"for the stakes were very high" meaning

I would need to understand the following: > They tried very hard to mislead the interviewer, for the stakes were very > high. What is the meaning of the second part of the sentence?


"while at the same time" + -ing form?

In following sentence, I'm not sure if I have to use the -ing form or the infinitive. > I wanted to get rid of X, while at the same time not assuming/ assume > that... The -ing form sounds better, but the infinitive doesn't sound too wrong either. Which one should I prefer?


Word or phrase for wanting hidden parts of construction to be orderly

My mother used to do a lot of needlepoint. The front of the needlepoint is what people look at, so how the reverse looks is usually not very important. However, she told me that some needlepointers were so careful that it was hard to tell the front from the back. I sometimes find myself doing something similar with coding: obsessing over the layout and look of the source code even though no one but myself is ever going to see the source. Is there a word or phrase that describes this? Something meaning "wanting the the hidden portions of construction to look as good as the visible ones"? Of course, there are often practical reasons why this state might be desirable: the more orderly computer code is, the easier it is to debug and maintain. Similarly, there might be times when the front and back of something are visible. But I am interested in the case where the back or inside is _not_ visible but you want to make it look nice anyway.


Translation of Soccer term: disarm

I'm looking for the translation of the soccer term that in Portuguese we use as "disarm". It is the action of taking the ball from the opponent player or when the player with the ball attempts to trick the opponent and loses the ball.


Should "the" ever be dropped from the beginning of a name/title?

Imagine two places exist, both called The Haunted Forest. How would I specify which forest is being referred? Would one say the northernmost Haunted Forest, or the northernmost The Haunted Forest? If _the_ is dropped, what is the rule that makes it appropriate to do so, and would it be any different if instead of a place, I referred to, for example, a book title?


Why would you call "before" a preposition when it precedes a clause?

I'm new here & don't know all the etiquette & ins & outs, but I have a question about something posted in another thread. > Modern grammar, however, recognises that prepositions can take many > different types of complement, or may take none at all. In the following > examples we see prepositions which are taking different types of complement. > > Let’s meet before the concert starts. > > Let’s meet after the concert. > > Take it out of the box. > > I’ve never seen this before. If you call "before" in "before the concert starts" is a preposition, what would you call "although" in "Although he didn't know the answer, he raised his hand"? I've been running "although" through my head, & I can't come up with an instance where it could precede a noun phrase. I'd call both "before" (as it's used here) & "although" subordinating conjunctions. If you don't call "before" a subordinating conjunction, what ties the two clauses ("Let's meet" & "the concert starts") together? If you tell me there's an understood "that," I hope you also tell me you're coming from a transformational grammar point of view. I'm old school & have hated transformational grammar since the day I met it! (Also, I'd call the last use of "before" an adverb, but calling it an objectless preposition doesn't bother me nearly as much as calling the other one a preposition.)


Not being able to differentiate between two related but exclusive words?

Is there a term to describe someone that doesn't seem able to differentiate between two words such as "racial" or "racist"? I mean beyond simply overlooking it. Like, you could try to explain the difference but then they just get mad at you. I was thinking stubborn and ignorant, but I feel like there's a more accurate term.


Word that describes exploration coupled with transformation?

Is there a verb that combines the sense of explore as well as transforming that which you are exploring? For instance, if I want to describe an explorer who also changed the lands he visited, is there a way to combine that into a single word? The closest I can think of is 'plunder' or perhaps 'raid', but they have negative connotations, and imply taking what isn't yours. I want one that is morally neutral. The word 'quarry' is close, but again implies taking things. But what I want is more general, that could apply to Johnny Appleseed (who made the world better), but also to a marauder who takes things.


Does it make sense to apply the quality of "Identicality" to one or multiple objects?

I'm writing a script which involves the comparison of two objects. I keep finding myself referring to this sort of test as an "identicality" check. From my preliminary research, "identicality" does not seem to qualify as a word. Also, the more I think about it, the less sense it makes to me. A single object should not be able to posses the quality of "identicality", since it requires that a second object exists for comparison, yet makes no reference to said object. Does it make any sense to refer to the "identicality" of two objects? Should it instead be "identicalness", if that makes any more sense? I'm not sure if "identicality", or even "identicalness" is etymologically sound either, or if it is just my mind kludging things together.


"gone flow by"-Is this phrase correct?

"gone flow by". What are the problems in it?


Is “get somebody off the couch” a well-established idiom?

I found the phrase, “ _get (sb.) off the couch_ ” in the headline of the article of Time.com (June 24) and also in a caption of YouTube. Each reads:   * Jobless graduates: Six ways to _get your kid off the couch_ , into a good job. – Time.com    * At eDiets Live Jillian Michaels speaks to a woman on how to _get off the couch_. – YouTube. From the context of the lines, I can easily guess it means to let someone rise up from the couch to start to do something or to work, but I don’t find “ _get off the couch_ ” as an idiom in dictionaries at hand, neither in Free Merriam Webster nor Cambridge Dictionary online. Is this well-received idiom? Did it come from a title of song?


Uncertain whether pirate talk be authentically or mockingly archaic

@ZhanlongZheng asked the following question on ELL: > > Barbosa: I defended her mightily enough, but she **be** sunk nonetheless. >> >> Jack Sparrow: If that ship **be** sunk properly, you should be sunk with it. >> >> — _Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides_ > > I don't understand why **be** is used here twice. Is it archaic? Why use > this form? I think that the second instance of _be_ could be present subjunctive in the third person, with the subjunctive being appropriate due to it being in a conditional clause. I'm less sure about the first instance. No doubt, use of the subjunctive has fallen out of favor, and nobody talks like that today. However, I'd like to know, were these conjugations of _be_ ever considered proper archaic English, or are they strictly pirate talk invented by Disney screenwriters?


"for X to debate Y" or "for X to debate with Y"

I posted the following on Facebook earlier today: > For a moment, I thought that Newsnight had arranged for Zizek to debate > Farage. only for a friend to reply "debate **with** , surely?". Is this something I've picked up from American English (I'm British), is either form acceptable or is what I've written just plain wrong? I've tried a couple of online style guides, but none of them had anything to say on the matter. Thanks!


Orc vs Ork: What's the difference?

I'm hoping for clarification on some fantasy-based terminology. I've read a number of websites that refer both to "orcs" and"orks", occasionally in the same sentence! Previously, I had only ever seen the term "orc" in fantasy writing. From what limited information on the topic I've been able to find, "orks" seems to be a term for an orc-like creature in the Warhammer 40K series. What I want to know is does the term "ork" apply exclusively to the character in the Warhammer 40K universe or does it also represent something else? Can "ork" and "orc" be used interchangeably? If does only apply to Warhammer, should it be considered a proper noun and capitalized at all times?


What is the standard of proof in etymology?

In this question the idea I put forward as a possible etymology for "ta" garnered the response that it is a well known _false_ etymology for the word. That got me to wondering - being strictly a dabbler in matters of language - how are things proven or disproven in a field as fluid as the study of the origins and history of words and terminology? What tools does a linguist have at their disposal to trace words back and how are they applied?


Etymology for the phrase, "on a lark."

What is the etymology for the phrase, "on a lark" or "for a lark?"


Usage of "being" in "I am always afraid of being bitten"

Does anybody know what 'being' means in the below statement? > I don't like dogs. I am always afraid of being bitten. Why is _being_ used in this statement? It looks like a passive statement, but if it is, it shouldn't start with the subject, but rather be _object + verb + past participle_. But here it starts with the subject _I_. Please advise.


Word to describe something similar to a crook?

Imagine someone that parades around under fake identities on an internet game, breaking the rules of the game but never getting caught. Using his self-made tools only for himself and perhaps to help others for merely information exchange. He never shares his tools with others, but uses them on others to help, rarely. He's humble and doesn't rise to the top from his tools and forever seeks others who does what he does. How would you describe this person?


"Deployed to" vs "deployed on"

Which one of the following statements is correct: >   1. I deployed something to the test server. >   2. I deployed something on the test server. >


Is "to [verb] will [verb]" a complete statement?

Let's have, for example, the following phrase. > To create fancy product will require more effort. Is it a grammatically complete and correct sentence?


Compil[e/er/ation] Error

Which one should I use of the following: > Compile Error > > Compiler Error > > Compilation Error I think the "Compilation Error" is way too long for everyday use, even though it's the "correct" term. So, which one?


Inversion in English

Is it correct to invert the subordinate sentence in English? For instance: > When the time comes, so shall we reign the land! If it is correct, what is the rule? Or is it only in old English?


"Alligator pear" and "sparrow grass" for "avocado" and "asparagus"

Do "sparrow grass" and "alligator pear" have any currency in spoken AE, or are these terms chiefly dialectal?


Is the "by" correct in "makes no claims by writing them"?

Is it correct to use the preposition "by" in such a context: > If within this period Mr X makes no claims on the work quality **by** > writing them in the certificate, then ... I meant that Mr X can write all the claims in the certificate within the given period of time.


What is a word or expression to describe anxiety about the passing of time?

What is a word or expression to describe a feeling of anxiety about the passing of time? I am not referring to boredom which refers to not having anything to do or being dissatisfied with what I'm doing and wanting to do something else. I am referring to the feeling I get when I contemplate that time has passed by, or that time is passing by.


As a foreiner, I have been confused with such a simple question: How to pronounce "80x86", "Linux 2.6", and "Figure 3-1"? Thanks in advance.


"What tools is everybody using?" or "What tools are everybody using?"

I often see "What tools is/are everybody using?" and other sentences of same form used with both is and are. Which one is the correct way to write the question? > What tools is everybody using? > > What tools are everybody using?


Is there a "quarter" equivalent for something divided in 9 pieces?

Something is divided in four pieces. One piece is called a fourth or a quarter. Something is divided in nine pieces. One is piece is called a ninth or a... What is the 'quarter' equivalent for something divided by nine?


Substituting "comes to" with "expresses as/as to" for equivalence

Ex. "passing the exam can be expressed **as to** get high marks above ten". I wanted to say "passing the exam comes to get high marks above ten" Is this sentence correct? How to use "expresses..as" in such a scenario please?


what is the word for person who always helps family but never helps friends?

