Crampons are traction devices used to improve mobility on snow and ice during ice climbing. There are three main attachment systems for footwear: step-in, hybrid, and strap bindings. The first two require boots with welts, the last adapt to any type.
Oscar Eckenstein designed the first 10-point crampon in 1908, dramatically reducing the need for step cutting. This design was then made commercially available by the Italian Henry Grivel.
Epaulette (pron.: /ˈɛpəlɛt/; also spelled epaulet)[1] is a type of ornamental shoulder piece or decoration used as insignia of rank by armed forces and other organizations.
Epaulettes are fastened to the shoulder by a shoulder strap or "passant", a small strap parallel to the shoulder seam, and the button near the collar, or by laces on the underside of the epaulette passing through holes in the shoulder of the coat. Colloquially, any shoulder straps with marks are also called epaulettes. The placement of the epaulette, its color and the length and diameter of its bullion fringe are used to signify the wearer's rank. At the join of the fringe and the shoulderpiece is often a metal piece in the form of a crescent. Although originally worn in the field, epaulettes are more common today on dress or ceremonial uniforms.
1a : marked by ease and informality : nonchalant b : showing little forethought or preparation : offhand <glib answers> c : lacking depth and substance : superficial <glib solutions to knotty problems>
2archaic : smooth, slippery
3: marked by ease and fluency in speaking or writing often to the point of being insincere or deceitful <a glib politician>
— glib·ly adverb
— glib·ness noun
*Politicians need to do more than provide glib answers to difficult questions.
*the actor's glib portrayal of a drug addict
*Or they could have saddled us with “The Stranger,” which had the mitigating charm of being glib and pretentious and would thus have kept the kids who were obviously going to end up at Bard happy. —Joe Queenan, New York Times Book Review3 June 2007
Compasses and calipers during the 18th century, were frequently used to measure and fit work. Many products' designs were based on the proportional relationships between their parts stepped off with a compass rather than on measurements expressed in feet or inches.
When someone is said to be “flapping their gums” it means that he or she talks a lot about topics he or she doesn't really understand or know about. It also means to say something but not really mean it.
Frank and Joe are always flapping their gums about what it's like to be street hustlers, when they have never even been out of the burbs.
A term to describe quick sexual intercourse which includes the man not taking off his pants and alot of dry humping. This term is commonly used by english teachers like Mr. Fetterman
In the Mel Gibson version Hamlet boffed his mother
First dibs, or sometimes just dibs, is a phrase used when a person wants to declare ownership or express interest in something. By calling first dibs, or by being offered first dibs, the person gains an advantage over other people. He effectively gets the right of first refusal. A person who gets a first dibs privilege may be given the opportunity to choose first among several different options – or he can also decide to pass on the opportunity. The enviable situation that a first dibs opportunity gives is the privilege to actually accept or deny ownership of something without having to worry about any competition.
buff 1
n.
1. A soft, thick, undyed leather made chiefly from the skins of buffalo, elk, or oxen.
2. A military uniform coat made of such leather.
3. A pale, light, or moderate yellowish pink to yellow, including moderate orange-yellow to light yellowish brown.
4. Informal Bare skin: swimming in the buff.
5. A piece of soft material, such as velvet or leather, often mounted on a block and used for polishing.
adj.
1. Made or formed of buff: a buff jacket.
2. Of the color buff.
3. buff·er, buff·est Slang Having good muscle tone; physically fit and trim: buff athletes lifting weights at the gym.
tr.v. buffed, buff·ing, buffs
1. To polish or shine with a piece of soft material.
2. To soften the surface of (leather) by raising a nap.
3. To make the color of buff.
buff 2
n. Informal
One who is enthusiastic and knowledgeable about a subject: a Civil War buff.
