What is the meaning of these phrases in the given context?

I was reading a novel, and came across a couple of sentences which I couldn't really get the meaning of. The particular sentences are marked in bold, and I've added some background, for the context. **Background-** > “Elle, are you all right?” > > “I’m fine.” > > “You’re not acting fine.” > > I turned my face to let water splash on it. “My father just died, Dan,and I > went on a bender. How fine do you think I am?” > > He rubbed my back. “Okay, I get it. Ask a stupid question—” > > “Exactly.” I wasn’t up to verbal sparring. **Context-** > There was to be a funeral, of course, and a gathering at the house, after. > The perfect theater for my drama-queen mother to parade her grief in front > of friends and family. I didn’t begrudge her, really. She’d never been a > perfect mother or wife, and I had my issues with her, but she had been > married to the man, after all. She’d chosen to stay with him. She’d earned > her martyr’s crown. > > Considering my father’s body had enough alcohol in it **to keep him pickled > for a year, she nonetheless wasted no time in setting it all up.** **If she > couldn’t wait to get him into the ground, I don’t suppose I can blame her.** > I understood that urgency, that sense of having to always get the worst out > of the way so as to move on to something else. I’d learned it from her. So, the sentences in question are- > Considering my father’s body had enough alcohol in it to keep him pickled > for a year, she nonetheless wasted no time in setting it all up. If she > couldn’t wait to get him into the ground, I don’t suppose I can blame her. Now, I found the most accurate definition of "pickled" in this context from this Merriam-Webster link which says- > **pickled** _adjective_ > > preserved with salt water or vinegar > > very drunk or intoxicated There are some related sentences where "pickled" is used in this conext- > Examples of **PICKLED** > > He got pickled at the office party. > > I must have been rather pickled when I agreed to your stupid scheme. From the above description, it is clear that "pickled" in the sentence in question is intended to mean "drunk". Am I correct in this assessment? If yes, my question is the next part of the sentence, which says- > she nonetheless wasted no time **in setting it all up** Considering that her father had enough alcohol in him to keep him pickled(read: drunk) for a year, what was set up? My first thought was the setting-up of a casket, and/or other funeral setting, but this doesn't sit well with the first part of the sentence. My last question is the first part of the next sentence- > If she couldn’t wait to get him into the ground What does this mean? Is it supposed to mean something on the lines of- she wanted to be over with the funeral as soon as possible?


How to best explain the use of best?

I've been asked to explain the use of best in the phrase "humans have found how best to live together" other than saying its an adverb I'm stumped, could someone wiser help me out.


Does "more or less" mean "almost"?

I checked out its meaning on the web and the common one I have found is "speaking imprecisely", but instinctively I thought it would be like "almost", for example: > The task assigned is more or less over, only formatting is left to be done.


What is the meaning of "blinkers on and a case of Red Bull"?

One of my developer wrote to me in chat, > please tell LK that you need your blinkers on and a case of Red Bull. (Here LK is the name of my senior.) What does "need blinkers on and a case of Red Bull" mean?


"You really take the biscuit!"

Is there an American version of "You really take the biscuit!"? As in taking the last biscuit, i.e. it's incredible how selfish you are.


Is there a hiatus in the word 'aerial'?

My editor _informed_ me that, if I use any diaeresis marks at all, then I must be consistent! I consistently use a diaeresis mark in coördinator and coöperation. The periodical, Popular Educator (c 1890) had this to say: > “The Diæresis: [#] 77. The diæresis shows that the letter over which it is > placed is to be pronounced separately; as, Creätor, zoönomia, aërial … “ I agree with, zo-onomia; and I can understand, Cre-ator, but a-erial? The Encarta Dictionary (c 2000) shows the pronunciation of (aerial) as áiree əl. Is it just my accent, or is there a hiatus in aerial?


"Has been changed" or "has changed"?

Debate with a fellow writer: should I say "My email ID has been changed" or "My email ID has changed"?


deputizing and covering..."for" or not

Which of the following is grammatical? >   * I am deputizing for him/her. >   * I am deputizing him/her. > I think in the case of _covering_ you have to use: > I am covering for him/her. ...or do you?


Is the phrase "out of the box" an adjective or an adverb or an idiom?

Could someone explain the meaning of the phrase "out of the box"? Is it an adjective or an adverb or an idiom? Please point out its function in below sentences. > For Python fans of Google’s Cloud SQL (currently available in limited > preview), the long awaited out-of-the-box support for the Django framework > has arrived and is now available as an experimental feature. > > Django 1.3 is not available on all Python runtimes out of the box


Etymology of 'Pizzazz'

A question from December 2011 asked What is the social context of "pizzazz"?. I'm curious about the word's etymology. I checked some reference books, but they showed very little agreement about the origin of the term, as the following extracts indicate. _American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language_ (1981): > [Expressive.] _Webster's New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language_ , Second Edition (Simon & Schuster, 1983): > [probably echoic of exuberant cry] _Brewer's Dictionary of Twentieth-Century Phrase and Fable_ (1992): > US slang from the 1960s for flamboyant energy and style. Originally a show- > business term, it is now applied to anyone or anything having glamour or > flair. It is thought to derive from the sound of a racing car's engine. R. L. Chapman and B. A. Kipfer, _Dictionary of American Slang_ , Third Edition (1995): > [origin unknown; perhaps echoically suggested by _piss_ , _ass_ , and _piss > and vinegar_ ] _Encarta World English Dictionary_ , 1999): > [Mid-20thC. The origin of this word is uncertain, but it may have been an > invention of Diana Vreeland who was a fashion editor for the publication > Harper's Bazaar during the 1930s.] _The New Oxford American English Dictionary_ (2001): > —ORIGIN said to have been invented by Diana Vreeland, fashion editor of > Harper's Bazaar in the 1930s. _Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary_ , Eleventh Edition (2003): > [origin unknown] (1937) A Google search turned up a few other interesting points. First, Google found a copy of _Harper's Bazaar_ from 1937 (volume 71, part 1) that supposedly contains multiple instances of _pizazz_. Unfortunately, only one snippet shows text including the word, and the sentence in that instance is practically illegible except for the phrase "will put the pizazz into tramping and driving." Second, Google finds a single, seemingly coincidental instance of _pizazz_ from the October 1907 issue of _Motor_ (The National Monthly Magazine of Motoring), in a jokey article by M. Worth Colwell called "The Motor Affairs of Pharoah—II": > And there was a tower which was like the tower of Babel, and upon it was > written an inscription that said: ' _What made the leaning Tower of Pizazz > lean, whereas it was once fat?_ ' And third, in a snippet from a book called _It's a Woman's Business_ (1976), Estelle Hamburger claims that the original source of the term wasn't _Harper's Bazaar_ , but the Harvard _Lampoon_ : > "Swing is Here to Sway," says Bamberger's in an ad of young swing dance > dresses. "Pizzazz," a sizzling word first used in the Harvard _Lampoon_ , > spotted by Harper's Bazaar, is scooped up by Bonwit Teller in an ad of > fashions with that extra bit Can anyone shed further light on the source and etymology of _pizzazz_?


Should I use a plural when describing a state? Such as SingleProductMode vs MultipleProductsMode?

Let say if I have a product which has a mode which I call               Single Product Mode     or SingleProductMode      then for multiple products, should it be               Multiple Products Mode     MultipleProductsMode      or               Multiple Product Mode     MultipleProductMode      That is, should it be singular or plural for "multiple product(s) mode"? And what is the rule that governs this usage? Is it that when "multiple products" is used like an adjective, then it should not be plural?


How to interpret a statement consisting of two ORs?

I found this statement on a newspaper that is the subject of a recent controversy: > "no guarantee or loan shall be given or raised by the Government except > under the authority of any resolution of Parliament with which the President > concurs" There are two possible interpretations: > "(no guarantee shall be given) or (no loan shall be raised) by the > Government except under the authority of any resolution of Parliament with > which the President concurs" OR > (no guarantee or loan) shall be (given or raised) by the Government except > under the authority of any resolution of Parliament with which the President > concurs" I am confused. Which should be the correct interpretation. I am looking for answers that provide references, not personal opinions. Thanks.


How many syllables were in 3ps endings with -th

When reading the King James Version of the Bible, we often hear, e.g., "maketh" pronounced in two syllables. Is this an accurate reflection of the pronunciation of that word when it was commonly used?


Which is right: "In one of the computers" or "On one of the computers"?

Do you say IN one of the computers or ON one of the computers? Which is right?


"Chief Cook and Bottle Washer" meaning and etymology

In my experience, referring to someone in an organization as "chief cook and bottle washer" has multiple possible meanings:   1. person has a wide variety of duties in the organization   2. person is very, perhaps uniquely, important to the organization in a non-obvious way   3. person is almost useless to the organization #1 seems to be the most common usage, and I'm not sure whether the others are misusages, and, if not, if #3 is ironic or just one of those weird "has two opposite meanings" things. Also, it's unclear how to parse it. Are "chief cook" and "bottle washer" two distinct professions? If they are, is he chief cook _and_ chief bottle washer, or is he a subordinate bottle washer? Or is "cook and bottle washer" a single profession, of which he is the organization's chief member? Each of these interpretations could imply different ultimate meanings. And lastly, if anyone knows of an etymology, that would be great. From my failed research, it seems that it might be military in origin.


Using the possessive apostrophe in formal English

I am writing an essay and my teacher told us to use "Formal Academic English". Would using a possessive apostrophe like "Obama's decision to.." be considered informal? Don't tell me to ask my teacher, since its due tomorrow. But more generally, I'd like to know whether the apostrophe genitive construction, e.g., _Obama's decision_ can be freely interchanged with the _of_ -PP construction, e.g., _The decision of Obama_ in all cases.


Word to describe "planned disrepair"

This comes from a software world. There is a hidden feature in our product that is no longer needed but may be needed someday. Typically, if we remove a feature we would "deprecate" or "obsolete" the feature. However, we don't want to remove the feature, we simply want to stop testing it. Over time it will rot or degrade and need to be polished if we ever want to support the feature again. Can anyone think of a better word for what we are doing to this feature or what state we are putting the feature in?


