This tag is for questions related to definitions and nuances of meaning of a word or phrase.
-5
votes
1answer
46 views
What's the difference between during and over… [closed]
What is more correct? During the last year or over the last year.
2
votes
0answers
45 views
“…must be running”
I'm trying to understand the meanings of must with a lexical verb in present continuous.
Usually "must" means the judgement of the speaker (epistemic modality).
Can it have a non-epistemic meaning ...
-2
votes
0answers
45 views
What is the meaning of “Holy underwear!” [closed]
In the song "Necessary Evil" by Body Count (from the album Born Dead) there's a phrase I cannot figure out:
"Lost pawn ticket, wrecked my father's car
Can't pay my school loan, major jack move,
Holy ...
3
votes
2answers
84 views
What is the deciding difference between “field”, “industry”, and “sector”?
I have seen the three words frequently used to express similar meanings.
But what exactly is their difference that tells me which is the most suitable one in a certain case?
0
votes
3answers
93 views
“It can be safely deleted” vs. “It can safely be deleted”
Is there a subtle difference between the following two sentences?
It can be safely deleted.
It can safely be deleted.
If they mean the same thing, is one preferred for other reasons?
1
vote
0answers
28 views
who is the “goodman of house” in the 17 century of England? [closed]
I found its description from googling:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodman_%28title%29
http://www.genealogytoday.com/columns/everyday/040607.html
But I'm not sure that 'the goodman of the house' ...
1
vote
6answers
68 views
Which has more positive implication “I'm envious of you” or “I'm jealous of you”? [duplicate]
I read some definitions about "envious" and "jealous"
but still not sure which has more positive implication and is common used in conversation. If you were me which would you choose? For example, if ...
1
vote
3answers
71 views
Which word to use, “again” or “anymore”?
I'd like to describe an action which I'm used to do but I won't do it in the future. Which word is correct, for example:
Just a little more work, I'll never need that tool again.
Or:
Just a little ...
1
vote
1answer
112 views
What does “it took one away” mean in the line, “For each superpower his brain gave him, it took one away” in encountering a gun attack?
There was the following sentence in the article of Time magazine, titled “Your brain in a shootout: Guns, fear and flawed instincts” dealing with the brain’s function in a life-or-death situation. As ...
0
votes
2answers
50 views
What are “discursive politics”? [closed]
I'm not a native English speaker. I have been reading Rousseau's "The Social Contract", and the phrase "discursive politics" showed up. I'm not really sure what it means...
So, what does it mean?
-7
votes
0answers
45 views
Is it acceptable to use a noun as an adjective? [closed]
Is the word "portably", used to describe something as portable, an acceptable use of the adjective or is it just a typo? Would expressing the idea of something as "portable" otherwise require a ...
-4
votes
0answers
25 views
In terms of, In cases of [closed]
Help me, I don't understand what cases should we use the phrase "In terms of", "with regard to", "In cases of" ,and "In respect to"? Could you give me examples for those.Thank you!
4
votes
2answers
99 views
what does “lost a shilling and found a penny” mean?
I am translating a British story and I came across this expression
"you look like you lost a shilling and found a penny". I am not sure I understand what it means.
-3
votes
0answers
20 views
the meaning of Those two words [closed]
Which one is correct between this two sentence. She's jealous of my success. She's jealous for my success. Please help
1
vote
0answers
37 views
Visual connotation associated with “lucid”
I'm interested in the definition and connotation of "lucid" when it comes to physical objects: what does a lucid object look like?
From Merriam-Webster:
suffused with light : luminous
translucent
...
2
votes
1answer
54 views
To exact revenge or vengeance?
We are in the midst of a family disagreement about whether the correct phrase is
to exact revenge
or
to exact vengeance.
We could use a definitive answer (if one exists) or, at ...
2
votes
3answers
116 views
What are the key difference among a liberal, liberalist and libertarian?
There was the following statement in Time magazine’s article (June 14) titled, “The geeks who leak”
“Both Edward J. Snowden and Bradley Manning (who leaked massive volume
of military and ...
-4
votes
0answers
40 views
Meaning of 'protection detail' [closed]
I heard Jeremy Renner saying:
I was in a protection detail in Croatia.
in this movie.
What does protection detail mean?
0
votes
1answer
54 views
Adjective “grim” [closed]
When we are talking about "grim", do you attribute these two meanings to people, "to look very serious" and "unpleasant and depressing"?
Example:
He looked so grim.
Would it be "He looked very ...
2
votes
2answers
72 views
'too dangerous to let live' or 'too dangerous to be let live'?
I was writing something down that came to me in a passing while I was watching TV, and I found myself discombobulated with the way one should phrase the notion of letting someone do something in the ...
0
votes
1answer
65 views
What's the difference between “I see nothing” and “I don't see anything”?
What's the difference between "I see nothing" and "I don't see anything"? In what condition each of them is more appropriate?
3
votes
1answer
63 views
Meaning of '-onomy', '-ology' and '-ography'
I have always wondered about the similarity of the two words
Astronomy and Astrology
that describe two very different things but have their beginning in common and are sometimes confused in ...
-2
votes
1answer
112 views
Does “Okay. That's fine.” have negative connotation? [closed]
A teacher asked me by voicemail if a time for a lesson worked for me. I responded several hours later by text message that I could not make it at that time. He responded,"Okay. That's fine." Is he a ...
1
vote
1answer
43 views
Difference between nation and folk/a people
I'm not sure if this questions belongs in the philosophical forum or here, but I'll give it a try anyway: what is the difference between nation and people? Is there an overlapping meaning or do they ...
0
votes
1answer
46 views
Is ‘smart alec (aleck)’ a gender-neutral noun?
I happened to find the origin of the word, ‘smart alec (aleck / alick)’ as I was checking the spelling of the word in a dictionary.
Merriam Webster English Dictionary defines ‘smart alec (aleck / ...
3
votes
1answer
42 views
Word for when people hallucinate because of emotions
Is there a word for when people(usually insane) hallucinate things based on their emotions.
Kind of like Synaesthesia but emotion to sense rather than sense to sense.
for example in "The Tell-Tale ...
-2
votes
1answer
43 views
What does literature mean to you? [closed]
I know I got stupid question but I badly need your ideas.
Our teacher asked us to write an essay about "what literature mean to us".
0
votes
0answers
68 views
What is the precise meaning of “fuck” in the context of the hip hop mantra, “Fuck bitches, get money”? [closed]
I've been hearing the line "Fuck bitches / Get money" in hip hop songs recently. I mostly noticed it lately in a couple of notable songs by Lil Wayne and other Young Money affiliated artists, but ...
-7
votes
0answers
66 views
What is the meaning of 'take the stairs'? [closed]
What's the meaning of "take the stairs", and how I can use it?
-2
votes
0answers
45 views
instances and circumstances when a person is clearly being condescending or patronizing [closed]
when and what kind of verbal exchanges, or action and words combined would you say it's apparent a peraon is being 'condescending' / 'patronizing', also how are those two different?
6
votes
2answers
146 views
“Dignity” vs. “respect”
Today, I read an article, and one sentence talked about
treating other people with dignity and respect
I had thought I understood the difference between the words dignity and respect. But then ...
-1
votes
1answer
136 views
What are the distinctions between the insulting names “jerk”, “a--hole”, “bit-h”, “c-nt”, and “dipsh-t”? [closed]
The insulting names jerk, a--hole, bit-h, cu-t, and dipsh-t are defined by most dictionaries as to generally used to describe someone who is foolish, contemptible, obnoxious, and disagreeable, but ...
1
vote
3answers
72 views
What is the origin/meaning of “wheelbarrow full of frogs”
What is the origin/meaning of "wheelbarrow full of frogs"
I've heard this phrase many times but am unsure as to exactly what it means.
-3
votes
0answers
65 views
Is there any difference in meaning between “transient”, “transitory”, “fleeting”, “ephemeral”? [closed]
I got a little bit confused about the difference between them. They all convey the meaning of "short-lived". How to use every single one in particular circumstances?
