Why did he say "mr" instead of "sir"? I think what's equivalent to "madam" which is used for the Vice President is "sir", no?

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

From my understanding, "Sir" used as a title in Britain means a "knight" or "baronet," so I assume the people who came up with the title "Mr. President" in the United States wanted to be respectful but didn't want it to be associated with a British knight's title. "Sir" these days is used more casually and still indicates respect towards a person. But in terms of titles, it wouldn't be appropriate for the USA's president. Ex: The Formula 1 driver, Lewis Hamilton, was knighted last year and is now a "Sir." Ex: Mr. President, would you like some coffee?

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Popular Q&As

05/30

1
Is it okay if there is no "the" in front of "Latest"?
Yes, it is okay to drop the definite article "the" in front of "latest" here. Although the noun "latest figures" is specific, it doesn't need an article in front of it because it is the subject of the sentence and it is plural. Ex: Dogs are usually bigger than cats. Ex: Doctors have never seen anything like this disease before.

2
What's "big deal" mean and when's it used?
As a noun, if something is a "big deal," it means it is very important. It can also be used to mean that someone is very important. That something or someone is worth giving excessive attention or affection for. Although, as an exclamation, it means that something isn't very important. Ex: Getting the promotion was a big deal to him! Ex: The mayor is a big deal in this town. Ex: A: I'm going to be soccer captain this semester. B: Big deal. I was soccer captain last semester. => indicates that it's not great, a bit of a rude tone.

3
What does "hold the horses" mean?
"Hold the horses," or more accurately, "hold your horses," means to slow down, stop, or hold on. It is a slang expression used when someone wants to caution against making a hasty decision. Ex: Hold your horses! We don't know the final outcome yet. Ex: Whoa, hold your horses! We haven't arrived yet.

4
What does "blonk out" mean?
This may be a misunderstanding due to the speaker's accent. "Blonk out" is not an expression that is used. The speaker most likely means "blanked out," meaning to block out a memory or forget something, or "blacked out," which means to lose consciousness suddenly. The latter makes more sense considering the context (he was "found" bruised in a strange place.) Ex: He blacked out at the party and had to be driven to the hospital. Ex: I won't let you drink anymore if you keep blacking out. Ex: I want to blank out all my memories of the incident.

5
Why is 'play' being used after 'at' here?
The term "play group" is used to mean an organised group providing care and socialization for children under five. It is a common phrase in the United Kingdom and is often used as a noun in the same way as "school", "church" or "work". Therefore "at play group" simply refers to the place that they have been. Ex: I've been at work all day. Ex: I don't want to spend more than a few hours at church. Ex: What did you do today at play group?

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