Can "status quo" be used in regards to micro topics?

I was having a discussion with my fiancee about whether or not she was going to take my name when we get married. As of right now, the plan is that she will keep her current last name. When asked if this will change before our wedding, I said "we will most likely stick with the status quo, and she'll keep her name." A. Is it incorrect to use the term "status quo" to describe the current state of a micro-topic? B. Does using it in that sentence conversely imply that that "status quo" is what is normal in society (which is for the female to take the last name), and thus the "status quo" is actually her taking my last name? Thanks!


What is the antonym of 'quoin' -- a single word to describe an interior angle

I'm looking for single words to describe interior (as in 'corner of a room') and exterior angles (as in 'corner of a building'). For the exterior angle I found _quoin_ which is (according to Merriam-Webster) ' _a solid exterior angle (as of a building)_ ' and ' _(architecture) solid exterior angle of a building; especially one formed by a cornerstone_ ' according to the Free Dictionary, so it's spot on. Now, how could I describe an interior angle? If there's no single word for this, perhaps a phrase sounding better than ' _concave corner_ ' or ' _interior angle corner_ '?


correct antonym for individualistic

I'm looking for an antonym for individualistic that ideologically corresponds to valuing the common good above the individual. For example when Spock says " _the needs of the many outweighs the needs of the few_ ", what ideological stance could this view be ascribed to?


"All previous work is" or "All previous work are"

Which of the following two sentences is the correct one? (1) All previous work is in the file. (2) All previous work are in the file. Google search turned up documents using both forms, but the "is" form was most prevalent. Thanks.


What is the name of the area of skin between the nose and the upper lip / mouth?

What is the name of the area that is between the nose and the upper lip, circled in figure 1 below? ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/ZEu5W.png) source of face image I have found that the area circled in figure 2, the small indentation under the nose, is called the "philtrum," which is what the many searches I have tried have yielded, but I cannot figure out what the entire area is called.


Why is "to win over" also called "to one up on"?

Peter Lynch has a book that's called _One Up On Wall Street_ , which probably means "Win Over Wall Street." But why this phrase? Why is it "One Up"? Is there a story behind it? Where does it come from?


Do I have a couple of questions or a few?

I know what the dictionary definitions are for few and couple. Not looking for reciting the definition or etymology. I would like someone to tell me in common usage is it appropriate to call 3 of something a couple or to call 2 of something a few? This comes from my workplace. I work in a very global setting. In emails and on conference calls often people will say "a few" when they are talking about two things. Or "a couple" when they are talking about three things and sometimes more. Are there any regional/social/demographic based differences? For instance my grandma often uses the terms interchangeably and might go back and forth with the two words about the exact same topic. What is the cutoff point for couple and a few?


How Many is "A Few"?

I'm preparing some marketing materials for my boss, and one section contains the phrase "Here are a few examples:". The list that follows contains two items, which strikes me as being incorrect, though I can't find much evidence of this. Is it semantically correct to refer to two items as "a few"? Is there a solid rule for this, or is it just personal preference? **Edit -** As Armen correctly pointed out, this question is about semantics rather than grammar. I changed my phrasing to reflect this.


Approximate values of amount modifiers

This is an area of English that I consistently have trouble with. Consider the following sentences.   1. I have a couple of books on my desk.   2. I have a bunch of books on my desk.   3. I have a number of books on my desk.   4. I have a few books on my desk.   5. I have several books on my desk.   6. I have many books on my desk. How many books, give or take, do I have on my desk in each case? [digression: one example of how I tend to get these wrong is the following: not long ago, my wife (native speaker of American English) and me were out with a few friends from out of town. At one point I said "[famous landmark] is only two hundred meters from here", to which my wife replied "no, it's more like a a couple hundred meters".]


Is "administrate" a valid English verb? What's the difference between it and "administer"?

We had an interesting discussion yesterday about the use of _administer_ and _administrate_. I feel that there is a case for both usages -- sometimes you might administer something, and other times you might administrate something -- but I couldn't convince my fellow co-worker who thought that _administrate_ was some kind of neo-abomination. This was mainly because I couldn't cite a convincing example. So then, is _administrate_ an acceptable verb, and what usages exist that differentiate it from _administer_?


Why do we say "bless you"?

I don't mean when someone sneezes or when someone's been kind to you, but in other situations. Like, when someone is enjoying a lot of luck, fortune or doing staggeringly well in something. Or when someone is wonderful at a task and you admire them at lot. So, you want to get to know them better through talking to them, either directly or via online messaging. However, they are often quite busy and you're hoping they have time for you, but they turn out not to have any. You can say: "(It's a pity, but) bless them." Besides, is it the same meaning as "wish you good luck"?


Сonstruction "Do you mind"

Your room mate asks: “Do you mind if I smoke?”. But, you HATE smoking. What would you say? “Yes” or “No” ? I think correct answer is "Yes". My answered correctly?


Difference between "the very first" and "first"

I have the sentence: > Who wrote the very first dictionary ever? Is it any different from > Who wrote the first dictionary ever? I don't get how something could be more first.


Which expression is older: "London Royal Parks" or "London's Royal Parks" ? And why is it Hyde Park and not Hyde's Park?

> **London Royal Parks** and > **London's Royal Parks** Both phrases are used, and I understand that "London" in the first example is acting as an adjective. Whereas in the second, "London", is used as a proper noun and therefore has an apostrophe. However, which form is the older? I suspect that it is the second and if that is the case, why do only two Royal Parks: St. James's and The Regent's Park, have an apostrophe while four Royal Parks do not? In other words: Why not Hyde's Park, Richmond's Park, Greenwich's Park and Kensington's Gardens? Please, no answers with: > "The Royal Parks **in** London" or > "The Royal Parks **of** London." _**and_** claiming the above are "correct" because inanimate nouns and geographic names do not take the apostrophe. That's false. On dates I found this on Wikipedia: > Place names in the United States do not use the possessive apostrophe on > federal maps and signs. The United States Board on Geographic Names, which > has responsibility for formal naming of municipalities and geographic > features, has deprecated the use of possessive apostrophes **since 1890** so > as not to show ownership of the place. Only five names of natural features > in the U.S. are officially spelled with a genitive apostrophe (one example > being **Martha's Vineyard** ). I'd also be interested to know which form is considered "preferable" by linguists, grammarians etc... `London Royal Parks` or `London's Royal Parks` and which is more common in everyday speech.


Is " Let me know your opinion" correct?

What are the possible structures that follow the phrase: let somebody know. For example, is "Let me know your opinion" correct?


how do we use 'ride' and 'drive when it comes to a motorcycle?

suppose Iam offering someone a ride home can i use the word 'ride' as in " come I'll ride you home " i know " I'll give you a ride home " would be the correct sentence but could you still answer my question


"Somewhere" - is it really a pronoun?

Is it? If it is then why is not listed in the major dictionaries? LDOCE, Dictionary.com, Merriam-Webster: No


What is the "bin" in "loony bin"?

A question on ELU gives some background on the use of _looney_. Etymonline's entry for _bin_ has "receptacle", "all from L.L. _benna_ 'cart,' M.L. _benna_ 'basket.'" _Loony bin_ seems to be analogous to _police box_ or _paddy wagon_. I'm not sure if the "insane" were literally kept in boxes or carted up as the definition implies. If not, why was _bin_ chosen? **Was _bin_ used in similar phrases or contexts, or was it just a unique construction that caught on?**


Is there a word for capitalizing in the middle of a word, as in "eBay"?

Usually this sort of word is a trademarked name, such as _eBay_ or _BlackBerry_. Is there a word that describes capitalization mid-word?


It's not "probability" but...?

I have values between 0 and 1, like [0.9, 0.8,...], indicating that a value closer to 1 is more probable than one close to 0, but without all the values adding up to 1. I guess I can't call it _probability_ , but what else can I call those values?


"Replacing variables with their equivalence classes" vs. "... with their equivalence class"

In my thesis I have the following sentence: > One can construct a new query by replacing all the variables in Q with their > equivalence classes. I doubt that this sentence is grammatically correct, for the following reason. Every variable is replaced by just one equivalence class, since there is only one equivalence class for every variable in Q. At the same time, there are multiple variables in Q. So should it be "equivalence class" or "equivalence classes"?


What's the difference between "attendee" and "participant"?

Attendee: Someone who is at an event such as a meeting or a course. Participant: Someone who is taking part in an activity or event. Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English


Collective Noun for Fire

What is the collective noun for _fire_? > A **___ __ ___** of fires. To clarify: This is actually a school curriculum text question and I have never heard of such a collective noun. This is an example I can think of: Suppose that several fires raged yesterday in the city and the newspapers wanted to say "Yesterday the fire department fought a whole bunch of fires". What word can replace "a whole bunch" in the previous statement?


Word for feeling conflicting emotions simultaneously

I've been trying to think of an adjective that expresses having two (or perhaps more) conflicting emotions or opinions simultaneously. Can anyone think of one?


Origin and pronunciation of "Thawte"

Working in the IT industry I often have to use the word _Thawte_ \- the name of a company and its certificates. What is the origin of this word and its correct pronunciation? Does it have its own meaning or is it just a name? A web search result seems to contain IT security stuff only.


What does " hand-me-downs of talk" mean ?

for you to know the context, I am submitting a sentence.. " the collection of more modern hand-me-downs of talk can be found in.... " what is the meaning of "hand-me-downs of talk" ?


What is meant by "if only..."?

Does it mean something like I wish? > If only I had time to do this.   >  If only I could do this.


How often do people call friends "chum" so that you know they are not actually calling you "chump"?

I am not a native English speaker. If my schoolmate yells at me "Hey chum!", I wonder if they are actually calling me _chum_ or _chump_. How often is _chum_ being used to refer to friends instead of "Hey bro/buddy"? Please gives answer for US, UK and AU.


"The lyrics to the song" vs. "the lyrics of the song"

>   * Do you remember the lyrics **to** the song? >   * Do you remember the lyrics **of** the song? > I'm more familiar with the second sentence using the "of". But what I don't know is, how would you interpret both of these sentences in the grammatical sense? Do both of these sentences express a relation between lyrics and songs?


