Common term for 'row' and 'column'

Is there a single term that can be used to describe both a 'row' and a 'column', such as in a spreadsheet? EDIT: I like Kris's comment-answer of "linear array", because it doesn't have so much of a loaded meaning as the other answers. "Axis" isn't bad considering I (purposefully) didn't specify the use-case. I'm trying to come up with a name for a programming variable that can either hold a row or a column, and 'array' and 'axis' can give the wrong idea in this context. :-(


Best ways to write thoughts in narrative

I would normally put a thought in a narrative in quotation marks, but it becomes boring and stilted to continually write, thought Mary, or thought John. A thought normally would have a different person; e.g. "He wants to know where I was yesterday," would be the thought of the dialogue, "You want to know where I was yesterday." But in certain contexts the first example could be spoken dialogue as well. The context should give clarity, but in more complicated narrative, i.e. numerous speakers, it would not. Has anyone any hot tips for writing thoughts in dialogue.


"You have until X to do Y" — is this grammatically correct?

I have a question regarding the following sentence: > You have **until** June 6th to go there. Is it grammatically incorrect? Consider the following: _You_ is the subject, _have_ is the verb, _until June 6th_ and _to go there_ are both adverbs. Does this make _have_ not have an object?


observe someone ... to have been...，

My question is in following sentence > What happens, says Hume, is that we observe individuals of one species to > have been constantly attended by individuals of another. Why use **to have been** instead of **have been**? I searched for this and only get 5 patterns, 1、observe someone/something 2、observe someone/something do something 3、observe someone/something doing something 4、observe that… 5、be observed to do something I don't see there is observe someone/something to do something.


Adjective for something that puts you on edge?

For school, I'm taking some online courses, which are graded almost completely by 10 question quizzes that cover each lesson. Any question wrong is a drop of 10%, so it's very important to try to get everything right. Unfortunately, the questions are often quite ambiguous and opinionated, and leave me stuck between two choices. In describing how I felt taking the quizzes to someone, I had said that they were tantalizing, but after looking the word up to confirm that I had used it correctly, I found that it was a bit off from what I wanted. I think unnerving would be more appropriate, but what would the SE community say is the best way to describe tests like these?


Word for "aver the primacy" or "make essential"

Is there a single word (or better set of words) to express e.g.:   * "liberalism _avers the primacy_ of the individual", or   * "Johannes _renders_ his masculinity _essential_?


What to call certain types of vague words that trigger strong emotions

I guess I can call them 'politician words' but.... What do you call a word/phrase that has a lot of emotion behind it, but doesn't necessarily have any specific meaning. E.G.: Freedom, Liberty, Terrorism, Patriotism, etc. _Speech words_ doesn't quite get it. _Rhetorical dynamite words_? Nahh. _Sending vague messages to your medulla oblongata to scare you into voting for me_ is highly accurate, if unwieldy.


"Time needed to complete a work" -- is this correct?

Is the usage of "a work" correct here? My supervisor, who is not an English teacher, advised me to use "a task" instead. Usually, though, I would not mind either way. Does somebody have another opinion?


what is the short form for 'little' ? Is it li'l or lil'?


How should I contract this sentence?

In an email, I would like to write the following sentence: > The weight of services given by _Company B_ is not less than the weight of > services given by _Company A_. I want to contract this sentence, but I'm not sure if this is correct: > The weight of services given by _Company B_ is not less than _Company A_. What are my options for explaining this with just one sentence? To make the context more clear: _Company A_ and _Company B_ are two partner firms in the same sector sharing the revenues according to specific conditions. They can merge or split in the near future. The aim of this sentence is to emphasize that the service quantity of _Company B_ is larger than or (at worst) equal to the service quantity of _Company A_.


Origin of the phrase "Now we're cooking with _"

I have heard this phrase as:   * Now we're cooking with gas.   * Now we're cooking with grease.   * Now we're cooking with heat.   * Now we're cooking with fire. Which of these is the original version, and where/how did it originate?


Why was the 'hoodie' given the name 'hoodie'?

There were plenty of pieces of upper-body garments/clothing, which had a hood, before the 'hoodie'. Was it simply that no one had thought of the name up until then? Or was there something different/special about the 'hoodie'?


What is a jaffer?

I have been reading the cricket commentary today and came across an unfamiliar word: _jaffer_. > Anderson continues, surely figuring that someone is going to get Morkel out > soon and it bloody well better be him. Bumper, then a jaffer. Morne still > there though. I looked up _jaffer_ and found a definition in the Urban Dictionary:- > A professional gaffe or lapse in judgement by a well-known public figure ( > especially a politician). A mistake of epic proportions. But that doesn't seem to be what the commentator meant. So, does anyone know what a _jaffer_ is, in the cricketing sense?


Difference between "little" and "small"

Is there a difference between them? If so, how and when are they used? For example: > I fixed a little/small typo.


Words that end with "mt"

Is _dreamt_ the only English word that ends with "mt"?


What does the phrase "Vast majority of people live in the world without" mean?

As I describe in the question title I want to know the meaning of the phrase highlighted in the following quotation from the 5 August 2012 blog of author Edward Hersh: > Look around you. Wherever you live, whatever circle of society you are part > of, you will notice that the **vast majority of people live in the world > without.** Those who are more enlightened, however, are intensely involved > with the world within. They realize—as you will, too—that the world within > creates the world without.


Where did this usage of "something" originate: "I need a nap something terrible"?

> I need a nap something awful! I know what this means, but I could never understand it: it's not easier to say, it's not more efficient, and it doesn't make sense! When was it started (and why)?


What are the right adjectives to refer to changes in gravity?

How should one refer to the changes in gravity? Should one say: _"gravity became higher/lower"_ or _"gravity became lighter/heavier?"_


A Good Resource (Book, ...) For Literary Techniques/Devices?

What's a good book (Or resource) on Literary Techniques/Devices in English Literature?


"Application for Android" versus "application on Android"

Which one is correct/most scientific?   * I am developing a certain application **for** Android.   * I am developing a certain application **on** Android.   * I am developing a certain application **for** the platform Android.   * I am developing a certain application **on** the platform Android.


Does one open a browser “on” a URL?

Can I say: > It opens the browser on the URL **[X]** meaning that something is opening the browser with the URL **[X]** already typed in and loading?


The use of “So X as to Y”

First of all, note that this is not a duplicate question of another one asking about the usage of _so as to_ , since this one is asking about the structure of _so . . . as to. . . ._ I understand this might have been a better question at the English Language Learners site, since I’m not a native English speaker. I am asking it here since I want to get some professional advice in regard to this question, since I don’t seem to have found anything similar to this on the Internet. At the Oxford Dictionaries Online (OD) I have found the following definition of _ludicrous_ : > So foolish, unreasonable, or out of place as to be amusing. I understand the phrase _so as to_ , simply meaning _in order to_ and preceding the purpose for which an action is done. _So_ by itself is just _therefore_ , _hence_ , _thus_ , or a way of emphasizing an adjective or adverb. _As to_ in itself means _with regard to_ or _according to_ , as pointed out in the Free Dictionary. In the OD definition of _ludicrous_ , the use of _so_ looks fair to me, that is, it clearly emphasizes the high extent to which something is foolish or unreasonable. The use of _as to_ doesn’t work in any way I’ve mentioned in this case (neither as in _with regard to_ nor _according to_ ). I think the dictionary I’ve referred to has missed one, if not more, meaning of the phrase _as to_. In this case, it appears to have likely been used as an alternative to _that_ when used in the form _So X, that Y_ , meaning something is or happens X (a combination of adjectives or adverbs) enough to cause Y to happen. Of course, I don’t mean that in the structure _so X as to Y_ the phrase _as to_ is absolutely equivalent to _that_ , since substituting _as to_ with _that_ changes the structure of Y. Does all this mean that the phrase _as to_ is a great alternative to _that_ (although changing the structure of Y) whenever the sentence is of the form _so X, that Y_ (where X is a combination of one or more adjectives or adverbs)? I am new here and so I’m not too familiar with the variety of existing tags here, so if anyone sees an additional one that would fit, please add it to this question. I would also be glad to see some other corrections of my grammar.


What is difference between process and progress?

What is difference between process and progress. Does progress mean how many percent completed of process ? Best regards.


Alternative word for pajama?

When I first saw the word "pajama", I felt it doesn't sound like an English word. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pajama says it's from Hindi and Urdu and showed up after 1883. I'm just curious, how did native English speaker say "pajama" before 1883?


Synonyms for "old" with positive connotations (and some conditions)

I want to describe a project for categorizing 'old' things, as well as antedating things that may not be very old*. I'm looking for a word to describe their age. First, I would like a positive or at least neutral connotation. "Antedate" is good in this sense, "old" not so much. (But I don't want to restrict the scope to just things that are known at the present but for which older uses are found, but also to include categorizing existing old things and discovering previously-unknown old things.) Second, the term should not imply great antiquity. The things under consideration are a type of mathematical object and most will be fairly recent (19th or 20th century), though a few will be older. Finally the term should not be overly obscure. Perhaps there is a common word which I have overlooked; if not, at least it should be a word with some currency. At the moment I'm leaning toward "historical" which is not great but may suffice. Can you find a better word? * That is, for something known to date back to N, find a use of it from year M where M < N. "Fibonacci's identity was actually first studied by Diophantus 900 years earlier."


What's the correct pronunciation of "Israel"?

From Google I have gathered there are several ways for pronounce Israel, I have pronounced it is-rye-el. From googling it some seem to indicate it acceptable and another says it is vulgar and should be avoided, so I come to you, which one is it, as it seems it is used often enough... Edit: Adding links to the links I looked at before asking and referenced above. Page that offers two ways of pronunciation neither is-rye-el http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=israel Mention of several pronunciations including is-rye-el http://www.choralnet.org/205055 . Mention that is-rye-el is vulgar and barbaric More mentions of is-rye-el and how it is pronounced in the east. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091227010727AAygoKG More mentions of is-rye-el and other common pronunciations, at least one commenter seems to think is-rye-el is the usual way it is said in America. http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-623574.html


Why we say the earth is beautiful not handsome?

