Eating lunch with my sons and our German Exchange student, after I had paid the bill, the German son said, "I think that next time I will have to revenge" I said, "I think you mean 'reciprocate!!' After I explained the difference, he said "well it still means the same, so I choose revenge, because we did not learn the word reciprocate, and I will never remember it" Thinking about this---he is right!!!????

enthusiast

I didn't realise that "bill" was used in the US. I thought that "check" was more common, are the different terms used regionally or just interchangeably?

The UK usage is exclusively "bill", never "check", although I also like the slang term "damage".

I remember an Italian friend calling it the "dolorosa", which is also true!

To pay we never write checks, only ever cheques.

In reply to:

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revenge/reciprocate

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No, of course he isn't right. They don't mean quite the same thing. Reciprocate has meanings fairly close to revenge, but it also has others not so close. What does he think a reciprocating engine does? This is the peculiarity of the English language -- it has an enormous number of words, many of which mean exactly, or almost exactly the same as another, but more often with not quite the same, the differences in meaning often being very subtle.

BYB asked What does he think a reciprocating engine does?

Whatever, mine had its revenge on me last week by blowing up. Well, it was the auto trans, but near enough. The car stopped.

The common useage (in this 'hood) is "check", and when you get it, especially at the corner "ham 'n egger" or "greasy diner", they tear a sheet out of thier pad and it says "CHECK No.(insert # here)" right at the top.

I always say "bill", or comment to a "check" request with "They pay you to eat here?".

BYB - Is there a difference between a reciprocating engine and an internal combustion engine? Isn't that the idea behind having pistons in the first place?

I use bill and check interchangably for resturaunts. I might be slightly more likely to say bill, but my husband usually says check, so it balances out. In a store or through mail it's a bill, never a check.

No no, a check is one of those little pointy marks you put beside an item on a list to say you counted it. Awad system won’t let me write one in to show you

A cheque is what you pay a bill with if you are not using cash and usually,

the cheque...

...is in the mail .

Mais non, ma cherie. The little pointy thing to signify "correct" or "done that" is called a tick.

Bingley

The Indonesian for parking fee is retribusi parkir .

Bingley

I beg to differ Bingley mon chou, you tick something off a list with a check mark. Hmmm, do you call it a tick mark over on your side of the ocean? That could explain it.

A tick is a multi-legged insect that attaches itself to a dog, cat or deer and harangues the hell out of 'em.

>Is there a difference between a reciprocating engine and an internal combustion engine?

Yes. All reciprocating engines (the type found in most automobiles, whether they are gasoline or diesel) are internal combustion engines. But not all internal combustion engines are reciprocating. The other type of IC engine is called the Wankel engine after its inventor. It was used quite a bit in Mazdas, though I don't know if it still is. The Wankel has a rotating triangular piston that pulls in a gas-air mixture, compresses it, blows it up, then gets rid of the exhaust (the same four cycles that a book I cherished when I was six or so referred to as "suck, squeeze, pop, fooey.")

By the by, external combustion engines are those in which the fuel is burned in the open air -- steam engines mostly.

I sketch a tick mark in the air with my finger to indicate to the waitron unit that I want my bill.

I sketch a tick mark in the air with my finger to indicate to the waitron unit that I want my bill.


I, on the other hand, being the classy dame that i am, mime signing the bill. The implication being (in the days before credit card) that I had a "house account" which allowed me to sign the bill and be billed privately.
Please don't call me a snob before you look the word up in the OED!
wow

What about "tab"? (As in "Waiter, I'll have the tab now").

Thought this was a US'ism as well? I've used it and they seem to know what I'm talking about over 'ere.

stales

What about "tab"?

In my experience (on both sides of the bar), tab usually applies when one (or more) is at a bar/pub and plans to order a series of drinks. Rather than paying for each one as it arrives, one starts a tab, which is paid when one can (or should) drink no more.

I spent a fair bit of time waiting tables in the Northeast of USA and don't recall hearing "tab" to mean "check" - although the meaning would have been clear.

Our tree frog notes: tab usually applies when one (or more) is at a bar/pub and plans to order a series of drinks.

I concur. I also agree that it would be understood in related contexts although probably not primarily used that way. If you're a regular the bartender might ask you if you want to "run a tab" after serving you your first drink. If you indicate that you will be eating before or while ordering the first drink it will probably be assumed that you will get a check for the entire amount when you are done, which may correspond to the finishing of the meal. The bartender would ask you if you'd like anything else after clearing the dishes. This is all assuming that you are eating at the bar, which is not common if you are in a group but not that rare if you are alone.

I think that next time I will have to revenge" I said, "I think you mean 'reciprocate!!'

Hi bikermom - great handle

You were quite right to correct the German - revenge and reciprocate have very different meanings, and very different roots. There's the idea of avenging built into revenge, which ain't ever going to be nice, whereas if you reciprocate in a negative sense then it's fairly immediate retaliation rather than something you plot for years and exact with relish and an evil chuckle. [evil grin emoticon]

Fisk

Thanks. I ride bikes of all kinds but I do not go fishing----and I love to eat fish of most kinds.

You gave me the most excellent explanation of all. All I knew was that revenge is used in a mean way and to reciprocate in a most positive ways. And yes, revenge usually has been planned for quite some time.
By the way, I still can't figure out how to do all those extra things with a post!!! Any helpful clues!!!!!!

enthusiast

>Any helpful clues!!!!!!

FAQ... upper right on menu... all is revealed.

In reply to:

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you tick something off a list with a check mark. Hmmm, do you call it a tick mark over on your side of the ocean?

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Just a tick, not a tick mark.

Bingley

A well-travelled American gentleman of our acquaintance has an interesting way of asking for the bill which works all over the world.

He makes a square with the index fingers and thumbs of both hands and says "mitzu" with authority. For some reason, possibly owing to his generally distinguished air, it always works. As far as he knows mitzu does not mean bill in any known language but it sounds like the kind of word that could mean bill if one only knew the language.

We've tried it with some success but we need to work on the "looking sufficiently distinguished" bit!

PS I've marked the two boxes below this reply with a "tick".

Thanks, tsuwm. I experimented a bit and I figured it out---so I deleted my first stupid reply to you. I can't believe it worked so easy. Thanks a million!

enthusiast