Tagged Questions
-1
votes
2answers
25 views
What phrase or word i can use to describe a bad mix of action
This is in a Saudi YouTube series that I'm subtitling; I came across a colloquial word which means literally 'a mixture of melon juice, mango juice and corn', and figuratively expresses a bad course ...
-3
votes
0answers
65 views
What's the meaning of the phrase “knock the handle”? [closed]
Don't really know if it's a phrase, just read it somewhere.
-3
votes
1answer
61 views
How to Reply That PASSPORT NUMBER is not in my remembrance at the moment [closed]
If somebody called me over phone and asked to give your Passport number / Pan card / Roll number something. If it is not in my remembrance , how can I apologies in best way for this ?
NOTE -Please do ...
-5
votes
3answers
82 views
“It's me” Phrase [closed]
I have heard people saying It's me. "It" is generally used for other than humans. So, is there any specific reason to use this phrase?
0
votes
1answer
97 views
“Would have” and “would have no”
Could you describe about "would have ~ed & would have not ~ed".
I know "would" has the several meanings. But when I was talking with one of my friend who is a native speaker and in this following ...
0
votes
1answer
67 views
How would you say 'go round the houses' in a formal way?
I am writing a memo (quite formal) and I need to mention that the attitudes in the previous meeting were really offtopic, the team didn't focus on the important matters.
Were it informal writing I ...
0
votes
1answer
107 views
“Slept off”: correct or incorrect?
I have been using slept off to mean that I fell asleep. For example,
I slept off early yesterday.
Is that used correctly?
5
votes
4answers
270 views
What is the origin of the phrase “hate your guts”?
Where does the phrase "hate your guts" (for example "I hate your guts") come from?
I've heard the phrase used as a way to convey extreme and deep dislike of another individual. However, it seems ...
4
votes
1answer
90 views
Is there a term for a married couple who have the same christian and surname?
My wife and I share the abbreviated form of our name - Alex derived from Alexandra and Alexander respectively. As we are married, we have the same christian and surname when used in the short form.
...
0
votes
1answer
73 views
meaning and usage of “mind you”
I often come across this expression and according to dictionaries I've looked up, it can be used in several ways such as to:
introduce something that should be taken into consideration
add something ...
1
vote
1answer
58 views
comes to think of it?
Which of the expressions, "come to think of it" or "comes to think of it", grammatically correct? Or are they grammatical at all?
If it is a short form of,
When one comes to think of it, I would ...
1
vote
2answers
104 views
Can I say “he lost his brave face”?
"Put on a brave face" is to express that someone try to hide it's feeling and pretend to be alright. What if someone tries but fails, can I say, "He lost his brave face after that"? Or what would be ...
0
votes
1answer
58 views
Can “the fact that X” imply “X is a fact”? [closed]
A: How do I know if my professor is good?
B: Do you understand what he says?
A: Yes, but that might be because I'm a natural genius, and not
necessarily the fact that he is good at ...
1
vote
3answers
615 views
What is the meaning of “six ways from Sunday”? [closed]
This is a line from the book Test Driven Development by Kent Beck:
Fortunately, we are well rested and relaxed and unlikely to make
mistakes, which is why we will go in teeny-tiny steps, ...
-2
votes
2answers
97 views
Is there a formal version of “he's the real thing”? [closed]
Is there a formal version of "he's the real thing"?
As in:
Man, she's really good at tennis!
She plays national. She's the real thing.
8
votes
4answers
363 views
Original Meaning and Derivation of “Ever and Anon”
A question posted today asks about the Use of “ever” in non-negated sentence, and one answer happens to mention the phrase "ever and anon." That phrase, with the meaning "occasionally or repeatedly," ...
1
vote
4answers
98 views
What is the proper phrase for being in one's official limits, probably when quoting something?
While quoting something, the consideration of the fact that it does not offend the sentiments of a community or culture one belongs to. How do we ask that in one sentence e.g Did I remain in my ...
