Questions tagged [expression-requests]
for questions looking for a specific expression.
3
votes
2answers
46 views
Other ways to say “living in the gray” [on hold]
Life is not black and white. There seldom is a definitive right or wrong. We need to learn to live in the gray. We need to consider and take aspects from each side in order to make practical life ...
0
votes
1answer
25 views
"lends credence to…' [on hold]
The expression "lends credence to the conjecture" is standard. I was wondering if it sounds hyperformal or affected and can be replaced by
"provides evidence as to the validity of the conjecture",
"...
0
votes
3answers
37 views
An expression for the trigger of something that was inevitable [duplicate]
I'm looking for a way to describe the thing that finally triggers something after rising tensions. For example, some isolated incident triggers massive protests, but the protests are really due to ...
1
vote
2answers
31 views
Looking for an idiom or expression synonymous with “where force fails, skill and patience will prevail”
I am looking for an idiom or expression, conveying the same meaning as this one - Where force fails, skill and patience will prevail. I do not know whether this one is used in English, so I am looking ...
0
votes
0answers
32 views
Expression for an expression meaning what it doesn't mean
What would one call a word, phrase or expression that, by usage or by miscoinage, comes to mean something which, by etymology, it does not, and more importantly, should not mean in the first place?
...
5
votes
2answers
81 views
To swear in the church [closed]
In Norwegian we use an expression which in direct translation means:
to swear in church
The expression is used in a situation where you give your opinion that is totally outrageous in the eyes of ...
1
vote
1answer
30 views
Looking for a two-word phrase which describes one item or thing which is the most common or important of the group
Consider a group of five avatars in a game. An event occurs, and only one of the five is the most closely related to that event. What two-word phrase describes this?
3
votes
2answers
59 views
English phrase for complimenting an experienced person
There is an expression in Chinese:
姜是老的辣
It literally means old ginger is spicy, which means experienced senior person should be respected due to their knowledge and experiences.
Is there an ...
3
votes
2answers
73 views
What do you call the early days of flu recovery
Is there a word for the first day or two that you start to feel better after having the flu, or something like that, fairly sick and feverish for 3-5 days.
That period when you are well enough to ...
0
votes
6answers
88 views
What is it called when the majority moves and leaves behind a small group of people effectively exiling those people but without forcing them to move
For example, me and 7 of my friends are sitting at a lunch table. 3 other people sit down at the same table. We (the 8 of us) leave that table and and sit down at another. This effectively exiles us ...
4
votes
3answers
201 views
A donkey does not know what kind of fruit persimmon is
The above-mentioned idiom comes from my native language. We use it when we are referring to a person ( often tasteless and unsophisticated one ) who finds it hard to appreciate a good thing or does ...
0
votes
2answers
18 views
What would be a good expression for “currently widely used and accessible”?
I am trying to formulate the following sentence:
"-Support for currently widely used and accessible interfaces and devices."
However, I do not want to use "currently widely used and accessible", ...
0
votes
1answer
57 views
Word to refer to a mother/father who has daughters vs. having sons
I was wondering if there is an English word or short phrase referring to a mother/father of sons as opposed to a mother/father of daughters (and vice versa).
The situation could be that someone who ...
13
votes
4answers
991 views
Expression for “unconsciously using words (or accents) used by a person you often talk with or listen to”?
Is there an expression for the blanks in the following situation?
You have a friend who isn't from where you're from and speaks in an accent different from yours. At first you feel strange with it, ...
1
vote
2answers
40 views
Trouble thinking of a term or colloquialism for “much much more”
There is a saying that is on the tip of my tongue that basically means "immeasurably more than". I think it's related to "factor" but I just cannot place it. I also feel like it's commonly used in a ...
1
vote
3answers
56 views
What is the term for a city that is supposed to be a utopia, but is actually evil?
Once of the best examples of what I'm trying to get the term for is Wonder City, in the Batman games. It was built to be a futuristic haven with clean energy, robot sentries, and laws to "stop the ...