Why we say the world is beautiful? Can't we say the world is handsome?


Use of "what" vs "that"

The following sentence was on one of the tests: > What would you like to do **that** others have told you is impossible. Students have asked why _that_ could not be replaced with _what_. I.e., > What would you like to do **what** others have told you is impossible. We have been trying to debate, we know it doesn't sound right but they expect a more detailed explanation, will really appreciate if anyone has an answer for this.


Can a colon be used after a helping verb like "is"?

I'm writing an answer to a science question and I'm not sure if I need a semicolon in the sentence. > The problem for the experiment is; How do homing pigeons find their way > home?


Term for “preview entries” that web sites show on index pages?

Blogs and websites typically provide an index page of entries where they show an excerpt of the post. Excerpts usually include title, author, post date, and a blurb. What is the term for these sorts of excerpt?


Auxiliary verb and adverb ordering

(I'm not really sure if the title is a correct definition of my problem at all) I'm not a native English speaker, and I'm used to say: > Spaghetti suddenly can talk But I've seen a phrase from a native speaker > Spaghetti can suddenly talk I don't want to rush to conclusions based on one example, so please tell me what's the correct way to say such sentences and how incorrect is the other way (informal or maybe rough error)?


Using knock and knocking

> For a Halloween event, I dressed up as a student, knocked on my teacher's > doors, and received extra homework. Can this sentence be rewritten using _knocking_? Is the following grammatically correct and used? > I dressed up as student, knocking on my teacher's doors, he gave me extra > homework. Under what circumstance do we use _knocking_? How can we phrase it?


Is there a prefix for "infinite"?

I was looking for a prefix I could prepend to a word to mean an infinite amount of the thing the word describes. I eventually found someone with the same question, and since there were no answers, I offered a "close enough" one. But I got curious and tried to research some more. I didn't find a good list of amount-related prefixes (Wikipedia has an article on number prefixes, though), so I built one. But I found no prefix for infinity. Is there one?


A word for an Irish-phile, a person who is fond of Irish or Celtic culture

For example, _francophilia_ describes fondness for French culture, language, etc. and an _anglophile_ is a person who is similarly fond of British culture. Is there an analogous word to describe a person who is fond of Irish or Celtic culture or languages?


What is the opposite of "on-the-fly"

The phrase is used a lot in software world and refers to an activity that occurs while some other activity is in progress. Google search for "on-the-fly meaning" gives "while in motion or progress". I am using it in the context of a software upgrade; on-the-fly software upgrade is the kind that occurs while the software is running. The opposite would be when the running software has to be stopped, upgraded, and then restarted. What phrase/word can I use to describe this? Are there any phrases that can be done from automotive industry? Some repairs can be done while the car is running and for others the car has to be brought to a full stop. If need be, I don't mind changing the on-the-fly with something else that has a more obvious opposite. I have already considered Hot/Cold which makes sense not very appealing.


Difference between "vanish" and "disappear"

What is the difference between these words, exactly? Both mean to stop existing or to become invisible. vanish > He turned around and vanished into the house. > > My glasses seem to have vanished. > > All hopes of a peaceful settlement had now vanished. disappear > The plane disappeared behind a cloud. > > Her nervousness quickly disappeared once she was on stage.


What is the term for engraved metal discs showing bearings and distances to other places?

At touristic vantage points, one can sometimes find engraved metal discs that show the bearings and distances to other visible places like mountains in the area, or to far away cities and places. An example would be the plaque found in Sabah on Borneo: ![](http://i.stack.imgur.com/q445U.png) Image taken from "Expedition to the Center of Sabah" on MySabah.com Is there a term for these types of discs? On the blog I linked to, the author uses the term 'metal “compass” plaque', but that's not really accurate, since the marked points aren't "points of the compass" in the sense of divisions of the cardinal directions. A Google search for "metal plaque distances bearings" or "engraved disc distances directions" or various combinations of those strings doesn't turn up relevant results. The image shown above was found using Google Image Search with "metal plaque directions distance", which also turned up a couple of other images of examples, but no authoritative sites that would be helpful in finding a proper term for these discs.


What is the etymology of the saying "talk is cheap"?

Google Ngram lists the first usage at around 1810 but a later book refers to it as an old saw. Is there any way to know what the original context of this saying was? I understand that it probably goes along with the idea that actions are stronger than words or that actions are greater than words but I can't verify that. I am curious where it was first popularized and maybe even the context that lead it to be coined in the first place.


Can "your reputation precedes you" be used as a negative statement?

I have always considered "your reputation precedes you" as a gesture of complement and respect. However it occurred to me if it is possible to use it for a notorious person with a bad reputation? Imagine I use my time machine and arrange a meeting with [e.g.] Stalin. If I say _your reputation precedes you_ , can I safely* assume it will be interpreted as an insult?** * * * * safely, from a linguistic viewpoint and not my physical safe! ** insult, from a linguistic viewpoint and not Mr. Stalin's ego.


Is there a technical term for an idiomatic phrase that originates from words that closely resemble each other?

In the question "History of the phrase 'break wind'" I noted in the comment that the word "break" might have originated from > the Middle English blowe, **blaw** , northern variant of blēwe, from Proto- > Germanic *** _blewwanan_** 'to beat' (compare Old Norse blegði 'wedge', > German bläuen, Middle Dutch blouwen). (see http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/blow) where blow could mean blow/strike/beat while the "wind" part comes from the word "flatus" which can be traced back to the the OE **"blawan"** since > There are three distinct blows in English. The commonest, the verb ‘send out > air’ (OE), can be traced back to an Indo-European base *bhlā-. It came into > English (as Old English **_blāwan_** ) via Germanic *blǣ-, source also of > bladder. The Indo-European base also produced Latin flāre ‘blow’, from which > English gets flatulent and inflate (see http://www.word-origins.com/definition/blow.html). The words **_blewwanan_** and **_blāwan_** are so close to each other and I'm guessing that each could have contributed to the coining of "break wind". Is there a technical term for this kind of coinage? If there is, can you give an example?


"To be is to do" — "To do is to be" — "Do-be-do-be-do": what does this mean?

> To be is to do. — _Socrates_   >  To do is to be. — _Plato_   >  Do-be-do-be-do. — _Sinatra_ I saw it on some shirts or somewhere. I don’t understand what it means when those sentences are put together.


When alphabetizing, which goes first?

When ordering these two names of places, which is first? Why? Newark, New York


A word meaning "those who are plugged in"?

I'm looking for a word that refers to folks who are "plugged in" or "knowledgeable and connected" to some network of people and information. The "authorities" often connotes law enforcement and therefore doesn't fit well.


Is "fastly" a correct word?

_Slow_ has the adverb _slowly_. I tend to use _fastly_ as the adverb for _fast_. However, it is underlined in most spell checkers I use, which makes me wonder about the existence of this word. Is _fastly_ a correct word? If not, what should be used instead, and why is that different from its antonym?


Which flavor of English (British vs. American) first had standard modern spellings?

Which flavor, British English or American English, first standardised its modern spellings? I'm mostly interested in the direction of alteration; for example, was the _u_ dropped from _colour_ or was the _u_ added to _color_? I'm interested in a general answer rather than an answer to this specific example, though. The history of dictionary releases seems to indicate that British was standardised first:   * British, 1604: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_Alphabeticall (perhaps _too_ Olde English?)     * British, 1755: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Dictionary_of_the_English_Language     * American, 1828: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webster%27s_Dictionary However, I'm not certain that any of those three dictionaries represents a modern enough standard to be considered the first real standard of English for either dialect. Clearly both languages have evolved since their initial standardisation, but which set of spellings was standardised first? **Edit:** To clarify, I'm interested in the chronology rather than repute or popularity. Which dialect had its modern (by which I mean contemporary, present-day) spellings published or released in a dictionary first?


what the phrase/ formula of "as is" means

"As is". I often run into sentences which have this little formula. Can you please shed some light on the function of it? As I understand it is basically "as it is", but always have a feeling that I am missing out on some subtle meaning and/or that there is not a perfect consensus regarding what it is for - but that's just my guess.


Usage of the word "technically"

I use this word in my daily language even without knowing what it actually means. > Technically speaking, there is no big difference between […] and […]. So what does this word imply, not in the literal sense but when we combine it with a sentence? Is there a specific context to which we are supposed to limit the usage of this word? Because I hear it almost everyday. Can we substitute the above sentence with "literally speaking, there is no big difference between […] and […]"? Is the word technically supposed to bring out the meaning as in "literally" does? Are they synonymous? Can we use them interchangeably? If not, then what does the word "technically" actually refer to w.r.t daily English usage?


Is the structure "can have verb-ed" possible?

I have seen and heard sentences like these: > He _could_ have gone too far. > > John _can't_ have eaten all the cake. But I don't seem to encounter this structure: > She _can_ have done the work. I tried Googling it and found some examples, but I'm still unsure if it's acceptable. I understand that "may have _verb-ed_ " and "might have _verb-ed_ " are frequently used in English. So if, in contrast, "can have _verb-ed_ " is never used or is considered awkward, what's the reason for this?


Using "neither of which"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  What is the difference between “none of …” and “neither of”? Would it be correct to say _neither of which_? For example, > The essay contains many well-known facts and some theories based on years of > research, **neither of which** would be grounds for copyright.


What does it mean to "look it"?

What does the emphasized part of the following excerpt mean? It's from an edition of _2001: A Space Odyssey_. > She had been assembled in orbit around the Earth, tested on a translunar > maiden flight, and finally checked out in orbit above the Moon. She was a > creature of pure space -- and **she looked it**.


Words to describe something that does not reach your expectations for it

Which word(s) would you use in a situation such as the one below, to make the sentence sound logical, natural and complete? > You told me we were going to a nice park. We've spent almost two hours to > get here! And what do I see here? You call these three trees and two benches > a park?! Are you kidding me? This is not a park, this is a _**___ __ ___**_ > of a park!


