Antonym for "exceed"

I am trying to find a single word antonym for "exceed". I am using the word as a verb (so "beneath" doesn't work) and it should have a positive connotation (as in a golf score which falls below par). I thought of "subceed", which I like, and found a few Google hits but it doesn't show up in any reputable dictionaries. I've reviewed answers to similar questions and found no suitable alternatives. For example, the selected answer to What would be an appropriate opposite of "exceed"? suggested:   * "eluded" — has a mostly negative connotation and implies intention   * "beneath" — is not a verb   * "are below"/"did not meet" — phrases I'm looking to replace "exceeded" in the following quotes with a single word (meaning something like "went below", "were under", etc.): > "He never gets tickets because he always exceeds the speed limit."   >  "To win the match, Tiger Woods must exceeded 4 strokes on the twelth hole."   >  "To prevent freezing, do not exceed -20 degrees centigrade."


What does "If you’re not chicken" mean?

In a technical text, I read that author at the end of article says: > If you’re not chicken, do it now! What means **If you’re not chicken**?


Is the phrase “you can’t wait for your life to begin” a pattern phrase?

In Jeffery Archer’s popular novel, “Kane & Abel,” there is a scene where William Kane, a brilliant student of St. Paul’s and one of two leading characters of this novel seduced by the wife of the school’s homemaster during her husband being out of home on trip for attending a conference. When William reported Mrs. Raglan Rags, the homemaster’s wife that all the lights of the dorm were out and he had locked the front door, and bid ‘Good night,’ to her; > She swung her legs on to the ground, and a pale flash of stockinged thigh > appeared momentarily from under the draped silk. “You are always in such a > hurry. William. **You can’t wait for your life to begin** , can you?” She > walked over to a side table. “Why don’t you stay and have some hot > chocolate?” Is the phrase, “You can’t wait for your life to begin,” a well-used pattern phrase, cliche, or just an ad hoc line invented for this situation? What does it mean? If it is a pattern phrase, in what else cases can I use it for example?


"I left before they had decided what to do" Why is 'decided' in the past perfect?

**I left before they had decided what to do.** Is this because this is a past version of "I leave before they have decided what to do"? Because "left" doesn't come before "decided".


What do you call someone who gets along with children?

What do you call someone who gets along with children/babies? A simple example: > He is such a **____** , he makes all children smile. A single word noun would be ideal but a phrase is acceptable also. There might be a colloquial word or phrase too. * * * For example, there is a phrase **_good mixer_** which means someone who can get along with everyone [See: second meaning of mixer]. So, what we are looking for is almost like a subtype of this characteristic. There are words like _likeable_ or _easygoing_ but they are too general. The closest word I could find is **_avuncular_** but it does not sound that suitable for this usage. I have never used this word in this way. > Kind and friendly towards a younger or less experienced person: _he was > avuncular, reassuring, and trustworthy_ > > [oxforddictionaries] Also, I'm not sure if we can use avuncular as a gender neutral word for this sense. [Because it is a masculine word for its anthropological sense]. It seems like there isn't a common word as a feminine version. _Amicular_ and _materteral_ is proposed in this previous ELU question: Is there a feminine equivalent to the adjective “avuncular”?


"Syndicate something to boot" Definition

What is the meaning of the bolded part? > Fewer people seek critical opinion, especially when they’ve been bludgeoned > by aggressive (and effective, as it turns out) viral marketing campaigns > that extend far beyond traditional means, and editors are conscious of this > fact. Why pay salary and benefits for a single critic when you can hire > three free-lancers for less money, and **syndicate their 250-word > minireviews to boot?** does it mean ignore their 250-word mini reviews?


Is "Firestarter" something that native a English speaker would think as negative?

I'm thinking of Firestarter as a name for an upcoming software project. However, I justed Googled it and as it turns out, Urban Dictionary says it's when two males rub their _parts_ together. Can I use this name without fearing someone is gonna look at it negatively?


Is "over-saturated" redundant?

For me, "saturated" implies there couldn't exist more of given quantity, like concentration of substance in a solution. So "over-saturated" (as in "over- saturated market") seems redundant.


"Building to" — idiom or typo?

The title of this article is "Building to New Super Mario Bros." Is "building to" a typo or an idiom? What does it mean if it's not a typo? I've never come across that phrase before.


Is it "D.J., "DJ" or "deejay"?

This is in the context of a person who plays recorded music at a party or club. Referring to such a person as a "disk jockey" or "jock" seems hopelessly old fashioned. Three variants are in vogue and all are heavily used. Wikipedia redirects _deejay_ to disc jockey and states it is "also known as _DJ_." From the NYT in 2011: "a not-so-green affair with 50 to 80 people at a hot club with an open bar and a hip-hop deejay." The same source a couple of days ago: "after having spent 30 years as an entertainment industry functionary — as a D.J., promoter and record label exec." The Washington Post earlier this month wrote: "Martin Solveig will serve as the house _deejay_ at the Gibson Amphitheatre show." Also, many stage names in the music business favor one form, as in DJ Spooky, DJ Jazzy Jeff, DJ Skribble, etc. Is there a preferred version of the term?


Why is putting some spin on a ball described in some circles as giving it some "English"?

Why is putting some spin on a ball often called "putting some English" on it? Does it have anything to do with the history of billiards, the sport I most often see this phrase used? What's special about English, exactly? I tried doing some research on Google, but all I could find was an article on ESPN that was too jocular for my taste.


Why do we say "to boot"?

Here's an example of the phrase "to boot": > My wife made a disgusting looking dinner, and it tasted awful to boot! The implication of the "to boot" is that the fact that the dinner tasted awful was as disappointing (or perhaps more so) than the fact that it looked disgusting. It's a colloquial, possibly slang phrase, but I'd like to know what it's origin is, and whether it perhaps has other more esoteric uses.


Is it "after 9-hour drive" or "after 9 hour drive"?

The sentence is: "I arrived NYC after 9 hour drive." What is the appropriate way to punctuate 9 hour? and whether it is "x-hour" vs "x-hours" or "x hour"? (possible wrong tags)


Swapping the order in an idiomatic expression

I may have sounded general in the title but my question is very specific. Recently I was writing a poem and I needed it to rhyme this way > Some will stand to watch you go down quick > > But no one will follow you through thin and thick It didn't seem right to me to change the order in the expression _"through thick and thin"_. Is what I have done acceptable? Or should I stick to the right order?


Why is imperialism not spelled empirialism?

If the goal of imperialism is to create an empire, why is the word not spelled "empirialism"?


Are expressions like "When studying, When playing, ..." just expressions or something more?

My first question here. I am wondering whether expressions like the ones in the tittle are just expressions or represent another thing in the english language. I will give you some more examples so you can understand me. Very often I read sentences like these:   * When studying the brain waves of people in the flow, researchers find the slow alpha rhythms typical of meditation.   * When clicking the 'search button' I discovered a bug.   * When playing soccer I feel good. Are above sentences well written? I want to know if this is a simple use of gerund or an expression and how to use it. After the 'when+gerund' part which verb tense can I use?


Word with the same meaning as "good moments" or "pleasant memories"?

Is there a single word with the same meaning as "good moments" or "pleasant memories"? I'm looking for a word which describes good thing(s) that happened to someone. The only word I can think of is "joy". Some examples might be:   * Wayne has many pleasant memories of the days spent with the family.   * She could remember many good moments from the last weekend.


alternatives for 'finding your feet'

I need alternatives for the expression > _finding your feet_   >  or   >  _getting used to something / doing something_ Can anyone help?


Is "believe you me" proper English?

I understand the phrase "believe you me" to be an emphatic version of "believe me" but how did it come to be? Is it a poor translation into English?


I am reading this The Elements of Style book by Strunk and White, I am confused about rule number 11. **A participial phrase at the beginning of a sentence must refer to the grammatical subject** There are several examples given, I understood all except this one:   * On arriving in Chicago, his friends met him at the station. (Wrong)      * When he arrived (or, On his arrival) in Chicago, his friends met him at the station. (Correct) (according to here: http://www.cs.vu.nl/~jms/doc/elos.pdf)   * On arriving in Chicago, he was met at the station by his friends (According to the fourth edition of the book) For me the third one seems correct, but I am confused about the second sentence. Do you think it is correct?


What led to the increased usage of "schtupping"?

I was listening to a television show the other day and one of the characters used "schtupping": > schtupping -- to have sexual intercourse with Dictionary.com notes that the term's origin is Yiddish: > _shtupn_ -- literally, to push (in), press Etymonline doesn't have the word in its dictionary so I'm not sure how accurate this is. But what really piqued my curiosity is that I've been hearing the word frequently used in pop culture as a humorous reference to sex. Since it seems like such a strange word, I checked on NGrams and noticed something very strange: ![schtupping](http://i.stack.imgur.com/EOtDf.png) The usage rate massively spikes in the 1980s. Why did this increased usage occur? If the word really is of Yiddish origin, it seems like the word should be much, much older than that.


Carry we who die in battle

A song by the heavy metal band Manowar includes these lines: > Carry we who die in battle > > Over land and sea The "we" sounds wrong for me. I'd use "us" in this sentence. A quick google search didn't show any similar constructions with "we". The "we" is a rather long-drawn sound in the song, so my best guess is that this wouldn't have worked with the sharp, short "us". But it is really completely wrong, or is there some way to justify this usage? Note that all band members are born in the US, so they are native speakers.


Use of singular they on articulated sentences

I've understood how to use singular they on a single sentence, but the problem comes with articulated sentences like this one: > If a person lies to you this way, they are probably thieves. My doubt is about its correctness, I would also say it this way: > If a person lies to you this way, they are probably a thief. Is the second sentence correct?


How do you say "question de cours" in English?

In French, _une question de cours_ , is a question in a test for which you just need to know the content of your course. It is an easy question (usually) which does not require any reflection.


Is it true that etymology is the leading tool to understand the correct use of words?

In discussions about the meanings of words I often find participants bring up the etymologies as though they are conclusive deciding factors. On the other hand there is concept of the "etymological fallacy" as discussed in Wikipedia. Which is true? Or is the truth somewhere between? If words change over history how relevant is their origin to their current meaning? If the etymology of a word is a trump card which can settle debates about correct usage of words does this mean words cannot in fact change over time?