What is the correct conjunction or punctuation for the following sentence?

I have two sentences as follows:   1. We don't know what we should do if the worst case happens.    2. The worse case is when the math teacher does not allow us to use calculators in the test. I want to combine them into a single sentence. I am thinking of the following options but not sure which one is the correct one. > We don't know what we should do if the worst case happens; the math teacher > does not allow us to use calculators in the test. or > We don't know what we should do if the worst case happens---the math teacher > does not allow us to use calculators in the test. or > We don't know what we should do if the worst case -- the math teacher does > not allow us to use calculators in the test -- happens.


Is there any rhyming word for the word 'month'?

I searched but I found that the word 'month' I am looking for, has no perfectly rhyming word. Is it true? Can anyone suggest rhyming words for this word? I also have certain words like 'millionth'. Is this a suitable match for rhyming with 'month'?


What does "Kalipedia" mean?

> Kalipedia, he prophesied, would soon be generally adopted..   >  \- James Joyce, Ulysses I cannot find any information about this word! It doesn't help that there appears to be a Spanish online encyclopedia of the same name. What does _Kalipedia_ mean in this context? It sounds as if it's an ideology or way of doing things perhaps?


What does "prisoner of birth" mean?

What does _prisoner of birth_ mean? I was reading a Jeffrey Archer novel of the same name, but couldn't figure out what this phrase really means.


Is there a word for a middle-aged person who tries too hard to keep up with trends?

Is there a word for when someone (often a middle-aged father) constantly tries too hard to keep up with 'trends'?


"How long do we have?"

Which of the following is correct? > How much time do we have until class starts?   >  How long do we have until class starts?


"Hypocrisy is the compliment vice pays to virtue" -- what does this mean?

I heard Christopher Hitchens say this in a debate, and he attributed it to someone I hadn't heard of. But I fixated on this quotation and thought about it for a while. _**Hypocrisy is the compliment vice pays to virtue._** I think my command of English is reasonably strong, but I cannot make sense of this.


"In/on the App Store"

This is the official Apple logo for apps: ![Available on the App Store!](http://i.stack.imgur.com/YKDCj.png) What's the logic behind using _on_ instead of _in_? It doesn't sound grammatically correct.


Etymology of "avalising" (guaranteeing)

An _avalising bank_ is a "bank that ensures payment on a note, bond, or other debt instrument in the event of default. ... the avalising bank is not a party to the transaction in any other way". What is the etymology of _avalising_ , and when was it first used? Is there an infinitival form of it in English? (Presumably it's from French _avaliser_ , "To back, to support; to endorse", but I haven't found much more than that.) (Note: I encountered this word on page 75 of Len Deighton's 1988 novel _Spy Hook_ : > ... Werner made his money by avalising, which means he financed East > European exports to the West with hard currency borrowed from anywhere he > could get it. He paid high interest and he lived on narrow margins. ... Apparently Deighton's understanding of the term is grittier than the dictionary definition.)


What does "graduate applicant" mean?

Does the term "graduate applicant" mean "a person who applies to get graduated" or "a graduate who applies for something"? If it is the second one, what can we call a person who applies for a graduation program?


Why is "a couple of <things>" often shortened to "a couple <things>"?

I would write _a couple of_. I often read/hear _a couple_. I assumed this was an American English thing (I'm British), and just a convenient shortening of the phrase for speaking. It's easier to say _a couple minutes_ vs _a couple of minutes._ On a side note, this doesn't seem to restrict the number of things to two, but just a small amount–less than _a few_ , in my mind.


Did you ever hear(see, do, anything else) vs. Have you ever(seen, done, and so on) heard?

What's correct? If both, what is the difference between these questions? An example from The Valley of Fear by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: > MacDonald turned over the letter which Holmes had handed him. «Posted in > Camberwell – that doesn't help us much. Name, you say, is assumed. Not much > to go on, certainly.   >  «Twice.»   >  «And how?»   >  «In notes to Camberwell postoffice.»   >  « **Did you ever** trouble to see who called for them?»   >  «No.»   >  The inspector looked surprised and a little shocked. «Why not?»   >  «Because I always keep faith. I had promised when he first wrote that I > would not try to trace him.»   >  «You think there is someone behind him?»   >  «I know there is.»   >  «This professor that I've heard you mention?»   >  «Exactly!» and > «Well, Mr. Holmes, I admit that what you say is interesting: it's more than > interesting – it's just wonderful. But let us have it a little clearer if > you can. Is it forgery, coining, burglary – where does the money come from?»   >  « **Have you ever** read of Jonathan Wild?»   >  «Well, the name has a familiar sound. Someone in a novel, was he not? I > don't take much stock of detectives in novels – chaps that do things and > never let you see how they do them. That's just inspiration: not business.»


What's the correct way to imply that a course is not taken online?

I'd like to know how I should write on my CV that some courses I've taken were taken online (i.e. on websites, through videos and such) while others were actually taken on an institute/school etc. For example:   * Online Education     * Foo (at example.com)     * Bar (at somesite.com)   * (place your suggestion here) education     * Baz      * Quux  There's a word in Portuguese which is sometimes used to convey that meaning: _presencial_. I think it _would_ be possible to use the English word _presential_ with the same meaning, but somehow it doesn't sound so natural. Could anybody present some possibilities? Thanks in advance.


how do you say "write onto a piece of paper" in a more creative way?

I want to use an alternative to the expression > write onto a piece of paper I would like to rephrase this to sound more interesting. Can anyone provide suggestions?


First conditional only for future tense?

Is the first conditional used only for the future, or can it also be used for present tense? Could you please give some examples?


What do you call a person who craves fame and fortune?

What do you call a person who craves fame and fortune, or wants to be recognized for something?


Is "Fade in" an idiom around authors?

A couple of days ago, I saw a character on the show Californication type `Fade in:` and then continue to write a movie script (as you can see here). Yesterday, I heard someone say: > If you would like to write a successful book, just type "Fade in" and start > writing. Is `Fade in` an idiom around authors? Is it commonly used?


Would "Greetings" be a better word to greet someone any time than the word "Hello"?

Would "greetings" be a better word to greet someone anytime than the word "hello"? Let say I meet Mr. Jackson at 2pm and Mr. Anderson at 7pm. Would it be better to greet them as "Greetings Mr. Jackson" and "Greetings Mr. Anderson" than "Hello, Mr. Jackson" and "Hello, Mr. Anderson"? I wish to greet my customers in a polite manner, so would the word "greetings" be more "polite" than the word "hello"?


A quantity followed by a measurement (eg: 200 35mm circles)

If you have a quantity of items, where the items themselves are described with a measurement, how should you format this so it is unambiguous? For example, _This diagram contains..._   * _two hundred thirty-five millimeter circles._ (looks like you have 235 circles)   * _200 35mm circles._ (only a space prevents it from being over twenty thousand circles)   * _200× 35mm circles._ (looks like the circles are somehow 200mm × 35mm)   * _200 - 35mm circles._ (looks like 200 minus 35) A good solution needs to work for various numbers: 200 35mm circles, 129 2.5mm circles, etc.


"Be not" or "is not"?

My point here is trying to explain why the message issued is not correct according to the operations allowed ahead.   However, I'm in doubt about the bold part, is it grammaticaly correct or is there another way to put it ? > We should change the message content, so that, its content be not so strict.


"Pitcher" or "Pitchee" when referring to oneself in a submission form

I'm pitching a story to a public broadcaster and the layout asks that I put my name on the top of the form. Am I the "Pitcher" or the "Pitchee", or should I just go with "Name"? "Name" seems too vague IMHO.


Is it okay saying "What the deal with him is that ...."

I am non-native english speaker, and I just realized that I use expression like this a lot "what the deal with is that he is too laid-back and reckless". I just checked on the internet and I did not find any links corresponding to this particular expression. So I am wondering whether it is a even a valid expression? I guess it is same as "what I want to do" or "what I have in my mind"


How good is my pronunciation?

I am not sure if this is the place to post this. If it is not, forgive me. But I need your help. I need to create some instructional videos and do not have the budget to hire a voice talent to dub it in english. Someone suggested I do it myself, but I am not sure about how good my pronunciation is. I selected this random text from the web and gave it a shot. Here is my voice saying the text. Forgive the speech flow, because I am seeing this text for the first time now. Focus on the pronunciation. How good is it on a scale from 0 to 10, being 10 the best? Thanks.


Is a tin-ear one who dislikes music or one who dislikes new popular music? Why?

I know folks who couldn't hear well used to use a tin-ear to help but I don't understand the connection between a tin-ear and a dislike of music or of new popular music.


Is the verb "fall" used correctly?

> Sales appear to be down in October compared to August and September. The > picture comes from a business that has sales activity only on days when the > financial markets are open. Because of the way that weekends and holidays > fell in 2003, October had fewer trading days than August and September. I'm a little bit confused by the last sentence. I understand the meaning which is: "The number of weekends and holiday days fell...". Is the last sentence written properly? Would you write it too or it does not simply sound right to you?


provide for - sentence

I have found this in the dictionary but not sure whether I can separate these (from the examples on the internet, I think I cannot): > I will provide for him.   >  I will provide him for ?? cannot be? So it is not the same as: > I will pick him up.   >  I will pick up him which both seem to be correct to me


Does inserting a comma change what is modified?

My question pertains to the usage of comma after a list of clauses of the form "X, Y, and Z (,) to/in order to <do something>" Example: > Apply Equation 1, use Lemma 2, and exploit Theorem 3(,) to prove the > finiteness of the result. Is the comma necessary or not:   1. if Theorem 3 alone is enough to prove the finiteness   2. The three actions "Apply Equation 1, use Lemma 2, and exploit Theorem 3" prove the finiteness. I'm tempted to add a comma in case 2. above to avoid potential ambiguity with the first case.


Is the term "go-to-hell hat" in common usage?

