67
votes
What is the connotation of “The Hitchhiker's Guide to XYZ”?
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is itself a reference to a book title that was well-known at the time Douglas Adams wrote his original radio drama.
"The Hitchhiker's Guide to Europe" by ...
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40
votes
Accepted
What's a word for a person being fed on by a blood sucking animal?
"Host" would be the most correct term biologically, though it's more often associated with long-term parasites / guests that actually live in or on the host.
If you want to avoid the "...
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34
votes
Is there an antonym for the verb 'besiege'?
A customary usage is to barricade oneself in:
barricade yourself in/inside (something)
to build a barricade in front of you in order to prevent anyone from coming in
He had barricaded himself in ...
- 95.6k
34
votes
Accepted
What is the word to express the fact that 'it will not require doing something'?
There's the far more formal term obviate:
obviate: remove (a need or difficulty).
The presence of roller blinds obviated the need for curtains.
[Lexico]
But eliminate would be my choice, neither ...
- 71k
31
votes
Is it considered rude or inappropriate to frequently address others as "friend" - often in a disingenuous fashion?
It's worth adding this to existing answers.
In certain native English (and possibly other British) social settings, e.g. in the pub, where young men gather to fuel up on testosterone and alcohol, the ...
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29
votes
Accepted
Can I say "the US people"?
This usage is awkward and uncommon, but for reasons of idiom rather than grammar. "American people" is far more common.
To get a few technicalities out of the way: "US" is not ...
- 5,613
28
votes
Is it considered rude or inappropriate to frequently address others as "friend" - often in a disingenuous fashion?
I believe this is very dependent on context and culture.
If an American who is not actually my friend were to address me as "friend", I would interpret it as antagonistic, especially if they ...
- 16.6k
26
votes
Word for a person or entity who is permitted by society to do bad/greedy things because they have been charitable
I would say "Absolve" is the word that best fits the example sentence
This person's charity does not absolve their greed.
it's originally a religious term, as in having ones sins absolved.
...
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26
votes
What is the word for the airflow effect from opening two windows on opposite sides of a room?
Cross-ventilation
This was the term used in our house, and since my father worked in the heating/ventilation/air-conditioning field, I assumed it was "correct". A cursory Web search ...
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25
votes
"The machine must be kept operating at its *WORD* " - What is the word?
The first word that occurred to me was optimum. Four major dictionaries suggest that this is a good choice:
Merriam-Webster definition 1
is “the amount or degree of something that is most favorable to ...
- 6,634
25
votes
Accepted
What word would you use for something that accidentally works?
It's possible to call it a fluke.
: a stroke of luck
The word is generally used to describe something good that happens but not due to merit. It happened due to some unexpected luck.
See example ...
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24
votes
What is the word for the airflow effect from opening two windows on opposite sides of a room?
Through-draught (Lexico; not many places define the compound), or of course through-draft if that's the spelling in use where you live.
It's defined as a draught or air current passing through a room ...
- 21k
24
votes
What's a word for a person being fed on by a blood sucking animal?
From the perspective of a biologist
This is NOT an example of a predator / prey relationship. By definition, a predator KILLS its prey. If the person whose blood is being taken generally lives, they ...
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23
votes
"The machine must be kept operating at its *WORD* " - What is the word?
One common word often used in such contexts that you seem to have overlooked is peak:
constituting the highest or maximum level, volume, etc.; optimal; prime:
a machine running at peak performance.
[...
- 6,630
23
votes
Is there an antonym for the verb 'besiege'?
Occupy is a common verb for this. It has an older association with the military occupation of a country, but movements such as Occupy Wall Street and the wider Occupy movement strengthened the link of ...
- 5,061
21
votes
Word for a person or entity who is permitted by society to do bad/greedy things because they have been charitable
In the particular sentence you gave,
This person's charity does not ________ their greed.
the usual phrases would be excuse or make up for. There are many other possibilities: offset, compensate for, ...
- 12k
21
votes
English word for this type of clothes?
It looks like a stylised version of the caped 'greatcoat' worn in the (British) Regency period.
- 18.5k
21
votes
Accepted
Is it considered rude or inappropriate to frequently address others as "friend" - often in a disingenuous fashion?
Your opinion is sound. Let's start with main definitions of friend found in three major dictionaries:
Merriam Webster
one attached to another by affection or esteem
She's my best friend
one that is ...
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19
votes
Word for a person or entity who is permitted by society to do bad/greedy things because they have been charitable
Besides the good list of words in linguisticum's answer, maybe license would fit:
license verb
transitive verb
2 : to give permission or consent to : allow Source: Merriam-Webster
So:
This person's ...
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19
votes
What is the word for the airflow effect from opening two windows on opposite sides of a room?
I have heard this called cross flow ventilation. I have never heard a single word synonym for it.
- 2,333
18
votes
Is there an antonym for the verb 'besiege'?
To fortify oneself in a secure position that is difficult to assault but also difficult to leave is to entrench oneself.
entrench
in American English
(enˈtrentʃ)
TRANSITIVE VERB
to place in a ...
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17
votes
English word for this type of clothes?
Apparently, the term Inverness cape (/'Inverness Greatcoat') has been used for a similar if less flamboyant British garment:
Mans Single Breasted English Regency Inverness Greatcoat Victorian [Etsy]
...
- 71k
16
votes
What word describes someone I know exists but have never met?
I am looking for a word to describe someone I know exists but that I
have not yet met in person or virtually.
I suggest a checkbox labeled "Know of" for people you know of, but do not know ...
- 17.4k
16
votes
Does the book title "The Art of XYZ" imply doing XYZ is an art, requiring creative skill?
One of Oxford's definitions of art is a skill at doing a specified thing, typically one acquired through practice (Lexico). In this sense, it doesn't necessarily mean
a creative skill, just something ...
- 18.5k
15
votes
Accepted
Verb used with the word "dumbbell"
"Lift" really is right. It's what we generally do with weights, even though lowering under control is an important part of the exercise. Used alone, "lift" implies a number of ...
- 21k
15
votes
Looking for a word to describe the nature at higher places
How about alpine?
of, pertaining to, on, or part of any lofty mountain.
very high; elevated.
growing on mountains above the limit of tree growth:
alpine plants
[Dictionary.com]
Additionally, this ...
- 6,630
15
votes
What is the word to express the fact that 'it will not require doing something'?
Creating a spare disk obviates the need for more disk space.
Merriam Webster
obviate, transitive verb
To anticipate and prevent (something, such as a situation) or make (an action) unnecessary
The ...
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14
votes
What is the word for the airflow effect from opening two windows on opposite sides of a room?
Cross-breeze is the term I would expect to encounter in this context, hyphenated from the adjective/noun in your example sentence to form a new noun. I personally wouldn't even blink at crossbreeze ...
- 1,803
14
votes
English word for this type of clothes?
It is a Robe or Coat.
Since it is so elaborate, I would call it a Greatcoat (with cape)
- 29.6k
12
votes
Is there an antonym for the verb 'besiege'?
The modern term for it is a sit-in - so the verbal form would be he stages a sit-in, I suppose.
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Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible