Questions tagged [word-meaning]

For questions which a dictionary cannot answer about the meaning of a single word. It is best to include details about where you found the word, and any definitions that you have found that don't make sense, or don't fully answer your question.

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What does "nuances" mean in this context?

Thirty-odd years after demobilization, there are many former other ranks who enjoy a dream of avenging old insults, injustices, nuances of upper-class disdain. 1985 by Anthony Burgess. I don't know ...
Abw's user avatar
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1 answer
65 views

The old lady says "I liked marbles and tops." What is tops? [closed]

An old lady talks about what she would do when she was young. 101 year old (see:2:08-02:12) She says: "I liked marbles and tops." I looked up both words and I found "marbles" and ...
yunus's user avatar
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1 answer
32 views

get through a fence? [closed]

If a dog or cat got through a fence, do they jump over a fence, or crawl through a hole in a fence, or both? The central dramas concern the exacting veterinary care of a rhinoceros in labor and the ...
Lifeispicnic's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
51 views

meaning of pull in "pull survivors to safety"

One man took an dirt road uphill, climbing above the fire and watching as Lahaina burned. He later picked his way through the flames, smoke and rubble to pull survivors to safety.From an article in ...
Jones's user avatar
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-1 votes
2 answers
23 views

How should I understand the following sentence?

In this following context, how should I take this bold and italic sentence? The verbs 'incur' and 'enter' make me confused. What does the word 'question' mean here? Context: In Buddhism there is no ...
Sakya Kim's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
37 views

What does the phrase 'doubtful revelation' mean?

In this following context, how should I take the phrase 'doubtful revelation'? Does it mean teaching or information? And what does the verbal phrase 'found on' mean? Does it mean 'stem from'? ...
Sakya Kim's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
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interrogative pronoun where vs. adverb somewhere

Tell him where he can put it. (Here, can means permission.) Can this sentence be interpreted as Tell him he can put it somewhere?
gonju yi's user avatar
14 votes
1 answer
2k views

What is the meaning of tron in jumbotron?

I know what jumbotron is, It is a screen in a stadium. I want to know what tron means? I have seen tron in other places such as scoob-tron(name of a dog). I am trying to figure out the meaning of tron....
Max's user avatar
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0 answers
24 views

Whereas vs while to link contrasting statements [duplicate]

Is there any effective difference between while and whereas when used to link contrasting statements, or are differences in usage only a matter of style rather than grammar? See the following ...
goshawk's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
35 views

help him having headaches [closed]

a. The doctor couldn't help him having headaches. Does that only mean The doctor couldn't prevent him from having headaches. or could it also mean The doctor couldn't reduced the intensity or the ...
azz's user avatar
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-1 votes
1 answer
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Why is it correct to say "overlooks park" instead of "oversees park"? [closed]

Choose the word or phrase that best completes each sentence. His bedroom ........... the park. a) overtakes b) undergoes c) overlooks (the right answer) d) oversees (what I have picked) When I ...
Han's user avatar
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8 votes
4 answers
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Why is it correct to say "...is situated in a suburb" instead of "...is built in a suburb"?

Choose the word or phrase that best completes each sentence. The factory is ............ in a suburb of Manchester. a) placed   b) situated   c) built   d) surrounded my answer: built the right one:...
Han's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
48 views

condescension and can

We can talk about modal auxiliary verbs in terms of such logical notions as ‘permission’ and ‘necessity’ but, this done, we still have to consider ways in which these notions become remoulded by the ...
gonju yi's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
38 views

regularly/occasionally/sometimes

Let's say I dine out once every month. I don't suppose one could say I dine out often, but I dine out regularly although infrequently. Could one say I dine out occasionally/on occasion/now and again? ...
azz's user avatar
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1 answer
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The term 'counterpart' is used to avoid repeating a phrase

Here's an example using 'counterpart': Financial advisors report that older investors tend to be more cautious than their younger counterparts. The Cambridge Dictionary defines counterpart as ...
my goddess Zendaya's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
89 views

Why does inhabit and inhabitable have opposite meaning?

