Questions tagged [word-in-context]
The word-in-context tag has no usage guidance.
2
votes
2answers
28 views
In Haruki Murakami's “Barn Burning”, I don't understand a quote involving the phrase “a priori” which I also only barely understand
Here's the quote:
“I was married, but that didn’t matter, either. She seemed to consider
things like age and income and family to be of the same a priori order
as shoe size and vocal pitch and ...
0
votes
0answers
11 views
telephone introducing myself (not name)
Good morning, when we do a call, usually we introduce ourselves or answer using "this is Name" or "it's Name". But if I should say that I am the father/friend/colleuge/mother etc of the person who the ...
0
votes
1answer
15 views
How to say in different/ better way?
I have completed the certification program, but after 24h I do not have the badge yet?
Can you assist?
Is is correct word formation and can I express my thoughts in better more natural American ...
0
votes
1answer
31 views
Do I have private lessons or classes with a private teacher?
Let's suppose I have a private English teacher. Do I have English lessons or English classes with him or her? Is the word class used only to talk about a group environment? Or can I use it for ...
4
votes
3answers
2k views
Question: “Are you hungry?” Answer: “I feel like eating.”
I read a conversation book in which the answer for the question "Are you hungry?" was: "I feel like eating."
My question if this phrase of "feeling like" when talking about a normal situation in ...
3
votes
1answer
20 views
Recall Vs. remember
In this context recall and remember would be the same?
"I recall myself when I was 5 years old in my family house, it
was an amazing time for me".
"I remember myself when I was 5 years old ...
1
vote
2answers
130 views
Thank you for your interest / question / inquiry
My friend that I didn't saw for some time sent me a message and asked me "Hello friend, How are you?". What's the most appropriate / acceptable or natural way to answer him if I want to thank him ...
1
vote
1answer
32 views
What is the meaning of “co-opted” in this sentence? [closed]
I am reading Anthology for Music in the Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries, and on page 173 I get stuck in understanding this sentence:
In some cases national and political connotations were an ...
1
vote
1answer
24 views
“Back here again in two years” or “Back here again after two years”
Which one's correct?
"Back here again in ( ) years"
or
"Back here again after ( ) years"?
9
votes
1answer
1k views
What do you see if you enter 'clip' in the Windows 10 Search Box or Cortana?
I thought I made a mistake and inputed the word 'clip' in the search box and I saw that I hit the snipping tool which was really what I wanted.
But the question arises:
Are clip and snip in this ...
1
vote
1answer
26 views
How to write on an academical essay that a certain professor helped to do it?
What's the common way to write on a academical work / essay / research / thesis / PhD that a certain professor helped me to write it? Would the word "directed" is normal in such context?
Directed ...
2
votes
2answers
51 views
What’s the difference? [closed]
Is there a difference between “no place to go” and “no place left to go”?
e.g.
There is no place to hide.
There is no place left to hide.
2
votes
2answers
167 views
Should I use “key” or “a/the key”?
The word key is both an adjective and a noun meaning something is important. But which is the preferred one to use in terms of different territories? For example, should I say
The hint is key.
or
...
1
vote
2answers
55 views
Is it acceptable to use “For example” and “e.g.” interchangeably
As a general rule I know that I should maintain consistency if I choose some style, etc.
But I am not sure about this: Is it acceptable to use the phrase "For example" and "e.g." interchangeably in ...
0
votes
1answer
16 views
How to use in points or score in context of exam result?
If I had exam and I was asked about my result and I want to refer to it, then what is the correct way for that purpose?
I've got 95 score out of 100.
I've got 95 points out of 100.
Is it ...
1
vote
1answer
28 views
What word do we use for necessary but unspecified stuff?
Here's the question
where did you go on the holiday?
Nowhere. I stayed home and did some overdue job/task/work/....
Overdue is not necessary here, other words may fit.
I want to talk about ...
