(Collection of English tips from” HINDU daily paper” from Jan 2005 to Jan

2009)
URL: www.hinduonnet.com/nic/kye

INTEGRATED BY

G.K.Mohanraj,
Program Analyst Trainee,
Cognizant Technology Solutions, Coimbatore,
99425 93682.
Write an e-mail to me: mohanraj.kandasamy@cognizant.com

1
 What is the meaning of "bury your head in the sand"?

(K. Praveen, Pune)

What happens when you `bury' or `hide' your head in the

sand? The most obvious thing is that you won't be able to
see anything! If you can't see anything, you will not know
what is happening around you. When a person buries his
head in the sand, he tries to run away from his problems; he
refuses to even acknowledge that he has any. Instead of
tackling the problem, he deliberately ignores it. By turning a
blind eye to it, he hopes that somehow the danger or trouble
will go away on its own! In other words, he is wishing it
away; he doesn't want to deal with it.

*You cannot continue to bury your head in the sand. We

need a plan of action.

When an ostrich is in danger and doesn't want to be

detected, it stays low and stretches out its long neck along
the ground. People thought the bird was trying to bury its
head in the sand - it wasn't!

S. UPENDRAN

When do you use `how ever'?

(G. Jayanthi, Pune)

Don't confuse `how ever' with `however'. `How ever' occurs

mostly in questions. The word `ever' is used to give
emphasis to various expressions. It is used to indicate
surprise, admiration, anger, etc.
2
*How ever did you manage to get the tickets for the movie?

The word `ever' is used to add emphasis to the question.

Notice that even without the word `ever', the questions
would be grammatically correct. According to some scholars,
`how ever' in these questions has the same meaning as "how
on earth". "How on earth did you get a job as teacher?"

"A man's face is his autobiography. A woman's face is her

work of fiction." Oscar Wilde

Why are street vendors sometimes referred to as

`costermongers'?

(I. Ranjani, Chennai)

The word `costermonger' is mainly used in British English to

refer to someone who sells fresh fruit, vegetables and fish on
the street. `Monger' means `seller or trader'; `coster', on
the other hand, is actually a corruption of an old English word
`costard', meaning `apple'. A `costardmonger' was someone
who sold apples

What is the meaning of the expression `no ifs and buts'?

(Bharanidharan, Sriperumbudur)

Very often when we tell children to do something, their

standard reply is, "But can't I do it later? I want to watch this
match on TV!" or something like that. They always try to
put things off, and they provide all kinds of excuses as to
why things should be postponed. They will keep arguing with
you till they are blue in the face. When you tell someone that
you don't want any `ifs and buts', what you mean is that you
want them to stop arguing and do what they have been told
3
to. It's your way of telling them to get on with their job. You
don't want to hear any more excuses.

*I don't want to hear any ifs and buts. You are not wearing
that dress to the party.

What is the difference between `obsolete' and `junk'?

(A. N. Manjunath, Palakkad)

First, let's deal with the pronunciation of `obsolete'. The first

syllable rhymes with `sob', `cob' and `mob'. The second `o'
is like the `a' in `china', and the final `lete' rhymes with
`neat', `beat', and `meat'. The main stress is on the final
syllable `lete'. When you say that something is `obsolete',
what you mean is that it has gone out of fashion; it is
outdated. It is no longer required or no longer in use because
something new and better has taken its place. For example,
computers have made typewriters obsolete; the `tonga',
which was quite popular once upon a time, has become
obsolete.

*We don't have spare parts for your computer. The model
has become obsolete.

`Junk', unlike the word `obsolete', is mostly used in informal

contexts. When you say that something is `junk', what you
mean is that it is worthless. The object is fit to be thrown
away. Something that is new, but is of no value, can also be
called `junk'. `Obsolete', on the other hand, does not carry
this meaning. The word merely suggests that the equipment
has become outdated it could be an outdated piece of
equipment that still works. A piece of junk, on the other
hand, could be an outdated piece of equipment which may or
may not work. Either way, you want to throw it away. Not
everyone throws away an obsolete piece of equipment.
4
*You've had that scooter for over 20 years now. Get rid of
the junk.

"It's clearly a budget. It's got a lot of numbers in it."

George W. Bush

S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning of `three dog night'?

(R. Vasanth, Chennai)

According to some scholars, the expression comes from

Down Under. Cowboys spend a lot of their time outdoors
looking after animals. During cold winter nights when the
temperature dips, the men often cuddle up with their dogs to
keep warm. When it is slightly cold, they need the body heat
of only one animal to keep warm; such a night is referred to
as `one dog night'. When it becomes extremely cold, the
men may need three dogs to keep warm. Such an extremely
cold night is referred to as `three dog night'. This practice of
embracing dogs for body warmth was quite common among
the Australian Aborigines.

*Take extra blankets. According to the forecast, it's going to

be a three dog night.

`Three Dog Night' is also the name of an American rock and

roll band. They were quite popular in the late 1960s and
early 1970s.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning of `ne plus ultra'?

5
(R. R. Prakash, Tiruchi)

The expression comes from Latin, and it means, `not further

beyond'. The ancient Greeks believed that this was the
expression that was inscribed on the Strait of Gibraltar - then
called, `Pillars of Hercules'. The inscription was meant to
warn sailors not to go any further westwards. If they did,
they would be sailing into unknown territory - the uncharted
waters of the Atlantic. Nowadays, `ne plus ultra' is used to
mean the highest level of excellence, something that is close
to perfection. The "e" in "ne" is pronounced like the "ay" in
"way", "hay", and "ray", while the "u" in "ultra" sounds like
the "u" in "cut", "hut", and "but". Here is an example.

*Bala's career with the organisation reached its ne plus ultra

when he was appointed Managing Director

Why do pilots shout `Mayday, Mayday' when they are in trouble?

(V. B. Mukund, Trissur)

When a pilot is in serious trouble and wishes to let air-traffic

control know that he has a problem, he usually shouts,
`Mayday, Mayday, Mayday'. The term is always shouted
three times in a row. The expression `Mayday' has been
used as an international distress signal in radio
communications since 1927. `Mayday' has nothing to do with
the month of May. The expression comes from the French
`m'aider', which is the shortened form of `venez m'aider',
meaning `come

What is the meaning of `Red-corner notice'?

(Praveen Kumar, Karaikal)

What happens when a criminal from India evades arrest and

flees to another country? How do we get the person back so
6
that he can stand trial here? In such cases, the country gets
in touch with Interpol and asks it to issue a Red-corner
notice. If the government knows in which country the
criminal is hiding, it asks Interpol to issue the Red-corner
notice to that country. A `Red-corner notice' is an arrest
warrant circulated by Interpol on behalf of the government of
a particular country. It is a request from one country to
another to arrest and deport the wanted individual. In the old
days, we had `wanted' posters. Nowadays, we have Red-
corner notices.

*Interpol issued a Red-corner notice for the gang leader in

2001.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning of `snit'?

(G. G. Laxman, Mangalore)

When you are extremely agitated or irritated about

something, you are said to be in a snit. The expression `in a
snit' can also be used to mean `in an angry mood'. It carries
the suggestion that you are being unreasonably angry or
annoyed. `Snit' is mostly used in informal contexts. As for
the origin, no one is really sure where the word comes from.

*The children were in a snit because I refused to let them

watch the match.

What is the meaning and origin of the expression, `to be called

on the carpet'?

(R. Akash, Jaipur)

When you are called on the carpet, you are usually

questioned by someone in authority. In most cases, you are
7
rebuked and are held accountable for a mistake or an
offence.

*The students were called on the carpet for cheating in the

exam.

In the old days, most offices did not have a carpet. Only the
most important people in the organisation were given one.
Therefore, when you say that someone was called on the
carpet, what you mean is that a person in a subordinate
position was called to the boss' room to face the music. The
person literally stood on the carpet while the boss gave him a
piece of his mind.

How is the word `schedule' pronounced?

(Devashish Bora, New Delhi)

The word is pronounced differently depending on which side

of the Atlantic you are from. The British pronounce the
`sched' like the word `shed'; the following `ule' sounds like
the word `Yule'. The Americans, on the other hand,
pronounce the `sch' like the `sk' in `skip' and `skin'. The `d'
that follows sounds like the `j' in `jam' and `jazz'. The final
`ule' rhymes with `cool' and `pool'. In both cases, the stress
is on the first syllable.

*Raj was disappointed because nothing went according to

schedule.

"The perfect love affair is one which is conducted entirely by

post." G. B. Shaw

What is the difference between `hat' and `cap'?

8
(V. Prabhakar, Krishnagiri)

Both are used to cover the head of an individual. Caps

usually fit tightly around the head, and they don't have a
brim a flat edge that goes all around a hat. A cap is
usually made of soft material, and is equipped with a visor in
the front. Hats, on the other hand, are grander than caps.
They vary in shape and are usually worn on formal
occasions; caps are never worn to official functions such as
state dinners. Both men and women have been wearing hats
for a long time. In fact, a couple of centuries ago, a married
woman had to wear a hat when she went out this was to
let people know that she was married. Single women, on the
other hand, were allowed to go hatless.

What is the meaning of `out of kilter'?

(G. Prassana, Mumbai)

The expression, mostly used in British English, has several

different meanings. When you say that a machine is out of
kilter, what you mean is that it is not in proper working
order. It is malfunctioning.

*Our TV has been out of kilter for the past two weeks.

Other expressions which have more or less the same

meaning are `on the blink' and `out of whack'.

*Our old tape recorders are out of whack. They need to be

replaced.

When you say that someone's opinion is `out of kilter', what

you mean is that it is different from those of others.

*The president's views were out of kilter with public opinion.

9
As for the origin, well, no one is really sure where the
expression comes from.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the difference between `squirrel something away' and

`squirrel out of something'?

(N. Mythreye, Chennai)

Squirrels spend most of their summer getting ready for the

winter. They gather nuts and hide them away so that they
can eat them when food becomes scarce. So, when you say
that someone has `squirreled something away', what you
mean is that he has hidden or stored something away in
order to use it later on.

*I'm told that Rajesh has been squirreling away money for
several years now.

When you succeed in `squirreling out of something', you

manage to escape doing what you were supposed to do. You
get out of a situation you do not wish to be in.

*Babu will do anything he can to squirrel out of going to the

dentist.

*Listen to me! You have to do it. Don't you dare try to

squirrel out of it.

"Life is like a dogsled team. If you ain't the lead dog, the
scenery never changes." Lewis Grizzard

S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning and origin of the idiom `dark horse'?

10
(L. Balagopal, Hyderabad)

With the World Cup matches under way, this idiom has
become very popular among sports columnists. When
Bangladesh defeated New Zealand in a warm-up match, it
became the dark horse of the tournament. In the context of
sports, when you say someone is a dark horse, what you
mean is that very little is known about the person's ability.
Since people don't know how well the individual plays,
chances are, he may end up surprising his opponents he
may even end up winning the tournament!

*According to my favourite columnist, there are two or three

dark horses in the tournament.

*Sanjay is a dark horse for a medal in the 200 metres event.

The expression comes from the world of horse racing. I

understand that when placing a bet on a horse, punters
(people who bet on horses) take into account the animal's
lineage and its win-loss record. If this information is not
available, then the bettors have no way of knowing what the
strengths and weaknesses of the animal are. They are kept
in the `dark' about the capability of the animal. Such a horse
is known as a `dark horse'. The expression was first used by
Disraeli in his novel, `The Young Duke'.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning and origin of `white paper'?

(A. Raghava Rao, Hyderabad)

We often read in newspapers that the government has issued

a white paper on some matter. A `white paper' is an official
report, in which the government outlines its policy on an
issue of current concern. The report is usually not very bulky,
11
and it is made available to the public. Such a report began to
be called `white paper' because it was bound in paper of that
colour. A couple of weeks ago, a judge said that corrupt
individuals must be hanged from lamp posts. Since there are
some people of questionable reputation in Parliament, it
would be interesting to see if the government brings out a
white paper regarding this matter.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the opposite of `feminist'?

(M. Rajesh, Trichy)

A feminist, in simplistic terms, is someone who advocates

equal rights for women. A man who believes that men should
have the same rights as women is called a `hominist'. This is
not a new word. George Bernard Shaw coined it in 1903 in
his preface to `Man and Superman'. Another word that is
commonly used now is `masculinist'.

S. UPENDRAN

Is it OK to say, `It was a good movie indeed'?

(K. Jayaraman, Kozhikode)

We often hear sentences like this. People who are fond of

grammar, however, would frown at such a sentence. They
would argue that the sentence would have been
grammatically acceptable if the word `indeed' had come
immediately after the verb `was' - `It was indeed a good
movie'. Similarly, it is OK to say, `The behaviour of the
students was indeed bad', but not `The behaviour of the
students was bad indeed.' If you wish to have `indeed' at the
12
end of these sentences, then you need to put the word `very'
in front of the adjective good/bad.

*It was a very good movie indeed.

*The behaviour of the students was very bad indeed.

"The only `ism' that Hollywood believes in is plagiarism."

Dorothy Parker

S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning of `murfing'?

(C. Ashok, Vellore)

Very often when we surf the Net for information, we end up

visiting sites that we don't really need to. We spend a lot of
time moving from one site to another because we find the
contents rather interesting though they may not provide
us with the information that we actually need! This aimless
surfing of the Net that we indulge in is called `murfing'.

*Uma spent the afternoon murfing `diabetes', and ended up

learning more about dowry deaths.

Today, the word has taken on an additional meaning.

`Murfing' is seen as a combination of `mobile' and `surfing'.
With advances in technology, it is now possible to surf the
Net on your mobile phone.

S. UPENDRAN

How is the word `brusque' pronounced?

(T. Indumathi, Bangalore)

13
There are different ways of pronouncing this word. The
Americans pronounce the `u' like the `u' in `cut', `hut', and
`but', while the British pronounce it like the `oo' in `cool',
`fool', and `pool'. The final `que', in both cases, is
pronounced like the `sk' in `mask', `task', and `flask'. When
you say that someone's behaviour is `brusque', what you
mean is that the person is rather curt in other words, rude
or rough. The person doesn't say much, but when he speaks,
he sounds rude.

*Don't worry! I'm not going to be put off by his brusque

replies.

The word `brusque' comes from the Italian `brusco' meaning

`sour' or `sharp'. The same word was also used to refer to a
prickly plant (`butcher's broom'). Perhaps it was in this
sense that `brusque' was used when it was borrowed into
English someone as disagreeable as the butcher's broom.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning of `nook and cranny'?

(J. Karthick, Nellore)

The word `nook' rhymes with `hook', `book', and `cook'.

Since the 14th century, the word has been used to refer to a
remote corner or secluded spot. The `a' in `cranny' is like
the `a' in `apple', `ant', and `add'. A `cranny' is a crack or
an opening of some kind for example, a crack in the wall
can be referred to as a `cranny'. When you say that you
have looked for something in every nook and cranny, what
you mean is that you have looked for it everywhere.

*The children looked for the ball in every nook and cranny,
but they couldn't find it.

14
S. UPENDRAN

What is the difference in meaning between `sicken at' and `sicken

of'?

(C. Bindu, New Delhi)

Sometimes, the very thought of something makes you sick;

you are horrified or repulsed by it. That's what the
expression `sicken at' means.

*The children sickened at the idea of having to clean public

toilets.

When you `sicken of' something, you get bored or tired of it.
In other words, you get sick of it. It is also possible to sicken
of a person.

*Many students were beginning to sicken of the strike.

"All the things I really like to do are either immoral, illegal, or

fattening." Alexander Woollcott

S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning and origin of `make no bones about it'?

(B. Raghvender, Vishakapatnam)

When you say that someone makes no bones about

something, what you mean is that the person is very frank
about it; he speaks plainly, and does not attempt to hide the
truth. For example, if a person makes no bones about a

15
scandal in his past, he talks about it candidly at times,
leaving the listener embarrassed!

The teachers made no bones about their dissatisfaction with

the contents of the article.

Radha made no bones about her dislike for crossword

puzzles.

Some scholars believe that the idiom comes from games

played with `dice'. During the early 14th century, dice were
made from bones; therefore, it comes as no surprise that the
slang term for these small cubes was `bones'. I understand
that even today, it is common practice among gamblers to
talk to their dice and blow kisses on them before throwing
them on the table. When a person makes `no bones about
it', he rolls the dice without really doing any of these things.
In other words, he doesn't plead with the dice to give him a
particular number. This is just one of the explanations for the
origin of the idiom.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning and origin of `make no bones about it'?

(B. Raghvender, Vishakapatnam)

When you say that someone makes no bones about

something, what you mean is that the person is very frank
about it; he speaks plainly, and does not attempt to hide the
truth. For example, if a person makes no bones about a
scandal in his past, he talks about it candidly at times,
leaving the listener embarrassed!

The teachers made no bones about their dissatisfaction with

the contents of the article.

16
Radha made no bones about her dislike for crossword
puzzles.

Some scholars believe that the idiom comes from games

played with `dice'. During the early 14th century, dice were
made from bones; therefore, it comes as no surprise that the
slang term for these small cubes was `bones'. I understand
that even today, it is common practice among gamblers to
talk to their dice and blow kisses on them before throwing
them on the table. When a person makes `no bones about
it', he rolls the dice without really doing any of these things.
In other words, he doesn't plead with the dice to give him a
particular number. This is just one of the explanations for the
origin of the idiom.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning of `mealy mouthed'?

(K. Suresh Kumar, Srivilliputtur)

We often meet people who are hesitant to say what is on

their mind. When something unpleasant happens, they refuse
to speak plainly or openly about the matter. When you say
that someone is `mealy mouthed', what you mean is that the
individual is not frank or sincere. He is not brave enough or
honest enough to speak his mind. The term is normally used
to show contempt for an individual.

*Jai is a young, mealy-mouthed politician that people just

love to hate.

Food that is dry and powdery is often referred to as being

`mealy'. So when you say that someone is `mealy-mouthed',
what you mean is that the person has something dry and
powdery in his mouth. He is therefore unable to speak
clearly. According to scholars, the expression comes from the
17
German `Mehl im Maule behalten', meaning `to carry a meal
in the mouth'.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning and origin of `to read the riot act'?

(J. Sandhya, Hyderabad)

When you read someone the riot act, what you are doing is
giving him a severe scolding. You are angrily telling the
individual that if the same thing happens again, he will get
into serious trouble.

*Listen, you guys! If you don't clean this mess up, the coach
will read you the riot act.

The Riot Act was a law that came into effect in Britain in
1715. This law had to be passed because of the unstable
political situation in the country. The Riot Act made it illegal
for 12 or more people to assemble in public places.
Whenever a group gathered, it was the job of the Magistrate
or the policeman to stand in front of the crowd and read
aloud the Act. If the people did not disperse after hearing the
proclamation, they were arrested and put in prison,
sometimes for several years!

S. UPENDRAN

Is it OK to say, `It costs very much money'?

(R. Prem Kumar, Mysore)

No, it isn't. Normally with verbs like `cost', `eat' and `pay',
we generally don't use `very much' - especially in affirmative
18
sentences. We cannot say, `I ate very much ice cream' or `I
had to pay very much'. We normally use `a lot' with these
verbs. For example, we say, `I ate a lot of ice cream', `I had
to pay a lot in taxes', and `The new TV costs a lot'. It is,
however, possible to use `very much' with these verbs in
questions.

Did the new TV cost very much?

Did you have to pay very much as rent?

One can also use `cost' and `pay' with `very much' in
negative sentences. For example, it is grammatically
acceptable to say, `It doesn't cost very much' and `You don't
really have to pay very much.'

S. UPENDRAN

upendrankye@gmail.com

What is the difference between `odorous' and `odious'?

(Shakunthala, Chennai)

When you say that someone is `odious', you are implying

that the person is extremely unpleasant. The individual
deserves our contempt and hatred. The word is normally
used in formal contexts, and can be used with things as well.

*Ritu is certainly the most odious teenager that I've ever

met.

The word `odorous' is related to `odour', meaning `smell'.

When you say that something is `odorous' what you mean is
that it has a strong and distinctive smell. The smell can be
either pleasant or unpleasant.

19
"The word `politics' is derived from the word `poly' meaning
`many', and the word `ticks', meaning `blood sucking
parasites'." Larry Hardman

S. UPENDRAN

upendrankye@gmail.com

What is the meaning of `wimpy'?

(B. Yogesh, Chennai)

When you call someone a `wimp', you mean that he is a very

weak and timid individual; he is spineless. Other words that
have more or less the same meaning are `drip' and `wuss'.

*Don't be such a wimp, Raju. Just go ahead and take the

plunge.

*How can you ask someone wimpy like Karthick to be the

next President?

The expression `wimp out' is being used nowadays in

informal contexts to mean the same thing as `chicken out'.
When you `wimp out' of doing something, you get out of
doing it because you are very scared.

*Sagar said that he would go bungee jumping with me. At

the last minute, he wimped out.

*If you're serious about doing it, let me know. I don't want
you to wimp out.

According to some scholars, the word `wimpy' comes from

the word `whimper'. Others believe that it comes from the
name of a character in a well-known cartoon show, `Popeye'.
J. Wellington Wimpy, affectionately called `Wimpy', is

20
Popeye's friend. Unlike the star of the show, there's nothing
heroic about this roly-poly character. Wimpy is spineless; he
never participates in any of the fights that Popeye is
constantly getting himself into. The only thing Wimpy enjoys
doing is eating hamburgers! "I'd gladly pay you tomorrow for
a hamburger today" is his favourite line.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning of `subaltern'?

(Renjith, Bangalore)

It means `subordinate'. The word was originally a term used

in the army to refer to any commissioned officer below the
rank of a captain. In British English, the `a' and the `e' are
pronounced like the `a' in `china', and the main stress is on
the first syllable. In American English, the `u' and the `e' are
like the `a' in `china', and the `a' is like the `au' in `aught'
and `caught'. The main stress, in this case, is on the second
syllable. Nowadays, the term is used to refer to the
underprivileged or the disadvantaged.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the difference between `impulsive' and `compulsive'?

(N. Jayashree, Madurai)

Some people are compulsive liars. What this means is that

these individuals are addicted to lying; they just cannot stop
lying. Lying is an obsession for them. Similarly, a person who
is a compulsive gambler has to gamble; he cannot refrain
from gambling. Even when he has run up a huge debt, he will

21
beg, borrow or steal money and continue to gamble. He will
be unable to kick the habit.

*It was during the honeymoon that he realised that his wife
was a compulsive eater.

Something that you do `impulsively', you do spontaneously.

When a fast bowler bowls a bouncer, most batsmen
impulsively duck. You may lie impulsively on an occasion;
this doesn't mean that you lie all the time. In other words,
you are not a `compulsive liar'. You are not constantly
thinking about lying it just happens. A compulsive smoker
or gambler constantly craves for the things that he is
addicted to.

"A woman's mind is cleaner than a man's. She changes it

more often." Oliver Herford

What is the meaning and origin of the idiom "let the chips fall
where they may"?

(M. Ramakanth, Mumbai)

This is an expression that is mostly used in American English.

When you say `let the chips fall where they may', what you
mean is, do whatever you have to do without worrying too
much about the consequences of your action. In other words,
do the right thing and don't worry about the fallout. Let
things happen naturally; do not make an attempt to try to
control everything.

*The minister said that he would speak from the heart, and
let the chips fall where they may.

The `chips' has nothing to do with the chips we normally eat.

This idiom comes from the world of logging. When you chop
down a tree using an axe, every time you hit the tree, pieces
22
of wood (chips) scatter. While you are cutting, you do not
worry about the various chips flying around; you don't really
care where they land. As a cutter, you remain focussed on
the task at hand which is to chop down the tree.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the difference between `noticeable' and `notable'?

(S. Narender, Kanpur)

When you say that something is `noticeable', what you mean

is that it is apparent. In other words, it is obvious; it can be
seen or `noticed' by others.

*There is a noticeable improvement in the champion's

backhand.

*What is noticeable is that the two brothers just can't stand

each other.

Anything or anyone that is important or interesting is

`notable'. The word is normally used with people who are
well known. It can also be used to refer to their impressive
accomplishments.

*Winning the Grand Slam twice is one of his notable

achievements.

`Notables' is normally used to refer to important or powerful

people.

*Many of the local notables decided to stay away from the

event.

S. UPENDRAN

23
What is the meaning of `chatterati'?

(B. Devidas, Chennai)

`Chatterati' is a combination of `chatter' and `literati'. The

word `literati', as you probably know, refers to the educated
people who take a great interest in literature. `Chatterati' is
a term used by journalists to refer to people (columnists, talk
show hosts, self-proclaimed pundits, etc) who love letting the
world know what their opinion on something is it doesn't
really matter to these people whether or not they know
anything about the subject being discussed! Needless to say,
the word is used to show disapproval.

*What does the chatterati have to say about the new policy?

"Asking a working writer what he thinks about critics is like

asking a lamppost how it feels about dogs." Christopher
Hampton

S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning and origin of the expression `to curry

favour'?

(R. Revathi, Coimbatore)

When you `curry favour with someone' you try to gain a

person's approval by making use of flattery. You attempt to
win the individual's support by talking to him rather politely,
very often resorting to insincere praise. The expression is
normally used to show disapproval.

*Prakash is trying to curry favour with his uncle again.

The `curry' in the expression has nothing to do with the

curry we eat. This curry comes from the world of horse
24
riding. People who take care of horses make use of a `curry-
comb' to rub the animal down. It is from this, that we get the
expression `to curry', meaning `to groom a horse'. In other
words, the verb `to curry' means to rub down a horse. The
word `favour' in the idiom has got nothing to do with the
favour we know. It is, in fact, a corruption of the French
name `Favel' (also spelt `Fauvel'). Favel is the name of a
cunning centaur that appears in a French story written in the
14th century. A `centaur', as you probably know, is an
animal that is half man and half horse. In the story, people
who wanted to be on the good side of the evil Favel, used to
flatter him and also rub him down. In other words, the
characters in the story used to `curry Favel'. In fact, the
original expression was `to curry favel'. Since `favel'
sounded like `favour', native speakers of English started
saying, `to curry favour'.

S. UPENDRAN

Which is correct? `Enter a room' or `Enter into a room'?

(C. Dilip, Mysore)

When you walk into a room, you `enter' it. You do not `enter
into' it. You normally `enter' a room, building or country.

*As usual, Chandru entered the room with a smile on his

face.

*The student wasn't allowed to enter the country without a

valid visa.

`Enter into' is normally used in relation to `conversation',

`agreement', `discussion', etc. This is just one of the ways of
using the expression.

25
*After three days of fighting, the two companies entered into
an agreement.

*I hope to enter into a discussion with the leaders of the

strike.

S. UPENDRAN

upendrankye@gmail.com

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What is the difference between `backward' and `backwards'?

(A. Nagender, Tiruvannamalai)

In terms of meaning, there is no difference. For example,

you can say, `The absent minded professor had put his shirt
on backwards.' It is also possible to use `backward' in the
sentence. The British generally tend to use `backwards',
while the Americans use `backward'. It is very much like the
use of the words `toward' and `towards'. Americans prefer
`toward', while the British favour `towards'. When used as
an adjective (that is when used before a noun), however, you
can only use `backward'. In the sentences given below, we
cannot use `backwards'.

*The children walked out the cave without a backward

glance.

*Sandhya took a couple of deep breaths before doing her

three backward flips.

"I have never married because I have three pets that answer
the same purpose as a husband. I have a dog that growls all
morning, a parrot that swears all afternoon, and a cat that
comes home late at night." Marie Corell
26
S. UPENDRAN

Is it OK to say, `Irregardless of what you say, I plan to marry

him'?

(V. Laya, Hyderabad)

`Irregardless' is a word that has caused a great deal of

controversy. It has the same meaning as `regardless'; it is a
word that is mostly used in informal contexts in America
English. According to experts, it is a blend of `irrespective'
and `regardless'. The word is considered non-standard, and
hence not all dictionaries include it. This is because the word
`irregardless' consists of two negatives; the prefix `ir' means
`not', and the suffix `less' means `without'. Avoid using the
word.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning of `devil-may-care-attitude'?

(Karthikeyan, Chennai)

A person who has a very casual attitude about things in

general is said to have a devil-may-care attitude. This
individual is rather carefree, and doesn't get terribly worked
up if things don't go according to plan. He is rather reckless
and doesn't really worry about the consequences. The
expression is considered to be rather old fashioned. It is also
possible to say, `devil-may-care manner'.

*When it comes to his studies, Sandeep has a devil-may-care

attitude.

S. UPENDRAN
27
What is the difference between `murder' and `manslaughter'?

(Bharath, Chennai)

In both cases, you perform an illegal act; you end up taking

someone's life! When you `murder' someone, the act of
killing the individual is deliberate or intentional. Usually, it is
planned, and is carried out in a cold-blooded manner. It is for
this reason that the punishment for murder is very severe. In
the case of manslaughter, the act of killing may or may not
be intentional. You could end up killing someone quite
accidentally. If your kill your aunt or uncle because you want
their property, then it is murder. If you run over a
pedestrian, it is manslaughter. When you kill someone in
self-defence, it is manslaughter, and not murder.

*The murders in Noida have upset many people in our

country.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning of the word `affability'?

(Sudhesh Rajpal, Palampar)

First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The first `a' is

pronounced like the `a' in `cat', `bat', and `hat'. The `a' in
the second syllable is like the `a' in `china'; and the final
`bility' is like the `bility' in `ability', `capability', and
`stability'. The main stress is on the third syllable `bi'. A
person who is `affable' is very pleasant and friendly. Such a
person is usually very courteous whenever he talks to
someone.

28
*Many students find the new teacher's affability very
irritating.

"Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some

hire P.R. officers." Daniel J. Boorstin

S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning and origin of `beck and call'?

When you are at someone's `beck and call', you do whatever he wants you
to. In order to please the individual, you remain slavishly attentive to all his
needs; the person's wish is your command.The young prince was at his
wife's beck and call.

There are a few reporters we know who are at the minister's beck and call.
The word `beck' is actually the shortened form of `beckon'. A `beck' is
usually a silent signal that you give someone in order to draw his attention.
The signal could be a simple nod of the head or the motioning of one's
finger. Who are the people who pay a great deal of attention to an
individual's head and hand movement? Servants, of course! In the old days,
servants were at their master's beck and call. A master could get a servant
to do his bidding in two different ways — he could either `call' the servant or
`beckon' him.

29
Does the word `cybrarian' exist?

Yes, the word `cybrarian' does exist; it's been around for more than a
decade. The word is a combination of `cyber' and `librarian'. A `cybrarian' is
someone who makes use of the Internet as a resource tool. His job is to be
in the know as to what is available on the web; he finds, collects, and
manages whatever material is available on the Net.

30
*Yukti constantly surfs the Net because it's part of her job. She's the new
cybrarian.

What is the meaning of `aptonym'?

Sometimes, an individual's name correctly describes his occupation. This

correspondence between the name and occupation is an aptonym. John
Constable (policeman), Marie House (real estate agent), Ray Strike (union
leader), and John Cutter (butcher) are examples of aptonyms.

"The difference between a bad artist and a good one is the bad artist seems
to copy a great deal; the good one really does." — William Blake

Is there such a word as `auto dentist'?

Yes, the word does exist; it has been around for a few years now. You may
be surprised to know that the word `dentist' in this case does not refer to
the doctor who looks after people's teeth! As you walk along the road and
look at the various parked cars, scooters and motorcycles, what is it that
strikes you? What is it that the vehicles have in common? Most of them
have `dents'; there are very few cars in India that do not have dents. An
`auto dentist' is someone who repairs the dents and other minor damages in
cars. Auto means `car' and `dentist' means `one who repairs dents'.

What is the meaning of `pull the rug from under someone's feet'?

someone were to pull the rug on which you are standing, what do you think
is likely to happen? You will probably fall and hurt yourself, and in the
31
process create problems for yourself. When someone pulls the rug from
under your feet, what he is doing is taking away the support or help that you
have been receiving. By taking away your support rather unexpectedly, he
creates all kinds of problems for you.

Prabhu pulled the rug from under his children's feet by denying them their
allowance.

The company was losing money. It decided to pull the rug from under the ill-
fated project.

Is it okay to say, "It took Mohan six months to recover from his fatal
accident"?

No, it isn't. The word `fatal' usually has a negative connotation. An accident
or an illness that is described as `fatal', usually results in the death of an
individual. As you probably know, it is difficult for a person to recover from
death!

The ailing chief minister suffered a fatal heart attack around midnight.

Several policemen were fatally wounded during the encounter with the
militants.

The word `fatal' can also be used to mean `undesirable' or `causing disaster'.

32
The captain made the fatal mistake of asking Agarkar to bowl the final over.

Sahu's injury proved fatal to our plans of winning the trophy.

"Women are like cell phones. They like to be held and talked to, but push
the wrong button, and you'll be disconnected." Unknown

What is the meaning of `Eeyorish'?

