Expressions are words or phrases used to convey an idea, or else a particular term used conventionally to express something.
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What are some expressions that can be used to end an email?
At the end of every email, we use ending expressions like
Best regards,
Kind regards,
Yours sincerely,
Yours faithfully,
What other expressions can be added to this list?
Which ones should ...
42
votes
11answers
3k views
Idiom: People caring about minor stuff while something terrible is happening
Imagine a situation in which the whole place is on fire, a bomb is about to explode, everyone is running for their lives and someone is checking his looks on the mirror... pretty inappropriate for the ...
58
votes
11answers
3k views
Which is correct: “could care less” or “couldn't care less”?
What's the deal with the phrase "could care less"?
Whilst growing up, I've always known people (parents etc) to use the phrase "couldn't care less", but I've also come across people who use the ...
24
votes
9answers
1k views
“Saving on the parrot's chocolate is futile”
In Catalan there is an expression "ser la xocolata del lloro" that can be translated as "saving by not giving chocolate to the parrot is futile", conveying the meaning that when a household wants to ...
10
votes
2answers
6k views
Neither do I / Nor do I / Me neither / Me either
In this circumstance, which would be the most correct / natural answer?
Person 1: I don't eat meat
Person 2: Neither do I / Nor do I / Me neither / Me either
This says both neither do I and Me ...
5
votes
4answers
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Best source for origins of expressions and idioms?
I'm often interested in the origins of English phrases, and I know that I can find answers by googling, and I can find good answers by asking here.
How can I find good answers myself? Are there any ...
20
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9answers
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Proverb or expression for a situation with two choices, both leading to a different kind of trouble
I'm searching for a proverb or expression that describes a situation which has two choices or two ways out (that is, somewhat of a forced choice) where both lead to some kind of trouble (but not the ...
10
votes
4answers
365 views
Why am I always compelled to begin a response with “Well, ”?
Because of a certain 140 character limit I've learned where I can trim characters on responses but even after all this time I still reply with "Well, so and so . . ." and I go back and have to delete ...
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3answers
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Other expressions for “to be the devil's advocate”?
Is there another way or expression to say:
He is the devil's advocate
I don't quite like this expression, and I don't know if it is a good idea to use it in a religious context.
20
votes
20answers
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Are there popular English sayings to express “Big fuss, tiny result”?
The recent EL&U question asked by Mikhail about the alternative expressions of ‘To shoot out of cannon into sparrows’ reminded me of Japanese saying - 大山鳴動鼠一匹- literally meaning people find (get) ...
14
votes
2answers
562 views
Tendency of using pronouns 'she/her' when talking about a random person
Reading different specifications and manuals I've noticed that more often and often pronouns she or her are being used when some unknown person's behavior is described.
For example: "when user opens ...
5
votes
1answer
482 views
Is it all right to use “in hopes of” to mean “with the aim of”?
Recently I browsed through the definition of hope in New Oxford American Dictionary (provided by Apple in the dictionary app) to double confirm with its usage as I answered a word-choice question and ...
16
votes
5answers
8k views
Which is correct: “standing on line” or “standing in line”?
I'm curious to hear from folks in the the Northeast United States (or anyone, really) an explanation of why "standing on line" seems preferable to "standing in line" in the US northeast.
I imagine ...
11
votes
2answers
19k views
Should I write “that being said” (vs. “that's been said” or “Having said that”)?
I often write what "sounds" right (being not a native English speaker/writer), and I believe the expression "that being said" to be fairly common, as opposed to a more complete form like "that's been ...
10
votes
5answers
3k views
How to use “you know”
For a non-native speaker like me, I am always wondering how to use you know correctly, as in the following sentence:
Alright, well, for example, like on
Saturdays, y’know, what I liked to do
...
6
votes
2answers
414 views
Name for a type of idiom with two things joined (like “raining cats and dogs”, “bread and butter”)
I had heard, a number of years ago, that there is a name for an type of idiomatic expression in which two things are joined to refer to one thing.
An example of this would be “raining cats and dogs”. ...
5
votes
5answers
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Is it 'Close to the chest' or 'Close to the vest'?
Apologies if this is a duplicate, I am just curious.
Are they both valid? Which originated first?
4
votes
7answers
344 views
“I'm only grandfathering you in because of Serena.”
In Gossip Girl Season 4 Episode 19 "Petty in pink," Blair says the following sentence to Serena's cousin Charlie after she tried to explain to both of them about her plan.
I'm only grandfathering ...
3
votes
6answers
3k views
In special cases, can you use “one such family are” vs. “one such family is”?
Is it correct to say "one such family are..." as opposed to "one such family is..." in some circumstances?
Say, for instance, as used in this article on gene families:
[...] One such family are ...
0
votes
3answers
2k views
How did the use of “could of” and “should of” originate, and is it considered correct? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Is “of” instead of “have” correct?
It bothers me that so many people use could of, would of, should of instead of could've or could have, etc.
For instance, I have seen ...
32
votes
4answers
10k views
Which is correct, “buck naked” or “butt naked”?
"Butt naked" or "buck naked" both refer to completely naked, or do they? Where the phrase comes from I have no idea but that would be of interest.
This is a phrase I am too afraid to google and ...
9
votes
3answers
692 views
How to speak mathematics [closed]
I've been asked to give lectures on electromagnetism in English, but I encounter many problems trying to express mathematical formulas since they are written and I do not know how to read them. Are ...
23
votes
12answers
2k views
Expression that means something like “killing the sheep to keep them from being kidnapped”
I'm looking for an expression that conveys an excessive risk management approach that ends up having a worse effect than what it is trying to protect against.
