Questions tagged [meaning-in-context]
This tag is for questions about the meaning of a word or a phrase in a specific context, which a dictionary cannot answer. Please give as much context as possible.
10,377 questions
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The meaning of "Minutes after they took I From the bottomless pit" [closed]
Old pirates, yes, they rob I
Sold I to the merchant ships
Minutes after they took I
From the bottomless pit
But my hand was made strong
By the hand of the Almighty
We forward in this generation
...
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What does Emma mean by “Come” here?
In the film Emma (2020), Emma Woodhouse, a wealthy young woman, speaks to Harriet Smith, her friend and pupil. Harriet praises Robert Martin:
Harriet: I believe he's very clever. He understands ...
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What does the phrase “no doubt of your being” mean in this context?
In the film Emma (2020), Emma speaks to Harriet Smith about her social standing:
Emma: The misfortune of your birth, Harriet, ought to make you
particularly careful as to your associates. There can ...
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What does "Wanting for nothing" refer to? [closed]
At the wedding scene in the film Emma (2020), Miss Bates is speaking to Emma and
comments on the joyful atmosphere:
Miss Bates: Is this not the most happy, happy, the most fortunate?
This morning I ...
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Is the expression, "don't touch my cake" only food related?
I came across this expression, "don't touch my cake". Googling results seems to indicate that it is mainly related to food. But I was wondering if it is also applicable to instances of ...
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What does "lot grayer" mean?
In F1 (2025) movie, News anchor questions Kasper, the APXGP F1 team principal, about aging American former Formula One (F1) prodigy Sonny Hayes:
News Anchor: Now, Kaspar, can we start with you, after ...
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What does "braided through thick iron rings" mean?
While playing a video game called "Divinity Original Sin II" I stumbled, yet another time, on the collocation "braided through" and just like the first time I failed to understand ...
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What does Grace mean by "from the server room"?
In Mission Impossible - The Final Reckoning (2025), Grace and Benji are discussing a bomb that has been activated. Benji explains that
even if they prevent the nuclear explosion, the conventional ...
4
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Simple present tense of "wear" vs. present progressive form of "wear"
Look at sentences (1) and (2) below.
John wears sunglasses for hours today.
John is wearing sunglasses for hours today.
In (1), the simple present tense of wear is used. In (2), the present ...
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Logic behind “pineapple percussions” meaning “doldrums” in Ted Lasso (S3E6) [closed]
In Ted Lasso season 3, episode 6, "Sunflowers", Coach Beard and Coach Ted share a brief exchange after the team loses a friendly match in Amsterdam and the players' spirits sink. It was the ...
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What does "One is five" mean?
In Ocean's Thirteen (2007), there's a brief exchange between Danny, Linus, and Rusty
that has me confused about the meaning of "One is five." The context is they're
discussing Willy Bank's ...
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1
answer
76
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Why? You couldn't reach him? (still a question)
The husband is at home on vacation with his son (Joe).
The wife's at work, and she texts her husband, "Where's Joe? Is he sleeping?"
The husband replies, "He's having a bath." But ...
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3
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Assumption or Conviction: "I know you wouldn't have spent 2 hours writing them."
The example is mine.
A manager needed to write comments for their colleagues' performance reviews. Having read the comments, the boss tells the manager:
That's fishy; the comments are too ornate. I ...
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Is it okay to just say "university"?
Is it okay to say:
I became careless after dropping out of the university.
Or do I have to clarify which university I dropped out of?
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What is the meaning of 'conceiving it to arise from' in this sentence
While I were was reading Berkeley's A Treatise concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge,I came across this sentence and I don't understand it very well seemingly due to part of 'conceiving it to ...
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Just x Only choice
From the research I have done, including consulting previous posts on this forum, I assume that in the sentence below both the use of "just" and "only" would be possible. But my ...
