Questions tagged [meaning]
This tag is for questions related to definitions and nuances of meaning of a word or phrase.
16,887
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When "play" has a sexual connotation, what type of sex does it refer to? [closed]
Urban Dictionary includes one explanation of "play" :
Anything to do with sexual relations: fooling around, making out, oral sex or having intercourse.
However, most of the formal-language ...
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0
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111
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Meaning of "die words of Deuteronomy" [closed]
The following passage is from the book The Demonologist: The Extraordinary Career of Ed and Lorraine Warren:
Sharon Beckford had reacted on a
more personal level. Why was this
violence, destruction, ...
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vote
2
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577
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What is the meaning of the word 'veritical'?
What is the meaning of the word 'veritical'?
I've heard intellectuals use this word, it seems to mean truth, like it's derived from veritas- but I can't find it anywhere. Maybe I'm not spelling it ...
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1
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Malady vs Disease
How does the word malady differ from disease? Also,in what contexts can the word malady be used?
Below are my findings / details I have collected about the two:
Many dictionaries list the word ...
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2
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97
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What exactly does ethos mean in rhetoric?
Ethos literally means "ethics", so it would seem that it would be used to describe appeals to one's ethics, morals, or "right vs wrong". However, it seems that it is also used to ...
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1
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"In their own gesture of preparation" meaning? [closed]
The following passage is from this book :
" The Demonologist: The Extraordinary Career of Ed and Lorraine Warren "
The morning of the day had come.
In their own gesture of preparation, the
...
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7
votes
2
answers
3k
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"This spray zhuzhes". What does "the zhuzh" mean in cosmetics?
I watched an interview with Keira Knightly and she used this word when they were talking about her beauty bag.
0
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1
answer
370
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What is the difference between 'can', 'could' and 'would you mind' in asking questions? [closed]
For me these 3 have the same meaning, but i just could not differentiate what the subtle difference between them, maybe 'would you mind' is more polite then the other two?
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1
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35
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Do I say "Hear the voice of reason" or "Listen to the voice of reason" or either? [duplicate]
Although I say "Listen to reason," if I insert "voice of," do I use "Listen to the voice of reason" or "Hear the voice of reason," or can I use either? The ...
1
vote
1
answer
199
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Has the word “supposably” really been added to the Oxford Dictionary? [closed]
I used to always correct my illiterate friends whenever they would say the word “supposably” instead of supposedly, by snarkingly saying, “There’s no B in suposeDly!” Then I read that one of the big ...
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1
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124
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Meaning of 'intellectual vertigo'
I'd never come across the phrase 'intellectual vertigo' until reading an article in The Economist about AI. The sentence goes,
By working in the most human of mediums, conversation, ChatGPT is now ...
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0
answers
56
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What is the meaning of the "classical-esque term"?
So what does the phrase, "classical-esque" really mean? Is it like a style that was used in classical ages or what? Is it something related to the Latin language? What exactly does "...
8
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2
answers
1k
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What does TOOLER mean in Rugby school slang?
Poet Rupert Brooke's father was a housemaster at Rugby School. His nickname among pupils was "Tooler". What did it mean?
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3
answers
996
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Meaning of SoA in a review of an academic paper
The reviewer of my paper said:
It is not clear what is the main contribution regarding to SoA
And in another question he said:
The SoA should be improved
What is the meaning of SoA here?
(For ...
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0
votes
1
answer
68
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Difference between "bizarre" and "eccentric"
In google translate, the word "bizarre" means "very strange or unusual, especially so as to cause interest or amusement.". But I believe that this description is more suited for &...
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2
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71
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Royal "we" meaning? [closed]
I heard the royals used 'we' instead of 'I'.
The royals makes impressed food.
So we are gonna roll out the red carpet and spare no expense.
Word 'We' means 'I' in this sentence?
17
votes
5
answers
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What does "first cut" mean?
In software engineering, I sometimes see "first cut" in a context where it could mean "first version".
Is it some idiom? Where does it come from? Does it mean literally "first ...
