texts: Has there been a decrease of use of the word "rend" in literature?

texts: The word "rend" (Verb: "to tear (something) into pieces with force or violence") is such an effective word. Descriptive and visceral. Yet it seems to me it's fading from literature and becoming an antiquated term used mainly in pre-20th century literature. Is this true? It would be a shame to let such an effective word fall into disuse.


texts: Is there a single word or phrase to describe a context-less option for "manual" or "automatic"?

texts:
Is there a word (or a short sentence) that can describe category which includes Automatic or Manual as mutually exclusive options? Of course I mean without more context (if used, for example, to indicate manual transmission or automatic transmission in a vehicle we may use transmission type).

Usage examples:

Reply can be either automatic or manual if our ES doesn't have an existing solution to your problem.
Data will processed either automatically or manually according to this flag.

How to describe this flag? Is there a single word/short sentence for this that can be used out of context to generally describe an option that can have one of these N values?

Edit: A little bit more context about usage: I'm looking for a name to use for an enum type, it's reused in many places so I would use a generic word without too much context. I know it may be a bool value like IsAutomatic but in near future few more values will be added (for example, Automatic, Semiautomatic, and Manual).


texts: Is "obverse" a normal word to be used in general writing, if not, is there any alternative?

texts:
Heraclitus was obviously no exception, indeed he probably expressed the universality of change more clearly than his predecessors; but for him it was the obverse idea of the measure inhering in change, the stability that presists through it, that was of vital importance.(The Presocratic Philosophers, by G.Kirk)

"Obverse idea" refers to the "measure","logos", which is the unchangeable in the changable things. So it seems that "obverse" is presumed by the author to mean "reverse": unchangable vs change.

But with second thought, I think it is not so. The two theory both are valid for Heraclitus, therefore they are  not opposing, but complementing each other.

I think this sort of contrastive relation is perfectly expressed by "obverse", I cannot find another word to replace it. But by using Google N-gram viewer, I find that "obverse" is extremely rarely used. So does anyone have other suggested alternatives?


texts: I understand "she looked me in the eye" is a set phrase, but I wonder why not "in the eyes." Can anyone explain?


texts: Is there a word for the opposite of an intended effect?

texts:
Is there a word in English connected to a process resulting in not just an unexpected outcome, but the direct opposite of its intended effect? Like feeling more tired after waking up? Or feeling dirtier after washing your hands (because the bathroom isn't clean)?

Example Sentence:

  "I got 8 hours of sleep but I'm more tired than when I went to sleep.
  That's so _____."


texts: Is it proper to ask to belay a request to a superior?

texts: The term belay is often used to cancel an order in military settings. The definition indicates it just means to cancel. However, would asking a superior (in a civilian private sector employment situation) add an improper tone to the request?


texts: 'Advised me to..' vs 'Advised me that I..'

texts:
Which one is correct?

He advised me to see the doctor.

He advised me that I see the doctor.


texts: Should it be.... 'The day you become Mrs' or 'The day you became Mrs'?

texts:
I am looking to get something engraved and wondered if it should read 'the day you become Mrs' or 'the day you became'.

Many thanks for your help in advance!


texts: What does "Many, many happy returns of the day" mean in context of a birthday?

texts:
Today I saw a birthday card which says:

  Many, many happy returns of the day.

Can you help me understand what it means?


texts: Did English ever have a formal version of "you"?

texts: From the top of my head, Danish "De" (practically never used), German "Sie", Chinese "您", French "vous", Spanish "usted" are a formal way of addressing someone, especially if one isn't familiar with the addressee. Did English ever have this? It sounds as though Proto-Indo-European might have had this (based on my 4 examples), but perhaps someone can enlighten me?


texts:
Say we have an online discussion where I oppose an idea. After reading additional explanation, I realise that both sides have some merit. So while I do not expicitly agree, I want to let the other one know that he has a valid point, and I want to politely withdraw my opposition.

I´d use "fair enough" to express that specific attitude. But when translating it into german, I find additional meanings like "I forgive you" or "whatever, let´s just end this stupid discussion".

Are those so widely adopted usages that fair enough has a negative/offensive meaning?


texts: Why does Word not like this statement, "For each iteration"

texts:
Every time I type "after each iteration", Word tells me it has an issue with it. The specific issue is "Number agreement". What am I missing?

My text is "XYZ must occur after each iteration."


texts: Is "versatile" an alternative for "multitasking"?

texts: In a textbook, they said that computers are versatile. I thought they were talking of the different sectors of business where computers are used. But they explained that computers can do different tasks simultaneously.


texts:
I am a native English speaker and I have started learning German.  I have learned the German word "Wo" equates to "Where" in English, and the German word "Wer" equates to "Who"

If both German and English have there roots in Proto Germanic how did the words for "who" and "where" become reversed in the two languages?


texts: "For how many days have you been there?"

texts:
I read the following and was wondering if it was grammatically correct? Can we use this if the person just moved from that place and you run into him in a new place?

  For how many days have you been there?

http://m.fanfiction.net/s/2086227/16/


texts: What is the word for "since beginning of time"?

texts:
We have the word "eternal" that refers to something that will exist forever, something that never ends, which is related to the word "eternity" that refers to the end of time.

Is there a similar word for "the beginning of time", or something that has existed, as some might say, "since forever"? As an adjective, it would be used like: "My love for you is ...". The noun could be used like: "I have loved you since ...".

There is such a Persian word, for example, widely used in Persian literature, which is usually used to describe God, Love, etc.


texts:
I just had to look up "cruft" (jargon for software or hardware that is of poor quality), as used in a comment to an earlier question.

But I can't find any details of etymology, and I don't know how often it's used outside the superfluous source code that has yet to be removed context. Can anyone help?


texts: Difference between 'infectious' and 'contagious'

texts:
On Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary we read:

  Infectious: an infectious disease can be passed easily from one person
  to another, especially through the air they breathe.

  Contagious: if a person is contagious, they have a disease that can be
  spread to other people by touch.

But, cholera and typhoid (for example) are usually spread through the environment.

I am not sure what is the word to use on such cases. Could we say contagious in cholera disease?


texts: E.g. Be careful on the road. There's [ many / much / a lot of ] traffic at this time of day

texts:
I'm teaching students quantifiers and need a bit of help with this example.

There's much traffic at this time of day. Is this incorrect? My feeling is that it's grammatically correct but yes, does feel a little strange.

I lean more towards 'There's a lot of traffic at this time...' being the correct answer but I'm unsure why it's 'more' correct than 'there's much traffic.....'


texts: Difference between "Thanking you" and "Thank you"?

texts:
I always use in my letter "Thanking you in advance for your time and consideration."
But one of my colleagues said thanking you was not correct usage of English, it should be thank you.  So my question is: can I use thanking you or should I use thank you?


texts: Which one is correct: "The friend who I met is cute" or "The friend whom I met is cute"?

texts:
Or maybe both are correct?

I would be inclined to think that 'whom' is correct, because its case is in sync with the verb 'met'. I know that in the languages with developed cases (like Russian), only the equivalent of 'whom' would be correct. But what about in English?


texts: What would be a good antonym for the term "reflective equilibrium"?

texts:
The term reflective equilibrium refers to, very simply put, when there's a balance between one's intuition and one's theories about the world.

Personally, I tend to strive for the opposite, an imbalance, because I find intuition to be treacherous and perhaps even a direct enemy of logic. As a word-lover, I would very much like to have an equally eloquent term to describe this point. Any good ideas?


texts:
He shot a gun.
  He fired a gun.

Do these sentences mean the same thing? I often hear the former, but it has always felt wrong to me (as if another gun were the target).


texts:
Given that 'what gives?' is used to comment on something gone wrong, annoying, or in general negatively surprising, is it correct or idiomatic usage to say/write

done X, let's see what gives

to suggest X will likely have negative impact?


texts: A few questions about American-English vocabulary

texts:
There are a few terms I would like to use and am not sure if they are acceptable in American English. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

"the gormless expression on his face".

My US English MS Word is underlining "gormless" as being incorrect. Is this word used in the US?

Imagine a very big house/mansion. At the back of the house there is a big back garden, but outside, between the house and the garden is a big area with slabs of stones where guests can mingle for example or you can have a barbecue. Would this be called a "patio"? Or is it an "esplanade" or something else?
If there is a coffee shop with some seats outside in the open air, is this area called the "terrace"?
E.g. "We sat on the terrace of the coffee shop."
Is the room of the house that contains the washing machine/dryer and perhaps the mains switchboard and other tools or storage stuff called the "utility room"?
There's a big gala and waiters are milling around with trays of drinks. Is "waiter" an appropriate word or should it be "server"?
Are people who come to your house to do jobs (plumbers/electricians) called "workmen"? Or is it "tradesmen" or something?
"As usual, he's acting like a dithering moron".

I don't recalled hearing "dithering" being used in US English. Would the above expression be acceptable?

Is the rail around a balcony called a "balustrade" in the US? Would this word be understood?
If there is a really huge house with lots of rooms, can you call the corridors in the house "hallways"?

E.g. "We walk down the hallway in silence before arriving at the bedroom."

While I appreciate any input, it would be most useful to only get advice from actual American English speakers.

Thanks so much!


texts: the slight doubt expressed in this is, of course, crucial

texts:
The following context is about surveillance. Does the bold sentence want to say that people somehow know that they may be monitored, but they are not sure, because they may not be really monitored, and this suspicion and uncertainty (of whether being monitored or not) is something important?

From Art in the City by Nicolas Whybrow:


texts: Starting a sentence with "One question..." and then stating the question?

texts:
I am wondering about proper grammar in this case. Or if I should just avoid starting a sentence with "One question..." (my gut tells me I should).

Here are some examples:

  One question you could research is, do female birds mature more quickly than their male counterparts?

I believe it is proper to end with a question mark there, and I put the comma because I also believe that is correct grammatically. Although I feel perhaps a colon would be more suitable?

and another example:

  One question you could research, and whose answer I am particularly interested in myself, is: Do female birds mature more quickly than their male counterparts?

