Question: the old switcheroo: where did the -eroo suffix come from?

Answer: its origin is not known

Answer: many -eroo/-aroo endings are based on the English word kangaroo


Question: is the -b to be pronounced in the word limb? what about thumb? crumb?

Answer: the rules are: don't pronounce the 'b' in any of the root words limb crumb dumb lamb thumb

Answer: limb, thumb, crumb) are listed in my local dictionary without a b sound

Answer: no word in the English that ends in -mb where the b is pronounced


Question: what is the proper term for when an animal is pregnant with eggs instead of live young?

Answer: gravid

Answer: Gravid


Question: which is correct: troubleshooted or troubleshot?

Answer: troubleshot


Question: what are these symbols called in the english language?

Answer: Tally marks, or hash marks


Question: origins of the gaming term cheese strategy

Answer: This expression originated in the game Starcraft

Answer: derivative of the longstanding American slang of "cheesy


Question: what is the difference between specificity and specification?

Answer: specificity refers to a quality and specification refers to a description of a subject


Question: whats the literal meaning of real estate?

Answer: immobile / fixed portion of one’s estate, that is, land

Answer: physical property


Question: revealing that someone else is gay — counterpart to come out

Answer: outing

Answer: Outing


Question: what does the idiom/phrase but i digress mean?

Answer: The phrase is indicating self-consciousness of being off-topic, and therefore a return back to the original topic

Answer: we have strayed off topic


Question: correct term for a person working two jobs secretly

Answer: moonlighting


Question: etymology of the nick used in nickname?

Answer: nickname is a variant of eke-name, with eke an Old English root meaning "a part added on

Answer: ekename, literally meaning "additional name

Answer: eke name (eke means additional), misinterpreted by wrong division, as a neke name

Answer: -ik, -ick, word-forming element making adjectives, "having to do with, having the nature of, being, made of


Question: what is the meaning of just enough?

Answer: you have your exact requirement and nothing more than is required


Question: what does it mean when a guy says one and done?

Answer: done once, and then done no more


Question: can a sentence start with because?

Answer: there is nothing wrong with starting a sentence that way

Answer: Because you asked this question here, I'm obliged to say yes


Question: is it a user or an user

Answer: the first sound of user is not a vowel, but the consonant /j


Question: how to describe a person who has done well in every task except one, but he has done extremely bad in that one task

Answer: He has an Achilles heel

Answer: his excellence is crippled by a single, titanic flaw

Answer: He met his Waterloo


Question: toward or towards?

Answer: toward” is more common in the US and “towards” in the UK

Answer: toward" is more common in the U.S. and that "towards" is more common in the U.K


Question: what is it called when you believe there is a higher power?

Answer: The generic theist works fine here: belief in the existence of a god or gods


Question: what is the difference between a notebook and notepad?

Answer: notebooks are sturdier and more likely to stay in one piece, while notepads are flimsier

Answer: notepads are flimsier and more likely to have pages removed


Question: how do you pronounce git?

Answer: a hard G and a short I, so [ɡɪt

Answer: The word is pronounced [ɡɪt

Answer: [gɪt] is the expected pronunciation.


Question: what does tl;dr mean and how is it used?

Answer: mean, "Too long? Here's a summary


Question: is there a reason the british omit the article when they go to hospital?

Answer: I went to hospital" describes the wider act of having been infirmed and gone to the hospital building


Question: why god in godparent?

Answer: refers to the “role” of the godparents as God’s vicar

Answer: Godparents, to an extent, acted as 'parents' in the eyes of god

Answer: it was a promise before God, that said person would take responsibility for their Godchild

Answer: to reflect the view that the sponsors enter into a spiritual relationship with the baptized person


Question: what is the difference between desktop background and wallpaper?

Answer: wallpaper refers to the image, background refers to a concept in a multi-windowed environment


Question: how is y’all’dn’t’ve pronounced

Answer: Yaw woot nuh" with woot rhyming with foot


Question: reason for different pronunciations of lieutenant

Answer: French word lieu had a rare variant form luef


Question: what is the difference of labour and labourer?

Answer: Labor (labour) denotes work (unskilled). Laborer (labourer) is the individual(s) doing the "labor


Question: whats wrong with ill open you the door?

Answer: is ungrammatical because you won't wind up owning the door by virtue of my opening it


Question: what the difference between folk and folks?

Answer: Folks is a collection of individual folk


Question: are you sleeping or are you asleep?

Answer: Use asleep if you want to emphasize the state and sleeping if you want to emphasize the action


Question: does ie have a comma?

Answer: in the British style of writing, a comma is inserted before but not after i.e


Question: is toast countable or uncountable?

Answer: Toast is uncountable


Question: why go off, as in alarm went off?

Answer: implies that the subject was in a state of rest, then moved off from that state into action

Answer: used for something that suddenly and explosively changes from a resting state to one of vigorous action

Answer: going off" as a trap or reaction getting triggered


Question: what is the difference between a trust and a cartel?

Answer: a trust would be run by a board of trustees (See 10a), whereas there is no specific organisational structure assumed with a cartel


Question: using nor in a list without neither

Answer: repeat “nor” after each element


Question: is it web site or website?

Answer: website

Answer: website is clearly used hands-down more often than Web site


Question: is it ever correct to have a space before a question or exclamation mark?

Answer: in the past, a small (non-breaking) space was inserted before an ! and a ?

Answer: no


Question: which is correct: one or more is or one or more are?

Answer: one or more always takes a plural verb


Question: is from whence correct? or should it be whence?

Answer: It is technically redundant to say from whence


Question: is recent past an oxymoron?

Answer: it is not an oxymoron


Question: what is the difference between phonetics and phonemics?

Answer: Phonetics studies the sounds we actually produce in speech. Phonemics studies the way we understand those sounds


Question: antonym of exodus

Answer: influx

Answer: entrance

Answer: Immigrate/immigration


Question: what to answer when someone says excuse me?

Answer: the response is "I'm sorry, yes?" or something to that effect.

Answer: Certainly


Question: why did blake spell tyger with a y?

Answer: archaic spelling


Question: irregular verbs: the history of the suffix “-en” in the past participle

Answer: In Old English, strong verbs took the "-en" suffix in order to form the past participle


Question: etymology of fairy

Answer: féerie was an abstract noun referring to magic or the realm of the fairies


Question: what is the infinitive of can?

Answer: Can" is a modal verb and doesn't have an infinitive

Answer: modal auxiliary verbs, can, may, shall, will and must are defective in that they do not have infinitives

Answer: modal verb "can," meaning to be able, is invariable and defective, the latter meaning it has no infinitive

Answer: Modals are their own unique creatures and do not take infinitive


Question: what term can be used to describe yodas speech?

Answer: hyperbaton or scrambled syntax

Answer: Yodish


Question: what purpose does an -o serve?

Answer: -o marks the genre—and incidentally provides the balladmaker additional melodic opportunity


Question: what does trodie mean?

Answer: someone who habitually electrically stimulates the brain's pleasure centres via an implanted electrode


Question: best before says 11 ma 23; is it may or march?

Answer: May

Answer: MA=May


Question: using utilize instead of use?

Answer: utilise is (in principle, at least) a somewhat more precise word than use


Question: where in the bible does it say quiver?

Answer: Psalm 127


Question: what does arruginated mean?

Answer: grooved


Question: what is the difference between so far and thus far?

Answer: no significant difference between the two


Question: have an ax to grind origin?

Answer: originates from the act of sharpening an axe with a grinding wheel


Question: your flies are undone meaning?

Answer: your fly's open


Question: has similarities with or to?

Answer: Similarity to is the more idiomatic


Question: why do you say friend of mine instead of friend of me?

Answer: Mine is used to refer a thing belonging to (or a person associated with) the speaker

Answer: Since it is about a friend (who is associated) mine must be used instead of me


Question: what is the origin of daemon with regards to computing?

Answer: inspired by Maxwell's daemon, in physics and thermodynamics


Question: is it gonna or going to?

Answer: Gonna" is shorthand for "going to


Question: what is the difference between tire and tyre?

Answer: Tire is the preferred spelling in the U.S. and Canada. Tyre is preferred in most varieties of English outside North America


Question: is using the possessive s correct in the cars antenna?