15
votes
8answers
884 views
Expression for a choice which isn't really one
What would be a nice short expression to describe a choice which isn't really one, in that all of its possible outcomes are ultimately equivalent despite being presented as different?
My first ...
14
votes
9answers
3k views
Is there a word to describe someone who often inaccurately uses words?
Or a word to describe the act of inaccurately using complicated or unusual words (often in an attempt to sound more intelligent)?
I considered 'bombastic' but it doesn't have that quality of ...
15
votes
5answers
908 views
Why prefix a request with “I'm going to have to ask you…”
Say you are in a nice restaurant and, at the table next you, a gentleman lights up the most offensive cigar you ever smelled.
You mention it to the manager and then the manager goes up to the ...
8
votes
3answers
7k views
Difference between phrase, idiom and expression [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What is the difference between an expression and a phrase?
Difference between “phrase” and “idiom”
What is the difference between a phrase, an ...
4
votes
2answers
279 views
What is the origin of “oh noodles!”
Noodles are tasty. I like them, but why are they also used as an exclamation of dismay in the following?
Oh Noodles!
16
votes
5answers
7k views
What is the origin of “holy smoke”?
What is the origin of holy smoke?
To what is holy smoke referring?
12
votes
3answers
2k views
“Insofar” or “in so far”
A quick search suggests that insofar is the American variant of the British in so far. I always assumed it belonged to the set of expressions like hitherto, heretofore, therefore and albeit. Is there ...
12
votes
5answers
8k views
“Hear hear” or “here here”
Which one is it really: hear hear or here here? Where does the saying really come from?
10
votes
5answers
4k views
Where does “ta!” come from?
Where does the expression "ta" come from?
Wikipedia has only this to say:
"ta!", slang, Exclam. Thank you! {Informal}, an expression of gratitude
but no additional information or links about ...
9
votes
5answers
1k views
What is the origin of the phrase “beyond the pale”?
What's the origin of the phrase 'beyond the pale'?
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votes
3answers
7k views
What is the meaning of the expression “We can table this”?
This came up in an email discussion - we are arguing about the merits and demerits of a certain approach, and I mentioned what I thought was a drawback to a scheme. To that, my colleague replied : ...
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votes
5answers
1k views
Is it rude to call a gay person “homosexual?”
I was talking to one of my co-workers today. We have two homosexual persons in our office. I forgot one's name, so I asked my co-worker, "What's his name?" My co-worker said "Who?", and I replied, ...
4
votes
7answers
465 views
Can we say “on the brink of off-topic”?
I recently learned on the brink in context of to teeter on the brink of disaster.
Now, when I want to mention that something is marginal or borderline I remember on the brink.
This question is ...
4
votes
1answer
132 views
“How did I do this” or “how did I do that”?
Is there a difference between:
How did I do this?
and
How did I do that?
If not, is there a preferred one? If they are different, when should I choose one over the other?
I am not a ...
4
votes
5answers
3k views
Which saying is correct?
I've been having a small argument with a family member. She insists "It's no skin off my teeth" is the correct saying, though I've only heard "It's no skin off my nose" before.
Which saying is more ...
4
votes
1answer
1k views
What is the difference between an expression and a phrase?
I'm trying to decide what tags I should be using and realized I did not know the difference between these terms.
0
votes
2answers
1k views
“Thank you for coming” and “Thank you for your coming”
Consider "Thank you for coming" and "Thank you for your coming".
Would the latter one be grammatical? Why? Is it possible to recognize latter "coming" as noun? Some say you need no pronoun because it ...
-2
votes
2answers
108 views
What is the meaning of “get as far as doing something”?
What is the meaning of the expression or phrase "get as far as doing something"? For example, what does it mean in this sentence?
They had got as far as painting the kitchen.
18
votes
14answers
32k views
Different ways to say “you're welcome” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How do native English speakers respond to “Thank you”?
Can “Sure” be used to respond to “Thanks”?
Is “not at all” still alive and doing well?
I'm getting ...
30
votes
3answers
2k views
What's the meaning of the word “brand” in the expression “brand new”?
What meanings might be conveyed by something being called brand new, as opposed to it simply being called new? What's behind the word brand here?
7
votes
2answers
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Is “nice to meet you” an appropriate online salutation?
When one makes a new acquaintance with somebody in person, you may say "it was nice to meet you", e.g. when you leave. What if you make a new acquaintance over the internet, what do you say when you ...
16
votes
6answers
24k views
What is the meaning of the phrase “The morning constitutional”?
What exactly is the meaning of the phrase “The morning constitutional”? Is it an early morning walk or the first visit to the bathroom during the day?
What is the origin of this phrase? What is the ...
10
votes
8answers
414 views
English term for pre-thinker?
I was searching for an English translation for the German Vordenker. Basically a person, often a scientist, who began or further significantly developed a new concept or theory by contributing ...
5
votes
2answers
1k views
“Through” or “to” for expression of range
16-bit unsigned short integers that range from 0 through 0xFFFF
16-bit unsigned short integers that range from 0 to 0xFFFF
Which expression is better above?
4
votes
2answers
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Rules for rising and falling intonation in similar questions - what are they?
Consider these two questions:
Would you mind saying a little bit more about that?
and
What do you mean by that?
When they perform the same function, and I expect an answer to both, why ...
4
votes
2answers
3k views
What's the meaning of the expression “Grab a hold”?
What does it mean to "grab a hold"? There is a song by Cyndi Lauper that says
If you wanna grab a hold, let it go...
23
votes
4answers
44k views
Is “yay or nay” an acceptable alternative to “yea or nay”?
Is "yay or nay" an acceptable alternative to "yea or nay"? I have seen it several times in recent weeks, enough to make me wonder whether it is an emerging usage or just a common typo.