What is the meaning of "personnel"? What is its plural form?

From Wordweb:   1. Group of people willing to obey orders   2. The department responsible for hiring and training and placing employees and for setting policies for personnel management The two are kind of clashing. One says group ready to obey, while other says group that would make someone obey. Are both meanings valid depending on context? That means, can service staff performing tasks like cleaning be considered as personnel? Also, what is the word's plural form?


Differences between 'Ideology' and 'Paradigm'?

What are the differences between the terms 'ideology' and 'paradigm'? **paradigm** : the generally accepted perspective of a particular discipline at a given time. **ideology** : an orientation that characterizes the thinking of a group or nation I feel that these are very similar in meaning. Could someone give examples of the differences? Thanks.


Usage of "would have been"

In the movie "A Walk to remember" Jimmie's father says the following to his son-in-law who got into medical school. Actually Jimmie is dead when he says, > We are proud of you, son. Jimmie **would have been proud of you, too**. I wonder if the use of "would have been" is correct in this case. Shouldn't it simply be "would be"? I mean why past of _would_ instead of present?


Irregular past tense confusion with compound noun/verb. More examples?

Students of martial arts may be familiar with a _breakfall_ , which can (depending on the situation) be treated as a noun or a verb. I am often amused when speakers, even native English speakers (myself included!), stumble over the past tense because of the double-irregularity. I've heard _breakfalled_ , _breakfell_ , _brokefall_ , and _brokefell_ \- most try one combination or another and then switch to _did a breakfall_. I was wondering if people had other examples of this phenomenon, and whether there is a canonically correct past tense form? _EDIT: Prompted by the discussion, for those interested, a breakfall may be defined as any of several ways of 'receiving' a technique, but in Western parlance most often refers to a method of slapping the ground (mat) just at the moment of impact, when you are thrown. This provides a reactive force and lessens the whole body impact if you are unable to roll out. (Seeuke/ukemi for the Japanese perspective)._


How to use "for some reason" in a sentence?

Some examples (right or wrong, I do not know)   * He went to the store--for some reason.   * He went to the store, for some reason.   * For some reason, she went to the store. A grammatical explanation as to what exactly "for what reason" is would be great too.


In what circumstances are people's names shortened and given an '-ers' ending?

The Test Match Special team are known variously as Jonners (Brian Johnson - deceased); Aggers (Jonathan Agnew), Blowers (Henry Blofeld), Tuffers (Phil Tuffnell) etc. This laddish public-school nomenclature, outside of cricket, is seldom heard nowadays, in my experience. Does anyone else know of where such chummy banter is exchanged today?


What colloquial word is used when you don't remember a word but you want to use something for it?

I checked some dictionaries and found out the following words to be used for objects whose names are forgotten: > whatsis, whatchamacallit, thingummy, dohickey, dojigger, doodad, doohickey, > hickey, gizmo, gismo, gubbins, thingamabob, thingumabob, thingmabob, > thingamajig, thingumajig, thingmajig. Which of these words are really used in colloquial cases? What colloquial word do native English speakers use when they don't remember a word at that moment but they still want to use a word instead of it?


"Blue sky thinking" phrase

Recently I was received mail and found there the `blue sky thinking` phrase as an agenda for the next company team meeting. Quick googling does not bring any appropriate results. What does the `blue sky thinking` mean?


Is 'Updation' a correct word?

I was wondering whether 'updation' is correct English or not. Sample sentence: I was involved in the updation of the website.


"You could do it better" Past/Future?

While showing my work to my adviser, he uttered a sentence, "You could do it better!". Is it analogous to:   1. You could have done better **OR**   2. You can do it better (so improve it)? It seems to me this sentence can mean both of these.


Is it right to say "Thank you" in the response of "Thank you"?

When two persons help each other and one said "thank you" then is it right to say "Thank you" in the response.


What is the term for a person with same first and last name?

What is it called when a person has the exact same first and last name (and same spelling), whether named by parents or as a result of marriage? For example, _Thomas Thomas_.


He took the fun/zing/excitement out of it?

I have a expression like this: > He was supposed to tell us about his experiences of his recent trip and we > all were looking forward to it but he took the > **fun/zing/excitement/anything else** out of it as he skipped the LA, Vegas > part. I know they are correct but which one of these is most common/appropriate or in other words most instinctive one.


Is this expression correct "Don't worry about it; it is supposed be one of the features of this year's release"

I have always been little confused regarding the use of _supposed to_. One meaning I am clear on is "obligation," another one is "a theory/concept accepted by a group of people," as in _This restaurant is supposed to be a good one_. But I can't make any sense out of the sentence given that definition. So is this phrase correct? If so, then how I am supposed to interpret it?


"All that glitters" or "Not all that glitters"?

In the phrase finder (http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/all-that-glitters-is- not-gold.html) I found the "correct" syntax of the saying: "All that glitters is not gold," and that's fine. The saying trips off the tongue quite nicely, I guess, which is good in and of itself. I've also read the OP's question at "All that is gold does not glitter", which does not really pertain to my question, which is this: > How is it that the logically "wrong" syntax becomes accepted and > traditional? In other words, for other than purely stylistic reasons is there a mini-theory which explains the phenomenon? I realize that people prefer on purely stylistic grounds the peculiar syntax of a given saying or quotation . As I said, sometimes the way that words come trippingly off our tongues is sufficient reason for embracing a saying exactly as worded. I also realize that some sayings become accepted into the repertory of a culture's proverbs by simply being repeated over the span of generations. Nevertheless, despite its seeming _almost_ fungible with "All that glitters is not gold," "Not all that glitters is gold" is preferable, logically, is it not? After all, if gold is NOT among all things that glitter, then why does it glitter? I mean, it does glitter, doesn't it? Perhaps I'm making too big a deal of this. Perhaps it's a non-issue. Perhaps language just evolves that way sometimes, and there is nothing necessarily illogical or irrational about it. Even if there is something illogical or seemingly irrational about it, language is, after all, illogical (if not irrational) at times. As the young people say today in their quasi-profound, ersatz way, "It is what it is." To wrap things up, I've posed at least three questions: > Does the basis for an answer to my question come from people's stylistic > preferences? > > Does the basis for an answer to my question come from the phenomenon of > perseveration? Or, > > Does the basis for an answer to my question come from some other explanation > (or from a combination of question one **and** question two **and** some > other explanation)? If I get one down vote, I'll delete the post, but I'm really curious about this!


Unexpected appearance

What would be the word for something that is opposite its _appearance_? Let me give you an example. Say there is a button that can be pushed which would instantly destroy most of civilization. Let's say that this button was decorated with a picture of a smiley face, or a kitten, or something equally "opposite". What would be the word for the fact that the button, which would destroy the world, was adorned with the picture of a cute, innocent, kitty cat?


Does the sentence "I recycle a paper" make sense?

Could the following sentence make sense? > I recycle a paper. It's from one of the school English exam's answers, and we're arguing about giving the whole point or half point. The teachers have given the whole point to answers such as "I recycle a piece of paper", "I recyle papers", etc.


When writing instructions, is it OK to leave "and" out of a quick chain of commands?

I'm editing a series of instructions, and I keep stumbling over this issue of whether using "and" in a chain of similar commands is necessary. > From the Start menu, select All Programs, then Quicktime Player. Is that line fine as is? Or should I add "and"? Maybe take out the comma too? > Select All Programs, and then Quicktime Player. Select All Programs and then > Quicktime Player.


What might "three several" mean?

The context is from a story I read recently in an omnibus (I found that link on the spur of the moment): > ...were afterwards burnt to death in three several fires. I suppose _three_ was meant, but this use of _several_ stumped me. What did it mean back in 1843?


'Mushed' meaning

I've been translating the song by Johnny Horton, _North to Alaska_ and was stuck on the word **_mushed_** : > He talked to his team of huskies as he **mushed** on through the snow Searching through the dictionaries gave me nothing about it. Doesn't it mean 'crawling' or just 'going?' Or, maybe, there's a mistake?


What is the Specific Type of Word that Includes Stellar, Sylvan, etc

I have recently become fixated on the idea of words which are defined as "of, or relating to, [noun]"- stellar means "of stars", sylvan means "of trees". These are the only two samples that I have been able to find in the wild. Futility Closet fairly recently ran a post that listed roughly 20 of them, and identified them as 'modifiers' [1], but searching for modifiers on google only results in words like nearly or barely, which don't really fit my target. Is there a name for these words or some way I could find samples in a dictionary? [1]http://www.futilitycloset.com/2013/08/22/in-a-word-433/


What's the difference between notorious and infamous?

Are these two words synonymous or is there any nuance between these two words? Though they are used synonymously in sentences and also followed by the same preposition "for". I want to be expertly responded to these nuances with reference to their adequate collocations.


The Appendix in Orwell's 1984

After answering a question in SciFi if the Big Brother existed as a real person, I got responses that the last chapter, the Appendix (which can be found here), definitely proves that Oceania ceased to exist because it describes Newspeak from a historical perspective. One proponent cited an essay to put the argument forward. As a non-native speaker and unsure about the exact usage of English, especially during the time the novel was written, I would like to ask if the argument is correct. First I find the usage of the word "Appendix" strange which indicates normally a technical description outside the given text. The whole text sounds for me more like Orwell had worked out the technicalities of the Newspeak, but could not find a place in the novel where it really fits. Second I believe to remember that several old German books used past tense in descriptions, so I wonder if this might have been used in WWII English, too. So:   Does the text (especially "Newspeak _was_ the official language of Oceania and had been devised to meet the ideological needs of Ingsoc, or English Socialism") in the Appendix definitely and unambigously prove that a) the Appendix really belongs to the story and   b) Oceania ceased to exist in the future of 1984 ? Further clarifications are welcome.


Single word for "time spent"

Is there a single word for an amount of time spent on a task for example? More specific than duration?


What is this kind of question known as?

A question that's not exactly rhetorical but the answer IS implied. for example; "am I annoying you?" you're meant to say no, and they are aware that they are indeed annoying you.


