Questions tagged [meaning]
This tag is for questions related to definitions and nuances of meaning of a word or phrase.
16,083
questions
0
votes
1answer
60 views
What does 'sweep' mean in the context "The Taliban swept to power"?
My question is brief : What does 'sweep' mean in the context "The Taliban swept to power"?
I sweep the floors at work everyday but not once have I swept to power.
-1
votes
1answer
36 views
Adverb vs. Adjective use [closed]
We typically use adverbs to describe verbs, but there are exceptions. Would you rather say 'You glow different' or 'You glow differently'? Are both acceptable?
0
votes
1answer
26 views
Meaning of 'with' [closed]
What is the meaning of 'with' in the below sentence? What relationship does it indicate?
The story begins with the meeting of two businesswomen.
1
vote
2answers
94 views
Function of genitive
What is the function of the genitive case in the sentence below? More precisely, what type of relationship between the two nouns does it imply?
The man’s tale was interesting.
2
votes
1answer
27 views
Meaning of 'whether' [closed]
What is the meaning of 'whether' in sentence (a), and more importantly what is the difference in meaning between sentence (a) and sentence (b)?
(a) I doubt whether he'll do it.
(b) I doubt that he'll ...
0
votes
1answer
60 views
Kindly explain the meaning of this sentence from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
He had one, brief glimpse of the stone Pensieve on the desk where he had
left it, and then an earsplitting noise made him cry out, thinking of curses and returning Death Eaters and the rebirth of ...
7
votes
4answers
630 views
Can you say "bald hill" to mean a hill that has no trees on it? [closed]
I am translating from Russian to English, and came across the phrase "На краю долины на вершине лысого холма стоит [...]" - trying to describe a hill at the edge of a valley. I've never ...
0
votes
0answers
22 views
What date to use to show when my home was established
I recently purchased a home my grandfather once lived in. Other families lived in it between my grandfather and when I recently purchased it. I'm have a sign made with our names on it. When would I ...
0
votes
0answers
21 views
On the use of "have" to denote have in mind
A native English speaker(I am not) used the phrase: "I have a teacher". I was surprised because I didn't think he went to school. However, he told me that by "have" he meant "...
0
votes
1answer
65 views
How can I interpret "not so + somebody"
As I went my night rounds among the newly wounded that first night
there was not one murmur, not one groan—the strictest discipline, the
most absolute silence and quiet prevailed—only the step of the ...
1
vote
1answer
45 views
Can I say that a painting or a photograph is polemical?
I understand that polemical has 2 definitions, according to Merriam Webster dictionary.
1: of, relating to, or being a polemic : CONTROVERSIAL
2: engaged in or addicted to polemics : DISPUTATIOUS
It ...
1
vote
2answers
74 views
What exactly is a "building" in the UK?
My question relates specifically to multi-storey residential buildings with several flats on each floor. Not necessarily high-rises or a "block of flats". An example would be the following ...
2
votes
3answers
80 views
what is the meaning of "like a stick of rock" here? [closed]
Mum had been on the phone, wanting to know when we would be back from
holiday, so that the children would do her online order for a new
senior railcard, and I would be able to referee her current ...
8
votes
2answers
158 views
What does "voice" mean in the context of written language?
The two most common frames of reference seem to be (1) agency attribution at the level of sentence structure (active vs. passive voice) and (2) the use of stylistic elements to stamp the persona of ...
0
votes
1answer
21 views
Can 'outgrow' be used to metaphorically mean 'overcome'? [closed]
I have this gut feeling that 'outgrow' can be used here, but the definitions seem to be completely different.
"Growing up without a father has affected many aspects of my life, but I later learnt ...
0
votes
3answers
52 views
Can we rebuke something?
I wonder if we can say rebuke something or not? According to the dictionaries, it seems that we can only rebuke someone but not something. I want to say something like "rebuke greed" in a ...
0
votes
1answer
46 views
What do you call someone that gives you an answer to a question that doesn't explain why they dislike something?
