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1500 questions
32
votes
6 answers
"When you Frankenstein a team together..." - Is "Frankenstein" a new verb?
I did not know that "Frankenstein" can be used as a verb.
Max Kellerman, a highly reputed sports analyst working for ESPN, says
"When you Frankenstein a team together, usually it doesn't work out that first season ..."
Source: Stephen A. to…
AIQ
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32
votes
1 answer
Uses of the definite article (the) in generic noun phrases
I was reading a paragraph about lions and I came up with a question about the definite article (the).
Let me tell you first what I know about it.
1->We use the before a singular noun (when we are sure about the noun.
And the listener and the…
user62015
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32
votes
9 answers
2 for 5 (bucks) vs 5 (bucks) for 2
I heard a Burger King promotion on a radio, saying:
Beautiful! 2 for 5! // It means 2 hamburgers, 5 bucks
To me, '2 for 5' sounds like you pay 2 hamburgers to buy 5 bucks, which is illogical.
I would think '5 for 2' makes more sense, meaning you…
dan
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32
votes
5 answers
Is there a word for the "ineffable" feeling when listening to a beautiful song?
When I listen to a beautiful piece of music, for instance Quizas by Andrea Bocelli, I am feeling something is under my skin, moving. I don't know if there exists a word to express such an ineffable feeling.
Lerner Zhang
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32
votes
2 answers
Why is "for a tortuous three days" singular even though days is plural?
I was surprised to find out that you should write:
I waited for a torturous three days.
Instead of:
I waited for torturous three days.
Why is this? "Days" is plural ...
alex
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31
votes
11 answers
Keeping my mouth shut, referring to avoiding weight gain
Today, in an informal context I was asked what was the best strategy to keep a good weight according to my experience. I said that keeping my mouth shut was quite a good strategy.
Can I use the word shut in this context, or close would have been a…
pablo
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31
votes
7 answers
Difference between "in time" and "on time"
I have an appointment at 8 and I arrive there at 7:55, is it "on time" or "in time"? What about "the nick of time"?
Hanieh
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31
votes
5 answers
How are silent letters important?
Some words use silent letters in the spelling. I often ask myself: why are they used? English is a global language and it is changing day-by-day.
Even if I have to believe they exist as they were in the words originally, why should we still retain…
Mistu4u
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31
votes
12 answers
Idiom request for describing a situation in which people pay attention to their minor problems rather than the fundamental related ones?
I'm looking for an idiom, proverb or saying that can be used for describing a situation that someone focus on the minor problems in their life rather than the basic problems that have caused those minor ones.
When somebody acts like this, we…
Soudabeh
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31
votes
9 answers
Is "She is under the shower" a proper English sentence?
There is currently a debate on Duolingo about the proper translation of a sentence to English (the original language isn't the point of this question).
The sentence, literally translates to "She is under the shower".
Now, in no English that I have…
Christian Bongiorno
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31
votes
3 answers
I don't get this joke "Massive Attack On Pentagon Page 14 News", can anybody explain me its meaning?
I was reading an article about the first issue published by the satiric magazine 'The Onion' after the 9/11 attacks. One of the headlines of that issue was
Massive Attack On Pentagon Page 14 News
I simply don't get the meaning of the sentence and…
matiascelasco
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31
votes
4 answers
Why is the adjective for "mutate" not "mutatable"?
The adjective for "mutate" is "mutable", and not "mutatable". I wonder why the last two letters (-te) have been removed before adding "-able" to the end of it. Is there any rule? Any similar adjectives?
B Faley
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31
votes
3 answers
How many flies does it take to screw in a light bulb?
I encountered this lightbulb joke today, but I can’t figure out why it is funny:
Q: How many flies does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: Two, but I don't know how they got in there.
My best guess is that this is a play on the meaning of the…
kirelagin
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31
votes
4 answers
Do we say - "in the meeting" or "at the meeting"
I am always confused with the preposition. Can somebody point me to the material where prepositional phrase is explained?
Here is the problem I am facing currently.
This was discussed (stated/announced/said) at the last meeting when you were not…
dexterous
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31
votes
6 answers
What is the correct way to write 1.5 hours?
I'm a bit confused in describing 1.5hrs in words.
Is writing one and a half an hour correct or should it be one and half hour?
E.g:
I'll see you there in one and a half an hour.
OR
I'll see you there in one and half hour.
Or is there any…
v kumar
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