Answer: Using -'s is correct


Question: what is the difference between give in and give up?

Answer: Give up indicates cessation as well as forfeiture, whereas give in denotes surrender to something


Question: what is the best format to use when writing out dates?

Answer: YYYY-MM-DD

Answer: YYYY-MM-DD is pretty good for getting across universally


Question: is it often or frequently?

Answer: often has a broader meaning that includes frequently but goes beyond it


Question: what is the difference between list and roster?

Answer: roster contains names, whereas a list can contain names but does not have to

Answer: In a roster, the order is generally not important. In a list, the order may have some meaning


Question: what is the first part of a joke called?

Answer: the setup

Answer: Set-up


Question: buddy is used for girl or boy?

Answer: any combination of genders

Answer: male and female


Question: what is the meaning of first quality?

Answer: It means that the quality is excellent or "first class

Answer: i.e. of the best quality or in the highest division of quality

Answer: Foremost in quality, rank, or importance. or First Time Quality


Question: is it grammatically correct to use two exclamation marks?

Answer: No


Question: is it grammatically correct to say done right?

Answer: done right" is very commonly used in informal contexts in American English to mean "done correctly


Question: definition of someone who knows what they want?

Answer: purposed" or "purposeful" to describe such a person

Answer: (of a person) relentlessly compelled by the need to accomplish a goal; very hard-working and ambitious


Question: should the number 0 be pronounced zero or oh?

Answer: Both are correct


Question: should i use related or -related

Answer: If it appears before the word it modifies, include a hyphen


Question: why dont we use the indefinite article with software?

Answer: software is uncountable, or a mass noun


Question: what is the noun for someone who receives a referral?

Answer: referee

Answer: referent

Answer: referral recipient


Question: what is the reasoning for the idiom in and of itself having the meaning it has?

Answer: originally associated with academics wishing to emphasise something in its existential totality


Question: on a page or in a page for a web page

Answer: talking about something that you are able to view on a page, you will use "ON"


Question: is legit a legitimate word?

Answer: it's a colloquial abbreviation of legitimate


Question: is seafood inclusive of seaweed?

Answer: plant products are not included in the category 'seafood


Question: why is distro, rather than distri, short for distribution in linux world?

Answer: -o" is a much more natural-sounding ending for a singular noun in English than "-i

Answer: An abbreviation doesn't have to use an unbroken sequence of letters


Question: why was the th combination chosen for the th sound?

Answer: there were no typefaces for thorn þ or eth ð, and English printers were forced to use "th"


Question: is it a good practice to refer to countries, ships etc using the feminine form?

Answer: optional figure of speech, and is advised against by most journalistic style guides


Question: comprise or comprise of

Answer: active voice, COMPRISE is not followed by OF but when used in the passive voice, it is followed by OF


Question: when ending a list with etc., should there be a comma before etc.?

Answer: the correct version is: red, green, blue, etc


Question: is the word hitherto outdated?

Answer: by no means


Question: what are the specific parts of eating utensils called?

Answer: A fork merges at its neck into a root carrying prongs or tines


Question: what is the purpose of using the word automagically when we already have automatically?

Answer: used jokingly, implying that something happens both automatically and as if by magic

Answer: implication of a deep appreciation of the cleverness of whatever secret process makes the system work


Question: difference between warm regards and best regards

Answer: Warm sounds a bit warmer than best, but basically the two are interchangeable


Question: what does the idiom “funny as hell” mean?

Answer: very funny

Answer: very, very funny


Question: is it front-end, frontend, or front end?

Answer: front end" or "front-end" would be valid

Answer: front end" (noun) "front-end" (adjective


Question: are mad and upset the same thing?

Answer: Mad means: enraged; greatly provoked or irritated; angry. While upset means: to disturb mentally or emotionally; perturb

Answer: upset" could be just very sad and tearful, whereas "mad" implies acting irrationally

Answer: upset" is not quite the same as being "mad


Question: what is the difference between the parent and parents?

Answer: parents is plural for parent


Question: what is meant by pun intended?

Answer: There is a pun (a play on words) in this sentence, and I put it in intentionally

Answer: to make it clear to the listener that yes, they are using wordplay to make their point


Question: how are perimeter and circumference related?

Answer: Circumference is a special case of perimeter

Answer: circumference specifically refers to the perimeter of a curved figure or arc

Answer: Circumference is a special example of perimeter

Answer: The perimeter of a circular area is called its circumference


Question: is et al. used as a singular or plural subject?

Answer: it would be clearly plural

Answer: I would treat it as plural


Question: is he is risen correct?

Answer: It is correct


Question: ugh how do you say?

Answer: /əg/


Question: meaning of “give a pony”

Answer: in America to talk about a child wanting a pony as a request or demand for an extravagant gift


Question: word when two people use two different languages in a conversation

Answer: code-mixing

Answer: cross-language


Question: what does wrt mean?

Answer: with respect to

Answer: with regard to


Question: can example be a verb?

Answer: You don't use example as a verb


Question: the past participle of split: split or splitted?

Answer: split


Question: is i like dogs but cats a valid sentence?

Answer: not valid because cats is not a full sentence


Question: is useable preferred in certain regions, or just an alternate spelling of usable?

Answer: The US version simply lists useable as an acceptable variant of usable

Answer: current usage in both American English and British English strongly favors usable over useable


Question: what does something 101 mean?

Answer: Basic, beginner, starting from scratch


Question: what is the plural form of status?

Answer: statuses

Answer: Statuses


Question: how tos or how to's?

Answer: They are both correct


Question: how can i prove a word is a noun?

Answer: can be modified by an adjective, cannot be modified by an adverb, cannot take a direct object

Answer: it has a plural form and that it can occur with the determiner every


Question: there are a couple of apples or there is a couple of apples?

Answer: Couple as a few: In this case, you use are


Question: are a handful or is a handful?

Answer: Both are correct


Question: is there a term for the type of misleading joke comedians such as stephen colbert often use?

Answer: Bait and Switch

Answer: Paraprosdokian


Question: are engines and motors the same?

Answer: an engine is a specific type of motor

Answer: all motors are engines but not all engines are motors


Question: what is the difference between as and when?

Answer: as" implies more of a continuous span of time, whereas "when" implies more of a precise moment


Question: what is the difference between well-known and popular?

Answer: Famous means well known. Popular means well-liked


Question: what does google-fu mean?

Answer: mastery of Google

Answer: Googling skill

Answer: the ability to utilise google's search functionality better than your average user

Answer: skill in using search engines (especially Google) to quickly find useful information on the Internet


Question: what does pax mean in the context of the apartment rental?

Answer: occupants

Answer: people/persons/occupants


Question: why are there two pronunciations for either?

Answer: one which made the shift and one which did not


Question: is there a name for an adjective that cannot precede a noun?

Answer: Predicative adjective

Answer: Postpositive


Question: can someone explain the phrase all is fair in love and war?

Answer: In some situations any type of behaviour is acceptable to get what you want


Question: what the difference between group and community?

Answer: group is a non-specific collection while community has a commonality among its members

Answer: community is generally applicable to animate objects only, group to 'things' of all descriptions


Question: is ta in the oxford dictionary?

Answer: Oxford English Dictionary lists it


Question: what is the purpose of using the word why in why, thank you?

Answer: used mainly to avoid appearing too abrupt in one's thankfulness


Question: inputted or input

Answer: My NOAD lists input and inputted both as acceptable participles


Question: is it grammatically correct to say many a times?

Answer: "Many a times" is wrong

Answer: the expression "many a times" is either a typo, or else it is not standard usage


Question: the british pronunciation of the word schedule

Answer: shed-yul

Answer: /ˈsɛdjuːl/


Question: what does it mean when a guy tells you i got you?

Answer: I've got your back


Question: why does for good mean forever?

Answer: Thus "for good and all" (shortened to "for good") means "for entirely all

Answer: The context is "for good and all" time. Which means "forever


Question: what is the difference between online and internet?

Answer: Online refers to a remote connection to most any computer network or service whereas on the internet refers specifically to the publicly accessible network


Question: is it proper to use a colon followed immediately by a hyphen?

Answer: never followed by a hyphen


Question: term for something that is supposed to increase safety, but really just increases fear?

Answer: security theater

Answer: Security theater


Question: outside or outside of?

