What does “Beyoncé was outed for lip-synching” mean?

I’m interested in the usage of “out” as a verb in the phrase “She was outed for lip-synching” in the following paragraph of Time Magazine’s (February 5) article titled, “A lesson in crisis communication from Beyoncé.” > "As the story goes, without any introduction or explanation, the singer > entered the room, asked the press representatives to stand, and belted out > the national anthem in its entirety. In that moment, Beyoncé put to rest any > lingering image and reputation damage suffered when she was **outed for lip- > synching** the very same song at President Barack Obama’s recent > inauguration. Her swift and transparent response in front of the right > audience at exactly the right time is a textbook lesson for any entrepreneur > facing a crisis." -I liked the last line in particular. From the context of the quoted sentence, I surmise “be outed for” means “be revealed / exposed to be.” But when I checked English dictionaries on line, Cambridge Dictionary defines ‘Out’ only as preposition and adverb, Merriam- Webster defines it only as adverb. Oxford Dictionary provides definitions of ‘Out’ as verb as well as adverb, preposition, and noun to mean; [with object] 1\. knock (someone) out. 2\. (informal) reveal the homosexuality of (a prominent person). 3\. (West Indian) extinguish 4\. (dated) expel, reject, or dismiss None of the above three dictionaries includes the definition of ‘out’ in the meaning of plain exposure or disclosure. The Wisdoms English Japanese dictionary at hand also gives definitions of ‘out’ as verb, but in connection with homosexuals - coming-out:   1. vt. (1)(in the form of be out) being disclosed to be a homosexual. (2) extinguish (fire). (3) expel.   2. vi. (1) go out. (2)(accompanying will) emerge. become overt. What does “be outed for” exactly mean in the above quote? Is it a popular idiom to mean something hidden / embarrassing becomes open / public? Can I say "She is outed for having an affair with the actor," or “The country X is outed for finishing preparation for launching a missile with nuclear head” as a casual way of saying?


A more formal phrasing of "in the future"

Is there a more formal or better way of phrasing " _in the future_ "? Example: > Please refrain from using said substance in the future.


Thesis help! This sentence is really bothering me. Please explain why I feel bothered

This sentence is really bothering me. Does this look right to anyone? If not, can someone write why? Thanks. > Only to the extent that John and Jane are willing to let go of the pretense > and show themselves for who they are will they be free to enjoy a true > marriage and enter honestly into the sacred covenant. I am not soliciting writing advice. I have made a good faith effort to research the question and have come to this site only upon mature consideration.


How do you use "i.e." in a sentence?

How does one properly use _i.e._ in a sentence? I'm not referring to Internet Explorer.


Starting a cover letter with "By this letter,…": correct?

In a cover letter (for a job application), is it correct to start the letter with "By this letter,…" (and then introduce the purpose of the letter)? this sounds a little strange to me, but there are some example of it on the internet. So, I would love to know whether this is correct, and if not, if there is a similar but more correct way of referring to the letter (as a form of gentle introduction) while introducing its purpose.


A vague definition in a dictionary, "shag：a sexual partner of a specified ability". Is there any better or plainer explanation?

I'm not a native English-reader, I'm Chinese. So mostly I get meanings of words by consulting dictionaries. I read this in a dictionary about the word _shag_ : > a sexual partner of a specified ability. _Sexual partner_ is quite understandable to me, but what does "of a specified ability" refer to? Sexual ability? Could there be any better explanation which would give me a plainer idea of it or are there words synonymous with _shag_?


Do punctuation marks take on the formatting of the preceding word?

If the last word of a sententece is in boldface, should the question mark be bolded as well? Which example is correct (see below)? _Example 1: **How much** did your hip, leg or foot **hurt?_** _Example 2: **How much** did your hip, leg or foot **hurt**?_ What about a different punctuation mark, like a colon, a comma or a period (see below)? _Example 3: **Explain:** are you currently sick?_ _Example 4: **Explain** : are you currently sick?_ _Example 5: If your hip **hurts,** please indicate the intensity of the **pain._** _Example 6: If your hip **hurts** , please indicate the intensity of the **pain**._ Thank you for your input!


Single word for "divine healing" or "spirit healing"?

I need a single word which can represent below phrases or meanings: > Divine healing   >  Spirit healing like there are phrases for _Long journey_ i.e. _Voyage_.


Applying the concept of 'trolling' to tall poppy syndrome

In Australia we have a concept of 'tall poppy syndrome' — which comes from a cultural assumption of egalitarianism. If someone puts on airs, or considers themselves more important than others, then it is 'culturally acceptable' to cut them down to size by using a cutting comment or criticism. When applying the concept of 'trolling' from Internet language in this context — is it 'trolling'...   1. to make the original comment that puts on airs,    2. to make the subsequent cutting comment, or   3. that constitutes both sides, i.e. (1) and (2), just from different perspectives? As 'tall poppy syndrome' doesn't really have a place in US culture, I'm going to ask a non-US person to answer this one.


"Need to" as an English Modal

In my studies of both theoretical and applied English linguistics, we studied English modals more than once. So a question came up on this site earlier today. I explained that "need to" is a modal. One of the users claimed that it is not. Question: Is not "need to" a modal?


Has the contraction “you’re” finally been replaced by “your”?

_Your_ is almost universally used these days for _you’re_ (“you are”). Is the misuse of your a result of ignorance, or is the contraction now formally dead?


Where do we get “queen” from?

_King_ comes from Old Norse _konungr_ , and _prince_ is from French _principle_ , but I have found no definite etymology for _queen_ as we know it. I have found assumptive connections such as to _keenan_ and _gna_ , but nothing definite. Is there any definitive etymology on *queen?


Isn't the word "uninstall" wrong?

I've never understood this. Why is the proper usage "uninstall"? You can't actually "unin" something at all and this isn't that case with most (all?) other use cases. Examples:   * You make someone sane, but you don't uninsane them.   * You make something accessible but never uninaccessible something.   * You can make something adequate but never uninadequate something.


Any differences between "slander" and "libel"?

Are there any differences between _slander_ and _libel_?


Words for Product Status labels

I'm working on an app that has to have 3 statuses for products. Here's what we've got so far:   * Active   * Maybe   * Dead Essentially Active products are always allowed, Maybe products can be allowed, but are essentially "use with caution" - "limited availability" might be one reason for this status, but others include "superseded by another product." Dead products are in the catalog for reference only and cannot be used - most likely because we literally can't make them any more (components not available, for instance). This is an internal app - not a public web store or anything like that. The labels above are what the product folks came up with. My programmer's mind would have used "Active", "Deprecated", and "Obsolete", but those are admittedly a little too technical for most of the users of the app - they would have a hard time remembering which of Deprecated or Obsolete means "you can't use this ever." I am OK with Active but strongly dislike the other two options, most especially "Maybe," so I am looking for some help coming up with one word alternatives. I was thinking of "disallowed" but had a hard time coming up with something between "allowed" and "disallowed." Any thoughts from the wise and knowledgeable EngStack crew? **EDIT** Since a few folks have answered along the lines of "Unknown" I should clarify that we know exactly what's up with these products, it's just that they're not exactly Active or Inactive (for instance).


What name for bowdlerisation with asterisks (e.g., “f*ck”)?

I have always been intrigued by the English use of asterisks to replace vowels in words considered as offensive, and the reasons it seems somewhat language- specific. My (very related) questions on this are:   * Is there a name for this process? This is encompassed by _bowdlerisation_ , but is there a more specific way to refer to it?   * This works fairly well for short words (f*ck, sh*t, c*nt), but how is it used with longer words, if deemed offensive (I can't think of any long word that would be very offensive, maybe that makes this a non-question)? * * * In my native French, words are typically bowlderized with first letter and an ellipsis: _“M..., tu es vraiment c...!”_ ( _Sh*t, you're such a dumb-*ss!_ ). It's a bit dated, though.


What did Charlie Sheen mean when he said ‘Tired of pretending like not a total bitchin' rock star from Mars’?

In the latest interview of Charlie Sheen in the NBC’s ‘The Good Morning America,’ Sheen said that he was tired of pretending he’s not a total bitchin rock star from Mars. Although I guess he is saying he is special, I can’t process this line with my brain as he says. Is ‘Tired of pretending like not --’ grammatically right? Can somebody parse this line for me? By the way, can I use the word, ‘bitchin’, quite casually in day-to-day conversation, and also in writing, if it’s not formal? The part in question in the interview reads: > Clearly, Sheen thinks quite highly of himself. ‘Come on, bro, I won Best > Picture at 20. Wasn't even trying. Wasn't even warm,’ he bragged to NBC. He > also said, ‘I'm tired of pretending like I'm not special. I'm tired of > pretending like I'm not a total bitchin' rock star from Mars. ... You can't > process me with a normal brain.’


An expression for undercharging

Is there an expression in English for what someone does if he/she charges well below the market rate for a product or a service? Here in Israel we call it "breaking the market" - a practiced shunned by practically everyone offering that product or service, since it may devalue the product/service.


Can I use the word "promise" with gerund?

Is it possible to use gerund after the verb "promise"? For example, in the sentence "He promised cleaning the window. I'd prefer to say: He promised to clean the window. But today I was told that this verb can also be followed by gerund in the meaning of "suggest". It sounds strange to me. Could you clarify this point? Thank you.


In the phrase "Throughout time, people have always had the desire to look more beautiful and fashionable", can the word "have" be removed?

Yes or no, and why? (This is an exam question.)


conditioning, conditions and circumstances

I am reading _The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People_ by Stephen R. Covey. And I come across the following saying that I do not quite understand. They are page 71. > They do not blame _circumstances_ , _conditions_ , or _conditioning_ for > their behavior.   >  ...   >  Because we are, by nature, proactive, if our lives are a function of > _conditioning_ and _conditions_ , it is because we have, by conscious > decision or by default, chosen to empower those things to control us. Could you please explain the meaning of _circumstances_ , _conditions_ and _conditioning_ in the above? Thanks.


Please tell me what does "harsh mistress" mean in this sentence: > Nostalgia can be a harsh mistress.


Etymology of "Threshold"

I found myself accidentally writing "threshhold" today, thinking semantically on the meaning. Was there a time when "threshold" was spelt "threshhold"? Or is the etymology of this word really an esoteric combination of "thresh" and "old"?