I know one guy who always helps his own family and relatives but he never ever helps his friends. How to call that person ?


"Entertain of" - June 12th 1799 Letter by John Marshall

> ... Virginia has sustaind a very serious loss which all good men will long > lament, in the death of Mr Henry. He is said to have expird on thursday > last. The intelligence is not absolutely certain but scarcely a hope is > **entertaind of** its untruth. With the most respectful attachment I remain > Sir your obedt Servt ... (Source) Could someone please explicate **entertain[e]d of**? My guess would be:   "a hope is scarcely **entertain[e]d** _due to/owing to_ its untruth". I appealed to these websites for an archaic definition. Howbeit, thefreedioctionary.com may be dubitable:   http://www.oxforddictionaries.com   Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary   http://www.thefreedictionary.com * * * Addition on Nov 1st: I thought to afford some instantiations of "scarcely entertain a hope of" which had perplexed me before Andrew Leach's sterling answer: Google Books, Example 1, Example 2.


Is saying "candor and honesty" grammatically correct?

I recently read the sentence > Thank you for your **candor** and **honesty**. Is that grammatically correct? To me it seems redundant as _candor_ is a synonym for _honesty_. Does _candor_ have other meanings that would not make it redundant in this sentence?


Do I need "have" here?

> Was it specifically mentioned as part of their teaching or they **have** > just happened not to have killed anyone? Do I need **have** there?


What is the word for a plant covered in fine white hairs?

There are some plants whose leaves and stems are not the usual glossy green, but which are covered in very fine white hairs, or white fuzz. One example I have right now in my kitchen would be sage. ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/DLPDk.jpg) I am sure that there is a word in the English language which describes the appearance of such plants (not just fuzzy plants, but specifically ones covered in white fuzz). But I don't remember the word. Does someone know it?


Are "zugzwang", "catch-22" and "catch-33" synonyms?

Are these words synonyms? > zugzwang -- a situation where one player is put at a disadvantage because he > has to make a move when he would prefer to pass and make no move > > catch-22 -- a logical paradox arising from a situation in which an > individual needs something that can only be acquired by not being in that > very situation > > catch-33 -- the fifth full-length studio album by Swedish metal band > Meshuggah


What is the origin of "33" in "catch-33"?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catch_Thirtythree explains: > Lyrically, the album is a concept album, revolving around different kinds of > paradoxes, hence the title Catch Thirtythree (see Catch-22). I cannot understand the derivation of 33 from 22. Can someone explain it to me?


Hypernym for "Denial"?

Dictionary defines _denial_ in a few senses, the ones I'm interested in are: >   * refusal to believe a doctrine, theory, or the like. >   * disbelief in the existence or reality of a thing. >   * refusal to recognize or acknowledge. > In particular, I mean unreasonable disbelief in reality of a thing which is definitely, objectively real. Now, I want to say: > Denial is a horrible [what?] trait of character? (not really, it's specific, not encompassing whole personality) vice? (same) belief? idea? (no, it's a property of a belief or idea...) How would you classify it?


Can you spot whether this is written by a native English speaker or not?

"An effective project plan can boost the success of the project being undertaken. It measures the project’s feasibility and assesses the risk associated. The plan helps weigh the decisions that are required to increase the pace and accuracy of the scheme. Good communication skills encourage the development team as they are able to clarify the requirements, budget and time with the client. Discussions on specifications allow the project to be completed successfully, as it meets the objectives within the given time and budget. Communications within the project team influence the quality of the final product, as better methods are utilized if the team members can communicate effectively. Miscommunication can cause misinterpretations which end up affecting the entire project. "


What does “Sautéed” mean in “Someone who has not sautéed in a subject”?

Maureen Dowd article titled, “Neocons Slither Back” in September 15 New York Times begins with the following sentence: > “Paul Ryan _has not sautéed_ in foreign policy in his years on Capitol Hill. > The 42-year-old congressman is no Middle East savant; till now, his idea of > a border dispute has more likely involved Wisconsin and Illinois.” I guess “ _sautéed_ ” in the line of “Paul Ryan has not sautéed in foreign policy in his years on Capitol Hill” either “seasoned / well-trained /well- experienced” in the subject (foreign policy) or “being grilled on the specific issue,” but I’m not sure. Cambridge online Dictionary defines ‘sauté’ as verb meaning ‘to cook food in oil or fat over heat, usually until it is brown.’ Oxford Online Dictionary defines it as verb meaning ‘to fry quickly in a little hot fat: and adjective meaning ‘fried quickly in a little hot fat’. OAELD defines it as verb meaning ‘to fry food quickly in a little hot fat, and adjective that is only used before noun. None of the above definitions seems to match Maureen Dawd’s usage of “sautéed” in the above quote. What does “Paul Ryan has not sautéed in foreign policy in his career” mean? Is this again Maureen Dawd’s favorite, quirky diversion of a plain cooking word for an irrelevant subject, or just an ordinary usage of “sauté” in your day-to-day conversation? If it is the latter, can I say “He has sautéed in the medieval English literature, (Hollywood movie, or topics of American football)”?


Implication of "there has to be a conspiracy"

I wonder what it means by "there has to be a larger and larger conspiracy among something or somebody to do something"? What is the implication? Does it imply that "something or somebody to do something" is unlikely to happen, because the only explanation for it is a conspiracy? For example, > there has to be a larger and larger conspiracy, as it were, among the > samples to keep deviating from the expectation in the same way


A word to describe having good command of the English language?

Is there a word to describe having good command of the English language? The kind of word that could be listed as an attribute?


Is "can't" a euphemism or is it ambiguous?

People often say **can't** to mean **won't**. I am not referring to lying, but in cases where it is very clear to the listener that the speaker intends to mean **won't**. For example: _I can't continue in this relationship._ Similarly, people often use **can't** to mean _You should not_ or _I will not allow you to_. For example: _You can't embarrass me in public_. Is this simply a case where **can't** is being used as a euphemism? Or is there some subtle ambiguity in the actual meaning of the word **can / can't**?


Why do we say "... by [date/time]"?

What's the origin of the use of **by** to indicate _at/on or before_ or _no(t) later than_? Examples: > Best if used by 8/24/2011. > I'll be there by 6:30.


Why does the 3rd-person of verbs that end in -y follow the rule for plural nouns instead of verbs?

I don’t understand why the 3rd-person of verbs that end in -y such as _cry_ , _try_ , or _fly_ follow the rule for pluralizing nouns like _fly_. Why do they become _cries_ , _tries_ , and _flies_ instead of _crys_ , _trys_ , and _flys_? This makes no sense because we are not talking about plurals, or even nouns. Plus, this form is not consistent with the 3rd-person form of other verbs like _jump_ -> _jumps_ or _eat_ -> _eats_. Is there any _rational_ reason for this or is it simply yet another example of arbitrary and inconsistent English grammar?


"In appropriate time" or "In THE appropriate time"?

Which one is correct ? I mean should we use "THE" between "in" and "appropriate" or not ?


What do I do when I hear 'Say cheese!'?

Photographers seems to love to say this. Is this still considered funny?


Meaning of 'authenticity'

> As I am dubious of your authenticity here (a mailing list), I cannot spend > any time with you Is he dubious that I'm not a real user or I'm not a expert?


Is it acceptable to use "google" as a verb?

With the popularity and ubiquity of Google, it has become a verb to describe "searching for something online" and it appears in conversations and informal writing. How can I know if it is acceptable to use "google" in more formal writing?


What's the difference between "title" and "name"?

I'm not sure when it's appropriate to use word "name", and when to use word "title". For example, "file name" feels right, "file title" doesn't; "document name" and "document title" seem interchangeable; "chapter title" and "chapter name" feel both OK, but "chapter title" seems more appropriate. If I want to give some name to a picture, it's "picture title", but if I have a specific group of pictures, I'd say this group has a name ("group name"). So, is there any rule when to use "name" and when to use "title"?


Why (so) sure? vs How (so) sure?

I just answered a question on ELL.SE that made me (and the OP) wonder about something... Consider the following four question responses to these two statements: > 1- "I know I'll marry young." > > 2- "I'm sure I'll die young." > > A. Why sure? > > B. Why so sure? > > C. How sure? > > D. How so sure? My thoughts on the questions themselves:   * B is correct and commonly used, but D is incorrect.   * B and C are both grammatically correct, and both ask about the degree of certainty, but B asks about the reason for this degree of certainty, while C asks about the actual degree of certainty (and not the reason behind it)   * A is technically correct, but would usually be used as _Why "sure"?_ , and sounds awkward with the meaning of _Why are you sure?_ My thoughts on the questions as they relate to the statements:   * For statement #1, only B is a suitable reply.   * For statement #2, not only B, but also C and a modified A (Why 'sure'?) are suitable replies. My questions...   1. Why is "Why so sure?" correct, but "How so sure?" incorrect? Is it just a matter of fixed expressions, or is there another underlying reason?   2. Why is "How sure?" correct, but "Why sure?" (without the quotations around _sure_ ) sounds incomplete?


What's the difference between "the one thing" and "the thing"?

Could anyone help to tell the difference between these two sentences: "That's the thing I want to do" and "That's the one thing I want to do" Thanks


Single word for delaying a decision with only one option?

Can anyone tell me a **single** word that describes delaying a decision, although there is only one option?


Proper usage of "known entity"?

Is the sentence below correct? > I'd like to become a known entity with decision makers in our organization.


What's the term for an unsecured wifi network that requires logging in through a browser?

Is there a name for the kind of wifi network that is **open** (doesn't have WEP or WPA protection or whatever; you can connect to it freely), but which requires you to log in (through a local web page) before you can use the internet? This is the kind of set-up used in a lot of airports, cafés, and on my company's "guest" wifi network (for visitors). Is there a short name for it?


How, or where, did "Ye God" become "egad"?

Looking up the etymology of 'egad' I saw that it is an archaic, euphemistic form of 'O God' or 'Ye God.' I assume this was a one off evolution, and the 'how' was some idiosyncratic shift in the interjection (if it is specifically known how it happened please include in your answer.) Did this 'egad' catch on in a certain region for some reason, leading it to become more popular? Was it used in some popular form that helped it catch on?


