A phrase is a group of words that make a unit of syntax with a single grammatical function.
0
votes
1answer
109 views
How to express “From the point of view of Information Theory”?
I would like start a sentence with "From the point of view of information theory, ...", but this sounds a bit uneloquent to me. Can I say, "From an information theoretical point of view, ...", or ...
1
vote
3answers
81 views
Etymology of “come up with”
Does anyone know the exact origin and date of use of the English tri-part phrasal verb, "come up with"? It was started to be used around the early 1900s in the States, but what is the origin of its ...
2
votes
4answers
177 views
Ruining something for someone else (spoils of war?)
Lately I've been thinking of a saying that describes the following:
Ruining something for someone else, for the sole purpose of it not being useful any more to the other party, even though you do ...
4
votes
3answers
694 views
“I am going to attend” vs “I am attending”
Which of these two statements seems to be more appropriate?
I am attending a meeting tomorrow.
I am going to attend a meeting tomorrow.
I am quite not sure which one to use.
4
votes
3answers
622 views
What is the origin of idiom “Keep your hair on”?
I had a conversation with a coworker and he told me to keep my hair on. My first understanding of the idiom was that he will do something so fast that, if I was wearing a wig or something it will fly ...
3
votes
2answers
191 views
“to further assist [you]” — Split infinitive or fixed VP?
From a descriptive standpoint (and the problem that English has at least two words in an infinitive), I understand why the split infinitive is becoming more acceptable, but is there any other excuse ...
8
votes
10answers
595 views
“You get what you deserve nothing more nothing less”
In this world we reside, what we acquire depends on what we can acquire. In other words, if we have the money to, we can buy a house; if we have the necessary educational qualifications to, we can get ...
1
vote
3answers
1k views
How do you say “hands-on experience” with this technology to an interviewer?
Generally, I would tell an interviewer that I have "hands-on experience" with this technology, by which I mean that my experience in this field is very limited, but quite efficient and knowledgeable.
...
2
votes
3answers
161 views
Alternative expression for saying “piece of someone's mind”
Sentence example:
I am really upset and frustrated with one of my friends. So when I meet him next time around I will definitely not hold myself back and give him a piece of my mind.
What ...
6
votes
2answers
151 views
What does “pay you out” mean?
I came across the following passage of text in one of the original Thomas the Tank Engine stories, and realised there was a phrase in there that I didn't understand.
"Be careful with the coaches, ...
1
vote
3answers
134 views
The phrase 'give you me'
There was another sentence that I wasn't sure about: "Rather, O blessed one, give you me boldness to abide within the harmless laws of peace, avoiding strife and hatred and the violent fiends of ...
1
vote
2answers
55 views
Can 'it' be used plurally?
Can 'it' as a pronoun refer to many different imperative verbs? For instance, in the sentence:
Abide by thy customs, thou excellent one: grind thy corn, drink thy water, praise thy cooking,-- if ...
3
votes
1answer
134 views
Does this stylistic guideline have a name?
The principle would be something like: Avoid a long modifying clause that creates distance between your subject and verb
For example, according to this guideline, the sentence
One of his uncles ...
-1
votes
2answers
49 views
What is the meaning of “idiot-proof”? [closed]
What is the meaning of "idiot-proof", as in:
Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to
build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying
to produce ...
2
votes
4answers
251 views
What is a more politically correct way to call something a “Red-Headed Step-Child”?
I can't use the phrase "second-class citizen" either.
This is for a professional blog post, so I'd rather stay away from "red-headed step-child". I can't use "second-class citizen" because I'm ...
5
votes
3answers
111 views
Can you buy things “for cheap”?
The first line of this news story says:
Call it space grave robbery for a cause: imagine scavenging defunct communication satellites for their valuable parts and recycling them to build brand new ...
3
votes
0answers
20 views
Being capable enough to do something “in anger”? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Is “used in anger” a Britishism for something?
My boss keeps using the terminology "Doug knows X but maybe not enough to use it 'in anger'", where X is a skill, ...
3
votes
2answers
191 views
Meaning of “down on me” in the Janis Joplin song
What does 'Down on Me' mean in this Janis Joplin song?
Down on Me
Well, down on me, Lord, down on me.
I said it looks like everybody in this whole round world,
Yeah hey yeah all right, is ...
1
vote
3answers
148 views
The use of question formation in non-question phrases?
I have read the following text some time ago:
[...]
Only here can you enjoy dazzling entertainment, get the thrill
of your life on the exciting rides, and be face-to-face with some of
the ...
1
vote
2answers
115 views
Which of these is the correct use of this phrase
I frequently encounter this in technical documents and I am wondering which one is correct.
In the figure below
or
In the below figure
9
votes
3answers
446 views
Checked-out teenagers
From Threat Vector, by Tom Clancy and Mark Greaney:
He decided he would let off a little of the pressure Miss Melanie Kraft built up in him before heading back home to Chantilly to his bitchy wife ...
0
votes
1answer
189 views
What does “it is but X” mean? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Specific usage of the word ‘but’
What does “It is but X” mean?
For example, as in “Yes; however, they are but thoughts.”
4
votes
2answers
166 views
Expression for the way of dressing to avoid attention
What is a word or phrase to describe the way you're dressing or dressing in a way to avoid/not attract attention to yourself?
For example, a celebrity going out in public would want to dress in a ...
4
votes
1answer
351 views
What is the exclamation “have at you” actually saying?
I recently encountered the phrase "have at you".
I know it's generally used as an exclamation, that is shouted when someone is about to attack someone else.
Wiktionary seems to agree with me:
...
2
votes
3answers
199 views
Is “I'm not racist, but …” more common in Australian English than other dialects? [closed]
Is the phrase "I'm not racist, but ..." more common in Australian English than other dialects? The phrase is used as a prefix to something that's likely to be interpreted as racist, probably because ...