Word-order and meaning - which is correct for this notice?

I'm creating some signs for the office car park, and one of these signs is to control access. What I'm trying to get it to indicate is that cars aren't permitted between 10 am and 4pm except for access. Which of the below mean what I want to say above?   * Except for access 10 am - 4 pm    * 10 am - 4 pm except for access Am I correct in thinking that the first one means "Cars allowed for access between 10 am and 4 pm only " and the second one is "No cars between 10 am and 4 pm except for access". I realize the ambiguity of the sign, and want to make sure what I'm saying is correct.


Is it ok to say "fill in the blank spaces"?

There is a dispute between two guys in our village. One guy says "fill in the blank spaces" is not right and instead "fill in the blanks" should be used. Now I know "fill in the blanks" is right but is there something wrong with saying "fill in the blank spaces"?


A word for when I expect somebody to provide me something to continue doing my work

What is the most suitable word (or a short simple expression) for the situation when I am blocked by another person/process and cannot continue my work until that process is done? I suppose "expecting" or "awaiting" don't actually work because these don't reflect the possible negative outcome from waiting for too long, without taking responsibility for it by the person blocked.


Slight difference in the meaning I cannot understand

I am working on a text regarding quality of computational systems. I am following an ISO standard where I found: > Verification Process is to confirm that each software work product and/or > service of a process or project properly **reflects** the specified > requirements. And > Validation Process is to confirm that the requirements for a specific > intended use of the software work product are **fulfilled**. I cannot spot the difference. The former checks whether it reflects requirements, the latter whether it fulfilled requirements. I would say that reflect requirement is like follow them=fulfill? Obviously not. Thanks


Use of "it" before "sufficeth to say"

Is the following the right way to use _sufficeth_ (assuming it is not replaced with something else)? > ... , but **sufficeth** to say that the primary method of measuring parallax > in stars is via "Annual Parallax" Isn't it missing a subject? > ... , but it **sufficeth** to say that the primary method of measuring > parallax in stars is via "Annual Parallax" * * * sufficeth: > Verb > >   1. (archaic) Third-person singular simple present indicative form of > suffice. > Context.


What does ranked two places below mean?

If a statement says "India is ranked two places below China" What place does India hold if China is ranked 1? Is it rank 3 or 4? Also, is there any difference between the following two sentences? > India is ranked _below_ China. > > India is ranked _behind_ China.


(almost solved) "all I had to see me through": Explain & how to look up?

**Edit** : Supplemented "through" in the title. I tried an intermediate summary after the original questions.   1. It seems that "all I had to see me" simply means "all I had", or "all that was available for me". Am I right? **Edit** : I saw a sentence like "[In the desert] the muddy, brown water was all we had to see us through the next few days."   2. By web search, I find this phrase is almost always followed by "through". This "through" is sometimes a preposition, like "through the week", but it can also be an adverb, i.e., followed by nothing. (If the period is obvious?) I also found an example of "along" instead of "through". Any comments?   3. ~~How would a dictionary give the entry? I mean the last pronoun. " _Verb_ \+ oneself" (reflective) is common, but in this case, it's not _oneself_. And under which word is it listed?~~   4. ~~Is it possible to analyze the phrase? My impression is this "have" is similar to let, make, etc, not "have to", but it's yet peculiar; all such uses I know are in the form "have him help them" and "have it stolen". "See" here means "encounter?"~~   5. Web search shows only several cases for each combitation of the subject and the tense. Is this expression so rare? (But it certainly _is_ in use.) Thanks beforehand. **Edit** : In fact, " **see** someone **through** " was what I should ask. I overlooked it in dictionaries, being distracted by the nearby "see through so/sth", which I'm familiar with. Thanks a lot, Frank and Håkan Lindqvist, for giving aids to my ambiguous question. As suggested by the answers, if __someone_ sees another through a period_ , they give support during difficulty. But (Am I right?) if _there's _something_ to see you through_ , you've got it to live with, but the _emphasis is on how much_. So it's likely to be used like: "I only had something to see me through" or "there was enough to see us through". In the former, you can at least survive, but you probably want more of it.


Is there any categorical name for these kind of words?

Words which are derived from Sanskrit (which is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism) Or Hindi into English. For example:   * avatar    * karma   * kama  What category are these words part of?


What does "stick a bulls-eye on your back" mean?

What does this mean? > It's too bright up there, you might as well stick a bulls-eye on your back. From the movie _Judgment Night_ (1993).


has scientists excited or has excited scientists?

I saw the following on the Facebook page of _Time_. Is "has scientists excited" or the perfect version "has excited scientists" correct? What's the difference if both are correct? > The recent discovery of a subterranean sea, deep inside earth, has > scientists excited.


The use of any with plural/singular words

I always thought with "any" I should use the plural, but on the internet I can find both:   * It can be found in **any book**.   * It can be found in **any books**   * Do you have **any books?**   * It can be said in **any language**.    * This can be understood by **anyone**.    * It has been used in **any form**. So, what's correct? Is there any rule?


What is "generation X" and "generation Y"?

Why are we called Generation Y? What's Generation X anyway? What about Baby Boomers?


Where did 'love someone to the bones' come from?

Where did the expression 'love someone to the bones' come from? And is the meaning 'love someone too much' correct for that?


What's the opposite of 'formless'?

In some meditative traditions, there are absorption states called jhanas. Four of them are formless jhanas - jhanas without form - and four of them are jhanas with form. Is there a word corresponding to 'formless', but meaning 'with form'? In the original Pali they're called rupa (with form) and arupa (formless) jhanas - would there be two English words corresponding to these? EDIT: 'formless' here is a quality of the absorptive state. It basically means without physical form, e.g. in the 5th one (dimension of infinite space), the sensations of the body might drop away, and one is focused on the sensations of space in all directions, not the things within that space.


What does "grandfathered in" mean?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  "I'm only grandfathering you in because of Serena." Over here, Jeff says something using the expression "grandfathered in." What does that mean and how can it be used elsewhere? Is it somewhat related to maybe adding or filling in the previous or missing part of a family tree? Sort of like a `rebase` in Git.


Ellipses at the end of unfinished lists

After reading a question wrongly posted on programmers.SE and especially the post at PR Daily quoted in one of the answers, I have some doubts about the usage of ellipses. In French, ellipses are also used when there are several elements in a list, but only a few are enumerated. Example: > Stack Exchange websites include Stack Overflow, Server Fault, Super User... I always thought that in English, the usage of ellipsis in this context is _not very correct_ , would never be used in books or press, and must be replaced by "etc.", but is still used in email communication. At the same time, the quoted post from PR Daily doesn't mention this usage. So:   * Are ellipses used in emails by English-spoken people at the end of unfinished enumerations?   * If yes, what are the guidelines for this usage of ellipses? Is it totally wrong to use them for unfinished enumerations?


What does " Rape someone's mind" mean?

Can we use of it to express violence by words and talks against another one or trying to impress him/her by advertisement against his/her own willing? Is it formal or informal? For example: > Mona hates spiders and her ex boy friend sends her e mails of spiders' > photos everyday. Or when some of men try to talk to women in the streets against their willing or use of sexual statements in their talks with women who are not their girl friends or even friends, can we say they are trying to rape women's minds? Does it sound rational and correct and can you use of it in your writing? If not which better phrase do you suggest?


Appropriate preposition in "your preference of/for time and venue"

What is the most appropriate preposition for the following sentence? > I would like to talk to you. Please let me know your preference **of/for** > time and venue where we can meet. I would also be happy to get a better construct for the idea I am trying to communicate. Even this does not seem to give me any idea.


When is (it) a good time to call you?

>   1. When is it a good time to call you? >   2. When is a good time to call you? > Everybody tells me that both are correct. What is the exact grammatical difference?


Conditional statement

On Facebook, Libyans started inviting each other to something like random gift giving event on the occasion of Feb, 17, in Libya. It is a very good idea. Giving a gift to somebody else you don't know is a nice thing to do. "If I was in Libya, I would've done it." I saw the conditional statement above on someone else's wall. Do you think, the statement needs to be corrected? The person is currently not situated in Libya and apparently won't be in Libya in Feb 17. The invitation to the event has started already and continuing until Feb 17. The gift-giving a FUTURE event which is not taking place at the time of speaking. "I would have done it" refers to the act of participating in the gift-giving event which is again a FUTURE event. According to the rules of conditional statements demonstrated in the picture below. Which one of the sentences below would you choose? 1- If I am in Libya, I will do it. 2- If I were in Libya, I would do it. 3- If I had been in Libya, I would have done it. Ps: 1= expresses what will happen if something else happens. 2= talks about the outcome of a possible event. 3= talks about the hypothetical outcome of an event that did not happen. I am confused between 1 and 2. ![If Then Conditional statements](http://i.stack.imgur.com/fcYJN.jpg)


Is "uncarefully" a word?

Microsoft Word is telling me that is isn't. If it isn't, what is a suitable alternative?


What is a word for the sensation when during a conversation you realize you were both talking about different things?

Inspired by this chat message (text is below), I have sometimes wondered if there is a word for the feeling that a person you were talking to about a particular subject was using the same words as you, but was actually talking about something else, or was leading into a very different and seemingly unrelated subject. Typically, you feel like the person is crazy by this point. Is there a single word for this? Is there a two- or three-word phrase, maybe? * * * The chat message: > There should be a word for that double-take sensation you get when you > realize the conversation is further down the rabbit hole than you thought. > Like when you are having what you think is a normal chat about interest > rates, or something, and the other person mentions that we're all controlled > by lizards from space.


"Reply to this mail is _not_ necessary" - Can this be considered negative in any way?

A year back a person had once told me that he doesn't want to have any conversation with me at the moment. Today I sent him a kind of apology mail and added the sentence (in tile of this thread) at the end of the mail. I wanted to make sure that he doesn't assume that I am trying to bait him in to a conversation. Now, when I think of it, I am not sure if that statement can be considered as   **"Do not reply."**?


'Sorry, have you got the time, please?'

