Most Popular
1500 questions
20
votes
3 answers
Why do we use "an" in the phrase "an only child"?
I remember an episode from a game show. I am pretty sure it was "Wheel of Fortune." The task was to restore missing letters: an **ly child. The contestant answered "an ugly child", but the correct answer is "an only child." Moreover, I asked some…
Alexander
- 1,732
- 8
- 20
- 45
20
votes
9 answers
What is the English equivalent of the Russian word тормоз which is used for very slowly working software?
In Russian there is word тормоз (tormoz) which originally meant "brake" (as in a car), but now is often used to denote a very slowly working software.
The nearest word in English I know is "lag". But I am unsure that these are the same.
How to…
porton
- 655
- 1
- 7
- 17
20
votes
4 answers
What does "things went south" mean?
What does things all went south mean in the following paragraph?
The app has been available in the Google Play store since November 12, apparently with Google's blessing, and Cyanogen says "hundreds of thousands" of users have installed it already.…
Ruban Savvy
- 617
- 1
- 8
- 13
20
votes
2 answers
Can someone explain this joke about the Primer movie
There is a question on the Science Fiction & Fantasy SE:
This request comes from a friend of mine...
She has not seen the movie, but only heard somebody describe it to her. Can anybody help my friend by identifying the story?
One of the comments…
enkryptor
- 445
- 1
- 4
- 12
20
votes
4 answers
'I wouldn't vote for Clinton if you paid me': what does this mean?
My understanding was that a sentence of the form:
I won't do X if Y happens
means something along the lines of
if Y happens I will not do X
Nigel Farage stated in a speech 'I wouldn't vote for Clinton if you paid me'. To my mind, this seems to…
shintaroid
- 311
- 2
- 6
20
votes
10 answers
"She speaks an impeccable English" vs "She speaks impeccable English"
What is the difference between these sentences?
She speaks an impeccable English.
She speaks impeccable English.
I understand both are correct but is one simply more specific because of the indefinite article, "an"?
Word Nerd
- 301
- 2
- 3
19
votes
9 answers
"Even vinegar, once you've gotten it for free, tastes sweet": Is there an English equivalent for this saying?
There's a slang word in Russian, халява (pronounced halyava), meaning something that you get for free and without any effort despite its obvious monetary or effortful value. This something isn't either a present or reward; nor is it anything…
Victor B.
- 9,352
- 6
- 40
- 88
19
votes
17 answers
An English word describing a pseudo-job
Is there a word for a job that doesn't actually contribute to increasing productivity in a country and even if you make them disappear, it won't change the way people live or the country's economical prosperity for example being a street vendor, a…
Yuri
- 7,443
- 7
- 63
- 109
19
votes
13 answers
How do native speakers say 'I have completed all the missions/levels in the game'?
I read on one forum you can say "finish" but that was it, there were no examples. So what I am looking for is how to ask someone if he or she has "gone through" all the missions, played every single level and completed the game.
Would this…
Arman
- 744
- 3
- 9
- 19
19
votes
4 answers
Triple negation: What does "This ain't no place for no hero" mean?
What does "This ain't no place for no hero" mean? It's a phrase from the song "Short Change Hero", and while I think I understand it (This is not a place for people who are not heroes), I find somewhat confusing the combination of all those…
Borgtex
- 293
- 1
- 2
- 6
19
votes
3 answers
"Thanks for sharing this" - why isn't it "Thanks for having shared this" ?
People often answer "Thanks for sharing this" when I share a document or information with them.
What I don't understand is why they don't use a past tense since I share the document before their answer. Would it be correct to say that instead:…
psql
- 291
- 1
- 2
- 4
19
votes
3 answers
Which time is 9 | 8c?
Today I wanted to see (on TV) an american show. Every website I saw says that the show starts Monday 9 | 8c.
I think that 8c means 8 pm (or am, but highly unlikely), but what about the 9? It's not the date, that's for sure.
Can someone explain it to…
Rakete1111
- 717
- 1
- 7
- 12
19
votes
7 answers
Difference between "won't" and "will not"
What's the differences between won't and will not? Do they have the exact same meaning in all contexts?
If not, I would really appreciate some examples.
Clarity94
- 525
- 2
- 6
- 11
19
votes
5 answers
Does the word God get the pronoun "it" or "he"?
Does the word God get the pronoun "it" or "he"?
For example: I want to say thanks to God for what it / he gave
me.
I am talking about the God of Monotheism (force majeure) - like what the Jews and Muslims believe in. [I don't know whether the…
Virtuous Legend
- 26,526
- 185
- 388
- 573
19
votes
3 answers
Is it "less than" or "lesser than"?
I often hear people say "less than", but shouldn't it be "lesser than"? Which one is correct?
user207