Questions tagged [expressions]
This tag is for questions which a dictionary cannot answer asking the meaning of a particular expression.
1,055
questions
0
votes
1answer
24 views
Making up illogical, unreasonable and unimportant excuses/objections
What do you call the the action of making up or seeking very illogical, unreasonable and unimportant ("excuses") or/and ("objections"). I wonder what idiom/expression/verb do you normally use for that?...
1
vote
0answers
14 views
“a right way” or “in a right way”?
I heard a lot people omit the "in" while saying "in a right way".
for example
if a kid play with a knife, someone would told him/her "you are not using the knife a right way"
is it grammatical and ...
1
vote
1answer
33 views
“Where all are you going?” Grammar and alternatives
How do you ask someone which places (multiple) they’re going to: is “where all are you going to?” correct grammar? What’s a correct, better and concise way to ask this? The intent is to ask about the ...
3
votes
2answers
60 views
Is miscarriage or stillborn a better choice stylistically of an idea?
I used an expression for describing a really bad idea that already from start was bound to fail:
...that was a miscarriage for an idea...
In an answer, a person pointed out that he'd prefer ...
0
votes
1answer
22 views
Does “race origin” mean somewhere one was born?
this wiki page says
He is the first person of Asian origin to receive the ACM Turing
Award, in 1994, the highest award in computer science, for his work in
the field of artificial intelligence.
...
0
votes
2answers
16 views
Does “other people” mean people that are not his/her parents in common sense?
I am not sure whether this is Longman official online dictionary, and I think this sentence may need some improvement.
This was my first experience of living with other people.
Technically, most ...
0
votes
1answer
15 views
From this / By this / With this
He argued that we are so helpless at birth that if the first human
had been put into the world on their own, they would immediately have
died. From this, he concluded that human beings arose from ...
0
votes
0answers
21 views
Can I say I am glad to write to you again or please to contact you again
I would like to write an email to one of my friend, who I did not contact for a long time. So, is it OK in English to say:
I am glad to write to you again.
or
I am pleased to write to you ...
21
votes
5answers
17k views
If something seems too good to be true, it probably is (not?)
I've bumped into the following expression a few times already:
If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
To me, the correct way to say it would be:
If something seems too good to ...
0
votes
1answer
22 views
Which of the below sentences is correct to express “you might like X but I do not”?
I was trying to mock one of my friends saying "Unlike you, I do not have this trait" but then I thought, I should have said "Like you, I do not have this trait". Till now, it seems to me that both ...
0
votes
1answer
25 views
How to express “a person who talk really quickly & carelessly” in English?
When I teach English to some children and adults, I realize that some speak slowly but carefully and make less mistakes whereas some speak really quickly, carelessly and make more mistakes.
Can I say ...
0
votes
2answers
47 views
Write address in a full sentence
How do I write address properly in a full sentence?
Ex) I am Michael Jordan who is living on 111 street at ABC district in Chicago in Illinois in the U.S..
Can I repeatedly use “in” there?
Any ...
0
votes
1answer
29 views
correct usage of “moved up"
I am not a native speaker.
Is that appropriate to say:
The assignment was discussed a while ago, that was before you moved up/promotion.
Is "move up" has a positive meaning, can I say:
That ...
0
votes
1answer
28 views
“used to” or “used for”, which one should I use when I want to explain what's a tool for?
this question comes from this post
make_blobs() is used for Generating isotropic Gaussian blobs for
clustering.
when I want to talk what the function make_blobs() is for, should I "used to" or "...
1
vote
1answer
24 views
Biginnig of waiting or the onset of waiting?
there is one thing that i don't know.
Can you guys help me plz?
Situation :
There is a girl who can't be together
With her boyfriend because he is in army.
And thinking of the moment that
she has ...
0
votes
0answers
22 views
How to express a scenario more likely than the other clearly and concisely?
I just replied a comments in a post, then I realized that this expression may need some improvement.
A book using "we'll provide" makes more likely as if I am sitting in a
classroom than "we ...
0
votes
1answer
15 views
Does `a developing sense` mean that the sense/idea approaches but not achieves the advanced?
