Which is more proper "rarest" or "most rare"?
Oct 28, 2014 · In the following usage, which is the correct form for the superlative of the adjective "rare"? "the rarest on Earth" or "the most rare on Earth"?
Why is a very rare steak called 'blue'?
Oct 21, 2016 · Quoting the BBC recipe site: How to cook the perfect steak [...] Blue: Should still be a dark colour, almost purple, and just warm. It will feel spongy with no resistance. Rare: Dark red in …
Whence comes the expression ‘’starve a cold, feed a fever?”
Jul 22, 2024 · What is the origin of the expression "starve a cold, feed a fever"? It is is used as basic (perhaps incorrect) medical advice for common illnesses.
When is "some" used as plural and when is it used as singular?
Feb 14, 2024 · I am trying to explain to an ESL student how to understand when to treat "some" as plural and when to treat it as singular. One clear rule is when "some" is the subject followed...
"call out" vs "call in" - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange
Dec 3, 2022 · Apparently, both call in sick and call out sick are used and there is a regional difference in usage in U.S. English. Based on a poll where 7493 US adults surveyed, calling in sick is the most …
capitalization - Should "pandemic" be capitalized when referring to ...
May 16, 2024 · It would be unusual, though hardly unacceptable, to capitalise the pandemic (to emphasise the magnitude). Thus Conrad Duncan, writing under the Imperial College London aegis, …
Which is correct: "one or more is" or "one or more are"?
Feb 18, 2011 · Both are used. Before the 1940s, "one or more are" was clearly more popular, but since then they seem roughly equally common.
Were clothes called "loud" because they actually made a noise?
Oct 4, 2020 · In the mid 19th century, taffeta was ‘loud’ The taffeta and silk used in dresses in the 1830s could have inspired the expression “loud clothes”. This is only a conjecture of mine but it is based on …
The origin of 'water breaking' during pregnancy
Feb 16, 2025 · Frequency and Register Note that all of these amnio‑ terms were specialist vocabulary found initially only in scientific and technical use. This remains largely true to this day, although …
Origin of the word "cum" - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange
Jan 4, 2011 · What is the origin of the word cum? I'm trying to find the roots for its prevalent usage, especially in North America.