"I did it by myself" vs "I did it myself"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Myself vs by myself "I did it by myself" and "I did it myself"; what's the exact and subtle difference between the two?


Once bitten twice shy

What is the meaning and origin of the idiom 'once bitten twice shy'?


Why do some words become amalgamated?

Why do some words in English become joined together and what is the criteria that prevents common phrases of doing the same? For example: > None the less > Nonetheless > > Never the less > Nevertheless > > Some what > Somewhat


Term for disrespecting people with lower social condition

What is it called if I have a good social condition (education, money, etc.) and I disrespect people with a lower condition?


A literary term meaning reversed repetition?

A quote from The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss lists > "actors and acrobats, musicians and hand magicians, jugglers and jesters" My first thought on reading it was that "hand magicians and musicians" (ABAB) would have a more quippish tone than "musicians and hand magicians" (ABBA), but upon reflection I decided that such a phrasing would be too singsong, whereas the inversion feels more cleverly poetical to me. Is there a literary term for the inverted repetition of similar sounds? I've come up with _ABBA internal rhyme_ or with _chiastic parallelism_ , but I'm wondering if there's a single word that describes this pattern better.


Term for "having terms for everything"

Is there a term for the phenomenon of creating a term for every single little thing?


A word to depict the degree of currentness

Please note that the nature of this question is based on position, not time. We are working on a control similar in functionality (displaying spinnable items, but not only restricted to displaying dates) to iOS' `UIDatePicker`: ![iOS date picker](http://i.stack.imgur.com/73R6u.png) Part of our API allows users to style the items within the control. Using the date picker as a scenario, if the user wants to display the text of the current month in a darker colour, they can write:               opacity: currentness * 0.6 + 0.4      `currentness` is a value from `0` to `1`, with `0` being the at the very top or bottom of the control, and `1` being the centre. `currentness` works well because:   * It very simply describes what the property represents.   * We have another property `current` which is either `true` or `false`, so it is easy to relate to this. It doesn't work well because:   * It's not a widely used term. **I'd like to hear what others think, including any alternative names.** I quite like `presence`, because it's more elegant, although it doesn't do as good of a job at explaining what the property represents. Other names we came up with were `distance` and `offset`, which would represent the distance from the centre of the control. The problem with these is that they would imply the reverse of what we'd like: for `0` to be least current and `1` to be current.


Has she heard it or not?

I was reading a fairy tale from Andersen, "It's Quite True", and there was one phrase that I don't understand the meaning of - 'she heard and she didn't hear'. It sounds ambiguous to me. I'm confused whether **she's heard it or not**? The context is: _'There it went,' she said. 'Indeed, the more I preen myself, the more beautiful I become!' It was dark all around. Hen sat beside hen, and the one who sat next to her did not sleep. **She heard and she didn't hear** , as indeed you should in this world if you are to have peace of mind. But still she had to tell it to her other neighbor. 'Did you hear what was said here...'_ Thanks!


> I moved to Huntington Beach, California, the home of my favorite band, > Avenged Sevenfold, and started school there as a junior. Are there too many commas in this sentence?


How to concisely put that two methods identify shared yet different results

What's a very concise, pithy but formal way (register is scientific English) to say that two methods identify the same set of factors involved in a process but that **one** method identifies more factors on top of the shared results? In essence, I what a short statement that captures the following: > Method X and Method Y identifiy a shared set of factors; however, Method X > also identifies some additional factors


"A snap on the back" vs. "a snap at the back"

> I have the hat which has a snap _on/at_ the back of the hat. Which preposition to use here? This is the sort of thing the sentence refers to: ![Baseball cap with snap-fix strap at the back](http://i.stack.imgur.com/EUOvu.png)


Differences between vertical restraints and vertical restrictions in Antitrust Law

I've read a lawsuit (link:https://bulk.resource.org/courts.gov/c/US/433/433.US.36.76-15.html) that uses both "vertical restraints" and "vertical restrictions", I'm translating this document so I wonder if there is any difference between these phrases in terms of usage and meaning and whatever you can figure out. I also wonder whether I can use these terms interchangeably. Please use plain english because I'm not a native speaker.


Is it appropriate to state a mathematical fact with the word "whenever"?

From time to time, in Math textbook, I encounter the statement using _whenever_ , e.g. on page 12 of Horst Herrlich's _Axiom of Choice_ "A has an upper bound in X whenever each pair of elements of A has an upper bound in A." In my mind, the assignment of truth value of a particular mathematical proposition is either a prior belief at the metalevel of reasoning, or a logical consequence of some other more “basic” axioms, both of which are irrelevant to time, which could be specified or not. Why not replace "whenever" by "if" and its timeless synonyms, say, "provided"?


"until the end of (the) time(s)"?

I'm trying to translate a phrase from Spanish ("Hasta el final de los tiempos") and I was thinking of using one of these phrases:   1. Until the end of time   2. Until the end of the times   3. Until the end of times I googled all these three and all show up in examples so I'm wondering. Should time be singular or plural? Should I use "the"? Personally I like 3) but I'm not sure if this would be valid or the most appropriate.


Are there specific terms for "point up" and "point down" pentagram?

Pentagrams can have virtually any orientation but the two most common are "point up": !["point up" pentagram](http://i.stack.imgur.com/pVWQc.png) And "point down": !["point down" pentagram](http://i.stack.imgur.com/LFpMF.png) Is there a more appropriate term used to distinguish between these two variants?


How to memorize differences between ingenious, ingenuous, and indigenous

From etymonline, _ingenious, ingenuous, indigenous_ all share the same roots: _in-_ and _indu-_ mean "in", and "gen" means "produce". But the meanings of the words are not the same. So do you have some ways to remember the differences between their meanings?


What is the origin of "nerp" or possibly "nurp"

In the 1970s I asked a clerk at the lumber yard in Laguna Beach, California, whether I could have a hole drilled in a door hinge so I could put a set-screw in it. That would prevent the removal of the hinge, an action which would permit a miscreant to open the door even though it was locked.The clerk said, "So you want to have it nerped?" I have not had occasion to learn whether that word is still in use... or its origin.


Can "good" and "well" be used interchangeably?

I told someone I was doing good in my new community, and they thought I was talking about my well being. When I told them that I meant I was doing good in the community like in a helping out "do-gooder" sort of way, they told me that "good" and "well" can be used interchangeably in my context and _always_ refer to one's well being. But doesn't only the word "well" mean state of health to avoid misunderstandings like this? Doesn't "I've been doing good in the new community" mean I have been doing good things in the community to help out? And doesn't "I've been doing well in the new community" mean that I am healthy, not being harassed by the community members and whatnot?


When does "in-" mean which: "not" or "in"

"in-" can mean "not", for example, "inept", or "in", for example, "intoxicant". Are there some general principles that will help us know when "in-" means which: "not" or "in"?


What do you call unclean water that you can't see through? Probably contaminated with dirt, prolonged stagnation or mineral erosion, almost pale brown, like stagnated water on a rainy day.


How to join two phrases sharing a common ending

One of my professors asked me if I would be working on an assignment alone or in a group. I responded by saying: > I was looking at the assignment and I feel that I am capable of, and > therefore would benefit more from, doing it on my own. The second comma feels a little out of place, yet I think it is necessary because it denotes the point at which two threads join together: > I am capable of doing it on my own. and > I would benefit more from doing it on my own. If I were speaking, it feels natural to pause at that point, but the comma still seems odd. Am I structuring this sentence properly or is there a better way?


"Archetype" vs. "stereotype"

In terms of usage, is it fair to say that an archetype is a broader description of a class than a stereotype? Here’s a reference to the usage of archetype becoming blurry in my mind. Mindy Kaling, in a _New York Times_ article called “Flick Chicks”, describes different types of women characters who show up repeatedly in chick flicks. At one point, she refers to the Woman-Who-Runs-An-Art-Gallery type as a film _archetype_ yet her description of this archetypal character is quite one dimensional. Would _stereotype_ be a better term for these chick flick “archetypes”? The piece has a satirical tone, so I do admit that she overstates at times for effect.


"Mold" vs. "Mould"

While writing about a factory that produces pipes, I needed to refer to how the metal was melted and put into molds/moulds. Which one is it, and is there a correct spelling or are both acceptable?


One adj. word for "have never been used before"?

I am programmer and want to say "The programming language I have never used before" in very short word like "... programming language" What could that be?


Word for delimiters which are placed after each item?

The word "separator" can be used to describe delimiters which are placed between items. For instance, in this sequence: "abbbabbbabbbabbba" The 'b's separate the 'a's. I'm looking for a word similar to "separator" which can be used to describe delimiters in this sequence: "abbbabbbabbbabbbabbb" The 'b's come after each 'a'. Examples of this are periods after sentences and, in programming, semicolons after statements.


What is the term for sentences like these?

What are sentences like " _men are to women as culture is to nature_ " called?


Should initial e's after h-dropping be capitalized?

A new Victorian-set British novel begins sentences containing h-dropping with lower-case e's, as in " 'e took my money, 'e did." This seems incorrect but I'm at a loss to find the rule.


Difference between a sweater and a sweatshirt

Many clothing websites use distinct categories for both sweaters and sweatshirts. But what is the difference?


Who was real Frank (Lee)? Anybody know this?

In film actor George Kloony ask man 'can I be Frank'? But his name not Frank it Michael Clayten (I think). I get confuse so ask very good English teacher Paul. He say me Frank mean he honest man and you can speak to Frank Lee to be honest man also'. This very interesting. But later I think who real 'Frank Lee' was from a history. Like other stack exchange question I want ask where usage 'speak to Frank lee' to mean honest come from. I spend 3 hours 16 minuts on an internet find many names Frank lee but not correct one. Secondly I look 2 hours 34 minuts in oxford dictionery of national biograph but cannot find name Frank Lee. Then I try wikipedia find Frank Lee politician 1867-1941 might be the man but say nothing he is honest. Is this real Frank Lee? Please help me my friends!


Difference between "penetrate" and "compenetrate"

According to Merriam-Webster: penetrate — to pass into or through compenetrate — to penetrate throughout What is the difference between the two? Are they synonymous?