Is it right using this expression "I am there at home"?

I realized that I use expressions like this a lot, > I am there at home. instead of > I am at home. Is it right? And if so then what is the difference between the two? The word "there" in the first expression looks redundant.


Can I use "adjournment" as antonym of "inauguration", is there a word for "last time use"?

I would like to know if there is an antonym to inauguration? By inauguration I mean "first time use of". I googled this and thesaurus provided me with "adjournment". Can I use it in the following sense? > Fifteen years ago I was treated to the inaugural dream journey provided by > my bed.   >  Tonight I sleep once again in my bed, it will be its adjournment. (last > time used) If this is correct can I then use "adjournal" as in "the adjournal dream journey"? There is no more context than this really, I just stumbled upon this line of thought as I am moving abroad soon and it is the adjournment(?) for many of my belongings. So it is simply a question to better my English. :)


Do "hull" and "full" rhyme?— rules for "short U" sounds before L

I grew up speaking a variety of American English that merges the "short U" sounds before L. The "short U" sounds are the vowels in the words STRUT and FOOT. For me, before an L sound, all words have the vowel from FOOT—that is, for me _bull_ , _full_ , and _pull_ rhyme with _dull_ , _gull_ , and _null_. According to Wikipedia, _The Atlas of North American English_ mentions this as one of four mergers before /l/ that may be under way in some accents of North American English, and which require more study. So this merger is known to exist, but it is not well understood the range and extent of the merger. Regardless, I'd like to have a full grasp of standard American English, so I have set to the task of memorizing which -UL- words have the STRUT vowel (which I always pronounced with the FOOT vowel). Are there a set of rules I can use to predict if a "short U followed by L" word will have the STRUT vowel?


What is the correct capitalization of the words earth and moon?

I believe that Earth means planet and earth means soil. But I've seen earth used in published works to mean the planet earth. But no one writes jupiter. Similarly, Moon should mean the name of Earth's moon and lower case moon means the general category. This one is more complicated because I've read that the name of Earth's moon is Luna. Except no one calls it that. We don't say "Neil Armstrong was the first man on Luna." Am I correct or is this a matter of convention?


Can "texting" include emails?

Texting is a word for sending a text message via the Short Message Service (SMS) and available in cell phone services now, distinguished from email. But I would like to know how strictly you use those words. When you are asked to text a message, should it mean strictly texting via SMS? When you say to someone "text a message", do you expect only texting via SMS or either way-- texting or emailing?


Is there a word for the talking an artist does between songs?

I am looking for a word which describes the talking an artist does between songs in a live performance. The word "intermission" is close, but I think that it has the connotation of a longer break, possibly with the artist doing nothing (on stage). Another word that comes to mind is "patter", but this word can also mean something like "glib talking", rather than the talk between songs.


What is the vapour coming out from the mouth called?

In cold weather, we get water vapour coming out of the mouth as we breathe. What is that called?


What word describes the shape of a whirlwind when seen from above?   * Swirl    * Whorl    * Radial  > The shape they make when seen from above resembles a radial pattern or even > a whorl.


Why is "till" used in this expression: "If we don't leave till after lunch..."?

> If we don't leave till after lunch we'll be cutting it very fine. I understand it to mean: "If we don't leave after lunch, we'll be cutting it very fine." (In the event of our not leaving immediately after lunch, we will leave ourselves just enough time to do something.) But why is _till_ in that position?


Are sneer quotes the same exact thing as scare quotes? I believe they're synonymous but am unsure.


Can a gerund be modified by an adjective?

Is the sentence below grammatically correct? > Good writing requires hard work. Or should it read: > Writing well requires hard work. Can a gerund be modified by an adjective or must it be modified necessarily by an adverb? If it can be modified by an adjective, when you diagram it, would the _good_ come off of the word _writing_ on the stilt, or would it go below the regular baseline?


Why is "rollback it" incorrect?

I recently wrote the following sentence: > Please roll it back. But if I were to describe the action on its own I would say: > This rollback was due to objections by the original author. If I want to use "rollback" as a verb I have to split it up with an "it". My best guess is that "rollback" seems to be a compound noun birthed from a verb+adverb but we never got a verb compound form. Thus, the following is still incorrect: > Please rollback it. Is there a term to describe the specific pair of "roll" and "back"? Describing this specific action will _always_ need both words and the action itself now has an appropriate noun. But where did the combined verb form go?


Is “reach out and touch” an idiom?

Is “reach out and touch” an idiomatic expression? > The manual for the console versions describe him as “half unfeeling machine, > half raging horned devil. This walking nightmare has a rocket launcher for > an arm and will definitely reach out and touch you.” from Wikipedia quoting NOW Gamer. It can also be found in the Depeche Mode song “Tainted Love”.


Difference between 'haven't ...yet' and 'didn't.... yet'

I was wondering what the difference was between a sentence with _have_ and one with _do_. For example this one: >   * They haven't started yet. >   * They didn't start yet. > Is there a difference?  When would one use the first or the latter?


What are rules on 'so that' vs. 'such that'?

When I want to emphasize a result or aim, I use a phrase with 'so that'. Other authors use 'such that'. I wonder if there are any rules or if both can be used interchangeably. For example > Experts from different backgrounds are invited so that diverse opinions can > be heard. vs. > Experts from different backgrounds are invited such that diverse opinions > can be heard.


Ways to ensure the interlocutor understands you

What are the best ways to ask an interlocutor whether he understands you in different circumstances (formal conversation, informal talk)? What are the best ways to answer such questions meaning "I understand," "I understand and agree," and "I don't understand"? What are the best ways to let the speaker know that you understand him and/or agree , or you don't understand when you were not asked?


What is a specific word for "loving a friend"?

In Italian, "to love someone" has two translations:   * _amare qualcuno_ , meaning "to desire a romantic relationship with someone";   * _voler bene a qualcuno_ , meaning "to care for someone" (literally: "to wish for someone's good") - for example, " _to love_ a friend" is translated as " _voler bene a_ un amico". I don't know of any word in English which is as strong as "to love", yet cannot be misunderstood for interest in a romantic relationship. Is there such a phrase? So far, the best I came up with is "to care for someone", but it doesn't express the same strength, so to speak, as "to love [a friend]".


Birth of the word "tonite" and its popularity

Watching an old film dating back in the 1930s, I came across the word _tonite_ , the wrong and more phonetic-like variant of "tonight" (it was written on the advertising poster of a night-club). When was this variant first used? Is this word commonly used in American or British English?


How is the noun 'mosaic' being used in this sentence?

If a landscape is described as ''a 'mosaic' of fields, heathland, villages and hills'', how is 'mosaic' being used here? Adjective? Collective noun?


Is there a word or phrase (other than euphemism/innuendo) for using one word/phrase to mean another?

Recently, on an episode of a TV series I watch, one of the female characters asks a male character, "Do you want some bourbon?", when what she means is, "Do you want to have sex with me?". Is there another word/phrase (other than euphemism/innuendo) to describe her question (preferably one not limited to the particular context of sex)? Edit: "coffee" could also have worked in the character's sentence.


When speaking of age 13 and over, is it 12+ or 13+?

When you take into account all ages above a certain age, what is the correct way to write it? I was supposed to write all ages above 12, and not including 12, so I wrote '13+', which in my mind seemed to mean '13 and plus'/'13 and above'. Someone told me it's meant to be written as '12+', but to me, this looks as if it's including the age 12 in it. What is the correct way, when talking of all ages above but not including 12, to write it: 12+ or 13+?


"For IE (to) render them"

Which sentence is correct? > I just put ` ` in the empty elements for IE **to render** them. > > I just put ` ` in the empty elements for IE **render** them. The render will be processed by IE and not me, so putting ` ` will make IE render elements.


The <noun> of <noun>

I wonder about the `the <noun> of <noun>` template. For example, `the customers of a movie theater` or `the possessor of a car`. The question is "Is it a stable rule in English to put "the" before the first noun in this template?" Are there other instances of using this template, but without "the". I often use the structure "`It is the <noun> of <noun>`." For example, "It is the case of a cruel corruption." I have the same questions for this template.


Idiomatic expression for "moving away" from a subject

I am in a meeting with a lot of people but the person who is speaking is not focusing on the subject, that person is somehow "moving away" from what is really important. Is there any expression for that mirrors that situation or any other words I can use to talk about it ?


Pathfinding, path-finding or path finding?

I'm writing my thesis about finding paths in certain graphs but have run into a spelling problem... Is the correct word "pathfinding", "path finding" or "path-finding"? My spellcheck does not think "pathfinding" is correct and suggests "path finding" or "path-finding" (however the wikipedia article on the subject is called "pathfinding"...). I can't find any definite source on which spelling is to be preferred?


How did "hearties" come to mean "shipmates"?

Typically I find _hearty_ to be used as an adjective, for example:   * Thank you for this _hearty_ meal   * He gave a _hearty_ laugh The definition for which can be found in any dictionary and can mean things like _warm-hearted_ , _genuine_ , _forceful_ , etc. The noun meaning being > a brave or good fellow, especially with reference to a shipmate. I couldn't find any reason why it should be **especially** applied to men of the sea. Is there a reason why, for pirates in particular, shipmates are hearties?


What does "up she rises" mean in the sea shanty "Drunken Sailor"?

It's early in the morning, so perhaps the sailor in question is rousing from his drunken stupor. But sailors were traditionally all men, so why "up _she_ rises"? Is the sailor being mocked, or does it refer to something else entirely? > What'll we do with a drunken sailor,   >  Earl-aye in the morning? Chorus: > Weigh heigh and up she rises   >  Earl-aye in the morning An additional gold doubloon will be awarded for an explanation of the odd pronunciation of early (earl-aye /ˈɜːlaɪ/).


Is there an alternative to "that much less"?

> The teams weren't fair to begin with, but Jim's injury made them _that much > less fair_. The last part of that sentence feels wrong to me due to the contrast of "much" and "less". Is there perhaps a more natural sounding alternative to convey the same meaning without rephrasing the sentence entirely?


Why is baba ghanouj pronounced with a final "sh" sound?