1.Challenge (a judge, prosecutor, or juror) as unqualified to perform legal duties because of a possible conflict of interest or lack of...: "a motion to recuse the prosecutor"
2.(of a judge) Excuse oneself from a case because of a possible conflict of interest or lack of impartiality.
n. a woman who follows or observes her mark persistently, especially out of obsession or derangement (stress derangement). A bunny boiler's mark is a man that she has had sex with maybe one time, usually this man is hard working and strives to succeed profesionally and in life. A bunny boiler's plan consists of plan A and plan B.
Plan A: The ultimate goal of a bunny boiler is to fix her mark's life by interfering and/or setting him up and blackmailing him in an effort to force him into a horrible relationship that was never meant to be. The bunny boiler's goal is almost certainly a recipe for disaster and a fate worse than death itself. When the plan begins to fail the bunny boiler then resorts to plan B: destruction.
The term is taken from Glenn Close's character in 'Fatal Attraction', who after engaging in a steamy hot one time sex scene with a colleague, Michael Douglas' character, she resorts to boiling her former one time sex parter's family pet rabbit in an all out war aimed at disrupting his life, family, career and destroy (emphasis on destroy) him for not wanting a sincere man/woman (nuclear family) type relationship with her.
An open letter to all bunny boilers:
Dear Bunny Boilers (you know who you are):
I am sorry that it didn't work out. Really I meant you no harm and hope that you had a good time. I am sure you will find a new boy friend.
"Butt Glue" is the common name for a body adhesive that is often used by Beauty Pageant contestants to help keep their swimsuit in place when they model swimwear.
Popular Uses
Butt Glue was originally popular for it's use during beauty pageants. But the glue is also practical for contests or activities such as dance or Ice Skating. It is also useful for actors in theater and film during performance, while wearing revealing or provocative outfits. In general, the product is used to prevent embarrassing or inappropriate movement of costumes during public display. The novelty of the item also makes it a popular joke gift.
The mullet is a hairstyle that is short at the front and sides, and long in the back.[1] The mullet began to appear in popular media in the 1960s and 1970s but did not become generally well known until the early 1980s. It continued to be popular until the mid-1990s.
The burpee (identical to what is in US English termed a "squat thrust") is a full body exercise used in strength training and as aerobic exercise.
(Military 8 count bodybuilder)
1.Squat with hands on the ground,
2.Kick back your feet,
3.Down for push up,
4.Up for Push up,
5.Kick feet back in,
6.Stand up,
7.Motion one of a jumping jack,
8.Motion two of a jumping jack.
n.
1. An authoritative order having the force of law.
2. Law The judgment of a court of equity, admiralty, probate, or divorce.
3. Roman Catholic Church
a. A doctrinal or disciplinary act of an ecumenical council.
b. An administrative act applying or interpreting articles of canon law.
v. de·creed, de·cree·ing, de·crees
v.tr.
To ordain, establish, or decide by decree. See Synonyms at dictate.
v.intr.
To issue a decree.
[Middle English decre, from Old French decret, from Latin dcrtum, principle, decision, from neuter past participle of dcernere, to decide : d-, de- + cernere, to sift; see krei- in Indo-European roots.]
staying "on the grind" means to work hard, always be hustling, or otherwise engaged in money-making or woman-procuring activities.
people who were once poor and become wealthy might then become lazy and indolent and spend all day in champagne-filled jacuzzis whereas other newly-successful people might continue to work hard, thus "staying on the grind"
there are many examples from 50 Cent's latest release, "the Massacre", but i'll offer up two:
excerpt from "God gave me style":
A O.G. told me God's favorites have a hard time
You out the hood, that's good now stay on the grind
Chorus from "Bitch get in my car":
I got no pickup lines
I stay on the grind
I tell the hoes all the time
Bitch get in my car (Bitch get in)
I got my 64, ridin' on Dayton spokes
And when I open that do'
Bitch get in my car
Patina is a tarnish that forms on the surface of copper, bronze and similar metals (produced by oxidation or other chemical processes); stone; a sheen on wooden furniture produced by age, wear, and polishing; or any such acquired change of a surface through age and exposure. Patinas can provide a protective layer to materials that would otherwise be damaged by corrosion or weathering. They may also be aesthetically appealing.
