The English Oracle

Videos

What do you call something that causes fear?

15K

How much of the English lexis comes from each of its influences?

5.2K

Is there a more informal or slang alternative to "couple" for two youths in a relationship?

6K

How are artificial constructions such as l33t classified with regards to English?

207

"I would like to ask you a favour" vs. "I would like to ask you for a favour"

438.3K

Is there a word for a person who believes all events - past, present and future - have all been predetermined?

4.4K

articles with the possessive nouns in the plural

12.9K

Comma usage in "One of the..., is ..."

978

Word for "when someone does something good for you and then mentions it persistently afterwards"

7.9K

Is "girls" a suitable complementary term to go along with "guys"?

2.1K

Is there a word for when an action has an effect opposite to the one intended?

90.2K

Short stride - is there such a thing?

792

'The company I work for' cannot be shortened to 'My company'?

12.4K

The difference between slick and sleek

25.8K

Is there a single word that means 'adding more details' or 'enriching with information'

71.3K

"Much more simple" or "much more simpler"

33.2K

It is "relating to" or "related to"?

173.9K

Using word "hate" in American English

783

What does "If wishes were fishes we'd all swim in riches" mean?

142.8K

What is the term for a situation where you need to do first in order to do second, but to do first you need to do second?

201

Using "on" vs. "in"?

3.4K

What's a title for a founder no longer with a company?

8.1K

Creating words with "-able" suffix

7.2K

“What is the plural form of the grades A-, A+, B+, etc.?”

3.8K

Can we use two pronouns side by side?

3.5K

Is an ampersand formal?

7.2K

Word for physical resistance / resisting another's onslaught?

981

Word for someone who's incompetent

4K

"Plan to do" vs. "plan on doing"

338.1K

Antonym for lying?

6.6K

What is a person who fakes responses on a survey?

5.5K

/ɪə/, /eə/, /ʊə/ as phonemes?

1.7K

"To be subject to" vs. "to be subjected to"

282.5K

Is “It (North Korea) had a deep bench of (brutal madmen)” a common English phrase?

1.7K

Using "?:" after a question

610

How do you decide which phrase to use when asking people to repeat what they said?

16.9K

Is there a specific word for this kind of re-sealable plastic seal?

19K

Does a whole "compose" its parts?

263

Does one "drive" a motorcycle or "ride" it?

209.5K

What is the origin of the phrase "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade"?

19.6K

What's the meaning of "bootstrap"?

8.4K

"Participate at" vs "Participate in"

375.1K

Is there a word/expression that would correspond to something like "self-distance"?

19.7K

What is the term used to define an answer which does not offend anyone?

4.5K

Was "man" a gender-neutral word in common usage at some point?

19.8K

Apparent trill in the "br" of "bridge"

169

Word for: "dislike of people that has same gender as speaker"

2K

What does "clutching at straws" mean?

38K

Can or should "ask" ever be used as a noun?

30.9K

What's the matter?

885