I don't understand what 'as in' means or how to use it. For example"
"savory as in"Which do you prefer, sweet foods or savory foods?"
In this context, what does "as in " mean and where does it modify savory foods?
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2It simply means that the following phrase is an example of how the word is being used.– Kate BuntingCommented Oct 18, 2017 at 14:10
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@Mitch OK. Might be a candidate to go elsewhere, though.– Andrew Leach ♦Commented Oct 18, 2017 at 15:37
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@AndrewLeach as in ELL?– MitchCommented Oct 18, 2017 at 15:40
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@Mitch I can't see how as and in have anything but their normal meanings.– Andrew Leach ♦Commented Oct 18, 2017 at 16:29
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@AndrewLeach Yes, I agree it is not idiomatic. But it does feel opaque somehow. If someone is asking, then it's not obvious. To say it is GenRef is an answer of sorts.– MitchCommented Oct 18, 2017 at 18:20
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1 Answer
'As in' doesn't modify anything; it is an idiom combining two prepositions: 'as' which makes a comparison, and 'in' which identifies a subset. The quoted question after 'as in' serves as a noun phrase (because it is in quotes), and it contains the words being compared.
'As' can also be used as a conjunction [of comparison], but then neither the quotes or the combination with 'in' would be appropriate.
