This tag is for questions about the meaning of a longer passage of English. A SPECIFIC CONCERN must be emphasized.
0
votes
1answer
31 views
Use of he, him and it in a conversation
I don't fully understand the relationship between the following conversations. Suppose, two men are fighting, and there are three commentators. At this point man 2 intends to attack man 1.
...
0
votes
1answer
19 views
Using “into”: Tuesday into Thursday
What is the meaning of into in the following sentence:
"Residents of southern Japan and South Korea are being put on alert for strengthening Typhoon Soulik to pose serious threats to lives and ...
0
votes
0answers
15 views
How to say “subject” (in terms of part of sentence) but used for entities categorization
To be more precise I need to describe all entities that may occur in a book/story/game that may act on other things and on their own, as opposite to regular items, that are acted upon.
In polish we ...
0
votes
2answers
36 views
'within and without'
I was watching a speech on TV by someone who said the sentence "..and our country faces threats from within [long pause] and without."
I thought this was wrong and jokingly posted about on social ...
2
votes
0answers
55 views
What is the meaning of phrase “He is worth a packet of potato-meal”?
I've stumbled upon it in Flann O`Brien's book "Third Policeman" and cannot figure out the meaning of the chip packet phrase.
The context:
I had never seen the old man but knew all about him. He had ...
1
vote
1answer
30 views
What does “First Look Companies” mean? [on hold]
Montgomery Summit occurs each year at the start of March. This year, it was held March 8-9, offering participation from first look companies, emerging firms, and growth businesses.
0
votes
0answers
32 views
The meaning of “source”
What does the verb "source" mean in this context? It's about writing a customer story. The verb is in imperative mood.
Context:
Week 1
SOURCE
Survey your sales teams and shortlist the ...
-3
votes
0answers
40 views
What does it mean [on hold]
If a partner says, "I don't mind what you do, just don't desrespect me"?
Hard to work out what is really being said?
1
vote
1answer
18 views
what does “out” in “fly back out to someplace” mean?
I just heard someone said this way. I can understand the meaning but I don't really understand what "out" means in the phrase?
0
votes
0answers
15 views
What to say when someone says his day was exhausting? [closed]
What can be the perfect question when someone says his day was so exhausting?
1
vote
0answers
71 views
What is the exact meaning of this excerpt from Chapter 52 of “Pride and Prejudice ” by Jane Austen?
While elaborating on the arrangement between Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham in her letter to her niece Elizabeth Bennet, Mrs. Gardiner mentions the following:
...His debts are to be paid, amounting, I ...
2
votes
1answer
35 views
What is difference between Annotations, Marginalia, and Side notes?
I am bit confused about the usage of the proper word (Annotations, Marginalia, and Side notes) in given sentence.
Example: The revised version of my notes includes many useful ______ .
annotation: ...
9
votes
2answers
423 views
The meaning and usage of ‘stiffs’ in “Of Mice and Men”
I would really appreciate it if someone could confirm whether I have interpreted correctly the meaning of “stiffs” in the following excerpt
“I had enough,” he said angrily. “You ain't wanted here. ...
-1
votes
0answers
70 views
Is there a term for a coffee/tea that has become undrinkable after some time of keeping(becoming cold)? [closed]
Term for a coffee/tea that has become undrinkable after some time of keeping(becoming cold)
For example: "This tea/coffee is undrinkable, it has been around too long, it is cold and …….."
0
votes
2answers
49 views
meaning of “bodies”
What does "bodies" mean in this sentence?
O Sol,...whose approaching and receding makes the four seasons, necessary of the ripening of the harvest, and the temperature of the bodies.
Does it mean ...
0
votes
2answers
71 views
A secondary, possibly incorrect usage of “offline”?
When someone means to say that they got something from online, is it proper usage to say “I got that offline”? For instance, someone pulled an article from a website once and told me that they got it ...
0
votes
2answers
41 views
Is it correct to use the phrase “With only”?