In this second example I am particularly interested in whether I should have a colon after "is", or if a comma (or nothing) would be better?

So to restate my questions: I am wondering whether the examples are correct, or if there are any suggestions/corrections regarding them. Additionally, is starting a sentence with "One question..." is okay, or should I avoid doing so for some reason?

Thanks.

Bonus Example: (I am okay if what follows is ignored/not answered, but I don't think it warrants an additional question so I'm asking it here).

Consider the following:

  One question you could research is: what impact does doing ten jumping jacks a day have on a person's lifespan?

vs

  One question you could research is what impact doing ten jumping jacks a day has on a person's lifespan.

I don't know if the second formulation is correct or not. If it isn't, why is it incorrect? If it is correct, why do I not need a comma or a question mark at the end? Did I reformulate the question as an indirect question? (I'm not clear on the distinction between direct and indirect question yet, sorry).


texts: Should a serial comma be used when mimicking Victorian-era British text?

texts: I am editing a manuscript that mimics the style of late 19th-century British writing. To what extent were serial commas used during this time period?


texts:
The Grammarist says I should use rife with rather than ripe with.

So far so good and I agree. But is there an exception for ripe with opportunity?

Googlefight overwhelmingly prefers ripe, and I like the imagery of an opportunity tree ripe with fruit.

Which is correct: ripe with opportunity or rife with opportunity?


texts: If I say I will be here in 5 minutes (or in 5 days), in this context, does in mean after or between now and 5 minutes after? And, in that context, does within mean the same as in?


texts:
For this text:

The weeds on the compost heap, I began feeding the shrubs with Blood, Fish and Bone.----

I am wondering whether the "Blood, Fish and Bone" above indicates "the weeds" and "the compost heap" or not, or indicates something else?
The context is :

And she'd reply, "I prefer to be called by my maiden name, from now on."
The weeds on the compost heap, I began feeding the shrubs with Blood, Fish and Bone. Three miles away Patrick Beeman would be working down a list of bullet points with Lorna: General Procedure, Custody, Money, House, Pensions, Miscellaneous, Standard Fees.

Excerpted from David Mitchell's novel "The Massive Rat":
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/aug/01/david-mitchell-short-story-rat

[Edit, following comments received:
I now think the narrator used the Blood, Fish and Bone to feed the shrubs.
It seems I have to learn something about the gardening...]


texts:
Did I pronounce the phrase "I'm gonna be gone for five weeks" correctly? https://clyp.it/oobrogbu

Phonetically it looks like: [aɪm gɑnə bɪ gɔn fər faɪv wiks]. I have no idea which words should I stress, I heard the phrase on the web and tried to imitate it. I think the stress should look like this: [aɪm ˌgɑnə bɪ ˈgɔn fər ˈfaɪv ˌwiks]. I may be wrong. I mean the phrase in a general context, when I want someone to know that I will be gone.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!


texts: "This should  perfectly be done". "This should be perfectly done". Of the two sentences, which one is correct? I am confused about placing of adverb "perfectly". Should the adverb be placed before "be" or after "be". Or, could it be placed at either place?


texts: Is it correct and formal to use "ones" in this sentence..?

texts:
Ions follow Hofmeister series and “salting out” effect is more significant of anions than cations and multivalent salts than monovalent ones.

Thank you for your opinion and help. :)


texts:
I understand "He is gone" or "Winter is gone" is the common usage.
But is "She is come" or "Spring is come" as common?


texts: A word or phrase to say something reminds or hints or brings up another idea

texts:
I want to tell that something reminds/hint us of another thing. For example, in an application, a sorting method used in it has similarities to bubble sort but not completely the same. In this case, when reading about the sorting method used in the application reminds or hints me of, or brings to mind the idea of bubble sort. So, I tried to put this idea into a sentence this way:

  The sorting method used in the application reminisces bubble sort.

But in this sentence, is the word reminisces used appropriately?

So I thought of phrasing it the other way:

  The sorting method used in the application is a reminiscent of bubble sort.

I seldom hear the word reminiscent being used in this context and it sounds weird when I use it this way. Is it correct?

Since it also feels like a hint, I thought maybe I could use the word "allude":

  The sorting method used in the application alludes bubble sort.

Here, again, alludes doesn't sound like a right word to use.

What word or way of phrasing should I use to get this idea across clearly?


texts: Can "X is enough." be used when X is plural?

texts:
I was writing a meta post on another site where saying "Done." was a sufficient post. In order to meet the character limit, I typed the sentence:

  Sometimes five characters is really enough.

After looking at it, I changed it to:

  Sometimes five characters are really enough.

Somehow, as a native speaker, the first one still feels better to me, although I can't figure out why that is or if my feeling is misleading me.

Is my initial pass on the sentence grammatically correct? Does it mean something different than the second take?


texts:
Would it be correct to change this...

  "He agreed to those changes, but insisted that if the team do not reach the objective by the deadline, the company must commit to implement all the modifications"

...into this?

  "He agreed to those changes, but insisted that if the team did not reach the objective by the deadline, the company had to commit to implement all the modifications"

(Additional info: the deadline specified was a year after the discussion, and three years before the document)


texts: What is the meaning and origin of "set-piece battle"?

texts:
The definition I've found that makes the most sense is Wikipedia's:

  In warfare, a set piece battle may involve large formations moving according to a plan and responding to the opposing force also by plan.

So I assume the point is that the course of the battle is decided in advance, as opposed something ad-hoc or improvised.

But what's the origin of the term?  And what are its opposites?


texts: Semantic Difference between "Skill" and "Skills"

texts:
I believe that there is a subtle semantic difference between skills and skill.

According to the Oxford English dictionary, the uncountable noun "skill" refers to the ability to do something well such as expertise while the countable noun "skill(s)" refers to a particular ability.

Moreover, Merriam Webster dictionary classifies "skill" into two categories. The first category refers to one's ability to use knowledge effectively and readily in execution or performance; and, the second category refers to a learned (or developed) aptitude or ability.

Is that why the plural form of "skill" is used for the learned or to-be learned ability of performing or executing a particular subject? For example, communication skills (instead of communication skill), English skills (instead of English skill), hairstyling skills (instead of hairstyling skill).

Some would say that the reason for using the plural form is that a subject requires a set of abilities for its performance or execution. If the semantic difference does not exist, this will be the sole reason for using the plural form. On the other hand, if the semantic difference exists, this will another reason .

I would appreciate your answer.


texts:
I'm watching Trevor Noah's video on YouTube.
https://youtu.be/v4amCfVbA_c

At about 7:30,
'But I think what people take for how much, for so many people, that feels like nothing, you know?'

I don't understand what this means.
Can you explain it in easy words?
And let me know what 'that' means in 'that feels like nothing'.
Thank you :)


texts: Using 'why noun' instead of 'why noun?' in a title?

texts:
These appear interchangeable to me:
Example:
With regards to the company's green logo.
Why green
Green was the colour chosen by...
Why green?
Green was the colour chosen by...
Are both options correct? What's the difference?


texts:
I am writing critical analysis essay on philosophical paper. It is an undergraduate 1000 word task.
I have a sentence:

(contents of philosophical paper) contradicts with what idea 1, idea 2, and idea3.
In this essay, (contents of philosophical paper) are analysed based on **those** ideas.

Is this a legal move to make in English essay writing? If not, is there any possible alternative phrases/words I can use?


texts: Is there a single word that could describe the phrase "makes it look easy"?

texts:
As an example, consider this sentence:

When Roger Federer plays tennis, he just "makes it look so easy".

A single word or maybe a smaller phrase that I could replace it with?


texts: Why is "sherbet" pronounced "sherbert" so much?

texts: This has often stumped me.  Not being a world-traveler, I don't know how widespread this pronunciation is, but if anyone knows: where did the r come from?


texts:
According to Merriam-Webster, draft means a preliminary sketch.

  draft n. a preliminary sketch, outline or version. e.g. the author's first draft

Interestingly, Merriam-Webster also provides a definition for "rough draft".

  rough draft, a first version of something. e.g. I just completed a rough draft of my speech

Q1. is "rough draft" used ONLY for "a first draft" (i.e. not for "a second draft"?)

Q2. is "rough" somewhat redundant, since "draft" by definition is preliminary ?


texts:
I came across the construction "X to be Y until it [not to be Y]" several times..For example in Silicon Valley TV Show:

  That was pretty badass Richard, until it wasn’t

and I always thought that it literally means "X to be Y until something happens". Recently I tried to use this construction in the article named "ES6 is great, until it’s not"(ES6 is programming language) and the main point of the article is ES6 is OK to use as soon as it does not bring serious problems. However, I can see from the comments and replies that many perceive the content like I am trying to discredit ES6 which was not my intention at all..I suspect that it happened because the name does not actually means what I thought it means..So, I need help - what's the actual meaning of "X to be Y until it [not to be Y]" and whether it has fully negative connotations?


texts: What is the correct word for people for which you buy insurance?

texts:
I am thinking of the word "Co-insured" but I'm not sure.

E.g. when you pay for some insurance for yourself and your family. Your daughter does not pay but she is covered. She's a ...


texts:
I'm not a native speaker. Also, I play video games. :P When the video game Left 4 Dead came out I thought the phrase was just a cool but largely meaningless title that hinted at the game being about zombies.

I, since then, found out it was a real phrase, but I'm still unsure as to what it really means. For example, the phrase "They were left for dead", does it mean something like this...

"They were left to die [because there was no hope for them]", or maybe...
"It was assumed they were dead by then." (ie. highly unlikely that they were still alive), or...
"They were left there on purpose so they would die."

Also, another form of the phrase is "let die", which I first heard in Green Day's song "21 Guns":

  When it's time to live and let die,
  And you can't get another try,
  Something inside this heart has died,
  You're in ruins.

Here it sounds more like it has a similar meaning to "give up [on life?]".

