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Victor_amelkin Posted 17 years ago
Vocabulary

"a host in oneself"

Hi,

I have a question related to the meaning and possible obsoleteness of the expression "a host in oneself". As my dictionary says, this expression can be applied to a person who is a brilliant worker and do as much work (whether quantitatively or effectively) as other ten workers would do. (In my language it'd be "one worker costs ten others").

The question is can you associate the above-mentioned expression with the provided meaning? And if so, is this expression generally used or is it archaic?

I already had a conversation with Mr Wordy on this theme, and he presumed that this expression was in use formerly but now it's obsolete.

Could you provide your opinion?

Thanks in advance.

--
Victor
  

Top answer

victor_amelkin The question is can you associate the above-mentioned expression with the provided meaning? I might not understand you correctly, but provided is generally conjuction meaning "on the condition or understanding that". It's an idiomatic expression.

— Fandorin

  • victor_amelkin The question is can you associate the above-mentioned expression with the provided meaning?
  • I might not understand you correctly, but provided is generally conjuction meaning "on the condition or understanding that".
  • It's an idiomatic expression.
  • There are some examples my Lingvo gives me: I...
  • work as ever, and just tower above our troubles.
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4 Answers
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victor_amelkinThe question is can you associate the above-mentioned expression with the provided meaning?
I might not understand you correctly, but provided is generally conjuction meaning "on the condition or understanding that".

It's an idiomatic expression. There are some examples my Lingvo gives me:

I... work as ever, and just tower a
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I've never even heard the phrase before. I'd say 100% obsolete.
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It saddens me that something written during the lifetimes of those now living is obsolete, but I remind myself that our purpose is to teach modern casual English.
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Hi folks,

Thanks for your answers. Apparently, it'd be better not to use this expression
since nobody understands its meaning.

Fandorin> Obsoletness is a question of style, I suppose.

I'll be so bold to disagree with you. It's rather a question of whether an addressee
of the message will understand it. In most cases it make
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