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1500 questions
19
votes
13 answers
What do you call someone who likes to pick fights?
What do you call someone who's always looking for a fight? The only adjective I'm familiar with is "shit-stirrer" (I apologize for the inappropriate language).
Are there any other terms I could use that would be less slangy?
Kaique
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19
votes
7 answers
Difference between 'stomach' and 'uterus'
If a lady is pregnant, for her can this be said?
She had a baby in her stomach.
Or is it necessary to use the word womb or uterus?
English-Learner
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19
votes
5 answers
"On one hand" vs "on the one hand."
I'm confused because I've seen both mentioned in dictionaries.
Example sentence (context: writing a story):
On (the) one hand, I want to wrap up everything perfectly. On the other hand, I want to leave some ambiguity to the reader.
What's the…
alexchenco
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19
votes
2 answers
Does *first of all* always go with *second of all*?
According to Ngram, first of all is twice as popular as firstly, but secondly is a hundred times more popular than second of all.
When I present two points, do I have to be consistent in the choice of these phrases (if I use firstly, should the…
mosceo
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19
votes
7 answers
What does "rogue killers" mean?
US President Donald Trump has recently described the murder of a journalist in Saudi embassy in Turkey as being committed by "rogue killers". I first came across rogue in the context of rogue planets, which seem to be orbiting no mother star. I've…
Sara
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19
votes
1 answer
What comes after tertiary?
There's "primary", "secondary", "tertiary". What comes next (at "number 4")?
Sorry, I am not able to phrase this question any better, I hope it is clear from the context what I mean.
Masked Man
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19
votes
9 answers
What's the correct unit for homework?
Consider the case when a teacher has thirty students in the class. The noun "homework" is uncountable so he cannot say "I have thirty homeworks to grade every week." My question is that if there is any unit of homework so that the sentence "I have…
Chris Kuo
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19
votes
2 answers
The indefinite article with an amount modified by an adjective: "It cost a mere 20 dollars."
I am confused about using “mere” to show something is not large. Based on samples in the Cambridge dictionary:
The plane crashed mere minutes after take-off.
So other samples:
It cost a mere 20 dollars.
The city receives a mere 20% of the…
mehrane
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19
votes
3 answers
What's the differences between 'get it right' and 'make it right'?
I know that both "get it right" and "make it right" have a meaning of "correction", but what's the significant difference between them?
dfang
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19
votes
2 answers
Meaning of “we’ll cut him down as for the border he rides”
Welsh History 101B:
My neighbour from England has come across raiding,
Slain six of my kinsmen and burned down my hall.
It cannot be borne, this offence and injustice:
I’ve only killed four of his, last I recall.
I’ll send for my…
Ahmad Moustafa
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19
votes
9 answers
What do you call a group set up to undermine a political argument?
I have come across the following political phenomenon recently and I can’t find the right word for it.
Imagine a group of people (say an ethnic minority or gender) who campaign against their mistreatment by the government. Now imagine the…
Simd
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19
votes
2 answers
Which word is correct, "existed", "existent" or "existing"?
To express that the results already exist, should I say:
"the existed result", or
"the existent result", or
"the existing result"?
Ginger
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19
votes
2 answers
Thank you for your continued support or continuous support?
When you want to thank someone for the support they give you always. Which one should I use?
Thank you for your continued support?
Thank you for your continuous support?
user4062
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19
votes
5 answers
How should I answer 'Happy New Year'?
When someone says, "Happy New Year," how should we answer?
"Happy new year to you, too."
Or just: "Happy new year!"
Or in some other way?
Reamiel
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19
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4 answers
Meaning of "Give a man a fire and he's warm for the day. But set fire to him and he's warm for the rest of his life."
What is the meaning of this quote by Terry Pratchett?
Give a man a fire and he's warm for the day. But set fire to him and
he's warm for the rest of his life.
I think I understand the first sentence. It says that if you give somebody e.g. a…
Derfder
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