What's the difference between “bucket” and “pail”?
Pail is completely synonymous with bucket, except in phrases such as diner pail, slop pail, oyster pail, kick the bucket, bucket brigade, bucket seat, bucket hat, etc.
Why is a jug of draft beer called a "growler?"
Sep 22, 2017 · Sense 4 ["A pail or other container used for carrying beer, especially a half-gallon or gallon glass jug with a gasket or screw cap" derives from] the sound made by carbon …
What is the origin of the phrase "beyond the pale"?
Dec 6, 2010 · Pale in this idiom comes from Latin pālus 'stake'; it means a fencepost, and by ordinary extension it also means the fence itselt, and the area it contains or delimits. So …
word choice - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange
The terms dinner pail, dinner bucket, lunch box, lunch pail, and lunch bucket all have some currency, per ngrams,, but dinner box much less so. Dinner pail is found in euphemism for …
word choice - What are these containers called for waste?
Dec 22, 2019 · There are so many ways to call these containers for waste. (correct me if some of them might sound weird/unnatural to use) garbage can, trash can, rubbish can, pedal can, …
Is there a word to describe indecisiveness between two things?
The ass in question is a donkey that is equally thirsty and hungry, finds itself midway between a stack of hay and a pail of water, and, unable to make its mind up, dies of hunger and thirst. …
Expression for when something "hits you", but in a positive way?
Oct 21, 2016 · I'm trying to express being shocked in a good way, but all I can find are negative phrases such as: "It hit me like a ton of bricks." "It hit me like a bucket of ice cold water." I …
pronunciation - How to pronounce the letter 'i' - English Language ...
Every time I read a new and unknown word containing the letter 'i' I wonder how I should pronounce it. What's very frustrating for me is that, when I look up the words, I find out that my …
If my boat is sinking should I bale or bail the water out?
Oct 6, 2018 · From various literary examples it appears that I should manually 'bail' out the water to keep afloat but the automated water removal system in my vessel is a 'baling pump'. While …
Signing off an email with 'on behalf of'? [closed]
Sep 26, 2018 · I am writing an email as one of the committee members of a voluntary organization. Is this an appropriate way to sign off an informal email whose audience is …