First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The `ee' is like the `ee' in `feel', `peel',
and `heel'; the following `o' sounds like the `o' in `hot', `cot', and `dot'.
Eeyore is the name of one of the characters in A. A. Milne's children's classic,
`Winnie the Pooh'. Eeyore is a donkey; he is very pessimistic, and makes
cynical comments about a lot of things. He is seldom happy. Therefore,
when you say that someone is `Eeyorish', what you mean is that the person
is gloomy or depressed.

*What's wrong with Malini? Why is she so Eeyorish this morning?

What is the meaning and origin of `Garrison finish'?

Early this year, our one-day team pulled off a couple of sensational victories.
When we thought that the match had been lost, someone or the other did
something incredible and helped the team win the match. This come-from-
behind victory is called `Garrison finish'.

33
*It was a Garrison finish. Our team scored three goals in the last two
minutes.

The expression comes from the world of horse racing. Edward H. Garrison,
nicknamed `Snapper', was a famous American jockey who raced in the late
19th century. He was famous for his spectacular come-from-behind
victories. Whenever he participated in a race, Garrison always began by
staying at the back of the pack. He made his move (he speeded up his horse)
only during the last stretch of the race. Since he always won his races by
staying back till the last minute, a come-from-behind victory began to be
called `Garrison finish'.

What is the difference between `break a sweat' and `break into a sweat'?

When you do something `without breaking a sweat', you do it without any

difficulty. You find the task so easy that you don't have to exert yourself at
all; you perform the task very easily or quickly. There is no need for you to
sweat.

*Rahul answered all the questions without breaking a sweat.

Another expression that has more or less the same meaning is `no sweat'.

*Listen, I'll carry the two large suitcases. No sweat at all.

34
When you `break into a sweat', you actually start sweating. And when is it
that we begin to sweat? When we exert ourselves or when we are
extremely nervous or frightened about something.

*The children broke into a sweat when they heard strange noises coming
from the bedroom.

What is the meaning and origin of `cakewalk'?

When you say that the victory was a `cakewalk', what you mean is that it
was very easily achieved. You didn't have to put in too much of an effort;
you won without really having to work hard.

*Given your experience, getting the job should be a cakewalk

*The first couple of rounds of the tournament should be a cakewalk.

The `cakewalk' was a form of entertainment among African Americans. Well-

dressed couples that took part in this competition were made to walk
around a cake. The pair that performed this task most gracefully was
awarded a prize. In most cases, the prize was the cake itself; the winner
used to `take the cake'. Later, the word `cakewalk' was used to refer to a
popular form of dance.

35
What is the difference between `magazine' and `journal'?

Harish, Lucknow)

When first used, the word `journal' referred to a daily publication which
gave an account of the events that happened the previous day. It was like a
newspaper. Nowadays, the word is used to refer to any publication that is
brought out at regular intervals. For example, a journal can be a monthly,
quarterly, etc. The articles contained in a journal are usually scholarly,
serious in nature, and deal with a specialised area. For example, we have the
Journal of Linguistics, Journal of Writing, etc. A `magazine', on the other
hand, doesn't limit itself to one area; it deals with various subjects —
politics, entertainment and sports. Since the articles are meant for the
general public, they are much shorter and are usually accompanied by
photographs. `Outlook', `Frontline', and `Sportstar', are all magazines, not
journals; and like the journal, they too are brought out at regular intervals.

What is the meaning and origin of `on cloud nine'?

(Haresh Kumar, Mumbai)

When you say that you are on cloud nine, what you mean is that you are
extremely happy; you feel as if you are on top of the world.

*The entire team was on cloud nine after winning the championship.

36
No one is really sure where the expression comes from. Some believe that
the original expression was `on cloud seven', very similar to the expression
`seventh heaven'. Others believe that nine was chosen because it is
considered a mystical number. According to weathermen, `cloud nine' refers
to the `cumulonimbus' or the thunderstorm cloud. This cloud often rises to
forty thousand feet; and when you are `on' such a cloud, you are literally on
top of the world!

What is the meaning and origin of `ding-dong battle'?

(Fathima Nagira, Vishakapatnam)

Remember the nursery rhyme we learnt in school? `Ding-dong bell, pussy's

in the well.' Well the expression `ding-dong' refers to the sound that a bell
makes; the back and forth motion of the knocker hitting a bell. When you
say that two participants were involved in a ding-dong battle, what you
mean is that they were involved in a long drawn out battle. The fight was
intense and there were times when each participant seemed to have the
upper hand in turns. In a ding-dong battle, it is often very difficult to predict
who will emerge the winner; sometimes, the result is inconclusive. Another
expression which has more or less the same meaning is `see-saw battle'.
When you sit on the see-saw, you are up one moment, and down the other.

*The fans were hoping for a ding-dong battle. They were disappointed when
the Aussies thrashed the Indians.

Which is correct? `Deter to do' or `deter from doing' something?

37
(V. Prabhakar, Bangalore)

First, let's deal with the pronunciation of `deter'. The first `e' is like the `i' in
`bid', `bit' and `sit', and the second is like the `ir' in `shirt', `bird' and `dirt'.
The stress is on the second syllable `ter'. The word `deter' is usually followed
by `from' and not `to'. When you deter someone from doing something, you
discourage him from doing it. You achieve this by making the individual
realise how difficult the task may be, or by highlighting the unpleasant
consequences of performing the task. You do everything to ensure that the
person no longer wishes to continue to do what he was doing.

What is the meaning of `eater's coma'?

(R. Anuradha, Coimbatore)

This is a type of coma that we have all experienced some time or the other.
How do we normally feel after a particularly heavy meal? Most of the time,
we feel pretty sluggish; we don't feel like doing anything. After some time,
we begin to feel rather sleepy. This lazy and sleepy feeling that we have
after a heavy meal is called `eater's coma'.

*If I eat everything that is on the table, I'll lapse into an eater's coma.

What is the meaning of `Bangalored'?

(Ravi Nagaprasad, Hyderabad)

38
The Americans invented this word, and they have been using it quite
frequently. As you know, many multinationals, in order to save money, are
outsourcing their work to cities in India. When an American says that he has
been `Bangalored', what he means is that he has lost his job because his
company has decided to move its operations to a city in India — not
necessarily Bangalore.

* According to the article, another 10,000 people will be Bangalored by the

end of the year.

It is not often that the name of a city is used as a verb. As a proud

Hyderbadi, you may wonder why the Americans chose the city of Bangalore.
You must remember that during the early stages of outsourcing, most of the
companies were moving to this city — Bangalore was then perceived as the
Silicon Valley of India. The Americans' fear of losing jobs to the city of
Bangalore gave rise to another word — `Bangalorephobia'.

What is the difference between `The theatre is closed' and `The theatre has
been closed'?

(Revathi, Mysore)

The first sentence suggests that the theatre is not open at the moment; it is
locked for the time being. Chances are, it will open a little later. It has not
been closed permanently. The second sentence, on the other hand, seems
to suggest that someone has forcibly closed down the theatre. Perhaps the
municipal authorities were unhappy with the safety features, and decided to
39
shut the place down. In this case, the closure is either permanent or for a
lengthy period of time.

What is the meaning and origin of `let your hair down'?

(Anmol Wakandar, Ernakulam)

Some people are very reserved when they are in the company of others.
When you tell a person to let his hair down, what you mean is that you want
him to relax and start enjoying himself. You want him to speak his mind.

* It was only after the completion of his last exam that Chetan let his hair
down.

In the old days, women had to put their hair up in a bun during the daytime.
The only time when they could literally let their hair down and be
themselves was when they were ready to go to bed.

What is the meaning of `geek'?

(Babu, Coimbatore)

This is a word mostly used in informal contexts, and it has several different
meanings. One of the meanings of `geek' is a boring individual who walks
around wearing rather unfashionable clothes. This person has little or no
social skills.
40
*You must be nuts to ask a geek like Govind tips about fashion.

*I don't want you to invite that geek Harish to our party.

An individual who is an expert, or is very knowledgeable in his limited area

of interest (for example, computers) can also be called a geek. He is
someone whose focus of interest is rather narrow, but he knows everything
about the subject.

*If it is a computer geek you require, you'd better hire Dravid. He's
excellent.

*I want to learn everything on my own. I don't want some geek telling me

everything.

I understand the word comes from the Dutch `geck' which means `fool'. It is
in this sense that Shakespeare used the word in some of his plays. In the
1920s, the Americans used the word `geek' to refer to an individual in a
carnival who performed bizarre acts. The original `geek' was someone who
entertained his audience by biting off a live chicken's/snake's head! With the
passage of time, the word began to be used to refer to anyone who was
socially inept; whose interests were very different from those of others.

41
What is the difference between `inform of' and `inform on'?

(R. Sekhar, Hyderabad)

When someone is `informed of' something, he is formally told about the

facts; the information is passed on to him.

*Please be here at 2:00 o'clock tomorrow. I will inform you of my decision

then.

*We were informed of the change in plans last night.

When you `inform on' someone, you give information about the individual
to the authorities. In other words, you tattle on the person. The people in
power may use the information you provide against the person. Here are a
few examples.

*If you continue to come late like this, I'm afraid that I'll have to inform on
you.

*It was his own friends who informed the police on him.

Is there a difference in meaning between "amuse" and "bemuse"?

42
(Jayashree, Pune)

Yes, there is a difference — a big difference. The two words are not
synonymous, as some people believe. When something "amuses" an
individual, it makes him laugh or smile. He finds it funny or entertaining.

*The principal found the comments made by the students very amusing.

"Bemuse", unlike amuse, has nothing to do with making people laugh. When
you are "bemused" by something, you are bewildered by it. It leaves you
confused or puzzled. For example,

*When the stranger walked into the classroom, the children looked at her
with a bemused expression.

What is the meaning of "run with the hare and hunt with the hounds"?

(N.Vijayaselvam,

Srivilliputtur)

Very often when two people have an argument, they go to a third person
and ask him to be a judge. If the person is timid and is afraid to take a
decision, he will end up saying that both parties are in the right. He will
support both sides of the argument because he doesn't want to hurt the
feelings of his friends; sometimes, he does this with an ulterior motive in
mind. This desire to be on friendly terms with both warring factions by

43
supporting their arguments is what we mean by the expression, "running
with the hare and hunting with the hounds." The individual is trying to be
both the rabbit (hare) and the dog (hound). He wants to be the hunted as
well the hunter; and this is just not possible. This idiom is considered rather
old fashioned.

*Latha is a very clever person. She runs with the hare and hunts with the
hounds.

Is there a difference in meaning between "amuse" and "bemuse"?

(Jayashree, Pune)

Yes, there is a difference — a big difference. The two words are not
synonymous, as some people believe. When something "amuses" an
individual, it makes him laugh or smile. He finds it funny or entertaining.

*The principal found the comments made by the students very amusing.

"Bemuse", unlike amuse, has nothing to do with making people laugh. When
you are "bemused" by something, you are bewildered by it. It leaves you
confused or puzzled. For example,

*When the stranger walked into the classroom, the children looked at her
with a bemused expression.

44
What is the meaning and origin of `you're nuts'?

(C.V. Geetha, Hyderabad)

When somebody tells you that you are nuts, what they mean is that you are
crazy. The expression is mostly used in informal contexts.

* Naresh wants to invest all his savings in the stock market. The guy is nuts, I
tell you.

* I wouldn't go out with that guy if I were you. My friends tell me he's nuts.

During the middle of the 19th century, the word `nut' began to be used to
refer to an individual's head. This was because some people thought that
there was a similarity between the shape of a nut and the shape of a human
head! Another similarity they found was that the nut, like the human head,
was hard — and the most important thing in both cases was contained
inside and not outside! Whatever be the case, the head began to be referred
to as a `nut'. Around this time, the expression `off one's head' was
frequently used to mean `out of one's mind; crazy'. As time went by, the
word `head' was replaced by `nut' in the expression, and very soon the word
`nut' acquired the meaning `crazy'. Anyone who was crazy was called `nuts',
and the hospital for people who had mental illness began to be called a `nut
house'.

What is the difference between `He cooked a good meal' and `He cooked up
a good meal'?

45
(T.Mala, Thiruvananthapuram)

The result is the same in both cases — you end up eating a good meal! `Cook
up' suggests that the various dishes were prepared rather quickly, and at
short notice. The expression is considered to be informal and has the same
meaning as `rustle up'.

* My grandmother managed to cook up a decent meal for the guests who

arrived unannounced.

* My appointment has been cancelled. Think you'll be able to rustle up

something for lunch?

Which is correct? `My wife knows well that I can't sing' or `My wife knows
that I can't sing well'?

(S. Chethan, Nagpur)

Both sentences are grammatically acceptable, but they don't have the same
meaning. The first sentence suggests that your wife knows that you cannot
sing. There is no doubt in her mind that you are not a singer. The second
sentence suggests that your wife knows that you can sing — but not very
well. In this case, you are a singer, but not a good one.

* You know well that I don't play tennis. (You know that I don't play tennis at
all.)

46
* You know that I don't play tennis well. (I can play tennis, but I am not very
good at it.)

"The main purpose of holding children's parties is to remind yourself that

there are children more awful than your own." — Unknown

What is the meaning of `sweep under the carpet'?

(Lidwin, Coimbatore)

When you sweep or brush something under the carpet, you attempt to hide
something embarrassing from others. Instead of dealing with your problem,
you try to keep it a secret. It is also possible to say `sweep something under
the mat/rug'.

*The Government has managed to sweep the cola controversy under the
carpet.

*The actor tried to sweep the embarrassing incident under the rug.

Where does this expression come from? What is it that lazy people normally
do when they are asked to clean a carpeted room? They sweep around the
carpet, and instead of bending down to collect the dust, they quietly sweep
it under the carpet!
47
What is the meaning of `apropos', and how is the word used?

(Kunthala, Bangalore)

First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The `a' sounds like the `a' in `act',
cat', and `hat'; the following `o' is like the `a' in `china'. The final `o' is
pronounced like the `oa' in `coat', `boat', and `goat'; the `s' is silent. The
stress is on the final syllable. The expression `apropos of' is usually used to
introduce a new subject, but one which is connected to what you were
talking about earlier.

*I received a call from Priyanka last night — apropos of which, did you send
her the paintings?

When you say that something is `apropos', you mean that it is suitable for
the situation.

Is `pair of' followed by a singular or plural verb?

(G. Ravindran, Kochi)

You normally use `a pair of' when you are talking about two things which are
of the same size and which are used together - for example, shoes, gloves,
etc. When used in this manner, it can be followed by a singular or a plural
verb.

48
*The pair of gloves I liked was not for sale.

*The man put on a pair of black shoes that were in the veranda.

"Everyone who is incapable of learning has taken to teaching." — Oscar

Wilde

What is the killing of one's brother called?

(Madhu Sudhan Rao, Vijayawada)

The killing of one's brother is referred to as `fratricide'. The `a' is

pronounced like the `a' in `pact', `fact', and `tact'; the following `i' is like the
`i' in `sit', `bit', and `hit'. The final `cide' is pronounced like the word `side',
and the stress is on the first syllable. This is one way of pronouncing the
word. `Frater' in Latin means `brother' and `cida' means `killer'. There are
many words in English ending with the suffix `cide'. For example, the killing
of one's father is `patricide'. `Matricide' is the killing of one's mother, and
when a parent kills his/her child, it's called `filicide'. If you kill another
human being it's `homicide', and when you kill yourself, it's `suicide'.

What is the meaning of `raise the bar'?

(Ramesh Pahwa, New Delhi)

49
The expression comes from the world of athletics. In high jump and pole-
vault, when you clear a particular height, the horizontal bar is raised to a
new level to see if you can jump even higher. Every time you clear the
hurdle, the bar is raised, and you are set a new challenge. When you raise
the bar for something, you raise the level; in other words, you set a higher
standard.

*The students went on strike because the Principal raised the bar for
admission.

*The CEO had to lower the bar in order to give his son the job.

Why do we say `five star hotel' and not `five stars hotel'?

(K. Subramanian, Nagercoil)

This is because `star' is functioning as an adjective, and not as a noun. You

can say that you saw `Five stars shining in the sky.' But when a noun like
hotel follows the word `star', you say, `I had dinner in a three star hotel'. You
do not say, `three stars hotel'. Similarly, you say, `I want five rupees'. But
when the word `rupees' is followed by the noun `coin' or `note', you say, `I
need a five rupee coin/note'. You do not say, `five rupees note'. Joggers talk
about a `twenty-mile marathon', and not a `twenty miles marathon'.

50
What is the difference between a `story' and a `tale'?

(Deepa Wodeyar, Devanagere)

Of the two, `story' is the more general word. A story can be real or fictitious,
and it can be written or oral. You can talk about a story that you read in the
newspaper, or a story that your grandmother told you as a child. The
newspaper story could be true, but the one that your grandmother told you
could be made up. A story can be in the form of poetry or prose and it
usually, not always, deals with a series of incidents in an individual's life.

*Listen, give me the facts. I don't want to hear the story of your life.

*After seeing the film, he went around telling the story to everyone.

Unlike a story, a `tale' is usually fictitious; the word carries with it a sense of
exaggeration. Tales, in general, deal with exciting, but imaginary events that
took place in ancient times and in far off lands. For example, we talk about
the tales of King Arthur and the Round Table.

"Make crime pay. Become a lawyer." — Will Rogers

What is the difference between `advisor' and `adviser'?

(K.M.G. Vivekanandam, Madurai)

51
There is no difference in meaning between the two words. Both are used to
refer to someone (usually an expert) whose job it is to advise other people.
For example, film stars often consult financial advisers to find out what to do
with their money. When they get into trouble, the stars consult a legal
adviser. Most dictionaries that we get in India, list `adviser' as the first
choice, and `advisor' as the second. This is because in British English the
word is spelt `a..d..v..i..s..e..r'; `a..d..v..i..s..o..r' is the way Americans spell
the word. While surfing the net, one encounters `advisor' much more
frequently than `adviser'.

What is the meaning of `cross the bridge when you come to it'?

(Bhaskar, Trivandrum)

This idiom is used to tell someone not to worry about things that may or
may not happen in the future. Very often, when we come up with what we
think is a good proposal, the prophets of doom in the office give us a
detailed account of the things that could possibly go wrong. They take great
delight in telling us why the project will fail, and they come up with all kinds
of imaginary problems. In such a context, if you tell your detractors that you
will cross the bridge when you come to it, what you mean is that you will
deal with the various problems as and when they arise. You are not going to
worry about them unnecessarily right now.

*What if we run out of funding? We'll cross the bridge when we come to it.
52
*Mohan seemed unconcerned. He said that he would cross the bridge when
he came to it.

Which is correct? `A small percentage of the students is worked up about

the fee hike' or `A small percentage of the students are worked up about the
fee hike'.

(Rajender, Patna)

People who are fond of grammar would argue that when the word
`percentage' is preceded by the definite article `the', then the verb is usually
singular. It doesn't really matter if the noun preceding the verb is singular or
plural.

*The percentage of students from Delhi is relatively small.

Although the noun (`students') is plural, the verb that follows (`is') is
singular.

53
*The percentage of people willing to participate keeps decreasing every
year.

When you talk about `a percentage', on the other hand, it can be followed
by a singular or plural verb. It depends on the noun which follows
`percentage'.

*A very small percentage of the students are from Delhi.

What is the origin of the word `nightmare'?

(L. Srinivas, Hyderabad)

Dreams can be pleasant or unpleasant. Nightmares, on the other hand, are

always unpleasant. A frightening dream is usually called a nightmare. When
you've had a nightmare, you wake up gasping for breath. The `mare' in
`nightmare' has nothing to do with a female horse. The word comes from
Old English `mare' meaning `incubus'. An incubus, people believed, was an
evil spirit which sat on a person's chest while he slept — hence, the feeling
of suffocation.

"Children are unpredictable. You never know what inconsistency they're

going to catch you in next."— Franklin P. Jones

What is the meaning of `stuck up'?

(Neha Singh, Pune)

54
This is an informal way of calling someone `snooty' or `snobbish'. A person
who is `stuck-up' thinks he is more important than others, and as a result, is
often very unfriendly towards them.

*What's got into Hamsa? Why is she so stuck-up?

*When I met the star, I was pleasantly surprised. He wasn't at all stuck-up.

What is the meaning of `hornet's nest'?

(Monika Jain, Agra)

A hornet is a large insect which has a relatively large sting. When you refer
to a problem as being a hornet's nest, what you mean is that it is one that
causes people to become angry. When you `stir up a hornet's nest', you are
asking for trouble; you say or do something controversial which results in a
lot of commotion.

*The teacher's article in the local paper stirred up a hornet's nest.

*The Minister's remarks about the striking students stirred up a hornet's

nest.

How is word `cuisine' pronounced? (Durga, Chennai)

55
The first syllable `cui' is pronounced like the `qui' in `quit', `quiz', and `quick'.
The `s' that follows is like the `z' in `zip' and `zoo'; and the final `ine' is like
the `een' in `seen', `teen', and `keen'. The main stress is on the second
syllable. The word comes from French and is mostly used to talk about a
particular style of cooking - the way in which an item is prepared. When you
refer to the cuisine of a restaurant, you are talking about the different
varieties of food served there.

Can the word `doctor' be used as a verb?

(Anjali Dutta, Patna)

Yes, it can. When someone `doctors' something, he makes some changes in

it in order to deceive people. For example, companies, in order to show a
huge profit, sometimes change the figures in their accounts. They do this in
the hope that their share prices will go up. This practice of changing figures
dishonestly is called doctoring.

*These reports suggest that it was the Professor who doctored the figures.

*According to the film star, her ex-husband doctored the photographs.

When someone doctors your drink or food, they spice it up with a little bit of
poison!

*The police suspect that it was the partner who doctored the drink.

56
*The dog's food had been doctored.

Is it OK to say, `I am crazy after English'?

(Madhulika, Kanpur)

No, it is not. You are usually `crazy about' something, and not `crazy after'
something. When you are crazy about something, you like it very much. You
go after it because you are very interested in it. It is also possible to say,
`mad about' something.

What is the meaning and origin of `top brass'?

(S. M. Chidambaram, Tirunelveli)

Many reporters just love this expression; they use it all the time. Any time
the top people of an organisation are present during a press conference, the
reporter says/writes that it was attended by the `top brass'. The expression
is considered to be informal, and is mostly used in British English.

*The minister has said that there will be a reshuffle of the army's top brass.

57
The expression `top brass' was first used in the Army. `Brass' referred to the
gold braid found on the hats of military officers — it indicated the
individual's rank. The word `brass' is actually a shortened form of `brass hat',
and this was the term used by enlisted men in the late 19th century to refer
to their commanding officers. It was during World War II that `brass hat'
became `top brass'. As time went by, the expression began to be used in
non-military contexts; important individuals of an organisation began to be
called `top brass'. The term `the brass' can also be used to refer to such
people.

Why do we say `hue and cry'?

(C. Ashok, Hyderabad)

First, let's deal with the pronunciation of `hue'. The `hu' is like the `hu' in
`human' and `huge', and the vowel that follows is like `oo' in `cool', `pool',
and `school'. When a politician is caught with his hands in the cookie jar,
people raise a hue and cry about corruption. In other words, they complain
about it rather noisily; sometimes, there is a public protest. This outcry or
noisy protest is referred to as `hue and cry'.

*There was a hue and cry when the Government decided to increase taxes.

Dictionaries define `hue' as colour. What does colour have to do with noise?
Nothing. The `hue' in the expression is from the French `huer' meaning, `to
shout after'. `Hue and cry' is a legal term used in the 13th century to refer to
a group of people running after a thief. What do people do when they run
after a thief? They shout and create all kinds of noise to attract attention!

What is the meaning of `mull over'?

58
(P. Balakrishnan, Mangalore)

When you `mull over' a problem or plan, you think about it for a long time
before arriving at a decision.

*Shashi has been mulling over the problem for several weeks now.

Why is television called the `idiot box'?

(Medepalli Seshu, New Delhi)

It is not the box which is the idiot, but the people watching it. Have you ever
observed people watching their favourite programme? Their eyes remain
glued to the television set, and on most occasions they have no clue what is
going on around them. When you ask them questions, they either tell you to
keep quiet, or don't take the trouble to answer you. The only time they
come alive is during the commercial break; otherwise, they remain passive.
They keep staring at the `box' as if they were a bunch of idiots; the TV turns
them into one. By the way, did you know that the words `idiot' and `idiom'
are related? Both come from the Greek `idios', meaning `peculiar'. Why is an
idiom peculiar? Because the meaning of an idiom is not the sum of the
meaning of all the words of the idiom. For example, whenever it rains
heavily, we say, `It's raining cats and dogs'. It doesn't mean that cats and
dogs are actually falling from the sky.

What is the meaning of `buy someone off'?

(A. S. Beg, Aligarh)

When a policeman stops us for a traffic violation, what is it that we normally

do? We try to talk our way out of paying the fine. Sometimes we plead with
the officer, at other times, we try to bribe him so that we don't have to pay

59
the full penalty. This act of bribing someone so that he turns a blind eye to
the wrong that we have done is referred to as `buying someone off'.

The businessman succeeded in buying off some of the income tax officials.

What's the difference between "How are you?" and "How do you do?"

(Rohan Tendulkar, Bidar)

In British English, `How do you do?' is normally used when you are
introduced to someone for the first time. It is a way of greeting someone,
and the standard response to this expression is, `How do you do?' You
normally use this expression only once with a person. The next time you
meet him, you can say, `How are you?' This expression is used with people
you already know. Unlike `How do you do', `How are you' is intended to find
out how the individual is doing — both emotionally and physically. `How do
you do?' does not carry this meaning. Did you know that the word `hi' is
actually from `how are you'? When `how are you' is said very fast, it sounds
like `hiya'. So instead of saying, `how are you', people started saying, `hiya'.
Later on, `hiya' was reduced to `hi'. Therefore when you meet someone and
say, `Hi, how are you?', what you are actually saying is, `How are you? How
are you?'.

What is the difference between `shovel down' and `shovel into'?

(L. Jaya, Bangalore)

When you `shovel something down', you take a huge bite of something and
gulp it down very quickly. It is an expression that is mostly used in informal
contexts.
60
Listen, you don't have to shovel your sandwich down. We have plenty of
time.

When you `shovel something into something', you make use of a shovel to
put something into something else.

The old gardener spent a lot of time shovelling gravel into the wheelbarrow.

"When you steal from one author, it's plagiarism; when you steal from
many, it's research." — Wilson Mizner

Is it OK to use `ranker' to mean `top rank in an examination'?

(B. Shalini, Hyderabad)

This is a word one frequently encounters in the months of May and June in
India. A student who does well in an entrance exam and gets a decent rank
is immediately labelled a `ranker'. Proud parents distribute sweets claiming
that their child is a `ranker', and tutorial institutions take out ads claiming
that they had X number of `rankers' in this year's exam. This use of the word
`ranker' to mean `top in the examination' is Indian. Native speakers of
English do not use the word in this manner. Dictionaries define the word
"ranker" as a commissioned officer who has been promoted from the
enlisted status. It has nothing to do with performing well in an exam.

61
What is the meaning of `out of the box'?

(P. B. Lakshmi Narasimhan, Chennai)

When you think out of the box, you think creatively, you think in an
unconventional manner. The expression derives from the famous puzzle
created by a British mathematician, Henry Ernest Dudeney. In this puzzle
there are nine dots arranged in three rows; each row containing three dots.
The challenge is to connect all nine dots making use of four straight lines,
without taking the pencil off paper.

*Sanjay has always been an out of the box sort of guy.

What is the meaning and origin of `hit the sack'?

(A. Nalini, Thiruvananthapuram)

When you say that you are going to `hit the sack', you are saying in a rather
informal way that you are going to bed. What does a sack have to do with a
bed? During World War II, American soldiers started referring to their
sleeping bags as `sacks'. `Hit the sack' replaced the earlier expression `hit the
hay'. Why hay? In the old days, people who couldn't afford a bed used to
sleep on a sack stuffed with hay. Before they lay down to sleep, they used to
keep hitting the sack till the straw/hay was evenly spread. Hence the
expression `hit the hay'.

*I've had a tiring day. I think I am going to hit the sack early today.
62
*You don't seriously expect me to hit the hay so early, do you?

What is the difference between `password' and `buzzword'?

(S. Harish, Coimbatore)

A `buzzword' can either be a word or a phrase that has suddenly become

very popular in a particular field. Reporters from the various news media
pick up on it and constantly use it in their stories. As a result, the ordinary
public becomes familiar with it as well. In recent years, `biotechnology' has
been the buzzword in medicine. `Empowerment', `paradigm shift' and
`synergy' are the other examples of buzzwords.

A `password', on the other hand, is usually a secret word or phrase that you
are expected to know in order to enter restricted places. It tells the other
person who you are. For example, if you want to check your email, you have
to type in your user mail id and your password. If you forget the password,
you will be denied access. Unlike buzzwords, passwords are not usually new,
and are not used frequently by one and all. They are usually kept a secret.

"Originality is the art of concealing your source." — Franklin P. Jones

63
What is the meaning and origin of `busman's holiday'?

(Sooriamoorthy, Chennai)

If you get a day off and you end up spending it doing what you normally do
on any working day, then you call it a `busman's holiday'. Instead of going
out and enjoying yourself, you spend the day as if it were any other working
day — doing office work. By the way, the `a' in `man' is pronounced like the
`a' in `china'.

The expression comes from the time when buses in London were pulled by
horses. Every driver was given his own team of horses, and man and animal
worked together every day. As it usually happens in such circumstances, a
close relationship developed between the driver and his team. Whenever
the driver went on leave, a substitute was hired to `drive' the bus. Very
often the regular driver would sit in his bus all day as a passenger just to
make sure that his horses were being properly treated by the substitute.
Since the driver ended up doing what he normally did on any working day,
these rides began to be called `busman's holiday'.

*I thought I would make it a busman's holiday and finish writing the report.

What is the meaning of `to stonewall'?

64
(G. Uday Kumar, Cochin)

The word is normally used to show disapproval. When you accuse someone
of `stonewalling' what you mean is that the individual is being obstructive,
uncooperative or evasive. The person is delaying taking a decision about
something or refusing to answer your questions because there is something
he wishes to hide.

*The principal stonewalled when the reporter asked him about the scandal
on campus.

Since walls made of stones were difficult to break through, the word
`stonewall' began to be used to refer to anything that presented a
formidable obstacle.

The term is also used in cricket. When a batsman `stonewalls', he spends a

lot of time at the crease without really attempting to score runs.

Is there a difference between `re-count' and `recount'?

(B. Jayanth, Pune)

Yes, there is. The inclusion of the hyphen brings about a change in the
meaning of the word. The word `re-count' means `to count again' or `a
further count'. Here are a few examples.

*Both candidates demanded a re-count.

65
It must be mentioned here that not everyone uses the hyphen nowadays.
The `e' in the first syllable is pronounced like the `ee' in `seed', `feed', and
`need'.

The word `recount', on the other hand, means to narrate. In this case, the `e'
is like the `i' in `sit', `bit', and `hit', and the stress is on `count'.

*The students recounted their adventures in the Himalayas.

"Childhood is that wonderful time of life when all you need to do to lose
weight is take a bath." — Richard Zena

What is the meaning and origin of `Monday morning blues'?

(Santosh Gupta, Mensa)

Monday is not a day that many people look forward to. In fact, most people
get up feeling rather depressed on this day. Reason? They know they have
to work for another five or six days before they get some time off. The
`blues' referred to in the idiom has nothing to do with the colour. According
to some scholars, it refers to the type of music made popular by African
Americans. The `blues music' deals with rather sad themes, and as a result
leaves the listener feeling sad. This is the reason why the expressions `to
have the blues' and `feeling blue' mean feeling sad or depressed.

66
What is the meaning of `cul de sac'?

(Br. Pinto, Nagapattinam)

First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The `u' in `cul' is like the `u' in `cut',
`but', and `hut'; the `e' in `de' is like the `i' in `it', `bit', and `hit'. The final
word is pronounced like the word `sack'. The main stress is on the first
syllable. A cul de sac is a short road which is blocked off at one end. In other
words, it's a dead end.

*Rahul lives in a beautiful house in a quiet cul de sac.

What is the difference between `psych out' and `psych someone out'?

(C. Ganpat, Hyderabad)

Both are expressions used in informal contexts. When you `psych out' you
become terribly excited about something. You get so excited that in the
process you sometimes lose your ability to think clearly.

*When my brother saw the new car I had bought, he psyched out.

67
When you `psyche someone out' you get them very excited and make them
lose control of their mental ability.

*Watching their children spending money recklessly psyched out the

parents.

The expression can also be used to mean `to figure someone out'. When you
`psyche someone out' you begin to understand how his mind works.

*After having been married for twenty years, I still haven't psyched out my
wife.

"The trouble with children is that they are not returnable." — Quentin Crisp

Which is correct? `Waiting in the wings' or `waiting on the wings'?