Term for verb+adverb with distinct meaning

There are verbs that, when paired with certain adverbs, can have a distinctly different meaning. For example, > I _looked up_ the word in the dictionary. The phrase _looked up_ functions as a verb with a distinct meaning than _looked_ in a sentence like > I _looked_ ridiculous. In all of these two-word verb examples I can think of, they become a single word when used as a noun or adjective: > The software performs millions of lookups per second. Is there a term for these verb+adverb pairs, and, if so, what is it? Additional examples: _back up_ , _run off_ , _hang out_ Once upon a time, I though these were called _verbals_ , but that was wrong. The term _verb phrase_ is not quite right either; a verb phrase generally encompasses additional modifiers, objects, etc.


Non-derogatory term similar to "inflexible"

I'm looking for a word that's somewhat similar to _inflexible_ , but non- derogatory, used to describe a characteristic of a person or their habits. For example, let's say we have someone who really cares about their oral health. He brushes his teeth on time shortly after every meal and tries to keep his teeth-brushing to no more than three times daily because he believes brushing too much is harmful to the teeth. As a result, he tries to avoid snacking whenever possible. So, he doesn't take any snack beverage or any food like chocolate, chips, coffee, fries, etc. outside of his three main meals during his commute or at social gatherings, parties, etc. even when offered. When offered he will politely refuse or save them for later until a main meal. Now, this is not necessarily a bad thing. His behaviour shows that he is a pretty [...] person, or he is being pretty [...] about his oral health?


To make a noun to describe everything that is known well, would it be 'the well-known'?

Does the hyphen belong there? Thanks!


"Now is the time to" or "Now is time to" – Which is correct?

Which of the following two phrases is correct? > Now is the time to   >  Now is time to Or are both of them correct? And if so is "Now is the time to" more formal?


Why is the noun 'sex' uncountable?

According to the definition of the noun 'sex' in dictionaries, it means 'the _PHYSICAL ACTIVITY_ that two people do together in order to produce babies or for pleasure.' If so, why isn't it countable? > **'I had sex with her last night.'** but not **'I had A sex / TWO sexes her > last night.'** How do you count the activity? You go like 'I had sex with her twice.'? I think that in general, a countable noun has a beginning and an end, viewed as a whole entity, while an uncoutable noun is undifferentiated and lacking in defined limits. Could the activity of sex continue no end? It must have a beginning and an end. The human can't do it forever even if he was cut out for it. Just saying the word is in itself an uncountable noun is a circular logic. > **You could have A shag with her if you ask her out tomorrow.** why is 'shag' countable, while 'sex' is not? Both seem to refer to the same activity. * * * You say >   * **Let's go for a drive.** >   * **I take a shower every day.** >   * **I had a walk in the morning.** >   * **I'm going for a stroll.** > All the nouns refer to activities, and are used with the indefinite article. I really want to know what you have in mind about the interesting noun 'sex' and the reason why it isn't countable.


Comparisons: "so [adjective/adverb] as" or "as [adjective/adverb] as"

When learning how to make comparisons, students of English as a foreign language are first told to use the structure "as [adjective/adverb] as". However, at higher levels, they are told that both options ("as/so [adjective/adverb] as") are correct. I've been wondering if there are any differences between them, but I can't find an answer in my grammar (Cambridge Grammar of English). In a school book, I saw two examples that led me to think that:   1. "as [adverb] as" is possible with both positive and negative sentences   2. "so [adverb] as" is only possible in negative sentences Is this correct? If so, does it also apply to adjectives? Examples for adjectives:   * This is as good as that.    * This is so good as that.   * This isn't as good as that.    * This isn't so good as that. Examples for adverbs:   * Anne plays as well as John.    * Anne plays so well as John. (not correct?)   * Anne doesn't play as well as John.   * Anne doesn't play so well as John.


"Angels fall, they are towers": what is "towers" here? Froma poem by G.M.Hopkins

From a poem of G. M. Hopkins titled "The Shepherd’s brow, fronting forked lightning, owns": > THE SHEPHERD’S brow, fronting forked lightning, owns > > The horror and the havoc and the glory > > Of it. Angels fall, they are **towers** , from heaven—a story > > Of just, majestical, and giant groans. What does "towers" mean here? Angels are supposed to be beings with wings. Doesn't seem to make sense.


"Not so much as...but..." or "not so much as...but as...?"

What's more grammatically correct? > I knew she would be standing here, waiting for me. **No, not so much as > waiting but *expecting me to be here.** or > I knew she would be standing here, waiting for me. **No, not so much as > waiting but as expecting me to be here.**


take into (an) account

Coming from an articleless language, I often have problems with things like this: > take something into account > > take something into **an** account Are both phrases correct? If yes, is there a difference?


Happiness + bewilderment =?

I am looking for a word that combines _happiness_ and _bewilderment_. Say, A and B are long forgotten friends. After a long time B sends A very very good news. A is looking for a short message, a word that expresses his happiness and bewilderment in response to the news. What would be the word combining these two — _happiness_ and _bewilderment_?


"never did" vs "never does"

Is the following sentence grammatical? : > Jack splits a blade of grass. He won't speak up. Never does. Tom will. > Always does. For some reason it sounds weird. I was wondering shouldn't it have been _"never did"_ instead of _"never does"_? What's the difference between the sentence above and this below? : > Jack splits a blade of grass. He won't speak up. Never did. Tom will. Always > did.


Origin of the phrase "under your belt"?

Today, I found myself discussing what students should have "under their belts" during a lecture, and I wondered to myself if there was some inappropriate undertone here that I might be unaware of. > **Question** : What is the origin of the phrase "under your belt"? A google search revealed some webpages (e.g. [1]) that assert its origin is related to consumption of food -- once a meal has been eaten, it's under your belt (which is a relief). However, with such websites, I have no way to determine fact from "random guy on the internet making stuff up".


English words mockingly derived from French?

According to Wikipedia, up to 30% of English words come from French, and I'm interested in a special subset of them. Not "loan words", but words that seem potentially derived in jest. For example, "hoosegow" seems to be a tongue-in-cheek corruption of the Spanish "jusgado". Three possible examples of cheerful manglings of "Frank-ase" are:   * "Mush" (verb) from _marchons_.   * "Alley-oop" from _allez hop_.   * "Crawdad" from _écrevisse_ \+ ¿dad? (I was told "dad" was mocking "dey at".) I've seen Western old-timers obviously relishing the use of those words around their Creole acquaintances. And, thousands of French words made it into English, with less alteration, both before and since these two examples. So, two questions:   1. What are some more of these words? Or better yet a good source of them? (My Google-fu has failed me.)   2. Any evidence to support or disprove the conjecture that these word-hijackings are mocking highfalutin French usage?


Is "case-sensitively" a word?

A colleague just asked about comparing values "case sensitively". I see those words together on technical sites, but nowhere else. I myself see no problem with the phrase, though it sounds a bit awkward. Is there a better single-word substitute for "in a case-sensitive fashion"?


"in response to" vs "for response to"?

"I am writing in response to your mail." What does it mean by "in" in this sentence? Is "I am writing for response to your mail." acceptable?


"Copyright on" or "Copyright to"?

What is the difference between "Copyright on something" and "Copyright to something", if any? Can I also say "I have rights on something" or only "I have rights to something" is correct?


Is there a word for "25 years" like "bicentennial" for 200 years? Is it "Quadranscentennial"?

I was looking for a word that means "25 years" in the way that "bicentennial" refers to 200 years. Wikipedia suggests "Quadranscentennial", but I can't find extensive use of that. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anniversary Is there any word for what I'm looking for?


"Not listening" or "over ruled"; which is correct?

> I gave certain instruction to my subordinate, but he overruled my > instruction and acted on his own. Is it correct to say my subordinate overruled my instruction?


"would't have " or " would have't"

I did a worke without my bosse's permission. He told me that don't do nothing without his permission . Then which I can say among below sentance Sorry "I would't have done it without your permission" "I would have't done it without your permission"


Meaning and origin of 'concinnity' in an economics context

Wiktionary reads: > _concinnity_ : The harmonious reinforcement of the various parts of a work > of art. > Call it corporate social responsibility at work if you wish, but we simply > think that under Howard Shultz's inspired and inspiring leadership Starbucks > is just a damned well-managed company that has achieved the _concinnity_ > that distinguishes companies operating under the nontraditional FoE business > model. (Google Book's source) Since I don't have OED access, can anybody say from where **this** metaphorical usage of the noun 'concinnity' comes? And what is, precisely, its meaning in non-literary contexts? _P.S. Considering the relevance of this word in an economics context, I tagged this question by 'economics' tag._


What word can be used in place of "but" in writing or statements

I frequently write in online forums, mainly with regard to mental health materials and concepts. I struggle with grammatical correctness and the word _but_ gets inserted throughout a lot of my paragraphs, often repeated within a few lines. Sometimes I use the word _yet_ instead, but (there's that word again) unthinkingly revert back to _but_. The word, in the context of the writing, feels juvenile and redundant. So far, I have used _yet_ and _though_ **but** haven't found any other words to use and even these begin to sound tiresome. What else is there?


Referring to past times with "hence"

From Tor.com, an interesting use of the word _hence_ : > Minutes ago, J.K. Rowling finally announced her plans behind Pottermore, the > mysterious website that appeared **a week hence** with only a “Coming Soon” > sign to warns readers and fans. For me, the word _hence_ can only be used to refer to times in the future, and the writer of the above quote should have used _ago_. However, _hence_ is a pretty rare word, and it's possible that the past usage of _hence_ is in fact standard, but I've never noticed it. Is the past usage of _hence_ sanctioned by any important authorities? Does it have a long tradition of usage? Or did the writer trip herself up trying to be fancy? **Update** : The answers below all agree, but I'm looking for someone that can produce some actual evidence from usage or a respected authority. I've started a bounty with that in mind.


Is the sentence "It is removed" grammatically correct?

There is another form of the same sentence — "It has been removed". But in the sentence "It is removed," the last word is an adjective so I believe it is correct as well. Am I right?


