All Questions
128,610
questions
106
votes
3
answers
96k
views
Difference between "delete" and "remove" [closed]
I am writing a mobile application that will, as a part of its functionality, display a list of recorded thoughts. Now I am deciding the textual content of the menus and that left me thinking whether ...
- 1,755
106
votes
5
answers
14k
views
Why is it "geometric" but "theoretical"?
I just came across a course name: Geometric and Theoretical Optics. The mismatched endings bug me. Why do we have both -ical and -ic endings?
Is there any difference in meaning between, say, ...
- 32.6k
105
votes
12
answers
13k
views
Why does "I was happy to do my homework" work, but "I was tired to do my homework" doesn't?
I'm teaching ESL, and I came across a question from one of my students that I don't know how to answer. Using the form "{subject} {verb} {adjective} {infinitive phrase}" we've been going over ...
- 1,056
104
votes
21
answers
24k
views
How to say that food is hot (temperature) without the listener thinking that I mean "spicy"?
There is an excellent discussion of spicy vs. hot at this question.
However, having read it, I did not see any answer that tells how to say unambiguously that food is hot (temperature) without being ...
- 1,881
104
votes
11
answers
526k
views
What is the correct way to use infinitive after the verb "help": with or without "to"?
What is the correct way to use infinitive after the verb "help": with or without "to"?
For example:
Please, help me to understand this.
or:
Please, help me understand this.
- 10.2k
104
votes
2
answers
14k
views
Why is embassy spelled with E but ambassador with A?
It seems both words are related to each other through French roots (ambassade, ambassadeur), both of which are spelled with an "A" in the front.
Why and when was the initial letter of "embassy" ...
- 821
104
votes
10
answers
139k
views
Appropriate dash to use when attributing a quotation?
If I’m citing a poem or quotation, what kind of dash precedes the author’s name?
For example:
This Business of Printing; which I am heartily tired of, and repent I e’er attempted....
—John ...
- 1,041
103
votes
13
answers
16k
views
Is there English counterpart(s) to Japanese old saying, “Present salt to your enemy.”?
We have a popular Japanese saying, “敵に塩を送る” — literally, “present (supply) salt to one's enemy”, meaning ‘play fair and square, not taking advantage of the weak point of your rival.’ It’s different ...
- 69.9k
103
votes
3
answers
959k
views
Should I use a comma before "and" or "or"?
Is using a comma then an "and" or an "or" after it proper punctuation?
Example:
I fell over, and hurt my knee.
Should I go, or not?
- 1,033
103
votes
2
answers
4k
views
Are the dual transportation and learning meanings of both "coach" and "train" just a coincidence?
In a learning context, you have one individual who "coaches" and another who "trains".
In a transportation context, "coaches" and "trains" are both methods of transport.
Is this just a coincidence ...
- 845
102
votes
3
answers
155k
views
What is the correct possessive for nouns ending in "‑s"?
What is the possessive of a noun ending in ‑s? Are these both right, or is the second one wrong?
the boys' books
the boss' car
- 58.6k
101
votes
12
answers
220k
views
What is the difference between an Emperor and a King?
I was at a loss when I was asked recently by my grand-daughter who is a school girl about the difference between Emperor and King. She asked me why Great Britain has King and Queen, while Germany and ...
- 69.9k
101
votes
10
answers
91k
views
How to pronounce "tuple"?
A recent question has reminded me of something I’ve been wondering about for a while: what is the correct way to pronounce tuple?
- 1,736
99
votes
23
answers
27k
views
Idiom for someone who buys all the best gear to do something before they even have a basic proficiency?
I'm looking for an idiom to describe someone who decides to take up a new hobby, then buys an excessive amount of gear before they've even started. Perhaps they believe they need this gear to master ...
- 1,043
99
votes
9
answers
391k
views
"A few" vs. "few"
I have few friends.
I have a few friends.
I thought "few" means just one, two or even none. "A few" typically means more than two. However it seems to me some people say "few" when they really ...
- 3,654
99
votes
13
answers
182k
views
Are collective nouns (and in particular companies) always given a plural verb form, or are certain ones treated as singular?
I'd say Microsoft have a way of bending the rules and I know that McLaren have won the championship. While this sounds strange, I believe it is correct English (sorry, I'm not native).
But when it's ...
