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Questions tagged [expression-choice]

Choosing the best phrase FROM A GIVEN SELECTION for a particular context or meaning.

Use this tag for questions that are about choosing the best phrase to fit a particular situation. For a question to be tagged thus, the alternatives to choose from must be explicitly provided by the question asker. Please also provide as much detail as you can about the intended context or meaning.

This tag should be distinguished from:

  • — for questions about choosing between single words rather than longer phrases
  • — for questions about finding a phrase to fit a meaning, when you haven't yet found any alternatives to choose from
567 questions
57
votes
12 answers

What's the English equivalent of the Japanese saying, “A fart ruins 100 days of sermons by the priest (bishop)”?

I was amused by the expression "Paid a penny and only farted" (related by @FumbleFingers), which suggested a similar Japanese saying: 大山鳴動鼠一匹 - "Find only a small mouse coming out after hearing rumblings and experiencing shaking of the big…
Yoichi Oishi
  • 70,211
20
votes
8 answers

When do you use "Cheers" instead of "Thank you" in spoken English?

A lot of time, people say "cheers" instead of "thank you". As I am not a native speaker, I wonder in which case you can use what. It is used a lot for polite gestures, such as holding a door or giving someone a light. It is also more used if you…
Benjamin Crouzier
  • 621
13
votes
17 answers

A way to express an overreaction to something positive

I am looking for a word or an expression to describe an overreaction to positive news or positive events. Something that has to do with excessive enthusiasm like when you you are unable to control your emotions. Thanks
user66974
12
votes
10 answers

Expression to introduce an immodest statement

Portuguese has the expression "modéstia à parte" (literally: "modesty aside"), which is used to (still rather bluntly) introduce statements where the speaker praises himself. Is there something similar in English? Most translations here actually…
Artefacto
  • 281
11
votes
11 answers

How else can I express the concept of ' just to be on the safe side'

I always use this expression when I want to say that I just want to be prudent about something. Are there other ways to convey the same concept, other idioms or expressions I can use alternatively?
user66974
9
votes
4 answers

What can we call those ladies?

I am looking for a word or expression to describe those ladies, usually high society ladies, whose main aim in life is to find a good match for marriage and whose main activity is organising lunches or dinners for relatives and friends often to…
user66974
8
votes
2 answers

Should I use "half the time" or "half of the time"?

If I wanted to say that someone finished in 30 minutes when they had one hour to complete a given task, should I say "he did it in half the time" or "he did it in half of the time"?
The Contender
  • 81
8
votes
3 answers

Is there another expression for "my manager's manager"?

As the title says, is there another expression for "my manager's manager"? For example, in the large company I currently work for, there are 4 managers and the CEO above me. If there is no single expression for the manager's manager, what do people…
user102633
8
votes
6 answers

What is a word or expression to define that you have reached the limit of your capabilities?

I am referring to the stage where someone reaches his/her capabilities limits, especially professional limits. I am thinking about career advancements as well as the growth in professional life. We all reach our limit in that progress and going…
user66974
7
votes
3 answers

What is the common expression to describe position starting from the last one?

Suppose we have letters: a, b, c, d, e, f ,g. I want to describe the position of letter "e" starting from right hand side, what should I use? "e" is the last third letter. "e" is the third last letter. "e" is the last but two letters. Which one is…
Jiang
  • 197
7
votes
1 answer

"extension of" or "extension to"?

What is better English: "We describe some extensions to the basic model" or "We describe some extensions of the basic model"? In a Google search, I found both of them, so maybe both are legal in different contexts?
Erel Segal-Halevi
  • 302
6
votes
6 answers

another phrase to express dwelled on

After the incident he dwelled on the issues surrounding the incident. What would be other substitutes to express the idea conveyed by "dwell on?" I considered "mull over", "ruminate", "moped about", etc., but these terms don't communicate the…
Joe Black
  • 970
5
votes
1 answer

Saying that the mail has an attached form filled up by me?

Let's say I'm writing a letter to a university and my mail has an application form attached to it. How can I say it in a more formal and concise way than "Please see the attached application form that I filled up." or "Please find attached my…
damat-perdigannat
  • 205
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  • 8
4
votes
3 answers

Is "many fewer combinations" correct?

Is the expression "many fewer combinations" correct? It only gets about 600 hits on Google, against 1,200 for "a lot fewer combinations". What would be a correct way of expressing the idea contained in "many fewer combinations"? would it be best…
Eric O. Lebigot
  • 273
3
votes
1 answer

"More precisely" usage

After describing a certain issue in a more general manner I want to outline the inner details of it. Is it correct to start the paragraph whose purpose it is to give to the reader the detailed explanation with the following expression? More…
utxeee
  • 2,415
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