Could someone explain this phrase and its various forms to me?


texts:
Sentence:

  It is amazing that his first product does not look at all rudimentary.

Question:

I am confused about the use of "look at all rudimentary" here. Is it a special use of "look at"?


texts: Participle phrase; is the grammar correct?

texts:
Beatrice, nine, sent a letter to the actor asking for piracy lessons to help lead a mutiny against the teachers.

What does the asking participle phrase act as? Why is participle phrase used instead of multiple clause?


texts: Verb suggestion: wounding by constant contact

texts:
Is there an esoteric or literary verb that describes the process of causing a progressively deepening wound as a result of continuous contact with a sharp restraint such as a chain around the neck/ankles or a barbed wire.

I can only think of chafing, but I suppose chafing suggests light scraping. I would like to evoke the perception of a deep cut in the flesh, resultant of recurring contact.


texts: Why are social drinks referred to as cocktails?


texts: Do I need a comma to separate multiple prepositional phrases?

texts:
The mother shall have visitation for 2 consecutive weeks during the summer in Texas.

Do I need any commas for the multiple prepositional phrases?


texts: Using the definite article describing a general thing

texts:
I have a question about using articles.

Consider the following sentence.

"The/a right side of a rectangle can be found ..."
"The perimeter of a rectangle may be / is found by"

The question is : Should I use the definite or the indefinite article in this case ? I am describing not a particular rectangle, but any rectangle, for example this sentence could describe the formula to calculate the position of the right corner of a rectangle.

Please explain this rule, and also it is very important for me to know if I've made any mistakes in using articles in the question.

Thank you so much.


texts:
Which sentence would be correct:

The sun like likes the moon.
The sun likes like the moon.

One of the examples in the Urban Dictionary definition has "Jenna so like likes Tom", so I'm guessing the first sentence is correct, but it's not explicit whether the other is incorrect.
"Like like" isn't in any respectable dictionaries. Googling [contrastive focus reduplication verb conjugation] didn't bring up anything interesting.
What's the third-person singular conjugation of the verb "to like like"?


texts: What is the grammar behind "Thanks be to God"?

texts: What is the grammatical interpretation of the phrase?  I don't understand what verb tense or voice is used.


texts: How can I distinguish between the two meanings of "the late 1800s"?

texts:
"The late xxxxs" is sometimes used to mean the later years of a decade, but it is also used to mean the later decades of a century.

For example,

"the late 1880s" usually means somewhere around 1887-1889.

"the late 1800s" usually means somewhere around 1870-1899.

However, in the latter example, what if I actually mean 1807-1809? How can I specify that I'm actually talking about the 1807-1809 range?


texts: implement something for/in/on/with something?

texts:
Which preposition is correct to use in the following sentence?:

  Implementation of this technique for/in/on/with complex objects is complicated

(meaning: it is complicated to apply this technique to complex objects.)


texts: What word in the English language has the most independently derived homonyms?

texts:
I learned about yet another meaning for the word mode (and modal) today, and wondered, not for the first time, if there is any word in the English dictionary with more completely distinct meanings than mode, and with just one spelling. So this is my question:

Excluding heterograph homophones (only including exactly one spelling of a word), and including only distinct derivations (see the comments about beam below), what word has the greatest number of  distinct meanings?


texts:
An example:

  To increment a variable makes an incrementation.

One language wiki says it does, while MS Word and several dictionaries say there is no such word.


texts: Meaning of "The whole of eastern North America makes do with but one species"

texts:
Makes do with means accepting something less satisfactory because there is no alternative. In this case, it makes less sense for me why we use this phrase, and by using but I think it accentuates the meaning of only. But I don't get the full meaning of this sentence.

Can you tell me why they used the phrase make do with? What special meaning does it have, and what is the function of the word but?


texts:
What is a good way to emphasise that a particular date is near or coming very close? For example, suppose today is the 22 of May and there is the submission date for a project is on the 25 of May. I could just say:

  As the deadline of the submission is on the 25 of May, we should work
  faster.

The date 25 of May is near to some people but may not be near to others. If I add in the word "near" this way:

  As the deadline of the submission is near on the 25 of May, we should
  work faster.

Would my last sentence be grammatically and semantically correct?


texts:
What is the proper name for a cube which is stretched in one direction. So that it is really four rectangles of the same size with two squares at the ends.

Elongated/stretched cube? Rectangular/square prism?


texts: It seems to me that the police have a special name for criminal cases, which will in all probability remain unsolved. Is it 'cold case'?


texts:
Consider the meaning of the word "fault" as used in the following sentence:

  It is not your fault that the warehouse burned down.

What word could we use in the following sentence:

  It is not your _____ that you won the lottery.

The closest I can think of is:

  It is not to your credit that you won the lottery.

But this sentence doesn't have exactly the same structure, because of the "to" before "your".

Edit: Clarification following Jason Bassford's comments:

              |  You are responsible  |  You are not responsible  |
--------------|-----------------------|---------------------------|
Bad event:    |       your fault      |      not your fault       |
--------------|-----------------------|---------------------------|
Good event:   |       your _____      |      not your _____       |
--------------|-----------------------|---------------------------|


texts: What do you call a rope you set to return to an original point?

texts:
Say, you don't want to get lost in a tunnel, so you set a rope that leads back to the entrance (or likewise follow another rope set by another person).

I searched for guide rope and guiding rope but I'm not sure whether it's the right word:

Example sentence (in case it is needed):

  The male can find a female miles away, as if they were following a
  [...]


texts: Can "it wasn't" be replaced with "not" in most situations?

texts:
Examples:

  It wasn't that we didn't care about the dog.

  Not that we didn't case about the dog.

  If it wasn't for the help she got from her church, she'd probably be
  on the streets.

  If not for the help she got from her church, she'd probably be on the
  streets.

Can I safely do this and don't change the meaning or mess up the grammar of sentences? Are there cases where I can't do this?


texts:
Her love letters--to and from Daddy--were in an old box, tied with ribbons and stiff, rigid-with-age leather thongs:1918 through 1920;...
Why (Daddy) in this sentence was written with a capital D?


texts:
Which is correct?

Claudette Colbert was a French-born American actress

or

Claudette Colbert was a France-born American actress?

and

The Texas-born LBJ was a political reformer

or

The Texan-born LBJ was a political reformer


texts: Usage of verb "sounds" in written text, when not referring to an actual sound or sounds

texts: I find myself using sentences like "that sounds great" and "it sounds like a good idea" etc. in written English. What are the formal guidelines here? Do native speakers use the verb "sounds" this way in written text, or is it just a handful of silly foreigners like myself who do?


texts: Is there a word for a concept where one sabotages by doing good things at minimum capability?

texts:
For example:
A country has an outstanding problem with waste and is in need of an institution that will solve the problem.

An official Institution for solving the waste problem is established and this institution truly works on solving the problem, but at minimal capability and tempo.

As the institution keeps working on solving the problem and becomes more popular, like a magnet, it attracts the country's people and students that recognize the waste problem and wish to contribute towards solving it.

The people and students join the institution which deals out tasks to them, but the tempo at which things move render the benefits of institution's existence almost insignificant in practice and only significant on paper and intent.

And any individual who experiences even the smallest seed of doubt that something is wrong with the institution, quickly dismisses this possibility as absurd since the institution is well-funded, advertised, and regarded as a place of authority and as a trusted leader in solving the problem so there could be no way that there is something wrong with the institution.

And since the institution is doing something positive, at the surface level which is the only level most people see, even though in reality it is sabotaging progress, any individual who doesn't dismiss the seed of doubt and challenges an investigation of the institution or dares to say that the institution is maybe sabotaging the country, is quickly condemned and ostracized.

Sabotage means to deliberately destroy, damage, or obstruct (something), especially for political or military advantage, but the concept explained above is more subtle. Is there a word in English designated for exactly such thing?


texts:
Coming from an articleless language, I often have problems with things like this:

take something into account
take something into an account

Are both phrases correct? If yes, is there a difference?


texts: A word to describe the type of literature read on toilet?

texts:
Is there an English word (recognised or slang) that describes the type of literature that is intended to be read in the toilet/bathroom/restroom?

I've seen books in the past that seemed aimed directly at this kind of market, but a recent discussion led to me looking for a term to describe this 'genre' (if it can be called that).

I'm thinking of terms along the lines of 'chick-lit', 'pulp fiction', 'coffee table book' etc.

If there is no established word/term, suggestions?


texts: Which possessive pronoun should be used with "assignment"?

texts:
I am a little confused by the word "assignment". The dictionary says it refers to
a piece of work that is given to someone as part of their job. For example, Tom assigns
something to me. In other words, I am going to do the assignment. When I communicate with
Tom, which possessive pronoun should I use? The task is assigned by Tom; I think it is
reasonable to say "Tom's assignment" or "his assignment". On the other hand, I am supposed to handle this task; I think it makes sense to say "my assignment". It beats me.


texts:
Which one is correct:
a. I wish that man stopped making so much noise
or
b. I wish that man will stop making so much noise?


texts:
Context: I have to persuade the recipient to close the billing cycle by today and I have to be polite, since the recipient holds a very high position.

I urge you to expedite the billing of ModuleXYZ at the earliest
I request you to please close ModuleXYZ's billing ASAP

I am inclined towards #1 but I feel it is impolite. Is it possible to frame a sentence which is both polite and persuasive?


texts:
I'm confused with below sentence,

1)She mentioned that it has been named as the Indian Wars.

2)She mentioned that it was named as the Indian Wars.

First one is incorrect?


texts:
This is similar to the question Why is the phrase "should have went" so widely used?, but I'd like to specifically ask the difference between the two phrases, and why "should have gone" is correct:

  I should have went to the class, but...

  I should have gone to the class, but...

Why is #2 correct? Is there ever a reason #1 would not be ungrammatical?


texts:
A past question I wrote was corrected, from:

  But I can't get to know how to precisely perform them

to:

  But I don't know how to consistently perform them

( https://gaming.stackexchange.com/posts/16202/revisions )

To me it felt like my version implied that I tried many times but ultimately failed. The second version doesn't have this implication.

