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1500 questions
14
votes
6 answers
128-bit vs 128 bits
In cryptography, we often write as "AES has 128-bit key" and "AES provides 128 bits of security"
Is there any difference between writing 128-bit and 128 bits? What is the correct choice?
Example; From Lindell & Katz's book;
AES supports 128-,…
kelalaka
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14
votes
5 answers
Why is it "she really done me"?
And from the first time that she really done me
Oh, she done me
She done me good
I guess nobody ever really done me
Oh, she done me
She done me good
This is a lyric of the song "Don't let me down" of the Beatles. "done" is the past participle of…
Yuuichi Tam
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14
votes
3 answers
What to call light food served at cocktail parties, that can be eaten on the thumb?
At receptions, small pieces of food are often served, that can be eaten "on the thumb" even when holding a cup of champagne in the other hand.
What to call this kind of food in English?
I was convinced this could be called "thumb food", but Google…
Nicolas Raoul
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14
votes
5 answers
What do you call pieces of cardboard with political slogans on them?
What do you call these? Protest signs?
Sergey Zolotarev
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14
votes
1 answer
Correct plural usage for "hundreds" and "thousands"
I'm having problems with hundred and thousand.
If someone asks you, How many trees are in this forest? Would you answer seven thousand or seven thousands, because thousands are countable?
I know that you usually say seven thousand, but I also know…
Pyraminx
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14
votes
5 answers
Can 'domestic animal' be used instead of 'livestock'?
Is it correct to use domestic animal instead of livestock (cattle)?
livestock
animals and birds that are kept on a farm, such as cows, sheep, or chickens
domestic animal
an animal that is not wild and is kept as a pet or to produce…
user629
14
votes
4 answers
What does "guilty" mean in this context?
Please help me to understand the meaning of "guilty" in this context:
"He turns around and spots me.
Byron.
Once I would have done anything for Byron.
‘Skye! Skye Turner – it’s you, isn’t it?’
‘Guilty,’ I say, then instantly regret it.
Byron…
Kristina Lukosevice
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14
votes
4 answers
Does the idiom «to cross the pond» exist?
Recently I had a conversation with a native speaker. During it he has mentioned some movie reference. I guess he was not sure whether I have got it so he has also sent me a link to that movie supplying it with a phrase:
in case the reference does…
Untapped Soul
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14
votes
5 answers
What do we call a person who seems to always correctly predict unfortunate things?
You know, the friend that everyone in the room will shut his mouth before he finishes his sentence knowing that it will very likely to become true.
Tom: I don't think this nice weather will last very long.
Everyone: Shut up, it will rain now if you…
Glu3
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14
votes
6 answers
Can I refer to someone as "elder member" in internet forums?
Questions:
Can I refer to a person who has been using SE for a longer period of time than me as an elder member?
Is the usage of senior member correct?
Note:
Thanks for the good answers. I asked this assuming the word elder is applicable in…
Severus Snape
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14
votes
6 answers
Could 'a' and 'single' be used together?
I wrote this sentence:
How can a single photon be detected?
I think it could mean one of the photons while emphasizing its singleness.
But I feel something's wrong with it because a and single are the same meaning and redundant.
Is the sentence…
hbadger19042
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14
votes
2 answers
Why is "hanged for this" correct but not "hung"?
In one episode of the TV show Sherlock, Holmes and a prisoner has a conversation where Holmes corrected him grammatically many times. The following is just part of that.
Prisoner: (annoyed) Did it! STABBED HER! Over, and over, and over, and
I…
JJJohn
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14
votes
6 answers
Is there any difference between "pour drinks" and "pour out drinks"?
Could you tell me if there is any difference between pour drinks and pour out drinks? For example:
Could you pour (out) drinks while I serve the snacks
Dmytro O'Hope
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14
votes
13 answers
Word used to denote a glass of drunk water
Say there is a glass of water, and someone drank it (dipping their lips, i.e. not from a distance pouring water into their mouth). Now the glass of water is (somewhat) impure, containing the saliva of the person.
What is the word in English that…
juztcode
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14
votes
6 answers
The phrase "to the Right of Attila the Hun"
Recently I have come to the phrase "to the Right of Attila the Hun" which allegedly describes the very conservative or reactionary person. Is it possible to construct similar phrases such as: "to the Left of Che Guevara", "to the Fanatic of…
bart-leby
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