1
vote
2answers
216 views
“story” without article meaning “past”
Some dictionaries say that the word "story" as a general noun means "past, past event, part of what was before". Does it mean we can use it abstractly to mean "history, what is past" without an ...
1
vote
1answer
70 views
Sensitive, cranky, irritable, touchy
I get angry very easily by other people. I'm a very sensitive person.
How do I describe this kind of personality ?
Sensitive, cranky, irritable, touchy, mean. I got these words from the dictionary,...
0
votes
1answer
29 views
Understanding this entry for “pushover”
The Online Etymology Dictionary has this for pushover:
also push-over, 1900 of jobs or tasks; 1922 of persons (bad boxers and easy women), from push (v.) + over (adv.).
I'm not sure I understand ...
0
votes
1answer
45 views
using “as far as” or “to as far as”
I have a sentence:
I am fascinated by traveling, but I did not imagine that I could go to
as far as America
Or
I am fascinated by traveling, but I did not imagine that I could go as
far as ...
2
votes
1answer
715 views
pacing the room
What's the meaning of "pace the room"?
On Cambridge Dictionary pace means "the speed at which someone or something moves, or with which something happens or changes", but what relation this can get ...
4
votes
1answer
42 views
The use of “since” in “The Empire had long since fallen to the Barbarians”
Although Justinian’s reign started inauspiciously, he still enjoyed astonishing success. Rome and Western Empire had long since fallen to the Barbarians. But he and Theodora set out to recover the ...
0
votes
1answer
663 views
Wide variety or wide choice (in context)
Fill in the Blanks
We offer a wide ....... of classes in this school.
case
variety
part
choice
For me a wide variety of classes imply that we have various classes (in different ...
0
votes
1answer
55 views
To put/take/place your finger in/into/inside your nose
Which word do you think is appropriate for the following context?
"Jim is very rude. He always puts/takes his finger in/into/inside his nose."
Or, should I say, "He always places his finger inside his ...
0
votes
3answers
78 views
“White-side” meaning “from all flanks”?
ContextReverso website, when I input "со всех флангов" returns an English translation "white-side" (possibly as adverb), which they state means "from all flanks".
Is it a special military term or is ...
1
vote
1answer
48 views
Energy vs Power
When do we use "power" and when "energy"? I often ask myself: What is energy and what is power?
One game developer company asked me to translate their browser game into English and edit some of the ...
0
votes
1answer
133 views
Relevance & Purpose Question
I am really confused with question number 12. Options A and D both make sense.
Option A because the gardener has a direct reference and is receiving gift, which is also a food. The information thus ...
0
votes
1answer
42 views
“Help toward reaching a goal”: Why use “toward”?
I've read this from Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
avail: help toward reaching a goal
The word "toward" confuses me. Why doesn't the author use "for" or "in"?
avail: help for ...
0
votes
2answers
20 views
The word “little” inferring the meaning of something important, big or critical
I may have made it up but it seems to me that the word little on some occasions infers the opposite of its intended meaning in certain contexts:
Those guys are going to pay for what they've done. We'...
0
votes
1answer
4k views
Involved to or Involved in
Read this context:
Reading all of your speech from a note may give you confidence and ensure that nothing is forgotten or omitted, however it is the least interesting option for delivering your ...
2
votes
3answers
683 views
a book “said”…? Which expression do you use when you refer from books?
A few weeks ago, one of my friend and I talked about tomorrow's traveling course. I said, "my guidebook said a city walking course."
But books can't say anything. So I thought "said" was a wrong ...
0
votes
2answers
69 views
Feel the difference between words
I am trying to feel the difference between these words: vacant, unoccupied, spare and free.
If we are talking about locations that aren't controlled by military forces then which of the above words ...
4
votes
1answer
399 views
Case of “more” and “else”
I know that both "more" and "else" can be used in the meaning of "besides". Well, at least I think so. Here are examples:
I have told you all I know. What else do you want with me?
