http://www.englishforums.com/search/pro.htm?q=tag%3aColloquialismsSearch results for 'tag:Colloquialisms' matching tag 'Colloquialisms'en-USXMOD (Build: 3607.32596)http://www.englishforums.com/English/SupposedTo/lxlnb/post.htm#990917Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:58:56 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:990917antonijaHi B.J! I think the underlined phrase stands for, in the first sentence They were supposed to deliver the flowers. or They should have delivered the flowers, in the second: "This screw should fit into the hole... . I think it is shortened in speech, as a colloquial expression.http://www.englishforums.com/English/BusDriverFightsWithAKid/2/lrxkc/Post.htm#924946Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:37:57 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:924946spaced_manHello again. Sorry for the delay. I was distracted by a horrendously written online encyclopedia. But, anyway . . . "This guy is a burglar! A wrong 'un in pants in the heart of Brazil." Wrong 'un means a person of bad character (although, it can also be used to describe a bad situation). It's a contraction of wrong one. " The job's not astrophysics ; you break in, you steal, you leave." It's not astrophysics is a way of saying it's not difficult . More precisely, it's not as difficult as that attempt would appear to suggest. "Unfortunately, it's the first bit that faults this half-dressed, half-baked crook." Half-baked means foolish/stupid. Fox could be used in...http://www.englishforums.com/English/AboutTheSlangBrutal/lrlzc/post.htmTue, 29 Sep 2009 16:36:33 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:921997lamjinHi teachers: What does it mean by brutal in colloquialism? thanks in advance!http://www.englishforums.com/English/DoEveningAfterTwelveMidnight/kqjjm/post.htm#916621Fri, 25 Sep 2009 04:30:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:916621anonymousWhat I mean was that instead of trying to imitate other ppl's colloquial expressions, why not create comprehensible phrases or terms yourself? Just because you hear other people saw 'good evening' or 'good night' doesn't mean that's exactly what you have to say. For instance, I for one would just say good dawning! Why not? In the States, we come up with new lingos and idioms all the time, no?http://www.englishforums.com/English/ColloquialismAndSlang/kvnbl/post.htmWed, 12 Aug 2009 13:38:20 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:858647anonymousHello, I wanted to know if the terms "colloquialism" and "slang" are used interchangeably. If not, what is the difference? Thanks!http://www.englishforums.com/English/CanWeSayHowAreYouGoing/wlqxp/post.htm#852956Sat, 08 Aug 2009 16:58:41 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:852956anonymous"How are you going?" is an Australian colloquialism (although usually contracted to "how ya goin'?" or "how ya going?") It basically translates to "how are you travelling?" or "how are you faring?", simply meaning "how are you?". Directly relates to the metaphor of "keep trucking", or the response "i'm travelling well" etc etc. It most certainly does NOT translate to "how are you getting there?" although some people would respond that way thinking they're being funny - quite naively so given that it's usually contracted in the above regard. Hope that helps :)http://www.englishforums.com/English/WordDefinition/jkbpg/post.htm#801398Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:08:31 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:801398anonymousThanks for replying but I don't think I've asked the question clearly, partly due to my lack vocabulary. It's actually a word I'm looking for. For example, " I'm sorry but I don't expect you to understand as this is ........."  - Something that is only understood by a select few. One could say language only used by doctors or scientific colloquialism.  I hope I'm making sense.http://www.englishforums.com/English/InYourMindAndOnYourMind/jjwng/post.htm#798446Sat, 27 Jun 2009 22:28:46 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:798446alpheccastarsThe colloquial expression is "what's on your mind?" - It means "what are you thinking about?"http://www.englishforums.com/English/NoBetterThan/gvnvr/post.htm#780180Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:09:26 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:780180grammar geekIt's a colloquial expression. I think it orginally meant that a young woman was not overly particular in bestowing her sexual favors. That is to say, it was a genteel way of saying "She sleeps around." However, with a woman's sexual promiscuity no longer regarded with the same degree of horror as it once was, it's now migrated to a more meaning of "They should behave better than they do." See this: ... baffled by the phrase `She's no better than she ought to be.' If, as he says, his own mother was not troubled by speculation about it, might it not be because she understood perfectly that it meant, `She ought to be better than she is'? As a matter of fact, there is a common...http://www.englishforums.com/English/TheLast/wjjxc/post.htm#715264Mon, 04 May 2009 18:44:59 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:715264mr wordy"the last one" means the last thing in a series: I'm sick of peeling potatoes; thank goodness this is the last one. I've nobody else to see after you; you're the last one. "the last of it" is a colloquial expression referring to the termination of some activity, the abandonment of some idea, plan or course of action, or similar: That was a ridiculous idea; hopefully we've now heard the last of it. You could use "last of it" for the "potatoes" example too: I'm sick of peeling potatoes; thank goodness that's the last of it. "Last of it" refers to "the end of the potato-peeling activity", whereas "last...http://www.englishforums.com/English/IdiomsAndColloquialisms/wzhnh/post.htm#700589Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:39:24 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:700589anonymousPersonally I find a very useful method to be to get learners to watch English-language films, news reports, or even YouTube short-form video; get them to jot down words or expressions (more often than not colloquialisms) that they don't understand, and then just Google them. It takes a little time but the explanation, having been researched, tends to stick better. Plus, having seen the expression used on video and in a real-life context seems to help retention.http://www.englishforums.com/English/SoTotallySavedLife/wvhll/post.htmMon, 23 Mar 2009 17:54:25 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:690041madhulkSomeone disables Rachel's brakes and her car crashes. Rachel: Oh, my God. Somebody, help! Somebody, help me! Clark Kent hears her using his superhearing and gets her out of the fliping in the air car before she even knows what hit her. Rachel: So you just totally saved my life. Why is the so used? Colloquialism? You're amazing.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ALargeAmountPluralFormCountable-Noun/wdphb/post.htmMon, 16 Mar 2009 15:58:00 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:687362ohmyrichardHi, everyone. Today when I was reading an article on anti-plagiarism software, I came across the structure of "a ... amount of + the plural form of a countable noun". The whole paragraph in which the structure appears goes as follows: "There's an increasing amount of freshmen who don't know how to write a research paper," Sheldon says. "There seems to be a lot of confusion. They're not out to violate, but I do think that there's something going on." I remember The CoBuild Usage Dictionary tells us not to use "an amount of" with things or people. Last weekend, when I was on a panel of judges for the graduating students' oral defense of their theses, I asked a student to change...http://www.englishforums.com/English/PutMoneyMouthCorrect/2/wbjmm/Post.htm#686728Sun, 15 Mar 2009 03:10:50 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:686728dormouseIf you are speaking Colloquial, Idiomatic American English you will NEVER say, "Put your money IN where your mouth is." the colloquialism is "Put your money where your mouth is," or "Put up or shut up," "ante up or get out of the game," or for real grossness, "*** or get off the pot." In other words, perform what you said you were going to do or get out of the way. Americans also say, "Lead, follow or get out of the way." along somewhat the same lines.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ForToDoSth/wbjzj/post.htm#675801Thu, 19 Feb 2009 13:16:08 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:675801avangiI went there for the purpose of (gerund) I went there (infinitive) I think it's archaic, but it persists as a regional colloquialism and, as you note, in folk poetry: Simple Simon went a-fishin' For to catch a whale. But all the water that he had Was in his mother's pail. We natives all learned this stuff as children. Sorry, not clever enough to find a scholarly analysis. Nothing past 19th century.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ShouldersShortSupply/wrrkr/post.htm#668397Mon, 09 Feb 2009 21:40:12 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:668397avangiI guess "around here" is a colloquialism - "around there." "I haven't been around there for years!" (in those parts; around those parts) "hanging around" "coming around" "Don't be coming around here bothering me." "I was just looking around." The expression is quite different from "I think he's coming around," which can mean (1) he's regaining consciousness after having been knocked out; or (2) he's finally beginning to see things our way - coming around to our point of view.http://www.englishforums.com/English/SomeRulesKeepMindUsingQueens-English/hnnjg/post.htmFri, 23 Jan 2009 09:48:31 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:652432rootlesstreeWith tongue firmly in cheek, here are some rules to keep in mind when using the Queen's English: 1. Verbs has to agree with their subjects. 