In this programme from BBC _sorry_ is used in addition to _excuse me_ to get one's attention: > Sorry, have you got the time (please)? So I am wondering: 1) Is _sorry_ common for a native speaker to get people's attention (e.g. _Sorry, may I have a word with you?_ )? 2) Can _sorry_ be considered as an abbreviated form for _Sorry to bother you_ (and suchlike)? Thank you


What is the difference between "apart", "except", "other than" and "besides"?

Do the following phrases have the same meaning or are there differences? >   * Fortunately, apart from a broken toe, she was not badly hurt after the > car accident. >   * Fortunately, except for a broken toe, she was not badly hurt after the > car accident. >   * Fortunately, other than a broken toe, she was not badly hurt after the > car accident. >   * Fortunately, besides a broken toe, she was not badly hurt after the car > accident. >


"For no other reason than" vs. "for no other reason that" vs. "for no other reason than that"

I am looking for a comprehensive analysis of these three constructions: >   1. ... for no other reason than X. >   2. ... for no other reason that X. >   3. ... for no other reason than that X. > Which is used when? Is this a question of register, dialect, style? How does the usage depend on what X is? Which of the constructions is the oldest, and what is the linguistic reasoning behind the other two variations coming about and happily co-existing — reanalysis, corruption, eggcorning? I searched the Language Log, but to no avail. Google is of no real help, either — it returns few promising results, which upon closer examination turn out to be unrelated to the question at hand.


Pronunciation of "lorry", "worry" and "sorry"

I have always pronounced _lorry_ as "lur-ee" (as if to rhyme with _worry_ ), for as long as I can remember. Everyone else I know pronounces it as "lor-ee" (as if to rhyme with _sorry_ ). Which one is correct, and why would the pronunciation of the vowel differ between _sorry_ and _worry_ when their spellings differ only in a consonant?


Using "present perfect" for things that happen in future

Is it grammatical to use "Present Perfect" tense for something that is going to happen in future? As far as I know, the Present Perfect is used to say that an action happened at an unspecified time before now. Google Chrome however, is showing me the following message: > When Adobe Shockwave Player has finished installing, reload the page to > activate it. I wonder if the above sentence is correct because the installation process is something that will finish in future.


What is a "transparent" adverb?

A scholar writes: A transparent adverb can only be used after sentence negation or after another sentence adverb if it carries a stress: > Conrad has not really left.   >  Conrad has probably really left. I do not understand why "really" in those sentences is called a "transparent" adverb.


Is it okay to have a series of "which"s after a chains of interrelated nouns?

I have several fragments: >   1. Samsung 32-bit RISC ARM 1176JZ(F)-S v1.0 >   2. a processor code developed by Samsung >   3. the processor code uses ARM 1176JZ(F)-S v1.0 core >   4. ARM 1176JZ(F)-S v1.0 core is based on ARMv6Z architecture >   5. ARMv6Z architecture belongs to ARM11 family >   6. ARM11 family is a family of ARM architecture 32-bit Reduced instruction > set computing (RISC) microprocessor cores > I want to join them all into a single sentence: > Samsung 32-bit RISC ARM 1176JZ(F)-S v1.0 is a processor code developed by > Samsung that uses ARM 1176JZ(F)-S v1.0 core which is based on ARMv6Z > architecture which belongs to ARM11 family which is a family of ARM > architecture 32-bit Reduced instruction set computing (RISC) microprocessor > cores Is it okay to have a series of _which_ s after a chain of interrelated nouns?


Plural name apostrophe position

At my English lesson the native English speaker couldn’t tell what is correct and promised to search it for us! He told us that if James is one person then we should write > James' Book but if we had many James he didn't know to tell us what to write... Any suggestions?


Is ‘suit-wearing’ an adjective sui generis?

I was interested to find the term, “Occupy Wall Street’s **suit-wearing** cousin” appearing in a May 31 New York Times article titled _Facing down the Bankers_. It begins with the following line: > Dennis Kelleher runs Better Markets, a nonprofit that pushes for tighter > regulation of American banks, something like Occupy Wall Street’s _suit- > wearing cousin._ We have exactly the same wording as “suit-wearing” in Japanese – Sebiro-wo- kita X - 背広を着たX. But it is always used in a denigrating way, such as describing a vicious politician and a lawyer as a ‘ _suit-wearing hooligan_ (or _yakuza_ ), and greedy bankers as 'suit-wearing man-eaters.’ In fact a famous political pundit recently published a book in Japan under the title, “ _Suit-wearing hooligan, XX,_ ” denouncing a boss of a faction of the ruling Democratic Party by name. I checked Cambridge, Oxford, and Merriam Webster on line dictionaries to confirm exact usage of this word, but none of them has _suit-wearing_ as a headword. There is no incidence of the word, _suit-wearing_ in Google NGram either. Is _suit-wearing_ a word that stands alone as a full-fledged adjective, or is it just a simple combination of two words? Is it neutral by implication, unlike the derogatory Japanese usage?


On a certain level

What does " On a certain level " in " I am looking for my sister ... on a certain level" mean ? I have read it in a play.I checked it in some dictionaries but coulden't find its meaning.


Doubt about the subject in this phrase: I, me, or myself?

> At the end of the evening, the bar was almost empty, with only [I/?] and a > very cheerful and pleasant lady I met in the last minutes of the meeting. What is the correct form in this case? My assumption would be to say "I", and also to invert the two subjects, as in the following wrong case, followed by the correct form: >   * (*) me and her went to the pub >   * she and I went to the pub > If my assumption is correct, I have a different problem. I end up with the phrase: > At the end of the evening, the bar was almost empty, with only a very > cheerful and pleasant lady I met in the last minutes of the meeting and I. As you can see, the need to detail information about the lady pushes the "and I" too far to be reasonably meaningful in the context.


Meaning of "scour"

First, let me make it clear that English is not my primary language; I'm Brazilian and I speak Portuguese. I'm reading an RPG book ("Heroes of the Fallen Lands") and I crossed the verb _scour_ being used in many ways that I didn't quite understand. I assume the meanings are similar, but I can't put my finger in it.   1. You lead the fight (...) **scouring** them with the divine energy.   2. You call forth a mote of divine light that reveals and **scours** your foes.   3. Unleashing a burst of the divine radiance that **scoured** the primordials (...)   4. Drawing on the power of elemental cold lets you **scour** your foes. I assume all of those meant some kind of damage, but I can't understand how it is meant to be damaging. What would be the meaning of the verb on those senteces? If possible, please give some synonyms applicable to this case or even rewrite the sentences. **EDIT:** After at least 4 downvotes I discovered that being concise is not a good thing here. I checked Merriam-Webster, Google Dictionary, AudioEnglish, TheFreeDictionary, Oxford, Michaelis, Longman, and some other pocket dictionaries that I've used over the years. The main meanings that I found was rubbing or scrubbing something, not quite right since energy, light, radiance and cold aren't tangible things (at least not at first). So neither of those would apply. Some more obscure meaning that I found was to clear some place of outlaws or of something bad or unjust. That also doesn't apply to all 4 cases I brought, maybe to the first. On the context its clear that the light, radiance, and cold doesn't get rid of anything. That I thought about something purifying something, maybe in the sense of purging. But again, only in the first sentence this meaning would apply. Lastly, I thought scour also could meant rinse or washing something with lots of water (or other liquid). This could actually be a fit. Energy, light, radiance and cold can indeed wash over an area or over something. But it didn't seemed to be a usual way for this verb to be used and even more, be used FOUR times and many places of a book. Also, all the sentences can have the implication of some pain being inflicted, maybe by burning (cold and radiance burn). So I came here to find out if that could be the case, and what could a english speaker make from the sentences on a first read. That was also one of the motives I didn't brought any of the meanings I found, I wanted to have a first impression from a reader, not biasing them to any meaning. Again, pardon my conciseness...


Word suggestion for items that can be labelled with a serial number and items that cannot be labelled with a serial number

I am looking for a word (or a group of words) that describe items that can (or can’t) be labelled with a serial number/barcode. (I was thinking of “can serialable items” and “non-seriable items”, but I could not find _serialable_ and _non-seriable_ in dictionary.) Any suggestions would be appreciated.


Correct use of bound/bounded

I am not sure how to correctly use the word **_bound_** in this context: > All partial sums of two given sequences are bounded by a positive constant. > > All partial sums of two given sequences are bound by a positive constant.


Verbs to describe how light moves

I'm writing a sentence where pale gray morning light is being viewed through window blinds. I'm trying to think of a way to describe its entrance without sounding cliché. What are some good verbs to use for how light moves?


Can "No thanks" be used in place of "No need to say thanks"?

A colleague did some work for me (which was his job anyway) and when I said thanks, he said "no thanks". I was puzzled, and asked why he said that. He told me that an American once told him that saying "no thanks" is the same as saying "no need to say thanks", for situations where a person is thanked for doing his job. Sounds like nonsense to me, but I thought I'd ask it here just to confirm.


What word means to work yourself into redundancy?

I heard a word recently and totally forgot it. It means to work towards rendering yourself unnecessary. Something tells me it starts with an A. Please help,...my brain is going crazy :-)


Kvetch - Meaning

I was just reading a book (The Help) and came across a usage of "kvetch" that didn't quite fit with how I thought it was used. A publisher is talking about a person's writing style and comments that she likes the author's writing style because, "She likes to kvetch without complaining too much." Looking up a couple of definitions for kvetch they all seem to run along the lines of "to complain excessively/consistently". I was wondering whether people use kvetch with some nuance that the dictionary definitions missed and what that difference is.


I am allowed back in a week, am I banned or suspended?

The past few years I have noticed the increase of the word "banned" when a person gets suspended, especially in the context of American sports. 10 years ago I never heard that someone was banned for 1 game for doing X. Now it is a common headline. When and why were the two words swapped?


Is "Unless if" grammatically incorrect?

A friend pointed out to me recently that I have a tendency to preface some of my sentences with the phrase "Unless if..." For example: > Unless if we take the highway, we won't make it in time. She insists that this is grammatically incorrect. Is this, and if it is, how is this sentence wrong? Would this phrasing be still incorrect if, instead, I said: > Unless, if we take the highway, we won't make it in time.


Etymology of "ruggit"?