I am a fan of hats and own a number of them. One of my collection is what is commonly called a "flat cap," though it has many names. Seeing me wearing it one day, my father told me that his father always used to call this style of hat a "go-to-hell hat." I didn't know whether this was idiosyncratic or a common term but I didn't think much of it until I wore it to work one day. A coworker commented on the hat and I mentioned my grandfather's appellation and he, rather surprised, claimed that his grandfather had used the same term. Given that my grandfather lived in western Kansas his whole life, and his grandfather (as far as I know) lived in central Missouri, and neither knew the other, I feel like it would be a staggering coincidence if both men came up with the same odd name. So, is the term "go-to-hell hat" in common usage? Is it specific to the Midwest?


Is this ellipsis grammatical?

Which of these sentence constructions is correct? The only difference is the last word. >   1. Sometimes questioning others' assumptions is not the hardest part of > being an activist; the hardest part is questioning our own. >   2. Sometimes questioning others' assumptions is not the hardest part of > being an activist; the hardest part is questioning our own assumptions. >


Word for a person who wants to impose his rules everywhere or advise

My colleague has always something to advise, whatever you eat or play and he sometimes tries to dig out information from you and again advise on it. I just hate to get any feedback from him: if what I am eating is good or bad or how many people I am inviting on my daughter's birthday (none of his matter)! I am looking for a word for that type of person.


"Made look better" vs. "made to look better"

>   * Results are made to look better by... >   * Results are made look better by... > Are both correct? Is there another way of phrasing this sentence?


Usage of the phrase "in the colloquial"

When asked about the usage of a particularly obscure or academic word, one can respond with a definition, but then state an alternative, more commonly used word. One phrase I've heard used in this context is "in the colloquial". For example: > Yes, my academic job involves student tutelage, but in the colloquial we > usually say that I teach students. Is this a proper phrase? The alternative, I think, is simply "colloquially": > ...colloquially, we say I teach students. Is this more appropriate? Thanks!


Difference between "Pitiful" and "Pitiable"?

Would you be kind enough to explain the nuance between "pitiful" and "pitiable"? My Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary shows two similar meanings for the aforementioned words.   1. deserving pity or causing you to feel pity.   2. not deserving respect I am confused as to why there are two different adjectives with almost the similar meaning and examples.


What is the origin of the phrase "egg in your beer"?

The phrase "egg in your beer" refers to wanting a bonus or something for nothing. Its common usage is: "What do you want? An egg in your beer?" However, this does not seem to make much sense, as an egg in your beer doesn't sound like a bonus at all! Does anyone know the etymology of this phrase? I have only managed to find two hypotheses:   1. At one time, in some parts of the United States, an egg in an alcoholic beverage may have been considered an aphrodisiac.   2. The phrase arose from, or became popularized by, American WWII soldiers. It may have been alluding to the notion that in wartime, both beer and eggs were not easily obtained. However, I've found no definitive references to back up either of these claims.


"...three years in." What does it mean when placing 'in' at the end of a sentence?

I read on Gabriel Weinberg's recent blog: > "Startups are a long-term game. My best advice is to treat entrepreneurship > as a career path, but it is easier said than done absent some amount of > success. For me, I had a taste of it three years in and some real success > six years in." How does the grammar of **_in_** work here:   _I had a taste of it three years **in** and some real success six years **in_**.


Is Theodore Roosevelt's writing ungrammatical?

Here is an excerpt from chapter 8 of _Theodore Rex_ by Edmund Morris. Morris quotes some of Roosevelt's writing and calls it ungrammatical. Can you explain what is ungrammatical about the passage? > Musing on the behavior of screech owls, he produced one extraordinary, if > ungrammatical, image: > >> They come up to the house after dark, and are fond of sitting in the elk- antlers over the gable. When the moon is up, by changing one's position, the little owl appears in sharp outline against the bright disk, seated on his many-tined perch


What's the difference between "She came home angry" and "She came home angrily"

Are these two sentences grammatically correct? What's the difference between them? > She came home angry > > She came home angrily


Describing how a contained object/subject limits the minimum size of its container

If A is inside B, it might be said that the size of B constricts the maximum size of A. What is the word to describe A's limiting effect on the minimum size of B? What I'm trying to describe is how an increase in size of A affects B. For added bonus, a better word than 'constricts' is also useful.


What does “crisis-an-hour mentality” mean?

There was the following sentence in the article of Washington Post (November 9) that came under the title, “For Obama, and Democrats, it’s crunch time.” > Obama is dismissive of **the crisis-an-hour mentality** that often grips the > political chattering class. He has endured low moments throughout his > political career and has found a way to ride them out. He is famously > patient. But he is now in a hole of his own making.   >  ( _Source_ ) I understand 'crisis mentality' means the disposition / attitude of someone who is always thinking the worst will happen, but what does “crisis-an-hour mentality mean? Why is it the hot topic in political chattering class?


How does the comma change the meaning in these statements? > a) Ms. Harris was not defeated, because she changed her position.   >  b) Ms. Harris was not defeated because she changed her position.


What's the meaning of "Gets me every time"?

I've heard people say this several times, in response to a funny video they watched, > Gets me every time. This time I see this response the person put a laughing emoticon at the end. Does it mean it makes them laugh every time?


English words of Latin origin: Did they replace existing words?

According to Wikipedia, the Latin influence on English builds more than half of its vocabulary. The same source furnishes a percentage of 26% for words of Germanic origin. Although I can easily understand that borrowing from Latin must have been very strong, especially through French, I was surprised to read this number. So, before the borrowing, were there Germanic words that have gradually been replaced? Or did they not exist at all?


Is the phrase "congenital birth defect" redundant?

con-gen-i-tal: (m-w.com)   1. existing at or dating from birth [congenital deafness]    2. acquired during development in the uterus and not through heredity [congenital syphilis] I ran across the phrase _congenital birth defect_ in a paper, and given the definition above it seems to be redundant. Yet a simple google search reveals a wide number of uses. Can anyone provide an authoritative explanation about this?


"Vouchsafe" defined as to give in a gracious or condescending manner

NOAD defines *vouchsafe*as > verb [ with two objs. ]   >  give or grant (something) to (someone) in a gracious or condescending > manner: it is a blessing vouchsafed him by heaven.   > • [ with obj. ] reveal or disclose (information): you'd never vouchsafed > that interesting tidbit before. Aren't "gracious" and "condescending" antonyms?


"An alternative mean" or "An alternative means"?

I am not sure if I should use "an alternative _mean_ for..." or "an alternative _means_ for..." to express another way of doing something. Since I use "an", I feel it is nature to use the singular form " _mean_ ". But several people insist it should be the latter. Which one is right?


Which valediction should I use with my boss?

I work as a freelancer for a company and I do most of my communication via e-mails. My boss usually ends his mails with "cheers" whereas I always use "regards". Are there any alternatives to "regards" that will be formal but not too formal?


Word designating something as being representative of a whole

I'm looking for a word similar to synecdoche, but without the literary-device meaning. It designates something as being representative of a whole. I believe I picked this up in a David Foster Wallace essay. The word would be used, for example, to describe Kanye West as representing American egotism as a whole.


Present simple or present continuous?

Here is an exercise from _Intermediate Language Practice_ by Michael Vince: > Complete the following sentence with a present simple or present continuous > form of the words in bold. > >> Pat has got an interesting hobby. **___ __ ___ __ ___ ___** a boat. **she build** The answer key says "She's building", but I think "She builds" is more appropriate. As I understand it, the present continuous generally indicates a temporary situation whereas the present simple indicates a more permanent one. Without any more context, I see a hobby as a fairly permanent activity, so the present simple should be used here. Is the answer key incorrect or am I missing something?


The differency between "run" and "wrong" from pronunciation

I know that the two words "run" and "wrong" say differently technically. But actually they always sound the same to me from movies and the native speakers. Are here any tips that I can identify them from the sound?


What is correct: "both sides of you" or "both sides of yours"?

Which is right? >   * both sides of you >   * both sides of yours > Example: > I know both sides of you(rs) and they make you the girl I love.


I need another phrase for "as expected" or "it would follow"?

I am writing a technical paper where I have described an experiment resulting in "x". Then I go on to describe the result of a second experiment whose result was expected since the reason was deduced in the previous experiment (x). I'm looking for a phrase to tie the two sentences together but I did not want to use "as expected" or "it would follow". I know there is another phrase out there that suits better but I can't seem to come up with it right now so I need your help. Thanks.


Proper use of the word equipment in the following sentance

Which sentance is correct: The equipment used for both boats is simular? The equipment used for both boats are simular?


How can I disambiguate "shorter"?

Consider the following two boxes with the provided dimensions: A:   * 10 inches long   * 10 inches wide   * 10 inches tall B:   * 11 inches long   * 12 inches wide   * 13 inches tall I wish to communicate the side differences between these two boxes. When comparing B to A, this is easy:   * B is 1 inch longer than A   * B is 2 inches wider than A   * B is 3 inches taller than A However, when comparing A to B, these are the words I've come up with:   * A is 1 inch **shorter** than B   * A is 2 inches narrower than B   * A is 3 inches **shorter** than B Specifically, the word "shorter" seems to be the best fit for comparing both the length and the height of the two objects. Is there another word that I could use instead of one of these instances? If not, what is the best way to disambiguate whether I mean length or height?


What does 'bombasity' mean?

I came aross the word _bombasity_ here: http://craigmod.com/journal/digital_physical/ > I would argue, however, that for Christo and Jeanne-Claude, the book simply > formalized much of what they already knew. Their work benches were covered > in schematics, file cabinets filled with correspondence between farmers and > governments and architects and textile manufacturers and engineers. In other > words — to them the magnitude and grandiose nature of their work was present > all around their home, their work space. It manifest physically in those > files and papers and cabinets. For them, a monster book like this didn’t > illuminate the enormity of their undertaking — they were aware of The > Umbrellas’ bombasity every time they opened their studio door. But don't know what it means. I searched on Google and only found people using it but no explanations, even here: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=bombasity Can somebody give some explanation about it?