Answer: both have the same meaning

Answer: of' is superfluous


Question: is dupe short for duplicate?

Answer: Oxford Dictionary acknowledges dupe as an abbreviation of duplicate

Answer: Short for duplicate


Question: are you back in or to?

Answer: Now I am back in London


Question: what does p.u. (in reference to stinkiness) stand for?

Answer: pee-you

Answer: shortened term for puteo


Question: is wtf an acronym or initialism?

Answer: initialism


Question: what is the difference between cook and cooker?

Answer: The word ‘cook’ refers to a person who cooks food or prepares food. On the other hand


Question: what is difference between leaving and going?

Answer: Go" refers to the whole journey whereas "leave" is the act of moving away from the current location


Question: what does it mean when someone says you have heart?

Answer: to be particularly empathic, compassionate or loving

Answer: kind and sympathetic

Answer: heart" in a metaphoric sense as the seat of things like emotion, strength, and courage


Question: why do newspaper headlines use strange syntax rules?

Answer: to use less space on the page


Question: a man who behaves dishonourably?

Answer: a man who acts with deliberate disregard for another's feelings or rights

Answer: cad

Answer: Bounder


Question: why do we say last night and not yesterday night?

Answer: yesterday night" would lead to ambiguity


Question: definition of vrit

Answer: there is no such thing as vrit


Question: is a birthday a holiday?

Answer: Having a birthday does not mean it's a holiday


Question: is the prefix for possible?

Answer: It isn't a prefix


Question: what is a series of two books called?

Answer: Duology

Answer: Diptychs, dilogies, duologies, series, cycles, and sagas

Answer: Use diptych for one novel published in two halves, dilogy or duology for two completely different

Answer: diptych


Question: origin/meaning of burninate

Answer: classic Homestar Runner cartoon in an episode where Strong Bad creates a character called Trogdor the Burninator


Question: is pizza also called pie?

Answer: Italian pizza is simply a type of a pie


Question: how should deceptively actually be used?

Answer: X is deceptively Y" means that X has less of the quality Y than it appears


Question: canceling or cancelling

Answer: a single "l" is preferred in American English and a double "l" in British English


Question: how to say i am very interested in a job?

Answer: I find the position very interesting and suitable for my career goal(s)


Question: what is the difference between small and little?

Answer: little" can be used as a quantifier, denoting the amount of something, whereas "small" denotes size


Question: is x plotted against y or is y plotted against x?

Answer: y is plotted against x


Question: why is colonel pronounced kernel?

Answer: kept the old pronunciation, while the word changed spelling


Question: criteria versus criterion

Answer: Criteria is to set of rules as criterion is to rule

Answer: criteria is indeed plural and criterion is singular


Question: is evidence countable?

Answer: Evidence is not generally taken to be a count noun


Question: what are semi vowel letters?

Answer: sounds like vowels (phonetically) but functions like consonants


Question: what are crisp in england?

Answer: Potato chips

Answer: deep-fried slices of potato


Question: term for gift that turns out to be a burden

Answer: Poisoned Chalice

Answer: white elephant

Answer: White elephant


Question: what does it mean when someone is always there for you?

Answer: being dependable, unchanging, or providing firm foundation


Question: is there a name for starting a chapter with a quote?

Answer: Epigraph


Question: abbreviation “n.d.” in citation?

Answer: when there is no date or year is given


Question: what was m(o)ustache called before the term entered the english language?

Answer: kenep


Question: what is it called when you raise a problem and someone else makes it seem like youre entitled by bringing up something far worse?

Answer: relative privation

Answer: Brené Brown calls it Comparative Suffering


Question: when should mom and dad be capitalized?

Answer: it's standing in place of their name


Question: complete the job, as directed. there is a comma. why?

Answer: The comma after “job” tells us that the phrase as directed is non-restrictive


Question: is picky a bad word?

Answer: generally has a negative connotation


Question: what word denotes a belief that apparently inanimate objects actually express a malicious, autonomous will?

Answer: Resistentialism

Answer: resistentialism


Question: where [if anywhere] should the apostrophe go in three days work?

Answer: Three days' work" is correct

Answer: three days' work


Question: english equivalent of komorebi (木漏れ日) — sunshine filtering through leaves

Answer: dappled sunlight

Answer: Sunshine filtering through leaves” is perfectly good English, and seems to be the only exact English equivalent

Answer: There is no single word, but the conjunction of "shafts" and "light" and "trees" is the usual evocative usage


Question: did english ever have a formal version of you?

Answer: you actually is the formal, originally plural version


Question: is you’re a better man than i am, gunga din! still considered a compliment in english?

Answer: it isn't a compliment

Answer: no longer considered a compliment

Answer: it's also of its era and so was and remains complimentary


Question: is it grammatically correct to start a sentence with then?

Answer: Yes


Question: what is the word for pronouncing ‘th’ as ‘v’ as part of your english accent?

Answer: th-fronting


Question: why is there confusion between depreciated and deprecated?

Answer: because the spellings of the two words are nearly identical


Question: can you begin a sentence with her?

Answer: You can obviously start a sentence with "her


Question: why is sheep the same when talking about one or more than one?

Answer: that nominative and accusative singular and plural became identical

Answer: there's a certain tendency to have invariant plurals for certain animals, especially those normally found in herds


Question: why is it spelled curiosity instead of curiousity?

Answer: The "u" is dropped in "curiosity" as part of another suffix spelling pattern


Question: is there a term for a foreign word that looks like an english word but has a completely different meaning?

Answer: False friends


Question: what nationality are you if you are from afghanistan?

Answer: Afghan


Question: why are sugar and sure pronounced with an sh?

Answer: the “sh” sound (in IPA, /ʃ/) in sugar and sure developed after they had entered English, via palatalization


Question: which one is correct to say: its me or its i?

Answer: correct to say it's me

Answer: It is me," is more common, and correct

Answer: It's me


Question: what is the plural of mrs?

Answer: Mesdames

Answer: Mmes.

Answer: Missuses


Question: is 1 am considered morning or night?

Answer: Anything AM can be referred to as morning, and anything PM as night


Question: is weeping and crying the same thing?

Answer: weep is more about tears, while cry is more about the sound


Question: is anniversary just for marriage?

Answer: Anniversary just means a marking of some number of years - not necessarily of a marriage


Question: why did sceptical become skeptical in the us?

Answer: Sceptical" changed to "skeptical" due to Noah Webster's spelling reforming efforts


Question: what is the difference between concentration focus?

Answer: focus relates to the (better definition of) lateral extent (breadth/ range/ coverage), while concentration is about depth

Answer: Focus is to narrow down your attention to something, concentration is to keep the focus maintained


Question: is that an r in worship in a text from 1591?

Answer: it was an r


Question: what is it called when you blow on a baby's belly?

Answer: Zerbert

Answer: Blowing a raspberry, strawberry or making a Bronx cheer

Answer: zerbert" and "blowing raspberries


Question: what is the antonym of virtual machine?

Answer: physical

Answer: physical computer

Answer: real machine

Answer: physical server


Question: is there a term for referring to an organization by its city rather than by its name?

Answer: metonymy

Answer: synecdoche

Answer: metonym


Question: are missiles and rockets the same?

Answer: a rocket is a means of propulsion; a missile is something that is propelled


Question: what is the difference between lord and god in the bible?

Answer: Lord” is a title of respect; “God” is a description


Question: answer of how do you do?

Answer: I am fine


Question: what exactly is imma?

Answer: a slang contraction of I'm gonna

Answer: a contraction of I'm gonna


Question: is it suppose to do or supposed to do?

Answer: is always spelled "supposed to" and always goes with a form of the verb "to be"


Question: in architecture, you {cut?} the corners of a building to keep it from featuring right-angles. whats the word im looking for?

Answer: bevel

Answer: chamfer

Answer: Chamfer


Question: what does non-normative mean in this context?

Answer: non-normative, or informative, section contains additional information, advice and suchlike that isn't a formal part of the standard

Answer: 'non-normative' means 'what is recommended to be done', the suggestions on how to do things well


Question: etymology for “mc‑” and “o’‑” prefix in surnames

Answer: Mac, is the Gaelic for "son", and O' means "grandson of"


Question: what is the difference between miss and ma'am?

