Questions tagged [phrases]
A phrase is a group of words that make a unit of syntax with a single grammatical function.
908
questions
-2
votes
1answer
19 views
What does pay-off mean?
Recommender Systems: Noisy data, commercial pay-off (e.g., Amazon, Netflix). -- source
I look up the longman dictionary. Seems none of the explanation makes sense.
1
vote
1answer
18 views
Does the phrase “fix a schedule” sound natural, if does, then what is its exact meaning?
When I want choose a date for, say, a party, does it sound natural to say the following?
Let's fix a schedule for the party.
If that sounds ok, then could I change fix for set?
0
votes
2answers
27 views
“Close/shut one's eyes to sth” VS “Turn a blind eye to sth”
I was wondering what is the difference between these two phrases. For me, they both mean very similar and I cannot differentiate between them.
For more clarification, let me provide you with an ...
1
vote
2answers
58 views
Is it natural to use the phrase “who are you to do something” when expressing anger?
Is it natural to say the following when expressing anger at someone for something they have done, and they don't have the right to do the thing?
Who are you to behave like that?!
Who are you ...
0
votes
1answer
13 views
To think…I think
I am wondering if this is the correct usage
To think I thought I had seen everything when she slipped on her own
spit, I think I cannot be surprised anymore.
I am wondering if this is the only ...
2
votes
1answer
37 views
What does “take a nap between the snoozing lion and lamb” means?
This phrase is from the below paragraph in the book Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst by Robert M. Sapolsky.
The book has a number of personal roots. One is that, having had
...
0
votes
1answer
54 views
Talking or speaking to someone [duplicate]
What is the correct phrase to use?
I am speaking on the phone? Please keep quiet for a while.
or
I am talking on the phone? Please keep quiet for a while.
To me, the first one makes more ...
1
vote
1answer
25 views
What do the Arapesh ancestors do when they “pluck back the bramble”?
I'm not sure about the meaning of the phrase "pluck back" in this passage of Margaret Mead's Sex and Temperament in Three Primitive Societies.
The ghosts themselves are residents of the lands, and ...
-1
votes
2answers
44 views
Is there some alternative use of “You are welcome”
From what I have learned it's as described here
You are welcome
But we use English as corp language at work, using slack and have GIPHY (a tool for adding GIFs to messages) connected to it and I give ...
0
votes
1answer
13 views
On using “to what extent there exist”
Is the phrase
to what extent there exist
a correct phrase? For example:
To what extent there exist disadvantaged families in this area?
I searched on it in google but did not find it used. ...
0
votes
2answers
16 views
How to use 'used to' two times in a sentence
How to say this
"When I used to go to the college, I used to play Volleyball".
Or is it ok to use used to two times in a sentence?
I know I can also use something like:
"When I was in ...
0
votes
1answer
22 views
Can I use “due left” as meaning of “due west”?
According to the dictionary, "due" can be used to emphasize for "Straight, directly" i.g: "Go due west".
So,can I use "due left" as meaning of "due west"?
1
vote
1answer
27 views
Meaning of “it is onto something”?
I came across it in this video. It is at 49 seconds.
On earth we deal with flush toilets if that is available, hopefully, to you. You do what you need to do, then you clean yourself up, and then it ...
8
votes
1answer
944 views
What does the phrase “pinch apart” mean here?
Here is a sentence from a task management app:
The app allows you to add tasks in several ways and in one of them you
can pinch apart two items in order to squeeze a task in between them.
I am ...
0
votes
1answer
27 views
What does the phrase “pull down on” mean here?
Here is a sentence from a task management app:
The app allows you to add tasks in several ways and in one of them you
can pull down on a list to put a task to the top.
I am not sure about the ...
1
vote
3answers
35 views
Conveying the idea of a sole item
I'm having a hard time finding a phrase I'm contended with in regard to a sole item. I tried using "the only one" but for some reason it rings as referring to a person, not an item (but hey, maybe it'...
1
vote
2answers
31 views
Picking out Adverb Phrases from the given sentence
He strove with all his might to escape
According to my Wren and Martin textbook, with all his might is an adverb phrase in the given sentence. But what is to escape? Is it an adverb phrase as well?
1
vote
1answer
16 views
What is the difference between “go up to something” and “go over to something” in the sense of approaching something?
What is the difference between the following sentences?
He went up to the table to grab some cake.
He went over to the table to grab some cake.
If the phrases have identical meanings, could ...
0
votes
2answers
39 views
American Equivalent for “roll on something”
Roll on something
As you perhaps know, Britons tend to use this term to imply how much they like something happen and when they wish a specific time or event would come more quickly.
Example:
...
3
votes
1answer
93 views
Meaning of the phrase “Beating on your craft”!
I was translating a document in another language, then I saw this famous quotation from Will Smith that is provided here.
The separation of talent and skill is one of the greatest
misunderstood ...
1
vote
2answers
33 views
“Have a nice ride to work”
Is it OK to say the following to somebody who is going to work on a bike?
“Have a nice ride to work!”
How can I wish someone a good time while he/she is on her way to work?
0
votes
1answer
34 views
“The professor does the attendance in his room” is grammatically correct?
I know that attendance for students means "being present in the class".
How can I say that the professor answers the doubts questions in his room, for example Mondays between 4 and 5 pm?
Could it be ...
0
votes
0answers
30 views
Grate on someone's ears / nerves
What does the sentence below mean?
His voice grates on my ears.
His voice grates on my nerves.
Please have a look on Longman's definition below:
To grate on (to annoy someone):
- Mr ...