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. . . but keep edging her up, little by little, toward the point
From 'Life On The Mississippi" by Mark Twain
Continued Perplexities, Chapter IX (please scroll down until you reach number 112)
"Do you see that long slanting line on the face of the water? ...
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102
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Use of the verb "to grab" to refer to an abstract noun
Can the verb "to grab" be used figuratively to refer to an abstract noun, or a feeling, as in the sentence below?
This may sound insane, but when your country has been involved in a bloody ...
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3
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120
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Yesterday my friend asked me if I'd been to "either of them" == "both" OR "one of them"
The example is mine.
Our company has two offices; one is in Los Angeles, and the other's in
New York. Yesterday my friend asked me if I'd been to either of them.
The part in bold sounds ambiguous to ...
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"How long will it/you be to sleep" "How long will it/you take to sleep"
How long will it/you be to sleep
How long will it/you take to sleep
Could you please tell me If these questions are asking about the time required to complete the task or the time required to start a ...
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The interpretation of "in cold and in heat"
I am wondering how "in cold and in heat" is interpreted depending on the context, e.g.
John is a professional jumper. He jumps in cold and in heat.
This horse is trained to jump in cold and ...
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But now you don’t like something <they’re telling you> vs <they’re saying [to you]>
The dialogue is mine.
A: What’s the most annoying habit you’ve got?
B: I interrupt people a lot, especially when they’re trying to give me a piece of advice I don't like.
A: So, let’s imagine you’ve ...
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What does "Your lunatic, perhaps." mean?
In Nosferatu (2024), Von Franz insists Ellen is demonically possessed, not hallucinating, and not as
hyperbole, despite Sievers' suggestion and Harding's "You jest" dismissal. He
claims ...
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If Dr Wilhelm is single person so why corpses instead of corpse?
In Nosferatu (2024), Herr Hunter speaks to Dr Wilhelm about Orlok:
Herr Hunter: 'Twas he that invoked me. 'Twas I that was
chosen to serve him, for I know what he covets. And he shall
cast upon you ...
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Release of your confidentiality VS protect your confidentiality VS your confidentiality is their top priority
When you watch this, because you had the advantage of having direct conversations with Karl Rove about this, and because of way that he finally gave you a release of your confidentiality, you put it ...
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What does 'main' mean as a verb in an expression 'to main the animal'? [closed]
When watching a YouTube video, I came across an expression that sounded (and was transcribed in the auto-subtitles) like:
Hunting is killing. You are not trying to main the animals.
I wonder if '...
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Is 'to remove the doubts or fears of (someone).' grammatical?
In the definition of "reassure", Google Dictionary puts it this way:
say or do something to remove the doubts or fears of (someone).
I'm wondering if the use of preposition "of" ...
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"That's the Percodan talking ..."
Percodan is a drug. But I've no idea what Percodan talking means. My supposition is that it's about side effects of Percodan. Maybe the speaker has taken some of this drug, so now he's under Percodan'...
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Correct Way to Talk About People in a Photo
I want to caption a photo that has Nelson Mandela and Daniel arap Moi. Is it okay if I say "This is Nelson Mandela and Daniel arap Moi greeting the Kenyan people in 1993."? Or do I need to ...
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"I guess that just leaves you, huh?"
What does the following sentence mean? It looks like it just paraphrased phrase I guess that just you leave?, but if it had been this way, there wouldn't have been s at the ending of the verb (because ...
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Unusual usage of the phrase "are you kidding me?"
Now i'm confused about the usage of the phrase are you kidding me?. As we all know, it usually means are you being serious?. It can be used towards a person that said something unbelivible/surprising/...
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"If you want a ticket, get in line." — Why is it possible to use the countable noun "line" without any article?
oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com:
(1) If you want a ticket, get in line. — "Line" is countable here.
Why is it possible to use the countable noun "line" without any article?
What ...
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What does "play midwife" means?
What does "play midwife" mean in this sentence?
Seen in this Financial Times article:
Broken promises played midwife to Brexit and are capable of powering Reform — or a Conservative ...
