is it correct "there'll be no trace that one was once two"?

I was reading a song's lyrics and I came across this sentence that I find a bit strange, probably cause I'm not analyzing in the correct way: > if I was just the ashes and you were the ground   >  and under a willow they laid me down   >  **there'll be no trace that one was once two**   >  after I fade into you Isn't it neccesary to add a relative pronoun like "there'll be no trace that one WHICH was once two"?


Is this an example of a zeugma?

The following joke is well-known for its ambiguity, with some variation in the animals used: > Would you rather a bear ate you or a snake? When the answerer responds something along the lines of, "Uh, I guess I'd rather be eaten by the bear…" the asker finishes with the sentence, > I'd rather he ate the snake. My question is, is this joke an example of a zeugma?


What meaning of "get" is in the "get paid" phrase?

_Get_ has a lot of meanings in English, but which one is used in phrase _get paid_? _Get_ is often used for describing a change of state, similarly to _become_. But does _get paid_ fall into this case? From what I know, when used with the verb in ING/ED state it means "begin with". Considering the change of state, should I think of it as that a person who gets paid is "becoming paid", and also his state changes to "paid" when he possesses the money? An additional question: My textbook says that GET + adjective expresses the change of state but I think it also applies to ~~ppt~~ past participle of verbs, right?


What's the difference between "authentication" and "authorization"?

I have noticed "Authentication" is used in some mobile apps when I attempt to log in or check my account. Normally I use "Authorization" in my writing. Is there a difference between the two? Also, is "Authorization" the same as "Authorisation"?


Can I say "acquiesce" and be acquiescent?

Can I say "acquiesce" and be acquiescent, or by saying the word do I then imply a protest, negating my acquiescence? Example: "I acquiesce to your request."   1. To me, it seems that speaking the word is to do the opposite of the word's definition. Is this an accurate ascessment of what is going on?    2. If so, does the word "acquiesce" fall into a general category of words that share these properties?


In what context would I use the word "availabilities"?

In what context would I use the word “availabilities”? I believe it is a valid English word, in how could it be used? Many thanks


Prepositions: "The confusing widgets of language"

The title is adapted from an article in THE WEEK, written by James Harbeck. Well worth reading if you ask me. I don't particularly like prepositions. They are small, seemingly insignificant things that meddle with my writing. Living "abroad" so many years has resulted in me double questioning the validity of certain phrases and expressions. The term, _asserting_ , is one such example. Which preposition fits best? The ones below all sound plausible, albeit the last one is probably an L2 (2nd language) interference. Nonetheless, which preposition should I choose with "asserting"? >   * By asserting that the red pill would reveal how deep the rabbit hole > was, Morpheus implied there was only one reality. >   * In asserting that the red pill... >   * On asserting that the red pill... > Looking at Google Ngrams doesn't help much, although I suppose it's safe to eliminate " ** _on asserting_** " but _why?_ ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/DbmJY.jpg)


What does "go pop" mean?

Here's an excerpt that I read: "This is my stop. Got to get off. I may go pop. Excuse me, excuse me" What does "go pop" mean in this context?


Out - usage, meaning

> Different databases use different naming conventions for variable-length > string datatypes. VARCHAR(n) or TEXT(n) are common naming formats for > variable-length strings. Figure 3-6 shows variable-length strings on country > names (COUNTRY), returning only the names of the countries and no padding > **out** to maximum length as for fixed-length strings. How should I understand **out** in the last sentence?


Why is it called 'passive smoking'?

Oxford dictionary defines **passive** as _accepting or allowing what happens or what others do, without active response or resistance._   What would we call a non-smoker who resists but still has to inhale other people's smoke[because nobody listens to him or whatever may be the reason]?


Is the construction "maker of all universe" grammatical in any English dialect?

The song "Great Are You Lord" by the worship musician Sinach includes the following lines: > Holy, Holy God Almighty   >  It’s a privilege to worship you   >  **Maker of all universe**   >  It’s an honour just to stand before you I'm aware that the highlighted line above ("Maker of all universe") isn't grammatical in British English (my native dialect). As Sinach is Nigerian, I'm guessing that Nigerian English is her native dialect - is this construction grammatical in that dialect, or indeed in any others?


What purpose does an '-o' serve?

I have been singing a lot of children’s songs lately, and this afternoon in the car I noticed three songs that add an _‑o_ to the end of words: >   * “He had many a mile to go that night before he reached the **town-o** ” > from _The Fox_ (no relation) >   * “A rare bog, a rattlin’ bog, the bog down in the **valley-o** ” from > _The Rattlin’ Bog_ >   * “ **Day-o** , me say day-o, daylight come and me wanna go home” from > _Day-o_ > This is not used for engineering a rhyme. I had considered two other possibilities. One is that it is used to extend closed consonant sounds, but this obviously doesn't hold up for _valley_ and _day_. My other theory was that it was for fitting meter, but this seems doubtful. You could substitute a comparable word to fit the meter ( _village_ instead of _town_ , for instance). Also, _valley_ could easily be stretched to fit. And finally, in the song “Day‑o”, there is a part of the song where the _‑o_ is dropped, but otherwise the line is the same: “Day, me say day, me say day, me say day‑o...” Aside from the song lyrics, it seems there are examples of this phenomenon in spoken language that may be related. For example, _boyo_ , _bucko_ , _kiddo_ , _daddy‑o_ , and various nicknames like _Rocko_ , _Jacko_ , and so on. So where does this _‑o_ come from, and what purpose does it serve?


Is it grammatically correct to start a sentence with the word "request", used as a verb?

For example: "Request you to respond as soon as possible." I've encountered this sentence in a few e-mails (without subject words like "I" or "we").


What's the difference between 'use' and 'leverage'?

I know that both of these words mean _the act of using something_. But what's the main difference between _use_ and _leverage_?


"I really need some moving on here" - is it correct to say like this?

How correct it is to say "I really need some moving on here"? Say, you are posting a question on an internet forum, or opening a discussion thread, and want people on forum to get involved in answering or discussing. Having many people involved doesn't necessarily imply a quick answer to the question posted or an immediate clarification and development of the subject matter, thus, I would refrain from saying "I really need some progress here". "I really need some moving on here" kind of appeals to me, but I am not sure how correct it is. Google gives only 6 results.


What is the meaning of "as we moonshine and molly" in Rihanna's Diamonds?

> Palms rise to the universe   >  **As we moonshine and molly**   >  Feel the warmth, we’ll never die   >  We’re like diamonds in the sky In the above part of Rihanna's Diamonds song, what does she mean by "as we moonshine and molly"?


What is the term for the slash in a slashed zero?

In some (rare) typefaces you'll see a slash through the character for the number zero. In even fewer cases you might see a slash through other digits, such as seven. Is there a name for this slash? If it were a pronunciation-modifier it might be called a _diacritic_ , and if it were additional marks on the end of some glyphs it might be called a _serif_ , but these descriptions don't fit the slash on digits. I looked at the Wikipedia article Slashed Zero, but even that didn't actually have a word for the mark.


Other words to describe the relationships between pieces of data with a common parent/child

I'm writing a program that makes/utilizes arbitrary relationships between pieces of data, and I can't think of more generic terms for the user interface than:   ![Node relationships](http://i.stack.imgur.com/6ZUNo.png)   Co-parent: The relationship between A and B   Sibling: The relationship between D and E      Should I stick with these? Or are there better names? The relationships defined by the arrows in the diagram aren't necessarily hierarchical, they're more along the lines of 'A is like C except for X'


Which logical fallacy pushes through something as though it were fact and creates a point of contention afterwards to distract?

For example: "To corrupt society by allowing violent video games is something only a mother could understand." The point of contention is likely to be the latter part, where you'd be tempted to say "That's nonsense, being a mother doesn't somehow give you greater powers of perception" or similar, and argue about that, whilst completely missing the point that the person arguing has just stated that violent video games corrupt society and it has gone through unnoticed. They could easily follow up with "Go on then, name one man that is able to understand the corruption they cause", and you're now fighting on two fronts - if you say "hold on, that premise is flawed" you can be steamrolled over because it sort of seems like it should be true, and you immediately weaken your position as appearing not to understand thus proving the second point about mothers. Alternatively, you could defend yourself and argue their case for them "Well as a man I was exposed to many video games as a child and they haven't had any effect on myself or anyone that I know", and you're knee deep in agreeing with their hidden assumption before you know it.


Why do street parking signs say "no stopping or standing"?

I see redundancy here. If one stands a car on the street, isn't it necessary to stop first? It would seem the most logical and efficient use of language for the sign would be "no stopping." Or do drivers somehow differentiate between the two acts to the extent that they need to be told to avoid both?


How to describe someone speaking in pain?

Imagine someone gets hit heavily, or is in excruciating pain; when they try to speak, they sound like they have a sore throat, they are probably cringing. Mumbling or muttering is speaking with less volume, inaudibly and mostly out of exhaustion. But I am looking for the speech of someone groaning in pain. What is a word for that?


"I have a pair of Google glass"?

How does one state they have a unit of the latest Google Glass glasses, given the way "glasses" is plural but "Glass" as in Google Glass, is not?


How different is “he is a voice of reason awakening the public” from “he has a voice of reason awakening the public”?

In association with the question on Sarah Palin’s endorsement of Senator Rand Paul in the _Time Magazine_ article “2013 Time 100” that I posted earlier today, I have an additional question about the expression “He is a voice of reason awakening the public” in her remark: > “ **He is a voice of reason** awakening the public to what must be done to > restore our prosperity and preserve the blessings of liberty for future > generations. His brand of libertarian-leaning conservatism attracts young > voters, and recently he inspired the nation with his Capraesque filibuster > demanding basic answers about our use of drones.” I felt somewhat uneasy with the expression, “he is a voice,” because you as an animated being can have a voice, but you cannot be a voice which is an abstract, unanimated ‘object.’ I think there are many similar (possibly metaphoric) expressions like “he is a voice of reason / a mirror of conscience / a walking encyclopedia” that are current. But is the [animated being = unanimated object] equation grammatically right as well as logically congruent? If so, how different is “he is a voice of reason awakening the public” from “he has a voice of reason awakening the public”?