Answer: miss" generally connotes a younger woman, and "ma'am" an older woman


Question: instable or unstable?

Answer: unstable


Question: what is the antonym of the prefix retro-?

Answer: antero-

Answer: pro- (or progre-

Answer: Antero-

Answer: modern" or "prospective


Question: is dear commonly used to describe something that costs too much?

Answer: Yes


Question: where does the phrase dry run come from?

Answer: firing practice without ammunition American Speech defined the term during WWII


Question: reply to i hope you are well?

Answer: I am very well, thank you

Answer: I am


Question: is it quit or quitted?

Answer: both as alternatives for the past tense and the past participle


Question: what is the antonym of drm-free?

Answer: DRM-locked

Answer: DRM protected

Answer: DRM-protected

Answer: Copy Protected

Answer: DRM-laden


Question: should there be a space before a percent sign?

Answer: no space


Question: is this use of chuse a spelling mistake, a digitization error or the correct spelling for the time?

Answer: Chuse' was actually a variant spelling which went out-of-style around 1840

Answer: Chuse" was a common alternative spelling


Question: explanation of must needs

Answer: adverb meaning "necessarily


Question: parametrise or parameterise a curve?

Answer: Both parameterize and parametrize are acceptable

Answer: both are acceptable


Question: why are g strings called that?

Answer: 1870s call the rawhide band used to hold a Native American's loincloth in place a "geestrin


Question: effect vs. affect

Answer: affect” is most commonly used as a verb while “effect” is usually used as a noun


Question: what is a prize for last place called?

Answer: booby prize

Answer: consolation prize

Answer: Red Lantern" award

Answer: "Tail End Charlie" award


Question: what are diddy bop shades?

Answer: simply sunglasses that a hipster or street-cool guy of the relevant era would wear

Answer: sunglasses worn as an element of hipster style


Question: should punctuation surrounding italicised words be italicised?

Answer: it depends on whether the punctuation belongs to the italicized text or to the rest of the sentence


Question: what exactly is an adverb?

Answer: describes how something is done or where or when


Question: word that means the classification of a number as even or odd

Answer: parity


Question: what is the difference between working out and exercising?

Answer: workout is a broader term than exercise as it does mean a session of exercise


Question: what is the difference of conversation and talk?

Answer: conversation" is necessarily two-way -- two or more people interchanging utterances. "Talk", on the other hand, may involve only a single person


Question: is one needs only or one need only correct?

Answer: it should either be "one need only look" (using the auxiliary verb), or "one only needs to look


Question: why does the multi-paragraph quotation rule exist?

Answer: to allow for successive dialog

Answer: a convenient clue for the reader that the quotation goes on beyond the end of the paragraph


Question: what is it when someone answers a question with a question?

Answer: counter-question


Question: which is correct: could care less or couldnt care less?

Answer: couldn't care less

Answer: could not care less


Question: should i write phd or ph.d.?

Answer: both correct


Question: how should i answer to what's up?

Answer: Normally people reply "not much


Question: what is the difference between gift and present?

Answer: one gives a present in person, but sends a gift


Question: word for a software bug that occurs again after having fixed it?

Answer: regression

Answer: recurring


Question: when is y a vowel?

Answer: when the Y serves as the only vowel in the syllable


Question: what does the suffix “‑fu” mean?

Answer: advanced) skill

Answer: something that requires dedication to master and has hidden benefits


Question: when to use rather than versus instead of?

Answer: rather than implies preference whereas instead of implies substitution


Question: what is the difference between the particle and particulate?

Answer: A particle is a small object. A particulate is made of one or more particles


Question: is ivy plural or singular?

Answer: The plural of "ivy" is "ivies


Question: what is the difference between best of luck and all the best?

Answer: All the best is more a farewell gesture than best of luck

Answer: We use the term all the best to someone with respect and best of luck as more freiendly

Answer: best of luck" would refer to something more specific, Whereas "All the best" is a generic well-wishing


Question: is there a rule for pronouncing “th” at the beginning of a word?

Answer: In English, the digraph th is pronounced as the voiceless [θ] at the beginning of a word


Question: numbers that are the same backwards?

Answer: 16461

Answer: a_1a_2...a_2a_1

Answer: palindromic number


Question: is it poor form to start too many sentences with i?

Answer: Using I at the beginning of a sentence is most tiring back-to-back


Question: what is the difference between peak and point?

Answer: A peak is a point that's higher than all other adjacent points


Question: has hacker definitely gained a negative connotation?

Answer: Among the general public, hacker still has a negative connotation


Question: what does dis sho am good mean in this old advertisement?

Answer: This sure is good

Answer: this sure is good


Question: is it based on or base on?

Answer: One bases something on something else (active), whereas something is based on something else (passive)


Question: etymology of *spreadsheet* / an anachronistic use

Answer: named because it was sheet of paper the size of a full spread


Question: not on the rocks

Answer: unmixed with anything else

Answer: Straight

Answer: Neat


Question: why is it “merry” christmas, but “happy” new year?

Answer: merry implies more short-term jollity, and happy more long-term contentment


Question: what was the crime described as letting out of ponds during elizabethan england?

Answer: letting the water out enabled poaching

Answer: lowering the water level in a pond would make it easier to poach the fish within


Question: what does it mean when you say per someone?

Answer: according to


Question: i am not up to it meaning?

Answer: I am not feeling up to it. means "I am not well enough to do


Question: why is there a mean in greenwich mean time (gmt)?

Answer: refers to the mean solar time measured at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich

Answer: it is essentially the mean (in the sense of average) angle of the sun in the sky at any particular time of day


Question: can you begin a sentence with furthermore?

Answer: It IS generally used at the beginning of a sentence


Question: is giffy (meaning airborne salt spray) a real word?

Answer: American Dialect Society's South Carolina Word List has an entry. giffy

Answer: a South Midland dialect word with several related meanings


Question: where can i obtain an english dictionary with structured data?

Answer: There's the Moby project tar.Z in tar.Z format, or at Project Gutenburg: in zip format


Question: did english ever have a you plural?

Answer: You" was originally plural, "thou" was the singular

Answer: You and ye used to be the plural forms


Question: title in a letter to an unknown person

Answer: Dear Sir or Madam

Answer: Dear Sir/Madam


Question: is “might could” a correct construct?

Answer: not grammatical

Answer: This construction would be considered incorrect (a grammatical mistake) in most varieties of English


Question: original meaning of blood is thicker than water, is it real?

Answer: the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb

Answer: ties between people who’ve made a blood covenant were stronger


Question: is a few a couple?

Answer: A few is more than a couple


Question: username + password = one word

Answer: Credentials

Answer: authentication

Answer: credentials


Question: has or have after a list?

Answer: it stays in "have"


Question: what is the correct plural of octopus?

Answer: octopuses

Answer: octopuses, octopi and octopodes

Answer: Octopodes

Answer: Octopuses and octopodes are both correct


Question: are arrows shoot or fired?

Answer: shoot


Question: does so called have a negative connotation in english?

Answer: evokes a rhetoric of falsity or fraud in the thing being referred to, which is a negative connotation

Answer: it has both a negative, idiomatic meaning and a neutral, scientific meaning


Question: what does it mean when someone tells you take care?

Answer: almost always used in a friendly way, or when genuinely warning somebody to be careful


Question: what is the original connection between nurse and sister?

Answer: nurses were generally nuns - sisters

Answer: the word for nurse is "[meditsinska] sestra" ([medical] sister

Answer: religious (and specifically European Catholic) origin, since Nurses were, in fact, "sisters" (nuns


Question: can you start a sentence with especially?

Answer: You may use words like 'especially' or 'because' at the beginning of the sentence

Answer: as long as you provide a supporting clause after it


Question: cancelled or canceled?

Answer: both


Question: is tnetennba a real word?

Answer: it's not a real word

Answer: No

Answer: it is not a real word


Question: your attendance is a must meaning?

Answer: mandatory


Question: where does the period go when using parentheses?

Answer: If only part of the sentence is parenthetical, then you put the final punctuation outside of the parenthesis


Question: what is the error called when two letters are mistakenly swapped?

Answer: Metathesis

Answer: transposition error


Question: etcetera pronounced as exetera ? correct?

Answer: nonstandard ek-

Answer: correct


Question: what is the difference between the words enunciate and pronounce?

