This tag is for questions seeking a phrase that fits a meaning. If you're specifically seeking only a single word, see the "single word requests" tag too.
-3
votes
0answers
33 views
Something like “Let's do it” [closed]
I'm looking for some slogans like 'lets do it' - it should be motivating and tell to do something new, something great and awesome. I need to register domain with it, but letsdoit.com is taken of ...
0
votes
3answers
112 views
How do you properly say “missing each other” (that's SO the wrong word!)?
Imagine I sent a message to someone over Instant Messaging, and then went offline.
5 minutes later, they come online, send me a message and go offline.
10 minutes later, I come online, find their ...
2
votes
1answer
54 views
To exact revenge or vengeance?
We are in the midst of a family disagreement about whether the correct phrase is
to exact revenge
or
to exact vengeance.
We could use a definitive answer (if one exists) or, at ...
2
votes
4answers
103 views
Phrase for experiencing a negative conclusion to a positive experience [closed]
Suppose I read a book and really enjoy reading it until I reach a certain point where I am suddenly not enjoying the experience anymore. I was trying to come up with a good phrase to describe this ...
0
votes
2answers
43 views
Expression to justify choice of user interface
Is it correct to say "for optimal user experience" when referring to how web interface has to be designed? I just need to explain why I chose specific colour scheme.
0
votes
0answers
48 views
A term for heterosexual victims of homophobia [closed]
Would there be a term for heterosexual victims of homophobia? Is there a term for homosexual victims of homophobia? In either case, the victims could simply be referred to as victims, but I'm ...
4
votes
3answers
143 views
English word for a decorated opening letter
What is the English name for a highly decorated letter at the beginning of a paragraph, mostly found in ancient texts?
For example, in the following Opening folio of the Hengwrt manuscript of the ...
3
votes
2answers
65 views
Is there a way to describe a problem that you don't currently know the answer to?
This is easiest described via example. I develop websites for a living and often I'll have a client point out a feature on their website. I can break these situations into two groups:
1) Point out ...
-1
votes
1answer
64 views
A formal phrasal verb for “continue to stick to their belief”
How do I rewrite the following sentence so it is more formal, using a phrasal verb in place of the part in bold?
Despite mounting evidence, they continue to stick to their belief.
0
votes
1answer
68 views
What other words can be used instead of “hideable”? [closed]
I'm trying to name a class representing objects that can be hidden and reshown. I'm wondering if there's a better term than "hideable object".
5
votes
1answer
80 views
What is the relationship name of my sibling-in-law's sibling to me?
For example:
I have a sister named Charlotte.
Charlotte is married to Martin.
Martin has a brother named William.
Martin is my brother-in-law, but what is William to me?
-3
votes
1answer
54 views
Word(s) to use when you “actually feel” the sensation or emotion described by another person [closed]
The context is as follows:
At first, I thought some dreadful being had taken away my sight. My eyes felt like they had been gouged out. Even now when I think of it, I feel a chill in my heart. ...
-1
votes
3answers
56 views
What phrase or word can I use to describe a bad mix of action?
This is in a Saudi YouTube series that I'm subtitling; I came across a colloquial word which means literally 'a mixture of melon juice, mango juice and corn', and figuratively expresses a bad course ...
2
votes
3answers
62 views
Wording for threshold description (greater than or equal to)
I have a parameter for a program that is a threshold (T). I need to document it, and what I want its meaning to be is this:
If N >= T then Do Action
I don't want its meaning to be this:
If N > T ...
1
vote
1answer
58 views
Word for unverified confidence without ambition
I'm looking for a word or phrase to describe the condition of someone who is fairly certain he could do _______ if he were to set his mind to it, but who has absolutely no intention of ever doing so.
...
0
votes
2answers
72 views
Word meaning “to choose or take something as one's own”
I was having a conversation with an agent of an Internet service provider and the reason I called them was because I'm confused about a plan they have that is very similar to the one I currently have ...
