What does “a few” mean?
A few means “some” or “a small number of.” When a few is used along with the adverb “only,” it means “not many” (e.g., “only a few original copies of the book survive”).
Let’s touch base is an expression used to suggest to someone that you touch base or briefly reconnect. It’s rarely used in formal or academic writing.
Copacetic has four syllables. It’s pronounced with emphasis on the third syllable: [koh-pah-set-ik].
The standard spelling is copacetic. The variant spellings copasetic and copesetic are also listed as acceptable by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, but they’re less common.
The origin of the word is unclear (it’s thought to have originated as slang in the 20th century), which is why various spellings are deemed acceptable.
Please bear with me is a more polite version of the expression bear with me, meaning “have patience with me.”
It’s typically used along with a conjunction (e.g., “while”), to explain why you’re asking for patience (e.g., “please bear with me while I try to find the correct file”).
Some synonyms for bear with me include:
“Bare with me” is a common misspelling of the phrase bear with me. While “bare” can be used as a verb meaning “uncover,” it doesn’t make sense in this phrase. The verb you need is “bear,” meaning “carry” or “endure.”
Some well-known examples of terms that are or have been viewed as misnomers, but are still widely used, include:
Criterion validity evaluates how well a test measures the outcome it was designed to measure. An outcome can be, for example, the onset of a disease.
Criterion validity consists of two subtypes depending on the time at which the two measures (the criterion and your test) are obtained:
Validity tells you how accurately a method measures what it was designed to measure. There are four main types of validity:
Convergent validity shows how much a measure of one construct aligns with other measures of the same or related constructs.
On the other hand, concurrent validity is about how a measure matches up to some known criterion or gold standard, which can be another measure.
Although both types of validity are established by calculating the association or correlation between a test score and another variable, they represent distinct validation methods.
Some synonyms for touch base include:
“Touch bases” is sometimes mistakenly used instead of the expression touch base, meaning “reconnect briefly.” In the expression, the word “base” can’t be pluralized—the idea is more that you’re both touching the same “base.”
“Touch basis” is a misspelling of “touch bases” and is also incorrect.
Some synonyms for copacetic include:
There are different synonyms for the various meanings of besides.
| Except | In addition to | As well | Furthermore |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apart from | As well as | Also | Additionally |
| But | Along with | Too | Further |
| Other than | Together with | Moreover |
Beside and besides are related words, but they don’t have the same meaning.
Yes, besides is a preposition meaning “apart from” (e.g., “Laura doesn’t like hot drinks besides cocoa”). It can also be used to mean “as well as” (e.g., “Besides traveling, Angie enjoys cooking”).
There are many ways to categorize determiners into various types. Some of the main types of determiners are:
Some synonyms and near synonyms for few include:
Although a few doesn’t refer to any specific number, it’s typically used to refer to a relatively small number that’s more than two (e.g., “I’m going home in a few hours”).
Some synonyms and near synonyms of as well as are:
“Mine as well” is a common misspelling of the expression might as well.
This expression is used alone or as part of a sentence to indicate something that makes little difference either way or that there’s no reason not to do (e.g., “We might as well ask her”). You should write might as well, not “mine as well,” to express this meaning.
On some occasions, mine as well can be the right choice. “Mine” is the first-person possessive pronoun, indicating something belonging to the speaker. So you might use this phrase in an exchange like the following:
You as well is a short phrase used in conversation to reflect whatever sentiment someone has just expressed to you back at them. It’s commonly used to respond to well wishes:
The phrase is made up of the second-person pronoun you and the phrase as well, which means “also” or “too.”
This phrase is synonymous with another phrase, you too. Both are only used conversationally, not in formal writing, because they’re not complete sentences and don’t make sense outside of a conversational context.
As well is a phrase used to mean “also” or “too.” It’s used to indicate something additional (e.g., “I’m going to the bank as well”).