Baba ghanouj is a delicious Middle Eastern dip made from roast eggplant and garlic. I've found the name spelled a multitude of different ways on the internet, but there are two peculiar things about its pronunciation:   1. The name is always spelled with "j" as the final consonant   2. I've always heard the name pronounced with a final "sh" sound [ʃ] How did this peculiar situation arise? The word is obviously borrowed, though I don't know the source language, yet it seems like any reasonable transliteration would use a symbol other than "j" for [ʃ].


What does "lost sales" mean?

What does "lost sales" mean in the sentence below? > The most important quality cost, lost sales, is often omitted from quality > cost reports.


Nominalizations and the missing "the"

_This guide equips you with a strategy to **ease adoption of** a new technology within your organization._ Assume that I want to keep this noun ( _adoption_ ). Is the article "the" missing here? Should it be _This guide equips you with a strategy to ease **the** adoption of a new technology within your organization_?


Analogy for arising difficulties

I'm looking for a metaphor or analogy for `experiencing more and more difficulties (after getting more familiar with a certain teaching or art)`. I think I have seen a few in the past but I can't think of them right now.


Metonyms in American football: the National Football League

Wikipedia has a great definition of metonymy here, but I have a more specific question. The biggest user of NFL metonyms appears to be Gregg Easterbrook, writer of the Tuesday Morning Quarterback at ESPN.COM. Can I have a list of metonyms used in American Football, particularly the National Football League (NFL)?


How to abbreviate "and other things"?

Which short phrase or abbreviation could I use here to mean _and other things_? > The medulla oblongata controls respiration and cardiovascular rhythm ____. _Etc._ would not fit as it carries the connotation of the continuation being obvious, while the phrase I'm looking for would mean that it was omitted for other reasons, e.g., brevity. The text is intended only for me, but I'd still prefer a phrase or abbreviation that would be recognised by others, too.


Meaning of a saying about the difference between L.A. and New York

What is the meaning of the following? > The difference between L.A. and New York is that in New York when you get > robbed, you see the gun... **UPD:** Below is a part of the original discussion: > We all have been victimized to some extent in this business - it is true > that although producers hold those they hire up to extremely rigorous > professional scrutiny, they reserve judgement upon themselves. In some > sense, I would feel better not working at all, than having to work for > someone who's respect I did not have, and who looks only at what he can get > from me, not what we can create together. I'm sure that whatever the truth > behind that producers decision, you are better off for it. The difference > between L.A. and New York is that in New York when you get robbed, you see > the gun...


What does "crossed signals" mean in this context?

While reading Experts Exchange(EE) Community Newsletter, I came across a new phrase. I'm trying to understand, what does **_crossed signals_** mean in this context? **Excerpt from the Newsletter:** > **This time we mean it:** Call it **_crossed signals_**. _xxxx_ , one of > Experts Exchange's site administrators, was supposed to host a meet-up at > _xxxx_ in Denver last week, but a mix-up in communications forced its > postponement to Thursday, .... If you're so inclined, feel free to come bend > his ear about anything EE; you can RSVP here; the beer is on us. ... ... and finally, what does the sentence "the beer is on us" mean? Complete Newsletter is available here.


"To book" used as "to run"

Is it correct to use the verb _to book_ with the meaning of _to run_? I heard this usage in situations like: > The dog ran out and I booked it after him. or > I was booking it down the hill. I couldn't find any meaning similar to this in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary or others.


Why does "hard cheese" mean "bad luck"?

Particularly in British English, a common saying in response to someone's complaining about something is, "hard cheese". This basically means, "tough luck". How did this expression come about; what is unlucky about hard cheese?


"Thou hast cleft my heart in twain"

"Thou hast cleft my heart in twain" says Gertrude to Hamlet. 'Cleft' is from 'cleave' meaning divide or split. Yet, I often meet constructions such as 'clefts' 'clefted' or 'clefting' in the writings of English native speakers. Has 'cleft' shifted to an infinitive in the modern usage? Or is it likely to? Believe it or not I've also encountered this construction in a newspaper: 'He clefts my heart in twain'. As a nonnative speaker of English I find this confusing. Anyone to shed some light?


A person with poor rational abilities

I want to describe a person in my article with the following characteristics:   * Not good at grasping in studies.   * Doing a poor job just because he fears going out and expanding/trying better jobs. Please suggest a word(s) that would mean both of the above.


One-word nouns for preferred time slots in a timetable

I am developing a timetabling application. We invite constraints or preferences from teachers on what hours they can teach. Constraints can be invited for **time slots** as   1. **Exactly identified slots** — the teacher checks specific hours from a work-week ("hour 2 on Friday")    2. **Abstractly identified slots** — not specific to any particular hour ("in the same day") A constraint is composed of [preference]-[identified slots] such as   * [prefer not to take] [4 slots a day]   * [must take] [hour 2 on friday] * * * What are good terms for _exactly identified slots_ and _abstractly identified slots_? I prefer (one-word) nouns as they are already described by adjectives.


Why does English have so many words when the grammar doesn't allow for concatenating?

In English the words "mathematics professor" are 2: mathematics professor We get 3 meanings from these 2 words: Mathematics, professor and mathematics professor. In Swedish the words are   * matematik    * professor but "mathematics professor" is a 3rd word on its own i.e. matematikprofessor. So in Swedish we have 3 words for 3 meanings while in English the building blocks are just the 2 words. So in this case Swedish has more words than English. But on the whole, English has many more words than Swedish. Why when we in Swedish make new words in a way that English doesn't? Are there so many words in English that simply aren't translated?


What's the etymology of the expression "let it slide?"

Today, my three year old son was doing something he wasn't normally supposed to do but we were letting him get away with it (wearing a backpack to the dinner table). He pointed out that he wasn't supposed to wear it and my wife replied that "today, we're just going to let that slide." Since he's young, the expression (obviously) didn't make sense to him. We explained that it meant that we were going to excuse the infraction today because it wasn't something that was terribly important. He then asked why "let it slide" means that. My wife and I didn't have an answer. So, I'm here. Where does the expression "let it slide" come from? Why does it mean what it means? And so forth?


What is a word that means 'things that have been seen'?

I need a word that means 'things that have been seen'. I'd be happy with a made-up or foreign word, if the meaning is relatively clear to English speakers. For example, using the word 'floop' for now, I would want to be able to say things like: "In the context of movies, my floops include Die Hard, but not Die Hard 4". Or "My floops yesterday included a bald cat".


Terms that representing a filtered tags

On my webpage I'm trying to filter search results, using tags. Very much so like here. Now suppose I have three tags that I've selected. I show three options in the web page.               Option1: Search Results that have **all** three tags.     Option2: Search Results that **any 1** or all of the three tags.     Option3: Search Results that have **NO** tags at all.      The terms I use to represent the above options is simply:               1. Tags     2. Any Tags     3. No Tags.      This is where I think I'm completely wrong in my language usage. Is there anything I can do to improve the above buttons? They don't effectively convey the option they represent. My question is, what else can I use instead of **Tags** , **Any Tags** etc.. Should I be using symbols of some kind?


"Precise" vs. "exact"

Which of the sentences below looks more natural? >   * Question answering systems that appear with the aim of providing > **precise** textual answers. >   * Question answering systems that appear with the aim of providing > **exact** textual answers. >


Is it necessary to use “the” before using verb+“ing” in specific contexts?

I am confused with whether it is necessary to use _the_ before verbs in certain contexts. Like:   1. **The** milking of a cow is not a painful process at all like you think.   2. I am afraid it has never been explained how **the** whole dream-sharing thing works in _Inception_. So in both cases above, can we exclude the _the_ before those verb+ _ing_ constructs?


Storytelling In Simple Present

When telling a story in the present tense, what tense should we use for actions that take place before another action in the story, for example: > The king turns to his wife, who has already had a heart attack, and asks > her...[Present Perfect] > > The king turns to his wife, who had already had a heart attack, and asks > her...[Past Perfect] > > The king turns to his wife, who already had a heart attack, and ask > her...[Simple Past] > > The king turns to his wife, who already has a heart attack, and asks > her...[Present Simple]


What does 'a slither of' mean?

While reading a book, I came across this sentence: > [...], finishing with a slither of lemon tart or apple cake. Looking up the word **slither** I didn't get any satisfying results. On OALD I found the definition of " _to slither_ " which means to move forwards either in a smooth way (to slide) or uncontrolled (to glide). In the given sentence this would only make sense if it's about how smooth this lemon tart goes down the gullet. But I don't think that it is meant like this. Moreover, wouldn't it be " _a slithering lemon tart_ "?! Thinking about the sentence and what it could be I'm assuming that it could mean " _a part of_ ", but I don't find any proof. So, which is the correct meaning of " _a slither of_ " and which words are best synonyms for it?


Can a subordinate clause split subject and verb in the main clause?

E.g. are these correct? >   * Following the rules, **even if** it's difficult, is essential. >   * Following the rules, **although** it's difficult, is essential. >


'The X-ing of Y' vs just 'X-ing Y' : why are both 'the' and 'of' necessary together?

Take the example of > There is very little that a conforming POSIX.1 application can do by > catching, ignoring or masking SIGSYS (From the SIGSYS article) This can be rewritten as > There is very little that a conforming POSIX.1 application can do by **the** > catching, ignoring or masking **of** SIGSYS Both _the_ and _of_ must be added or the sentence becomes ungrammatical. Is there a grammatical explanation for this?


Englishman and British man

Why is it Englishman, Frenchman, etc. (one word) but British man (two words)?


Is 'biasedness' a real word?

I am curious about the usage of word _biasedness_ , I am unable to find it in Oxford's advance learners dictionary but on the internet. When tried to consult some expert, he said that it's a colloquial expression. So my questions is Is there a word _biasedness_ and should we use it?


custom cutting lumber or custom cut lumber or custom lumber cutting

I know custom picking strawberry, to a certain extent, as I think ,is right. I have confirmed it in google. But here comes the problem: when I try to apply the same structure to "customers can cut the lumber the way the want it to be", it goes wrong. Just tracing the structure above, I would say custom cutting lumber, but I found it to be like"custom cut lumber" and "custom lumber cutting".Which is right? so I am badly confused. I think this is a worthy question to be discussed.


