This tag is for questions seeking a phrase that fits a meaning. If you're specifically seeking only a single word, see the "single word requests" tag too.
98
votes
9answers
8k views
Is there a word or phrase for the feeling you get after looking at a word for too long?
(Perhaps this only happens to me, but I doubt it.)
Sometimes after looking at a word for a while, I become convinced that it can't possibly be spelled correctly. Even after looking it up, sounding ...
64
votes
18answers
4k views
How to say that food is hot (temperature) without the listener thinking that I mean “spicy”?
There is an excellent discussion of spicy vs. hot here: Difference between "spicy" and "hot"
However, having read the previous question, I did not see any answer that tells how to ...
63
votes
28answers
5k views
Is there an American English equivalent of the British idiom “carrying coals to Newcastle”?
I'm an American living in the Netherlands who is learning Dutch. There's an idiom in Dutch that describes performing a needless/futile activity, "water naar de zee dragen," which literally translates ...
44
votes
8answers
1k views
Is there an English phrase for an inability to actually *leave* already?
There is a Hungarian expression, küszöbgörcs, which literally means "threshold-cramp", and is used to describe that long conversation you have in the entryway, with all the guests awkwardly holding ...
40
votes
11answers
2k views
Is there a term which covers ATM cards, credit cards, and debit cards?
I work in accommodation for international travelers, and people can pay with various kinds of cards:
In some countries such as USA, credit cards are very common, but debit cards are not so common.
...
33
votes
10answers
2k views
“To shoot out of cannon into sparrows”
In Russian we have idiom/saying "To shoot out of cannon into sparrows" (literal translation) which is used to convey an idea of applying too drastic measures to small problems. I believe there should ...
27
votes
14answers
2k views
Phrase for observing a rule in a malicious way
I know this phrase, but for some reason it is blocked in my mind. What is the term for observing a rule, but doing so in a way that subverts it? I'm almost certain that malicious is one of the words ...
26
votes
4answers
5k views
Replacement for “God forbid”
I wanted to use the phrase "God forbid" the other day, but really wanted to avoid the religious connotations that may come along with it. I was stumped while thinking of a replacement or variation.
I ...
25
votes
13answers
35k views
More formal way of saying: “Sorry to bug you again about this, but …”
I was wondering if there was a more formal and polite way of saying:
Sorry to bug you again about this, but we still have not received a response about X ....
(if we still have not received any ...
25
votes
5answers
20k views
Polite alternatives to “as soon as possible”
I’ve found myself writing the phrase “as soon as possible” just too often. Sometimes I wonder if it sounds a little rude. How can I convey the same meaning in a more polite way but without losing ...
25
votes
4answers
1k views
It's so cold that if it rains it'll snow
I want a replacement for rains in the above, as it doesn't really make sense since it won't rain, it will snow.
I think I could use precipitates but I wouldn't use that in conversation as it seems ...
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 ...
23
votes
14answers
6k views
What is a word/idiom for 'unable to decide'?
Let's say I have an important decision to make and I can't decide between two competing things (like break up with a girl or not break up with her). What would be a word/idiom to express that?
23
votes
16answers
5k views
Word/phrase to mean something that just happens once
What is the word/phrase to mean something that just happens once? For example,
I have often been told/expected to do this and not to do that. I become aimless
and gradually lose the idea of who ...
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.
22
votes
26answers
7k views
Common phrases for something that appears good but is actually bad
What are common phrases that describe something that appears good but is actually bad?
Edit: Because people say bad is vague I will try to sum up the phrase meaning a little better.
something that ...
22
votes
14answers
3k views
Opposite of 'Midas touch'?
I'm wondering what word or phrase could be used for the counter examples of 'Midas touch' effect.
The Midas touch, or the gift of profiting from whatever one undertakes, is named for a legendary ...
21
votes
8answers
812 views
What is a better way to name “The Wrong Question”?
On StackOverflow.com I often find that people ask questions about problems that arise due to poor design choices (typically due to a lack of knowledge about the particular programming language).
For ...
20
votes
23answers
9k views
An idiom meaning someone's doing something useless and has no result at the end
In my native language, we use an idiom to warn someone that they're doing something which has no result at the end:
Trying to convince him is like squashing water ...
Is there any idiom in ...
19
votes
15answers
2k views
What do you call someone who exploits people and their confidence using ‘clever speech’? [closed]
I am referring to someone who makes people ‘buy’ what he says and gets things done by them through nothing but clever speech – something one can describe as crafty or beguiling, but not fraudulent.
I ...
18
votes
11answers
1k views
Colorful term for someone with a long-overdue library book [closed]
I'm trying to find a humorous term for someone who still has an overdue library book after a number of years. I first came up with "delinquent lendee", but I'm sure there's something more apropos or ...
18
votes
9answers
1k views
Terminology for fake photograph
I think there is a good chance that a new word or phrase has been coined to mean fake photograph.
Is there a single word to express it?
17
votes
5answers
3k views
What do you call those divisions of a book bigger than a paragraph but smaller than a chapter?
In printed books, or at least in novels, there are often major breaks within a chapter more important than paragraphs.
Often they are separated by a greater amount of whitespace than paragraphs and ...
16
votes
5answers
5k views
Antonym of “highlight”
What's the opposite of highlight?
I don't mean the verb to highlight or to emphasize something, so downplay isn't an option.
Instead I'm looking for the opposite of "the highlight of the movie, ...
16
votes
9answers
813 views
Is there any idiomatic expression with the meaning “show all the hidden stuff”?
Which idiomatic phrase can be used to express 'showing all the hidden stuff' (it's supposed that nobody should find that out, some scandal things)?
15
votes
10answers
1k views
What is a synonym for “superstition” but without the negative connotation?