I want to describe an event, which is taking place after a few days, and I believe there is something wrong with the use of the word "With only".
My sentence goes like this:
With only two days ...
0
votes
1answer
53 views
Question about Study in Scarlet TWO [closed]
I'd like to ask about following sentences from Study in Scarlet by Conan Doyle.
A higher Judge had taken the matter in hand, and Jefferson Hope had been summoned before a tribunal where strict ...
0
votes
2answers
20 views
Position of manner adverbs within verb phrases
I have found the following sentence in a book:
A firm's sensory marketing approach should be deliberately and
strategically based on the five human senses.
I have a feeling that the adverbial ...
0
votes
1answer
68 views
I am your friend. What about you?
I want to offer a friendship, where there is a cultural barrier that I need to respect; And there is a barrier in the other direction too - but less strong.
I want to offer the friendship by stating ...
0
votes
0answers
34 views
“How could I” OR “How could I have”?
Let's say there was a couple,
and the woman had a haircut.
She meets her boyfriend and gives him a minute to spot what's different about her, but her boyfriend fails to notice that she had a haircut.
...
1
vote
2answers
27 views
Meaning of “but that most”
What does "but that most" mean in this sentence by Richard Hooker: "People imagine that anything would help them; but that most, which they least have tried"?
-1
votes
0answers
24 views
does “the fourth hour of” have a particular meaning? [closed]
I came across this sentence on a book called ‘Help Me!’
“The phone rang when I was on my fourth hungover hour of hanging out with the Kardashians.”
In this one, does the expression “fourth hour” ...
0
votes
2answers
26 views
The meaning of “to derive unto”
What is the meaning of "derives unto" in this sentence by James Shirley:"thou canst not see What blemish she derives unto our name"?
0
votes
0answers
47 views
Fingerprints and voting: is there any conceptual relationship between them? [closed]
Does fingerprints - in English- in public though relates to voting and election in some way? As I know, in some communities it relates to.
If not, what does its connotation from a general viewpoint?
-1
votes
2answers
45 views
Meaning of “estate royal” in 16th century
What does "estate royal" mean in this quote by Henry VIII:
"We be informed by our judges that we at no time stand so highly in our estate royal as in the time of Parliament."
3
votes
2answers
77 views
Meaning of “sleep on”
A Russian user posted this sentence as an example of the usage of the verb “sleep on“ to mean “underestimate.“ I’ve lived in the United States my entire life and I’ve never heard anything of the sort. ...
0
votes
3answers
96 views
Is it correct to say “of all the things money can't buy, law isn't one”? [closed]
Is "Of all the things money can't buy, law isn't one" grammatically correct?
0
votes
0answers
51 views
'you sound like my wife' phrase
Could someone explain what this means, and what context it is used in?
Is it generally colloqial and commonly used? expression or phrase?
1
vote
0answers
29 views
In Charles Bukowski's “Some people” what is the meaning of phrase “It's Cherub, they say”?
I'm puzzled at a phrase in Charles Bukowski's poem "Some people".
The second paragraph reads:
it’s Cherub, they’ll say,
and they pour wine down my throat
rub my chest
sprinkle me with oils.
...
1
vote
1answer
28 views
Use of Possesive Pronouns
Say, I want to tell my readers to come visit the U.S. and enjoy American lifestyle (such as eating American hamburgers, watching football games, playing Beerpong, etc). Then which of the followings ...
0
votes
0answers
13 views
Meaning in Context [migrated]
What is the difference in meaning between these two questions:
who are you?
and
what are you?
0
votes
1answer
28 views
Meaning of precisely in this paragraph
Consider this paragraph from 'The Elements of Programming':
This uses the special form if, a restricted type of conditional that
can be used when there are precisely two cases in the case ...
0
votes
1answer
29 views
How can I reword this?
I found this in the Congressional Record. How can I reword it simpler, while keeping the same meaning?:
Indicative of the public’s difficulty in obtaining an answer to this
and other questions, ...