On metal, patina is a coating of various chemical compounds such as oxides, carbonates, sulfides, or sulfates formed on the surface during exposure to atmospheric elements (oxygen, rain, acid rain, carbon dioxide, sulfur-bearing compounds). Patina also refers to accumulated changes in surface texture and colour that result from normal use of an object such as a coin or a piece of furniture over time.
A palapa (a Spanish word of Mayan origin, meaning "pulpous leaf") is an open-sided dwelling with a thatched roof made of dried palm leaves. It is very useful in hot weather and, therefore, very common in Mexican beaches, such as in Acapulco. It is perhaps one of the most important architectural contributions of Philippine culture to Mexican West cultures.
Palapas are also common in Honduras and other Central American countries.
A pagoda is the general term in the English language for a tiered tower, built in the traditions originating in historic East Asia or with respect to those traditions, with multiple eaves common in Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Burma and other parts of Asia. Some pagodas are used as Taoist houses of worship. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most commonly Buddhist, and were often located in or near temples. This term may refer to other religious structures in some countries. In Vietnam and Cambodia, due to French translation, the English term pagoda is a more generic term referring to a place of worship, although pagoda is not an accurate word to describe a Buddhist temple. The modern pagoda is an evolution of the Ancient Nepal stupa, a tomb-like structure where sacred relics could be kept safe and venerated.[1] The architectural structure of the stupa has spread across Asia, taking on many diverse forms as details specific to different regions are incorporated into the overall design.
A vole is a small rodent resembling a mouse but with a stouter body, a shorter, hairy tail, a slightly rounder head, smaller ears and eyes, and differently formed molars (high-crowned and with angular cusps instead of low-crowned and with rounded cusps). There are approximately 155 species of voles. They are sometimes known as meadow mice or field mice in North America. Vole species form the subfamily Arvicolinae with the lemmings and the muskrats.
A wet nurse is a woman who breast feeds and cares for another's child. Wet nurses are employed when the mother is unable or chooses not to nurse the child herself. Wet-nursed children may be known as "milk-siblings", and in some cultures the families are linked by a special relationship of milk kinship. Mothers who nurse each other's babies are engaging in a reciprocal act known as cross-nursing or co-nursing.
An abbreviation of 'radical'--a term made popular by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Still primarily used by people on the West Coast who find words like 'cool', 'awesome', and 'tight' to be tired and overused; 'rad' is generally considered to be a much higher praise than the aforementioned superlatives. Also used as a general expression of awe.
one part of a large system or organization He was just a small cog in the large wheel of organised crime. This warehouse is an important cog in our distribution machine.
tr.v. stip·pled, stip·pling, stip·ples
1. To draw, engrave, or paint in dots or short strokes.
2. To apply (paint, for example) in dots or short strokes.
3. To dot, fleck, or speckle: "They crossed a field stippled with purple weeds" (Flannery O'Connor).
n.
1. A method of drawing, engraving, or painting using dots or short strokes.
2. The effect produced by stippling.
A dismissal, as in They're downsizing, and I got my walking papers last week. This slangy expression, first recorded in 1835, refers to a written notice of dismissal.
Also called Walking Ticket. A notification of dismissal from a job.
as an alcoholic, a beer drinking contest is right in my wheelhouse.
2. wheelhouse
In baseball this is the part of an individual's swinging range in which as a hitter they can make the best contact with the ball. If a pitch is right in your wheelhouse it is right where you want it, in the spot where you have the best chance of hitting it well.
The term is also often used to explain something that falls into a person's area of expertise.
ESPN: "Konerko can hit the ball 500 ft. if it's pitched right in his wheelhouse."
Child 1: "How can we get this hot girl to take her clothes off?"
Child 2: "Ask Hugh Heffner, that's right in his wheelhouse."
