A vocabulary is the body of words used in a particular language.
9
votes
1answer
328 views
What is the word for using one part of speech where another would be more grammatical?
There's a Greek word that means using the wrong part of speech somewhere in a sentence, as in:
I don't know the who or the how or the when.
Where "who", "how", and "when" are being used for ...
2
votes
1answer
707 views
What does it mean to be “worth someone's keep”?
“Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your
belts
no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff,
for the worker is worth his keep.
What does it mean ...
2
votes
1answer
246 views
What does “fly against” mean?
http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2008/11/stop-me-if-you-think-youve-seen-this-word-before.html:
I'm not sure this kind of experiment would fly against
today's Google, but it worked in 2004.
...
0
votes
3answers
215 views
What is this kind of literature called?
I would like to know what a particular form of publication is called, when a work is a collaborative effort of many writers and possibly more than one editor, published in weekly or monthly parts and ...
11
votes
1answer
663 views
Is it true that yeast was once called “Godisgoode”?
In this article discussing beer, it is said that in medieval times yeast (possibly only brewer's yeast) was called godisgoode. Is that the case? (Searching on Google sheds very little light on the ...
3
votes
4answers
196 views
When a patient goes to the doctor and does not have a health insurance plan, how is this appointment classified?
When a patient goes to the doctor without a health insurance plan, is there a term for this kind of appointment?
Just to give a context:
Me: I want to schedule an appointment
Secretary: What is ...
3
votes
1answer
87 views
Encompass a wrist or is there an alternative?
Can encompass be used to describe someone "holding" someone's wrist gently, and not actually putting any force/ pressure but just holding or gripping it in a very gentle way?
2
votes
4answers
715 views
What is “generation X” and “generation Y”?
Why are we called Generation Y?
What's Generation X anyway?
What about Baby Boomers?
1
vote
1answer
407 views
Where can I find a relatively inclusive word-list for analysis of prefixes and suffixes? [closed]
To illustrate a simple example, when I encounter the word "claustrophobia", what I already knew is the left part "claustro-" means "small and enclosed", and I want to discover if "-phobia" has a fixed ...
0
votes
1answer
318 views
What is this phenomenon called, “I had a dream that I was having a dream”?
I don't know if anyone of you have these kind of dreams before; I'm dreaming then suddenly I dream that I wake up from that dream.
Then, sometimes (admittedly rarely, though it's rather fun) it could ...
5
votes
3answers
319 views
Can a person's name be used to represent a group of people?
Can a name of a person (usually from stories, or history) be used to describe a group of people? For example, can Cinderella be used to refer to girls who are poor and have difficulties in life, but ...
2
votes
3answers
335 views
How should I understand “archaeocyte” in this sentence?
Consider the following sentence:
The fossil consists of a complete skull of an archaeocyte, an extinct group of ancestors of modern cetaceans.
Does it mean "the fossil consists of a complete ...
5
votes
3answers
4k views
Meaning of “more wood behind fewer arrows”?
What does the phrase "more wood behind fewer arrows" mean?
Source: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/google-gets-serious-winds-down-google-labs/52848?tag=nl.e539
6
votes
2answers
2k views
Difference between lexicon and dictionary
What is the difference between a lexicon and a dictionary?
Is a lexicon just an über-big dictionary?
3
votes
2answers
167 views
“Application for Android” versus “application on Android”
Which one is correct/most scientific?
I am developing a certain application for Android.
I am developing a certain application on Android.
I am developing a certain application for the platform ...
5
votes
5answers
962 views
What is the meaning of the terms: brown meat, black meat, white meat and red meat?
While reading an article, I saw this question:
Do you prefer brown meat or white meat?
I definitely don't know what this means. Could you tell me more about it?
2
votes
1answer
270 views
What does “if you were already set for life” mean?
From this blog post, the author writes:
What’s your passion? What would you blog about if you were already
set for life?
I don't quite understand — what meaning is the author trying to ...
1
vote
2answers
257 views
the usage of “otherwise” [closed]
In this article, I don't quite understand the following sentence:
Instead of bothering to sort out that little difficulty, let's see why it is in fact enough to let B be the set of all bilinear ...
2
votes
1answer
61 views
Extra pages for a magazine
In some special days, e.g. the days before the New Year, newspapers and magazines give away some extra pages or even an special magazine associated with those days, or related to the year passed. What ...
1
vote
2answers
410 views
What is between dystopian and utopian?
There are many speculative fiction pieces that are labeled "dystopian" and some "utopian". Is there a specific word for the reasoned middle ground?
Please let me know if this is better suited to the ...
8
votes
15answers
1k views
Simple word related to “a group of intellectuals” or “a group of smart learners”
What could be a good word for "a group of intellectuals" or "a group of smart learners"? Any suggestions of related terms also invited.
2
votes
1answer
606 views
How have British English U and non-U speech changed between the 1950s and now?
How have British English U and non-U speech changed between the 1950s and the present day?
20
votes
2answers
1k views
Attorney at law, is there any other kind?
I have wondered from time to time about the phrase "attorney at law." Are there other kinds of attorneys? Attorneys at arms? If not, why do we specify?
2
votes
4answers
232 views
Are emails, videos, and audios, etc, considered telegrams?
What does the word "telegram" mean?
It sounds familiar though I've no idea what it is.
The dictionary says "telegram" is defined as: "A message sent by telegraph and then delivered in written or ...
5
votes
2answers
1k views
What's a reception room / parlor / parlour / drawing room?
What's a reception room/parlor/parlour/ drawing room?
I'm thinking, is it just another word for the living room of my house?
