Verbs are words that express an action, occurrence, or a state of being.
2
votes
2answers
131 views
When did the term 'get lost' first come to use?
Have tacked this term to be an American idiom. Does anyone know when it came to popular use or was first used there?
3
votes
5answers
171 views
Is the “live” in “He only lived a few days after the accident” intrasitive or transitive?
An example sentence from the Cambridge Dictionary:
[I] He only lived a few days after the accident.
[I] means "intransitive verb". He (subject) + lived (verb) + a few days (noun).
What part of ...
2
votes
5answers
588 views
“I would have liked 'to have seen'/'to see' New York before the cyclone” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“Would you have liked to have been” vs. “would you have liked to be”
Is "have" redundant when repeated in successive verb phrases?
Well, let us read the following ...
3
votes
3answers
194 views
What is the difference between “carry out a crime” and “commit a crime”
Do these both have the same meaning?
John carried out a crime.
John committed a crime.
2
votes
1answer
65 views
When is the proper time to use “lie” vs “lay” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What is the difference between “lay” and “lie”?
Which one of the following examples is correct?
Lie down on the bench.
Lay down on the bench.
4
votes
2answers
140 views
“Decided to do X the next time she went for a walk” vs. “…the next time she goes for a walk”
I came across this sentence in the book Grammar Essentials for Dummies which confused me.
The lion with a thorn in her paw decided to wear sneakers the next time she went for a walk in the jungle.
...
-2
votes
2answers
130 views
What is the difference between “nudge” and “push” [closed]
I am trying to nudge them towards a practical solution.
What does nudge imply here? Can't we just use something like push?
Is the word outdated or still in use?
I'm not trying to avoid using ...
0
votes
3answers
4k views
“Please note” vs. “please notice” [closed]
When I'm writing a text and want to ask the reader to pay close attention to a point, should I write "Please note" or "Please notice"? Is there any difference?
7
votes
3answers
380 views
What's a word for “to eliminate the need for”? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Is there a word that means “make someone (or something) redundant”?
I'm looking for a word that I can use in a context where I say something like
If you let me look ...
10
votes
3answers
217 views
What is the origin of the word “conk”?
Is it obsolete to use this word? Where does it come from? I couldn't find the origin of this term.
Can I use the phrase "The machine conked out" or should I replace conked out with something else?
2
votes
1answer
40 views
“To consolidate cost”
Is it correct to use the expression "consolidate cost" when you add cost figures in a specific period of time? The context is a description of what a piece of code is doing:
consolidate cost over ...
1
vote
2answers
122 views
“Stop a loophole” vs. “fix a loophole”
Which is the preferred usage — "to stop a loophole" or "to fix a loophole"?
3
votes
2answers
407 views
Irregular past tense confusion with compound noun/verb. More examples?
Students of martial arts may be familiar with a breakfall, which can (depending on the situation) be treated as a noun or a verb.
I am often amused when speakers, even native English speakers (myself ...
-1
votes
0answers
39 views
Should I use “has” or “have” to describe what a company [has/have] done [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Are collective nouns always plural, or are certain ones singular?
I am writing a company profile, and am struggling with the language style. Which of these is better?
...
2
votes
2answers
446 views
“It was my birthday yesterday” vs. “My birthday was yesterday”
Is there a difference between the following sentences?
It was my birthday yesterday.
My birthday was yesterday.
When should I use "it was something yesterday/a few days ago/..." and when ...
2
votes
1answer
92 views
Word for the act of a PC “breathing”
"Breathing" that's right, that's the word I'm looking for. Obviously a computer doesn't breathe, but what does it do?
By this I mean, a computer, more specifically the system unit or a laptop. On a ...
0
votes
1answer
168 views
“Enables you to quickly and easily identify” vs. “enables you to identify quickly and easily” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Are split infinitives grammatically incorrect, or are they valid constructs?
I'm currently having a bit of a dispute and would appreciate your help please. Which one is ...
