Questions tagged [phrase-requests]
This tag is for questions seeking a phrase or an expression that fits a meaning. If you're specifically seeking only a single word, see the "single word requests" tag too.
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Word (or phrase) for phrases that are examples of what they describe
Is there a word (or phrase) for phrases that are examples of what they describe? For example, "You the verb" to tell someone they forgot a verb in an online posting, or "spacesmakethingseasiertoread".
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What is the city equivalent of 'hillbilly hell"?
As you may have already known, and for those of you who don't know, hillbilly hell is a term used to mock the countryside in the USA, with all of its perceived flaws (insular, racist, decaying ...). ...
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Xylophone-like, piano-like, and violin-like
Is there a word or expression for a musical instrument which,
like a xylophone or a set of bells, has set pitches (fixed frequencies) that no one can change or adjust (except by some extraordinary ...
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How can I describe different directions of hatching in a scientific diagram?
I am writing a scientific article and I need to describe the two hatched areas in the Figure below. How do you call these? Upward hatching and downward hatching? Or what?
E.g.
The upward hatching ...
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Another way to say "a measure of how easy it is" to do something?
I'm faced with the task of writing a slightly informal technical paper, where I'd define more than a dozen terms, all ending in "-bility". Examples: portability, maintainability, comprehensibility, ...
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Image in article
What would you call an image in a newspaper article that appears in the flow of the article with text wrapped around it?
For example an article with two columns — on the right column there's an image ...
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Inspiration catalyst? Looking for a term that describes seemingly out of the blue inspiration
I'm looking for a term for a curious situation that I've found myself in a couple of times.
A person discusses a new concept/invention.
I am a part of that conversation or simply overhear it.
I ...
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What do you call an area where people can pick up flyers/pamphlets?
What do you call an area/corner where people can pick up free flyers/pamphlets/brochures?
Sometimes they're on catalog stands and sometimes they're just in stacks on a table.
My non-native speaking ...
CommunityBot
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Alternative names for a non-religious, anonymous game of "Secret Santa"
The game of "Secret Santa", which is usually played by Westerners during Christmas, consists of each participant being randomly assigned one person to whom they give a gift. The entire game ...
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Another way to say "I identify as"
I was hoping this group of educated people could help me find another phrase for "I identify as". Ideally I'm looking for a phrase to replace this one that's used in the transgender ...
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To make people get used to and accept the bad by showing them the worse
I am searching for an idiomatic expression for making people accept and get used to what they normally wouldn't by showing or making them experience a worse one.
Edit; when authority wants to increase ...
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Phrase / expression/ word for a smell that stimulates an emotion
I am looking for a word (in any language) for a smell that stimulates an emotion or brings back memories.
For instance, when I smell cinnamon, I get a happy feeling - and it reminds me of Christmas. ...
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The word/phrase for the person who makes all the profit while others are suffering?
"I hate this war."
"Me too. It's bad for everyone"
"But you know who is profiting from this - the coffin seller."
How do I define that coffin seller in one or more words?
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Is there a word for the act of butchering a language for the sake of a joke?
My friend and I (may or may not be the same one from my other question) were chatting the other day and we came to a discussion about the idiom tit-for-tat.
tit-for-tat (informal)
a tit-for-tat ...
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What are hard/flat buttons (on appliances) called?
What are the kind of push buttons used on modern appliances called:
Lies flush with the surface.
Have to press (not tap) to activate.
Button usually doesn't move much or at all when you press it.
...
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Word that means: causing a paradigm shift, new era, revolution
I can't think of the word and it's driving me nuts. I'm looking for a word that can be used when some technology is discovered, way of thinking, or even event happening that causes a big change in ...
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Not so good and Bangla [closed]
You must not have any question about the existence of GOD.
Is this sentence is correct?
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Colloqial idiomatic metaphor for incomplete logic?
Seems like[1] I vaguely recall some colorful expression for conveying a rhetorical failure to complete a logical argument. Something along the lines of “failing to tie the knot” or “complete the ...
CommunityBot
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Similar phrase to 'Let's have a chat...'
I've found this in my friend's book -
Let's have a chat so that we can set the balls rolling
Looks very professional but I couldn't find something similar to this one myself.
Can anyone help me?
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Another phrase for "he is a very easy person to scare"? [duplicate]
Can I have another phrase for the sentence/phrase;
He is a very easy person to scare.
Please I need this because I am writing a story which I'm going to produce when I'm finished...
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Phrase for group with no actual power
There is a phrase for a group of people who don't hold any actual power but are put together, like in a committee, to seem powerful. But they are only a symbol... A something something. Two words. Can'...
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Is there a word or phrase for when you're at the whim of someone?
I'm writing a short bio of my character who has made a contract with a demon and is now required to do her bidding. He's not necessarily a slave, he still has the freedom to do whatever he likes, I ...
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What is the origin for the phrase "Lend a hand"?
does anyone know the origin of the phrase "Lend a hand"? I'm working on a paper about phrases and idioms and can't seem to find any history about it.
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What is a phrase to describe asking a question that you’re afraid to know the answer to?
I’m writing a line where a character is very anxious, and asks a person a question, but is sort of afraid to know the answer. I’ve written it as “[Question]?” Character X asked character Y, but I feel ...
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Opposite of "mutually exclusive": word for things that necessarily exist together
The best opposite of "mutually exclusive" I can think of is "necessarily accompanying", but it sounds awkward.
