Tagged Questions
-3
votes
2answers
52 views
“Only for A, B, and C”: Includes cases where not all are present? [closed]
After submitting the report, changes can be made only for the font
size, margins, and line spacing.
Does this sentence imply that changes can be made only if all three types of changes are ...
6
votes
3answers
331 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 ...
-3
votes
1answer
66 views
Whats the meaning of “Outta” In a song of Metallica called “ain't my bit-ch” [closed]
((Dear Native English Speakers Please Help Me.))
Metallica is my favorite band and I love them but I have some serious problems in translating and understanding the meaning of the lyric entitled ...
3
votes
1answer
73 views
Interpretation of the adjective “outstanding”
In my holidays I met a woman who is originally from Australia. She told me she lived in many places due to her husband's work and also traveled much around the world. Although she's already seen many ...
-4
votes
1answer
104 views
What should be done for making this sentence more clear? [closed]
"About the scenario, there are insert transactions on every 3 seconds. In a busy day, about 3000 rows for big table, another 100 for medium table and around 30 for small table."
There is a question ...
4
votes
1answer
73 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 ...
-1
votes
1answer
80 views
What does “is there any book around …” mean?
Is there any book around which I can read?
What does the above sentence mean?
"Is there any book available in the market which I can read?"
"Is there any book in this room/or nearby which I can ...
1
vote
1answer
100 views
What is the average number of meanings for a word in English?
Many words have multiple meanings. Sometimes they are related (like "theory" as opposed to "practice", versus "theory" as in "scientific theory"), but sometimes they’re completely different (like ...
1
vote
2answers
112 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
5answers
309 views
She was carrying twins and a bulky bag in her hands [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Using verbs with multiple meanings
I am not sure if this is Indian English but the verb carry is often used in India to speak of a pregnant woman and often without an ...
-1
votes
2answers
196 views
“Least expected” or “least unexpected”
When I was talking to my girlfriend, she mentioned an incident where one of her friends surprised her with a gift. She said something like that least unexpected ... after which we got into a debate ...
1
vote
1answer
86 views
Meaning of “Apply at 4–6 weekly intervals”
I purchased some fungicide. The instructions on the back of the bottle say "Apply at 4–6 weekly intervals."
Does that mean it should be applied 4–6 times a week? Or every 4–6 weeks?
-2
votes
2answers
166 views
What is the meaning of “empty of joy”? [closed]
Please go through the below excerpt from "The Story of My Life" from "Helen Keller"
I have met people so empty of joy, that when I clasped their frosty finger tips, it seemed as if I were shaking ...
1
vote
3answers
138 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 ...
2
votes
4answers
244 views
Does the word “Loyal” have other meaning than “remaining faithful to somebody/something and supporting them or it?
I found the following definition in the answer to “What are pimps and hoes?” in Music Genres Questions in Wiki.answer.com.:
“A pimp is a loyal person who pimps out girls of so called hoes
...
-1
votes
2answers
65 views
What is the meaning of "foldin’ your Fruit of the Looms”?
in the quotation below, what the meaning of "foldin’ your Fruit of the Looms” is?
“There’s got to be more to life than sittin’ here watchin’ ‘Days of Our Lives’ and foldin’ your Fruit of the Looms.”
...
2
votes
1answer
165 views
Usage of “make it” in this context [closed]
Consider the following sentence . My boss (say Mr X) wrote this to me in an email and before this paragraph he actually gave a list of items that I need to work on :
We will have a Webex meeting ...
1
vote
6answers
926 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”, ...
1
vote
3answers
1k views
A word to describe a situation where something said has multiple meanings? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
A word with a wide range of meanings
Is there a word that describes a situation where someone says something that has multiple meanings? or can be taken multiple ways.
...
5
votes
1answer
321 views
Is it offensive when using the word 'animals' (in this context)?
I have read this question on Travel.SE, and I am kinda confused about the use of the word animals in that question:
These are entirely different classes of travel. Portugal+Spain is an easy trip ...
6
votes
4answers
711 views
Difference between “robot”, “machine”, and “automaton”
What is the difference in meaning between a robot, a machine, and an automaton? I was inspired to ask this because I really can’t understand the subtle (or not so subtle) difference in meaning here.
...
6
votes
5answers
765 views
Is “SSA triangle problems may have zero or two solutions.” an ambiguous statement?
A test I took included the question
True or false: SSA triangle problems may have zero or two solutions.
SSA triangles, as was taught in the lesson, can have zero solutions, one solution, or ...
3
votes
4answers
1k views
What's the meaning of 'squared away' here?
We had a death in the family this weekend, so I haven't had the time to spend on this... We've the funeral next weekend, so hopefully we can get squared away before Friday...
Looking it up at ...
2
votes
2answers
1k views
Close to home = quite accurate?
Citing Wikipedia:
Many actuaries were unhappy with the stereotypical portrayals of these
actuaries as unhappy, math-obsessed and socially inept people; others
have claimed that the portrayals ...
2
votes
1answer
86 views
Parse tree of “several more successful books”
Let us consider the following sentence:
After that first attempt, she wrote several more successful books.
Does this mean she wrote several additional books that were also successful? Or that ...
5
votes
1answer
362 views
Ambiguity of “Lindsey told Jessica that she had cancer”
Lindsey told Jessica that she had cancer.
Who had cancer? Is there any rule in English to claim it definitely?
3
votes
4answers
154 views
Parse tree of “the ports of Santo Domingo and Cartagena in present-day Colombia”
There is a Wikipedia article with the following line:
Drake sailed to the New World and sacked the ports of Santo Domingo and Cartagena in present-day Colombia.
Never mind the facts as we might ...
4
votes
4answers
625 views
Arguable (“susceptible to doubt”) vs arguable (“susceptible to being supported”)
According to dictionary.com, the adjective arguable has two definitions
susceptible to debate, challenge, or doubt; questionable: Whether
this is the best plan of action or not is arguable.
...
1
vote
4answers
241 views
What does this mean: “Avoid oral calcium, dairy products, shark cartilage & exercise during the medication.”
I found this behind a medicine. At first thought, the sentence looks like it suggests avoiding exercise during the medication. However, I remember reading somewhere that in US English, when there is a ...
8
votes
2answers
4k views
“All but” idiom has two meanings?
Here's two ways I've seen the "all, but" idiom used:
"Close all tabs but this one" (Any modern application with a number of tabs might have this as an option.) It means "close all the tabs, but not ...