What is a "woggy dago"?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  What is the origin of the word "wog"? I was listening to a song the other day, and it featured the words "woggy dago". Now I did manage to find out what _dago_ means, but I'm still not clear about _woggy_. It isn't in the dictionary, and while I could find it on the net, none of the apparent meanings fit the context in the song. I also googled for "woggy dago", but then nothing turns up, except for the lyrics to said song! So, what is it?


What does ‘the first-person epiphany’ mean?

I found the word, ‘ _the first-person epiphany’_ in the article written by Jeffery Klugar, under the title “Be careful what you wish for” that appeared in Time magazine pretty long ago (February 11, 2010). I knew the title is the borrowing from the title of the first album by Gabby La la from Wikipedia, The line including _‘the first-person epiphany’_ reads: “You never get over the moment you realize that you’re definitely going to die. You’re usually a small child when the insight hits, and you usually have a vague idea of what death is, but _the first-person epiphany_ – the “Wait, that‘s going to happen to me? Experience – change everything. Your sense of time and its fleeting passage can never go back to what it was before you discovered that you are on the clock." Though I understand ‘the first-person epiphany’ means ‘one’s own intuition or inspiration,’ I’m not sure, nor whether this is a colloquial expression that I can use like ‘My first person epiphany is - -’ or a rather pedantic expression better not to use in daily conversation. Can you tell me about the usage of this word?


"what" as a determiner

I am composing a sentence describing results of an experiment: > we find [results] beyond what can be expected from [theory] I am not sure this is a proper use of "what". Does my sentence needs rewording?


"If the robot can learn from a human, it can/could keep track of humans."

I have the following sentence and I don't know whether "can" or "could" would be a better choice. >   1. If the robot can learn from a human, it could keep track of humans. >   2. If the robot can learn from a human, it can keep track of humans. > Which one is correct in a proper English structure?


Formal/informal/slang terms for front passenger/co-driver

Could any native English speakers help me with some formal, informal, slang, or even some local (Scottish, Welsh, Irish, etc.) terms for "front passenger". I mean the term for a person that travels with somebody in a car (boat, aeroplane, train) next to the driver or even in the back-seat, etc.


An idiom meaning "failure is not the end"

There's a motto in my native language which literally means: > If the ball is full of air, then when it is hit against the ground, it will > go up more. Is there an idiom with the same meaning and usage in English?


What is the origin of the phrase "turns out"?

What is the origin of "turns out" as it appears in the phrases below:   * It turns out   * As it turns out   * Let me know how it turns out What is turning, what is coming out, and from where? I can't find anything on the phrase, but my guess is something either food related, e.g. meat grinding, or perhaps something to do with film projectors (although I suspect the phrase is older than film).


Is this correct sentence?

I wrote: > it would never have been possible if i didn't have interest in the least bit but a friend of mine told it is wrong and should be: > it would never have been possible if i had not had interest in the least bit I believe i have written it right. Can anyone confirm please?


What does "There but for the grace of God — goes God." mean?

It is a supposedly witty paraprosdokian said by Churchill. But I (and possibly some other people whose first language is not English) don't get it. Can someone explain what it means? Do English native speakers get this without much thinking?


What’s the meaning of “there are more of somebody than there are of somebody”?

> Their yellowish eyes were fixed upon Harry’s wand, and they looked scared. > **There might be a lot more of them than there were of him** but Harry could > tell, by the looks on their faces, that they knew no more magic than the > giant squid did. (Harry Potter 4) I couldn’t find this expression in my dictionaries, so I went to a Google search. Here are some examples. >   * What about those who wanted to use more and more energy and not worry > where it was coming from? **There are a lot more of them than there is of > him.** And it is all their fault as well. > >   * **There were a hell of a lot more of them(termites) than there was of > me** but I had chemicals on my side. > > I’d like to know especially the following points.   1. What is the meaning of the “more”? (Number of people? Chances of winning?)   2. Why do some examples say “than there **were** of him” and others say “than there **is** of him”? (I mean it plural-singular question, not tense) I'd appreciate it if you could help me.


Does "who does what" work in this sentence?

I am interested in knowing whether one can say "who does what" in the following context: > All estimation methods are not yet on hand in standard software. For an > overview of who does what, see (place reference here). **edit according to andrewdotnich's comment** The reference is the chapter of a book that describes a list of software that are able to deal with one or more of the estimation methods.


What is the best way to forcefully say each word in a sentence.

Here is the example that I have: > "Mother," I said with clenched teeth, "I said I don't want to talk about > it." Now, I'd like to express the fact that each word in the second part of the sentence is said with a hard break or pause. Example: > "I. said. I. don't. want. to. talk. about. it." I'm sure there is a better way, so any help would be appreciated. Also, what is this type of pause called?


Is "few couple of ..." a proper usage in English?

Is **"few couple of ..."** a proper usage in English?


'Signal' as an adjective

My dictionary lists the word 'signal' as an adjective, apart from its usual usage as a noun. Could someone provide me with examples for such a usage? Also, how popular is such an adjective?


Is this sentence correct using the right choice of words?

Does the way I wrote the following sentence make sense? > The story begins with Olaf speaking about his experiences and perception of > life.


"Style Cream": what is it?

On this matter I have read other questions: “Sour cream” versus “soured cream”, “shaving cream” vs. “shave cream”. But, can someone explain what is the " _Style Cream_ " to which this potato chips are associated to, as it seems to be from reading the following phrase on the packet: > _American **/** Style Cream & Onion **/** Flavour_ I have searched for "Style Cream" in Wikipedia, but I haven't found anything. ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/CFrmK.jpg)


How to answer grammatically ambiguous tricky questions

Here are some examples : 1) The mangoes (will ripe/ripe/will ripen) over time said John. 2) The least considered in the latest Terrorist attacks (are/were/was) the innocent victims. My choice for 1) would be:   * "ripe" if it is considered as a fact, so present tense is good choice.   * "will ripe" if it is considered as an opinion of John rather than a fact; the sentence is in the past tense, so past tense is good choice. My choice for 2) would be:   * "were" if it is in newspaper article and it describes a past event.   * "are" if it is live reporting of a statement. I have checked them in this checker, and results show that all of the options are correct. **EDIT1** :And what about: This (calls/calls for/calls against) a treat. Uprooting plants (is/are/have been/was) like uprooting your life. Also please suggest most critical points to consider if possible while answering such questions and apologies for not following the standards for asking the question, i am a newbie so i am getting acquainted with it.But I have done research for these questions and did not get the answer , that's why asked here.


Could "Hats off!" be insulting in some situations?

What are true situations and structures to use "Hats off!"? Could this idiom be insulting in some situations?


any rules for pronouncing "V" sound?

For example, "Is there any cars available?" When the speed of speech is getting faster, it isn't really going easy to make sure of making a lip formation about V where the bottom lip must be behind of the top. In my case, when I do that, the lip formation has been going similar to B sound. F sound is the same as well. Here is my point, is that natural or should make exact formation as them selves?


Meaning of snobbishly

I'm reading _The Great Gatsby_ and on the second page it says: > As my father snobbishly suggested, and I snobbishly repeat a sense of the > fundamental decencies is parcelled out unequally at birth. I know a _snob_ is a person who a person who wishes to be seen as a member of the upper classes, but I do not know what _snobbishly_ means.


Question tags: "Hardly seems... Doesn't it?" vs "hardly seems...does it?"

* * * Is it correct to use a negative question tag in this sentence: "It hardly seems fair, doesn't it?" Bit confusing, because if I wrote "it doesn't seem fair, ..." The correct tag would be a positive "does it?" But "it hardly" is essentially "it does hardly..." It appears that the negative tag is grammatically correct, but I think it still sounds wrong to the ear.


Need to clarify use of "its" and "their"

I am having a debate at work regarding the correct choice: > No investor has ever lost its capital. or > No investor has ever lost their capital. It seems to sound awkward to say "its capital" as opposed to "their capital". We are referring to a single investor (in a context where _all_ investors are institutional entities).


Past perfect vs. simple past

What verb tense must I use in the following sentences? I'm describing my work experience in casual speech. >   1. I had been working at Apple for five years. [I imply that I worked > there in the past] >   2. I've worked at Google for four years. [I imply that I've worked there > till now] >   3. Now I'm unemployed and looking for a job at McDonald's. > Are these three sentences correct? Maybe in the first one I must use the past simple tense?


Regular vs. irregular verbs

I recall an English teacher explaining that verbs that change vowels during tense changes were called 'regular' and those that added '-ed' in the past tense were 'irregular'. This seemed counter-intuitive, but the explanation was that early English verb conjugation regularly inflected a vowel rather than not. Is this correct?


Pronunciation and usage of "bona fide"

As I am reading books and articles, I come across this _bona fide_. How do you pronounce this? How do you use it properly? I know the definition is _in good faith_ , like if you are welcomed to someone's house, the guests are in good faith welcome around the house and not expected to steal anything, or when you test drive a car, it's in good faith you won't run off with it.


Difference between "retro" and "vintage"

What's the difference between _retro_ and _vintage_? (or _antique_ for that matter)


What punctuation symbols mean "not in the full sense of the referenced phrase?"

This strip of Dinosaur Comics made me wonder whether it is appropriate to use quotation marks (in the terms of the comic) "as a not in the full sense of the word" lingual marker. Searching Google, I found a Daily Writing Tips blog entry that indicates quotation marks can express irony. The Wikipedia article on "Irony Punctuation", however, indicates that no standard way to denote irony or sarcasm in English. It mentions "scare quotes," which seem to be closest to meaning that the word or phrase was not intended to have its full meaning, but scare quotes carry the risk of ambiguity - how do you distinguish between a properly quoted phrase and a phrase that means something differently? **Is there an established, unambiguous punctuation that suggests that the enclosed or referenced phrase does not have its full meaning?**


What does "bread and butter" mean in this situation?