Is "statistics" singular or plural?

>   * Statistics **shows** that people are having fewer children these days! >   * Statistics **show** that people are having fewer children these days! > Which one is grammatical?


We are creating a product which is online hosted CMS solution (something like WordPress), and we want to call it **Site Pack**. However, there are places where we need to join these words together (like the logo for example). How we should case the joined word? There are many options available:   1. SitePack   2. Sitepack   3. sitepack Which casing is correct? Who decides the casing of newly coined words? Do we have autonomy in determining the casing of the name of our product, or should we consult somewhere for that?


What's the meaning of "one too many times"?

> They're just a better bank. I keep a local bank as well (got burned one too > many times by WF — started charging me for things I had for free for 6 > years).


Present perfect and present perfect continuous for actions in progress

My grammar book says that both present perfect and present perfect continuous, when used with "for, since, etc", express a situation that began in the past and continues to the present. When used without 'since' or 'for', present perfect expresses the action that has happened before now and the progressive without any specific mention of time expresses a general activity in progress recently. So neither of them implies that an action is still in progress when time is not mentioned, but I noticed that sometimes even when specific time is mentioned both can refer to an activity that is not in progress anymore and that has finished. Eg., **_I have been wearing this dress/I have worn this dress the whole summer_**. (The summer is over, the action is over too) What do you think about it? I can give another example; **_I have been living in France_** (Maybe the person has just relocated and says that he has been living in France recently) and **_I have been living in France my whole life/for five years/for ages_** (Again the person has relocated to another location and says where he/she used to live recently. **_I have lived in France my whole life/for five years/for ages_**. Similar statements as the two above: he/she doesn't live there anymore, but was recently living there. Sometimes native speakers tell me that nothing is impossible :). What do you think about these statements? **_I have been driving my car_**. The specific time is not mentioned, however the progressive form implies that the action is still in progress. I have been confused by this sentence too as well as by the sentences below. **_I have been driving my car for ages/for five years_**. I know that this normally means I am still driving it, but I have been told (not by experts) that it can also imply that the action has finished recently or even if not recently it is not in progress anymore. The following sentence has the same meaning as the previous one; **_I have driven my car for ages/for five years_**. And **_They have been married for twenty years/for ages_** , maybe they are still married, maybe have recently divorced. Are these comments right? Thanks


Does “code of conduct” mean the same as “code of ethics”?

I have tried with many dictionaries to search for a synonym of the phrase “code of conduct”. I wonder if it has the same meaning as “code of ethics”. Your help is much appreciated.


Instrumented? What is a good explanation/definition of the word. (English: Tech Jargon)

What is a good explanation/definition of the word Instrumented? as in "Good code needs to be instrumented..." I did a brief web search, but the few places it pops up seem to also be full of jargon, so I'm still confused. Is it a real word, is another word better, is it really related to Java programming, or other programming languages?


Meaning in context of 'founding population'

> Bryan Sykes, an Oxford scientist, wrote a book called "The Seven Daughters > of Eve" in which, using studies of mitochondrial DNA, he had claimed to be > able to trace nearly all living Europeans back to a founding population of > just seven women—the 'daughters of Eve' of the title—who lived during the > Palaeolithic. To each of these women Sykes given a name—Ursula, Xenia, > Jasmine and so on—and even a detailed personal history. Can the paragraph above have the implication that the 'daughters of Eve' lived in the same generation? If so, why? Is the use of 'founding population' that create this implication? Would it be sufficient to remove 'founding' to avoid this implication?


Equality among multiple items?

When I have two items and they are the same, we can say that they possess "equality". Let's say I have three or four items and they are all the same. What do we call the quality that they possess? Can we say the three items possess "equality" too? What are the other words for this quality? For example, I have four athletes and they are all equal in strength. What do we call the equality among their strengths? Thank you!


Formal term for upper level health workers

What is the **formal** term for upper level healthcare workers? By "upper level" I mean Medical Doctors and pharmacists; basically the ones that must have a university degree to perform the duties. I'm aware of possible legal differences between various countries, fortunately I don't need a perfectly unambiguous term. The context allows for not being 100% accurate, journalistic accuracy would be enough, so to speak.


What do you call it when some group is feeling self-satisfaction by praising themselves?

What do you call it when some group of people is feeling self-satisfaction in praising themselves, even though others don't think them praise-worthy?


Difference between ‘"folder" and "directory"

What is the difference between _folder_ and _directory_ in the context of computer science?


Can you use "many, many" in this way?

Suppose I want to use the phrase "many, many" to compound the "maniness" of the thing I'm describing. > There are **many, many** people. > > The people (of which there are **many, many** ) The first one is standard, but the second one is contended. _Can_ it be used in that way? An example of one that wouldn't be so awkward is: > There are **lots and lots** of people. > > The people (of which there are **lots and lots** ) Each one can be properly used in its singular form, but once repeated, one of them falls apart. Why?


What does a person “with about two dollars to one’s name” mean?

I found the phrase, “a homeless man in New York _with about two dollars to his name_ ” in the New Yorker magazine’s article (November 29, 2011) titled “Politics of Dissolution.” It begins with the following sentence “You can’t get much further apart on the socio-economic ladder that Peter Thiel and Ray Kachel. The former is a silicon Valley billionaire entrepreneur, venture capitalist with sharply conservative –libertarian views, the latter is, currently, a homeless man in New York City, with left-wing politics and _about two dollars to his name_.” As I didn’t get the idea of a homeless man ‘with about two dollars to his name,’ I looked for its meaning on Google. Wikipedia provides the definition of ‘two dollar’ simply as “the United States two-dollar bill is a current denomination of US currency. President Thomas Jefferson is featured on the obverse of the note.” As a derivative phrase from ‘two dollars, only Urban Dictionary registers "two dollar scratchie" as; When you have a bitter break up or disagreement with your partner and their name becomes a non-speakable word, substitute it for "two dollar scratchie". If anyone says their actual name instead of the substituted "two dollar scratchie" - they gotta buy you one! Neither of both definitions seems to be applicable to the above homeless man description. What does “ _someone with two dollars with his (her) name_ ” mean? Is it a popular phrase to mean a nameless person with no value attached to his or her name / being? Can I apply ‘two dollars’ to any other insignificant articles or things than a person in the same way as ‘no worth for a dime’?


Where is the word "cutlery" in common usage

During a trip to the US I realised that many Americans have never heard the word cutlery before ... however some have. Where in the English speaking world (and in particular where in the US) is this is a common term for knives, forks and spoons?


Meaning of sentence with double negation

I'm a learner of English, and I got this sentence from a dating book which I find difficult to understand: > We know a man who was horribly disfigured by fire who has a constant stream > of women in his life, who would never dream of thinking of himself as > sexually inadequate. The word _never_ is a negative word and _inadequate_ also has a negative meaning. There are two ways I can understand this sentence: (1) Negative plus negative gives positive (my Chinese grammar), so the sentence means the same as > He would dream of thinking of himself as sexually adequate. (2) Double negative strengthens the negation, so the sentence means the same as > He would dream of thinking of himself as sexually inadequate or > He would never dream of thinking of himself as sexually adequate.


Is this an imperative sentence?

Is this sentence an imperative sentence, or does it have conditional meaning? > You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it’ll > rub off on you.


Expression for a frustrated, annoyed double-take

Let us take a specific situation. > You are facing a person you find extremely annoying. The person is finding > faults in your ways and pointing them out in a rather blunt manner. They are > making high demands, being obnoxious and really getting under your skin. > Worst of all, they are right on all accounts and your argument with that > person is quickly turning into a losing battle. > > And on top of that, the person is using a really annoying dialect, something > you can't hold against them but it really brushes you the wrong way. > > Yet another point in your argument is raised, stated in that annoying > dialect, and as you utter your angry, frustrated (and wrong) rebuttal, you > find yourself replying using the same terrible dialect. You stop and correct > yourself immediately, but during the second before correcting yourself, > you... _scoff_? The dictionary definition suggests scoffing is more similar to annoyed, dismissive laugh. This is more about grinding your teeth in frustration. How would you describe such an expression?


Why is "to get" sometimes used where "to be" could be used? Examples:   1. "The video got uploaded to the web site." vs. "The video was uploaded to the web site."   2. "He got thrown in the pool." vs. "He was thrown in the pool."   3. "We got caught!" vs. "We were caught!" Is that usage correct?


Use 'got' instead of 'was'?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Why is “to get” sometimes used where “to be” could be used? Sometimes I hear people say things like this: > I just got robbed. (Personally I would rather say 'I was robbed' or something.) It seems correct to me, but is this a _good style_? And if so, in which cases is it possible to replace a word with _get_ or _got_?


Is "Didn't you have a meeting to attend to?" grammatical?

Is the sentence "Didn't you have a meeting to attend to" grammatically correct?


Is "Men Socks" correct?

Just would like to know if saying "Men Socks" is correct? It needs to mean "socks for men". By searching on google I could see that men's socks is more used. If you speak portuguese, I was translating "meias masculinas" to English when I got this doubt.


Lets not sweat it

What is the meaning of "lets not sweat it" in this post? Is it something like "let's not take it too seriously?" or "hey man, take it easy?".


What "All of is" means?

Question: Who wrote this music? Answer: All of is. I don't get it. Can someone help me here? Thanks.


What does “This story just won’t write” mean? Is this still an acceptable English phrase today?

