New answers tagged word-meaning
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Accepted
What's tap off mean?
According to the preview on Google Books, the word there is taping (from the verb to tape), not tapping (from the verb to tap); if your edition spells it "tapping," it's probably a misprint ...
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Does "subsequent" only refer to the direct successor?
Yes indeed, subsequent can be used for items that do not directly succeed the reference item.
A simple word for the immediately subsequent item is 'next'. For instance, "After 1, 3 is not next, ...
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"that" meaning in this sentence
Not necessarily. It's not talking about whether the PROCESS is used productively, but whether CPU CYCLES are used productively. Those are two very different ideas. The computer might divide CPU cycles ...
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"that" meaning in this sentence
Busy waiting wastes CPU cycles [that some other process might be able
to use ___ productively].
"That" is a subordinator introducing the bracketed relative clause. Subordinators have no ...
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"that" meaning in this sentence
that is a relativiser. It introduces the relative clause some other process might be able to use productively. The clause modifies cycle.
As CPU cycles are wasted, those other processes are hence ...
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Does "I keep/raise hens in my backyard" imply the hens are my pets / the hens are my meat?
To "raise" hens (or anything) does imply that you are "growing" them from young to old. You would probably not use that word if you bought fully-grown hens. Most people "...
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What is the difference between "the spacecraft is in the sky" and "the spacecraft is in space"?
Lots and none at all, because the whole depends on who is speaking.
From the other end, the problem seems to be that though, yes, stars seen with the naked eye are 'in the sky' and those we can't see ...
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What is the difference between "the spacecraft is in the sky" and "the spacecraft is in space"?
Normally, “in the sky” means above the ground, either in the atmosphere or in outer space. “In space,” means outside the atmosphere (of Earth or any other planet). Originally, space was a synonym ...
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Holds no benefits to alleviate the problem
You are misusing the expression "beneficial to". You can use "beneficial" with a prepositional phrase, "exercise is beneficial to the heart". Or you can use a cleft ...
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What is the difference between "the spacecraft is in the sky" and "the spacecraft is in space"?
Say a spacecraft is flying up. Now if we can still see it, then we can say "the spacecraft is in the sky". Now it keeps flying until we ca not see it, then we can say "the spacecraft is ...
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What is the difference between "the spacecraft is in the sky" and "the spacecraft is in space"?
You have to be careful about interpreting dictionary definitions. They're trying to condense the idea behind the meaning of a word into a sentence or two. Trying to take a definition that you found in ...
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What is the difference between "the spacecraft is in the sky" and "the spacecraft is in space"?
Before people understood how the solar system works, we talked about 'the sky' (or whatever the word was in our own language) as the thing you see when you look upwards. At one time it was thought to ...
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What is the difference between "the spacecraft is in the sky" and "the spacecraft is in space"?
space, often outer space, from the point of view of the average earthling, refers to the expanse of emptiness outside the atmosphere and beyond the gravitation pull of planet Earth, whereas the sky ...
- 121k
5
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Meaning of "nonsensical"
There are lots of different types of nonsense.
Things can be nonsense because they use made up words:
The humpalumf glomped over the baawey.
Or because it is ridiculously untrue.
The sun is a ...
- 202k
2
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how to interpret the word "all"
This means that you want to make every type of cake (not necessarily immediately!). If you mean you want to make all cakes to be served at a particular party (for example), you need to say "all ...
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What does "up" mean in "Up the Terriers"?
This is an idiomatic british-english expression of support for a sports team. It has a meaning something like "I hope the Terriers will rise up and be successful"
I don't see much benefit ...
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Can the word "attaboy" be used in the context of humor or is it just offensive slang?
It's not offensive. It might be a little patronising. I can imagine it being used sarcastically - but almost anything can be sarcastic.
I don't detect any particular scorn. But this is not a common ...
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Can the word "attaboy" be used in the context of humor or is it just offensive slang?
I don’t know if it’s a generational thing (they so often are!) or a regional thing, but for this native speaker of American English the exclamations attaboy and attagirl are used at least as often ...
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Can the word "attaboy" be used in the context of humor or is it just offensive slang?
Attaboy/attagirl was originally an expression of praise. It's outdated, thus its use is typically taken as insincere. Furthermore, it would typically have been directed to someone much younger, thus ...
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Is assurity a proper English word
The word normally used is 'surety', which is probably where it evolved from in the Caribbean, (from 'a surety'). But used to mean 'being sure' is an archaic or obsolete use of the term now; though it ...
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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 : ...
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20
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What does "single British English accent" mean in this particular context?
It means all the examples will use the same accent. And that accent will be one specific British accent. It doesn't say which British accent, but probably the accent used in the South of England (...
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Wait for the classroom to be "full"
In some cases like this, you can say that you are waiting for a quorum.
The dictionary meaning of quorum is
the number of members of a group or organization required to be
present to transact ...
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3
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What does 'time machine' imply in the context?
The author is stretching the notion of "time machine" beyond the most common one. It's true that the primary idea people have of a "time machine" is "a device in speculative ...
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What does 'The oh-so-British affair touts its hats and projects charm with antique flair' mean?
The oh-so-British affair touts its hats and projects charm with antique flair.
A paraphrase:
The so very British affair (TV show? play? movie?) gives hats a prominent role and exudes charm in an old-...
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He is in politics some
Some is an adverb there and Merriam-Webster has this (AE usage):
2
a
: in some degree : SOMEWHAT
felt some better
b
: to some degree or extent : a little
the cut bled some
I need to work on it some ...
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Can we say "the pot is leaking" or "the pot leaks" when the pot is empty?
Another option I haven't seen mentioned is:
the pot has a leak
This is what I instinctively reached for as a native speaker. A bit more verbose than "the pot's leaky", but it's another ...
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Can we say "the pot is leaking" or "the pot leaks" when the pot is empty?
I could certainly say "the pot is leaking" for a pot that is currently empty if that pot keeps leaking whenever someone tries to keep a liquid in it.
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Can we say "the pot is leaking" or "the pot leaks" when the pot is empty?
I am not an expert, but as a native English speaker one might say something that's leaky "is leaking" if it regularly receives water, like a gutter or a pipe.
As others have said, though, &...
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is "a handful of" use as adjective in the context?
This is [one of a handful of songs].
"A handful of" is not adjectival; in fact it is not a constituent, not a single grammatical unit.
The bracketed element is a partitive construction in ...
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7
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Is "so" omissible in "so their makers claim"?
In this sentence "so" expresses scepticism. Omitting it would make this a simple statement that the makers make this claim. With "so" there is a definite implication that writer ...
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is "a handful of" use as adjective in the context?
Handful is a noun. Consider “Do you enjoy pretzels? Take a handful” or “That misbehaved child is a real handful.”
A handful of means something like several or a few. Consider “Because of the rain, we ...
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Can we say "the pot is leaking" or "the pot leaks" when the pot is empty?
"The pot leaks" is fine, as it is describing what the pot has the capability to ever do (specifically the pot has the ability "to leak"). This is even if it doesn't necessarily ...
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36
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Can we say "the pot is leaking" or "the pot leaks" when the pot is empty?
To describe something that has a hole or crack in it enough to allow the contents to leak, we normally use present simple, so "the pot leaks" is correct and the most natural way to describe ...
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4
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Meaning of the phrase (probably archaic English) - "entreateth chefelie"
This is an example of early modern English, although to be fair it seems a little archaic for the time it was written. However, this was often the case with authoritative/scholarly works. The King ...
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