Most Popular
1500 questions
16
votes
4 answers
What does "I never stopped to think of it" mean?
I saw what I thought was a double negative in this sentence from Norwegian Wood
I never stopped to think of it as something that would make a lasting impression.
The double negative in this sentence really confuses me. I interpret it as "I'm…
HFX
- 299
- 2
- 7
16
votes
2 answers
How to understand "cupping backsides is taken as seriously as cooking books"?
An excerpt from The Economist:
As such provisions have grown in popularity, two things have happened. First, the list of misdeeds covered has lengthened.
What initially applied solely to criminal financial conduct now extends to almost anything…
HypnoticBuggyWraithVirileBevy
- 1,925
- 1
- 11
- 27
16
votes
13 answers
A verb for "proceed with difficulty"
I forgot the verb for proceeding with/despite difficulty, when talking about a process. It's '[something] ahead' (but you may feel free to offer something without 'ahead'). Like 'forge ahead' but with a different meaning. Like
Since the autocrat's…
Sergey Zolotarev
- 3,466
- 3
- 30
- 80
16
votes
1 answer
What is the meaning of "Redonkulous"; is it an English Phrase?
I want to find out the meaning of an English word called redonkulous. Is it a phrase or something? I found this word in an animated movie called Bolt. I searched in "Google" and in "Google Translate" but didn't get any satisfactory answers. So, here…
Tulon
- 273
- 2
- 7
- 12
16
votes
3 answers
What does Trump mean here with "They don’t need more as they are going up for the shot."?
I like the NBA so I check any article if I spot them.
Anyway, this article has this line by Trump,
“I think [the kneeling] has been horrible for basketball,” President Donald Trump said on Fox Sports Radio in August. “Look at the basketball…
user17814
16
votes
7 answers
Why is "help you save money" wrong if the subject was plural?
Could you please explain to me why I got this sentence wrong?
Living at home and enjoying your mother’s cooking help you save money.
My teacher said "help" should have been written with an "s".
Why do I need to write an "s" since I was referring…
حسن بن لادن
- 161
- 1
- 3
16
votes
3 answers
Does "nor he mine" make sense here?
I have been staring at this sentence for 5 minutes:
I looked up, though I could not see his face, nor he mine.
"Nor he mine" seems...off to me. Is this grammatically correct?
rose
- 161
- 1
- 3
16
votes
1 answer
"the US." or "the US"
When I said
"in my field, people earn triple in the US. for the same work in China."
a native speaker told me I should have got rid of that ".", is it a more modern style to refer to America?
JJJohn
- 1,220
- 1
- 8
- 25
16
votes
3 answers
Grammaticality: 'Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something'
Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something — Plato
I didn't understand this quote. How do you understand this? Shouldn't there be a verb after 'fools'? I checked many sources and all write exactly the…
Void
- 17,778
- 7
- 71
- 106
16
votes
7 answers
How can I say "a period of four months" in one word?
If I want to say the first three months of the year in one word, I would say "the first quarter".
Which word should I use to refer to a period of four months?
Dade
- 161
- 1
- 1
- 5
16
votes
2 answers
Is the "global" in "global pandemic" redundant?
A pandemic is an epidemic that spreads internationally. My friend said that COVID-19 is a global pandemic. Isn't saying that coronavirus is a pandemic already indicative that it is global? Is "global" redundant?
Marvin
- 498
- 1
- 5
- 16
16
votes
3 answers
'Golden spoon' or 'Gold spoon' -if the spoon is made of gold?
Adjective or noun?
A golden spoon or A gold spoon
What to use? A spoon is made of gold.
Dictionary says:
golden (adjective) -made of gold
But then... (the same page)
golden (adjective) - bright yellow in colour like gold
So, what should we…
Maulik V
- 65,222
- 105
- 299
- 447
16
votes
2 answers
"Work in a power plant", "work on a power plant" or "work at a power plant"?
Which preposition do I use if I want to say that someone's work place is a power plant? For example:
I work in a power plant.
I work on a power plant.
I work at a power plant.
Dmytro O'Hope
- 15,175
- 31
- 154
- 303
16
votes
14 answers
What do you call the process of filling up an electric kettle and turning it on in one verb or phrasal verb?
What do you call the process of filling up an electric kettle and turning it on? Does set up fit the context? For example:
Please set up the kettle. We need some hot water.
Dmytro O'Hope
- 15,175
- 31
- 154
- 303
16
votes
1 answer
"in 60 seconds or less" or "in 60 seconds or fewer"?
Tell me please which sentence is correct.
I want you to articulate your ideas in 60 seconds or less.
I want you to articulate your ideas in 60 seconds or fewer.
The word second is a countable noun, so theoretically it should be 60 second or fewer,…
Dmytro O'Hope
- 15,175
- 31
- 154
- 303