So, was my first formulation really incorrect? If so, how can I formulate this in order to emphasize the fact I tried many times and still failed to understand ?


texts: What's the difference between 'from...to' and 'from... till'

texts: For example, is the meaning of 'from morning to dusk' and 'from morning till dusk' the same? Or are these both acceptable?


texts: Information that the reports can work 'off' or 'of'

texts:
Should it be

  Last years data set contains information that the reports can work off

or

  Last years data set contains information that the reports can work of

?


texts: "watching the television" or "watching television"?

texts:
"He was watching the television when I called on him."

When I said this sentence to one of my friends  (an English teacher)  he corrected me saying that the definite article (the) should be omitted. Still, I can't understand why. ?
Actually similar  question has been asked earlier but the answers were so ambiguous.
So I put complete sentence.


texts: Higher status alternatives to the word 'intern'?

texts:
Are there higher status (or at least 'better-sounding', more CV-ready) alternatives to the word 'intern'? At least in the UK, being an intern is perceived as low status, with connotations of being the person who makes the coffee. It also looks less impressive on a CV.

(The context which I'm searching in is that the charities I work for are offering internships of two to ten months. We provide accommodation and food/travel expenses, but this is closer to volunteering than employment. Many of our 'interns' have just graduated from elite universities, and they do relatively high-level and interesting work such as research. So it would be nice to call them something other than 'interns'.)


texts: "Enquire about whether" vs. "enquire whether"

texts:
I'm writing to you to enquire whether you have a need for
  I'm writing to you to enquire about whether you have a need for

Which is proper?


texts: Is "inbuilt" a word? Is it alright to use it or should I use "built in"?

texts: I searched and found this: “Built-in” or “In-built”, which says inbuilt is fine. But in a reddit comment, I was told that I should use built in instead of inbuilt. Which is correct? I am using the word inbuilt on http://www.inboundio.com/features


texts: What is the origin of the expression "to twig to something"?

texts:
Oddly enough, the OED (1971 Compact Edition) has no entry for twig to, only for twig something:

twig v4 slang or colloq. [Origin unascertained]
[...]
b. To become aware of by seeing; to perceive, discern, catch sight of; to recognize.
1796 J. G. Holman Abroad & at Home iii. ii, ― He twigs me. He knows
Dicky here in his real and masquerade character both.
1801 M. G. Lewis Tales Wonder, Sailor’s T. ii, ― With strange surprise and fear, Jack Tackle’s ghost I twigg’d.
1825 Lady Granville Lett. 30 Jan. (1894) I. 339 ― They have twigged me.
1860 Hunting Grounds Old World Ser. i. xii. (ed. 2) 189 ― The leader, whom at last I twigged lying down and chewing the cud.
1879 F. Pollok Sport Brit. Burmah I. 191, ― I twigged the tigress creeping away in front of us.

Still, that's clearly the same as twig to so it will serve. What is the origin of this expression? Neither the OED nor etymonline.com provide any etymological information for this meaning of the word twig. It occurred to me that it might come from a hunting/tracking analogy where the sound of a broken twig would alert the hunter to the presence of their prey or the prey to the presence of the hunter. Is there anything to this or am I making it all up?


texts:
I have found out that using the verb be in passive constructions such as:

  I had my house be burned down

is incorrect, therefore it should be

  I had my house burned down.

But is it possible instead of be to use get? E.g.

  The wire is passed through the pliers in a specific way to avoid having it get bent.
  The rope had its surface wear.
  The rope had its surface get worn.
  The rope had its surface worn.

The first two sound very odd to me, but just for clarification could you please point out the errors and which ones are correct? Or is using get, be it in -ing or the to infinitive, in any situation along with have incorrect?


texts: What do you call a person who takes a survey?

texts:
The person who conducts a survey is called a Surveyor.
What do we call the people who take the survey and answer the questions?


texts:
I'm working on a passage of writing and found a spot I'd marked for additional research. Two characters who have known each other for a long time have kind of started to have a falling out in recent months (Character A is upset about something Character B did, and while he understands why she did it, he still doesn't necessarily agree with her justification).

In the scene in question, things are a little bit tense, and Character A lashes out a little at Character B without meaning to. Character B is the POV character in this scene, and she observes the following:

  " It seemed the subtle anger he’d harbored [with / for] her for the past couple of years had never fully ebbed."

Based on the sentence structure, I've been under the impression that either with or for would technically be correct in this instance, but is either of them more correct than the other? Or more widely accepted / commonly used? Using for would definitely make the sentence clunky, so if that was the more correct of the two, I'd need to re-work everything a bit.

Or, as a third option, would toward work? It would basically be the same as saying "anger he'd held toward her."

Basically, what's my best option?


texts:
In these sentences:

  "Some (composes/compose) delightful music"
  "Some of them (write/writes) wonderful books"

Which form of the verb should I use?


texts: How do you refer to letters of the alphabet?

texts:
If you're talking about a particular letter of the alphabet, how do you format it? Do you just write it? Do you put quotes around it? Do you italicize it? Do you just have to write it out?

  Does the h come before the g or after it?
  Does the 'h' come before the 'g' or after it?
  Does the h come before the g or after it?
  Does the aitch come before the gee or after it?

Which of those would be right? Any of them?


texts: Am I using "spend a day" correctly here?

texts:
Is this a correct usage?

  How do you spend a typical day at
  school?

What are the alternatives?


texts: Single word that can be used for "Living up to"?

texts:
While preparing a writeup, I went through this small problem. I want to make it short, and writing the whole phrase is making it look like a 'big' sentence.
Is there a possibility of using a single word for "Living up to"?
For example:

___ the expectations

___ the requirements

or something similar.


texts:
I can't find the right word to describe the object that performs an activity/action.

Doer
Executor
Performer
Actor

The term is to be used in an application where you may choose an "object" (from a list), and then retrieve its activities.

So what should I call the "object"?

Context:
The "object" may be anyone or anything which is to do certain activities. Think of a worklog where you'd like to log activities that has been done. Given the object type, you'd might have a different set of activities to log.

Object (1. line support member)
Activities { Create ticket, Assign ticket, Notify customer, Close ticket}

Object (Purchasing employee)
Activities { Receive order, Confirm Order, Ship Order}


texts:
What does the following statement mean ?

Admit card should be submitted in DUPLICATE.

a) 1 original & 1 photocopy.

b) Both originals.

c) Both photocopies.


texts:
Page 496 of Collins Cobuild English Usage reads

You form 'yes/no'-questions with used to by putting did in front of the subject, followed by use to: Did you use to do that, when you were a kid?
WARNING: many people use used to instead of use to in
questions. However, some people consider that this use is incorrect,
Did you used to play with your trains?
If the 'wh'-word is the object of the clause, or part of the object, you
use the auxiliary do after it, followed by the subject and used to,
What did you used to do on Sundays?

I'd like to know why use to isn't  possible in the second structure, What did you use to do on Sundays?
USED: https://oed.com/oed2/00273881


texts: are or is after plural but prior to singular

texts:
Which sentence is correct in this case?

  Class conflict and class exploitation are the prime moving force in history of mankind
  Class conflict and class exploitation is the prime moving force in history of mankind?


texts: A single word desribing creature with misshapen and obscure features?

texts:
I'm trying to find the best way to describe being so physically deformed, that its only, somewhat recognizable, feature is its own body shape. Mutant doesn't work for me, as it implies the reason of deformation, and I need something more general. Freak seams right, but sounds silly to me, so I hopping for something else. I was thinking about word chimera, but I'm not sure if it's the right way to use it.

Also, I don't care how offensive the word is. Thank you.


texts: Is it correct to say "In order to overcome this loss"?

texts:
I am looking for a word that I can use in a situation where I would like to say:

In order to "overcome" the loss, we have to ... .

I know somehow that the word "overcome" is not correct to use here.

I tried "In order to achieve a lower loss, we have to ..."


texts: Good term for petit bourgeois / Boeotian / Biedermeier lifestyle

texts:
Suppose you want to enjoy a lifestyle "of the medium":

You live with your partner in your house, you have got two kids, a dog, a cat, in a suburban area, have a got a middle-class job with good (but not exorbitant) income, you tend your own garden, you vote center, your life is neither stressful or exciting (like yuppies or hippies), nor is it rural and devoid of culture (like hillbillys). Your life is peaceful with small joys.

What is a good term for that in English? My inspiration for that question is the German term "Spießer", or the similar idea of "Biedermeier". In German, this concept has connotations both positive (balanced, comfortable, agreeable) and negative (narrow-minded, phony, stuffy), and provokes highly ambiguous feelings.

I do not even know whether or where comparable concepts like that exist in the Anglo-sphere. The stereotypical British lifestyle might be closest to it, and for North America, I don't know.

Q: How can this concept be made intellegible in English, including the highly mixed feelings about it?


texts:
What is the name for the top left cell of a table? The one next to the column headers and above the row headers. Does it even have a technical name?

E.g. the cell with ??? in this table:

+-----+------+------+
|???  |Yes   |No    |
+-------------------+
|A    |1     |4     |
|B    |2     |5     |
|C    |3     |6     |
+-----+------+------+


texts: Can 'ransom' mean the sum paid for a normal service rather than the sum paid for setting free someone held hostage?

texts:
I just came across an article where ransom seems to be used to mean the
fee paid for a service, whereas previously I have only seen it being used in the context of someone being held prisoner.

Here,

  The managing director, who does not wish to be identified publicly, physically pulled the plug on the computer and called in the IT services supplier. Rather than pay a ransom, the company decided to reboot from its backup.
    — ComputerWeekly.com, The True Cost of A Cyber Security Breach in Australia

The article tells about a company who suffered a security breach. Then the company calls the IT supplier but elects, instead of paying them(the IT supplier) to fix the problem, to fix it themselves.

