This tag is for questions related to definitions and nuances of meaning of a word or phrase.
30
votes
15answers
3k views
Words with opposite meanings in different regions
I can't recall it, but there is a word in American English which now means the opposite of itself in British English. What words are there that have opposite (not just different) meanings in different ...
12
votes
4answers
672 views
What does “brought up by hand” mean?
In the book Great Expectations, Pip narrates:
My sister, Mrs. Joe Gargery, was more than twenty years older than I,
and had established a great reputation with herself and the neighbours
...
11
votes
4answers
535 views
What does randomically mean?
I've just read an O’Reilly book and encoutered the word randomically. I highly suspect this is a made up word, but a quick google found it in use here, here, and here. Is this some obscure technical ...
2
votes
0answers
90 views
What does 'trout-shouldered' mean?
In an episode of the television show Archer one character refers to another as being "trout-shouldered."
“This pathetic, trout-shouldered excuse for a boom operator is Chet Manly."
What might this ...
0
votes
1answer
43 views
What's the meaning of “what am I to do” [closed]
Is "what am I to do" be commonly used in daily lives?
Also what do following sentences imply?
What should I do the next?
What am I to do the next?
Please.
2
votes
2answers
109 views
“so death swings open on its hinge” [closed]
Missing dggggg kkdf sjjjg hhg happy trim test gert sre beet
0
votes
2answers
40 views
Which one of these words is more suitable for “having” or “accomplishing”?
I want to express the achievement of a goal such as "Buying a car", or "Learning a Skill".
Can I say:
"I obtained a new car."
or
"I obtained piano playing skill."
Is there a word better than ...
0
votes
1answer
46 views
What does this sentence mean: “Cologne, with its seven and seventy evil savors, was a posy-bed to it.”?
This is a sentence from a book I'm translating, the one before that is "The first thing I met was a regiment of the vilest odors that ever assaulted the human nose, and took it by storm." So, what is ...
3
votes
5answers
14k views
What is the difference between “skeptical” and “cynical”?
Both the words "skeptical" and "cynical" refer to a doubtful mood, but what is the basic difference between them?
8
votes
4answers
5k views
Why do we say “as it were”?
In English we often add "as it were" to indicate that a phrase is not to be taken literally; for example:
He's flown from the nest, as it were.
... would indicate that a boy has left his ...
0
votes
2answers
864 views
Use of the word “referable”
Can the word "referable" be used to denote something that can be referenced and what is the difference between "referable" and "referenceable"?
2
votes
2answers
78 views
frontend, what does frontend mean? [closed]
front means ahead, infront , forward
end means last point, finishing point,
but what does FRONTEND mean?
for example engineering design is clear to me, but "frontend engineering design" what exactly ...
1
vote
1answer
44 views
What does “consign” mean in this example?
I am reading the following definition of commit
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commit
1c. to consign or record for preservation. Example: commit it to memory
Now I am trying to ...
1
vote
1answer
3k views
What does “Knock on wood” mean?
From the dictionary, it looks like it's some kind of ritual one does for luck, but I still cannot figure out when one would really knock on wood.
0
votes
1answer
49 views
past tense of contrive [closed]
So I am looking up the meaning of 'contrive' in google using:
define contrive
And it says:
Verb
1. Create or bring about (an object or a situation) by deliberate use of skill and artifice.
2. ...
6
votes
3answers
10k views
8
votes
5answers
1k views
Is the verb “redouble” just a redundant way to say “double”?
A colleague and I were reading a corporate memo that contained the phrase 'redouble our efforts'. His claim was that the word redouble was equivalent to double and simply nonstandard. (Similar to, ...
0
votes
0answers
74 views
What does 'What kind of mischief are you up to?' mean?
One of my US users asked the following questions when she got information about my resignation from my manager.
What is this rumor I hear? What kind of mischief are you up to?
I am not sure ...
4
votes
3answers
273 views
Origin of “clip” in “clip around the ears”
"Clip" commonly refers to a device for holding things together. One dictionary says it's "of unknown origin, first occurring in the 15th century." In such phrases as "giving him a clip around the ...
1
vote
5answers
3k views
Meaning and correct use of “as to why”
I don't know why I love you, even when you are homeless.
I don't know as to why I love you, even when you are homeless.
I am crazy because I don't know what the difference between these two ...
0
votes
0answers
55 views
What does “I” really mean? [closed]
When we refer to a human being by "I"/"you"/"he"/"she"/"Mary", what do we really mean? The more I think about it, the more confused I get. Do we mean living body or emotional/psychological world or ...
5
votes
3answers
112 views
If , as John Lawler says, orthography is not part of language, how can these commas interfere with today's discussion about gun control? [duplicate]
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
I read an interesting article on The New York ...
3
votes
5answers
4k views
“Complement” or “supplement”?
On a site similar to this one I answered a question and the OP made a comment which prompted me to complete my answer in an edit. I called it "an example" but I originally wanted to call it ...
1
vote
2answers
83 views
What's the meaning of “Gets me every time”?
I've heard people say this several times, in response to a funny video they watched,
Gets me every time.
This time I see this response the person put a laughing emoticon at the end. Does it ...
7
votes
5answers
17k views
Is being “low on the totem pole” good or bad?
The background for this question is that I'm watching the latest episode of NCIS, and in this episode it is mentioned that the term "Low on the totem pole" actually is a good thing, reserved for the ...
18
votes
5answers
587 views
“Infer” vs. “imply” — can “infer” imply “imply”?