I have told you ...
0
votes
1answer
42 views
“Bake” with textures and visualisation
I often hear the word "bake" used when speaking about textures and visualisation in films, video games and 3D modeling. I don't want to sound silly but I can't quite understand this particular word in ...
0
votes
2answers
41 views
What does now refer to in this sentence?
I got a message from my bank after doing an online transaction of €110
You have now paid €110 to xxx.
Is this sentence correct?
What does now mean here?
Does it mean recently? I am confused ...
1
vote
3answers
1k views
Honey, you are priceless!
Here's an introduction:
I love the word precious. It's a wonderful word when you say it to your wife but I wanted to say that she is not simply precious but there just doesn't exist a price to pay ...
0
votes
1answer
19 views
Application begin-work action
In IT do all these words: launch, start, execute, and run have the same meaning? Have they at least a slight difference between them?
Execute/launch/start/run Adobe Photoshop.
As far as I know they ...
0
votes
2answers
50 views
“Cripple” vs “Break” [closed]
When speaking about bones and body parts what is the difference between a crippled body part/bone and a broken body part/bone?
A crippled leg
A broken arm
0
votes
2answers
35 views
Definition of “some” in this case
I would like to know what definition does "some" have in these sentences:
Some friends you have! (bad friends that didn't come to the rescue)
Some soup you've made! (delicious soup)
Some winter we ...
1
vote
1answer
41 views
Explorerer and Discoverer [closed]
I'm trying to figure out whether exploration can imply discovery and discovery imply exploration. I think these two terms are linked.
An explorer can discover when he explores.
A discoverer may need ...
1
vote
2answers
126 views
What does “wings” mean here?
In the space sim Freelancer in one mission there's a line, "There's just too many of them. To all wings, protect the station at all costs."
The tricky part is that you are in a wing formation of 5 ...
2
votes
1answer
79 views
What word is better to use here (word/talk/speech)?
It's a conversation between 3 people and I have doubts what to use for the bold part in text.
A was telling what he was interested in and giving us some information
B was trying to stop him ...
1
vote
2answers
31 views
How to tell the difference between these verbs?
In different sci-fi stories different words are used in different context to speak about changing location in the universe:
Leap - to make a large jump or sudden movement, usually from one place to ...
0
votes
1answer
754 views
“But since” before “Now”
Is the word "since" needed there before "now"? Does it change the meaning?
I was worried about you but since now that I know that you are okay I'm okay too.
I made up this sentence but I am not sure ...
-1
votes
2answers
178 views
In the song 'Come together', I want to know the meaning of 'over'
I like the song "Come Together" by the Beatles. However, I don't know the exact meaning of the word "over" in the lyrics:
[Chorus]
Come together, right now
Over me
0
votes
1answer
193 views
Snap in “snap your fingers” [closed]
What definition of the word snap is used in the phrase "snap your fingers"?
2
votes
4answers
3k views
A neutral word for someone who behaves differently from everyone else
What do you call a person, that, given a particular social context, behaves or is led to behave differently from all others, perhaps ending up being regarded as a strange person and/or punished or ...
0
votes
1answer
186 views
Recognition - acknowledgement - best word
In some cities around the world people like to have other people recognize that they have done good deeds and are therefore worthy of other people's approval and esteem. I would like to know if there ...
1
vote
0answers
145 views
Word/phrase to fill the blank: “I could see my vague reflection on the misty window ___ my surroundings.” [closed]
I'm writing a short story, and here's where I'm stuck over word-choice:
I peered through the window with the slick navy blue curtains, swinging to and fro to the movement of the minibus, blocking ...
2
votes
1answer
179 views
Does “hereby” sound too serious at the end of a letter to the visa office?
Well, I had to write a letter to the visa office explaining the reasons why I apply for the visa and what my background is in a brief fashion. And at the end of the letter, I used this sentence:
I ...
