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.
202
questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
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Is there a word equivalent to "sighting" but for hearing?
I'm trying to write a sentence like
Nobody goes near the caves because of monster noises.
"Nobody goes near the caves because of monster sightings" doesn't work because people have not ...
3
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0
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151
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How did -ing become a suffix for both present participles and nouns derived from verbs?
In non-modern and non-Middle-English Germanic languages, present participles and nouns derived from verbs look and sound very different:
English: wend - wending - wending
Middle English: wenden - ...
3
votes
1
answer
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Nouns which change meaning in question/statement form
Most questions, when converted into statements, retain their overall "meaning", i.e. the statement is asserting what the question is asking.
Question: Can you grate the pears?
Assertion: ...
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Difference between 'gain optimization' and 'gains optimization'
What is the difference between gain optimization and gains optimization in a financial context?
I want to know in particular if one of those terms is better English, or if they have different ...
3
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1
answer
124
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Abbreviate one noun when combined with another that has same ending
Sorry for the probably a bit inappropriate title, I also didn't really know what to google for.
My question is, if a have a sentense like "... due to the lack of scalability and maintainability" can ...
3
votes
2
answers
924
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The state of not knowing and/or ignoring each other
I'm looking for a word that expresses the state of not knowing and/or ignoring each other.
In a blog post, I've found the term Principle of Mutual Oblivion. This is supposed to be a rule in software ...
2
votes
0
answers
326
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"Such" as a part of speech, and similar words
The word "such" seems to fit under a few different categories. It could be arguably classified as:
A noun - "The movie would only be of interest to such as enjoy mindless explosions ...
2
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0
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206
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When a noun phrase can act as the post-modifier?
According to Oxford Learner's Grammar by John Eastwood [ISBN:0-19-437-597-8], page 187; it is possible for a noun phrase to act as a postmodifier of the head noun.
Example:
The weather that day was ...
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0
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What does an operative operate?
I’m trying to come up with a word which describes the thing an operative operates upon. That is, the target of the operation.
For example, if a surgeon operates on a patient, and a chauffeur operates ...
2
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0
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75
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Is there a technique used when someone splits a compound noun into two parts?
My student has asked whether the splitting of the compound word keyhole into key hole is a particular literary technique. I didn't know!
It's relevant to the text, as it is about disconnection and ...
2
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When to use "-er" vs "-or" as a suffix in verbs - a comprehensive example (a developer's perspective)!
It's been many times when it comes to decide whether to use "-or" or "-er" as an agent noun suffix to a verb. My native (mother language) is Greek, and I'll try to provide you a way to think before ...
2
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0
answers
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Rules on noun+noun structures
Although there are plenty of grammar topics that I occasionally struggle with, there is one that causes the most trouble.
Lately, I have been writing a lot of technical instructions and manuals, in ...
2
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is there a term for when you use two words with a slash in between to label something?
If I used the label religiosity/spirituality, would it be called a compound label or something like that?
2
votes
1
answer
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Pre-booking vs booking?
I came across this work in my work, I am not sure which one to use for a screen menu in our application, "pre-booking" or "booking". This menu will allow users to book their work schedule in advance. ...
2
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"the rustle of tires" vs "the rustling of tires": pompous or not, is there a rule, or is it random?
Scene: high school. Time: the present. A teacher went through a student's essay in which an out-of-the-way house in the sticks was described. It (the house) sat in the middle of a picturesque grove, ...