From this book "Deep Learning and Convolutional Neural Networks for Medical Image Computing"
Interest and advances in deep learning are still growing rapidly in
both the computer vision and the ...
0
votes
1answer
30 views
Meaning of “is getting on me..”?
What's mean "is getting on me"? For example:
"Mom is always getting on me about not finishing my breakfast."
0
votes
0answers
22 views
At the beginning of a chapter or an article , is “we provide” or “we'll provide” better, or no difference?
From this book "Deep Learning and Convolutional Neural Networks for Medical Image Computing"
Abstract Computerized algorithms and solutions in processing and
diagnosis mammography X-ray, ...
0
votes
1answer
25 views
Given that at least one of options is not, which one is appropriate? “both” or “neither”
this post is discussing "easier to read" topic.
Is "have greater readability than" or "easier to read than" not
idiomatic?
Appending to this sentence, Which following one is more appropriate?
...
0
votes
1answer
19 views
Is “back then” or some other saying better than “About this time” to express when did an event happen?
From this book "Deep Learning and Convolutional Neural Networks for Medical Image Computing"
About this time, Dr. Le Lu joined my group. An expert in computer
vision, Le brought the passion and ...
0
votes
0answers
18 views
Which expression is more idiomatic? `easier to read`, `has more readability` or some expression else?
I asked a question in this post.
Is “to have xx systems achieve xx-level” easier to read than “to
achieve xx-level of xx systems”?
When I got an answer for that question, I felt readability may ...
0
votes
1answer
22 views
Is “to have xx systems achieve xx-level” easier to read than “to achieve xx-level of xx systems”?
From this book "Deep Learning and Convolutional Neural Networks for Medical Image Computing"
Finally, I identify the remaining knowledge gaps that must be over-
come to achieve clinician-level ...
2
votes
2answers
44 views
Is there any word or expression to describe feeling something really deep (you don't know what that feeling is)?
Sometimes you feel kind of like you're lost in time or something—you forget about your issues and everything for a few seconds.
This happens especially when you see a beautiful photograph or listen to ...
0
votes
1answer
30 views
An expression / a proverb to say: “liars often forget what they said”
As you may confronted some liars, you possibly would confirm that usually they forget what they have made-up and then related to you in the past and it's not unlekely that once they will forget in the ...
2
votes
3answers
300 views
Why we use 'no sooner' instead of 'not sooner'?
I think 'not sooner than' is a right form and 'no sooner than' seens pretty odd to me. Does anyone know where the phrase 'no sooner than' came from? Is it just a tradition?
0
votes
0answers
22 views
Can a customer “rip off” a restaurant?
I often hear the expression, "Rip-off restaurant or company".
But I wonder if we can say "customers rip off a restarant
by trying to eat more than they paid for."
I think people woulbe able to ...
1
vote
1answer
18 views
What would you call someone who continues to be the “first one” to achieve something?
I want to write a sentence which tells someone is continuing to "be the first one to do/achieve whatever" and keeps breaking records.
For example, there's a singer in my country who became the first ...
0
votes
0answers
13 views
Is there a better way or some templates to ask a question based on some other articles or books?
Recently I asked some questions from a book like this
From this book "the-name"
citation of some contents
the question ...
then I realized this is grammatically incorrect, since From ...
0
votes
2answers
28 views
Case something of
In some programming languages, such as Pascal, there is a case statement written like case something of, like case name of or case place of, followed by a set of alternatives.
This expression, case ...
0
votes
1answer
20 views
Playing for bragging rights
What does playing for bragging rights mean in English and is it common and understood in everyday speech by all people?
I have found some dictionary definitions, but I couldn't understand its precise ...
1
vote
1answer
19 views
Is “a factor of K-fold” a idiomatic saying?
This book "Deep Learning and Convolutional Neural Networks for Medical Image Computing" uses an expression "a factor of K-fold".
As we learned about the current state of research on deep learning, ...
1
vote
0answers
15 views
Is it grammatical idiomatic to say “pick us something”, I guess so and I need a double check
it sounds the lecturer is saying
the value of our function at this point is therefore clearly just f(x).
we're going to use the same logic
as before, so we now need to pick us second point ...
