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AAE Q101: 'painting' and 'coating'
2007-10-16 12:16:00
Hello, What's the difference between painting and coating? Thank you for help.Hi,Painting something means to cover a surface or object with paint:'We’ve had the house painted''Paint the shed with weather-resistant paint.' 'a brightly painted barge''The walls were painted yellow'.Coating something means to cover sth with a layer of a substance (often used in the passive):'cookies thickly coated with chocolate' 'A film of dust coated the table.' 'The mask was coated in gold leaf.''The door was coated in a light blue paint'Hope this helpsMatt

Phrase of the Day 154: 'round the bend'
2007-10-16 12:11:00
"round the bend"definition: a little mad/crazyexamples: 'My flatmate is driving me round the bend with his loud music''I think my teacher is round the bend'origin: The 'bend' is the curve always placed in the entrance drive of Victorian mental hospitals. Straight drives were the characteristic of stately homes and bent ones of asylums to screen the inmates from view and vise versa.
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'what' and 'which'
2007-10-15 20:56:00
Which and what are both used in questions:- What is used to ask a question when there are an unknown number or infinite possibilities for an answer. You know that there are many, many ways that exist to address your question, and you want to find out—from all those possibilities that you might not even know about—the best way. For example: "What movie did you go to see?" Which is used if you are choosing between two items, already defined, in a different sentence, like this: For example: "Which shoes should I wear with this dress—my blue ones or my black ones?" You can use which when you have a very small or limited field to choose from. Certainly use which, not what, when there are only two choices, or if both speaker and listener can visualize all the items under consideration: For example: "Which foot did you break?" Often, either which or what can be ...

AAE Q100: 'until' or 'as long as'
2007-10-14 23:21:00
Hi,What¨s the difference between until and as long as?Thank you.Hi,As long asThe as ... as construction is used when we are making comparisons and comparing ideas of similar magnitude or duration. He worked for as long as he wanted to on the project.Take as long as you like," they said. "There's no hurry!" As long as I live, I shall smoke no more cigarettes.Note that as long as is also used in conditional sentences as an alternative to provided, meaning if and only if. So long as is also possible in this context:I don't mind. You can leave early, as long as you finish the work.I don't mind. You can leave after lunch, provided you finish all the work.Untilpreposition Up to the time of: 'We danced until dawn.' Before (a specified time): 'She can't leave until Friday.' conjunction Up to the time that: 'We walked until it got dark'. Before: 'You cannot leave until your work is finished.' To the point or extent that: 'I talked until I was hoarse.'Hope this helpsM
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Phrase of the Day 153: 'drag yor feet'
2007-10-11 23:08:00
"to drag your feet/heels"definition: to deal with something slowly because you do not really want to do it. examples: "He was asked why the government had dragged its feet on the question of a single European currency. "" We don't want to look as if we're dragging our heels over promoting women to senior positions."
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Phrase of the Day 152: 'off colour'
2007-10-09 18:03:00
"to be/feel off colour"definition: If someone said you were off colour they would mean that you look pale and ill!example: John: "You look a bit off colour today"Paul: "Yeah I was out really late last night drinking"
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'already, yet and still'
2007-10-07 21:42:00
The present perfect simple is used to talk about past events which happened in periods of time that have not finished: I've visited my parents three times this week (and the week still hasn't finished) She's smoked a packet of cigarettes already today. When we speak about this "unfinished time" we often use the adverbs already and yet, which can all be used to describe things which are happening or expected to happen around the present, i.e. they describe the relationship of something to the present. Already is used to say that something is in the present or past, not the future. It may express some surprise - for example, because something has happened sooner than expected. "When's Sally going to come?" "She's already here." ...

AAE 99: 'we already made'
2007-10-07 21:30:00
HiIs the sentence "we already made mutual agreement" correct?PhyuHi,The best way would be "we have already made a mutual agreement"Matt
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Phrase of the Day 151: 'in the pink'
2007-10-07 21:24:00
"to be/feel in the pink"definition: to be in good health and ready to go.example: "I've been training for the marathon and I'm feeling in the pink."origin: In traditional English fox hunting, hunters wore scarlet coloured jackets called pinks. If you are wearing your pink, you are ready to go hunting.
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AAE Q98: 'aware'
2007-10-03 23:59:00
Hello, how are you ? Could you tell me what the meaning of aware is ? Tookta.Hi,AWARE (adj): having or showing realization, perception, or knowledgeexamples:"he was aware of his opponent's hostility" "she became aware of her surroundings" "he was aware that he had exceeded the speed limit"Right now I am aware that it is after midnight...so I'd better go to bed.Hope this helpsMatt
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Phrase of the Day 150: 'out on a limb'
2007-10-03 14:49:00
"to go out on a limb"definition: to put oneself in an isolated or disadvantaged position in one's support of someone or something. origin: The clear allusion in this phrase is to climbing trees. All of us must remember that feeling of not wanting to go further out to reach that apple/ball or whatever for fear that the branch (limb) would break under us. The first uses of it in a figurative sense, with no reference to actual trees or climbing, come from the USA at the end of the 19th century. For example, the Steubenville Daily Herald, October 1895:"We can carry the legislature like hanging out a washing. The heft [main part] of the fight will be in Hamilton country. If we get the 14 votes of Hamilton we've got 'em out on a limb. All we've got to do then is shake it or saw it off."
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Phrase of the Day 149: 'feel hard done-by'
2007-10-01 22:28:00
"to feel hard done-by"definition: if you feel hard done-by, you feel you have been treated unfairly. example: "I'm feeling hard done-by because I've been looking after the kids all week while Steve's been out every night."
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Phrase of the Day 148: 'gutted'
2007-09-29 02:05:00
"to be gutted"definition: to be really upset about somethingexample: 'I failed my driving test; I am absolutely gutted'