I did something stupid yesterday. "What a _ruggit_ ", I said to myself, meaning a stupid person. It occurred to me I hadn't heard the word for a while, so I looked it up, and found this source here > Someone a little mentally ambivalent - i.e. 'simple. But I noted the etymology given > (Ruggits was the local 'special' school) and I don't think it's right. I remember hearing the word in the mid- seventies, and the explanation I heard then was the same (a 10-year-old etymologist!), but I can't find any trace of a school with that name and don't believe it exists. Also, the source notes it as a south-western English term, and I was living in the south-east of England at the time; a school can't be 'local' to both areas. A possibility is that it is related to the Manx ruggit, new-born, but that seems a little farfetched. Or perhaps a corruption of rugrat. So, can anyone shed any light on the matter? Does anyone know why a _ruggit_ is so called?


How does "panegyric" work in "Tom is very panegyric while talking to his co-workers"?

> Tom is very panegyric while talking to his co-workers. From What is a sentence for panegyric? What's the meaning of this sentence? I have search the meaning of panegyric, but can't understand what it's saying here. Can anyone post some sentences using the word _panegyric_ to understand it?


Is it timespan or time span?

I'm speaking of the noun having to do with an interval of time. I need this for programming purposes and it appears some people use "time span" and others "timespan" so I assume both are correct.


"Mostest" vs. "most"

What is the difference between _mostest_ and _most_? Can they be used interchangeably?


"More is welcome" or "More is welcomed"

Which one of the following expressions is grammatical?   1. Please donate $5. More is **welcome**!   2. Please donate $5. More is **welcomed**!


Is this the right way to express concession using inversion?

Is it grammatical to say: > May the emotions be controlled, it is not easy to do that. Obviously what I want to say is: > Even if the emotions may be controlled, it is not easy to do that.


Is there any suffix expressing “demand a lot”?

For example, _a job that demands a lot of effort is effort-***_? Or _a program costs lots of money is money-***_? Or _a task needs high patience is patience-***_?


Should 'Today' and 'Tomorrow' be capitalised?

I always wonder whether 'today' and 'tomorrow' should be capitalised. Can anybody help me?


Why is she saying “bang him on the counter” when he is a small living thing?

It says on a dictionary that ‘bang’ means to hit violently or noisily. However, I think the following _bang_ means merely put or place because the object is a rat and because Ron ‘placed him’ after the witch’s words. But why is she saying “bang” in this situation? (Ron is talking with the consultant witch of a magical pet shop.) > ”It’s my rat,” he told the witch. “He’s been a bit off-color ever since I > brought him back from Egypt.” > > ”Bang him on the counter,” said the witch, pulling a pair of heavy black > spectacles out of her pocket. > > Ron lifted Scabbers out of his inside pocket and placed him next to the cage > of his fellow rats, …( _Harry Potter 3_ [US Version]: p.58)


How to use decades in this sentence?

I want to say ongoing research on matter `X` using the word decades. The research started from the date of discovery of matter `x` in 1982 onwards. This should be an opening statement of an academic abstract. My sentence is: > Over three decades following its discovery, matter `x` has been a focus of > ongoing research worldwide. or > For over three decades following its discovery, matter `x` has been a focus > of ongoing research worldwide. or > For more than three decades following its discovery, matter `x` has been a > focus of ongoing research worldwide. which one is more correct?


What does military plane’s escort (of an American Airlines flight) was “out of abundance of caution”’mean?

I listen to AP Radio News, and I heard the following report on September 12: “Two military planes were sent to intercept an American Airlines flight headed for New York from Los Angeles after reports of a disturbance. Federal officials say _the escort was out of abundance of caution_. The plane landed safely about 4:10 pm. A Federal official says three people locked themselves in the bathroom.” What does the escort was “ _out of abundance of caution_ ,” mean? Though I'm afraid my ears were wrong, can you put this line into plainer English?


"has a wrong format" or "has the wrong format"

If I want to say that the content of a file is not right, should I say: > The file has **a** wrong format or > The file has **the** wrong format I am not referring to file extensions. I am referring to the content. For example, if an HTML file is missing a ‘>’.


Is “Did you it?” a valid question?

My English teacher always asks “Did you it?” when she wants to know whether some student has done an exercise. I think her question sounds horrible, and I believe it is wrong. In my opinion, she should say “Did you do it?” instead. I would like to know whether “Did you it?” is in fact wrong.


"expecting a baby"

Can I say "we are expecting a baby" when my wife is pregnant or does that sound funny to native English speakers, saying it as a man? (In German, the phrase has become somewhat common, but it stills sound a bit funny to some. Some use it, some don't.) I don't like the sound of "my wife is expecting a baby" - it sounds too distant, like I don't care, but that's an intuition of a non-native speaker. What other (not overly formal) ways are there to express that one is becoming a family?


Is "irrespective of" interchangeable with "regardless of"?

> If Kinsella were to go on a binge, he would drink his way down to the last > penny of whatever money is available, irrespective of who it belongs to. > (The killing frost. Thomas Hayden, 1991) I think here "regardless of" can be used in place of "irrespective of". It seems "regardless of" covers all the meaning of "irrespective of", but not vice versa.For instance, I think in the following sentence, "regardless of" can not be replaced by "irrespective of": > In the future people will be selected for posts on merit, regardless of > gender or race. What do you think?


One word for someone who doesn't care about anything

A _pessimist_ is someone who always considers negative outcomes of a situation, whereas an _optimist_ always considers the positive outcomes. Is there a word for someone who, in any given situation, doesn't care about the outcome at all?


Is there any word for the upper inner part of a sock?

I was about to answer a question on this thread, and I wanted to refer to the inner upper part of a sock. Something like this: > Put a small label inside the inner upper part of your socks. But this seems very vague. Is there any single word or a good phrase for it? This will make it clear: ![this part of the sock](http://i.stack.imgur.com/ubyvE.png)


I want to say that I may die because I am angry. Can I say "I am angry to die" or "I am angry to death" to express the above?


What is the opposite of the ending "-cide" (as in "suicide", "pesticide")?

I'm looking for the antonym of _-cide_ (as in _suicide, pesticide_ , etc.). Essentially the ending to words that would mean "to create or embrace".


How to understand the pronunciation of "nod" and "node"?

As we know, "nod" pronounces /nɒd/ while "node" pronounces /nəʊd/ (In US style?). So why does the extra "e" change the vocal of letter "o" entirely? My mother language is Chinese, therefore, it seems to be little hard for me to understand the exact rules of pronunciation with respect to spelling. What resources (maybe books?) can I invoke if I'd like to precisely predict how a coined word or the one which is unfamiliar pronounce?


Is "computing cycles" a correct term in English?

I work in the software industry. At my company, we're trying to find an English term for the unit of cost for a computer process work, which consumes CPU, Memory, disk-usage, etc. Our PM has come up with the term Computing Cycles. I tend to think it's **incorrect** English. I found an article which uses the term Compute Cycles. Which term describes best that unit of cost? "Computing cycles," "compute cycles" or maybe something else? An example of using the terms:   * image resizing algorithm for 100 big pictures costs 150 Compute Cycles    * image resizing algorithm for 100 big pictures costs 150 Computing Cycles


Meaning of "Ship in volume"

From the following sentence: > Weintraub says that the distortions began with Jobs' first bullet points, in > which a slide claims that the iPad 2 is the "First dual core tablet **to > ship in volume**." Weintraub notes that the Dell Streak 7 has been shipping > since January, and the Xoom "is certainly **shipping in volume** as well." What is the meaning of "ship in volume" and what is the difference from regular shipping?


Why are "nation" and "national" pronounced differently?

I was wondering why _nation_ is pronounced _nay-shun_ and _national_ is pronounced _nah-shu-nal_. My question relates to the difference between pronouncing "Nay" and "Nah". The spelling of "nation" in "national" is the same as "nation", but the "na" parts of the word are pronounced differently. Is there some kind of rule or pattern for this?


Explanation of sentence

I don't understand this sentence.... I know the meaning of all words except distinct... I looked in dictionary.. but I don't understand..:/ Output the **number of distinct values when considered MOD 42** , one per line for each test case.


Difference between "greater" and "larger"

What is the difference between _greater_ and _larger_? For example, should we say for time, _the waiting time is greater than_ or _the waiting time is larger than_?


Is the expression "Liver's ability to detoxify alcohol was tested..." grammatically correct? Can it also be used for genes, for example: "C-MYC's role in cancer is well known". This is, can gene molecules, organs and other body parts be used as such in sentences like the ones in the examples?


Another word for agnostic when used to suggest independence through a lack of concern

As described here, in technical domains agnostic can be used to describe a state of affairs where one thing doesn't care about the specifics of another thing it's related to. For instance, in software engineering, one might speaking of a "platform-agnostic" solution. This suggests that the solution need not have any information about the platform it is executing on to be a solution - it's a solution independent of the platform. In the same way you can talk about things being "OS-agnostic" or "language-agnostic". I'm suffering tip of the tongue phenomenon. I think that there's another word that be used in these "X-agnostic" constructions that means specifically what agnostic is being used for here. When I try to sound it out, however, my brain keeps jumping back to "agnostic" or to "ambivalent", which is also not the word I'm thinking of. I think the word I'm thinking of can also be used to describe the relationship between a theory and a question if the theory is non-dispositional with regard to the answer to the question. "My theory is X with regard to that question." It's driving me crazy. What's the word I'm thinking of?


How to spell 'aumenace'?

I'm very dyslectic, and English is not my native language, I'm looking for the spelling of a word that I'm pretty sure exists, but I'm starting to have my doubts as I can't seem to find it anywhere. The word sounds like (I think) au- menace, with 'au' as in 'audience', and then menace. Or maybe it's rather more like awe-menace, where 'awe' is like in 'awesome'. In any case, the word means, if I'm not mistaken, menacing (an an adjective) but in a sort of looming, impending or imposing way.


Where did "You missed a spot" come from?

I have seen this in a few films. I first noticed it in "The Truman Show" when Truman is pulling weeds or something in the yard, and his faux wife says to him "You missed a spot!" while smiling. I've also heard it in a few other places on TV and film. The odd thing is, it is apparently supposed to be funny (people laugh, or canned laughter is played). It's odd to me because I don't understand the reference. It is either something that only people with certain DNA "get" or else it is an "in" joke and I am not part of the "in" crowd.