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1
answer
43
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What does Thoreau mean by "horizontal body" in this paragraph from "The Last Days of John Brown"? [closed]
In The Last Days of John Brown, Thoreau writes:
“He nothing common did or mean Upon that memorable scene, Nor called the gods with vulgar spite, To vindicate his helpless right; But bowed his comely ...
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1
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88
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Is "Earth is full! Go Home!" an example of sarcasm? If so, why?
Is "Earth is full! Go Home!" an example of sarcasm?
If it is, I'd really like someone to explain why this is sarcastic. From all the definitions I've seen for sarcasm, I've gathered that ...
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6
votes
3
answers
383
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What is the meaning (and origin) of the word 'peck' in the expression 'bomb peck' (BrE)?
Someone used the words 'bomb peck' in conversation to me yesterday and I queried what they meant. I have found the expression being used colloquially online but with no explanation of what 'peck' ...
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What does "for a mile" mean in this sentence of Thoreau?
In Slavery in Massachusetts, Thoreau writes:
But it chanced the other day that I scented a white water-lily,
and a season I had waited for had arrived. It is the emblem of purity.
It bursts up so ...
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3
votes
2
answers
427
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What is the meaning of, “…a man who had no truck with looking back..”? [duplicate]
What is the AMERICAN meaning of, “…a man who had no truck with looking back..”? I understand the meaning of a man in a truck looking back, but “who had no truck with looking back” eludes me. ...
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2
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What is the meaning of bounded in this sentence: The dogs bounded past their leader [closed]
I came across this sentence:
The dogs bounded past their leader.
What does "bounded past" mean? I know the past tense of bind is bound. But here the verb "bounded" is used. Is ...
3
votes
1
answer
70
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Middle alternation with stative verbs
Is there any semantic difference between the following sentences?
I frighten easily.
I'm easily frightened.
Do they mean the same? Or sentence 1 means that I cause myself to be frightened and ...
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vote
1
answer
47
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Could “doesn't mess around” mean “being serious about” sometimes? [closed]
She doesn't mess around when it comes to playing cards.
In this sentence, “doesn't mess around” means “she's taking this seriously”?
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2
votes
4
answers
117
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Is "Fair Witness" an adequate alternative term for "whistle blower" in academia?
It was suggested to me to use the term "fair witness" instead of "whistle blower" (when proposing to design a university course about such topic, and potentially an academic study ...
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1
answer
108
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Diminutive forms - usage
Reading from some grammar sources, I came to know that bullet is a diminutive of ball.
Nevertheless, as far as I know, bullet is nowadays mostly used in the sense of "gun-bullet".
So can ...
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1
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151
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Does "what led Karen to her disappearance" mean the same as "what led to Karen's disappearance"?
What would you conclude upon reading the two clauses? Did Karen disappear because she wanted to disappear (e.g., go away on her own), or because of some other circumstances (e.g., she got murdered or ...
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vote
1
answer
209
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What does “it” refer to in this sentence?
I have two things to say. I lost my car keys after school. But it isn’t all bad news (all of it isn’t bad news). I got an A on my math test.
What does “it” refer to in the second sentence?
I thought “...
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1
answer
46
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What is "and therefore profits"?
I have read an article called "Stocks have shrugged off the banking turmoil. Haven’t they?" in The Economist newspaper, but I find it hard to understand the meaning of a sentence.
The ...
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2
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Does "saying grace" necessarily have Christian connotations? Or can colloquial usage include different meanings?
Initially, I thought that the phrase "saying grace" was only used in English to mean when Christians say a prayer before eating. Some research has made me question whether "saying grace&...
2
votes
2
answers
163
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What does "The by-gone-day proclaym'd" mean in scene ii, act I of The Winter's Tale?
In the second scene of The Winter's Tale, Hermione says:
I had thought (Sir) to haue held my peace, vntill
You had drawne Oathes from him, not to stay: you (Sir)
Charge him too coldly. Tell him, you ...
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1
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Why can say "diminishing weakened"? [closed]
The resource as:
However, the ability of the rainforest to pull in more carbon than it releases is diminishing weakened by changing weather patterns, deforeststation and increasing tree mortality, ...
