nouns - Origin and usage of "a shambles" - English Language
Mar 26, 2012 · The weird usage seems to have developed in the same way as "a headquarters". Consider the following Ngram: The original phrase seems to have been "shambles" or "the …
etymology - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange
May 30, 2023 · The full Oxford English Dictionary just says the -cock part of ballcock, shuttlecock,... comes from the male bird sense. Which is ALSO the origin for cock = penis (& …
Does English have any singularia tantum besides mass nouns?
Aug 26, 2017 · Singularia tantum and pluralia tantum are, respectively, nouns that have only a singular form and nouns that have only a plural form. In English, we have a handful of pluralia …
scottish english - What is the meaning of 'clusterbourach'?
Dec 14, 2018 · The Scots loan takes on other meanings, but in the word clusterbourach it is simply a more emphatic way of calling something a "shambles" or a "mess". Can be spelled …
Idiom meaning 'a shambles' sounds like /pass potch/?
Nov 10, 2014 · I'm looking for an idiom that means 'a shambles' or 'a whole mess of various things', and any other reverse definitions of 'a whole mess of various things'. Perhaps "a …
What idiom could describe bureaucratic inefficiency?
Apr 27, 2024 · 1 You could use " shambles ". (OLD) shambles noun /ˈʃæmblz/ [singular] (informal) a situation in which there is a great lack of order or understanding synonym mess The press …
Another word for a place being in 'ruins'
Jun 11, 2014 · A shambles. From the OED: 5b. pl. … a scene of disorder or devastation; a ruin; a mess. orig. U.S. 1926 P. H. de Kruif Microbe Hunters iii. iv. 83 Once more his laboratory …
word choice - "I'm sorry for" vs. "I'm sorry about" - English …
You could also possibly say 'I'm sorry for the shambles on Thursday'. Using 'for' in this case does suggest very slightly your taking more responsibility for what happened than if you said 'Sorry …
If a phrase is used as an insult, is it still a nickname and thus ...
Jan 9, 2024 · I've perused this site already and found that nicknames are generally capitalized when used in direct address, except in cases where they are terms of endearment …
What is the difference between the nouns start and beginning?
Dec 12, 2014 · The main difference is in the etymology. 'Start' comes from Old High German; 'begin' is probably West Germanic. We also have 'commence' that came from French, and …