So just to give a bit of context, I was talking to one of my friends over text about mechanical keyboard switches and which type of switch colour to get. When I told him to get brown switches because ...
-3
votes
1answer
48 views
Good daughter penalty?
What is the meaning of "good daughter penalty"?
Eg. The impact of "motherhood peanlty" and "good daughter penalty" on gender pay parity is concerning.
2
votes
0answers
60 views
Does "multiple" mean no more than "more than one" or is it better used to connote division, duplication, or repetition?
Today "multiple" is widely used as a synonym for "many," fancy jargon, in my opinion, to say "more than one."
Is there any support for a more precise meaning or ...
0
votes
3answers
67 views
Meaning of 'That seems to be it' in context
Read the passage and answer the question below
John: Have you ever done any of these extramural courses before?
Amy: No don't think so although I did do something on psychodrama once but no it wasn't ...
1
vote
1answer
97 views
Does "one of us is a child of yours" mean "exactly one of us is a child of yours" or "at least one of us is a child of yours"?
Note before reading: Even though there are elements of logic found in this description, that does not mean that this question belongs in the Mathematics or Puzzling stack exchange. This is because my ...
0
votes
0answers
38 views
Allow higher values “for” (vs “than”) entry counts
I got question reading a journal...
Studies have shown that occupancy count can be used to
complement entry counts and allow higher values for such
entry counts.
I'm so confused of ...
-1
votes
1answer
36 views
Do “because so-and-so claims that” and “claiming that” have the same meaning?
First, I would like to give an example.
She filed a complaint to the committee because she claims that her personal information was leaked.
She filed a complaint to the committee claiming that her ...
-1
votes
1answer
26 views
'' to '' meaning ? which one?
What is the meaning of the preposition "to" in these sentences?
The shoulder is proximal to the elbow.
The ribs are lateral to the lungs.
to :
used for saying where someone or something ...
10
votes
4answers
2k views
lie vs fabricate. When to use which one in what situation?
I'm having hard time distinguishing between these words and come to ask you gracious people for help.
I recently learned the word "fabricate". I got into the dictionary for more details, and ...
2
votes
2answers
61 views
How is the "hmmm" on SE to be interpreted? [duplicate]
I frequently see "hmmm" proceeding a comment on SE. Is there a standard to interpret this? Does it simply mean that one disagrees but still considers the answer, question, or comment? Or is ...
-3
votes
1answer
44 views
What does "outlier organization" mean? [closed]
What does "outlier organization" mean in "XXX is an outlier organization in the world of turning science fiction into reality."?
4
votes
1answer
84 views
What is the distinction between verbs like "to regard/concern" and prepositions like "regarding", "concerning", "about"?
"regard", "concern", "refer" are stative verbs that express the state of being related or connected to something.
Why is it that words like "regarding" and &...
0
votes
0answers
22 views
are some prepositions (e.g. “concerning”) actually just irregular passive forms of verbs (e.g. “to concern” )
Trying to understand the roles prepositions play. It seems to me that as well as the obvious positional information they express (in, on, under etc) they also serve as passive forms of some verbs.
...
1
vote
1answer
70 views
Please help me with this line from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows [closed]
From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Gringotts, chapter twenty-six:
It was now packed inside the beaded bag, which, Harry was impressed to learn,
Hermione had protected from the Snatchers by ...
2
votes
2answers
255 views
"House," as a verb to mean "steal" esp. when related to food?
In episode three of season two of I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson there is a skit where Tim Robinson's character has his burger taken from him at dinner.
The character that did it described ...
0
votes
1answer
47 views
The difference between Hollow and Copse [closed]
What is the difference between a hollow and copse in the sense of a hollow as a feature of woodland? Wikipedia gives this definition:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollow
'Hollow, a low, wooded area, ...
-2
votes
1answer
44 views
On Liberty by John Stuart Mill- please explain the meaning of following sentence [closed]
If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be ...
0
votes
1answer
141 views
The usage of "WHO" as a conjunction
I've just started reading the Booker Prize-winning novel "The Sellout".