2. Prepositions are not words to end sentences with. 3. And don't start a sentence with a conjunction. 4. It is wrong to ever split an infinitive. 5. Avoid clichés like the plague. (They're old hat). 6. Always avoid annoying alliteration. 7. Be more or less specific. 8. Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are (usually) unnecessary. 9. Also, too, never, ever use repetitive redundancies. 10. No sentence fragments. No comma splices, run-ons are bad too. 11. Contractions aren't helpful and shouldn't be used. 12. Foreign words and phrases are not apropos. 13. Do not be redundant;...http://www.englishforums.com/English/FormalismGotVsGotten/hnrkd/post.htmTue, 20 Jan 2009 01:19:06 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:648689rozarriaHey there, guys (and hello, Clive). If I'm not mistaken, nowadays, there is little to no distinction between "has got" and "has gotten," am I correct? I examined The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, and the instance that the book used was this: " has got me!" Naturally, this sentence signaled a red flag in my mind. But I understand that it is likely a colloquialism, no? A simple yes or no would be great! Thanks. -rozarriahttp://www.englishforums.com/English/TheVerbToBe/hmjbz/post.htm#646505Sun, 18 Jan 2009 01:36:11 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:646505avangiSorry Uthman! Thanks, Yankee! Could you say a word or two about "collocation" as used here? I'm not happy with my definition, and usually think of it as synonymous with "colloquialism," except that I take the latter as "regional" and lower register. How does "collocation" fit into these issues, if at all? - A.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ToTheExtentThat/hklkd/post.htm#637745Sat, 10 Jan 2009 17:30:44 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:637745avangiYes, this is fine. The use of "however" presupposes some contrasting statement, "however," This is the same use of "extent" to which I objected. I suppose it qualifies as a colloquialism. I may be wrong. I'll look it up. If you say, "even a child can play the game to some extent," you mean a child's mastery of the game would be limited. You may then say, "To the extent that a child can play the game, he may derive some enjoyment from it." That is, there's some proportiionality. If the child is better able to play, he may derive greater enjoyment. Your author would say, "To the extent the child can play the game, his understanding of it is irrelevant." What the heck...http://www.englishforums.com/English/GoodThinking/hjrcm/post.htm#629056Fri, 02 Jan 2009 03:20:04 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:629056avangiI don't think so. "Good idea" can often refer to something which just pops into our heads, like an inspiration. "Good thinking!" logically suggests that the cognitive process might have been used. That is, we reason things out and make a suggestion based on careful analysis. But both expressions imply concurrence. You like and agree with the idea. You wouldn't say "That may be good thinking, but it's not going to work because etc." However, "good thinking" is sort of a popular idiom and is often used comically, or ironically, or sarcastically when someone does something really stupid. But it also may be used as a colloquialism among friends to mean "good idea." Going out to...http://www.englishforums.com/English/IBetterIdBetter/hzxbh/post.htm#613365Wed, 17 Dec 2008 19:07:22 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:613365anonymous"I better" has worked its way into today's growing variety of colloquialisms - "I'd better" which, by extension, is "I had better" is, ahem, better English, but both are valid simply because both are understood as the same thing.http://www.englishforums.com/English/CheckMySentencesPlz/hzzlx/post.htm#610991Sun, 14 Dec 2008 19:22:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:610991alpheccastarsThe more colloquial expressions are: I have been missing you so much that words fail me. I have been missing you so much that no words can describe how I feel. .http://www.englishforums.com/English/AsIfConditionals/hbcll/post.htm#590502Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:55:12 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:590502yizhivikaHmmm, I haven't too much to add to this, and as a BrE speaker, I'm here speaking only for myself, not for BrE speakers in general. With MrP's sentences 1. & 2., I might use either, in both colloquial and written English. However, I think I'd be more inclined to use 1. in spoken English and 2. when writing. As for 3. and 4. I'm pretty sure I'd use 3. most of the time, irrespective of whether I were speaking or writing. I don't think I'm actually capable of performing the mental gymnastics required to decide whether it were an 'open' or 'rejected' condition , and in any event, if