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The phrase "Give or take a semester"
I have no idea what does the phrase give or take mean here. I know that it means approximately. But here it doesn't make sense. Like Angus said that he was still a junior (apparently, it means an 11th ...
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You'll have to <hammer out> vs <forge> a ten-inch blade without power tools [closed]
Our next challenge will definitely test your stamina:
You'll have to hammer out a ten-inch blade without any power tools.
You'll have to forge a ten-inch blade without any power tools.
Is there any ...
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Is this usage of "That's it!" non-standard?
Just curious what the exact meaning of the phrase in the following sentence. I guess, it means that the speaker is somewhat agreeing about his previous statement. Like: All what I've just said is a ...
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Usage of "they" as a singular pronoun
I've found not clear usage of they as a singular pronoun. As i think, there are two options here. It maybe simply means the same as he, but more informal and colloqial. Or on the other hand, it may ...
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"Grandfather comes from way back." — Why does "grandfather" not have an article?
thefreedictionary.com:
(1) Grandfather comes from way back.
Why is the countable noun "grandfather" without any article or any other determiner?
For example:
(2) Our grandfather comes from ...
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"They left on Monday, since when we have heard nothing." — Does "when" mean "which time" or "that time" here?
collinsdictionary.com:
one of the meanings of the word "when":
when = which time
the only example for this meaning:
(1) They left on Monday, since when we have heard nothing.
It seems to me ...
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"Will" for present belief
As far as I know, I can use "will" to talk about what I think is true right now
Now, he will be sleeping in his room
a. Is "will" in my example as strong as "must"?
"...
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"How could I know if they were playing cricket?"
"How could I know if they were playing cricket"? I know this is second conditional hypothetical sentence but can "Could clause" in this sentence also be interpreted as in "Can ...
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“Products of an animal nature” VS “animal-derived products” “products of animal origin”
A: I’ve decided to become a vegan.
B: Great news. From now on, your
shopping is going to take three times as much time as it used to.
A: Why?
B: I think now you’ll have to read all the labels ...
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Meaning of "nose" in this sentence
What does "nose" means in this context?
Internazionale are just a nose in front of Napoli on goal difference.
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What does "Take her to sea" mean if it's already out of port?
In Titanic (1997), Captain Edward of the Titanic, already out of port, commands
Mr. Murdoch:
Captain Edward: Take her to sea, Mr. Murdoch-Let's stretch her legs.
What does "Take her to sea"...
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Does "quality of life" fit these two contexts?
I checked the dictionary. "Comfort" is a definition of "quality of life". Can I use "quality of life" in the two contexts below sine they both are about comfort? I have a ...
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Meaning of "tye the key to one's belt" [closed]
What is the meaning of the expression "tying the key to your belt" in the dialogue below that I found in the movie Cocaine - One Man’s Seduction" from 1983:
Tad (Eddie's younger co-...
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Can this "Nor" sentence have more than one meanings?
Are these two sentences correct with "nor":
This thing was not greatly regarded. Nor was that thing imposed on someone.
and
This thing was not greatly regarded. Nor was that thing.
where ...
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"Make certain of your flight times before you leave for the airport." — Why is "times" in plural? Why just not "time"?
merriam-webster.com:
(1a) Make certain of your flight times before you leave for the airport.
Why is "your flight times" in plural?
Using "times" seems odd to me here.
What context ...
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1
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"a way that will get the best result" — What does "get" mean here? (Dictionaries don't say "get" can mean "give")
britannica.com:
(1) to maximize - to use (something) in a way that will get the best result
Perhaps "get" means "give" here. But I couldn't find the dictionary which would say &...
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What did J.D. Vance (VPOTUS) mean by "Chinese peasant"?
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/08/china/china-slams-vance-peasants-remarks-intl-hnk/index.html says that
“What has the globalist economy gotten the United States of America?
And the answer is, ...
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