104
votes
Does the English language have a word explaining a song in your head that you can't stop singing?
You can use "Earworm" which means:
a song or melody that keeps repeating in one's mind
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72
votes
How often do native speakers use the word "to scathe"? Is it OK if I use it instead of "to injure"?
The verb itself is almost never used in every day English, but there are two adjectives formed from it which are common:
"scathing" means extremely harsh, biting, critical; e.g. "he ...
- 3,628
52
votes
Accepted
Are "concur" and "agree" exact synonyms?
Concur and agree are synonyms, but "I couldn't agree more" is a set phrase. While they technically mean the same thing, replacing agree with concur in that phrase sounds a little peculiar.
Concur is ...
- 10.1k
50
votes
Does the English language have a word explaining a song in your head that you can't stop singing?
You could say the song is "stuck in your head". I haven't found a dictionary listing the phrase, but here's a Time article on the subject, with the title "Why Do Songs Get Stuck In Your Head?"
For ...
- 1,731
38
votes
Photo Vs. Picture Vs. Image : What is the difference between them?
A photo, short for photograph, is always taken with a camera.
A picture is the most general term for any representation of a person, an object or a landscape. It can be a painting or a pencil drawing,...
- 8,390
36
votes
Are "concur" and "agree" exact synonyms?
Agree and concur are synonyms, but the English usage of them corresponds to their etymology.
"Concur" derives from Latin concurrere, which literally means "to run (currere) together with (con) ...
- 3,559
35
votes
Introductory word meaning "considering what was previously said"
What about good old "so"?
German-made parts are way too expensive, so we ordered Chinese ones.
This is by far the most natural way of saying this.
- 1,601
31
votes
Accepted
Word for unused in a while?
Make no mistake about it, by far the most idiomatic way to say that is with the word rusty:
(of knowledge or a skill) impaired by lack of recent practice
Something that's rusty has been affected ...
- 37.1k
29
votes
Is the using of "present" and "gift" considered a matter of style?
In many cases they are synonyms, however a present is usually something that the giver has deliberately selected for the recipient. You can also call this a gift, but the word gift can be used for ...
- 11.7k
27
votes
Accepted
Difference between "ignite" and "kindle"
Personally, I wouldn't do either; I light a candle.
Kindle is a slow process, like when you're starting a fire in a fireplace. Kindling is little bits of wood or other material that you feed to the ...
- 696
24
votes
Accepted
Any chances "spell" means "pronounce"?
Direct answer: no, "spell" never means "pronounce". Spell only refers to the letters used to form the written word.
The quote you cite would do better to use the word "transliterated" instead of "...
- 2,168
24
votes
Accepted
Is "obey" a stronger word than "observe" in the following sentence?
I agree with the teacher. "Obey" is stronger, and may imply legal sanctions backing up the requirement. "Observe" is less official.
So, while "obey" means "observe&...
- 37.8k
24
votes
Accepted
What is the word that is synonym to "right", and sounds like "rido"?
Alrighty then!
It doesn’t sound like "rido" — it sounds like "righto", because that’s what it is. Per the paywalled OED entry:
righto
A. int. colloquial. Expressing ...
- 7,596
20
votes
Accepted
What is the difference between "job" and "job opportunity"?
You are looking for a job.
I don't think you would be satisfied with just a "job opportunity". If you were offered a "job opportunity", you would want to follow through until you either got the job, ...
- 23.7k
19
votes
Accepted
If something happened again, did it recur or reoccur?
They are separate words.
Something reoccurs if it happens more than once.
Something recurs if it happens more than once and at a regular interval. A good example would be your electricity bill &...
- 5,542
19
votes
Introductory word meaning "considering what was previously said"
I guess you want to use a subordinate conjunction (or a phrase with similar functionality) which simply means "because". In this context, I can mention several ones as below:
Thus
Therefore
Hence
...
- 5,875
18
votes
Is "obey" a stronger word than "observe" in the following sentence?
"Obey" is not only stronger, it carries a greater connotation of being subordinate. If there is a rule that was agreed upon by a group of equals, it would be more natural to talk about ...
- 2,745
17
votes
The right way to say "unload someone"
Perhaps, the word "relieve" meaning 'to take the place of someone and continue doing their job or duties' would suit better:
I'm on duty until 2 p.m. and then Peter is coming to relieve me.
A ...
- 2,790
16
votes
What is the right word to describe something more than "great"
Consider excellent
very good of its kind, eminently good
or outstanding.
extremely good or excellent
note that these words start with vowels, so the 'a' turns into 'an'
- 14.4k
16
votes
Accepted
The right way to say "unload someone"
The phrase lighten one's load is not uncommon.
The Synonym Finder lists Lighten one's load, lighten the load, or ease the load as synonyms for disburden, unload, assist, aid, unburden, and help.
- 4,070
14
votes
Accepted
Wage vs. salary
There is quite a difference, both in the denotation and the connotation, at least in US usage. (Being an American speaker, I can't say for certain what differences might exist overseas.)
"Wage" ...
- 3,344
14
votes
Accepted
“I hope he visit us more often” Why is this wrong?
You want to look into subjunctive mood.
The verb "desire" falls into the subjunctive category, so the following verb takes the subjunctive form:
I desire that he visit me more often.
Notice the ...
- 1,194
14
votes
If a legatee receives a legacy, what is the legacy giver called? Maybe legateer?
The legal term here is...
testator - a person who dies leaving a will or testament in force
...but you'd rarely hear that in normal conversational contexts. Ordinary people don't have a word for &...
- 58.1k
13
votes
Any chances "spell" means "pronounce"?
I agree with you: that usage looks questionable to me. I think that a more precise wording would be … transliterated as "Vikipedia". Then it becomes clear that you are spelling it in an alphabet not ...
- 7,963
13
votes
Accepted
What is the right word to describe something more than "great"
Hrm, just a few observations on some of the answers here, from an American English speaker:
Many English versions of the word you're looking for were historically used to refer to things that are ...
- 542
12
votes
Accepted
Is it correct to say "only animals sweat, humans perspire"?
This is a comment about attitudes at the end of the 19th Century. Various versions were documented in the 1880's, but the general form is:
Animals sweat, gentlemen perspire and ladies just glow.
...
- 56.1k
12
votes
Is the using of "present" and "gift" considered a matter of style?
The etymology of "gift" relates to something given to another person. This would be something freely given, regardless of the relationship between the two people, and not necessarily for any reason. ...
- 2,730
12
votes
Does the English language have a word explaining a song in your head that you can't stop singing?
The German Wikipedia on "Ohrwurm" lists earworm as a loanword from German. To be more precise, it is a calque (thanks @PLL), a word for word translation of the two parts Ohr and Wurm (ear and worm).
...
- 221
12
votes
Accepted
What do you see if you enter 'clip' in the Windows 10 Search Box or Cortana?
Screen clipping and snipping are synonymous in this context, and both are used by Microsoft. All copies of Microsoft Windows from version 7 onwards will display this behaviour.
While the built-in ...
- 5,417
11
votes
Accepted
The word "joint" as a synonym for place?
It's a very common and informal way to refer to a business, usually one that sells food or drink. "I run a burger joint in Anchorage." "Lets meet at that joint on the corner of 5th and Main." Usually ...
- 3,091
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