3. wheelhouse
Anything that can be acted on with confident success.
I'm guessing it originates from the fact that a wheelhouse is the room on the bridge of a ship where you steer from, providing you with clear view & control to steer the situation.
Have the handsome guy address that roomful of female sales potentials; it's right in his wheelhouse.
Singing this song in that key is right in your wheelhouse.
That pitch was thrown down & out, right in the batter's wheelhouse.
There is a difference between smoked salmon and lox. Smoked salmon is first cured in brine or with a dry rub, and then either cold- or hot-smoked. Fish smoked at a low temperature (cold-smoked) retains a silky texture like that of uncooked fish, while the hot-smoked type has the consistency of moist baked fish. Lox and gravlax (dill- flavored Scandinavian salmon) are not smoked, only cured in brine. The cold-smoked salmon favored by the French has a more subtle flavor than Jewish-style lox, and is therefore served on its own.
n.
1. Semisolid material such as the type precipitated by sewage treatment.
2. Mud, mire, or ooze covering the ground or forming a deposit, as on a riverbed.
3. Finely broken or half-formed ice on a body of water, especially the sea.
4. An agglutination or aggregation of blood cells forming a semisolid mass that often impedes circulation.
intr.v. sludged, sludg·ing, sludg·es
To agglutinate or aggregate into a semisolid mass; form a sludge. Used of blood cells.
1. To turn away: avert one's eyes.
2. To ward off (something about to happen); prevent: averted an accident by turning sharply. See Synonyms at prevent.
[Middle English averten, from Old French avertir, from Latin vertere : -, ab-, away from; see ab-1 + vertere, to turn; see wer-2 in Indo-European roots.]
n.
1. A line going diagonally across the grain of fabric: Cut the cloth on the bias.
2.
a. A preference or an inclination, especially one that inhibits impartial judgment.
b. An unfair act or policy stemming from prejudice.
3. A statistical sampling or testing error caused by systematically favoring some outcomes over others.
4. Sports
a. A weight or irregularity in a ball that causes it to swerve, as in lawn bowling.
b. The tendency of such a ball to swerve.
5. The fixed voltage applied to an electrode.
adj.
Slanting or diagonal; oblique: a bias fold.
tr.v. bi·ased or bi·assed, bi·as·ing or bi·as·sing, bi·as·es or bi·as·ses
1. To influence in a particular, typically unfair direction; prejudice.
2. To apply a small voltage to (a grid).
Getting yourself or others into a situation that is way over your head and spirals out of control.
Origin 1: President George W. Bush's Presidency
Origin 2: Michael D. Brown, FEMA Director / Bush's appointment
Origin 3: President Bush's nomination of Harriet Miers to the United States Supreme Court
We told some guy that our software could do all that and then when he invited us to a meeting, it turned out the president of his company was there expecting a demo and we totally got bushed.
I lied on my resume years ago by saying that I fluent in Spanish and then forgot about it until my first day at my new job and I totally got bushed when it turned out I was supposed to be the liaison to the Latin American office.
to force someone to continue giving all their attention and energy to what they are doing He gave me a couple of extra things to do just to keep me on my toes.
To cosnpire to ruin someones reputation untill they become unemployable and people refuse to associate with them.
After he cancelled that concert his manager blackballed him. Now no record company wants to produce his album.
blackball
the process where someone says things behind someones back to make themselves seem good, then acts all freindly towards taht person when they see them.
"that dick keeps playing blackball with you"
freeballing
Going without undershorts, said of a male, so called because his balls hang free and unencumbered. A similar expression is "going commando," which can be used of either a male or female without underwear, but is more often used of a male.
"A lot of guys like to freeball in the summer, but I prefer jockey shorts, to give my balls a little support, since otherwise they hang too low in the heat. I do freeball if I'm anticipating a sexual encounter, however!"