The New Yorker (March 20) carries an interesting story about the writing style of Time magazine posted by Calvin Trillin who worked for Time magazine as a ‘floater’ and editor in 60s under the title, “Time Edit.” There is the following statement: > Writers at Time paid a sort of homage to those leftover tics by using > phrases like “short-fingered vulgarian Donald Trump.” It was largely because > of the constant pressure to compress that Time prose struck me as more > difficult to write than to parody. A common complaint then among Time > writers who found themselves stuck on a story was “ **this story just won’t > write** ”—as if the story had a will of its own and was using it to resist > being shaped into a coherent narrative. I may have used the phrase from time > to time myself. The problem was mostly space. I don’t understand what “This story just won’t write “mean. I feel like agreeing with 'This story tells ....," but can the story write a story by itself? What does it mean? The author explains that Time writers used this expression ‘from time to time’ because of space constraint, by admitting by himself "it looks like as if the story has a will of its own," and "the problem was space (constraint)." However, is the expression,“This story just won’t write” grammatically right? Does it make sense to most native English speakers, or is considered good Time-style English? If this is just a usual expression both grammatically and rhetorically, why the author should have picked up this particular episode in explaining Time’s writing style and its obsession to space, which seems to be rather wasting space to me?


Is there a single-word noun for an overwhelming feeling that uses “overwhelm” as its root?

Is there a single-word noun for an overwhelming feeling that uses _overwhelm_ as its root? My first thought was to make a gerund, that is, _overwhelming_. Although _overwhelming_ is normally used as an adjective, this strategy applies to verbs like "cook", since _cooking_ can be both a noun and an adjective. That being said, I don't think I have ever heard _overwhelming_ use as a noun, such as for example: > The overwhelming was terrible. Pardon the technical jargon, but that just doesn't sound right. Searching around here and elsewhere online doesn't yield more than people suggesting _overwhelming feeling_ or _overwhelmption_ (although girldetective.net may not be an authoritative source on the English language). Is there a single word that fits this use case? If not, why does such a word not exist? Is the verb _overwhelm_ part of a certain class of verbs that don't lend themselves to this?


Prepositional phrases

> It was drawing to an end now; but the evening was even warm, and I sat at > work in the schoolroom (1) with **the window open**. (Jane Eyre) > > Presently the chambers gave up their fair tenants one after another: each > came out gaily and airily, (2) with **dress that gleamed lustrous through > the dusk**. (Jane Eyre) The two prepositional phrases each have (1) a small clause (Bar Aart’s term), (2) a noun and the relative. How do you call these in grammatical terms?


What's the atonym for related information?

I can't remember this word, it's been on the tip of my tongue for days. I am sure that this word exists but there's no synonym results I could find on Google. It means something like the inverse of correlation/evidence, "freak occurrence" possibly. It's a word used to say something to the effect of, "you're referring to something as though it's connected". But that word describes the claim in a single word: "X information". A great example is something like;- person A sees person B in a car with a dog and then goes on to conclude that many people might drive with dogs in the car. The observation is "unrelated" to the reality or something similar, yet person A took it to have a connection and for there to be some underlying explanation. This event itself (not the observation) is an X. Talking about the event is using X information and is not very scientific. edit: I found it. (anecdotal/anecdote, "anecdotal information") http://www.macmillandictionary.com/thesaurus-category/british/Not-definite-or- based-on-fact anecdotal adjective based on someone’s personal experience or information rather than on facts that can be checked


Does "the N-word" have implications other than a word used for racial discrimination?

The New York Times (February 21) carried an article introducing the travelling exhibition of “The Cyrus Cylinder and Ancient Persia” to the U.S. at the Smithsonian, Metropolitan Museum, Asian Art Museum, Getty Villa and Houston’s Museum of Fine Arts. The Cyrus Cylinder was made soon after Cyrus of Persia captured Babylon in 539 B.C., and was called the first bill of human rights in history. The author and op-ed columnist Roger Cohen concludes the article with the phrase: > My theory, by the way, was this: It may just be possible to write a column > about Iran without using the **“N” word**. My understanding of “the N” word is associated with racial discrimination. However, thinking of recent turmoil concerned with nuclear development and possible armament of Iran, N can be associated with Nuclear. What does “N” stand for in the above statement? Can "N" word mean something other than racial discrimination? For your reference, the ending line is preceded with the following sentence, but it doesn’t seem to give any hint to my question: > “National conventions include the ceremonial form of intention-veiling > flattery known as “taarof,” and the sacrifice of truth to higher religious > imperative known as “tagieh” (The Shiites, like the Jews, have been lonely > in the Middle East; lying was often a means to survive.) The third “T” of > the Iranian psyche is “tazieh,” effectively a synonym for dramatic lament > and epic resistance.”


Word that means 'an unknown phenomenon or concept'

Is there a word that means 'an unknown phenomenon or concept'? Is it really referred whit the one letter word 'X'?


Can "in between" refer to a single continuous action?

Can we say _in between_ if we are in the middle of an action? For example: > The doctor told me not to eat anything after midnight. In the morning I > accidentally ate a seed and recalled as I was in between [eating].


Implication of the sentence "... can ... if ..."?

When saying "Someone can A if B", does it imply "If someone does not B, someone cannot A"? So if I want to say "B is an option for A, but B is not necessary to achieve A", is "Someone may A if B" closer to this? Or is "Someone can A if B" good enough for this meaning?


What tense is "You were unable to do it."?

> "You were unable to do it." Can you describe the tense of this sentence? Is it Past Progressive?


"as and when" Usage

Why would one say > " you can do that as and when needed" instead of > " you can do that when needed" Is there any difference between them?


Proper antonym for "expand"

I am creating an application that has a small panel that has an "expand" button. When the user expands it, he will be able to shrink it again. What would be the best antonym of "expand" to use here?I don't think "shrink" is the most formal one. I have found "diminish", "compress", "lessen", "narrow" and "shrink" but I'm not 100% which one of these would fit best on my case. _Edit:_ This has nothing to do with programming. I just mentioned where I'll be using the word, so as to help me find the correct antonym.


Looking for a good word that means "an open statement"

I'm trying to think of a word that means something along these lines: An open statement. Not a number. Not something absolute. Not something calculable. A free statement. A literary premise. E.g. "cheese may be good for you" as opposed to "17.6" EDIT: The word needs to represent a collection of non-mathematical, non-technical sources. E.g. "non-mathematical" or "literary" (except those don't cut it.) Used in a sentence: I calculated agreement between _ sources.


Is there a reason to use "mono" over "uni"?

I'm just interested in knowing if there is any non-arbitrary basis for using prefixes "mono" or "uni" when words are initially being coined. As far as I can tell, they mean the same thing as a prefix. For example, why use "monochrome" instead of "unichrome"? In a similar vein, what about other words, with prefixes like "bi", "di" or "duo"? To be more specific, I suppose I wondered if there was any inherit connection between the prefix and its root word; like maybe if the root word is from Latin, the Latin prefix should be used, or something.


"I will rob you of it" vs. "I will rob it of you"

Which of these is grammatically correct, and why? >   * I will rob you of it >   * I will rob it of you >


What part of speech is "down" in "down went the Titanic"?

> **Down** went the Titanic. What part of speech is _down_ in this context? I have to choose between a) Preposition, b) Noun, c) Verb, and d) Adjective. But I think the correct answer should be "adverb", which is absent from the list. What do you think about it?


Adjective & Adverbial forms of "Conspiracy"

I tried looking up its synonyms (plot, scheme) and then their adjectives, but they didn't quite cut it. Any word that can be used as its adjective and adverb? The place that I would like to use it is this: > Keep your _conspiracy-theory-like_ ideology to yourself, and don't spread > what you can't prove.


the pronunciation of "get"

Both /gɛt/ and /gɪt/ show up in the Wiktionary. The etymology strongly suggests that the pronunciation /gɛt/ is older. What is the source of the pronunciation /gɪt/? Is it confined to certain regions? It does not seem to be coming from a regular sound change, as nobody says /pɪt/ for /pet/. On the other hand, it does affect "forget" (at least for me).


"Reaction to" or "reaction at"?

Here's the context: > So has gone the **reaction** of many **to** the news that Facebook is buying > the mobile photo-sharing service Instagram[.] Could "at" be used as well? I was taught that, when it comes to reactions, you should use "at": e.g. "I was surprised at the news", "I was shocked at his behavior", etc.


What is the origin of face 'turning around'?

I'm watching a documentary movie on the history of Roman Empire. There's a part where the narrator says "In 113 BC, the Roman General Carbo parleyed for peace with the barbarians. Then he turns around and murders their ambassadors." Meanwhile in the enactment the actor playing Carbo actually 'turns around', faces to the opposite side towards his soldiers and signs them to ambush and kill the opposite party when they are gone. Has this phrase 'turning around' got some significance more than the literal meaning?


What do you call snow that has collected between a car body and the tire?

Snowy areas commonly see snow collect between a car body and tire. There is some strange satisfaction in kicking that snow off of the car and I've been in many conversations about miscellaneous details of this particular type of snow collection. Photographic example: ![Snow under tire.](http://i.stack.imgur.com/8uNCB.png) But is there a word I can use to refer to this clump? I am looking for a word similar to "icicle" or "stalactite" but a bit more specific.


How to avoid repetition of "something" and "some stuff"?

Is there any other word which can be used instead of **something** and **some stuff** , and how can the use of **something** and **some stuff** be avoided. For example: > He saw her dwelling on something; it seemed more like she was trying to > recall something. can it be written differently, without using **something** and/or **some stuff**?


How to speak mathematics

I've been asked to give lectures on electromagnetism in English, but I encounter many problems trying to express mathematical formulas since they are written and I do not know how to read them. Are there any references which elaborate the formulas and express what should we call any mathematical sign?


Ironic phrase like Russian’s “no, didn’t hear”

Here’s a bit of dialogue which I literally translated from Russian: > ― You should get a girlfriend! > > ― Girlfriend? Didn’t hear. . . . The idea of the answer is to self-ironically point out not only that the guy doesn’t have a girlfriend, but also that he hasn’t even heard of their existence. In Russian, it is a kind of idiom. What is the right way to express a similar idea in English?


"Learning" as a noun

This question came to my mind after seeing this tweet from an online acquaintance: > The use of _learning_ as a noun makes me ill. Maybe someone gained their > learnings about language from corporate Borat. Is the word _learning_ used as a noun not correct English? If so, what are the words one should be using to express the same intended meaning?


