Discussion Groups / English Usage / November 2006

When you tell someone to get f.cked, because you are angry at them, do
you really want them to go fornicate with someone?  If so, why are you
yelling at them?  You are telling them to do something pleasurable,
unless they are some sort of weirdo that hates having sexual

This past Thursday I went on a field trip with the rest of my
residential unit at Broome Developmental Center.  We went to
Cooperstown, NY (located about 60 miles from Binghamton), to the
National Baseball Hall of Fame!  We saw lots of interesting things

I've no idea what "mustered" means here.
It seems to be a less common usage.
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Madame Olenska's own dwelling was redeemed from the same appearance

When the telephone became commonplace, people bewailed the passing of the
art of letter-writing.  Now that writing has returned in the of e-mail, the
complaint is that people don't talk any more!
David

Sorry to be so OT, but, as others have said in comparable circs, I
trust people here for sensible answers.
I make this email address public, so it gets the spam. I've just
received a spam mail not only dated 26 January 2000, but sorted

What does "freak-out" and "pull-up" mean?
Or Should I say
What do "freak-out" and "pull-up" mean?
Which one is correct?

Are:
"You may be sure"
"You can be sure"
equally justified in the following contexts (the 2nd one is BrE)?

I've found a couple more citations that I think are better than the
current OED ones, since they either predate or are from much better
sources than the OED ones:
It turns out I was right about both the earlier date and the likely

PRIORITIZE
Instead of a definition, I understand the term to mean the action of
assesment of order of importance, according to certain criterion, or even
several criteria. But when I speak to people with whom I work, the term is

Hi, is there a math equivalent of the wonderful "Cambridge Encyclopedia
of Language" -- for mathematics??
I mean, anything like it, by anyone?  I read that all the mathematics
currently known could fit 100K books...and I'm wondering why there

Is the meaning of "Mos def." at the end of the news article
excerpted below, "Most definitely?"
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061024/LIVING/610240314/-1/
ZONES04
[excerpt]

It seemed to me that the split between people who pronounced "either" as
"iyther" or "eether" was about 50/50.  Now it seems that everyone,
especially on radio and TV, says "eether". Why is that ?
David

Are these right?
(1) I was trying to tell you the truth but you cut the line (i.e. hang up
the phone).
(2) I was trying to call last night. When phone just rang once, you cut the

Seen in another group

I wonder what is the meaning of "to tell with somebody" in the
"reasons that would tell with both of them?"
Could it be "reasons that would reveal themselves in both of them?"
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