I don't know the narrator has omitted " who" here or he is talking about himself when he says "...
0
votes
1answer
36 views
Meaning of the word Agency in scientific papers [closed]
What is the definition of the word agency, used in this context:
A starship captain on the inside cannot steer the bubble or turn it on or off; some external agency must set it up ahead of time
(https:...
1
vote
1answer
52 views
attaboys from petty cash
Anyone know what "take a couple of attaboys from petty cash" means, or where it comes from?
From the context it seems to be similar to "pat yourself on the back"
I googled it and ...
3
votes
1answer
238 views
Is a “lock of hair” necessarily separate from the rest of someone’s hair?
When I look up “lock of hair”, and Google, specifically Wikipedia, tells me that it’s separated from the rest of someone’s hair, or just barely on (to quote it directly, “singly on”). Is this ...
1
vote
1answer
164 views
Take advice vs follow advice
To take advice is usually defined as:
obtain information and guidance, typically from an expert.
Lexico
By this definition, there is no implication that the advice is actually followed. But can take ...
0
votes
0answers
40 views
Questions on the first paragraph of Virginia Woolf: “Middlebrow”
As far as I understand, didn't Virginia Woolf frown upon the reviewer for posting her address on the newspaper? However, the last sentence seems to express that she thought it is necessary to add the ...
0
votes
1answer
127 views
What does “by rod and rote” mean? [closed]
I was watching a show and this was said:
I’ve seen this before in fanatical sects. The children are indoctrinated from the time they’re born, force-fed by rod and rote
I know that ‘rote’ is a ...
0
votes
1answer
55 views
What does "charter subscriber" mean in this sentence? (It's from the movie "Gone Girl" by David Fincher) [closed]
"I happen to be a charter subscriber to middling warlord weekly."
(He was guessing what she does for a living and she gave him three ABC options and one of them was that she's a moderately ...
1
vote
1answer
42 views
Debates about vs debates around [duplicate]
I am familiar with all the debates around/about this topic.
Are both ‘around’ and ‘about’ equally good in the above context? Do they both mean the same thing?
1
vote
1answer
113 views
Reliable Academic Source for the Etymology of "Trauma"?
Problem: Are there any sources that I could cite in an academic paper for the etymology of "trauma" (noun), perhaps which come from a reliable source? I am particularly searching for the ...
0
votes
1answer
57 views
Does the addition of a second “some” change the meaning of the following sentence?
I’d like know to whether the following sentence retains its nuance and meaning with the addition of “some” before the word “others”.
“I’m good at some types of art and bad at others.”
“I’m good at ...
1
vote
0answers
37 views
Is there a word in a dead or lost language that we lost the definition to? [closed]
Is there a word we lost the definition to?
A word whose definition we lost to history?
Something that is a part of our history but we forgot the meaning with time
-2
votes
1answer
37 views
meaning of "attached face" [closed]
Wuats the meaning of "attached face" in this context?
He reveals a bulbous nose and an attached face that looked as
though it had been pulverized by a meat grinder
1
vote
2answers
136 views
What does worldly experience mean? [closed]
I was reading an article about growing of age and I just read this sentence,
This creates a very scary letting go for parents, who must accept that they cannot keep their teenager free of more ...
0
votes
2answers
259 views
Does "since High school" include High school? [duplicate]
I was applying for a Chinese visa and it was indicated that I should list my education history since High school. Does that also include High School or is it only referring to the period after high ...
27
votes
5answers
7k views
Why the "wedded" in "wedded wife"?
Typical wedding vows, per e.g. this website, often have phrasing like this (emphasis mine):
[Groom’s name], do you take [Bride’s name] to be your wedded wife, to live together in marriage? Do you ...
0
votes
0answers
29 views
to have desire vs to have a desire
She added that she does "not have desire to interact with or communicate in any way with Mr. Sweet".
(Independent)
Every day we do crossing and finishing and we have to have desire to get ...