(Sana John, Hyderabad)

The correct expression is `waiting in the wings'. The `wings' in this idiom has
nothing to do with the wings of a bird. The idiom comes from the world of
theatre. The word `wings' refers to the sides of the stage, which are usually
hidden from the audience by the curtain. Actors normally wait here before
they walk onto the stage. When you say that someone is waiting in the
wings, what you mean is that the person is ready to perform; all he needs is
an opportunity.

68
*We must give him an opportunity. He's been waiting in the wings for too
long.

"There are a few things more satisfying than seeing your children have
teenagers of their own." — Doug Larson

What is the difference between `lonely' and `alone'?

(C. Purushothaman, Chennai)

If you are sitting all alone in the dining hall, there is no else with you in the
room. You are the only person present, the sole occupant. Loneliness, on
the other hand, is a state of mind. When you say that you feel lonely, what it
implies is that you feel unhappy because you don't have any friends or
anyone to talk to; you feel isolated. When you are in the company of people
you are not alone, but you can be lonely. You might feel that you don't really
belong with the group of people. Since you have nothing in common with
them, you cannot relate to them. When people go abroad, they might be in
the midst of a lot of people, but they still feel very lonely. On the other
hand, people may be all alone, but they may not feel lonely.

*Thinking of his life back home made him feel extremely lonely.

What is the meaning of `metrosexual'?

(Saumya Pratik, Ranchi)

69
The term is used to refer to men living in cities ("metros") who consider
themselves to be `sensitive' and `romantic'. These people are always
immaculately dressed and spend a lot of time in front of the mirror to make
sure that they are looking their best. Unlike the ordinary `guy', a
metrosexual is not afraid of showing his feminine side; he may come to
office with his fingernails painted. He is usually fairly well to do, loves to
shop and spends a lot of time and money on clothes. A metrosexual may or
may not be gay. Mark Simpson coined the word in 1994.

What is the meaning of `gun-shy'?

(Neha Singh, Pune)

The word `shy' is often added to nouns like `camera', `gun' and `publicity' to
mean that that an individual is not particularly fond of that thing. For
example, a person who is `camera-shy' does not like standing before
cameras; he/she doesn't like getting his/her picture taken. Similarly, a
person who is `publicity-shy' will do anything to avoid publicity. He doesn't
want his name mentioned in the media. A person who is `gun-shy' is afraid
of guns and tries to keep away from them. Guns and the noise they make,
make him nervous. Nowadays, the expression `gun-shy' has taken on a
wider meaning. When you say that someone is `gun-shy', what you mean is
that the individual is very timid and afraid to take risks.

*After their last bridge collapsed, the company is gun-shy to build any new
ones.

What is the meaning of `the boot is on the other foot'?

70
(Kundan Jha, Vadodara)

In many of our movies, in the beginning, the hero is shown as a very weak
individual. The villain constantly beats him up. But in the course of the
movie, the situation slowly begins to change; and by the end, the roles are
reversed. It's the hero who is in a dominant position, and the villain in a
weak one. When you say that the boot is on the other foot, you mean that
the situation is the opposite of what it was earlier. In other words, the tables
have turned. Americans tend to say, `the shoe is on the other foot'.

*The Americans are realising that they can't get other countries to do what
they want them to. The boot is on the other foot now.

What is the difference between `shout at' and `shout to'?

(K. Latha, Chennai)

When you become angry with someone, you sometimes end up `shouting
at' them. You say whatever it is you want to say in a loud and angry voice. In
this case, you are being aggressive.

*The coach shouted at the players when they turned up late for practice.

71
When you `shout to' someone, you are calling out to the person. The person
is probably far away and therefore you use a loud voice to get his attention.

*Jai shouted to us to come and join him on the boat.

"You know your children are growing up when they stop asking you where
they came from and refuse to tell you where they're going." —

What is the meaning of `what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander'?

(P. Habeeb Rahman, Madurai)

Some parents treat their sons and daughters differently; they do not have
the same set of rules for the two. For example, they may allow their sons to
go out with their friends on Friday evenings, but may not allow their
daughters to do so. As far as they are concerned, it is not okay for girls to go
out. Such parents do not believe that what is sauce for the goose is sauce for
the gander. In other words, they don't think that what is appropriate for one
person, is appropriate for another. It's also possible to say, `what's good for
the goose is good for the gander'. The expression has been around for
several centuries, and is considered rather old fashioned.

*If you're going to punish me for watching too much television, then you
should punish Geetha, too. What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the
gander.

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Is it okay to refer to a girl as being `homely'?

(L. Balagopal, Hyderabad)

If she is not much to look at, then you can call her `homely'. When you refer
to a girl as being homely, what you are suggesting is that she is rather plain
or ugly. The word can be used with animals as well.

*Her daughters are very intelligent, but rather homely.

When you refer to a chair as being `homely', what you mean is that it is not
elegant to look at, but comfortable to sit on.

What is the meaning of `nuts and bolts'?

(Qazi Md. Zaidi, Begusarai)

When someone talks about the nuts and bolts of a job, he gives a brief
summary of what the job entails. In other words, he gives you the basic
information about the job. When you say that someone knows the nuts and
bolts of a subject, he knows the basic things about the subject.

*They tell me that Mohan is familiar with the nuts and bolts of television
scripting.

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What's the difference between `I am giving an exam' and `I'm taking an
exam'?

(U. N. Limaye, Pune)

When you say that you are `taking' an exam, it means that you are going to
be writing one. In other words, you are going to be a candidate, an
examinee. When you say that you are going to be `giving' an exam, it means
that you are going to give someone else an exam; you are the examiner. You
are probably a teacher and you are going to give your students an exam. In
India, this distinction is not always maintained.

"The best way to keep children at home is to make the home atmosphere
pleasant - and let the air out of their tires." — Dorothy Parker

What is the difference between `slap on the back' and `slap on the wrist'?

(P. Yadav, Patna)

As a child, whenever you did something wrong, you invariably got punished
for it. Sometimes the punishment wasn't as severe as you had expected it to
be; in fact, it turned out to be pretty mild. When you get slapped on the
wrist for doing something wrong, you receive punishment which is not as
severe as it might have been.

People who drive without a license shouldn't get off with a slap on the wrist.
They should be put in jail.

*The children got a slap on the wrist for not doing their homework.
74
The expression `get your wrist slapped' has the same meaning as `slap on
the wrist'.

*We got our wrists slapped for not drinking the milk.

You normally hit someone on the back when you are proud of what he/she
has done. The idiom `slap on the back' is used to show approval. It has the
same meaning as `pat on the back'.

*We should give Rahul a slap on the back for helping us organise the cultural
programme.

What is the meaning of `to make waves'?

(Indira, Bangalore)

When you make waves, you are bringing about changes in a situation;
changes that not all people are happy with. The changes usually cause
problems, and leave many people rather unhappy.

*Anand is a good choice. He is diffident and is unlikely to make waves.

Why do we say, `the U.N', but not `the UNESCO'?

75
(J. Ganesh, Madurai)

When you use the abbreviated form of a well-known organisation and you
pronounce each letter separately, then you use `the'. In the case of `U.N', for
example, you pronounce the `u' as well as the `n' separately. Other famous
organisations which have to be preceded by `the' are `BBC', `CBI', `FBI' and
`EC". In the case of UNESCO, the letters are not pronounced individually. You
put them together and say it as a word. When the abbreviated form of an
organisation is pronounced as a word, then you need not put `the' before it.
In the case of `OPEC', `UNICEF', and `NATO', there is no need for the definite
article `the'.

Which of the following sentences is correct? `The majority of the applicants

is not qualified' or `The majority of the applicants are not qualified'?

(M. Ratnasabapathi, Neyveli)

The second sentence is grammatically correct. `Majority of' is invariably

followed by a plural noun. For example, we say, `majority of students',
`majority of young mothers' and `majority of cases'. Since the noun in all the
examples is plural, the verb that follows must also be plural.

*The majority of students are unwilling to take part in the strike.

When `the majority' is not followed by `of', then the verb that follows can be
either singular or plural. For example,

76
*The majority is of the opinion that we must go on strike.

*The majority feel threatened by the possible changes.

"The phrase `working mother' is redundant." — Jane Sellman

What is the meaning of `cook the books'?

(Manoj Kumar Vohra, Faridabad)

This is an expression mainly used in informal contexts. When you say that an
accountant has cooked the company's books, what you mean is that he has
changed the figures in the ledger in order to cheat or deceive people.
Companies, which are in the red, often resort to this, in order to show that
they are in good financial position. When you cook the books, you falsify the
accounts. The Chairman said, "Cook the books. I want it done before the
annual shareholder's meeting."

*Vijay was asked to resign because he refused to cook the books.

Which is correct? `How are the team?' or `How is the team?'

(Jai, Coimbatore)

77
I understand that in British English both are acceptable. If you wish to think
of the team as a single unit, then you use the singular `is'. On the other
hand, if you think of the team as consisting of distinct individuals, then you
use the plural verb `are'. There are many nouns in English which can be
followed by either the singular verb or the plural verb: government, family,
team, firm, and people. These are just a few.

What is the meaning of `demonology'?

(N. Dharmaeshwaran, Bangalore)

Demonology is an orthodox branch of theology and it started off as the

study of the devil, witches, and other spirits thought to be evil. Nowadays,
the term is being used to refer to the people or groups of people we hate.
As human beings we like a certain group of people and hate others. For
example, as far as the communists are concerned, all capitalists are evil
because they are only interested in exploiting the working class. College
students, on the other hand, view the administration with suspicion. This list
of enemies that each of us has can also be referred to as demonology. For
example, you can say, the journal's demonology expanded to include
politicians, government officials, and communists.

Which is correct? `Once for all' or `once and for all'?

(G. Sambasivam, Chennai)

78
The dictionaries list only `once and for all'. The expression is used to mean
`now and for the last time'. When you do something once and for all, you
finish doing it so that you don't have to worry about it again.

*After she completes the project, Seetha plans to return to France once and
for all.

What is the meaning of `join the majority'?

(M. Ratnasabapathi, Madurai)

When you join the majority, you die. It is also possible to say, `join the great
majority', `go over to the great majority' and `death joins us to the great
majority'. Other idioms which have more or less the same meaning are, `give
up the ghost', `go the way of all flesh', and `kick the bucket'.

What is the difference between a `medical shop' and a `chemist'?

(D. Panduranga Rao, Chennai)

In both shops, you can buy medicine manufactured by well-known

pharmaceutical companies. At the chemist's however, it is possible for you
to have your medicine prepared. The shop usually has someone who is well
trained or qualified to prepare whatever it is you need.

What is the meaning of `wherewithal'?

(Jayaram, Kakinada)
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If you say that you have the wherewithal to buy a house, what you are
saying is that you have the means to do it. In other words, you have the
money to buy one. In most cases, the word is used to refer to funds. The
stress is on the first syllable.

*The wherewithal was sent to our factory in Hyderabad to produce spurious

drugs.

Why is South America called `Latin America'?

(S. Bhakthavathsalan, Chennai)

The majority of people who live in this region speak either Spanish or
Portuguese. Both these languages, unlike English, have descended from
Latin. Hence South America is called `Latin America', and the people who
live there are called `Latinos' or Latin Americans.

What is the meaning and origin of `rule of thumb'?

(C. Krishnaveni, Hyderabad)

The idiom has been around for over three centuries. When we wish to
measure the length or width of an object and we don't have a tape or ruler
at hand, we sometimes make use of our thumb to do it. This way of
calculating the length/breadth of something, will not give us the exact

80
measurement, only an approximate one. So when you say that you are
doing something by rule of thumb, you mean that what you are doing is
based on experience or instinct, and not on exact calculation.

*A good rule of thumb is to make three chapathis per guest.

What is the difference between `dispatch' and `despatch'?

(R. Sunderajan, Chennai)

As far as the meaning is concerned, there is no difference. The preferred

spelling nowadays seems to be `dispatch'.

"Some kids want to know why the teachers get paid when it's the kids who
do all the work."

Which is correct "My house is opposite to the railway station" or "My house
is opposite the railway station"?

(V. S. Paul Devasahayam, Madurai)

You normally say that the house is opposite the railway station, and not
`opposite to'. When you use the word `opposite' in this manner, you are
suggesting that there is something separating the two objects. In this case, it
could be that the railway station and your house are separated by a road or
a street. Opposite implies that the two buildings are on different sides of the
road/street. Similarly, when you say, "Divya's room is opposite Puja's", what
you are suggesting is that the two rooms are facing each other; there is a
corridor between them.
81
*The nearest supermarket is opposite the hospital.

*The people who live opposite Anand's house are slightly crazy.

What is the meaning of `dies non'?

(S. Shama Bhat, Kasaragod)

First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The `di' is pronounced like the word
`die' and the following `es' is like the word `ease'. The second word, which
has the main stress, is pronounced like the word `non'. `Dies non' is the
shortened form of the Latin expression `dies non juridicus'. `Dies' means
`day', `non' means `not' and `juridicus' means `judicial'. As you have
probably guessed by now, this expression is mostly used in legal contexts to
mean a day on which the court doesn't work; a non-judicial day. Sundays,
for example, are non-judicial days. Those who have filed a case in court
know that it takes years for it to appear. As far as these people are
concerned, the judiciary seldom works! Most days are `dies non juridicus'

What is the difference between `ample' and `enough'?

(T. Manoharan, Chennai)

The word `enough' suggests sufficient or adequate. For example, when you
say that you had enough chairs for the guests, it means that you had

82
sufficient number of chairs for people to sit on. The chairs met your
requirements; they were adequate. When you say that you had ample
money to go on the trip, it suggests you had more than enough money.
Ample is larger in degree and quantity when compared to `enough'. If you
have ample evidence to put a guilty man away, you have more than
adequate or sufficient evidence to put him away for good. In other words,
you have plenty of evidence.

Cricket commentators talk about `the rub of the green... ' What does it
mean?

(Rajesh, Delhi)

This is an expression that is mostly used in the context of sports. In the first
test match, for example, England had the rub of the green on the fourth day.
The Indians fielded poorly and dropped a few catches. Even some of the
umpiring decisions went England's way. The visitor's seemed to have all the
luck. When you say that someone has the rub of the green, what you are
implying is that everything is going their way — they have dame luck on
their side.

*Ananya hasn't had the rub of the green in the last few tournaments.

What is the meaning of `mouse journalism'?

(B. Jambulingam, Thanjavur)

83
The war in Iraq has given rise to a new sort of journalism — mouse
journalism. This is a term coined by Robert Fisk, a correspondent of the
Independent. He said that the situation in Iraq is so dangerous for
journalists, that mouse journalism is the best way for correspondents to stay
alive. In this sort of journalism, the reporter goes to the scene of the event,
gathers news as quickly as possible (usually about ten minutes), and leaves
before "men with guns arrive."

`Dear God, Thank you for the baby brother, but what I prayed for was a
puppy.' — A child.

What is the meaning of `step up to the plate'?

(G. Narasimhan, Chennai)

This is an expression that comes from the world of baseball. The `plate'
refers to `home plate'; the base a batter stands next to, as he gets ready to
receive his first pitch. When a batter steps up to the plate, he is ready to
deal with whatever the pitcher may decide to throw at him. In other words,
he is ready for the challenges in store.

*I don't think there is anyone among you who would willingly step up to the
plate.

*When it came to crunch time, Sujatha really stepped up to the plate.

84
What is the difference between `sparse' and `scarce'?

(K. Mridulatha, Bangalore)

When you say that something is `sparse' what you mean is that there is very
little of it and what little there is, is unevenly distributed. For example, when
you talk about sparse vegetation, you are saying that the vegetation is thin,
not thick, and this thin vegetation is distributed over a relatively large area.
There is vegetation in some places, but not in all.

*Thanks to the sparse traffic, we managed to cover the distance in two

hours.

*Why he wastes so much time on his sparse hair is beyond me.

`Scarce', on the other hand, suggests that the shortage of the commodity is
temporary. It is not permanent. Scarcity can be man made as well. For
example, usually in our country, the day before the budget, petrol becomes
scarce.

*I understand that during the Second World War, chocolates became scarce.

85
What is the meaning of `sting operation'?

(R. Amit Kumar, Kanpur)

Whenever we turn on the TV these days, we hear that some news channel
has carried out a `sting operation' on an unsuspecting politician. The word
`sting' has many different meanings. A well thought out scheme or plan used
to trap criminals is called a sting. Using hidden cameras, news channels have
succeeded in getting some of our not-so-beloved politicians to talk about
how they use their official cars to carry drugs and how much they charge to
raise question in Parliament.

*The CBI came up with a well-planned sting and managed to nab many of
the drug peddlers.

The word `sting' also means to `cheat' or `swindle' — something that our
politicians excel in doing. Isn't it only fair that after having cheated us, they
get stung in return? You know what they say, what goes around, comes
around!

it okay to say, "Every day they have wada and dosa during the midday?"

(S. Shanthi, Trichy)

We know when we say `midday', we mean 12 o'clock in the afternoon. Since

we are referring to a specific time in the afternoon, we should use `at' and
not `during'. We should say, "They have wada and dosai" at midday. If you
would like to use `during', then use `middle' rather than `midday'.
86
*The clerk told us that the forms would be distributed at midday.

*You'd better take a cap. It gets really hot during the middle of the day.

"Please excuse Ronald from P.T for a few days. Yesterday he fell out of a tree
and misplaced his hip." — Note from a mother

What is the meaning and origin of `touch wood'?

(G. Venkatesh, Secunderabad)

When after making a remark, you say `touch wood', you are hoping that the
good fortune that you have had so far continues. The expression has the
same meaning as `knock on wood'.

*Our wicket keeper hasn't dropped a single catch all summer. Touch wood.

*The second hand scooter I bought recently hasn't given me any trouble.
Knock on wood.

87
There are several explanations as to the origin of this expression. According
to some scholars, it comes from an old superstitious belief that knocking on
a tree (wood) helped to drive away evil spirits. Another explanation is that
`touch wood' was the name of a tag game that children played. The aim of
the game was to run after your opponents and catch them. But if an
individual was touching a tree (wood), then he was safe; he couldn't be
`captured'.

What is the difference between `He is my best friend' and `He is a close
friend'?

(S. Malavikka, Chennai)

It is possible for you to have several `close' friends. When you say, `He is my
best friend', it suggests that he is the individual who is the closest to you; it's
this person with whom your share your most intimate thoughts.

What is the meaning of `et al'?

(A. Umar, Kadayanallur)

First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The `et' is like the `et' in `set', `bet',
and `pet'; the `a' in `al' is like the `a' in `ant', `apple', and `hat'. The main
stress is on `al'. `Et al' comes from Latin and it is the abbreviated form of `et
alia' meaning other people or other things. The expression is used after a
name or a list of names to indicate that others are also involved. It is
normally used to refer to books and articles written by more than one
person.

88
*For your next class, I would like you to read the article written by Balagopal
et al.

What's the difference between `see through someone' and `look through
someone'?

(G. Ramesh, Pillani)

When you look through someone, you see the person, but pretend not to.
As far as you are concerned he is not there, he doesn't exist. When you see
through someone, you are able to figure out what the individual is up to. In
other words, you understand what he is planning to do; what his intentions
are even though the individual is trying his best to hide them.

*Harish was able to see through Narender's scheme right from the
beginning.

Is it OK to say, `He was given an yellow card'?

(D. Sridhar, Jamshedpur)

No, it is not. Players are shown `a' yellow card, and not `an' yellow one.
Many words beginning with the letter `y' are preceded by 'a'. For example,
you say, `a young man', `a yard', and `a year'.
89
"One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief
that one's work is terribly important." — Bertrand Russell

What is the meaning of `Beltway politics'?

(B. S. Sanjay, Bangalore)

In American English the word `beltway' is used to refer to a road which goes
around a city or town — what we in India call a `ring road'. The `beltway'
referred to in your question is the road that goes around Washington D. C.,
the capital of the United States. Beltway politics is normally used to talk
about the dirty politics that goes on in Washington.

What is the meaning and origin of `get someone's goat'?

(Rishab, Vijaywada)

When you get someone's goat, you succeed in annoying the individual or in
making him rather angry.

90
*Sometimes, Raja comes to work in jeans and a T-shirt. That really gets my
goat.

*Mohan's constant whining gets my goat.

This idiom comes from the world of horse racing. I understand that horses
are highly temperamental creatures. In order to keep their prized possession
calm and relaxed, trainers often kept a goat as a stable companion for the
horse. Goats do not get flustered very easily, and their presence in the
stable had a calming influence on the horse. Since the goat was a constant
companion, the horse became rather attached to the animal. In order to
ensure that a particular horse didn't perform well in a big race, stable boys
working for rival owners sometimes stole the goat the night before the big
event. The absence of the goat made the horse moody, and as a result it
didn't perform well in the race. So when you say that someone has got your
goat, you are comparing yourself to the horse, and not the goat.

What is the difference between `nevertheless' and `however'?

(Sujatha Nellikode, Abu Dhabi)

As far as the meaning is concerned, there is not much of a difference. The

two can be used interchangeably in many contexts; `nevertheless' is
considered to be more formal than `however'. Both words are used when
you wish to emphasise that the second point you are making contrasts with
the first.
91
*He was very ugly to look at. However/nevertheless most girls wanted to
marry him.

*It was pouring; nevertheless/however our teacher made us walk all the
way to the farmhouse.

Is it OK to say, `Yesterday night'?

(Medepalli Seshu, New Delhi)

We find a lot of Indians saying, `I met him yesterday night.' Native speakers
of English would probably frown upon this. It's okay to say, `yesterday
morning/afternoon', but not `yesterday night'. You normally say, `last night'.
For example, I met Dravid at the party last night.

What is the difference between `sell' and `sell out'?

(A. U. R. Kalyan, Tanuku)

`Sell' is the opposite of `buy'. When you sell, you give something that you
own in return for money. For example, you have individuals selling
vegetables, audiotapes, and real estate. When you `sell out' something, you
succeed in selling everything.

92
*All the chairs and tables have been sold out.

*Do you believe this? The tickets have been sold out.

The expression `sell out' has other meanings as well. When you `sell
someone out' you betray the individual.

*I think some of our politicians are selling our country out.

*I certainly don't wish to sell you out.

`Okay, so God made man first. But doesn't everyone make a rough draft
before they make a masterpiece?' — Courtney Huston

What is the meaning of `catch as catch can'?

(Venkatakrishnan, Chennai)

Sometimes in order to achieve something or complete a task, you resort to

any method available to you. You are not too worried about whether what
you are doing is ethical or not; you are intent on achieving your goal. As a
result, you end up doing things in an unplanned and an unsystematic
manner. This is what `catch as catch can' means. The idiom has more or less
the same meaning as `no holds barred'.

93
*When his former partner complained that he was taking away his clients,
Rahul told him that in business it was a case of catch as catch can.

Are you a fan of WWF wrestling? If you are, then you will understand what
the word `catch' refers to. In freestyle wrestling, there are no restrictions on
how you can hold your opponent. You can `catch' or hold him/her in any
way you can.

Why is 26 December called `Boxing Day'?

(B. Shobana, Meerut)

The word `boxing' has nothing to do with the sport; it has to do with boxes
in which you put things. During the Christmas season a lot of people attend
church and while they are there, they donate money and other goodies to
the poor. The money and gifts are put in a box, and this is called a Christmas
box. The boxes are opened by a priest the day after Christmas, and he in
turn distributes the contents to the needy. This is why 26 December is called
Boxing Day. For most cricket fans in India, `Boxing Day' is always associated
with the first day of a test match in Australia.

What is the meaning of `period' in the following sentence? `He is an

intelligent man. Period.'

(C. Vasanth, Chennai)

94
Very often people use the word `period' after they have made a statement
or stated an opinion. What they mean by this is that they are very sure
about what they have said, and do not wish to discuss the matter. Your
sentence suggests that the speaker is very certain that the person is very
intelligent, and the matter needn't be discussed any further.

*There is no way that I am going to help Shashi. Period.

What it the difference between `curriculum vitae' and `resume'?

(Amit Manglani, Allahabad)

Curriculum Vitae comes from Latin, and it means `course of life'; a CV

therefore provides a concise autobiography of an individual. Since it is
meant to provide a detailed account of an individual's achievements, a C.V.
tends to be lengthier (2-8 pages) than the normally crisp resume (usually,
not more than two pages). According to some people, the term CV should
be used only in the context of academics; in all other cases, resume should
be used. This distinction is seldom maintained, and there is a tendency to
use the two words interchangeably nowadays. The main aim of writing a CV
or a resume is to get the person reading it to call you for an interview.

Outside marriage halls, we see signs that say, `Bride marries Bridegroom'.
Some read, `Bridegroom marries Bride'. Which is correct?

(R. Ramesh, Bangalore)

95
How does it matter? Either way it leads to unhappiness! Here's my question.
Why do you need this sign? Who else is the bride going to marry? She has to
marry the groom; she can't possibly marry the `best man'!

`Well, if crime fighters fight crime and fire fighters fight fire, what do

What is the meaning and origin of `above board'?

(B. Rajasekharan, Bangalore)

When you say that a particular deal was above board, what you are implying
is that there was no hanky panky involved. In other words, it was honest and
legal. The kind of deal that you don't generally associate with our politicians.

If a politician is involved in a deal, you can be pretty sure that it is not above
board.

Raju is straight as they come. All his dealings are above board.

There are several explanations for the origin of this idiom. According to one,
the `board' refers to a table. Therefore when you say that a deal was `above
board', what you mean is that it was done in an open manner — the hands
of the participants involved in the deal were out in the open. There was no
underhand dealing involved. Another explanation has to do with the
smuggling of goods on ships. In the old days, people who smuggled things
always kept them hidden below deck. The legal cargo would be placed in
plain sight on the deck. In other words, anything that was placed on the
deck was considered `above board'!
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Is it OK to say, `The President Abdul Kalam visited Chennai last week'?

(Balu, Tiruchirapalli)

If you want to include an individual's name with titles like `Queen', `King',
`Prime Minister' and `President', then you normally don't use the definite
article `the'. For example, we do not say, `The Queen Elizabeth drank
coffee'. We can either say, `The Queen drank coffee' or `Queen Elizabeth
drank coffee'. Your sentence is therefore wrong. You can either say, `The
President visited Chennai last week' or `President Abdul Kalam visited
Chennai last week.'

What is the meaning and origin of `to eat out of one's hand'?

(D. V. Rao, Vizag)

When you have someone `eating out of your hand', you succeed in getting
him to do whatever you want. The individual becomes very submissive.

*Within no time, the former film star had all the office employees eating out
of her hand.

*As a young man, he dreamed that he would have his wife eating out of his
hand.

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The expression comes from the world of animal training. You know that a
wild animal has been tamed when you succeed in getting it to eat something
off your hands, without getting bitten.

What is the difference between `eat like a horse' and `eat like a pig'?

(G. Sailaja, Hyderabad)

Horses and pigs are known to have good appetites. Therefore when you say
that someone eats like a horse or a pig, what you are implying is that the
individual consumes a lot of food. Careful users of the language maintain a
subtle distinction between the two expressions. When you say that
someone eats like a pig, it has a negative connotation. Pigs are supposed to
be rather noisy eaters. They slurp, grunt, and drool when they eat. I am sure
other animals do the same thing, but unfortunately for the pig, it is always
associated with these things. Therefore when you say, `He eats like a pig',
what you mean is that he eats a lot, and has very bad table manners.

What is the difference between `defence' and `defense'?

(P. K. Iyengar, Hyderabad)

We know that when it comes to spelling, there is some difference between

American and British English. This pair is another example. The British spell it
`defence' and the Americans spell it `defense'. Donald Rumsfeld, for
example, is the `Secretary of Defense'. There are many pairs of words in
English which are spelt both with a `c' and an `s'. For example, advice, advise
and practice, practise. In the two examples, the noun form of the word is
spelt with a `c' and the verb form is spelt with an `s'.
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I don't find `bitter gourd' in the dictionary. Does the vegetable have another
name?

(Jai, Mumbai)

I understand that the vegetable is also called `balsam apple' and `balsam
pear'.

What is the meaning of `da bomb'?

(R. Krishna, Mangalore)

This is a slang expression of recent origin and is normally used to talk about
a person or a thing. When you refer to an individual as being `da bomb' or
`the bomb' what you mean is that he/she is outstanding. The expression is
mostly used in American English.

*You should see the movie. I tell you, it is da bomb.

*You are taking a course with Jai? I am told when it comes to teaching, he is
da bomb.

"There are three ways to get something done: 1) Do it yourself; 2) Hire

someone to do it for you; 3) Forbid your kids to do it." — Unknown

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What is the meaning of `go the whole hog'?

(P. Revathi, Bangalore)

This is an expression mostly used in informal contexts. When you `go the
whole hog', you do something thoroughly; you do not compromise in any
way. It has the same meaning as `go all the way'. Americans tend to say `go
whole hog'.

*When the mechanic told me how much it would cost to repair the old car, I
decided to go whole hog and buy a new one instead.

*Gayathri went the whole hog and bought matching slippers and earrings to
go with her new dress.

According to one theory, the `hog' in the idiom doesn't refer to a pig, but to
money. In the 18th Century, the word `hog' was a slang term for `shilling'. So
when you went the whole hog, you spent the entire shilling at once. The
expression became popular in the United States when Andrew Jackson ran
for President in 1828. This gave rise to the expression `whole hogger' to
mean someone who would see a matter through, come what may!

What is the difference between `ambience' and `ambiance'?

(Nori Kurmaiah, Vishakapatnam)

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The French spell it `ambiance', while most people in the U.S. spell it
`ambience'. As far as the meaning is concerned, there is no difference
between the two words. The `a' in `ambience' is like the `a' in `cat', act', and
`bat', while the following `i' is like the `i' in `pit', `bit', and `fit'. The `e' in the
third syllable sounds like the `a' in `china' and the final `e' is silent. The main
stress is on the first syllable. This is one way of pronouncing the word.
`Ambience/ambiance' is normally used to refer to the atmosphere of a
place.

What is the origin of `nit picking'?

(V. S. Ratheesh, Thrissur)

Monkeys and gorillas do this all the time. Among human beings, mothers
perform this duty once in a while. Any idea what a nit is? Most of us have
come home with this unwanted visitor on a few occasions. Nits are the eggs
of lice or any other parasitic insects. When our head becomes infested with
lice, what is it that our mothers do? They run a special comb through our
hair and then peer intently at the comb. Whenever they spot a louse, they
proceed to squash the insect; they pick them off one by one. Getting rid of
these small, but irritating insects from one's head can be an overwhelming
task. Every inch of the head has to be carefully examined and you spend a
lot of time looking for them. The original meaning of nitpicking was
therefore looking for lice and their eggs. With the passage of time, however,
the expression acquired another meaning. It began to be used to refer to
someone who looks at the trivial details and finds faults with them.

*There was a lot of nitpicking going on as to what type of bouquet should be

given to the chief guest.

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*Let's stop with the nitpicking. Tell me what you think of the plan.

`There's a way of transferring funds that is even faster than electronic

banking. It's called marriage.' — James Holt McGavran

What is the difference between `fatal' and `fateful'?

(B. Anushka, Nagpur)

Sometimes it is reported in newspapers that a man involved in a fatal

accident was admitted to the local hospital. You wonder why because
anything that is fatal always results in the death of an individual.

*Dilip's decision to walk across the frozen lake proved fatal.

The sentence suggests that Dilip drowned in the lake. `Fatal' can be used
with abstract things as well. For example, one can say, "The sloppy manner
in which Akshay did the project proved fatal to his career." "The article in
the tabloids about the star's wild parties proved fatal to his marriage." In
both these sentences, the word is used to mean disastrous or destructive.

Fateful is related to fate. When you talk about a fateful day, you mean that
it was a day that changed your future or your destiny — the outcome is
usually bad.

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*Ganguly will always remember the fateful day he went to the press to
complain about his new coach.

What is the meaning of `face in the crowd'?

(Ravindranath Nalam, Hyderabad)

When there are a lot of people around you and there is nothing about you
which makes you stand out, then you say that you are just a face in the
crowd. You go unnoticed by most individuals. It is what happens to most of
us when we go to the stadium to watch a one-day international; we become
a face in the crowd.

*Narender hates attending big parties. He doesn't like being a face in the
crowd.

What is the meaning and origin of `pleased as Punch'?

(P. Mythreye, Secunderabad)

This idiom, which Ravi Shastri uses quite frequently while commentating,
has been around for over 400 years. Someone who is pleased as Punch is
extremely happy; he/she is elated.

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*Devidas was pleased as Punch when he got his promotion.

The `Punch' in the idiom has nothing to do with the drink or the blow that
villains seem to receive from our film heroes. It refers to a character in a
17th Century puppet show called `Punch and Judy'. The main character,
Punch, was a very content person who sang cheerfully all the time. Hence
the expression, pleased as Punch.

