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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
Usage
Definition of "as against"
There are dictionaries and thesaurus web pages, but most of the time if you don't understand the definition and use the word incorrectly in a sentence, it may not be obvious to you but it sticks out like a sore thumb!! Is it the more reading the more likely you are to understand the English jargon? For example, I had no idea what the saying "old wine in new bottles" meant.. In fact, this is just one example of many sayings/jargons/cliches, etc that can be very difficult to understand if you don't do a lot of reading.
Is there anyway of improving ones English writing skills or is it a skill you either have or don't have? Some people are able to read a very difficult passage and use the simplest of English to phrase it. When I write, I have to use a dictionary to understand every word, but this can be quite difficult in the case of the aforementioned saying.. looking up each individual word won't help..
Anyone know of a website where such sayings can be entered and their meanings duly located?
Can someone be kind enough to explain the meaning of "as against" in this sentence? I thought it meant 'compared to', but it doesn't seem to make sense if I use 'compared to'in place of "as against":
"at law, a business is stopped, as against a person acting in good faith, from denying that it had given a person power and authority to bind it to a contract".
Is there anyway of improving ones English writing skills or is it a skill you either have or don't have? Some people are able to read a very difficult passage and use the simplest of English to phrase it. When I write, I have to use a dictionary to understand every word, but this can be quite difficult in the case of the aforementioned saying.. looking up each individual word won't help..
Anyone know of a website where such sayings can be entered and their meanings duly located?
Can someone be kind enough to explain the meaning of "as against" in this sentence? I thought it meant 'compared to', but it doesn't seem to make sense if I use 'compared to'in place of "as against":
"at law, a business is stopped, as against a person acting in good faith, from denying that it had given a person power and authority to bind it to a contract".
Top answer
mckensie wrote on 03 Aug 2004: [nq:1]There are dictionaries and thesaurus web pages, but most of the time if you don't understand the definition and use ... [/nq] This is not at all an opaque expression; it's a metaphor, not an idiom. Think for a second or two about what is being said here.
- mckensie wrote on 03 Aug 2004: [nq:1]There are dictionaries and thesaurus web pages, but most of the time if you don't understand the definition and use ...
- [/nq] This is not at all an opaque expression; it's a metaphor, not an idiom.
- Think for a second or two about what is being said here.
- If you drink "old wine"(1), the taste is bound to be bad.
- To fool customers, some dishonest wine merchants will put the old wine into new bottles.
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36 Answers
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mckensie wrote on 03 Aug 2004:
[nq:1]There are dictionaries and thesaurus web pages, but most of the time if you don't understand the definition and use ... example of many sayings/jargons/cliches, etc that can be very difficult to understand if you don't do a lot of reading.[/nq]
This is not at all an opaque expression; it's a metaphor, not an idiom. Think for a second or two about what i
[nq:1]There are dictionaries and thesaurus web pages, but most of the time if you don't understand the definition and use ... example of many sayings/jargons/cliches, etc that can be very difficult to understand if you don't do a lot of reading.[/nq]
This is not at all an opaque expression; it's a metaphor, not an idiom. Think for a second or two about what i
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[nq:1]Subject: Re: definition of "as against" From: CyberCypher[/nq]
[nq:2]Can someone be kind enough to explain the meaning of ... person power and authority to bind it to a contract".[/nq]
This is tricky. After reading it several times, as far as it goes (more context needed), I've come to the conclusion that the problem is that it's badly written overall, not a problem with "as against"
[nq:2]Can someone be kind enough to explain the meaning of ... person power and authority to bind it to a contract".[/nq]
This is tricky. After reading it several times, as far as it goes (more context needed), I've come to the conclusion that the problem is that it's badly written overall, not a problem with "as against"
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Sorry, that was, of course, not a reply to Franke but to the original poster. (I missnipped.)
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[nq:1]This is tricky. After reading it several times, as far as it goes (more context needed), I've come to the conclusion that the problem is that it's badly written overall, not a problem with "as against".[/nq]
I substituted "in opposition to" in the place of "as against" in that paragraph. Am I correct?
[nq:1]"As against" is awkward, though, because it can sometimes operate as a set ph
I substituted "in opposition to" in the place of "as against" in that paragraph. Am I correct?
[nq:1]"As against" is awkward, though, because it can sometimes operate as a set ph
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[nq:1]mckensie wrote on 03 Aug 2004: This is not at all an opaque expression; it's a metaphor, not an idiom. ... old wine into new bottles. That makes the wine look new, but it doesn't change the bitterness of the beverage.[/nq]
One day I will learn the definitions of a metaphot and an idiom that will allow me to make the distinction.
Thank you for that lucid explanation - I understand the
One day I will learn the definitions of a metaphot and an idiom that will allow me to make the distinction.
Thank you for that lucid explanation - I understand the
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Well, you can switch the grammar check off. I like having it on, even when it spouts nonsense; I find it interesting. I'm not proud enough to think that I'll never make typos, and I still, to my horror, make genuine mistakes.
This morning Word corrected "ash tray" to "ashtray", which I'm sure is better, though I don't quite know why.
This morning Word corrected "ash tray" to "ashtray", which I'm sure is better, though I don't quite know why.
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mckensie wrote on 03 Aug 2004:
[nq:2]mckensie wrote on 03 Aug 2004: You have used the ... and the editing of friends and teachers), and more practice.[/nq]
[nq:1]This is very true. If you don't practice, then you'll never be good at it. However, if you were taught ... the grammatical rules, and your thinking is a particular way, I don't believe, with all the practice, it will help.[/nq]
[nq:2]mckensie wrote on 03 Aug 2004: You have used the ... and the editing of friends and teachers), and more practice.[/nq]
[nq:1]This is very true. If you don't practice, then you'll never be good at it. However, if you were taught ... the grammatical rules, and your thinking is a particular way, I don't believe, with all the practice, it will help.[/nq]
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Qp10qp wrote on 03 Aug 2004:
[nq:1]Well, you can switch the grammar check off. I like having it on, even when it spouts nonsense; I find ... mistakes. This morning Word corrected "ash tray" to "ashtray", which I'm sure is better, though I don't quite know why.[/nq]
Probably because the ashtray is not made of ash but of plastic, metal, glass, or some kind of ceramic material.
Frank
[nq:1]Well, you can switch the grammar check off. I like having it on, even when it spouts nonsense; I find ... mistakes. This morning Word corrected "ash tray" to "ashtray", which I'm sure is better, though I don't quite know why.[/nq]
Probably because the ashtray is not made of ash but of plastic, metal, glass, or some kind of ceramic material.
Frank
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Better to leave the legal use to our lawyers; but the quotation seems to me to mean "The law says a business may not deny, concerning a person acting in good faith and with whom it is in dispute about the matter,.."
In ordinary speech it does tend to mean things like "compared with".
But the wine ! People are getting this so wrong! It's from the Bible, Luke, and Matthew 9:17 "Neither
In ordinary speech it does tend to mean things like "compared with".
But the wine ! People are getting this so wrong! It's from the Bible, Luke, and Matthew 9:17 "Neither
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[nq:1]Don't be so negative about your abilities and possibilities. You've got the right attitude. You want to learn something; you want to improve your skills. That motivation is more important than almost anything else.[/nq]
Thank you so much, for a moment I became rather disenchanted. You said that your wife taught you for a year and it took a further 7 years before you were writing well eno
Thank you so much, for a moment I became rather disenchanted. You said that your wife taught you for a year and it took a further 7 years before you were writing well eno
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