So it appears that ransom is being used to mean the fee the IT supplier was trying to charge, rather than a sum to be paid as if their data was being held hostage by those who performed the attack.

What is going on here? Is this correct English?


texts: Proverb about not interfering in a couple's fight?

texts: Is there any English "folk wisdom" proverb about how one should not meddle in an ongoing argument between a married couple?


texts: Word similar to "farewell" but with negative connotation

texts:
I am looking for a word that is similar to the meaning of farewell or goodbye except that it has a negative connotation.

I find it hard to choose an appropriate word when I close communications with a person or organization that has affronted me when I really do not wish them to fare well.


texts: Doubt about intransitive verbs of incomplete predication

texts:
According to the material I've been studying, the verb go in this sentence...

  I go to school

... is an intransitive verb of complete predication. However, the same source also states that the verb requires an adverbial complement. If so, why do we say it's of complete predication instead of incomplete?


texts: I have a book vs. I have a copy of this book

texts:
My girlfriend is not a native English speaker, so sometimes she has questions about expressions for which I do not know the origins.
This one, in particular, got me curious:

"I have this book" vs. "I have a copy of this book"

About music, you don't say:

"I have a copy of this song" but "I have this song"

Similarly, I never hear:

"I have a copy of this DVD" but "I have this DVD"

However, for books, I have commonly heard, and used myself for no special reason: "I have a copy of this book"

Is there a reason we sometimes refer to a book as a copy of the book?
But


texts: what article should go before specific games?

texts:
I came across an article in the following link about general and specific nouns

General and specific Nouns

My question is which article (grammar article) should go before these general, more specific, even more specific nouns  particularly in the case of sports.

Confusion:

I am playing a cricket.
I am playing the cricket.
I am playing cricket.

Which one is correct sentence?

As far as I know, cricket is

common noun,
neutral in gender,
noun phoneme = consonant,
noun number = singular,
may be specific or nonspecific (depends on context).

And if it is, then what parameters should I check of that noun?


texts: What is the different between prescient and clairvoyant. And which would you consider George Orwell to be?


texts:
While writing my history essays, I've run into some issues in the past with being marked off for not writing in the past tense. I'm a bit confused about the complications of some of my sentences and trying to put them into the past tense.

Is this sentence fully in the past tense?

  This suggested that one must approach the interpretation of a historical figure with consideration to the prevailing atmospheres, states of affairs, and conditions present with respect to that period in time, and only then, by virtue of this approach, would one be able to accurately evaluate a historical event or figure.

I'm specifically wondering if my use of "suggested" in the beginning sets the whole sentence to be in the past tense, but when I say "would one be able to accurately evaluate a historical event" I don't know if it has to be changed. If it is wrong, would this be correct phrasing? - "would one have been able to have accurately evaluated"

In other words, do all verbs have to be in the past tense to meet this requirement? I am writing about what a historian said in an essay if that helps. Also, as a secondary question, could my list of considerations be phrased as "prevailing atmosphere, state of affairs, and conditions" or do they all have to be plural since I want conditions to be plural?


texts: What is the difference between Top 5 something and 5 Top something. Is there really any difference or are both the same.


texts: Word for terror at the idea of being infinitely born again into different bodies

texts:
I'm looking for a word that describes terror at the idea of being infinitely born back into the world, trapped in a cycle that never ends and is inescapable.

Possibly a word that relates to religion or philosophy.


texts: 9 to 10: Word for when the number of digits increases

texts:
Is there a word that describes when a number increases in number of digits?

Example:

9 to 10 (one, then two digits)
99 to 100 (two, then three digits)
999 to 1000 (three, then four digits)

Use Case:

I would like to succinctly and/or mathematically describe what's happening in a problem I have here: Sequential IDs with field calculator: Pad a prefixed field to specific length


texts: Which is correct? I go to school by bus or I go by bus to school

texts:
Which is correct?

  I go to school by bus every day

or

  I go by bus to school every day.

What about SVOMPT? I would say the first sentence.


texts:
Proper English sentences can end with various types of punctuation characters: periods ("."), question-marks ("?"), exclamations ("!"), etc.

Is there a proper terminology for these kinds of sentence-terminating punctuation characters?

Ending punctuations?
Terminating punctuations?
Finalizers?

Thanks in advance!


texts:
I'm doing subtitles for some videos on Youtube. I heard the words either and neither spoken in two different ways by the same person. Written it could be:

ee-ther versus i-ther or
n-ee-ther versus n-i-ther

Is there a rule for which pronunciation to use? Or is it just a matter of birth/taste/location?


texts:
I am having trouble using gerund/infinitive phrases. In this sentence, which is correct the infinitive or the gerund:

Clearly, more attention – and investment – is needed on leveraging/to leverage the role of intermediate small- and medium-sized towns.

Similarly "assist" requires a gerund and not the infinitive: assist in formulating and not assist to formulate. What is the reasoning. And where can I find more information on this. Many thanks!


texts: Is there a term to describe the tendency to do what's minimum?

texts: I will try my best to describe. Some times, I have found that people tend to do the minimum procedures to finish what they do, and find improving unnecessary. I understand different people have different definition of what's perfect, and have justification for not making it better. Maybe it is due to rules in where they live, or policies in where they work, or just because we are not paid enough to polish the result. Is there a word or phrase to describe this phenomenon? Thanks in advance.


texts:
Context:
My word processor is the last of a series of instruments of self-expression that began with crayons and colored pencils held in my childish fist. My hands, somewhat grown, migrated to my mother's typewriter. [...] My parents bought a typewriter for me. [...] My next machine was an IBM word processor which has been in turn superceded by a Dell. Through all this relentlessly advancing technology...

(Link to the full article: "Young or old, a writer sends a book into the world ... " [Archive] - Absolute Write Water Cooler)

Question:
Last can sometimes mean newest/most up-to-date, as in the last thing in fashion, the last thing in swimwear...
It seems to be a fixed pattern: the last thing in something.

Can last mean newest in a structure like "the last of a series of something" as in my context?

Thank you.


texts: Is the correct usage to say "speed passed" or "speed past"

texts:
I'm having a debate with a friend and to my surprise a Google search on this question didn't provide any answers.

In short which of the two sentences is correct?

  "I will speed passed the police officer"

or

  "I will speed past the police officer"

My own impression is that "passed" is correct because it means to move in front of someone. But the fact that it only sounds right in the past tense, even though we are talking future tense has me suspicious. I suppose the third option is "speed pass" but that just sounds awkward and wrong.

Any help is appreciated but please try to cite sources, we already have plenty of opinions and dictionary definitions, but no solid arguments or references to settle this debate.

The proposed duplicate does a good job, however it lacks a reference that would explain why one must use "past" when used as a preposition and "passed" when used as a verb. The inclusion of such a reference would satisfy this questiona s well.


texts: How to avoid repeating same words in a conversation

texts:
Sorry if there's an answer for my question.

Is it possible to avoid of repeating the verb meaning the same thing in a conversation?

Example:
1. What do you like?
2. I like pizza. What do you like?
1. I like pasta.

The word like is repeated four times, and it doesn't look well. And I don't believe the sentence I, pasta is correct.

So.. Is there a resolution for my question?
Thank you


texts: How do I interpret the pronunciation of "lah-teck"? (I am not asking for the pronunciation of Latex, but the specific interpretation of "lah-teck").


texts: Third person singular or plural form of "to be" with plural noun in question

texts: A disagreement with a colleague: I say "What measures are your company currently implementing?"; she says "what measures is your company currently implementing?". It seems obvious to me I am right! Help!


texts:
A t-shirt was given to me as a present by a friend of mine. There is a cherokee chief head image and a text on it which is written "ILL OR NAH".
I am hesitating about wearing it because i do not know its meaning. Does anyone know what it means.


texts: What do you call the bigger compartment of a refrigerator that doesn't freeze?

texts:
Is the answer "chiller"?

If not, what's correct term?

Please see green arrow below. I read this Quora post.


texts:
Note this question is not a duplicate of this question because that question does not address the use of "far more".

It sounds strange to me but it's probably perfectly fine.  "Many more" or "far more people" sounds better.
The example sentence:

Much more people came to the party last time.


texts: Is there a single word for someone who left the company that does not have overly negative connotations?

texts:
In a new policy from my company (non-native English, but English is the corporate language), they use the word "defector" to refer to a person who has quit their job.

I think "defector" has too many and too strong negative connotations around it (some applying to the "defector", but most applying to a company who would call a leaving employee a defector).

"Quitter" doesn't exactly sound great either, and "the person who is about to leave" is a bit long to use at every point where that person is referred to.

So, is there a single word (or very short phrase) for someone who left the company that does not have overly negative connotations?

Something akin to "new employee" or "new hire", but for someone who is about to leave.

Example phrase:

  "The Defector writes a farewell text and posts it on the intranet"

Example of related phrase (suggestions for alternative to "defection" are also welcome):

  "The defection is communicated locally or group wise"


texts:
When talking about one's self in the past, is "the me of the past" grammatically correct?

I'm trying to make a sentence like this:

  The me of the past who was popular
  with girls, I'm jealous of him.

Is there anything wrong with this sentence? Are there better ways to say this?


texts: Why father is called "dada" and not "fafa"

texts:
Read the words below :

Mother - mama - mammy
Father - dada - daddy

Why is father not called fafa or faddy?


texts:
Does the following sentence make grammatical sense?

Our relationship is an epitome of friendship


texts: Word for "speeding up a process" in line with the idiom "to kick-start"

texts:
I am not a native English speaker but I'm looking for a good word that highlights that a process is improved in that it completes more quickly. I thought there was a word that is semantically in the same field as "to kick-start" (referring to a motorcycle), but for the life of me I can't find anything in dictionaries or thesauri. Does a word like that exist? If not, any other word with a metaphorical reference?

