This tag is for questions which a dictionary cannot answer asking the meaning of a particular expression.
Questions tagged [expressions]
1700 questions
27
votes
3 answers
Meaning of "8 going on 48"
I don't understand what this expression means:
Little adults are the children that parents describe as
'eight going on forty-eight'.
colona
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23
votes
8 answers
"I lied" is this expression often used?
When someone said something wrong and realized that instantly so wanted to correct that, is this expression often used?
for example)
"Take a left at the corner. Oh I lied, you should take a right."
If it is not usually used, please let me know…
kr H
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16
votes
4 answers
Is "par for the course" used only for negative situations?
The Cambridge Dictionary and the Free Dictionary mention that "par for the course" is to be used with negative events. Is it only used for negative events? If I did something good, for example, could I say it is "par for the course"?
m26a
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15
votes
8 answers
Is the expression "very worth" proper English, and if not, what are some alternatives?
Is the expression "very worth" proper English, and if not, what are some alternatives?
Example:
This presentation is very worth watching in its entirety.
Franck Dernoncourt
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13
votes
7 answers
Have a nice travel?
I am looking for some kind way of replying to an email when the other person is saying that he will be traveling and asks for more time to complete something.
It appears that "Have a nice day" could have some negative connotations…
user150839
13
votes
3 answers
"As a child" vs. "When I was a child"
As a child, I was allowed to watch as much television on Saturday and Sunday mornings as I pleased.
When I was a child, I was allowed to watch as much television on Saturday and Sunday mornings as I pleased.
Is really "As a child" a proper way…
user114
12
votes
2 answers
Why can't I use "Neither" and "Nor" in this sentence...?
A month ago, I gave a comic introduction about me in my English class. During my flow of words, I told, "...I have neither a brother nor a sister". Everyone laughed at me all of a sudden. The professor corrected me, "You shouldn't use this construct…
Waffle's Crazy Peanut
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12
votes
10 answers
Formal way of saying "I'm not going to kiss your a**"
Is there a more formal and POLITE way of saying "I'm not going to kiss your ass"?
I got suspended from work because I used this expression. My coworkers and I were having a conversation with our boss, we were discussing a lot of topics unrelated to…
studentxxy
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11
votes
2 answers
meaning of "at work"
John works at a company.
He had a business meeting with people from another company, and that's where he first met his wife.
When people ask him how he and his wife met, can he say, "We met at work"?
Even when they work at different companies and…
luna
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11
votes
2 answers
What are "industrial chops"?
I've seen the expression industrial chops in a few texts, but looking at them all, and seeing the definition of chop in a dictionary did not provide me a clear meaning.
In this way, 3D printing is more in line with with Kickstarter and Etsy, where…
anol
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9
votes
3 answers
Can I start a sentence with "By any chance"?
I've heard a lot of sentences like this:
"Do you know where is the church by any chance?"
Always using "By any chance" in the end of the sentence.
My question is: Can I use "By any chance" in the beginning of the sentence to start a…
FelipeKunzler
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9
votes
8 answers
A situation where your friend or your neighbor offend you, that you wish to have no more interaction with them
I need an expression or a phrase—even if it is an idiom (to make it stylish)—commonly used by English native speakers to express a situation where your friend or your neighbor offend you so much that you are declaring to them in (a threatening way)…
iandu76
- 349
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8
votes
6 answers
Can I say: "I'm booked for tomorrow."?[context: interview]
Context: I was interviewing for a job and I scheduled a lot of calls with recruiters/ hiring managers. I was available to talk twice a week from 8 am till 10 am or 4 pm till 5 pm. Sometimes I scheduled so many calls that all the slots in my…
Codewife_101
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8
votes
2 answers
Can I use "if any" in this sentence?
I want to express that a computer is rarely updated, and that I am in doubt that there will be any update at all. I would like to say it this way:
The computer is unlikely to be updated, if any.
Now the sentence sounds me wrong because it seems as…
D1X
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8
votes
4 answers
When I decided to stop saying something
I cant easily come up with a verbal expression I can use when I decided to stop talking about something because it's a sensitive topic, for example. One expression I can think of is 'I'll stop talking about it here', but it feels somewhat redundant…
Gwangmu Lee
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