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Usenet Posted 23 years ago
Usage
Definition of "several" as in "several hundred thousand"
Hello,
I imagine it has come up before on Alt.Usage.English but it was beyond my googling ability to narrow down previous discussion of "several."
US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, the man of the "known knowns - to unknown unknowns" matrix, squirmed mightly this morning on the Meet the Press program as to exactly how much "several" hundred thousand US troops might be. He says it is 300,000 or more.
Websters online (m-w.com) says 2 a : more than one b : more than two but fewer than many c chiefly dialect : being a great many
I was surprised to see definition 2 a of "more than one" and would like to ask about 2b "more than two" instead.
Would 200,001 be "several hundred thousand" because it is more than 200,000
or
does it have to be 300,000 or more because "hundred thousand" is the unit of measure.
Jay
ps I shouted out "lying bastard" several times this AM. :-)
pps a transcript of the program should be online at http://www.msnbc.com/news/MEETPRESS_Front.asp?cp1=1 later in the day on Sunday.
I imagine it has come up before on Alt.Usage.English but it was beyond my googling ability to narrow down previous discussion of "several."
US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, the man of the "known knowns - to unknown unknowns" matrix, squirmed mightly this morning on the Meet the Press program as to exactly how much "several" hundred thousand US troops might be. He says it is 300,000 or more.
Websters online (m-w.com) says 2 a : more than one b : more than two but fewer than many c chiefly dialect : being a great many
I was surprised to see definition 2 a of "more than one" and would like to ask about 2b "more than two" instead.
Would 200,001 be "several hundred thousand" because it is more than 200,000
or
does it have to be 300,000 or more because "hundred thousand" is the unit of measure.
Jay
ps I shouted out "lying bastard" several times this AM. :-)
pps a transcript of the program should be online at http://www.msnbc.com/news/MEETPRESS_Front.asp?cp1=1 later in the day on Sunday.
Top answer
) [nq:1]ps I shouted out "lying *******" several times this AM. :-)[/nq] I fear that you wasted your effort. Rumsfeld has introduced a new element into the political scene.
- ) [nq:1]ps I shouted out "lying *******" several times this AM.
- :-)[/nq] I fear that you wasted your effort.
- Rumsfeld has introduced a new element into the political scene.
- Formerly, the tactic known as the 'big lie' had important preconditions: either you came up with a story that had some plausibility, or you appealed to the prejudices of your audience.
- Rumsfield doesn't bother with either of these.
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3 Answers
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Le Sun, 13 Jul 2003 15:37:49 GMT, JJ a écrit :
[nq:1]US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, the man of the "known knowns - to unknown unknowns" matrix, squirmed mightly this morning on the Meet the Press program[/nq]
(...)
[nq:1]ps I shouted out "lying *******" several times this AM. :-)[/nq]
I fear that you wasted your effort.
Rumsfeld has introduced a new element int
[nq:1]US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, the man of the "known knowns - to unknown unknowns" matrix, squirmed mightly this morning on the Meet the Press program[/nq]
(...)
[nq:1]ps I shouted out "lying *******" several times this AM. :-)[/nq]
I fear that you wasted your effort.
Rumsfeld has introduced a new element int
00
[nq:1]Hello, I imagine it has come up before on Alt.Usage.English but it was beyond my googling ability to narrow down ... b : more than two but fewer than many c chiefly dialect : being a great many[/nq]
My dictionary (Chambers) says 'more than one (usually more than three) but not very many'.
[nq:1]I was surprised to see definition 2 a of "more than one" and would like to ask about 2b
My dictionary (Chambers) says 'more than one (usually more than three) but not very many'.
[nq:1]I was surprised to see definition 2 a of "more than one" and would like to ask about 2b
00
[nq:1]Le Sun, 13 Jul 2003 15:37:49 GMT, JJ a écrit :[/nq]
[nq:2]US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, the man of the ... squirmed mightly this morning on the Meet the Press program[/nq]
[nq:1](...)[/nq]
[nq:2]ps I shouted out "lying *******" several times this AM. :-)[/nq]
[nq:1]I fear that you wasted your effort. Rumsfeld has introduced a new element into the political scene.
[nq:2]US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, the man of the ... squirmed mightly this morning on the Meet the Press program[/nq]
[nq:1](...)[/nq]
[nq:2]ps I shouted out "lying *******" several times this AM. :-)[/nq]
[nq:1]I fear that you wasted your effort. Rumsfeld has introduced a new element into the political scene.
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