Please define the grammar errors (by their generally accepted terms) in this sentence

My goal in asking this question is to learn to name my errors. I write many sentences and think, "that's not right," and then I change it to make it sound better. It usually works well (and my boss is happy) but I want to know _why_ they are not right. My current problem sentence is in bold: We dream of the day when our services are no longer needed, but know that the demand continues to increase. **Furthering this demand is the ever-expanding awareness of our resources.** I would change it to: **This demand is furthered by the ever-expanding awareness of our resources.** (Feel free to provide suggestions on this one to, or tell me what grammar terms you would use to define how I have changed this). Context: I am writing a fundraising proposal and trying to explain why the demand for our published resources is increasing. We provide services to the poor.


Should I use "authoress" for a feminine author?

Often I come across the term "female author" rather than "authoress". Which is the correct usage? "Female author" sounds wrong to me as other words that end in "-or" take a sex.


Article written "in" or "on" a journal?

Is an article "written in a journal" or "written on a journal"?


Is "leaning" not a verb?

Please see the following sentence: > Detaching itself from the main body of traffic, a lone auto-rickshaw drew up > near Porus, the driver **leaning** out expectantly. Looking at http://tfd.com/leaning I can see it only as a noun and an adjective but not a verb. Is this not a verb in this sentence?


When did "crew" become a sport? When did "crew team" come into use?

When I was a child, there was a sport called _rowing;_ if four or more people rowed together in the same boat, they would be known as a _crew._ At some point, either before or during my childhood, the sport itself began to be known by the name _crew._ To my great horror, when I went to college, I began to hear people speaking about the _crew team,_ as in, "my roommate is thinking about joining the crew team." When did "crew" become the name for the sport? I looked in my trusty (but somewhat dated) compact edition of the Oxford English Dictionary, which did not shed any light on the matter, as this sense of the word "crew" was not to be found. More to the point, when did people start using "crew team"? I did not find this phrase at all in the OED, nor did I expect to.


Onomatopoeia for throat clearing

Clearing one's throat is a nice way to signal that special attention is needed. For example, two colleagues are making fun of their boss as she walks right by. She listens for a second and then ... clears her throat to say "I'm here".   * Is there an onomatopoeia for that?   * If not, how could that be expressed in writing?


Nice way to say "exclude"

I have a bunch of components I have included into a new project. I drew a pretty picture showing all of them, color coding the ones I selected, then showing the conglomeration. I went to write up the key to explain the colors, but didn't know how to kindly say "this one did not get picked" in a word or two. `Excluded` was a close as I could come, but it sounds mean. Is there a nice way to say "this component did not get selected for inclusion into the new project" in a word or two?


Difference between 'just' and 'only'

'Just' and 'only' carry a similar meaning, and while my feel for language usually helps me decide which one to use, there are times when I'm at a loss. From my understanding, 'just' is used as a softener, to add flexibility and politeness. 'Only', on the other hand, is a relatively sharp exclusion. 'Just' also has a wider range of meanings, for instance to denote time. While this sounds simple enough, it can get messy in practical usage. The sentence that made me stumble was _"Not only airports are part of the target customer group, but also other large infrastructures"_. Would the meaning of this sentence change when using 'just' instead? The way I see it, there is no difference in this case, except 'just' would make it sound a tad more colloquial.


Step on a crack, break your mother’s back

I came across this piece: > The old saying “step on a crack, break your mother’s back” may not apply to > sidewalks for much longer now that MIT researchers have figured out why > concrete breaks down. As a result of the discovery, structures like > buildings, bridges, and yes, sidewalks, could last for hundreds of years > longer than they currently do. A nuclear waste container built to last 100 > years could, for example, last 16,000 years. > > According to MIT professor Franz-Josef Ulm, creep (the process that create > cracks) is created when calcium-silicate-hydrates (CSH) rearrange at the > nano scale. When mixed with water, CSH particles change in density from 64% > to 74%. By adding silica fumes–a waste product from aluminum production–to > concrete, overall density can increase to 87%. That’s a change that could > eventually lead to longer-lasting, lighter structures. > > If Ulm’s theories are put it into practice, the concrete industry and the > planet could benefit immensely. 5 to 8% of all manmade CO2 comes from > manmade concrete construction, so any reduction in the need to produce more > of the stuff would slow global warming. And with twenty billion tons of > concrete churned out annually, there’s plenty of room to cut down on > production. Anybody know what does “step on a crack, break your mother’s back” mean in the context above? If it is an idiom, as I think, what are the origin and contexts wherein we could use it?


I lived vs I used to live

I cannot see any difference between these two sentences. I assume both express the same but what is the difference? I thought that "used to" is used to describe an action that was happening in the past...but should "live" be considered as an action? > I used to live in Prague 5 years ago.   >  I lived in Prague 5 years ago.


Meaning of "to have no patience for..."

> He has no patience for the view that instead of raising interest rates his > next move will be to cut the trendsetting overnight rate. I'm not a native English speaker. I read the above sentence in a paper and understood all the words. But I am confused about his standpoint. Does "he has no patience for the view" mean:   1. He doesn't like people's view about such? (meaning he doesn't support the idea)    2. He can't wait to say _his_ view about such? (meaning he supports the idea)


Sentence Order - April 3 1812 Letter by James Monroe

> From France we hear nothing. The delay of the Hornet is inexplicable, but on > the reproachful supposition, that the F. Govt is waiting for the final turn > of things at London, before it takes its course, **which justice alone ought > to prescribe** , towards us. If this be found to be its game, it will impair > the value of concessions if made, and give ♦ to a refusal of them, > **consequences it may little dream of.** Be assured of my constant and > sincerest attachment > > James Madison (Source) `1.` Would someone please elucidate the second long sentence? For easier comprehension, could "which justice alone ought to prescribe" be placed after "towards us", as follows: > The delay of the Hornet is inexplicable, but on the reproachful supposition, > that the F. Govt is waiting for the final turn of things at London, before > it takes its course towards us, **which justice alone ought to prescribe**. If so, why would Madison interpose this subordinate clause like so? I recognise this is from 1812, but wouldn't this arrangement perplex understanding, even then? `2.` I'm bewildered by the position of " **consequences it may little dream of".** I'm guessing that it's equivalent to move it to the diamond symbol? If so, what's the logic/rationale for Monroe's arrangement? Doesn't this complicate understanding?


Prepositions used with "inquire"

May one use _inquire with_ instead of the somewhat overly official and potentially archaic _inquire of_? It would be best if you could go through all the correct propositions commonly used with _inquire_ with example sentences.


Etymology of "second to none"

> _second to none_ To the ears of a non-native speaker, mine anyway, this expression sounds very laborious. Where does it come from? Is it not contrary to the idea that English is a 'reductionist' language?


"Sounds almost like" vs. "almost sounds like"

Which sentence structure is more accurate? >   1. ... that sounds almost like a command. >   2. ... that almost sounds like a command. >


What is the difference between "misapprehension" and "apprehension"?

I can't quite get my head around the difference between **misapprehension** and its opposite **apprehension**. I understand the latter, but the former still eludes me.


Can someone explain the phrase "All is fair in love and war"?

What are its origins and what does it really mean?


Etymology of "what gives"?

Where does this expression "what gives" come from? Especially when used as "what's happening?"


Is there a difference between "holiday" and "vacation"?

What is the difference, if any, between these two words?


"anymore" vs. "any more"

> any more requests > > anymore requests Are these two the same? It seems that "any more requests" is grammatically correct while "anymore requests" is not. Am I right? Why are they different?


Using “actual” to signify “current”

The New Oxford American Dictionary gives two meanings for **actual** :   1. existing in fact;   2. existing now; current How common is the second of these meanings? Is it something that can be used without fear of being misunderstood (given that the differentiation between the two meanings will often not be clear from context alone)? My feeling is that it is better to use other words to describe **current** because (again, this is my feeling), **actual** is really predominantly used in its first meaning. I am not a native speaker, however, so my gut feeling could be wrong... EDIT: An example where **actual** is used to signify **current** but seems confusing to me: > “The state of the system does not reflect its actual input.”


Is this dash correct?

I’m hoping someone can give me some feedback/advice on the dash below. > The site also supports a mobile version that allows you to easily check > whether a book is in your collection—a feature inspired after purchasing > already-owned books one too many times. I guess I could also split this into two sentences. > The site also supports a mobile version that allows you to easily check > whether a book is in your collection. This feature was inspired after > purchasing already-owned books one too many times. Is the first version is correct, and if so, is it preferable to the second? This link makes me think it's correct, but I thought I'd ask the community; I always seem to get fantastic feedback here.


"Hi-fi" is to "High fidelity" as "Wi-fi" is to what? I thought to refer "Wi- fi" to "wireless fidelity", but it seem to have no precise meaning.


Business model based on commission charging

I'd like to know the correct expression to point out the essence of this business model. I'm talking about web servers that gather users (offering and consuming services) and that charge them commissions based either on just having an account or per service provided. example:   * $10 a month for your membership - then provide you services on youtself   * account is free, but we want 10% of your revenue from provided services According to dictionaries, "commissioning" doesn't have the meaning coming from "commission" so that I can't call it "Models based on commissioning" . What is the right word/expression or name of this web business model?


What is a "fishbowl moment"?

I was reading an article where this quote appeared: > "... I often receive emails and calls from friends telling me I was just > spotted at X corner wearing Y outfit—people observe, comment, notice. Who > wouldn't want to look good for those fishbowl moments?" What does a "fishbowl moment" mean? I tried googling, but no definitions showed up.


"Welcome to facebook.com!" or "Welcome on facebook.com!"?

Welcome to facebook.com!      or               Welcome on facebook.com!      I guess both can be used (correct me if I am wrong). However, I don't know when it's better to use the first and where the second sentence? Thanks.


Using an adjective with a series of nouns — "a broken nose, jaw and ribs"

> An alleged burglar was left with a broken nose, jaw and ribs after US > rapper-actor LL Cool J confronted the intruder in the kitchen of his Los > Angeles home, prosecutors said Thursday. In the above sentence, is the use of the adjective _broken_ correct or should the sentence have been framed better to convey that the nose, jaw, and ribs were all broken?


Is kickassiness an accepted word?

I have been looking for a word that means kickassiness, but haven't come across one. Is this an accepted word? If not, what word can be used in its place?


