Rebecca
"Trials" is often used to mean a thing, person, or situation that is testing, difficult, or troublesome. Thus, "trials of apartment hunting" can be understood to mean the "difficulties of apartment hunting." Ex: Once you graduate, you will experience the trials of work life. Ex: The trials of parenthood can be very stressful.
06/17
1
What does "empirical" mean? Does it have the same meaning as "decisive" or "significant"?
"Empirical" means that something, a statement or idea, is based on something that has been experienced or that can be seen. It is not simply a theory. It is not the same as "decisive" which is more about how the information will be used, or "significant", which about how quantity. Ex: We have no empirical evidence that the business is in trouble, so there is no need to worry. Ex: My experiment provided a lot of empirical data.
2
What’s the difference between “to replace” and “replacing”?
The definitions are the same, the only difference is the tense of the verb. "To replace" is the base form of the verb. "Replacing" is the present participle form of the verb. "Replace" means to take the place of something. Ex: I need to replace those lights. Ex: We are replacing the carpet in the living room.
3
Can "be thought to" be an alternative to "be considered to"?
Yes! "Be thought to" is an alternative to "be considered to." Ex: They're considered to be one of the most famous bands in the world. = They're thought to be one of the most famous bands in the world. Ex: Dogs were considered to spread diseases.
4
What does "happy/happily ever after" mean?
The whole phrase "happy/happily ever after" refers to a couple living the rest of their lives happily. This phrase is often used at the end of fantasy stories or fairytales. This phrase is not used in conversational English. Ex: After the wedding, the prince and princess lived happily ever after.
5
Is the phrase "Nails scratchin' my back tatt” some kind of metaphor?
"Nails scratchin' my back tatt" is actually an example of a sexual innuendo. The rapper is alluding to the act of sex, describing the action of when the woman scratches his back (or back tattoo) when they are having sex. You will notice other context clues when looking at the song title ("Bad Things") and listening to the rest of the lyrics, which also describe the same act in other ways.
Complete the expression with a quiz!
