficial sometimes, but it's unpredictable - only the desperate, mad, or naive would seek it. I suppose archaisms and obscure words should be fine. I need it for a translation of a fantasy game. The Polish noun I'm looking to translate is "uroczysko" - in case some of the answerers know Polish. **UPDATE** : I see I should clarify a little. The sites in question aren't one-of-a-kind so unique names starting with capital letters, like Shangri-La or Xanadu, won't do.


"Control Panel" V.S. "Control Cabinet"

I want to know the differences between theses two terms. For my own understanding, I think they mean the same thing but appearences are different. Or could it mean that the control panel is usually in the control cabinet?


Which sentence suits to my purpose?

Only if we end the One-Party despotism of the commi shall we rebuild our social base for democracy. It is only if we end the One-Party despotism of the commi that we shall rebuild our social base for democracy. I wrote these two sentence myself.Suppose I want a provocative effect, which sentence suits my purpose better? If the two are equal as far as my question is concerned. Then is there any other nuance between them?


Prefix "a" in "amaze"

Usually the prefix "a" means "not" or "without", for example: atheist, anarchy. But, in "amaze" it's not the case, since the word _maze_ means "confusing" or "labyrinth" and "amaze" means "surprise". Is there another meaning to the prefix "a"? Or, is it not a prefix in this word?


Difference between "introduction to" and "introduction of"

What exactly is the difference between "introduction to" and "introduction of"? For example: should it be "Introduction to the problem" or "Introduction of the problem"?


Antonym (or dual) for 'anachronism'

I'm looking for a word or a phrase (preferably a noun phrase) that describes   * something current,    * which should not be still present, because it is kind of outdated,   * but is still around us because of historical reasons. Naturally, what should or should not be present is subjective, and by using this word one actually expresses an opinion on the matter. Please note, that it doesn't have to have negative connotation, e.g. a character might observe that the world should have moved already, but he or she is glad that it didn't. I'm most interested in neutral or negative flavors, but I would appreciate other suggestions as well. In a sense it is an antonym (or dual) for 'anachronism', because instead of _author-inserted out-of-time_ thing we have _author-wishes-to-be-removed current_ thing. What word or a phrase would best describe such a thing?


Does this situation constitute a "Pyrrhic Victory"? Irony?

Consider the following situation:   * A person, Alice, is hired to do a job for a company, ZooBiz.   * Alice is able to entirely outsource her job. She pays the outsourcer 50% of what she makes, and no longer has to perform her duties.   * ZooBiz discovers what Alice is doing, and then fires her for it.   * After firing Alice (and upon the realization that she was not completing her own work) ZooBiz decides that it was very pleased with the quality of work from the Outsourcer.   * ZooBiz hires the outsourcer to replace Alice. Would that situation constitute a Pyrrhic Victory? Would that situation constitute Irony? PS I am sorry if I have miscategorized this post, please feel free to recategorize it.


Would you say "wanna" when you want something? For example, "I wanna a new PC", instead of "I want a new PC"?


What are Java Programmers called?

I know that those who code in Python could be called Pythonistas, Pythoneers and Pythonists and Ruby programmers I think could be called Rubians? not sure. Anyways, my question is, are there nicknames for other language users? More specifically, is there one for a person that codes Java?


"Ten times fewer the number," versus "one-tenth the number"?

Lately I've been hearing and reading statistics that are communicated in wording that, frankly, confuses me. Forgive me for not citing specific instances, but I can give a **hypothetical** statistic that exemplifies the kind I'm referring to: > Comparing the number of tax returns the IRS audited in 2002 and 2010, the > number of unlucky folks who had their returns audited in 2002 was ten times > fewer than the number in 2012. There is something about that wording that bothers me, and I'm not sure why. After a fruitless search on the internet using numerous combinations/permutations of words and phrases such as "X times fewer," "X times less," "mathematical expressions of 'times fewer' as opposed to 'a fraction fewer,' or 'a fraction less,'" and more, I came up empty. Perhaps this question is more appropriate on a math website, but in the off-chance members of EL&U might give their imprimatur to this question, here goes: Here's a second hypothetical example. Is it grammatical--not to mention mathematical--to say the following?: > There are ten times fewer pollinating honeybees worldwide today than there > were in 1912. [Though this is a made-up statistic, there has been a dramatic > reduction in the number honey bees in America of late!] Should not the expression be: > There are one-tenth fewer honeybees worldwide today than there were in 1912. On the surface, the "ten times fewer" locution seems to me to be a contradiction in terms. How can something less be 10 times fewer? I can understand readily how, for example, 2012's bee population of, say, 90 million can be _one-tenth_ (point one) less than 1912's population of 100 million, but _ten times fewer_? I'm confused. Which expression is "more" correct?


What do you call the birthday of an organization?

I need a noun for the birthday of an organization. Thinking of something like "Declaration Day", "Foundation Day" but none really feel right.


When could ellipses be considered to be overused?

I use the ellipsis quite a bit in my writing. Most often in dialogue. Are there any resources out there that give relatively expert opinion about how many ellipses/word count are too many?


Is "Were you in time?" the right question?