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1
answer
131
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What is a jersey dress? [closed]
I came across the term jersey dress. Below are some links to pages that discuss it. I don't understand what it is. It sounds like it is a style of dress, but maybe also a dress made from some ...
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0
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Comma usage and "for" [duplicate]
Here are three examples collected from the Internet:
(1) Teslamotors.com is for many, the first introduction to Tesla and EVs. (one-comma version)
(2) This last point is, for many, the most ...
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2
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71
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Usage of non-definitive answer to a definitive question
I'm having a discussion with someone currently about the use of non-definitive answers to definitive questions, and am hoping StackExchange might be able to help me with this one!
The person I'm ...
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1
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73
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Favorite new restaurant vs new favorite restaurant [closed]
This is my favorite new restaurant.
This is my new favorite restaurant.
Why is the meaning of these two different when you swap the adjectives?
Is it because favorite and new modify restaurant in the ...
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0
answers
56
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What does 'attorney' mean in this passage from The Winter's Tale
In The Winter's Tale, it is written:
Cam. Sicilia cannot shew himselfe ouer-kind to Bohe-
mia: They were trayn'd together in their Child-hoods;
and there rooted betwixt them then such an affection,
...
- 1,720
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3
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332
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Word to describe someone with all knowledge in some field [closed]
Word that describes someone that has all possible knowledge in some specific field, like an expert.
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1
answer
118
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What are 'herbycall verses'?
This line in Philotimus, specifically the word ‘herbycall’, has been perplexing me:
Herewithall she yelded breath. Great mourninges were ex∣cited in euery corner, and wofull Philotimus swounding ...
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Etymology of "gender" [closed]
According to OED, the English word "gender" was originally a loan from Norman French, meaning 'kind/type' e.g.
Byshinynge & liȝt ben diuers as species and gendir; for eueryche ...
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Is "solar insolation" a tautology?
I'm not a native English speaker and I found "insolation" to translate into something like "solar irradiation", i.e. the qualifier "solar" already seems to be inherent to ...
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4
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657
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"T minus"-expression used with preposition "in"?
"Rocket launch in T minus 1 hour".
I have a problem with how this expression is used here. Native speakers have told me that this is natural, however online definitions tell me that "T ...
0
votes
3
answers
96
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What does 'secure' mean in this sentence of Thoreau's?
In A Plea for Captain John Brown, Thoreau writes:
I have no respect for the penetration of any man who can read the report of that conversation,
and still call the principal in it insane. It has the ...
- 1,720
14
votes
3
answers
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Difference between 'obliterate' and 'annihilate'
Are 'obliterate', 'annihilate' the same thing? I've searched dictionaries and they both mean to destroy completely, or in other words, destroy utterly:
obliterate [verb] [transitive]
1 to destroy ...
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votes
2
answers
398
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What does 'made' mean in "In his case there is no idle eloquence, no made,[...]"?
In A Plea for Captain John Brown, Thoreau writes:
He was too fair a specimen of a man to represent the like of us.
Who, then, were his constituents? If you read his words understandingly
you will ...
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1
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Dialogue in the TV series "Billions"
While I was watching the TV series "Billions," there was a dialogue between two people working for Axe Capital. They argue about smart guns and say:
(A says smart guns can be a ten-bagger. ...
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2
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What do 'spile' and 'bung' mean in this sentence written by Thoreau?
In A Plea for Captain John Brown, Thoreau writes:
What though he did not belong to your clique! Though you may not approve of his method or his principles, recognize his magnanimity. Would you not ...
- 1,720
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votes
2
answers
59
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Meaning of "on which to look back on"
New experiences can create new memories and reflections on which to look back on.
I find it difficult to understand and parse "on which to look back on". I am confused as to why there are ...
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1
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63
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"He is a worthless person vs He is a futile person." which sentence describes a useless person? [closed]
I want to talk about the personality of someone who is useless for any task assigned to him. Which term is more appropriate?
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