I were to use 4. at all, I think it would only ever be as a colloquialism.http://www.englishforums.com/English/PronounCasePleaseHelp/hrmkj/post.htm#588335Mon, 17 Nov 2008 03:58:32 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:588335avangi1) This was an example on an internet site: 'That must be him on the phone' The site suggested that it should read, 'that must be he on the phone' Correct. But I'm the only person I know personally who says it that way. Their justification was this: the nominative form of the pronoun following the verb be Right ! I am I, Don Quixote! The first "I" is the subject of the sentence, the second is the predicate nominative, following the "to be" verb. Now, I understand this; however, could the justification be equally sound if I were to say that it is the nominative (subjective) case because the pronoun is the subject of the sentence, so it should be HE? Absolutely true! But that principle...http://www.englishforums.com/English/YouDoMeWrong/gqjxl/post.htm#582602Sat, 01 Nov 2008 17:27:56 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:582602avangi"Do me" is a colloquialism, so it can be taken in a couple of ways. We say, "Don't do me like that." "Don't do me that way." "I don't know why she does me like that!" There's an old song, "How come you do me like you do - do - do?" There are lots of old blues lyrics about how "my baby/man/woman done done me wrong.l" "Do me" also has a vulgar sexual usage. So, "Do me wrong/right" can mean "Treat me wrong/right" or "Do wrong/right to me" or "Do something wrong/right to me." I suppose formally it would be, "She treated me wrongly/rightly," although "wrongly is more common than "rightly."...http://www.englishforums.com/English/WhatToAchieve/gqgmg/post.htm#581680Thu, 30 Oct 2008 07:27:22 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:581680avangiPerhaps as a casual colloquialism, similar to "What to do??" It would be more natural to write, "What can I achieve in 24 hours?" What should I etc. What must I etc. What will I etc. What could I etc. - A.http://www.englishforums.com/English/HeadAsAVerb/gqggn/post.htm#581590Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:56:40 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:581590samuraifingersTo my knowledge there is NO difference between them! We use both, and they both mean I'm travelling in this direction. They are what we call colloquialisms. Used in a friendly, casual way! Good luck. msg me, or skype me sometime, if I can be of any more help. Cheers, Nickhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/UseOfBeIng/gqbgd/post.htm#580141Sat, 25 Oct 2008 15:52:56 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:580141avangiIn some cases it would be a matter of style or colloquialism Don't drink all the milk. Don't be drinking all the milk. But in this case I think it implies that the planning process is a bit more advanced. I am marrying you tomorrow. Why should I be marrying you instead of him? Why should I marry you? would be more appropriate during the very earliest discussions. - A.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ImNotCutOut/gxkph/post.htm#573066Sat, 04 Oct 2008 09:32:53 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:573066kanashuNo really sure what your trying to say with the rest of that but "cut out to date" means that she not the sort to date. Its not so much that she not ready, but its generally used in the setting where the person who says this phrase is referring to their lack of ability or inability to date. This could also mean unable to date effectively. The actual meaning of the phrase varies from situation to situation. The actual colloquialism in my opinion is the "cut out" if you understand that, then anything after just makes reference to that central meaning. Umm does that help?http://www.englishforums.com/English/GonnaCutMeAPieceOfCake/gnpbw/post.htmTue, 23 Sep 2008 02:31:34 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:569355marvinthemartianHi, The sentence "I'm gonna cut me a piece of cake" strikes me as something the average redneck might say, and I have no trouble accepting it as a colloquialism. On the other hand, "I'm going to cut myself a piece of cake" , which should technically be more correct, doesn't seem to make any sense. In fact, I don't think I would ever use it, and I don't recall ever hearing any such sentence either (outside of the use of "pour" in "I'll pour myself a drink" .) Assuming that my brain isn't "malfunctioning" again (please tell me if you think it is), what makes the former sentence more "acceptable" (note the use of quotes) than the latter? Thanks in advance.http://www.englishforums.com/English/CouldHave/gmnpc/post.htm#564438Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:06:27 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:564438cool breezeBut ... as bad as it was, I learned something about myself. That I could go through something like that and survive. I mean, I know it could