Tagged Questions
1
vote
2answers
42 views
“It was still bright/ light outside.” Is one of these incorrect?
If I want to say it's still somewhat early in the evening and it's not so dark outside so that you can still see things quite clearly almost like during daytime, which of the following sentences would ...
1
vote
1answer
54 views
What is the difference, if any, between “divine providence” and “Providence” (with a capital p)?
ODO defines providence as:
providence: [mass noun] 1 the protective care of God or of nature as a spiritual
power: they found their trust in divine providence to be a source of
comfort
...
2
votes
1answer
74 views
Can we use “commiseration” and “condolence” interchangeably?
On what occasions can we use these terms and are they perfect synonym for each other to use interchangeably?
Can we say to someone who has lost a friend "our commiseration to ..."?
-2
votes
1answer
47 views
Incentive Structure Biased [closed]
Can nonhuman things have bias?
Politicians are subject to an incentive structure biased toward the adoption of projects and programs with highly visible immediate benefits and well-hidden costs.
...
1
vote
3answers
61 views
“Removals Service” or “Removal Service”?
Take for example the tag line: "reliable removals service".
Is this correct grammar/usage? Or should it be just "removal", singular?
To me, "removals" seems more correct because it is describing ...
0
votes
1answer
80 views
What do you think if you see an image with its description “last night at New York”?
I saw that a friend of mine who moved to New York City 3 months ago posted a picture on Facebook. She described it as "last night at New York."
The first time I read it, I thought she meant that it ...
5
votes
1answer
248 views
Reason vs. purpose
Just now I wanted to explain why I was doing something, then I wrote "the purpose of doing something is blablabla". Immediately I wondered why I didn't write "the reason of doing something is ...
1
vote
0answers
101 views
Examples on the usage of “dialectical” and “tautology” [closed]
I've been coming across both words a lot and understand them in passing; but I was wondering if I may be given some sentence examples which explicitly illustrate their meanings?
I feel that I lack ...
0
votes
3answers
296 views
Usage of the word “denominator” [closed]
I have heard many historians use the word denominator. I know its significance in maths but when and why is the word used in other contexts? And what are its synonyms in those contexts?
3
votes
4answers
210 views
How should the word “brutal” be used in marketing?
I noticed that some companies use the word brutal for marketing their products.
Examples:
brutal performance – a data storage software markets itself with this, they mean that their software is ...
0
votes
1answer
96 views
Follow the signings?
I saw a road sign today saying: "Follow the alt route signings." It struck me odd. I would expect: "Follow the alt route signs."
Signings is obviously a legitimate word, but it's usually used ...
0
votes
1answer
915 views
How to answer grammatically ambiguous tricky questions [closed]
Here are some examples :
1) The mangoes (will ripe/ripe/will ripen) over time said John.
2) The least considered in the latest Terrorist attacks (are/were/was) the innocent victims.
My choice for ...
0
votes
3answers
884 views
How offensive is to call a girl “Barbie doll”? Why?
I remember I had a conversation where I have told a girl she was Barbie doll. I just meant she looked beautiful like a Barbie doll: blond, and with blue eyes. Needless to say, she was really offended, ...
-4
votes
2answers
234 views
Meaning of “Chase a Crooked Shadow”?
What is the meaning of chasing a crooked shadow?
I read Chase a crooked shadow in the Times of India newspaper, 10 Feb 2012, but could not understand the meaning of that title.
Some context from ...
0
votes
2answers
122 views
Having trouble understanding this text
The text runs:
If your front door is directly opposite your back door the Qi will just charge straight through your house and out the back without stopping for a cup of tea.
If you stand in the ...
1
vote
2answers
587 views
What is the meaning of “upon” here?
In the New York Times:
"And it worked — boy, did it work. Visitors flooded Hulu upon its public opening in March 2008."
Dictionary.com:
4. immediately or very soon after
5. on the ...
5
votes
3answers
210 views
What might “three several” mean?
The context is from a story I read recently in an omnibus (I found that link on the spur of the moment):
...were afterwards burnt to death in three several fires.
I suppose three was meant, but ...
5
votes
4answers
715 views
Which is more affirmative: “I think” or “I guess”?
In South Asia, we tend to use "I think" when we are almost sure about something; or sometimes use it ironically like in example "I think you should have done this yesterday".
"I guess", on the other ...
6
votes
5answers
16k views
Usage of 'Dear All'
Is it correct to use "Dear All" at the beginning of the e-mail, when you are writing to more than one person?
It seems so informal to me. Is there any better way?
2
votes
2answers
183 views
Is “gets” the correct tense to describe a continuous process in “John gets mentored on a daily basis”?
John gets a mentor to guide him throughout his life. —
OR
— He gets mentored on a daily basis.
I believe this is just as acceptable as the simple past:
John got a mentor to guide him ...
4
votes
2answers
647 views
Damage vs. Damages
The word damage is non-count and its plural turns into a different definition (court-awarded money). Am I incorrect in thinking that damages can also be used to indicate various types/kinds of damage? ...
18
votes
9answers
2k views
How should “deceptively” actually be used?
I'm not sure if this is a duplicate question, but I couldn't find anything on here on the topic. I can't seem to figure out what is actually meant when using the word "deceptive," or rather, what is ...
13
votes
3answers
2k views
What is a “Hobbesian trap”?
A recent Economist article (see The drug war hits Central America) uses something called a Hobbesian trap like this:
Central America has fallen into a
Hobbesian trap: the better-off make
...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
What does it mean to call something Leviathan in comparison to others?
Wordweb describes Leviathan as:
The largest or most massive thing of its kind
Monstrous sea creature symbolizing evil in the Old Testament
A recent Economist article (see The drug war ...
1
vote
5answers
646 views
In which context does “anticipated” mean “came or took place before”?
In the New Oxford American Dictionary I read that one of the meaning of anticipate is come or take place before (an event or process expected or scheduled for a later). In which context is anticipate ...
