Can I say "organize" instead of "rearrange" in this context? Or are they not interchangeable?

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

In this context, you can use "organise" instead of "rearrange"! They are not always interchangeable. Sometimes something can be "organised" and still be "rearranged" after that. "Rearrange" comes from the word "arrange" which means to organise or order, so if you "rearrange" something you change the order of it. Ex: I see you had your shoes lined up by colour. I rearranged them by style and size. Ex: What a nice flower arrangement you have on your table! Where did you get them from? Ex: I organised my food cupboard this morning. It was such a mess!

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Popular Q&As

03/11

1
What's the main difference between being "small" and "compact?"
In this context, to be "compact" means to take up little space (compared to other things) or to be neatly arranged in a small space. It's usually used in a positive way to express the utility and convenience of something that is small. In comparison, "small" is an adjective used to describe size only. Ex: This backpack is too small to fit all my books. Ex: The company is trying to develop a smaller-sized battery. Ex: My portable battery is compact and convenient to carry around. Ex: For people living in highly-populated cities, a compact car is a better choice than SUVs or larger car models.

2
Can I say "go meet him" instead of "go to meet him" here?
Yes, you can say "go meet him" here instead of "go to meet him". There is no real difference between these two expressions except that the preposition "to" emphasizes the action of going somewhere in "go to meet him". However, both are correct in this case. Ex: I always go meet her for coffee every Friday. Ex: Lets go to meet them on Christmas.

3
What does "Any minute now" mean?
"Any minute now" means that something will happen very soon; in a short amount of time. Gru is telling Agnes that the fairy princess will be arriving to her birthday party very soon. Ex: A: Are we there yet? B: Any minute now! A: Thank goodness! We have been in the car for hours. Ex: A: When will grandma and grandpa get here? B: I just got off the phone with them, they will be here any minute now. A: Yay! Can't wait to see them! Ex: The pilot will be landing the plane at the airport any minute now.

4
Since they have similar meaning, can I simply use "see" instead of "look at"?
Yes, in this context they can both be used. However, it's a bit redundant to use the same verb twice in such a short sentence, so the speaker has used both "look" and "see" here for variety. Ex: Look at that ship over there! Ex: Do you see the ship over there?

5
What does "little mean" mean?
"Mean" means to act evil or wicked to someone. Normally, you be mean to people you don't like, or a naughty kid might be mean to his/her parents. "Little mean" means to be slightly mean. Ex: Don't be mean to her. She is just a little kid. Ex: The waiter was so mean to me that I didn't want to tip him.

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