0
votes
1answer
50 views
When a youth's voice becomes “manly”
I wonder how would you talk about a voice breaking in young males - around the age of puberty?
This is when they lose their high-pitched voices and start to produce deeper sounds.
What shall I say:
...
0
votes
0answers
19 views
Can I understand that “as long as” is 1st Conditional and “If only” is 2nd or 3rd Conditional?
When I think about this sentence "As long as you study English, you can improve your English", it means "If you study English, you can improve your English", and it is 1st Conditional.
When I think ...
1
vote
1answer
34 views
What does the phrase “tight level design” mean here?
I am not sure about the meaning of the phrase "tight level design" in the following sentence from a combat game's description:
The tight level design and many opportunities for vertical gameplay
...
-1
votes
1answer
27 views
(As you mentioned / pointed out) and (Thank you for mentioning / pointing out)
I know that when you 'point something out' you have already found something important with that and would like the listener(s) know about it too in order to draw their attention to it.
Now, please ...
0
votes
0answers
50 views
A current equivalent for “I'll eat my hat if…”
When I was going to emphasize that something seemed to be truly unlikely to take place, I used to say: "I eat my hat if...", but I just noticed that it is an old-fashioned phrase!
As an example, I ...
2
votes
1answer
33 views
What does the phrase “slide into first” mean here?
I heard a phrase "slide into first" in an arcade racing game's description. This was used as the introductory sentence that was followed by speed boosting and drifting tips.
I know the lexical ...
0
votes
0answers
23 views
{Something} as expressed by {someone}
Confidence and self-respect as expressed by members of a group.
Few things are funnier or more shocking than moral indignation as expressed by a total bastard.
But he does still have a heart ...
7
votes
2answers
3k views
What does the phrase “pull off sick wheelies and flips” mean here?
Here is a made-up sentence from a racing game:
In order to earn speed boosts, you should catch air and pull off sick
wheelies and flips.
I am not sure about the meaning of the phrase "pull off ...
0
votes
1answer
47 views
When one has a spouse that they do not deserve him / her
There is a hyperbole which says always a best husband/wife belongs to somebody who really doesn't deserve him/her!
For instance, a quite gorgeous girl with a high educational degree and good family, ...
2
votes
1answer
39 views
What's the meaning of `try something in a bottle`?
What's the meaning of try something in a bottle?
In there :
TRY AIRSHIP IN A BOTTLE
what's the meaning of it?
4
votes
2answers
384 views
“In charge of” vs “Responsible for”
I would appreciate it if you could let me know what phrase can ne used in the following blanks:
1- Everybody is ................. their own actions. So you cannot blame others for what you did in ...
2
votes
2answers
197 views
“Off the top of one's head” or “by heart”
I wonder which expression can be used in my following example?
Our teacher was a really smart person. At the second session, he know everyone's name ................
off the top of his head
from ...
1
vote
1answer
57 views
Is there a phrase such as “Anxious of”?
I want by the following sentence to express that death causes anxiety for souls:
And why do souls become anxious of it?..
It refers to death
I have looked for the phrase, but it gets corrected ...
0
votes
1answer
32 views
When you are going to formally or politely express your regret
I would appreciate if you do me a favor and let me know which structure can be used in polite/formal speech in my following context:
Restrictions and punishments there which violate ...
0
votes
0answers
29 views
The phrase “in duplicate”
What does the following statement mean ?
Admit card should be submitted in DUPLICATE.
a) 1 original & 1 photocopy.
b) Both originals.
c) Both photocopies.
1
vote
1answer
29 views
Similar expressions to “jump for joy”
Is there an expression along the lines of "jumping up to the ceiling" which could be used to describe a situation when someone is so happy he's jumping very high?
1
vote
1answer
20 views
What's the meaning of `pronounced bye-frost`?
When I read the document:
Bifrost (pronounced bye-frost) is a set of Ansible playbooks that automates the task of deploying a base image onto a set of known hardware using ironic.
What's the ...
0
votes
1answer
32 views
What does the phrase “trades” mean here?
Please help me figure out the meaning of the word trades in the following (made-up) sentence:
In the game you will find that Blades trades open worlds for quests
through scary dungeons.
The ...
-1
votes
1answer
27 views
Synonym for “Labor intensive” phrase
Can I request for a word which can describe the following sentences;
Production of labor intensive products
Human and capital intensive products
-1
votes
1answer
26 views
What does the phrase “go over or through their own body” mean here?
I am not sure about the meaning of the phrase "go over or through their own body" in the following sentence:
What makes the game challenging is that the birds can neither move
backwards nor can ...
1
vote
1answer
55 views
Does it make sense to say “with the exam passed”?
I wonder if the sentence such makes sense?
"I left the school with the exam (whatever this exam may be) passed"
The part I am not sure about is the phrase "with the exam passed".
I would like to ...
0
votes
1answer
29 views
Alternatives to “to build on an idea”?
I'm looking for an different way to express a sentence such as:
I build on the fact that human beings are equal.
The synonyms I found don't correspond with the meaning of starting from a concept, ...
-1
votes
1answer
23 views
What does the phrase “builds on the lore of the game” mean here?
I am not sure about the meaning of the phrase "builds on the lore of the game" in the following sentence:
It’s interesting to see how the community builds on the lore of
game.
The fans are ...
0
votes
2answers
60 views
What does the phrase “brains to spare” mean here?
I am not sure about the meaning of the phrase "brains to spare" in the following sentence:
Factor in a smattering of stylus minigames - including a terrific dash
to piece together a cantankerous ...
0
votes
2answers
32 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 ...
2
votes
1answer
57 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, ...
2
votes
1answer
40 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 ...