For example, > Hey, you went a few minutes ago, but haven't given me a call yet. Were you > in time for your job? Is this the right question to ask?


Is Shakespeare proper English?

> "Divides one thing entire to many objects; Like perspectives, which rightly > gazed upon show nothing but confusion..." - William Shakespeare, The Tragedy > of King Richard the Second I read plenty of Shakespeare in high school, especially in drama. I have a lot of difficulty making sense of things he says, such as the above. Is Shakespeare proper English? Would this have been clear, easily understood material back in his day? In other words, have all the changes in the English language over time made the material difficult to comprehend? Is the material subjective poetry?


Is this phrase correct "but slightly they succeed"?

there is this phrase is correct:               They try so hard but slightly they succeed.      To describe this meaning:   Someone try so hard but fails. # update: For mjsqu   Actually that's the definition that I intended but failed to communicate, to be more clear here's the phrase that I'm trying to use: > Four major product exists in the market in the time of writing this report > the four of them tried to remove the constraint that the others presents but > slightly they succeed. So those Four products removed some constraints that other presented but either they presented new ones or didn't removed enough constraint to be considered a valuable change.


What is the word for the high-pitched "sex sound" a woman makes?

The other day I was texting someone and I was talking about Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I wanted to say it's cute when she makes that [high-pitched sex sound a woman makes] sound when she's fighting. And I just couldn't find the right word to use that made sense. It's easy to make the sound, and everyone knows what it is. Is there really not a word that accurately describes it? It's not a moan or a groan as far as I understand those words. Here's an example: http://www.soundsnap.com/node/45537 (WARNING: these are sex sounds and NSFW. It's just audio, no pictures.) The sound I'm referring to is the second and third one she makes (maybe just a little shorter than her examples).


Fearing rejection from others and hence hesitant about it

Is there a term for the situation when we falter about making a suggestion or flinch from giving an answer or hesitating to take an action fearing ridicule of others or their rejection? Is there a sort of a phobia for it, maybe?


If a high attrition rate is observed in a workforce, how do you state it as a characteristic of a generalized individual? Highly Mobile?

Here's the context: Statement: Attrition among the X workforce is high. Now I want to specify this at an individual's context. As in: "The X worker is **__** " What is the correct term here? The X worker is highly mobile? This is for a presentation slide and I'm striving for brevity. Attrition here means that workers change jobs often, not that they migrate.


Is “a pile-on” in “This week’s ad wars in Iowa presage a pile-on” used as an objective or adverbially?

There was the following line in Time magazine’s (December 9) article, titled, “All Eyes on Des Moines as GOP Candidates Head into Crucial Debate.” > This week’s ad wars in Iowa presage a pile-on: Gingrich was the target of a > blistering Ron Paul ad, and over the past two days Mitt Romney’s team has > emerged from its defensive crouch to attack Gingrich on a variety of fronts > in an effort to sow doubts about his conservative credentials, character and > long career in Washington. Though I understand “a pile-on” in “This week’s ad wars in Iowa presage a pile-on” means “a lot” or “lots of things,” I can’t tell whether it is used as the objective (noun) of “presage” or the adverb to modify presage (There is no definition of pile-on as a noun in neither Cambridge nor Merriam-Webster dictionary). I’m afraid there wouldn’t be much difference either way I take it, but grammatically speaking, which way should I take it?


Bless your heart

Is "bless your heart" something only used by old women in the South (all I've ever heard)? Or is it ever appropriate for a man to use it without seeming unmanly? Does the term always have condescending connotations?


A word for this cramp-like sensation

I'm trying to look for this word that describes this sensation that you sometimes get on your body most commonly on the lower limbs when it's stayed in the same position or put under pressure for a lengthy period of time. The sensation feels like a cramp in a sense that it has that paralysing effect, but it is not painful at all unlike a cramp. It feels like a mass of tingles in comparison for a lack of a better word, but it doesn't have that sensation of many small sharp points pushing into it like tingles. It goes away on its own after a couple of minutes, while unpleasant it's not painful whatsoever. What do you call this sensation?


What would be the complement of the title "Goals Achieved"?

What would be a title that is complementary to the title "Goals Achieved"? By "complementary", I mean a title that can be used in contrast to "Goals Achieved" to refer to the goals that now need to be achieved following the goals achieved. I thought of something along the lines of "Goals Expected". However, this makes it sound as if these goals are sure to be achieved, which is not necessarily true. I'm looking for a succinct title.


What is the difference between "on" and " upon" in these sentences?

There are clauses like: > This is an equipment that stiffens on the collisions. and > This is an equipment that stiffens upon the collisions. What is the difference between **on** and **upon** in the above sentences? Which one is more suitable for this situation?


Predicate or noun after "nationality"

Which one is correct? To put a predicate after _nationality_ > His nationality is Chinese. To put a noun after _nationality_ > His nationality is China.


A word for 'a series of events'

I'm trying to find a word to describe a series of events. For example, the revolution in Lybia consists of a series of chronological events. I want to say 'development', but that seems to refer more to a single event.