Defining profit loss in laymans terms - without using loss in the explanation

I'm updating a training manual and need to define loss (in the context of a business) in a simple sentence. Currently it reads as (previous author): > Loss: Loss is profit loss due to product theft, damage, or sold at the > incorrect price I'm not sold on the overall wording, thinking along the lines of: > Loss: Loss is unmade profit due to the theft, damage, or incorrect sale of a > product. Two things:   * 1: I feel like 'unmade profit' isn't 100% correct English - is that the case? Or if nothing else, it feels like a stumbling block.   * 2: Incorrect sale doesn't carry with it that the product was priced incorrectly and sold at this wrong price. Yet to say "due to the theft, damage, or incorrectly marked and sale of a product" seems too lengthy to be part of the 3 facets of profit loss. Is there a single word (like theft, damage) that wraps 'incorrect price and sale of', so I can say "due to the theft, damage, ? of a product" ?


Are "preaching to the choir" and "preaching to the converted" synonymous

The following are acceptable expressions that I have heard: > "Preaching to the choir" > > "Preaching to the converted" To me, both mean essentially that you are trying to explain something to someone who already understands it. So you are wasting your time. _( **Edit** : Although GEdgar's definition is better: "Arguing a controversial subject only with those who already share your opinion")_ My friend is suggesting that there is a subtle difference in the meaning between the two. Is he right? _**Edit** : He suggests that the former has the implied context that very few people are listening- preachers normally preach to a congregation. The latter does not._


The meaning of mingle

If a girl tells you that she is single and ready to mingle, does _mingle_ here mean that she is ready to “hook up”? ¹ * * * 1\. That is, to have casual sexual intercourse.


Keen on vs keen to

I would need to understand the difference between the following sentences: > I am very keen to do that.   >  I am very keen on doing that.   >  I am keen that I can do that.


Appropriate usage of articles for the same words in different sentences

When writing about the same thing in several sentences, mainly in definitions, I am often confused about when to switch from the indefinite article to the definite article. Which rule can be applied to this? ### Consider this example: > Suppose we have **a** tree T and **a** vertex v in T. We say that **the** > vertex v is **a** leaf in **the** tree T if its degree is 1. In the first sentence, I would use the indefinite articles, because I only introduce the terms to the reader. In the second sentence, however, I would prefer to use "the vertex v", since I have already introduced it and it is clear for both me and the reader what we are talking about. Similarly, I would prefer to use "the tree T". On the other hand, I would use "a leaf", because this term has not been mentioned before. Is that correct? Or maybe I am just overusing the articles? This is just a minimum example, maybe trying to be a little too expressive. But I am sure there are real-world situations, where such a switch from the indefinite articles to the definite ones must be made. And I am just wondering how to do it properly.


Verb agreement for something that was discussed in the past, while the issue still exists in the present

How do you write something that was discussed in the past, while the issue still exists in the present? >   1. The discussion resulted in the committee members highlighting crucial > areas that **need** to be addressed if one **is to** achieve the desired > outcome...... >   2. The discussion resulted in the committee members highlighting crucial > areas that **needed** to be addressed if one **were to** achieve the desired > outcome...... >


subject - verb - ? and parsing

Compare these 2 sentences:   1. The capital of Belgium is Brussels.   2. Brussels is the capital of Belgium. I have a few questions:   1. What is the grammatical name of the non-subject, non-verb part in the first sentence?   2. If you dissect these sentences, you have the structure noun-verb-noun (I think). How can you can you tell which of the 2 nouns is the subject and which is the other grammatical construct?   3. is the verb "to be" transitive or intransitive in this case?


Mixing adjectives and nouns in scientific writing

I've noticed that biological scientists tend to use nouns as adjectives when detailing experiments both in writing and in speech. Examples:   1. The experiment was performed "in monkey cortex" instead of "in a monkey's cortex", "in simian cortex", "in the cortex of a monkey" and so on.   2. I study "rat cognition" instead of "cognition by/in rats" or "rodent cognition".   3. We used a "mouse model" instead of "murine model", "rodent model". However, people _do_ say that they study "human cognition" not "people cognition". One could argue that scientific writing is as it does. Or, that as long as the writing is clear this point is immaterial. But, interchanging nouns and adjectives does exercise some people.   1. Example 1 beginning on slide 68   2. Example 2   3. Example 3 <\-- A list of _frequent problems_ in scientific writing Does this occur in other technical areas? More speculatively, does it suggest something about grammar simplification, perhaps because many people who grew up speaking different languages must communicate in a technical version of English? Is it just an unnecessary abstraction? N.B.: I'm not singling out biologists. I just can't speak about any other group firsthand.


Is there any difference in meaning between "She is not around" and "She is not here"? I heard both, but never quite got the difference.


What job is a “word processor”?

I don’t mean as a program like Microsoft Word, but as a job. If someone says, “I found a job as a word processor,” what is this person doing? (My first guess would be typing).


explain the structure of "Ears Polite"?

"Ears Polite". How do you justify this construction?


Whats the connotation of 'makeshift'? Is it negative, neutral, or positive like: creative?

I'm curious what the association(s) are with the word 'makeshift"


Where did the expression "achievement unlocked" come from?

Why achievement is unlocked? Achievement is not a lock, door or safe. You don't get anything after unlocking. I have an assumption that it came from gaming history, word "unlocked" just transferred from secrets to achievements by similarity of their concept. My hypothesis is based on this wiki article. There were > ... secrets, which traditionally provided some kind of direct benefit to the > player ...


In the English language, should the "d" be capitalized when writing "American Dollar"?

When writing "American Dollar," should the _d_ in _dollar_ be capitalized?


Abbreviation for "so-called"

In German there is an abbreviation for _so genannt_ , which is _sog._ Is there a known popular abbreviation for the equivalent _so-called_ in English?


What does "subset" mean as a verb?

Quoted from http://xml-tips.assistprogramming.com/sgml-xml-html-xhtml-all- together.html: > XHTML is the basis for a family of future document types that extend and > **subset** HTML. I understand **subset** here is a verb. Does it mean XHTML is a subset of HTML or HTML is a subset of XHTML?


Synonyms for "unfortunately"

Are there any words for _unfortunately_?   I know that "sad" is a wrong replacement, but I don't know any other words for it. I write this word just way too much and it would be nice to have an alternative. For example : > I would send you a post card, but unfortunately I don't have your new > address. or : > I unfortunately can't give you the information. I am sorry. Thanks.


Pronunciation of "Azure" in "Windows Azure"

This is not a techie query. I am just unclear on how to pronounce the word "Azure" which is brand name for Microsoft's cloud service offerings.


Hypernym of 'deposit' and 'withdraw'

I am looking for a hypernym of _to deposit_ and _to withdraw_ (money to and from a bank account). I thought about several options like "to perform a financial transaction", however I need something more concise and short.


Do we say "I'm going to meet my friends in a park" or "I'm going to meet my friends in the park"?

I've had an argument recently whether one should say "I'm going to meet my friends in **_a_** park" or "I'm going to meet my friends in **_the_** park"? Assume that the other speaker doesn't know what park is being mentioned.


What is the meaning of this phrase or sentence

while reading the lesson **Bromides and Sulphides** I passed through this one sentence which was qouted. > If you saw that sunset painted in a picture, you'd never believe it would be > possible! What does this mean ?


Can an 'essay' be a fictional, creative piece of writing?

A contributor to this site has talked about an 'essay' they are writing. My supposition was that it was a non-fictional piece, perhaps of criticism, history or something. But it transpires that it is a fictional creative piece. 'Essay' as a piece of writing is covered by meaning 8 in the OED, below. But it doesn't supply clarity on the type of writing which can be called an essay. Does anyone have views?   1. A composition of moderate length on any particular subject, or branch of a subject; originally implying want of finish, ‘an irregular undigested piece’ (Johnson), but now said of a composition more or less elaborate in style, though limited in range. The use in this sense is app. taken from Montaigne, whose Essais were first published in 1580. 1597 Bacon (title) Essayes. –12 Bacon Ded. Prince Henry in Ess. (1871) 158 For Senacaes Epistles..are but Essaies—that is dispersed Meditations..Essaies. The word is late, but the thing is auncient. 1665 J. Glanvill Scepsis Scientifica Addr. 26 No higher title, then that of an essay, or imperfect offer at a Subject. 1684 Dryden To Earl of Roscomon in Earl of Roscommon Ess. Translated Verse sig. A1v, Yet modestly he does his Work survey, And calls a finish'd Poem an essay. 1712 J. Addison Spectator No. 476. ¶1 The Wildness of those Compositions, which go by the Name of Essays. 1764 T. Reid Inq. Human Mind Ded., This leaves me no room to doubt of your favourable acceptance of this essay. 1782 V. Knox Ess. (1819) I. i. 1 Essays..may now convey the idea of regular treatises. 1843 Macaulay (title) Critical and Historical Essays. 1864 Dickens Our Mutual Friend (1865) I. ii. i. 165 She could write a little essay on any subject. (Hide quotations) III.


What is the difference between sugar cane and cane sugar?

I've heard people use them interchangeably.   Just so I don't go crazy, what is the difference?


The Quality of Being Forgettable

Consider, for example, a forgettable novel. Now suppose you are starting a sentence that attempts to explain why the novel is forgettable: "The ___ _ of the novel can be explained by ..." What would you use to fill in the blank? Forgettability? Forgetableness? Other suggestions? Forgettability feels right, but I don't think that is orthodox standard written English.


Can I use a semicolon when linking a sentence fragment and a question?

Are there guidelines for using semi-colons in any of these kinds of circumstances (where a sentence fragment links with a question)? Please note that the words cannot be changed and dashes are prohibited as I am transcribing a conversation.   1. I was trying to leave; asking them to let me go.   2. She kept texting me; "What's up," "Want to go for a walk in the park?"   3. How did you feel about that; not having to go to work?   4. So why did you say what you did; "No," and later "I don't know"?   5. So about that cake; you made it yourself?   6. Talk about that for a moment; your tardiness, that is.   7. You bought icing; chocolate, right?   8. Is that something you regularly do; buy chocolate icing?


