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#98973 03/18/03 04:17 PM
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Yes, but tsuwm, having the Oxford imprimatur, should allow the removal of words from 'THE OED', to suit whatever version, (whether concise, abbreviated, or shorter), the publisher has decided on. The one that I was referring to is called, concise. Can a version include a word, that the mother of all them, doesn't as yet acknowledge? This appears to be the case with prepone.


#98974 03/18/03 04:27 PM
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since the Big Book is only very occasionally updated, I would suspect that the smaller versions are more current. but this will change with the coming of the Big Online.

this does not answer the question, howsoever, of different versions..


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My boss, bibliophile par excellence, runs a used book store (as would be fitting). This profession occasionally takes him on perilous journeys, as it did last year.

At an estate sale in Syracuse, NY, he saw a box (only just opened for the occasion!) of the entire 20-something set with no price tag. He asked the person running the sale (there's got to be a word for this!) how much, and she yawned and said, "oh, 20 bucks, if you can carry it out of here."

Well, carry it out he did, across a two-lane road to his car. He was nearly hit by a passing truck, and avoided injury to his own self by stepping back just enough so as to lose his balance and send the OED box over onto its side. Some volumes ended up damaged. We now have the entire set at the store for display purposes/our own use.

[/digression]


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AnnaS! I have an acute attack of green eyed monsteritis!

I first get hit with the endearing boss tale (mine is a beady eyed tartar ) and continue reading glumly, only to be knocked down by the OED heist!



#98977 03/18/03 05:15 PM
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Hi again,

I borrowed the Concise OED - 10 th Edition (Indian Edition) from one of my friends and could find the word prepone (Page=1129). It also indicates the word to be indian, now I know why I used that without any hesitation, giving a few of my American friends a hard time.

We also use the word 'MUG' for studying by memorising. Dont tell me I didn't warn you when this word gets added to any of the standard dictionaries ;-).

Eg: That guy just mugs and never makes an attempt to understand the concepts.

Thank you all, I have already started to enjoy the list.

Lots of Love,
Kiran


#98978 03/19/03 04:47 AM
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In the UK (I don't know about other parts of the world), we have mug up, meaning to gain a quick but superficial grasp of a subject by concentrated study.

E.g., I'll have mug up the Flood story in the Epic of Gilgamesh for my exams.

Bingley


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#98979 03/19/03 10:36 AM
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Us USns say "cram" instead of mugs or mug.

E.g., I have to cram for a test tonight so I'll have to pass on the party.


#98980 03/19/03 11:05 AM
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USns say "cram" instead of mugs

And we refer to that portion of our populace who have no magical powers as crammles.


#98981 03/19/03 01:44 PM
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It occurred to me that Connie's "I'll have to pass on the party" might be confusing to non-native English speakers. This usage means to miss, or to skip over; for ex., in the card game of bridge, when it is your turn to bid but you can't, you say "pass". Another way to write that sentence would be I'll have to pass (on going to the party), though that's not necessarily a whole lot clearer.

We also use 'pass on' in other ways. We might say, for ex., "The mantle of leadership has passed on from the retired executive to her replacement." This isn't a very common usage, but would be understood.

Many people use it as a euphemism, also. If someone says their uncle passed on, it means he died.

In Connie's sentence, the word on is "connected" with the party, and the verb pass stands alone. In my two examples, the words 'pass on' constitute one term.


#98982 03/21/03 12:51 AM
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To retreat to Kiran's exam. Around here we would probably understand both "got moved up a week"or "my exams were advanced by a week". as long as you add the "by a week" we would probably also add some colorful adjectives about the kind of professor who would do that sort of thing.


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