Tagged Questions
1
vote
1answer
102 views
How should I use the phrasal verb “to d**k around”?
To waste time
Stop dicking me around and get to the point.
Would you please stop dicking around with her?
To take advantage of
You're dicking him around, you know?
Don't ...
6
votes
2answers
259 views
Is it derogatory or offensive to call a detective a dick?
The word dick is generally considered offensive and is marked so in dictionaries. But there is also a meaning of detective that it carries. I usually find no derog indication for this meaning.
Is it ...
3
votes
2answers
223 views
Is schmuck really an obscene word?
Schmuck is supposedly an obscene Yiddish term for the male sex organ, yet it appears all of the time in the media as an American idiom for a jerk. Can one use it in polite company?
20
votes
5answers
2k views
Is “what on earth” still commonly used in real life? Is there any alternative that is not cursing or obscene?
I'm a non-native speaker. When I was at school, we were taught that "on earth" is used for emphasis in questions such as:
What on earth are you talking about?
However, from my experience ...
5
votes
5answers
2k views
What is the origin and earliest recorded usage of 'cock-up'
In informal British English, the expression 'cock-up' (c.f. the US English 'fuck-up') is used to indicate an error or problem in a situation.
What is the origin of this expression and its etymology? ...
7
votes
6answers
6k views
Madam vs. Ma'am
I suspect that the answer to this depends on region, so insights from multiple areas would be beneficial:
It has been my impression that in the US addressing a woman as "Madam" is considered ...
3
votes
3answers
269 views
Is “senility” pejorative?
Could you please give your opinion on whether or not "senility" is a pejorative term?
My sentence is:
Although there wasn't any real upper age limit, elders who seemed to be affected by senility ...
9
votes
3answers
454 views
Does using the word “crony” necessitate a negative connotation?
I have always heard the word "crony" in the context of acquaintanceships between people exploiting their closeness for less than noble means. Despite its definitions in the usual places as simply ...