What's it called when you use the characteristics of a noun as an adjective?

Please feel free to edit this question so it makes sense. For example, if you're saying: > He has a bearish personality. We're using the qualities of a bear, (big, grizzly, perhaps dangerous), to describe his personality. > The party was very British. Conjures images of cups of tea, and polite reserved conversation; it's not saying the party was literally made of up British people. These aren't similes or metaphors. Is there a term for it?


Perform magic to children vs perform magic for children

I've noticed that there seems to be a usage of "to" where I expect "for" in certain dialects of English. The one that caught my eye today was a Reddit submission where the OP used the title "Why you don't perform magic to small children". Thinking about it, there seems to be something to the usage I'm not really grasping well. Running through various combinations and how they hit my ear: **OK usages**   * Perform magic for children   * Performing magic for children   * Perform magic for a crowd   * Performing magic for a crowd   * Perform magic for a child **Jarring usages**   * Perform magic to children   * Performing magic to children   * Perform magic to a crowd   * Performing magic to a crowd   * Perform magic to a child   * Performing magic to a child However, after replacing 'magic' with 'music' it changes to **OK usages**   * Perform music for children   * Performing music for children   * Perform music for a crowd   * Performing music for a crowd   * Perform music for a child   * Perform music to children   * Performing music to children   * Perform music to a crowd   * Performing music to a crowd   * Perform music to a child   * Performing music to a child **Jarring usages**   * None? What is the subtlety that I am missing? Is this just a matter of idiom or is there in fact a rule?


is there any word that means "current and upcoming"?

I want to find a word that could mean current and upcoming but couldn't. Or is there any other shorter ways to describe it? can anyone help me?


Is "the humanities" singular or plural?

Stephen Pinker published an essay entitled "Science is not your enemy", addressed to researchers in the humanities. Suppose one wanted to make an analogous suggestion to researchers in the sciences? Here are some options: > The humanities is not your enemy. But "humanities" has the form of a plural, whereas "is" is singular. > The humanities are not your enemy. Gloria Origgi posted article with this title, but if there are multiple humanities, wouldn't there be multiple enemies, i.e. that they are not? > The humanities are not your enemies. That just sounds odd. I'm referring to the humanities as a whole. Although I suppose it would be different if I wanted to specify that each individual humanity is not your enemy: > Art is not your enemy; history is not your enemy; literary studies is not > ... oops, are not, um ....


Looking for synonym 'look into heart' or 'reexamine thoughts'

I am looking for synonyms for 'reexamine thoughts'. I want to use the synonym in a context where I want to say 'think about myself or karmas before going to bed'.


What is the meaning of "home question"?

I have learned what "home truth" and "home thrust" means. But what is the meaning of "home question"?


How do you eat your eggs?

When I was in America I was offered eggs for breakfast as either 'up', 'down', 'easy' or 'dropped'. None of them are in use in Britain, where we have our eggs, fried, scrambled, boiled, or poached. Please could someone match these terms for me?


The meaning of "Mid or feed"

What does the expression "Mid or feed" mean? I realized it was a quote from Einstein. In addition, what's the meaning of the "mid" and the "feed" in this semi- context? After a Google search, I see the expression repeated in some online game ("League of Legends"; many related results). What about it, if anyone knows? I'd love any piece of information, since I'm not a native English speaker, and I couldn't find a clear interpretation.


What’s the difference between “tool” and “utility”?

I find these two words appear together often, especially mentioned as _tool_ and _utility_ for the Unix operating system. So I am wondering about the difference between them.


Term for the opposite of a scapegoat

I often bridle at news articles that focus on a single individual who has suffered in some way, as opposed to on the wider issue and the many others who have suffered similarly. Often, the article will also simplistically demonize a particular thing or entity as the sole cause of blame. In such articles, the thing being demonized is the 'scapegoat', but what is the term for a victim arbitrarily picked out from many? 'Martyr' doesn't fit as typically they (the martyr) die pursuing an abstracted goal or cause. The unknown soldier is a good example of a martyr, but they fought for something and remain anonymous. The victims I am trying to find a term for are often acknowledged in sympathetic terms, but not revered, and their now unattainable aims always seem to be cruelly highlighted. 'Figurehead' is another term I considered, as the word often used for someone prominent in a campaign, but they are not always involved in campaign - and rarely lead - a campaign. An example of this would be from today's Metro newspaper (UK): > Patrick dreamed of studying at Cambridge. But the 17-year-old turned turned > to drugs from Silk Road before dying of an overdose as his friends on Skype > looked on helplessly. The hallmarks of this are that the victim is highlighted to make a point, and is caricatured, their dashed aspirations always being emphasised, rather than being presented in a sympathetic light. What is the term for this?


What are the differences between the following responses to the question "how are you?"

1. I am good.   2. I am well.   3. I feel good.   4. I feel well.   5. I am feeling well.   6. I am feeling good.   7. I am doing good.   8. I am doing well. A former English teacher told me #1 is improper English and to use #2. Is this true and why so? I Google searched this issue and found this article. The author clames both I am good and I am well are proper English, though I don't follow the argument. > The nitpickers will tell you that "well" is an adverb (and therefore > modifies verbs) and that "good" is an adjective (and therefore modifies > nouns), but the situation isn't that simple. To me this statement is empty. So what if "well" is an adverb and "good" is an adjective? What grammar rule is being contradicted if this were true? I have heard the argument that #5 and #6 are referring to the capacity to experience the sensation of touch. What I don't understand is how #3 and #4 can't be interpreted in the same way? Does it make a difference if the asked question is "how have you been?" versus "how are you?"?


What's the difference between fine (well) and good

how is it correct: I'm fine (well), or I'm good


When to use "Well" or "Good"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Why do so many people get this wrong? "How are you? / I'm well." How would you answer the question "How are you?" > I'm well. or > I'm good. I notice that in American English, the latter is normally used, but I feel that the former is grammatically correct. Same goes for questions like "How did it go?" Can one answer "It went well," or "It went good." Which is correct?


Use of "good" and "well"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  "I'm well" vs. "I'm good" vs. "I'm doing well", etc   >  What is the difference between "good" and "well"   >  "Goes good with" or "goes well with" Is there a list of expressions or idioms in which _well_ and _good_ are used interchangeably like this one? Or an explanation as to which should be used and when? > I did well/good > > I feel well/good > > I am doing well/good > > I will be good/well > > I feel good/well about you > > I think good/well of you > > I do well/good I know that generally _well_ is used to describe a verb and _good_ is used to describe a noun. Can I use _bad_ in all these examples?


Is it I'm feeling good or I'm feeling well?

Isn't feeling here a verb of being so you would use the adjective good?


Using 'good' and 'well' in comparisons

Scenario: I 'look good' and I 'feel well,' how do I compare the two as being equal? consider the following two sentences: "I look as good as I feel" -and- "I look as well as I feel" I would choose the former, even though I don't 'feel good,' it just sounds right. However, consider these two sentences: "I feel as good as I look" -and- "I feel as well as I look" I would still choose the first one! Is that right? to always use 'as good' in comparisons?


Is there a difference between "good" and "well" when they are connected to subject via linking verb?

> marked as duplicate by Edwin Ashworth, David M, RyeɃreḁd, Brian Hooper, > tchrist > > This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those > answers do not fully address your question, please edit this question to > explain how it is different or ask a new question.


What can I use to remember the difference between "well" and "good"?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  What is the difference between "good" and "well" Okay, I actually have no idea when it's okay to say well or good but once again I vaguely remember a rule about them and I don't want to sound ignorant anymore or have that memory haunt me whenever people ask me how I'm doing.


Is "working good" correct in "The server is not working good"? Why?

Take the sentence > The server is not working good. I think that _working good_ is right here, but why is it right? Is _good_ an adverb in this position?


What is the difference between "good" and "well"

Most of the time, I use _good_ and _well_ interchangeably. However, on many occasions I would find _well_ or _good_ a misfit. Please suggest the proper usage.


"Looks really well" or "Looks really good"?

Which of the following sentences is correct? Could you use both? Why is this? > "That dress looks really _good_!" > > "That dress looks really _well_!"


Which is more correct: well or good? within the context given:

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  What is the difference between "good" and "well" "I work equally well as part of a team or as an independent researcher." _or_ "I work equally good as part of a team or as an independent researcher."


"Goes good with" or "goes well with"

Let's say that A and B are two different kinds of foods. Which is grammatically correct? > A goes **good** with B. > > A goes **well** with B. If they're both correct, then which is better?


Is "the song matches so good" grammatical?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  What is the difference between “good” and “well” Is _the song matches so good_ grammatical? It was posted in the context of a video link, like a comment. It simply sounded weird to me, but I can't really explain why. I personally would rephrase it to _the song fits so well_.


Phrase for observing a rule in a malicious way

I know this phrase, but for some reason it is blocked in my mind. What is the term for observing a rule, but doing so in a way that subverts it? I'm almost certain that _malicious_ is one of the words in the phrase, but I’m not positive about that. As an example, suppose there is a rule that in your workplace, you must put boxes to be mailed out in a certain place. Ralph considers this inconvenient, so he puts his boxes there, but he places them so they are in the way when you walk down that aisle, or in a way that makes the mail people work harder to organize the boxes before mailing them out. Ralph does this as a sort of protest against the rule. I don't think the phrase is _malicious observation_ , and it’s not _passive aggressive_ , but it’s something that means that. Help, this is worse than hearing a particular song in my head for hours!


meaning of expression "land in the tall grass"

I have seen the expression "land in the tall grass" and I am unsure of its meaning. Googling for it, I can only get the literal meaning, but not the one from a context like the one below from a TV series: > He is the one who should be nervous, Mommy. If you ask me? George Altman > **landed in the tall grass**. Any ideas?


Which is correct: "the below information" or "the information below"?

I frequently see statements that refer to something later in the text that use a phrase such as "the below information". Is it more correct instead to say "the information below" (or "the following information")?


Are there any words in English pronounced with /e/ at the end?