Using "though" at the beginning of the following sentence

> But during the trip, she hardly spoke with him. In fact, she hardly spoke > with anyone in the group. She would just follow us quietly to whereever we > went, like a little stray cat. **Though** she spent most of her time sitting > on the wooden steps that led to the beach, gazing vacantly at the blue > ocean. Is **though** the right option in the sentence above? Is it common to use it that way? Or should I use something else instead?


Can closings be made up or must one of the common ones be used?

There are common closings such as "respectfully", "Best Regards", "Yours truly" etc. but if you have reason to make your own is that allowed or is it more of a formality that is set in stone to used a prescribed one? For example if one is writing an e-mail or letter to people they will be playing soccer with, can they end with "See you on the soccer field"? Also how should the grammar be treated? The first three examples I gave are followed with a comma but if I can use my own made up sentence would it follow the normal rules of grammar (e.g. See you on the soccer field.)?


“because of” vs. “on account of”

Can I always replace “because of” with “on account of”? As in > I could not enjoy the day **because of** the awful weather. > > I could not enjoy the day **on account of** the awful weather. If these two expressions are same, is there any situation where I should prefer one over the other?


Does English have a way to express a simple moral statement?

Ancient Chinese have a philosophy which holds that some names have substantial content, i.e., moral requirement for humans. For example, the word _human_ carries with it the meaning of _compassion_ ; if you want to be reckoned as a human being, you must show compassion. One fundamental expression in ancient texts of this philosophy is something like "humans ought to be (like) a 'human being'". The basic structure of this sentence is "individuals or particulars + be + an embodiment of the species". In Chinese, the phrase is composed of two repetitive nouns. For example, maybe I shall say "a man shall act as a man" (人人) or "things shall be treated as they should be" (物物）? Do these sentences succeed in expressing a moral? How would English phrase a statement like this one?


Grammar - Having known subject for X years, I am sure that

There is a following expression: > Having known him for more than 10 years since we were at the same school, I > am sure that... This sentence seems weird to me. What it is trying to say is: > I have known him for more than 10 years ..., I am sure that... Is it grammatically and stylistically correct to use 'having known' here? Can you suggest a way how to avoid using 'having known'?


How to overcome this awkward structure, given that I won't use the structure "natural object + whose.."?

> We really have abundant false names and hypocritical formulae, especially in > some formal and public speeches **the truth of which** is not the concern of > the speakers. （self-made） Many people feel uncomforatble with the use of the structure "natural object + whose +xx". So I will stick to use the incontroversial structure. But the way it is used here makes the whole sentence too long and awkward. How to write it in a more fluent way?


Can we say that "he" and "she" are cognates?

If they are cognates,what happened to the mophological changes on them historically?Such as the emergence of "h" in "she"? _**she_** mid-12c., probably evolving from O.E. **seo, sio** (acc. sie), fem. of demonstrative pronoun **se** "the." The Old English word for "she" was heo, hio, however by 13c. the pronunciation of this had converged by phonetic evolution with he "he," which apparently led to the fem. demonstrative pronoun being used in place of the pronoun (cf. similar development in Du. zij, Ger. sie, Gk. he, etc.). The original h- survives in her. A relic of the Old English pronoun is in Manchester-area dialectal oo "she." _**he_** O.E. **he** (see paradigm of Old English third person pronoun below), from P.Gmc. ***hi-** (cf. O.S., O.Fris., M.Du. he, hi, Du. hy, O.H.G. he), from PIE ***ki-** , **variant of *ko-** , the "this, here" (as opposed to "that, there") root (cf. Hittite ki "this," Gk. ekeinos "that person," O.C.S. si, Lith. šis "this"), and thus the source of the third person pronouns in Old English. The feminine, hio, was replaced in early Middle English by forms from other stems (see she), while the h- wore off Old English neuter hit to make modern it. The Proto-Germanic root also is the source of the first element in Ger. heute "today," lit. "the day" (cf. O.E. heodæg). \------------------------New statement in wiktionary "she"------------------------- From Middle English **sche, hye** (“she”), from earlier **scho, hyo, ȝho** (“she”), a phonetic development of Old English **hēo, hīo** (“she”), from Proto-Germanic ***hijō** (“this, this one”), from Proto-Indo-European ***k'e-, *k'ey-** (“this, here”). Cognate with English dialectal hoo (“she”), Scots scho, shu (“she”), West Frisian hja (“she”), North Frisian jü (“she”), Danish hun (“she”), Swedish hon (“she”). More at he. Despite the similarity in appearance, the Old English feminine demonstrative sēo (“that”) is probably not the source of Middle English forms in sch-. Rather, the sch- developed out of a change in stress upon hío resulting in hió, spelt ȝho (ȝh = hȝ, compare wh = hw, lh = hl, etc.), and the h was palatalised into the sh sound. Similar alteration can be seen the name Shetland, from Old Norse Hjaltland; ȝho is the immediate parent form of Middle English scho and sche. \-----------------------End------------------------- There are two opposite statements,making me more confused. So the question should turn to be which one is more convincing?


"Time of" something, "time for" something, or something else?

I'd like to make a sentence like this: > The time for the exam will run out soon, I have to speed up my problem > solving. By the way, how to express "speed up my problem solving" in a more idiomatic manner? **EDIT** As Andrew Leach suggested, I mean how to say "The time allowed in which I must complete the exam". Should I use "time of exam" or "time for exam" and why?


What is "Oki-doki" or "Oki-dokie" or "Okay-dokay"

Okay, since now we know what is the origin of OK (I like the Oll Korrect version), I have another question about it's relative: What is an "Oki-doki" or "Oki-dokie" or "Okay-dokay"?   What is the correct spelling? Where did it come from?


Occasion and Opportunity

At the same time, large companies may take ___ of smaller suppliers by delaying payment.     The offer continues, so why not take ___ ?     The attacker was ideally placed to take ___ of this.      Please, I want to choose one of the following to complete each sentence. a) occasion b) opportunity c) possibility d) advantage


Is "proximity" a real grammatical rule?

> (a)  "The daughter of the colonel who had a black _dress_ left the party." > > (b)  "The daughter of the colonel who had a black _mustache_ left the > party." > > (c)  "The daughter of the colonel who had a black _hat_ left the party." (a), (b), and (c) are grammatical, but, while (a) and (b) are understandable, I have some difficulties in understanding (c); more precisely, in (c) it is unclear, at least to me, whether the _hat_ is the colonel's _hat_ or the daughter's _hat_. I wonder if it exists a grammar rule to decipher (c). I searched for _grammatical proximity_ without any useful result.


What is the meaning of "I don't need no stinking counters"?

The context is this video at timeline 43:26 seconds . > That's too fancy for me. I don't need no stinking counters. What does this mean? Is it an American or British expression?


How do you refer to grouping numbers in lots of 60?

We have the term "metric" for things measured in decimal or powers of 1000:   * millimeter   * meter   * kilometer And the term "hexadecimal" for things measured in base 16. What term describes grouping numbers in powers of sixty, such as used in time or degrees:   * 23:59:59.999   * 179° 59' 59.999"


How to properly use name parts in English?

I think people name in my language is very different from how it is used in English, so please properly explain it so I can use correctly. In my country, people name usually have 3 parts, if I am named (full name) "A B C", then my child's name will be something like "A X Y" (so I think the first part, A, is family name). People call me by "C", or "B C" if someone else also named "C". We never use "A" to refer someone. Also, my wife doesn't change her first part to "A". Please explain, in English:   * How would my name be? (C A B, C B A?)   * How do you refer me in normal - informal context (say, a classmate) if no one has the same name as mine?   * The second question in context of me being your lover or very close friend?   * The second question in context of formal context _(Mr. ...)_?   * What would be my son name and my wife name if we move to US? And one more question: is there any differences about those between English- speaking countries (UK, US, Australia...)?


Why is "thought" (verb III) a noun in "Nice thought"?

I often hear someone says, "Wow, that's such a nice thought!" Movies and books often have that kind of dialogue as well. As I figure it out, "a nice thought" is a noun phrase. Which means "nice" is a complementary for "thought", and "thought" is literally a _noun_. I'm also aware that _thought_ is a third form (or second) of _think_ , and dictionaries say that _thought_ is a noun, too. But why not use _thinking_ (gerund) instead of _thought_? As I understand it, gerund has a function to make a verb-ing function as a noun. Are there other third-form verbs that also function as nouns? Or is it just _thought_?


objectivization vs objectification

I'm in a bit of a trouble over the words > **objectivization** > > **objectification** Which of the above would be correct in the context of _making something objective (impersonal, unbiased)_. I suppose the same issue would be with _subjectification_ and _subjectivization_.


A term for providing irrelevant and hiding relevant information

For example, you're doing a research for a car to purchase. You get a list of cars with engine number, city where a car was assembled, and a color. What's missing is make, model and price.


Is there a word that means pants and/or shorts, or dresses and/or skirts?

In Chinese apparently there is an extra character added for long/short pants and half/full dress. And footwear applies to sandals, boots, sneakers, etc. Is there an English word that means pants and/or shorts? And one that means a dress and/or skirt?


Word for "personify" when you're talking about an animal

For example: "The moose personifies Maine's wilderness." I know personify isn't correct since it's not ascribing _human_ form to the wilderness, but it does animate it and bring it to life in a way.


Meaning of "You might want to sit down for this"

> And thanks, too, for contacting me, because you need to hear what I have to > say. You might want to sit down for this. If you’re on anti-anxiety > medication, all the better. What does the columnist mean by saying "You might want to sit down for this"?


I don't understand the connection in the following sentence

I have a sentence like this: > But every now and then, I longed to search for a tender stalk of arrowroot, > to feel the tease of a mango, just out of reach. Is the mango out of reach or are the two things (to search for a tender stalk of arrowroot, and to feel the tease of a mango) out of reach? The sentence is from a book which is about a gorilla captured by humans when he was a baby and living a human-like life. The preceding sentence is "I liked having sips of soda poured into my mouth like bubbling waterfall." And there is no sentence after it. Maybe it's the two things out of reach because the gorilla misses his life in jungle but cannot go back again.