Is it OK to say, `On the lights, please!'

(Ajit Kumar, Meerut)

This is an expression which is commonly heard in India. We ask people to

`on the lights', `on the TV', `on the tap' and `on the heater'. Native speakers
of English will not ask you to `on' any of these things. Instead they will ask
you to `switch' or `turn something on'. For example:

*Could you turn on the TV, please!

*Would you like me to turn on/switch on the fan?

By the way, you do not say, `switch on/turn on the tap'. It's always
`open/close the tap'.

What is the difference between `anyway' and `anyways'?

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(K. Sanchith, Bangalore)

As far as the meaning is concerned, there is no difference between the two

words. `Anyways' is mostly used in American English and is considered non-
standard. If you use it in informal contexts in your speech, you could
probably get away with it. The word will not be accepted in writing. The
word `anyhow' has the same meaning as `anyway'.

*Ashwini says that she doesn't want to get married. Not now,
anyway/anyhow.

What is the meaning and origin of `wearing one's heart on one's sleeve'?

(Uthra, Chennai)

This is an idiom that has been around for several centuries. When you wear
your heart on your sleeve, you make your feelings clear to everyone; in
other words, you don't hide your emotions. If you are in love with someone,
you make it known to everyone that you are crazy about this person.

*It's difficult to know what Asha is thinking. She doesn't wear her heart on
her sleeve.

During the Middle Ages, when knights fought each other, they would
dedicate their performance to a woman of the court — usually someone
they were in love with or cared for. To let everyone know who they were in
love with, the knights used to pin onto their sleeves a hanky or a scarf
belonging to the woman.
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What is the difference between `speak English' and `speak in English'?

(P. Jagadish, Sivakasi)

When you ask someone to `speak in English', what you want him to do is to
use the English language. Perhaps he is speaking in a language that you
don't understand, and therefore you want him to talk to you in English. This
is the language that you want him to use on this particular occasion. When
you say that he `speaks English', what you mean is that the individual knows
and has the ability to use the language. In India, for example, many of us can
speak two or more languages, and depending on the context we choose to
speak in a particular language.

*The CEO speaks five languages. At the press conference, he spoke in

English.

When somebody says `Sorry', we usually respond by saying `Never mind'.

Are there any other alternatives?

(K. Radhakrishnamurthy, Ongole)

Yes, there are. It's very common to hear people say, `It's all right', `It's OK',
`No problem', `No big deal', and `Don't worry about it'. These are just a few
of the alternatives.

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"Always go to other people's funerals. Otherwise they won't come to yours."
— Yogi Berra

What is the difference between `extempore' and `impromptu'?

(G. J. Gnanapragasm, Salem)

Most people use the two words interchangeably to mean `spontaneously'.

Careful users of the language, however, maintain a distinction between the
two. The word `extempore' is normally associated with public speaking.
When you give a speech extempore, you give it with no notes. There is no
memorisation involved either. You stand before the audience and talk, but
this doesn't mean that you haven't given the subject matter any thought.
You may have been given your topic a month in advance, and you come so
well prepared that you choose to speak without notes. The word
`impromptu' is normally used with musical performances. In this case, the
performer does not play a piece that he has rehearsed; instead, he creates
the music as he goes along. When the word is used in relation to public
speaking, it suggests that there is no planning or premeditation involved. An
impromptu speech is one when you are asked to speak all of a sudden,
without any prior warning. In this case, you have little or no time to prepare;
you make up your speech as you go along. Many people do not maintain this
subtle distinction between the two words nowadays.

What is the meaning of `sexing up a document'?

(Sarvanan, Chennai)

Though this expression has been around for some time, it became popular
when Dr. Kelly accused the Blair Government of having "sexed up" its report
on Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction. When you `sex up' a document you
107
make changes in it so that the content is much more interesting or exciting
to read. In other words, things are hyped up or spiced up. The expression
has a negative connotation.

* My boss wants me to sex up the document for the media.

Some men grow their hair long in order to cover their bald spots. Is there a
word for this?

(G. Kalavathy, Chennai)

Yes, there is — `combover'. It's called a combover because what these men
usually do is to allow the hair on one side of their head to grow long and
then they proceed to comb it over the top of their head to hide their
baldness. The billionaire Donald Trump, the man you see in the series "The
Apprentice", has a combover.

What is the meaning of `stay the course'?

(D. V. Rao, Visakhapatnam)

When President Bush talks about the situation in Iraq, one of the sentences
that he repeats very often is, "We must stay the course". When you stay the
course, you continue to do what you have been doing all along. No matter
how difficult or time consuming the task may be, you keep at it till you
complete it. You stand firm in pursuing your goal. So what the American

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President is saying that the U.S. must stay in Iraq till there is some
semblance of peace in the country.

*Listen Rajesh! Giving up smoking is not going to be easy. You must stay the
course.

*The diet my wife has put me on is killing me. But I need to lose weight. So I
have decided to stay the course.

According to some scholars, the `course' refers to the racetrack. In this case,
it's the horse that stands firm to reach the finish line — hopefully in a
winning position!

"How can he already have a headache? I just got here!" — Dennis the
Menace

What is the difference between `learned' and `learnt'?

(Jatin Nagpal, Delhi)

There are many verbs like this: dreamed, dreamt; spoiled, spoilt; kneeled,
knelt, etc. When used as a verb, both `learnt' and `learned' have the same
meaning. You can say:

* I have learned/learnt a lot from Ganesh this semester.

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* Our new bowler has learned/learnt to bowl the `doosra'.

According to some scholars, `learned' is more common in American English,

while `learnt' is used frequently in British English. When `learned' is used as
a verb, it is monosyllabic. In fact, some people pronounce it like the word
`learnt'. Others pronounce the final `ed' like the `d' in `dip', `deep', and `do'.
When the word `learned' is used as an adjective to mean `scholarly', it is
pronounced as a word with two syllables. The final `ed' is pronounced like
the `ed' in `wanted', `grounded', and `hated'.

* As expected, the learned professor bored the poor students to death.

Which is correct `Petrol station' or `petrol bunk'?

(A. K. Arunachalam, Kancheepuram)

The term `petrol bunk' is mostly used by Indians. Native speakers of English
do not use it. An Englishman would take his car to the `petrol pump' or the
`petrol station' to get it filled. An American, on the other hand, would take
his vehicle to the `gas station' in order to `fill her up'.

Is it okay to say, `Heartfelt congratulations!'?

(K. Visvanathan, Coimbatore)

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I asked several people about this, and all of them said, `No'. But according to
the Oxford Collocations Dictionary, it is all right to say, `heartfelt
congratulations'. You should remember, however, the word `heartfelt'
meaning `sincere' is used when we are deeply stirred or moved by
something. It is usually associated with emotions linked with sadness. One
can talk about `heartfelt sympathies', `heartfelt condolences', etc. But it is
also possible to say, `heartfelt thanks' and `heartfelt joy'. `Hearty', on the
other hand, suggests high spiritedness, vigour and energy. You can talk
about `hearty laughter', `hearty appetite', etc. You cannot say `hearty
condolences'.

What is the meaning of `eating someone's lunch'?

(Dr. Muthiah, Thiruvananthapuram)

This is an expression which is used in management. When a company `eats

the lunch' of another company, it aggressively markets its products and
succeeds in making inroads into the other company's market share.

What is the meaning and origin of `taking the wind out of one's sails'?

(Vijaya Selvam, Srivilliputtur)

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When you take the wind out of someone's sails, you succeed in denting his
confidence. You achieve this by doing or saying something that the
individual does not expect.

* Usha was really angry with her husband. But when he came home with
flowers and a saree, it took the wind out of her sails.

You have to remember that in the old days, ships depended on the wind to
get from one place to another. If you were to rob a ship that is sailing next
to you of the wind, what would happen? The wind would be taken out of its
sails and as a result, the ship would stall.

`When I was a boy, the Dead Sea was only sick.' — George Burns

What is the difference between `among' and `amongst'?

(R. Chetan, Bangalore)

As far as the meaning is concerned, there is no difference between the two

words, and very often the two are used interchangeably. When you are
among/amongst a group of people, you are surrounded by them. Some
people argue that `amongst' is rather old fashioned and should not be used.
Careful users of the language maintain that `amongst', when used, should
come at the beginning of sentences. When it occurs in the middle, it should
be used before words beginning with vowels.

What is the difference between `too' and `very'?

(Nikhil Paranjape, Noida)

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If someone were to say to you, `You are very short', he is merely stating a
fact. He is telling you that you are rather short. Perhaps you are only five
feet tall. He is not comparing you with anyone or anything. If he says, `You
are too short', it suggests that you are shorter than necessary for something.
Perhaps what the person is trying to tell you is that you are too short to play
basketball. You may be five feet ten inches, but you are not tall enough to
play basketball. You do not have the adequate height to play the game. The
word `too' carries with it the meaning `more than enough', `more than
wanted' and `more than necessary'. After an interview, if you were to say,
`The questions were very difficult', what you mean is that the questions
were extremely hard, but perhaps you did manage to answer them. On the
other hand, if you were to say, `The questions were too difficult', what you
mean is that the questions were so difficult that you couldn't answer them.

*Though it was very hot, the kids played cricket all day long.

*It was too hot to play cricket. The kids stayed home and watched TV.

What are the Siamese twins of the English language?

(S. N. Prasad, Hyderabad)

Expressions like `to and fro', `safe and sound', `take it or leave it', and
`rhyme or reason' are some of the Siamese twins of the English language.
They are usually expressions joined together by `and' or `or'. Like the twins,
the two words in these expressions are inseparable; their order is fixed and
113
they have only one meaning. You cannot say, `sound and safe' or `leave it or
take it'.

What is the origin of the word `duffer'?

(L. Vimala, Mysore)

We use the word `duffer' nowadays to refer to someone who is stupid or

someone who is very bad at doing something. The word is considered to be
rather old fashioned.

*Reema told me that Ganesh was a duffer at football.

*Please, not Sita! I don't want that duffer in my team.

When the word was first used, it had nothing to do with people who had
little or no intelligence. In fact, the original duffer was someone who sold
spurious goods. He was a cheat, a no good peddler of very low morals. With
the passage of time, however, the meaning `no good' shifted from the seller
to the naïve buyer. He was `no good' because he was stupid enough to be
easily tricked into buying something questionable. In the late 19th Century,
the word began to be used to refer to someone who was really bad at golf!

What is the meaning of `heartsink patient'?

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(S. Subramaniyam, Bangalore)

This is not a patient with a heart problem; in fact, he is one who creates
problems for the poor doctor. We have all met individuals who constantly
complain about their health. They may not have any problem at all, but
every time they see us, they buttonhole us and give us a long lecture about
their imaginary ailments. These individuals not only bore us, but also their
unfortunate doctors; they visit the poor man repeatedly and complain
persistently about their unidentifiable ailments. Whenever the doctor sees
one such patient walking into his office, how do you think he feels? Pretty
depressed, right? His heart sinks on seeing him. Hence the expression,
`heartsink patient'.

What is the meaning and origin of `like a cat on a hot tin roof'?

(D. V. M. Sastry, Visakapatnam)

How do you think a cat is likely to react when it lands on a tin roof that is
pretty hot? It's going to be pretty jumpy, right? The poor animal will
probably jump from one spot to another, trying to find a cool place to stand.
When you say that an individual is like a cat on a hot tin roof, what you
mean is that he looks very nervous; he is unable to sit or stand still in one
place.

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*You should have seen Surendran before the interview. He was like a cat on
a hot tin roof.

*What's wrong with Hema? She is like a cat on a hot tin roof.

Is it OK to say, `None of them have... '?

(K. Jayashankar, Cochin)

People who love their grammar would argue that the sentence is wrong.
They would want `none' to be followed by the singular verb `has'. In
informal contexts, however, there is a tendency, even among native
speakers of English, to use the plural `have'. In American English, it is very
common for people to say, `None of the movies were a hit' and `None of the
guys were good looking'.

What is the difference between `avocation' and `vocation'?

(Alok Kumar, Kanchipuram)

Some people refer to their job as their `vocation'. What they mean by this is
that they have found the job that they are particularly suited for. They
believe it is their calling, and they take it up because they wish to help other
people.

*I am told that his vocation is banking.

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An `avocation' is a hobby. It is an activity that you enjoy doing, but it's not
the thing that puts bread on the table. The word is considered formal.

*Shailaja told me that her avocation is painting.

*You'd better decide whether you want to make golf your vocation or
avocation.

Is it OK to say, `Boarding and lodging'?

(S. Akbar Ali, Trichy)

In India it is because most hotels inform us that they have both `boarding
and lodging'. Native

speakers of English talk about `board and lodging'.

`When I was born, I was so surprised I couldn't talk for a year and a half.' —
Gracie Allen

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What is the meaning and origin of `keep your powder dry'?

(Manoj Kumar Vohra, Faridabad)

The powder in the idiom refers to gunpowder and not talcum powder — not
the `gunpowder' that we eat with our idlis either! This is the real thing. In
the old days, gunpowder and a steel ball had to be pushed down the barrel
of a gun, before it could be fired. The powder had to remain dry for the gun
to fire. If it got wet, the gun couldn't be fired. People carrying guns took
precautions to keep the powder dry. When you tell someone to keep his
powder dry, you are asking him to remain calm and be ready for action. Sir
Oliver Cromwell is believed to have coined this expression. Before crossing a
river to attack his enemy, he told his troops: "Put your trust in God, but be
sure to keep your powder dry."

*The soldiers were asked to keep their powder dry and await orders.

*Don't panic, you understand? All I am asking you to do is to keep your

powder dry.

What is the difference between `traveller' and `passenger'?

(Shanmuga Kumar, Chennai)

A traveller is someone who goes from one place to another. This could be
from one city to another or from one country to another. An individual
moving about the city in which he lives cannot be called a traveller. A
traveller can get from one place to another by different means — an
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aeroplane, a ship, a car, a bullock cart, a horse, etc. The traveller may even
choose to walk from one place to another all alone; after all, that's how a lot
of people travelled in the old days. A passenger, on the other hand, is
someone who is never alone; he always travels in the company of others.
Furthermore, a passenger never walks; he is always in something that is
manmade — car, plane, train, ship, cart, etc. Two people sitting on a horse
cannot be called passengers; they are both riders. But two people sitting in a
coach being pulled by horses can be called `passengers'. When you say that
someone is the passenger, what it implies is that the individual is not the
driver. You can be a passenger in your hometown.

An unmarried man is called a `bachelor'. What is an unmarried woman

called?

(Khushboo, Kanpur)

A woman who is young and still single is called a `bachelorette'. In fact,

there was a reality show in the United States by that name. You will not find
this word in most dictionaries. The word `spinster' is used to refer to a
middle aged or an old woman who has never married. Unlike `spinster',
`bachelorette' does not have a negative connotation.

Does one `propose to' or `propose' a girl?

(Vasanth Kumar, Pilani)

You usually `propose' something. For example, I propose that we cancel

tomorrow's meeting. Dravid proposed that the fees be hiked. When you ask
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a girl to marry you, you propose `to' her. It's about time you proposed to
Shyamala. Poor Vimal, he proposed to three girls last semester, and all of
them turned him down.

What is the difference between `wake up at 7' and `wake up by 7'?

(J. Geetha, Hyderabad)

When you wake up `at' seven, you get out of bed at exactly seven o'clock.
Not before or after seven, but exactly at seven. When you wake up `by'
seven o'clock, you get out of bed at seven or a few minutes before seven.

*I told my mother that I would be home by 6:00 o'clock.

*Ganesh said he'd be back home by 7: 00 o'clock. He returned at 10: 00

o'clock

"I speak twelve languages. English is the bestest."- Stefan Bergman

How does one address a divorced woman?

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(Sailesh Patel, Bangalore)

How you address her is going to depend on the woman. If she chooses to
retain her married name, then you address her `Mrs.' so and so. If on the
other hand, she chooses to go back to her maiden name, then you call her
`Ms.' so and so. If you are unsure, use one of the titles and she will correct
you if you are in the wrong.

Is it okay to say, `You can contact him in 25435439 (telephone no)'?

(R. J. Gulrajani, Chennai)

No, it isn't. You usually contact someone `at' a number. "If it's an
emergency, you can contact me at 22009988". "I tried to contact him at
22009988, but the line was busy."

"Opinions are like feet. Everybody's got a couple, and they usually stink." —
Jim Slattery

What is the meaning and origin of "wool-gathering"?

(M. Munavar Basha, Chennai)

When someone says that you have been wool-gathering, what he means is
that you haven't been concentrating on your work; you have been
daydreaming.
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*The professor's talk was really boring. I found myself wool-gathering.

*Divya, your exams start the day after tomorrow. Stop wool-gathering.

This is an expression that has been around for several centuries. As for its
origin, it comes from the world of sheep farming. In the old days, when
farmers allowed their sheep to graze, they always sent a couple of women
or children along with the animals. When sheep grazed, sometimes tufts of
wool got caught in the bushes and on the branches of trees. It was the job of
the women/children to gather the wool and hand it over to the farmer. The
original `wool gatherers' were actually gathering wool! Since the job of wool
gathering didn't require much concentration, it was possible for the
individual to let his mind wander — in other words, he could afford to
daydream! Hence, the activity of `wool-gathering' became associated with
daydreaming!

What is the difference between "impel" and "compel"?

(M. Gayathri, Coimbatore)

When you compel someone to do something, you force him to do it. The
individual has no choice about the matter. Whether he likes it or not, he has
to do it.

*Ravindran's parents compelled him to take English literature.

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*The children were compelled to return by five o'clock.

When you are "impelled" to do something, you feel that you have to do it. In
this case, the desire to take action comes from within. No one is forcing you
to do it.

*The detective felt impelled to investigate further.

*Looking at him, I felt impelled to offer him more money.

Is it okay to say, "The words she uses are unintelligible for me?"

(I. Revathi, Warrangal)

No, it isn't. Something is intelligible or unintelligible "to" and not "for"

someone. When you say that something is unintelligible, what you mean is
that it is incomprehensible; it is difficult to understand. The word has
nothing to do with intelligence.

*The teacher used a lot of jargon which was unintelligible to the students.

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*What Chandu said was intelligible to the audience.

"Coffee in England always tastes like a chemistry experiment." — Agatha

Christie

What is the difference between "graceful" and "gracious"?

(S. Janani, Vijayawada)

The word "graceful" is normally used to refer to a person's movement; the

individual moves in a way that is attractive to watch.

*The young dancer moved gracefully across the stage.

*For someone who was terribly overweight, Eshwar was surprisingly

graceful.

The word can also be used to talk about an object which is pleasing to
looking at.

*He had a graceful little cottage in the countryside.

"Gracious", on the other hand, refers to people who are pleasant and polite.
It is considered formal.

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*Janaki is the gracious lady you met last week.

What is the meaning of the word "doozy"?

(R. Aswath, Secunderabad)

First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The "oo" in the first syllable is like
the "oo" in "cool", "fool", and "pool" and the "y" is like the "i" in "pit", "hit",
and "fit". The word can also be spelt "doosie"; the pronunciation is the same
as "doozy". When you refer to something as being a "doozy" what you mean
is that it is extraordinarily good or bad.

*The annual day programme was a real doozy this year.

*You should see Vikram's black eye. It's a real doozy.

"If your baby is `beautiful and perfect, never cries or fusses, sleeps on
schedule and burps on demand, an angel all the time,' you're the grandma."
— Theresa Bloomingdale

What is the difference between "wedding" and "marriage"?

(C. Kavitha, Kurnool)

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Both words are used to refer to acts — religious or civil — by which a man
and a woman become husband and wife. Of the two, "marriage" is more
common. It can be used to refer to the actual ceremony that takes place or
the spiritual union entered upon by the two individuals.

*The two have had a long and happy marriage.

*I am sorry to say that I can't be present at your marriage.

"Wedding" is used to refer to the ceremony and the festivities which follow
it. Unlike "marriage", it cannot be used to talk about the relationship
between the married couple. A "wedding" may last only an hour, but you
can remain married for 40 years.

*Vinita's wedding is today. Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it.

*Please don't invite too many people to the wedding.

What is the meaning and origin of "jaywalking"?

(P. V. Srinivasan, Chennai)

Jaywalking is something that we Indians specialise in. We cross the road

wherever we like; it's a tricky business, but most of the time we manage to
negotiate the traffic. The word "jay" is a slang term coined in the U.S. in the
early 20th Century to refer to rustics — people living in the country. When
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"jays" visited cities, they had a tough time crossing streets because of the
presence of automobiles. These cars which could run at an incredible speed
of 15 miles an hour scared the living daylights out of the "jays". Hence,
whenever these individuals crossed the street, they did so very erratically,
seldom bothering to look at the traffic signals.

What is the meaning and origin of "jaywalking"?

(P. V. Srinivasan, Chennai)

Jaywalking is something that we Indians specialise in. We cross the road

wherever we like; it's a tricky business, but most of the time we manage to
negotiate the traffic. The word "jay" is a slang term coined in the U.S. in the
early 20th Century to refer to rustics — people living in the country. When
"jays" visited cities, they had a tough time crossing streets because of the
presence of automobiles. These cars which could run at an incredible speed
of 15 miles an hour scared the living daylights out of the "jays". Hence,
whenever these individuals crossed the street, they did so very erratically,
seldom bothering to look at the traffic signals.

What is the difference between "sometime", "sometimes" and "some

time"?

(G. Suchitra, Hyderabad)

The word "sometimes" has the stress on the first syllable, and is used to
mean "occasionally" or "once in a while".

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*The boys sometimes go to their favourite restaurant for masala dosas.

*Sometimes, the students sit in the canteen and do their homework.

In the case of "some time", both words are stressed. It means "a lot of
time".

*I am afraid it will take us some time to find a replacement for this part.

Like the word "sometimes", "sometime" has the stress on the first syllable,
and is often used to mean "one day". It refers to an unspecified period of
time in the future or the past.

*I told Sadanand that I would meet him sometime next week.

The word can also be used with people. When you refer to someone as a
"sometime CEO", what you mean is that the individual held the position of a
CEO in the past. He is not a CEO now.

*Divya, the sometime Director of Cultural Academy visited me last week.

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Why are the hottest days of the year called "dog days"?

(B. Vasantha, Bangalore)

The hottest days in Europe mostly occur in the month of July. According to
an old superstition, this was also the period when dogs had a tendency to go
mad. The expression "dog days" is a translation of the Latin "caniculares
dies" and it has been around since the times of the ancient Romans. But
contrary to popular belief, "dog days" has nothing to do with dogs on earth;
it has more to do with the dog in the sky! In this case, it refers to Sirius, the
Dog Star. During the height of summer, the Dog Star, Sirius, rises along with
the Sun. The ancient Romans believed that this star added to the heat of the
Sun, and in the process caused the weather to become unbearably hot.

What is the difference between "adhesive" and "cohesive"?

(K. Zakkir Hussain, Calicut)

An adhesive is any substance that is used to stick two objects together. Glue,
for example, is an adhesive. When you say that something is cohesive, what
you mean is that it consists of numerous parts which fit together perfectly.

*After several months of training, the team finally became a cohesive unit.

What is the meaning of "graveyard shift"?

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(M. Munavar Basha, Chennai)

This is an expression mainly used in American English. When you say that
you are working the graveyard shift in a factory, what you mean is that you
are working the late night shift — you usually work from midnight to eight in
the morning.

*We have to cancel our plans. I am working the graveyard shift next week.

This expression became popular in the U.S. during World War II. It was a
time when many factories worked 24 hours a day. The people who worked
the graveyard shift worked at a time when everyone else was fast asleep;
when everything in town was very quiet and as still as a graveyard!

"My doctor gave me six months to live, but when I couldn't pay the bill, he
gave me six months more." — Walter Matthau

What is the meaning and origin of "beyond the pale"?

(N. Nagarajan, Vellore)

When someone behaves in an unacceptable or an uncivilised manner, you

can say that his behaviour was "beyond the pale". The idiom can also be
used to refer to people's actions.

*Rajagopal's behaviour at the meeting was beyond the pale.

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*Sushmita is never invited to parties because her behaviour is considered
beyond the pale.

The word "pale" in the idiom has nothing to do with colour. The word in this
case comes from the Latin "palus", meaning, "stake". In the old days
"stakes" or wooden poles were used to mark one's territory. Everything that
was within the "pale" or the wooden fence belonged to you, and the land
that was outside it, belonged to someone else. The expression "beyond the
pale" began to be used in the 14th century when parts of Ireland came
under the English rule. Territories that were "within the pale" belonged to
the English; those that were outside it, belonged to the Irish. The English, as
you may expect, didn't have a very good opinion of their neighbours. They
thought that the Irish were crude; people who didn't know how to behave in
a civilised manner. So when someone says your behaviour is beyond the
pale, what he means is that you are behaving like an Irishman!

What is the difference between "odour" and "smell"?

(Vinay Pal Singh, Chennai)

Tell your significant other that you like his/her "odour" and see how he/she
reacts! Chances are the person will never speak to you again. The word
"odour" has a negative connotation; it means foul smell. An odour can never
smell good; it's always bad.

*The odour of rotting fish almost made me vomit.

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*The odour from his dirty socks was disgusting.

A smell, on the other hand, can be either good or bad. You can talk about
the smell of rotten eggs and the smell of perfume.

Is the following sentence grammatically correct? "What I wish to know is

that whether the government is aware of the problem."

(C. Ramakrishnaiah, Secunderabad)

No, it is not. In this case, you do not need "that". Avoid using "that" and
"whether" together.

*What I want to know is whether you can come to the party.

*Ayesha wanted to know whether she had been admitted to the

programme.

What is the meaning of "blogging"?

(R. R. Subramanian, Chennai)

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One of the meanings of "log" is to write an official account of an event. In
ships for example, captains keep an official written account of what happens
each day — this is called the captain's log. In the old days, logs were
maintained in ledgers; nowadays, they are saved on computers. "Blogging"
is actually the short form of "web logging". Like a diary, a blog may include
anything — personal opinion, comments and experiences. Unlike a diary,
however, a blog is written for others to read and comment on. You upload
whatever material you have written onto the web, and you keep updating it
on a regular basis. A person who writes blogs is called a "blogger".

"There are well-dressed foolish ideas just as there are well-dressed fools." —
Nicholas Chamfort

What is the meaning of "dickens" in "Who the dickens are you?"

(A. Azeez John, Salem)

If you are a great fan of the Victorian novelist Charles Dickens, let me put
your mind at rest by saying that the "dickens" that you find in the expression
has nothing to do with the author. "What the dickens" has been around for
over five centuries. In the old days, people refrained from using words like
"hell", "devil", and "Satan" in their speech. They felt that if these words
were uttered, their souls would immediately go to hell; as a result, they
coined euphemisms for these words. "Dickens" was one of the words they
came up with.

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The expression "what the dickens" has the same meaning as "what the
hell?" and "what the devil?" So when someone says, "Who the dickens are
you?" what he is saying is, "Who the hell/devil are you?" According to some
scholars "dickens" refers to Satan. One of the terms used to refer to the
devil is "Old Nick". Since "dick" rhymes with "Nick", the word began to be
used to refer to the devil. There are a number of expressions in the English
language with the word "dickens". Some are, "go to the dickens", "raise the
dickens", "play the dickens" and "the dickens take you".

What is the meaning of "Page 3"?

(Bipin Kumar Jha, Babubarhi, Bihar)

"Page 3" became famous when Rupert Murdoch bought over the Sun in
1969. The following year, every edition of the paper carried a picture of a
topless woman on page 3; and as you may expect, the circulation went up
dramatically. The bare breasted women began to be called "page 3 girls"
and many of them became famous. So the original page 3 contained pictures
of naked women. Nowadays, the meaning of the expression has changed
somewhat. In addition to including some pictures of questionable taste, the
page also informs the reader as to what is happening on the social scene —
it tells you who is going out with whom and who is throwing the next big
party. It provides the local gossip.

Which is correct? "Grandson of the late" or "grandson of late"?

(S. Vishnu, Chennai)

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We usually find this in wedding invitations. Karthick, grandson of the late
Jayaraman, etc. When you want to refer to someone who is no more, you
generally use "the" before "late".

*Padma, the daughter of the late Ganesh, is building a house.

*The late President was known for his sense of humour.

"A man who has never made a woman angry is a failure in life." —
Christopher Morley

What is the difference between "met" and "visited"?

(R. Raghuveer, Chennai)

A meeting can be planned or unplanned. You can ring someone up and ask
him to meet you somewhere at a particular time. It is also possible for you
to meet someone quite accidentally. For example, you decide to go
shopping. Your friend also decides to go shopping and you end up meeting
him. In this case, the meeting is not planned; the two of you run into each
other quite accidentally.

*We met in the library as planned.

*The last time the two of us met was in London.

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The word "visit" suggests a longer meeting. In other words, you are going to
spend some time with the individual. You visit someone's house. A visit is
usually planned; the people you are going to meet usually know that you are
coming.

*During the holidays, he visited his cousin in Pune. There, he met many of
his old friends.

What is the meaning of "tongue-in-cheek"?

(Sharada Rao, Chennai)

When you make a tongue-in-cheek remark, you do not expect your listener
to take you seriously. Although you may look serious, the intention is to be
humorous. What you say is meant as a joke.

*Was Vijay speaking with tongue-in-cheek when he referred to Sania as the

heartthrob of India?

Does the word "regift" exist?

(Purushotham, Bangalore)

Yes, it does. When you get married you usually get a lot of gifts. Sometimes
two or three people end up giving you the same thing. For example, you
may end up getting three or four clocks. What are you going to do with so
136
many clocks? If you are sensible, then what you would do is to wait for one
of your friends to get married. When he/she does, you give one of the extra
clocks as a gift. This is what we mean by "regifting".

*Geetha is planning to regift the ugly vase that she got from Bala.

What is the meaning of "armchair critic"?

(N. V R. Swamy, Chennai)

There are plenty of people in our country who have never played cricket in
their life, but who are capable of giving a lengthy lecture on the subject.
They can tell you why Sachin should start using a lighter bat, and what was
wrong with Ganguly's field placement during a particular match. They seem
to be very knowledgeable about the subject of cricket; but what they know
is based on one of two things — they have either gathered the information
from books or by listening to people who know about the subject. In other
words, armchair critics are people who have little or no practical experience.
They have become knowledgeable by sitting in their favourite armchair and
reading.

*If you want words of wisdom from an armchair critic, you can go to
Laxman.

*I want someone who has dealt with this problem, not some armchair critic.

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People who learn a lot about places by reading about them are called
"armchair travellers".

"A fine is a tax for doing something wrong. A tax is a fine for doing
something right." — Unknown

Is it OK to say, "My cousin divorced last month"?

(E. Dharani, Chennai)

The sentence is grammatically incorrect. You usually divorce someone; the

word "divorced" is usually followed by a noun or a pronoun.

*After twenty years of marriage, Rama decided to divorce Govind.

*My cousin divorced his wife last month.

It is also possible to say, "to get a divorce". For example,

*They are planning to get a divorce soon.

*My cousin got divorced last month.

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What is the meaning of "erudite"?

(V. Rajagopalan, Vriddhachalam)

First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The "e" is like the "e" in "set", "pet",
and "met", and the following "u" sounds like the "u" in "put", "pull" and
"full". The final syllable rhymes with "might", "kite", and "fight", and the
main stress is on the first syllable.

When you say that someone is "erudite" what you mean is that he/she is
well learned; he or she sounds scholarly. The word is invariably used in
formal contexts.

*Sekhar is very different from my other cousins. He is very erudite and well
informed.

*The old professors were stunned when the young man gave an erudite
lecture.

Why are people who are left-handed called "southpaws"?

(N. Sadiq Basha, Tiruppur)

According to many sports enthusiasts, the word "southpaw" began to be

used to refer to lefthanders in the late 19th Century. Some believe that the
sports columnist Finley Peter Dunne coined the word. "Southpaw" comes to
us from the world of baseball.

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This popular American game is usually played in the summer; professional
games are played either in the afternoons or in the evenings. In most
stadiums, the "home plate" or the batter's box is placed in such a manner
that it faces east. This is done to ensure that the batter doesn't have the
afternoon or evening sun in his eyes when he bats.

The pitcher throws the ball facing west. This being the case, when a left-
handed pitcher winds up for his delivery, his throwing arm is facing south.
Hence the term "southpaw". The "paw" refers to the hand of the pitcher.

Grammarian's definition of "kiss": noun, though often used as a conjunction.

It is never declined; it is more common than proper; and it is used in the
plural and agrees with all genders.

What is the meaning and origin of "Barkis is willing"?

(L. Sundaraiya, Arakkonam)

The expression first appeared in Charles Dickens' well-known classic "David

Copperfield". Barkis is the name of one the characters in the novel. He keeps
sending a message through David to Clara Peggotty, the maid of David's
mother. The message that David is to give Clara is "Barkis is willing". In other
words, Barkis is willing to marry Clara. The expression is used nowadays to
indicate one's willingness or readiness to do something.