Side note: I'll be using this word as part of a title for an article, probably as a gerund. E.g. "Kick-starting My Project" (obviously not with those words).


texts: What are some examples of awkward sounding but grammatically correct sentences?


texts: How to find words which are related morphologically?

texts:
I'm looking for a book, or any other source, which lists words that are morphologically related, like this:

imagine        verb
imagination    noun
imaginative    adjective

Or this:

medic          noun
medicine       noun
medical        adjective
medicinal      adjective

And also this kind of relationship:

head           noun
ahead          adverb, adjective

Dictionaries will give you only partial information, and in a very inconvenient way.
For example, if you look at the definition of imagination, the words imagine and imaginative are not mentioned there, nor any reference to them. I've checked several dictionaries, and you may be lucky with other ones, but I have not found one which lists all the relevant information in a straightforward manner.

Etymology dictionary is also not suitable for this task. It doesn't give you all the relevant forms of the word, and it does give historical information which is not relevant here.


texts: Micromanage: specifically related to parenting

texts:
I'm looking for a verb similar to micromanage that can be used in non-business contexts such as to describe a parent or a spouse.

  Sara _____ her children; she denies them any autonomy in making
  personal choices and insists on knowing every minute detail about how
  they spend their time.

A search on dictionary.com shows a few potential matches, however these are all business related and don't really fit the context nor convey the intended connotation:

administrate
execute
direct

I'm looking for a word that is somewhat pejorative and has the connotation of being overly meddling.


texts: go pay in "Why don't you go pay for them"

texts:
Why don't you go pay for them?

It's pretty common in USA to form this question in this form. However, I suspect that we need to or "and" between go and pay. Why one is correct and why?

  Why don't you go pay for them?

vs .

  Why don't you go to pay for them?

vs.

  Why don't you go and pay for them?


texts: Best practice regarding the words until, till, til, 'till, 'til and to

texts:
I often see in English the word 'till used as until. Example

  I'll wait 'till the end of time.

Now I have found out that this may be wrong. The correct writing is without the apostrophe 'till and instead simply till.

In this dictionary among others, the word till is described as an old word for until. And while the version including an apostrophe 'till is bad practice, the version 'til (single l) is mentioned as an old-fashioned variant that people just in general don't like nowadays of some reason. The dictionary gives a few examples of actual use, for instance:

  ”Yes we will, Watty; we’re only going to wait 'til they’ve got the house and furniture—and oh! Watty. What do you think?”
  —The New York Observer and Chronicle, 22 Aug. 1872

It is also mentioned that a writing like til or 'til may have originated from the word to, which then gives it a slightly different meaning than the word until.

I then came across this answer that explains the writing 'til (with one l) as definitely completely wrong and non-existing and only wrong-fully used now and then.

So, my question is simply to have it all summed up to get the full overview of the following:

which of the variants below are correct/incorrect,
which are formal/informal,
which are abbreviations or not and
which are old-fashioned, not in common English language anymore or simply not recommended for  use, but still correct - that is, what is best practice in each case.
Also, are they all fully interchangeable or are there variations in their meanings?

Here are all the variants I can think of and have come across:

  until
  til
  till
  'till
  'til
  to


texts: Do I need an "of" in the following situation?

texts:
Mid-Autumn Festival is a nice celebration. I'm not fond of it,
  though - especially (of) the mooncakes.

Do I need that "of"? Why or why not?


texts: What do you call a 'usury' ('bad deal') agreement that doesn't involve a loan?

texts:
Usury is the action or practice of lending money at unreasonably high rates of interest.

e.g. money lenders that prey on desperate people who need money but
who won't be able to afford to pay back the money.

Let's say you sign a work contract because you urgently need a job, but the work contract is not in your favour. Or you agree to be contracted out at low rates but you have to pay most of your income to a middleman who found you the very low paying job because of an agreement you signed since you had no other income. That's why I like the word usury. It is in religious context wrong but not wrong in legal context.
He signed a ____ work agreement because he had been unemployed for a year and was desperate and hungry.
Edit: Clarification. The agreement doesn't break any employment laws as it is casual employment through a middleman who takes 8 times what you earn. You agreed to your rate at the start of the contract.


texts: What is the meaning of "You are only coming through in waves"

texts: What are all the possible meanings of "You are only coming through in waves"?


texts: Can something that is one-of-a-kind be "rare"?

texts:
Perusing some for sale listings of guitars, many of them are Custom Shop, i.e. built to customer specification and not off the wall production models. By definition, these are one-of-a-kind instruments. However, many of these listings state them as "rare" which I find as a descriptor doesn't sound quite right when describing one-of-a-kind items.

Is something that is one-of-a-kind considered rare? When I think of rarity, I usually think of it in tiers or on a spectrum: things that are common, things that are uncommon, things that are rare, and then things that are unique (one-of-a-kind). To me, rare and one-of-a-kind are mutually exclusive.

To use another example, consider the Mona Lisa. Is that rare? To be more declarative, what contributes to an item's rarity: availability, desire? Can an availability of one be considered rare?


texts: When is it correct to capitalise 'earth'?

texts:
At the beginning of a sentence is obvious.

I'm referring to the following examples:

  A handful of earth.
  The earth under this house.
  The earth beneath my feet.
  What on earth?
  The heavens above and the earth below.
  The earth moved.
  We returned quickly to earth.

Lower: 1,2,3,4
Upper: 7
Not sure: 5,6


texts:
It seems that no one has brought this issue up.

That is, when you search the IPA of words like "bellow" & "color" you will see "/ˈbeloʊ/" & "/ˈkʌlər/" respectively (Source1 & Source2)

However, when I listen to them I feel like they should be "/ˈbel.loʊ/" & "/ˈkʌl.lər/". They don't sound like "/ˈbe.loʊ/" & "/ˈkʌ.lər/".

Note: /be/ & /bel/ are very different because for the former you don't need to put the tip of your tongue to the gum ridge after finish saying, but for the latter, you do.

So,
Can "L" sound be shared by its previous and next vowel? Ex: bellow
"/ˈbel.ləʊ/", color "/ˈkʌl.lər/"?

And

What about other consonants like "M", "N", etc?

Do they adhere to this principle?


texts: What does 'springs up' mean in this paragraph?

texts:
'It is a fantastic view from the top.'

  'Better be,'gasped Joe. 'How much further from there?'

  'The river? A long way yet.'

  A gust of wind waved the bracken across the track- a brief cooling.

  'Often springs up in the afternoon,' said Peggy. 'Gets quite fresh
  sometimes.'

  'Feels good,' said Joe.

In the above paragraph, what does 'springs up' refer to? Is it the air that springs up or the river springs up?

I am trying to read English short story and I do not understand that part. Can you help me? Thank you.


texts: Can a declarative, independent clause be considered an introductory element?

texts:
Consider this question:

  Are you going to the birthday party?

I know that the following response can be punctuated correctly in at least two ways:

  "I hope so. I have already bought a present."

and

  "I hope so; I have already bought a present."

But I'm not sure about punctuating it like this:

  "I hope so, I have already bought a present."

Although I would be inclined to write the third version without thinking, on reflection it seems possibly/probably incorrect. The only way that I can see it being considered correct is if "I hope so" can be considered an introductory element. Is this acceptable?


texts: Does the word "and" always mean a logical (boolean) operation?

texts:
For a simple phrase like "macaroni and cheese" it's clear you want both macaroni and cheese, not one or the other.  But as more and more words are added, I've noticed a tendency to begin to read "and" as "or", at least from a Boolean logic perspective; is there any support for that?

I've referenced the specific context before with a different question; the relevant part this time is

  ... for the purpose of encouraging immigration and increasing the trade in the products of Michigan, or ...

Is there any way to read "the purpose" as two separate items:

encouraging immigration
increasing the trade ...

Or must they always be together, like "macaroni and cheese"?  (I'm not interested in what "encouraging immigration" or "increasing the trade ..." might actually mean.)

That is, have you satisfied the desired purpose by only "increasing the trade ..." or must you also "encourage immigration" at the same time?  In Boolean logic, there is absolutely no question you must do both; but does the same always apply to English grammar?


texts: "Was" vs "Would + verb" when writing about the past?

texts:
So for some context, I'm writing for a history class assignment for the 1930s, but what I'm interested in is the usage of would and was here. I noticed I used "would + verb" many times in my writing, not really thinking about it. I think I may have used it too much.
For example:
"Even during this time, movies were relatively cheap for the struggling population and would become a new, popular form of entertainment."
and
"Photographers would be hired by government agencies for documentary purposes."
My question is this: in both of these examples, is it preferable to replace "would become" and "would be hired" by "became" and "were hired" respectively, and also, would using "would" like this too much be too repetitive for some people?
I'm not in dire need of an answer or something, I'm just curious and couldn't find an answer that quite matched this context.


texts: I notice that it is rubbish means it is bad, but can we say it is completely rubbish meaning it is completely bad in everyday English? Do native speakers of English say that, other than the obviously correct it is complete rubbish?


texts: A noun meaning condolence and encouragement

texts:
I'm looking for a noun that takes an article, meaning basically "there there, it's not so bad."

A compound word of phrase would be acceptable as long as it can be given (just as with praise, or condemnation)

Example

The reporter gave the subject a [[pass? nod?]], for while the subject did not win first, at least he made a valiant effort.

The biographer gave Faulkner a [[??]] because although he failed at being a good husband, his works contributed so much to humanity.

"encouragement" doesn't work because it doesn't recognize the struggle or the loss
"condolence" doesn't work because it doesn't encompass encouragement

The best word would be a noun that takes "a" or "an" and it could be obscure.


texts: Positive English word for Unmarried female non-virgin

texts:
Is there a positive word in the English language for an unmarried Female that has had sexual relations? What is a positive term for a non-virgin? I need the word for a poem title.

In late 1950's, a niece of a famous writer was free enough to express her love (at 16 years old). Having unashamedly chosen sex as a communicating device. I wrote about her, but found myself unable to title the piece. I don't believe there is a word in the English language for the above definition. The dictionary antonym for virgin is married!

