terminology - What is the exact technical word to describe the ...
Dec 6, 2018 · A cognate accusative/object is a figure of speech in which the verb and object are etymologically related: He slept a troubled sleep. Dance a dance. Die a peaceful death. So there …
What is the origin of the idiom "Put a pin in it"?
Jan 30, 2020 · Possible origins I've found or considered: Urban Dictionary (sorry) offers a WWII origin of putting the pin back in a grenade so it doesn't explode. Multiple sources mention Jane Austen's use …
grammaticality - "Whether or not" vs. "whether" - English Language ...
As Henry Higgins observed in Pygmallion, the best grammarians are often those who learned English in school as immigrants. My parents, who were first-generation Americans in the early 20th century, …
Source of 'BB' in the sense of 'small, spherical pellet of shot'
Nov 15, 2015 · @SvenYargs: From 1845 to 1883 "BB" meant Brigitte Bardot. It was changed to mean ball bearing in 1883.
Is "Many thanks" a proper usage? - English Language & Usage Stack …
I saw emails from English people with Many Thanks as a signing off phrase. Is that proper usage? Or is it a phrase created by continental English speakers due to the influence of their native langu...
"Man" is to "womanizer" as "woman" is to what?
May 27, 2012 · What's the feminine version of womanizer? Your title and question are a bit contradictory. Reading the title, I inferred that the question was a man womanizes a female so what …
Difference between "publicly" and "publically"
I would accept only "publicly" as being correct. I'm surprised that you found dictionaries listing "publically" as anything other than a mis-spelling of "publicly". If this alternative spelling does become …
etymology - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange
Jun 20, 2015 · If one does not pull any punches, he speaks bluntly. Why is this idiom phrased this way? Is it because the motion of a punch, i.e., to speak bluntly, can be described as a push, which is the …
Difference between "Intrigued With" and "Intrigued By"
Dec 4, 2023 · What exactly is the difference between the usage of "intrigued with" and "intrigued by" in sentences?
Why is the word "hectare" abbreviated as "ha" and not as "he"?
Feb 3, 2021 · Welcome to EL&U. Hectare is from the Greek hect, the multiplier, and are, the primary unit of land measurement and the base unit. It means 100 ares, so it makes sense to abbreviate to the …