What does "bells and whistles" mean?

140
(Priyatharsini, Kallakurichi)

Many people when they go shopping for a computer look for a model that
contains the essential features. There are others, however, who are
interested in the little extras. They want to have a model which contains
many fancy features; add-ons which are good to look at, but which serve
very little purpose. These rather attractive but inessential features that you
buy along with a gadget are called "bells and whistles".

*You don't need the bells and whistles. They will double the cost.

*Ramesh likes to buy gadgets with all the bells and whistles.

What is the meaning of "keypal"?

(G. Ananth, Secunderabad)

This is a word of recent origin. A pen pal is someone with whom you
exchange letters. A "keypal" is someone with whom you exchange emails.
He/she is your email pen pal. You "key" in the messages for this individual.

*I informed all my keypals about the upcoming event.

"Laughter is like changing a baby's diaper. It doesn't permanently solve any

problems, but it makes things more acceptable for a while." — Unknown

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What is the difference between "sentimental" and "emotional"?

(Hema Yadav, Ajmer)

Both words have more to do with "feelings" than "reason". In both cases,
the individual's heart rules his head. When you respond to a situation
"emotionally", you do what your feelings tell you to do. You don't really
think things through. In most cases, it is a knee-jerk reaction. When
someone advises you and you react emotionally, you can either shout at the
individual or you can begin to cry.

*The chairman became emotional and accused the accountant of fraud.

A sentimental person is easily affected by emotions like sadness, love, etc.

Unlike an emotional individual, a sentimental one does not express himself
loudly or strongly. The feelings that he expresses are much more tender and
somewhat exaggerated. Sentimental often carries with it the sense that the
feelings expressed are not genuine. Unlike "emotional", "sentimental" has a
negative connotation.

*Latha is very sentimental. She cried when she heard that the school dog
was missing.

What is the origin of, "Murder someone in cold blood"?

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(Aslam Khan, Anantapur)

When you do something in "cold blood" you do it without being emotionally

involved; in other words, you are detached. The murder is thought of in
advance and the plans are executed in a ruthless manner, without the
display of any emotion. You act like a cold-blooded animal.

*The child was killed in cold blood in front of his house.

Does the temperature of the blood in our body increase and decrease
depending on our mood? Not really, but people who lived some three
hundred years ago believed that our frame of mind determined the
temperature of the blood. The common belief was that when an individual
became excited or angry, the blood within the body began to boil. When he
remained calm, the blood became cool. These beliefs are reflected in
everyday expressions like "hot-blooded" and "in cold blood". I understand in
the 17th Century, the expression "in hot blood" was used to refer to
murders committed with passion. For some strange reason "in hot blood"
went out of use. Scholars believe that the expression "in cold blood" is a
translation of the French "sang-froid". The expression "in cold blood" first
appeared in print in 1711 in Joseph Addison's "The Spectator".

What is the meaning of "Argus eyed"?

(K. Vaithinathasamy, Kumbakonam)

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It means to be watchful or vigilant.

*The police were watching the proceedings, Argus-eyed.

*The students found it difficult to get past the Argus-eyed watchman.

Argus was a giant who had fifty pairs of eyes. Juno, wife of Zeus, asked him
to keep an eye on her heifer (young cow) Io. The vigilant Argus stood guard,
and when he felt drowsy, he allowed only two of his eyes to fall asleep. The
remaining forty-nine pairs of eyes were focussed on Io. Unfortunately for
the giant, the messenger of the gods, Mercury, became interested in the
heifer and decided to steal it. In order to achieve this, he began playing his
lyre. The music was so soothing that Argus fell asleep - all one hundred eyes
closed. Mercury drew his sword and promptly chopped off the giant's head.
When Juno saw what had happened, she removed the eyes from the head
of the giant and placed them all on the tail of a peacock. I guess this explains
why we talk about the eye of a peacock's feather.

Which is correct? "I gave to nanny the keys" or "I gave the keys to nanny"?

(Y. Mohith Sai, Chittoor Dist.)

The second sentence is correct. One usually gives something to someone.

*The new student gave a rose to John.

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It is also possible to give someone something. In this case, "to" is not used.
You do not "give to someone".

*Please give the architect these diagrams.

What is the meaning of "co-son-in-law"?

(L. Jayaram, Bangalore)

This is a word that most native speakers of English do not understand. "Co-
son-in-law" is a term that we Indians have contributed to the English
language. It is not found in many dictionaries. When you refer to a man as a
"co-son-in-law" what you mean is that the two of you have the same in-
laws. In other words, this other individual is married to your wife's sister.
Native speakers of English would refer to the other individual as a "brother
in law". Most Indian languages have a term for such a relationship, and I
guess that's the reason why we felt compelled to come up with "co-son-in-
law".

What is the difference between "as scheduled" and "on schedule"?

(I. Sastri, Chennai)

145
When you say that the meeting took place "as scheduled", what you mean is
that the meeting took place as planned. Arrangements had been made, in
advance, for the meeting to be held and things went according to plan.

*The Opposition called for a bandh, but we managed to meet the minister
as scheduled.

The expression "on schedule" is normally used to refer to time. When a

project is completed on schedule, it is completed on time.

*For a change all flights left on schedule.

What is the meaning and origin of "to leave no stone unturned"?

(D. Srinivasan, Kallidaikurichi)

When someone says that he will leave no stone unturned what he means is
that he will do everything he can in order to achieve something. In other
words, he will try every possible means to get the desired results.

*The Chief Minister has said that he would leave no stone unturned to find
the culprit.

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*Both countries claimed that they would leave no stone unturned to find
peace.

In 477 B. C, General Polycrates defeated General Mardonius in a battle.

According to rumours, the Persian general, Mardonius had a lot of treasure
hidden under his tent. But when Polycrates and his men searched the tent,
they found nothing. The disappointed General went to an oracle in Delphi
and told him his problem. The oracle instructed him to return to the place
where the battle had been fought and to look under every stone for the
treasure; he asked him to leave no stone unturned. Polycrates went back
and searched under the stones, and sure enough he found the treasure.

What is the difference between "life assurance" and "life insurance"?

(R. M. Lakshmi, Madurai)

There is no difference; some companies call themselves "life insurance"

companies, while others call themselves "life assurance" companies. They
both do the same job. I understand that the term "Assurance Company" is
mostly used in countries where English is not spoken as the first language —
for example, in countries like Germany, Egypt, and the Philippines.

There is, however, a difference in meaning between "assurance" and

"insurance". One normally "assures" against something that will definitely
happen — for example death. No matter how important we are, none of us
can escape death. It is inevitable. You usually "insure" yourself against
something that may or may not happen — for example, fire, burglary and
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flood. Not all of us will have our house destroyed in a fire accident. But
some of us do buy "fire insurance" and "flood insurance".

What is the meaning of "monobrow"?

(S. Shanthi, Vellore)

The next time you look at yourself in the mirror, take a good look at the
eyebrows. If the two join just above your nose, then you can say that you
have a "monobrow". The word is mostly used in informal contexts, and is
not found in many dictionaries.

"Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter."

— Satchel Paige

What is the meaning of "underwriter"?

M. Ratnasabapathi, Madurai)

This is a term frequently used by organisations that provide insurance.

When an organisation "underwrites" an activity, it signs a contract which
guarantees payment for any loss or damage to the goods. A company that
148
invests money to help an individual start a new project is called an
underwriter. An individual can be an underwriter as well; his primary job is
to study the risks involved in an activity and decide how much to charge as
insurance. He determines the creditworthiness of a client. He is called an
underwriter because he writes his name under the policy.

What is the meaning and origin of "writing is on the wall"?

(P. Habeeb Rahman, Madurai)

When Shahid Afridi blazed away to a century in 40-odd balls in the fifth one-
day international, most of us knew who was going to win the match. By the
end of the 10th over, the writing was on the wall for India. When you say
that the handwriting or writing is on the wall, what you mean is that
something disastrous or bad is going to happen.

* When the team lost in the first round of the playoffs, the writing was on
the wall for the coach.

* Prabhakar saw the handwriting on the wall when the company fired two
more people.

The expression "handwriting on the wall" comes from the Bible. The King of
Babylon, Belshazzar, sees a hand mysteriously appear and write a message
on a wall. Being unable to decipher the message, he summons Daniel. The
wise man tells Belshazzar that the message is a warning from God that he
will soon be overthrown and his kingdom destroyed.

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"A diplomat is a man who remembers a woman's birthday, but never
remembers her age."

What is the difference between "fight with" and "fight against"?

(S. Arumugam, Coimbatore)

In some contexts, both phrasal verbs have more or less the same meaning.
When you "fight against" or "fight with" someone, you do battle against the
individual.

*I refuse to fight against someone who is twenty years younger than me.

In the examples given, one could easily replace one phrasal verb with the
other. It is also possible to "fight against" something as well. For example,
one can fight against a disease, or one can fight against poverty. In these
two cases, you are doing battle against a disease and poverty. "Fight with"
has an additional meaning. When you fight with something, you use a
weapon as an instrument in your fight. For example, in the old days people
fought with spears and swords.

Nowadays people fight with guns. Also, when you "fight with" someone, it
could mean that you are joining hands with the individual to fight someone
or something. In other words, you and the other individual are joining forces
and fighting a common enemy. "Fight against" does not have this meaning.

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*I fought with him in Kashmir against the terrorists.

What is the meaning and origin of "water off a duck's back"?

(K. Narayanmurthy, Udamalpet)

Although the duck spends a lot of time in water, the water never stays on its
feathers for long. This is because its feathers are coated with oil and this
prevents the water from being absorbed. As a result, when the bird steps
out of the water, it is able to shake it off within a matter of a few seconds.
Spending a considerable amount of time in a pond or a lake seems to have
no effect on the bird. Similarly, when you criticise someone and it has no
effect on him/her, then you can say that the criticism was like water off a
duck's back. Here are a few examples.

*I have scolded Achala several times for being lazy and sloppy, but it's just
water off a duck's back to her.

Is it OK to say, "He telephoned to Mr. X"?

(K. R. Chidambaram, Chennai)

When the word "telephone" is used as a verb, it is not followed by "to". You
telephone someone and not "telephone to" someone. It is like the word
"call". Remember, when you ring someone up, you "call him", you do not
"call to him". Here are a few examples.

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*Ananya telephoned her friend and told her she wouldn't be coming.

What is the meaning of "blonde moment"?

(R. Anuradha, Secunderabad)

This is an expression of recent origin. In the United States, for several

decades now, the word blonde has become synonymous with stupidity.
Women with blonde hair have always been perceived as being beautiful but
without an iota of intelligence — beauty without brains. A very common
expression associated with them is "dumb blonde". When you say that you
had a "blonde moment" what you are implying is that you behaved like a
typical blonde — you became scatterbrained and did something silly.

*I don't know why I said what I did. I must have had a blond moment.

What is the difference between "award" and "reward"?

(Dr. M. Veeramohan Rao, Kurnool)

An "award" is a prize that you receive for having done something

noteworthy. It is always associated with something positive; you have done
something which people approve of. It is a sign of appreciation. You could
be awarded a medal, a prize, or a certificate by an organisation for an
outstanding achievement. When judges bestow an award on you, they are
honouring you.

*The only award that Neelam ever won was the Pulitzer Prize.

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A "reward", on the other hand, is usually associated with something
valuable — money, for instance. You may get a reward for finding and
returning someone's dog/cat. The police may offer a reward for information
about an escaped convict. It is seen as something that you get as just
compensation for the good that you have done or the hard work that you
have put in. For example, if you have worked really hard to write a novel,
and later you receive an award for it, you may feel that it is a recompense
for all the work you put in, that it is a reward for your effort. While the word
"award" is associated with only positive things, "reward", on the other hand,
can be associated with both good and bad. One can be rewarded for the evil
one does as well.

What is the meaning of "fall on stony ground"?

(C. Ganeshan, Trichy)

When someone gives you a piece of advice and you choose to ignore it, then
you can say that the advice fell on stony ground. In other words, the ground
is so hard that nothing penetrates it. The expression, I understand, comes
from the Bible and it has more or less the same meaning as "fall on deaf
ears".

*The Management's repeated requests to call off the strike have fallen on
stony ground.

Is it okay to say, "The teacher was angry on the students"?

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(G. Sarita, Chennai)

There is a tendency among Indians to use the word "on" with "angry", but it
is wrong to do so. You cannot be "angry on" or "pleased on" a person. Both
these words are usually followed by "with".

*The new principal was pleased with the children's performance.

What is the meaning of "on a wing and a prayer"?

(Ananya, Secunderabad)

If you say that you are writing an entrance exam "on a wing and a prayer",
what you mean is that you are not confident that you will pass. You are
hopeful, but chances are you are unlikely to succeed. You are relying more
on luck, rather than your ability.

*Anju was playing the game on a wing and a prayer. She had no idea what
she should do to win.

*Raju is taking the interview on a wing and a prayer.

The expression became popular during World War I. The story goes that a
pilot managed to land his plane successfully even though one of his wings

154
had been badly damaged. When his friends asked him how he had managed
to land his crippled plane, the pilot replied that it was his prayers that kept
the aircraft aloft. To which one of his fellow pilots quipped, "A wing and a
prayer brought you back!"

What is the difference between "acquittal" and "exoneration"?

(Soji Mathew, Manali)

Very often an innocent man is accused of a crime and dragged to court.

After the judge has heard both sides of the case, he usually finds him not
guilty; the judge acquits the man of the crime. This formal declaration made
by the judge in a court of law is called an acquittal. The "a" in the first and
final syllable is pronounced like the "a" in "china". The second syllable,
which has the main stress, is pronounced like the word "quit". *The trial
resulted in an acquittal for the three men charged with first-degree murder.

The word "exoneration" has more or less the same meaning as "acquittal".
When a judge exonerates someone of something, he is pronouncing the
person not guilty. He doesn't find any evidence that the accused has done
anything wrong. Unlike the word "acquittal", someone other than a judge
can exonerate a person. For example, in government offices whenever
something goes wrong, a committee is formed to determine the causes. The
chairperson is also asked to find out if any particular individual is to be
blamed for the failure. If the committee finds that no one is to be blame,
then everyone is exonerated. The official report that the person in authority
writes exonerates everyone.

155
*The long awaited report exonerated the teachers.

***** ***** *****

What is the difference between "beautiful" and "pretty"?

(R. S. Prakash, Tiruchy)

Both words are normally used to refer to the pleasing appearance of the
face — usually that of women. Beautiful is the stronger word of the two.
When you say that something is "beautiful" what you mean is that it is very
close to perfection — at least according to the person looking at the object.
Remember, beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. Beauty is subjective, what
is considered beautiful in one culture may not be considered beautiful in
another. One can use the word "beautiful" to talk about things that can be
seen. For example, you can refer a woman's face as being beautiful, a house
as being beautiful, and a scene as being beautiful. In fact, you can even use
the word with things that cannot be seen. For example, you can talk about a
"beautiful plan" or a "beautiful smell". The word "pretty", on the other
hand, is not as complimentary as beautiful. When you refer to a woman as
being "pretty" what you mean is that she is attractive; she is graceful and
full of life, but lacks the perfection. She doesn't have the qualities to make
her beautiful. Pretty is seldom used with people or objects that are big; the
word is usually restricted to objects that are small. You cannot refer a 30-
storey building as being a "pretty building". You can talk about a "pretty
house" or "pretty shoes", but not a pretty building. Similarly, a woman who
is big built can be "beautiful", but not "pretty". The word "pretty" suggests
that the person or object is pleasant to look at, but not necessarily
impressive.

156
What is the meaning of "set the cat among the pigeons"?

(H. Parvathi, Chennai)

What would happen if you were to set a cat loose among the pigeons? How
do you think the birds would react? They would be pretty worried, wouldn't
they? The presence of the cat would create a great deal of disturbance.
When you set a cat among the pigeons, you say or do something suddenly
or unexpectedly. This often leaves the people worried or angry. It is also
possible to say, "put the cat among the pigeons."

*The principal set the cat among the pigeons when he informed the
students that the annual day was likely to be cancelled.

What is the meaning of "desk jockey"?

(V. Uday, Madurai)

Anyone whose job involves sitting behind a desk most of the time can be
called a "desk jockey." The individual remains glued to his desk most of the
time. Bank officers, accountants and most government officials can be called
"desk jockeys." These people are either constantly shuffling papers or on the
phone most of the time. If you are a "desk jockey", maybe you should
consider calling yourself a "D.J". Who knows, people may start looking at
you differently!

157
What is the meaning and origin of "cut and dry"?

(C. Rajeshwar, Bangalore)

First of all, it is not "cut and dry", but "cut and dried". When you refer to a
decision as being cut and dried what you mean is that it is final; it cannot be
changed.

*Bala's plans are cut and dried. You cannot make any changes now.

When you refer to a talk as being "cut and dried" what you mean is that it
was uninteresting.

*Hema's talk was cut and dried. She must brush up on her presentation
skills.

According to some scholars the cut and dried material refers to timber.
Wood that has been dried after cutting is ready for use. One can use it to
light a fire. Some others believe that the idiom refers to the cut and dried
herbs available in shops, which can be readily used in one's cooking.

During funerals, people, especially women, cry or wail in a funny sort of way.
Is there a word for this?

(D. Kumar, Hyderabad)

158
Yes, there is. I think the word you have in mind is "ululate". It consists of
three syllables; the first is pronounced like the word "Yule", which rhymes
with "mule", "fuel", and "duel". The second syllable sounds like "you", and
the final syllable is like the word "late". The main stress is on the first
syllable. "Ululate" is mostly used in formal contexts and means to howl or
wail. This ritualistic wailing can be performed at times of mourning or
celebration.

*From a distance we could hear the ululation of the mourning women.

*When he heard the news, Anand raised his hands and ululated.

What is the meaning of "the worm has turned"?

(L. Hamsa, Kozhikode)

If you keep bullying someone all the time, at some point he will turn on you.
Even the most mild-mannered person will put up with only so much.
Normally, when you refer to an individual as a "worm", what you mean is
that he is an unpleasant character. But in this idiom, it is gentleness or the
harmlessness of the creature that you are referring to. You are saying that
the person is a weak individual.

159
*I wouldn't mess with Rajeev now if I were you. He has changed. The worm
has turned.

What is the difference between "another" and "other"?

(Mohd. Aslam, Mir, Kashmir)

"Another" is normally used to mean "one more". For example, you can ask
your mother for another bowl of ice cream, or another plate of puris. The
word can be used with both singular and plural nouns; when used with the
latter, it is followed by "few". The Registrar will be retiring in another few
days. The use of the word "another" also suggests that you have more than
two choices available. If you are in a showroom and you ask a salesperson to
show you "another car", you are telling the individual that you want to see
some other car — you are not interested in the ones that have been shown
to you so far.

"Other", on the other hand, suggests that you have only two choices
available. For example, if you were to say, "I am not interested in this car,
but am interested in the other", what you mean is that you like the second
car. A car that you have already seen. The choice here is between two cars.

What is the meaning of "Generation X"?

(Vijaya, Chennai)
160
In North America, people born between the mid-1940s and the mid-1960s
are referred to as being part of the "Baby Boomer" generation. Their
children belong to "Generation X". The term is normally used to refer to
people born between the mid-1960s and the early 1980s. There is no
agreement among scholars about the exact years. Generation X has certain
negative connotations associated with it. The people belonging to this
generation are supposed to be "materialistic", "apathetic", and
"irresponsible". They lack a sense of direction. All this is reflected in the
other terms used to refer to this generation, "Baby Busters", "Slackers", and
"Grunge Kids." The term, "Generation X" was first used by Paul Fussel in one
of his articles. But it wasn't until 1991 when Douglas Coupland used
"Generation X" as the title of his novel that the term caught on. It became a
household word thanks to advertisers. By the way, any idea what the
generation following X is called? Generation Y! Pretty logical, wouldn't you
say?

What is the meaning of "in one's good books"?

(P. V. Srinivasan, Chennai)

When you say that you are "in someone's good books" what you mean is
that the person likes you; he approves of you. Here are a few examples.

*I have been in Ashwin's good books ever since I helped him change his flat
tyre.

What is the meaning of "too close to call"?

161
(P. Senthil Saravan, Vazhavallan)

This is an expression we hear very often from reporters during elections and
from commentators during one-day matches. When you say that a game is
too close to call, what you mean is that it is evenly poised, it is almost
impossible to predict which team will emerge the winner. When used during
elections, what it implies is that the two candidates are running neck and
neck and therefore predicting the ultimate winner is not possible right now.

*The counting is going on. The result is too close to call.

What is the difference between "blue collar worker" and "pink collar
worker"?

(Padmavathi, Nellore)

A "blue collar worker" works in an industry and is always involved in manual

labour. You will find this individual in factories sweating it out on the shop
floor. You won't find him sitting behind a huge desk in an office. Nowadays,
the term can be applied to both men and women. "Pink collar workers", on
the other hand, are always women. Low paid jobs available in offices and
restaurants are usually referred to "pink collar jobs".

What is the difference between "disposed of" and "disposed off"?

(P. B. Vijayaraghavan, Chennai)

162
When you get rid of someone or something, you normally say "disposed of",
not "disposed off". "Disposed off" is unacceptable.

* I want to know how the murderer disposed of the bodies.

In informal contexts, when you say that you disposed of someone, what you
mean is that you killed him. Perhaps you hired someone to do the killing.

* The don asked his hit man to dispose of his former accountant.

What is the difference between "intuitively" and "instinctively"?

(Anne, Vishakapatnam)

If someone were to shine a bright light on your face, you would

automatically close or shield your eyes. You would do these things without
even thinking. They are responses you are born with; they are "innate". This
is what we mean by "instinctively". We respond to things without really
understanding why we react that way. Our responses are automatic;
whatever happens, happens unconsciously. Both animals and human beings
are born with instincts.

*When Raju heard gunfire, he instinctively dived/dove for cover.

When you do something intuitively, you do react automatically, but in this

case there is a suggestion that you understand what it is you are doing. You
163
are able to figure out a solution to your problem in a fraction of a second
without really thinking about it. The story goes that the structure of Benzene
came to the chemist Kekule in a sudden moment of insight. This is a case of
intuition, not instinct. The word "intuition" is mostly used with human
beings, and not with animals.

*Hari intuitively began to attack his opponent's backhand.

What is the meaning of "once bitten twice shy"?

(Dr. C. Venkatramaiah, Tirupati)

If you fall in love with a girl and the girl ditches you, what would your
reaction be? You would probably be really angry, but at the same time you
would be scared to fall in love again. Having had a bad experience
previously, you would be reluctant to put yourself in the same situation
again. That's what the idiom, "once bitten twice shy", means.

*The caterer arrived three hours late last time, so Rama is not hiring him
again. I guess it's a case of once bitten twice shy.

*The last time he ate fish, he almost choked. He's stopped eating fish
altogether — once bitten twice shy.

164
What is the origin of "yellow journalism"?

(Md. Khalid Ahmed, Jagital)

When someone accuses a newspaper of "yellow journalism" what they

mean is that it presents the news in a biased manner. It distorts the facts
and sensationalises the news in order to get the public to buy the paper. It
attempts to increase its circulation, not by providing accurate news, but by
appealing to the public's curiosity. The term "yellow journalism" is no longer
restricted to newspapers alone, it includes all other forms of media —
television and radio.

*Some of the local newspapers are classic examples of yellow journalism.

The expression was popularised in the late 19th Century in the U.S. Two
newspapers, "New York World", owned by Joseph Pulitzer, and "New York
Journal", owned by William Randolph Hearst, were trying to become very
popular among the public by printing sensational stories. Both newspapers
specialised in muckraking. The "World" had a popular comic strip called
"Hogan's Alley" in which the character "Yellow Kid" appeared. Hearst played
dirty and got "Hogan's" creator, R. F. Outcault, to join his paper. The angry
Pulitzer hired another artist and asked him to continue with the "Yellow
Kid". The competition between the two yellow kids led to an all out war
between the two papers. There was a court battle over the copyright, and
very often, street fights broke out between the delivery boys of the rival
newspapers. The fight between Hearst and Pulitzer over the "Yellow Kid"
began to symbolise everything that was wrong with American journalism.

165
What is the difference between "sob" and "weep"?

(P. Raman, Trichy)

In both cases, tears flow from the eyes. "Weep" is mostly used in writing,
and is considered a literary word. When you say that someone is weeping,
you are focussing on the tears, and not on the sounds that accompany it.
Weeping is usually done silently, which is why you never talk about a baby
weeping. Babies cry — a lot of noise accompanies the tears that flow from
their eyes. One can weep for various reasons; we can weep with sorrow, and
we can weep with joy. Sobbing is always done loudly; it is accompanied by a
lot of noise. The heroines in our films sob a lot. Sobbing involves gasping for
breath and this results in a lot of chest heaving. The word is usually
associated with misery; unlike "weep", one cannot "sob" with joy.

What is the meaning of "shimmy"?

(Vinod E. Kumar, Secunderabad)

Some people when they walk, shake their hips and shoulders side to side.
This is what we mean by "shimmy"; it is a word that is normally associated
with dancing.

*As the singer shimmied across the stage, the audience went wild. In
American English, the word is also used in informal contexts to mean,
"vibrate or shake".

*The front wheel of Velu's scooter shimmied.

166
What is the plural of "formula"?

(R. M. Lakshmi, Madurai)

The word has two possible plurals — formulae and formulas. The "ae" in the
final syllable of "formulae" is pronounced like the "ee" in "bees", "fees", and
"knees". The stress in the case of all three words is on the first syllable. The
Latin plural "formulae" is the preferred word in scientific contexts, while
"formulas" is used elsewhere. For example, one talks about "mathematical
formulae" and "political and diplomatic formulas".

What is the meaning of ‘redress’?

(M. Seshu, New Delhi)

The ‘e’ in the first syllable sounds like the ‘i’ in ‘it’, ‘bit’, and ‘hit’, and the
second syllable is pronounced like the word ‘dress’. This formal word can be
used as a noun and a verb, and in both cases, the stress can be put on the
second syllable. This is just one of the ways of pronouncing the word.
Sometimes, when we injure someone or treat someone badly, we are forced
to pay them some form of compensation. This money that we pay the
individual is called ‘redress’. When used as a verb, the word means to ‘to

167
make up for or compensate’. The word comes from ‘re’ meaning ‘again’ and
‘drecier’ meaning ‘straighten’.

*The Chief Minister, as expected, refused to redress the grievances of

teachers.

What is the meaning of ‘webinar’?

(T.Janakiraman, Bangalore)

The word is a combination of ‘web’ and ‘seminar’. A ‘webinar’ is a seminar

that is transmitted over the web; it involves a lot of interaction between the
participants. The term can be used to refer to a presentation, lecture or
workshop that is broadcast over the web.

I’m afraid I won’t be able to come. I’m taking part in a webinar.

What is the difference between ‘breeze away’ and ‘breeze through’?

(C. Shandilya, Hosur)

When you breeze through an assignment, you manage to do it quickly

without too much difficulty. You find the task rather easy.

I thought I’d be able to breeze through the test. I was sadly mistaken.

After breezing through her chores, my mother went out for a walk.
168
The expression can also be used to mean ‘to travel through a place rapidly’.
In this case, you don’t make a stop.

It was getting late. The candidate just breezed through several small towns

When you ‘breeze away’ from some place, you leave it quickly or abruptly. It
has) more or less the same meaning as ‘breeze off’.

Namratha breezed away without even thanking the hosts.

The CEO stopped in mid sentence and just breezed away.

Is it okay to say ‘His resignation has been be sanctioned’?

(R. S. Prakash, Dharwad)

No, it isn’t. Sanction is not a word that one associates with resignation. One
can sanction someone’s leave, budget, project, etc. Resignations are either
accepted or rejected.

169
When you are writing a cheque, which of the following is correct ‘Two
hundred and fifty five’ or ‘Two hundred fifty five?’

(K. Rathnam, Hyderabad)

Both are correct. It depends on which side of the Atlantic you are from. If
you are British, then you would use ‘and’. Americans, I understand, tend to
write the amount without the ‘and’. Most Indians tend to follow the British.

Why is money referred to as ‘bucks’?

(S. Sriharsha, Chennai)

There was a time when the term bucks was only used to refer to the
American dollar. Nowadays, the word is used to refer to money in general.
Even the Indian rupee, in informal contexts, is being called a buck.

*Who is making the big bucks in your family?

The invention of paper money is a recent phenomenon. In the old days,

when people wanted to buy something, they usually traded or bartered
what they had. When a hunter wanted grain from a farmer, he usually
traded animal skin or dried meat for it. The term ‘buck’ is actually the short
form of ‘buckskin’. A buck, as you know is a male deer; ‘buckskin’, therefore,
is the skin of this deer. Hunters, when they did business made use of
‘buckskins’. Later on, with the passage of time, the word ‘buckskin’ in

170
everyday conversation was shortened to ‘buck’. When paper money was
introduced much later, people began to call it ‘buck’.

What is the difference between `talk to' and `talk with'?

(Visweswaran, Mettupalayam)

The expression `talk to' has several different meanings. When you talk to
someone, you speak to him. You may spend a short time or a long time
speaking to the in dividual.

I'll talk to my wife and let you know what she thinks. The expression can also
be used to mean to scold or lecture someone. In this case, it's more of a
monologue than a dialogue.

I think you should give your daughter a good talking to. She's hasn't been
doing her assignments. When you talk with someone, you discuss something
with him. The amount of time that you spend with the individual is usually
long: in this case, there is a conversation.

Ananya spent an hour talking with her father about her new bat.

171
What is the difference between averse and adverse ?

(B. Rajasekhar, Tiruchirapalli)

If you are averse to something, you are strongly opposed to

it. You disapprove of it, and are therefore reluctant or
disinclined to do it. The word is usually followed by to . In
British English, averse has the stress on the second syllable.

My friend Kalpana is averse to any form of exercise.

Like most politicians, he is not averse to publicity.

Adverse , on the other hand, means having negative or

harmful effect on something . When something adverse
happens, something unfavourable takes place. The word is
normally used to refer to external circumstances.

They decided to call off the match due to adverse weather

conditions.

The British put the stress on the first syllable, and the
Americans put it on the second.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning of pigeonhole someone ?

(K. Sridevi, Karaikudi)

172
First, let s deal with the pronunciation of pigeon . The
sounds like the in jam and juice ; and the final eon is
pronounced like the word in .

The word is pronounced pij-in with the stress on the first

syllable. When you pigeonhole someone or put someone in
a pigeonhole , you put him in a particular category without
really considering all his qualities. The opinion you have of
the individual remains fixed, and there s nothing that the
person can do to get you to change your mind. Pigeonholing
often results in classifying someone in a rather rigid manner.
This expression, mostly used to show disapproval, can be
used with both people and things.

Kunthala s grandson has been unfortunately pigeonholed as a

problem child.

S. UPENDRAN

Is it okay to say that something was frightfully good ?

(K. Indrani, Chidambaram)

Yes, it is. Frightfully does not mean frightening . When you

say that something is frightfully good , you mean that it is
extremely good or very good . This use of the word
frightfully is mostly heard in British English; it is, however,
considered rather old fashioned.

Tapas, you must see the movie. It is frightfully good.

We are frightfully sorry about the commotion we caused last

night.

What is the difference between license and licence ?

173
(J. Rajeevan, Trivandrum)

There are several pairs like this in English for instance,

advice, advise; practice, practise; licence, license. The British
make a distinction between such pairs. The words advice ,
practice , and licence are usually used as nouns. Practise ,
advise , and license , on the other hand, are always used as
verbs. A licence is what you need to drive a car.

The well known spy, James Bond, has licence to kill. When
you grant license to someone, you give them permission.
Many hotels in India are not licensed to sell liquor. People in
the army are licensed to carry guns.

When it comes to spelling, Americans don t make a

distinction between such pairs. Both the noun and the verb
are usually spelt with an : practise, advise, and license.

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it

will annoy enough people to make it worth your effort.
Herm Albright

S. UPENDRAN

What is the difference between autopsy and post mortem ?

(Rajam, Saligramam)

According to most dictionaries, the two words mean the

same thing. When a doctor does a post mortem or an
autopsy , he examines the body of a dead person. The body
is usually cut open in order to determine the cause of death.
Autopsy seems to be the preferred term in the case of a
homicide.

*We don t know the cause of death. We ll have to do an

autopsy/a post mortem.
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The word autopsy literally means seeing with one s own
eyes . Post mortem , meaning after death , is actually a
shortening of post mortem examination . Unlike the word
autopsy , post mortem can be used in general contexts as
well. When you conduct a post mortem of an event, you
review it; you usually examine it to determine why the event
failed.

*After every match, the coach spends half an hour doing a

post mortem

What is the meaning of the expression grow on someone ?