What is the difference about two sentences below? 1.Despite a very old medical therapy, acupuncture is called "new age" treatment. 2.Despite being a very old medical therapy, acupuncture is called "new age" treatment. and is number1 incorrect?


Spendthrift vs Thrifty - origins

I have always been curious to understand the origin of these two seemingly similar words. Looking at them for the first time, I thought they were synonyms, but ever since I learnt their meanings, their meanings only serve to confuse me further. Does anybody know how these words came into being, and how they ended up becoming antonyms despite (possibly) stemming from the same word root?


What does "to take someone at face value" mean?

What does this mean? I hear it often, but not sure what its meaning is. I think it means to believe what they are saying without proof.


Difference between "respect of others" and "respect by others"

What is the difference between _respect of others_ and _respect by others_? Is there any rule that applies here?


What is a word to describe blatant praise by a shill?

I'm looking for a word to describe an article published in a newspaper that's written by a shill. Basically a word that describes the article as blatant over the top praise without perspective. I know 'advertorial' might work but I'm looking for an adjective that describes a panegyric that isn't genuine.


What does "blanding" mean?

What does _blanding_ mean in any culture or language?


Meaning of "Zenith"

Looking at the dictionary I found that the world **_zenith_** means **_the point above the observer directly opposite the nadir_**. So what does it mean in the following sentence: > **_At the age of forty-five, with a worldwide reputation and as yet unbroken > string of notable successes to her credit, Carson was the zenith of her > career._**


appropriate usage of the word "Here"

Is it possible to begin a sentence with the word _here_? If so, can anyone please give an example? In a sentence like this one, is the use of _here_ grammatically correct? > Here, first we should know the reason of…


Word-choice question: "His camera accompanied him everywhere/wherever he went in the world."

Which sentence sounds better? Why?   * His camera accompanied him **everywhere** he went in the world.   * His camera accompanied him **wherever** he went in the world.


Do these river names mean anything?

I was planning a little trip the other day when I noticed that a number of rivers in Britain have common names. The ones I spotted were _Avon_ , _Ouse_ and _Esk_. Is there a reason for this? Are these names derived from something?


Using "that" in place of "it" as an object is not always correct. How can I explain why?

A student wrote to me > I'm sorry I was absent for class on Monday. What is the homework? I want to > do that before the next class. I prefer using _it_ to _that_ but am not sure what explanation I should give. Can you help?


Right adjective for an unexpected solution to a math problem

I asked for help about a mathematics problem on M.SE and someone answered with a valid proof resorting to a reasoning I wouldn't have imagined, without giving details about how he got that idea. Is there an adjective or a phrase that qualifies such a proof? To a more general extent, how do you qualify the outcome of an operation (of the mind, or something concrete) that is unexpected but still satisfactory? There's a French phrase for it: _sorti du chapeau_.


African American Vernacular English

I was going through some articles about "African American Vernacular English". Article 1. Article 2. These articles give some examples, but they do not clearly specify hard rules to be followed in AAVE. First of all, I don't even have strong skills in Standard English, so understanding AAVE seems a lot more difficult for me. I did, however, craft a few sentences in both SE and AAVE to validate what understanding I do have. Are the following conversions correct? You don't have to validate each and every item, but rather guide me with rules that I should follow, but didn't, in the following examples.   * What the hell you all are doing here? — What the hell y'all doin' here?   * Hey you! What the hell are you doing man? Stop that nonsense now. Do you get it? — Hey you! What the hell ya doin’ man? Stop that nonsense now. D'ya get it?   * Come on, can't you open your mouths? — Come on, ya can't open your mouths??    * Hey, who's out there? — Hey, who out there?   * I know, you're listening to us — I know, ya listenin’ to us   * Somebody is out there man. — Somebody out there man.   * Wow, it's delicious. — Wow, it delicious.   * Holy crap, who're these people? — Holy crap, who these people?


Is it correct to say "copious amount of"?

Which of the following are correct?   1. I drink copious coffee   2. I drink copious amounts of coffee I frequently hear people say #2 but it doesn't sound right to me (though "a myriad of X" doesn't either).


Use of "pence" to refer to sum of money

I encountered an article on Dictionary.com that says that _pennies_ are not used to refer to a sum of money but rather the coins themselves. It went on to say that the term _pence_ was used to refer to a sum of money. I was rather dubious about this statement, partially because I never heard anybody say _pence_ in my stay in USA. Can anybody back up this fact? I tried to google this, and the only source of information I got (other then UK currencies) that supported this was Wikipedia.


Initials representing a letter instead of a word

Harry Truman's middle initial is rather unique because, unlike most middle initials, it doesn't just represent the first letter of his middle name - it _is_ his middle name. > His parents chose the name Harry after his mother's brother, Harrison > "Harry" Young (1846–1916).[2] They chose "S" as his middle initial to please > both of his grandfathers, Anderson Shipp Truman and Solomon Young. The "S" > did not stand for anything, a common practice among the Scots-Irish. Harry S. Truman - Wikipedia It appears that the period after the "S" is generally either included or omitted based on the author's preference alone. This brings forth some interesting questions:   * Can a letter be considered an "initial", or part of an initialism, if it isn't actually "short" for anything?   * Is there technically a "right" way to treat initials like this, or is the inclusion or omission of the period entirely a matter of preference so long as one is consistent?   * Is there a specific word to describe these sorts of initials?


To make something opaque = opaquen?

To make something opaque is to 'opaquen'? How about to make something transparent? Is it 'transparentize'? * * * **Edit 1** This is for a computer code library that manipulates colors. I have verbs to describe the actions like `Brighten` and `Saturate`, but I also want to find a nice words to describe making something more or less opaque.


What type of verb is "do"?

I'm going through some code with classes named like:   * clean_Cache   * purge_Stage   * do_Keywords The particular file `do_Keywords` is a complete mess and maybe if I knew what it was supposed to do then I could make sense of it. The dev who wrote it and used the verb "do" is absent, probably from someone beating him for his practices. What is the term in English for verbs that don't provide any information, such as "do"? I'm looking to fill in the following sentence: > When naming classes, do not use **___ __ ___ ____** verbs. Use descriptive > verbs. If the term applies to all words, and not just to verbs, all the better. Thanks.


Gerund preceded by a genitive?

Is this sentence actually grammatical? > You know **your** having a rough day when kittens don't even make you smile. The writer of this sentence may intend to mean _you're_ instead of _your_ but I'm just wondering if having a gerund preceded by a genitive is considered grammatical in this case. If the sentence above is ungrammatical, why is this sentence grammatical? > He resents your being more popular than he is. What's the difference between these two sentence that determines one to be grammatical and the other to be not? This is how I analyze the two sentences and I can't see the difference:   1. " _You know **it** when kittens don't even make you smile_" for " ** _it_** " = " _your having a rough day_ "   2. " _He resents **it_** " for " ** _it_** " = " _your being more popular than he is_ "


When to use "me" or "myself"?

Which one is correct: > Someone like me... or > Someone like myself... Is "like myself" ever correct?


The problems with "Showed"

Is it right to say " Fisher (1935) has showed that normality is guaranteed in case 1" Or should it be " Fisher (1935) has shown that normality is guaranteed in case 1" ? Personally, I guess both are not wrong. But then, the first one is wrong according to many. Please help !!


Meaning of "take the lead out"

What is the meaning of the saying _take the lead out_? I ask because I was watching this video from the 1960's show _What's My Line_ and Groucho Marx writes this on a blackboard (where he's supposed to write his name) and gets a big laugh. I've heard the saying before, albeit very infrequently.


pride vs. proudness

Until yesterday I did not even know that the noun proudness exists. I always thought pride was the only possible noun for the adjective proud. Is there actually a difference between the two nouns (pride and proudness) or can they be used interchangeably in every case?


A word for the feeling of falling

What is the word used to describe that feeling you occasionally get while falling? If you don't know the feeling, it feels like the midsection of your gut is becoming numb and is trying to escape out of the top of your ribcage. _Update:_ Unfortunately a single word for this feeling doesn't seem to exist. If this word doesn't exist, is there a short phrase used to describe this feeling? **Answer:** There is no specific term for this. The closest phrase is in fact _'feeling of falling'_. The answer which selected as correct and did state that there is not specific term for the feeling.


Boundary: single form or plural form?

I am not sure whether "boundary" should be used in single form or plural form. For example, should I say: I developed this method to define A region's boundary OR I developed this method to define the boundaries of A region ?


A single word or phrase for the subjects in school

Is there a word or phrase that covers all subjects of the basic educational subjects (i.e. math, reading, science, writing, history)? I know of the "Three Rs", but I'm looking for something more formal. Here's the context, if that helps: > To this day, many societies continue to believe that education should be > based around **_____**.


Word for making something "as if it were real" when referring to a memory or fantasy

What word would mean _to figuratively bring to life_ or to make something _as if it were real_ in the context of a memory or fantasy? For example, I am trying to figure out the word that would fill in the following sentences using the above description: > Mark built his model town in order to [word for _to make as if it were real_ > ] the fantasy he wished he could escape to. and [possibly] alternately, > Victims of traumatic experience will sometimes experience flashbacks, where > the traumatic memories are [passive of the same word for _made-as-if-real_ > ].


To pay something (in) cash/cache

What is correct? It has to be paid in cash. It has to be paid cash. It has to be paid in cache. It has to be paid cache. If more would be correct, is there a difference in when to use what? I'm asking because I just read through some legal document where both cash and cache are used.


Meaning of "course of the year"

I don't quite get the meaning of _course of the year_ in the following sentence. > They search for food by moving over ice from island to island during the > **course of the year**. What does _course_ mean here?


The wrong group to be "in" Or "on"?

> 'They either participate with some decorum, or recognise this is the wrong > group to be on!' Is the above sentence idiomatically and grammatically correct? Can 'on' and 'in' be used in this sentence?


What does “That woman’s got style” mean?