Correct use of possession for the plural 'ladies'

At a clothing store, you might see a sign saying **Men's Clothing** , and the possessive use of the apostrophe correctly indicates that the clothing is suited towards the group "Men" (i.e. more than one man). If the apostrophe was after the 's', i.e. **Mens' Clothing** , it would cause someone proficient with grammar to assume that there exists more than one group of pluralized men to whom the clothing is suited (i.e. tall men, fat men, green men). An ambiguity arises with the phrase **Ladies' Clothing**. It would seem that this use would conform to the second case above (i.e. as **Mens' Clothing** ). This is because there isn't really a word spelled 'ladie' ('y' usually becomes 'ies' in plural), so **Ladie's Clothing** would clearly be incorrect. So my question is how do you refer to the possession of more than one lady, but not to the possession of more than one group of ladies, and thereby avoid the ambiguity caused when using the phrase **Ladies' Clothing**?


What is a single word to describe beating someone brutally?

What is a single word to describe "beating someone brutally"?


What is the sense of using word "argument", for inputs of a function?

In computer jargon, we refer to "inputs of a function" as "arguments". I was wondering what the sense is in doing so.


"I'm my own grandpa" – is there a word for this?

I was listening to a Chad Morgan record today, on which his cover of the song _I'm my own grandpa_ features as the first track. The lyrics of the song describe a bizzare, but plausible scenario, in which a man finds himself becoming his own grandfather through an unfortunate combination of marriages. (The narrator marries a widow, whose adult daughter then ends up marrying his father.) Thinking back on the times that I've heard one person mock another by suggesting that their lineage contains such an anomaly, this was always done by stating the specific relationships. For instance, the person would say something along the lines of "I bet [this person]'s brother is his uncle". That made me wonder... Has there ever been an actual word to describe the state of being related to yourself as a result of a marriage?


"Where do you get off...?" Origin

I remembered a phrase this morning "Where do you get off...?" (last entry), which is similar to "Who do you think you are...?" or "What gives you the right to...?" or "How dare you...?". Due to its scarcity in my favorite online dictionaries, I wondered if the phrase was new. But it's been used as early as 1913. Wanting to know its origin I found this discussion with several good ideas, including "Where do you get off...?" being:   * The same as "Where (on Earth) could you get away with...?"   * About transportation, whether related to _ego trip_ or a physical stop of some importance   * Related to Schadenfreude But the discussion is informal. Is there formal evidence for what the original implication of "Where do you get off...?" was?


to be p.p. or being p.p.?AND WHY?

Would you kindly tell me the difference between the following? > She likes to be looked at. > > She likes being looked at.


"Support on the project" or "support with the project"

What would be the correct preposition to use? > Thanks for your support **on/with** the project.


How to say the opposite of "check" (for lists)?

Suppose you enumerate points of some list, adding "check" after each one. How to speak about the reverse of a "check" (i.e. omission or an opposite for the item)? Like if you have:   * Big scary horns ☑   * 180° mounth ☑   * 50-cm claws ☑   * Predatory glare ☒ and say > Look there! Such a beast: big scary horns — check; yawning mouth — check; > loooong claws — check; predatory glare — **___ ____**, hovewer.. Variants that come to mind:   * "no check"   * "ex"   * "miss"   * "no"   * "without check"   * "cross"


Where does the term "Grand Slam" come from?

The four majors in tennis are known as Grand Slams. The "Grand" part clearly defines the prestige/size of the event but where do we get the word "Slam" from in this context? Basic research shows that it originated perhaps in bridge/whist-type card games. Does it carry the same history as the Scandinavian `slamra` for the verb "to slam"?


Present simple vs. present perfect

I'm doing a key word transformation and I've come to this sentence: > There aren't any eggs left.   >  "We **___ __ ___** eggs". I should complete the sentence with 2–5 words using the word "run". At first I thought of > We run out of eggs. but could I use present simple here if it's not a repeated event? Should I use > We've run out of eggs.


Construction of to cheat

I am not a native speaker and I would like to write a sentence using the verb "to cheat on". The situation I want to describe is that someone (Mr X) has lied to someone else (Mr Y) convincing Mr Y to lend Mr X some money that was never given back. My first attempt was: "Mr X cheated on Mr Y ... money". My questions are: can I use the verb "to cheat" in this context? What word / expression should I use before money? The only expressions that come to my mind are "regarding" and "with respect to" but this does not sound correct to me. In general, can one say "X cheated on Y ... something?", where something can be money, feelings, etc?


"Britain’s recovery outstrips the world"

The title of one of the leading articles in today's (London's) Times is: > Britain’s recovery outstrips the world Shouldn't it be _Britain's recovery outstrips the world's_?


Which is correct: "I bought it online/offline"

On several occasions, someone has asked me where I purchased my shirt and I replied with "I bought it offline." It didn't sound right to me. My brain thought that I bought it 'off' of something (as in "I bought it off craigslist"). But the noun 'online' confused me (I couldn't remember the name of the website). "I bought it off online" just doesn't work, and"I bought it offline" sounds like you didn't purchase it on the internet. However, "I bought it online" doesn't quite satisfy me either, I am not sure why :P. Is one more correct than the other? Is there an all around better sentence?


"This and this point(s)"

I tend to say > I don't feel comfortable with this and this **point** where both _this_ refer to points. Should I instead say > I don't feel comfortable with this and this **points**?


What is the origin of the phrase "knock-down, drag-out"?

I can find this phrase in a few dictionaries: > knock-down, drag-out -- marked by extreme violence or bitterness and by the > showing of no mercy _knock–down, drag–out political debates_ But I don't fully understand why these two phrases became such a common saying. Why did this particular combination come to mean a particularly terrible fight or war? Is there something in each phrase that brings a particular meaning? Or does it just something that sounds catchy? If it helps, here are the notes from etymonline that points toward the 1800s as the time of origin: > knock -- Knock-down, drag-out is from 1827. > > drag -- Drag-out "violent fight" is from c.1859 "Drag-out" came to mean "violent fight" but almost 30 years after the phrase "knock-down, drag-out" was recorded. So why did the phrase include "drag-out"? What did it mean in the 1820s?


Is "it makes it easy to do ..." good English?

There are two "it"s in this sentence, but they refer to different things. Is this considered good English? If not, what's a better way to express the same meaning?


There's a good fellow [Phrase]

I would like to learn more about the meaning of the phrase: There's a good fellow. All that I know is that it is used for praising or encouraging a child or an animal. Is it right?


"Run across two axes" vs. "run on two axes"

Which one of the following is correct? >   * Cricket chauvinism runs across two axes, those of nation and generation. >   * Cricket chauvinism runs on two axes, those of nation and generation. >


What is the word of Spanish or Portuguese origin starting with "a" and meaning enthusiast?

There is a word starting with "a" (along the lines of "afinados") meaning enthusiast, connoisseur or fan. What is it?


Meaning of "intriguing" in the following sentence

> Reading comprehension is one of the most important parts of any management > entrance examination and a bit **intriguing** as well. Does it mean:   * Challenging?    * Interesting?   * Provocative? All these are meanings of _intriguing_ at The Free Dictionary and all these fit well into the sentence.


An antonym for "continuum" to describe a limited set of possible options

I came across this sentence while reading Wikipedia and the second occurrence of "continuum" stood out to me as totally wrong since a continuum is specifically a range which can be divided into an unlimited number of possibilities. > "Some linguists consider the rough/soft continuum more accurate than the > male/female **continuum**. So what is the best word to use here to differentiate the very limited number of possibilities? **EDIT** I'm genuinely surprised that so many people find "continuum" a good way to describe a choice between "male" and "female". As a programmer I can best clarify with a programming analogy:   * To represent the rough/soft continuum I would use a `float` type   * To represent the male/female choice I would use an `enum` or a `bool` type (apologies to the non-programmers who may be baffled by this jargon) **EDIT 2** I think I need to clarify what I was and was not asking:   * I was not asking about semantics or biology or gender identity regarding the existence of points between "male" and "female". I agree such points exist.   * I was not asking about semantics or linguistics regarding the continuous range of the subject of the linguists' consideration. I agree that what they are considering is a continuum.   * I am asking about English Language & Usage regarding the choice of words of the writer of this sentence which in my opinion poorly contrasts "continuum" to "continuum" in a comparison. Let me rephrase the sentence the way I read it: > Linguists generally hold that there is an option between male style and > female style, but _some_ linguists consider this inaccurate and instead hold > that there is a free range between rough style and soft style. Whereas it seems to me that some answerers and commenters have read it this way: > All linguists hold that there is a free range of style and while this range > is generally referred to as a "male/female continuum", some linguists > consider that calling it a "rough/soft" continuum is more accurate. To me the first reading seems natural and second reading seems strange. The second reading seems to trust that the writer has flawless skills in English language expression and definitely wrote what he intended. Alternatively the second reading would make sense if there existed a technical linguistic term "the male/female continuum". Since I can find no use of such a term used by linguists besides this Wikipedia article (but I can find it in other fields such as gender identity), I read it as a sentence from a writer who knew what he was thinking but due to poor word choice did not write what he intended.


Is "greetings" a good choice in this case?

I'm looking for an email salutation which is between informal and formal. The email will be addressed to a company, but instead of be a business-related email or job application, it is aimed to get information about the company. Searching in Google, I came across with the term **greetings**. Is it an appropriate word for this case? I have the feeling like if it was out-of-date, sounds like if it was from the medieval age.


Beginning a paragraph with Also or Furthermore

I am writing a cover letter and I would like to know if I can begin a paragraph with either Also or furthermore . Why I am asking is because someone told me starting a sentence with "Also" is frowned upon but I want to get a second opinion on this .


Does the word "Edition" go with the word "Summit"?

is it correct to say "the Health Summit in its 9th **Edition** "?


"quantifying" business problems the right word?

I am searching for the correct word which describes the process of measuring a problem and trying to express it with numbers. So from text to numbers. I thought "quantifying" should be the right word, but I am not sure if it is correct in this context. I want to use it in my cover letter for job application. Something like this maybe: > Quantifying and solving business problems is my passion and I am always > eager to accept new challenges. Is this correct, does it translate?