3
votes
1answer
447 views
'Conscribed' vs 'conscripted'
I'm wondering about the usage of the words 'conscript' and 'conscribe' in terms of the meaning they share.
I went to use the word 'conscripted' as in "conscripted for duty", and the word 'conscribe' ...
5
votes
3answers
852 views
Where does “otay” come from?
I've heard a few people (all native English speakers) recently use "otay" in place of "okay", both in writing and when speaking. Where does that word come from? For that matter, is it a word at all?
...
6
votes
2answers
292 views
Confusing meanings of “inexorable” and “unstoppable”
I saw these two words, which I had always assumed meant the same thing, in the same sentence (below). It begs a question as to the difference between them:
Sentence:
This restless and perpetual ...
25
votes
7answers
2k views
Do you say 'white blackboard'?
English is not my first language, so I'm not sure what you commonly call one of these:
I'm trying to choose between blackboard, white blackboard, or maybe just 'slate'.
50
votes
13answers
6k views
Is there a polite alternative to “No thanks, I'm full”?
English is not my native language, but when I was studying in the US, I was always trying to find an alternative to
I'm full!
I felt that it was a very improper way to express that I have eaten ...
5
votes
6answers
799 views
“tag question” vs. “question tag”
I've just read this page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tag_question
So regarding this passage:
The term "question tag" is generally
preferred by British grammarians,
while their American ...
2
votes
2answers
73 views
Why “just another bit of intrigue”?
The following is an excerpt from the transcript of a podcast:Tut Shares Tomb with Former Fungi.
Mitchell thinks this evidence indicates that King Tut was buried in a hurry. Because the paint on ...
1
vote
2answers
71 views
“When the internet first got kicking”?
When the internet first got kicking, some scholars of democracy and civil society thought that online discussions could create what they called a "conversational democracy”: an ongoing town hall ...
2
votes
3answers
2k views
Term for insulting words which sound grand?
I don't mean euphemisms or backhanded compliments (or the reverse). It's the words which sound grand, but actually have a bad meaning (e.g., jumentous: smelling strongly like a beast of burden). Is ...
1
vote
1answer
272 views
Does the word “system” have any special meaning in literature?
I'm writing an English rendition of a Farsi passage. There's a word I'm hunting for which means methods of literary styles of writing.
I came across with the word "system" in a "Farsi to English ...
2
votes
4answers
493 views
How to understand “pop” in this sentence?
So next time you pop a blueberry, don’t forget to thank Fred.
How to understand "pop" in this sentence? Does it mean "eat" or "have"? I look up into the dictionary, I cannot even find a ...
5
votes
5answers
539 views
Single word for “break” with professional connotation
What is a nice way to explain that performing a certain action will "break" a product? I have to explain to a customer that use of my product in an unauthorized manner will "break" the product, but ...
2
votes
2answers
1k views
Differences between “vulgar” and “coarse”, “crass”, “crude”, “rough”, “rude”, “unrefined” as applied to language
This question specifically covers how these terms are used to describe language, it is a followup to What's the difference between "informal", "colloquial", "slang", ...
18
votes
5answers
894 views
Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon: Is there a name for this kind of punny transference?
First came John Guare's play Six Degrees of Separation, which was later turned into a film. It was about the web of interconnections that binds all of humanity together.
Later came the well known ...
3
votes
1answer
1k views
“Place” or “venue”?
Do place and venue have the same meaning? If not what are the differences and when do we use which?
7
votes
5answers
2k views
Is “so-so” correct usage for “more or less”?
I took a trip down to Mexico last week and I heard "so-so" in response to "Do you speak English?" Now, I'm used to hearing "so-so" more in the context of "all right" or "OK", but not as in "more or ...
2
votes
2answers
230 views
what's the phrase for “I don't want to be reliant on someone else”
I remember that there is a phrase with the word whims that goes about like this: "I don't want to be reliant on someone else"
Does anyone know what that phrase is?
3
votes
1answer
86 views
“Touring team” vs. “Exhibition team”
When we are not playing competitive games, our three touring teams play against three exhibition teams.
What does the above bold terms mean?
13
votes
2answers
801 views
What does “not having a pair” mean?
From http://blog.peta2.com/2011/05/coming-out-twice.html?c=peta2_enews:
I had been trying to keep my vegan
tendencies on the DL for years by that
point, but it was getting harder and
harder ...
2
votes
3answers
204 views
What should I call this kind of animation?
On opening this link you will see a car that has a kind of glowing bulb on it.
I am talking to my client and we both are not good in English. I have to find this kind of animation from a search ...
2
votes
2answers
6k views
Origin of “s--t eating grin”
What is the origin of the phrase shit eating grin? How did it come to mean showing smugness or self-satisfaction of an individual's actions?
7
votes
9answers
1k views
What to call certain types of vague words that trigger strong emotions
I guess I can call them 'politician words' but....
What do you call a word/phrase that has a lot of emotion behind it, but doesn't necessarily have any specific meaning. E.G.: Freedom, Liberty, ...
17
votes
9answers
3k views
What do you call a group of people that move a lot?
I can't think of the word to describe it. Something similar to "wanderer" or "roamer".
It's often used to describe people that don't stay in one place... not "migratory"...
3
votes
1answer
578 views
What's the word for when a word means what it seems like it should mean?
I'm not talking about onomatopoeia—I don't mean a word that describes a sound—I mean something along the lines of an aptronym, i.e. a perfect name such as Anthony Camera for a photographer (true ...
3
votes
2answers
1k views
What is the meaning of `non-normative`?
What is the meaning of non-normative?
Does it mean casual?
If I write a document, what requirements must it have before I can say "it's a normative document" / "it's a non-normative document"?