In Jeffery Archer’s new mystery, “False Impression,” there was the following conversation between senior FBI agent, Jack Delaney and his subordinate, Tom Crasanti, both of whom are pursuing after the heroine, Anne Petrescu who took a priceless "self-portrait of Van Gogh without an ear" out of the Art Location of the custom house of Heathrow Air Port, and ran away: > “Where’s Petrescu?” was Jack’s first question.   >  “She landed in Bucharest.”   >  “And the painting?”   >  “She wheeled it out of customs on a baggage trolley,” said Tom.   >  “ _That woman’s got style_.”   >  “Agreed,” said Tom, “but then perhaps she has no idea what’s she’s up > against.” I searched “get (got) style” to get the meaning of “that woman’s got style” in dictionaries including online dictionaries, but I wasn’t able to find out. Can you tell me what “get style “means? Is “She’s (he’s) got style” a popular idiom?


"Subject, verb, direct object, object complement" versus "subject, verb, indirect object, direct object"

Reading _English Grammar_ (HarperCollins College Outline, published by HarperResource, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers) I found a chapter ( _Sentence Basics_ ) that explains that in English there are different sentence patterns; in particular   * Subject, verb, direct object, object complement   * Subject, verb, indirect object, direct object The chapter reports the following example for the patterns: > Alice called Charles Professor Miller.   >  Alice gave Charles the rabbit. What is the difference between the two kind of sentences?   What is the difference between the object complement in the first case, and the indirect object in the second case? PS: The question, which could appear silly, comes from the fact in my first language there is only the object complement.


According to protesters - correct; according to THE protesters - possible?

Source: http://rt.com/news/mariupol-base-shooting-ukraine-008/ > They called on the troops to abandon the base, but the soldiers didn't > listen, the demonstrators said. Instead, the troops opened fire at the > protesters, injuring at least four people. One of them took a bullet in his > chest and is in serious condition, **according to protesters**. I know that generally you don't need definite articles when using the expression **according to someone or something**. But is it possible, in theory, to use one? Or would it sound just plainly wrong to your ear?


Greetings after initial email

In a formal / professional email (i.e. emails directed at potential employers, co-workers and administrators), is it okay to exclude the greeting after the first email? For example, I will send an email in the form: > [Formal greeting]   >  [Message body]   >  [Formal salutation] I will typically then receive an email of the same form. After this point, is it necessary to keep including a formal greeting, or even a formal salutation? I generally do not keep saying "Hello" (or include any other greeting) in the same email thread after having said it once in the initial email. I may include another greeting if I am emailing the same person after at least a day in between emails, or if starting a new email thread. I will also generally omit the salutation and just place my name or signature at the end of the email after the initial greetings / emails as well. What are everyone's thoughts on this? I am referring specifically to formal and professional situations and not casual emails with friends or co-workers who you may have already been working with for a while.


"I have blocked the user account" versus "I blocked the user account"

One of the tasks I have as site maintainer of a site is deleting spam reported from users. (The spammer account is blocked too, as part of the process.) Which is the preferable sentence, or the most correct one, I should use? > I have blocked the user account, and deleted the comments. > I blocked the user account, and deleted the comments.


What would be a formal reply to "I need your help"?

A colleague emailed me saying > **I need your help** but offering no further details. Now, what what be a formal reply to this which doesn't promise too much nor seem cold or unhelpful? > a) Sure. How can I help?   >  b) Tell me?   >  c) Regarding? Which one of the above seems most appropriate? Or there is some other sentence or phrase more appropriate for this kind of situation?


What is the difference between dialogue and dialog?

I am American, and I always thought the difference between _dialogue_ and _dialog_ was one of meaning, the way Merriam-Webster has them listed: > 2 entries found: > >   * **dialogue** (noun) >   * **dialog box** (noun) > According to Merriam-Webster, _dialogue_ means conversation, and _dialog box_ means a window on a computer screen. This is how I use/spell them. However, at least some people see them as differences between British English and American English. So my questions, I guess, are:   * First of all, is my understanding, and Merriam-Webster's definition, correct?   * Is _dialog_ used with any frequency by Americans to mean _conversation_?   * Is _dialog_ **not** used in British English for the window on a computer screen?   * Is there any other difference I'm not aware of, or perhaps a better explanation for the two versions?


Corporates - is there any such word?

The use of "corporates" as a word to mean companies, organizations, etc., has been gaining popularity of late, at least here in India. Although I believe it is standard to speak of "corporate" life, I'm not sure there's a word like "corporates". > . . . had been a business consultant to the top **corporates** in the UK What is your opinion?


Hypernym for "phrase" and "gesture"

Is there a hypernym for _phrase_ and _gesture_ — that is, a word for an abstract action of communication performed by a person? For context, I am looking for a term to use in a computer program, rather than in prose, so a precise but obscure term from linguistics is perfectly acceptable.


“Has been” vs. “was”

Should one use _has been_ or _was_ in the following sentence, and why? >   * For many years the USA **has been** a British colony. >   * For many years the USA **was** a British colony. >


Difference between rest and remainder

What is the general difference between the words 'rest' and 'remainder'?


What does the phrase "humor me" mean?

I've never understood the term "humor me". Is it meant sarcastically? Please explain.


"Comparison between" versus "comparison for"

What's the difference between "comparison between" and "comparison for"?


Plural form of these two sentences

I'm helping my cousing with some English exercises but I don't imagine what would be the plural form of these two sentences: What is this? What is that? I'd say:" What are these?" and "What are those?" Does it make any sense?


What does ‘great conk of a nose’ imply?

There was the following sentence in a pretty old (October 7, 2013) article of New York Times titled, “A Jew not quite English enough,” which comments on the life and lifestyle of Ralph Miliband, the late father of David Miliband, Britain’s former foreign secretary and of Ed Milliband, the leader of the Labour Party. > In his book “Anglomania,” Ian Buruma wrote to Win: “This is indeed an old, > old story . Keep quiet, use code, ignore the occasional comments about > “pushiness” or “flashiness” or “stinginess” or Jewish behavior” or a comment > about a Jewish woman’s “ **great conk of a nose**." This afterall, is no > more than genteel prejudice, harmless enough, unlike the Continental brand > that Ralph Miliband fled**.” I don’t understand what “a Jewish woman’s “great conk of a nose” means. What does it mean? Is it just a description of a physical feature, or special attitudes of “a” Jewish woman? We have a popular Japanese idiom, “鼻っ柱が強い- hanappashira ga tsuyoi,” of which literal translation is “(have) a tough bridge of the nose, and it means a self-assertive, stubborn and sometimes quarrelsome person who would never concede. I wonder if “hanappashira ga tsuyoi” is close to “great conk of a nose” in meaning. Furthermore, is “great conk of a nose” politically incorrect expression?


Which is the correct 'apostrophe' to use when typing? ' (quote) or ` (backtick)

A recent discussion came up in GameDev that suggests that when you are using apostrope for abbreviations, that the correct apostrophe to use when typing is the backtick. On US Keyboards below the escape-key — left of the `1` key) Questions about the difference between the single-quote, and the apostrophe have come up before, but they do not address whether the apostrophe should be typed as if it is a single-quote, or it should be typed as a backtick. Which of the following are (more) correct: > Itˋs common sense that a student darenˋt interrupt its professor! or > It’s common sense that a student daren’t interrupt its professor!


I don't understand a part of the dictionary definition of the word" bastion"

I looked up the word "bastion" on the internet, and the definition was: a projecting part of a fortification built in an angle to the line of a wall, so as to allow defensive fire in several directions" What does the line _built in an angle to the line of a wall_ mean?


what's the meaning of "To make the larger point" e.g. > To make the larger point, this chapter initiates a detailed study of types > of commercial and political alliance making that are impossible to > generalize.


Used with permission/by permission, which is correct?

On a lot of small print notices you see things like "ABC is a trademark of XYZ Corp., **used by permission** " or " **used with permission** ". To me, "used with permission" sounds correct. Is either (more) correct? Is this a British/American difference? Or do they have slightly different meanings?


Phrase to describe a chair being pulled

I'm lost for words to complete this sentence: > The sound of the chair **___** against the floor can be heard clearly as the > room silence with my sudden action.


Pronunciations of different accent

Would it be possible for me to to listen different pronunciations in english. Regards, Aboli


Word for a social partner without romantic connotations?

Is there a good way to describe a social partner without romantic connotations? Especially when referring to dining. I know date and partner (on its own) generally both generally imply some sort of romantic connotation (feel free to prove me wrong). Is there anything besides dining partner or friend? Thanks!


"Insight into whether" vs "insight as to whether"

I've seen the expressions _insight into whether_ and _insight as to whether_ used. Are both correct? If so is there any difference between them?


"Email" vs "mail" when referring to email

When referring to email in a business context (or any other) is it acceptable to say _mail_ or should I always write _email_? I have a secure email product for use on smartphones and would like to know if it is alright to market it as a _Secure Mobile Mail_ product or if I should call it a _Secure Mobile Email_ product.


What is the origin of "moral support"?

Why is the phrase "moral support" used, when it seems like it would more accurately be "morale support"? Is this just a misspelling that has become canon, or something else?


A way to express an overreaction to something positive

I am looking for a word or an expression to describe an overreaction to positive news or positive events. Something that has to do with excessive enthusiasm like when you you are unable to control your emotions. Thanks


"Dabbler", without the negative connotation

According to dictionary, a dabbler is "an amateur who engages in an activity without serious intentions and who pretends to have knowledge". I want a word that means a person genuinely interested in something, wishing to learn more, but currently not having much knowledge about it and not able to make it their primary activity. I used to use the word "dabbler" for this meaning but I recently discovered it has the above-mentioned negative connotation. What is the word that I should be using instead?


Meaning of "Cheeky" in Australian Aboriginal English

In Australian Aboriginal English, does "Cheeky" have meanings different from those found in other varieties of English? In the Baz Luhrmann movie "Australia", the word "Cheeky" was used by the Aboriginal character Nullah: > Miss boss! We gotta get those fat cheeky bulls into that big bloody metal > ship! (However, Australia might be unreliable when it comes to Australian Aboriginal English) The Wikipedia article Australian Aboriginal English indirectly talks about "Cheeky". It doesn't fully define it, but suggests it has distinct meanings in Australian Aboriginal English: > Another use [of "rubbish" ] is meaning something is not dangerous, for > example, non-venomous snakes are all considered to be rubbish while in > contrast, venomous snakes are all cheeky.