Answer: You can mumble a word and pronounce it correctly, but you are not enunciating it


Question: is on yesterday grammatically correct?

Answer: not grammatically correct


Question: in the word scent, is the s or the c silent?

Answer: the c is silent

Answer: the C is silent

Answer: Neither

Answer: neither are silent


Question: can a word be contracted twice (e.g. ivent)?

Answer: Double contractions are not used in writing


Question: what is meant by steep learning curve?

Answer: is difficult (and takes much effort) to learn


Question: is gosh a real word?

Answer: The OED calls it a ‘mincing pronunciation of god


Question: crisscross, dillydally, riffraff, etc

Answer: reduplication

Answer: Frozen reduplicative phrases


Question: answering the question: do you mind if...?

Answer: No, not at all


Question: what does it mean: think “table” and not “kill?

Answer: not to reject ideas outright ("kill"), but to temporarily put them aside for further consideration in the future ("table


Question: is as of late correct grammar?

Answer: I can find no reputable dictionary that accepts "as of late

Answer: The expression you want is "of late," meaning recently or lately


Question: why use the word copy in do you copy that?

Answer: Copy — Mostly used to acknowledge received information


Question: plural form of schema

Answer: schemata

Answer: schemas


Question: does notified by [date] include the end date?

Answer: it is supposed to happen not later than that, so it includes the day as well


Question: word for that certain fear, worrying you might involuntarily jump from a cliff?

Answer: the call of the void

Answer: L’appel du vide

Answer: The call of the void


Question: what are acts or actions?

Answer: Act is defined by Dictionary.com as: 1. anything done, being done, or to be done; deed


Question: should an adverb go before or after a verb?

Answer: Frequency adverbs such as rarely go before the verb or divide the verb phrase


Question: what are the difference between man and human?

Answer: Man refers to the masculine gender specifically and Human would refer to both men and women


Question: phrase for overusing just-learned skills?

Answer: Got a hammer, now everything looks like a nail!

Answer: flavour of the month


Question: whats the negation of i used to be? surely not i didnt used to be?

Answer: I used not to be

Answer: I never was/I was never


Question: what is the difference between welcome aboard and welcome on board?

Answer: there is no difference between the two variants


Question: what is it called when you believe in a greater being?

Answer: theist

Answer: Theist


Question: what is the difference of world and universe?

Answer: World = Earth while the Universe = earth and space including the great unknown


Question: what does it mean when a coupon says valid through?

Answer: the range extends to the end of the day/month/year stated


Question: can i come in vs may i come in?

Answer: Can" is about ability while "may" is about permission


Question: plural of syntax

Answer: syntaxes


Question: eat is to feed as drink is to what?

Answer: hydrate


Question: what is the correct abbreviation for millions, billions and trillions in a financial context?

Answer: M, B, and T

Answer: M = million B = billion T = trillion


Question: origin of the term wizard in computing

Answer: wizards were originally expert computer users (people) who could install software or help you with your installation


Question: is there an apostrophe in a masters degree?

Answer: use "master's degree"

Answer: Speaking generically, you would write master’s degree


Question: has took or has taken?

Answer: Took is the simple past tense, whereas taken is the past participle


Question: is it grammatically correct to say my bad?

Answer: Yes, "my bad" is a proper English phrase


Question: is there any online tool to read (pronounce) ipa and apa written words?

Answer: use lexconvert (mirror) to do the conversion and feed the output to espeak


Question: what is the opposite of fad?

Answer: staple

Answer: classic

Answer: constant

Answer: enduring classic


Question: what were nightmares called before nightmare was used in that sense?

Answer: wodan dreame

Answer: Ephialtes


Question: is prepone being used outside india?

Answer: it does not appear that prepone has much currency outside of India


Question: what is the difference between owing to and due to?

Answer: Due to" means "caused by", however, "Owing to" means "because of


Question: what is the difference between an image and a photo?

Answer: Every photo is also an image, but not every image is a photo


Question: why is ask sometimes pronounced aks?

Answer: aks is not a speech error. It is a well-established feature of certain dialects


Question: what word means the feeling of discomfort caused by watching peoples ineptitude?

Answer: vicarious embarrassment

Answer: cringeworthy


Question: retriable or retryable?

Answer: Retryable is the more correct spelling, triable in the sense of able to be tested, is rare

Answer: spell checker accepts "triable" and "retriable" but not "tryable" or "retryable


Question: not empty set in one word?

Answer: nonempty

Answer: inhabited


Question: is shew the past tense of show?

Answer: shew (past of show)


Question: do i italicize game titles?

Answer: the title of the video game should NOT be italicized

Answer: In the text itself, the title of the video game should be capitalized and italicized

Answer: In running text video game titles are italicized


Question: can you begin a sentence with even though?

Answer: no sensible reason to avoid starting a sentence with even though

Answer: We can start a sentence with Even though


Question: whats the word for an unused, enclosed space between two apartment buildings?

Answer: lightwell

Answer: air shaft

Answer: air well


Question: how do you write 1 on 1?

Answer: One-on-one

Answer: One-on-One

Answer: one-on-one


Question: does one use a or an before the word x-ray?

Answer: an

Answer: An X


Question: when etc. is at the end of a phrase, do you place a period after it?

Answer: do not add another period


Question: is it zeros or zeroes?

Answer: zeros and zeroes are acceptable

Answer: zeroes


Question: which is correct, buck naked or butt naked?

Answer: Both variants are correct

Answer: Both phrases currently mean the same

Answer: both "correct


Question: white noise: why white?

Answer: when it has the same intensity at every frequency

Answer: Its name is derived by analogy to light, which is called "white" when it contains all visible frequencies


Question: scent is the s or c silent?

Answer: the c is silent

Answer: the C is silent

Answer: Neither is silent

Answer: Neither letter is silent

Answer: neither are silent


Question: underwater equivalent of aerodynamic?

Answer: streamlined

Answer: Hydrodynamic

Answer: Hydrodynamics

Answer: hydrodynamic


Question: what do you call the gesture whereby you rest your palms on the side of your hips?

Answer: akimbo

Answer: putting your hands on your hips", or possibly the "hands-on-hips pose

Answer: the "Wonder Woman (power) pose


Question: what does the idiom batteries not included mean?

Answer: provide an essential component yourself to power it, namely the batteries

Answer: something that doesn't include everything it needs to function


Question: 19th century english texts occasionally use germanic-style number words, such as four-and-twenty. when did this fall out of use?

Answer: with the German-like numerical expressions declining since 1800, but generally significantly in the region around 1940


Question: what do you call a disk drive that is not solid state?

Answer: hard disk drive is not solid state

Answer: Spinning Disk

Answer: mechanical or electro-mechanical drive


Question: what is it called when you date someone younger?

Answer: cradle-snatcher


Question: what are the difference between phonetics and phonemics?

Answer: Phonetics studies the sounds we actually produce in speech. Phonemics studies the way we understand those sounds


Question: what does it mean when someone ask who are you?

Answer: a request for an introduction


Question: can you begin a sentence with myself?

Answer: Myself can, in some instances be used at the beginning of a sentence


Question: how does the phrase used to work, grammatically?

Answer: the verb use is selecting the infinitive as its complement, making the to infinitive the direct object


Question: i have just come or came?

Answer: I have come


Question: is it appropriate to put a comma before which?

Answer: If the 'which clause' is not a defining clause, then the comma is required


Question: is data treated as singular or plural in formal contexts?

Answer: in most university papers, you would use the uncountable singular form

Answer: data is treated as requiring singular concord by some authorities and plural concord by others

Answer: singular


Question: is it grammatically correct to say on yesterday?

Answer: not grammatically correct


Question: if someone is electrocuted, do they have to die or can they just be injured?

Answer: it could refer both to an accidental killing, and a mere injury


Question: is bravo an italian word?

Answer: It comes from Italian


Question: what does it mean when you call someone your lover?

Answer: Lover' implies a sexual relationship


Question: is there a name for this type of sentence structure: she looks as though shes been poured into her clothes, and forgot to say when?

Answer: paraprosdokian


Question: is it dads or dad’s?

Answer: Both are grammatically correct but they have different meanings


Question: if the plural of ‘man’ is ‘men,’ shouldn’t the plural of ‘german’ be ‘germen’?