11
votes
1answer
205 views
Meaning of “match Greek with Greek”
From Christmas Storms and Sunshine by Elizabeth Gaskell (4th paragraph):
Jenkins had his wife too. Wives were wanting to finish the
completeness of the quarrel, which existed one memorable ...
1
vote
1answer
53 views
Can ‘on one’s own’ be an adjective, implying 'while one is alone'?
Can this phrase ‘on one’s own’ be used as a post-modifying adjective phrase like below, meaning ‘while one is alone’?
The gangsters wanted to catch him on his own.
2
votes
2answers
224 views
Which preposition to use with “rename”?
Which is the correct preposition to use with rename?
rename to
rename as
rename by
7
votes
1answer
178 views
“The proverbial wedding ring”?
In old books, I keep coming accross the saying,
...is so transparent it could pass through the proverbial wedding ring.
What does this mean?
3
votes
2answers
66 views
Is this 'neither' a determiner?
However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. (Harry
Potter book 1, p213)
However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge nor truth.
As I’m accustomed to ‘neither~nor’ ...
2
votes
2answers
194 views
What's the origin of the phrase “God's clean earth”, and how long has it been around? [closed]
"It isn't every day a man wakes up to discover he's a screaming bender with no more right to live on God's clean Earth than a weasel."
- Dr. Leech, "Blackadder II"
What's the origin of that ...
-1
votes
1answer
71 views
Meaning of “strike dread”
What is the meaning of the phrase strike dread? I've encountered it many times.
1
vote
3answers
100 views
What's the meaning of “on a comparable basis”?
I'm not a native English speaker and I'm having a hard time trying to translate it. What could be the definition for "on a comparable basis"?
Edit: Here's the context in which I've encountered it:
...
7
votes
5answers
419 views
'Do you know where I'm coming from?'
I have heard conversations similar to this:
'I am an Indian and I don't like racial slurs, do you know where I'm coming from?'
'Yes sir, I understand where you are coming from.'
I am quite ...
10
votes
7answers
696 views
Is there an idiom that corresponds to the Hungarian expression “fall off the other side of the horse”?
There's a Hungarian phrase that can be literally translated as something like "fall off the other side of the horse". (The literal implication is either that instead of falling off this side of the ...
2
votes
2answers
1k views
Why is “Garden Leave” so called?
"Garden Leave" is a fairly common British term.
According to wikipedia:
Garden leave describes the practice whereby an employee who is leaving
a job (having resigned or otherwise had his or her ...
1
vote
3answers
155 views
This is a question regarding punctuation, I suppose
I have a tendency to place the phrase I suppose at the end of a sentence. It sounds alright to me. But when I want to write the expression down in words, how should I write it so that I won't violate ...
4
votes
6answers
402 views
One's brilliant vocabulary and a tendency to show it off [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What’s a big-vocabulary word for someone with a big vocabulary?
There are people who are blessed with a remarkable knowledge of vocabulary and diction – people who can ...
4
votes
1answer
179 views
What is the meaning of “blinkers on and a case of Red Bull”?
One of my developer wrote to me in chat,
please tell LK that you need your blinkers on and a case of Red Bull.
(Here LK is the name of my senior.)
What does "need blinkers on and a case of Red ...
-2
votes
1answer
83 views
The meaning of “crime and grime” [closed]
What does the expression crime and grime mean? It was mentioned from this comment:
My dad's SUV got jacked when I was living in Saga Bay. Don't live in FL anymore. Too much f-king crime and grime. ...
3
votes
2answers
110 views
Can “in” be replaced by “with”? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“Covered with” vs “covered in” vs “covered by”
From J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (June 1997):
He bent down and pulled his wand out of the ...
1
vote
2answers
136 views
You are standing into danger
On lists of nautical flag meanings (one and another), the letter U means you are standing into danger. I am familiar with the phrase from a sailing point of view - it means something like "if you keep ...
3
votes
2answers
175 views
What is the origin or earliest known use of the phrase “everything but the kitchen sink”?
What is the origin or earliest known use of the idiomatic phrase "everything but the kitchen sink"?
I have searched the internet, but I cannot find an origin or etymology.
The earliest known use I ...
5
votes
4answers
414 views
“The point is moot”
I was recently called out for using the phrase "the point is moot" incorrectly. My intent was to indicate that I felt that the point wasn't really worth debating or discussing. I was then shown that ...
0
votes
0answers
69 views
What's the difference between log on and log in? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Logging in or on?
Which is standard: “log on/off” or “log in/out”?
Using linux, when we type:
$ man who
WHO(1) User Commands ...
1
vote
1answer
79 views
Single verb for “explained hesitantly”? [closed]
So far my ideas were: started, mused
The context:
[[The narrator, born and raised in the States, is visiting her family in a foreign country for the first time. She and her cousin are at a shopping ...
2
votes
3answers
378 views
What does “made it up on the spot” mean? [closed]
What does the phrase "made it up on the spot" mean?
0
votes
0answers
51 views
Meaning of twenty testosterone-charged men [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Etymology of testosterone-charged men?
What is the exact meaning of the phrase “twenty testosterone-charged men”?
I’d have much preferred her place, as I didn’t want ...
0
votes
3answers
135 views
Can we use this expression “be blamed”?
Dictionaries say that blame is a transitive verb. Even though we already have the phrase be to blame for something, can we use the following sentence?
Officials believe that more than one person ...
1
vote
1answer
203 views
Three-word phrase stress (“little straw house” vs. “small wooden house”)
I'm interested to learn why the following three-word phrases have stress on different words.
"little straw house" (stress is on little and house)
"small wooden house" (stress is on wooden)
Here ...