1
vote
1answer
171 views
What is the connection between motherhood and apple pie?
I know the idiom motherhood and apple pie is used to denote some principles with which few disagree. But what is the connection between motherhood and apple pie? I am not very familiar with American ...
0
votes
1answer
126 views
Under which cases should an article (a/an/the) not be used? [duplicate]
The current machine has been repaired.
Current machine has been repaired.
Which is more natural? What are the subtle differences between them?
Under which cases should an article ...
3
votes
2answers
341 views
“integer multiple” vs. “integral multiple”
Nine is an integer multiple of three.
Nine is an integral multiple of three.
Which is more common?
If both are accepted, what's the subtle difference between them?
0
votes
3answers
88 views
“in a word” vs “in a sentence”
In a word, you are wrong!
In a sentence, you are wrong!
Which is more natural?
I feel "in a word" is more common than "in a sentence", but "you are wrong!" consists of three words rather ...
4
votes
3answers
596 views
What is the origin of idiom “Keep your hair on”?
I had a conversation with a coworker and he told me to keep my hair on. My first understanding of the idiom was that he will do something so fast that, if I was wearing a wig or something it will fly ...
1
vote
3answers
1k views
How do you say “hands-on experience” with this technology to an interviewer?
Generally, I would tell an interviewer that I have "hands-on experience" with this technology, by which I mean that my experience in this field is very limited, but quite efficient and knowledgeable.
...
4
votes
2answers
164 views
Expression for the way of dressing to avoid attention
What is a word or phrase to describe the way you're dressing or dressing in a way to avoid/not attract attention to yourself?
For example, a celebrity going out in public would want to dress in a ...
2
votes
2answers
192 views
What's the origin of the phrase “God's clean earth”, and how long has it been around? [closed]
"It isn't every day a man wakes up to discover he's a screaming bender with no more right to live on God's clean Earth than a weasel."
- Dr. Leech, "Blackadder II"
What's the origin of that ...
1
vote
3answers
150 views
This is a question regarding punctuation, I suppose
I have a tendency to place the phrase I suppose at the end of a sentence. It sounds alright to me. But when I want to write the expression down in words, how should I write it so that I won't violate ...
-2
votes
1answer
83 views
The meaning of “crime and grime” [closed]
What does the expression crime and grime mean? It was mentioned from this comment:
My dad's SUV got jacked when I was living in Saga Bay. Don't live in FL anymore. Too much f-king crime and grime. ...
0
votes
2answers
82 views
Content Performance [closed]
What is a right word to describe Content/Performance? It is about best and effective content that form a complete artefact.
The example text as below:
5.4.1 Content/Performance
This is about a ...
2
votes
1answer
179 views
Push somebody over the edge
From TheFreeDictionary, pushing somebody over the edge is defined as:
If an unpleasant event pushes someone over the edge, it makes them start to behave in a crazy way.
Can crazy here be to ...
5
votes
5answers
151 views
Phrase which describes falsely improving something
Is there an aphorism or proverb in English which describes attempting to improve something fundamentally flawed by dressing it with a lot of ornament?
1
vote
4answers
181 views
phrase to mean “giving the exact answer” [closed]
I was having a coversation and part of the conversation, the person asked me which part of the world I was from, and I answered him exactly "the western hemisphere". Then I asked him the same question ...
2
votes
1answer
205 views
Why does 'dead on' mean 'very accurate'? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Where does the phrase “dead simple” originate?
According to Wiktionary, the phrase 'dead on' means 'very accurate' or 'exactly at'. This is also how I have used the ...
1
vote
1answer
240 views
What is the origin of “odds and ends”?
There's already a question (and answer) for "bits and bobs", which I believe is a Britishism, but what is the origin of "odds and ends"? "Odds" I have some reckoning for (as in, "odd items", meaning ...