Consider the following two sentences: These undocumented locations are inhabited by mysterious creatures. Climate change is rendering many places around the world inhabitable. In the first example, ...
yst03811's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
47 views

"I will eat apples upto 10 hours" Does "upto" mean "with in ten hours" or "for the period/duration" of ten hours" or it could mean both? [closed]

"I will eat apples upto 10 hours". Does "upto" mean "with in ten hours" or "for the period/duration of ten hours" or it could mean both?
Bilal Zafar's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
64 views

Difference between stifle and choke/suffocate

I understand that the word stifle can be used in cases such as Those in the streets were stifled by the fumes She stifled a giggle I was wondering though if it could also be used as direct ...
Gianni Trattore's user avatar
-4 votes
1 answer
127 views

Does "The Lord will make you the head and not the tail" mean "you have been the tail, the Lord will make you the head"? [closed]

Does "The Lord will make you the head and not the tail" mean "you have been the tail, the Lord will make you the head"? The former is written in the Bible, and the latter was ...
Jimi A's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
354 views

What's the meaning of "close call" in Collins Dictionary?

Source: There have been several close calls, but no one has been able to consummate a deal. (https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/consummate) As far as I know, "close call" ...
Zhang Jian's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
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the meaning of modal auxiliary verb 'would'

He was very ill at that time, but he would go. His income was still small, but she would marry him. At last she put her arms round the top, as far as they would go. Are these sentences all barely ...
gonju yi's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
73 views

What is the meaning of the word 'play' in the sentence :'If you are playing on me, keep it on the low'?

I found the following sentence in the song 'I don't wanna know' by Mario Winans 1: If you are playing on me, keep it on the low. What is the meaning of the word play in that sentence? I found in ...
Marios Athanasiou's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
773 views

What is the precise difference between topology and topography?

It seems that it is correct usage to talk about the topology of the brain, but not the topography of the brain. And it seems like correct usage to talk about the topography of human organs, but not ...
Fomalhaut's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
29 views

The usage of "dabbler": when a long-time dabbler who is defined as a short-time activist [closed]

I've been brooding over Buddhism lately, for several reasons. First, I read that Steve Jobs was a long-time dabbler in Buddhism and was even married in a Buddhist ceremony. Source: Scientific American ...
NewPlanet's user avatar
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0 votes
0 answers
51 views

What does 'with' mean in this context?

What does 'with' mean in the following context? A LAN encompasses two or more computers connected over a server. The two important technologies involved in this network are Ethernet and Wi-fi. It ...
Drown's user avatar
  • 21
2 votes
1 answer
179 views

Using hold on and hold off

Context: Someone is messaging me on Whatsapp frequently and trying to get attention. I can think of the following reply to ask him to wait for some time: Could you hold off for a few minutes Please ...
pensee's user avatar
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0 votes
2 answers
62 views

What Meaning of 'over' here

What does 'over' mean in the following context? Ethernet describes how network devices format and transmit data so other devices on the same LAN or campus network can recognize, receive and process ...
Drown's user avatar
  • 21
0 votes
2 answers
74 views

meaning of "meal"

What does "meal" mean in the following context? Is a meal the amount of foods for one person, or the amount of foods for multiple people at a time? Bassey cooked nonstop from Thursday ...
Apollyon's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
70 views

Meaning of "curtain pulls"

I have encountered curtain pulls used as a noun, seemingly to refer to pulled curtains. Is this a noun, is that what it refers to? The rays of moonlight shone through the gaps in between the curtain ...
Cheelin's user avatar
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0 answers
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from the age of 9 or 10 via puberty to solidary growing up (what's the meaning of 'solidary'?)

Morals change over time and across generations. Generational conflicts are therefore precisely due to evolution. What today’s generations in many societies regard as opportune was often unacceptable ...
gomadeng's user avatar
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1 vote
0 answers
69 views

Meaning of 'across' in 'across a surface'

I came across the following sentence in an article: Radiation is generated as the electrons move across the surface of the metallic sample. Which direction of movement is considered here? The ...
apadana's user avatar
  • 257
2 votes
3 answers
136 views

What does "the appearances" mean in this passage?

What does "the appearances" mean in this passage? Does it mean superficial features or arguments that appear to support a particular opinion on a surface level, but have no substantial value ...
noolodig's user avatar
  • 113
2 votes
1 answer
252 views

what is the difference between "pare" and "peel"?