0
votes
1answer
53 views
Which expression means “total number of lecture hours in a course”?
I want a word or short expression that signifies the total number of lecture hours in a course.
This is something I want to write in a syllabus along with other relevant data about the course.
The ...
0
votes
1answer
68 views
What's the opposite of the hammer and nail saying?
Everyone knows about the hammer and nail saying, "If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail," but that's just one end of the spectrum.
On the other end, there's the problem of ...
2
votes
1answer
47 views
A formal way to say “she used hand gestures to ask why”
I am writing a copy on an ADHD child's clinical assessment. In one part of the assessment, the clinician pretends not to be able to blow a balloon. Instead of using verbal language to ask what ...
1
vote
1answer
43 views
Word (or expression) meaning to reply without answering
Every now and again I ask a question to someone and while they provide a response, they fail to actually answer my question. A few examples are as follows:
Q: What does HR do?
A: HR stuff.
...
1
vote
2answers
137 views
What is the difference between “in which” and plain “which”? [closed]
What is the difference between "in which" and plain "which"? Can they be used interchangeably?
For instance what is the difference between these two sentences:
The party in which I attended was fun.
...
0
votes
1answer
37 views
Expression/Idiom of talking on a wide range of topics
Is there an expression you could use to describe the contents you have in your mind when you can talk about a wide range of topics to people or you're a good talker? Or better words for topics/...
2
votes
1answer
46 views
Expression or word that means “a tactic is stolen by the enemy and used against oneself” [duplicate]
I'm looking for something different from Word for “to use someone's own tactics against them”. I'm considering a scenario in which one intends to use a certain tactic to defend oneself against some ...
6
votes
10answers
2k views
Phrases for two methods that are different but both can solve the same task?
I want to describe a type of pairs , that method1 and method2 have different implementations/settings, but both can be used to solve the same task.
My questions are:
Is there any terms/phrases or ...
-4
votes
3answers
96 views
An expression, idiom, or phrase meaning “I lied” or “they are lying” or “to tell a lie”, etc? [closed]
Looking for an expression, idiom, or phrase that would indicate a lie is being told, or was told, etc.
I will not be using this phrase as part of a sentence, so I can't give an example. I just ...
3
votes
2answers
96 views
Word or phrase meaning to criticise or mock someone without mentioning their name
Is there a word or phrase meaning to criticise or mock someone without mentioning their name?
On Twitter, people are able to search the site for references to their own name, so people often '...
0
votes
1answer
101 views
Please give me some suggestions [closed]
I am a new student to learn English. But I can't make
sentence good enough. So suggest me please, how can I .
-3
votes
1answer
48 views
Word/expression request & expression explanation [closed]
First: What's the term for someone who lives a very simple life with just enough to survive on?
Second: What's the meaning of the expression "a life of roots"?
1
vote
3answers
76 views
Correct word for hiding/roaming
Imagine the cops are looking for a criminal. That criminal is hiding but not for long in one place. He is changing places all over the world and continuously hiding . What is the correct word or ...
0
votes
3answers
73 views
Word for disappointed and dejected (slightly irritated too?) at the same time
So imagine you ask a person a serious question, and they make light of it.
You feel a certain emotion which I'm trying to find the name for. Your shoulders may slump. Face and body seem to relax. ...
1
vote
1answer
38 views
An expression for “ linking something that has happened to a particular reason or circumtance”?
How to express linking an unfavourable incident that has happened to a particular reason or circumstance?
For example: A team lost a competition and is being consoled by their coach. Their coach ...
1
vote
3answers
55 views
Different ways to smile?
As the title indicates, I was looking for ways to poetically, or idiomatically describe ways to smile, or interesting ones anyway. I find that I always switch back to the most basic descriptive ways ('...
1
vote
3answers
27 views
Formulation for making a binding choice in an online application
I need a formulation that clearly indicates that a binding choice is made by pressing a button. The expression is written on a Button, so it has to be concise.
I currently use "Select X bindingly", ...
2
votes
3answers
92 views
Is there an olfactory equivalent expression to “the scenic route”?
