36 Answered Questions for the topic Phrases

08/09/19

Another way to say "it never hurts"?
It **wouldn't hurt** you to be a bit more serious.*Wouldn't/won't/never hurts* make perfect sense in this example. I'm wondering if there's any alternative way to preserve the meaning of this... more
Follows • 2
Expert Answers •1

08/01/19

Is “go all coy over stg.” an idiom or simple combination of words?
I found the phrase “go all coy over reports “in the following sentence of Washington Post (May 12) article introducing CBS’s reported deal with Ashton Kutcher in replacing him Charlie Sheen as the... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1

08/01/19

What is the meaning of "often mistaken, never in doubt"?
What is the meaning of "often mistaken, never in doubt"? In what context is the phrase used?
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1

07/31/19

Meaning of "to charm the skin off a snake"?
This is a phrase originated from *Dead Run* by Erica Spindler. Hereunder is the context in the book that I googled. > Rick’s Island Hideaway was the quintessential Key West bar: Jimmy Buffet on... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1

07/31/19

What is the meaning of "don't mention it" (in response to "thank you")?
I read at several places that "don't mention it" is equal to "you're welcome". But for me, the word means something like "don't go around talking about this to anyone". So what is the real meaning... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1

07/31/19

What does “you don't need a husband, you need a Greek chorus!” mean?
A female friend recently saw a video of pretty old movie, “The Last Station” (directed by Michael Hoffman), which illustrates the struggle of Leo Tolstoy (the Russian author) to balance fame and... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1
Phrases Grammar

07/29/19

why use "be of something", is there some meaning for this "of"?
I saw a sentence when reading some technical articles:>When we call this function, it expects the second parameter to be of type Collection. The actual argument is of type Collection.So my... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1
Phrases Grammar

07/29/19

is there any reason to write Computer Science, Department of?
On some universities’ web pages, like Oxford university, they write:> Computer Science, Department ofFor me it is more intuitive to say:> Department of Computer ScienceCan somebody explain... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1
Phrases Literature

07/20/19

Is "fare you well" still used in Norfolk?
[Jean Rhys's](https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/apr/14/jean-rhys-brief-survey-short-story) story "Till September Petronella" contains the following passage: > 'Fare you well,' he said.... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1

07/03/19

Polite/professional alternative to 'It turns out'?
I have been tasked with coming up with a nicer phrase to use than 'It turns out'. It is to be used in situations like this one: > - 'It turns out' that we cannot... - 'It turns out' that we... more
Follows • 2
Expert Answers •5

07/01/19

Is there a phrase, word or saying when one 'has the thought or feeling of causing hurt of mischief" despite never dreaming of acting on it?
For example I was assisting my sister in photographing a wedding. We were taking pictures as the bride was getting ready and I noticed a ketchup bottle on the kitchen table and the following popped... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1
Phrases Esl/esol Speech

06/29/19

you are vs you're (informal speech)?
In some common phrases like, "You are what you eat", "Your actions reflect who you are". Is there a reason (besides it sounds funny) to not use, "You're what you eat", "Your actions reflect who... more
Follows • 2
Expert Answers •2

06/25/19

my friend vs "a friend of mine"?
I always found it weird to hear people say things like "My friend asked me to come" (with no prior mention of said friend), as opposed to "A friend of mine asked me to come". To me it seems as... more
Follows • 2
Expert Answers •1

06/24/19

What does "Rabbit" mean on 1st of June?
My english teacher told me, that is common in England to say "Rabbits" on the 1st of june. What does it mean? where does this tradition come from? Does the people say it only on the 1st of... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1

06/24/19

Usage of "Don't remember"?
In my language I can say "I don't remember I've ever watched that film" or "Never in my life have I remembered watching that film" to suggest that as far as I can remember I've never done... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1

06/19/19

Should laconism be favored over clarity?
One might argue that to be as understandable as possible, one should use common words and phrases. On the other hand, unnecessary verbosity is often frowned upon. > Stop acting so childish and... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1
Phrases Literature

06/18/19

It was then that... vs "That was when..."?
I'm not very sure if both mean exactly the same but I've noticed that the former is more widely use in Japanese novels translated into English. Whereas the latter is more often used in English... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1

06/17/19

Which are the most common Latin words/phrases used in spoken English?
Please, specify American/British Engilsh! I think these below are very common but I have no idea if they are commonly used in spoken English. ad hoc per se a priori de facto ergo et... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1

06/17/19

Some clause structure about “SOURCE said that CLAUSE”?
Suppose we have the following sentences: >John believes that people are good. >Steve knows that France is in Europe. Now, in these sentences we have some clause (e.g. People are good, France... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1
Phrases Grammar Clauses

06/09/19

What kind of phrase/clause is "as far as I know"?
I would like to know what kind of phrase/clause "as far as I know" is, and why.
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1

06/05/19

What does “though less so ~” mean?
I’m reading a book about world history, and there is a phrase in a paragraph I have no idea: “They were mostly connected to productive hinterlands, **though less so** in the case of Perth than the... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1

05/16/19

Is there any good book talking about clauses and phrases?
All grammar books I found underplay clauses and phrases; examples they give are simple and easy to understand, but in reality there are lots of long sentences made up of several clauses and phrases... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •3

04/24/19

Term to describe generalizations such as "it is well known"?
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1

04/23/19

Come si pudire "mettere sotto la pressione" con una parola sola in italiano?
Ciao a tutti.In italiano esiste una parola unica che abbia lo stesso significato dell'espressione "mettere sotto la pressione" (nel senso metaforico, ad esempio caricandolo di lavoro)? Se c'è più... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •2

04/23/19

Can I use "and" many times in one sentence?
I was always under the impression I should not use "and" more than once. I have this text: "I appreciate that all my previous work experience is within office based industries however I am a quick... more
Follows • 1
Expert Answers •1

Still looking for help? Get the right answer, fast.

Ask a question for free

Get a free answer to a quick problem.
Most questions answered within 4 hours.

OR

Find an Online Tutor Now

Choose an expert and meet online. No packages or subscriptions, pay only for the time you need.