Is "peel" only used on fruits or vegetables but "pare" has more meanings? Could I replace "peel" with "pare" at any phrases? What's the difference between them?
user35734's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
33 views

what is the difference between "demand" and "ask"

Is there a difference in the meaning between the two words 'demand' and 'ask' or there's no difference between it? could anyone tell me ?
Fatima Muawia's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
74 views

What is the verb to express a monkey making a short "whoop" sound?

What is the verb to express a monkey making a pretty short and complete "whoop" sound (often last maybe just 1 second) that sounds like This sound? It seems people say "howl" but ...
Tom's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
571 views

Is the word "snob" a formal or informal word?

Is the word "snob" a formal or informal word ? I need to know how to use it
Fatima Muawia's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
51 views

Does "My website has 100 hits a day" mean the website has 100 unique visits a day?

Oxford Dictionary says hit: ​(computing) an occasion on which a web page is displayed or a file is downloaded from the internet Our website is getting a lot of hits from the USA. How many hits did ...
Tom's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
458 views

is there a difference between "slide" and "slip"

Is there any difference between the words "slide" and "slip" I search for the difference a lot of time but I didn't find it
Fatima Muawia's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
62 views

"Why are American bathtubs so low down?" Why "low down" whereas simply "low" would suffice?

This is from a british native speaker's youtube video who lives in US why bathtubs are low down in USA Why are American bathtubs so low down? Why does he say "low down"? Wouldn't the word &...
yunus's user avatar
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0 votes
0 answers
39 views

"older than" and "elder than" [duplicate]

at first the following sentence sounded unnatural to me, but after looking up the uses of "older" and "elder" online it seems that either can be used in the following sentence: &...
Jo R's user avatar
  • 99
3 votes
3 answers
1k views

Is "type in" used with computers only?

I was reading the definition of "type in" and it was: "wrote information in computers" If I wrote information into a phone or notebook or anything else can I use the expression &...
Fatima Muawia's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
42 views

Could 'one side of the doorway' be used for referring to either the outside or inside of the doorway?

There are two people in the following picture. It seems the woman is going out of the room and the man is trying to comfort the woman. I guess it make sense to use "the man in the doorway" ...
JJJohn's user avatar
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-2 votes
1 answer
61 views

What range of time can I use when saying "It's morning already, please get up" and "It's night already, please go to bed"?

What range of time can I use when saying "It's morning already, please get up" and "It's night already, please go to bed"? Chatgpt says When you say "It's morning already, ...
Tom's user avatar
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2 votes
2 answers
170 views

about "plankton"

The word "plankton" is defined as "the very small forms of plant and animal life that live in water." If you are looking at a single diatom or a small crustacean, could you say, &...
Apollyon's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
25 views

What is an "addressed member"? [closed]

Sentence in question: (From DailyMail) Notable figures taking part in the colorful procession included Governor Kathy Hochul, Chuck Schumer, Reverend Al Sharpton and New York Attorney General Letitia ...
J.Joe's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
19 views

What would you call an agreement between colleagues of the same work team about establishing common goals regarding an aspect of their job?

I'm trying to determine whether to use the word "cooperative" or "collaborative", but I'm not sure which would be more appropriate. I just want to name a document for a meeting in ...
Rodriana 's user avatar
-2 votes
1 answer
53 views

What's the difference between "wild" and "wilding"? [closed]

Especially if I speak of people? What's the difference?
Vaymmon's user avatar
6 votes
4 answers
2k views

Should it be "You left a fingerprint (or) finger mark on the TV screen"?

One of the problems is that my children sometimes touch my TV screen, which leave dirty blurry marks on the screen. I am not sure if we can say "You left a fingerprint on the TV screen". &...
Tom's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
24 views

join the Orion crew and service modules - Does it mean "connect the modules to make them as one"?

NASA is preparing to join the Orion crew and service modules in the coming months ahead of Artemis II, the first crewed mission under Artemis. Technicians are welding subsystem components of the ...
NewPlanet's user avatar
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0 votes
2 answers
76 views

Is it correct to say "I am going to the workshop" or "I am going to the meeting" in this situation?

I want to send my children to school using British Education System to get GCSE and A-Level qualification. I roughly know that GCSE maybe equals to k9 or k10 in the USA or other countries and A-Level ...
Tom's user avatar
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