have been worse --- a lot worse --- but for me, it was all I could have handled at the time. And I learned from it. Yes, and I think "and" instead of "but" is more like it. Also, "all" should be "the least"??? I can't get this part. Anybody, please, enlighten me on this. I agree that and would be a better conjunction but I wouldn't change all to the least. All means pretty much the same as "the most" or "the maximum". The speaker is saying that he wouldn't have been able to handle a bigger burden or a greater task....http://www.englishforums.com/English/CanJohnJohn/2/vvdml/Post.htm#561267Mon, 01 Sep 2008 22:26:02 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:561267a cornish pastyin colloquial speech I would be more likely to say something like "me and John went to the pub" Terrible, is that Cornish? Do you mean is it part of a Cornish accent? I don't think so, but my willingness to accept it as a colloquialism could be a result of that.http://www.englishforums.com/English/GotNoUseFor/glppj/post.htm#559806Thu, 28 Aug 2008 19:06:43 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:559806vorparIt's a particular colloquialism of an American dialect. "Got" means "has". Otherwise, this is grammatically incorrect.http://www.englishforums.com/English/WereGoingWereWeGoing/gjjkx/post.htm#548920Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:47:27 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:548920mr wordyShe asked us where we were going to church. -- OK, or you could say " She asked us which church we were going to ". She asked us where were we going to church. -- You might get different opinions on this. It's a form that some native speakers might use, but I can't actually work out if it's an ungrammatical colloquialism or if it's grammatically sound but just rare. In any case, I don't recommend that you use it. Use either of the first two options instead. I am not sure what you are trying to achieve by the addition of "just now". If you mean that she said it a short while ago, then it would be better at the beginning: "Just now, she asked us ..."http://www.englishforums.com/English/TimesAreAChanging/zqcnn/post.htm#497037Sun, 06 Apr 2008 07:01:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:497037avangiSure. That's an old-time rural colloquialism, used for style, implying that in the old days there were those who resisted the new-fangled ways. He was a'runnin' fast as he could go!http://www.englishforums.com/English/Colloquialism/znlzd/post.htmTue, 04 Mar 2008 02:35:08 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:484741anonymousHello teachers, well, could you give us some more examples on colloquialism, language street? I mean, things that are said on everyday informal conversation. This is not about slangs or idioms, this is about the act of modifying sentence's structure. For example: 1. Watcha wanna do = what do you want to do 2. I've heard people usually don't say 'what do you want to do', it can make one seem like a robot, right? people say: Watcha wanna do. I really appreciate any help. Thanks in advancehttp://www.englishforums.com/English/LouisMacneiceSundayMorning/znkpr/post.htmMon, 03 Mar 2008 19:28:55 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:484619mrav12Hi i have an essay to write on Louis Macneice's - Sunday Morning. I was wondering if anybody could help me analyse it as i have a very hard time reading and understanding poetry. Any help would be amazing - meaning, use of enjambment, causuras, repetition, aliteration, assonance, etc. Thanks in advance to anyone who can help me out. Louis MacNeice - Sunday Morning Down the road someone is practising scales, The notes like little fishes vanish with a wink of tails, Man's heart expands to tinker with his car For this is Sunday morning, Fate's great bazaar, Regard these means as ends, concentrate on this Now, And you may grow to music or drive beyond Hindhead anyhow, Take corners on two wheels until you go so fast That you can...http://www.englishforums.com/English/OnTrumpetTalentShow/zngmz/post.htm#483446Sat, 01 Mar 2008 03:22:08 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:483446cliveHi, You could say 'with', but the colloquialism is to say 'on a musical instrument'. Best wishes, Clivehttp://www.englishforums.com/English/AndHere/zhngh/post.htm#456152Sat, 22 Dec 2007 23:31:37 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:456152feebs11Ta.qUe.Ri.a wrote: Everyone needs someone to look up to, someone they can respect and want to emulate. Sorry, matey , but that someone is you. Tough call I know. If you think heroes are so out of date, old-fashioned and redundant , then think again. (is there a difference?) "matey" = colloquialism = friend/buddy/mate. Tough call - comes from poker. It is a hard decision to take. So out of date, old-fashioned and redundant = Not much difference, and used in this way to reinforce the statement that heroes are no longer considered valid. You have also got to go beyond that and raise their stakes. If you are going to build a team machine, then do it in a DeLorean .