Q: Is there any single positive word for an unmarried girl who has had sex?


texts: "how much longer do you plan on [X]ing..."

texts: Is the above structure grammatically correct, or just sort of common, or not correct but common enough to use?


texts:
I was discussing how to use "When I am older" with a friend who speaks English as her second language. She asked me if it would be more correct to write "When I get older".

I said that both would be correct and she asked which would be more correct...

Could anyone be able to answer this?

Thanks.


texts: A word for someone that deflects compliment?

texts:
What's the word for a type of person that responds to a compliment by complaining about it(as an attempt to deflect this compliment)?

e.g. Mark: Hey dude! Your new haircut looks pretty sick!

Dave(who thinks it's pretty good himself): Nah.. The hairdresser should've done a better job on the sides


texts: How to capitalize a word with an adverb separated by a hyphen in a title

texts:
How should I capitalize a word with an adverb separated by a hyphen in a title?

e.g.

"Make-up" or "Make-Up" (noun)
"Strap-on" or "Strap-On" (noun)
"Stripped-down" or "Stripped-Down" (adj.)
"Up-to-Date Account" or "Up-to-date Account" or "Up-To-Date Account"

I've heard that in a title you should always capitalize the last word, no matter if it is a proper noun or an adverb. I'm trying to work out if it applies to a hyphen word with an adverb on its end.


texts: What does this sentence mean by "my cold came out of remission"?

texts:
What does the part "my cold came out of remission" mean in the following sentence?

  It seems that my cold came out of remission…
  I'll work from home today and hopefully kick it before Monday.


texts:
I am looking for a word which has a similar meaning to the word 'Filter', but it's purpose is to sort instead of filtering. I found the word 'Sorter', but I haven't heard of it being used much besides for 'grain sorter' and as an occupation, whereas the word 'Filter' is quite common. I want to use this word to refer to part of a website, where one can apply sort order for results.
Example: 'I used the ______ to see the most commented photos'


texts: A "Definitionsfråga", as it is called in Swedish, is for instance if you talk about what's good and bad, you can remark that it depends on what you mean by good and bad. You could might as well remark that it is a "definitionsfråga". What is that called in English?


texts: Someone who replies without actually making commitments?

texts:
I can't remember a word to describe someone (maybe their action) of not committing oneself when asked.

I loosely remember a good one beginning with an 'e' I think.

ie, He was ???? when replying after being asked to commit himself to the task requested.


texts: Can we state "over the course of next six years"?

texts:
Does this sentence read correctly? Please advise.

This implementation plan started in January 2014 and is scheduled to be rolled out worldwide over the course of next six years.

Thanks,
Mahi.


texts: Which one would sound better : "are used" or "being used"

texts:
This question is similar to this one but I'm trying to decide the tense to use in here : I often use "is being" and "are being" in my sentences. Is it correct grammatically?

  The xxxs which will be used in the xxx unit, must be defined in this
  section before being used in the programs.

or

  The xxxs which will be used in the xxx unit, must be defined in this
  section before they are used in the programs.


texts: Is there a term for ' the need to be in open spaces'?

texts: After living in NM for most of my life, coming to Vermont is a challenge. I tried to describe it, the physical and emotional need to see horizons, open space, expansive vistas and how the dense trees, forests and hills are claustrophobic for me. Is there a way to say that without the whole explanation?


texts: Verb to describe the action of receiving something you are not responsible for

texts:
Within the context of computer science, I am trying to describe four different actions.

Adopt - To receive some resource that I am responsible for
Delegate - To pass on some resource that the receiver will now be responsible for
Borrow - To receive some resource that I am not responsible for
?  - To pass on some resource that the receiver will not be responsible for

Is there a suitable verb which I can use to describe the scenario in #4 that is clearly distinct from option #2?

Also are there any existing computer science terms to describe the other actions? (I think delegate could also be described as a "move")


texts: Meaning of "cookbook" in title of instructional book

texts: I see many instructional books where the title of the book includes cookbook! What is the meaning of cookbook in this situation? Example: Python Testing Cookbook.


texts:
Jane Austen wrote Pride and Prejudice , a novel that in 2005 was adapted into a film starring Keira Knightley.

I was solving a question in which you have to find all the nouns in a sentence, and in the above sentence, 2005 is considered a noun, which I thought was an adjective. Can someone explain?


texts:
Does anyone know if there is a word for the "rear compartment" of a vehicle? I'm talking about larger vehicles, trucks, jeeps, etc. In the particular case I'm dealing with, I'm translating a movie script discussing a World War II era truck (think "Saving Private Ryan") taking soldiers to the front lines. The "rear compartment" (???) is covered on top with canvas, or cloth, and the back of the truck is left open, presumably so that the soldiers can disembark quickly.

Maybe it's just "rear compartment" - I'm not sure.


texts: Can "either" coordinate more than two alternatives?

texts:
I recently wrote the sentence,

  But when you see Iesu, it can either be vocative, dative, genitive, or ablative.

In it, I use "either" to coordinate four different alternatives: vocative, dative, genitive, or ablative. Is this grammatically correct? The Merriam-Webster dictionary supports this use of either, having this to say about it:

  3 either (conjunction)

  —used as a function word before two or more coordinate words, phrases, or clauses joined usually by or to indicate that what immediately follows is the first of two or more alternatives

  can be used either as a guest room or as an office

It seems to be the case that, as an adjective or pronoun, "either" implies that there are only two alternatives. But as a conjunction, it can join many alternatives. Is my understanding correct? Or has this latter function only come about through consistent misuse of the word?


texts:
A friend of mine was talking about a film he has seen a trailer for and sarcastically heaping superlatives on it. He then wondered what the opposite of superlative (as a noun) is.

I suggested sublative, which I hadn't heard of but made up based on the idea that sub is the opposite of super.

However the definition of sublative is

  Having power, or tending, to take away.

So is there a word that is the opposite of superlative (the noun form)?


texts: Did the Great Vowel Shift on the long vowel /i/ occur in non-primary stressed syllables?

texts:
From the Wikipedia article on the Great Vowel Shift .

  Middle English [iː] diphthongized to [ɪi], which was most likely followed by [əɪ] and finally Modern English [aɪ] (as in mice).

I think the great vowel shift on the long vowel /i/ occurred in primary stressed syllables.
But what about non-primary stressed syllables?
For example: feline.

Here's a related question.
Is the diphthong [ai] on a non-primary stressed syllable a hypercorrection?


texts: What is the humor in "water's warm and deep" while relieving oneself?

texts:
The two men halted at the edge of the canal, hiked their tunics, then
fumbled with their loincloths. Soon two arcs were gurgling across the
filmy surface. “Hmm,” Xinemus said. “The water’s warm.” Even
terrified, Esmenet rolled her eyes, smiled. “And deep,” the Prince
replied. Xinemus cackled in a manner at once wicked and endearing.
After securing himself, he slapped the other man on the back. “I’m
going to use that,” he said merrily, “the next time I piss back here
with Akka. If I know him, he’ll damn near fall in.” “You’ll have a
rope to throw him at least,” the taller man replied. More laughter, at
once hale and warm.
--- The Darkness That Comes Before by R. Scott Bakker

The water's warm is probably referring to the warm sensation of pee but how does it relate to And deep?


texts: Deciphering of William Henley's "Bus-Driver": put 'a bit on'?

texts:
This beautiful sonnet, "Bus-Driver" by William Henley, is studded with idioms, some of which are hard to understand. I've bolded one part (of the two) I don't understand:

  He’s called The General from the brazen craft
  And dash with which he sneaks a bit of road
  And all its fares; challenged, or chafed, or chaffed,
  Back-answers of the newest he’ll explode;
  He reins his horses with an air; he treats
  With scoffing calm whatever powers there be;
  He gets it straight, puts a bit on, and meets
  His losses with both lip and £ s. d.;
  He arrogates a special taste in short;
  Is loftily grateful for a flagrant smoke;
  At all the smarter housemaids winks his court,
  And taps them for half-crowns; being stoney-broke,
     Lives lustily; is ever on the make;
     And hath, I fear, none other gods but Fake.

  (Note: The italics are the author's)

Regarding the puts a bit on part, I know that bit is a harness element, but I doubt that that's the meaning here. The author italicizes it, so it must be an idiom or a bit of slang.

The word bit in its sense "a small amount" is used in such a wide variety of phrases that I'm at a loss: they flood the results when I google. Could the phrase mean he "puts himself in a harness" (figuratively) to endure his losses?

P.S. Regarding the bus-driver's taste in short, I'm at a loss from the outset. Does it mean he likes to speak in short sentences? But let's deal with a bit on at least.


texts:
If you say "happy birthday" a day late, it's a "belated happy birthday".

What about when you say it one day early? Is there a single word fitting this definition?


texts: Nautical prepositions for " Toward the port /starboard / bow / stern " of a ship

texts:
If one thing is to the 'aft' of a second thing, it is 'abaft' the second thing.

For example, the captain's cabin is abaft the gun deck.

Are there similar words for other ship directions, such as 'bow', 'port', and 'starboard'?


texts: What is the difference between a cafe and a diner?

texts:
I recently ate at an establishment called The Park Cafe and Diner. How could a debate not ensue? What is the difference between a Cafe and Diner? Apparently, this place is both.

I have read various opinions online that discuss the visibility of the kitchen, the presence of counter-seating and such. But nothing authoritative.

Is/was there a commonly understood difference, or have they been relatively interchangeable and perhaps regionally variable?


texts: Where do I put this phrase in a phrase structure tree?

texts:
I am not sure where to put the AdvP in this sentence when drawing a phrase structure tree.

This is the sentence I would like to create the tree for:
"The car Sam bought last week won the big race."

This sentence has two possible meanings.The meaning I am concentrating on is: 'The car won last week' (not 'Sam bought the car last week').
Big thanks.


texts:
I need to request leave for one day and for more than one day.

What's the correct way of using the word day?

Which is correct for a single day of leave?

  1 day's leave
  1 day leave

What about more than one day?

