Questions tagged [vocabulary]
The vocabulary tag should be used for questions discussing a multitude of words in a certain field. E.g., the vocabulary concerning money or the vocabulary concerning leatherworking.
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When is "sex" sex, and when is it "gender"?
There is a correction in today's edition of The Guardian - as follows:
A report referred to an employment tribunal ruling about "sexual
harassment". Such cases relate to behaviour of a ...
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What is the best word to detail an idea in scientific writing? [closed]
I am looking for a word to start detailing a sentence for example: Phrase1. Moreover, Phrase2.
I am confused what should I use, Furthermore or Moreover ? or there is another words ?
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Is there any difference between "congenial" and "genial"?
As the question implies, I'm interested in only the linguistic distinction between the two words I've listed. I've looked up these two words on some online dictionaries. After some searching, I've ...
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What is the word for the problem of not knowing the terminology of something [duplicate]
What is the word used to represent the frustrating situation of wanting to find out about some topic, but not knowing the proper terminology related to said topic, and therefore being unable to search ...
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Is there any difference between "nexus" and "locus"?
As the question implies, I'm interested in only the semantical aspects of the two words I've listed. I've looked up these two words on some online dictionaries. After some searching, I've noticed that ...
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What is the difference between "hallmark" and "trappings"?
Is there a distinction between "hallmarks" and "trappings"? What separates them? I've scoured many dictionaries, but I don't see the difference.
For example, Cambridge Advanced ...
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Which one is correct - run off or run off from? [closed]
They ran off the burning car before it exploded.
or
They ran off from the burning car before it exploded.
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Phonetic symbols for Port are different: Webster Internet vs Webster paper
Phonetic symbols are different for the same word Port.
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary on the Internet:
port noun (1)
\ ˈpȯrt \
Definition of port (Entry 1 of 10)
1: a place where ships may ride ...
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At some point it's pointless to buy very expensive jeans because the quality can only be so high: term for this? [duplicate]
There is a term for something being very expensive in a pointless or vain way since the quality can only reach a certain point so you're just paying for a reason besides that.
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"He tried to burgle the house but it didn't go well"
I'm trying to enrich my English vocabulary and while I was doing so, I've been thinking about the word "Burgle"
When I say "he tried to burgle the house but it didn't go well" does ...
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Does "multiple" have a special meaning within the context of industry?
I just came across this unusual usage of the word "multiple" in two separate articles about Daimler's name change and it got me wondering if it has some industry-specific meaning.
Example 1 (...
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What do we call a specific place we visit with a specific person? [duplicate]
What do we call a place that we often visit with a specific person whenever we meet?
For example, when I go out with my old friends, we go to the same place we used to 2-3 years before.
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Modern usage of the word 'hearken'
I'm doing some translation work and would like to use the word 'hearken' as the original piece (Chinese) has a religious and traditional feel to it.
Question:
Would the sentence,
"Such an ...
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Is out building universally used? [closed]
In North America we say out building for a smaller secondary structure, e.g., on a farm, used for non-human habitation, e.g., storage. Is this also used in Britain? If not, what would be a British ...
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'Just like she does'..........is it used properly in this sentence? [duplicate]
She didn’t show the workings in the math exam, she just tried to guess the answers just like she does in the homework.
I am not sure if 'just like she does' makes sense. If not what can I use ...
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What is the word for when you don’t know the word for something? [duplicate]
Is there a single concise word that describes the situation where you don’t know the word for something?
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" flip-up/down the switch " or "turn up/down the switch"
" flip-up/down the switch " or "turn up/down the switch", I'm wondering which one sounds more natural or both of them are good. Help me pls.
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Any word or phrase for changing defeat to victory in a short time? [duplicate]
Is there a word or a phrase that describes a situation where you were losing nearly completely but you strongly fight back to win nearly completely? Words like "victory" or "triumph&...
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Is the word "chum" to mean friend a common word?
Does the average American know its meaning? Is it used commonly in the spoken language? What connotations does it have?
Is it gender specific?
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Does the usage of the word 'absenteeism' in relation to COVID match with the standard usage of the word? [closed]
Wikipedia defines 'absenteeism' as staying away without good reason which to me immediately implies some kind of judgement of the reasons for staying away. However I've seen the word used in relation ...
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Is there a naming pattern that can be applied to numbers in another radix/base/root? [duplicate]
In decimal (Base Ten), we have one, two... ten... twenty-five, etc.
In senary (Base Six), what would we call six (written "10" in senary)?
What would we call the hundredths position of a ...
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Looking for a word that describes a text as ‘having too much useless information’ [duplicate]
The word should be applicable to a text with too much useless information. Preferably, the term is used in everyday speech, but I wouldn't object against somewhat grandiloquent words.
Since I’m ...
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Has the word individual 'outcompeted' that of person historically?
Would it be correct to say that the word individual have 'outcompeted' that of person since 17th century in everyday English, as well as in social sciences?
According to etymonline.com's entry on ...
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Can you wind the wind? Can you tear a tear? Can you lead to lead? What are these examples called? [duplicate]
These words are spelled the same. These words sound different. These words have different meanings.
This question can be answered and is about learning English. We really speak American in the United ...