Boho-chic is a style of female fashion drawing on various bohemian and hippie influences, which, at its height in 2004–05, was associated particularly with actress Sienna Miller and model Kate Moss in the United Kingdom and (as "bobo" chic) actresses Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen and Nicole Richie in the United States.
It has been seen since the early 1990s and, although appearing to wane from time to time, has repeatedly re-surfaced in varying guises. Many elements of boho-chic became popular in the late 1960s and some date back much further, being associated, for example, with pre-Raphaelite women of the mid-to-late 19th century.
Earning the right to ride in the front passenger seat of someone's car. This is also the direct opposite of "riding bitch," where you are sitting center-backseat, sandwiched by your friends (aka: riding gay, riding whore). It is "shotgun"'s responsibility for controlling car temperature, changing radio stations, calling out landmarks, and flagging down hot girls.
Variations to "calling shotgun" can include paper/rock/scisors, coin flip, or being the first to yell "shotgun" when the driver pulls their car keys out of their pocket. Seniority rarely means anything when calling shotgun.
Steve was riding shotgun because he won the coin flip in the mall.
A vernacular is the native language or native dialect of a specific population, as opposed to a language of wider communication that is a second language or foreign language to the population, such as a national language, standard language, or lingua franca.
What do TM, SM and (R) Symbols Mean?
The symbols ®, TM and SM provide notice to the world that you are claiming trademark rights in any mark using these symbols. You may use the TM on marks identifying goods, and the SM on marks identifying services. You need not have a federal or state registration to use the TM or SM symbols. However, the ® symbol, which provides "statutory notice" can only be used if your mark is federally registered on either the Principal or Supplemental Registers maintained by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
You do not need to use the ® symbol in order to provide notice of your trademark rights. You may also use the phrase, "Reg. U.S. Pat. & Tm. Off." or "Registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office." Or, you may place the phrase at the bottom of a page when using an asterisk next to the mark that refers the reader to the phrase at the bottom. Thus the NutraSweet Company could put an asterisk next to their red & white swirl logo, and a phrase at the bottom or side of a page that read: "Reg. U.S. Pat. & Tm. Off." or "NutraSweet is a registered trademark of NutraSweet Co."
Advantages providing notice:
There is no requirement that you use any of the symbols, however there are two important advantages to using them. First, the symbols provide notice to the world that you are claiming the symbols as trademarks, and this will deter others from attempting to use the name for their own business. Second, if you ever find yourself in a lawsuit for infringement of your mark, and you haven't used the statutory notice (i.e. the ® symbol), then you won't be able to sue for damages or profits unless you can prove that the infringer had actual notice of your trademark rights.
Unauthorized use of the ® symbol
Unauthorized use of the ® can result in penalties, unless you can show that the unauthorized use was a good-faith mistake. Inadvertent unauthorized use can occur when the USPTO cancels your mark without your knowledge. It is quite likely that your labels and materials will still display the ® when the cancellation issues, thereby leaving you vulnerable to an attack that you were acting in bad faith and should be penalized for unauthorized use.
It means I'm speaking literally and directly to the topic: no spin, no teasing, no puns, not joking, no metaphors, no hyperbole, no fringe, no symbols, etc.etc.
take a fancy to someone or something and take a liking to someone or something; take a shine to someone or something
to develop a fondness or a preference for someone or something. John began to take a fancy to Sally late last August at the picnic. I've never taken a liking to cooked carrots. I think my teacher has taken a shine to me.
n.
The buttocks; the rear.
[French, behind, from Old French deriere, in back of, from Vulgar Latin *d retr : Latin d, from, of; see de- + Latin retr, back; see retro-.]
past participle, past tense of ri·fle (Verb)
Verb
1.Make spiral grooves in (a gun or its barrel or bore) to make a bullet spin and thereby have greater accuracy over a long distance.
2.Search through something in a hurried way in order to find or steal something.
n.