"A, B, C, or etc." vs. "A, B, or C, etc." vs. "A, B, C, etc."

I think correct usages of "and" and "etc." are: > A, B, C, and etc.   >  A, B, and etc. But the example usage of "or" and "etc." I found in my dictionary is: > A or B, etc. Why it is not: > A, B, or etc. in the same way as "A, B, and etc." or as "A, B, or C"? And when there are A, B, C, is the following correct? > A, B, or C, etc. And if I omit the "or", which meaning do I get? >   * A, B, etc.   > >     1. = "A, B, and etc."? >     2. = "A or B, etc."? >   * A, B, C, etc. >     1. = "A, B, C, and etc."? >     2. = "A, B, or C, etc."? >


What is the difference between a variant and a variation?

I designed a logo for a client. He liked the idea it presented, but wanted to see alternative ways to represent its idea, so I came up with several new designs of similar concept. I now have to package the new designs into a presentation document, and when it came to titling its sections, I wondered: are the new designs variants of the initial one, or are they variations?


What is the word for "technical usurpation of an old word"?

Is there a word for "usurpation, rather than merely borrowing, of an old word by later, technical usage"? If so, what is it? For example, of old, the English word _summer_ meant "that season of the year in which the sun shines most directly; the warmest period of the year"; or even of older, as our own Peter Shor observes, "the half-year from around April to September." However, if you use the word today in its ancient senses, it may not be long before someone earnestly corrects you to the effect that "summer" did not start until the solstice, about June 21. Meghan Barr, Associated Press, June 19, 2012: > NEW YORK--The official start of summer brought temperatures in the high 90s > to the Eastern Seaboard on Wednesday.... One does not wish to be too unkind to a busy staff reporter, perspiring at her desk, hurriedly churning pages of copy! However, the adjective "astronomical" was, of course, available to Ms. Barr in place of the vague "official." Now, Ms. Barr (as one suspects) and I both agree that her audience would have found "astronomical" jarring in this context; but, you see, that's my point. Other old words that have suffered as _summer_ has might include nouns like _force, energy_ and _power,_ adjectives like _energetic_ (but oddly not _forceful_ or _powerful_ ), verbs like _to dissolve,_ and so on. Our own FumbleFingers notes the noun _train,_ whose older meanings the heedless locomotive seems to have hauled away. The word _metaphor_ indicates the borrowing, but does not imply the usurpation. Is there a word (most likely a word from the Greek, one supposes) that also implies the usurpation?


What does "mother father gentleman" mean?

How should I interpret the phrase "mother father gentleman" in a recently popularized song entitled _gentleman_? What is the purpose of describing _gentleman_ with _mother_ and _father_? Is this just a slang expression from the pop culture? I've seen many teenagers started using this phrase in sentences like "I'm mother father gentleman LOL".


Antonym of coercive

I'm looking for an antonym of the word coercive, i.e., a leader who gets something done merely by asking instead of forcing someone to do something. Any suggestions?


Is it possible to use "Achieve" in negative sentences

I've noticed in IELTS reading that there was a sentence as below: > disappointing results were _achieved_ by the Australian Academy. I looked this verb up in Longman dictionary, It's been said that: > To get a good result or succeed in doing something. It has positive meaning. How we could use " ** _achieve_** " with the above sentence? Is it correct? Is this a good use of the verb?


I wonder the reason why we must not use THERE in this sentence

> Across the Chesapeake Bay from the rest of the state Maryland's Eastern > Shore lies there , whose farms produce beans, tomatoes, and other garden > vegetables. Is this sentence grammatically correct? How is it stylistically? My teachers has already said to me that the adverb **there** should be removed. However, I have forgotten the reason for it. Could you help me why this sentence is not correct?


How come 'ou' was reduced to 'o' in the US?

Americans write _color_ and _favorite_ , when others say _colour_ and _favourite_. How/why did this happen?


Is ‘Trust-but-verify’ a frequently quoted word?

I came across a phrase ‘Trust-but-verify moment’ in the following sentence of Washington Post article yesterday. My interpretation of this phrase is ‘I trust you (and you’ve said), but now it’s the time you have to prove what you have committed to me.’ Is my understanding right? Is ‘Trust-but-verify’ a frequently used phrase? If so, why it is shown in Italic form in this particular quote? Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell vowed that the Senate will vote on a repeal of the national health care overhaul, following the House's passage of repeal legislation last week. "I assure you we'll have a vote," McConnell said, adding that "it's very hard to deny people votes in the Senate." McConnell said that Obama has moved toward the center recently and said the president is now in "a kind of *a trust-but-verify*moment."


"The splits" vs "a split"

All my life I knew it as "I can do a split", but recently it has come to my attention that many people refer to it as "the splits" which sounds absolutely dreadful to my ear because it defies all the rules of pluralization. You can do a somersault and you can do "the tango" but you're not doing the tangos or the sumersaults, so, why the splits?! Additionally, it makes it very difficult to describe what sort of split you're doing. "I'm doing a front split" rolls off the tongue a lot more naturally than "I'm doing a front the splits". Anyway... I am curious if anyone knows what the origin of this odd abnormality is.


What does ‘Break out the corsages’ mean?

Further to my question I posted yesterday about the meaning of ‘Good hair’ of Sanate dignitaries who show up at the State of the Union occasion, I came across another strange phrase, “Break out the corsages” in the following Washington Post article (January 23) . I checked this phrase with a couple of dictionaries at hand in vain. What does it mean? > Who’s your date? Pairing off for the State of the Union: Lawmakers on the > Hill haven’t quite broken out the corsages — yet — but the high school level > drama is on as senators and representatives scramble to find suitable > across-the-aisle seating partners for Tuesday’s State of the Union address.


Colon designated list of colon itemized sentences

I'm just seeing dots, working with colons. Is it correct to use a colon to introduce a list of items which begin with colons? Or is it quite superfluous? Typically, I seem to employ this for lists of definitions, for example: > The database stores three types of data:   > > > junk: data that no-one wants anymore.   >  useless: serves no purpose whatsoever.   >  irrelevant: haikus about birds. I've found this resource to be pretty helpful when considering how I'm using colons, but as I'm writing a list like this I keep thinking there might be a better way, something clearer that doesn't overuse the punctuation. All help appreciated!


What would you call a person who is not a student, but takes interest in exploring academic topics?

A person who is not formally enrolled as a student, researcher or faculty in some university or college but who takes interest in exploring academic topics/stuff. For e.g. Such a person could be someone who is working in the corporate & has interest in & explores his academic fields. What could be a simple, 'easy for all to understand' term to refer to this person? I believe there is, perhaps, no easy single word for that, I can accept answers which propose a phrase that can describe this in a short and better way (must be easy for anyone to understand). A not-so-good example: "A learner or academic enthusiast".


Is there a comma before "so"? What is the correct answer?

What is the correct version: >   1. Suddenly the noise stopped, so Dani, the new resident, started feeling > uneasy. > >   2. Suddenly the noise stopped so Dani, the new resident, started feeling > uneasy. > >


Is this right: “the whole France”?

I am not sure if this phrase is right: “for the whole France”. Here's the context: > Sam applied these methods successfully at some sites in France and then was > extended for the whole France by Nino.


Is "a ten-minutes of a song" right?

I'm curious about if "I need a ten-minutes of 'SONG' to do sth." was right in English. Thanks for reading this quesiton


A synonym for Viral

_Viral_ , meaning a contagious spreading of word, saying, picture or song which reach a huge number of people through the Net, mainly via social networks, is now a very popular term that is finding its way into traditional dictionaries. Can you think a synonym or a word that suggest the same concept.


Tumble about = fall upon?

I've been reading Eveline by J. Joyce (It's about a young girl who wants to run away from home and town with her _boyfriend_ Frank to Buenos Aires; he's a sailor and they would travel by ship -- she finally decides not to leave which is seen in the following part) and in this paragraph: > A bell clanged upon her heart. She felt him seize her hand. "Come!" All the > seas of the world **tumbled about** her heart. He was drawing her into them; > he would drown her. She gripped with both hands at the iron railing. "Come!" > No! No! No!... the verb + prepositional phrase, _tumble about_ , is explained on the margin with "tumbled about - fell upon". I'm not quite sure I understand this explanation. Tumble about means to either roll around, like sea would capture her heart and waves would roll around it, metaphorically, somehow... (?) If I took the explanation as true, it would be explained as the sea has accidentaly, unexpectedly, found her heart and therefore the feelings (of the sea towards her that cause her feelings towards the sea)... Am I even close to explanation? I need a further clarification. Thanks.


?thesaurical, adj

The adjectival form of _thesaurus_ does not seem to have been listed on (all) standard dictionaries. However, _thesaurical_ occurs in literature1 and is also defined in Urban Dictionary. Do we have an alternate 'listed' word for a context like the one below (a question of the sort dealt with on the pages of thesauri)? > But, Sir, that's a **thesaurical** question. 1 _These are the next epithets theorists have up their **thesaurical** sleeves._ (New Scientist, 1977)


Isn’t the expression, "I'm not inclined to be a supporter of Newt Gingrich's having served under him for four years” confusing?

I found the following line in today’s (December 4) Time magazine article titled, Coburn Speaks Up: > “On "Fox News Sunday," Sooner State Sen. tells Chris Wallace he would have > trouble supporting Gingrich. Coburn: "I'm not inclined to be a supporter of > _Newt Gingrich's having served under him_ for four years and _experienced > personally his leadership_. I found it lacking often times." To the eyes of a non-native English speaker, and as a bigoted septuagenarian, Coburn’s remark looks as if Newt Gingrich has served under Coburn and Coburn experienced personally how excellent Newt Gingrich’s leadership is. Is it wrong to say: > "I'm not inclined to be a supporter of Newt Gingrich's. Having served under > him for four years and experienced personally the lack of his leadership, I > found it lacking oftentimes," though the repetition of 'lack' might be redundant?


How to express an appointment "has happened"?