"Taking the scenic route" implies taking a less direct alternative to the most direct route toward some destination for the purpose of experiencing more interesting scenery along the way. So, is there ...
0
votes
1answer
41 views
When somebody pushes a chair over, how do you instruct him to put it up back so it stands?
My child sometimes pushes a chair over so that the chair lies flat on the floor. I'd like to instruct the child to make the chair stand again.
Pull up a chair seems to be more close to the meaning of ...
0
votes
1answer
40 views
Term for people in the same life situation
What is a term for people in the same life situation?
Like, people who have the same health issue, or pregnant women.
7
votes
3answers
187 views
Word/phrase for copying down incorrectly
I'm looking for a word or phrase to describe when someone copies something down incorrectly.
Specifically, the situation I am thinking about is when someone is solving a problem (using pencil and ...
0
votes
1answer
305 views
Alternative sentence of “May I come in, please?”
What do you usually say in the UK when you come into the class while the teacher is teaching. Is it ok to say "excuse me, sir or miss" or "May I come in, please"? are there any other ways to say this?
4
votes
2answers
63 views
Things you stick your face through for photos
What is the name of those things where you put your face in a hole and someone takes a picture so it looks like you're something else? E.g. a cardboard/wooden stand with a picture of a pirate and a ...
1
vote
0answers
139 views
“Unless instructed to do so” vs “Unless instructed otherwise” preferred usage
I want to give a short but clear instruction like:
1. Please do NOT perform X unless instructed to do so.
2. Please do NOT perform X unless instructed otherwise.
Which one would be a better option ...
26
votes
6answers
8k views
What do you call the gesture whereby you rest your palms on the side of your hips?
What do you call the gesture whereby you rest your palms, the front of your fist, or your wrist on the side of your hips?
Kind of like these examples:
Update: Guess I should've made it clear: I did ...
4
votes
2answers
67 views
What's the word or phrase for how one's body's health or behavior is unique to them?
Each person has their own physiological sense of smell or taste, which makes them like some foods and hate others (e.g. my family thinks durians smell like heaven, my chem teacher finds them ...
1
vote
3answers
83 views
Any phrase or idiom for a person who tries to copy a professional's act without any of the skills needed
A person who tries to copy a professional and skillful person's act, without possessing any skills or experience needed
5
votes
2answers
113 views
A term for: When a taste or smell of a product is being concealed by another product
Let's say, we create a smoothie and some ingredients are much stronger than others and they literally beat out the taste/smell of the other ingredients.
a. We can't add durian because it will ...
3
votes
1answer
52 views
Is there funny term or an idiom for this
To describe or criticize a person who is not capable of doing easy tasks but want to do a harder task, just because he sees some professional doing it??
1
vote
3answers
111 views
What is the English equivalent of the Arabic expression “she melts the iron”?
If I want to express that
I was angry with my friend, and then she threw a party for my birthday, which is unexpected.
So what she did makes me not angry any more 😊 ....
What idiom or expression ...
0
votes
4answers
147 views
How to say “and more!” in a more professional sense
We are in the process of writing an ad that details our curriculum, and the ad goes something like this - "...fall prevention, medical emergencies, AND MORE!" I keep thinking there has to be a better ...
2
votes
1answer
103 views
What's the hand stacking gesture called?
What is it called, the gesture whereby a team stack their hands on top of each other's with their palms face-down, then swing their arms quickly backwards, and go "Yeah!" or something, before they ...
3
votes
5answers
172 views
What's the opposite of “last-minute (Christmas) shopping”?
The question is in the title. I'd like to know if there is an idiom or phrase used for someone who does not buy at the “last minute”, the hyperbolic expression is often used when purchasing gifts, ...
1
vote
1answer
96 views
Email subject line is all the information I want to convey. How to instruct the sender (in the subject line itself) to not open the email body?
I want to write an email (to my boss) in which all the information is conveyed in the subject line itself:
"Won't be doing the Strawberry Project"
"Your work is in process"
"Come quick. Party ...
