Questions tagged [meaning]
This tag is for questions related to definitions and nuances of meaning of a word or phrase.
16,893
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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 ...
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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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2
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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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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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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 ...
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2
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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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"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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Meaning of a sentence in the passage discussing the word "run"
30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary_Dan Strutzel / Funk & Lewis
contains
The simple three-letter word “run”, up to this moment of writing has
more than ninety dictionary definitions. There are ...
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3
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Secondary meaning of "truce"
I recently came across a citation from the findings of the Nuremberg war crimes tribunals, specifically pages 568-570 of the Individual Judgment against Waldemar Klingelhöfer in the Einsatzgruppen ...
- 1,879
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I'm writing about advocacy, and I can't find the preposition to use in this specific case; [closed]
I advocate equality ....... decision-makers
I need to fill the space with a preposition that would convey the meaning that I am advocating equality and my target is decision-makers, I don't think it ...
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Meaning of "a good set of"
You are blessed if you have a good set of friends.
Apparently "you have a good set of friends" can have two readings:
(1) you have numerous friends
(2) you have many friends such that all ...
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1
answer
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What does the verb bound mean in this sentence of Thoreau's? [closed]
In A Plea for Captain John Brown, Thoreau writes:
When he was here, some years ago, he showed to a few a little manuscript book,—his “orderly book” I think he called it,—containing the names of his ...
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What does "wife on the crupper" mean in Hunchback of Notre Dame?
Comrades! Master Simon Sanguin, the Elector of Picardy, with his wife on the crupper!
Chapter 1 of Hugo, Victor. The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (AmazonClassics Edition) (p. 25). AmazonClassics. Kindle ...
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About the meaning(s) of "to have much to recommend something" [closed]
Not sure if the mentioned expression in the title is just, I tried to figure it out based on my language skills/instincts. It is a citation found in a programming book. Sometimes between the title and ...
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223
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Justice vs Justness
This question notwithstanding, where can I find a good description or explanation of the nuances and differences between
Justness
and
Justice
?
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Does "It would be the last time..." refer to the past or the present?
From my understanding, in direct speech/conversation (not as a narrative), "That would be the last time..." refer to the past event, and "This would be the last time..." refers to ...
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"nauseous" vs "nauseating" - Differences? [duplicate]
What are the differences between "nauseous" and "nauseating"? Both words seem to have the same meaning in the dictionaries I have looked at.
Nauseating:
making you feel as if you ...
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4
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539
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Meaning of "I was never meant to be..."
I don't clearly understand the meaning of "was never meant to be" in sentences like this:
"I was never meant to be your friend."
Can someone explain it to me?
For the example in ...
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1
answer
44
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Interpretation of the word "as" in this sentence [closed]
Consider the sentence "1/50 is 0.02 as a fraction."
Which interpretation is correct, whether it is factually correct or incorrect? (That is, consider there to be a clear distinction between ...
1
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3
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Structure of "best" and "had better" [duplicate]
Are the following two structures related?
The text is best interpreted by reference to the classical era
We had better interpret the text by reference to the classical era
In other words, is the first ...
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Is one commonly "on a desert" or in it? [duplicate]
There was nothing to see. He was in the middle of a desert. No wonder he was so thirsty. But, luckily, he had brought his purple crayon. And he knew where to find water on a desert
In my experience, ...
5
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What does "get on" mean in this sentence from Walden?
In the first chapter of Walden, Thoreau writes:
I cannot but perceive
that this so-called rich and refined life is a thing jumped at, and I do not get on
in the enjoyment of the fine arts which adorn ...
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How do you know if all means completely or the whole quantity?
The shoes are all black.
Does this mean the shoes are completely black or all of the shoes are black?
The men are all happy.
Does it mean all of the men are happy or the men are completely happy?
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1
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137
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What does "he was a child who couldn't keep his fingers out of the cookie jar" mean when talking of someone's sexual scandal?
This sentence is quoted from a director's memoir, where he mentions that a famous movie star was sent to the police station because of his affair. (Thank all of you for your considerate answers. To ...
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2
answers
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What does 'bower' mean in this sentence from Walden?
I came across the word in question in the first chapter of Walden:
He was at first bare and out of
doors; but though this was pleasant enough in serene and warm weather, by
daylight, the rainy season ...
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1
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Does 'we got each other' have the same meaning as 'we got each other's backs'?
To have someone's back means to "always be ready to defend or help someone."
So by extension, "we got each other's backs" is a way of saying that you and another person are both ...
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1
answer
94
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Is there a term to describe when you reject someones forgiveness?
Let's say someone says they forgive you for something you did, but you don't believe you did anything wrong that needs forgiving. Is there a term to describe that? Rejecting someone's forgiveness? (...
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Does "no more than two" mean I can choose just one? [closed]
This is the question:
"Evaluate the representation of... in no more than TWO of the following books: ....." (the "TWO" is actually capitalised in the document)
Without thought, I ...