Boy gives girl a kiss on the cheek. They approach a lamp post. For a moment, it looks as if they will pass it on opposite sides, but boy grabs girl's hand and pulls her around to his side of the post, to avoid getting 'bad luck.' Boy says, "Bread and butter!" What does 'bread and butter' mean in this situation?


Should I omit the verb in this clause?

"As I returned to my seat, my heart (was) still racing, other kids started to talk to me." Is the "was" necessary at all? As an ESL student, I was rather confused as to why my teacher had marked me wrong for omitting the 'was", since I have seen the same sentence pattern in some English books. Thanks in advance! Sorry for any silly grammatical mistake, I'm still learning...


What constructions enable a writer to preserve strict logical coherence and reduce redundancy when conjuncting two noun-phrases?

What constructions allow a writer to preserve strict logical coherence and reduce redundancy when conjuncting two noun-phrases? Example > Many cultures have used gold or silver bullion as a currency. That sentence could imply that many cultures have used gold - _in any form_ \- or silver - _only when cast as_ \- bullion, but I intended it to mean that many cultures have used gold bullion or silver bullion as a currency. Moreover, a reader could interpret the sentence to mean that many cultures have used gold - _in any form, for any purpose_ \- or silver - _only when cast as_ \- bullion - _and only_ \- as a currency. How can I construct that sentence to ensure it imparts only the meaning I intend it to impart?


Term that means adaptation to a suboptimal situation

If you are not only accepting a situation that is not what you wanted, but are taking steps to adapt to that situation, is there a word/phrase that describes this? Neither "resignation" or "capitulation" seems to imply the adaptation step.


Meaning of "foregrounding"

> The EU should stop talking about **foregrounding** conditionality. What does _foregrounding_ mean here? Is it a gerund or an adjective?


Whimsical: "Lost the rag". Origins and just what is "the rag" anyway?

Just a whimsical question... When one says that they have "lost the rag" - it usually means they've gotten impatient or lost their temper. But what does the 'rag' refer to and how did the phrase originate?


wait vs wait up, fall vs. fall down

Can you explain differences:               1a) Hadn't we better wait up for the slower ones?                           vs.     1b) Hadn't we better wait for the slower ones?               2a) The apple fell from the tree.                          vs.     2a) The apple fell down from the tree.


Can "either" be used in this way?

A picture was shown to the student. In the picture a girl was missing her shoes, another girl was missing her mittens, and a boy was missing his hat. This is the student's description of the picture: > The children either forgot their shoes, mittens, or hats. Is _either_ correctly placed, and is it properly used with more than two alternatives?


Are there sounds where the tongue is not symmetrical?

Are there sounds in English languages and accents where the tongue does not move symmetrically in the mouth, i.e. the right side of the tongue is not moving like the left side?


What should you call a preface for a small document?

I think the word _preface_ refers to books. I have a small document that is in the form of a hierarchical outline. Before my document, I want to put a small paragraph with instructions how to consume the material. What should I title that small paragraph?


Is there a term for the other 2 months in a quarter?

The organization I work for has monthly volunteer opportunities, and quarterly volunteer opportunities. The trouble comes when someone serves quarterly (say, the 1st Monday of each quarter) and we need to fill the other 2 first Mondays of the months in that quarter. Is there a term for that time frame?


Where does the verb go on this question? Is it even a reported question?

I understand that when I report a question, I put the subject back in front of the verb, as in: "He asked if she was going to be late." But I always get puzzled when it comes to reporting a question with a question. (In fact I'm not even sure this is reported speech, but I think it is, because I'm reporting my own doubts.) My starting point is the question: > What is the task for the afternoon class? But now I want to ask if anyone in a group knows what the task is. Which of the following alternatives would be grammatical? > (a) Does anyone know what is the task for the afternoon class?   >  (b) Does anyone know what the task is for the afternoon class?   >  (c) Does anyone know what the task for the afternoon class is? Intuitively, I would pick (c), but I don't know if that is the correct choice, and I certainly don't know why. Can anyone tell me which of the options is correct and why?


Which one to state — "We would like to thank You" or "We thank You"

I am writing an official statement for plaques, in appreciation of an employee's contribution to the company. I am not sure which one to use: > We would like to thank you for your unstinting support... or > We thank you for your unstinting support... Could you please help me out?


Is there a word or term other than ‘exemplar’ for the educational cards used to teach English?

Is there a word or term other than ‘exemplar’ for the educational cards used in primary classrooms to teach English? These are the: > 'A' is for 'Apple' Or for the cards which show how to write a letterform which tends to line the walls of some classrooms. > 'A' 'a', 'B' 'b', etcetera I am looking for a general use term or phrase which elementary teachers would refer to these and not for product names used to purchase them.


"Upload to" vs. "upload on"

Which preposition should follow the verb _to upload_ — _to_ , _on_ , or something else?


Is there a more formal option for 'just in case'?

It was addressed before, but the question was too specific, thus doesn't resolve my issue. I'm expecting a general answer, though provide an example as well. For instance, I'm writing a letter and attaching some extra files along with important ones. I would write: > I have also attached the original document [just in case/ in case you need > it/ ...]. What other options can you think of?


Term for a person who doesn't know who he really is

what do you call a person who doesn't know who he really is, who doesn't understand himself much.


What is a "street address"?

What does the term "street address" mean, as opposed to just "address"?


Can “inverted” be used to indicate that something is "inside-out"?

If something is inside out, can it be said that the object is **_inverted_**? My understanding of the word **_inverted_** is simply "the opposite state," but I would like to get a bit of clarification just to be sure.


'Satire' is to 'Satirically' as 'Parody is to ...?

As stated in the title; I'm having a difficult time thinking of the equivalent conjugation. The word "Satire" is to "Satirically" as "Parody" is to ...?


What is the male form of fashionista?

I run a fashion website and am a guy. I'm not a fashionista, but something else, right? What would I be?


When do "direct" and "indirect" questions become the same?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  "I'm not sure what the right way is" Direct and indirect questions are not usually the same: > **What is** your name?   >  I don't know **what** your name **is**. But sometimes, they become the same: > **What is** wrong with you?   >  I don't know **what is** wrong with you. > > **What is** available?   >  I like to know **what is** available. So my question is, what the grammatical rule is when they become the same.


Are actors taught to roll their "r"'s?

A particularly prominent example of a rolled _r_ user is the actor Jeremy Brett, who played "Sherlock Holmes" in the 1980s Granada adaptations. I've noticed that several other actors, especially from the older generation, also use the rolled _r_. Is this something that actors are or were taught to do at drama school? If so, why?


What proposals have been made to give the apostrophe some relief?

The apostrophe has a lot of jobs.   * It makes things possessive,   * it indicates the omissions of letters in contractions and numbers in dates,    * it is used to indicate strange accents in dialog, and    * it indicates plurals of words and letters. To complicate matters, it looks almost or exactly the same as the single-quote in many fonts and in hand-writing. I have read of proposals to use a distinct mark of punctuation for each task. What are some of these proposals?


Meaning of "ever so" phrase

I recently listend to an audio book and this sentence stuck in my head > he put her on the cot gently and ever so gently mainly because I heard it a few more times (not the exact sentence, but the "ever so" phrase) until the end of the book. What does it exactly mean? I can guess that it emphasizes _slowly_ in this case, like he did it really slow?


Upset the apple cart meaning

I'm 32 and today was the first time I've heard the expression 'upset the apple cart' used. It was on reddit and the context was: "Once again, my colleague Stephen Hawking has upset the apple cart. The event horizon surrounding a black hole was once though to be an imaginary sphere. But recent theories indicate that it may actually be physical, maybe even a sphere of fire. But I don't trust any of these calculations until we have a full-blown string theory calculation, since Einstein's theory by itself is incomplete." Looking it up I found that it means to 'cause trouble, by spoiling ones plans' or 'to disorganize something, especially established plans.' So, my question is: is there an implied meaning behind this idiom? Does it mean that Stephen Hawking is basically talking a bunch of smack that goes against the established theory of whatever they're talking about and causing trouble because it gets a lot of press, thus, upsetting the apple cart? Or rather, that there is some established theory, but Stephen Hawkings brilliant ass self came up with something that is making them reconsider whatever it is they'[re talking about, thus, upsetting the apple cart. Or third, is it just impossible to tell without further context.


Is "senility" pejorative?

Could you please give your opinion on whether or not "senility" is a pejorative term? My sentence is: > Although there wasn't any real upper age limit, elders who seemed to be > affected by senility were omitted from the survey.


What preposition should I use here: "written of me" or "written about me"?

> ... having reviews and articles **written of me** in The New York Press.   > or   > ... having reviews and articles **written about me** in The New York Press.   >


Membership vs ticket

Tickets are sold for concerts, presentations and other gatherings. Yet conventions tend to sell memberships. Why does one purchase a membership (rather than a ticket) to a convention?


What's the most preferred spelling of auto fill, auto-fill, and autofill?

When you are trying to say that something is automatically filled in, you use the word _autofill_ , or if you were using past tense, _autofilled_. I see 3 main ways that people use it:   1. _auto fill_ / _auto filled_   2. _auto-fill_ / _auto-filled_   3. _autofill_ / _autofilled_ Note: this also applies to _pre fill_ , _pre-fill_ , and _prefill_ as well. **Which way is the most preferred spelling?**


"Compound nouns list" or "compound noun list"?

I couldn't help but wonder every time I saw such a noun phrase. I've seen both forms used equally often, so I guess both of them can be used interchangeably. But do I guess right? Some examples: > Here is a frequently used _compound nouns list_. > > Here is a frequently used _compound noun list_. I usually rephrase them into something like this. > Here is a reference _list_ of _compound nouns_.


"Article on" vs "article about"

Which one is correct: _an excellent article on ant behaviour_ or _an excellent article about ant behaviour_? If both are correct, is there a difference in their meaning and usage?


How do you distinguish "have got" from "got" as the past tense of "get" in "I got my car back"?