Word/phrase/idiom to describe avoiding answering a question by stating the question doesn't need to be asked

I run into this situation often in the office. I have a specific question to ask somebody and have chosen the person to ask it, but that person doesn't know the answer. Instead of answering the question, however, they choose to attack the question itself and increase the scope of the discussion to find a way to avoid having to answer it: Example: > Asker: I'm not sure if Google Maps has picked the best route to McDonalds. > What do you think of this route? > > Responder: You can get to Burger King faster, and the food it better. What has the responder done? I was thinking of strawman fallacy (logic), unasking the question (zen), etc. But none of these exactly fit.


Word for a sudden memory triggered by a sense

Every so often I'll hear a phrase that forms part of a song or phrase that I know. Suddenly I can hear the song playing in my head or my mind finishes off the phrase. What is the correct phrase/word for this sort of unconscious surfacing of memories? For instance I might hear someone say: _Treacle Pudding_ The words are unrelated, but the intonation reminds me of the _Goldfinger_ theme tune, so my head tries to finish of the song with the words _Tracle Pudding_ in place of _Goldfinger_ Another example is I'll hear the words, with the wrong intonation, but my brain still picks up the phrase of song lyrics and it plays out in my head.


Idiom or phrase meaning "satisfactory in all abilities"?

Is there a possible idiom or phrase in the following context that means _satisfactory in all abilities?_ For example, lets say someone knows three languages: English, Spanish, and Korean; however, their knowledge of all these languages (including their native language) aren't fluent, but not poor either, just satisfactory. When they're asked, "What language do you speak?"; instead of answering "I speak English, Spanish, and Korean, but they're all just satisfactory", or "I speak English, Spanish, and Korean, but none of them are that great", is there an idiom or phrase that could replace that, to mean something along the lines of _not any of my languages are fluent, just satisfactory_? or _all of my languages are just satisfactory_?


Is it correct to say "a context aware modeling of trust"?

> Towards a _context aware modeling of trust_ and access control based on the > user behavior and capabilities I was reading some documentation and this phrase stopped me! Is it correct after all?


What is the meaning of the 'x' character suffix?

The sentence is “2x to 100x speed-ups, typically 4x”.


When should I not use a ligature in English typesetting?

Typesetting that goes beyond the scope of basic MS Word (e.g. LaTeX, or even modern Word versions with a good OpenType font) often uses ligatures for certain glyph combinations, the most common being   * f + f = ﬀ   * f + i = ﬁ   * f + l = ﬂ   * f + f + i = ﬃ   * f + f + l = ﬄ. I would assume, however, that there are cases in which a ligature shouldn't be used. Are there any rules or standards telling me when I should use a ligature and when I shouldn't?


The meaning of "to cut the biscuit"

What is the meaning of this expression? Does it mean that something meets the expectations or it is up to standard? Edit: Here is an example of usage. http://www.edition38.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=150120&st=40 > that is one seriously pimp car! i have three old school favourites, bmw e30, > golf mk2 and the 190e and **this cuts the biscuit**! good work


Is "please be reminding" valid usage?

I received mail from my colleague. He wrote, > Please be reminding that... I am confused about this. I think it should be more passive, like this, > Please be reminded that... Which is correct?


Some questions about the lyric of "so feel autumn rain"

> so feel autumn rain Can 'feel' be modified by 'so' without saying what's the feeling? > Leaving with twilight though I was chosen Why 'I was chosen' can be the cause of 'leaving with twilight'. You didn't chose, You were chosen. (and be chosen for what?) > I find the dreams are to stay Who to stay? the dreams or 'i' ? I just don't know which is the object of 'find'. Full lyric:               Leaving with twilight though I was chosen     To wander the way in the darkest of nights     Oh, in the summer sun how soon I came to stray     A true damnation, when I turned away          So fell autumn rain, washed away all my pain     I feel brighter somehow, lighter somehow to breathe once again     So fell autumn rain, washed my sorrows away     With the sunset behind somehow I find the dreams are to stay     So fell autumn rain          Blinded by dawning so you would take me     Further away, away from the fall     Oh, you told me I must never dream again     A true damnation, you left me the pain          So fell autumn rain, but all things must pass          So fell autumn rain, washed away all my pain     I feel brighter somehow, lighter somehow to breathe once again     So fell autumn rain, washed my sorrows away     With the sunset behind somehow I find the dreams are to stay     So fell winter


What is a "temporary mental apparition"?

From _The Ransom of Red Chief_ by _O. Henry_ : > It was, as Bill afterward expressed it, "during a moment of **temporary > mental apparition** ;" but we didn't find that out till later. What is meant by it?


What does "a pop" mean?

when we say "For entertainment, she couldn’t go to the movies at $8 a pop", what "a pop" means?


"Referee" vs. "umpire" vs. "judge"

What is the difference between _referee_ , _umpire_ and _judge_? How about the use of other similar words? In sports like tennis, basketball, football and soccer, when do we use which?


Related Tasks: partial-payment vs. all-or-nothing

I am trying to describe two types of related tasks that relate to a common goal. The best I have come up with for what I am trying to say is _some groups of tasks give 'partial payment' and some groups of tasks are 'all or nothing'._ Consider these contrived examples: **partial-payment tasks**   * One laborer gets $10 per box to move ten boxes; if the laborer moves just five boxes, he gets $50.    * Steve sets a goal of painting every room in his house one weekend, but only completes three. **all-or-nothing tasks**   * One laborer gets $100 to move 10 boxes, but makes nothing if all 10 boxes are not moved.    * A contractor is paid to paint every room in a house,and is paid 100% in full on completions (say materials are provided). Pardon the examples, but I think you get my point. I am placing tasks into one of the two categories, but I would like better terms to describe these categories.


What is the name of this game? And what type is it?

I need to research more about this game strategies, but I don't know what is its name in English. The game is like this (the gadget is just named Picture Puzzle): ![Game image](http://i.stack.imgur.com/4d3VQ.png) The objective is to slide the blank cell to the lower-right cell. What exactly is its name? And is it considered a board-game?


And so forth, and so on -- comma to follow midsentence?

Comma after "and so forth"? He brought potato chips, pudding, and so forth, to the picnic. Comma after "etc."? He brought potato chips, pudding, etc., to the picnic. Thank you.


difference between "get along" "get by" and "get on"

I cannot really understand the difference (if there's a difference) between : > He **gets along** fine with it and > He **gets by** fine with it And what about > **"get on" ?**


What is the exact meaning of the following sentence?

What is the exact meaning of the sentence below? > We can't try to get away with something in an academic paper that we would > abhor in a political debate (or worse yet, in a political advertisement). The sentence is from the first paragraph of the article 'Being Logical'. Especially, where does the _something_ belong initially? In an academic paper or in a political debate?


What should I use between "triple" vs. "all"?

If I have 2 pens and I want to say all of them are green, I can say "Both of them are green" but if I have 3 pens should I use "Triple of them are green" or "All of them are green"?


Why was the "th" combination chosen for the "th" sound?

Given that the two "th" sounds don't actually sound like a combination of "t" and "h" why was that particular combination selected or become adopted by the majority ?


Are "tomorrow" and "morning" etymologically related?

I know this is true for German and Spanish: > Morgen morgen and > Mañana por la mañana both mean "tomorrow morning". There may well be other examples too. I wonder- since these languages have similar roots to English- is there any evidence that it has ever been the case in the English language too?


How do I ask someone if their name represents a singular entity or a collective entity?

In a website I am programming I present the user with the option to name their website site, which can be a singular entity "Mel Tormé" which would present the menu options "About me", "Contact me" or a collective entity like "The Velvet Fog" which would logically change the menu to "About us", "Contact us". I would like to give the user the option to choose "collective or singular" but I'm struggling with how to phrase the question. Any ideas?


What are the origins of "what's up"?

How did this begin? Did it really start with Bugs Bunny?


Is it ordinary to use “between” for selection among two or more things?

AP Radio News (March 3) narrated that: > “It’s anybody’s guess who win the best picture. It seems to be a close race > **between** “American Hustle,” “12 Years a Slave” and “Gravity.” I was under impression that ‘between’ is used for comparison, selection and differentiation of two things or objects, and 'among' is used in case of refering to more than three things or objects, since I learned so at middle school. As I was uncertain of the accuracy of my memory of more than a half century ago, I consulted dictionaries: Online CED defines ‘between’ as: prep, ad. in or into the space that separates **two** places, people, or objects. However, online Merriam-Webster English Dictionary defines it as: prep, : in the space that separates ( **two** things or people) : in the time that separates ( **two** actions, events, etc.) : in shares to each of ( **two or more** people). And, online OED gives reference to the use of ‘between’ for differentiation among two or more things:   1. At, into, or across the space separating ( **two** objects or regions):   2. In the period separating ( **two** points in time):   3. In the interval separating ( **two** points on a scale):   4. With reference to a choice or differentiation involving **two or more things** being considered together: ex. You have to choose between two or three different options. Is the use of ‘between’ instead of ‘among’ for differentiation of, and selection out of two more (five, six, ten) things or objects commonplace today? Is the distinction between "between" and "among" being blurred today?


"could have" vs "could"

We say that could is sometimes the past of can. If that's true then why can't we use it in the following context. > They didn't let us. We could walk. Instead we say: > They didn't let us. We could have walked. But we can say: > Listen! I can hear something. > > I listened and I could hear something. Why not "I listened and I could have > heard something"


Inheritting the characteristics of a role in a play/movie

I'm looking for a term for a person who enacts a role in a play/movie by forgetting himself, or "leaving himself and acquiring the role's characteristics." Sometimes it implies "Moving his soul to ones body."


"Problematic" versus "problem"

A reviewer of my thesis told me that I am wrongly using the word _problematic_. He suggested that I use _problem_ instead. I have since read the definition of both words and neither correspond to the French definition I was looking for, so I am asking this community if it is correct to use this word to refer to the object of research in the context of a thesis. If not, should I use _problem_ instead, or a completely different word? Here is an example sentence: > This thesis provides potential solutions to the **problematic** outlined. I know that some of you might think that it is not a real question, but please remember that word usage is of the hardest part of English writing for native French speakers.


