Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2004

If your boots are too small for your feet, you can change them (the
boots)
But if you are "too big for your boots", that's different :-)
That means you're conceited, pleased with yourself.

In "Folk-lore of women" by T. F. Thsielton-Dyer, 1906, there's an
uncredited quote on page 37 that reads:
 A silent woman, Sir! you said:
 Pray, was she painted without a head?

------------
[after a big fight with a fellow card player]
well, anyhow, there was nothing to drink and I sat there for hours,
going crazy; jumpy, I was, GNATZ, lumpy balls, there I sat with $450

Could anyone please help me with the following GMAT sentence correction
question?
The Product Liability Act would prohibit _________________ that the
manufacturer knew the product was defective.

Thought you'd enjoy this ...
The "1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue" at:
  http://www.harvestfields.netfirms.com/etexts/31/00.htm
Cheers, PeterNW

"There was no "One, two, three, and away!" but they began running when
they liked, and left off when they liked, so that it was not easy to
know when the race was over. However, when they had been running half an
hour or so, and were quite dry again, the Dodo suddenly called out ...

In the last week or so I have heard several times the phrase "safe
home" used in lieu of "get home safe". As far as I can recall, I had
never heard this before. Is this a new usage?

I'm looking for a word that describes words or phrases uttered purely
to conform to some convention.
eg Someone goes off to a job interview and you wish them good luck,
even though you don't really know what, precisely, luck is, apart, in

In the UK, & I believe in .au and .nz as well, carpenters & other
woodworkers commonly talk about glue "going off", meaning setting or
hardening (not going bad!).
1.  Is this usage found elsewhere?

I've heard a couple times when after hard work, people say:  "My fun meter's
pegged!"
I don't quite understand what this sentence means.  What is a "fun meter"?
I guess this is an idiom.  Could anyone rephrase this sentence to simple

At least 50% of members of each group for the first assignment must be
joined other group(s) for the second assignment.
More A half of members of each group for the first assignment must be joined
other group(s) for the second assignment.

If meteorologists don't study meteors, who does? I know astronomers
do, but is there a name for the specialty?

Robin gave me instructions on how to use his computer, I hope they work. He
slipped and fell on some wet steps as he was meeting me at the station
tonight and hit himself in the stomach on the end of the handrail. He
started bleeding from his stoma about four hours ago, and mindful ...

Hi Memebers,
Please tell me what is the difference between these words: Job and
work, also need,require and want.
Thanks

This probably belongs in a binaries forum, but I'm not sure where to go
and I could use some help with this project.  Sorry if this upsets
anyone or everyone.
My son's teacher is out of service for a round of chemotherapy and the