In first-language English pronunciation (Australian, British, American, etc., not Indian, Malaysian, etc.) are there any words with the /e/ (or /ɛ/) sound in "bed" /bed/ at the end of a word? As a counter-example "me" is pronounced /miː/. I don't know of any words ending in "e" where it is pronounced /e/; it is usually either /iː/ or silent. If you do know of any words please specify if they're limited to a certain dialect, region or accent.


Choice of sentence, which is better?

Which of these sentences is better? > Please check with the organizer when is the opening of this event or > Please check when is the opening of this event from the organizer I am also open to any better sentences that hold the same meaning.


What is a word/phrase for using a term for a popular special case instead of a generic term?

Some people use a term for a popular special case in place of a generic term. (Often this popular special case is a particular product in that category.) I think that this is a common phenomenon. Is there any word/phrase for it? For example, “Coke” officially refers to a Coca-Cola (I think), but some people seem to call any carbonated soft drinks “Coke.” In Japanese, _famikon_ is the Japanese name for Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), a video game console which was extremely popular in 1980s and early 1990s, but some Japanese people call any video game console _famikon_ even if it is not really a _famikon_. (As an aside, calling a video game console _famikon_ when it is not really a _famikon_ is even a stereotype of a “mother unfamiliar with technology” in Japan.) I am looking for a term which refers to this kind of usage of words.


Word for trade name that has become synonymous with the proper term for an item?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  What is a word/phrase for using a term for a popular special case instead > of a generic term? As the title of this question indicates, I was wondering if there is a specific term that means a trademarked product name that has become synonymous with the 'proper' name of an item. For example:   * the word _perspex_ , which is used to describe PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate), even if it is not made by ICI,   * _biro_ , which is more often than not used to describe a ballpoint pen, and   * _super glue_ , which seems to be the common name for cyanoacrylate adhesives, or any other type of liquid/paste-form bonding agent of similar strength.


Is there a specific word in English (a noun) for the strong smell of spaces like cellars, basements and storerooms?

Due to the lack of sunlight, usually located fully underground in the house and kept shut almost all the time , basements tend to release a very strong odour that fills your nostrils whenever you open the door. It’s a very characteristic kind of smell --a combination of the smell of moisture, mildew and the goods stored in the room. I’m interested to know if English has a specific term for this smell.


No loitering sign: "Police Take Notice"

I'm a native English speaker and I've never been able to really parse this one. Is it a command aimed at the police? If so, shouldn't it be "police, take notice"? Is this construction used anywhere except these kind of signs? Examples from GIS


What is the meaning of the phrase "Land Sakes"?

In a children's story I was reading the other day, one of the characters said > "Land Sakes" ...from the context of the story, it must be to indicate they are surprised? It was completely foreign to me and I just generally wanted to know more about it


What is the difference between "this" and "that"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Using "that" and "this" interchangeably   >  Is there a clear delineation between the usages of 'this' and 'that' in > American English? Is there a specific rule about when to use the word "this" or the word "that"? I have heard people say "this clock", and I have also heard people use it in the context "this city". Overall, I'm very confused.


"This" vs "that"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Using "that" and "this" interchangeably I wanted to know the differences between _this_ and _that_. When do you use one or the other? For example: > Too good question, I am that person who likes to have reverse page > numbering, it is very motivating to read a book with **this** numbering. In the above example should I use _this_ or _that_?


Using "that" and "this" interchangeably

Learning and using English I'm always confused about what word to use for referring to things that have been described by me a few sentences earlier: "that" or "this". Confusion comes from the fact that only the equivalent of "this" is always used in my native language for such referring. But I've noticed that in English for such referring "that" is used as often as "this" (or maybe even more often). Some examples for illustrating (just tried to google something appropriate to convey my idea better): > We assess local... the demographics of the local population. What are the > natural traffic drivers in the area. Things like cinemas and pubs and retail > and office and **all that type of things** and we now put together a bit of > a matrix and actually give a weighted score to each of the things we know > help our business. That helps us decide in a more scientific fashion. or: > The problem of Cervantes' origin became after that into a tough matter. Some > experts believed that the Cervantes from Alcázar, in the times of the > Lepanto Battle, was in the age of a child, more concerned about gathering > nests and **that type of things** than about fighting as a soldier. and for "this": > I believe lot of people who involved fishery industries in Mexico Gulf are > suffering now but as for economic issues, U.S government and other countries > will support them and give an utmost response to it. Important thing is that > we learn from this mistake and make sure **this type of things will never > happen in the future** and protect nature environment thus we have to take > this technology to get energy from water very seriously. I really hope this > technology will be available and used for everybody as soon as possible. Is there a rule describing proper usage of these words in cases like this? _(or should I have written "..in cases like **that** "?)_


Use of "this" instead of "that"?

In a TV programme, the host asked a person about the literacy rate of his city. The person replied 96%. The host then looked at the camera and said, "Wow, can you believe that?" My question is about the use of _that_ ; if he had used _this_ instead of _that_ , would it be wrong?


"Is this genuine?" versus "Is that genuine?"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Using "that" and "this" interchangeably   >  "How did I do this" or "how did I do that"? Since I'm French-Canadian, I have a hard time figuring out this one. Speaking of a physical object like a stamp, a lamp or anything collectable what would I use:   1. Is this genuine?   2. Is that genuine? What's the better usage when speaking of the authenticity of the item in question? If you have better ideas (other than the two listed) feel free to add them.


"In that case" vs "in this case"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Using "that" and "this" interchangeably Imagine a dialog: > Me: Can I have a Guinness, please? > > Bartender: We run out of Guinness, mate. > > Me: **In that case** , I'll have a pint of Fursty Ferret. Would it be also correct to say _in this case_ in the last sentence?


"How did I do this" or "how did I do that"?

Is there a difference between: > How did I do this? and > How did I do that? If not, is there a preferred one? If they are different, when should I choose one over the other? I am not a native English speaker.


When to use “this" and when to use “that”?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Using “that” and “this” interchangeably What is the difference?   * What do you think about _that_?   * What do you think about _this_? What is the grammar rule about using _this_ and _that_ in this way?


This, that and it for non-material objects

The question is not about how to use "this, that, it" with material objects, but how to use them with **non-material** ones? I don't understand (it, that, this) yet. For example: > I go to a gym every day and I like (it, this, that?). > > You helped me and (it, this, that) is very good. Is there any rule about (again it, this, that?)? Suggestions? Can I use "this, that, it" interchangeably in **most** situations?


"this way" vs "that way"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Using “that” and “this” interchangeably When should I use "this way" or "that way"? Is there any difference between these two when they used in a sentences? More specifically do these two sentences mean the same thing: > Don't look at me this way! > > Don't look at me that way! As far as I understand, someone should use "this way" when he is intended to mean something very specific to the situation. Say when you point to some bad picture and say to the students, "Don't do it this way!". ### Update 1 I have looked the answers to the question Using “that” and “this” interchangeably, but this makes things even more difficult. It seems I should use "Don't look at me this way" sentence. Google thinks so (15,600,000 for "Don't look at me this way" vs 5,190,000 for "Don't look at me that way"). But there is a song named "Don't Look At Me That Way" by Chaka Khan after all! ### Update 2 Please note that "this way" ≠ "this" + "way". It has much deeper meaning. Aristotle said that the whole is more than the sum of its parts. So I guess there is no need to close this question only because you think other way, really!


Subject of a commit message (in software engineering)

Each time I need to write a commit message for a git/svn repository, I wonder what the subject of the sentence should be, whether it should be:   1. the author of the commit (for example, "I added the drag'n'drop feature");   2. the commit itself ("It adds drag'n'drop feature");   3. no subject and verb in the infinitive form ("Add drag'n'drop feature"). Is there a convention for this among developers? Let me know if I should migrate this question to StackOverflow.


Is "spoon feeding" a widely accepted usage?

In India, "spoon feeding" is widely used in context of education where the students are taught in a manner by which they do not have to do much on their own. Everything will be done by the teachers, and the students just have to understand the notes. Is this phrase used in other parts of the world also? Specifically, if I were to use it in a conversation with people from other cultures, will they get the meaning of the phrase?


Is "sb." a commonly accepted abbreviation? What does it mean?

What does _sb._ mean? I keep seeing it certain posters' questions and I'm not sure what it's supposed to stand for -- the word _something_ , my initial guess, doesn't have a 'b' in it. So my questions are: Is it a known abbreviation? What does it mean?


"A place nearby" but not "A place good"

I can ask any of: > Do you know a breakfast place nearby?   >  Do you know a nearby breakfast place?   >  Do you know a good breakfast place? but I really can't ask: > Do you know a breakfast place good? Is there a general rule for determining whether an adjective must come before the noun or may come, Spanish-style, after it?


Do the adjectives always precedes the noun or pronoun?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Why do some adjectives follow the nouns they modify?   >  Attributive and predicative position of an adjective   >  "A place nearby" but not "A place good" My natural language is French, and I am full fluent in Spanish. Since in Spanish we can use almost any adjectives to _precede_ or _go after_ a noun or pronoun. I would like to know if in English is the same case, or **do the adjectives always precedes a noun or pronoun**? Is there any exception? What are the grammatical rules involved?


Attributive and predicative position of an adjective

I have some difficulty understanding the position of adjectives. In English I have to put the adjective before the referred name (e.g., _I'm an Italian man_ ). In some languages (as Italian or Ancient Greek), the adjective (or another grammatical element) can have two positions:   1. attributive: "gli uomini buoni" (the set of men who are good).   2. predicative: "i buoni uomini" (the men who are inherently good: all the men are good). How do you translate?   1. the good men    2. ????


What's it called when you make an adjective post-positive?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Why do some adjectives follow the nouns they modify? In English, adjectives usually precede the nouns they describe, as in "organic carrots". However, in some cases "normal" adjectives are reversed - possibly for emphasis or to add an exotic flair. For example, Curtis Mayfield's album "A Love Supreme"; this would normally flow "a supreme love", but is reversed for some reason. Whatever the case may be, is there a word for this switcharound?