When someone says "I got my car back" in an informal setting, does it mean (1) or (2)?   1. I have got my car back. (Where "have" can be dropped in spoken English.)   2. I got my car back. (As the past tense of "I get my car back".) I do understand that they mean virtually the same thing, but (1) is in the present tense, whereas (2) the past tense. When you make it a question, the syntactic difference is clear:   1. Have I got my car back?   2. Did I get my car back?


What is a book about cooking called?

What would be the right sentence to use to say that I am reading a book about cooking?   * I am reading a cooking book   * I am reading a cook book  Please explain the reason for the choice.


How to formally state that parents have not raised their children well

I'm writing an article about the family and how it can change a person's life in the future. I need a word that tells the readers about a family in which the parents have not been good enough to teach their kids social skills and generally those things they will need in the future to be able to live well.   * _The word must be formal (and polite)._ I searched the dictionary for some words, but I'm not sure if they are the right words to be used with family. I found the following: > Inefficiency, incompetence, inadequacy, ineptitude, inefficacy None of the dictionaries I checked (Longman and Oxford) mention whether or not this is the right word to be used with family. Ineptitude of family?


Why the indefinite article in "have a good time"?

Why do we use the indefinite article in the expression "have a good time"? _Time_ is an uncountable noun, and we never say "what a beautiful weather!", but "what beautiful weather it is!" Could anyone explain it to me?


"Reset" or "re-set"?

As far as I know there are two different meanings of the word "reset":   * to restore an object/value to a previous/initial state - that's the most widely use of the word;    * to set the value/state a second time. But, is it common to use "reset" with the second meaning? For me it makes more sense to distinguish the two meanings by using "re-set" on the second one. But, does "re-set" even exist? For example, what would be most acceptable in the following examples? > The thermostat is now set to 20 ºC. You can make it colder or warmer by > _resetting/re-setting_ it [to a different value]. > > "Production stop" works simply by _resetting/re-setting_ the end time [to a > different value but not to the default one].


Can you say "Why Tom let Katie win"

Some one pointed to me that in this Star magazine from cover, the editor used the sentence "Why Tom let Katie win" instead of "Why **did** Tom let Katie win". Is it a correct form or is the grammatical quality of the magazine the same as its content quality? The same goes for the question in the upper left corner in the blue circle "How much $$ she gets". If the use of "$$" instead of the word money is acceptable, is the sentence "How much money she gets" grammatically correct? ![picture](http://mscwne.wcdn.co.il/w/f-466/1312943-5.jpg)


"If he saw that he should act" or "If he sees that he should act"

> If he **saw** that he should act immediately or > If he **sees** that he should act immediately Any differences betweeen these?


Why do we use the term "and how"?

What is the literal and/or figurative meaning behind the term "and how"? Example: Boy 1: "The sun is boiling today." Boy 2: "And how!" I get HOW it's used, but can't seem to find any info on WHY the particular phrase would be used. A silly question, perhaps, that has nonetheless intrigued me at 1:30 am. Please and thank you.


It is correct and formal to include "of" when writing dates?

A friend of mine, native EN speaker, told me that the following is correct written like this: > We met on the 1st of June. Is that really true? I cannot see any reference that these are used in written text.


"Want to relieve from" vs. "want relief from"

>   * Want to relieve from academic pressure. >   * Want relief from academic pressure. > I think the former one is more proper but my teacher said the latter one is correct.


Is "having have been" / "having have eaten" grammatically correct? Is it a verb tense?

Some examples of a weird _thing_ I found. I want to call it a verb tense, but I'm not sure that's accurate: "24.6% reported having have been injured due to excessive consumption of alcohol." "When I got up to clear the table, only having have eaten a third of the fish—which was shockingly filling—I noticed that..." Is this grammatically correct? If so, what is it called? Present participle of the past perfect? Normally after "having," you would have to use the past participle, but in these cases "have" is used instead of "had."


Idiom that describes a person who doesn't have an acceptable witness

We Persians have a proverb that says: > They asked the fox, "Who's your witness?" The fox said, "My tail!" What do Americans say when a person only has their ally as a witness? Is there any idiom for this?


Shortened "cannot be disabled"

How can "cannot be disabled" be written in short form, similar to the way "can be removed" can be written as "removable"? I didn't find the answer in Google Translate.


appearance phrase question

My student wrote in his essay > it gives her face a peculiar charm? I tried all the dictionaries at hand (hard-copy and electronic ones) but did not find a definite answer whether this phrase sounds English. Could you please help me?


A phrase for critically important

Can you please help me to find an idiom/phrase that would describe something as being of high importance. e.g. These files are ... (critically important).


What are specific cartoon-type interjections like "cough" and "sigh" called in English?

In comics, for example those by Walt Disney, interjections that describe or emphasize in words what the characters in the image are doing are quite commonly used ( _cough_ , _sigh_ , _tweet_ ). According to the _German Wikipedia_ , a grammatical term for this type of word has been introduced only recently, in 1998. It’s called _Inflektiv_. I could not find an English translation, neither on these pages nor in any search engine. Is there a term for this?


Using "basically" in an interview

Can I use word _basically_ in an interview? For example > I _basically_ belong to X but I am working at Y from last 10 years. Or can I use > I belong to X and I am working at Y from last 10 years.


Can I use "let ... alone" to mean "even though/if"?

I am composing a poem and have something like this > Even if/though it is thousand miles far, we can still share the one. in mind, which I want to express it more poetically as > Let thousand miles alone,   >  Can we still share the one. It kinda makes sense to me. But I am not sure whether it also makes the same sense to others. Is this use of the phrase _let alone_ correct? Note that I am aware of two questions regarding the phrase _let alone_ here, but neither of them addresses my issue.


When and why did the N-word and "negro" go apart?

Both the terms _nigger_ and _negro_ come from the Spanish and Portuguese _Negro_ which denotes "black". But today they have widely different connotations, the former is considered a horrible racial slur, while the latter was the prefered way to refer to a person of black ancestry or appearance until the 1960s–70s, was used by MLK in his "I have a dream" speech and is still used in the full name of the UNCF. When did the terms go apart, and why does one of them have a strong racist connotation while the other doesn't?


"Product" vs "production"

When developing software, we have servers for development and servers for real customers. For the real servers environment, should I call it _product environment_ or _production environment_?


Difference between "without" and "with no"

What is the difference between the usage of _without_ and _with no_? For example, _without sound_ and _with no sound_.


"I am gonna have to" vs. "I have to"

What is the difference between " **I am gonna have to** " and " **I have to** "? When would you use the first one? update: I am specifically asking about situations like the one described here.


Interdependence vs. interdependency: grammatical number

Are the two words interchangeable? If so, why is one more common in singular (interdependence) and the other in plural (interdependencies)? Look at the Google search hit numbers below: interdependence: 2,560,000   interdependences: 98,600 interdependency: 1,190,000   interdependencies: 617,000


Are white and black ever capitalized when referring to people

What is the accepted custom regarding capitalization when it comes to "White" and "Black" when referring to race, whether they are being used as nouns or adjectives?


"Forgot" vs "Forget"

Is the following correct, or is there more to it? "I forgot his name" — I knew his name, but I forgot it. "I forget his name" — I keep forgetting his name. Where using "forget" basically means that you tried to remember this information before as well, but you couldn't then either.


Languages understandable to English-speakers without learning

There are groups of languages that are mutually intelligible. For example, as a Russian, I can partially understand what is said to me in Ukrainian, Belorussian, Bulgarian, Czech, and some other languages, though I have never learned any of those languages. I heard that Swedish people can understand Norwegian and Danish without specifically learning them. The question is: How is it with the English language? Are there any languages that can be, at least partially (the overall meaning of the phrase spoken), understood by a person whose native language is English, provided that the person in question never learned any of these languages beforehand?


What would you call a person that nags a lot?

If say one party has agreed to paint a shed and is now getting nagged by the nagger to do it. Is there a term better than "nagger"?


Ban vs Suspend (e.g. I banned a user from my site)

Is it correct to say > We will suspend you from our website Or > We will ban you from our website Both seem acceptable, but which is the best?


What is the meaning of the phrase "this side of x"? And how do I use it?

Since I don't understand it in the first place, I better just give you an example: Cracked.com example, says _otherwise known as "the pettiest hobo crime this side of aggressive panhandling."_ ( **WARNING** : site graphics could be **NSFW** , YMMV) It's not the only time I have seen it but it's the only one I can find via Google Search The usage that I've seen seems to indicate some sort of comparison. The example above seems to say that "where we live, panhandling is aggressive", but I can't figure out the exact meaning Note: So far I think I've only seen this phrase in cracked.com itself. Perhaps it's some kind of inside joke, but I certainly don't get it and its usage seems pretty legitimate EDIT: Mathias Foster gives 2 other examples: _this side of the black stump_ and _this side of the equator_.


Expression choice for the error of being too exact?

For example, stating a street address with millimetric precision would be too exact and is therefore not applicable and not done. So you can be too exact. Is there an expression for this error or a phrase (like "cutting stones with a surgeon's knife" or likewise if someone uses a tool or an instrument with too much precision for a job)?


"Simple is best" vs "Simple is the best"

As a foreigner, using articles is one of the most difficult part. What is the difference between "Simple is best" and "Simple is the best"? When I googled it, both appeared with many results, so it seems both are right. Are they same or have some differences?


"so does/so did"

In a middle of a conversation, I came across the following situation. My friend said, "The weather forecast says it's going to be rainy this weekend." I wanted to say, "It also said that for the last week, but it didn't rain." This is a long sentence and I wonder whether there is a shorter way to express it. Maybe > So did for the last week but didn't rain. Is this correct? I want to emphasize the _weather forecast_. The sentence should look like as if it started with "The weather forecast...". What are the related grammar for these kind of scenarios?


Word for a combination of video / visuals / perhaps other media

I believe it was about one year ago that I listened to a song (title is “Hún Jörð” by the band Sigur Rós) on YouTube accompanied by video. I believe the video was taken from a film about Jesus and Christianity. The author used a term for this kind of combination of audio and visual, but I can’t remember it. Could anybody help me out? **Edit** : When I looked up the word back then, I believe one of the definitions was something along the lines of “two things moving together” or “two things playing in harmony”.