Phrase of the Day 147: 'eat someone out of house and home'
2007-09-26 22:28:00
"to eat someone out of house and home"definition: to eat most of the food that someone has in their house.example: "The boys have only been back two days and they've already eaten me out of house and home."
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AAE Q97: 'linking verbs'
2007-09-24 23:31:00
Hi Matt,If I want to say somebody´s appearance is nice I say e.g. he/she looks nice(but not nicely).Are there any other verbs after which I have to use adjective instead of adverb?I just know look, feel, taste, sound.ThanksHi,The type of verb you are referring too is called a linking verb. Here is a list: to appear to beto becometo feelto getto goto growto look to proveto remainto seemto smellto soundto stayto tasteto turn Linkin g verbs are often followed by adjectives instead of adverbs. In such situations, the adjective describes the subject of the sentence rather than the verb. Study the examples below to learn the difference. Examples: Mary seemed sad. Correct Mary seemed sadly. Not CorrectThe cake tastes good. CorrectThe cake tastes well. Not CorrectThe train is slow. CorrectThe train is slowly. Not CorrectJames grew tired. CorrectSarah remained calm. CorrectThe milk went bad. CorrectThe seas turned rough. CorrectThe negot...

AAE Q96: 'jail' vs 'prison'
2007-09-23 20:16:00
Hi,What is difference between jail and prison?RikiHi,A jail is usually the first place a person is taken after being arrested by police officers. Most cities have at least one jail, and persons are taken directly there after they are arrested.A prison is an institution for the confinement of people convicted of crimes. Prison s are administered by state, provincial, or national governments and house inmates for relatively long terms. They thus differ from jails, which usually are under local jurisidiction and house inmates serving short sentences.Hope this helpsM
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The Edinburgh Festival
2007-09-19 18:22:00
Summer in Edinburgh , Scotland's capital city, is the time for festivals. In August and September there are several different festivals which take place there.Summer in Edinburgh, Scotland's capital city, is the time for festivals. In August and September there are several different festivals which take place there. The original Edinburgh International Festival started in 1947, and offers visitors a rich programme of classical music, theatre, opera and dance. The same year that the official festival began, a handful of theatrical companies gatecrashed the festival and organised their own event, which grew into what is now called the Fringe Festival. The term 'fringe' means something on the outside of the main event, but over the years, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival has become the largest of all the festivals, and indeed the largest arts festival in the world! The Fringe features performers and acts which are less traditional and more unconventional than those in the ...

Travel, trip, voyage or journey?
2007-07-20 12:59:00
travel, trip, voyage or journey? Travel (v) is used in general terms as a verb - it usually means to change location. The word travel is very rarely used as a noun. For example: I have to travel a lot for work. Trip (n) is often substituted for the word 'holiday' when the travelling distance was short. For example: How was your trip? It is often used in connection with business. For example: I have to travel a lot for work. I am off on another business trip next week. Trip (v) has a totally different meaning. It means to nearly fall over. For example: I tripped over the carpet and sprained my ankle. Voyage (n) is usually a long journey by boat. The word voyage is very rarely used as a verb. For example: The voyage to South Africa took over six weeks. Journey (n) is used more in British E...

Phrase of the Day 121: 'waffle''
2007-07-20 01:10:00
"to waffle"definition: to talk on and on about nothing (similar to beat around the bush)(klábosit)example: "I hate politicians they just continuously waffle on about nothing"
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Phrase of the Day 120: 'lo and behold'
2007-07-18 20:52:00
"Lo and behold"definition: to call attention to a surprising truth.(a hle!)example: "I was in disbelief when I heard about Terry's new car. But he opened the garage and lo and behold there was a blue Corvette."origin: "Lo" is a word meaning "to call attention to" or "to express surprise"."Behold " is a word meaning "to gaze upon or observe".Both words are not well known or frequently used, especially "lo".
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Metrosexual
2007-07-17 19:00:00
metrosexual noun [C]:a heterosexual male with a strong interest in fashion, appearance and other lifestyle characteristics traditionally associated with women(adjective: metrosexual, noun [U]: metrosexuality)‘A metrosexual, according to New York’s finest marketing men, is “a guy who is definitely straight, but has embraced the worlds of grooming facials, shopping with women and ... their feminine side”.’(The Guardian, 16th July 2003)‘Wild-haired revolutionaries like Che Guevara have been replaced by clean-cut metrosexual icons like soccer star David Beckham, musician Ricky Martin and Texas Rangers outfielder Juan Gonzalez. … Metrosexual ity … refers to urban, heterosexual men who wax, exfoliate and perform other grooming rituals some consider strictly feminine.’(cbsnews.com, 25th November 2003)The term metrosexual was one of the buzz words of 2003, voted ‘word of the year’ by the American Dialect Society and listed in the UK BBCi news glossary of 2003. The word...