Most answers I looked up give words like "concordant" and "accompanying", but these ...
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Is there a name for letting something get worse until it is so bad it has to be addressed properly?
I see this idea a lot:
Something is bad and people want it to be better
There's no way for those people to make it better without a huge investment by others
Instead of trying to fix it themselves, ...
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Is there a term/phrase for a vicious cycle of overcorrection?
When something starts going wrong, then when you try to correct, you overcorrect and make things worse, then you try to correct it again, and again overcorrect, making things worse again, etc, until ...
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Is there a (current or historical) word for the extremes on the left-right axis?
Is there, or has there ever been, an unambiguous word for "the leftmost extreme" or "the rightmost extreme"? Such words exist for the other two dimensions.
Imagine you are ...
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More common terms for "tall poppy syndrome"
I came across this New York Times article:
Ms. Hathaway could simply be a victim of what the British call “tall poppy syndrome” — the bloom that pokes above the others is the first to get cut.
I ...
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A term (or phrase) for when a person tries to represent the rarest scenario as the most common
For context:
This term or phrase is what it's called when a person (very often used in political debates) will try to take the rarest occurrence of any particular topic and present it as if it's the ...
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A word/phrase for something that is the mirror reflection of something else
I'm trying to find a word or phrase for the picture we get when we put everything that is on the right side to the left and every thing that is placed on the left side to the right, while preserving ...
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English equivalent to Dutch "Mopping while the tap is running"?
There is a great phrase in Dutch that translates roughly as "Mopping the floor while the tap is running".
I.e. working to fix a problem but having no impact and not even able to keep up.
Is there an ...
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Correct word for a triangle with truncated points?
Is there a correct or technical term for a two-dimensional hexagon in which three sides are significantly longer than the others, resembling a triangle with the points cut off? Specifically, a shape ...
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Translation of German "Es wird nichts so heiß gegessen, wie es gekocht wird"
A German speaker wrote:
As the German saying goes: You never eat the food as hot as it is
cooked.
This is a literal translation of the proverb, "Es wird nichts so heiß gegessen, wie es gekocht ...
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Is there a word for "pretending to joke when you say something serious"?
I'm currently reading "the body keeps the score", and this passage appears in the first page of chapter 6.
(Warning: passage is about emotional trauma, do not read if you're not ready for that)
"I ...
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What do you call a full monopoly?
What word or phrase is best used to describe a monopoly in all economies - basically having a monopoly in everything.
For example, Company X has a monopoly in Food, Technology, Communication, ...
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Is there any idiom in English for when something good happens, but you can’t be hopeful about it. Because it is temporary [closed]
An idiom in English for when you can’t be hopeful about something good. Because it is temporary, better not be hopeful. Is there something like that?
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What is another way to say "the problems that led to it"?
What is another way to say "the problems that led to it"? As in,
Provides overview of the case, participants, background, and problems
that led to it. Arguments for the plaintiff and ...
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Term for albums named after lyrics
Is there a specific word (or words) for albums which are named after lyrics of a song on that album?
Self-titled or eponymous albums are named after the artist, while albums with a song of the same ...
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What do you call that annoying toddler that whines about everything?
You know that kid you see in a supermarket with his/her mom, and the kid is all like: "I don't like that", and starts to scream? What is a good word or slang term for that?
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Proverb or expression about a talent being ignored or unnoticed
In one of his songs, Eminem says:
It ain't too late to finally see what you closed-minded f**ks were too blind to see.
Whoever finds me is gonna get a finder's fee
I'm looking for a proverb about ...
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How to convey the point (on a resume) that you solved a problem that lasted for years?
I want to say that I solved a programming bug and has been around for years in my resume. I currently have something like "Debugged long standing bug" but I don't think it conveys that ...
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What is the best word or phrase for, 'giving without expectation of receiving anything in return.' [duplicate]
I learned from an earlier thread that the word, love, is not an action verb in English, it is a stative verb. I learned love from the ancient Greek word, Agape, which is to give without expectation ...
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Is there an idiomatic simile for "as wrong as"?
The simile "as RIGHT as rain" is idiomatic in English. Is there an idiomatic equivalent for "wrong"? If so what is it? If not, any suggestions?
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A phrase for a tip or trick passed down from one generation to the next
Many use the phrase life hack to describe a novel or clever solution to an everyday problem. Before this expression became popular I remember seeing another phrase in the English language to describe ...
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Phrase for describing someone who ended up buying something much more expensive than what was originally needed
Is there any popular phrase (proverb/idiom/slang) for describing someone who ended up buying something much more expensive than what was originally needed?
Somewhat like:
Person A needs a bike, ...
CommunityBot
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Is there a word that means to see something but not be able to describe? [duplicate]
I'm looking for a word that describes the feeling or situation you are in when you can't find words to describe something you experience. Similar to being speechless but more specifically in regard to ...
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What is the correct phrase for "shortened words"?
What I'm referring to is sometimes called slang, but I wanted to know if there is an actual name for these kinds of words.
For example, some words might be
Admin (Administration)
Fridge (...
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English equivalent of the French "Mettre au placard"
I am looking for an equivalent of the French “mettre au placard”.
It literally translates as “to put in the closet” and describes the fact of assigning no missions to someone on the job without ...
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How to convey a relation between a parameter and two things that it controls in opposite directions?
In writing the user manual for a piece of software, I'm trying to communicate the relationship between a numerical control, which I'll call frob, and two properties, which I'll call foo and bar.
...
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