Questions tagged [phrases]
A phrase is a group of words that make a unit of syntax with a single grammatical function.
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questions
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Words for those who don't work and want everything ready-made [on hold]
I am looking for words or phrases to represent those who copy or take everything that is already made by others, want everything ready or ready-made, and are averse to the ideas of hard work, ...
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2answers
28 views
What's the meaning of “learn the books backwards”?
My daughter's reading the story Dan the Dunce and there are the following paragraphs:
Onec upon a time there was a Princess. She was bored. So she decided to get married. "But my husband must be ...
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0answers
31 views
What does the phrase “lose a life” mean here?
I am not sure about the meaning of the phrase "lose a life" in the following sentence?
So sink carefully, but watch out, with each miss or scratch you lose a
life — run out before you finish the ...
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0answers
33 views
Which phrase would be proper to use in written American English?
I need to say that there arises a question after making some points in my essay, so which one is better?
Here probably arises a pertinent question as to why he would want to be a bio-engineer now, ...
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1answer
17 views
What does the phrase “baize to secure early lead” mean here?
I cannot figure out the meaning of the phrase "battle of the baize" in the following heading of a news item:
Varsity 2017: Warwick win battle of the baize to secure early lead
I am not sure if the ...
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2answers
18 views
wash the dishes ; a phrase?
I don't know either the following constructions are a phrase or a clause?
1) wash the dishes
2) do the laundry
3) take out the garbage
In my opinion, they are all phrases or verb phrases ...
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2answers
43 views
“… a little less problems” — is this phrase grammatically correct?
Is this sentence, "I wish I had a little less problems" grammatically correct? Especially the phrase, "... a little less problems". I know there are other ways to say the same thing like, "I wish I ...
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26 views
How to ask someone for cycling?
I moved into a new apartment and don't have any friend in this apartment. I want to make new friends but don't know how to initiate the conversation. I thought asking someone for cycling would be good ...
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1answer
17 views
What does the phrase “slide two fingers across the screen” mean here?
I am not sure about the meaning of the phrase "slide two fingers across the screen" in the following sentence:
In N.O.V.A. you can slide three fingers over a door to open it,
slide two fingers ...
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0answers
18 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 ...
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1answer
22 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:
...
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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 ...
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1answer
16 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-...
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0answers
41 views
What does the phrase “just under” mean here? [on hold]
Here is a sentence from a racing game:
You can choose a challenge with a car that’s just under, or make
things easy for yourself by choosing fully-specced vehicle.
I am not sure about the ...
0
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1answer
27 views
What does the phrase “dangling-armed trolls” mean here?
Here is a sentence from an adventure game:
If you are not careful, you might be grabbed by the dangling-armed
trolls that reach from afar.
The player fights against many creatures, monsters, etc....
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2answers
36 views
What does the phrase “nods to the lore” mean here?
What does the phrase "nods to the lore" mean in the following sentence:
Seems very well thought out & has lots of cool nods to the lore of
starwars [sic].
This text is from a response to a ...
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3answers
563 views
What does the phrase “head down the rat's hole” mean here?
Here is a heading of a game app's description:
"Head down the rat's hole"
The game lets you live the life of a rat that lives in a beautiful village. The player interacts with the rat's friends and ...
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1answer
20 views
Can we use 'I think' after 'In my view'?
The following sentence is given in my book:
In my view, I don't think this is a good idea.
I know it very well that if phrase 'In my opinion' is used instead of 'In my view', then it won't be ...
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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 ...
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3answers
27 views
Paying/spending just from pocket money
I wonder what idiom, expression or set-phrase do you normally use to carry the message of spending money from pocket without earning any money (without having any business)?
Please have a look on my ...
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vote
2answers
29 views
A rich and family which is living in comfort and luxury
I Wonder what do you call a family which is most of the time rich and all its members are living a good life and have whatever they need? The idiom/expression/set phrase or even the adjective in my ...
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1answer
19 views
What does the phrase “patrol cleared areas for supply caches” mean here? [closed]
Here is a sentence from a space action game:
When you are away from the battlefield, you can send your co-soldiers
to patrol cleared areas for supply caches, while mining resources and
...
1
vote
1answer
21 views
Is “throw in X at Y” idiomatic?
Is "throw in X at Y" idiomatic? I am wondering if I am using the phrase idiomatically or not. It's difficult for a non-native English speaker to determine if a phrase is idiomatic or not, so I rather ...
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1answer
18 views
What does the phrase “clipped out of the air” mean here?
Here is a sentence from a golf app's description:
Never be overconfident of your shot. Otherwise you will soon see it
get clipped out of the air by your opponent.
The app mentions that players ...
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0answers
28 views
The current alternative for the fixed phrase “Here's the rub”
The set phrase "here's the rub" which originates from 'Hamlet' is used every now and then in literary and shakespearean English in a humorous way to indicate that here is the biggest problem (with the ...
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1answer
66 views
Meanings and uses of the words “numerous” and “innumerable”
My question concerns proper use of the word numerous and of the word innumerable.
I am in a problem which is rare: which one to choose even if I consult thesaurus. This is what I have learned so far: ...
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0answers
28 views
I don't know what the author trying to say
I was doing my revision, and I found these sentences in the grammar book I was using:
1) I know that a spider is a type of arthropod that makes webs to trap and eat prey.