Is the phrase "Take my wife – please!" a paraprosdokian?

I was reading the wiki page about paraprosdokians and I don't understand why the phrase: > Take my wife – please! is classified as one.


Term for a former prisoner, who seems to have an aura of jail hanging around him

I read in a book about this effect, and I just can't remember the term for it. It describes the effect with a name, something like: "shadow of jail about him" or something. This is seriously driving me crazy. I've tried and tried to remembered, and googled, and I still can't remember it. It describes people who have got out of jail, and they seem to have the aura of jail still around them. I know it is actually a phrase, not something the author coined. Can someone please help me? And sorry for the vague kind of guidelines. If you want to know, that book was something I read years ago when I was younger, called _Jo's Boys_


Standard format for phone numbers?

I've recently noticed a wider variety in how phone numbers are presented, both in print and online, specifically with regard to spacing & punctuation. Examples:               +1 (555) 123 4567     +1 (555) 123-4567     +1 555 123 4567     +1 555 123-4567     1.555.123.4567     555.123.4567     555-123-4567     (possibly others)      Is there a single, standardized or generally recommended format for publishing phone numbers? If so what is it? Or is it really anything goes these days?


The verb for carrying out a bitwise OR/AND operation

I'm writing a scientific/technical text which involves describing some low level code. I need to complete the following sentence: > When two values are combined, their tags are _ _ _ _ _ _ together Where the dashed line should be filled with a word specifying the tags have been combined using a bitwise OR operation (or AND operation). I also need the word for the present tense.


Collective noun "police" — singular or plural?

A newspaper ran this headline today: > Police _crack_ down on IAC protesters. Isn't the following more appropriate? > Police _cracks_ down on IAC protesters.


What is this double "be" meaning?

Given the sentence: > He didn’t have a clue what was going on, but he didn’t seem **to be being > expelled** , and some of the feeling started coming back to his legs. I guess that in ‘ _to be being expelled_ ,’ ‘be’ is for making passive voice and ‘being’ is for the meaning of future, that is, ‘to be expelled’ would be being happened in near future. Is this the right guessing?


Is 'Grammarly' really that good?

I've been using this software for quite some time now. Not once until yesterday did I question the authenticity of its 'Grammar Check' reports. _Yesterday, I tried to test Grammarly with a piece of writing by Bertrand Russell from a Routledge compilation of his called 'Why Men Fight'. I've been a loving reader of Russell since childhood._ Grammarly reported 26 writing issues in the following text. The following piece was awarded a little over 50 points out of 100. I don't have anything else to say. **Do you think that software like Grammarly can ever be precise?** > Lay on, Macduff, And damned be him that first cries, Hold, enough! > > But such strength and recklessness of impulse is rare. Most men, when their > impulse is strong, succeed in persuading themselves, usually by a > subconscious selectiveness of attention, that agreeable consequences will > follow from the indulgence of their impulse. Whole philosophies, whole > systems of ethical valuation, spring up in this way; they are the embodiment > of a kind of thought which is subservient to impulse, which aims at > providing a quasi-rational ground for the indulgence of impulse. The > intellectual impulse of curiosity, leading to the desire to know and > understand. But most of what passes for thought is inspired by some non- > intellectual impulse, and is merely a means of persuading ourselves that we > shall not be disappointed or do harm if we indulge this impulse. > > When an impulse is restrained, we feel discomfort or even violent pain. We > may indulge in impulse in order to escape from this pain, and our action is > then one which has a purpose. But the pain only exists because of the > impulse, and the impulse itself is directed to an act, not escaping from the > pain of restraining the impulse. The impulse itself remains without a > purpose, and the purpose of escaping from pain only arises when the impulse > has been momentarily restrained.


Difference between "swims among turtles" and "swims among the turtles"?

I was wondering which of the following is the proper sentence: The woman swims among turtles, or The woman swims among the turtles. Or are they both valid under different contexts? The above is from a duolingo.com exercise to translate a Spanish sentence. So, unfortunately, there is no context i.e., the sentence is not part of a paragraph. The Spanish sentence is "La mujer nada entre las tortugas". In the exercise I gave my translation as "The woman swims among the turtles", because the Spanish sentence had the article "las", which is the plural form of "the". This was marked incorrect, and the correct answer was given as "The woman swims among turtles". In duolingo.com, translations sometimes preserve the article, and sometimes it is not preserved. I was wondering if there was any difference between the two, in English. If I understand this I may be able to better understand Spanish.


How to say "Pending review" in a shorter way

What word can I use to describe that a set of submissions of an assignment are pending review. I want the shorter word. Right now I say: '8 pending review' But that is too long. I would like to use just one word. What could be a shorter way to convey the same meaning? It is going to be a simple label in a web application, so it doesn't need to be a full phrase.


A word for being troubled at others' potential schadenfreude against me

Schadenfreude is "enjoyment obtained from the trouble of others." I'm not looking for the antonym of that, but instead if there is a similar word for the _object_ of schadenfreude. For instance, is there a word for me knowing (or being troubled that) others are experiencing schadenfreude at my expense?


Where should "a lot" be placed in a sentence?

Which of these is right?   1. I like to play with my dog **a lot**.   2. I like **a lot** to play with my dog.   3. I like to play **a lot** with my dog.   4. Any of the above. I mean, where does _a lot_ go in there? I searched but didn’t find the answer.


How to address multiple conflicting nouns?

Let's say I have the following line: > Both the New Jersey Supreme Court and Nicole held that **her** Fourth > Amendment rights had been violated. The "her" is bothering me. How can I address both the "New Jersey Supreme Court" and "Nicole" (for whom the sentence is about) with one word? It doesn't sound right to me for some reason...


writing titles in capital letters

Is it necessary to write all the title in capital letters or is it fine to write only the first word in capital letters and the rest all small?


Is "which I thought was strange that" incorrect grammar?

From "The Craft of Family Therapy" by Salvador Minuchin, etc.: > The therapist says to a family: "So you gave birth to a genius?" The family > agreed, which I thought was strange that a child so young could have so much > influence. I suspect the sentence is grammatically wrong. Thanks for response.


Better phrasing for “In my defense”

Can anyone think of a better way to use the phrase _In my defense_? I'd like to find a way to rephrase this omitting the word _defense_. I've tried looking for synonyms of defense but I don't see anything I like. _In my rebuttal_? _Let me clarify_? Meh.


I have named him/he who shall not be named?

I have named him/he who shall not be named. Which of these is correct? I think it should be "him" because "him" is a direct object in this context. In this context, "him/he who shall not be named" is not a proper noun.


Word for selecting the most appropriate word

What is a word to describe selecting the absolute best word to use in a sentence? This is a problem for writers.


Does the word "googling" exist?

I wonder if the usage of _googling_ is proper in the following sentence. > I've done a bit of **googling** and review walkthroughs about this product X > available in the market. I have seen this word used over the internet in some articles. Hence I have used the above line in my blog. Before publishing the post, I'd like to check out if that word exists or not. Even then, is it correct to use it?


Are both ‘Hit a raw nerve’ and ‘Tip sb. the wink” predominantly British English idioms?

I was drawn to both of idioms,‘hit a raw nerve’ and ‘tip sb. the wink” being quoted as British skewed English idioms in the following scenes describing verbal exchanges between Captain Richard Armstrong, one of two heroes in Jeffery Archer’s “Fourth Estate” with (1) an officer of Russian Intelligence organization, and (2) his superior, British Army Colonel. BTW, Armstrong is a Jewish Czech who was naturalized as British by serving in the British Army. > (1) The man smiled. “By producing the will you seem so determined to get > your hand on.” “The will? Said Armstrong nervously. “Ah, I see I have > finally touched what the British describe as **a raw nerve**.’” – P232 > > (2) “That’s damned patriotic of you, old chap,” said the colonel. “Shall we > just leave it that I won’t hurry the process along until you **tip me the > wink**?” Armstrong’s English was as fluent as that of most of officers in > The British Army, but (Colonel) Oakshott was still able to add the > occasional new expression to his vocablary.-P239 I can find both ‘hit a raw nerve’ and ‘tip sb. the wink” as idioms in a dictionary at hand, which doesn’t specify them as ‘British English’ I was also able to find both ‘hit a raw nerve’ and ‘tip sb. the wink” on Google NGram, which shows the former came into currency around 1910, and the latter was in currency in early 1840s, notwithstanding the usage has been on sharp decrease. Are both of ‘Hit a raw nerve’ and ‘Tip sb. the wink” Brit-like idioms as Jeffery Archer annotated, or just being used by anyone in English speaking countries?


"To latch in a recess/groove" vs. "to catch in a recess/groove"

Is there a difference in meaning when used in a technical context? For example, does a fork latch in a recess when pressed or does it catch in the recess?


Is the tense in the sentence correct?

The sentence is > I bought a bottle of milk on Friday night, and I found that it had gone sour > the following morning. I think the past perfect tense is weird with "the following morning." Am I right?


What is there in the English corpus beside nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, etc?

As you can see from this NGram, the total number of words in the indexed English corpus that were nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, determinants, pronouns, adpositions, numerals, conjunctions, or particles was around 83%. This could be an infrastructure or programming issue, but assuming it's not, what possible explanation is there that this number is not 100%? Things like interjections are left out, but are 17% of the words in the entirety of Google's indexed literature interjections, or is there a better explanation?


What is the meaning of "Many a mickle makes a muckle"?

I've heard this phrase, and don't know what a "mickle" or a "muckle" is. Hence I have no idea at all what the phrase itself is supposed to mean.


A technical problem here

The term 'technical problem' can possibly be shortened to "technicality" and refer to the same thing. However,I would like to know what happens in this case. We have a word i.e. `technology` and we try to a single word to describe a word for a technical problem in technology. Would it be "technologicality?"


Difference between "condo" and "apartment"

I have never really understood the connotation of someone calling their domicile a _condo_ over the word _apartment_. I have a vague feeling the former is fancier and more up-scale, but are there any real differences I'm not aware of?


