etymology - Why did the word, “shellac” come to mean “to defeat ...
Mar 29, 2016 · An opposing sports team, a disobedient child, and apparently an incumbent president were thus liable to a series of rapid slaps like someone shellacking a boat or panelled room. In this …
When do you capitalize names of groups of people?
Mar 13, 2025 · The simplest, and most "official" answer: you capitalize proper nouns. I imagine you ask because you've seen emails with examples like you give. The best explanation for that is simply …
etymology - What is the origin of the word "whitewash" in the context ...
The term whitewash is used in sports to describe a situation where the opponents are beaten in a series of matches failing to register a single win. Merriam-Webster defines it as :- to hold (an
What do you call a person who is resistant to new technology
Sep 10, 2022 · Does a word exist that describes someone who is either a) resistant to, b) afraid of, or c) refuses to learn new technology?
What is the correct abbreviation for the word "numbers"?
Oct 12, 2016 · What is the correct abbreviation for the words numbers and number? Nos. No. Nos No Possible example usage: "Number of guests" where the word number is abbreviated "Numbers …
Why does 'we' have one 'e' while 'see' has two?
Nov 20, 2023 · I am wondering why the words me and we have one 'e', even though the word see has two.
What is the difference between "that's odd", "that's weird", and "that ...
Jan 9, 2011 · There isn't a lot of difference between them - they can be used almost interchangeably. To the extent that there is a difference (and anyone pays attention to the fine gradations in the terms), …
What is it called when something is described by what it isn't?
Maybe you mean this sort of entry: recursion n. See recursion. even if indirect, i.e. via other entries. This we would call a circular definition. But something defined by its opposite? What could that mean? …
meaning - Is it "chalk it up to" or "chock it up to"? - English ...
Dec 16, 2015 · Robert Rubin, Going to Hell in a Hen Basket: An Illustrated Dictionary of Modern Malapropisms (2015) has this discussion of "chalk-full" and "chock it up to": chalk-full V: chock it up …
Where does this proverb come from? “If you want to go fast, go alone ...
Apr 18, 2023 · I am attempting to find the origin or source of this proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together” Most sources say that this is a translation of an African prov...