0
votes
2answers
97 views
What does it means to had requirement on “Ability to see beyond immediate assignment to achieve results.”
I see one job requirement posting on a mechanical engineering job searching website that it said "Ability to see beyond immediate assignment to achieve results." What is is meaning?
0
votes
0answers
19 views
What does the expression “go get your play on” mean here?
I came across the expression "go get your play on" in the description of the new games that are worth playing. The expression is the last sentence of the games that are chosen by editors.
I got the ...
0
votes
1answer
17 views
The meaning and the usage of the expression: “I dare say”
Some dictionaries have defined the expression "I dare say / daresay" as spoken one and some other ones have defined it as a formal expression!
Meanwhile, some dictionaries consider it to be old-...
0
votes
1answer
25 views
The meaning and the usage of the expression “Dare I say…”
Macmillan dictionary says:
Dare I say:
Used when you are saying something that you think other people may not like:
This famous novel is a little, dare I say it, dull.
Or as Longman says:
...
0
votes
1answer
18 views
The meaning and the usage of the expression “Don't you dare”
To me, "Don't you dare!" is an expression that communicates a warning to someone. For instance:
Don't you dare talk to me like that!
Don't you dare follow me! (ete...)
But I wonder if you ...
1
vote
2answers
43 views
Get up enough nerves to do something
I wonder what does the expression "get up enough nerves to do something" mean as in the following context?
My mother was feeling very bad as she sat on the couch looking at all of her children, but ...
3
votes
1answer
47 views
When guide someone to think something which one is more appropriate, “find” or “find out”?
I answered a question just now, but I am not sure I expressed appropriately.
I am trying to guide the guy who posted this question to look into source code
take a look at the source code, you'll ...
-2
votes
1answer
24 views
Need (destitution) makes the strongest people foxlike
I wonder if there is any English proverb alluding to this fact that destitution and poverty (generally 'need'), makes strongest and the most powerful people to act in a different (always negative) way?...
1
vote
2answers
41 views
Why does it not use “is heard asking” but “heard asking”?
He is then heard asking: "Is it just me?"
I can't understand that sentence meaning.
Does that mean that he heard about asking or he heard and asking?
And is it possible "He heard asking"?
I think "...
0
votes
2answers
27 views
What's are some natural expressions to say when you pick up the order? [closed]
Suppose I ordered some food online. What are some natural (and preferably concise) expressions to say when I arrive at the store?
Here are some that I can think of (they may not be natural or ...
0
votes
1answer
31 views
To learn about a concept intuitively and visually, is it clear and idiomatic to ask that `what does the concept look like`?
The question comes from this post.
Assume I haven't seen this figure before and I want to learn about eigendecomposition intuitively and visually.
Is it clear and idiomatic to ask that what does ...
0
votes
1answer
23 views
I would like to check if someone did something, which expression should I use “did you do” or “have you done”?
This post is discussing an OpenCV problem.
there is a guy made some comments.
I guess he did't run the code himself.
to make sure he ran the code himself and his comment is valuable.
which ...
1
vote
1answer
587 views
On (at) a moment(')s notice?
I have been searching for a while, and I haven't seen a good discussion of this phrase. It seems to me like the preposition is in question (I've heard it both ways), and the possessive is also in ...
2
votes
2answers
424 views
I can't even with this place (meaning)
In this movie clip (at 2:01), actor Jack Black says:
That was so intense I, like, can't even with this place.
What does he mean he can't even with the place?
1
vote
1answer
167 views
What does “don't tell it to nobody” mean?
What does "don't tell it to nobody" mean?
does it mean "tell it to everyone"?
And Grammar says
GRAMMAR: Negatives Don’t use nothing with another negative word such
as ‘not’. Use anything. You ...
2
votes
2answers
24 views
An idiom/expression to imply “rebuilding and beautifying a destroyed area”
Please imagine a large destroyed area which has become ruined due to a war or an earthquake or simply because it was uninhabited for a long time or even from the outset.
I wonder what idiom/verb or ...
-1
votes
1answer
20 views
On the usage of “tell on”
" I suspect he must have told on our secret information"
(I suspect he must have revealed our secret information)
" I suspect he must have told them on our secret information"
(I suspect he must ...