Is this a predicative adjunct?

> At breakfast on Thursday **she bored them all stupid** with flying tips > she'd gotten out of a library book called Quidditch Through the Ages. > > –– Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone As far as I understand from CGEL (p.251, 262~3), it seems like _stupid_ is _a predicative adjunct_ whose predicand is _them all_ ; while in _Kim seemed uneasy_ , _uneasy_ is the predicative complement. And _stupid_ modifies the predicator, _bored_. Is this the correct interpretation?


A man who keeps his word

I'm looking for an appropriate word to describe someone who is a man of his word. _Trustworthy_ springs to mind but doesn't seem appropriate, as it doesn't imply an honorable connotation associated with a person who keeps their word.


"Worried person" vs. "concerned person"

According to H. Stephens, "There is a great difference between worry and concern. A _worried_ person sees a problem, and a _concerned_ person solves a problem". But ODE seems to be disagreeing with him: >   * WORRIED: Anxious or troubled about actual or potential problems >   * CONCERNED: Worried, troubled, or anxious > So, do native speakers recognize the difference between _worried_ and _concerned_ Stephens talks about?


How to spell "woah"

How do I spell the word _woah_ as used in surprise or excitement? Is it similar to _wow_ but for the last _w_?


What do you call a person who refuses the love of another?

In terms of courtly love, you have:   * The lover (person in love)   * The beloved (object of the lover's affection)   * The courtier (the pursuer of the beloved; alt. term for a lover) The lover or courtier would pursue the beloved, who would appear chaste in public but secretly swoon over the lover, and the two would profess their love in private. Most texts on courtly love also refer to the person "who scorns the lovers advances", but don't give this person (usually a woman) a title. I am looking for a word that fits in this nomenclature to refer to this person (man or woman): > **the scorner of the lover's love**. The word that I'm using is "shrew", but that doesn't quite fit the gender neutral requirement. As well, a shrew is just a bad-tempered woman, not necessarily someone who scorns love. I don't like "scold" for the same reason. What word could fit in this sentence: His love wants a living kiss, but she is a **___** who will never requite. I am happy with a neologism if it fits.


Is absence of the person needed in "On someone's behalf"?

> In the middle of a conversation he had with my father, [Mr. X] asked him: > “What does your son want to do in future?”. “He wants to do religious > studies,” my father replied.   >  **He talked on my behalf without talking to me about it beforehand.** (This is not a quote from a book, it's my own translation from a weird language into English.) In the above context, when the child and his father are both present and the father doesn't let the child answer the question, is it correct to say "my father talked **on my behalf** without talking to me about it beforehand"? Is absence of the child needed? Is it polite for the child to say "my father speaks for me without talking to me beforehand" or does it have a negative connotation that the child is angry with his father because of what he has done?


Is there a word for "to make humble" with a positive connotation?

The word "humiliate" carries very negative connotations; is there a verb for "making someone humble" or "giving someone humility" in a positive way? For instance, "Having children of my own _humiliated_ me" isn't the best choice of words.


What does “mouth worked” mean?

I always thought that “mouth worked” describes when someone moves their mouth as if they are speaking, but no sound is emitted. This happens when they are so surprised that that they don’t know what to say. For example: > He was shocked at his ex-girlfriend’s question. His mouth worked. He > couldn’t answer. Is this a common meaning of the phrase? I did a google search and found this reference. Also, what is the etymology? Did it evolve from another usage?


Tense agreement in conditional statements: "I could do whatever I want" vs. "I could do whatever I wanted"

Consider the following sentences: >   1.     * If I had my own place, I could do whatever I want. >     * If I had my own place, I could do whatever I wanted. >   2.     * She said I could do whatever I want. >     * She said I could do whatever I wanted. > Which ones are correct and why? Is the answer different in a conditional, or does that not matter?


Explanation of "must needs"

Recently I ran across the sentence: > "Just why the law prescribed thirty-nine lashes instead of forty or forty- > one and so on, _must needs_ remain unanswered." How did a plural verb like "needs" wind up as an adverb? Is it alone in this phenomenon, or are there other examples that appear to be an odd misplacement of a second verb, but are actually adverbs as well?


What's the meaning of 90-plus?

What's the meaning of 90-plus? More than 90? If so, please tell me more ways to say "more than 90". Thank you!


What does “oily-Gammon” mean?

I have hard time understanding the term _oily-Gammon_ in this sentence from How To Debate Politics Like A Gentleman. > Teddy Roosevelt would frequently lose his cool during debates on the > Assembly floor. He’d call his opponents “cold blooded, narrow-minded, > prejudiced, obstinate, timid, old psalm singing Indianapolis politicians” or > “oily-Gammon, churchgoing specimens,” or simply “classical ignoramuses.” The only meanings I can find for _gammon_ are the following:   1. Ham which has been cured or smoked like bacon   2. A victory in backgammon (carrying a double score) in which the winner removes all their pieces before the loser has removed any    3. Nonsense, rubbish What does _oily-Gammon_ mean?


General rules for identifying conditional sentences?

I am trying to identify the subject and object in the following sentence: > Come to me, and I'll give you a fight you'll never forget At first, it appeared as if whenever a conjunction appears after a clause, and there's a future tense verb in the following clause, then it's a conditional sentence. My major problem here is whether this is a valid conditional sentence. Here, the speaker is actually saying > I'm an interesting fighter and not typically providing a condition for a result. I am trying to find out if there's any general rule for identifying a real conditional sentence. Could the rule that applies to this sentence be classified as one for identifying idioms? Thanks.


Recent grammar additions

A lot of questions have been dedicated to how evolution of English got many constructs of the old either fall out of use, merge, or evolve into different forms but still with 1:1 relation to original. English of the Victorian times has been significantly more complex than modern day English. But I'm quite convinced elements of grammar didn't just die or evolve into uniform counterparts — I'm fairly sure entirely new ones would be born over time, or simple cores would branch out into multiple, significantly different, more complex variants. Can you identify elements of contemporary English grammar, that would simply baffle one taught only in Early Modern English? Common, everyday constructs of grammar that don't have simple direct counterparts of the old, or are significantly more complex? New tenses? Inflection where there was none?


What does "in the saddle" mean?

Here is a concrete example taken from a financial article: > The ancient regime **is in the saddle**. I have to laugh whenever I hear > Republicans ranting that Barack Obama is a “liberal” or a “socialist” or a > communist What does "in the saddle" mean?


Meaning of "all retch and no vomit"

I heard of the expression "all retch and no vomit" for the first time, and the references I could find by googling it are not really clear to me. Here is the context where I found it: > What we are doing is we are bringing up children and educating them to live > the same sort of lives we are living... in order that, er, that they would- > may justify themselves and find satisfaction in life by bringing up their > children to bring up their children to do the same things so it's **all > retch and no vomit** — it never gets there. (Alan Watts) What would be a definition for the expression?


What is the antonym of "installation"?

From Dictionary.com, _uninstall_ is a word, but _uninstallation_ is not. I tried _deinstallation_ and that isn't a word as well. Is there any word equivalent, ending in -tion that _is_ a real word?


What term describes the state of being either enabled or disabled?

I need to refer to the attribute of a button that describes whether it is enabled or disabled. "Enablement state" sounds awkward and clunky.


As or due to give same meaning?

Does _as_ or _due to_ give same meaning? I have written some example case > _**As_** the reference data is available with a leading company and > difficulty of making own reference data, the overall performance of the > method is done collaboratively with that company. . > _**Due to_** the availability of reference data with a leading company and > difficulty of making own reference data, the overall performance of the > method is done collaboratively with that company.


Plural of “Animus/Anima”

What is the plural of the words “animus” and “anima”? In any context (literary, Jung psychology, apothecary etc.). Is there English v. Latin differences? Interwebs are no help: versions differ from “animuses”, to “animi”, to uncountable. “Animuses” is correct as native English plural, if I understand correctly (then “animas” for feminine?). If we take Latin route, would it be “animi” for masculine, and “animae” for feminine?


What does "potted" mean in "Potted Potter"?

There is a play called Potted Potter which is a parody about all seven Harry Potter books. What is the meaning of _potted_ in this context?


Word that describes people who are easily impressed?

Is there a specific word that describes people who are easily impressed?


What word could I use to confront a friend who defends the behavior of a gossip?

I would like a word or a phrase to use to confront a "friend" who glosses over the harmful gossip of another "friend." I think she defends the gossip because the gossip is influential in town. My friend says that she is being "objective." I want to tell her otherwise.


What does the phrase "never the mane shall tweet" mean?

> It has long been known that birds will occasionally build nests in the manes > of horses. The only known solution to this problem is to sprinkle baker's > yeast in the mane, for, as we all know, yeast is yeast and nest is nest, and > never the mane shall tweet. What is the meaning of the above quote? I am confused by the phrases _manes of horses_ and _never the mane shall tweet_. An online dictionary says that _manes_ is the plural form, but its singular form, _mane_ , has an entirely different meaning.


"Where" as a conjunction

There were two sentences I wrote:   1. We did a science experiment where we dissected frogs.   2. This is the last day where I'll be waiting for you by your locker.  I'm not sure if _where_ can be used as a conjunction... I've been using it as a conjunction, but this is the first time I've actually noticed it. If using _where_ as a conjunction (in the form I wrote as above), would it be grammatically correct? If so, please explain why. Why can _where_ be a conjunction if the word means location? And, what do you have to put a comma before _where_ **if** it can be used as a conjunction?


Present perfect passive voice

I have to put this sentence in passive: > She took a long time to write the composition, but at last she wrote it. Trying to write this in passive, I wrote the following: > The composition took a long time to have been written. Does this correspond okay to the original sentence, or is there a less clumsy way to put it?


Has "Error 404" acquired a meaning in everyday English?

So, we've all seen the web page message "Error 404: Not found." Apparently, this has now been extended to non-http contexts, and _404_ now means a stupid person. Is this true?


Rime of the Ancient Mariner?