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Mass vs weight, referring to property of a human body [closed]
If you want to ask a person what is their body mass or weight in kg or pounds, what is the proper thing to ask?
Options:
What is your mass?
What is your weight?
How much do you weigh?
What is the ...
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Synonym to Confirmation that is like a statement and not a request
While working with user interfaces, I find myself dealing with two usual interfaces:
one that asks the user to confirm that they are aware of the action that's going to be performed,
and the second ...
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Can we use Pindrop instead of Pindrop silence in a sentence?
The director of our English training institute told us that we must use pindrop instead of pindrop silence. I have searched on the internet to find out the correct way of using this word but I could ...
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What's a word for "Scattering of light by water droplets in the air" like the tyndall effect [closed]
In dark rooms, etc., when we see the path of light, dust in the air, what is that called?
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Is there a better way to say someone is "great at painting landscapes/portraits" [closed]
I would like to be able to praise someone for their paintings but am entirely lacking in the necessary vocabulary. I would welcome some pointers.
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Hobbes spelling inconsistency
I was reading Chapter 2 of Leviathan, on Page 17 of my edition (but I'm not sure if most editions have the same numbering). Hobbes spells the same word two different ways, "brain" and "...
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Universal but another word [closed]
I’ve been looking for a word for when something is created which can be enjoyed by both the general public and those with esoteric taste. I’ve been told the word is universal but tbh I don’t find that ...
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Hoodie with no hood [closed]
What is a proper term for for a hoodie like clothing but without a hood. I usually wear this under my coat
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In Loving Memory of with comma or no comma? [closed]
I am planning to write an engraved message behind an Ipad, which reads:
In Loving Memory of,
name of deceased
I am wondering if comma is needed here.
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"you may find yourself facing a hard, if meaningful, path" What does "if meaningful" mean in this context?
The full text I'm trying to understand is the following:
If you decide to split your time between two passions—say, music and psychotherapy—you may find yourself facing a hard, if meaningful, path. ...
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Mentioning isolated effect using alone/lone [closed]
I was explaining a physical phenomenon where an element produces an effect (say pressure), which is combined with the pressure induced by another phenomenon. The writing in my case demands special ...
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Wheel turning but vehicle not moving
What is this action called in English?
"Wheel turning but car not moving forward, like when there is sand under the wheel and it is difficult for the vehicle to move forward".
Also, what do ...
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What are the participants of a dalliance called?
"Dalliance" usually means some spontaneous or quick romantic relationship. What do we call the participants of this relationship? "Lover" feels a bit too generic since it applies ...
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Ameliorate example sentences
Ameliorate in Oxford's dictionary means "make (something bad or unsatisfactory) better." Since I am new with this word, I want to know whether these sentences (that I made) are correct :
...
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What does it mean that something has a hard edge to it?
I'm reading an article in the New York Times (the author recently had a daughter) and it talks about being an Asian person in America today. It reads:
But now, while my wife slept at night, I would ...
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What are examples of synonyms for desired destiny?
It doesn't have to be synonyms, it can also be phrases or other ways of describing it as well.
To clarify the context and what I mean by desired destiny. I'm writing something related to Macbeth. So ...
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Distribution of "yelp" for "yes"
I've recently come across two people online who consistently write "yelp" meaning "yes" or "yep" in chat. Due to anonymity and privacy, I don't know much about them. From ...
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Is it correct to say "I have not done enough to say no"?
I am an international student and writing my Statement of Purpose.
To give you some context, my client asked me a question that I didn't know the answers, but at the same time I felt like I did not ...
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Meaning of mount in software engineering [closed]
What does "mount" mean in the following sentence:
If you mount a local folder inside a docker container
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To present or to give a presentation [closed]
As part of a recruitment process, Bob was asked to 'present a finished product'. Bob took that literal and gave them a finished/packaged product as he thought this was the requirement. Instead, they ...
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Meaning of the word prospect [closed]
Since one of the meanings of the word "prospect" is "chances of success". Can we say "Prospects for this mission is low"?
Does that mean that the odds of successfully ...
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Alternative interpretation to the word 'rest'? [closed]
Let's assume I've created the headline:
Rafael Nadal pulls out of U.S. Open and will miss rest of 2021.
When writing the text about this, can I make the word rest to mean repose? Like Nadal misses ...
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Double comparatives: "more preferable"
Fowler reads
Sometimes the double comparative form more preferable is used.
The word more is of course unnecessary, since preferable by itself
means ‘more desirable (than)’. Like other comparatives,...
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Generic word for a verse, chorus, or bridge of a hymn or song
I'm working on a project that involves breaking a set of lyrics into “sections,” by splitting on double line breaks. Later on in the process, each section will be categorized as a verse, chorus, or ...
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can Where/Whereas be used interchangeably in the following examples?
"Whereas there were once as many as fifteen thousand divers on the island, there are now only about five thousand."
"Where there were once as many as fifteen thousand divers on the ...
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Does the expression "press the flesh" imply hypocrisy? [closed]
I read in Longman the meaning of this phrase "to shake hands with many people while campaigning for public office". Is this phrase implying that the act of "pressing the flesh"/...
user428034