A phrase is a group of words that make a unit of syntax with a single grammatical function.
Questions tagged [phrases]
1623 questions
11
votes
2 answers
Is there a saying like "something still bites me"?
It's a recurring issue for me that I can't completely remember a saying. In this case I think I've heard someone using something like:
I've interrogated him and he seems to have an alibi. Something still bites me, though.
So the meaning is like…
Michael Härtl
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2 answers
What does YMCA stand for here?
What does YMCA stand for? It doesn't seem to stand for Young Men's Christian Association that I Googled.
Kaitlan Collins tweeted on Nov 8:
“The crowd outside the White House celebrating Joe Biden’s projected victory is blaring YMCA — the song…
NewPlanet
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votes
2 answers
What's the meaning of "out" in "build out"?
From NPR
Critics suggest these big ISPs aren't building out their networks enough to keep pace with the huge growth in demand.
I haven't found the definition of "build out" in the dictionary, so I looked "out" up, and find the following…
Searene
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8
votes
3 answers
Analyzing "So am I"
"I'm hungry."
"So am I."
Please reveal the reason behind saying "So am I".
It seems it has an interrogative structure.
Is it wrong to say "So I am" ?
user3214
8
votes
1 answer
What does the sign mean: this sidewalk to be closed on or about
I saw a road sign that said: this sidewalk to be closed on or about. I am not sure what this means.
Trident D'Gao
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Trying to make sense of ' to come flooding in'
Orders came flooding in for hemp oil, seeds, lotions, shampoos and
conditioners.
I'm trying to translate a sentence very similar to this one, and it seems to me that the verb is 'to come in', and 'flooding' is an adverb. It that correct?
Nima Abna
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7
votes
4 answers
I don't want to get lung cancer like you do
I was talking with someone who's trying to quit smoking. Then the topic moved to how I want to live here because of poor air quality in my hometown and I said this:
I don't want to get lung cancer like you do.
Is it correct to say that? How…
user42940
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6
votes
2 answers
I'd like to know appropriate sentences for talking about the weather
When asking about the weather for this coming weekend, which of the following sentences is most appropriate when asking your friend what the weather will be on the weekend?
What is the weather for this weekend?
What is the weather going to be this…
tennis girl
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5
votes
4 answers
What is the difference between "find out" and "discover"?
I do not know how to use the expression find out, I had read that I need to use instead discover, but it does not mean always.
For example, what is the best example?
I found out that she is single
or
I discovered that she is single
Felipe Viero Goulart
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5
votes
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be located in New York vs locate in New York?
He was working in Chicago for many years, but he is currently located in New York.
What does the second part (in bold) of the sentence mean? Does it mean that "he currently lives in New York" or "he currently works in New York? If it is the former,…
April
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5
votes
5 answers
What's the meaning of "I can only imagine"?
I commonly see sentences constructed like:
"I can only imagine how much time she spent on [something]."
I can't grasp the meaning of " I can only imagine", however. In what contexts would this expression be used? Is it for emphasis, or for poetic…
Sean Klaus
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5
votes
1 answer
Why are the small barcode stickers placed on checked bags sometimes nicknamed "bingo tags" or " bingo stickers"?
Why are the small barcode stickers placed on checked bags sometimes nicknamed "bingo tags" or " bingo stickers"? Is that somehow a reference to the Bingo game? Or the bingo! expression? Or some other reference?
I saw that expression used…
Franck Dernoncourt
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5
votes
3 answers
Asking about how someone is feeling
When you ask someone how they are feeling when they have a broken arm, does it make sense to ask
Do you feel any better?
It feels like this is used more when they have a cold. So I'm wondering if I can say
Is your broken arm better?
Or
Is your…
jess
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4
votes
4 answers
Is there any difference between 'based on' and 'on the basis of'?
Are 'on the basis' and 'based on' exchangeable? For example, can I speak
this sentence
His article was written on the basis of earlier accounts of reference frames.
as the same as another
His article was written based on earlier accounts of…
Shudong
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4
votes
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"I was away last week" versus "I was out of town last week"
Someone asked me whether I was at home or not last week. When I say as a response, "I was away last week", or "I was out of town last week". is there any difference in the meanings?
I just want to mean that I wasn't home, but didn't want to say…
tennis girl
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