It’s also used in different senses in various common phrases, such as “as well as,” “might as well,” “you as well,” and “just as well.”
The correct spelling of the phrase meaning “also” or “too” is as well, with a space. “Aswell,” combining the two words into one, is considered a mistake by all major dictionaries.
In other phrases involving these words, too, they are always written as separate words: “as well as,” “might as well,” “just as well,” etc.
Some antonyms (opposites) for “callous” include:
Some synonyms for “callous” include:
Some antonyms (opposites) for “presumptuous” include:
Some synonyms for “presumptuous” include:
Verbiage has three syllables. It’s pronounced with emphasis on the first syllable: [ver-bee-ij].
There are numerous synonyms for the two meanings of verbiage.
| Excessive use of language | Manner/style of language |
|---|---|
| Circumlocution | Diction |
| Diffuseness | Language |
| Long-windedness | Phrasing |
| Redundancy | Style |
| Verboseness | Syntax |
| Verbosity | Turn of phrase |
| Windiness | Wording |
| Wordage | |
| Wordiness |
Some synonyms for “loquacious” include:
Automatically find more synonyms for “loquacious” with the paraphrasing tool.
Mea culpa has four syllables. It’s pronounced with emphasis on the first and third syllables: [May-uh-kuul-puh].
Mea maxima culpa is a term of Latin origin meaning “through my most grievous fault.” It is used to acknowledge a mistake or wrongdoing. Mea maxima culpa is a stronger version of mea culpa, which means “through my fault.”
Mea maxima culpa is traditionally used in a prayer of confession in the Catholic Church as the third and most emphatic expression of guilt (“mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa”). Unlike mea culpa, mea maxima culpa is rarely used outside of a religious context.
Some words with a similar or identical meaning to albeit (depending on context) include:
Albeit has three syllables. It’s pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable: [awl-bee-it].
Because some people pronounce “I’ll” in a similar way to the first syllable, they sometimes mistakenly write “I’ll be it” in place of “albeit.” This is incorrect and should be avoided.
Vice versa is the only correct spelling (not “vice a versa” or “vice-versa”), but the phrase can be pronounced both ways: [vice–vur-suh] or [vice-uh-vur-suh].
There are two ways to pronounce vice versa:
Both pronunciations are considered acceptable, but “vice versa” is the only correct spelling.
Some synonyms of vice versa include:
Some synonyms for “indubitably” include:
You can find more synonyms for “indubitably” while using the paraphrasing tool. All you need to do is write the word into the tool and it will automatically suggest synonyms for you to use.
“Indubitably” has five syllables. It is pronounced with an emphasis on the second syllable: [in-doo-bit-uh-blee].
“Eponymous” has four syllables. It’s pronounced with an emphasis on the second syllable: [i-pon-uh-muss].
Some words that are synonyms or near synonyms of “eponymous” include:
Another easy way of finding synonyms for “eponymous” is using the paraphrasing tool. Copy or write the word in the tool and it will automatically suggest a variety of synonyms for you to use.
Facetious has three syllables. It’s pronounced with an emphasis on the second syllable: [fuh-see-shuss].
Some antonyms (opposites) for facetious include:
Some synonyms for facetious include:
The correct spelling of the term meaning “to a sickening degree” is ad nauseam, with an “a.” The common misspelling “ad nauseum,” with a “u,” is never correct.
Ad nauseam is usually used to refer to something going on for too long. Some rough synonyms of ad nauseam are:
In fiction, the opposite of a protagonist is an antagonist, meaning someone who opposes the protagonist.
More generally, some antonyms for “protagonist” include:
There are numerous synonyms for the various meanings of protagonist.
| Main character in a story | Main participant in an event | Leader or supporter of a cause |
| Central figure | Actor | Advocate |
| Hero(ine) | Key figure | Champion |
| Lead(ing) character | Main figure | Exponent |
| Main character | Principal player | Promoter |
| Proponent | ||
| Supporter | ||
| Upholder |
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