Answer: it is etymologically unrelated to the word man and does not form a plural the same way


Question: why is a splash screen so called?

Answer: splashes content over the whole screen


Question: is there a difference between cheers and thanks in colloquial british english?

Answer: not aware of any particular difference in meaning

Answer: Thanks' expresses more gratitude


Question: what does “your hair is so white now, it can talk back to police” mean?

Answer: white" would make the police think twice before shooting and one would have a chance to talk back


Question: can you begin a sentence with then?

Answer: Yes


Question: which is correct: math or maths?

Answer: Math is American English. Maths is British English

Answer: both abbreviations of "mathematics" and are dictated by your local variation of English


Question: are descent and ancestry the same?

Answer: They mean the same thing


Question: bachelor thesis or bachelors thesis

Answer: bachelor's thesis


Question: what is the difference between usually and normally?

Answer: usually when you talk of a habit or custom and normally when there is an underlying rule


Question: weekly, daily, hourly --- minutely...?

Answer: Every minute

Answer: once a minute

Answer: minute by minute

Answer: on a minute-by-minute basis


Question: word to describe the quality of being optional or mandatory

Answer: requisiteness


Question: “fire” a weapon before firearms existed?

Answer: Loose/release/shoot an arrow

Answer: shoot a bow


Question: is as soon as possible rude?

Answer: not considered rude


Question: how can i order eggs over hard in the uk?

Answer: ask for your egg to be fried with a "hard yolk

Answer: Ask for 'well done and turned over


Question: are starters and appetizers the same thing?

Answer: they are synonyms


Question: are though and although interchangeable?

Answer: Although and though are interchangeable as conjunctions

Answer: As conjunctions, although and though are interchangeable


Question: a word for first name and middle name/s, but not last name

Answer: forenames

Answer: ‘Christian’ name

Answer: given names and Christian names


Question: whats the meaning of the word brand in the expression brand new?

Answer: intensifies the idea of new


Question: what does it mean when someone says they want to do you?

Answer: the speaker wants sex,


Question: is it grammatically correct to use more than one exclamation mark?

Answer: do not believe it is strictly grammatically correct


Question: a word sounding like weatherall to refer to someone who doesn’t have the courage

Answer: wherewithal

Answer: Wherewithal


Question: when did the term scientist overtake usage of the term natural philosopher?

Answer: between 1860 and 1869


Question: why is nike pronounced naikee and not naik?

Answer: Nike was the Greek goddess of victory (see Wikipedia) and final 'e's are not silent in Greek

Answer: it's meant to be ˈnʌɪki rather than ˈnʌɪk


Question: what is the p in nope called?

Answer: The P in nope is epenthetic and the process of adding it is called Epenthesis


Question: what is the difference between dr and doctor?

Answer: These two ways of writing it mean the same thing


Question: can i wear an umbrella?

Answer: an umbrella is carried, not worn


Question: are quite and quiet homophones?

Answer: in GenAmE, they are not homophones


Question: are soul and spirit synonyms?

Answer: used synonymously


Question: is allopathy pejorative?

Answer: The word has no real meaning outside of the context of homeopathy. It's rather pejorative in that context

Answer: Allopathy is mostly used pejoratively. But in the United States it sometimes is used non-pejoratively


Question: trainer is to trainee as mentor is to what?

Answer: mentee

Answer: Mentee

Answer: protege

Answer: mentoree

Answer: apprentice


Question: is it bear or bare with me?

Answer: Bear with me,” the standard expression, is a request for forbearance

Answer: bear with


Question: i has been or i have been?

Answer: Has been" is used in the third-person singular and "have been" is used for first- and second-person


Question: is the usage of personally in i personally dont like something redundant?

Answer: It's technically redundant

Answer: yes


Question: difference between scheme and schema

Answer: Schema also refers to diagrams/models, while Scheme doesn't.


Question: what does it mean when a man says i got you?

Answer: slang, saying "I got you" means either "I get what you're saying" or "I've got your back


Question: is believe you me proper english?

Answer: Believe you me" copies the archaic word order one finds in Early Modern English for a marked imperative

Answer: a well-established idiom


Question: when are you considered alumni?

Answer: You must have graduated


Question: what is the difference between sleeping and asleep?

Answer: Asleep is an adjective in Are you asleep? while sleeping is a verb in Are you sleeping

Answer: Use asleep if you want to emphasize the state and sleeping if you want to emphasize the action


Question: what is the difference between particle and particulate?

Answer: A particle is a small object. A particulate is made of one or more particles


Question: why is pound (of weight) abbreviated lb?

Answer: Lībra in Latin originally means ‘stone’, thence ‘pound weight

Answer: Librum is Latin for 'a pound in weight

Answer: Libra (both singular and plural, and abbreviated lb), was a standard of weight used by ancient Romans


Question: specially vs especially

Answer: specially is usually used with verbs. especially with sentences or adverbal phrases


Question: is a pronoun a noun?

Answer: Pronouns belong to the class of nouns


Question: what is the collective term for daily, weekly, monthly and yearly?

Answer: Frequency

Answer: Periodicity


Question: what word can i use instead of tomorrow that is not connected with the idea of the rising sun?

Answer: day


Question: meaning of hes got more bottle than a milkman

Answer: The courage or confidence needed to do something difficult or dangerous

Answer: courage


Question: what is the difference between software update and upgrade?

Answer: Update is a shortening of "bring up to date" and upgrade means to put at a higher grade


Question: what is the difference between god and lord god?

Answer: Lord” is a title of respect; “God” is a description


Question: real time, real-time or realtime

Answer: All three are correct


Question: is 2 in the morning am or pm?

Answer: but 2 AM is 2 in the morning, not night


Question: “thank you very much” vs. “thank you so much”

Answer: Thank you very much" is a little more formal, and "Thank you so much" is less formal


Question: is month to month hyphenated?

Answer: You should hyphenate month-to-month


Question: what does five-ten one-twenty mean?

Answer: physical measurements: 5'10", 120 pounds

Answer: a typical model's height and weight, '5 foot 10 inches tall and weighing 120 lbs


Question: is there a word used to describe a weekend plus a one-day holiday?

Answer: long weekend

Answer: three-day weekend

Answer: four-day weekend

Answer: bank holiday weekend

Answer: holiday weekend


Question: are referees and umpires the same thing?

Answer: a "referee" and an "umpire" are essentially the same thing


Question: what is the correct term for paper that has become wet and deformed as it dried out?

Answer: Cockled

Answer: Warped


Question: when did while and whilst become interchangeable?

Answer: by the early 19th century


Question: another greeting aside from i hope you are well in an email?

Answer: Hope your day is going well

Answer: Hope this email finds you well/in good shape


Question: what does it mean when someone says good for you?

Answer: used to show approval for someone's success or good luck

Answer: Congratulations!" and "That's great!", or as a word of praise


Question: what is the proper use of [square brackets] in quotes?

Answer: to indicate that a direct quote has been edited


Question: why does quadratic describe second power when quad means four?

Answer: Quadri-, quadru-, quadr- is a Latin prefix related to the verb quadrare ‘to make square


Question: how did the letter z come to be associated with sleeping/snoring?

Answer: because human snoring often sounds like the pronunciation of the letter

Answer: zzzz (or z-z-z-z) is sound of snoring

Answer: ZZZZZZ = Sawing Wood = Snoring Sound


Question: is there an antonym for “capitalize” (as in letter-case)?

Answer: lowercase

Answer: decapitalize

Answer: uncapitalize


Question: is unabashed a negative word?

Answer: It does have a slight negative connotation


Question: is it spelt naïve or naive?

Answer: The dieresis is optional


Question: period of 25 years is called?

Answer: silver jubilee or silver anniversary

Answer: quarter century

Answer: quadranscentennial


Question: number agreement when using “(s)” for optional plural

Answer: be prepared to adjust the surrounding context as necessary: for example, “the award(s) is (are) accounted for

Answer: A parenthetical plural verb must correspond to the parenthetical ending


Question: generic word for uni-, bi-, tricycle, etc.?

Answer: cycle

Answer: velocipede

Answer: Velocipede

Answer: Pedal cycle


Question: why did the letter “o” disappear in the word “pronunciation”?