I recently read the beautiful poem by Samuel Coleridge. Why did he call it a _rime_? I looked up _rime_ on the dictionary, and it means a thin layer of ice; so was the name playing around with the rhyme of the words "rime" and "rhyme" at the same time, referring to the icy time when the Ancient Mariner killed the albatross (that was when the ship was somewhere near the Southern Pole)?


Term to describe relationship between one and single, two and double, etc.?

Is there a specific term used to describe the relationship between the words:   * One and single,   * Two and double,   * Three and triple,   * Etc. I don't quite think that the term _synonym_ fits here, and was wondering if there was a more specific term.


Pretty Please and Similar Phrases

I was wondering who uses 'pretty please?' Is it used mainly by girls? Under what circumstances? Thank you for replying.


Is a *by-law* the same thing as an *in-law*?

When I was a student (over fifty years ago) I had a landlady who used to talk about her 'aunt-by-law'. I wish I had been bold enough to ask her the nature of the relationship, but I have always assumed it was either her husband's aunt, or the wife of one of her parent's brothers. Has anyone else ever heard the term _by-law_ , used and is it synonymous with _in-law_?


What is the difference between "the door opened" and "the door was opened"? Are there subtle differences?


How reliable is to be + past participle to identify passive voice?

I am trying to write a software that can identify simple variants of passive voice in an english sentence. I found multiple resources that state that `to be` \+ a `past participle` is an indication that the sentence is in passive voice. My question is, is this a reliable rule? Are there any false positives, i.e. are there sentences that contain a construct of `to be` \+ `past participle` that **are not** in passive voice?


What's the difference between "Collaborate" and "Cooperate"?

Both of these words seem to mean much the same thing: working together to achieve some goal. I can instinctively _feel_ a difference between them, but I can't easily put it into words. Can you help me? Do these words come from different etymologies which might explain the difference?


"Important" and "significant"

"Important" and "significant" seems to be very close in meaning when denoting that something matters much. But am I right in thinking that "important" is less formal word than "significant"? And what, if any, are other differences in usage between them?


Future conditional

What is the grammatically correct way to say that a person who has died would be a certain age next month? He "would have been 89 next month?" Or "were he alive, he would be 89 next month ?"


Usage of the word "ascetic"

Is the sentence "You have to be ascetic about eating junk food" correct? **Ascetic:** Practicing severe self-denial


Plural form of movie titles

When referring to the plural of a movie title (in the case where the movie has sequels), do you have to obey the pluralization rules of the last word in the title, or do you just add _-s_ or _-es_ to the end? For example, if I wanted to watch each of _The Matrix_ movies, would I say, "Let's watch _The Matrixes_ " or "Let's watch _The Matrices_?" The latter sounds kind of silly, but is it proper?


"is" or "are" for x and y?

The boy and girl is going to the store. The boy and girl are going to the store. Which sentence is correct? I can't remember if 'x and y' is considered a singular or plural noun.


What does “soapbox-ready” mean?

I found the words “ _soapbox-ready_ ” in the following sentence of the New York Times’ (March 11) theater review of currently-playing Broadway show, “Death of a Salesman,” titled “American Dreamer, Ambushed by the Territory”: “This is not a woman who has been worn down by cares; she’s a vigilant, fire- breathing watchdog of her husband’s ego. And when she erupts into anger with her grown sons, it’s as if that speech had been _soapbox-ready_ for ages.” From the combination of the words, I guess the word, ‘soapbox-ready’ here means something like “well rehearsed or practiced” to be ready for making a speech, or talk. However, as I checked the meaning of “soapbox-ready” on Google to make it certain, I came across quite different usages from the above interpretation:   * Delcam software leads to soapbox success. Using PowerMILL and PowerSHAPE speeded manufacturing. The finished _soapbox ready_ to race. - www.automotivecadcam.com/   * International AVEW Stock Message: Town Crier getting his bell and _Soapbox ready_!! - investorshub.advfn.com/ What does “ _soapbox-ready_ ” exactly mean?


"Has not been updated" vs "Doesn't seem to be updated"

I was talking to the computer guy at our school about my grades, and I came across the following two options: > I hadn't received my grades for one of my courses until last week. But it > _doesn't seem_ to be updated in the system yet. Is it okay, or should it be: > I hadn't received my grades for one of my courses until last week. But it > _hasn't been_ updated in the system yet. At the same time, is there a grammatical difference between the two?


Can the present perfect continuous construct be used in passive voice?

Can the passive voice be used for sentences in the present perfect continuous? I understand the present perfect and its passive voice ( _have/has built, has been built_ ). However, the passive voice of present perfect continuous is unclear:   * Active: They have been building this house for years.   * Passive: ??? I have seen suggestions of “This house has been being built for years,” but it sounds awkward and I don't recall anywhere else where two _be_ verbs follow one another. Is this the right form to use?


Do 'whether' and 'either' go together?

I ran into this sentence in a friend's blog. I can't _quite_ tell what's wrong, but it does feel wrong. Can anyone tell me if/why? The actual complete sentence: > Secondly, we handle the most important requirement which is to retrieve > proteins, whether they are either close, or remote homologs.


In non-spatial contexts, when should I use "this" versus "that"?

I'm always quite confused to choose which word should I put in the sentence like this/that :)   1. That/This is not a problem at all.    2. To be or not to be, this/that is the question. I know which one I should choose in terms of positioning. But still I don't have that/this feeling for not an object.


"Warranty" vs. "guarantee"

Is there any relation or difference between _warranty_ and _guarantee_? What do they mean? In what situations do we use them? For example, I suppose we say > When we buy something it has a warranty.


When did the phrase "first moon party" come about?

I had never heard the term "first moon party" until I watched this video, which has gone viral over the past 2 weeks. Was the phrase just recently coined by HelloFlo's ad, or has the phrase been in use prior to that to refer to a celebration of a girl's first period? (assuming that people even _have_ celebrations for a girl's first period...)


Expression for distance relationship between observer and object?

I am looking for a word or expression, that describes the specific distance in the space that lets the observer appreciate and completely understand the object of observation. For example, when one is in a museum and stands too close to an impressionist painting, one can only see the brush strokes but not the flowers. But if one stands at the right distance, one can easily recognise the flowers and the whole garden. Is there an expression that describes the right distance to appreciate fully a given object? Thank you very much! anak


Is there an adjective that describes "no options"?

I've used the phrase "defeated for" in my writing, somewhat like this: > He was **defeated for** another country to flee to, and so he left for > Australia. which is supposed to mean "He **had no choice of** another country to flee to". It seems to make some sense to me, but I appear to be the only person to use this phrase for such a purpose (A Google search returns nothing). Is there another more suitable adjective I can use in its place? I feel like there should be one, but I have no idea how to look for it.


In the quote, "He is to resist the vulgar prosperity that retrogrades ever to barbarism" What does _resist_ mean?   * to tolerate    * to protest What does _vulgar prosperity_ mean?   * obscene prosperity    * ill mannered prosperity  What does _ever_ mean?   * always    * occasionally  What does _retrogrades_ mean?


Using "on" instead of "about"

Sometimes people use "on" in sense of "about". And I would like to specify when it is appropriate. A couple examples:   * I will look for information on this software.   * What is your opinion on that car? Any hint or rule how to use it would be welcome!


-phile word for someone who loves frogs

What would the best word be to describe a frog-lover that ends with the -phile root?


What is the history of the noun 'false banana'?

What is the earliest usage of the noun 'false banana'? The earliest use of the noun 'false banana' I can find is on 1837, but I expected it to be around 1700. Also, I would like to know what the history of the noun is (who first used it, how the noun spread, etc)


Does "see you this weekend" in email express "will write another email this weekend"?

Perhaps people will think that I'll physically visit them?


The use of "Que" in pronunciation

In most (or many) words that start with the letters "que", there's generally a Kw sound, such as in "question", "queen" or "quest". However, with the word "queue", it's more of a "Ky" sound. Is there any reason for this exception, or is it arbitrary? Are there any other words that also have this "ky" sound, while starting with "que"?


What does "should something happen" mean?

What is the meaning of _should loss occur_ in the following text? > Backup and recovery procedures protect your database against data loss and > reconstruct the data, should loss occur. The reconstructing of data is > achieved through media recovery, which refers to the various operations > involved in restoring, rolling forward, and rolling back a backup of > database files. This chapter introduces concepts fundamental to designing a > backup and recovery strategy.


Usage of "employment" with the "use" meaning

What is the proper way to use "employment" with the "use" meaning? I.e. if I have a new computer program/tool, can I say "employment of the tool", or create a webpage named "Employment of the BLABLA program", describing how and in what cases one should properly use it. Or this is an unusual context for the word?


"Process of Shipment" vs "Process of Shipping"

Which one of the two expressions "Process of shipment" and "Process of shipping" seem correct? The NyTimes seems to be using both of them: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/02/opinion/100-75-50-years-ago.html http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/06/independent-retailers-object-to- jay-zs-distribution-deal-for-new-album/


Humble and boasting addresses in English

In Chinese, there are rich vocabularies for humble and boasting addresses for oneself, by 'address' I mean way to call oneself with an elevated or devalued status, kind of like 'your humble servant' in English. I wonder how to translate the following examples into English: Humble address: > 这是敝司的标书。 Literal translation: These are the bidding documents from my shabby employer. When Chinese say it, it's the representative from one company presenting the documents to another company. "My shabby employer" is a way to call "the company I represent" with a degraded status in order to show respect to the other company. There is no disparagement or sarcasm in it. Boasting address: > 哥只是个传说。 It literally means '(Your) elder brother is just a legend'. The real message is 'I, who you should look up to like an elder brother, is nothing special but a legend.' By calling oneself 'brother', the speaker is making an arrogant expression, or taunting the listener.


comprise or comprise of

I have found a similar topic addressing the use of "comprise" but my question is not exactly in line with that question. I did ask this question there to keep the topic related to the us of "comprise" but it was removed since I did not follow protocol. So my apologies if this seems like a duplicate entry. When does one use "comprises of" and when "comprise"? Are they interchangeable? "My name comprises 5 letters" "My name comprises of 5 letters"


Is "grown not made" correct English and can it have a totally opposite, to the intended, meaning?