Okay that's a crazy title, but bear with me. Got into a good natured discussion with someone on another stack exchange site, and I was "correcting" him on the use of infer vs. imply.
(The ...
5
votes
2answers
2k views
What is “hoolihan” in “Old Paint” song?
Lyric is:
I ride an old paint, I lead an old dan
I'm goin' to Montana to throw the hoolihan
They feed in the coulees, they water in the draw
Their tails are all matted, their ...
0
votes
0answers
66 views
What does “not above” mean? [closed]
I want to know what does exactly "not above" mean?
I've searched all website on the net but still nothing
I've seen that in following sentence
You're not above murder
Someone help please
thanks
...
8
votes
2answers
1k views
How to use “I love you”?
In Italy, you have two options to say "I love you", I'll try to translate them the best I can:
I love you (Ti amo.)
I want you to be ok (Ti voglio bene.)
The fact is that in English, both ti amo ...
1
vote
1answer
50 views
“A tool to do” vs. “a tool that does” vs. “a tool for doing”
I'm the curator of the Open Web Platform Daily Digest link. In the "Tools" section of each daily I write entries in this format:
tool_name, tool_description
For example:
hapi, a server framework ...
-1
votes
4answers
131 views
Does “neighbor” really mean “he who lives close”?
I thought that's what it means, but Dictionary.com says that it can also mean
One's fellow human being: to be generous toward one's less fortunate neighbors.
A person who shows kindliness or ...
0
votes
2answers
134 views
Is using “eager beaver” completely benign? [closed]
Person A uses the phrase "eager beaver" to mean an enthusiastic person. Person B chuckles. Basically my question boils down to who the weirdo is, so to speak:
A, because "eager beaver" is outdated ...
1
vote
2answers
86 views
What's the origin of the figure of speech “call the shots”?
I'm well aware that when someone says "he's the one who calls the shots" it means that that person is the one in charge, the one who takes all the relevant decisions.
But what's the origin of this ...
24
votes
3answers
1k views
What kind of noun is a picture?
I'm not sure of the right place to ask this, but I got confused trying to understand how the computer will interpret the sentence:
This is my picture.
In actual sense, the real owner of the ...
4
votes
2answers
13k views
What do first, second, and third person perspective mean? Why are they so called?
I am aware of the terms first person, second person and third person from grammar, but I have also seen them used in other contexts, in particular first person perspective with regard to video games.
...
2
votes
4answers
230 views
“In a while” vs. “for a while”
I recently got a message that says
Haven't heard anything from you in a while.
I always thought that the right way to say this would be to use for insdead of in. Are both versions correct? ...
0
votes
3answers
62 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 ...
-1
votes
1answer
91 views
Meaning of 'take it to the hoes'
I came across the following sentence:
You can just take it to the hoes on Broadway if you need to get your freak on.
And not only can I not understand the phrase 'take it to the hoes' but I also ...
1
vote
1answer
64 views
Beating them “with my gloves on”
This is a comment made on a discussion on a roadrage incident,
Anyone attacks me in traffic while I'm on my bike, I'm beating the f-ck out of them with my gloves on.
What does he mean by "with ...
9
votes
5answers
28k views
What is the meaning and origin of the common phrase “the world is your oyster”?
What does the world is your oyster mean, and where does it come from?
2
votes
3answers
183 views
Difference between “an” and “one”
Forgive me if I miss something very obvious; English is not my native language.
I am currently taking an online (sort of) Math class that aims to teach creating/writing unambiguous Mathematical ...
3
votes
4answers
403 views
Is it customary to call the former President George W. Bush “W.”, and Mrs. Bush “Bar”, in public?
Maureen Dowd deals with the comments of the former first lady, Barbara Bush in NBC’s the Today Show in her article titled ‘Silver Fox’s pink slip’ in New York Times (April 27):
“Asked on the ...
-2
votes
2answers
54 views
What is the meaning of “knobbie”
What is the meaning of the word “knobbie”
from Words and phrases http://www.wordandphrase.info/
-2
votes
1answer
35 views
What is the meaning of “barinyas”
Quotation from Anarchism and Other Essays
She was outraged by the terrible treatment to which the female servants were subjected: maltreated and exploited by their BARINYAS, they fell to the tender ...
1
vote
3answers
3k views
What is the meaning of 'this is not here'?
What is the meaning of the phrase "this is not here"? I saw this on a door in a John Lennon video and wonder if this is a Zen phrase or specific English usage.
0
votes
2answers
93 views
Meaning and usage of the swear word pronounced /ˈkʰʌnt/? [closed]
I’ve been hearing the word cunt used several times now. What kind of situations do you usually use this word, and what sort of person does this swear word usually describe?
2
votes
4answers
296 views
Why does my spellchecker vindicate “floccinaucinihilipilification”?
I have heard of this word as cited to contain the most i's of all English words. I had never heard of it before, but when I copied and pasted it into my email program, lo and behold, the picky ...
1
vote
2answers
189 views
Is it right to say “Viewpoints made easy”?
I'm not native in the English language and I'd like to know if when I say "Viewpoints made easy" your perception leads you to something like:
Viewpoints made easy. An easy form to
connect and ...
1
vote
5answers
1k views
How do I ask the question “Where is it made?” or “Where is it made in”?
Sometimes I feel confused about if I should add a preposition, like "come back to Seattle" or "come back Seattle".
If I want to ask a question about where something is made, how to say the question ...
1
vote
1answer
46 views
What is the meaning of the expression “to be operated on”? [closed]
What is the meaning of the expression "to be operated on"? Could you give me some useful example for its use?