In my native language (Latvian) there is a word that denotes a superstition, but in a more positive way, somehow. It’s hard to explain, so let me give some examples:
If you swing on the swings a ...
14
votes
12answers
6k views
Is there a term to describe speech that has a hidden meaning but is not sarcastic?
I want to describe how someone is saying something but hidden behind their words they are blaming the person they are talking to. It's kind of like sarcasm but not quite as strong. With sarcasm the ...
14
votes
6answers
1k views
Is there a term for simultaneous snow and rain?
I'm from Australia where we don't have so many kinds of precipitation. I'm familiar with these:
rain
hail
snow
sleet
As I understand it, sleet refers to frozen rain but I'm not totally familiar ...
14
votes
4answers
374 views
Is there a name for the assumption that people in past ages were less able to reason?
In arguments involving past decisions or tradition, people frequently blow off a claim to tradition by using the (false) assumption that people in days gone by, or even ancient history were less able ...
14
votes
5answers
3k views
Term for something that appears complex but is actually very simple
The Japanese have a term for something that appears simple but is actually very complex in detail: Shibui. It should be said that this is only one aspect of Shibui, as with many Japanese ...
14
votes
7answers
741 views
English equivalent of a Kannada proverb
The saying goes like "ಬಡವನ ಸಿಟ್ಟು ದವಡೆಗೆ ಮೂಲ".
When roughly translated to English it means:
A poor man's anger only hurts his jaw [due to all the grinding of teeth in the process].
How to ...
13
votes
5answers
469 views
Is there a word or phrase for a choice that ultimately leads to tragedy?
Examples of decisions that ultimately lead to the downfall of the deciders:
Troy accepted the gift of the Trojan horse
Aladdin doesn't immediately free the Genie when he is told he will become ...
13
votes
2answers
52k views
Equivalents to “I'm looking forward to hearing from you.” [closed]
What sentences do you suggest to end a formal letter that you expect a reply from the recipient?
One of the most popular ones is "Looking forward to hearing from you."
12
votes
3answers
1k views
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.
12
votes
3answers
262 views
Can I use “US-American” to disambiguate “American”? If not, what can I use?
Based on this question, I wonder: as an alternative to USAian (which is very nonstandard) is it OK to use US-American to more clearly indicate "inhabitant of the USA"?
According to Google Ngram, this ...
11
votes
7answers
6k views
Academic way of saying “On the other hand”
I have 2 paragraphs in my paper, the previous paragraph ends with
"This shows that TF-IDF is still an important feature for text analysis task"
and my next paragraph starts with
"On the other ...
11
votes
3answers
667 views
First appearance of a ghost after a person's death
In the ballet Giselle, the title character dies at the end of Act 1.
One wouldn't generally describe her ghostly presence in Act 2 as the result of a resurrection, because that implies that her ...
11
votes
12answers
908 views
Asks a question; never responds to answers/comments
What do we call someone who asks a question and never responds to answers/comments?
Think of it more as "a pattern of behavior" (somebody who has asked many questions and never responded).
I had ...
11
votes
5answers
5k views
Popular alternatives to “thank you”
The context for my question might be a bit strange.
I have stuttering and therefore I have some difficulties pronouncing some words starting with particular phonetics. And I've found that if a ...
11
votes
5answers
1k views
What do you call a slip of the tongue in writing?
Is there any phrase or word that can be used to describe a slip of the tongue that happens in writing?
Calling it a slip of tongue directly feels awkward, especially when the written text is never ...
11
votes
5answers
174 views
Is there a word or phrase for 'shared accountability that leads to collective inaction'?
When a group as opposed to an individual is responsible for a job or task, and as a result the task does not get performed because everyone assumes that someone else will do it.
Is there a word or ...
10
votes
9answers
60k views
Any other good way of saying “Happy Birthday”?
Quite a few of my friends are having their birthdays in the coming weeks. I feel a little awkward posting plain words like "Happy Birthday" on their Facebooks.
I've decided I should come up with a ...
10
votes
6answers
640 views
term for “finding correct solution by excluding wrong solutions”
In German we have the pretty common term Ausschlussverfahren for this, especially used as a line of reasoning when solving a puzzle/problem. Linguee gives out several options, but imho no coherent and ...
10
votes
6answers
992 views
Ways of expressing the lack of ability to refrain from doing something
What are the ways of expressing the lack of ability to refrain from doing something? The only one I've found is help + ...ing. For example:
She can't help singing along when she hears this tune.
...
10
votes
10answers
477 views
Equivalent expression to Spanish “cutting by the healthy part”
What would be an equivalent expression to the Spanish "cortar por lo sano", probably something like "cutting by the healthy part", to convey the idea that to solve a problem from spreading, like ...
10
votes
11answers
700 views
Word or phrase for writing that “reads fast”
Is there a word or phrase to describe technical writing that is quick to read?
Some technical writing is so clear and concise, even a novice at the material will find himself flying through it. For ...
10
votes
8answers
8k views
What is the English word closest to Japanese “Ganbatte,” the word for encouraging people who are in disaster, or challenging a severe ordeal?
In Japan, after experiencing the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake, “Ganbatte” which contains all sense of “Cheer up, Bear up, Keep your chin up, Be courageous, Do your best” became the password of ...
10
votes
8answers
405 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 ...
10
votes
4answers
718 views
Word for “food only partially eaten”
Is there a single word to refer to a food item which has been partially eaten or tasted by someone?
To elaborate, let's say there is a bowl of noodles on the table, and someone took a spoon of ...
10
votes
3answers
524 views
What's a good opposite of “keep track”? [closed]
How can I say the opposite of "keep track"? I was trying to keep track of something but something happened and I lost the track.
I'd like to say "lose track". Is it possible to say it this way or is ...