Reading through the Heinz's ketchup bottle, I noticed that their tagline, _Grown Not Made_ could mean something totally different and opposite to it's intended meaning i.e. _Grown Not_ **,** _Made_ and _Grown_ **,** _Not Made_. Questions:   * Is _grown not made_ correct English (although it's not necessary)?   * Can that statement, as mentioned above, have two different and totally opposite meanings?


"Multiple different" or "different" or "multiple"

I have seen a lot of people using _multiple different_ when only _different_ or _multiple_ would have conveyed the meaning just as well. Is this correct usage? I know that sometimes doubling the words is used for more emphasis but I am seeing this used a lot more frequently than I thought. > We have multiple different sizes to choose from.   >  We have different sizes to choose from.   >  We have multiple sizes to choose from. If this is correct, is this something I just miss in school or is this a newer addition to the language? (My first language is not English, as you can probably tell from my post.)


Is it all right to use "in hopes of" to mean "with the aim of"?

Recently I browsed through the definition of _hope_ in New Oxford American Dictionary (provided by Apple in the dictionary app) to double confirm with its usage as I answered a word-choice question and came across this: > **in hopes of** > > with the aim of: I lay on a towel in the park in hopes of getting a tan. I naturally accepted it without a second thought as it is in a pretty authorized dictionary and it looked alright. However, as I answered OP's question, I could see his/her doubt regarding this definition. So I decided to look it up on the Internet and to my astonishment, I couldn't find much evidence supporting that _in hopes of_ has the meaning " _with the aim of_ ". Dictionary.com and Merriam-webster even suggest _in hopes of_ should just be used normally to mean "hoping something", like _in the hope of_. > hope > > desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment: came **in > hopes of** seeing you Therefore my conclusion is: the definition of _in hopes of_ depends on the context. But it is not easy to tell just from a sentence though. For example, > John went to MIT in hopes of finding a girlfriend. It can be interpreted as " _John went to MIT, hoping that he could find a girlfriend_ " or " _John went to MIT and his intention was to find a girlfriend_ ". One has to know what kind of person John was or what he did in MIT to decide what _in hopes of_ means in this scenario. So my question here is: is it actually "safe" to use the phrase _in hopes of_ to mean _with the aim of_ ? Do most people consider _in hopes of_ entirely the same as _in the hope of_ in terms of meaning? Will they misinterpret it when it is supposed to mean _with the aim of_?


Does the word 'Islamic' as an adjective suggest a kind of measurement being related to?

Does the word Islamic suggest a kind of embedded measurement? That is something I feel quite odd and uncomfortable because once the Islamic adjective is applied to a thing or even a person then a kind of measurement is started: where the person or the thing is looked at from an angle of whether they are 'Islamic' enough or not. Islamic man — is the man Islamic or not? To what degree? Is the party Islamic ? to what degree? is the bank Islamic? How Islamic? Measurement seems to be related to whatever having 'Islamic' adjectives. Does this occur to other related English adjectives? I mean in terms of being measured through the adjectives.


What's the difference between "bloke", "chap" and "lad"?

Several synonyms are used in the UK: _bloke, chap, lad_. What's the difference between them?


What is the difference between a question and an invitation? Is there any difference? Do they accomplish different things? Are they structurally different?


What is this type of question called?

"I can have a cookie, can't I?" (Please ignore the double quotes while reading) What is this type of question called? Also, is it grammatically correct under American English?


A gerund or use a regular noun?

Which one from the below is correct or more natural? >   * One of my greatest strengths is **critically analyzing**. >   * One of my greatest strengths is **critical analyzing**. >   * One of my greatest strengths is **critical analysis**. >


What does “Bit it” mean?

I came across the phrase ‘ _bit it’_ in the quote from Washington Post’s William Branigin’s comment to support the Washington’s decision not to show the picture of the dead body of Osama bin Laden in Washington Post’s ‘Comment of the Day’ (May 4). It reads: > Good, because showing that picture would be the U.S. lowering its standards > for those that like and enjoy gruesome, bloody bodies. I am sure the pic > will get out somehow, but not because of Obama. If folks do not want to > believe bin Laden is dead, _so bit it_. He's dead. As I met the phrase, ‘bit it’ for the first time, I checked up its meaning in English dictionaries at hand and through Google, but wasn’t able to find any entry of this phrase. Only Internet Slang Com. carries definition of ‘bite it’ as “to fall and bite the ground” with an example,"Toey bit it hard this morning on his way down the stairs,” as its usage. So, what does “Bit it” mean? Is it derivative from (or past tense of) “Bite it,” or “Bet it”?


What does "I can't agree with you more" mean?

I've recently encountered three sentences: >   1. I can't agree with you more. >   2. I can't agree with you any more. >   3. I can't agree with you anymore. > What do these three sentences mean? Are they the same, or are there any differences?


Alternative to "take X into account"

I would like to use a simpler, more direct phrase than "take X into account". I consider this a "Word choice and usage" question as directed by the community. Here is my original sentence: The approaches take runtime information into account, therefore generating a more effective plan with a higher chance of success. I would like to restructure it to: The approaches [verb phrase] runtime information, therefore generating a more effective plan with a higher chance of success.


On expressions about "false accusation" and "death penalty"

I want to say the following content: "If, after a death penalty is carried out, the case is shown to be false, there is no mending." Which expression is the most appropriate? (1) If, after a death penalty is carried out, **he or she** is shown to be falsely accused, there is no mending. (2) If, after capital punishment is carried out, **the case** is shown to be false, there is no mending. I'm not sure whether the subject should be "the case" or "a person", although there may be some other mistakes in these sentences.


Is 'colorblind' the best word for people with color perception deficiencies?

I'm creating an application that has a checkbox to assist colorblind users. I'm not so fond of the term because it isn't accurate, but at the same time I don't want to seem overtly politically correct. A couple of options I'm juggling right now:   * Colorblind assistance   * Reduced color perception assistance   * Color perception assistance   * Problems perceiving colors?


How to determine what an attributive clause modifies

I was wondering how to determine what an attributive clause modifies? For example:   1. > It has been associated **with** neoclassical economics and **with** the neoclassical synthesis, which combines neoclassical methods and Keynesian approach macroeconomics. Does "which combines neoclassical methods and Keynesian approach macroeconomics" modify "the neoclassical synthesis"?   2. If without the second _with_ , i.e., > It has been associated **with** neoclassical economics and the neoclassical > synthesis, which combines neoclassical methods and Keynesian approach > macroeconomics. How can one tell if the attributive clause modifies "the neoclassical synthesis", "neoclassical economics and the neoclassical synthesis" or "It has been associated with neoclassical economics and the neoclassical synthesis"?


What is the secondary part of a book/play title called?

It''s quite common for academic papers and such to have a short title intended to catch the casual browsers's interest, followed by _colon_ and a longer more explanatory alternative. I know this is a lousy example (I couldn't easily find a better/shorter one), but even so I'm sure this _Catchy Title : Longer version conveying more information about the work_ format is also used in fictional works. Is there a standard name for that secondary title. It's not really an "alternative title". The only thing that comes to mind for me is byline, but I know that's not right either.


Can you have any kind of "snap" other than a cold one?

The phrase "cold snap" is in common usage, as in: > We're really going through a **cold snap**. I had to de-ice the car this > morning. But I've never heard the phrase "warm snap" or "mild snap". Would those phrases be valid, or must a "snap" always be cold?


What's with the 'heigth' pandemic?

Recently I've noticed that many people are pronouncing the word 'height' as > /haiθ/ That's right, **heigth**. I've only ever heard this pronunciation mistake in the last few years. Maybe it's just an issue in Texas? Has anyone else noticed this?


What does "default" mean in financial sense?

I've heard word "default" used in a financial sense. My intuition tells me that the defaulting party is asking for protection against its creditors, but I don't see how that is different from say bankruptcy. For example the "default" was used in this video.


Alternative for Challenge as section header

All, I am preparing a technical document for a process. Another team will do the implementation based on the document. I want to have a section which will outline some of the challenges they will face and how to overcome them. I am currently leaning towards "Challenges", but are there any better alternatives? For the context, some other headers are 1. Requirement, 2. Analysis, 3. Technical Solution, 4. Dependencies etc. Update: I was thinking of another heading as I will be telling about how to overcome the challenges also in this section - like "Challenges and how to overcome them"


Which preposition is used for the subject "school"?

In our official English vocabulary book I found two sentences with identical semantics but different prepositions used for _school_. I am curious whether both sentences are syntactically correct or if there's a subtle difference I missed: > In 1954, the Supreme Court decided that racial segregation _in schools_ was > against the constitution. and > The US Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation _at schools_ was > unconstitutional.


Pres. perfect + going to + past infinitive

I have seen the following sentence: > For four months now John has been going to have finished his novel by today. I hope I understand it (I assume it says that he has been trying to finish his novel for 4 months, every days saying "Today I will finish"). What difference would it make if there was not the past infinitive but just "to finish his novel by today"? Thanks


Do onomatopoeias have more intrinsic meaning than other words have?

I was taught that words are arbitrary sounds used to represent an abstract concept. In the case of onomatopoeias, are they not so arbitrary? For example the word "buzz" roughly sounds like a bee buzzing. Can the same be said for any other words, that their name does have a special meaning and isn't arbitrary?