Is this a correct sentence?

> Either a dryer hook-up kit or power cord and separate vent kit are required. Basically means either   * a) dryer hook-up kit   * b) power cord and separate vent kit are required. The sentence sounds wrong but I'm not sure how.


What is the term for a child that's in between toddler and adolescent?

I'm trying to come up with terms to describe the various age ranges for children up through teenager and I'm stuck trying to describe someone who's in the age range of about 6 through 10. In other words, I'm trying to fill in the gap: newborn -> infant -> toddler -> ??? -> pre-teen -> teenager I considered that "pre-teen" technically fits that age range, but to me, that term strongly implies a child in the 10-12 range (just before they hit 13 and become a teenager). I also considered but rejected "pre-pubescent", which also technically fits, but is more focused on a child's level of sexual maturity, which is irrelevant to the situation I'm trying to describe. Most references I found simply refer to children of that age as a "child", but doesn't that term apply equally to anyone under the age of majority, or at the very least, anyone pre-adolescence?


Where did the term "garage band" originate from?

Apart from the video game, the term has been in use amongst musicians for years - where did it come from, documented listings?


Are there English affixes for left/right?

Is there an affix that means left (right)? E.g. Imagine it was the prefix lef-. We'd be able to generate the following words.   * lefcars (cars in which the steering wheel is on the left-hand side)   * leffoils (foils with the grip set-up for a left-hander)   * lefpoliticians (politicians associated with the political left) etc.


"Issue #16 is being downloaded" vs "Downloading issue #16"

When downloading something on an application, I preferred the present continuous active voice form of the message, say something like "Downloading issue #16" However I have been asked to change it into passive voice form "Issue #16 is being downloaded" While I can't really point what is worse or better with the latter, my sensibilities strongly favor the former. Can you point out which one is better, what would you prefer and why?


Use of "minute or two" to mean "moment" in the early 20th century?

In what seems like at least half her novels, Agatha Christie writes that one character waits for a "minute or two." At first I thought that these characters were actually sitting there and pondering, mid-conversation for a full 120 seconds while the other character was staring at them expectantly. However, this phrase has also been used in situations of high urgency, so I'm starting to think that "minute" is actually just being used to represent a pregnant pause. > Tommy became restive. The conversation he had overheard had stimulated his > curiosity. He felt that, by hook or by crook, he must hear more. > > There was no sound from below, and it did not seem likely that the > doorkeeper would come upstairs. After listening intently for a minute or > two, he put his head round the curtain. In this passage, Tommy is considering moving closer to eavesdrop. Waiting for a full minute would sort of defeat the purpose! My questions are: Am I right about this meaning "a moment" rather than "60-120 seconds"? Was this something actually used by many writers or speakers at time, or is it peculiar to Christie? (who, in my opinion, writes some of the most incredible plots and characters, but her prose feels a bit amateurish, which might explain a "mistake" like this.) When and why did this usage fall out of use? Edit: I don't agree that "He waited for a minute or two" is the same case as "Give me a minute." For example, if someone expected to take another 10 seconds to finish something, they might tell you "Give me a minute", but more likely, "give me a second." However, they would most certainly not say "Give me a minute or two" because that strongly suggests from close to a minute to a few minutes. In addition, I am asking much more about the specific phrase "minute or two", which she uses exclusively. Characters never wait for "a minute" or "about a minute."


Single word meaning "freshness duration"

I'm looking for a word that encapsulates the phrases "freshness duration" or "duration until something is stale".


Does "absent friends" have definite association with deceased family/friends?

Having gotten married this year and acting as best man for my brother, one of the responsibilities for speeches was a toast "to absent friends". With some of our family no longer being alive, for us this evoked memories of them. Is the implication of lost loved ones strong enough that this is a widely understood euphemism for dead family and friends?


An alternative for "revisionism"

I believe that _revisionism_ is in itself essentially a historical exercise. I'm looking for something that can succinctly describe the following scenarios where the "revisionism" is more immediate and possibly necessary. I'm open to both terminology and colourful idiomatic expressions. > John Doe is the leader of the revolutionary army. He is, however, hit in a > drive-by shooting and dies instantly. Later on, his second-in-command > informs the army that their leader didn't die instantly and actually > survived for a few minutes. He states that John Doe's last words were, > "Don't lose heart and keep on going without me. I'll be watching over you > from the heavens.". Quoting from here: > The miracle of the herring is an usual miracle ascribed to St. Thomas > Aquinas, mainly out of desperation on the part of the Catholic Church > because, although he was a great writer, he did little in the way of > sainthood. Therefore, they created this miracle. The story goes that St. > Thomas Aquinas was on his deathbed and wanted some herring, but there was no > herring where he lived (the Mediterranean) so they gave him pilchards > instead. When Thomas ate them, he said they were the best herring he ever > tasted. The church claimed that the pilchards turned into herrings in his > mouth. (I'm not sure how much time passed between Aquinas' death and his canonisation. For the purpose of this question, let's assume that this interval was relatively brief.) **Edit:** I'm concerned more with the **act** of revisionism to **_advance a cause_** than its end result or the subjects involved.


Sayings similar to "a picture is worth a thousand words"

I' m looking for a common saying or catchphrase that has the same meaning as "a picture is worth a thousand words". I need this as a title for an article that illustrates that point in a specific context, but the original is obviously worn out. EDIT To clarify: I'm trying to illustrate the point that it's easier to convince someone of a fact if you show them it, than if you just describe it.


I don't understand the word "however" in this context

> In the years since transgression I have sought no absolution, only bare > forgiveness. In good faith I have removed myself from all temptation, > sacrificed to prove my commitment however I can imagine. I cannot understand the last part " _sacrificed to prove my commitment however I can imagine_ ", so could you explain this sentence to me?


What does "What the monarchies have going for them are royal families that allow them to stand above the fray,’ mean?

I saw the sentence in the following quote of Kenneth M. Pollack, director of the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution, about Middle East upheaval in New York Times’ ‘Quotation of Today.’ I understand the meaning of _stand above the fray._ But as I was unsure of the meaning of _have going for someone / something_ , I checked a dictionary. It carries _have a lot going for_ and its definition as _Having many positive personal attributes and achievement_. Having seen this, I’m not still very clear about the exact meaning of the line, _What the monarchies have going for them are royal families that allow them to stand above the fray._ Though I can 'guess' the meaning of the whole by context, can somebody rephrase or restructure this line so it is easier for a foreign English learner to understand? The quote in question reads; > What the monarchies have going for them are royal families that allow them > to stand above the fray, to a certain extent. It allows them to sack the > government without sacking themselves. > > \--- Kenneth M. Pollack, director of the Saban Center for Middle East Policy > at the Brookings Institution, on why monarchs are weathering political > upheaval in the Middle East.


Is "holiday" derived from "holy day"?

I'm just curious if the word "holiday" is derived from "holy day".


People eighty years and up

Is there a word for people in the 80+ age group? I know octogenarian means 80-to-89-year-olds. Is there a word for people in their 80s, 90s, 100s, etc., inclusive? Supraoctogenarian?


"At the time" versus "at that time"

If I want to say that during the accident there were no passengers, how do I phrase it? > There were no passengers at the time.   >  There were no passengers at that time.


"jury-rigged", or "jerry-rigged"

As far back as I can remember, the usage went something like _"Their **jury** was **rigged** , and that's how he got away."_ Or, _"They **Jerry-rigged** the controller at the last moment and it worked!"_ I used to cringe every time I saw something being _jury-rigged_ , until I found it in the NY Times today. Which one is it? Is the other one wrong?


Opposite of "distributed"

What is the opposite of _distributed_ ? Is it _single_ or _combined_ ? What is a more appropriate word?


Water comprises/composes/combines/consists two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  When do you use what word to express that something consists of something > else?   >  Does a whole “compose” its parts?   >  Correct use of “consist” > Water _comprises/composes/combines/consists_ two hydrogen atoms and one > oxygen atom. Can anyone let me know the correct usage in this sentence?


What’s wrong with saying “Your book inside”?

Let’s say you have a box, and you have a book inside it. You can attach a paper on it saying “Book” or “Book inside”. Now, if you’re sending it to someone and you write a note on it, you would say, “Your book is inside.” Why would saying _your book inside_ be wrong? Either way you’re labelling the object. If on your note you wrote “your book: inside” or “your book – inside”. Those seem fine because they have a sign. Why is that? Is it because it just sounds better?


Question about the phrase "items borrowed"

In the sentence > For example, the proportion of children's **book borrowed** doubled to > comprise 40% of total I mean that "book borrowed" = book which is borrowed. And the full sentence is : > For example, the proportion of children's **book which is borrowed** doubled > to comprise 40% of total Please confirm for me. The way I mean correct or incorrect?


Which sentences is better?

I have a question. Which sentence is better?   1. I have sent electronic copies of all my documents to your University.    2. I am sending electronic copies of all my documents to your University.        3. Could you please review my documents and determine whether I qualify to be admitted to postgraduate studies.   4. Would you please review my documents and determine whether these qualify me for admission to postgraduate studies. Thank you in advance for your help.


Single word for "this is why"

Consider: Where = here When = now What = this How = thus Why = (this is why)?? With the above, you could answer a question with the word on the left with just the single word on the right as an answer without additional information when the context is implicit, or can be provided with non-verbal cues such as pointing or demonstrating. Is there a single word answer to the question "why?" to describe **this reason** or **this is why** when the context is implicit? Both **therefore** and **because** are inadequate as they require additional information. If not, does anyone know if other languages perhaps do have a single word for this?


What do you call a brightly lit spot?

What do you call a brightly lit spot, especially as a result of reflecting the light source (e.g. sun) off a glassy surface?


What is the word for nouns with gender-specific forms?