(G. Rajkumar, Chennai)

When we meet someone for the first time, we may not like
the person. As we interact with him more and more, we
slowly begin to like him. This is what we mean by the
expression grow on someone . We begin to like someone
whom we weren t favourably disposed to in the beginning.
The expression can be used with things as well.

*The first time I heard the song, I didn t like it. Now it s
beginning to grow on me.

What is the meaning of the expression in the thick of things ?

(Shreevidya, Chennai)

175
This is an expression that is mostly used in informal contexts.
When you say that someone is in the thick of things, what
you mean is that he is deeply involved in something; in other
words, he is taking an active part in it.

*There was a fierce battle going on, and Suresh found

himself in the thick

What is the difference in meaning between continually and

continuously ?

(T. Shanmuga Sundaram, Tiruchengode)

If you work continuously for four hours, you work non-stop

for four hours. You don t take a break in between; you work
without any interruption.

*Standing on top of the dune, all she saw was a continuous

stretch of sand.

If you say you have been working continually for several

hours, it implies you ve spent most of your time working. In
this case, you didn t work non-stop; you worked with
interruptions. Maybe you took a five-minute break after
every hour of work you put in. These breaks may have been
either voluntary or involuntary. The word continually is used
to refer to repeated action.

*Our neighbour s new dog continually barked all night.

According to some commentators, this subtle distinction

between the two words is no longer being maintained by
many speakers of English

176
What is the difference between however and how ever ?

(S. M. Brahma Raju, Bangalore)

However , as one word, is normally used to introduce a

statement which contrasts with something you had said
earlier.

*Hema is usually very reserved. At the party, however, she

let her hair down.

The word can also be used in sentences to mean to whatever

degree .

*However hard you try, you won t be able to defeat him.

How ever is normally used to show surprise. According to

the Oxford Advanced Learner s Dictionary, When ever is
used to emphasise how , meaning in what way or manner, it
is written as two separate words."

*How ever did Maya manage to get here so quickly?

What is the meaning of `blow away the cobwebs'?

(R. Shruthi, Chennai)

This is an idiom which is mostly used in British and Australian

English. Sometimes when we have stayed indoors for a long
time, we feel tired or bored. To overcome these feelings,
what is it that we do? Most of the time, we decide to step
outside and get some fresh air. We may go for a walk, or
177
play some cricket, tennis, etc. This outdoor activity which we
take part in to clear our head is called `blow away the
cobwebs'.

A nice little walk on the beach should blow away the

cobwebs.

***

"The only function of economic forecasting is to make

astrology look respectable." - John Kenneth Galbraith

Correction: Answer to the first question that appeared in this

column on October 21: the word should have been
`uncharted' and not `unchartered'. The error is regretted.

What is the meaning of unchartered waters ?

(V. Chandrasekharan, Kumbakonam)

When you say that a place is unchartered , what you mean is

that the area has not been explored. As it has not been
surveyed, you will not find it plotted on any map. It is
something that is new and has never been described.

*We don t know anything about the island. It is uncharted.

When you refer to a situation or an experience as being

unchartered waters or unchartered territory , you mean it is
new or unfamiliar. The two expressions are used to mean
unknown .

Being in the final of a Grand Slam tournament is unchartered

waters for Andy.

What is the difference between allude and elude ?

178
(T. Vijaya, Trivandrum)

First, let s deal with the pronunciation of the two words. The
in allude is like the in china , and the following
syllable rhymes with rude , crude , and Jude . The word is
pronounced a-luude . The in elude is like the in it and
bit , and the following syllable sounds like the lude in
allude . The word is pronounced i-luude . In both cases, the
stress is on the second syllable.

When you allude to someone or something, you refer to the

person or thing in a rather indirect way. The word is mostly
used in formal contexts.

*In his presentation, the speaker alluded to several problems

that might result.

When you elude someone, you are clever enough to avoid

them or escape from them.

*The fugitive succeeded in eluding the police for several

weeks.

The word can be used with things as well. When something

eludes you, you fail to understand it or remember it.

I met her at last year s conference. Her name, however,

eludes me.

What is the difference in meaning between I married her and I

was married to her ?

(P.V. Rama Chander, Vishakapatnam)

Both sentences are grammatically acceptable. The second

sentence suggests that you were married to the girl
sometime ago; currently, you are not married to her. In the
179
case of the first sentence, the meaning is not entirely clear.
One is not very sure if the girl continues to be your wife or
not. You may be married to her, you may not be.

What is the meaning and origin of `beat around the bush'?

(C.S. Shivaram, Tenali) Sometimes when someone

asks us a question, we try and avoid answering it. It's
not because we don't know the answer; the answer is
rather embarrassing. Therefore, instead of giving the
person a direct answer, we go about answering his
question in a roundabout way. This indirect way of
answering questions is called `beating about/around
the bush'. Very often, people beat about the bush in
order to conceal their real intention.

*For god's sake, stop beating about/around the bush.

How much is it going to cost?

*Will you please stop beating around/about the bush?

Just answer my question.

The expression comes from the rather cruel sport of

`batfowling'. In this sport, people (`batfowlers')
entered the forest during the night and proceeded to
kill `fowls' (birds) with the `bats' or clubs they were
carrying. The batfowlers and the servants that they
took with them used to scare birds by beating around
the bush in which they were sleeping. The sleepy
birds, dazed and confused by the sudden commotion,
would then fly directly to the bright lights that the men
were carrying. Here they were beaten to death. The
men who were beating about the bush were not really
interested in the bush; they were interested in the
birds that were sleeping there. Therefore, when
someone beats around the bush, he is concealing the
180
thing that he is interested in; he doesn't come to the
point directly.

I have heard people say, `I usually visit my friends at weekends'.

Shouldn't it be `on weekends'?

(N. Raghavan, Secunderabad) Both `on weekends' and

`at weekends' are correct. I understand `at weekends'
is much more common in British English. `On
weekends', on the other hand, is frequently used in
American English.

*My friend Gopa usually gets up late on/at weekends.

What is the difference between `bail' and `parole'?

(J. Bharath, Thanjavur) Bail is the amount of money

that an individual who has been accused of a crime
pays the court in order to be released till his trial
begins. It is given to people who have been arrested,
but whose case hasn't come to court as yet. The
individual asking for bail is usually made to pay a hefty
sum by the judge; this amount is put forward as a
guarantee that the accused will be present at his trial.
Not everyone who asks for bail gets it; it is the judge
who determines whether someone should be
`released' or `remanded' on bail.

181
*The judge, as expected, refused to grant bail to the
Minister.

Prisoners are sometimes released on parole. In this

case, unlike the person making `bail', the person has
stood trial, has been found guilty, and has been
sentenced by the judge. When a prisoner is released
on parole, he is set free before he has completed his
sentence. Once released, he must behave well and
must not get into trouble. If he does get into trouble,
he may be sent back to prison. In the case of parole,
the individual doesn't pay the court any money.

*The government has been accused of releasing

murderers and rapists on parole.

***

What is the meaning and origin of one swallow does not make a
summer ?

(T. Janaki, Madurai)

This is an expression that is normally used to caution

someone. When you say that one swallow does not make a
summer, what you mean is that just because something
good has happened, it doesn t mean good things will
continue to happen. Chances are things may go bad, instead
of improving. You are requesting the individual to err on the
side of caution, and not to get carried away.

182
Just because you ve won the first round doesn t mean you re
going to win the championship. Remember, one swallow does
not make a summer.

The expression comes from the world of Aesop s Fairy Tales.

In the story, a young man sees a swallow on a warm winter
day. As you know, a swallow is a bird which usually appears
during spring. Thinking that the winter season is over, the
young man sells off his woollen coat, and with the money he
has made, he goes to the bar and drinks. Unfortunately, in
the days that follow, the temperature drops. The young man,
shivering in the cold, realises that one swallow does not
make a summer.

What is the meaning of thumb lashing ?

(B. Pandurangam, Chennai)

We all know what tongue lashing means. It is when

someone scolds or criticises us for something we have done
or not done. We have all been subjected to a tongue lashing
from our parents and friends. Tongue lashing has been going
on for ages. Thumb lashing , on the other hand, is
something new. Nowadays, thanks to the mobile phone, we
are available to people 24/7. If a person is angry with you,
he doesn t have to actually see you or talk to you to give you
a piece of his mind. He can send an angry SMS; this angry
message that you get on the cell phone is called thumb
lashing . All that the person makes use of to send you the
message is his thumb!

*I got a thumb lashing from my friend for forgetting his

birthday.

The introduction of the cell phone has resulted in the coining

of new words and expressions. One of them happens to be
183
 thumb me . When you ask someone to thumb you, you are
requesting him/her to send you an SMS. You don t want the
person to call you, but thumb you!

*If you manage to get the tickets, thumb me.

What is the difference between peruse and browse ?

(L. Kailash, Trichy)

Browsing is something that we normally do when we are in

a bookshop. Before we decide what to buy, we invariably
take a look at the books and magazines available.
Sometimes we read the blurbs, at other times, we sample a
paragraph or two in order to decide whether the book is
worth buying. When you browse through a book or
magazine, you look at it in a very casual way; you do not
read it carefully.

*He was browsing through the sports section when the

phone rang.

*Could you browse through the first draft and give us some
feedback?

Perusing , unlike browsing , suggests very careful reading.

When you peruse a document, you go through it very
carefully. You examine the document in detail; you read each
and every word.

What is the meaning and origin of `eyewash'?

(R. Yogesh, Bangalore)

This is an expression that is mostly used in informal contexts.

An `eyewash', as you know, is a liquid that is used to clean
184
the eyes. Figuratively, however, this expression of American
origin is frequently used to mean `nonsense' or `deception'.
You may think that what I'm telling you is all eyewash. Bu
it's the truth. The conclusion arrived at by the so called fact
finding committee was just eyewash.

What is the meaning of `rap on the knuckles'?

(B. Venkatesh, Chennai)

The word `rap' means to hit sharply, and `knuckles' refer to

the joints in one's hands and fingers. Therefore, when you
rap someone on his knuckles, what you are doing is hitting
the person sharply on the back of his hand. Many teachers in
our country rap the students on their knuckles. The idiom
means to speak to someone angrily because he has done
something wrong or has failed to do something. The
punishment that is given is not very severe; it is usually
given to an individual to serve as a warning.

I got a sharp rap on the knuckles for not finishing the project
on time.

The coach rapped the players on the knuckles for turning up

late for practice.

What is the difference between `reputed' and `reputable'?

(G. Anand, Pune)

We Indians don't really make a distinction between these two

words. We tend to use the word `reputed' when what we
mean is `reputable'. Many people mistakenly refer to all the
top companies in the country as `reputed firms' - when what
they mean is `reputable firms'. When you say that a firm is
185
`reputable', what you mean is that it has a good reputation,
and therefore can be trusted. It is a dependable firm, one
that is capable of providing excellent service. In this case,
you are sure of the facts. It is not based on hearsay.

Hema is looking for a job with a reputable firm. When you

say that a firm is `reputed', what you mean is that you have
heard other people saying that it is a good firm. You yourself
are not very sure if it is a good company or not. In this case,
there is an element of doubt as to whether it is or not.

The company hired him because of his reputed skill as a

trouble shooter.

What does `sotto voce' mean?

(Pradeep Kumar, Allahabad)

First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The first `o' in `sotto'
sounds like the `o' in `hot', `pot', and `got'. The second `o'
and the `o' in `voce' sound like the `o' in `go', `no', and
`so'; the `c' is like the `ch' in `chick', `chips', and `chin'.
The `e' is like the `i' in `bit', `kit', and `sit', and the main
stress is on the first syllable of `voce'. The Italian expression
is pronounced `so-toe voechi'. `Sotto' means `under' and
`voce' means `voice'; when you say something `sotto voce',
you say it under your breath or as an aside.

***

186
"I was always taught to respect my elders, and I've now
reached the age when I don't have anyone to respect."
George Burns

What is the meaning of PowerPoint singalong ?

(B. Revathi, Chennai)

Nowadays, whenever someone gives a talk or makes a

presentation, it is usually accompanied by PowerPoint slides.
It is something that the audience expects; a presentation is
incomplete without one. These slides which the speaker
shows often contain the main points that he is trying to
make.

There are occasions, however, when the speaker includes in

his slides everything that he is going to say. As a result,
during the presentation, all he does is merely read from the
slides; he doesn t add anything new.

Such a presentation where the speaker reads verbatim from

the slides without providing any comment is called
PowerPoint singalong .

The presentation was nothing more than a PowerPoint

singalong

Why is the word always capitalised?

(Satya, Hyderabad)

I understand that English is the only language where the

pronoun is always written in the upper case; in most other
languages spoken in Europe, it is written in the lower case. I
guess this goes to show that the English have a big ego! Just
187
kidding! The only explanation that scholars have for this is
that when the Old English ich , meaning , was reduced to
, it was thought to be too small to be considered a real
word. Also, printers and scribes were worried that , when
written separately, would get attached to the word before or
after it. Since they didn t want this to happen, they began to
capitalise the word.

What is the meaning and origin of chink in the armour ?

(Aswin, Chennai)

This is an expression that has been part of the English

language for over 600 years. When you say that someone
has a chink in his armour, what you mean is that the person
has a minor fault which is likely to cause him problems. In
other words, the person has a flaw which can be taken
advantage of by other people. The expression can be used
with things as well.

*The up and coming star spent hours looking for a chink in

the champion s armour.

The word chink has nothing to do with a Chinaman . This

chink is a rather obscure word meaning slit or narrow
opening . In the old days, as a form of protection, soldiers
used to wear armour. If the armour had a slit, then it
became a weak spot, which enemies took advantage of.

What is the meaning of statuesque ?

(M. Govardhan, Hyderabad)

188
First, let s deal with the pronunciation of the word. The is
like the in cat and bat , while the following is like the
ch in chat and chap . The sounds like the in put and
pull , and the final esque is like the esk in desk . The word
is pronounced sta-chu-esk with the stress on the final
syllable esk .

This is a word which is generally used to show approval.

When you say that something is statuesque, what you mean
is that it is well proportioned like a statue.

The word is also used to refer to women. When you refer to a

woman as being statuesque , what you mean is that she is
attractively tall, graceful, and dignified.

*At the press conference, the statuesque actress said she

was planning on quitting films.

In 8 A.M, what does A.M stand for?

(B. M. Bajaj, Gurgaon)

It stands for ante meridiem meaning before noon . Please

note that it is ante and not anti . P.M , on the other hand,
stands for post meridiem , meaning post noon . This
explains why midnight is written as 12 A.M

What is the difference between impasse and deadlock ?

(R. Thirunarayan, Chidambaram)

First, let us deal with the pronunciation of the French word

impasse . The British tend to pronounce the in the first
syllable like the in ant , pants , and apple , and the in
the second like the in ask , answer , and car . They
pronounce the word ampaas . This is just one of the ways
that the English pronounce the word. Americans, on the
189
other hand, pronounce the im like the im in him , Tim and
Kim , and the following like the in cat and bat . They
pronounce the word impass . In both cases, the final is
silent, and the stress is on the first syllable.

As far as the meaning is concerned, the two can be used

interchangeably in most contexts. When two parties reach an
impasse or deadlock, they reach a dead-end. They are in a
difficult position and are unable to reach an agreement about
something; they are unable to move forward in their
discussions.

*Peace talks between the two countries ended in deadlock

How is the word sleuth pronounced? Why are detectives called

sleuths ?

(P. Mallika, Hyderabad)

Sleuth rhymes with truth , booth and Ruth . The word

comes from the compound sleuthhound ; it was a dog like a
bloodhound which was mainly used for tracking people and
animals. With the passage of time, the word was reduced to
sleuth , and like many other words, it acquired a figurative
meaning. It meant to track or pursue someone or something.
Since this is what detectives do, pursue or track people, it is
not surprising that the word began to be used to refer to
them. Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes are some of the
well-known sleuths in fiction. The word is considered to be
rather old fashioned.

What is the meaning of tryst ?

(Impung Chang, New Delhi)

190
The in the word is pronounced like the in fist , mist ,
and list . Tryst is considered to be a literary word which is
mostly used in British English. The meeting of two lovers in a
quiet and secluded place is called a tryst. The word nowadays
is being used to mean appointment . Tryst comes from
tristre meaning appointed station in hunting .

*According to some people, India has a tryst with destiny.

What is the meaning and origin of let your hair down ?

(C. Banumathi, Chennai)

When you tell someone to let his hair down, you are telling
him to relax and have a good time. You are asking him to be
himself and not worry about what others will think of him.

*Somebody needs to tell the new boss to let his hair down
once in a while.

The expression comes from the world of fashion. Centuries

ago, women, when they were in public, had to wear their hair
up. The only time when they could literally let their hair
down, and be themselves, was when they were in the privacy
of their bed chamber .

What is the meaning of Adidas ? Where does the word come

from?

(K. Shanthi, Bangalore)

191
The word doesn t really mean anything. There was time when
people believed that Adidas was an acronym for All Day I
Dream About Sport . Of course, some people thought that
the stood for something else! Neither story is based on
fact. The founder of Adidas was a German named Adolf
Dassler; he was nicknamed Adi by his friends. When Dassler
started his company in 1924, he decided to name it after
himself. He combined his nickname Adi with the first half of
his surname Dassler and got Adidas ! Starting a shoe
company seems to have run in the family. Adolph Dassler s
brother, Rudolph, was the founder of the Puma shoe
company.

What is the meaning and origin of hitting below the belt ?

When you hit someone below the belt, you are being rather
cruel or unfair; you are not playing by the rules of the game.
You are using unfair means to get what you want, and in the
process you deliberately hurt the other person.

*Making fun of the poor woman s dead husband was

definitely hitting below the belt.

The expression comes from the world of boxing. According to

the Marquis of Queensbury Rules, a boxer is allowed to hit
his opponent only on the upper body or the head. He is not
allowed to hit below the waist belt

What is the difference between deadly and deathly ?

(E. Silambarsan, Erode)

The word deadly is normally used to suggest that something

is fatal . It is something that is likely to cause the death of
someone or something.

192
*According to this report, the terrorists were carrying deadly
weapons.

Deadly can also be used to mean extremely or very .

*The temperature has dropped. It s become deadly cold.

The word deathly , on the other hand, is mostly used

figuratively to mean suggestive of death or like death . For
example, if you say that someone is deathly pale , what you
mean is that he is extremely pale; as pale as someone who is
dead.

*After being hit by the car, the poor dog lay deathly still.

When you want to say that something is very dull , the word
that you are looking for is deadly and not deathly .

*You need to have tons of patience to listen to him. The man

is a deadly bore.

What is the meaning of invidious ?

(Y. N. Murthy, Hyderabad)

This is a word that is mostly used in formal contexts. It

comes from the Latin invidia meaning envy or malice .
When you refer to a task as being invidious , what you mean
is that it is likely to be rather unpleasant; one that could
cause resentment or a lot of unhappiness.

*He was given the invidious task of commenting on his boss

work.

The word can also mean offensively unfair or

discriminating . An invidious comparison is one where you
are made to compare two things which are very different.

193
The comparison can sometimes be made difficult because the
two objects are either equally good or equally bad.

*As a mother, she resented the invidious comparison

between the two children.

What is the meaning of shoestring budget ?

(Anjali Anirudh, Bangalore)

What we call shoelace , the Americans call shoestring . As

we all know, shoestrings are pretty inexpensive; one doesn t
really have to spend too much money to buy a pair.
Therefore, when you say that something was done on a
shoestring budget , what you mean is that it was done using
a very small amount of money; you had very little money to
spend.

*My father says we ll be making our next film on a shoestring

budget.

What is the difference between lease and rent ?

(N. Gurumurthy, Chennai)

When you lease something, it always involves a written

contract it is a legal agreement. In the case of property,
you draw up a contract which specifies the duration of the
stay and the amount of money you will pay the landlord each
month as rent. During this period of lease, the two parties
are bound by the contract; unless both parties agree, the

194
terms of agreement cannot be changed. The landlord cannot
suddenly increase the rent, and the tenant cannot vacate the
property as and when he likes. Should the tenant decide to
leave before the lease expires, he may have to pay the rent
for the remaining period or find another individual to take
over his lease.

When you rent a property, it doesn t always include a written

contract. As a result, both parties can change the terms of
agreement: the landlord can increase the rent whenever he
wants to. He can ask the tenant to vacate the premises
giving him a 30-day notice. The tenant too can leave
whenever he wants to.

What is the meaning and origin of the expression bolt from the
blue ?

(R. Balakrishnan, Chennai)

When you say that something was a bolt from the blue, what
you mean is that it was totally unexpected; the result was
something that surprised you very much.

*The fact that Rahul had failed the exam was a bolt from the
blue.

The word bolt refers to the thunderbolt that we often hear

during heavy rain, and the blue refers to the blue sky. On a
beautiful day, when there are no clouds, and the sky is blue,
we generally don t expect to hear the sound of thunder. If we
do hear one, it comes as a total surprise.

What is the meaning and origin of riding roughshod over

someone ?

195
(K. S. Sundaram, Bangalore)

When you ride roughshod over someone , you dominate the

person quite ruthlessly. You just walk all over him. You do
what you want to, and you don t really care what the other
person thinks. If the circumstances demand it, you use brutal
force to get the desired results.

The new boss is a bully and rides roughshod over everyone.

The term roughshod refers to the type of shoe that was

often mounted on a horse s hoof. The word shod , as you
probably know, is related to the word shoe ; in order to
ensure that the horse didn t slip, the shoes were often kept
rough. To make sure that the animal had good traction, what
the blacksmith did was to leave the nailheads projecting from
the shoes. During times of war, horses were armed with
these projecting nails on their hooves; the nails provided
better grip on slippery ground, and they enabled the horse to
injure or kill fallen enemy soldiers. It was during the 18th
century that the idiom began to mean to bully someone .

What is the meaning of fashionably late ?

(Dilip Saxena, Kanpur)

When you arrive at a party fashionably late , what you are

doing is making an appearance a few minutes after the
scheduled time. You don t turn up an hour or two after the
event has begun, you are late only by a few minutes. This is
your way of telling others that you are a busy or popular
person. Most actors and politicians are fashionably late for
events in order to create the impression that they were busy
elsewhere.

As expected, the children arrived fashionably late for the

party.
196
What is the meaning of qualm ?

(Murali Pillai, Thiruvananthapuram)

The word rhymes with calm and arm ; the qu is like the
qu in quit and quick and the is silent. It is pronounced
kwaam . This is one way of pronouncing the word. When you
have qualms about something, you have misgivings about it;
you have this feeling of doubt as to whether you are doing
the right thing or not.

The man had no qualms about stealing from his own parents.

What is the difference between squash and quash ?

(B. Hamsa, Coimbatore)

Quash is a term which is used quite frequently in legal

contexts to mean to set aside or annul . When a judge, for
example, quashes a conviction, what he is doing is stating
officially that the earlier decision taken is no longer
acceptable or valid.

As expected, the minister s conviction was quashed.

When you quash something, you forcibly suppress it.

The dictator sent his army to quash the rebellion.

197
When you squash something, you apply so much pressure
on it that you make it lose its shape.

The children had fun squashing all the clay models.

Like the word quash , squash can also mean to forcibly

suppress something.

What is the meaning of laissez-faire attitude ?

(Madhav, Hyderabad)

First, let s deal with the pronunciation of this French

expression. The lai is pronounced like the word lay , while
the sez in the second syllable is pronounced like the word
say . Faire sounds like the word fare . The word is
pronounced lay-say fare with the main stress on fare .

A laissez-faire policy is one based on the idea that the

government should not interfere in business and trade
practices of individuals or companies. The expression means
let do , and in this context it means that the government
should let people in trade and industry do as what they want
to. Nowadays, the expression has taken on a general
meaning as well; it means non-interference in the affairs of
others.

*I m afraid your laissez faire approach is likely to create

more problems for the university.

Does the word staycation exist?

(V. Balakrishnan, Trivandrum)

Yes, it does. The word was coined recently in the United

States, and you don t have to be a rocket scientist to figure
out that it is a combination of two words: stay and
198
vacation . A staycation is a vacation you spend relaxing at
home or a place very close to home.

*What some of our cricket players really want is a staycation.

What is the meaning and origin of the expression toe the line ?

(Madhu Teotia, New Delhi)

This is an expression that has been around for a very long

time. When you toe the line, you do what is expected of you.
You follow the rules, and in general you behave in the way
that people in power expect you to. In other words, you
conform. The expression toe the mark has more or less the
same meaning.

*The VC has said that he ll suspend all those who don t toe
the line.

There are many explanations as to the origin of this

expression. According to some scholars, the idiom comes
from the world of athletics. The line referred to in the idiom
is the starting line of a race. People taking part in a running
race were expected to toe the line ; in other words, they
were expected to keep their toes on the line or behind it.
Rules required that their toes were on the mark (line), not
over it. This is just one of the explanations.

Is it okay to introduce oneself in the following manner? My name

is Prof. X .

(T. Balu, Chennai)

Many teachers in India have the habit of introducing

themselves in this manner. A native speaker of English
199
wouldn t say, My name is Prof. Smith. Remember,
professor is the designation of a person; it is not a part of
his name. If you would like people to know that you are a
professor, then you ll be better off saying, m Prof. X ,
instead of, My name is Prof. X . Does our P.M say, My name
is Prime Minister Manmohan Singh ?

What is the meaning of the word presently ?

(T. Janaki, Chennai)

The word has several different meanings depending on the

context. When you say that some event will take place
presently , what you mean is that it will take place shortly
or soon .

*We were told that the Principal would be with us presently.

In American English, the word is frequently used to mean

right now or currently .

******

What is the meaning and origin of pull the wool over someone s
eyes ?

(C. Ramamoorthy, Madurai)

This is an idiom which has been around for many centuries,

and it is mostly used in informal contexts. When someone
pulls the wool over your eyes, he/she succeeds in deceiving
you. The person does this to ensure that you don t figure out
what he s up to.

Raju pulled the wool over the old couple s eyes, and ran
away with their savings.
200
Before buying a car, please read this article. Otherwise, the
salesperson will pull the wool over your eyes.

Several centuries ago, it was standard practice in Europe and

America for both men and women to wear wigs
irrespective of whether they were bald or not. These loosely
fitting hair pieces were usually made of wool. When thieves
wanted to steal something that a wig wearer was carrying,
they sneaked up to the individual and literally pulled the wig
(wool) over the victim s eyes. Temporarily blinded and
confused, the victim didn t know what was happening around
him. The thief used this opportunity to run away with what
the victim was carrying.

What is the origin of the word soccer ?

(Abin Ben, Kollam)

According to scholars, soccer is a slang term coined by

university students in England to refer to Association
Football. The word comes from the alteration of assoc : the
short form of association . In the beginning, the word was
spelt socca , later it became soccer .

What is the meaning of eponymous ?

201
(S. Deepak, Chennai)

First, let s deal with the pronunciation of the word. The

and the are pronounced like the in it , bit , and hit ,
while the is like the in cot , hot , and dot . The final
ou is like the in china. The word is pronounced iponimes
with the stress on the second syllable pon .

Othello , King Lear and Macbeth are some of the well-

known tragedies written by Shakespeare. The title is also the
name of the lead character in the play. Similarly, we have
novels like Winnie the Pooh , Robinson Crusoe and Emma ;
once again, the title is based on the name of the hero or
heroine in the novel. An eponymous character in a book or
play is one whose name also happens to be the title of the
book or play.

What is the meaning of final nail in the coffin ?

(S. Pooja, Mavelikara)

A coffin as you know is something that people are buried in.

In the old days, the lid had to be nailed in. The act of
hammering in the final nail, signified that the body inside the
coffin was ready to be buried. Therefore, when you say that
something was the final nail in the coffin, what you mean is
that it is the end of something. It could be an event that
causes harm or helps bring about the downfall of something
or someone.

*The report in the newspaper is another nail in the coffin of

the corrupt Minister.

What is the plural of aircraft ?

(L. Rajeev, Chennai)

202
Aircraft is an uncountable noun; the plural therefore is
aircraft , not aircrafts . The plural of aeroplane, on the other
hand, is aeroplanes . In American English, this word is spelt
airplane .

*The Minister said that the government was planning to buy

three more aircraft.

*The company was planning to buy two more aeroplanes by

the end of the week.

What s the difference between nonetheless and nevertheless ?

(M. K. B. Nambiar, Mahe)

This is a question that is frequently asked. In terms of

meaning, there is no difference between the two; both are
generally used in formal contexts to mean in spite of .

*The children had been up all night. Nonetheless, they

continued to work on the project.

Some people are scared of the number 13. Is there a word for it?

(Balram Choudry, Sedam)

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The word that you have in mind is triskaidekaphobia . In
Greek, tris means three , kai means and , and deka , as
you have probably guessed, means ten . There are several
ways of pronouncing this word. The in the first syllable is
like the in it and bit , and the following kai rhymes with
why and bye . The dek is pronounced like the word deck ,
while the that follows is like the in china. The word is
pronounced triskydeckephobia .

What is the difference between damage and damages ?

(K. Jagdeesh, Hyderabad)

You are driving your friend s new car and as luck would have
it, you end up having an accident. You get out of the car and
notice that the headlights are broken and the fender has
more or less come off. You have damaged your friend s car;
in this case, you have spoilt the looks of the vehicle. The
word damage is mostly used with things. You can harm,
break or spoil something.

*During the recent earthquake, thousands of buildings were

badly damaged.

While cars, houses, and roads can be damaged, a person, on

the other hand, cannot be. You cannot say, Roshni was
damaged in the blast. The word, however, can be used with
things that are seen to be a part of the individual: organs,
reputation, etc.

*This will certainly damage the reputation of the Chief

Minister.

If your friend is angry with you and drags you to court, then
damages is what the judge will order you to pay for having
204
ruined the new car. In other words, it s the money you will
pay your friend as compensation. This word is mostly used in
legal contexts.

How is the word tawdry pronounced?

(D. Kumar, Chennai)

The aw in the first syllable is pronounced like the aw in

law , claw and flaw , while the final is like the in bit ,
hit , and kit . The word is pronounced taw-dri with the
stress on the first syllable.

When you refer to someone s clothes as being tawdry, what

you mean is that they look rather cheap and gaudy; in other
words, they are rather tacky . It suggests that the individual
has little or no taste.

You can t expect me to go around wearing this tawdry piece

of jewellery.

The word can also be used with stories and events as well.
When you say that something was tawdry what you mean is
that it contained rather unpleasant details.

The lawyer wasn t keen on listening to his client s tawdry

motives.

Tawdry actually comes from the name of St. Audrey, a queen

who ran away from her mean husband and started her own
monastery. Although she had renounced everything, she had
one great weakness: she loved wearing beautiful scarves and
necklaces. When the queen died and was later canonised, the
local villagers decided to have a festival in her honour.
Beautiful scarves were among the items sold during this
festival. These scarves were called St Audrey s lace . With
the passage of time, the name was reduced to tawdry s
205
lace . This was further shortened to tawdry . Later, the
meaning of the word changed as well; it no longer referred to
something beautiful, but something cheap .

What is the meaning and origin of lock horns with ?

(Sanjana Sukumar, Tiruchi)

When you lock horns with someone, you argue or fight with
that particular individual in a very determined way. Deer,
when they fight, invariably lock horns.

The two parties locked horns over the recent price hike in
petrol.

How is the word vignette pronounced?

(B. Arpitha, Vishakapatnam)

The and the final are silent. The first syllable rhymes
with the words win , bin and sin , and the ett in the
second syllable is pronounced like the word yet . The word is
pronounced vin-yet , with the stress on the second syllable.
Vignette comes from the Old French vigne meaning vine .
Originally the term was used to refer to the drawings of vines
that one found at the beginning of every chapter of a printed
book. Nowadays, the word is used to refer to anything: it can
be a short piece of writing, a photograph or a drawing which
captures the typical characteristics of a person or thing.

*You certainly don t expect a city-bred girl to write a vignette

of small-town life.

206
What is the meaning and origin of sledging ?

(K. Siva Rama Rao, Bareilly)

This is a word that is mostly used in the context of cricket.

Nowadays, it is common practice for fielders to try and
disturb the concentration of batsmen. They achieve this by
constantly talking to them or by abusing them. This practice
of talking to the batsmen in order to undermine their
confidence or disturb their concentration is called sledging.

There are many people who believe that sledging should be

banned.

Ian Chappell believes that the term sledge , a shortened

form of sledgehammer , began to be used in Australia in the
early 1960s. (A sledgehammer is a heavy, long-handed
instrument which is mostly used to break stones and drive in
wedges and stakes)

In those days, a player using foul language in the presence

of a lady was said to have been as subtle as a
sledgehammer in other words, not subtle at all. Such a
person was often nicknamed Sledge because Percy Sledge s
song, When a man loves a woman was popular at that time!

What is the meaning of touché ?

(Maria Anjani, Chennai)

First, let s deal with the pronunciation of this word. The ou

in the first syllable is like oo in cool , pool , and fool , while
the following ch sounds like the sh in ship and sheep .
The final is pronounced like the ay in say and bay . The
word is pronounced too-shay with the stress on the second
syllable. This is one way of pronouncing the word.

