Search results for 'tag:Synonyms tag:Expressions' matching tags 'Synonyms' and 'Expressions'

Does CONSIDER mean include?

seroMack — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 19:40:57 GMT

In a sentence The battle group considered of the 1st Battalion, The King's Regiment, a field troop from 62 Engineer Squadron and a Gazelle helicopter form 16 Flight...

Â What does this consider of mean?Â

Re: "synonym for" and "synonym with"

Clive — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 16:28:14 GMT

Hi,
The standard expression is 'A is a synonym for B'.
You can, however, say 'A is synonymous with B'.

Clive

Re: comma usage and another

Avangi — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 00:00:13 GMT

2. I'd say "first light" is definitely not countable. That is, we don't have a "second light." I take "first light" as a fixed expression, or compound noun, or something like that.

I don't think "first" is used as a number here, but as a synonym for "beginning." (the beginning light of dawn) It's an interesting question, and probably may be argued.

If I say, "worked from the moment when dawn's light first shown," the problem goes away. I think that's what it really means here. "Moment" is countable. But still, when we say, "from the first moment," we don't expect to hear about the second moment.

Call the exterminator at the first sign of termites. "Signs" are clearly countable, but we don't usually talk about the "second sign" in a case like this. That is, "the first sign" is sort of a fixed expression.

1. The rules of commas are not strictly enforced. I use them only when they're mandated by a clear rule, or I truly feel they help make the sentence clear. I tend to use more commas than most people because I think clarity is more important than smooth flow.

I feel the same way about "that." In your two examples, I find the comma less offensive than the "that," and I think we might be okay without either.

- A.

Re: many times/ many a time

Tanit — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 14:04:52 GMT

This thread reminded me of something I've wanted to ask here for a long time.

I've encountered the expression "Many's the time" only once: it's the opening sentence of the song "American Tune" by Simon and Garfunkel.
As far as I understand, it's a synonym for "Many times" and "Many a time".
Is it an American idiom? How would you classify it (poetic/formal/stiffy...)? Would you use it an ordinary conversation?

Thank you!

coordinate/work

Tuongvan — Sun, 11 May 2008 00:46:16 GMT

Hi teachers,

a/what is the meaning of the verb " coordinate" in this sentence " The Ministry of Finance coordinates with other relevant ministries and agencies to gather information about foreign loans and report to the Prime Minister ". Is "coordinate" here the synonym of " cooperate "?

b/ Can I write like this? " After considering his contributions to the comany during his time of work / during his work , the director has decided to raise his salary ."

When saying "during his time of work or during his work I mean " during the whole period of his working for the company ".I don't know how to find the expressions that fit here. Please help me choose an accurate term .

Thank you in advance

Re: Fully-Fledged Vs. Full-Fledged

Avangi — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 22:43:56 GMT

Ouch! Sorry again, Dynamix. First time in 71 years I've heard "Fully-fledged." "Full-blown" is another common synonym. They mean fully developed; full rank; full status. My American Heritage Dictionary lists "full-fledged / -blown" but not "fully-fledged / -blown." Must be pondial, as GG says. It's applied to anything which is not reduced in some way or in an early stage of development. I should think if the web site were typical, full(y)-fledged would apply, although I'm not sure of an example of a web site with fractional status. I expect a full(y)-fledged "conference web site" would be capable of supporting a full(y)-fledged conference.

The expression derives from fully developed bird plumage.

I'm wondering now if UK also uses "fully-blown." (from "in full blossom")

Edit. Feebs, We use a hyphen on this side. I notice you did not. Is that typical?

Re: Don't leave me on the left field.

Clive — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 01:06:28 GMT

Hi,

You might like to search the internet for various comments on this. eg http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/16/messages/591.html, which discusses the apparent connection with baseball.

Clive

WAY OUT IN LEFT FIELD - Out of touch, eccentric, odd; also, misguided. This term alludes to the left field of baseball, and there is some disagreement concerning its origin. Some writers suggest it comes from the remoteness of left field, but only in very asymmetrical ballparks is left field more distant than right field. Others suggest it alludes to the 'wrongness' of left as opposed to the 'rightness' of right. A correspondent of William Safire's in the "New York Times" said it was an insulting remark made to those who bought left-field seats in New York's Yankee Stadium during the years that Babe Ruth played right field, putting them far away from this outstanding player. Perhaps the most likely theory is that it alludes to inmates of the Neuropsychiatric Institute, a mental hospital, which was located behind left field in Chicago's old West Side Park. Hence being told you are 'out in left field' would mean you were accused of being as peculiar as a mental patient. In any event, the term has been used figuratively for various kinds of eccentricity and misguidedness since the first half of the 20th century. John Ciardi also cited a synonym, 'out in left pickle,' maintaining that 'pickle' was baseball slang for the outfield. Perhaps it once was, but it is no longer current." "Southpaws & Sunday Punches and other Sporting Expressions" by Christine Ammer (Penguin Books, New York, 1993).

Re: bathroom

Clive — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 13:33:00 GMT

Hi,

Are you saying that Americans use "go to the bathroom" as a synonym for "to pee" in every situation?

Well, I usually use and hear a euphemism rather than 'to pee', which sounds vulgar and rather childlish as an expression.

Clive

Re: What makes English so difficult to learn?

Kooyeen — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 17:51:31 GMT

Anonymous wrote:
"I wanted to say that's not true at all. English is very very "limited" compared to Italian, for example."

I'd have to disagree entirely. I'm a native English speaker, and I also speak some Spanish and I'm learning French. I feel just as restricted speaking Spanish and French as you do speaking English. It's not because we don't have ways of saying the same things, we just wouldn't use the same expression. In fact an English speaker probably wouldn't even say the same thing, they would describe the thought in a different way that makes sense to an English speaker.

Nooo way. I'm sorry, I don't know how to explain this, but there are a lot of (important) expressions that in English don't exist and there isn't a way to express those meanings. You can't say "We say something else instead, it's just you don't know we do so", I know you actually say nothing instead. A little example?
What's your opinion about the war in Japan? - Well, that war is...
I'm tired of always using that "well", I want some synonyms...

Re: Advantage and disadvantage

Clive — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 21:52:50 GMT

Hi,

Could you, please check if the answer I chose is correct for the following exercise ?

- Check the item which does not contain a synonym for the expression "advantages and disadvantages".:

a) pros and cons b) benefits and drawbacks c) good points and weak points d) for and against

e) strengths and weaknesses

I chose letter " d " as the correct answer. Is it ok? Yes

Clive