Timeline for What does “half try” mean?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
5 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Jan 14, 2013 at 23:44 | comment | added | spiceyokooko | I agree that in that context (having read the previous sentences) it does mean that Doc didn't try very hard, but usually as FF rightly says it means the opposite. | |
| Jan 14, 2013 at 22:09 | comment | added | FumbleFingers | I don't think the quoted excerpt itself is enough to definitively establish which of two diametrically opposed senses is intended. But in common parlance today I don't half think it's more likely to be used to amplify rather than to diminish whatever's being "half done". | |
| Jan 14, 2013 at 22:02 | comment | added | Robusto | Well, are we not to pay attention to specific examples given by the OP? If I say "Did you do your homework?" do you answer "Many people do homework in the evening"? | |
| Jan 14, 2013 at 21:57 | comment | added | FumbleFingers | Well, you might be right on that particular instance, but we're not doing Lit. Crit. here. And I'd be pretty sure the historical trend is towards the "opposite" sense. | |
| Jan 14, 2013 at 21:54 | history | answered | Robusto | CC BY-SA 3.0 |