This tag is for questions about choosing the best word for a particular context or meaning.
16
votes
4answers
3k views
In a tournament, do I get a “by”, a “bye”, or a “buy”? [closed]
If there are an odd number of competitors at any stage of a single-elimination tournament, one player is excused from play and continues on as if he had defeated his (nonexistent) opponent. This is ...
16
votes
4answers
14k views
“Unselect” or “Deselect”?
If I want the user to revert their operation of selecting an item, should I say: "Unselect the option" or "Deselect the option"?
16
votes
6answers
9k views
Which is correct: “prefer X to Y” or “prefer X over Y”?
Many say that "prefer X to Y" has a more formal ring to it than "prefer X over Y". Are there any dialects where you wouldn't use "prefer X to Y" in colloquial speech at all? Conversely, are there any ...
16
votes
5answers
2k views
“A few” vs. “few”
I have few friends.
I have a few friends.
I thought "few" means just one, two or even none. "A few" typically means more than two. However it seems to me some people say "few" when they ...
16
votes
4answers
5k views
“Liberty” versus “freedom”
What is the difference, if any, between liberty and freedom?
Does it convey the same meaning if "Status of liberty" is replaced with "status of freedom" ? or every occurrence of "liberty" in ...
16
votes
5answers
333 views
What's the name for those times when your attempts to get a task done right eventually get you to momentarily perform increasingly worse?
If you've tried to perfect a difficult, long task by repeating it multiple times, you'll know what I'm talking about.
You start tackling the first few phases of the problem, until you succeed. Then ...
16
votes
4answers
21k views
Which is correct: coming down the “pike” or “pipe”?
Is the expression "coming down the pike" or "coming down the pipe"? I've always used pike, but I've heard a few people use pipe recently. I can see how both could make sense, but which is correct?
16
votes
6answers
5k views
Difference between “invoice” and “bill”?
I am talking about something you should pay. "Invoice" here doesn't mean the proof of payment.
Sometimes I am told to pay my "bill", and sometimes they may refer to the similar paper (physical or ...
16
votes
4answers
2k views
Types of things vs. types of thing
When speaking precisely or technically, one would say that "Homo erectus and homo sapiens are two species of hominid" rather than "Homo erectus and homo sapiens are two species of hominids." The ...
16
votes
8answers
523 views
Does English have frequently used ordinary words that distinguish between equality and equivalence?
Does English have frequently used ordinary words that distinguish between equality and equivalence?
For example:
It was the same man on the photo.
Equality. The two persons are identical.
...
16
votes
2answers
41k views
“Dear Sir or Madam” versus “To whom it may concern”
When is it appropriate to use the terms Dear Sir or Madam and To whom it may concern? The rules I was taught state that Dear Sir or Madam should be used when you're writing a letter to a person about ...
16
votes
3answers
9k views
15
votes
6answers
1k views
Friendlier way to express you paid for a person's drink/dinner and expect it to be paid back
In Dutch we have the word voorschieten. In English it translates — according to Google Translate — to "advance, lend, disburse". The Dutch word voorschieten is used in an informal setting between ...
15
votes
6answers
13k views
Is “substract” (versus “subtract”) a proper word?
I read an article recently where the author used "substract" instead of "subtract". I'm more familiar with the latter word but after doing a bit of googling, it seems that both words are being used, ...
15
votes
3answers
2k views
Difference between “delete” and “remove” [closed]
I am writing a mobile application that will, as a part of its functionality, display a list of recorded thoughts. Now I am deciding the textual content of the menus and that left me thinking whether ...
15
votes
4answers
1k views
Is it awkward to use the word “aubergine” instead of “eggplant”?
According to Google Ngrams eggplant is far more common (although in British English aubergine seems to have a small advantage over eggplant).
So, not being a native speaker of English I wonder ...
15
votes
4answers
4k views
Is “kinda” a word?
I've used "kinda" as a word basically meaning "kind of" just run together. I wouldn't use it formally, but I noticed that Microsoft Word's spellchecker says that it isn't a word. I searched some and ...
15
votes
6answers
6k views
“Who wants ice-cream?” — Should I say “(not) I” or “(not) me”?
With the enthusiastic question of "Who wants ice-cream?", what is the more correct response?
(Not) I.
(Not) me.
Neither response is a sentence. The first response of "(not) I" sounds ...
15
votes
10answers
868 views
Alternative to “typo”
I often write and see written something like "Fix typo" in commit messages, when the fix was not in fact for a "typographical error". It might have been a duplicate word, a small grammatical problem ...
15
votes
3answers
3k views
Is “since” a synonym of “because”? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When are “because”, “since”,“for” and “as” interchangeable?
A few years ago, I was told that "since" should only be used ...
15
votes
3answers
1k views
Short Sleeves or Shirt Sleeves
I've always referred to a shirt that has short sleeves as a "short sleeve" shirt. However, I've also heard it be referred to as a "shirt sleeve" shirt or "wearing shirt sleeves." This seems like a ...
15
votes
4answers
2k views
Burn up or burn down?
What's the difference between "burn up" and "burn down"? Or is there a difference at all?
15
votes
1answer
3k views
Words pertaining to the senses and the corresponding disabilities
I need help on finding words relating to the senses/perception. I mean this in a neuronic/biological or philosophy-of-mind kind of way.
A word for...
pertaining to the senses (Is it sensory?)
...
15
votes
4answers
2k views
'less' is to 'fewer' as 'more' is to what?
This question is related to the previous one on less-vs-fewer. I prefer using fewer instead of less when referring to discrete items. Something sounds off about less than ten people, in my opinion.