More formal synonyms for "telephone tag"?

Definition of telephone tag: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phone_tag I thought of "back-and-forth" as a noun synonym for "tag." Since http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/thesaurus/ had not helped, I then resorted to http://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back-and-forth.   Would any synonym (therefrom) help? Afterword: Users Jon Hanna and oerkelens, please forgive me for any abashment.


"There are more than one people" or "There is more than one people"?

Given the following two sentences.   * There are more than one people.   * There is more than one people. Which one of them is grammatical, both of them, any one of them or none of them? The noun _people_ (presumably collective) is **generally** plural. Therefore, the former sentence seems to be correct (this is usually the case in my local languages). It is something similar to the case, where zero is (mostly) considered plural though intuitively it should be singular. Moreover, it should be safe to say, there is more than one **person** instead of saying, ~~there are more than one person.~~ but I'm not sure about _people_ , when used in such constructs. Sorry for this simple question :)


Superfluous Commas

Despite the advice of style guides (they're just an opinion), would you omit the comma after "New Jersey" in this example as I have done? Please, no recasts. > The Elizabeth, New Jersey rock band cut its first CD last month. In a full date adjective, would you omit the comma after "1999" as I did below? > The June 6, 1999 issue of Billboard Magazine sold like hot cakes. Lastly, can we omit the comma, as I did, after "1964" below? > November 6, 1964 is my birthdate.


"Call off" somebody from his post?

I am looking for a term that I could use to say that the new Minister of Health removed the present holder of the given post from his position. My first idea was _call off_ , but then I looked up the meaning and learnt that one can _call off_ dogs, not a person from his job.


In English can you say something like: To feel addressed?

I am puzzling how to translate an expression in Dutch to English. There is a way of saying something in German and Dutch that is literally translated to: Do you feel (as) spoken to? For example you complain about people proselyting their point of view on politics or religion, on a website that is intentionally about information exchange. Then somebody gets mad, and you want to say something like: When you get this mad about is, you probably feel offended, you probably do the same, you feel as we were speaking about you. How can I express that?


What makes "like" and "so" popular?

So, I was like, why does everyone say **like** and **so** in every sentence? Where did this trend come from, like, what started it, and is it actually grammatically correct to like, insert **like** into our speech in just about any position in a sentence? Reward for anyone who can tell me the cause of its origin (i.e. cartoon, or star, or artist who uses these terms frequently and popularised its usage in this manner). And prove that overuse of any word is grammatically incorrect, or prove that there is no such rule for overuse.


What the definition for "Itsy Bitsy" term?

Like on the _Itsy Bitsy Spider_ I heard it in some lyrics but I don't know what this mean indeed.


Can anybody "learn" or "acquire" a talent?

People often call sports teams or sports players "talented". Example: > The Miami Heat have a lot of **talent** on their roster. Or: > Sidney Crosby is a very **talented** hockey player. * * * But people also talk in terms of acquiring, developing, or fostering talent as well: > If you want to acquire great talent in something, be prepared to spend > several years working on it. Researchers estimated that ten years is the > amount of time that it usually takes to acquire talent. Or: > If the goal is to develop markets start by developing talent. If you want to > accomplish the most amazing things focus on developing the talent of amazing > people. Mentoring and coaching are the most important leadership roles... If > you want to attract the best talent develop a reputation as the best talent > developer. * * * My Question: > Is it wrong to talk in terms of acquiring, developing, or fostering talent? > When one does so, does it suggest that we can "learn" or "acquire" talents?


Correct usage of the words  "blow" and "fit"

Does the following sentence have correct use of the word 'blow' and 'fit' ? (separate sentences) > A sudden gust of wind made the candles blow off. > > I'm very busy, I had to fit ten appointments in one morning


Is “postchoice” a well-used word?

I came upon the word _postchoice_ in the following sentence of Time magazine’s (May 28) article titled “The optimism bias,” dealing with the benefits of positive thinking: > According to social psychologist Leon Festinger, we re-evaluate _the options > postchoice_ to reduce the tension that arises from making a difficult > decision between equally desirable options. I could easily imagine that _postchoice_ is a noun meaning the choice made after something, but I was puzzled why it is post-positioned to “options” instead of saying “post-chosen options.” Furthermore, none of Cambridge, Oxford, Merriam-Webster online dictionaries registers the word _postchoice_. Google Ngram shows incidences of “postchoice.” It emerged around 1950 and the usage dramatically declined to an almost insignificant level after 1970. Instead “post choice” seems to be replacing “postchoice” after aound 1980. Now questions: 1.Is the word “postchoice” still current, because I don’t see it in any of major dictionaries. 2.Is “postchoice” used as a postposition to “options,” or an objective complement in the above quote? Are these usages right?


"Without that" clause

I'm reading Cory Doctorow's _Eastern Standard Tribe_. He keeps using a sentence construction that I have never seen before: > "...my poor pineal gland has all but forgotten how to do its job **without > that I drown it in melatonin precursors**." > > "No one down there is going to notice me all the way up here, not **without > that I give them a sign**." As this occurs several times throughout the novel, it's clearly intentional, not a one-off error. However, I can't recall ever having read "without that" + [clause] before. To me, the sentences feel like they should read " _...without my/me drowning it..._ and "... _without my/me giving them a sign._ " I was curious about this, and it turned out to be difficult to Google fruitfully, so I thought I'd see if anyone here knows: Where does this construction come from, and why is he using it? Is this a dialectal thing, and if so, what varieties of English can use it? In short: What's going on here?


Why "job" in "nut job"

Why are crazy people called _nut jobs_? Why are they called a _job_? Wiktionary is of no help here.


How does it make sense to 'edify saints'?

This example sentence is under the definition proper: > Some are called to sow, others to reap some are eminently qualified to > awaken sinners, others to edify saints. Don't saints, by definition, outshine and transcend the need to be "Instruct[ed] or improve[d] (someone) morally or intellectually" ? Original Source: Miscellanies of Rev Thomas E Peck, 1895


Does the phrase "second off" make sense?

When listing out items, we sometimes prefix the first item with "First off...". Sometimes I hear people prefix the second item with "Second off...". This doesn't sound right to me? But, is it correct to use?


What are the machines at the grocery store entrance called? I'm talking about the 'CoinStar' machines specifically, but what is the general name for them? I'm planning on creating one, but to do research on the topic, I'm pretty sure I need to know what it's called.


Difference between "theorem" and "theory"

What is the difference between a _theorem_ and a _theory_? The two words seem to be used to describe very similar things, but yet do not seem to be interchangeable. For example, we have Pythagoras' _theorem_ and Einstein's _theory_ of relativity.


The word for the share of rows that has a value in a certain column

In statistics, is there a word for the share of data items that has a value for a certain property? Or in spreadsheet terms, the share of rows that have a value in a certain column? In Dutch, there is the word "vulgraad" (lit. "filling rate") that means just that but we find it hard to come up with a proper English translation. "Percent non-empty" is the best we came up with yet, but we feel that there has to be a noun like in Dutch. As an example, given a table of people:               First name        Middle name      Last name     --------------------------------------------     Theodore                           Roosevelt     Eddy              Van              Halen     Peter                              Stuyvesant     Rutger                             Hauer      one could say that the middle name field has a _vulgraad_ of 25%.


What does "I am all yours" mean?

In the sentence > If you can change his idea, I am all yours. What does _I am all yours_ mean?


Alternatives to "I lived the wrong way"?

If someone has realized that he made a wrong decision in life or has had the wrong beliefs for a long time, he might say _I lived the wrong way_. What are alternative ways of phrasing this? It doesn't need to be religious.


Origin of "That's what she said"?

_That's what she said_ is a saying that flips a normal statement into a sexual one. Example: > "If you blow it too much, it'll explode" [A balloon]   >  **That's what she said!** How did this phrase come about?


Single-word verb for "to keep private/confidential"

What would be a single-word verb for 'to keep private/confidential'? My first thought was the verb "to privatise" but it doesn't connote this.


Is is more appropriate to salute the organization, or the members of the organization?

I am writing a thank-you letter for a scholarship I received from the AFCEA – Bethesda Chapter. I am not sure how to write the salutation though. Two alternatives I have considered are: > Dear AFCEA Bethesda Chapter: and > Dear members of the AFCEA Bethesda Chapter: I am not sure which, if either, would be the most appropriate, or if there is a better option I am not seeing. How should I write the salutation for my letter? Further research examining past thank-you letters has been inconclusive. Many of them use extremely informal salutations, and there are as many different salutations as letters. You can see them here, if you really want to.


What does "pre-delay" mean in this conversation?

This short piece of dialogue appears in the movie "Faces in the Crowd": > _Bryce: Shouldn't you be handing out gold stars instead of earning yellow > ribbons on FarmVille?_ > > _Anna: I was just checking pre-delays in the subway_ The situation they are in is at home, at that morning, Anna was surfing the web and checking her facebook when Bryce was tidying his clothes up before going outside I only know its audition meaning but how to correlate here?


Is the expression, “The Hillary Clinton Republican Primary” self-explanatory and clear-cut without reading the text?

December 6 Time magazine carries the following clip of Mark Halperin’s remark in MSNBC‘s “Morning Joe” under the Lede, “ **The Hillary Clinton Republican Primary**.” > “You talk to Republicans about ’16, and obviously people are already talking > about it. For a lot of Republicans, now, what people are auditioning for is > can you beat Hillary Clinton? If you don’t have the premise of beating her, > the stature to beat her, the fundraising to beat her, Republicans say, “No > need to apply,” because that is, right now, the prism they’re looking at.” To me as a foreign reader, the title looks like as if Republicans are led by Hillary Clinton at the first sight, though it's utterly impossible. If Japan Times puts, "The Koizumi (one of the most popular former prime ministers) Democratic Party (the opposition party) leader election," we'll be confused. Is this a reasonable way of summation which is too obvious to native English speakers?


Are "not to be taken" and "not to take" interchangable?