- 1,834
99
votes
14
answers
67k
views
A word for a value between 0 and 1 (inclusive) [closed]
I'm a programmer. I'm so sick of writing documentation for things that should be explainable in a word.
When you write a function in a programming language, you get to name its parameters. Most things ...
- 1,125
99
votes
6
answers
181k
views
Should there be a comma after "i.e."? [duplicate]
If I remember correctly from English class, then one should put a comma after "i.e.", i.e., the Latin abbreviation for id est.
But lately I've seen the comma after "i.e." dropped in books. So what is ...
- 1,237
98
votes
9
answers
46k
views
History of "X is dead. Long live X"
What is the history of "X is dead. Long live X"?
For example,
Location is dead. Long live Location.
JavaScript is dead. Long live JavaScript.
I feel like I'm missing out on a joke.
- 1,115
98
votes
3
answers
18k
views
Why are names starting with a "J" common, while words starting with a "J" are uncommon?
There's a reason "J" is worth 10 points in Word feud, it's a quite uncommon letter.
According to Lewand, arranged from most to least common in appearance, the letters are: ...
- 2,107
98
votes
7
answers
330k
views
"Compared with" vs "Compared to"—which is used when?
Is only one of them correct? Are they used in different situations? Or are they interchangeable?
- 1,119
97
votes
6
answers
185k
views
What's the difference between a graph, a chart, and a plot?
A graph, a chart, and a plot can all refer to the same thing. Is there any even somewhat consistent distinction in these three words?
(I mean, in this particular sense of the words; it is not ...
- 1,094
96
votes
4
answers
14k
views
Is that an "r" in "worship" in a text from 1591?
I was trying to see how the Spanish word merced was translated into English in the 16th century, when I found this entry in a dictionary from 1591 by Richard Percyvall:
I understand that the second ...
- 2,555
96
votes
3
answers
11k
views
How did English retain its non-Christian names of the week?
It amazes me that despite centuries of religion dominating almost every aspect of life in Britain or at the very least exerting a great deal of influence on the public and private sphere, the English ...
- 2,047
96
votes
9
answers
28k
views
Why Third 'Reich'? Why is 'reich' not translated when 'third' is? What is the English synonym of reich?
Why is Nazi-Germany commonly referred to as "The Third Reich" in English? Why is reich not translated when Dritten ("third") is?
And what is the English synonym of reich? Realm?
Austria (Republik ...
- 1,295
96
votes
3
answers
72k
views
Why does "Mickey Mouse Operation" refer to a poorly run company?
A phrase I commonly hear (and use myself) when a company (or individual, in some cases) does something that seems foolish or not planned is to ask
What kind of Mickey Mouse operation are you ...
- 3,873
95
votes
20
answers
579k
views
Which expressions can be used to close an email? [closed]
At the end of written communication like emails and letters, it is customary to use a closing valediction or "complementary close". Which formal and informal expressions can be used to end emails?
- 35.2k
95
votes
3
answers
79k
views
Is "believe you me" proper English?
I understand the phrase "believe you me" to be an emphatic version of "believe me" but how did it come to be? Is it a poor translation into English?
- 1,504
94
votes
124
answers
72k
views
What words are commonly mispronounced by literate people who read them before they heard them?
Quite a few words are mispronounced by under-educated people, or people learning English as a second language. Some words are often mispronounced by quite educated people who read, and began reading ...
94
votes
10
answers
47k
views
How do Americans refer to their non-metric system in everyday circumstances?
In Australian English, we'd refer to using feet, inches, pounds, ounces and the like as "imperial units". In everyday conversation, do Americans refer to their non-metric units as "imperial", even ...
- 18k
94
votes
16
answers
21k
views
"Soccer mom": why soccer?
...why not football mom, baseball mom, or basketball mom?
Soccer mom, as far as I can tell, is an American term made popular during the 1996 presidential elections, used to describe a key demographic ...
- 3,601
94
votes
3
answers
19k
views
Why is there no "autumntime" or "falltime"?
Why is "autumntime" (or "falltime") not a word?
wintertime => sure
springtime => fine
summertime => lovely
But apparently autumn/fall has no equivalent. Why?
- 1,295
94
votes
13
answers
17k
views
Is "data" treated as singular or plural in formal contexts?
My non-native English speaking friend just asked me: "Data is..." or "Data are..."?
I said both but that's because I've been desensitized from reading/writing both (especially from writing code and ...