0
votes
2answers
83 views
On the usage of “epitomized”
Epitomized by right captainship, the ship reached safely to the harbor.
I'm emphasizing the capabilities of the captain here. Is this correct usage?
1
vote
2answers
82 views
Word for “heating food in pot without heat on”
What's that verb to describe "to heat food in a lid-covered pot without heat on"?
For example, when preparing food such as pastas you typically boil it in water for some time maybe 10 minutes or so ...
1
vote
5answers
105 views
Sum up the users? Or sum up the number of users?
Let's say that there is a list of users and I want to know how many users are in the list.
Would I 'sum up the users,' 'sum the users,' 'sum up the number of the users,' 'sum the number of users,' or ...
0
votes
1answer
81 views
“Keep informed” versus “stay informed”
I saw "Keep Informed!" written under the social profiles of a Firefox extension in its release notes.
I think, the writer wants to say "keep abreast of all the developments, bug fixes and new ...
2
votes
1answer
147 views
Is it customary or grammatical to drop ‘to’ in “I’m not going to go look for it”?
There was a scene a thirty-something wife refuses to go looking for the wedding ring her husband lost in a courtyard when she was asked by her husband over the phone, in the fiction titled “The Lost ...
0
votes
1answer
93 views
deputizing and covering…“for” or not
Which of the following is grammatical?
I am deputizing for him/her.
I am deputizing him/her.
I think in the case of covering you have to use:
I am covering for him/her.
...or do ...
2
votes
2answers
110 views
“Weeks of rain/raining”? “Weeks of fight/fighting”? Is there a rule to use the gerund in those examples?
It’s common and correct to use both after two weeks of rain and after two weeks of fighting. But since fight is also a noun, couldn’t it be used instead of fighting?
Also, why rain and not raining? ...
3
votes
1answer
94 views
“Tabled”, US vs UK [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What is the meaning of the expression “We can table this”?
Here's an example snippet for some context.
Ann had an idea. We tabled her idea.
In the UK this means ...
5
votes
2answers
367 views
The sound of a moving tree trunk
When it's windy out as the wind is blown against a large standing tree, its trunk moves and makes a noise similar to that creaking noise that a door or a floorboard in a house makes.
Do we use creak ...
0
votes
1answer
200 views
Can a subordinate clause split subject and verb in the main clause?
E.g. are these correct?
Following the rules, even if it's difficult, is essential.
Following the rules, although it's difficult, is essential.
-1
votes
1answer
165 views
Why do “consulting engineers” advise, not consult?
I am interested to find if the two terms consulting and advising are interchangeable, particularly in business.
Generally, one consults someone else, who advises. That is, the seeker of information ...
0
votes
1answer
154 views
Singular or plural verb with two subjects [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Using “do” or “does” for two things connected by “and”?
I'm writing an interrogative sentence questioning someone else's writing:
"Is grammar and spelling correct?"
...
4
votes
3answers
104 views
Word for “moving on a ledge”
Is there a single word in English describing a sideway movement when one is walking with his back along a ledge?
One can see this frequently in movies. A person is high up on a building or in ...
1
vote
1answer
212 views
“The number of residents has grown” vs. “the number of residents have grown” [duplicate]
Duplicate:
“A number of students” vs. “the number of students”
“Number of attempts per question is unlimited” or “are limited”?
“A number of questions has been asked” or “have been asked”?
...
1
vote
3answers
183 views
What does “Alice started to her feet” mean?
In the book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, what does “Alice started to her feet” mean?
... But when the rabbit actually took a watch out of its waistcoat-pocket, and looked at it, and then ...
5
votes
5answers
422 views
Why put the verb before the subject?
The opening sentence to The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien reads,
In a hole in the ground there lived [verb] a hobbit [subject].
I wonder if there are accepted stylistic purposes for such a structure. ...
2
votes
3answers
260 views
Does standard English include non-trivial sentences which admit no verb?