What is the difference between “skilled” and “skillful”?

What is the difference between _skilled_ and _skillful_? When can I use one, when can I used the other?   * He is _skilled_ / _skillful_.   * He is a _skilled_ / _skillful_ musician.   * (Anything else?) From the dictionary, I feel they have basically the same meaning, but I couldn’t understand the difference.


What is the difference between "house" and "home"?

What are the differences in meaning between _house_ and _home_? When do I use one or the other?


Can gems meant to be crafted from something like star dust be named as "Skyrocks"?

We have game what uses gems crafted from star dust as points. Can that gems be named as "Skyrocks"? Is this name clear enough? Or what can be better name? ![It looks like this](http://i.stack.imgur.com/mK6X2.png) ![Or this](http://i.stack.imgur.com/g7d3U.png)


What symbol denotes "or more"?

Trying to construct a math-like means for my English students to understand sentence structure. Need to indicate: "A compound sentence consists of 2 Independent Clauses and 1 **OR MORE** Dependent Clauses." The final "formula" will look like: Cp = 2IC + 1 (NEED THE SYMBOL FOR "OR MORE" HERE) DC


Where does the expression "A little birdie told me" come from?

I see and hear this over and over again, and I have not the slightest idea where it comes from.


How to puncutuate when using self imposed questions in a declarative sentence

I have toyed with using a colon and keeping the question marks or even ditching the question marks. See below: > Admittedly I was apprehensive at first to approach the prisoner, all I could > think was “What crime did he commit?”, “How was he going to treat a 21 year > old girl?”, and “How can I avoid talking to him?”. But should it be this: > Admittedly I was apprehensive at first to approach the prisoner and all I > could think was: What crime did he commit? How was he going to treat a 21 > year old girl? How can I avoid talking to him? or this... > Admittedly I was apprehensive at first to approach the prisoner. All I could > think was what crime did he commit, how was he going to treat a 21 year old > girl, and how can I avoid talking to him.


Can you get files off-line?

Often times I hear people say "I got it offline" to mean they downloaded it from the internet, is this an accepted term or should it be "I got it online"?


How long does it take to mull something over?

I used the phrase "we'll mull it over" in an e-mail. My intent was to let the readers know that we (the team) needed to give it due consideration and come up with a considered response to their obviously important question. To my mind, we clearly needed to think things over, but for how long? I meant overnight (though didn't say so), but my audience assumed we would take a week. What period of time (if any) does the use of the word _mull_ convey?


Word/ phrase for : 'to uplift/ enhance one's mental level/ creativity/ knowledge'

I'm looking out for a word or a short phrase(<15 chars.) that somewhat conveys : 'to uplift/ enhance one's mental level/ creativity/ knowledge/ skills'. 'To take one's mental level to the next level & transform oneself into more intelligent being'. **Simplest** & shorter words/phrases are more preferable.


Should there be a capital letter after Hello?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Should I capitalize the starting sentence after a greeting that ends in a > comma (e.g. "Hello,")? I have received this email from my hosting provider. And I think the "we" should be with a capital letter (after Hello, ). Am I wrong? Hello, we acknowledge receipt of Your request that will be processed in the shortest possible time. This report is for information only; please do not respond. If you are a registered customer, please contact us by the accredited requirement from the customer center **_*_** \- https:// ** _*_ ***.com/ Loging into Your account under which the request relates, you will speed up a resolution of all Your requests, that require your authorization. Best regards Your customer support team


What is Nerd Test all about?

Not sure, where to ask this. I did it here, and it was put in `Hold` , _finally_ attempting here as a _last_ try!! I am really curious(!) to know what is this? I got this link randomly about how `nerd` are you. And nerd is _new_ term to me, being interested clicked that link and it threw me a set of strange questions. Questions on periodic elements(!!).. etc. Finally, after _honestly_ answering, got this message.. > 30% scored higher (more nerdy), 2% scored the same, and 68% scored lower > (less nerdy). > > What does this mean? Your nerdiness is: > > Low Ranking Nerd. Definitely a nerd but low on the totem pole of nerds. Can someone hint me, what is this all about? I _really_ googled a lot!


Metaphor for an important discovery

"Joe Blogg's Damascus" can be used as a metaphor to denote a sudden turning point in attitude, behaviour or some other feature of Joe Blogg's life. What would be a similar metaphor for an important discovery in a field such as artificial intelligence that does not necessarily represent a paradigm shift but does represent substantial progress? Ideas other than "Eureka" very welcome. Also, would this be called metonymy? If not, what's the difference?


Verb+ing as a verb beginning a sentence

Is this good English? > Falling into the ocean, the drop dies as a drop, but not as water. Or should I say: > When it falls into the ocean, the drop dies...


Usage of the phrase "you don't know what you don't know"

What is the correct usage of phrase "you don't know what you don't know"? Can it be used in formal conversation/writing?


Meaning of Science Block (British English)

In the British radio comedy show, Cabin Pressure, the following exchange of dialogue occurs: > Martin: Your doctor? What doctor do you know? > > Simon: Good old Doc Smiley, of course. > > Martin: What, Nathan Smiley from school? > > Simon: That’s right! Remember him, do you? > > Martin: Of course I remember him, he threw my briefcase on the science block > - and he’s a podiatrist! > > Simon: And a bloody good one. What does "science block" mean in this context? It seems to be some Britishicism, but I'm not entirely sure of the meaning.


why is the pronoun "it" wrong in the below given sentence?

Although the term "supercomputer" may sound fanciful or exaggerated, it is simply an extremely fast mainframe that can execute trillions of calculations every second. what is the antecedent? why is it wrong?


Either vs. among

I heard on a local newscast recently: > If you subscribe to SportsCable, you can choose either NFL, NBA, or MLB > games. This use of "either" seems to parallel that of "between", which limits the series to two items. Should not the newscaster have substituted "among"?


'future in the future' tense in English?

I had an idea for a trilogy of novels with the first written in the past tense, the second in the present tense, and the third in the future tense. Why hasn't anyone done this before? I thought. Then I realised what you wouldn't be able to do in the third book. In the first, you could say: > He walked along the street. He had just left his house, and later it would > be burgled. In the second: > He walks along the street. He has just left his house, and later it will be > burgled. But in the third: > He will walk along the street. He will have just left his house, and later > it **what?** burgled. Without a 'future in the future' tense, this idea can't work! Has there ever been any such tense in the English language, or is there some sort of substitute for one? The closest I've come up with is: > He will walk along the street. He will have just left his house, and later > it will be going to be burgled. ... which is cumbersome to say the least! **Edit** : my example was badly chosen, because of the adverb 'later'. Since I'm toying with the idea of a _whole book_ written in the future tense (or 'tense' if you don't count periphrastic tenses as tenses :-) ), I'm looking for something that works in general, not just for this sentence. A better example is: > He left his house, but he would return / He leaves his house, but he will > return. Now 'He will leave his house, but he will return' doesn't really work. Thanks in advance for any answers!


What are the main language devices used in this video?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oye9AmOdsZc I am doing this for a project and would like to know what the main language devices used in this video are. Thanks


Usage of "fanny" as verb

I am not a native English speaker, hence please bear with me. I understand that _fanny_ means _mess around_ and _waste time_. Can someone suggest how I might make a sentence which uses _fanny_ , as an equivalent to > Don't waste my time. Also, it would be great if someone can explain under what circumstances we can replace _wasting time_ with _fannying about_.


When and where did the exclamation "Snap!" originate?

Recently I heard and an explanation for what the exclamation "Snap!" meant. He stated that it comes from the kid's card game where you yell "Snap" at a certain time to win the card pile. I'm vaguely familiar with the game, but was under the impression that the exclamation predates the game. So I know how it's used: Some bit of information really surprises you so you say "Snap!" Or, something goes wrong so you say "Aw, Snap!" Or, a friend really delivers on an insulting quip to another friend so you say "Snap!" Or, what I've seen less commonly, you do something at almost exactly the same time as another, so you both say "Snap!" This usage is most similar to the game. So when and where did this usage originate?


What's a word that means to 'intentionally withholding information'?

I was reading an online editorial a week or so ago in which its author employed an awesome word, the meaning of which was "to intentionally and deliberately withhold information [essential to the endeavor at hand, with the underlying purpose of misleading others by its omission]". Yeah, all of that in one word. Alas, I can't seem to find the editorial online anymore, I've now I forgotten the word!


"Can you call me back soon" or "Can you call me soon?"

In these sentences: "Can you call me back soon?" "Can you call me soon?" Is the "back" redundant and should it be omitted?


Reported speech - statements whose meaning still stands

I know the main idea behing the reported speech (shifting of tenses) but one of the textbooks I have says: > I like pizza. > > He said he liked pizza. But I think that if he likes pizza, he likes in in general and he still like it when we report that statement of his/hers. So I think it should be: > He said he likes pizza in case he is still alive and has not changed his mind. Is that correct?


'were + past tense verb' v. 'are + past tense verb'

Which is correct? > a. The Justice Secretary said prosecutors _were_ allowed to join the event. > > b. The Justice Secretary said prosecutors _are_ allowed to join the event. Given that this news was posted on 11am of that day, while the event was from 9am to 2pm. http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/474633/prosecutors-allowed-to-join-million- people-march-de-lima So when is it proper to use 'are + past tense verb' and 'were + past tense verb'?


What is the proper use of "right the way along"?

I've heard the idiom "right the way along" used many times in British literature and video, however, I'm slightly unclear as to what it means. It seems, at first glance, to be a British variant on "move it along" or "moving right along" or some such, but there are counterexamples. One of which is in a Monty Python sketch, where "right the way along" is used to mean something slightly different. This and other odd uses lead me to question the intended meaning of the phrase. What is the etymology and proper use/application for "right the way along"?


What is the plural of 'flux'?

I have mostly seen "fluxes" but I could not find a definitive answer in some dictionary. As it come from the French, I am enclined to think it is "flux" in the plural though. **Edit** : I am talking about the flow of a quantity, as an air flux. _Example_ : "The sum of all air fluxes was zero".


Is there a word for people who always act too friendly in order to curry favor with their acquaintances?