"one of a kind" idiom

This is an official practice question for the SAT Reasoning Test: > **Along** the curve of islands known as the Florida Keys **lies** a reef of > living coral, **the only one** of **a kind** in the continental United > States. **_No error._** Instructions for this section: > The following sentences test your ability to recognize grammar and usage > errors. Each sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. No > sentence contains more than one error. The error, if there is one, is > underlined and lettered [ _I just made the relevant section bold_ ]. If the > sentence contains an error, select the one underlined part that must be > changed to make the sentence correct. If the sentence is correct, select > choice E. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written > English. Think hard . . . answer: > **D** ( ** _a kind_** ). Obviously, in order to be idiomatic, _the only one of a kind_ is incorrect. Our choices are:   1. _the only one of_ its _kind_ (presumably the implied correction)   2. _one of a kind_ Now, normally when ETS wants you to honor a different part of a sentence, it's not going to be up for grabs (it won't be highlighted as an answer choice). If possibility 1 in this disjunction were the absolute right answer, we'd have expected _the_ to be outside of answer choice "C" ( _the only one_ ). My highly educated teacher said that if it were his test, he'd go change the answer, but it's College Board's, and I'd just have to *deal with it. * * * ## Questions   1. **With all the English you know, how could you possibly justify choice 1 over choice 2?**     * You see, I have no choice as a high school student to submit to the test's standards. My best explanation is that, even though the two choices are nearly semantically equivalent, the first might have been seen as closer to the original intention (though technically whatever original intention was equivocal).   2. **Are both technically correct?**     * Maybe I'll bring it up to College Board.


"Apply filter" or "apply filters"

In a search user interface for an application a whole bunch of settings can be used to create a filter. A button with a label is meant to kick off the processing using the filter defined by multiple key/value pairs. Is the correct way to label the button _Apply Filter_ (singular) or _Apply Filters_ (plural)?


The person who is being rewarded is called what

How do you refer to a person who is being rewarded and the person who gives the reward? For example, if you help me with something and I want to arrange a lunch to say thanks to you as a reward, what would someone call YOU and ME?


Difference between ritual, festival, and ceremony

I am trying draw a line of distinction between these three events. As I understand it: > Ritual is somewhat related to a religion.   >  Festival is associated with a group of people and that brings happiness.   >  Ceremony is something that is followed by a group of individuals before > performing a task. Can someone please tell me if I am wrong, and also provide some examples?


What does ‘fiscal spit and glue’ mean?

I came across the word, “the fiscal equivalent of _spit and glue_ ” in today’s (July 29) article of New York Times reporting the inside story of the decision of Jay H. Walder, chairman of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority to move to a Hong Kong transit firm as its head, under the title, “Governor said to have irked Transit leader who is leaving.” The article reads: “He will be paid a much higher salary and direct the fortunes of a multinational corporation that oversees rail, real estate and economic development interests all around the world. In New York, he faced the opposite: a creaking system struggling to pay its bills, a capital investment program held together with the fiscal equivalent of _spit and glue.”_ I checked dictionaries at hand and both Cambridge and Merriam-Webster online dictionaries, I was unable to find the definition of “spit and glue,” although there was an entry of ‘spit and polish’ in the latter. From the context of the above clip, I guess ‘spit and glue’ means patchwork or a makeshift measure, but I’m not sure. What does ‘ _spit and glue’_ exactly mean? Can the word be applied to the topics of financial policies of U.S., Japan, or any other countries who are suffering mounting debt problems?


What is the difference between "vouch" and "guarantee"?

To me, there is a difference between "vouch" and "guarantee". To vouch for someone, you are stating that because of your relationship, you have knowledge that their character is good. However, I think if I introduce you to someone and vouch for them, I am leaving open the possibility that you and that person might not get along for whatever reason. To guarantee someone, to me, means that I am 100% assuring you of their future actions. So if I guarantee that my friend can fix guitars, and you go to him to have your guitar fixed, and he fails, I know you might come to me and be angry about it. I believe vouching is about character, and guaranteeing is about actions. It's possible to vouch for someone's character without guaranteeing what they'll do, and it's possible to guarantee what a person might do without necessarily knowing their broader personality (for example, I might be able to guarantee the guy at the guitar shop always fixes guitars, but I don't hang out with him, so maybe he's a jerk.) However, recently when trying to translate the concept of "vouch" into Japanese, it became apparent to me that some people do not make this distinction. The Japanese language itself does not distinguish between vouch and guarantee either. So it became unclear if my definition was a personal one. Is there a difference, is it wide enough, and is it commonly accepted?


Is "that of" used in an appropriate way?

Could you please tell me whether I use _that of_ in an appropriate way or not? > Here are the results of the calculations. **That of** calculation number > four is pretty difficult to get.


Have I corrected this sentence properly?

Could anyone clarify that I have corrected the following sentence properly? Original sentence: The day will kick off with a variety of stalls for everyone to enjoy from 10am-12pm including cakes, sweets, stationery and great selection of prizes to be won in the raffle. Corrected sentence: The day will kick off with a variety of stalls for everyone to enjoy from 10am-12pm (including cakes, sweets and stationery) and a great selection of prizes to be won in the raffle.


Meaning of 'meant' in this sentence

This is an actor's line from "waiting for forever". The boy climbs up a big object. and the girls says: > This was so not meant for heels.


How to quote a quote within a lecture?

If there is an quote in my lecture slide, for example: “180 years of being a beacon of good practice. Something very precious was lost [when Cadbury was taken over]” – Sir Dominic Cadbury Do I need to put my lecturers name and date in brackets after "Sir Dominic Cadbury "? Harvard style reference by the way


Object vs Subject?

Consider the following sentence: > "Even during the simple occurrence of **him and me** standing next to each > other makes me notice that he's taller than me." Is **_him and me_** correct? Should it be **_he and I_**?


definite vs. none article before abstract concept; again

I reviewed both:   * Definite article before scientific terms   * Use (or non-use) of articles before abstract nouns and I still cannot decide. According to the previous post my sentence should be: > If the number of I/Os of my circuit design exceeds the threshold which is > required for _the_ fast operation, then ... This is because I could say "the fast operation of my circuit". But for me it sounds very odd without this extension. I can leave out the "the"? If there is only a slight difference in the meanings... does it matter?


"I had thought there was" Vs. "I thought there was"

What's the difference between these sentences:   * I had thought there was something wrong with the tape recorder.   * I thought there was something wrong with the tape recorder. Would it be more appropriate to use the one with 'had' i.e. first one? and why?


What do we call something that is not toll-free?

What are we supposed to call a number that is not free and we have to pay for it? Paid call? Toll call? The call is made in the hometown.


"He told me that he [has/had] got temporary residence of England"

Telling a friend about another friend, > Yesterday I met John. He told me that he has/had got temporary residence of > England. Which one is fine here, _has_ or _had_?


"So long as" vs. "as long as"

Which phrase is more formal — "so long as" or "as long as"? Example: >   * So long as Google Voice allows free long distance in North America, I > will use it. >   * As long as Google Voice allows free long distance in North America, I > will use it. > I'm leaning toward 'as long as' but I have no justification.


What do you call a verb which accepts 2 nouns?

In English, there are _intransitive_ verbs which can't used with a noun, or aren't being used with a noun (eg. listen, die, ...), and _transitive_ verbs which can be (eg. almost all of them). However, amongst the _transitive_ usage of verbs, often a verb can be followed by _two_ nouns, eg. "bring me dinner", or "write John a letter". What's the name for this usage of a verb, and does it only ever apply with 2 nouns? Can any be used with 3 or more nouns?


Word for a software bug that occurs again after having fixed it?

What's the word for a software bug that reoccurs after being fixed? I'm embarking on some test-driven development (TDD) for a project, and I want to use the right term but have forgotten the word. It's not _reversion_ , but I think it sounds similar. Though I've used it many times I can't recollect the term right now, and Google isn't helping me. _Addition 1: The bug only reappeared once. It's not something that keeps on popping up. Addition 2: The correct answer popped up _7 minutes_ after asking. The amount of bikeshedding showing up after that is hilarious. _


What do you call a USB flash disk?

I assume usually you don’t say _USB flash disk_ , right? By the way, in Chinese we call it something more like _U Disk_.


Why can humour be dry but not wet?

Humour that is presented in a matter of fact way, as it weren't even an attempt to be funny, can be described as _dry_. And any sort of writing or information can be _dry_ if it's overly factual in nature. As far as I know, though, no one uses _wet_ to describe obvious humour or information with lots of flourishes. What would be the right word for the opposite of "dry" in these metaphorical senses? Or, to ask another way, what one word would you place in these sentences: > His joke definitely wasn't dry, it was downright **___ __ ___ _**! > > I thought her lecture would be dry, but it was surprisingly **___ __ ___**. When was _dry_ first used in this sense, and was _wet_ ever used as it's opposite metaphor? And if I dare ask a "why" question, is there a reason dry is used in this metaphorical sense without having pulled along the obvious antonym?


assumptions without "if" and so on

Today in the newspapers I read > Rodgers yesterday claimed had Sturridge been with his club he would have > been given extra time to recover in the same situation. I don't understand how this sentence is built up. I understand that we are supposing but there is no _if_ or _whether_ and so on.


Term for a coup of the government led by corporations?

Is there a word to describe a coup of the government led by corporations?


Usage of 'in in' in a sentence

Is punctuation required between the repeated in's? > "...users who are still active yet haven't logged **in in** more than x > days..."


Connotations  of "arousing"

Does the sentence > It was **arousing** have a sexual connotation?


Are there words in English that are both alliterations and rhyme?

I'm wondering if it is possible for words to be both alliterations and rhyme with each other? It seems like it is possible, especially if you allow for a different number of syllables, but I can't find any good examples?


Is "by the street" valid English?

Is "walking _by_ the street" grammatical? Or do I need to write " _in/on_ the street"? Do they convey a different meaning?


can nymous be used as an antonym of anonymous

What should I use as an antonym of anonymous ? is `nymous` a correct antonym of anonymous ?


Is the headline of this blog correct?

Is the headline of this blog correct? > Does Online Learning Offer the Same Value as Face-to-Face Instruction? > College Presidents & the General Public Disagree When I read the headline I thought both College Presidents and the general public disagree that online learning learning can offer same value as face-to- face instruction. But when I read the article it actually meant that College Presidents and the general public had a disagreement on the issue. Is the headline genuinely ambiguous or am I the one misunderstanding? If it is wrong, then what would be the correct headline to represent the intended idea?


Why does "savior" have an "i"?

_Savor_ or _saver_ (cf. _lifesaver_ ) both seem more plausible. Why is there an _i_ before the -or ending?