Thought I would try a question with visual aid.* The image below shows Claire Danes, "Actor", in a kiosk poster for the Met. The variation in usage between actor and actress for female thespians is ably handled here: Female Actor or Actress ![Claire Danes, female Actor](http://i.stack.imgur.com/bXzT6.jpg) My question is: more generally, what is the term for nouns that have gender- specific forms (master / mistress, emperor / empress, bachelor / bachelorette, hero / heroine) and those that don't (swimmer, dancer, announcer, etc.)? [Separately, it would be interesting to see any cross-language / cross-region statistics on prevalence or frequency of gender-variant noun forms.] * Victor Mair on Language Log has been illustrating contemporary Chinese usage brilliantly with photos from real life ( http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?author=13 ), so I thought I would try it out here on English Usage. If you like experiments, let me know how you like this one...


Why do people say "break a leg" to actors?

Frequently, before going on stage, someone will say "break a leg" to an actor, which is a peculiar acting saying meaning "good luck!" How did this expression come about?


Is "Them’s fighting words" a right and received English expression?

I came across the phrase ‘ _Them’s fighting words_ ,’ in the beginning part of a Time magazine (July 12) article in its Swampland section under the title “Don’t mess with the stimulus! It had all your creamed spinach and more.” The author, Michael Grunwald, seems to be defending Obama’s stimulus plan of infrastructure. The sentence in question reads as follows: > You know, the poor thing has no one to defend it but me. And me again. And > yet again. So, its infrastructure spending was too “rushed,” and sent cash > to the "least difficult and imaginative projects," huh? _Them’s fighting > words_! I interpret "Them's fighting words" to simply mean "They're fighting words." Can _them_ be used as a subject being followed by the singular of "to be" and a transitive verb (fight) that takes the objective noun ( _words_ )? I’m puzzled if this is an established American usage of _them_ or just a fashionable saying.


Wondering if this mixed conditional is correct or not ( taken from Euronews )

> Earlier on his arrival in Warsaw the president had met US and Polish air > personnel from a detachment of F-16 fighter jets. Obama also stressed that > more sanctions **were being** prepared against Russia if the West > **decided** it ( Russia) engaged in activities which were destabilising to > Ukraine. Source: http://euronews.com/2014/06/03/us-to-step-up-military-presence-in- european-reassurance-initiative/ I really have my doubts whether the mixed conditional here is correct format. Based on my perception the writer should have used **second conditional** , somethimg like: > Obama also stressed that more sanctions **would be** prepared against Russia > if the West **decided** it ( Russia) engaged or had engaged in activities > which were destabilising to Ukraine. If I want to make a mixed conditional out of the sentence, it would be something like: > If new sanctions **were going to be imposed** on Russia in future, it > **would be** because of further possible destablising activities in Ukraine. Is my sentence correct, as opposed to what the Euronews reporter wrote? Many thanks in advance.


Common interjections / exclamations in English

What are the interjections / exclamations commonly used in English (e.g. _aha_ , _wow_ , _eh_ , etc.)? I'd appreciate if you can provide me with a full list with the meaning of each term.


thrice, twice, once, *zeroce?

In similarity to this question: once, twice, thrice, *frice? What are some words that indicate 'zero times' ? **EDIT:** I'm looking for a word that clearly states a zero-time occurrence. Not a simple negation.


Do serious grammarians endorse the "Can I"/"May I" distinction?

Just now, I wanted to ask a question that was something like, "Can I get a thorough list of all the parts of speech that a sentence can be broken down into?" But then a nagging voice appeared in my head and said, "Of course you can! You certainly have the capability -- but that's not what you want, is it." "You're asking for help, so use _may_." My question is: Should I invariably trust that voice, instilled in students by grammar school teachers everywhere? What do serious linguists and language enthusiasts think about the "Can I"/"May I" distinction? Would they agree, or is it fair to say that using "can" there has become proper idiomatic English? I ask because I couldn't really think of a quick way to rephrase that sentence using "may", and began to wonder whether it was just another one of those kludgy myths megalomaniac teachers enforce on their students...


Usage of "nonetheless" and "nevertheless"

Person A: "Is it just because you think I am sad, that you want to talk with me?" Person B: "No, I want to talk with you **___ __ ___ ___**." In the blank, which word is correct: "nonetheless" or "nevertheless"? Also, can you give an example of the usage?


Can "the Scotch minister" mean the Presbyterian Church of Scotland?

In Mark Twain's "A Dog's Tale" there is a sentence which I feels a little tricky,“...a curly-haired Irish setter by the name of Robin Adair, who was a Presbyterian like me, and **belonged to the Scotch minister**.” According to dictionaries, "minister" only refers to priests or other high rank religious officials; in other words, it refers to **people**. Yet this was the first time "Scotch minister" appeared in the work, and therefore the word "the" sounds a little strange, and an "a" might sound more natural. I wonder if the expression is an allusion to the Presbyterian Church of Scotland, which is the national church there. Is it possible that "the Scotch Minister" could refer to the Scotch Church instead of a mere person, or it is just that the narrator of the story took for granted the priest was known to the intended audience in the context?


"That's okay" to mean "no" or "don't bother"?

Growing up, I became accustomed to using the phrase "that's okay" to mean "no" or "don't bother." For example: > **Waitress** : Yous guys want any dessert?   >  **Patron** [shaking head to mean no]: That's okay.   >  **Waitress** : Here's the check then, hun. In other words, the patron is really trying to say, "That's okay, _but I am already full_." Later on in life, when traveling to areas with other dialects of English, I was often met with confusion when trying to use that phrase to mean "no". When I got to thinking about it, the phrase itself is quite ambiguous, because it is unclear to what "that" refers. In fact, "that's okay" could very well be taken to mean "yes" in the above scenario, if interpreted literally. I have since taught myself to avoid this usage. Having first learned English in the Philadelphia dialect, I attributed this weird usage as a regional fluke, like our use of "anymore", _et al_. However, I have since heard other people in other dialects using this phrase to mean "no". **Questions** : Is this usage of "that's okay" a regionalism? Is its etymology as simple as just dropping the end of the phrase, _e.g._ , "That's okay ~~, _but I am already full_~~ ," or is its etymology more complex? **Edit:** This is completely anecdotal, but I seemed to meet the most resistance to this construction on the West coast of the US, and particularly in the Pacific Northwest, _e.g._ , > **Waitress** : Would you like any dessert?   >  **Me** [shaking head to mean no]: That's okay.   >  **Waitress** : Does that mean "yes" or "no"‽


Meaning of the phrase "Educational pearl"

I've found that phrase "Educational pearl" on this page and have no idea what it means. Can someone explain it for me please?


What is a "high-level conversation"?

Recently I was told by a potential interviewer for a job that we would be having a "high-level conversation" soon. I assumed at the time that she just meant a conversation with a higher-up, e.g., her boss, but suddenly am not so sure. So I'm curious. Have you heard that term before, and what does it mean?


How/From where did the term "paradigm shift" originate?

Paradigm Shift + Thinking outside of the box = Death of a Salesman


Pronouncing acronyms

I've noticed that some people in my office spell out "data import tool" as **D**. **I**. **T**., whereas others will say " **dit** " (like "ditty"). Is trying to pronounce an acronym as a word, as opposed to spelling it out, ever correct?


Is this structure, Adj. as it seems, correct?

I wish to express > Although it may sound good, its assumption is questionable and risky. I remember vaguely that I have read it as such from somewhere I cannot remember: > Good as it may sound, its assumption is questionable and risky. Is it correct? Or it should be: > Good as it may sound, **but** its assumption is questionable and risky.


When did the term "scientist" overtake usage of the term "natural philosopher"?

The word _scientist_ comes from the Latin _scientia_, but when did its usage become more prevalent than the term _natural philosopher_?


"Toys out of the pram" expression

Can the expression "toys out of the pram" be applicable for describing that someone is having a bad day?


How to use it's vs is?

I've seen that people use "how easy is it to […]?" and "how easy is to […]?" Another example could be: > I couldn’t ignore the barrage of research showing how easy **it is** to > screw up your kids. Could it be written as follows? > I couldn’t ignore the barrage of research showing how easy **is** to screw > up your kids. Admittedly, it sounds much better the first form, however, is there any rule regarding the use of _it's_ versus _is_.


Does "typically" always imply a habitual occurrence?

Example: > When she lost her wallet, typically, she panicked. That looks awkward and incorrect. A present tense version of the sentence looks correct: > When she loses her wallet, typically she panics. (or "she typically panics") I am trying to explain to someone why why "typically" is wrong in the past- tense sentence. Is it because "typically" always implies a reoccurring event?


Cleanness vs Cleanliness

I only heard "cleanness" for the first time yesterday - I did not know this word existed. So what's the difference between cleanness and cleanliness? I've read this http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=973672 but am not clear when I would use "cleanness"


Origin of the personal pronouns

What is the origin of the personal pronouns _I_ , _you_ , _he_ , _she_ , _it_ , _we_ , and _they_?


Easy interrogative garden path prevention

How do writers of American English inform the reader that the current sentence is a question (with all the assumptions and prosody that go with it) without sacrificing the content, format, impact, etc. of the sentence? (In Spanish the problem is alleviated by use of the inverted question mark.) Examples: > Running into a lot of trouble handling finances and balancing your budget? > > The fastest way to find the north pole is to run there?


Modern replacement for checking frequency tables?

What is the most up-to-date, robust, and reliable way to check verb (or other POS) frequencies in current usage? Is there any hope of an algorithm involving counting Google hits and dividing by some benchmark number (say 1,000,000,000,000) or is that so error-prone as to be out of the question? (Any help with tags would be appreciated.)


What is the origin of the phrase "and nothing of value was lost"? Is this from a movie, book, or show, or did it get its start on Slashdot or some other online forum?


Origin of “Homeward ho!”

In the English translation of an essay by Leon Trotsky that came out in _Foreign Affairs_ , I read [emphasis added]: > Now it turns out that the world exchange is the source of all misfortunes > and all dangers. **Homeward ho!** Back to the national hearth! While its meaning is perfectly clear to me (“let’s go home!”), I cannot determine its origin. Has it something to do with a command to a horse?


