Trending
- 01.I don't know why the "-ing" form(starting) is used, not the infinitive(start).
"Starting" here is used as a gerund, which is a word that ends in the "[verb]-ing" form but acts like a noun. You can use this form when you want to speak about things generally, but perhaps the action (verb) you want to speak about does not have a noun form. An alternative for "there are advantages to starting early" would be "there are advantages [for] when you start early." Ex: I'm a huge hiking fan. Ex: There are many advantages to learning how to cook.
- 02.Can I use "postpone" instead of "delay" here?
These words actually have different meanings. When something has been "postponed," it means that it has been pushed back or rescheduled for another time in the future. Meanwhile, to be "delayed" means that something wasn't able to start on time/started late due to a conflict, condition, or situation. So while they are somewhat related in idea, they are used differently. Ex: Let's postpone our meeting to next Wednesday. Ex: The concert was delayed for 10 minutes.
- 03.Can I use the word "marry" to animals as well?
No, it is not generally correct to use the word "marry" for animals, since animals don't get married like humans. In the context of the video, they use the word "marry" since this story is fictional and not reality.
- 04.What is the "American Civil War?"
The American Civil War was a civil war (fought between citizens of the same country) that took place in the United States from 1861 to 1865. It was fought between the Union and the Confederacy (a collection of Southern states that chose to secede), mainly over the issue of slavery. The Confederacy wanted to keep slavery as an institution, as they benefited most from Black slave labor in their large plantations in the south. Comparatively, the Union consisted of well-established manufacturing and other industries. Other causes for the war included disagreements over state rights and national expansion towards the west.
- 05.What does "tinder" mean in this video?
"Tinder" in this context is the name of a popular app for online dating that started in the United States but is now popular worldwide.
- 06.Is "blast from the past" an idiomatic expression?
Indeed it is! "Blast from the past" is an idiomatic expression that represents nostalgia; something or someone from the past that one hasn't seen in a long time that brings back fond memories. This expression acts almost like a reminder of something that almost has been forgotten. The professor says "blast from the past" because the pants he pulled out reminds him of old memories and nostalgia of the past. Ex: Every time I see a bright light toy, it's a blast from the past for me. Ex: Watching the Power Puff Girls is a blast from the past! Ex: Seeing his favorite childhood sweater was a blast from the past.
- 07.What does "uninterrupted" mean?
"Uninterrupted" means to not be disturbed or distracted by something or someone. "Interrupted" is the opposite. It means to be disturbed or distracted by something or someone. Ex: The couple was uninterrupted by their children and could watch a movie together. Ex: Surprisingly her speech was uninterrupted.
- 08.Are "exactly" and "precisely" always interchangable?
Yes, usually "exactly" and "precisely" are interchangeable. To be "exact" means that something is right on point, or "precise". So "exactly" and "precisely" express generally the same meaning.
- 09.What does "ever-changing" mean?
"Ever-changing" means "constantly changing". Ex: My feelings about him are ever-changing. I don't know if I like him. Ex: Fashion styles are ever-changing. Every season something new is trendy.
- 010.I don't really get when we should use 'It's the time' and 'It's time'. Can you explain a bit?
Good question. Generally, "its time" is used to refer to the present moment and speaks of things more generally. Ex: It's time for bed. Ex: It's time for our company to begin looking for new investors. When "the" is used in front of "time," it is referring to something rather specific. Ex: It's the time of year when cherry blossom trees start blooming. Ex: It's the time of the month when business is better than usual.
See all contents
Here, "Consign" means to assign or commit permanently. And you're right. It doesn't have a very positive meaning here, since it implies that the item will never be used and kept in the closet forever. Other meanings of "consign" include: delivering something to someone's custody, or to send goods by a carrier. Ex: I consigned my birthday cards to the third drawer of my dressing table. Ex: I'm consigning one of my artworks to the gallery in town. Ex: The package has been consigned to a courier. It'll arrive tomorrow!
Unfortunately, "after eight hours" by itself can't be used because it is not specific enough. The phrase "in eight hours" means "after eight hours from now". Only using "after eight hours" could refer to that eight-hour time frame beginning at any time. An example of how you could use the phrase "after eight hours" is, "After eight hours of sleep, I feel refreshed."
Yes, in this case you can replace "entirely" with "all". Both "all" and "entirely" are adverbs and they have very similar meanings, so you can often use them interchangeably. However, "entirely" is a bit more formal and can more strongly emphasize that something is complete, whereas "all" does not have the same emphasis. Ex: I spilled the drink all on my shirt. Ex: I spilled the drink entirely on my shirt. Even though "all" means that something is "complete" or "whole", it does not imply that something is totally covered with something because "all" is often used to exaggerate something that is not complete or whole. So when used to describe something complete or whole, "all" sounds less strong.
"Scared to pieces" is an idiom that means to be extremely scared. Ex: I was scared to pieces in the haunted house. Ex: She scared me to pieces yesterday.
Of all the synonyms listed by Wiktionary, the most formal option seems to be "absurdity". As a replacement for nonsense, I'd use the plural, absurdities. *Wiktionary is a multilingual, web-based project to create a free content dictionary of all words in all languages.
