All Questions
Tagged with single-word-requests idiom-requests
406
questions
1
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5
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105
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Is there a better word for 'anonymity' here? [closed]
This is the sentence:
The Festival was the reason he had chosen this place to enter the country, the safety and 'anonymity' it provided would make his further travels much smoother.
Some context:
...
2
votes
1
answer
73
views
A word or phrase that means "picky about something they can't have"
I'm searching for a word, phrase, or even an idiom to describe someone who is very picky about things out of their reach. For example, they may love Lamborghinis but think Ferraris are too overstyled ...
0
votes
2
answers
115
views
Person who says they want to help, but doesn't want to do it when asked [duplicate]
I'm looking for a word that means a person who says that they're here to help, but when the help is asked for they don't really want to do it
3
votes
3
answers
129
views
What do you call a moderate victory?
In the following bible passage, Prophet Elisha prophesies that King Joash should take his bow and arrows, and subsequently orders Joash to use his arrows to strike the ground to signify a symbolic act....
2
votes
6
answers
292
views
What do you call it when someone's really pushing it?
In Iraqi Arabic, when someone is bothering you or hassling you continuously and you reach that level where you can't handle it (like when they begin insulting you), you literally say to them (in ...
12
votes
7
answers
4k
views
People who frequently travel in planes are called…?
What do you call people who travel in a plane?
I know "passenger" is appropriate but that is also true for travelling in taxis, trains, ships, and buses. Also, a passenger suggests someone ...
0
votes
2
answers
110
views
How do you describe someone who pretends to know the answer to their question after it's been answered?
I have a coworker who constantly asks questions, obvious ones and sometimes not so obvious, and always pretends to have known the answer but it accidentally slipped their mind.
example
Coworker: How ...
1
vote
0
answers
242
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More common terms for "tall poppy syndrome"
I came across this New York Times article:
Ms. Hathaway could simply be a victim of what the British call “tall poppy syndrome” — the bloom that pokes above the others is the first to get cut.
I ...
-2
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4
answers
294
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Is there a word or expression that describes a situation where a person repetitively "comes and goes"?
In Levantine Arabic, the expression "siri miri" (سِرِّي مِرِّي) is used for someone who continually and incessantly comes and goes, or passes by, such as like near your house or just about ...
10
votes
15
answers
3k
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Idiomatic word/expression for someone ‘who has no feeling for the game’ - Translation of Spanish ‘pechofrío’
I'm having trouble translating the expression pechofrío (pecho frío, ‘cold chest’) from Spanish—specially Argentinian Spanish, I don't know if it's used in other countries. It means:
s. masc. Persona ...
14
votes
15
answers
3k
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What is a term (or idiom) for someone who enters and exits without a request or order?
In Mesopotamian Arabic, the the idiom "khirri mirri" (خِرِّي مِرِّي) is used for those who haphazardly enter and exit a building like they own the place - Basically "in and out" in ...
3
votes
12
answers
1k
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Indispensable, Essential, "Tool of the trade", "Staple item"
I am looking for a term to use as the name of a software project that I am working on.
The project is a software tool, and this tool aims to be useful in virtually all software, so I am looking for a ...
5
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Synonymous phrase/idiom for "kangaroo court" that communicates a predetermined verdict
I am looking to replace the idiom "kangaroo court" in the following sentence:
Class followed its usual script. The professor took center stage, exposing the deep racism, sexism, colonialism ...
-1
votes
2
answers
123
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Word(s) meaning how "high/low resolution", "nested", "shallow/deep" or "derived" ideas/concepts are
I'm looking for a word or pair of words that refer to whether an idea is "high or low resolution" or high and low levels of analysis. I think a few examples are the best way to convey what I'...
0
votes
2
answers
112
views
Word/term/saying that encapsulates the notion of something being ethically convenient
Lately I've encountered a few situations in discussions where I feel like there may be a word that is either more succinct and/or perhaps more wry than just 'ethically convenient'.
An example sentence ...
0
votes
1
answer
358
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Is there a word/phrase to call someone who hoards knowledge or information?
Knowledge hoarder and information hoarder refers to a person who keeps knowledge/information only for themselves,I am looking for a term that can be used to a person who gathers knowledge/information,...
1
vote
4
answers
153
views
An idiom or term that pertains to defending and praising popular people just because they are successful and respected?
In Australia, we use the expression Tall poppy syndrome for a "social phenomenon that occurs when someone's success causes them to be envied, resented, criticized or discredited."
https://en....
6
votes
6
answers
452
views
A word/phrase for something that often comes up in conversations
To find a affordable apartment was a big problem. University students would often
struggle to find a place to live. As I recall, that
was a —————— (= popular topic of our conversations = we always ...
-1
votes
1
answer
182
views
What is a word or phrase for student of the year? [closed]
I’m looking for a word/phrase similar to student of the year. I’m not using valedictorian, as I think it means student who has highest academic grade. I want to mean something that would mean like ...
0
votes
4
answers
89
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How to say that something is not a matter of order?
In its attempts agains depopulation, the government issues new
rules to encourage people to have more child. But childbearing is
not —————— .
I want to say that childbearing is not a matter of order, ...
2
votes
6
answers
123
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Name for the category of complex tasks/process where the standard is perfection
I'm looking for an English adjective, idiom, phrase, or principle to describe complex tasks/jobs/processes/things where the baseline is "perfection". And where people only notice the ...
1
vote
6
answers
227
views
Looking for a word, phrase or expression that means "liking something which is generally considered bad for you"?
As per the title I am looking for a word, phrase, or expression which signifies liking something, taking pleasure, or being content with something generally considered negative.
For example, the media ...
6
votes
4
answers
2k
views
English term or phrase for the German "spötteln"
The German term "spötteln" means -perhaps- a light version of "spotten" for which LEO.org gives english words like "to jeer", [edited] "jibe" [/edited], "...
0
votes
3
answers
487
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Term or phrase for an easy and yet difficult task/process [duplicate]
Is there any term or phrase to (idiomatically) describe a situation/task/process that is easy from one point of view but and at the same time difficult from another perspective.
The answer shoudl be ...
2
votes
5
answers
239
views
What is a word or phrase that describes someone changes themselves in order to fit a role?
Does anyone have a clue or an idiomatic phrase for this:
When someone changes themselves in order to fit a role
Ex: When someone gets a new job, they learn new abilities to suit that role.
Ex2: When ...
21
votes
10
answers
10k
views
What is a term for a phenomenon where two people doing the same job are less effective than one person doing it alone?
For example, imagine a worker in a widget factory who is responsible for checking if all the widgets on a conveyor belt are well-made. This worker is successful in their job 99% of the time. However, ...
0
votes
4
answers
1k
views
What to call someone who comes from the same hometown?
What word or phrase can describe people who come from the same place?
It's always nice to meet ______ in a foreign land
0
votes
1
answer
69
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Term for the state of having tried to solve a problem for too long that a "temporary tunnel vision" develops
I stare at this bug in my code continuously for ten hours and find myself none the wiser as it stares right back at me by the end of them. Electing to give in to the reasonable part of me (small as ...
2
votes
8
answers
2k
views
What do you say when people ate the food you cooked until nothing is left? [closed]
What do you say when people ate the food you cooked until nothing is left?
The corn soup that I made is…
or is there any other expression or sentence form to say for this situation?
-1
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2
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73
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Describe an event that will be held at a time other than its standard one [duplicate]
How to describe an event that is usually held in a specific time-frame but this time and based on the extraordinary conditions should be held at another time?
Specifically, FIFA World Cup usually held ...