Is there a single noun or adjective for a person who is always flattering friends and acquaintances, not only to be liked and accepted but, at other times, to curry favor with them as well ? I'm not looking for regionalisms but a word that will be understood in any English speaking country.


In the sentence 'She seems nice', is 'nice' a subject complement, verb complement, or both?

In the sentence below, is _nice_ a subject complement, verb complement, or both? > She seems nice. According to this page, it’s a type of verb complement; but it also seems to me to fit with the description of a subject complement, as explained on this page.


When does one append "-ly"?

I am trying to understand the difference between adjectives that end in _‑ly_ compared with adjectives that do not end end in _‑ly_. For example (the ones I would have chosen are bold): > A **tactical** position / a tactically position > > A tactical good position / a **tactically** good position (good in terms of > the tactical aspect) > > **Real** food / really food > > Real good food / **really** good food Some forms I have never heard of, like for example the adjective _especial_ or a version of _ugly_ without the _‑ly_ at the end. Is the rule to append _‑ly_ only when the adjective refers to another adjective? However, why does then one say this: > I really like it. instead of this? > *I real like it. There’s no other adjective there. This disagrees with the rule I stated beforehand. This question might be a duplicate since it’s pretty fundamental, although I didn’t find it.


If we use "fairy" in our band name, will people think of sprites or gay men?

Seems like a really weird question but here's what it's about: Me and my band are currently searching for a bandname which seems to be very hard. We recently (finally) found one name that we all liked at first: > Shoot a fairy Which refers to an annoying fairy in a video game. But today our superstar heavy metal guitar guy came around and found some translation on a German translation website which says that fairy can be translated to "Schwuchtel" which is an offensive word for male homosexuals. So my question is, would the word fairy be understood by native english speakers as such an offensive word. And would the term "Shoot a fairy" therefor be understood as a call to kill homosexuals and if yes how common is this word for use as an insult. So would you (or an native english speaker) think that a band with that name hates homosexual people?


Difference between "meeting" and "meet up"

Is this sentence correct? > Can we skip the _meet up_ this week?


"nervous about" and "nervous of"

While going over the correct prepositions to use with adjectives, I came across a situation I can't define. I'm using a Longman dictionary and a Cambridge grammar, but neither defines the difference between the two options.   1. 'nervous about'   e.g. I'm nervous about... my exams / doing something.   2. 'nervous of'   e.g. I'm nervous of... him / flying / dogs. Now, I know that 'being nervous about one's exam' is not the same as 'being nervous of one's exam'. But how can I put the difference into words? Could I say that 'about' means one's nervous because of the exam and 'of' means one's almost afraid of the exam? I can't seem to find a better explanation. On the other hand, we can say 'I'm nervous about / of flying', so how to explain that 'nervous of' and 'nervous about' can sometimes be interchangeable?


Opposite of "summarize"

I want to indicate that some text has been made longer while emphasizing that no new content has been added. Desired usages: > I need to anti-summarize this paper to reach the ten page minimum. or > I can't believe the manager just anti-summarized my two paragraph email into > a 35 minute meeting.


is this the right phrasing for designation in email or letter

My signature in all my official emails & letters state my designation as > Sr.Digital Marketing Executive. One of my work colleagues told me its wrong & change it to > Sr.executive digital marketing I am confused as to how I should state my designation - > Sr.Digital Marketing Executive or > Sr. Executive Digital Marketing which one would be appropriate? - according to me its the first one which states sr.dgm exec


Absolute phrase without a participle? Or something else?

I'm trying to learn how to break apart sentences and understand each part's name and what exactly it does (excuse my ignorance; I've read quite a bit, but I'm still new at it). I came across the following construction and, simple as it seems, I can't figure out what it's called. I thought it might be considered an absolute phrase, but those are usually defined as having a participle. So what would the second half of these sentences be considered and what is their function? Am I way off base? Are these even grammatical? Thanks! > Hens are stuffed into tiny cages, **unable to lift their wings.** > > He moved unsteadily, **clumsy enough to fall at any moment.**


Responding to a poor question

There's a proverb in my native language (Norwegian) which is used as a reply to a person who complains about a _poor answer_ given to his/her _poor question_. It says that the quality of the answer is relative to the quality of the question. >   * You asked me a poor question, so I'll respond with a poor answer. > > > Roughly translated: > >   * As asked, so answered > Is there a similar proverb in the English language?


Use of the definite article: "restricts flow" or "restricts the flow"

We are writing technical documentation and a sentence looks more or less like this: >   1. "The inside diameter of the pipe is reduced and thus restricts flow of > water." >   2. "The inside diameter of the pipe is reduced and thus restricts the flow > of water." >   3. "The inside diameter of the pipe is reduced and thus restricts the flow > of the water." > Which is correct/false or better/worse?


The other end of an "offer"

In replying to this email, * * * sender: I believe you were interested in applying for a Moffat Scholarship Award (etc. etc.) my response: Thanks for your email and I appreciate the offer. But I'm afraid I'm `not an eligible recipient`.. (for this offer?) * * * not an eligible recipient ?? Well I never! If a person makes an offer, what is the word used to describe a prospective recipient? Is it just "prospective recipient"? That is if the word "offer" is on one end then what is the word on the other end, simply put? Reception? Because "prospectiveness" of a person is determined by the awarding committee, ie., person making the offer, I daresay that it's not my place to use "prospective" as an adjective to describe myself (in my response). Then what is the word that best describes me? (Me being a person to whom the moffat schol does not apply to?) So far I've come up with "not an eligible recipient".. But I figured that that's the phrase or fragment found in a reply from the awarding body (ex: "Sorry you have been determined as an 'ineligible recipient'" or whatever-'not' or 'ineligible') So how do you think I should refer to myself in a polite response to the offer por favor?


What's the word for drugging someone?

I remember having learned it from the TV. But I can't remember what it is now. It's a verb synonym of drug or poison. It means someone slips some drug into someone's food or water. The drug may be just some sedatives.


Using pond as a verb to describe the formation of puddles

"The tenant complained that water is ponding in the parking area." or, "Due to the ponding of water in the lower lying areas, mosquitoes became a nuisance." "ponding" is not accepted by spellcheckers and I can not find a reference in dictionaries either. In Namibia and South Africa "ponding" is used in spoken and written English extensively, especially in technical reports. The question is whether this is a valid verb or not. If not, what verb would describe the formation of puddles?


What's the difference between "preposition" and "postposition" compared to "circumposition"?

How do a _preposition_ and a _postposition_ differ from a _circumposition_?   Are these three terms really used in schools, universities and "official classes" in general?   Is there someone who "officially" calls all three just _prepositions_ , and says there are simply "different types" of prepositions?


Antonym to 'Assign'

Suppose we have users and operators. Some users are assigned to certain operators. What should I call a procedure of removing an assignment, so an operator no longer works with a user or group of users? What are some antonyms for _assign_?


Stress in "control" word

I heard the "control" word (and other similar words) stress depends on whether it is a noun or a verb. But I can't find any proof to that. Is it really so?


Use of "any more than" to relate two different situations

In the following quote by Billy Sunday “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you an automobile.” can anyone pls explain/elaborate the usage and meaning of **"any more than"**. Thank you.


Why do people say "that-a-way" instead of "that way"?

I've often the following: > Bob: Have you seen Ian ? > > Geoff: Yes, he went **that-a-way**. What is the reason people sometimes jokily add the extra "-a-" into the phrase? Where did this come from? It always makes me think of black-and-white gangster movie chase scenes. But that's probably just me.


"Auxiliary" or "ancillary"

I am trying to phrase something like: > We argue that introducing these concepts is likely to achieve ancillary > goals. Should I use _auxiliary_ or _ancillary_ here? Is there a difference in meaning?


semantic property shared by words between class of words

What semantic property or properties are shared any words in 1 and 2?   1. alive, asleep, dead, married, pregnant   2. tall, smart, interesting, bad, tired I don't see any shared between those words.


Is a question an independent clause?

Ex. Anyone going to the store? Often times in writing words get omitted in questions, such as the one above. Does that still make them "independent clauses" or must the sentence be able to stand as if it were written like a statement?


uncommon use of "as well as" compounding two verbs onto one subject

I've got a pretty strong intuition for what's grammatically correct and what's not. My hunch here is that the following sentence is wrong. Can someone verify this for me, using a syntactical rule to back it up? > A representative will contact you shortly with your username and password. > In the course of this contact they will explain the process of application, > **as well as** answer any other questions you may have.


Detail or Details? Read on for more detail/details

I'm writing a newsletter and have been given the following text: > New stock has arrived & we're giving you the chance to grab it at 20% off > for this weekend only! Read on for more details. I'm unsure if the word `details` should be `detail` or not.


Verb form in reported speech

I am uncertain about selecting the correct verb form in a clause indicating indirect reported speech. The problematic sentence is: > I didn't expect that you would say that XXX. For the XXX part, would it be better advised to put " you wanted to play baseball" " you would want play baseball" or " You want to play baseball", or something else ? Which factors would guide the choice?


When did "Twerking" and "Selfie" enter the dictionary?

I read in the news that _twerking_ and _selfie_ have been added to dictionary recently. Did it give any origin? Is there any information or details about them?


The difference between "quite" and "enough"

Is there any difference between "quite" and "enough"? Please suggest the proper usage. > I'm not quite happy. vs > I'm not happy enough.


Is "completabilty" an actual word, and if not, what's a valid replacement?

I'm looking for a word for the `ability of something to be completed, or fulfilled`. My situation is specifically about sales orders. I found `completability`, and wiktionary.com says it's a word, but none of the dictionaries referenced at dictionary.reference.com include it. If it is indeed not a valid word, what would be a suitable alternative?


What would you call a "sheath" for a spherical object?