-1
votes
1answer
116 views
Why would you want to do that? [closed]
I recently shared with several coworkers that I wanted to go to a particular class. My coworker responded to me with the following question: "Why would you want to do that?" I responded with a ...
2
votes
4answers
642 views
Single word for “inhale using your mouth with force or power”
I want to express the following: "Inhale using your mouth with force or power". It does not sound good to me. Is there any single word or a good phrase to express this?
0
votes
3answers
83 views
Non-financial costs
I am interviewing someone about the newly proposed bike paths in our city.
I want to ask them not only how much the paths will cost financially, but also find out what other costs (such as the ...
-2
votes
2answers
54 views
How would you concisely express 'the range of dates in which something is expected to happen'?
I need a conside expression for "the range of dates in which someone expects something might happen". For instance,
I called John to ask him for a more precise period in which he estimated he ...
2
votes
3answers
122 views
Word for describing the emotion of helping someone
I am looking for a word which describes the emotion that one experiences on helping someone (friend, colleague, family, stranger). This helping out is not in the context of charity, but more of as ...
0
votes
0answers
37 views
Using noun + noun [closed]
Can I use a word-combination - "play overflow". Is it correct? And, if yes, then what does it mean in english?
0
votes
3answers
96 views
The Phrase “dont worry” is rather overused [closed]
Does anyone have any other ways of saying 'don't worry' or 'don't worry about it'?
I feel the phrase is overused and implies that people actually do worry which in a lot of cases they don't.
I want ...
1
vote
2answers
71 views
How to express “some place for children to play in restaurant or other public”?
I found some translations but am not sure if there are better and shorter alternatives:
"children playground" — I am thinking about a small place inside, not a large playground;
"corner for ...
0
votes
4answers
204 views
A word to express “removing some parts of history from history books by authorities”
In some countries some parts of history books of students have been removed by authorities of the time. For example, it has happened for Achaemenid Empire (a part of ancient Iran history) 2 years ago ...
2
votes
3answers
167 views
Is there a word which describes the experience of not being able to comprehend new sensory input?
Is there a word which describes the experience of not being able to comprehend new sensory input?
Specifically, I am trying to find a word which describes my experience whenever I listen to a new ...
-1
votes
1answer
67 views
Is “I need to deposit my checks” correct? [closed]
I haves a few checks and I want put them into my bank account.
What's the approriate and natural sentence to describe my intention at a counter?
Is "I need to deposit my checks" correct?
What is ...
2
votes
1answer
119 views
Does a truism need to be true to be a truism?
I frequently hear people quoting widely-used idioms or proverbs as if they are fact, simply because they are used frequently by many people. For example, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away."
Can ...
1
vote
1answer
33 views
A term for non-player targetted information
I'm looking for a term that would describe the information that is not supposed to be known by players, not essential for their gaming experience.
Like a game object (or feature) that isn't actually ...
2
votes
6answers
94 views
What is a term that means “to force into a particular form”?
I'm looking for a term that describes "forcing into a particular form", "forcing into looking like something else", or even "forcefully fitting into a category"
Ex:
"We (word) the ...
1
vote
6answers
256 views
Polite/professional alternative to 'It turns out'
I have been tasked with coming up with a nicer phrase to use than 'It turns out'. It is to be used in situations like the below:
'It turns out' that we cannot...
'It turns out' that we ...
-2
votes
3answers
100 views
Phrase similar to “friend or foe”. I want to the reader to ask themselves the question [closed]
I am looking for a phrase similar to the phrase "friend or foe".
I have come up with "help or hindrance" but I am hoping you might come up with something else.
edit - I am writing an article on ...
2
votes
5answers
132 views
Expression for “resource paralysis” - can't do anything because you have too much?
Is there any word, expression or proverb for the condition or state where you can't do anything because you have too much? I have heard a professor of English refer to this as "resource paralysis" ...
2
votes
1answer
105 views
An event that occurs only once
What do you call an event that occurs only once in its environment?
For instance, birth and death are two events that occur only once in the lifetime of a living thing.
I am looking for a word or ...
-1
votes
1answer
86 views
Can I say 'I feel connected' when I think a movie tells my story?
