Questions tagged [nouns]
This tag is for questions about nouns. Nouns are words that refer to an entity, quality, state, action, or concept. Add this tag to single-word-requests if you are looking for a noun. Add the tag word-usage if you are asking about the usage of the noun.
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Usage of singular noun as a concept for generalization
I have recently come across two sentences that feature the usage of singular nouns to generalise the statement as they follow.
"The presence of the gene predisposes a person to heart disease&...
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Can I use the noun "luge steering" to refer to the act of steering a luge? [migrated]
For a research paper about the luge sport, I initially wrote: "According to our model of luge steering [...]". A colleague remarked that this sounds strange. According to him, nobody would ...
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Is "The Shining" a title with a gerund, or a regular -ing noun? [duplicate]
Does using "the" or "a" in front of a gerund alter it somehow? "A painting," for example, is not a gerund, and if a book were titled "The Painting" it would not ...
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Is Swirling a noun?
I have got a title composition from AI "Swirlings of simple Things".
Also in the Leo online dictionary is Swirling listed as a noun (https://dict.leo.org/englisch-deutsch/swirling).
But I ...
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Sink vs Basin distinction
In australian-english, a sink is a fixture for washing dishes (kitchen sink), clothes (laundry sink, or for big ones, laundry tub), or buckets (cleaner's sink) while a basin is for washing hands (hand ...
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Using "content" vs. "contents" when referring to multiple written works
I am aware of the previous discussions on "content" vs. "contents". According to the top answer there, it looks like they can be used interchangeably when referring to a written ...
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Using the terms gesture, gestural and gesturality
I am trying to understand the difference between, and I'm not sure how to describe it, something like: agree, agreeable and agreeability; approach, approachable and approachability etc...I'm ...
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Why is "second" an adverb in "came a close second"?
Consider the following example sentence excerpted from Oxford Learner's Dictionaries:
One of the smaller parties came a close second (= nearly won).
Much to my surprise, the example sentence is ...
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A descriptive noun (slang term?) for “cordial while also inept and disagreeable”
Context: a business manager who supports their team but refuses to enable them through innovations.
I am looking for a noun that describes a particular type of person (male, female, or trans) by ...
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Another word for shaking [duplicate]
I can't find a noun that go with this sentence:
He tried not to shake, but he was already shaking like a ???.
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Usage of “Effects” [duplicate]
I came across this sentence:
“This new patch commit can be cherry-picked directly to the main branch to fix the bug before it effects more users.”
I find the usage of “effects” here to be weird. Is ...
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Greatest extent possible vs Greatest possible extent [adjective position]
I know the following sentences basically mean the same thing:
We need to reduce pollution to the greatest extent possible.
We need to reduce pollution to the greatest possible extent.
so my ...
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Noun of noun agreement
I had a question regarding MLK's speech "I have a dream", and the following quote more especially:
I have a dream that my four little children will not be judged by the colour of their skin ...
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Capitalization and Use of Acronyms? [duplicate]
When examining algorithms like the Decision Tree Classifier, should it be capitalized as "Decision Tree Classifier (DTC)" or written in lowercase as "decision tree classifier (DTC)"...
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Shortening multi-word proper nouns to one word, kept capitalized [duplicate]
I was reading the Wikipedia article for Joe Arridy and near the bottom it mentions an organization called "Friends of Joe Arridy", and then instead of restating the entire proper noun, it's ...
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Comma Rules - It sounds weird in my head without the Comma, but can't tell what's wrong about not having one either
I was marked wrong for this - Do we or do we not use commas to separate two nouns that come like this:
From the couch, Alice continued, "I will speak to..."
I thought From the couch would ...
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What is a religious object used in pilgrimage called? [duplicate]
Character in the story has an object that he is supposed to take to a holy place. The object is central to his pilgrimage. Is there a term in English for such an object. Just to clarify, it is not a ...
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Is the word "bridge" used to indicate measurement of something in this sentence?
I was reading a scientific article about historical archaeology and then suddenly I came across this part in the article;
"Understanding the development of mass marketing and mass consumption as ...
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What is an over the shoulder fanny pack called?
A fanny pack (a.k.a. a "bumbag") is a small pouch, usually sealed by a zipper, with an attached belt, meant to be worn around one's waist, an example of which appears below.
A fanny pack
...
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What adjective indicating number is understood when no adjective is used? [duplicate]
Take the following statement, when used within a conversation on Global Warming:
Polar bears are dying in the North.
There is no adjective to describe the number of polar bears. According to normal ...
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"Being in advantage", as used in the video gaming world of fighting games
In fighting games such as Street Fighter, it is common to say that you're "in advantage" to say that you're "in an advantageous state" as opposed to your opponent.
Is it ...
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Is there premodification in this noun phrase "too many victims"
I have to analyze the noun phrase "too many victims" but I somehow can't figure out whether "too many" is a determiner or premodification. Given the fact too is an adverb and many ...
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What s, if any, the type of noun modifier for the receiver of a verb
I'm looking to find what it is called when a noun is modified by a prefix/suffix to mean that it is someone who receives x. And also, if there are examples of it in languages that are simple.
The best ...
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How often "-to-be" is added to nouns? is it ok to modify nouns this way?
I would like to use some noun and express plans about it in the future. Think, getting something.
I see "my bride-to-be" as a good example. It's better than using "wannabe." Can I ...
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In what cases is best to use "to" or "for" after the words "stimulus" and "impetus"?
In what cases is best to use "to" or "for" after the words "stimulus" and "impetus"?
Is there any difference in the use of the prepositions with each of the ...
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Can you actually "want a need"? [closed]
I know it's a mouthful, but can you, actually? I ran across this line in my recent reading:
For example, in Little Caesar, Rico has power and every material need he could ever want but he has no ...
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A word or phrase for a task which can't be neatly defined by a process
I'm looking for a word or phrase for a task which can't be neatly defined by a process. By process I mean a series of steps to be followed exactly.
Writing a good stack exchange request would be an ...
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What is a more inclusive version of "pedestrian"?
A pedestrian [noun] is a "person going on foot" (Merriam Webster).
Is there a more inclusive term that also includes people in wheelchairs and other mobility devices, but excluding people in ...
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The word for smoke left on walls or when an oil burns and the residue coats things. There's a word I can not place; it's like residual, but a noun
Specifically when secondhand or thirdhand smoke creates a sticky or dingy layer on the walls and flat surfaces, usually it's due to the nicotine tar that's in the air. It leaves a layer on lampshades ...
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Indolence vs Laziness - Is there any difference in usage?
They appear to have practically identical definitions. Is there any reason to use "indolence" over its more common counterpart or is "indolence" obsolete?
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