13
votes
Accepted
The word that describes the feeling when you're disgusted by a certain taste
The verb 'cloy' that you have found is used relatively rarely. We more often use cloying, an adjective derived from the verb, to discuss excessively sweet tastes or smells. It also has a more ...
- 70.8k
5
votes
Accepted
Meaning of "That was a home word of Pinkerton's"
In 19th century and early 20th century texts in both British English and educated American English the phrase home word means "native" word, that is, word in one's native language. We find ...
- 3,049
5
votes
Meaning of "That was a home word of Pinkerton's"
I can't be 100% sure, but the OED has the following for home, adj.,
3.b.† Of, relating to, or concerning oneself; intimate, private, personal. Obsolete.
and the following attestation
1880 - He knew ...
- 3,667
4
votes
Accepted
Does use of superlative adjective affect the order of adjectives?
If one of the adjectives is a superlative, by definition this implies there are others of the same general type. So the youngest small man implies there are other small men who aren't so young, and ...
- 68.6k
4
votes
Accepted
"The layer of haze starts out tenuous": why not "tenuously"?
An adjective can be a "subject complement". If I say "The elephant looks big," then big tells us something about the elephant, not its eyesight. In this case, "tenuous" ...
- 9,941
3
votes
Meaning of "elaborate"
It should be an easy step for you from the literal definition of elaborate to the figurative meaning, which is elaborately dressed or elaborately behaved.
For this use of elaborate there is no synonym....
- 5,579
3
votes
Accepted
Kind or kindly ways?
The example is a slightly bizarre / "pathological"1 one.
Strictly speaking, kind and kindly are both syntactically / semantically valid choices for both positions. But although I can't say ...
- 68.6k
3
votes
The word that describes the feeling when you're disgusted by a certain taste
It depends on several factors, particularly what the particular taste is that disgusts you and the reason for that disgust.
If the flavour is just too strong, to the point of making something ...
- 894
2
votes
Accepted
what type of adjective is "what"?
What folly!
This is a verbless exclamative expression consisting of just an exclamative noun phrase, where "what" has the syntax of an adjective.
It is typically referred to as 'exclamative ...
- 15.8k
2
votes
"The layer of haze starts out tenuous": why not "tenuously"?
The most common situation where an adjective following a verb should not be changed into an adverb is when the adjective is the subject complement of a linking verb. You can tell this case because ...
- 1,184
2
votes
"The layer of haze starts out tenuous": why not "tenuously"?
The sentence is parallel to
This morning I awoke hungry,
A week after the accident, his memory returned intact,
Having spent the day digging ditches, she arrived home exhausted,
and even
The soup ...
- 5,579
2
votes
Meaning of "elaborate"
I think elaborate might be glossed there with "characterized by an exaggerated stiffness of movement".
Here's a nearly contemporary (1860) use of elaborate servants in the context of ...
- 121k
1
vote
Accepted
Using 'powerful' as a noun - "Britain's powerful"
It is possible to use an adjective such as "powerful" to mean "powerful ones" or "powerful people". You can talk about "the poor" or "the rich", for ...
- 202k
1
vote
Accepted
For to tell the truth is not in itself diplomatic, and to have no care for the result a thing involuntary
Of the definitions listed at Merriam-Webster, the only possible meaning of "involuntary" in this context is:
1 : done contrary to or without choice
The other two definitions are:
2 : ...
- 48.8k
1
vote
The word that describes the feeling when you're disgusted by a certain taste
You could say you're experiencing "sugar overload". It's exactly the sensation you describe; you've had too much sugar and it now tastes kind of disgusting. It's just a little informal and, ...
- 3,478
1
vote
Accepted
"Best"—adverb or adjective (in the sentence)
Best is an adverb here, as Britannica explains:
2 best
/ˈbɛst/
adverb
superlative form of 1well
1
: in the best way : in a way that is better than all others
The sauce is best served/eaten/enjoyed ...
- 7,233
1
vote
Meaning of "That was a home word of Pinkerton's"
This is not a common phrase in English. I would even go so far as to say that it's probably not even correct from a prescriptive stance, it's either something the writer made up for this use or an ...
- 1,059
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