I was looking for a word to describe a sort of cloth sheath you could use to store a boule de pétanque. I found myself in the strange position of knowing the appropriate word in French ( _housse_) and in Spanish ( _funda_ ) but not in my native language. Both these words basically mean a _covering_. Those are the words used in their respective languages for a (hard or soft) guitar case for example. I was imagining a kind of form-fitting sock that the _boule_ could be put in. The image I have in mind is something like the socks sold as protective covers for mobile phones: ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/miTLv.jpg) What would that be called in English? I tried dictionary translation but got things like _sheath_ , _slipcover_ and _dust cover_. _Sheath_ does not work on a sphere and the other two don't work for me in this context either (please let me know if you disagree). The best I could come up with is a _jacket_ but again, not as general as _case_. Basically I am looking for a word that would describe a form fitting, soft protective cover without implying hardness ( _case_ ), a particular shape ( _sheath_ ) or a specific use ( _dust cover_ makes me think of machinery and _slipcover_ of furniture). * * * EDIT: I just thought of _sleeve_ as in _record sleeve_ but I am not sure that I've ever heard it used outside the context of records or CDs or disks in general. That's the type of thing I am looking for though, something that is used more to protect than to transport. * * * If you believe that one of the words I have mentioned is the best fit, please let me know. I feel they are not suited but am quite willing to accept I'm wrong on this one.


What is the word for shock before remorse?

Malay language has a word for this - _sentap_. This is when they have a sudden realization that they're doing something bad and feel remorse immediately after. ### Examples of use   1. A billionaire donates a substantial amount to building an orphanage. Someone asks this billionaire why he spends all that money, yet has done nothing for his orphaned niece. He feels this ' _sentap_ ' at the question, then adopts the niece soon after.   2. An award winning pharmacist has made a few millions by overcharging for patented medicine. Someone tells her that she has become rich with her methods, but has never helped the poor people who died without the medicine. She feels ' _sentap_ ' at the question, and chooses to donate a portion of her profits to the poor. Is there an English word catches that brief shock and surprise before remorse? It's not necessarily guilt or shame. It can be something like sadness upon realizing something, which the person might have denied earlier or simply never noticed. `Realization` doesn't seem to be the ideal term as it doesn't catch the remorse later on. Fridge Horror comes close, but is more suited to horror rather than remorse.


What can a man that owns land for agriculture be called without using "farmer"?

Does anybody know?


Can I ask a question?

Does it have the phrase: > be independent from sb I've looked for some documents but I couldn't find it.   Is there anyone who can help me ?


What is correct between the two sentences?

Consider these two versions: >   1. You can live peacefully without your wants, but your life can be > miserable with all your wants within your reach. > >   2. You can live peacefully without your wants, but your life can be > miserable with all your wants **are** within your reach. > > I am confused whether to include the linking verb _are_.


ebike or e-bike? Which one is correct?

Is it ebike or e-bike? I originally thought it is e-bike, but read on a different discussion that it is ebike rather than e-bike. Thank you.


Origin of "scumbag"

A phrase I sometimes hear from one of my colleagues is _scumbag_ or _scumbags_ :   * Where does this phrase come from?   * How old is it?   * Is its usage still a common occurrence?


Are two or more clusters of ivy considered “ivy” or “ivies”?

When referring to two or more clusters of ivy, is it _ivy_ , _ivies_ , or something else entirely?


Does "needless to say" convey to the reader that he is ignorant?

Isn't the term a bit condescending?


Is there such a word as "semiproduct"?

This question is related to industry and manufacturing. I'm wondering if there is a word "semiproduct". We use it to describe a piece of material - for example steel sheet, pipe, elbow, dome, U-profile, … that could is not a product itself, but will be later used in the manufacturing process. But it's not raw material either, it's something in between. Is there a ~~better~~ correct word that would collectively describe these things?


Is "stationery" the name of the store that sells pens, pencils, paper, school things, etc.?

In Brazil we call this store by the generic name of _papelaria_ , something like "paper store". What is the correct name for this? Is "Stationery" the name in any country that speaks English? I read about it in Wikipedia, but I am still not sure.


Name of the object to be paired against

If I have a single object (example: the Ace of Spades) and a list of objects (example: A full deck of cards) which I would then attempt to match against the singular object, like in the game of snap. What would I call the list of objects I'd be matching against? Suitors works, in the context of dating, but I am looking for a more general term.


"Cuddle", "snuggle" or "huggle"

There is a ton of words with similar, yet slightly different meaning that describe this kind of physical affection where we touch a loved one. What is the difference between _cuddle_ , _snuggle_ and _huggle_? What else is commonly used in this context?


What's the meaning of 'sheer' in this context?

> The success of the Android platform is being driven by the **sheer** number > of hardware vendors supporting it at both the high and low ends of the > market


Fun and enjoyable ways to practice pronunciation?

English is not my native language and I'm really proud of being able to write it quite well. I have lots of problems with pronunciation though. In Finnish most words are pronounced the same as they are written and I've made a huge mistake by learning only how the words are written. I've now decided to become at least average speaker. I'd like hear to better/more enjoyable ways to practice pronunciation than violently forcing my friends to speak English with me.


What is the meaning of 'compel'?

I am reading a book and found a sentence which wasn't able to understand: > The Pensées is simply the compelling "Thoughts" of mathematician, physicist, > and religious thinker Blaise Pascal. To **compel** means to force. But I was thinking, is that what it really means in this sentence?


English word for the comma between three digits

The common number formatting convention uses a decimal point between the integer part and the fraction, and a comma between every three digits of the number:               1000000      -> 1,000,000     12345 + 1/5  -> 12,345.2      The `.` is referred to as _Decimal Point_. Is there an English word for the comma separating every three integer digits?


Attributive or Possessive noun

In the following is it better to use a possessive noun with an apostrophe or an attributive noun without an apostrophe? > The following list details the assumptions that have been made in > conjunction with _Company’s_ staff. Or > The following list details the assumptions that have been made in > conjunction with _Company_ staff. Assume _Company_ is the name of a company, such as Dell.


Origin of "suit yourself"

The young daughter of a friend of mine said, "I think 'suit yourself' comes from a lazy tailor," which cracked us up. It also got me wondering. I did the obligatory google search and came up with lots of discussions as to its meaning (even though the search was on 'history of..' or 'origins of...'). Even on our lovely Stack Exchange we have a great discussion about meaning. Anyone know where/how it originated? If not, I'm going to endorse the 'lazy tailor' story just because it tickles my funny bone.


How to reverse sentence so that their subjects and verbs agree?

How do you reverse the following sentence so that the subject agree with their verb............? >   * The president as well as his assistant have declined every comment. > >   * The government’s reason for this events are unclear. > >


Noun describing one who "acts on emotion primally"?

I’m looking for a noun to describe someone who “acts on emotion primally”, or something similar. To clarify, I’m trying to make a point about how the fanaticism of tech- fetishes (iPhone fanboyism and the like) causes people to forgo rational, sometimes even calculated, intelligent responses to criticism. Instead, people lose themselves in irrational, primal competitiveness and negativity; responses near involuntariness and waste potential value. If any further context is desired, please let me know. I think the closest word I’ve come to is _primal_ , but I’d really like a noun and I’m not sure _primal_ is as precise as it could be anyway. **Bonus:** If you have a good antonym for the word that describes what I’m trying to say (so it’s more along the lines of what I mentioned as _rational, calculated, intelligent_ ) I’d love to hear it.


Usage of the word "behoove"

If I use the word _behoove_ in this sentence: > I am sure I am behooved to the university's requirements with right goal. Does it make sense?


British English equivalent of American English Internship

I've been trying to think of a good British English term for a _summer job_ , the equivalent of American English _Internship_. I'm sure that when I've worked with students my company had hired over the summer holidays, we used to the the term _studentship_ , but researching a little further this seems to more correctly apply to a _PhD scholarship_ in British English parlance. I'm not specifically looking for a term which has connotations of either paid or unpaid work, but if the term has one of those connotations it would be useful for it to be mentioned. Incidentally, it was my understanding that in American English, _internship_ implied _unpaid_ , but could nevertheless be qualified with either _paid_ or _unpaid_. As @Martha points out however, it seems that _limited duration_ is a more appropriate qualifier for the word.


Reported speech, question in a conditional sentence

I've been struggling with this exercise: "Let's drive on to the next village and try the hotel there," he said. **"But what'll we do if that's full too?" I said.** "We'll just have to sleep in the car," he said, "it will be too late to try anywhere else." I have to report this paragraph due tomorrow using verbs that are not _ask_ , _say_ or _tell_. I began like this: He suggested driving on to the next village and trying the hotel there. -- I now don't know how to start the next sentence. This is my try: I wondered (/questioned) what we would do if that was full too. Continuing -- He replied that we would just have to sleep in the car, and added that it would be too late to try anywhere else. Thank you for answers. Also, I wanted to know how to "backshift": tomorrow, next day, and following day. I know tomorrow has to be converted into the next day, and next day has to be converted into the following day; what to convert the following day into? Same as the above, do I have to convert 'in the morning' to anything? My best guess would be 'in that morning'. Is this true? Thank you in advance.


Meaning of headline "Goldman Stunned by Op-Ed Loses $2.2 Billion for Shareholders"

What does this headline mean? > Goldman Stunned by Op-Ed Loses $2.2 Billion for Shareholders I am not sure what "Op-Ed loses" means in this context.


Let Ω be a domain in/of Rⁿ

What is the correct preposition in the sentence: **Let Ω be a domain in/of Rⁿ.** Is there a different meaning for "in" and "of"? Both seem to be commonly used, Google gives about 200.000 hits for both, "domain in RN" and "domain of RN". _(Disclaimer: I'm a non-native speaker)_


How should one pronounce "Brichester"?

I know that there is this issue where _Worcestershire_ and _Leicester_ are pronounced as "Wustersher" and "Lester", so I wonder how _Brichester_ is pronounced. Also, is there any special rule which could help in getting the pronunciation right or is it just a thing you have to learn by heart?


Can you use "whereas" as a substitute for "because"?

I always use "whereas" as a substitute for "because".


Can I use "contend" without a preposition?

> On the one hand, recent advances in the power of computers have been decried > as the nemesis of whatever vestiges of our privacy still survive. On the > other, the Internet is acclaimed as a Utopia. When **clichés contend** , it > is imprudent to expect sensible resolutions of the problems they embody, but > between these two exaggerated claims, something resembling the truth > probably resides. There's no clause after contend here, so definition 1 must be the only choice. Yet no preposition exists after **contend** here, so it exceeds the dictionary? Is this an appropriate use of "contend"? Does "contend" always need a preposition? Source: P136, Law, Raymond Wacks