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Do "did not have" and "had not" have the same meanings?
Do the following sentences have the same meaning?
He did not have even a rupee with him to buy a loaf of bread.
He had not even a rupee with him to buy a loaf of bread.
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What's the difference between 'see','look' and 'watch'? [closed]
'see','look' and 'watch are words that looks the same but aren't the same meanings, can some tell me what's the difference between them?
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In Indian English, did the word 'griffin' ever mean newcomer or novice?
I recently came across a definition in the dictionary Hobson-Jobson. It's basically a big collection of English words and anglicizations used or found in India. The entry that's been stumping me is ...
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"Discretion is the better part of valour" doesn't seem to make sense as a sentence
By discretion, the idiom is referring to choosing to be careful. By valour, the idiom is referring to being courageous. So how is discretion a "part" of valour? Valour and discretion are two ...
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Medicamentous vs medical
Are the adjectives medicamentous and medical synonymous? Clarification regarding minute difference between them and their usage will be appreciated.
I ask this question in the score that I couldn't ...
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2
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A binge is on its own
I am quite sure that the sentence
There was a binge yesterday
is grammatically correct. But what about semantics? I mean, there was an event like a drinking party yesterday. Do I use the binge word ...
0
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Meaning of " trapping "? [closed]
This is the passage I'm reading:
Using this
method—and both human and inhuman
spirits can do this—the entity bypasses
the physical eye and projects the desired image directly to the ‘mind’s eye,’ or
...
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3
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Love is knowing we can be?
This is a phrase from one of my favorite songs by John Lennon, LOVE.
Love is knowing we can be
As a speaker of English as a second language, my first response was like we can be what?
I know it's ...
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2
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What does "fabulism" mean when used to describe one's accomplishments? [closed]
In this recent article in Science, a botanist is reported as accused
of apparent plagiarism, fabulism about his professional accomplishments, and fabrication or manipulation of data.
There is no ...
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1
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Is "samuraily" correct?
Pahlavāni, knighthood, and samuraily may be different in forms of
cultural output, but all three are inherently from the same
historical essence.
Pahlavāni (پهلوانی) is a Persian word. In its ...
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What is the meaning of famous? [closed]
Does being a famous author mean that many people will recognise your face when you go to places?
Will most of the people know you personally and have a relationship with you?
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What do 'flat-chested' and 'unromantic' mean when speaking of a house?
I am quoting from the Return of Sherlock Holmes, The Six Napoleons, by Arthur Conan Doyle:
In half an hour we had reached Pitt Street, a quiet little backwater just beside one of the briskest ...
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What is the difference between "would be needed" and "may be needed"?
I am trying to understand the below sentence grammatically.
"To determine whether sending a link actually occurred, more context
would be needed"
Why did we use would in this sentence. ...
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What kind of statements are “the best pie I’ve ever eaten” and “the most beautiful mountain I’ve seen in my life” [closed]
My partner always makes statements such as those in heading. They are always sensationalised to create emphasis and drive home his enthusiasm for the subject. For example we were discussing Florence ...
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“Why does a Moon-rock taste better than an Earth-rock?” joke meaning [closed]
In the last episode of “The Last of Us” TV show there is the following pun:
Why does a Moon-rock taste better than an Earth-rock?
Because it's a little meteor.
What's the wordplay here?
P.S. I've ...
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1
answer
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Is it correct to say something like "An issue is being had by them"
One can say "We're having this issue". But is it too awkward to, instead, say "This issue is being had by us", or would the meaning change completely?
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Is “senior year” a direct object or something else in “I played my senior year”? What about “perfect game” in “I threw a perfect game”?
In the sentence “I played my senior year” (Referring to baseball) would senior year be an adverbial phrase or a direct object?
Would the same apply to “I threw a perfect game”? In the second example ...
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with something to recommend it
I'm reading an Economist report on mending an algorithm-related law called Section 230 and the last sentence (the part in bold, to be specific) confuses me a bit:
When platforms “alert specific users”...
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1
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94
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Do we ever use "treatment with" instead of "treatment of"?
I'm trying to understand the syntax/meaning in the following sentence:
The poet was distinguished by concise treatment with the paraphernalia of fire that were characteristic of the genre.
My ...
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3
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512
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What does it mean "to drive something into a ditch"?
I got an email from an English native speaker.
The context is that a known situation is not going as expected.
The problem is ongoing, and at some point, the person responsible (P1) says to the people ...
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3
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438
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What does "the fitness of things" mean?
I'm struggling to understand what it means, from this sentence:
In science, we sometimes have convictions which we cherish but cannot justify; we
are influenced by some innate sense of the fitness of ...
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5
votes
1
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211
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What's the difference between backward(s) and backwardly?
What is the difference between backwards, backward, and backwardly? They're all adverbs, but I feel like there's some sort of difference in their meanings and uses.
Although this question is similar ...
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