What are some familiar expressions can I use to mean someone is lucky?

I am in a context where I would need a familiar (but not vulgar) short expression that means someone is lucky. Can someone help?


Is this sentence correct in grammar and does it even make sense

This sentence: > You have the right to ask for someone in the United States of America.   * Does it have any grammatical errors?    * Does it even make sense? I think it is usually ...to ask for someTHING ...not someONE


Meaning and usage of "she has her heart in the right place"

I once read a phrase (or idiom) like > He has his heart in the right place although the context seemed to be a bit harsh. My understanding is: though he might have sounded harsh, he means well or is making the comment in good faith. Did I get it right? However, it seems to me the idiom could be used in other contexts as well, such as: "he is focused on the situation as expected, no matter how it seems". Is this right? Are there any other uses of the idiom?


Use of semicolon in the downvoting reason of SE

A while ago I saw a question on SE that didn't show any research effort. I decided to vote it down. However, other users pointed out that the down vote reason says (when you hover over the down arrow): > The question does not show any research effort; it is unclear or not useful According to the other users the semicolon implied that I should only vote down questions that become unclear or not useful because of the lack of research effort. I realised that I might have been interpreting the semicolon wrong all the time. I interpreted the quoted sentence as three separate reasons:   1. Lack of research   2. Unclear question   3. Lack of usefulness  Reading about the semicolon online didn't clarify this exact case for me. Seeing this down vote reason from an English language perspective, is the lack of research linked to the question being unclear or is it a reason on its own? Note: I'm not looking for guidance in terms of when to use the down vote button. There's a meta question on that already. First I would like to make sure the English is correct.


What's the word for someone who is prepared in advance

What will you call someone who is prepared in advance for all the events/things? I want a word which i can use in context where it's good to be prepared in advance. Ex. If a person is well prepared for any event/meeting then it's a good thing. I want to use it as a adjective.


What is a word for "one entity widening conditions for another"?

I'm searching for a word that means "A widens conditions for B". I mean that A has a positive influence on B and thanks to existence of A, B can exist in more tough conditions.


NSPF abbreviation

I am looking at some US statistics and I have found this abbreviation, with this explanation (pdf) in the subtext. > NSPF - Not specifically provided for. The context is a list of US trading codes. > 0304991012 GROUNDFISH COD NSPF MEAT FROZEN > 6.8KG I could not find a better description on the internet, so I am asking you what meaning you give "not specifically provided for".


Which is bigger, “a lot” or “a ton”?

Maybe there’s no really well-defined answer, but I’m wondering which phrase is the more significant (meaning bigger) between these two:   * We’ve been doing a lot of work.   * We’ve been doing a ton of work. And even maybe including this one:   * We’ve been doing tons of work.


How to understand 'flatter to deceive'?

How should you understand the expression: "flatter to deceive"? The Oxford Dictionaries defines flatter to deceive as: > Appear promising but ultimately disappoint. Which is all nice and dandy. But I fail to understand the wordplay, nor how "flatter" is mechanically related to "deceive" in this expression. For a real-life example of usage: > The podium that Kevin Magnussen scored on his debut was ultimately a case of > ‘flattering to deceive.’ [Kevin Magnussen's car scored a good result in his first race, but bad to worse results thereafter. The car flattered in the beginning, and deceived later on.]


Wondering if there is a word for "Incompletely defined"?

No big deal if there does not exist such a word, but I was wondering.


Present Perfect with the word "ago"?

First, I check that my native language is not English, and the problem described below met on one of the exams. With this sentence: > "The most important news is that my parents ... a new restaurant a few weeks > ago." Is it time we use the Present Perfect (have opened) or Past Simple (opened)? I know that the word "ago" but rather that time Past Simple, but is also possible to use the present perfect in some cases? I would be grateful for clarification. Regards.


You can’t have your cake and eat it too

If you've had your cake, haven't you already eaten it? So why can't you have it and eat it too? It doesn't seem to make sense.


What term means or refers broadly to "the people of the parent's generation" or "the people of the grandparent's generation"?

Are there specific terms used to more broadly refer to the generation or which generation people are in?   * The first term would refer to the generation considering of mother, father, the mother or father's brothers and sisters and same-generation cousins, etc.   * The second term would refer to the grandmothers, grandfathers and the grandparent's brothers, sisters, and same-generation cousins, etc.   * The terms need only apply within a specific family, not related to the age or year of birth. Is there a term or method of annotation used to refer generally to the people found in previous generations at these different distances relative to a single person or the youngest generation?


"Oestrogen" and "oesophagus" -- why are they spelled differently in British English?

Within Biology, there are some biological terms that differ in spelling between the British English and American English dictionaries. For example, _oestrogen_ and _oesophagus_ , as well as the word _oestriol_ are all spelled differently in British English dictionaries. Is there anything in particular that makes this so?


What is the difference between "condescending" and "patronizing"?

When would you use each? I understand "condescend" has another meaning of "voluntarily lower oneself" (Babylon definition). But in the "look upon other" meaning, which would you prefer in which situation


The thing that we use to remotely open the door in English

What is "the thing that, in its simplest form, has a receiver and a button, and we use to open the door when somebody rings the door bell" called in English? When I'm speaking English I almost always ask somebody to answer the door or I answer the door myself but today I was thinking, what is that "thing" exactly called, is it a "Door Answerer" or an Intercom? In my native language, it is called ' _AiPhone_ ' or ' _EF-EF_ '.


"Help us grow this site"?

I've never liked the use of "to grow [x]" to mean "to make [x] bigger", rather than in the agricultural sense. Am I justified in this at all? (If so, can we make the SE team reword our social media banner?)


"began to ring" or "started ringing"?

What is more correct here? > My telephone suddenly began to ring. or > My telephone suddenly started ringing. What's the difference?


Is this sentence grammatically correct or punny (or both)?

I have a comment on this question where I refer to a list of three examples deemed 'valid'. I said: "I think the last valid example is not." The sentence sounds kind of strange (I did that on purpose). Is it grammatically correct? Is it just like some kind of pun?


Is "On January 17th our team had represented" correct English?

My team recently posted a status update, > On January 17th, our team had represented [organization name] at [place]. Though I am unable to explain why (I have never formally learned tenses), I am convinced that the 'had represented' part of the sentence is incorrect, or at the very least weird-sounding English (I'm open to being proven wrong). I have tried bringing it up but all it brought about was an endless argument. Someone claimed that the sentence is formatted in past perfect tense, referencing this page: http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/pastperfect.html I am sensing a difference between the formatting of the question and the examples of past perfect tense given in the page, but I can't quite point it out convincingly. Is the status correctly written? As a side note, does it matter if it's British or American English?


Meaning of "has its roots in"

> The Movement **has its roots in** combating colonialism. What does the expression _has its roots in_ mean? Does it indicate a reason or a time? That is, was the Movement started to combat colonialism or was it started in the colonialism era?


"VPN Networks" vs. "VPNs"

I am writing a technical report on a topic which includes a _Virtual Private Network_. These are commonly abbreviated as VPN. However it feels strange writing something along the lines of > VPNs are often employed to ... On the other hand a formulation such as > VPN networks are often employed to ... is a pure tautology, as it basically means _Virtual Private Networks Networks_. As for actually writing > Virtual Private Networks are often employed to ... Although this works and is surely correct, it will fill my text with a lot of useless clutter, I can't possibly write out the abbreviation more than once or twice per paragraph.


Can I start a sentence with "Whereas"?

The sentence is supposed to be contradicting a previous situation explained thoroughly in the precedent paragraph. The contradiction is on the same subject (in the past/now). Can the sentence be something like "Whereas now ........."? Would "Now ......" be enough?


what's a word/phrase that describes unwillingness to share advice (such as strategy on how to improve in a sports match)?

I'm having trouble coming up with a word/two-word phrase describing unwillingness to share advice (such as strategy on how to improve in a sports match)? May someone help? I'm hoping that this would either be one word or two words.


Is it a common way to use “heartland” as in “give a heartland shout-out / comment to somebody”?

I found the phrase, “ _give a heartland shout-out to sb_ ,” in the article of today’s (December 9) New York Times, titled “The Rough Rider and the Professor,” which comments on President Obama’s speech delivered in the Kansas high school gym on December 6th. It reads: > “Obama _gave a heartland shout-out_ to Dwight D. Eisenhower, Warren Buffett > and his own Kansan grandfather, who served in General Patton’s Army. It was > a rhetorical device, to make common cause with men of common sense. This > made it easier for him to make his main point.” From the context of the sentence, I guess “a heartland shout-out” means a critical or very important shout-out. But when I checked Oxford online dictionary, it defines “heartland” as: >   1. the central or most important part of a country, area, or field of > activity:e.g. wildlife sites in the heartland of Russia >   2. The centre of support for a belief or movement e.g. the heartland of > the rebel cause > Cambridge Dictionary simply defines ‘heartland’ as “the central or most important area.” Merriam-Webster defines it as; >   1. Central area: as a: a central land area. >   2. The central geographical region of the United States in which > mainstream or traditional values predominate. >   3. A region where something (as an industry or activity) most strongly > thrives. > Except definition of 2. of OED, none of the above definitions seems to me to sit very well with the “heartland shout-out”. Is “give heartland shout-out (message, comment, advice, proposition)” a common usage of “heartland,” which comes top of mind to me as simply a geographical place or area. Doesn’t it sound clumsy if I say to my friend or subordinate in a serious look, “Listen, I’m going to give you 'my heartland advice.'”?


Clarifying the usage of "hella"

The word _hella_ has spread from the Southern California dialect to the point where most varieties of American English speaker (such as me in the Midwest) know that it exists and hear it used. I always thought that _hella_ meant either _very_ or _a lot of_ , for instance: > (1) Vancouver is hella far. > > (2) There were hella cars on the freeway. The above two sentences (which I both made up) were the only contexts I assumed _hella_ was used in. However, I've recently and very occasionally overheard something like this: > (3) You have to walk hella to get to that subway station. Which doesn't fit with my understanding of the word. So, question to Californians or others familiar with the _hella_ -using dialect: Is (3), and sentences like it (where _hella_ comes immediately after a verb), common? Are there any other usages for this word that I'm missing?