1
vote
1answer
54 views
Use of sophisticated words (to muddy the waters?) [closed]
EXAMPLE:
In probability theory and statistics, variance is the expectation of the squared deviation of a random variable from its mean. Generally, it measures how far a set of (random) numbers are ...
0
votes
0answers
36 views
Confusing quote from an article [migrated]
The following is an excerpt from a CNBC article.
What does "only some students have to worry about what that means for their chances" mean? Who are "some students?" Are they legacy students or non-...
-1
votes
1answer
18 views
What does “if known” refer to at the end of a sentence?
What does the "if known" refer to in this sentence? :
The Notice to Suspend shall specify the reason for suspension, which part of the Works shall be suspended, the effective date of the suspension ...
1
vote
0answers
55 views
privilege comes with responsibility
This CNN article titled "With UN vote, Trump gets what he deserves" has this passage:
There was nothing principled or realistic about what Trump and UN
Ambassador Nikki Haley tried to do this ...
0
votes
2answers
33 views
meaning of “designing wickedness”?
A simple online search gave me the impression that the phrase "designing wickedness" may be more or less archaic. Today, I came across it in a text by Bertrand Russell:
What constitutes a nation is ...
-3
votes
1answer
75 views
understanding meaning of 'cuttie' [closed]
Urban Dictionary tends to describe the word cuttie in quite sexual way. Is it really the main meaning or the noun can be used normally to name a person / thing which is just cute.
1
vote
1answer
52 views
Meaning of “The statement stands for itself”
This was a scene in the show The Big Bang Theory, season 2, episode 9.
Sheldon and Penny are having a conversation on the staircase, which is as follows:
Sheldon: Of the handful of women Leonard's ...
2
votes
1answer
40 views
Can a bare infinitive verb as the first word of a sentence form a clause?
I’ve stumbled upon the following sentence reading a blogpost:
Come C++11 (programming language) there are some extra options for our ownership policies.
What does come mean here? It doesn’t look ...
1
vote
2answers
54 views
“Tip of the iceberg” negative or positive
Does this idiom indicate the negative side or positive side?
Example: what you have seen about his character is just the tip of the iceberg...
Does this example show whether he has so much good ...
3
votes
1answer
39 views
What does this sentence mean from “The woman in the window”?
she is a Bad Cop, no doubt about it, and with disappointment I realize that Little's aw-shucks shtick must be just smoke
What does the line in bold mean - aw-shucks shtick must be just smoke.
This ...
0
votes
2answers
32 views
What does “dashed by” mean in the context of “Cavalin has dashed by major milestones”?
Life is filled with contrasts for Cavalin, a 17-year-old from San
Gabriel, California, who has dashed by major milestones as his
age seems to lag behind. He graduated from community college at
...
0
votes
2answers
93 views
What does “vibrating string” refer to?
I am studying to take the TOEFL exam, which I need to pass if I have any hope of a job promotion. The problem I encountered is the following.
The TOEFL textbook gives me the following example. (It is ...
0
votes
1answer
19 views
“authorized as incorporated”?
1 As a result of four two-for-one stock splits on the Common Stock
effective October 20, 1989, May 15, 1992, August 22, 1997 and May 21,
2004, the number of shares of Series A ESOP Convertible ...
6
votes
5answers
422 views
What does “It’s just another day in paradise.” mean in political and diplomatic context in association with U.S. and Russia summit talks?
I came across a phrase, “It’s just another day in paradise” in an article by The Hill (July 20) that came under the title, “Trump demoralized his own team with dizzying Russian moves.”
It reads;
“...
1
vote
1answer
67 views
Coterminous vs. Conterminous?
Which word is more appropriate in a geographical mapping context when referring to counties in a state, contiguous states within a country, contiguous countries within a continent, etc?
Are they ...
-1
votes
0answers
24 views
Which is correct sentence among these?
Except for you and I, everyone brought a present for the little birthday boy.
Excepting you and I,all brought present for the little boy.
