What is the difference between "English" and "British"?
Dec 17, 2011 · A simple way to understand it, is to compare the UK to the USA. The USA is a country made up of states. Each state, with a different name. People can be New Yorkers or …
How offensive is it to call someone a "slag" in British English?
In the UK at least, bitch doesn't have that association - it means something along the lines of woman with an unkind, evil or spiteful personality. The words skank and ho are recognised - …
word choice - Which verb describes the movement of a flag or …
Sep 29, 2014 · There are many options. Which is best depends as much on what the flag is doing as on how strong the wind is. To add to the above, for light movements, waver, sway, and …
Speaking of insults: "sod off!" meaning and origin
Nov 3, 2011 · So your sense of "sod" is on the money. Suffixial "off" marks a general epithet as an insult, as seen in "piss off," "f-ck off," "bugger off," etc., all used in the manner of "please go …
Origin of fag (meaning a cigarette in British English)
Dec 1, 2015 · According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, it comes from "fag", meaning a loose piece of cloth:. fag (n.1) Look up fag at Dictionary.com British slang for "cigarette" (originally, …
Origin of "jack sh*t" - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange
Oct 7, 2011 · "A ship's flag of smaller size than the ensign, used at sea as a signal, or as a mark of distinction; spec. the small flag which is flown from the jack-staff at the bow of a vessel …
"Stamp" vs "stomp": when, how, and why? - English Language
May 11, 2017 · Most people in the UK stamp their feet in anger. I find it difficult to conceive of a single stomp. If there was only one of them, for me it would always be a stamp. But to stomp …
Should there be a space before a percent sign?
Apr 8, 2017 · Stack Exchange Network. Stack Exchange network consists of 183 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for …
What is the origin of "rag" meaning newspaper?
Jan 16, 2017 · That being said, it is not hard to imagine that when choosing a word to express contempt for a piece of fabric or paper, such as a flag, newspaper, pamphlet, or legal …
What’s the origin and history of the phrase “ten foot pole”?
Jun 7, 2018 · Early figurative use of "ten-foot pole" The earliest instance I could find of figurative use of "touch [someone or something] with a ten-foot pole" is from "Buying Up the Press," in …