Touché is a word of French origin, and it is mainly used in

the sport of fencing. It comes from the Old French touchier
207
meaning to hit . When two people are fencing (fighting with
swords), and one of them scores a hit, he immediately
shouts touché , meaning that he has scored a point.

Nowadays, the exclamation is used in everyday contexts as

well. When you are arguing with someone and the individual
makes a good point against you, you can say touché ; by
doing so, you are acknowledging that he has scored a point
against you.

*You are saying that if he really loved me, he wouldn t be

asking for dowry. Touché!

What is the meaning of po-faced ?

(V. Tara, Bangalore)

This is an informal expression mostly used in British and

Australian English. The word po rhymes with no , so , and
go . When you say that someone is po-faced , what you
mean is that the individual looks very serious and rather
unfriendly.

The po-faced principal didn t allow the students to write the

exam.

What is the meaning of epithet ?

(G. Lavanya, Hyderabad)

Originally, the term meant a word or phrase attached to the

name of an individual. Take for example, Solomon the Wise
and Alexander the Great . In both the examples, what comes
after the name is an epithet: the Wise and the Great .
Epithets referred to the most important quality of an
208
individual, and in the old days, they were invariably used
after the names of saints. Later, epithets began to be used
as descriptive substitutes for the names or titles of
individuals.

We Indians, for example, use the epithet Father of the

Nation to refer to Mahatma Gandhi. Not all epithets,
however, are complimentary; most, in fact, are derogatory.
Nowadays the term epithet is used to mean term of abuse .

Harbhajan was accused of hurling racial epithets at Andrew

Symonds.

Does the word ta-ta actually exist?

(Pavithra, Salem)

Yes, it does. Like the word cheerio , it is used mostly in

British English in informal contexts to mean goodbye . Ta-ta
is mostly used by children. Americans do not use either ta-
ta or cheerio .

When do you say good evening and good night ?

(M. Gopalakrishnan, Chennai)

Good evening is a way of saying hello to someone in the

evening. Some people start using this expression at 5 pm,
others wait till 6 pm; there seems to be no fixed time as to
when you start wishing someone, Good evening . When you
run into someone at eleven o clock in the night, you can still
wish him Good evening . The standard response to Good
evening is Good evening . You normally wish someone Good
night when you are taking leave of someone in the evening
not in the morning or afternoon! It s another way of saying
goodbye . People also say Good night before they hit the
sack.
209
What is the difference between lightning and lightening ?

(C. Ekambaram, Kancheepuram)

A heavy downpour is sometimes accompanied by thunder

and lightning it is the flash of brilliant light that we see in
the sky. One cannot hear it, one can only see it; what we
hear is thunder . Lightening comes from the word lighten .
When you attempt to lighten something, you are attempting
to make it lighter ; in other words, you are trying to reduce
its weight. This is just one of the meanings of the word.

How is the word alibi pronounced?

(M. Rangaswami, Trichy)

The in the first syllable is like the in cat , bat , and

sat , while the in the second is like the in sit and bit .
The final syllable is pronounced like the word by . The word
is pronounced a-li-by with the stress on the first syllable.
Alibi is a word mostly used in legal contexts. In many
movies, when the villain is accused of murdering someone,
his sleazy lawyer tries to prove that his client couldn t have
possibly committed the crime as he was elsewhere when the
murder was committed. This evidence that people provide is
called an alibi.

*The husband has a cast iron alibi. He was not in the country
when the crime took place.

210
What is the meaning of rattle someone s cage ?

(T. Mukund, Pondicherry)

This is what children sometimes do at the zoo when they find

the animal sound asleep inside the cage. To wake up the
animal and get its attention, the kids often pick up a stick
and keep hitting the cage with it. How does the sleeping
animal react to this unwelcome rattling? It usually gets
annoyed or angry. When you rattle someone s cage, you are
deliberately trying to get the person annoyed or angry. You
are attempting to get the individual s attention.

*Shyamala tried to rattle Harish s cage by asking him

questions about his former girl friend.

Punctuality is the virtue of the bored. Evelyn Waugh

Which is correct? Make or take a decision?

(Rex Arul, Georgia)

You can take a decision or make a decision ; both are

correct. Which one you decide to use depends on which side
of the Atlantic you are from. Make a decision , I understand,
is mainly used by the Americans, while the English prefer
take a decision . In terms of meaning, in most contexts,
there is little or no difference between the two.

What is the difference between fatal and fateful ?

(Vivek Kumar, Nagpur)

The word fatal is always associated with something

negative; its use suggests death or disaster. If you say that

211
your neighbour had a fatal heart attack last week, it means
that he died of a heart attack last week. Similarly, when you
say, Ram struck the robber a fatal blow , what you mean is
that Ram s blow killed the robber. A sentence like, Ganeshan
took the fatal decision to marry Rima , suggests that
Ganeshan s decision had disastrous consequences.

Unlike the word fatal , fateful need not always be associated

with something bad. Fateful means controlled by fate, and
in this case, the result can be either good or bad. You may
make the fateful decision to join the police force: you may
have some luck, and quickly become a DIG, or you may end
up getting killed in a shootout on your first day at work!

What is the meaning of take up the cudgels for someone ?

(K. Panchapagesan, Mumbai)

The first syllable of cudgels rhymes with budge , nudge ,

and grudge , and the following is like the in china . The
word is pronounced kajelz with the stress on the first
syllable. A cudgel is a club; it is a short heavy stick that is
often used as a weapon. When you take up the cudgels for
someone, what you are doing is coming to the defence of an
individual. The expression can also mean to argue strongly in
favour of someone or something. In British and Australian
English, it is also possible to say, to take up the cudgels on
behalf of someone .

*The association should take up the cudgels for the two men
who have been dismissed.

When you take up the cudgels against someone , you fight

against him.

212
*It s about time that we took up the cudgels against crooked
politicians.

How is the word aplomb pronounced?

(N. Bhavani, Erode)

The is like the in china , and the following sounds

like the in hot , pot , and cot . The final is silent, and
the main stress is on the second syllable. The word is
pronounced aplom . When you do something with aplomb,
you do it in a relaxed manner and with a great deal of
confidence. The word is mostly used in formal contexts.

Is there a difference between I plan to re-cover the old sofa and

I plan to recover the old sofa ?

(T. Harindranath, Salem)

Yes, there is. Sometimes, the presence of a hyphen can bring

about a change in the meaning of a word. In the first
sentence, re-cover suggests that you are going to cover the
sofa again with something. The old sofa may already have a
cover, but chances are you are not happy with it. So, you
intend to put some other cover on it, and make it look good.

The word recover , on the other hand, suggests that the old
sofa is no longer with you. Perhaps you have lost it or
someone has stolen it! Whatever be the case, you are now
planning to find it and bring it home the place where it
belongs!

What is the difference between robber and thief ?

(D. Vincent, Vellore)

213
Of the two, the thief is more subtle! When a thief takes
something from you, you are not usually aware of it. You
don t even notice his presence, and when he disappears with
something that belongs to you, he seldom leaves a trail
behind him. He steals without attracting too much attention
to himself, and he is never violent.

*The thief entered the house and walked away with the
laptop.

A robber, on the other hand, is someone who comes face to

face with his victim and forces him to part with his valuables.
He threatens his victim with grievous injuries, if he doesn t
do as he is told. Unlike a thief, a robber may resort to
violence he may kill or injure the person being robbed.

What is the meaning of paddle one s own canoe ?

(M. Kishore, Hyderabad)

This is an expression that is mostly used in American English.

A canoe is a small boat which Native Americans made use
of. The in the word is like the in china , and the final
oe is like the oo in cool , pool , and fool The word is
pronounced ke-noo with the stress on the second syllable.

When you paddle your own canoe, what you are doing is
steering your own boat. In other words, you are charting
your own course. The expression paddle your own canoe is
used to mean self reliant or independent.

*Listen Naresh, you are 25 years old. It s time you started to

paddle your own canoe.

What is the past tense of quit ?

214
(R. Ashwini, Secunderabad)

When the verb is used to mean to leave , it has two past

tense forms quit and quitted. For example, it is possible to
say, Jai quit/quitted his job last month. The word quitted is
seldom used in American English, and in British English, it is
limited to formal styles of writing. Many people regard
quitted as old fashioned. When the verb is used to mean to
stop , then quit and not quitted is used as the past tense
form. We say, Yogesh has quit playing tennis , not, Yogesh
has quitted playing tennis.

What is the meaning of flip out ?

(M. N. Vibha, Nagpur)

When someone flips out , he loses control of himself; he

suddenly goes crazy. The expression is mostly used in
informal contexts.

*When Lina heard that she hadn t been promoted, she

flipped out.

Another expression which has the same meaning is flip one s

wig .

America believes in education: the average professor earns

more money in a year than a professional athlete earns in a
whole week! Evan Esar

S. UPENDRAN UPENDRANKYE@GMAIL.COM

What is the meaning of the expression to make sheep eyes at

someone ?

215
(S. Rajendran, Chennai)

This is an expression that is not heard very often nowadays;

it is considered rather old fashioned. When you make sheep
eyes at someone, you make it rather obvious to the
individual that you are attracted to him/her. No one is really
sure about the origin of the expression.

Some of the girls in class have been making sheep eyes at

the new teacher.

What is the difference between perhaps and maybe ?

(M. Nirupama, Bangalore)

In terms of meaning, there is no difference between the two;

both can be used to mean something is possible . Of the
two, maybe is considered to be informal. It is frequently
heard in speech, but is seldom used in formal styles of
writing. Maybe always comes at the beginning of a clause;
perhaps , on the other hand, can come in different positions.

Maybe you should tell them that you don t really like the job.

Perhaps you should tell them that you don t really like the
job.

You should perhaps tell them that you don t really like the
job.

Make sure to maintain the distinction between maybe and

may be .

What is the meaning of the expression put past someone ?

216
The expression is normally used to show disapproval. When
you say that you wouldn t put something past someone, what
you mean is that the individual in question is quite capable of
doing something wrong; at least, something which you don t
approve of. I wouldn t put it past Velu to deny all knowledge
of the incident.

What is the meaning and origin of Tinseltown ?

(Anirudh, Houston)

Tinseltown is an uncomplimentary term that has been used

to refer to Hollywood for quite some time now. Tinsel
consists of long strips of shiny material which people use to
decorate Christmas trees. It is something that glitters, but is
of no value. The word tinsel has been used in the English
language for several centuries to describe something that is
rather showy and gaudy. When you refer to Hollywood as
Tinseltown, what you mean is that although the place
glitters, like the people in it, it does not have any substance.
On closer inspection, you realise it is merely some cheap foil
which falls apart at the seams.

What is the difference between biannual and biennial ?

(B. Laxman, Bangalore)

Both words are derived from the same root: bi meaning two
or twice and annus meaning year . The two words,
however, have very different meanings. An event that takes
place biannually happens twice a year; perhaps, every six
months. A biennial event, on the other hand, takes place
once in two years. The stress in both words is on the second
syllable.

*The company will be publishing its biannual report next

week.
217
*The editor is planning to bring out the new journal biennially

What is the meaning and origin of throw the hat into the ring ?

(Ganesh, Varnasi)

When you throw or toss your hat into the ring, what you
are doing is announcing to the world that you are ready to
compete with other people for something it could be for
the post of the Vice Chancellor, a place in Cabinet, etc.

The expression nowadays is mostly used in relation to

politics. When someone throws his hat in or into the ring,
he is informing everyone that he is contesting in the coming
elections. The expression comes from the sport of boxing. In
the old days, when wearing a hat was common practice,
when a man threw his hat into the boxing ring, it implied that
he was challenging the boxer; he was willing to fight him.

What is the meaning of vox populi?

(T. Uma, Chennai)

First, let s deal with the pronunciation of this Latin

expression. Vox rhymes with pox , socks , and fox , and
the first syllable of populi rhymes with hop and top . The
following sounds like the in useful and united , while
the final is like the ee in seed , feed , and need . It is
also possible to pronounce the final like the in by and
my .

The word is pronounced vox popyulee with the main stress

on the first syllable of populi . The expression means voice
of the people , and it is often reduced to vox pop or vox
pops .
218
The vox pop technique is normally used in radio and
television broadcasting. Every day on the various news
channels, we see reporters interviewing people on the street.
They ask the common man to give their opinion about
something. What do you think of the budget or Do you like
Dhoni s new hairstyle? This method of recording the opinions
of people talking informally in public places is called vox
populi or vox pop.

*To make the programme interesting you need vox pop.

What is the meaning of serendipity ?

(B. Suresh Kumar, Coimbatore)

First, let s deal with the pronunciation. The in the first

syllable sounds like the in set , bet , and get , while the
in the second is like the in china . The in the third
and fourth syllables and the final are pronounced like the
in sit , bit , and hit . The word is pronounced serendipiti ,
with the stress on the third syllable di .

Sometimes, we make rather fortunate discoveries by sheer

accident. This lucky tendency that some people have to find
interesting or valuable things by chance is called
serendipity . The word is considered formal, and is mostly
used in literary contexts.

*According to the artist, some of the best effects in his

garden have been the result of serendipity.

Serendip is the old Persian name for Sri Lanka. In the fairy
tale, The Three Princes of Serendip , the main characters
make wonderful discoveries by chance. The American writer,
Horace Walpole, coined the word serendipity in 1754 in a
letter he wrote to his friend.

219
How is the word idiosyncrasy pronounced?

(R. Jaichandran, Bangalore)

The in the first and second syllables and the in the final
syllable are like the in pit , bit , and hit . The in the
second is like the in so , no , and go . The syn is
pronounced like the word sing , and the is like the in
china . The word is pronounced idiosingkresi with the main
stress on syn . There are other ways of pronouncing the
word as well.

Idiosyncrasy is normally used to refer to the strange or

unusual habits or characteristics of a person or thing. This is
just one of the meanings of the word.

*He twirls his moustache whenever he gets nervous. This is

one of his idiosyncrasies.

*One of the idiosyncrasies of this car is that when you turn

on the lights, the AC stops working.

The word comes from the Greek idios meaning peculiar or

one s own , and synkrasia meaning temperament . When
borrowed into English, the word was first used in the medical
profession to mean physical constitution of an individual .

What s the difference between envelope and envelop ?

(M. Padma, Secunderabad)

220
The first is a noun and the second a verb. An envelope is
something in which you send a letter. Nowadays of course,
not many people use envelopes because they prefer email.

When used as a noun, the en is pronounced on and the

following is like the in china . The is like the in
so , go , and no , and the final is silent. The stress in this
case is on the first syllable. The word is pronounced
onvelope .

When used as a verb, the word means to surround or cover

something completely. The en is pronounced like the word
in , and the following sounds like the in set , bet , and
get . The is like the in china , and the main stress is on
the second syllable. The word is pronounced invelep .

*The fog had enveloped the airport. The pilot couldn t see a
thing.

*The plan seems to be enveloped in secrecy.

What is the meaning of the expression `on the fly'?

(G. Swaminathan, Coimbatore)

This is an informal expression that is mostly used in

American English. When you do something `on the fly', you
do it very quickly, without spending too much time thinking
about it.

This is a serious matter. I don't think you should be taking

decisions on the fly. The expression has another meaning as
well. It means the ability to perform a task while you are on
the move.

Padma's new cell phone enables her to check her email on

the fly
221
What is the meaning of the expression `the proof of the pudding
is in the eating'?

(S. Sowmya, Chennai)

This is an expression that has been around for several

centuries. When you tell someone that the `proof of the
pudding is in the eating', what you mean is that in order to
determine the value of something, one needs to test or try it.
You are telling the individual not to pass judgment on
something without examining the facts or evidence. You will
come to know if the pudding is good or bad, only after
tasting it. The expression is often reduced to `the proof of
the pudding', and it has the same meaning as `don't judge a
book by its cover'.

On paper, your suggestions look great. But you know what

they say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

S. UPENDRAN

What's the difference between `work for someone' and `work with
someone'?

(Prashant Chaturvedi, Gwalior)

When you `work for' someone, you are his employee; you
have been hired by him to do a job. This doesn't necessarily
mean that this individual knows you personally; and chances
are you may not be working along with him. Lots of people
work for the Prime Minister; it doesn't mean that Dr.
Manmohan Singh knows everyone personally.

How would you like to work for Ambani? When you `work
with' someone, you work along with the person. He may or
222
may not be your boss. In this case, since the two of you work
side by side, you see him on a regular basis and know him
personally.

For my PhD, I would like to work with Prof. Nagalakshmi.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the difference between `alumni', and `alumnae'?

(G. Shanthi, Bangalore)

The `alumni' of a university are the students who have

graduated from it; the word is used to refer to both male and
female students. `Alumnae' are the female graduates of a
university or college. The final `ae' in `alumnae' is
pronounced like the `ee' in `fees', `bees', and `trees'.

"I think God invented rain to give dead people something to

complain about." - David Brenner

S. UPENDRAN

How is the word aficionado pronounced?

(G. S. Moorthy, Nellore)

The in the first syllable and the in the third are like the
in china ; the in the second syllable sounds like the in
sit , pit , and hit . The is like the in sip , set , and sat
and the is pronounced like the in yes and yell . The
223
in the fourth syllable is like the in bath and path , while
the final is like the in so , no , and go . The word is
pronounced afisyenaado , with the stress on the fourth
syllable na . This is one way of pronouncing the word. When
you say that someone is an aficionado of something, what
you mean is that the person is a great fan of it; he is very
interested in a particular subject, and knows a great deal
about it.

*My boss says that his wife is an aficionado of Thai food.

What is the response to How do you do?

(Namrata, New Delhi)

It depends on which side of the Atlantic you are from. In

British English, the standard response to How do you do? is
How do you do? In India, when someone says namaste , we
respond by saying namaste . The same is the case with How
do you do? This is an expression that is normally used when
you are introduced to someone; once you have been
introduced, you never use the expression with that individual
again. The British make a distinction between How do you
do? and How are you? The Americans, on the other hand,
do not always maintain this distinction. It is common for
Americans to say, Fine, thank you in response to How do
you do? In India, you will be better off doing what the British
do.

What is the meaning and origin of more sinned against than

sinning ?

(S. Swaminathan, Mysore)

224
This is an expression made popular by Shakespeare. In
movies, we sometimes find the hero taking the law into his
own hands when the legal system fails him. The villain kills
his family members, but the police and the court fail to put
the man behind bars. The hero then decides to take matters
into his own hands, and goes around killing all those close to
the villain. By doing this, he is committing a wrong, but he
feels that he has the right to do what he is doing because a
greater wrong has been done to him. He feels that he is the
victim. When you say that someone is more sinned against
than sinning, what you mean is that the individual is less
guilty than those who have wronged him.

It s true she shot the politician in cold blood. But when you
hear the entire story, you ll feel she was more sinned against
than sinning.

How is the word extempore pronounced?

(K. Hariharan, Kozhikode)

The word consists of four syllables and not three. The first
syllable ex sounds like the ex in expect , excite , and
expel . The following is like the in test , pest , and
best ; the is like the in china . The final is like the
in pit , bit and sit . The word is pronounced extemperi with
the stress on the second syllable. When you give a speech
extempore , you give it without really preparing for it. It s an
impromptu speech, and it s usually given without the help of
any notes.

*You must be out of your mind if you think I m going to

speak extempore.

225
What is the meaning of the expression to separate the sheep
from the goats ?

(S. Naik, Pune)

This is an expression that comes from the Bible. When you

say that you are going to separate the sheep from the goats,
what you mean is that you are going to separate the good
from the bad. It is also possible to say, sort out the sheep
from the goats . These two expressions have the same
meaning as to separate the wheat from the chaff .

What is the difference between sojourn and journey ?

(T. Karthik, Hyderabad)

When you take a journey, you travel from one place to

another. The distance may be covered in a matter of few
hours, or it may take several days or months. A journey may
or may not involve a brief halt or stop somewhere along the
way. The original meaning of journey was a day s travel.

*The two drove like crazy and completed the journey in five
hours.

As for the word sojourn , first, let s deal with the

pronunciation. The in the first syllable is like the in
hot , got , and pot . The that follows is like the in jam ,
jack , and job ; the final ourn is like the urn in burn and
turn . The stress is on the first syllable so . A sojourn is a
not a journey of any kind. When you sojourn somewhere,
you stay in that place for a short while; the stay is usually
temporary.

*Dravid sojourned at his brother s home on his way to

Mumbai.

226
The word is mostly used in formal contexts.

Is it okay to introduce myself in the following manner? I am Mr.

Thomas.

(Yesudasan Thomas, Kollam)

When James Bond introduces himself, he says, My name is

Bond. James Bond . He doesn t say My name is Mr. Bond.
Mr. James Bond . We often hear Indian men introduce
themselves as Mr. Sharma , Mr. Rao , etc. When you
introduce yourself, there is no need for you to include Mr.
before your name. Native speakers of English do not include
the word Mr. when they introduce themselves.

What is the meaning of modus vivendi ?

(C. K. Arjun, Bangalore)

First, let s deal with the pronunciation of this Latin

expression. The m..o..d rhymes with load , showed and
toad , and the that follows is like the in china . The
first in vivendi is like the in kit , bit and sit , while the
second is like the ee in see , bee , and fee . The in ven
sounds like the in set , bet and pet . The main stress is
on the second syllable of vivendi . This is just one of the
ways of pronouncing the word.

A modus vivendi is a practical arrangement which allows

two people who have a difference of opinion about

227
something, to work or live together while waiting for their
dispute to be settled. This arrangement is usually temporary.

In order to complete the project on time, a modus vivendi

was achieved between the two countries.

What is the origin of the word magazine ?

(L. Kanchana, Secunderabad)

The word magazine has several different meanings. A

publication containing articles, ads, stories and photographs
that comes out on a regular basis is called a magazine. The
part of the gun which contains the bullets is also called a
magazine. How did this word acquire such different
meanings? According to scholars, the word magazine comes
from the Arabic makhzan meaning storehouse . The original
magazine was a place where grain and other goods were
stored. I guess this explains why the part of the gun which
contains the bullets is called a magazine it is a storehouse
for the ammunition. Did you know that before the 19th
century even ordinary books were called magazines ? After
all, books are a storehouse of knowledge, aren t they? It was
only in the 19th century that the word magazine began to
refer to periodicals.

What is the difference between missive and letter ?

(M. Ganesh, Chennai)

First, let s deal with the pronunciation. The first syllable of

miss is pronounced like the word miss , while the second
sounds like the ive in massive and passive . The stress is
on the first syllable. A missive is a longish letter, often
official, sent by someone. It is usually sealed and contains
228
 private information. The word is considered rather old
fashioned, and is mostly used in literary contexts; in informal
contexts, it is used humorously.

After the meeting, the Ambassador sat down and wrote a five
page missive to the President.

The word missive comes from the Latin missus meaning to

send ; missives are usually sent to individuals. Letter , on
the other hand, is a general term and it can be sent to
individuals, companies, organisations, etc. It may deal with
business or private matters.

What is the meaning of the expression thanks but no thanks ?

(Ishan Malik, New Delhi)

If someone offers you something, and you respond by saying

thanks, but no thanks , what you mean is I appreciate the
offer, but I decline. The expression is one way of refusing or
turning down an invitation; it is always used to convey a
rejection.

When Rahul offered to help me with the project, I told him,

Thanks, but no thanks .

What is the meaning and origin of take a leaf out of someone s

book ?
229
(R. Venkat, Salem)

When you take a leaf out of someone s book, what you are
doing is copying or imitating the individual. You are using
him as a model and are following his example hoping that
you will gain something by this.

*I took a leaf out of Surendran s book and started submitting

my assignments on time.

The word leaf here refers to a page from a book. Therefore,

when you take a leaf from someone s book, you are copying
what the individual has written. The original meaning of this
idiom was therefore to plagiarise . Nowadays, the expression
has lost its negative connotation and is used only in a
positive sense: to imitate someone.

What is the meaning of yore ?

(James George, Bhilai)

When it comes to pronunciation, yore and your are

pronounced the same way. But there the similarity ends.
While your is used in almost all contexts, yore is
considered to be rather old fashioned and literary, and is
therefore restricted in its use. It is mostly used in certain
fixed expressions like of yore . It means long ago .

*The old women spent their time talking about the days of
yore.

*This huge building was used as a stable in days of yore.

What is the difference between immoral and amoral ?

(G. Janaki, Thrissur)

230
When you say that someone is immoral what you mean is
that the person does a lot of things that are not morally
acceptable; he does things that are positively wrong. When
the word is used with people, it is always used to show
disapproval. Perhaps the individual swindles people, has
extramarital affairs, etc.

*What you are doing would be considered to be immoral by

most people.

A person who is amoral does not know the difference

between right and wrong, and he doesn t really care whether
what he does is morally right or wrong. He is not concerned
with morals; he is outside the sphere of morality. Unlike the
word immoral , amoral is not always used to show
disapproval.

*According to the critic, the hero had an amoral attitude

towards murder.

What is the meaning of jejune ?

(M. V. Pattabhiraman, Secunderabad)

First, let s deal with the pronunciation. The in the first

syllable is like the in bit , fit and kit , and the following
syllable is pronounced like the word June . The stress is on
the second syllable. The word is mostly used in formal
contexts to show disapproval. When you say that someone is
jejune , what you mean is that the person is rather childish
or unsophisticated. When used with things, the word means
uninteresting.

*I ve been listening to jejune lectures all day.

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The word comes from the Latin jejunus meaning fasting or
hungry . When it was first used in English, jejune meant
going without food .

S. UPENDRAN

What is the difference between collaborate and corroborate ?

(B. Nandini, Chennai)

The word collaborate comes from the Latin collaborare

meaning to labour together . Therefore, when you
collaborate with someone, you work with that individual for
a purpose for example, you could collaborate with someone
on a project.

*We will be collaborating with an American company to

develop the product.

When you corroborate something, you provide proof or

evidence that supports what you or someone else has said.
The word is frequently used in legal contexts.

*Some of the research findings seem to corroborate my

father s theory.

Some people are scared of taking injections. Is there a word for

it?

232
(P. Pandey, Pune)

Needle phobia is an expression that is commonly used by a

lot of people. Doctors, on the other hand, have another name
for this fear. They refer to the extreme and irrational fear of
injections as trypanophobia . The in the first syllable is
like the in bit , hit , and sit , and the following syllable is
pronounced like the word pan . It is also possible to
pronounce the in the second syllable like the in china .
The is like the in go , so and no , and the final
syllables are pronounced like the word phobia . The main
stress is on pho . These are just two of the ways of
pronouncing the word.

Is it okay to say Write me ?

(L. Devaki, Chennai)

Careful users of the language would argue it s wrong. They

would maintain that it should be write to me . But the fact of
the matter is that native speakers of English do say Write
me . It is used very frequently in American English.

What is the meaning of not to put too fine a point on it ?

(Sridhar, Tirunelveli)

This is an expression that you normally use when you wish to

speak your mind, and you are not really worried about how
the others around you will react. It is a polite way of saying,
Excuse me for being blunt, but this is what I think .

Your dissertation, not to put too fine a point on it, should be

thrown into the dustbin.

233
Our college team s performance, not to put too fine a point
on it, was terrible.

What s the difference between take care of and take care ?

(K. Ashwin, Hyderabad)

You usually take care of something or someone . In this

case, you look after a person or thing.

It s your duty to take care of your old parents.

When you tell someone to take care , what you mean is that
you want the person to be careful.

Tell the children to take care when they cross the busy road.

Nowadays, lots of people use the expression take care to

mean goodbye. It is mostly used in informal contexts.

Look at the time! I ve got to get going. You take care.

How is the word malfeasance pronounced?

(J. Aditya, Kanpur)

The in the first syllable is like the in cat , bat and

sat , the ea is like the ee in bees , sees and cheese . The
sounds like the in zoo and zip , and the that follows
is like the in china . The final ce is like the in sip and

234
sit . The word is pronounced mal-fee-zens , with the stress
on the second syllable.

Malfeasance is a legal term and it is mostly used in formal

contexts to refer to the dishonest and illegal behaviour of
public officials.

Several cases of malfeasance by the higher ups within the

party were never investigated.

What is the difference between among and amid ?

(Anantha Padmanabhan, Sri Rangam)

The two are not synonymous; among is considered less

formal of the two. Books on English usage maintain that the
word among should be used when it is followed by plural
countable nouns or by a word indicating a separable group of
people or things : congregation, crowd, etc.

The priest walked among his congregation, shaking hands

with a few.

Amid, on the other hand, is mainly used with uncountable

nouns. It suggests that you are surrounded by something
that is usually inseparable.

The three robbers escaped amid the confusion that followed

the fire.

What is the difference between climate and weather ?

(Lena Saravanan, Tiruchengode)

Take a look outside the window. Is it bright and sunny or is it

raining? Is it a hot day or a cold one? If you are referring to
the conditions as they exist right now, then you are talking

235
about the weather. The weather is something that is
happening outside right now; it is what we experience every
day. On the various news channels, meteorologists give us a
weather forecast; they do not provide us with a climate
forecast . The term weather is normally used to refer to
conditions at a certain time or over a short period of time.
What s the weather like today? What s the weather like in
Hyderabad during the summer? Climate, on the other hand,
refers to the average weather in a particular place over a
long period of time usually 30 years or more. Scientists
are now talking about the climate change that has taken
place. In some places in India, the average temperature is
much higher than what it was 40 or 50 years ago.

What is the meaning of honorificabilitudinitatibus ?

(L. Kavitha, Chennai)

According to scholars, this is the longest word used by

Shakespeare in any of his plays. The word is used by Costard
in Act V of Love s Labour s Lost . The word means state of
being able to achieve honours . People who believe that it
was Francis Bacon who wrote all of Shakespeare s plays
argue that the word honorificabilitudinitatibus is an anagram
for Hi ludi, F. Baconis nati, tuiti orbi . It means, These
plays, F. Bacon s offspring, are preserved for the world.

What is the meaning of mind-blowing ?

(Yogni Chauhan, Mumbai)

This is an expression that has been around since the 1960s.

During this period, people sometimes took drugs which
236
produced hallucinatory effects; these drugs were called
mind-blowing drugs . With the passage of time, any
experience which affected the mind or emotions of an
individual began to be called mind-blowing . Nowadays, the
expression is used to mean overwhelming , shocking , or
astonishing .

*Trekking through the forest all alone was a mind-blowing

experience.

Can a woman be called handsome ?

(G. Jaikumar, Bangalore)

Yes, the word can be used with women as well. When you
call a woman handsome, you are not making fun of her; you
are, in fact, paying her a compliment. What you mean is that
she is very attractive. Unlike a woman who is pretty , a
handsome one is not built along very delicate lines. She is
somewhat big built and her features are usually large and
there is something about her which suggests strength of
character. She has a strong dignified appearance. The word
is only used with women and not with young girls.

*Revathi is an extremely handsome woman with a very sharp

mind.

The word can also be used to refer to objects, such as

gardens and buildings. For example, when you say that a
building is handsome, what you mean is that it is large and
attractive in an impressive sort of way.

What is the meaning of stand something on its head ?

(Vikramsingh Misal, Kolhapur)

237
When you stand or turn something on its head , you turn
everything upside down. You treat an argument in a totally
different way; you make an idea or belief the opposite of
what it was before. The attempt here is to get people to think
differently.

*The speaker took the accepted view that sons were better
than daughters and stood the argument on its head.

What is the difference between peep and peek ?

(I. Mahendravarman, Chennai)

In certain contexts, both words have the same meaning.

When you peek at something or peep at something you
take a look at it very quickly; this is often done secretly and
quietly. It is also possible to peek/peep at someone.

*I would like to have a peep/peek at the new play that she is

writing.

The word peep is also used in certain informal expressions.

For example, if you say that you don t want to hear a peep
out of someone , what you mean is that you don t want the
individual to say anything or make any noise.

*We became rather worried because we hadn t heard a peep

from them.

What is the difference between `while' and `whilst'?

(A. Reema, Bangalore)

The `w..h..i..l' in `whilst' is pronounced like the word

`while', and the ?nal `st' sounds like the `st' in `stupid' and
`stump'. As far as the meaning is concerned, there is no
difference between `while' and `whilst'. According to some
238
scholars, `while' is a much older word than `whilst'. The
word `whilst' is not used in American English; in British
English, however, it is mostly used in formal contexts. It is
considered literary and somewhat old fashioned by many
people. What is the meaning of `cowed into'?

S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning of `cowed into'?

(G. Laxman, Vijayawada)

The word `cow' can be used both as a noun and a verb.

When used as a verb, the word means to frighten someone
into doing something that you want them to. You achieve this
by using threats or violence. *Prema needed the job, so she
was cowed into doing things she didn't want to.

S. UPENDRAN

Is there a difference between `grant me leave for Friday' and

`grant me leave on Friday'?