Why do people use “mayday” and not “help”?

I’m not native English speaker, so I wonder why forces like policemen and firemen and such use _Mayday_ instead of the simpler _Help_. What is origin of this habit?


What is meant by 'intestinal fortitude'? 'ovariological fortitude'?

Is a good example of 'intestinal fortitude' when someone faces his/her fair share of adversity and bounces back from it? Or when a boxer is repeatedly pummeled and knocked down in a fight, and he keeps returning to his feet to continue notwithstanding the beating endured (he's showing a lot of heart, internal strength and 'guts')? Can you say 'He had the intestinal fortitude ('guts') to call me a buffoon'? Is 'ovariological fortitude' the female equivalent of this term?


Meaning of "plumb" as verb

I found in the free dictionary the various meanings of _plumb_ as a verb and mainly it seems to have the meaning of _explore/study/delve into_. However, within the title of an article of the International Herald Tribune (Aug. 11, 2011), namely _Spanish case plumbs trans-Atlantic divide on Web privacy_ , it seems to have the meaning _trigger_. Is that right?


What's the proper interpretation of: "I was kissed by a girl twice"?

The other day I experienced two distinct but similar events. I wanted to convey this to a friend and this is what came to mind: "I was kissed by a girl twice." My question is, does this sentence say, "I was kissed by the _same_ girl twice," or "I was kissed by two different girls on two separate occasions?" Similarly, what's the proper interpretation of this sentence: "He got hit by a bicycle twice yesterday." (Was he hit by the same bike twice?)


last summer or the last summer?

I've read `Essential Grammar in Use` Raymond Murphy's book. some page of the book was told me: > Do not use "the" with: > > television > > breakfast/lunch/dinner > > next/last + week/month/year/summer/Monday/etc. e.g. > Did you have a holiday last summer? My question is can i speak: > Did you have a holiday in the last summer? Is it really that i can not use `a` or `the` with all of them above? for example: > a television, the television, the last month, ... I'm a little bit confusing. Is that rule depend on its context or it is always true? Note that this question might be duplicated but i expect the answer that emphasise on the additional explanation according to the context above that i referred from the book to make it more clear.


What is the implication of Herman Cain “tried to parse the meaning of “settlement” versus “agreement”?

In Maureen Dowd’s article titled “Cain not Able” appearing in the _New York Times_ November 1st issue, there was the following line: > “He [Herman Cain] has contradicted himself even more risibly on his memory > of the harassment charges than he has on his abortion position. > > At first, he said he wasn’t aware of the five-figure settlement to one > woman; then, suddenly, he was aware. Instead of the meaning of “is,” _Cain > tried to parse the meaning of “settlement” versus “agreement_.” He still > claims he doesn’t remember the other five-figure settlement to another > woman.” I don’t get meaning of “Cain tried to parse the meaning of “settlement” versus “agreement.” Of course I understand “settlement” is different from “agreement,” because they’re different words. But what does this line mean exactly in this particular context. What is the technical difference and difference of implications between “(five-figure) settlement on payment” and “agreement on payment” to a woman for his alleged sexual harassment charge (or liability)? Why did Dowd say Cain tried to “parse” the meaning of his own words, not saying “he mixed-up” or “intentionally obscured them" or even evaded the question on his charge? Additional question: What does "instead of the meanig of 'is'? mean? What does 'is' have a particular meaning here?


Good websites to help improve usage of prepositions

Please anyone suggest some good websites which give tips on the usage of prepositions on a daily or weekly basis. I have doubts regarding usage of prepositions in many contexts. So wanted to know a general website which would help. I am a software programmer and i get many doubts regarding the usage of prepsitions many times while discussing on forums. For example: I am not sure of a sentence like "Is this conference only for android developers or anyone without a prior knowledge of/in android coding can attend? "


Is the following sentence punctuated correctly?

I feel like something is wrong with the _", notably" part_ , but I can't explain why! Is the following sentence grammatically correct? > Employees give relatively low scores across a variety of characteristics, > notably the quality of the Marketing department's decisions, compensation, > and having sufficient people resources. (My problem with grammar is that it's completely intuitive, and I often can't explain the rules behind why something is wrong.)


What does "boy" mean here?

Recently, in a magazine, I read the following line: > It's been an eventful year and boy, has it flown past! My question is, what does the word "boy" mean here? Is it an idiom? What is its usage?


What is the difference between 'make decision' and 'take decision'?

What is the difference between _make decision_ and _take decision_? When to use the one and when the other?


Why is anyone in a porn movie considered a porn star?

Recently, the media made a big deal about Charlie Sheen dating a porn star. It seems that anyone who is in a porn movie is referred to as a porn star. The same is not true of anyone in a normal movie. Everyone in a normal movie isn't a movie star. Everyone in a rock band is certainly not a rock star. Why is it that porn actors are afforded such lofty descriptions?


How to quote a list from a paper?

I'm writing a paper and I need to quote the following list:   1. Step1: Compute the center of each triangle and the correspondences between the center and three vertexes of the triangle;   2. Step2: Set up the Kd-tree according the centers of triangles;   3. Step3: Search the Kd-tree and check up the topological connectivity of the corresponding edges, and find the boundary edges;   4. Step4: Distinguish the different boundary loops according to the topological connectivity of vertexes; Do I quote like the following? "   1. Step1: Compute the center of each triangle and the correspondences between the center and three vertexes of the triangle;   2. Step2: Set up the Kd-tree according the centers of triangles;   3. Step3: Search the Kd-tree and check up the topological connectivity of the corresponding edges, and find the boundary edges;   4. Step4: Distinguish the different boundary loops according to the topological connectivity of vertexes; "(place citation number here)


Proper adjective for an addictive TV series

Can I use _Crazy addictive_ for a TV series which I'm being hooked up? Like: This TV show is not as _crazy addictive_ as that TV show.


The objects in an analogy

Consider this sentence: > This situation is analogous to the classic problem of cracking a hashed and > salted password: We **see** the X as a password and Y as a salt. What are the other ways to refer to the different "objects" here, instead of just using **see**? As the rest of my text is rather formal, _see_ feels like a bad fit. Edit: To be crystal clear, my goal is to argue the use of the analogy by comparing the X and Y to the password and salt.


Difference between 'than others' and 'than the others'

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Incriminating others vs. Incriminating the others: Is this sentence > correct? When should one of these be preferred over another for sentences of the form "A is different than (others | the others)"? For ex. what is the difference between - > All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others. and > All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than the others.


When to use words quite, rather, pretty, fairly etc

Is there any logic to this or just decision? I would use the following combinations:   * quite amazing   * rather large   * pretty good I would not use the following combinations:   * pretty amazing   * quite large   * rather good There're also the words pretty and fairly and of course we say "pretty good" instead of quite good/rather good. Is there any grammar rule that states which word to select to give strength to an adjective without depending on the adjective for no appearant reason?


Single word for a person of few words

What is the single word for a person who expresses every emotion with a few or single word.


Preposition with phrase passed away

Is "My grandmother passed away from cancer last night" grammatically correct and acceptable?


Why do we say someone who has read many books is "widely read"?

Why do we say someone who has read many books is "widely read," or "well- read"? (Though the latter has a hyphen, and it could be called a separate word. Still, it has its etymology.) Why didn't we just stick to saying "he _has_ read widely"; why did we go from saying "he _has_ read" to "he _is_ read"?


Which tense should a verb take when parentheses could alter the tense?

In the following sentence I'd like to convey that "I don't know what space an item currently takes up or what space it will take up at some undefined future time". I contracted the sentence using parentheses* to read: > I don't know what space it (will) take up. My memory of primary school tells me that a sentence should still make sense if the bracketed section was removed, meaning I would have to conjugate "take" as if it were present tense. When I read this, however, it sounds wrong. > I don't know what space it (will) takes up. Should I always favour the way the complete sentence reads, in this case, conjugating for the future tense? * * * *brackets [BrE] but my programmer mind is often tuned to AmE alternatives.


Which English words place the tip of the tongue between teeth?   For example: _other_ and _that_


What is the question form of "used to do"?

What is the correct way to convert "used to do" into a question? Since I want to emphasize that the action is not on-going any more, so simple past tense is not a good idea here. Could I say "do xxx use to do" or "did xxx use to do"? Both sound weird to me. If there is no way to do it. Do you suggest any other alternatives?


Asking a Question in the Imperfect

I can say in Spanish, > Yo jugaba al tenis cuando tenía 8 años, which means > I used to play tennis when I was 8 years old. I could also ask, > ¿Jugabas tú al tenis cuando tenías 8 años? whose English counterpart is > Did you play tennis when you were 8 years old? Sometimes I get stuck, though, since it's hard to ask > Did you _use to_ play tennis ... Is there a real way to ask a question in the imperfect using the "used to" form of the imperfect?


Is the word multimedia redundant?

So, the correct plural form of medium is media. Of course, there are exceptions, and the words have taken on new usages (such as adding a definitive article "the" to media, making it singular), but isn't the word multimedia redundant? What you are really trying to say is multiple mediums -- or just media. I imagine it started in the 50s or 60s. Did it start as a "buzzword" or some sort of industry jargon? Perhaps it is a byproduct of the aforementioned exceptions, in that "the media" became singular, and thus a new pluralized form had to be developed?


What is the "Wire Service Era"?

In a CBS sports article, I read this sentence: > Alabama wrapped up its 10th national championship of the _wire service era_ > , winning its third national championship in four years with a 42-14 > thrashing of No. 1 Notre Dame in the BCS title game. There are a few definitions of "wire service" out there. For example, > wire service (noun): A news-gathering organization that distributes > syndicated copy electronically, as by teletype or the Internet, usually to > subscribers. My estimation is that the _wire service era_ coincides with the advent of some wire-based transfer of news, but I'm not sure which. The article references Alabama's 10th National Championship of the WSE, the first of which happened in 1961. Is anyone familiar with this term, and, if so, could you shed some light on the timespan of the "wire service era"?