One of the interesting aspects of the Maori language, as I understand it, is that it includes a class of sentences which not only have no verb, it is positively wrong to form them with a verb.
Does ...
0
votes
1answer
649 views
When to use “include” and “including”?
I know that include is a verb while including is a preposition but they made me confuse when it comes to their usage.
I usually confuse when to use include with including.
Most Thais like ...
3
votes
1answer
127 views
Etymology of “favourite” as a verb
The verb favourite or favorite (past tense favourited or favorited) is fairly new and isn't in many dictionaries. Two of the few are Oxford Dictionaries Online, who define it as:
favourite
verb
...
0
votes
4answers
117 views
Is there a word for the total amount of time you weren't working in a day?
I can say that I plan to work 7 hours today, but how do I say I plan to "not work" for 2 hours?
"Be on a break/pause for 2 hours" or "Rest for 2 hours" doesn't work because I might take several ...
9
votes
5answers
266 views
Can the verb “wonder” simply take an object?
In this question, the questioner states
I wonder the origin of the word.
Can wonder take a simple object like that? Or should it be wonder about or wonder at or something similar (or something ...
3
votes
4answers
80 views
Word for consolidating a dataset to a single type
I believe there is a single word that represents what I am trying to say, but for the life of me I can’t remember it.
I have a line graph of amounts vs. time. The amounts are for different ...
4
votes
4answers
141 views
Single word alternative to “overvalue”
Generally speaking, attach too much significance to [something] can be replaced overvalue, but that doesn't sit well with me in certain contexts.
For example, suppose I reached some conclusion after ...
-2
votes
2answers
58 views
“Stuff happen” or “stuff happens”? [closed]
Is it “bad stuff happens to good people” or “bad stuff happen to good people”?
4
votes
2answers
152 views
“Consists of” vs. “consists in”: different meanings of the verb, or the same meaning applied differently?
Mark Twain said,
Good breeding consists in concealing how much we think of ourselves and how little we think of the other person.
Could he have used consists of there instead of consists in and ...
2
votes
3answers
231 views
Does the verb 'rain' belong to some special class of verbs since its subject is always 'it'?
The subject of the verb 'rain' is always 'it' when the referred sense of the verb is 'rain fall'
It rained heavily last night.
Do you think it will rain again this evening?
It looks as ...
2
votes
2answers
235 views
In the sentence “My house is down the street”, which word does the adverb “down” modify?
My house is down the street.
Does the adverb down modify is, or street?
3
votes
3answers
691 views
“Start” vs. “begin”, “finish” vs. “end”
I am not a native speaker and I have came up with a problem of using start vs. beginning. Which one is more proper to indicate a date (year)? For example:
The year in which physiotherapy ...
2
votes
2answers
94 views
'Whack someone“ vs ” Whop someone“ vs ”Wallop someone"
I noticed that, in the dictionary, the words Whack, Whop and Wallop can have a meaning resembling hit some one hard. ODO says:
Whack (Verb) = strike forcefully with a sharp blow.
Whop (Verb) = ...
0
votes
2answers
413 views
Grammaticality of “I am worrying” and how it compares to “I am worried” and “I worry”
This question is about worried about vs. worrying about. I think "being worried about someone/something" is more usual than "worry about", isn't it?
Can I use the progressive aspect for ongoing ...
6
votes
4answers
299 views
What is the difference between “dispute” and “argue”?
There were two English teachers who told me different answers. I'm confused. When I want to talk about two persons having different opinions, I have to say that "they dispute with each other" or "they ...
1
vote
1answer
90 views
Retire Vs Retirement
I am confused between the two:
My father is due to retire/retirement in a few months and is restless.
According to my understanding, retire sounds more appropriate. But I am not sure. Could ...
0
votes
3answers
216 views
How do the words “stare” and “gaze” change the meaning of the sentence in the given context?
Please consider the excerpt below.
I felt awkward discussing such issues with Aarti’s dad, so I kept quiet.
“I know how the education business works, Tiwari talks intellectual,
but he wants ...