Recently I saw a movie that tells a story very similar to mine. I wanted to tell my friends about it and said 'I felt connected'. They doubted if that is the right word to use, since the word ...
-2
votes
2answers
73 views
Is there a word for the desire to care for an injured or vulnerable person or animal? [closed]
Specifically, I'm looking for a word or phrase that captures the feeling of wanting someone to need you to care for them, and feeling guilty that the desire implies that you want the other person to ...
2
votes
4answers
141 views
Is there a word for when a problem's understood complexity grows exponentially as you work on it?
Example:
Hey Joe, can you fix simple problem A?
Sure, Sally, no problem! After all it's simple, right?
But A is then found to have dependent sub-problems B and C; B to have dependent ...
8
votes
5answers
272 views
Is there a word/expression that would correspond to something like “self-distance”?
In Swedish there is a term called självdistans, which would be directly translated to "self-distance", which means possessing a certain objectivity towards yourself, to be ego-less or not taking ...
5
votes
3answers
488 views
Is there an English equivalent for the Swedish expression “the droplet that caused the beaker to overflow”?
In Swedish, the expression "det var droppen som fick bägaren att rinna över", directly translated to "the droplet that caused the beaker to overflow", is used to express that enough is enough. Is ...
8
votes
5answers
357 views
What is the English equivalent to the Japanese word 学者バカ, “Scholar’s fool”?
I’m interested in the words “instant omniscience,” which Calvin Trillin, a former editor for Time magazine, used in a New Yorker magazine article (March 20) entitled "Time Edit":
“There were some ...
1
vote
2answers
102 views
What term best describes the “mentality” with which an API is designed?
As someone whose mother tongue is not English, I'm sometimes having a hard time having the correct feeling towards the meaning of some words. This is one of those situations.
I'm looking for a term ...
2
votes
2answers
103 views
Is there a single word or a phrase that can be used to denote either Before or After? [duplicate]
I am looking for a word that does not refer to now, but can refer to either before or after. In case of phrases, the lesser the words, the better is.
It is to name a Java class file whose basic task ...
0
votes
3answers
150 views
Is there a familiar phrase for spending too much time on something?
We all know that "a stitch in time saves nine" and "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure", but sometimes the opposite is true. A stitch before its time is a waste of time and thread. If ...
3
votes
4answers
252 views
Any alternative phrase for “piece of cake” [duplicate]
Are there other phrases to express easiness of the situation like the above mentioned phrase?
2
votes
1answer
86 views
English equivalent for a Portuguese saying on “bad company”
In Brazilian Portuguese, we have:
"The bird who goes around with a bat wakes up hanging upside down"
Original: "Passarinho que anda com morcego amanhece de cabeça pra baixo"
The literal meaning ...
2
votes
4answers
214 views
A phrase that means “to finally select (or decide) something”
I am looking for a phrase or an idiom that means that i have selected the one object from a group or settled on some solution out of many others. Let me provide some examples:
I went to the travel ...
1
vote
5answers
170 views
Is there a non-idiomatic word or phrase meaning the same as “on the fly”
I want to say that someone is quick at thinking on the fly, but need to communicate with non-English speakers. Is there an equivalent non-idiomatic word or phrase?
edit: I want it to imply ...
5
votes
2answers
286 views
“The more chickens in a farm the more crap and the fewer eggs”
Consider:
The more chickens in a farm the more crap and the fewer eggs.
This is a proverb I hear often in Spanish (Cuba). I think it is pretty much self-explained: it is related to productivity ...
1
vote
2answers
192 views
Is there an idiom beginning “when a dog is cornered”?
Is there any saying in a complete sentence including “a dog which is cornered”? I have tried to find a complete one, but there seems to be no one.
Actually, what I want to know is how to explain the ...
0
votes
1answer
141 views
What do you say when you wish someone to do well the next time they run?
A friend of mine was leaving to start running as an exercise and I said "Have a good run!". Then I found out it is an idiom with a different meaning. What is the right thing to say in that case?