I know the following sentence is grammatically correct. However, I was wondering if I could replace 'not to be taken' with 'not to take'? > The use of humor with aggressive actions is a way to communicate that the > action was **not to be taken** seriously.


"Construct" vs. "build"

I am not sure whether we can use _build_ and _construct_ interchangeably in the following sentence: > The report said that the loss of natural disasters has increased > tremendously because we do not respect the environment and > **build/construct** unsafe cities.


What is the definition of "hangry"?

Is _hangry_ a real word? According to Collins Dictionary it means _to be angry as a result of being hungry_ , but it seems far-fetched.


Word for "buying more expensive items to go with the expensive item you actually want"

I have been searching for a word that describes this phenomenon: If a person buys an expensive item, it leads to them buying more expensive items to go with it.


Usage of third person form for first person

Recently, I discovered the following sentence in a Terry Pratchett book (which was not a typing error, since it appeared several times): > I sees what he's doing. Presumably, the wrong usage of the third person form for the first person is some kind of slang, right? Where does it originate?


Dangling Participle? Confusing parenthetical commas? Incomplete sentence?

In this excerpt, is the second sentence grammatically correct? > The painting, Woman In Red Hat, was inspired by her son's art selections > while on a trip to Vancouver together. Which particular artwork it was an > interpretation of, however, is lost to memory. (Woman In Red Hat was introduced earlier as an artwork with that title. The entire subject of the article is about the artist who made the painting, so 'her' is pretty well understood. Sorry for not making the context clear.) My critics are ok with the ambiguity of who was on the Vancouver trip, but have some qualms about a 'dangling participle' in the next sentence that I do not see. I changed it to the following. I like the first version, though. > Woman In A Red Hat was inspired by her son's art selections while on a trip > to Vancouver together, though which particular artwork it was an > interpretation of is lost to memory.


Articles when talking about something certain, yet unmentioned before

The same sentence as in question Articles in conjuctions: > As a result, hosting in IIS 5/6 is notorious for instability and the > frequent need to reset the server or IIS 5/6. As far as I understood from comments on my other questions, hosting requires no article because it's an activity. And I think that the word server follows the definite article because it's not just any server, but the one something has been hosted in. On the other hand, the result of something not being quoted here is sole, absolutely specific and given later in this sentence. However, the indefinite article is used in front of the word result. Could you explain why? It would also be very cognitive to know why the definite article precedes the need.


Help for title!

I'm trying to think of a title for my Bachelor Thesis. You see, i use a lot of "of". "From" and "on" don't work. Some ideas? Here's what I'm starting with: Morphology of the ivory horns of Elephants or Functional and morphological Analysis on the ivory horns of Elephants or Functional morphology from the ivory horns of elephants? which is the best?


Conditionals (Past Tense)

In terms of conditional sentences, is it correct to say:   * if you knew why I WAS here, then I wouldn't need to be here. or   * If you knew why I WERE here, then I wouldn't need to be here. Which type of conditional is this? Type 2? I was thought at school that there are three types of conditionals. Are there more of them?


Me too or I as well

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Is it correct to use "me too" and "I too"? Which one is correct to use `Me too` or `I as well`? For example - Suppose my friend says I want to go there and I want to say, Me too/I as well. Or Is there any batter expression for such situations?


What does 'fast friends' mean?

Does anyone have an idea? Close friends? I usually see this term in stories where the friends were best friends and then they fight for some reason.


"Arguments to the topic" or "arguments for the topic"?

I'm not sure whether it is possible to say "arguments for the topic" or "arguments to the topic" when I want to express opinions that would relate to the given topic.


What exactly is going on with the verbs in these sentences?

Verbs kind of confuse me so excuse me if this sounds like a dumb question but: > She allowed him one meal a day vs. > She let him one meal a day   * Why exactly do I have to include the verb _have_ in the second sentence?   * Why is it that I can include the verb _have_ in the first sentence as well but that it has to be in full infinitive form ("She allowed him have one meal a day" vs. "She allowed him to have one meal a day")?   * Are there terms for verbs with these requirements (like * _transitive_ )?


Word for an area characterized by similar stores, services, or industries

I am writing tourist information for a city that has areas known for similar shops (fabric, jewelry, musical instruments), similar services (spas, funeral, automotive), and similar industries (textile, software, manufacturing). I am currently referring to all of these areas as districts (e.g. the fabric district, the funeral district, the manufacturing district). Unfortunately, this usage could potentially cause confusion because this city also has a number of governmental districts (similar to "boroughs" in NYC). Also, there is some ambiguity between places where things are made and where they are sold. For example, the fabric district could be easily confused with the textile district. Two questions:   1. Is there a better general term than _districts_ for areas that known for similar things?   2. Are there better specific terms in the case that those areas are known for stores, services, or industries?


Which noun should I use to describe that a computer system hangs?

According to the dictionary, "hang" can also be used as a noun, but I don't think it is the right word to use in this scenario. Should I use "hanging" instead, e.g., this software bug may cause two problems to this computer, crash or hanging? It also sounds weird to me. In general, if a verb doesn't have a direct corresponding noun, what should I do if I have to use a noun to present the same meaning.


Is "obverse" a normal word to be used in general writing, if not, is there any alternative?

> Heraclitus was obviously no exception, indeed he probably expressed the > universality of change more clearly than his predecessors; but for him it > was the obverse idea of the measure inhering in change, the stability that > presists through it, that was of vital importance.( _The Presocratic > Philosophers_ , by G.Kirk) "Obverse idea" refers to the "measure","logos", which is the unchangeable in the changable things. So it seems that "obverse" is presumed by the author to mean "reverse": unchangable vs change. But with second thought, I think it is not so. The two theory both are valid for Heraclitus, therefore they are not opposing, but complementing each other. I think this sort of contrastive relation is perfectly expressed by "obverse", I cannot find another word to replace it. But by using Google N-gram viewer, I find that "obverse" is extremely rarely used. So does anyone have other suggested alternatives?


Can one say? 'I wish magazines and newspapers would contain less ads.'

I can say 'I wish prices would go down', but what about similar sentences that have an inanimate subject after 'wish'? For example, 'I wish magazines and newspapers would contain fewer ads.' Can one use 'would' freely in them?


Difference between "notebook" and "laptop"

> Definition of Notebook : > > a small, lightweight laptop computer. > > Definition of Laptop : > > a portable, usually battery-powered microcomputer small enough to rest on > the user's lap. In this case, a notebook is defined as a laptop, so does "notebook" = "laptop"?


Word meaning 'common line of reasoning for a given issue'.

For example > A common [word] espoused by climate change deniers is that global > temperatures haven't increased for ten years, and thus anthropocentric > climate change is not real.


What do you call the sheet that a barber covers you with?

It's that sheet/blanket that they put on you so you don't get covered with hair. Is there a formal name for it?


Does and online repository exist for texts written in African American English / 'Ebonics'?

I wonder whether I can find a work of literature in AAE somewhere? I mean not citations of conversations or songs etc, but a full-fledged story or novel or technical text.


Is it correct to start a sentence with "Ad question one..."?

I'm pretty sure I've read "Ad question one..." in the sense of "Addressing question one..." before, but the only usage on the web I find is by someone with a Hispanic name and m-w.com doesn't seem to know it. I've always thought it was derived from a Latin expression and (therefore) sophisticated.


Does "very much the same" have the same meaning as "identical"?

Do the words "very much the same" have the same meaning as "identical" or do these words imply that it's almost identical, but not totally?


What do you call someone who is above average?

Is there any word (noun?) for a person who is not bad at doing something, yet not too good?


What is the exact word for the person who calls the speakers in an event using a mic?

What is a person who speaks on the mic that which person is going to come next to speak called?


Word for phenomenon where people listen mainly to sources confirming their points of view

I recall there is a word for the phenomenon that people listen mainly to sources confirming their point of view. For example, some people will listen to Fox News whereas others will watch Democracy!Now. I recall seeing an eponymous law to describe this phenomenon. What is this phenomenon called?


What does " to keep somebody amused" mean? Context: > But at least he’s sneaking in a cheeseburger so that should keep him amused > while I write this.


Use of "save" or "save for" in sentences

Take the following example sentence: > There was nothing there save for the warmth of the immeasurable light. Is this the proper use of **save for**? Is there _ever_ a proper use of **save for**? Can someone explain to me the correct usage, if there is one, and possibly some etymology of this phrase? Examples of other correct use would be appreciated, though not critical.


Can one conjugate and use 'suicide' as a verb?

I don't remember ever seeing suicide used as a standalone verb. I've always seen it as commits suicide or committed suicide. Can you conjugate and use suicide by itself?


idiom for "if you are not improving, you are deteriorating"

Is there an idiom or expression for "if you are not improving, that means you are deteriorating" Thank you


Meaning of "went through the floor"?

Question: I read this post:   http://answers.onstartups.com/questions/40480/how-much-traffic-is-necessary- to-generate-1000-per-month-in-advertising-revenue Quote > I previously had a real estate listings site and was generating around $1500 > mth with about 3000 unique users per day. Content was essentially syndicated > but as Google changed algorithm the traffic went through the floor. Now my question:   The expression "went through the floor", in this context, what does it mean, collapse or explode ?   I suppose collapse, since the floor is at the bottom, but with expressions, one never knows for certain...


Why is "success" spelled with double -S?

What is the function of the double _s_ at the end of the word, success?


Is the clause after 'and' in the sentence "His voice was serious and his manner solemn." valid?

Is the sentence "His voice was serious and his manner solemn." grammatically correct? I've seen 'be' dropped in some sentences like this one.


How are these Brazilian Portuguese names pronounced in English?

How are these Brazilian (Portuguese) names pronounced in (U.S.) English?   * João Gilberto   * Astrud Gilberto    * Bebel Gilberto   * Vinicius de Moraes   * Antonio Carlos Jobim   * Vivo Sonhando


Who uses the term 'freehold'?

