Most Popular
1500 questions
23
votes
5 answers
When do we use "no women" instead of "no woman"?
When do we use "no women" instead of "no woman"? I thought we used "no woman" instead of "no women" by default, but it seems that some people do use "no women". Is there a situation where one is preferred over the other, or are both phrases…
blackbird
- 5,877
- 4
- 50
- 103
23
votes
7 answers
Is "The life is beautiful" incorrect or just very non-idiomatic?
We had a discussion earlier on another SE site and I'm not able to find a definitive answer online. If I say, speaking generally:
The life is beautiful
I know this is not the common way of saying it and any people with a reasonably good English…
Laurent S.
- 343
- 2
- 8
23
votes
2 answers
Why do people say "I am broke" instead of "I am broken"?
I know these are correct:
I am done.
He is chosen.
My phone is broken.
But why do we say
I am broke.
instead of
I am broken.
Is that even grammatically correct?
Hao Wu
- 763
- 1
- 7
- 13
23
votes
4 answers
Why does the phrase "drop dead gorgeous" mean "very gorgeous"?
I came across the phrase Drop Dead Gorgeous which means very gorgeous or good-looking.
Why does the above phrase have this meaning? How do the given words relate to the meaning?
r15
- 505
- 2
- 9
- 20
23
votes
7 answers
In the morning VS on the morning
Which one is correct? (Maybe both are correct.)
He passed away on the morning of March 5.
Or
He passed away in the morning of March 5.
user62015
- 3,957
- 14
- 49
- 78
23
votes
3 answers
What does "my name was down for Eton" mean?
My name was down for Eton, you know, I can't tell you how glad I am I came here instead. Of course, Mother was slightly disappointed, but since I made her read Lockhart's books I think she has begun to see how useful it'll be to have a fully…
dan
- 12,615
- 13
- 81
- 179
23
votes
4 answers
Isn't 'charge a fee' redundant?
Do they charge a fee for opening an account [or anything here]?
Isn't it redundant to use both the words? See this -
charge (v) - demand (an amount) as a price for a service rendered or goods supplied.
And, fee is a payment asked by…
Maulik V
- 65,222
- 105
- 299
- 447
23
votes
7 answers
"a dollar and change". What does "change" mean?
The company, which is unprofitable, said that its average shopper
spent less than $90 on the platform last year. That translates into
revenue per shopper of a dollar and change.
source
The most reasonable meaning maybe was "smaller bills or…
Zhang
- 3,447
- 5
- 26
- 57
23
votes
3 answers
"I immediately got her with child"?
In th English translation of The Kindly Ones, a 2006 novel by Jonathan Littell set during World War II and its aftermath, the narrator states: the source
I picked a woman from a good family; she was relatively good-looking, a proper sort of woman,…
Bavyan Yaldo
- 2,987
- 10
- 44
- 77
23
votes
3 answers
Is there any difference in pronunciation between the words "fiancé (a male)" and "fiancée (a female)"?
I see no difference between transcriptions above-mentioned words, and what words / variants would be better to use in those meanings?
fiancé /fɪˈɑːnseɪ/ /fɪˈɒnseɪ/ /fɪˈɒ̃seɪ/ - ODO
fiancée /fɪˈɒnseɪ/ /fɪˈɑːnseɪ/ /fɪˈɒ̃seɪ/ - ODO
Jane
- 1,169
- 4
- 16
- 26
23
votes
2 answers
Most of something is plural or singular?
I am writing a literature review.
My question is which sentence is correct?
Most of the existing work focus on...
Most of the existing work focuses on ...
Most of the existing studies focus on ...
Thanks
T D Nguyen
- 365
- 1
- 3
- 10
23
votes
4 answers
Why has "strangely" been used instead of "strange" in the sentence "Harry felt strangely"?
Isn't "feel" a linking verb here? If so, shouldn't "strange" be used in lieu of "strangely"?
A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair that Hagrid…
Diamond
- 1,285
- 1
- 16
- 29
23
votes
3 answers
What does it mean "to talk over someone"?
I saw this video where two policemen, in three different times tell citizens "Don't talk over me" (0:12) or "you are talking over me" (3:37 also 3:44). It seems that all of these mentions in the video are with the same meaning. Anyway I don't know…
Virtuous Legend
- 26,526
- 185
- 388
- 573
23
votes
8 answers
What is the word meaning people who sell something in forceful way on the street or places?
What is the word meaning people who sell something in forceful way on the street or places?
For example, a guy put a flower into my pocket and asked to pay for it. I wonder I can say street seller. But street seller means people who has their stores…
Ting Choe
- 924
- 3
- 11
- 24
23
votes
9 answers
What would be a word for a product that is below the expected level of quality?
I am wondering if there is a word for a product that does not meet the expected quality. Something like a 'below average product', but that does not feel correct so I was hoping for a better word.
In this specific case it is about a refurbished…
Neograph734
- 387
- 2
- 3
- 14