...
15
votes
5answers
2k views
“All that is gold does not glitter”
"All that is gold does not glitter" is the first line of a poem from the Lord of the Rings and it's supposed to mean "not all gold glitters" but I'm struggling to see how this can be deduced.
If all ...
15
votes
6answers
471 views
What would be the word equivalent of paperwork in the digital age?
The classic definition for paperwork says
Routine work involving written
documents such as forms, records, or
letters.
Now, given that we are in the digital age and computers have taken many ...
15
votes
4answers
1k views
When are “if” and “whether” equivalent?
Are if and whether equivalent in sentences like the ones below?
How to determine if my saddle is too high?
How to determine whether my saddle is too high?
We should check if everything ...
15
votes
3answers
1k views
Font/Fount of Information?
I have seen it both ways:
He is a veritable font of information.
He is a veritable fount of information.
The first is referenced by M-W's definition and seems to match the pronunciation I'm ...
15
votes
4answers
886 views
Is there anything wrong with the word “denigrate”?
A few years ago there was a controversy over the word niggardly — a perfectly innocent word that unfortunately sounds like a racial slur.
Given that controversy, is it safe to use denigrate, which ...
15
votes
2answers
1k views
Does “filling out” equal to “filling in”?
I quoted the following from a pamphlet:
Please read the instructions carefully before filling out the application
form. The application will be returned to you and the registration may be
...
15
votes
5answers
5k views
What is the difference between “gift” and “present”?
What is the difference between gift and present?
15
votes
3answers
2k views
Person, Persons, People, Peoples
Can you please clarify the relation and differences between these nouns?
For example, is it proper to use "persons" instead of "people"? Are they the same? As I believe that "people" is plural, how ...
14
votes
10answers
4k views
What do you call someone who betrays his/her spouse?
What do you call someone who betrays his/her spouse? Is the word different for men and women? Is it different for people who are in a relationship and not still married?
14
votes
9answers
808 views
A different word for “meaninglessness”
This is where I want to apply that word:
"He discovered the meaninglessness of consumerism and work"
I looked in dictionaries and reverse dictionaries but for some reason I can't find a word ...
14
votes
4answers
2k views
When describing a person without siblings, should I say “the -” or “an only child”?
I understand the phrase "only child" means the only person born from or adopted by a set of parents in a family, or a person with no siblings. I often hear the term used as "an only child," which ...
14
votes
5answers
1k views
What is the difference between “venom” and “poison”?
What is the difference between “venom” and “poison”?
Both in usage and in meaning.
14
votes
9answers
2k views
Antonym of 'stigma'
I am looking for a word that has the opposite, positive connotation from 'stigma':
For example,
There is a stigma of laziness associated with poor people.
What would be the replacement for ...
14
votes
5answers
2k views
What is the opposite of the “sub” prefix?
The term subcategories refers to lower level categories.
Which term should I use to refer to higher level categories?
Does supercategories sound right?
14
votes
6answers
2k views
What is the correct form of address for a police officer?
How should one address a police officer in English speaking countries? More specifically, in a non-emergency situation—asking directions for example—what is the expected form of address used to call a ...
14
votes
11answers
14k views
“Based on” instead of “based off of”
I sometimes see cases where off is followed by of, and it sounds awkward to me. For example, I would prefer
This story is based on a true story.
to
This story is based off of a true
story.
...
14
votes
2answers
1k views
How popular is ‘Contrafibularities’ as a day-to-day English word?
I found the phrase “My sincerest contrafibularities, Tim” given to one of the comments to my question about the word, 'Cromulent' in EL&U site.
As I was totally unfamiliar with the word, ...
14
votes
2answers
1k views
Weekly, Daily, Hourly — Minutely…?
What is the correct word for "happening every minute"? How do you pronounce it?
14
votes
3answers
486 views
What are wrong with this phrase?
Is the phrase
what are wrong with XY and ZZ
correct English? I stumbled upon it in a question on movies.SE: What are wrong with the bleach and the fish in the Machinist?, and instantly thought ...
14
votes
3answers
826 views
Is “eachother” correct?
I recently saw someone intentionally use "eachother" instead of "each other". In what circumstances would this be correct?
14
votes
4answers
347 views
Name of the trade(s) that are involved in making animal-drawn carriages
What are the terms for tradesmen involved in making carriages? One specific vocation comes to mind: wheelwright or, simply, wheeler. But, obviously, that name implies narrow focus of the profession. ...
13
votes
7answers
1k views
What do you call an indoor water tap?
I always thought water sources were called taps in kitchens, bathrooms etc, but a Google search only returned outdoor taps.
So my question is, what are indoor taps really called? Like this one: ...
13
votes
7answers
2k views
How should I describe a woman who serves food and drinks on a plane?
When I want to speak of a woman who serves food and drinks to passengers on a plane, should I use 'air hostess' or 'stewardess'? What's the difference?
And when I take a plane, how should I call her?
13
votes
8answers
2k views
Is there any subtle difference between “to study” and “to learn”?
I don't know how to phrase my question better, but I just want to know if there will be any little difference if I directly replace one with the other.
13
votes
12answers
5k views
What is the difference between “quicker” and “faster”?
What is the correct word to use here and why:
I will get there quicker [than you]
vs.
I will get there faster [than you]
There must be similar adverbs for "slower".
13
votes
9answers
468 views
A non-straight route
In informal speech, how would you describe a bus that travels from point A to point B by passing through every part of the city instead of using the straight way? When you give someone an advice which ...