AAE Q83: 'have been working'
2007-07-17 18:51:00
HiI am working for this Department for 5 years. ORI have been working for this Department for 5 years?Which one is correct?Hi,'I have been working for this department for 5 years' is correct.Please click here and here for more info.ThanksMatt
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Phrase of the Day 119: 'go berserk''
2007-07-17 09:44:00
"to go berserk"definition: to behave in a frenzied and violent manner.example: "My girlfriend went berserk when I told her I was having an affair"origin: this term has something in common with 'run amok'. The two phrases, as well as sounding rather similar, mean virtually the same thing. Their sources though could hardly be further apart. 'Run amok' derives from the Far East, whereas 'go berserk' is of Viking (Norse) origin. In that tradition a 'Berserk er' was a warrior of great strength and courage, who fought with wild ferocity. The word is believed to be derived from 'bear sark', i.e. bear coat. That berserker fighting tradition, in which the warriors took on the spirit (or even in their belief, the shape) of bears whilst foaming at the mouth and gnawing the edges of their shields, is the source of the Vikings' fierce reputation. It dates back to the first millennium but had died out by the 1100s and thereafter the word berserker didn't feature widely in the English l...
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Phrase of the Day 118: 'to propose a toast'
2007-07-16 19:00:00
"to propose a toast"definition of 'a toast': the act of raising a glass and drinking in honour of or to the health of a person or thing.(pronést prípitek)example: "I would like to propose a toast to Gavin and Lucy: To a long and happy marriage!"origin: this often used phrase comes from an 18th century punch bowl drink made with cider, cinnamon, cloves, and other spices and garnished with pieces of toast that would float on top. I'm unsure of the purpose of the toast and can't imagine a burnt piece of bread being "decorative," but next New Years Eve, don't forget to include the toast!
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Phrase of the Day 117: 'rat up a drain pipe'
2007-07-13 13:24:00
"like a rat up a drainpipe"definition: very quickly/fast.example: "I dunno (don't know) whats wrong with Jeff; when I told him that his girlfriend was walking up the street, he took off like a rat up a drainpipe"
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Phrase of the Day 116: 'one for the road'
2007-07-13 01:49:00
"One for the road"definition: a last drink before going home.example: Bob: "We should go home soon"Jimmy: "Before we go, let's have one for the road"origin: when prisoners were condemned to be hanged at Tyburn in London they were taken there on a waggon. Their last request was to be given the choice of a drink at any ale house along the way. This was their 'one for the road'. One of the guards accompanying the prisoner was not allowed to go into the ale house and had to stay to mind the cart. He was described as being 'on the waggon' and could not have a drink, giving us another modern saying.
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AAE 82: Listening
2007-07-13 01:25:00
HiPlease i ask about how can i improve my English listening.Thank uGoulhiane LatifaHi Goulhiane,Firstly one of the most important things is to remember that you are not alone. Listening comprehension is probably the most difficult task for almost all learners of English as a foreign language.The most important thing is to listen to English as often as possible. Therefore you need to find listening resources. This is where the Internet really comes in handy (useful) as a tool for English students.There are many free listening resources: the BBCListen to EnglishESL PodcastsAll Things Considered news stories on NPRmy audio/visual sectionStrategies Once you have begun to listen on a regular basis, you might still be frustrated by limited understanding. What should you do? Here is some advice I give my students: Accept the fact that you are not going to understand everything. Keep cool (stay relaxed) when you do not understand - even if you continue to not understand for a long tim...

Phrase of the Day 115: 'a fellow...'
2007-07-12 18:16:00
"a fellow something" definition: being of the same kind, group, occupation, society, or locality; having in common certain characteristics or interests examples: "This is my friend Dean. He is a fellow Arsenal fan""On Friday I am going for a drink with my fellow co-workers"
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Phrase of the Day 114: 'lurgy'
2007-07-11 15:36:00
'to have the lurgy'definition: if you have the lurgy it means you are ill, you have the flu.(strašlivá nemoc/ choroba)example: "Don't go near Callum; he's got the lurgy and you might catch it"
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Phrase of the Day 113: 'full of beans'
2007-07-11 15:27:00
"to be full of beans"definition: If you are full of beens this means that you have loads of energy and enthusiasm. It is also a polite way of saying that a child is a maniac.(v nejlepší náladì, plný energie, bujný) example: 'John seems full of beans today; maybe he passed his exam or maybe he's met a newgirl'
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