1. One who grips a hanging strap or similar device for support while riding as a passenger on a bus or subway.
2. One who uses public transportation.
A roadie is an individual who travels to gigs with a band and assists with setup and organization - most commonly girls (men traveling with the band are usually referred to as techies). You usually see them selling the tickets or refreshments, and/or sitting at a soundboard or helping the other bands during the show.
Roadies are sometimes mistaken for groupies, but there is a major difference. A groupie’s main goal is to sleep with the band whereas a roadie’s main goal is to insure the show runs smoothly and everyone in the band has their equipment set up and is ready. Occasionally they are paid.
Roadies are predominantly long time friends of the band and may even have had previous relationships with a band member. Sometimes they may be the girlfriend of a band member, but they are no longer considered roadies.
You know that band Cyrens from Troup? Well they just made Anna their roadie because they needed another person to help set up and run their gigs. It's fortunate her and Tiffany get along well; they will both make sure everything runs smoothly.
7 grammar rules you really should pay attention to
Semicolons should be used rarely, if at all. And beware dangling modifiers!
By Ben Yagoda | 8:50am EST
Irecently wrote an article for TheWeek.com about bogus grammar "rules" that aren't worth your time. However, there are still plenty of legitimate rules that you should be aware of. Not following them doesn't make you a bad person or even (necessarily) a bad writer. I'm sure that all of them were broken at one point or another by Henry James, Henry Adams, or some other major author named Henry. Moreover, grammar is one of the least pressing problems when it comes to the poor state of writing today. In my new book, How to Not Write Bad: The Most Common Writing Problems and the Best Ways to Avoid Them, things like wordiness, poor word choice, awkwardness, and bad spelling — which have nothing to do with grammar — take up the bulk of my attention.
Nevertheless, anyone who wants to write in a public setting has to be aware of grammar. (And I'm concerned with writing here; talking is a whole different ballgame.) If you make these errors, you're likely to be judged harshly by an editor you want to publish your work; an executive who, you hope, will be impressed enough by your cover letter to hire you; or a reader you want to be persuaded by your argument. In each case, there's a pretty easy workaround, so better safe than sorry.
1. The subjunctive
This one is pretty simple. When you're writing about a non-true situation — usually following the word if or the verb wish — the verb to be is rendered as were.
So:
* If I Xwas were a rich man.
* I wish I Xwas were an Oscar Mayer wiener.
* If Hillary Clinton Xwas were president, things would be a whole lot different.
If you are using if for other purposes (hypothetical situations, questions), you don't use the subjunctive.
* The reporter asked him if he Xwere was happy.
* If an intruder Xwere was here last night, he would have left footprints, so let's look at the ground outside.
2. Bad parallelism
This issue comes up most often in lists, for example: My friend made salsa, guacamole, and brought chips. If you start out by having made cover the first two items, it has to cover subsequent ones as well. To fix, you usually have to do just a little rewriting. Thus, My friend made salsa and guacamole and brought chips to go with them.
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3. Verb problems
There are a few persistent troublemakers you should be aware of.
* I'm tired, so I need to go Xlay lie down.
* The fish Xlaid lay on the counter, fileted and ready to broil.
* Honey, I Xshrunk shrank the kids.
* In a fit of pique, he Xsunk sank the toy boat.
* He Xseen saw it coming.
(The last three are examples of verbs where people sometimes switch the past and participle forms. Thus, it would be correct to write: I have shrunk the kids; He had sunk the boat; and He had seen it coming.)
4. Pronoun problems
Let's take a look at three little words. Not "I love you," but me, myself and I. Grammatically, they can be called object, reflexive, and subject. As long as they're by themselves, object and subject don't give anyone problems. That is, no one who's an adult native English speaker would say Me walked to the bus stop or He gave the book to I. For some reason, though, things can get tricky when a pronoun is paired with a noun. We all know people who say things like Me and Fred had lunch together yesterday, instead of Fred and I... Heck, most of us have said it ourselves; for some reason, it comes trippingly off the tongue. We also (most of us) know not to use it in a piece of writing meant to be published. Word to the wise: Don't use it in a job interview, either.