(Ravishankar, Chennai)

There is a big difference between the two. When you say

"grant me leave for Friday", what you mean is that you
would like to have Friday off. In other words, you would like
your boss to tell you that you needn't come to work on
Friday. The second sentence, "grant me leave on Friday" is
rather ambiguous. It could mean that you want your boss to
inform you on Friday that you have been granted leave. You
239
don't want him to tell you today itself as to whether you have
been given leave or not. You want him to give you the good
news on Friday.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning of `mutatis mutandis'?

(K. Vijayakumar, Trichy)

First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The `u' in both words
is pronounced like the `oo' in `cool', `pool', and `fool', and
the ?nal `i' is like the `i' in `hip', `dip', and `ship'. The `a' in
the second syllable of `mutatis' is like the `a' in `ask',
`path', and `task'; while the `a' in `mutandis' is like the `a'
in `ant', `pants', and `stand'. The main stress is on the
second syllable of `mutandis'. This is just one of the ways of
pronouncing the word.

`Mutatis mutandis' is a Latin expression frequently used in

economics and law. Its literal meaning is "things being
changed that have to be changed". This can be interpreted to
mean "the necessary changes having been made". For
example, if you were to say, "The same agreement will,
mutatis mutandis, be given to each manager in the
organisation," what you mean is that the agreement that will
be given to each manager will be more or less the same. The
only change will be the name - each agreement will contain
the name of a different manager.

How is the word `phlegmatic' pronounced?

(S. Vibha, New Delhi)

240
The `ph' in the ?rst syllable sounds like the `f' in `?sh', `feel'
and `full'; the `l..e..g' that follows sounds like the word
`leg'. The following syllable is pronounced like the word
`mat', and the ?nal `ic' is like the `ic' in `picnic' and
`fantastic'. The main stress is on the second syllable `mat';
the word sounds like `?egmatic'.

The word is normally used to talk about an individual's

temperament. When you say that someone is phlegmatic,
what you mean is that person remains cool under pressure.
He remains unemotional.

*As expected, the champion remained phlegmatic throughout

the tense ?fth set.

"Opinions are like feet. Everybody's got a couple, and they

usually stink." - Jim Slattery

What is the meaning of finale ?

(K. A. N. Srikar, Vizianagaram)

The word finale consists of three syllables. The in the first

syllable and the in the final syllable are like the in hit ,
bit and kit ; the is like the in path and bath . The
stress is on the second syllable na . The word is pronounced
finaali . The last item in a stage show can be referred to as a
finale; so can the final movement of a musical composition.

*The fireworks were the grand finale of the ten-day event.

Is it OK to say discuss about something ?

(Savitri Sekhar, Allepey)

241
Although we often hear people say, I would like to discuss
about the problem , it is not grammatically acceptable. You
usually discuss something , you do not discuss about
something. The word discuss is not followed by about .

*We will not discuss what happened at the meeting.

The word discussion , on the other hand, can be followed by

about .

*There will be no discussion about what happened at the

meeting.

What is the origin of denim ?

(J. Bharath, Thanjavur)

When you hear the word denim , you immediately think of

jeans. This sturdy cloth that both young and old wear
nowadays was originally made in the town of Nimes in
France. I understand the name is pronounced like the word
neem . The tough cloth material when it was introduced was
not called denim but serge ; it was often referred to as
serge de Nimes , meaning serge of Nimes . With the
passage of time, the name of the cloth was shortened to
denim . Sailors from Genoa , a seaport in Italy, made pants
from denim. Since the trousers lasted for a very long time,
they were affectionately called Genoese . The name was
later shortened to geans , from which we get the word
jeans .

What is the meaning of crony capitalism ?

(Dhruba Basu, Kolkata)

Crony capitalism is a pejorative term used to refer to the

corrupt business dealings carried out by government officials
242
in a capitalist economy; it refers to the success in business
based on a close relationship between businessmen and
government officials. The word crony means friend ; it is
generally used to show disapproval. If you were to refer to
Prakash as Dilip s crony , the implication is that you do not
approve of Prakash. What is it that politicians normally do
when they become ministers? They help their family
members and friends make money by awarding them
government contracts, legal permits, special tax breaks, etc.
This favouritism that they show towards family members and
friends is called crony capitalism .

S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning of square peg in a round hole ?

(K. Aravind, Srirangam)

If you are working for an organisation, and you say that you
feel like a square peg in a round hole, what you mean is that
you feel like a total misfit. You and the others around you
sense that you don t belong there. The expression can also
be used to refer to someone who is unsuited for the type of
job that he/she is actually doing.

*I ve always felt like a square peg in a round hole in this

university. I think it s about time I resigned.

What is the meaning and origin of `smoke and mirrors'?

(Khadar, Tirupathi)

When you say that something is `smoke and mirrors' what

you mean is that it is a lie; it is a distortion of the truth. It is
a trick employed by someone to deceive or confuse people.
243
By drawing attention away from the truth, an attempt is
made to make people believe that the situation is better than
it actually is. When you say that a politician's argument is
`smoke and mirrors', what you mean is that it lacks
substance.

*Smoke and mirrors made the stock market look healthier

than what it really was.

The expression comes from the world of magic. When a

magician performs his tricks on stage, he often makes use of
smoke and mirrors to make the impossible appear possible;
he uses smoke to divert the audience's attention.

S. UPENDRAN

Can the word `etc.' be used with people?

(S. Venkatesan, Madurai)

The Latin expression `et cetera', which is normally

abbreviated to `etc.', means `and other things' and `so on'.
As writers or speakers, we use it when we don't wish to
include everything on a list. For the drawing competition on
Sunday, students are expected to bring their own pencil,
paper, etc.' In such cases, we expect the reader/ listener to
understand that the list is incomplete and that he should
supply the missing information on his own. It is very
common nowadays to hear people include `etc.' after the
names of people as well: `I ran into Ram, Geetha, Thiru, etc.
at the club yesterday.' Books on English usage suggest that
such sentences are unacceptable. According to scholars,
since `et cetera' ends with an `a', the word is neuter in
gender; therefore, it can only be used with things and not
244
with people. The Latin expression `et al.', meaning `and
others', should be used after the names of people.

*We are expecting Sharukh et al. to be present at the

meeting.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning of `urban legend'?

(Abhishek Bankalgi, Sedam)

These are very often widely circulated stories that are passed
on from one person to another. Often, these are very
frightening stories which are supposed to have really
happened; whether they did or not, urban legends are meant
to be believed. The stories have been told and retold so
many times that they have become a part of popular
mythology. A very popular urban legend in the U.S is that
there are alligators living in sewers. Another one is that there
is always a killer hiding in the back seat of a car.

What is the difference between theism and deism ?

(R. Ananthanarayana, Hyderabad)

First, let s deal with the pronunciation. The in both words

is pronounced like the ee in feel , peel , and heel . The final
ism is like the ism in prism , materialism , and cronyism .
The stress in both cases is on the first syllable. Theism
comes from the Greek theos , and deism comes from the
Latin deus . Both words mean god . There are two different

245
views about the creation of the world and God s role in it.
Deism is the belief that God created the world, and once He
completed the task, He decided to call it a day! Theism , on
the other hand, is the belief that God not only created the
world, but also continues to play an active role in the running
of it. In other words, He intervenes in the life of human
beings; He is not a mere observer. This is just one of the
differences.

What is the meaning of hunker down ?

(Bhaskar Gupta, Aligargh)

This expression, mostly used in informal contexts, has

several different meanings. When you hunker down , you sit
on your heels; you squat.

The scouts hunkered down around the campfire and drank

hot soup.

The expression can also be used to mean to take shelter .

The blizzard compelled us to hunker down in a cave for a
couple of days.

During a strike, if one of the two parties hunkers down , it

very stubbornly sticks to a position. The party remains
adamant and refuses to make any compromise.

As the management hunkered down, unity among the union

members began to crumble.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning and origin of pull chestnuts out of the fire ?

(V. R. Krishnaswami, Chennai)

246
When you pull chestnuts out of the fire, you end up doing
someone else s dirty work. The other person is in such a tight
spot that you feel compelled to help him, often putting
yourself in danger. Another expression that has more or less
the same meaning is cat s paw .

As expected, Druv s rich parents pulled chestnuts out of the

fire for him once again.

The expression has its origins in a fable. In the story, a cat

and a monkey are sitting around a fire watching their master
roast chestnuts. The monkey wants to eat the nuts, but he
doesn t want to pull them out of the fire because doing so
would burn his hands. While the master is away, the cunning
monkey convinces the poor cat to do his dirty work for him.
The cat scoops out the nuts one by one and in the process
burns his paw. The selfish monkey eats all the nuts leaving
nothing for the silly cat.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning of mala fide ?

(Jayachithra, Nellore)

First, let s deal with the pronunciation. The first sounds

like the ay in may , bay , and hay , while the second is like
the in china . The is pronounced like the in my and
by and the final is like the in fit , kit , and pit . The
word sounds like mayle faidi , and the main stress is on fi .
This is just one of the ways of pronouncing the word.

The expression comes from Latin; mal means bad and

fide means faith . Mala fide means in bad faith. A mala fide
action is one that is performed with dishonest intent; a
person purposely attempts to cheat or deceive you. The
opposite of mala fide is bona fide meaning in good faith .
247
What is the meaning and origin of foot the bill ?

(S. Mukesh, Lucknow)

If you take someone to a restaurant and tell him that you are
going to foot the bill , what you mean is that you are going
to pay the bill.

m willing to come along if you promise to foot the bill.

The foot in the expression has nothing to do with our feet.

In the 15th century, when a waiter asked you to foot the
bill , what he wanted you to do was to add up the figures and
make sure that the total at the bottom or the foot of the bill
was correct. The expression foot up , which is no longer in
use, was used to mean to count or add up . It was only in
the 19th century that the expression foot the bill began to
mean what it does today.

What is the meaning of pig out ?

(Pooja Patel, Ahmedabad)

The pig is an animal that is not associated with anything

good. When you call someone a pig , you mean one of two
things: he eats a lot and is therefore extremely fat, or he is
very dirty. The expression to pig out is normally used in
informal contexts to mean, to eat or drink too much .

*On Sundays, the students from the hostel go to the city and
pig out on pizzas and burgers.

Can the word ward be used to refer to one s children?

(C. V. Geetha, Hyderabad)

248
In India, many people do refer to their children as their
wards. Native speakers of English, however, wouldn t do this.
They would consider ward to be a legal term; a word that is
normally used to refer to a person, especially a child, who is
under the legal protection of a guardian or a court of law.

The Collins Cobuild English Dictionary defines a ward as a

child who is placed under the care of a guardian because his
parents are dead or because he is believed to be in need of
protection . Teachers in India sometimes refer to their
students as their wards. This would be considered to be
rather old fashioned by native speakers.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning of vomitorium ?

(A. K. Arunachalam, Kancheepuram)

If an auditorium is a place where the audience sits, a

vomitorium should be a room where people vomit.
Unfortunately, this is not the case. The word comes from the
world of theatre . A vomitorium was the passageway that
people used to get to their seats in an amphitheatre. These
passages were situated below or behind an individual s seat,
and they enabled the members of the audience to enter and
exit the theatre very quickly. I understand that the
vomitoria in the Colosseum in Rome were so well designed
that it was possible for 50,000 people to enter or exit the
place in 15 minutes. The word vomitorium comes from the
Latin vomitus , meaning to vomit . What is the connection?
When you vomit, the contents of your stomach are thrown
out. The vomitorium disgorged or forced out the contents
of the theatre the people inside!

249
S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning and origin of pay through one s nose ?

(C. S. Sivaram, Hyderabad)

When you pay through your nose for something, you pay a
heavy price for it. In other words, you pay too much for it.
This informal expression has the same meaning as cost an
arm and a leg .

*Never go to that restaurant. You have to pay through your

nose for most things.

According to scholars, this idiom has been around for over

ten centuries. I understand that when the Danes ruled
Ireland, they imposed heavy taxes on the locals. If an
Irishman failed to pay the tax, he had his nose cut off. In
other words, if he didn t pay, he had to literally pay through
his nose.

What is the meaning of lagniappe ?

(S. Karthigeyan, Coimbatore)

First, let s deal with the pronunciation. The in the first and
second syllable are pronounced like the in cat , bat , and
fat . The and the final are silent, and the sounds like
the in yes , yellow , and young . The word is pronounced
lan-yap with the stress on the second syllable. I understand
that lagniappe comes from the Spanish la napa meaning
the gift . The word was originally used to refer to a gift or
something extra that a friendly shopkeeper added to a
customer s purchase. As time went on, the word acquired a
broader meaning. It began to be used to refer to any
250
unexpected gift or benefit. Lagniappe is not included in many
dictionaries, and its use is mostly confined to what are known
as the Gulf states in the United States Mississippi,
Louisiana, etc.

*Since we had bought so many items, the shopkeeper

included a DVD player as lagniappe.

The well-known author Mark Twain wrote about this word in

his book Life on the Mississippi .

What is the meaning of too clever by half ?

(G. Revathi, Vijayawada)

This is an expression that is used to refer to someone who

thinks very highly of himself. When you say that someone is
too clever by half, what you mean is that the individual is
very annoying because he imagines himself to be much
smarter than he actually is. You are implying that he is much
too clever for his own good, and this might get him into
trouble one day. The expression is mostly used ironically. It
is also possible to say too smart by half .

*You should meet the characters in my class. Some of them

are too clever by half.

What is the difference between alternate and alternative ?

(C. Padma, Hyderabad)

If you play tennis on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and

Sundays, then you are said to play the game on alternate

251
days. In other words, you don t play every day, but on every
other day. The stress is on the first syllable al .

*Wouldn t it be nice if we had school/college only on

alternate days?

The word can also be used to mean one after another ; when
things alternate they take place in turns.

*It was a movie that made you laugh and cry alternately.

The word alternative means one or the other; it is normally

used to refer to a situation when a choice has to be made.
The stress in this case is on the second syllable.

*There s something wrong with the car. Our alternative is to

take a bus.

Careful users of the language sometimes argue that this

word should be used only when there is choice between two
things. This however, is no longer true. You can have several
alternatives.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning of wake in the following expression: in the

wake of something ?

(Utsav, Chidambaram)

The idiom means coming after something or as a

consequence of something. The wake has nothing to
do with waking up from sleep. In this case, the word
refers to the turbulence left by something moving
through the water . In other words, the waves or path
that a moving ship or boat leaves behind in the water
is a wake .
252
*The tsunami left a trail of destruction in its wake.

How is the word ombudsman pronounced?

(G. Nagarajan, Erode)

The is like the in hot , got , and not , and the following
sounds like the in put , pull , and full . The is
pronounced like the in zoo , zip , and zap , and the final
is like the in china . The stress is on the first syllable
om .

An ombudsman is someone who investigates complaints

made by people against the government or any public
organisation. He is an independent official who represents
the common man in his fight against the government

*All complaints must be made in writing to the banking

ombudsman by three this afternoon.

The word is Swedish in origin and it means representative

or agent . I understand that the word was borrowed into
English in the 1960s. The word is being slowly replaced by
ombudsperson .

S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning of humour me ?

(Saurab, Bangalore)

Sometimes, young children come and tell us tall tales. They

narrate events which couldn t have happened. A child may
tell us that there was a tiger in the garden and that he drove
it away with a stick. When children tell us such stories, as
adults, it is our job to believe them. Why do we pretend to
believe them? Simple. We want to keep the children happy;
253
we want to humour them. When you tell someone humour
me , what you want the person to do is to agree with what
you are saying or doing. What you may be saying or doing
may be completely unreasonable, but you want the person to
agree with you just to keep you happy.

*The husband thought it best to humour his wife.

*I hold the purse strings. So you d better humour me.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the difference between High Commissioner and

Ambassador ?

(Raje, Kurukshetra)

The functions these two individuals perform are the same;

there is no difference. I understand that both are of the same
rank as well. Britain s diplomatic missions in various parts of
the world are either called High Commission or Embassy .

The former term is used to refer to Britain s diplomatic

missions in Commonwealth countries.

For example, the diplomatic mission in Delhi is called the

High Commission, and the senior diplomat in charge of it is
the High Commissioner .

Since the United States and Russia were never a part of the
Commonwealth, Britain s diplomatic missions in these
countries are called Embassies , and not High
Commissions . The person in charge of one is called
Ambassador .

S. UPENDRAN

254
How is the word nuptial pronounced?

(C. Sornapriya, Dindigul)

The in the first syllable sounds like the in cup , pup ,

and cub ; the is pronounced like the sh in sheep , ship
and show . The ia that follows sounds like the in china ,
and the stress is on the first syllable. The word sounds like
nupshell . It is considered rather old fashioned, and is mainly
used jocularly to refer to things related to a person s wedding
ceremony.

*I had to laugh when the old woman referred to her bedroom

as her nuptial chamber.

What is the meaning of chequebook diplomacy ?

(M. Kauseelan, Vathlagundu)

This is an expression that was coined during Gulf War I,

when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. In order to liberate
the country, George Bush, the current President s father,
invited other nations to join him in his effort to overthrow
Saddam.

Many countries sent troops, but there were some whose

constitution did not permit them to send troops abroad.
Japan and Germany, two of the closest allies of the U.S, were
two such countries. Since they couldn t commit troops to the
coalition, these two rich nations did the next best thing
they gave a lot of money for the war effort! This is how
chequebook diplomacy came into being.

Nowadays, the expression is used to describe any

international policy in which a country dangles money, in the
form of economic aid and investment, to win diplomatic

255
favour. Another expression that has more or less the same
meaning is dollar diplomacy .

*China denies using chequebook diplomacy in Africa.

What is the difference between infant and toddler ?

(L. Balagopal, Hyderabad)

The word infant comes from the Latin in fans meaning

unable to speak . So technically an infant is a child that has
not learned to speak as yet. For many native speakers,
infant is a formal word for baby ; some scholars argue it is
an impersonal or a medical term for baby .

A newborn baby or a very young child can be called an

infant. In American English, the word is normally used to
refer to a baby, especially a very young one. In British
English, children as old as 7 are called infants .

In England, children between the ages of 4 and 7 go to

Infant Schools . According to British law, anyone under the
age of 18 is an infant!

There is less confusion about the word toddler . He is

someone who toddles . In other words, he is someone who is
just beginning to walk; he takes small, unsteady steps.

Don t knock the weather; nine-tenths of the people couldn t

start a conversation if it didn t change once in a while. Kin
Hubbard

S. UPENDRAN

256
What is the meaning and origin of blurb ?

(Avinash Goyal, Ghaziabad)

When we pick up any book, the first thing we normally look

at is the back cover. It usually contains the
publisher s/reviewers short, but raving description of the
book. This description, which is always full of praise for both
the author and the book, is called a blurb .

*According to the blurb, this is the best novel written by the

author.

Although the idea of a blurb had been in existence for a long

time, the word itself was coined only in the 20th century. I
understand that it was the brainchild of Gelett Burgess, the
well-known author of The Purple Cow . When his new book,
Are You Bromide? was launched, Burgess persuaded his
publishers to do away with the usual sugary write-up.
Instead, he made them paste the picture of a girl whom he
named Miss. Belinda Blurb. The back cover said, YES, this is
a BLURB ; it contained quotes from Ms. Blurb. As a result,
anything that was printed on the back cover began to be
called a blurb. Nowadays, we have blurbs on DVD and VCD
covers as well.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning of wake up and smell the coffee ?

(K. Jagadeesh, Chennai)

This is an expression that is mostly used in informal contexts.

When you tell someone to wake up and smell the coffee ,
what you mean is that you want the individual to be more
aware of what is happening around him. It has the same
meaning as get with it .
257
*You don t know what an iPhone is! Wake up and smell the
coffee.

What is the meaning of akimbo ?

(R. Saranyaraj, Sulur)

First, let s deal with the pronunciation. The sounds like the
in china ; the following syllable is pronounced like the
name Kim . The final bo rhymes with so and no , and the
stress is on the second syllable kim . The word is mainly
used to refer to one s arm position. When you stand with
your arms akimbo, you have your hands on your hips and
the arms are spread out with the elbows pointing outwards.
It is a posture that generally indicates impatience, hostility,
or contempt.

*The principal stood, arms akimbo, glaring at the students.

*Standing behind the sofa with arms akimbo, Sheel told the
painter what to do.

Can we say, He is a faculty at Osmania University ?

(B. Shalini, Hyderabad)

The word faculty is normally used to refer to all the teachers

in a particular department or university. In this sense, it is
like the word staff . Just as you cannot say He is a staff ,
you cannot say, He is a faculty . If you wish to refer to a
particular individual, then you have to say, He is a member
of the faculty or He is a faculty member.

*Eminent faculty members from Harvard will be present at

the conference.
258
*I d like all of you to meet the new member of our faculty.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the difference between look and see ?

(Megha, Delhi)

Both words are used to talk about the different ways we use
our eyes. Seeing is a physiological process, it is something
that our eyes do automatically. When you see something, it
is not intentional, but accidental. On your morning walk, you
may see a cute little puppy, a man wearing a pink shirt, and
an old motorcycle parked next to your new car. When you
went for the walk, it was not your intention to see all these
objects. You saw them because they came in front of you.
You couldn t avoid noticing them.

Looking , on the other hand, is an intentional act. When you

look at something, you pay attention. For example, if you
look at a puppy, you observe it carefully. You begin to pay
attention to its colour, size, etc.

What is the meaning of take pot shots at someone ?

(K. Saraswathi, Kodaikanal)

In British English, the word pot is used as a verb to mean

to shoot small birds and animals without taking careful aim.
The reason you don t need to aim is because there are so
many birds/ animals clustered nearby, that if you shoot in
their general direction, you are bound to hit something.
There is no way that you can miss. Hunters took pot shots
because they wanted to put food on the table; their aim was
to fill the cooking pot! The opposite of pot shot , I
understand, is fair shot ; the kind of shot a gentleman
hunter prefers to take. In this case, the hunter decides
259
which animal he wishes to kill, aims for it, and then shoots.
As time went by, the term pot shot began to be applied to
any sort of blow physical as well as verbal that was
difficult to avoid. The expression take pot shots at someone
is now used to mean to criticise someone rather
unexpectedly or unfairly.

*During the press conference, several reporters took pot

shots at the aging actor.

What is the meaning of last but not least ?

(Deepak Das, Jaipur)

The expression has been around since the 16th century. It

means finally, but not less importantly. The expression can
be used when you introduce a group of people to a friend.
When you come to the last person in the group, you can say
last but not least, this is Suman . What you mean by this is
that though Suman is the final person to be introduced, it
doesn t mean she is less important than those introduced
before her; she is as important as the others.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the difference between cronyism and nepotism ?

(Furqan Shaikh, Bangalore)

Both words are used to show disapproval. If you are accused

of nepotism, then you use your position to promote or help
the members of your family; it is favouritism based on
kinship. The word comes from the Latin nepos meaning
nephew .

260
*Prema got the job because of nepotism her father is the
CEO of the company!

The word crony (rhymes with pony and Tony ) is used to

refer to a friend with whom you spend a lot of time. When
you accuse someone of cronyism, what you mean is that the
person is using his official position to help his friends.

*Bush and Cheney have often been accused of cronyism.

What is the meaning of tour de force ?

(Shikha Maurya, Varanasi)

This is an expression that comes from French, and is mainly

used to show emphasis. When you call someone s speech or
performance a tour de force , what you mean is that it was
outstanding; it was very well done. It is something that is
unlikely to be equalled by others.

*The ageing actor s performance as the drunken father is a

tour de force.

S. UPENDRAN

Is there a sentence that includes all 26 letters of the alphabet?

(K. R. Uma, Kasargod)

A sentence which contains all the letters of the alphabet is

called a pangram . There are many pangrams; in fact, if you
are in the mood, you can create one of your own. The most
famous pangram is the following: The quick brown fox
jumps over the lady dog.

261
I understand that in the old days when typists wished to
check if all the keys were in working order, they

What is the meaning and origin of back to square one

(S. M. Chidambaram, Tirunelveli)

When you have been working on a problem for a long time,

and you are unable to find a solution, what is it that you
normally do? Since you have not been able to make any
progress, you go back to the beginning and start all over
again. When you tell someone that you are back to square
one , what you mean is that you ve returned to the original
starting point. In other words, you are going to begin all over
again.

After three days of house hunting, I found one that I really

liked. When I went to pay the advance the next morning, the
landlord said that he had decided not to rent the house. So,
it was back to square one.

According to some scholars, this expression was made

popular by sports commentators of the BBC. Since football is
a game that is difficult to follow on the radio, what some
enterprising radio commentators did in the early 20th
century was to divide the field into eight squares. The
commentators informed the audience of what was happening
on the field by telling them which square the ball was in. On
the day of the game, most newspapers and sports magazines
carried a drawing of the playing field with the squares clearly
marked and numbered this made it easy for listeners to
follow the action. Square one was where the goalie stood.
Others believe that the idiom has its origins in board games
like Snakes and Ladders.

What is the difference between stammer and stutter ?

262
(Lijo T. Jose, Kottayam)

Both words are used to refer to a defect in an individual s

speech. We often meet people who have difficulty speaking;
sometimes, they merely repeat the first sound or syllable of a
word. They are unable to produce anything beyond that.
Careful users of the language maintain that the word stutter
is used to refer to a person who has a chronic speech defect.
Stammering , on the other hand, is considered temporary.
All of us have stammered sometime or the other. Human
beings can stammer or stutter; machines only stutter.
Speech therapists in Britain prefer to use stammer , while
those in America and Canada prefer stutter . Aristotle,
Aesop, Darwin, Napoleon, and Marylyn Monroe are some
famous people who stuttered.

Is it ok to say, I have a head-bath every Saturday ?

(N. Chethan, Chennai)

This is an expression that is commonly heard in India; not

many dictionaries include head-bath the few that do, state
that the word is mainly used in South Asia. Native speakers
of English don t use this word, and probably won t
understand what you mean by it. When a native speaker of
English talks about taking a bubble bath , what he means is
that he is going to get into a bathtub which is full of water
and soap bubbles.

So when you tell him that you are going to have a head-
bath, he might get the impression that you are going to get
into a tub which is full of heads! Just kidding! Native
speakers wouldn t say I have a head-bath every Saturday ;
instead, they would say, I wash my hair every Saturday.

263
What is the meaning of excuse my French ?

(B. Gunasekharan, Trichy)

Very often, when people get angry, they swear. They use
many vulgar words which they wouldn t normally use. When
you say excuse my French , what you mean is that you are
sorry that you have sprinkled your conversation with words
which are considered impolite. You are apologising for
swearing in the presence of those who might be offended by
it. The expression pardon my French has the same meaning.
Why the French, and not the Germans or Russians? The
answer is fairly simple. The English hated the French; they
thought that the French were vulgar people who swore all the
time. Therefore, when an Englishman says, pardon my
French , what he means is that he is going to behave crudely
like a Frenchman!

S. UPENDRAN

What is the difference between pain and ache ?

(D. Vincent, Vellore)

Both words can be used to refer to any bodily discomfort that

an individual may feel. Of the two, pain is the more general
term. The pain that you feel in some part of the body may be
intense, or it may be mild; similarly, its duration could be
either long or short. If you hit your thumb with a hammer,
the pain could last for a few seconds, or for several days.

Usually, pain implies something that comes on suddenly.

When you bump into the wall, you feel pain and not ache .
The pain that you feel could be local over a small area
or it could be widespread.

264
Ache, on the other hand, is usually associated with a
particular part of the body; we often talk of a toothache,
headache and stomachache. When we get any of these
aches, they usually last for some time. They don t disappear
in a matter of minutes.

An ache, therefore, is usually long lasting. Another difference

is that the discomfort that one experiences is not as intense
as pain ; some dictionaries define ache as dull pain .

The only exercise I get is walking behind the coffins of

friends who took exercise.

What is the difference between ex and former ?

(Nizamuddin Ahmed, Vaniyambadi)

Careful users of the language lament the fact that not many
people maintain a distinction between these two words. If
you are in the habit changing jobs every two months, you
will have several former bosses , but only one ex-boss .
What is the difference between the two?

Some scholars argue that the word ex should be used with

the immediate past incumbent . Your previous boss is your
ex-boss, and the ones you had before him are your former
bosses. Vajpayee is the ex-Prime Minister of India. Nehru, V.
P. Singh, Indira Gandhi, and Gujral, some of the others who
preceded Vajpayee, are all former Prime Ministers of India.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the meaning of diem ?

(Ramesh Reddy, New Delhi)

This is a word that comes from Latin, and it means day . The
word is used in English in certain fixed expressions like carpe
diem and per diem .
265
Of the two, per diem is much more common in India,
especially in Government circles. It means per day ; when
employees of the government are sent on official duty to
other places, they are paid a daily allowance. This is called
per diem, and it is given to an individual to meet his daily
expenses. Carpe diem means seize the day .

What is the meaning of `smell blood'?

(Garima, Noida)

When someone you are competing against begins to exhibit a

weakness, what would you do? You would make use of the
weakness to your advantage. This is what the expression `to
smell blood' means to make use of someone's weakness or
problems to your advantage. It is also possible to say `scent
blood'.

*When our main bowler was injured, the opposition began to

smell/scent blood.

When a shark smells blood, it goes into a frenzy. It attempts

to find out where the smell is coming from. It tries to locate
its prey making use of its amazing senses, and when it finds
the wounded animal, it attacks. The wounded animal is at a
disadvantage, and the shark makes use of this weakness to
kill it.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the difference between `cool down' and `cool off'?

(R. Ganeshan, Hyderabad)

266
The two phrasal verbs have more or less the same meaning.
When something `cools down' or `cools off', it becomes
cooler than what it was earlier. In other words, the
temperature drops a little bit. During summer, when it cools
down, things seem a little more pleasant.

*It was well past midnight before it started to cool off/cool

down.

The two expressions can be used with people as well. When

you say that someone has cooled down/cooled off, what you
mean is that he has become less angry.

*There's no point talking to you now. Go to your room and

cool off.

How is the word `sic' used?

(M. Dilip, Mysore)

The word is pronounced like the word `sick' and it means

`so, thus'. This Latin word is usually written within brackets
after a quote. By putting the word `sic' within brackets, what
you are telling the reader is that you are aware there is an
error in what you have written; this error is not yours, but
the original writer's. You are merely informing the reader
that you are being faithful to the original source.

*The young soldiers were unable to cope up (sic) with the

pressure.

What is the meaning of `eleemosynary'?

(Shivaramakrishna Pillai, Chennai)

267
First, let's deal with the pronunciation. There are several
ways of pronouncing this word. The simplest way is to
pronounce the first `e' like the `e' in `set', `pet', and `let';
the following `ee' like the `ee' in `feel', `peel', and `heel'.
The `o' sounds like the `o' in `hot', `pot', and `dot', and the
`y' like the `i' in `hit', `pit', and `sit'. The final `a' is like the
`a' in `china', and the main stress is on the third syllable
`mos'. Remember, this is just one of the ways of
pronouncing the word.

Not all dictionaries include this word. Eleemosynary is mostly

used in formal contexts, and it means relating to charity or
the giving of alms.

What is the difference between `damsel' and `spinster'?

(Mani, Ulundurpet)

A `damsel' is a young, unmarried woman; the word is mostly

used in literary contexts, and is considered rather old
fashioned. A much more common word nowadays is
`bachelorette'. By the way, the first syllable of `damsel' is
pronounced like the word `dam', and the `s' that follows is
like the `z' in `zoo' and `zip'. The main stress is on the first
syllable. A `spinster', unlike a damsel, is usually middle aged
or old. She is someone who has never married and her
chances of getting married are remote. A damsel is single for
the time being; she may choose to marry later on.

S. UPENDRAN

How is the word `wind' in the expression `long winded'

pronounced?

(L. Janani, Hyderabad)

268
The `i' in `winded' is like the `i' in `kid', `did' and `bid', and
the stress is on the first syllable. The word is pronounced like
the noun `wind', the strong breeze that sometimes blows
before the evening rain. When you say that someone's
speech was `long winded', what you mean is that the person
wasted a lot of time getting to the point. The speaker used
too many words, and as a result the speech turned out to be
tediously long. The expression `long winded' can also be
used to talk about things that have been written.

*The CEO gave a long-winded speech about the importance

of family.

S. UPENDRAN

What is the difference between `look over' and `overlook'?

(P. Jairam, Bangalore)

When you overlook something, you ignore it or fail to see it.

In other words, it is possible for one to overlook something
or someone accidentally or deliberately. By the way, the
main stress in this word is on `look'.

*The fast bowler had been overlooked again. The selectors

were unwilling to give a reason.

The word `overlook' also means to give a view of a place

from above. For example,

*Vinita is pretty excited because her room overlooks a

beautiful lake.
269
When you look something or someone over, you very quickly
examine the object or person.

*The writer asked a couple of his friends to look over the

article.

THE END

270