"Your 1 hour 6 minutes are up" / "Your 1 hour 6 minutes is up"

I'm not sure which of these is more correct. > Your 1 hour is up. This is easy. Singular. > Your 5 minutes are up Again, simple enough. Plural. > Your 1 hour and 6 minutes is up.   >  Your 3 hours and 1 minute are up. Should the plural be based on the hours or minutes?


Is “go all coy over stg.” an idiom or simple combination of words?

I found the phrase “go all coy over reports “in the following sentence of Washington Post (May 12) article introducing CBS’s reported deal with Ashton Kutcher in replacing him Charlie Sheen as the leading cast of its sit com, “Two and a Half Men.” Apparently “go all coy over stg.” looks like an idiom. So I checked usage of ‘coy’ in English Japanese dictionaries at hand and Oxford Advance Learners’ Dictionary to make it sure, but none of them carries the words, ‘go coy.’ Is “go all coy over stg.” an idiom, or simple combination of words? “Ashton Kutcher has suddenly gone all coy over reports that his entourage is putting the final touches on a deal to have him replace Charlie Sheen on CBS’s “Two and a Half Men.” Kutcher’s finally got something he could tweet that we really want to know about, and now he clams up. Geesh!”


Grammar: did + past simple, is it correct?

I’ve noticed a few times where someone says something like “Did you made...” or “Did you worked...” when asking questions. Is this some kind of unofficial talk or is it completely incorrect grammatically?


Expression for "resource paralysis" - can't do anything because you have too much?

Is there any word, expression or proverb for the condition or state where you can't do _anything_ because you have too much? I have heard a professor of English refer to this as "resource paralysis" when he was trying to explain why Nigeria is not moving forward fast, but this is obviously not a dictionary term. Just to explain further, this condition is found for instance in the scenario where a boy born with a golden spoon has no drive to be as successful as his father because he already has it all. In short, the reason for this is that contentment is a strong inhibition to change and when you have so much, you are likely to be content.


What's the difference between saying 'the passage above' or 'the above passage'?

I'm a Korean High school student and I have a question regarding the use of adjectives. Is there a difference between saying '...the passage above' or '...the above passage?' I'm sure that both of them are grammatically correct, but I'm curious if the two have any - even the slightest - differences when seen in the eyes of a native speaker.


What exactly is the difference between "misinformation" and "disinformation"?

I have checked OALD. I looked up "disinformation" which according to dictionary means "false information that is given deliberately, especially by government organizations" and "Misinform" as a verb means "to give somebody wrong information about something". However, there is no explanation of the word "Misinformation" as a noun. What exactly is the difference between these two? I would like to know if there is any nuance between these two words or if they can be used interchangeably.


Is “final intention” a pleonasm?

I'm proofreading a report and stumbled on this in the following form: > His final intention is to create a large flying city. Is “final intention” a pleonasm in this sentence (or always)?


Is "far from the end" correct?

Is it right to say _far from the end_ in the following example? > Researches on the exploitation of the DAS method are far from the end.


Concepts figuratively unable to be pulled apart?

I'm trying to describe the connection between two 'concepts' _information literacy_ and _information technology_. I want to use a word that emphasises the strength of the bond between them. I want a word that carries a metaphorical sense that trying to pull or tug the bond will be unsuccessful. This pull/tug aspect is important to my context because [please fill this part in]. I've thought about using _inseparable_ , or _in-extractable_ , but neither of these stress the forceful 'pull' or 'tugging' aspect. I tried searching for synonyms of _inseparable_ and _in-extractable_ , but the results weren't exactly what I was looking for because [some examples of synonyms that don't work here].


Is there a word/phrase for this specific type of memory

I once told my mother about a specific incident that occurred in my highschool French class. Eight years later, she mentions this incident again and this is one of those things that I would have never remembered unless someone else brought it up. Even if I tried my hardest to remember everything that happened in my French class, I would have never remembered this one because frankly, it was so inconsequential to my life. Is there a word or phrase for this type of memory (where you don't remember something until someone else mentions it)?


The grammar of "by as much" and "as much"

Which of the following is the correct sentence (maybe they are both correct): Attacks are down as much as 10 percent. Attacks are down by as much as 10 percent.


What does 'reference' mean in a CV?

I am an undergraduate student who is creating a CV for internship. I saw a CV template which had a heading called "Reference." What does that mean? Is it related to the applicant's previous work experience?


What is the difference between "no" and "not"? We know that "no" and "not" have the same meaning. I'm studying English. I hope to get help. Sorry for my language.


What is "Gatcha" short for?

What is _gatcha_ short for? Is it standard English, or is it used in the spoken language only?


For which reason vs For that reason

I know that 'which' and 'that' open non-restrictive and restrictive clauses, respectively. However, intuitively, it seems to me that they don't have the same functions in the phrases 'for which reason' and 'for that reason'. Does 'for which reason' mean 'for one reason of an undefined number of reasons'.   and 'for that reason' mean 'for only this reason'. What is the difference of 'for which' and 'for that' as used in the above examples? Thank you


Is "rid you of" a valid phrase?

Writing about a product, is the following sentence valid? > X aims to rid you of Y I remember seeing the phrase "rid you of" somewhere before, but this doesn't seem valid for some reason. Any help on this would be great.