Why do some adjectives follow the nouns they modify?

Right now I can only think of one instance in which this regularly occurs. The adjective _proper_ is sometimes placed after the noun it modifies, e.g: > **Reptilia:** A class of cold-blooded oviparous or ovoviviparous vertebrated > animals whose skin is covered with scales or scutes; **the reptiles > proper**. What is this word order called, and why is it ever used? Edit: I really want to know about _proper_ , and while the word _hyperbaton_ relates to post-positivity when it is meant to be rhetorically impacting, it doesn't seem to fit with ubiquitous post-positivity, such as that of _proper_. I've accepted _hyperbaton_ as the correct term/reason for almost all post- positive constructions, but I'd like a complete answer to include _proper_.


Conjunction use: "and" or "or" in list of examples

When giving a list of examples, it seems to me "and" should be used because all the items in the list are examples, not just one of the items: > I love fruit (e.g., apples, oranges, **and** bananas). > > In my school, our teacher used various colors of chalk, such as blue, green, > **and** purple. Is "or" equally valid in these lists? If so, why?


Pronunciation of 'smoothed'

The _-ed_ suffix for the past form of verbs is pronounced   * /-d/ after a voiced sound (e.g.: _allowed_ : /əˈlaʊd/),   * /-t/ after a voiceless one and (e.g.: _walked_ : /wɔːkt/)   * and /-ɪd/ after /t/ and /d/ (e.g.: _halted_ : /hɔːltɪd/). How is _-ed_ suffix pronounced in the past of verbs ending in /ð/ and /θ/? How do you pronounce _smoothed_ in the sentence 'He **smoothed** his hair back.':   * /smu:ðd/   * or /smu:ðɪd/? By the rules above, I guess that the correct answer should be the first form, that incidentally, as a non-native speaker, I find a bit difficult to utter. Thanks in advance.


What's an antonym for "tyranny"?

Is there a perfect antonym for the word "Tyranny", meaning the two words could be used in the same place in a sentence and always function correctly, but have opposite meanings... i.e. The King ruled with tyranny. The King ruled with...


Is there a word for a "promise breaker"?

I'm somewhat vexed in that I cannot think of a word that means a "promise breaker" or "person who breaks a promise". There are words that may subsume that, such as "miscreant" or "liar", but I cannot come up with an English word that is limited to a person who breaks promises. The closest I've come is "piker", which is (a) informal and (b) limited to Australia/NZ, but means (according to the dictionary on my Mac): > a person who withdraws from a commitment. Is there a more formal and common word that can be used to refer to people who break promises?


What is the difference in usage between crenulate and crenelate?

I've long been familiar with **crenulated** edges, but until today I wasn't aware of **crenelated**. Looking at the definitions, they seem to describe the same kind of feature, that of notches on an edge that are more rounded in contrast to, say, serrated. What are the differences in nuances? When would be a "wrong" time to use one over the other?


> Many years ago, on my way from Hongkong to New York, I **passed a week** in > San Francisco. What exactly does the phrase "pass a week" mean?


Should a contraction taken from the center of a word have two apostrophes?

I'm currently reading _Entrepreneur Magazine,_ and there is a story profiling a 13-year-old who created a series of stickers to embellish Lego blocks. The subtitle of the story reads > A pint-size 'trep solves a sticky toy dilemma This doesn't seem right to me. Since _'trep_ is a contraction of entrepreneur, and the word is losing _en-_ from the left side and _-reneur_ from the right. Wouldn't the correct subtitle read > A pint-size 'trep' solves a sticky toy dilemma Yes, it looks awful, but wouldn't it be technically correct?


"Have not went" or "have not gone"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Why is the incorrect phrase "should have went" so widely used? Which is correct? > If you haven't **went** out to see the moon tonight, you should. > > If you haven't **gone** out to see the moon tonight, you should.


Why are the notes or protocol of a meeting referred to as its 'minutes'?

A minute is 60 seconds. Something 'minute' is small, minor, perhaps short. Now, what about the _minutes_ of a meeting or a session? As in, its written protocol? Are they called that because:   * The minutes are short or brief compared to everything that was actually spoken?   * The minutes are sometimes prefixed by the time within the meeting?   * Something having to do with the ~~morphology~~ etymology of the word 'minute'?


I am wondering: Is this a proper way to use a colon?

When sending sending formal emails that ask a question to the recipient, I often find myself writing something like the following: > I was wondering if **___ __ ___ _**. The problem with this is that this format takes a question and turns it into a statement—i.e. the sentence ends with a period and not a question mark. I think the problem that I have with this is that the prompt for response is implicit rather than explicit. Can I write the following instead? > I was wondering: Is this the proper way to pose a question in a formal > email? Is this the proper use of a colon? Is there a better way to achieve the same effect?


What is a "group of managers" called?

What is the term used for a "group of managers"? For example > He has a fleet of managers or > He has a legion of managers Though the sentences above might not be correct. I want to know that correct term that would replace _fleet_ and _legion_ in the sentences above


One word for "lack of exercise"

Once upon a time, I saw a short, proper and single word for "lack of exercise", but I forgot it.


For the current vs in the current

I'm in doubt about the right preposition in the quoted sentence, may I use _in_ or _for_ here interchangeably ?   Or, each one gives a different meaning to the sentence ? > A worker exists that has at least 2 absences for/in the current day.


Is there a name for words following this pattern?

Word pairs like _bizarre_ and _bazaar_ , although spelled differently sound very similar. It also seems like they are more than just a pair of rhyming words. Is there a classification within _rhyming words_? Are there other such words? Or are they just a pair of rhyming words and I'm highlighting them because they just sound cool?


When should I say "post to" or "share with"?

I need to explain that an app can post/share images to social networks and blogs with up to 5 services at the same time and that it's managed through _outh_. Can anybody help me with some inspiration? I'm a bit stuck with that, especially if I should say _upload to -_ , _send to-_ , _post to -_ or _share with_ social networks.


word for 'someone who came back from the dead'

I am looking for a cool name that is similar in meaning to 'someone who came back from the dead'. if it's feminine that will be great. I have a laptop that was dead for a long time and I have got it working again. I am thinking to give it a cool name.


Difference between "activities" and "techniques"

What is the difference between "activities" and "techniques" in teaching methodology?


Which word can I use for "abundant light"?

Which word can I use to describe too much light, i.e., when I have switched on 3 bulbs while there was a need for only 1 bulb?


Word similar to "farewell" but with negative connotation

I am looking for a word that is similar to the meaning of _farewell_ or _goodbye_ except that it has a negative connotation. I find it hard to choose an appropriate word when I close communications with a person or organization that has affronted me when I really do not wish them to fare well.


Why is "shrimp" the plural of "shrimp"?

When you talk about "shrimp" in the plural, there's no "s." However, how can you explain it grammatically?


"Prodigal" vs. "spendthrift"

What are the differences between the words _prodigal_ and _spendthrift_? They seem to mean the same. When does one choose to use one over the other?


something is capable of to be p.p. or being p.p.?

> Manual: _small, helpful book capable of being carried in the hand._ What is the difference between _to be carried_ and _being carried_ in this sentence?


Where should the comma be placed in the salutation of a letter?

Sometimes I see a comma _after_ the proper name: > Hello Mr. Black, > > In order to give you.... But my native language is not English and I think that the comma in this phrase should be placed _before_ the proper name: > Hello, Mr. Black. > > In order to give you.... What is the correct punctuation in English?


Comma usage in a letter opening

My colleague and I disagree on how to open a letter; he believes you should separate the salutation from the name, like so: "Hi, John" I think this is nonsense and that the comma should go at the end, like so: "Hi John," Is there a formal definition/right answer?


Do I need to place a comma before an address?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Where should the comma be placed in the salutation of a letter? I am not sure if the way I have formulated the title of my question is correct, so if you know better, please, edit it. The question is simple: Whenever I thank anyone for his or her answer or comments I usually write ( _eg_ ) "Thank You, George, for Your answer", or "Thank You, Silverglass, for telling me that". Usually in such phrases I place commas on either side of the address, but I don't know if it's correct in English or not. What about greetings in the very beginning of an e-mail? I do place commas there before the address: > Hi, Mark, > > How have you been? It's been... or > Hello, Peggy! > > Do you know of any... but I have seen many times that commas before the address were omitted ("Hello Mark," or "Hello Peggy!"). So, which way is correct?


How to use commas in greetings

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Where should the comma be placed in the salutation of a letter? I've noticed that most of Americans I interact with online have a tendency to begin their emails like this: > Hi Fabio **,** Meanwhile in my native language we write: > Hi **,** Fabio which is taught to us in school. What's the deal?


Punctuating a salutation on a line by itself

In a salutation on a line by itself, which version is punctuated correctly? > _Hi, Mr Lawler,_ > > I am writing to say [...] > _Hi Mr Lawler,_ > > I am writing to say [...] > _Hi, Mr Lawler._ > > I am writing to say [...]


Which is the correct way to start a letter ? - 1) Hi, Joe, or 2) Hi Joe,

The question is whether we require a comma after 'Hi' or not.


Should the beginner's program read "Hello, World?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Where should the comma be placed in the salutation of a letter? I was thinking today about comma usage and the typical first output for a beginning programmer. In the typical example you see "Hello World" but does proper sentence construction/comma usage rules dictate there be a comma between the greeting and the thing being greeted. I.e. should a proper sentence read "Hello, World"?


The caring continuum

Can you please explain the caring continuum shown in the image? ![http://i.imgur.com/iTSHY.jpg](http://i.stack.imgur.com/0OqeA.jpg) What is the author trying to convey through the image? Is it supposed to be funny/sarcastic? I am not sure if I have tagged it correctly but this is my first question on a SE site.


Is this 'neither' a determiner?

> However, this mirror will give us **neither** knowledge **or** truth. (Harry > Potter book 1, p213) > > However, this mirror will give us **neither** knowledge **nor** truth. As I’m accustomed to ‘neither~nor’ phrase, ‘neither~or’ above is unfamiliar. Is the ‘neither’ in the first sentence a determiner? And when the ‘or’ is changed into ‘nor’, does ‘neither’ become a correlative conjunction? ; What's the difference of the meaning between the two sentences?