(what's it?) An expensive car; see here:...http://www.englishforums.com/English/Some/zhnrg/post.htm#455768Fri, 21 Dec 2007 23:35:32 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:455768feebs11colloquialism = a little, a bithttp://www.englishforums.com/English/WhatAboutTheseMeaning/zhwdv/post.htm#454683Tue, 18 Dec 2007 20:11:28 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:454683feebs11Ta.qUe.Ri.a wrote: . Management is something we sort of pick up as we go along. Sure there are a few good instinctive managers, but invariably we stumble along picking up the odd hint and clue here and there – it is a very hit and miss operation. Most people learn how to manage by doing the work and learning as they go along. The fundamental Rule of Management, I am afraid, is get the basic job done, get it done well and work bloody hard at it. No good being a fantastic people manager if you let the basic job slip. You may be the best manager of staff in the world, but if the jobe does not get done, then you are not a good manager. No choice I am afraid. You have to knuckle down and get on with it . Management is...http://www.englishforums.com/English/DontBeAStranger/zdcnr/post.htm#433152Sun, 21 Oct 2007 18:53:06 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:433152cliveHi, Don't be a stranger!. I always hear it on TV but have no clue why one would say that to their friends.What does the expression mean? It means 'Don't act like a stranger, come and see me any time you want to'. It's a rather folksy colloquialism that is used, regionally I think, in the USA. Best wishes, Clivehttp://www.englishforums.com/English/ColloquialismFavourExplainMeanings/ccxgw/post.htm#424212Thu, 27 Sep 2007 08:06:20 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:424212mister micawberGoogling the phrases, like PRIM AND PROPER , will provide you with both plentiful examples and further definitions.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ColloquialismFavourExplainMeanings/ccxgw/post.htm#424196Thu, 27 Sep 2007 07:44:43 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:424196anonymousCan u quote some example on how to use these words? thanks!http://www.englishforums.com/English/WhatDoesGetInMean/vplvr/post.htm#412027Fri, 31 Aug 2007 09:25:35 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:412027laurenmichelleNo. I do undertsnad the correct grammatical usage of the phrase 'get in' as in, as you said- 'get in the bus.' The expression 'get in!' I hear is used as slang, as a colloquialism, as a reply to something someone has said, or to something they are doing. I hope someone can resolve it for me, Thanks very much indeed, Laurenhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/SatOrSitting/3/bkbnw/Post.htm#391793Fri, 13 Jul 2007 21:36:34 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:391793cliveHi, When I was at school, one of the teachers used to say to the pupils " I want all of you children sat over here". Is this correct english? I always thought it should be "....sitting over here". We certainly say this. At first glance, it looks colloquial. But I think it's similar to walking into a garage and saying 'I want my car fixed'. Consider the colloquialism 'I sat myself down on a chair'. The verb 'sit' here is used in that kind of sense. I want my car fixed I want all of you children sat over here. Best wishes, Clivehttp://www.englishforums.com/English/StripOffStripOf/vkkdh/post.htm#386213Sat, 30 Jun 2007 10:30:53 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:386213feebs11Anonymous wrote: What's the difference between "to strip off " and to "strip of "? I've seen the both been used. For example: I stripped of all my clothes. I stripped off all my clothes. Are the both correct and is there any difference between the two? Thanks! I strip off - recognised colloquialism for gettng undressed/taking off clothes. You can strip off some or all of your clothes. of = possessive. You could use it if the sentence was " I was stripped of all my clothes ".http://www.englishforums.com/English/HelpMeWithThisPlease/vkvrl/post.htm#385601Fri, 29 Jun 2007 04:37:48 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:385601cliveHi, Colloquialisms vary by country. I think some British persons might informally say 'It cost 200 pound' . However, I don't think a North American would ever say 'It cost 200 dollar '. He might, however, say 'This is a 200-dollar suit', using the phrase '200-dollar' as an adjective. Perhaps it is this adjectival kind of use that Anthon has heard? Best wishes, Clivehttp://www.englishforums.com/English/ThatsSoNotNotSoTrue/vglwg/post.htm#366910Fri, 18 May 2007 01:07:59 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:366910feebs11You are right - it is emphasisng "not true" - and has the meaning : That is absolutely not true. It's a colloquialism. That's not so true has the meaning : That is somewhat false/incorrect