0
votes
3answers
260 views
Semantic difference between “if I did not want” and “if I wanted”
I was reading My Antonia and came across this line:
[She] asked me if I did not want to go to the garden with her (12)
And was wondering why Cather chose if I did not want over if I wanted. Are ...
-2
votes
1answer
323 views
what do we call the way women tie up their hair [closed]
Different word or phrases to describe the way the way women tie up their hair in a bundle on top of their head.
5
votes
1answer
252 views
OED Appeals: Antedatings of “blue-arsed fly”
The OED has made a public appeal for help in tracing the history of some English words, including:
blue-arsed fly
noun earlier than 1970
The first evidence for the metaphorical ...
1
vote
2answers
147 views
what phrase to use to convey the idea of “my first attempt”
I had tried photography as serious hobby for the first time and I have made an album. I want to expresses the idea to the world that this is my first attempt. Few things come to my mind like "my first ...
4
votes
2answers
1k views
Origin of “pull your socks up”?
I was pulling my socks up this morning, in the literal sense of the term, when I started to wonder about why pull your socks up came to mean what it does:-
to make an effort to improve your work ...
13
votes
3answers
3k views
What is the difference between “here we go” and “there we go”?
As a non-native speaker, I cannot grasp any difference between the expressions "here we go" and "there we go": both expressions seem to underline an event that is going to happen immediately.
Is ...
0
votes
1answer
317 views
“Pain in the neck” and similar expressions [closed]
Are there any other expressions equivalent in meaning to "pain in the neck" that mention another part of the body (e.g, "pain in the ass")?
How would you rate each of those expressions (including the ...
1
vote
1answer
71 views
Express a phrase as compound [closed]
I need to express this phrase as a short compound to be used as programming variable name (this phrase is in the context of a software user interface):
the block showing current chatters
I have ...
4
votes
3answers
749 views
“For <xxx> sake” - which variant is more common?
There are a lot of variations of this phrase, most notably including
"for God's sake"
"for Heaven's sake"
"for Jesus sake"
"for Pete's sake"
Which of those are most commonly used in modern ...
-2
votes
1answer
312 views
What is the meaning of “I don't need no stinking counters”?
The context is this video at timeline 43:26 seconds .
That's too fancy for me. I don't need no stinking counters.
What does this mean? Is it an American or British expression?
7
votes
1answer
156 views
Is the expression “topping it the ______” really used anywhere?
I've often read books where English men made statements about others "topping it the knob" or "topping it the gentleman," which I took to mean over playing a role or attitude.
Is this a legitimately ...
7
votes
2answers
248 views
“for good” expression in an unfortunate event?
I just heard an expression while watching a TV series yesterday.
Someone just died and they said:
He is gone for good
I googled it and found that "for good" means "forever" in this context. But ...
2
votes
1answer
173 views
“Bad blood” usage
I know that the bad blood expression means animosity and dislike. But where does it come from? I can understand why bad, but why blood, and whose blood is implied here?
0
votes
5answers
470 views
How to express desires in English so that they don't sound like commands?
At that time I won't want you to again land up in the thread to tell me the rules.
With the above statement, I wanted to express my desire, but it was interpreted as a command.
How can I rewrite ...
-1
votes
1answer
597 views
phrases where opposite words can be used to mean the same thing [closed]
For example
"1 in 20 Americans suffer from..." and "1 out of 20 Americans suffer from..."
"it is down to you" and "it is up to you"
They seem like great ways to add to creative writing. Are there ...
1
vote
1answer
450 views
“at hand” vs “at issue”
We can talk about "the matter at hand" or "the matter at issue" and they seem to mean just about the same thing: something along the lines of "the matter currently under discussion." Is there a ...
4
votes
2answers
130 views
phrase origin: “sent packing”
What is the origin of the phrase "sent packing," which is used when someone gets the boot? I have seen it used a lot but would like to know where it originally came from.