What is a less restrictive word for "crucial"?

I'm writing my research proposal and I have the following sentence: > The excess charge is considered crucial for the membrane penetration > process. I find the word _crucial_ too strong and I'm searching for another word which is less strong in that context. I thought about _required_ but it doesn't "fit well" with the sentence. Can you think about better word? Also, I remember that there was a website for synonyms which also had some similar meaning words, but I can't find it. Do you know any of that kind?


Does "manicure" only apply to caring for hands?

I understand that _manicure_ derives from the Latin for _hand_ and _to care for_ , but can _manicure_ mean _care for by hand_? So could you manicure a bush?


Word to describe a person who expresses his or her own feelings frequently?

I'm looking for a word to describe a person (it can be a term of animal's behavior) who expresses his or her own feeling frequently, particularly through their facial expressions.


What is the correct plural form for multiple address

..as in "I have corrected all of the e-mail address'"? Thank you, Mel


usage of i.e in a sentence

My professor tells me that the word `i.e` should be written with a brace and quotations outside it For example: `"(i.e)"` is that the correct way?


Term for something you don't know you'll like until you discover it?

There is a situation where a person has no idea that something is exactly what they are looking for, desire or like until they discover it. Is there a term for something you don't know you'll like until you discover it?


American Equivalent of "Bog Standard"

I'm searching for an American English phrase that is the most readily equivalent to the British expression **_bog standard_** (which means, as I understand, _plain, ordinary or unremarkable_ ). I'm tempted to use **_run of the mill_** or **_out of the box_** but these don't really have quite the same flavor as _bog standard_. No need for an etymology lesson, here. But I would appreciate any synonymous phrasings, especially for those with a bit more humorous flair. **Edit:** For to provide context as to assist I present the usage: > My **_bog standard_** stepmother, Rose, in her inaugural summer as my de > facto parent made it known with little uncertainty that the absolute last > thing she wanted while school was out of session was for me to be within 50 > miles of her teenage daughter. In this case I'm intending _bog standard_ to mean something of standard issue; I'm trying to say that my stepmother is a stereotypical archetype. I like _bog standard_ but I am afraid that a wider American audience will be unfamiliar with the phrase. **Edit #2:** For to clarify in a manner that furthers understanding: There are a lot of phrases on both sides of the Atlantic that mean plain, boring, unexciting, standard or average. But _bog standard_ has a special flavor all it's own. It has this special, subtle knock to it. To sort-of clarify the matter so you know what I want, I want the reader in just one or two (or three) words get the feeling that she is a straight from The Brothers Grimm standard issue stepmother. She might as well have come stock from the Acme Stepmother Factory in a wooden crate marked "Contents: One Stepmother. Fragile. This Side Up.". I want it to be like I'm standing in line being handed the contents of my life: One childhood, pleasant, check; One adolescence, awkward, check; One stepmother, standard issue, check. I want one small phrase that captures this whole concept, packs it in a nice little box, puts a nice little bow on it and then hands it to the reader. That's not too much to ask, is it?


What is the antonym of "digital native"?

A _digital native_ is someone who has grown up with all the new technologies, like the Internet, and has no troubles adapting to new ones. Yet there is still are quite a few who never really got in touch with these technologies; people born in the 60s and 70s, who still buy their music on CD, watch TV on a television, and only read news printed on paper. So I am not looking for _digital immigrant_ , as those people I want to describe aren't even discovering this new technology yet. They are still oblivious about them. How would I call them?


"Save You Money" or "Save Your Money"?

> The discount is here to save you money. > > The discount is here to save your money. Which one of them is correct?


"Information is a distinction that makes a difference" - Donald MacKay

This quote keeps puzzling me. I've newly started attending some lectures relating to the linguistic/information and theories of linguists past and present, which is usually followed up by a debate among the participants and the guest-lecturer of the day. Though I usually enjoy these, the lecturer quoted Gregory Bateson half-way in, saying: > "The difference that makes a difference" Which he quickly acknowledged as an extension of Donald MacKay's quote: > "Information is a distinction that makes a difference". The problem was that the last quote confused the heck out of me. What exactly did MacKay mean when he said "information is a distinction that makes a difference", anyway? Could anyone explain what this quote meant? An example would also be lovley, but is by no means mandatory.


Is there a word for the status of a team being 'home' or 'away'

A team can be 'home' or 'away' - but what is this status called? At first I thought 'location' or 'venue' but this isn't right - the location is singular and the basis of what determines the 'home' or 'away' status. ex:   * Team: Main Street Bruisers   * Mascot: Gorilla   * Score: 4   * _status_ : Away **edit** : Thanks everyone for the input. It's quite a tricky one. The idea of 'hosting' is nice - but I'm not looking for a boolean kind of value - 'hosting? = yes' or 'hosting? = no' - more for a term that signifies the status of the field of play for a given team.


Which is correct: "could care less" or "couldn't care less"?

What's the deal with the phrase "could care less"? Whilst growing up, I've always known people (parents etc) to use the phrase "couldn't care less", but I've also come across people who use the phrase "could care less" to mean the same thing (that is, "I do not care at all about that"). To me "couldn't care less" seems a lot more logical. If I couldn't care less about something, that implies I do not care about it at all. In contrast to this, to my mind the phrase "could care less" seems to indicate "I do care about this to some degree at least", but that's definitely not the meaning intended. What's going on here? Is my (logical) analysis correct or in error?


Could anyone care less?

I've noticed recently that where in England we say "couldn't care less" in the US the negative is avoided and the phrase becomes "could care less". This is rather jarring because of the contradictory semantics. Can anyone confirm this observation, and shed any light on the difference of usage (if it indeed exists)?


"Have a breakfast" or "eat a breakfast" in AmE

Which expression do Americans prefer, _have a breakfast_ or _eat a breakfast_?


What is the noun that corresponds to the verb "to miss"?

Is there a noun that precisely describes the emotion of missing someone/something? There is _longing_ , but I don't think that's quite right. You can feel longing for something without missing it. I know this word exists in another language (Hebrew - געגוע), but I'm not sure if there is an equivalent in English.


Use of determiners as adjectives

In a grammar book that I'm reading, an **adjective** is defined as: > A word that modifies a noun or a pronoun. (To modify is to limit or point > out or describe: _that_ book; _another_ chance; _the_ blue ribbon). For > convenience the articles _a_ , _an_ , _and_ the are usually classified under > adjectives. When I looked up in dictionary, _a, an, the, that_ etc. are known as **determiners**. How can they be classified under adjectives?


A word for "remorse" but without guilt

What is the word for the feeling of "remorse," but without guilt? Such as, sadness for a poor outcome, but with the realization that the actions taken were necessary or the best with the given amount of information. I feel that this is different from remorse because remorse implies that there is a desire for the actions not to have been taken or to have been taken differently. In this scenario, there is no such desire, though there is a desire for the possibility of a better outcome. There may also be a derivative term in the case that there was good or positive intentions, or if the results of the actions were known (therefore intended) but still necessary.


When describing a person, should "Valentine" be capitalized?

When used to describe the day, the word is capitalized: "What are you doing on Valentine's Day?". But what about when describing a person, as in meaning two in Wiktionary: > She was my Valentine. Should it be capitalized, or not? I tried using Google NGrams, but couldn't come up with a good non-noisy query.


"Answer to the question" vs. "answer for the question" vs. "answer of the question"

>   * The answer to the question. >   * The answer for the question. >   * The answer of the question. > Which is grammatical? What are the differences? And what is the preferred usage?


What can you call someone who does not have a say in choices that completely affect him?

Something to call someone who doesn't have a say in the choices that affect him the most? Think 'a major stakeholder who has no voting rights,' ha!


Can we accept such words as 'invite' when used as a noun in correct English?

So often people tell me they have had an 'invite' to something, I am wondering if the word can actually be accepted as correct English, as opposed to 'invitation'. In a similar vein people, more usually in the north of England, will use the present participle of verbs in situations which call for the past. E.g. Waiter in restaurant asks you 'how would you like your eggs cooking?'instead of 'cooked'. Are these not simply incorrect expressions in English? It just seems to me that nowadays if enough people start saying something it becomes acceptable.


What kind of structure with a relative pronoun is this?

> As Lord Esher once noted, ‘Any proposition **the result of which** would be > to show that the common law of England is wholly unreasonable and unjust > cannot be part of the common law of England.’ Would someone please help unravel the bolded relative clause, step-by-step? Please explain your steps. I've never seen this construct before. Does the bolded clause = 'whose result'? Moreover, is it equivalent to ' **the result of** any proposition **which** would be to show ...' ? Source: P101, How the Law Works, Gary Slapper


exclamatory sentence: HOW vs. WHAT?

I say: > A) What a good heart you have! > > B) How beautiful a girl she is! > > C) What awful weather! > > D) How I wish to have a long vacation these days! > > E) How little money we have! Do these following sentences make sense ? > A1) How good a heart you have! > > B1) What a beautiful girl she is! > > C1) How awful weather! > > D1) What I wish to have a long vacation these days! > > E1) What little money we have! > > F1) What nice music it is! > > F2) How nice music it is! > > G1) What beautiful girls they are! > > G2) How beautiful girls they are! Thanks.


"Battery" and "Battery", why are they called the same?

This post made an interesting point about what would be understood when the word battery is used. > In the U.S. at least, the word battery is so rarely used outside the legal > phrase assault and battery that a listener would be pretty much guaranteed > to assume it meant an electrical battery unless it was specifically > disambiguated by context. This prompted me to see if there is a difference in the etymology of each words. According to Wiktionary, they both have the same origin, the Old French _baterie_ , which means "the action of beating". So this prompted many question: How the meaning of the word evolved in one case to "A device that produces electricity by a chemical reaction between two substances."? When was it first used as such? Or is there a mistake in Wiktionary concerning the etymology of _electrical battery_?