I am interested to discover in which countries, where English is used, the term 'freehold' and 'freeholder' is in everyday use. I know the question of 'freehold' has come up on this site before in discussion about 'condominium'. But that does not answer my question. The origin of the term goes back the centuries-ago feudal system, and indicated land held as a free man, as opposed to a villein. But 'freehold' today means the absolute rights of ownership, free of any lease, in a piece of land. The alternative to freehold is 'leasehold' where rights are held for a period of time according to the terms of a lease.


A word meaning "to set equal to one" in a mathematical application?

How do I describe the process of setting something equal to 1 in a mathematical application? I often deal with numbers and figures that are set equal to zero when certain conditions are met, and the word for this (that we use, at least) is "zeroise". Is there such a word for the same process, except where we are setting numbers equal to one? I would like to think that it is "unionise" but the idea of unionising labourers seems to be too strong here. Any other suggestions?


People who is or People who are

I want to know if which one is correct, for example I want to say: "The people who is in charge of this process" or "The people who are in charge of this process". I'm a bit confused because of the "who" word in the middle of the sentence.


What does “Moral luck” mean?

As an extension of my interest in Van Gogh’s severed ear from Jeffrey Archer’s “False Impression” that depicted mysterious odyssey of Van Gogh’s self- portrait with bandage on his left ear, I was attracted to read Adam Gopnik’s article titled, Van Gogh’s ear – The Christmas Eve that changed modern art, that appeared in New Yorker magazine (Jan. 4 issue). In his article, Gopnik introduces _Moral Luck_ (1976), the essay of Bernard Williams on the relationship of Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin and their influence on modern art. Not only the title of William’s book, the words _Moral luck_ are repeated four times in the following sentence: > What Williams didn’t entirely register, though, was that Gauguin isn’t just > one artist plucked at random out of time, a desperado in a line stretching > back to Pygmalion. He’s not just an instance of _moral luck_ ; he is an > inventor of _moral luck_. He is a model modern artist, and modern art is in > many ways about _moral luck_ , about the search for it, about raising the > stakes to see if it can happen. Modern art makes its own _moral luck_. I don’t understand the meaning of _Moral luck_. I checked the definition of _luck_ with Cambridge Online Dictionary, which defines _luck_ simply as: >   1. The force that causes things, especially good things, to happen to you > by chance and not as a result of your own efforts or abilities. 2. Success. > Oxford Dictionary at hand defines it in the same way as 1. “Good things that happen to you by chance. 2. Chance. Period.” I cannot even guess the meaning of _Moral luck_ from any of the above definitions. To me, _Moral_ doesn’t seem to sit well with _Luck_. Can you decode what _Moral luck_ really means?


Is "plunger" a familiar word for part of a phone?

I was looking for the name of the button on a telephone that you push to hang up. On older phones where the receiver sits horizontally over two buttons, I've seen them called "plungers." Are people familiar with this term? Is there another term? Is the single button also called a "plunger?"


"Aforementioned" or "beforementioned"

I asked a question on the origin of the word _aforementioned_. To me, it would seem that this word should be _beforementioned_ instead. Why does it begin with _afore-_? Also, does this mean _afore_ can be used as a substitute for _before_?


What's a word like "disregard" or "bypass" that means "hides"?

Imagine that someone skips a step, with the hope that the audience will never know that it existed. I was thinking _extends_ or _circumvents_. I'm not sure if these words are on the nose; I am looking for a word that really shows intent to conceal. Here's a sample sentence: > Any plan of action that ______ preservation of human life is, at its core, > flawed.


To or for usage: Places

Which of these is correct? > She is leaving _for_ the USA. or > She is leaving _to_ the USA.


When can "very" modify a prepositional phrase?

In _Hamlet_ , when Hammy Jr. asks Polonius whether a cloud looks like a whale, Polly replies, > Very like a whale. In contemporary English, however, "very like ..." feels ungrammatical. You instead have to epenthetically say "very much like ...". Interestingly this restriction doesn't seem to apply to some similar constructions; I find the following all acceptable:   * "Very whale-like" (PP replaced with adjective)   * "Very similar to a whale" (synonymous phrasal preposition)   * "Really like a whale" (synonymous adverb)   * "Exactly like a whale", "Truly like a whale", "Somewhat like a whale" (different adverb)   * "Nothing like a whale" (adverb replaced with a word of arguable lexical class)   * "Very near a whale" (different preposition)   * Cerberus pointed out (in chat) that "That is so very like you" is also acceptable (different argument to preposition) But these still unacceptable:   * *"Very by a whale", *"Very in a whale", *"Very inside a whale", *"Very toward a whale" (different preposition)      * But "Directly by/in/inside/toward a whale" are fine. **What determines whether "very" can modify a prepositional phrase?**


Use of "completely rubbish"

I notice that _it is rubbish_ means _it is bad_ , but can we say _it is completely rubbish_ meaning _it is completely bad_ in everyday English? Do native speakers of English say that, other than the obviously correct _it is complete rubbish_?


"Irreparable damage" vs. "irrecoverable damage"

Which word is a better fit in the following sentence? > Some of the environmental changes may produce **irreparable/irrecoverable** > damage to the earth's capacity to sustain life.


Since more than six months

As per English grammar, ' _Since_ ' is used to show the time period in the past from which the event is happening. So, is the sentence given below correct? > " _Since more than six months, I have been directly assisting Steve as a > Project Manager_ "


On the structure of "search for weapons and bands of pro-Hussein fighters still holding out"

I came across the following expression: > The primary task of many American troops in Baghdad has been to search for > weapons and bands **of pro-Hussein fighters still holding out**. This is from a newspaper called _The Japan Times_ , which is published in Japan. I don't understand the structure of the bold part.   1. Is "holding out" a gerund?   2. If so, is "pro-Hussein fighters" its semantic subject?   3. Then, how is this sentence different from "weapons and bands **which/that** pro-Hussein fighters still hold out"?


Synonymity of "simple" and "basic"

If I have two ways of doing the same thing, one requiring more input or effort than the other but also allowing for more customization, how should I label the two? > The **_simple_** way and the _custom_ way > > The **_basic_** way and the _custom_ way Are _simple_ and _basic_ really synonyms in this situation?


What is the difference between a "technologist" and a "technician"?

The dictionary offers the following: > technologist -- a person who specializes in technology > > technician -- specialist in industrial techniques: somebody who is skilled > in industrial techniques or the practical application of a science But if I look at Wikipedia's entry they give the following list: >   * Applied Science Technologist, a Canadian professional title in > engineering and applied science technology >   * Architectural technologist, a specialist in the technology of building > design and construction >   * Cardiovascular technologist, a health specialist who uses imaging > technology to help diagnose cardiac and vascular ailments >   * Chemical technologist, a worker who provides technical support or > services in chemical-related fields >   * Educational technologist, a specialist in tools to enhance learning >   * Electrical Technologist, a person whose knowledge lies between that of > an electrical engineer and an electrical tradesperson >   * Engineering technologist, a specialist who implements technology within > a field of engineering >   * Industrial technologist, a specialist in the management, operation, and > maintenance of complex operation systems >   * Medical technologist, a healthcare professional who performs diagnostic > analysis on a variety of body fluids >   * Polysomnographic technologist, a health specialist who administers > overnight polysomnograms >   * Professional Technologist, a Canadian professional title in engineering > and technology related fields >   * Radiologic technologist, a medical professional who applies doses of > radiation for imaging and treatment >   * Surgical technologist, a health specialist who facilitates the conduct > of invasive surgical procedures > This usage seems to suggest some variant of "technician". Wikipedia even redirects many of the equivalent "technician" articles to the corresponding "technologist" article (e.g. chemical technician; x-ray technician). Where did "technologist" come from? Are these professions simply relabeling "technicians" as "technologists" or is there a significant difference between a "technologist" and a "technician"?


What is the opposite of "abstain"?

We were thinking originally in terms of voting, but of course "abstain" has a more general meaning, of which the antonym is probably "indulge". But is there an opposite that would be more appropriate when the usage of abstain is related to abstaining from voting in an election?


What is a good substitute for "echoey"?

As in "an echoey room". People do use this word in speech, but it isn't proper in writing. I thought of "echoing", but that implies that something is _currently_ making an echo, whereas what I'm looking for would mean that _if_ there was a noise in the room, it would echo. Are there any real words for this?


What is a carpenter if he doesn't carpent?

Why does "carpenter" end in "er" if "carpent" isn't a word? Same with "butcher". (As in: "I butch for a living.")


What do you want for/of/from/with me?

I've heard of these four a lot but never really knew the differences. Can anybody tell me?


What word means "eating place"?

The word "dormitory" means "sleeping place". Is there any similar word for "eating place"?


Is "If it had been for you" grammatical?

I came across the following sentence:   * "I acted as if it had been for you." (V. Hugo) Since "if it had been for you/we/they" don't have results after searching on Google Search (site:.us), can someone clarify if it is grammatical? Could we rewrite the sentence as follow without change in meaning?   * "I acted as if I had been you."


What does "shortening" mean? Is it different from "abbreviation"?

What does _shortening_ mean? Is it different from _abbreviation_? I checked the dictionary, but I don't get the difference clearly.


Origin of pronunciation of "I"

When I began to study English in my high school (Moscow Institute of Applied Physics) I could not believe our teacher (or tutor?) that the English pronounce it as /aɪ/. I was all of shocked. In school I studied French and I always thought that all normal nations (at least European) pronounce it as /ɪ/. What is the origin of such crazy behavior of Englishmen?


Is there a word for someone who really has their act together? Someone who has their time well-managed, is focused, works out, has ambitions, eats right. Not necessarily _success_ , but there's a kind of trait that leads to it, that I can't quite put my finger on. There's strong overlap with people who are competitive or are overachievers, but it's not exactly the same thing. "In the zone" is close, but I'm looking for a more long term or permanent kind of thing — the opposite of a _slob_ or _slacker_. Maybe there isn't a word, but there should be.


Difference between "picture" and "photo"

When should I use one or the other?


Why is there an 'it' in "I find it very difficult to do this"?

I find it strange that one has to use the pronoun _it_ in sentences like > I find _it_ very difficult to do this. I would like to know the grammatical reason (if there is one) for this, if it has name, and how bad it is if you omit it.