Answer: because it never had one

Answer: the 'O' got squashed out of the root by "rhythmic clipping


Question: what causes the pronunciation nucular?

Answer: the unusual and disfavored sequence [kli.ər] is gradually transformed to a more acceptable configuration via metathesis


Question: grammatically correct sentence where youre and your can be interchanged?

Answer: I love you and your cooking. b. I love you and you're cooking

Answer: I despise you and your smoking. b. I despise you and you're smoking


Question: when should farther and further be used?

Answer: Farther is used for distance. Further is used for all other purposes


Question: how is deque commonly pronounced?

Answer: same as "deck

Answer: dɛk/, just like the word deck

Answer: deck


Question: what is the difference between here we go and there we go?

Answer: Here we go” is frequently inclusive of the speaker, and “There we go” frequently is not


Question: is there a proper term for the arms of a star?

Answer: rays

Answer: limbs


Question: what is the difference between a parent and parents?

Answer: parents is plural for parent

Answer: singular/plural difference


Question: is it alright to use lowercase i or should you always use i (uppercase)?

Answer: The first-person pronoun should always be capitalized in English


Question: is there any rule for the placement of space after and before parentheses?

Answer: Do not put a space after the opening or before the closing parenthesis


Question: too much pills and liquor or too many pills and liquor?

Answer: The former (much) is correct

Answer: too many pills and liquor


Question: why is the zh (ʒ) sound so infrequent in english?

Answer: Old English did not have the phoneme /ʒ/ so there are no "native" English words with the phoneme /ʒ


Question: should “hell” be capitalized?

Answer: Hell" is capitalized when it is used as a proper noun


Question: are dress pants the same as slacks?

Answer: slacks = dress pants


Question: a person who has a hard time throwing away unnecessary things

Answer: hoarder


Question: what is the plural of scenario?

Answer: scenarios

Answer: Scenarii


Question: how come people say “would of”?

Answer: in rapid conversation, the pronunciation of "would've" is basically the same as "would of

Answer: English speakers often contract "would have" into "would've." This is pronounced identically (in some dialects) to "would of,

Answer: standard pronunciation of the contraction would’ve

Answer: the sounds of "'ve" and "of" in "I would've bought two of them" are very similar or identical


Question: is it wholistic or holistic?

Answer: Wholistic is holistic, but spelled wrong

Answer: Holistic" is the formal academic spelling of the word

Answer: wholistic" is an Anglican version of the spelling


Question: what are the semi vowels in english alphabet?

Answer: y' and 'w' in Yell and Well


Question: what does it mean when someone says sweet surrender?

Answer: In wider sense: Giving up, resignation, abandonment

Answer: abandoning all strife and resistance

Answer: To surrender here is to give in to one's emotions and not resist them


Question: plural of an initialism that ends with the letter s

Answer: OSes


Question: am is are was were will be?

Answer: forms of the verb to be


Question: what does it mean when someone says you lot?

Answer: You lot" is a mainly British colloquialism for "You people


Question: should los angeles rhyme with cheese or less

Answer: the American pronunciation does not; rather, it nearly rhymes with scandalous


Question: what is the correct possessive for nouns ending in ‑s?

Answer: by adding an apostrophe after the plural -s

Answer: For singular nouns that end in -s, the possessive is formed by adding -'s


Question: what is a work wife?

Answer: A "work spouse" is also referred to as "workplace spouse", "work wife

Answer: a trusted confidante, a source of other forms of emotional support in the workplace


Question: what is the difference between light off and light out?

Answer: there isn't any difference


Question: what is the type of english used in the king james bible called?

Answer: Early Modern English

Answer: Elizabethan English


Question: usage of many vs many a?

Answer: Many a is a somewhat archaic or poetic or literary way of saying many

Answer: many a is followed by a singular countable noun and takes a singular verb with it

Answer: Many" indicates a large quantity. "Many a" indicates a non-small quantity


Question: which is correct, dataset or data set?

Answer: data set


Question: is not as a contraction?

Answer: The contraction of "is not" is "isn't.


Question: is there a term for grammatical mistakes as a result of trying too hard?

Answer: Hypercorrection

Answer: hypercorrection

Answer: superstandard" or "supercorrect


Question: why do wh question words in english so consistently map to q words in latin?

Answer: Both sets of words come from a Proto-Indo-European root *kʷ(o)


Question: what does “l. s. d.” stand for?

Answer: commonly-used variant of "£sd" for "pounds, shillings, and pence

Answer: Pounds Shillings and Pence


Question: is equal to or equals

Answer: Both are grammatically correct and mean the same


Question: debussy as term for bathroom?

Answer: Debussy" is a phonetic representation of pronouncing "WC


Question: what is the american word for tea-towel?

Answer: Dish towels

Answer: Dish towel


Question: detail or details? read on for more detail/details

Answer: detail" is both singular and plural for particulars

Answer: details" probably reads better

Answer: Details" is correct, because you've already been provided with one or more details


Question: what is the proper plural form of apparatus?

Answer: apparatuses


Question: are there any words i can use to disambiguate biweekly?

Answer: Use fortnightly for "once every two weeks", and twice a week for, well, "twice a week

Answer: Americans won't understand or are uncomfortable with fortnight so, to be safe, use the aforementioned every other week

Answer: if you're trying to avoid ambiguity, then go with something like "twice a week

Answer: To avoid confusion, it is better to use the prefix semi- to mean “twice each


Question: how macro in computer programming came about

Answer: originated in early assemblers, which encouraged the use of macros as a structuring and information-hiding device


Question: what are the rules for splitting words at the end of a line?

Answer: APA Style Guide, Section 1.A.9 Do not hyphenate (split) words at the end of a line


Question: is it pike or pipe?

Answer: The original expression was "coming down the pike


Question: what is the difference between a motor and an engine in a car?

Answer: an engine converts energy into mechanical work. A motor is a subset of engines that produce motion


Question: does staff take a plural verb?

Answer: In British English, one can say "our staff do", because they use plural verbal agreement


Question: what is the difference between the best and better?

Answer: When you use best, you say it in absolute terms. While better is used in relative terms

Answer: When something is best, its position is uncontested. While better suggests 'compared to others, this is one is good

Answer: Better" is a comparative, i.e. it is a relationship between two things. "Best" is a superlative


Question: is upto one word or two?

Answer: two


Question: a guy who only cares about money?

Answer: Avaricious

Answer: moneygrubber

Answer: moneygrubber is "a person who is aggressively engaged in or preoccupied with making or saving money.

Answer: Mercenary


Question: why is the word holy used before swear words?

Answer: to intensify the "wrongness" of the curse


Question: what is the meaning of this proverb many a little makes a mickle?

Answer: can accumulate a great deal by many small savings

Answer: Many small efforts can end up giving a big result


Question: is it upto or up to?

Answer: up to

Answer: two words


Question: meaning of reach out to somebody

Answer: to initiate contact with someone

Answer: To call or email


Question: what does “barack obama’s real crime is presiding while black” mean?

Answer: those who criticize Obama would do so no matter what he does as President because he is black


Question: what is the best reply for excuse me?

Answer: Certainly


Question: is must ever grammatical as a past tense verb?

Answer: must does not seem to have a past tense

Answer: To express the past tense of must another verb is used


Question: what does it mean when someone says period?

Answer: the things said in the sentence are definite and no change is allowed

Answer: a way of expressing the finality of what is being said

Answer: used for emphasis


Question: is there a word for four times as much, analogous to once, twice, and thrice?

Answer: No

Answer: Not according to the Oxford dictionaries

Answer: These three are the only words of their type, and no further terms in the series


Question: how many birds in the bush?

Answer: two


Question: will grammar errors become correct after enough people use them for enough time?

Answer: improper usage becomes proper when people of letters begin incorporating the error as standard usage


Question: what does the phrase stay hungry. stay foolish mean?

Answer: encouragement to keep a state of learning and open state of mind


Question: how are empires different from kingdoms?

Answer: empires are the result of expansion which engulfs other kingdoms


Question: is my bad a correct english phrase?

Answer: Yes, "my bad" is a proper English phrase


Question: when to drop the e when ending in -able?

Answer: add a suffix that begins with a vowel, drop the "e


Question: a number of questions has been or have been asked?