Meaning and etymology of "Hat-trick" and "Brace"

We all know that in the footballing world, when someone scores 3 goals, they call it a **Hat-trick** and when two, a **Brace**.   I was wondering how these words are related to numbers 3 and 2? Is there any semantic relation? Is there any other word to describe for example 4 goals or 5 goals? Plus, I would love to have some information on their etymology!


Jackson = $$son: pun or topical reference

Alfred Bester's short story _The Demolished Man_ (the original version serialized in Galaxy magazine in 1952, not the novel published in 1963) may have been the first instance of SMS-speak, featuring characters named “T8” (for “Tate”) and “$$son” (for Jackson). Wait, how is “$$son” short for “Jackson”? Randall Garrett, who wrote a review in verse using similar shortcuts (such as “Mr. Hassop has gone in2 th@ mor* his hide” — pronounce * as “asterisk”), has this to say: > Also, there’s a character in the original called “$$son.” Now, I could have > sworn that was “Dollarson” and I wrote the verse accordingly. But when the > book came out, it was spelled “Jackson.” > > “Obscure, Alfie,” says I. > > “That’s why I changed it,” says he. (from the introduction to said review in the collection _Takeoff!_ , by Randall Garrett, Donning, 1979.) Unfortunately Garrett does not reveal the connection. What is it? (I realize the answer may or may not be on-topic, since it could be a reference to then-current events rather than a pun.)


Where did "cc" and "bcc" come from?

I've just realised that _CC_ is "carbon-copy" and _BCC_ is "blind-carbon- copy". Basically I'm wondering, where did these terms come from?


Term for pronunciation technique

Sometimes there are words that are foreign, and a bit hard for anglophones to articulate. Such as "Dvorak", or "dvelja". When trying to refer to these words in our conversation, sometimes an extra vowel is added between the two consonants, so that it is easier to pronounce. For example, "Dvorak" is pronounced "D-ə-vo-zhak". Also, "bdellium" is pronounced "b-ə-de-llium" Is there actually a term for this addition of vowel?


Dropped g's in upper-class 1930s Britain

> ‘Now take huntin'…’ ‘Oh, _bull_ -fightin' — that's _quite_ a different > kettle of fish.…’ Italics bred italics. Dropped g's fell as thick as > confetti. (Jan Struther, _Mrs Miniver_ , 1939; 4th chapter, “The Eve of the Shoot”) The location is a shooting-party hosted by Lady Chervil. From that and other clues, the context is definitely upper-class British society. So the dropped g's are not a sign of a working-class accent. What do they mean?


Independance or Independence?

What other words are like "independence" in British English where you replace the 'a' with an 'e'?


Usage of 'commas' vs 'commata'

I've learned quite recently, that plural form from **comma** is **commata** (but commas is also correct, such as index-indices-indexes). I've learned the rule for German, and I've checked the English version too. This is the first time I've consciously seen that word (I could came across it before, but I haven't notice). What is the usage of that 2 plural forms? Which is more recent in professional literature (for blogs/twitter&co I'd guess, 'commas')? Should I, as non-native speaker, making many common mistakes, use such 'finesse' plural forms, or it sounds funny in such context?


Is this usage of "lol" considered a hedge?

In doing some research on another question I bumped into the term "hedge": > A hedge is a mitigating device used to lessen the impact of an utterance. > Typically, they are adjectives or adverbs, but can also consist of clauses. > It could be regarded as a form of euphemism. I commonly see "lol" online but recently I have noticed it used as such: > I completely forgot about our meeting... lol. > > I am completely embarrassed, lol. > > Oh wow I was a complete retard will you forgive me lol The final example could use some punctuation but these uses seem different than the original use of _lol_. It seems to signal an embarrassment or defensiveness in an attempt to (a) avoid conflict (b) claim no hard feelings (c) lighten the mood or (d) something else? In any case, while I am curious about this usage in general I am more specifically asking about its classification. Is this considered a hedge? Or am I not understanding this term correctly?


Word meant to describe a crime where women beat men and men often do not report it. Supposedly , the most unreported crime there is. This was famous term used around the time of Lorena Bobbitt's adventure.


Pronunciation of "#winning"

How do you pronounce _#winning_ aloud? Would it be _hashtag winning_ , _hash winning_ , _pound winning_ , _winning_ or something else? This goes for all hashtags.


"There always come/comes a point"

Which is correct? > There always **come** a point... > > There always **comes** a point... Would there be better ways to write this?


If I say “The plot of that play stinks,” am I giving a spoiler alert?

The article of May 21 New York Times written by Stanley Fish under the title, “What Do Spoilers Spoil?” begins with the following lines: > Over 10 percent of the comments on my ‘Hunger Games’ column brought up the > question of spoiler alerts. "Haven’t you heard of a _spoiler alert_?", one > exasperated reader asked. No. I haven’t heard of the word _spoiler alert_ as of yet. The article ends with the following line: > If ‘The Hunger Games’ is so shallow that it can be spoiled by a plot > revelation, the alert doesn’t save much. If ‘The Hunger Games’ is a serious > accomplishment, no plot revelation can spoil it. From the context of the column, I can interpret the meaning of “spoiler alert” two ways:   1. It means a comment or warning to the effect of “the work isn't worth any further reading” to others, or    2. Just “revelation of the end result of the story to others”.  What does “spoiler alert” here mean? Does the question in Stanley Fish’s statement, “Haven’t you heard of a spoiler alert?” mean that ‘spoiler alert’ isn’t the word everybody knows, or just an irony to the author thrown by one of his readers?


What phrase is "o'clock" contracting?

I have been intrigued by the word _o'clock_ since I learned English. Although there is an equivalent to this word in my native language (Spanish _en punto_ meaning _on point_ or _on the dot_ ) I want to know the origin of the term _o'clock_ , especially why it has an apostrophe. Is it meant to contract _on the clock_ or something similar?


Are these commas placed correctly?

This is the sentence from a newspaper: > Gu Kailai, wife of a Chinese politician at the centre of a major scandal, > did not deny murdering a British man during her one-day trial that ended on > Thursday with no verdict, a court official said. It seems like there should have been a comma after ‘wife of Chinese politician’ and another one after ‘a British man’. Please correct me if I am wrong.


Where is the wordplay of "A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion"

I saw this sentence as an example of pun or wordplay. But I couldn't find out where the wordplay is. Any idea?


Are "disgraceful" and "ungraceful" two different kinds of negations?

"Disgraceful" and "ungraceful" are both derived from negations of "graceful". Wiktionary describes disgraceful as   1. bringing or warranting disgrace; shameful.   2. giving offense to moral sensibilities and injurious to reputation and ungraceful as   1. Not graceful; lacking grace. Are they two different kinds of negations? Possibly the latter saying that there isn't much grace, while the former is saying that the exact opposite of grace exists? If so, are there terms for the two kinds of negations?


"Went" vs. "went along"

> At work, he made up lies as he **went along**.   >  At work, he made up lies as he **went**. Is one of the above wrong?


Usage of the word "commuted"?

The word **commuted** has multiple meanings (the arcane one being) - reduction in a judicial sentence. Heretofore, I thought it only meant **travelled** (from one place to the other). I am looking for examples of the word "commuted" being used in different sentences which give an understanding of each of its meaning.


Idioms for "looking for something" and "trying to find something in a room full of mess"

I am trying to find idioms that could express "looking for something" and "trying to find something in a room full of mess". One that I could find was "hunt high and low," but for some reason I don't really feel satisfied using it. Can someone please suggest some other phrase? I would like to use in a context like this: > "I tried to look for the pen in my dorm room (which was full messy) but > couldn't find it". For e.g. I would want to tell someone that every time I want something, I have to search the place thoroughly to locate it.


Is “hold-your-nose (or close –your-eyes) - and-do sth” an English idiom or just a coinage for one-off use?

I found a phrase, “a hold-your-nose-and-roll-the-camera” in the following statement of NPR’s article (April 2) titled “From pets to plates: Why more people rre eating guinea pigs?” http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/03/12/174105739/from-pets-to-plates-why- more-people-are-eating-guinea-pigs?ft=3&f=111787346&sc=nl&cc=es-20130407 > “While guinea pig may be attaining star status as **a hold-your-nose-and- > roll-the-camera bizarre food** , whether an animal so favored as a pet in > the United States will become a mainstream piece of protein is, perhaps, > doubtful.” Is the phrase, “hold one’s nose and do sth. (roll the camera XXX)” that seems convenient to apply to any other variations e.g., “Close your eyes and eat the guinea pig” an idiom, or a set pattern of phrase, or just a one-off coinage for this article?


That will teach me to

The other day I was cutting a mango using a sharp knife. I had sliced off one side of the mango and was then cutting a grid pattern in the flesh to be able to "open out" the side to eat the mango pieces. When cutting the grid I held my hand under the mango and had cut through the mango skin cutting my finger. I exclaimed, "That will teach me to use a sharp knife when cutting up mango!" My seven year old asked, "Don't you mean that'll teach you NOT to use a sharp knife?" I then realized that it doesn't matter - at least to me - that I could have said it both ways and it would have meant the same thing. So, my question is, do the two following phrases mean the same thing?               "That will teach me to use a sharp knife when cutting up mango!"      and               "That will teach me to NOT use a sharp knife when cutting up mango!"


"Directly" in the meaning of "As soon as"

I've just read my first James Bond novel, Casino Royale. In it, I have found several instances of the word "directly" being used in a way I am not familiar with. It appears to have the meaning "when" or "right after" or "as soon as": > "Directly the cards were dealt I kicked myself." > > Directly Bond and Leiter had left to walk over to the hotel, she had > telephoned. > > Directly the boot was shut, the third man [...] climbed in beside him [...]. > > Directly they sat down, he apologized gaily for having startled her at the > telephone booth [...]. etc. Is this an obsolete used of the word? Is this only British English? I have read quite a lot of books from many different time periods, but I've never stumbled across this before - do other authors besides Fleming use "directly" in this way?