99
votes
Why do native speakers say 'Come on in' rather than 'Come in'?
"Come in" is permission, offered to someone who has asked for it (by knocking, for example). Unsolicited, it sounds imperative, or presumptuous; though of course this can be moderated by tone of voice ...
- 2,086
66
votes
Accepted
What does "my name was down for Eton" mean?
Eton is a prestigious British public school for boys. As an aside - in the British education system, a public school is a privately run school that people pay (large) fees to attend - normally a ...
- 5,600
58
votes
What does the word "just" mean in this context?
I think the word "just" here means something like "simply".
The shirt is saying something like, "This is a simple situation and you must follow this simple instruction: do not ...
- 5,672
46
votes
Accepted
What is a non-vulgar synonym for this swear word meaning "an enormous amount"?
Yes, I think buttload is an acceptable, informal substitute, at least in AmE. However, some might still find the usage of butt somewhat offensive since some people consider butt to be a mild curse ...
- 45.4k
45
votes
Accepted
What does "Nailed it" mean?
I believe that you are referring to the idiomatic meanings.
nailed it
to complete a task successfully or get something right
Example.
A: Oh, you didn't burn the cake this time.
B: Yep, ...
- 45.4k
41
votes
Why do native speakers say 'Come on in' rather than 'Come in'?
"Come on in" has the same meaning as "come in" but is a more folksy way of extending the invitation. It suggests a kind of rural, down-home hospitality that is redolent of (American) TV shows of the '...
- 14.4k
33
votes
How common is it to use the word 'bitch' for a female dog?
In the UK, you can still use the term bitch without embarrassment, providing that the context is clear:
Our bitch, Sally, has just had pups.
However, you might want to think twice before referring ...
- 6,536
25
votes
What does "my name was down for Eton" mean?
To add on to Werrf's answer: "I was down for Eton" is a very British and a very posh way to say that the speaker was supposed to attend school at Eton when he was old enough. It immediately ...
- 88.1k
24
votes
Accepted
Asking about future life or job
The idiom, even a cliché, is
What do you want to be when you grow up?
…unless they're about to actually leave school to find work, in which case the word 'career' pops up a lot, whether or not they'...
- 16.8k
23
votes
What is a non-vulgar synonym for this swear word meaning "an enormous amount"?
I like Max's answer, but having lived in NZ for a while (as a non-native English speaker), the first thing that came to mind was heaps.
Noun (informal) - a great deal; an enormous amount
⇒ I've ...
- 519
23
votes
Someone said to me, "We basically literally did." What were they trying to express to me?
The pairing of "basically literally" is very colloquial/informal and skews young. I hear it moderately frequently, mostly when people are recounting stories about personal interactions.
It means "I ...
- 11k
22
votes
What does the word "just" mean in this context?
"Just don't" is often used as a response to the question (or some variation of) "Why not?":
Dad: Don't touch that
Kid: Why not?
Dad: Just don't.
In your example, they're shutting ...
- 321
19
votes
What does "you better" mean in this context of conversation?
"You better," or "you had better," is an idiom meaning, "You ought to," or, "You should."
You better take out the trash, it's overflowing!
She better be a ...
- 5,259
18
votes
Why do native speakers say 'Come on in' rather than 'Come in'?
It is never easy to answer why a particular colloquial phrase is used. It just is. In this case I speculate that "come in" on its own might be thought to be slightly less encouraging than "come on in"....
- 5,678
18
votes
Accepted
What does "you better" mean in this context of conversation?
I don’t know that I’ve ever really thought about this idiom. It’s very common, and yet it’s really quite a strange one!
Plain meaning: “ought to”
When I say that “you better” do something, I mean that ...
- 8,225
17
votes
What is a non-vulgar synonym for this swear word meaning "an enormous amount"?
The polite version of shitload is 'shedload' or 'shedloads'. Whether 'buttload' is acceptable or not probably depends where you are - it wouldn't be acceptable in front of children in the UK, or in ...
- 349
16
votes
What does the word "just" mean in this context?
Just, in this context, is more of an indication that there may be repercussions if you do not heed the previous warning. It is almost like saying “Don’t disturb me. Or, else!” It is almost, but not ...
- 1,219
15
votes
Use of "constellation" to mean "situation"
It doesn't quite mean situation. It's a less common use of the word constellation that applies figuratively to events or qualities.
Here's a dictionary entry that shows this:
a group or configuration ...
- 1,797
14
votes
What does "you better" mean in this context of conversation?
I think it's a shortened form of "You had better do ...." in reference to whatever was under consideration or discussion just prior to that utterance. (Possibly even "You would be ...
- 436
13
votes
Accepted
Most common adjectives to describe the intensity of drunkenness
In British English the ones I am most familiar with are the following:
buzzed - (AmE) the person can feel the alcohol, but is still fairly capable of behaving normally and appearing sober. Could also ...
- 26.2k
13
votes
How common is it to use the word 'bitch' for a female dog?
In the U.S., it is only used in veterinary and dog-breeding circles. Outside of that, it is almost exclusively used as a pejorative.
- 7,994
12
votes
What does "Nailed it" mean?
This is a good question, because this figure of speech occurs quite often among English language speakers.
A "nail" in this context is a sharp, pointed metal object that you use to connect boards ...
- 402
12
votes
How common is it to use the word 'bitch' for a female dog?
British veterinarians and veterinary associations routinely use "bitch" to refer to female dogs and "dog" for males, particularly in the context of reproductive health.
Example:
BVA strongly ...
- 221
11
votes
Is it alright to say good afternoon Sirs and Madams in a panel interview?
At an interview, you should not be too effusive with your greeting, or too verbose (unless invited by a leading question intended to draw you out). The interview panel makes the moves, so I suggest ...
- 16.2k
10
votes
What is the English word(s) for "eating salt and sour fruit"
You could say:
He's been through the school of hard knocks.
Wikipedia says:
The School of Hard Knocks is an idiomatic phrase meaning the (sometimes painful) education one gets from life's ...
J.R.♦
- 109k
10
votes
What is the English word(s) for "eating salt and sour fruit"
She's been put through the wringer more than once. Usually the idiom refers to a single harrowing experience. A "wringer" or mangler was a machine used to squeeze water from washed and rinsed ...
- 111
10
votes
Accepted
Is "how you do you" grammatical?
Yes and no: it is meaningful, but you have to interpret it in a very specific way.
The context is about the difference between
-something you know (for example, a password)
-something you have (for ...
- 40.8k
10
votes
What does the word "just" mean in this context?
It means "only" or "simply".
However, the context is important. Here is a typical case where an imperative sentence is used with "just":
Dad: Jimmy, mow the lawn.
Jimmy: ...
- 701
9
votes
What does "Nailed it" mean?
This is the most common meaning:
NAIL IT
(verb) to do something perfectly or successfully
Example Sentences:
Good luck on your performance today, Jimmy. I hope you nail it!
Yes! ...
- 5,458
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