Answer: A number of questions have been asked here


Question: would you mind if i use or used?

Answer: Both tenses of the verb are correct and either can be used


Question: what is the difference between hemisphere and semisphere?

Answer: no difference when describing a shape


Question: can you begin a sentence with due to?

Answer: there is no problem in beginning a sentence with due to


Question: dos and donts or dos and donts?

Answer: do's and don'ts


Question: what are bold and italics called?

Answer: typographical emphasis


Question: is there a difference between holiday and vacation?

Answer: In the UK "going on holiday" means taking time off, what Americans call "going on vacation


Question: why is this joke about elephants and quarts funny?

Answer: the joke is implying that volume of the elephant's ejaculate is rather large: a "quart


Question: what does “covfefe” exactly mean?

Answer: Covfefe” is a misspelling of the word “coverage


Question: can obvious be used as a noun?

Answer: Obvious can itself be a noun

Answer: You can speak of ‘stating the obvious


Question: what is the difference universe and world?

Answer: World = Earth while the Universe = earth and space


Question: is upset the same as mad?

Answer: upset" could be just very sad and tearful, whereas "mad" implies acting irrationally

Answer: being "upset" is not quite the same as being "mad


Question: my shoes cant think; how can they be sensible?

Answer: mean useful rather than fashionable when referring to things like clothes


Question: which is correct: coming down the pike or pipe?

Answer: original expression was "coming down the pike


Question: word ending in -ine for rat-like

Answer: murine


Question: is there any phrase for the coldest days of the winter?

Answer: dead of winter

Answer: brass monkey weather

Answer: depths of winter

Answer: midwinter


Question: why is it behead and not dehead?

Answer: because we already had a verb behead by the time we started using de- to create verbs


Question: thanks or thank you?

Answer: Thanks" is slightly more informal, but otherwise, they both mean the same


Question: can okay start a sentence?

Answer: Yes


Question: what do you call intellectual jobs?

Answer: white-collar

Answer: knowledge work

Answer: Knowledge work


Question: when do i use i instead of me?

Answer: If a pronoun is the subject of a verb, then you use I


Question: what is the meaning of off you go?

Answer: go away

Answer: leave now


Question: seemingly quintessentially british non-medical meaning for surgery

Answer: Any arrangement where people arrive and wait for an interview with certain people, similar to a doctor's surgery


Question: what is the origin of the exclamation mark?

Answer: joy exclamation, "io" in Latin, abbreviated with a "i" above an "o

Answer: from a system devised in the 3rd century BCE by an Egyptian librarian named Aristophanes


Question: why is wheres it grammatically incorrect?

Answer: stress in the sentence produces stress on "is", which can't receive stress when it's a clitic


Question: are disdain and contempt the same?

Answer: Contempt is the mental judgment, disdain is the feeling it produces


Question: what is it called when you make someone choose between two things?

Answer: Dilemma


Question: fine semantic differences between thus and therefore

Answer: thus puts more focus on the argument as a whole and the way it leads towards the conclusion


Question: what is the difference between increase and increment?

Answer: increment' indicates an increase in regular steps, whereas 'increase' has a wider, more general usage


Question: english notation for hour, minutes and seconds

Answer: The best option is hh:mm:ss

Answer: You can also suffix the digits with the unit, such as 1h 12m 23s


Question: which preposition to use with rename?

Answer: to

Answer: as


Question: use of capitals and full stops in bullet points

Answer: Items carry no closing punctuation unless they consist of complete sentences

Answer: do not end with a period or other punctuation unless it is a complete sentence


Question: noone, no one or no-one?

Answer: no one


Question: what is the proper name for am and pm?

Answer: Meridiem Indicator


Question: origin of the idiom go south

Answer: The use of south as in the phrase go south stems from the 1920s

Answer: appears to be of U.S. origin


Question: unknown usage of verb pit

Answer: PIT maneuver, or precision immobilization technique


Question: what does it mean when something is key?

Answer: the only, or most important, factor


Question: what is the difference between kind and polite?

Answer: Polite" has to do with presentation, "Kindness" has to do with act or action


Question: where do shenanigans come from?

Answer: Irish "sionnochwigham" = I play tricks

Answer: its origin is from Erse (Irish Gaelic)


Question: is there a word for the time span between an old king and a new king?

Answer: interregnum

Answer: Interregnum

Answer: interstitial or perhaps interstice


Question: neither michael nor albert is correct or neither michael nor albert are correct?

Answer: Neither Michael nor Albert is correct


Question: difference between commentor and commentator

Answer: commentator is someone who commentates. A commenter is someone who comments


Question: is using passive voice bad form?

Answer: there's nothing wrong with using the passive form

Answer: there's nothing objectively wrong with the passive voice


Question: what is the difference between thee and thou?

Answer: Thou is the subject form (nominative), thee is the object form


Question: on the other hand without the first hand

Answer: say "on the other hand" without saying "on the one hand" first


Question: have you onboard or aboard?

Answer: As you are now on board, welcome aboard the our vessel


Question: referer or referrer

Answer: referrer


Question: what is the difference between use and usage?

Answer: Usage is how something is used; the fact of something being used is use


Question: what is the meaning of the expression come again?

Answer: say again

Answer: could you say that again

Answer: could you repeat what you just said


Question: is there a word similar to reddening for the color blue?

Answer: Bluing/blueing is definitely a legitimate word, though may not be commonly used for the situation you describe


Question: your fly is open you mean my flies?

Answer: your flies are undone


Question: what is the difference between education and educational?

Answer: Educational - means something that educates, and it is an adjective Education - is a noun


Question: a man who provides massage professionally?

Answer: masseur

Answer: massagist

Answer: massage therapist


Question: is tossing and throwing the same thing?

Answer: Toss to me always suggests an underarm movement, whilst throw involves the full overarm action


Question: why yep instead of yes?

Answer: Yep is used when it's the only word in the answer

Answer: yep" has a slightly dismissive tone


Question: what does 8/7c mean?

Answer: convenient abbreviation of 8 p.m. Eastern Time; 7 p.m.

Answer: 8 o'clock Eastern Time, or 7 o'clock Central time


Question: is it correct to hyphenate with compound premodifiers? if so, where is the hyphen placed?

Answer: based on Fowler's advice (which I find practical and logical), I would write filesystem-related or file-system-related


Question: what is the difference between goods and merchandise?

Answer: Goods are things which some individuals and businesses both buy and sell. Merchandise is something which is sold


Question: correct spelling/italicization of e.g., i.e.?

Answer: In formal contexts, I would go with "e.g." and "i.e.", with two periods and without a whitespace

Answer: e.g., and i.e., Don't forget the comma


Question: what is the difference between an explanation and a description?

Answer: an explanation tells you why, by giving a theory of some sort, while a mere description doesn't do that


Question: answer of how is your life going?

Answer: Just fine


Question: what is the difference between make decision and take decision?

Answer: there appears to be no difference in meaning


Question: is tidings singular or plural?

Answer: the singular form of “tidings” is simply “tidings


Question: parenthetical pluralization of words ending in -y

Answer: separate them with a slash: party/parties

Answer: uncertain plural ending in "y": part(y/ies


Question: is both singular?

Answer: Both is definitely plural


Question: from which language has english borrowed the most words?

Answer: it's a draw between French and Latin


Question: are poems and poetry the same?

Answer: Poetry refers to the art form itself. Poems means multiple instances of that art form


Question: president is to presidential as moderator is to what?

Answer: moderatorial


Question: what do you call a child for whom you act as a guardian / custodian?

Answer: ward

Answer: charge


Question: are whores and horse homophones?

Answer: not homophones


Question: punctuation with units

Answer: a space is always used to separate the unit from the number


Question: what was “herbal tea” called before ‘tea’ was introduced in europe?

Answer: Tisane. an infusion (as of dried herbs) used as a beverage or for medicinal effects

Answer: pocioun", Middle English "drynkyng medecyne


Question: is feedback a countable noun?

Answer: not a countable noun


Question: why do we say incomplete but uncompleted?

Answer: Since it's an English verb, it uses the English negative prefix un-, not the Latin in-


Question: what is the difference between personnel and employee?

Answer: personnel refers to many people and employee refers to one individual


Question: are appetizers and starters the same thing?

Answer: they are synonyms