More Than One "from" in a Single Phrase

I apologize if this has already been raised elsewhere. I was unable to find an answer to the question of when, if ever, it is acceptable form to include multiple uses of the word "from" in a single phrase. The example I have in mind can be seen in the following: "He made every effort to steer himself as far in the opposite direction from where he had come from as he possibly could". If the sentence is fine, cool. If not, any suggestions as to how it might be rewritten to correctly convey the same intended meaning? Thanks!


Is "on someone's view" standard among academic philosophers?

I've recently seen the phrase _on his or her view_ used by two philosophers to mean "according to him or her" — for example, "On Frick's view, we have a disjunctive definition." The phrase seems odd — how can something be _on_ a view? Is it in common use among philosophers?


Meaning of an expression

What exactly does this expression mean ? "its not you or her." I heard this sentence from a native English speaker and I don't want to explain more! I hope this sentence itself would be sufficient for you to help me! :) Thank you!


How to use articles in parentheses?

Do I need to use an article for the option word in parentheses? > If you want to create a new design of a handle (flag), the outer diameter of > the casing can be changed in the place of possible junction with a handle > (diverter). or > If you want to create a new design of a handle ( _a_ flag), the outer > diameter of the casing can be changed in the place of possible junction with > a handle ( _a_ diverter). or even > If you want to create a new design of a handle (or flag), the outer diameter > of the casing can be changed in the place of possible junction with a handle > (or diverter).


Can you use obverse/reverse when referring to a sheet of paper?

Is it acceptable to use 'obverse and reverse' when referring to the sides of a loose-leaf sheet of paper? The wikipedia article on, "Obverse and Reverse" stated that: > "Obverse and its opposite, reverse, refer to the two flat faces of coins and > _some_ other two-sided objects, including paper money, flags, seals, medals, > drawings, old master prints and other works of art, and printed fabrics." I'm aware of verso and recto, but I've only seen it refer to pages bound together.


Which of these two sentences is grammatically correct?

Which sentence is grammatically correct: In the fall Julie will attend graduate school in Italy. Or Julie will attend graduate school in Italy in the fall.


Past tense of the verb "FedEx"

How do I write the past tense of _FedEx_? For example: > I **FedEx'd** the package to you yesterday. > > I **Fedexd** the package to you yesterday. > > I **FedEx-d** the package to you yesterday. I am transcribing verbatim so I can't change the wording.


"Decisions come to us" vs. "decisions come at us"

>   * Decisions come _to_ us. >   * Decisions come _at_ us. > Which is one is correct, and why?


present tense with past perfect?

I came across something really strange today in class. Because it was an anecdote, the story changed from past to present. Then, in the same sentence, the writer used the past perfect tense with the present tense. > "I go into the room, and see the guy take my bag that I had left there." Can this possibly be correct?


"Conception" vs. "inception"

A friend of mine just stated: > I'm unimpressed by iOS6, most of the "features" they are introducing have > been there since Android's **conception**. I was about to correct him, believing _inception_ to be the correct word. When should one be used over the other?


Using any punctuation, how many meanings does this sign have?

I was walking in the Norfolk countryside today, when I spotted this sign. ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/IubX3.jpg) Notice that it is devoid of punctuation. It is obviously a warning sign to motorists. However, it made me giggle. Using any punctuation, how many meanings does it have? You can use colloquialisms. EDIT: This is a comedy post. The inteneded mening is clear. I am looking for comedy answers!


Sentence fragments as modifiers: "self-sacrifice incarnate, the 10th Doctor wavered..."?

I was recently asked to choose which of following two excerpts sounded better: > Emotionally vulnerable and _incarnate of self-sacrifice_ , the Tenth Doctor > wavered between romantic and intensely protective relationships with his > companions. > > Emotionally vulnerable and _self-sacrifice incarnate_ , the Tenth Doctor > wavered between romantic and intensely protective relationships with his > companions. I'm fairly certain this is a Dr. Who reference. I argued that, even if the first one was changed to read "Emotionally vulnerable and incarnation of self-sacrifice," the second one was a better choice as "self-sacrifice incarnate" is an (compound?) adjective, where "incarnation of self-sacrifice" is a noun (right?). But, even though I'm pretty sure the second choice is the better of the two, I can't explain why. In fact, I can't even explain what to call this whole thing. The programmer in me won't let me rest until I know what it is, how it should be used and, potentially/if necessary, why. I've spend the last 30 minutes Googling away for an answer to no avail -- primarily because I'm not sure for what it is I'm searching. So, to summarize: Which wording should be used and why? Moreover, what are these types of descriptors called?


silver lining explained

What is, in the physical sense, the silver lining of a cloud? Is it something that exists? (I know it has some poetic origin, but maybe back then, silver lining was something, like rays shining through clouds.) And, shouldn't the title of the film be "Silver linings' playbook", with an apostrophe?


“Government by [two/three/many persons]” is to “[diarchy/triarchy/polyarchy]” as “government by simple majority” is to what?

The government by ...   * ... two persons is called "diarchy,"   * ... three persons is called "triarchy,"   * ... many persons is called "polyarchy." So, my question is, is there a word to define the government by the simple majority of persons? More precisely, I'm thinking of a word that completes the following progression: > diarchy, triarchy, polyarchy, **X**. In fact, I think that "polyarchy" doesn't necessarily imply that the number of persons involved in the government is greater than the 50% of the total number of persons involved.[I hope that this sentence is clearly comprehensible] It's worth noting that "democracy" is not the word I'm looking for because such a word, as far as I know, defines a complex concept not based only on the majority criterion. **Note**   I have already asked this question on English Language Learners [->], but, just after having asked, the question was closed as off topic apparently because it was " _not really a Learners' level of question_." Yet, I think the StoneyB's and Mistu4u's answers aren't entirely satisfactory.


Is it "Play it by ear" or "play it by year"?

I've come across a few cases where I needed to write this phrase and I cannot determine which is correct. Do we "play it by ear" or "play it by year"? I'm using this with the intended meaning of something like "we'll figure it out as we go". I'm not using it in any sort of musical sense.


Using an adjective to describe something that is already intended

Is there a word that describes the case of using an adjective to describe a noun that already suggests as much? **Examples** >   * the _pretty model_ won all of the awards >   * the _smart genius_ answered every question >   * the _dangerous monster_ ate the man >   * the _fast jet_ >   * the _floating buoy_ > Some of these examples might not be the best, but I hope they give the right idea. I know they are superfluous, but I'm not trying to define the adjectives themselves, but the act of using them.


Is there a technical term for what creationists call "macroevolution"?

The term _macroevolution_ is often abused (see the section "Misuse" in the Wikipedia article) by creationists who are referencing the Biblical concept of immutable "kinds" of animals. Is there a word or conveniently short phrase that could be employed to distinguish between evolution (both micro- and macroevolution) and the evolution of one "kind" into another? Baraminology is a relevant topic that may be helpful. Edit: I am definitely not asking for a new term. The mental image conjured up by the term "macroevolution" (amoebas to apes) is much different from its actual scientific definition (anything changing at a taxonomical level). This seems to be the root of the problem. I am looking for the way a scientist would describe grasshoppers-to-kittens "evolution" (This is what Creationists incorrectly use the term macroevolution to refer to), without including "speciation" which is what macroevolution really refers to.


Unfamiliar use of "cricket"

I came across a use of the word _cricket_ today that was new to me. It was in an article written by an American author about his recent trip to Egypt and about the role of the U.S. in the current uprisings in Africa and the Middle East. Here's the quote: > In the 20th century, when Western economies began to run on gasoline, and > the naked plunder of natural resources was no longer considered **cricket** > , the great powers established a network of petty monarchs and "strongmen," > local warlords they propped up, subverted or seduced—whatever it took to > keep the oil flowing. > > Crowther, Hal. "Arab Spring." _The Independent_ March 2011 I looked it up and found this at Oxford Online: > **not cricket** > > _British informal_ a thing contrary to traditional standards of fairness or > rectitude. which I assume is the writer's meaning, but it just brought up more questions. He used it in the positive. Is this correct? Is this use of _cricket_ related to the sport? Is it common?


"It was from that moment where" vs. "it was from that moment when"

> Now that I think about it, it was from that moment where I started to have > doubts about him. Would it be better to use the word "when" instead of "where," or are they both equally valid word choices? Is there any difference at all?


Another way to say "the end of our relationship."

I want to say "it's getting close to the end of our relationship" without using the word "relationship." Are these both equally valid? "It's getting close to the end of us." "It's getting close to the end for us." I think that these both might be equally ambiguous, but I could be wrong. I think "the end" could be misinterpreted.


Does the American English hesitation sound “uh” imply ignorance, like “d’uh”?

In British English, a pause in speech is usually marked by the word “er” or “erm” and means something like “let me think”, or “what’s the word”. There is no implication of anything other than hesitation. The same is used in American English, but most often it seems to be transliterated as “uh”. Because of the existence of “d’uh” and “d’oh”, which imply a stupid mistake or a facepalm situation, I wonder if “uh” has an added implication that the speaker is stupid or ignorant? This seems possible because an intelligent and practised speaker will often be able to construct a speech without hesitation or _filler_ words like this.


Minimize VS Minimalize

First, is minimalize a word? If so, what is the difference between the 2 words and when to use them?


What word suits best: Who are my friends or Who my friends are?

I'm very confused with these words. Which is best applied in my project? Please help me with this problem because I need to submit my project tomorrow.


The right way to talk about my thesis?

Is either of these grammatically and semantically correct? > As part of my undergraduate thesis, I undertook a project under ... or > I undertook a thesis research project under ... If not, how do I phrase it such that it indicates I took up a project **and** submitted a thesis on the subject?


Adjective or adverb

Is "far" an adjective or adverb in the following sentence: How **far** is Los Angeles from New York City?


Rule for when to use "could" as a helper?

> It would be helpful if you could provide us further details. Is the use of _could_ wrong here? Should it be > It would be helpful if you provide us further details. What is the rule when should we just stick to the present form without any helping verb?