Let's say there is an appointment between John and Peter, scheduled for yesterday at 7am. An appointment might be "cancelled", which means that it didn't happen. But, what word(s) would you use to describe the appointment was "completed" (i.e. John and Peter met yesterday at 7am). Is it right to say "Did the appointment took place?" or "The appointment happened"? _Note that I'm interested in the point of view of the appointment itself, not the people involved in it._


What's the origin of the figure of speech "call the shots"?

I'm well aware that when someone says "he's the one who calls the shots" it means that that person is the one in charge, the one who takes all the relevant decisions. But what's the origin of this figure of speech?


“Built-in” or “In-built”

Is there any difference between using _in-built_ or _built-in_? Is one more correct than the other, or does it depend on the context, or ”house style”? > This oven comes with a _built-in_ extractor fan. > > This oven comes with an _in-built_ extractor fan.


Is there a general thesaurus for conceptual fields?

My question is about ways to find out about, or remind oneself of, related concepts. Say I'm writing an article and I'm stuck finding the right expression.   * I want to say that the author is confused about a concept, but I don't want to use the word "confused", for stylistic, syntactical or any other reasons. I would like to find other words like "muddle", "is not clear about", or "does not distinguish".   * I want to say that I reject an objection to a given view. I would like to find other expressions like "riposte", "rejoinder", but also sentence templates such as "Contra N.N., I hold that"   * What are different ways to express the concept _opposition_? "In contrast", "Whereas .., ...", "On the other hand".   * What are different ways to make an enumeration of arguments? "First, ...; Second, ...", "For one thing, ...", "for another", .... What I'm looking for is similar to a thesaurus, but many of these reference works (such as this one) only list expressions of roughly the same lexical category: "contrast" -- "comparison", but not "despite the similarities, ..." etc. "By contrast" is not even listed. Often what you need is just to be pointed in the right direction. Is there anything - a dictionary, thesaurus, list of schematic sentences, web site, ... - that fits my description?


"Expect to" vs. "Expect will"

Which of the following is correct? ~~ > How many sales do you expect to make more than $470? vs. > How many sales do you expect will make more than $470? ~~ If both are correct, which is preferred in the context of a math test involving the normal distribution? The intent of the problem is this: Given a normal distribution with a mean of 400 and a standard deviation of 70, find the probability that any randomly selected data value will be greater than 470. ## EDIT: By popular demand, I have now replaced the word "make" with the word "earn." > How many sales do you expect to earn more than $470? vs. > How many sales do you expect will earn more than $470?


Does the expression “put the clothes on your back” have an idiomatic meaning?

As you know, there is a phrase “have no shirt on his back,” which means having no money and basic necessities. Would you think I should apply the meaning to the following description? > "How many times do I have to tell you not to mention that unnaturalness > under my roof?" he hissed, his face now a rich plum color. "You stand there, > in **the clothes** Petunia and I **have put on your** ungrateful **back** > ...." > > "Only after Dudley finished with them," said Harry coldly, ... (p33, Harry > Potter 4, US edition) For your information, Harry has lived at his non-wizard uncle’s house since he lost his parents. Now, his uncle is speaking with an air of condescension. Dudley is his cousin, whose old clothes are always going to Harry. I consulted some dictionaries, but there seems to be no such idiom as “put the clothes on your ~ back”. And here are my questions;   1. Is the speaker, Harry’s uncle, talking only about clothes, or saying “you live in comfort with basic needs for life”?   2. Is Harry’s answer purely about clothes, or a part of the idiomatic meaning which he took it literally on purpose? I’d be glad if you could help me!


How nutty are the terms "nut case", "health nut" and "sports nut"?

If someone is **_nuts about something/someone_** it means they are a very enthusiastic— sometimes bordering on obsessive—devotee of that particular thing or person. **To be nuts** is a colloquial term meaning _crazy_ , _mad_ or _insane_ , and there is the idiomatic expression **_to drive someone nuts_** , meaning a person's annoying or irritating behaviour is responsible for making another, figuratively speaking, lose their mind.   * When (and why) did the humble innocuous fruit, _nut_ , become associated with insanity?    * We're all familiar with the politically incorrect term, _basket case_ , I am referring to its modern-day meaning: _someone or something that is incapable of functioning normally, a state of helplessness [...], most frequently in the context of mental health_ , is the idiom   **_nut case_** therefore related to that expression or is it coincidental?   * Are the terms **health nut** and **sports nut** derogatory, neutral or positive today? Were they originally insults, as I suspect, or were they meant to be semi-affectionate, tongue-in-cheek expressions?


How to address letter to a company

I want to send a letter to a company (specifically Microsoft). I've read some things that say one should write "To whom it may concern". I really don't like this; it sounds pretentious. Other sources suggest writing "Dear Sirs" or "Dear Sir or Madam". I don't care for either of these because in the former case a woman could be reading the letter, and in the latter case my letter could be read by multiple people. "Dear Sirs or Madams" sounds ridiculous. "Dear Microsoft" is obviously laughable (and I'm very apposed to corporate person-hood, hah!). I've never particularly cared for "Dear" as the beginning to a letter myself. I don't even know who I'm writing to. But what options do I have other than "Dear"? What should I do?


What does it mean to be "clipping an r"? Why is that a qualification for celebrities to be invited to the royal wedding?

_The Washington Post_ (April 24) ran an article about the royal wedding under the title, “In London, the royal wedding haters have had enough.” I was interested in the expression, “the wedding ate the world” which appeared in this article. But I was more puzzled about what “famous person who has ever clipped an ‘r’ is booked for wedding,” implies in the following sentence. Can somebody teach me what to “clip an ‘r’ means, and why clipping an “r” should be considered a qualification for becoming enough of a celebrity to be invited to royal wedding? > “The onslaught continues. The pundits are only just arriving. --They have > already readied their Team of People With British Accents to comment, and > comment they shall. Every famous person who has ever clipped an “r” is > booked for the wedding. This includes Sharon Osbourne, Hugh Jackman > (Australian, close enough), Cat Deeley and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman”.


Can/should I put a comma before a phrase's time specifier?

For instance, consider the sentence, "I ate lunch today." Is it necessary or acceptable to put a comma before "today?" Generally speaking, some of these time phrases look wrong to me when used with a comma, while others do not. I think the central question and the source of my confusion is, "When is the time not critical to the meaning of the idependent clause?" Is there a better rule of thumb?   * "I ate lunch, today."   * "I ate lunch, while the others were out."   * "I ate lunch, at the same time the others did."


Etymology of 'doylum'

_Doylum_ was a word commonly used in Leeds, Yorkshire, North of England, where I grew up in the 1960s/70s. It basically means _idiot_ \- "What a doylum!" At the time I thought this was strictly a Leeds word, but a quick search online finds it is still used and appears to be very popular with fans of Newcastle United and Hartlepool football teams. What this says about their quality of players I really couldn't say.      It also crops up on Yorkshire dialect sites, but so far I can't find any explanation of its origin. Does anyone have any ideas?      Also, Hartlepool and Newcastle are some 75-100 miles from Leeds - does anyone know if the word has spread there in the last 40 years or has it always been used there? Someone suggested to me that it might come from Yiddish as there is a large Jewish population in Leeds, though this would only be relevant if it truly is a Leeds word.


What's the correct word for saying a certain position can be stood on?

I'm making a game with tiles and I need a good word for describing whether or not a character can stand on a certain tile. There is "walkable", but this describes movement, which is not the case. Also, this is a boolean property of the tile, the answer is either yes or no. So there is no "safe to stand on" and "fairly dangerous", just "possible" and "impossible".


How to choose an abbreviation for a given word?

I was trying to find a proper abbreviation for the word _dictionary_.   _Dict._ or _Dic._ or something else? Obviousely there won't be a short form for each English word. But if there does exist one, how can I find it? Is there a rule of thumb for choosing the right abbreviation for any given word?


Is it more formal to use words of Latin origin?

For example, _cemetery_ instead of _graveyard_. In which context would a word of Latin origin be more proper? Or is there no difference at all?


Using the pronouns "he" and "she" for animals

I've been wondering for some time under which conditions the pronouns **he/she** can be used when talking about animals. I know that they are used when talking about pets (esp. larger ones) and when you know the sex of the animal (as, for example, zoo keepers, vets, etc., generally do), and also often in literature. But when it comes to other contexts, I often don't understand why **he/she** is used. Are there any rules? Example: I recently read a report about how to survive in the Sahara desert, and how dangerous some of the animals can be. "Be careful if you encounter the so-and-so snake, **He** doesn't like to be stepped on." It was just this one sentence, and the source of the text was OUP in a textbook, so I'm sure it wasn't a mistake. And I've come across many other examples that I can't recall now, but that made me wonder... And I'd also like to know whether there is a tendency for which animals take **he** and which **she** as a pronoun. For example frog: If **he/she** is used, is it usually **he** or **she**? Are there any lists or reference books where I could look?


Is there an unambiguous word to mean "moving slowly"?

Besides "crawling", is there another verb to describe slow movement? It would be best if the word is not a homograph (has no other meanings besides "move slowly").


It will be the first time I have flown to America - why not just present simple?

I have been reading a long discussion about another grammar thing and stumbled upon the following: > It will be the first time I have flown to America. I wonder why there is present perfect tense and not just present simple? > It will be the first time I fly to America. //probably incorrect I do not understand it as the speaker is talking about the future, he is not there yet and neither is he on the plane...so why use present perfect?


"He have a point" is this correct?

> he have a point Is this correct usage? Or should I use this: > "he has a point" Which is correct?


How do you hyphenate 'luminous' over 2 verse lines, 'lumi-nous' or 'lumin-ous'? Help

How do you hyphenate 'luminous' over two verse lines, 'lumi-nous' or 'lumin- ous'? Help.


Asking a question with "have" without do-support: "What symptoms has Anne?"

The context is that a doctor is asking about somebody's child's symptoms of influenza. Is this question correct: "What symptoms has Anne?" If it's incorrect, then why? It looks strange to me, I would rather ask "What symptoms does Anne have?" but don't know why.


Which would you use 'go for a swim' or 'going swimming'

Which would you use _'go for a swim'_ or _'going swimming'_? > I am going swimming today. > > I go for a swim today.