Expanding a contraction, where the expansion is not as it would seem

Consider these two sentences, one with a contraction, one without: > I didn't check my voicemail. > > I did not check my voicemail. _didn't_ is expanded to _did not_. Now consider: > Why didn't you check your voicemail? If you want to write this without a contraction, you must write it as: > Why did you not check your voicemail? The word _you_ comes in between _did_ and _not_ when _didn't_ is expanded. This: > Why did not you check your voicemail? is probably not correct at all. I've never heard anyone speak like that, and never seen that written, even though _didn't_ is expanded directly into _did not_. This came up during discussion the other day, and I was wondering if there was a term for this situation where a contraction cannot be expanded into what might seem the most obvious form.


Etymology of "hell." Possible link to Norse mythology?

The following etymological question has been slumbering in my head for a while, and was woken up by the post on the word "hella." My Concise Oxford English Dictionary, my faithful _vade mecum_ , tells me that the word "hell" is derived from "hel" or "hell" in Old English, in turn derived from Germanic. Other sources have elaborated that the older Germanic root had a meaning of a thicket or wild, unruly, heath where one might get tangled among the _hell_ of thistles. I've often wondered, considering the influence of Norse language on English during the Viking settlements, or invasions, if there is any etymological link to the figure Hel (or Hella, or Hela). She was one of the three "strange children" of Loki and the Giantess Angurboda; the other two were Fenris and Jormungand. She also ruled the eponymous realm, Helheim (Hel-Home). Aside from the possible English/Norse relation, there is, of course, a possible Judeo-Christian relation, with "Hell" and "Sheol," as Hella's realm was an underworld where those who were -not- slain in battle went after death. Of course, all of these elements may very well have been mixed up and juggled about during the centuries. For all I know, the etymology could have influenced in the other direction, ie., from Old English to Norse. This is why I'm asking! It seems like all of the pieces are there, but I'm not sure how to make them fit.


Origin of scientific 'secular' - meaning long lasting

In astronomy the term 'secular' is used to refer to something long lasting and fairly continuous. Apparently it can be used in economics and earth sciences for a similar meaning. How did this usage come about, from the more (colloquially) standard meaning of, 'non-religious'? Edit: @mplungjan points out that the etymology of 'secular' actually stems from the latin word 'saecularis' which means relating to an age or period. Thus perhaps the question should be: **how did the term 'secular' come to refer to (lack of) religious influence?**


'dynamical' vs. 'dynamic'

The adjective 'dynamical' is widely used in astronomy, perhaps science in general, but it seems like it has the exact same meaning and usage as 'dynamic', and further, seems to be the same part of speech. Is this even real word? Should it have particular uses? Should it be not allowed to play with other words?


What’s the opposite of “singleton”?

A _singleton_ has an established meaning in programming and mathematics, but I'm curious about the more general use of the term (as defined by _Merriam- Webster_ ): > 2a : an individual member or thing distinct from others grouped with it Suppose I have a group member that is _not_ distinct from the other group members. What is the opposite of a “singleton member”? _Google_ results are surprisingly unhelpful. The closest I can get is this _SO_ answer, specific to the programming context.


Is "how much ever" correct here?

"How much ever you prepare, it is your attitude in the exam hall that matters" From a previous question concerning the same phrase, I realize "how ever much" could be used.But I am asking this because of 2 reasons. 1\. It does seem to make a little sense, that is how much- doesn't it imply the level of preparation and ever- for whatever period of time you might have prepared. 2\. I have seen the phrase being used in a lot of sites. Is there any chance for the phrase to be used by a native speaker of English ? If I use how ever much, would it mean the same thing ?


What meaning "Chip on their shoulder" takes here?

The context is below. > Bansal is the famous coaching center to clear Engineering Entrance test. > **Bansal students had a chip on their shoulder, even though they weren't > technically even in a college** The meaning for the phrase **chip on their shoulder** is **a form of physical challenge, inviting opponents to knock the chip off and so provoke a fight**. I can understand its meaning refers to they are so much alert to face any question or puzzle related to engineering entrance test. But why author added the clause **even though they weren't technically even in a college**? It confuses me. Does it mean only students those goes to college should pocess that kind of attribute or mindset?


Under what circumstances is the construction "whose each" grammatical?

For context, this is based on a discussion here (http://ell.stackexchange.com/questions/1439/is-the-construction-whose-each- correct) The original question was whether the following was grammatical: > "The set of elements **whose each** pair is ...". The majority opinion on that question was then that this was ungrammatical (or at least unusual), however there seems to be some disagreement as to why. So my question is this: > Under what circumstances is the construction "whose each" valid within a > sentence, and what are the governing grammatical rules for such a > construction?


Word for the opposite of "hypochondria"

Is there a word for the opposite condition of _hypochondria_ , i.e. someone who denies being sick when they clearly are? I would just say that they are "in denial". Is there any other adequate word? I thought about the obvious 'hyperchondria' but it doesn't seem to be used anywhere and doesn't look suitable as—from checking the origin of the word—just replacing 'hypo' by 'hyper' wouldn't fit well: > 1555–65; < Late Latin < Greek, neuter plural of hypochóndrios pertaining to > the upper abdomen (supposed seat of melancholy), equivalent to hypo- hypo- + > chóndr ( os ) ensiform cartilage + -ios adj. suffix


pronunciation: autistic

> Words comforted and healed my discontent when I discovered that Brendan, my > beautiful first-born son was severely **_autistic_** with limited speech. > (Benita Porter, The Power of Words) \- audio link Which way does the essay writer pronounce: /ɑːˈtɪstɪk/ (1) or /ɔˈtɪstɪk/ (2):   * If she did (2) as is in dictionaries, what’s the difference between (1) and (2)?   (I hear (1) instead of (2), so I’m wondering what it is. Though I’ve already put the likewise question once on ELL, after getting right answer here from a specific case, I would like to improve my pronunciation understanding better.)   * If she did (1), isn’t there no difference between the two, /ɑ/ and /ɔ/, for some Americans?


can't have been vs. couldn't have been

I don't understand when and why to use **_can't have been_**. It seems so strange to me.


Etymology & Colloquialism

I'm writing an essay for college applications in which I have to create a class. My idea is a class about the origin, change, and regional dialects of the English language. As an example, one would study how in America, one would say "microwave", one would say "nuke." Watch "Regional Dialect Challenge" on YouTube for more examples what the course would offer. I have several questions:   1. "The Etymology of Colloquialism" — is this a proper name for the class? Or should it be more along the lines of "Etymology and Colloquialism"?   2. The Wikipedia/dictionary definitions of words are often over-complicated understandings. For clarification, are these the correct definitions: _Etymology:_ the study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have changed throughout history. ('gay' meant happy, then changed to describe homosexuals) _Colloquialism:_ a word or phrase that is used mostly in informal speech : a colloquial expression (regonal dialects? or words used in informal speech [bunny, kitty, a "hang-up"]) If any advice, clarification, or alterations to my thoughts could be made, it would be greatly appreciated!


"I got to watch this movie" or "I got an opportunity to watch this movie"?

Ok, recently, I made an update on a website like this : > So, finally I got to watch this movie ... Basically, what I was trying to say is that "I got an opportunity to watch this movie". I was little skeptical about the usage of _got_ here. Is this statement correct: > I got to watch this movie instead of > I got an opportunity to watch this movie


to be certain to do something versus to be certain of doing something

"Paul is certain to win the race." "Paul is certain of winning the race." What is the difference between these two sentences?


A single word for "not seeing the big picture"

I am looking for a word that would describe being obsessed with the details of a larger entity such that the "looker" neglects to see the whole or (perhaps more importantly) the _purpose_ of the whole. Basically, "not seeing the big picture". What can [more] succinctly describe this? **Edit:** I just found this post: An adjective for "able to see the big picture". I think I want the exact opposite.


Why would the "wind blowing in the East" be considered a bad thing?

I've been recently working through the BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens' _Bleak House_ , and enjoying it very much. However, there's a particular motif that's bothering me, whose logic I haven't been able to figure out from context; that would be Mr. Jandyce's constant referring to events or moods that bother him by muttering something like, > the wind's blowing in the East. One easily divines from context that's it's not a positive thing, because Jandyce only says it when someone dear to him is in trouble or some misfortune has befallen them, but I can't figure out why the east wind blowing would necessarily be a bad thing. Is there some sort of logic to this phrase, that can be explained by looking at its etymology?


Phrases similar to "what would you do?"

I'm looking for common phrases similar to "What would you do?" I'd like any phrase that signifies the call to action to make a difficult hypothetical decision. For example, "Take your pick" is a possible answer because it is a common phrase, but it doesn't work that well in context of making a _difficult_ decision so it wouldn't work. I know this is a really specific request, but ideally the phrase really captures the essence of difficult hypothetical decision, perhaps an ethical dilemma.   E.g. "Would you prefer a slow and mildly painful death, or a quick and very painful one? WHAT WOULD YOU DO?" (replacing _what would you do_ with something else)


What does "hunting" mean in the following sentence?

I was reading a review for a camera lens. I found the sentence there. > Slow focus on my 300D, noticeably better on a 400D... Shallow focus field, > with lots of hunting.


What does "great good" mean in tutorial title "Learn You a Haskell for Great Good!"?

There is site learn you a haskell with title "Learn You a Haskell for Great Good!". Does "Great Good" mean "very very good"? Does the whole phrase mean "learning Haskell is good for you" or "learning Haskell is good for whole world" or something else?


Which is the object, 'one' or 'another' ? I just don't know how this sentence constructed

> (All the condoms are faulty. Abed need to notice everybody)   >  Go, Abed, Go. before people sex one another!


How can this sentence be written correctly?

> Our interactive products are fun to use on desktop, mobile and touchscreen > devices, just look awesome and are driven by the latest technology. The commas don't seem right to me. Shouldn't there be some semicolons in there?


Origin of using the phrase "folks" to refer to parents

Why can the phrase "your folks" be used to refer to "your parents"? What is the origin of this usage?