2) I know what you mean, ...
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1answer
20 views
What does the phrase “entrenched software” mean here?
I am not sure the meaning of the phrase "entrenched software" in the following sentence:
The company was more concerned about persuading professional designers
who’d been using entrenched ...
0
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1answer
24 views
When someone acts obstinately / stubbornly towards you
I have a very long-lasting question about some quite close concepts which I am sure they have some equivalents in current English. I really appreciate it if you could do me a favor and let me find the ...
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4answers
1k views
What does the phrase “building hopping chop” mean here?
Here is a sentence from an endless runner game:
Building hopping chops is a good strategy to avoid unexpected dangers.
The player is advised to leap to the side when she sees any danger or goes ...
0
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1answer
22 views
What does the phrase “juggling panels in real time” mean here? [closed]
Here is a sentence from a puzzle game's description:
In the game, time is far from linear, but for successfully completing
some puzzles you need to juggle panels in real time.
I know the lexical ...
0
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1answer
17 views
What does “he was there for” mean in this sentence?
I really don't understand the usage or the meaning of "he was there for" in this sentence :
Tony shook his head, as though he couldn’t wrap his mind around events
he was there for, and partially ...
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1answer
38 views
Modern substitutes for saving your (presence / reverence)
Edited:
I wonder in modern English what we can say prior to uttering something that might sound offensive or disapproving to the person/people you're talking to?
I know two phrases:
Saving your ...
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2answers
54 views
What does the phrase “while holding down one paddle” mean here? [closed]
Here is a sentence from a rowing game app:
It is not possible to turn in air, so take jumps in a straight line
while holding down one paddle if you have to turn abruptly while landing.
I am ...
0
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0answers
26 views
A person full of complexes
I wonder what would you normally call someone who has a chip on their shoulder informally? (What I am looking for can be considered as an offensive idiom/expression/adjective by most people.) Such ...
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1answer
22 views
What does the phrase “get three assists with your player” mean here?
Here is a sentence from a football game app's description:
In the game you will be asked to get three assists with your player.
I know the meaning of the word assist, however the meaning of the ...
0
votes
1answer
17 views
What does the phrase “stay closer to home” mean here? [closed]
Here is a sentence from a game advertisement text:
Whether you’re looking to escape on holiday or are staying closer to
home, these fun games will certainly send you on a long adventure
ride.
...
0
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1answer
23 views
What does the phrase “weigh down” mean here?
Here is a sentence from an adventure game:
In the game, you use your enemy's corpse as bridges and to weigh down
pressure plates, providing cover from spears-firing traps – sometimes
for ...
1
vote
1answer
31 views
what's the meaning of 【catch basins】right here?
I just not sure about the sentence below, which I read in an online article discussing the American atheists:
"The shift away from any dominance of any one religion is good for a secular society ...
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0answers
11 views
Is it implant into or onto?
Is it implant into or onto? I am asking, because the example I have in mind seems to invite the use of the alternative wording "implant onto".
Here's the example:
The surgeons implanted a mole ...
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1answer
19 views
Concerning the meaning of “week for week, month for month, year for year”
Does the expression in bold within:
“The human ability to understand capitulates when faced with the sheer number of deaths, week for week, month for month, year for year,” Judge Bührmann said. ...
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1answer
33 views
What does this “put nose in someone's life” mean?
"Why should I put my nose in his life" I read this in article of apathetic co-worker.
What exactly it mean?
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1answer
40 views
What's the negation of “Sooner or later”?
I find the following sentence in need for the "Sooner or later" but in its negative form.
The sentence:
This is what I don't intend in disclosing. Not sooner or later.
The speaker wants to ...
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vote
1answer
29 views
The usage of the phrase “every other”
We know that "every other" means not each one in a series, but every two.
For instance:
The conference used to be held every year, but now it takes place every other year.
But can we say for ...
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1answer
40 views
Correct usage of the phrase “which, in turn.”
His empire created the foundation for the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire, which in turn, had their own great works.
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1answer
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The more buckets are allocated, the less the load factor gets
I was writing an answer on StackOverflow and came up with this sentence
The more buckets are allocated, the less the load factor gets. (x ?)
It sounds a bit off to me because of "the more buckets"....
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0answers
31 views
“on the verge” Vs “on the edge” Vs “At the edge” Vs “at the verge”
I know this can be flagged as off topic, because it a bit broad, but let me give it a try. Is there any difference between these phrases:
on the verge of
on the edge of
at the verge of
at the edge ...
0
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1answer
16 views
“Could you” question vs “Would you” question
I read in a book that in a situation where you are asked to join a club activity so politely that you cannot turn it down, “Could you join us?” is more polite than “Would you join us?”. Why is that? I’...
2
votes
1answer
67 views
What does the phrase “add stakes” mean here?
Here is a sentence from a platform game app:
Without any doubt, it’s a great way to add stakes to the platforming.
The game has a revised gameplay in which a player can start from the most recent ...
0
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1answer
41 views
Is this Name? vs Are you Name?
My friend requested me to meet him on Skype.
And I searched him on Skype with his ID. The ID is matched but the account name isn't in English.
So, I just want to make sure that he is Peter or not.
I ...
