Tagged Questions
0
votes
3answers
59 views
'Oldest' for age vs. length of time
This discussion arose around the statement
"PersonX was my oldest high-school friend"
The intention was to refer to length of time known (roughly the opposite of 'most recent') as opposed to meaning ...
8
votes
2answers
166 views
Drink 7 to 10 days after opening?
Is this label telling the consumer that it is best to consume the drink 7 to 10 days after opening it?
I know what they are getting at, but I feel like it should say "Best if consumed within 7 to ...
0
votes
1answer
45 views
Objectivity vs. Objectivism vs. Objectiveness [closed]
What are some clear-cut distinctions between objectivity, objectivism, and objectiveness?
2
votes
1answer
66 views
“sallow complexion”
In Isaac Asimov's Foundation series, in several places he describes people having a "sallow complexion".
According to Collins dictionary:
Sallow
(esp of human skin) of an unhealthy pale or ...
6
votes
3answers
319 views
Why does “I am in your debt” mean the opposite of what it suggests?
I don't understand why if someone says:
"I am in your debt"
It seems to mean the opposite of the literal meaning.
For example, the person saying this says that (s)he is in the "debt" of the ...
1
vote
2answers
120 views
“My job is not to worry about those people” — what does “not” refer to?
In the famous leaked video, Mitt Romney says
My job is not to worry about those people
An equivalent sentence probably is
It is not my job to worry about those people
Some media in my home ...
4
votes
4answers
233 views
Quintessential vs essential?
While quintessential means 'representing the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class' [OED], it defines essential as 'absolutely necessary; extremely important'. I have noticed frequent ...
1
vote
3answers
89 views
Is “have not worked here for a long time” ambiguous?
I have not worked here for a long time/for many years.
Is it ambiguous? Which of the two below is the correct meaning?
I have been working here, but only for a short period of time.
I once ...
0
votes
2answers
100 views
Valid? “The river is flowing.”
What is the meaning of the "the river is flowing?" Is this valid usage?
Websters, #2: River: A large quantity of a flowing substance
The river is already a flow by definition. Can the river be ...
2
votes
1answer
88 views
Justice as a title … where does it come from?
In the US supreme court judges, among others, are called "justice [name]". Where is this use rooted?
Obviously the term comes from Latin "justitia" originally, but that means justice as in the the ...
-1
votes
3answers
103 views
Meaning: “Any more” in context [closed]
I am not sure about the meaning of the "any more" in the following phrase and how can I spot it:
Would the things I've said and done matter any more?
1) Would it matter any longer?
2) Would it ...
1
vote
1answer
89 views
For the title alone
Someone has voted for one of my questions with this comment:
+1 for the title alone.
Which of these two possible meanings is the most correct:
The title itself is so nice that I would have ...
1
vote
2answers
99 views
Antedecent of “its” in “the dog attacked the cat and its friends” [duplicate]
The dog attacked the cat and its friends.
Does the sentence imply that the dog attacked the cat and the cat's friends or that it attacked the cat and the dog's friends?
How would one properly ...
0
votes
2answers
72 views
Pre-clause, Post-clause
I have two possible sentences of the some situation and I am confused:
Realizing he did not belong there, he left the meeting early.
He left the meeting early, realizing he did not belong ...
-1
votes
1answer
57 views
Possessive Ambiguity: sharing a house [closed]
Could this:
Jason shared Michael's house.
be an acceptable shortened version of this:
Jason shared Michael's house with Michael.
?
-2
votes
2answers
97 views
Ambiguities and use of infinite and “-ing” form [closed]
I was looking for videos on YouTube, in my (almost) daily exercise to attempt improving my understanding of the spoken English, when I settled for a video entitled: "Why you will fail to have a great ...
4
votes
1answer
72 views
Fall Hard For Something
I am trying to find the right definition of "hard" in this piece of writing:
newspaper
Looking for a tranquil hideaway after years as a paparazzi magnet, Mr. Frazier bought the single-level ...
9
votes
2answers
82 views
notionistic education / teaching?
What's the right word to indicate a type of education based on memorizing facts or a superficial understanding of things, without real insight or critical mind development?
In my native language ...
1
vote
2answers
72 views
Multiple Instances of Same Noun: Does the use of “that” distinguish between them?
Consider the following sentence taken from some co-operative housing rules:
"Any costs of repairing a suite are the responsibility of the owner of a suite, which could be a different suite from ...
-1
votes
1answer
95 views
About the word “casual” [closed]
According to what I knew and I have found on the web, in general the word casual is the opposite of everyday. But in the special case when it refers to clothing, it has a similar meaning to "everyday ...
0
votes
1answer
57 views
What is the meaning of “at its discretion”?
What does "at its discretion" mean in the following sentence?
Dual Gadgets undertakes, at its discretion and cost, to repair or replace defective equipment covered by warranty in 3.b., provided ...
1
vote
1answer
119 views
“much too [something]” vs “too much [something]”
Which are the differences in meaning and usage between the two expressions "much too [something]" and the most common "too much [something]"?
Are they completely interchangeable?
i.e.: "much too ...
1
vote
1answer
82 views
What is the meaning of “He was a myth made man”?
I can't understand the meaning. Is it "He was a mythical person" or "He was a myth that became a man"?
0
votes
2answers
249 views
Are “that's it” and “that's all” interchangeable?
Are "that's it" and "that's all" interchangeable? Is there any specific case where I should use one instead of the other?
7
votes
2answers
249 views
“Suspect” versus “Suspicious” as Adjectives
A recent question on this site ("to suspect" vs "to be suspicious of") asks about the difference between "to suspect" and "to be suspicious of." An even more complicated situation ...