8
votes
3answers
710 views
What does “suck a salt grain off a beach” mean?
In association with my question of the usage of “blood-dimmed (flood /tragedy) in Maureen Dowd’s article in New York Times- ...
11
votes
2answers
278 views
What is the exact meaning of “blood-dimmed (tragedy),” and how does it pass current among Anglophones?
I was drawn to the word, “blood-dimmed tragedy” in the following statement of Maureen Dowd’s article titled, “Peeping Barry” in June 8 New York Times:
You could see the fear in his eyes, the fear ...
-1
votes
1answer
71 views
“It was my op” what does it mean? [closed]
I heard this in this movie.
It was my op.
What does it mean?
Googling gave me : 'Original Poster'.
But that doesn't seem very meaningful.
-4
votes
0answers
40 views
What are the differences between “complain”, “grumble” and “gripe”? [closed]
Could you explain these words in detail?
1
vote
2answers
100 views
What does “the man who had ‘no room for Churchill’ in the White House” mean? Is it a set phrase or just a turn of words?
http://frontpagemag.com. (April 16) reported that President ‘Obama snubbed Margaret Thatcher’s funeral’ by saying “Obama is not fit to lick Ronald Reagan's boot heels after walking behind his horse,” ...
1
vote
1answer
50 views
Use of word 'significant' in non-technical sections of a paper [closed]
As the resident data analyst, I write the Quantitative Analysis sections for policy papers at my work. In doing so I use the word significant if and only if I am discussing statistical significance.
...
3
votes
1answer
57 views
Is afeast or possibly affeast, afeest etc. a word?
My English (vai Liverpool)-Canadian mother used this word to mean 'disgusted by' or 'repulsed by.' Example: "he is afeast of mixed foods." meaning you think mixed foods are disgusting or inedible.
I ...
1
vote
3answers
67 views
What's the meaning of “lose steam”?
This is part of a comment made from a discussion on homeless people:
...It would be nice to think that I'm going to be able to help turn his life around but we'll have to see if he loses his steam ...
1
vote
2answers
81 views
Are the expressions: “You needn't” and “You don't need to” different in meaning? [duplicate]
While doing some research on a comment I had read on ELL I read the following excerpt from a website called e.grammar
You needn't listen to him. (You don't have to listen to him.) x You
don't ...
4
votes
3answers
77 views
Is there great difference between “Make a mountain out of a molehill” and “Much ado about nothing”?
I came across two approximate sayings “Making a mountain out of a molehill” and “Much ado about nothing” coincidentally in tandem in the home page of today’s (June 7) New York Times.
Making a ...
12
votes
2answers
167 views
Does the word, ‘peruse’ have a single meaning of ‘attentive reading,’ or double, contradicting meanings of ‘attentive’ and ‘cursory’ reading?
I’m confused to find opposite definitions in the same word, ‘peruse’ in Readers English Japanese Dictionary published by a leading foreign language dictionary publisher in Japan.
It defines ‘peruse’ ...
-1
votes
1answer
49 views
What is the meaning of “pull in the channel”? [closed]
Could you tell me the meaning of "pull in the channel" or "bring in the channel"?
I looked up these words in some dictionaries, but I found no suitable meaning.
Do these mean "change the channel"?
1
vote
2answers
100 views
“having worked” vs “having been working” difference
I would like to have someone explain the difference here:
Having worked there for a year..
Having been working there for a year..
`
0
votes
1answer
45 views
“The above technique is a double-edged sword” [duplicate]
In our native language, we say this "The above technique is a double-edged sword".
Is it appropriate to say it in English? If not, what is the nice way to express the same meaning?
0
votes
2answers
43 views
What exactly does “distinguish as” mean?
I do understand how distinguish is used to differentiate between two things. However, I've also heard it once being used as: Jim distinguished it as an old dairy.
So I'm having trouble understanding ...
4
votes
1answer
104 views
Meaning of “watch your six”
What does "watch your six" mean?
Does it mean "watch your back", like in a dangerous area?