- 1,321
94
votes
3
answers
138k
views
"Maximum" vs. "maximal"
What is the difference in usage between maximum and maximal? When would you use one or the other?
Maximum can be a noun or an adjective:
This is the maximum it can be set to.
This is the ...
- 1,979
94
votes
13
answers
89k
views
Which is correct: "could care less" or "couldn't care less"?
What's the deal with the phrase "could care less"?
Whilst growing up, I've always known people (parents etc) to use the phrase "couldn't care less", but I've also come across people who use the ...
- 1,531
94
votes
7
answers
33k
views
Is it acceptable to nest parentheses?
Is it acceptable to nest parentheses (for example, if I (meaning myself) write like this)?
- 1,043
93
votes
7
answers
21k
views
Is there a gender neutral equivalent of “manspreading”?
Who knew that the term manspreading is considered deeply sexist? I didn't
A nameless user proposed to delete the term from an answer of mine. His explanation was “remove misandry”. I had written
...
- 88.4k
93
votes
29
answers
25k
views
Is there an American English equivalent of the British idiom "carrying coals to Newcastle"?
I'm an American living in the Netherlands who is learning Dutch. There's an idiom in Dutch that describes performing a needless/futile activity, "water naar de zee dragen," which literally translates ...
- 902
93
votes
5
answers
54k
views
What does 'TL;DR' mean and how is it used?
I do my best, at my advanced age, to come to grips with the apparent acceptability of such widely used words/expressions/abbreviations as lol/LOL, IMHO, AFAIK, etc. However, TLDR/tl;dr defeats me. ...
- 4,720
93
votes
5
answers
162k
views
Which is correct, "dataset" or "data set"?
I write dataset instead of data set, in the same way I write database instead of data base.
Looking at some English dictionaries, I don't find dataset.
Does that mean dataset isn't correct and I ...
- 58.6k
93
votes
2
answers
92k
views
Is there a single term for "nieces and nephews"?
I find it handy when talking about my sons and daughters I can just say my children. It's nice to say nieces instead of sibling's daughters. I wonder if there is a similar term for nieces and nephews ...
- 1,033
92
votes
14
answers
26k
views
Is there really no English equivalent to German's “Fachidiot”?
There was the following paragraph in the article that came under the title, “GOP and the rise of Anti-knowledge” written by Mike Lofgren in Consortiumnews.com (October 29, 2015):
“English ...
- 69.9k
92
votes
12
answers
120k
views
Is "I'd've" proper use of the English language?
While reading a book, I came across the word I'd've, as in:
I'd've argued against it.
While it was obvious what it meant, it left me puzzled. Is I'd've a proper word?
- 1,613
92
votes
1
answer
5k
views
Is there a name for this type of sentence structure: "She looks as though she's been poured into her clothes, and forgot to say 'when'"?
Comedians seem to use phrases that employ this type of sentence structure - is there a name for it?
Examples of Groucho Marx's one liners seem to fit this pattern — and if memory serves, Emo Philips. ...
user5531
91
votes
5
answers
738k
views
"Consist in" vs. "consist of"
I would like to clarify this once and for all: What is the correct use of "consist in" vs. "consist of"?
"Meditation consists in/of attentive watchfulness."
"The ...
- 1,340
91
votes
8
answers
20k
views
Is -1 followed by a singular or plural noun?
Do we say "-1 thing" or "-1 things"?
I am interested in both
two things minus one thing(s)
and
minus/negative one thing(s)
- 921
91
votes
10
answers
196k
views
Equivalent of "both" when referring to three or more items?
What would be the correct word to use when referring to three or more items, in the same manner as the word both?
For example, using two words, with the word both:
"There are several ...
- 1,176
91
votes
5
answers
71k
views
Why is the word "pants" plural?
We wear a shirt, a jacket but a pair of pants.
Why is pants plural?
- 1,029
90
votes
10
answers
36k
views
Is "denigrate" a racist word? [duplicate]
A few years ago I was told not to use that word because, in addition to its negative meaning, it comes from Latin denigratus, past participle of denigrare, which means to blacken. Therefore, "to ...
- 49.5k
89
votes
25
answers
12k
views
How to read “E = (mc)²” so as not to mistake for “E = mc²”
According to one of the questions already asked on EL&U, “E = mc²” is read as
E equals M C squared.
How do we read “E = (mc)²” so that it is not mistaken for “E = mc²”?
- 4,215