0
votes
3answers
48 views
December 15th to December 16th
In general, if I say:
From December 15th to December 16th
Would you expect the range to be from 12/15 00:00 to 12/16 23:59 or would you expect it to be from 12/15 00:00 to 12/15 23:59?
1
vote
1answer
61 views
Parenthetical statement that expresses a condition
I am studying a book and one of the lines (which was written in the 30's) is,
We had admitted that we were powerless over alcohol — that our lives had become unmanageable.
My question is ...
0
votes
0answers
14 views
“You were at the party, weren't you?” = “You were at the party, no?”? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Is it correct to append “no” to a question?
I have a doubt between both expressions. I think the first one is the correct for express such rhetorical question, isn't it ...
1
vote
1answer
46 views
deep roll of blue at the tops
I want some help with my question about the meaning of “deep roll of blue at the tops”:
"The men were dressed in blue, of the same shade as their hats, and wore well-polished boots with a deep ...
1
vote
2answers
111 views
Meaning and etymology of “down with”
I've searched a lot and found out that down with as a slang phrase means "being in an agreement with something". On the other hand, I know that it also means "death upon something".
So in a sentence ...
5
votes
3answers
148 views
Is it safe to use “old” to mean “previous” for a person?
Is it safe to use "old" to mean "previous" or "former" for something like "my old teacher"? Or is it a bit risky, because "old" also has a meaning with respect to age (i.e., chronologically gifted)?
...
-1
votes
2answers
510 views
Only then or then only?
I am not a native speaker. I have seen people at my place uses similar kinds of sentences interchangeably.
If he comes, only then I will go.
If he comes, then only I will go.
Which of these ...
-1
votes
3answers
124 views
“Within” and “in” when referring to time
I know that both can mean "inside" but what I don't have clear is whether both mean the same when talking about time. For example:
The party is in two days = The party is within two days ??
...
7
votes
2answers
520 views
Use of “Or”, inclusive or exclusive?
My wife and I are playing a game where you roll dice and move so many spaces in a grid "vertically or horizontally".
In the use of English it is very common to say, this or the other when it comes ...
4
votes
1answer
229 views
What is the meaning of “sanity” in “sanity check”?
The phrase "sanity check" comes up often in programming, e.g.
It's a good sanity check before attempting to decrypt the key.
Usually, its context is one in which a commonly assumed state (e.g. ...
-2
votes
1answer
45 views
“ground occupied..” meaning
I cannot figure out the meaning of this sentence:
There is a ground in between the voluntary and the involuntary
occupied by expressions that were once learned but come to operate
...
1
vote
3answers
387 views
Meaning of “saved my sanity” [closed]
What is the meaning of the phrase saved my sanity?
I attempted another sip and winced. He smiled and poured more water in my drink to dilute it. It ruined the scotch but saved my sanity.
The ...
1
vote
3answers
137 views
additional local and domestic long distance minutes are $0.10 per minute [closed]
All airtime is billed by the second after the first minute, additional local and domestic long distance minutes are $0.10 per minute.
My phone company and I are arguing over the use of the word ...
4
votes
4answers
433 views
What is the correct definition and usage of “for all I know”?
I saw some sentences using this phrase "for all I know" but wasn't quite sure what is its exact definition and also whether a modal verb such as "could, may or might" expressing uncertainty must be ...
3
votes
1answer
8k views
Nerd vs. Geek vs. Dork [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Which term correctly identifies those who enjoy programming/technology: “geek” or “nerd”?
I'm somewhat perplexed on the usages of these terms. Most references appear an ...
7
votes
4answers
539 views
“No head injury is too trivial to ignore”
I was looking at the book Introduction to Mathematical Thinking by Keith Devlin, and came across a question where the reader is asked to reformulate this sentence to avoid the unintended second ...
2
votes
0answers
156 views
Shakespeare: “Asses are made to bear” [closed]
When Petruchio invites Katherine to sit on his lap, she replies, "Asses are made to bear, and so are you." (Taming of the Shrew Act II, Scene 1.)
The denotation is clear, donkeys (Equus africanus ...
-1
votes
1answer
72 views
Meaning of “What would you like to see him do more of?” [closed]
What do these sentences mean, please?
What would you like to see him do more of?
What would you like to see him do less of?
4
votes
3answers
2k views
“A good memory” vs. “good memories”
If I say, "I don't have a good memory of my childhood", would it imply that I cant recollect it or that I have bad memories (bad stories, unhappy) childhood?
I think that "good memories" implies the ...
5
votes
1answer
271 views
What does “state” in “State University” refer to? [closed]
There are many universities and colleges in the United States with names such as "... State University".
The word state has many distinct meanings, but pertinent to this question are:
government, ...
0
votes
2answers
83 views
Who does “who” apply to in this example?
His governors, some of them incompetent and tactless, quarrelled bitterly with the people, who were constantly demanding greater political control.
In this sentence, who are demanding greater ...
10
votes
4answers
386 views
Ambiguous connotation of “just” - How do natives interpret these?
First of all, these questions are a bit related but not what I'm actually asking about:
Is “I just spent all my money” grammatically incorrect?
“I just ate them” and “I've just eaten them” - What's ...
1
vote
6answers
914 views
What does “don't shoot yourself in the foot” mean? [closed]
What does "Don’t shoot yourself in the foot" mean?
Unfortunately, most salary decisions are based on perceived performance, not on actual performance. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot.
5
votes
2answers
105 views
What does the phrase “a fine one” mean in this context?
In one one Daniil Kharms' short stories, Tikakeyev “insults” Koratygin by saying:
A fine one you are!
This causes a fight between the two. When I first read this, I didn't see the “insult”, ...
13
votes
5answers
676 views
What to call it when someone takes something the most negative possible way
Is there a word for the situation when someone takes something said in the most negative possible way, basically stretching what is said to fit the negative meaning that they desire it to mean.
...