There's a similar attraction to using the subject instead of object. Even Bill Clinton did this back in 1992 when he asked voters to give Al Gore and I [instead of me] a chance to bring America back. Or you might say, Thanks for inviting my wife and I, or between you and I… Some linguists and grammarians have mounted vigorous and interesting defenses of this usage. However, it's still generally considered wrong and should be avoided.
A word that's recently become quite popular is myself — maybe because it seems like a compromise between I and me. But sentences like Myself and my friends went to the mall or They gave special awards to Bill and myself don't wash. Change the first to My friends and I… and the second to Bill and me.
5. The 'dangling' conversation
In a class, I once assigned students to "review" a consumer product. One student chose a bra sold by Victoria's Secret. She wrote:
Sitting in a class or dancing at the bar, the bra performed well…. Though slightly pricey, your breasts will thank you.
The two sentences are both guilty of dangling modifiers because (excuse me if I'm stating the obvious), the bra did not sit in a class or dance at the bar, and "your breasts" are not slightly pricey.
Danglers are inexplicably attractive, and even good writers commit this error a lot... in their first drafts. Here's a strategy for smoking these bad boys out in revision. First, recognize sentences that have this structure: MODIFIER-COMMA-SUBJECT-VERB. Then change the order to: SUBJECT-COMMA-MODIFIER-COMMA-VERB. If the result makes sense, you're good to go. If not, you have a dangler. So in the first sentence above, the rejiggered sentence would be:
The bra, sitting in a class or dancing at a bar, performed well.
Nuh-uh. The solution here, as it often is, is just to add a couple of words: Whether you're sitting in a class or dancing at the bar, the bra performs well.
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6. The semicolon
I sometimes say that when you feel like using a semicolon, lay lie down till the urge goes away. But if you just can't resist, remember that there are really only two proper uses for this piece of punctuation. One is to separate two complete clauses (a construction with a subject and verb that could stand on its own as a sentence). I knocked on the door; no one answered. The second is to separate list items that themselves contain punctuation. Thus, The band played Boise, Idaho; Schenectady, New York; and Columbus, Ohio.
Do not use a semicolon in place of a colon, for example, There is only one piece of punctuation that gives Yagoda nightmares; the semicolon.
7. Words
As I noted in my previous article, the meaning of words inevitably and perennially change. And you can get in trouble when you use a meaning that has not yet been widely accepted. Sometimes it's fairly easy to figure out where a word stands in this process. It's become more common to use nonplussed to mean not bothered, or unfazed, but that is more or less the opposite of the traditional meaning, and it's still too early to use it that way when you're writing for publication. (As is spelling unfazed as unphased.) On the other hand, no one thinks anymore that astonish means "turn to stone," and it would be ridiculous to object to anyone who does so. But there are a lot of words and expressions in the middle. Here's one man's list of a few meanings that aren't quite ready for prime time:
* Don't use begs the question. Instead use raises the question.
* Don't use phenomena or criteria as singular. Instead use phenomenon or criterion.
* Don't use cliché as an adjective. Instead use clichéd.
* Don't use comprised of. Instead use composed of/made up of.
* Don't use less for count nouns such people or miles. Instead use fewer.
* Don't use penultimate (unless you mean second to last). Instead use ultimate.
* Don't use lead as past tense of to lead. Instead use led.
I hesitate to state what should be obvious, but sometimes the obvious must be stated. So here goes: Do not use it's, you're or who's when you mean its, your or whose. Or vice versa!
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Tethering refers to connecting one device to another. In the context of mobile phones or Internet tablets, tethering allows sharing the Internet connection of the phone or tablet with other devices such as laptops. Connection of the phone or tablet with other devices can be done over wireless LAN (Wi-Fi), over Bluetooth or by physical connection using a cable for example, through USB.