Is there a word like "sides" that means "top or bottom"?

"Sides" can be used to describe positioning relative to the left or right of an object. Is there a corresponding word that has the same meaning for the top or bottom of an object? For example, if I say "side padding," it's pretty clear that I'm talking about padding from the left and right edge. I want to be able to say the same thing about the top and bottom edge.


"Bind" vs. "bond"

_"In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond."_ This idiom puzzles me because what is the difference between bind/bound and bond/bonded? When do I use bind, when do I use bond? (Also, incidentally, who said this quote?)   * Related question: “bound” or “bonded”


"Well paint me green and call me a cucumber! I just […]"

> Well, [perform some action against me (through which I will be complacent)], > and call me a [something humorous which I would then resemble]. [Sincere or > feigned exclamation of a recently apparent truth] I've heard variations of this template phrase through the years, but I've never understood how the parts are supposed to work together. I believe the structure was often used in the dialog of the television show "Perfect Strangers" by Cousin Balki, but I was very young and couldn't understand it at the time. Regrettably, the show is no longer on the air. It seems that the first and second sentences should be related somehow. I don't have any examples of a funny complete phrase.   1. Where did this structure originate?    2. Does it have a name?   3. Do you know any good examples?    4. In which humorous situations would it be appropriate to use such a phrase?


Word for "without asking for it"

Is there any word in place of _without asking for it_ in the following example? > If you want to learn how to get a job offer **without asking for it** , buy > this book. The word _spontaneous_ popped into my mind, but it doesn't seem right because, in the above example, the event isn't really spontaneous as the other party consciously chose to offer the other person a job, without the job-seeker having asked for it first.


Meaning of "beautiful mind"

In some movies, when people want to describe a genius they say > Are you one of those **beautiful mind** guys? Does _beautiful mind_ refer to the movie _A Beautiful Mind_ , and does it mean _genius_? Is it right to use it in everyday conversations? What about academic ones?


"it's all in the wrist"

What is the meaning and origin of this idiom? Internet searches are confounded by the many headlines and jokes that allude to the phrase superficially (e.g., “repetitive strain injury – it's all in the wrist”).


"Firehouse" vs. "fire station"

In the United States, is _firehouse_ used specifically to refer to the fire station in small town?


Am I misusing didactic and tridactic?

I have often used _tridactic_ to mean the process of the brain in hearing _pomme_ , translating it to _apple_ , and ultimately to the understanding of "apple." _Didactic_ I used loosely in conjunction with _tridactic_ for the two-stepped process of just _apple_ to the understanding of _apple_. There must be a better word or phrase that distinguishes the difference between fluency and translation.


What is an alternative to "hairy" for things which don't have hair?

My 2-year-old son has to bring in interesting leaves and foliage into nursery this week. We came across a leaf that we have been describing to him as "hairy". However, it occurred to me that it is not actual hair, so "hairy" is probably not the right word. Is there a better one? It doesn't have to be one for my son to use. I'm just interested.


Etymology of "Green Paper" and similar expressions

Is there any other similar expression beside **White Paper** , **Green Paper** , **Yellow Pages** and **Blue Book**? What is relation between their color and their meaning?


What does "an unwillingness of a privileged white author to abandon his frame" mean?

I am not a native English speaker and I am wondering what the bolded phrase means in the following context: > What went wrong with “Yellow Rain”? Kao Kalia Yang sees her experience with > Radiolab as a demonstration of racism, **an unwillingness of a privileged > white author to abandon his frame and consider another frame**. I think it’s > clear that Krulwich wasn’t willing to abandon his frame, whether from an > unwillingness to value Eng Yang’s experience in the face of an apparent > contradiction from scientific research, or from an interest in pursuing a > story to its journalistic conclusion. His behavior was most embarrassing > when he accused Ms. Yang of attempting to monopolize the frame because, of > course, that’s precisely what he was trying to do. Krulwich had a story he > wanted to tell about yellow rain, and didn’t want Kao Kalia Yang’s story to > get in his way.


What is the meaning of "to look like a square"?

I read this at oatmeal: > Hey, he is clapping along to the music! How quaint! I should too. I would > not want to **look like a square**! Another one: > You Won't **Look Like a Square** With B-Side's Cubic, Steam-Punk Jewelry (Emphasis added.) Now, what does it mean by looking _like a square_? Amazingly, Google doesn't know what that means.


What is the name of the small containers of half & half, etc.?

Does anyone know what the word/name for the small plastic cup things that contain liquids (like half and half for coffee) is? Right now I’m using _sachet_ because a coworker started to do so, but I’ve never heard them being called that (looked it up and apparently it's legit). I’ve thought of _packets_ but I feel like there might be a proper word for it. Also, what do people call it in everyday usage? I don’t drink coffee so I’ve never really had to think about it.


Words with Transposed or Inverted Syllables

In its definition of _sideburns_ , _Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary_ , Eleventh Edition (2003) refers to the spelling as an "anagram of _burnsides_." But since _derubniss_ , _sisburden_ , and _ubersnids_ are likewise anagrams of _burnsides_ , the term _anagram_ doesn't get at the most interesting aspect of _sideburns_ , which is its transposition or inversion of complete syllables from the original word. (The Eleventh Collegiate dates _burnsides_ to 1875 and _sideburns_ to 1887.) Similarly, _tagrag_ goes back at least as far as 1599, when Shakespeare has Casca say (in act 1, scene 2 of _Julius Caesar_ ) "If the tag-rag people did not clap him and hiss him, according as he pleased and displeased them, as they use to do the players in the theatre, I am no true man"; _ragtag_ , meanwhile, has a first-occurrence date of 1820, according to the Eleventh Collegiate. And finally the Eleventh Collegiate dates _woodpecker_ to circa 1530 and _peckerwood_ to 1904. The closest descriptive terms for _sideburns_ , _ragtag_ , and _peckerwood_ that I've been able to find are _metaplasm_ ("moving from their natural place letters or syllables of a word") and _metathesis_ ("transposition of letters out of normal order in a word")—both definitions quoted from Richard A. Lanham, _A Handlist of Rhetorical Terms_ (1968). But is there a term that specifically refers to whole-syllable transpositions and not to partial or augmented ones (like the anagrams/metaplasms _bass-ackwards_ , _erewhon_ , and _spandex_ )? And secondly, are there other examples of English words that fall into this class? I'm looking for words that reverse syllables while (at least at first) retaining the original meaning of the word, not words (like _passover_ and _overpass_ ) that happen to have mirrored syllables.


How to say "rocket at launch"?

If I write "rocket at moment X", "rocket in assembly", "in flight", how do I say when it's about to be launched? "At launch"? Sounds like "I eat rockets at lunch".


What's the meaning of "turning the state of the art to the state of the practice"?

What's the meaning of "turning the state of the art to the state of the practice" in the following context: "We have the resources, the professional experience and the background to deliver turnkey services starting from research and study to the provision of finished products and services and turn the state of the art into the state of the practice."


A word or expression for someone who had a very important influence in your life?

How to say that someone had a very important influence in your life? I know the word "milestone" which is mostly used for events.. Is there any similar word that can be used for people? Thanks!


Appropriate preposition to go with "concerned"

> He is deeply concerned for vulnerable children. Is this correct? Or is there a better preposition to use instead of _for_? What exactly does this phrase mean? What about "He is deeply concerned with vulnerable children"?


Degrees of comparison for words ending in "-ly"

Would you make a word ending in _-ly_ positive, comparative, or superlative? I'm sort of leaning towards positive at the moment, and if the answer is positive, would you put _more_ and _most_ for comparative and superlative, respectively (e.g., _more excitedly_ , _most excitedly_ , etc.)? Actually, now that I think about it, it doesn't sound like it makes sense...


Usage of the word “issue”

I consider the word _issue_ to be a loose synonym of the word _problem_. Can I use the word _issue_ to refer to the scope of problems discussed in some work of art? For example, _the opera's issue_? By the way, can I call an opera _work of art_ or this term can be applied only to pictures, scuptures and stuff like that?


"there doesn't seem" vs. "there don't seem"

As an example, consider the two sentences: > There don't seem to be any doctors here. and > There doesn't seem to be any doctors here. To my ear, the first sounds great, and the second is painfully awkward. So which is correct, grammatically? I've found lots of disagreement on this around the Web, with various sources citing different ways of treating the word "any" (as singular, always, or as either depending on to what it refers). No consensus, however, could I locate.


altruism in a negative context?

Can altruism be used in a negative context to show a person doing something bad but unselfishly. He did such and such quite altruistically actually. Its meant to be tongue in cheek. Does that work?


Does ambulance refer to the vehicle being used or the purpose of the vehicle?

Does the word ambulance refer to the large van-like vehicle or does it refer to the purpose of the vehicle. By that I mean is this: ![](http://i.stack.imgur.com/YBXKU.jpg) referred to as an ambulance or an "ambulance car"? If it is an "ambulance car" should the large van-like vehicle be called a "ambulance van" ?


Is "a long way to go" the same as "you need to learn a lot"?

Today I cooked something, but the taste was not good (horrible, in fact). When my roomy tasted it, she said > You gotta long way to go. I asked her what exactly it meant, she replied "You need to learn a lot". But so far I only knew it meant "You will be successful in future". So, can anybody tell me what exactly "A long way to go" means and where I should use this phrase?


"Passed" vs "past": Usage in an error message

I wrote code to detect a problem where live video playout of a file had moved beyond the end of the clip on disk. The clip itself may be growing due to an ongoing recording or a transfer of the file across a network. The error message described the effect ("displayed black") followed by a helpful hint about the possible reason: `passed media EOF?` I waffled for quite a while between that and `past media EOF?` Both are true: The "play head" has _passed_ the end of the file and it is now _past_ the end. Ultimately I chose `passed` because it described the event. It allows for the fact that the file may grow and then stop again, causing a second occurrence of the message when we _pass_ the EOF once again. It does cause confusion for people who are dealing with a file that _won't_ grow. In that case _past EOF_ seems more accurate. Is one clearly better than the other in this application?