  2 day's leave
  2 days' leave

Please clarify with explanation.


texts: What is the difference between "Aha!", "Ouch!", "Phew!" and "Aah!"

texts:
I was confused what to use in gap 11.

Kindly after going through the passage answer the following 4 questions and in question 3 please explain why you have chosen any option and what is the difference between those four options.

The passage

  I peered at the river through a gap in the roots of the strangler fig. The thick branches of the tree 9 me without really protecting me. I noticed the gentlest of ripples in the water and then something 10 began to emerge from its depths. An enormous head upon a slender neck rose above the surface. I looked into the beast's cold, reptilian eyes.I could sense no mind or soul behind them. I had to refrain from letting out a frightened 11! The time for retreating into the depths of the forest had arrived and I knew that it was 12.

1. Which of these fits gap 9.

(a) hidden
(b) was hiding
(c) were hiding
(d) hiding

2. Which of these fits gap 10.

(a) wonderful yet grand
(b) amazing yet astonishing
(c) magnificent yet terrifying
(d) frightening yet scary

3. Which of these fits gap 11.

(a) "Aha"!
(b) "Ouch!"
(c) "Phew!"
(d) "Aah!"

4. Which of these fits gap 12.

(a) neither now nor newer
(b) neither sooner nor later
(c) either sooner rather than later
(d) either now or never


texts:
Several years ago I heard of something called dummy subjects in high school. It was then stated that, for example, it is a dummy subject when it starts many instances of sentences, e.g.

  It is rainy today.
  It is hard to imagine how hard is to live alone.
  It is not my university degree that matters here.

My question is if we can use it with plural subjects? For example in

  If some think that in Mahmoud Dowlatabadi’s works it is only social themes that matter and the writer is ignoring fictional arrays and artistic techniques, at least, endings of his stories show wrongness of this idea.

My question deals with the italicized part. If this usage is OK, can we also write they are social themes that matter? I mean can they also play the role of a dummy subject?


texts: The difference between "test" and "testing"

texts:
I am working on software unit tests these days, while I found most results in the web tend to use "unit testing" rather than "unit test". If you search "unit test" in google, you will see "unit testing" from wikipedia.

"Software testing" is also used more frequently than "software test".

From what I can get from dictionary.
"testing" means the generic activity, and "test"means every small action in this activity.

Am I right?

Thank you!

  test: countable noun A test is a deliberate action or experiment to
  find out how well something works.

  testing:
  2. uncountable noun Testing is the activity of testing something or someone in order to find out information.


texts: "number of people purchasing X" vs "number of people who purchase X"

texts:
I'm confused between

a) "number of people purchasing plane tickets" vs.
  b) "number of people who purchase plane tickets"

Is a) okay to use if number of people purchasing tickets is increasing vs people who only buy the tickets online?


texts: What does “Empedocles’ sandal” mean in terms of English usage?

texts:
I first heard the expression “Empedocles’ sandal” a long time ago without knowing what it referred to. It seems to derive from the legend of the ancient Greek philosopher Empedocles (who was supposedly given to wearing scarlet clothes, a crown decorated with laurel flowers, a golden belt and bronze sandals).

The legend describes Empedocles’ inadvertent suicide — the outcome of jumping into a volcano to demonstrate his immortality. The volcano, however, only threw back one of his sandals.

The phrase has occasionally returned to haunt me, but I don’t know what it signifies to English speakers, or in what situations it might be used as the basis for a quip or allusion. Can you shed any light on its usage?


texts:
Currently I am doing voluntary work of a type that if I did not do it, nobody could. Additionally I am paying a lot of money in order to be able to do this work. Also it is not that the person who invited me to do this work could have gotten someone else to do the job and I was in "competition" with anyone - so if I were not doing it, nobody would be.

Today my inviter said to me "we expected you to do this". I felt very insulted by this, but I am not a native English speaker and neither is he, so either or both of us might have misunderstood the usage of this phrase. In my mother tongue it is okay to say "I expect it to rain" because this is a more formal way of saying "I think it will rain". However if one says to a person "I expect you to do this" then it means something along the lines of "you have to do it, damn it" being a strong demand. Basically the only situation where this would be appropriate would be if the one saying it is paying the other one. But even then it would only be said if the employee had been pretty negligent in the past.

If this were in my language I would say my inviter has been disrespectful and unfair, especially because he said something along the lines of "this is your job".

My question is now: Am I mistaken? Does "we expected you to do this" mean he just thought I would do this, or is he making demands?


texts: What is a "loose character" in Indian English?

texts:
What does the phrase "loose character" in Indian English mean?

E.g. "He is a loose character", or, "He has a loose character"


texts: What's the better wording: "Please assign this to the person responsible for the job"

texts:
I'm trying to come up with a better wording for this sentence:

  Please assign this to the person responsible for the job.

I want to say "Please assign this to the appropriate person", but that doesn't sound right.

What's the alternative to "person responsible for the job"? "The responsible person"? "the right person"? "the appropriate person"? None of these sound right to me.


texts: one-word: inability to work outside a comfort space

texts:
Is there a word for someone who can't get any productive work done outside of a particular space?

for example: I can't get myself to work if I am at a friend's place despite having all the tools required to do work (computer, table, etc.) I can only get work done at my office or my home.

How does one summarize this idea into a single term?


texts: What's the word for having the same distance to neighbours?

texts:
Imagine I have dots on a line and the dots have all the same distance to their neighbours. What is the word for that? I am searching for a word which comes from Latin for a scientific text. I think the word starts with "homo-" and I'd guess it is "homo-distant" or something similar, but I am not quite sure. I also need the opposite, as in non-WORD (maybe hetero-distant?). An alternative might be "homogeneous", but that would be a bit too general. Another alternative might be "monotonous", but that is also rather general.

Example sentences:

  Qualitative features can be discrete and WORD or discrete and non-WORD, or continuous.

  The data-points are WORD.


texts:
Where does the figure of speech "at the drop of a hat" come from?

I understand the phrase means "Immediately; instantly; on the slightest signal or urging. (Alludes to the dropping of a hat as a signal.)" - TheFreeDictionary.com

But I don't understand why anyone would think that dropping a hat were some sort of signal.

What's the historical context?


texts: For how long have "death and taxes" been accepted as a "certainty"?

texts:
The Ngram shows usage of the phrase "death and taxes" from about 1760 and increasingly thereafter, with no sign of its increasing use diminishing in the near future.

The History of Taxation (Wikipedia) states :

  Prior to the formation of the United Kingdom in 1707, taxation had been levied in the countries that joined to become the UK. For example, in England, King John introduced an export tax on wool in 1203 and King Edward I introduced taxes on wine in 1275.

The earliest statements regarding "death and taxes" (that I have yet found) are recorded in Wikipedia :-

  "'Tis impossible to be sure of any thing but Death and Taxes,"

The Cobbler of Preston by Christopher Bullock (1716)

  Things as certain as death and taxes, can be more firmly believ'd.

Daniel Defoe, The Political History of the Devil, 1726.

  Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.

Benjamin Franklin, in a letter to Jean-Baptiste Leroy, 1789


texts: What is the function of the word "that" here? (And is "absent" a verb in this sentence?)

texts:
What is the grammatical function of "that" in the following sentence. I'm having a hard time explaining to students why a verb (absent) is preceded by "that." Students assume a noun should follow "that." Any ideas??

Ex) "It is clear to me," she said, " that absent this kind of social media interaction, there are things students think about that normally they'd never say."


texts: I want to refer to a situation that happened months ago. So what should I use? "I panicked" or "I was panicked"?


texts: I’m English and confused.  Is jalapeno spoken with the sound ‘jal’ or ‘hal’? ‘Hal’ is how Spanish people pronounce it, but I’m English.  If the answer’s ‘hal’, do I say I’m going to ‘Paree’ instead of Paris? Do we pronounce differently based on a Person’s name, Country/City or food?


texts: Term for different types of race: racing by turns and racing together

texts:
Competitive racing (whether running, biking, skiing, or whatever) is usually carried out in one of two ways:

Two or more competitors start at the same time and race side-by-side; the first to cross the finish line is the winner.
Each competitor starts alone, with no other competitors in sight; each run is timed (or otherwise measured), and the person with the fastest time (or otherwise best score) when all competitors have completed their turn is the winner.

Category 1 normally includes disciplines like track, sprint, bike races, swimming, cross-country skiing, etc. Category 2 tends to include disciplines like downhill skiing and bobsled. Sports like javelin, ski jumping, high and long jump, etc., are done in the same manner, though time is not the standard measured there.

Do these two basic types of carrying out competitive racing have individual names? For example:

  The slalom race was organised as a _____ event, while cross country was a _____ event.


texts:
What are some other kennings in any of the major dialects of Modern Standard English? Here are a few examples in use in American English that I offer for starters:

rug-rat
rice-rocket
eye-candy
eye-opener
tongue-lashing
jail-bait
mind-share
belly-buster
tear-jerker
coin-toss
nail-biter   (suspenseful movie)
spine-tingler (eerie/scary movie)
night-owl
grease-monkey
disk-jockey
code-warrior
bit-cruncher
stud-muffin
saw-bones
moon-shine
block-buster  (a very popular movie)

This is a form of single-word request. I'm not looking for words with a particular meaning but a compound-noun with a particular structure.

A kenning is a compound consisting of two nouns (though sometimes adjective + noun) whose semantic relationship yields, indirectly, a nominal that is not a synonym for either of them, though one of them might be a metonym for part of the idea.

Rice-rocket, for example, is a name for 'fast Japanese motorcycle' (though I've heard it used of souped-up Japanese subcompact cars too).  Rice is a metonym for Japan.  Rocket yields fast-vehicle by synechdoche.

These are conversational everyday words, not restricted to poetical argot.


texts: Is there an idiom that means or is related to "discovering/learning something that is already known or old news"?

texts:
I found an interesting article that I wanted to email to my boss, but they may or may not already be of aware of such information. It got me thinking if there are any idioms that mean discovering something that is old news or is already known by many?

Anyone know? Thanks!