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An idiom is a common word or phrase with a figurative, non-literal meaning that is understood culturally and differs from what its composite words' denotations would suggest; i.e. the words together have a meaning that is different from the dictionary definitions of the individual words (although some idioms do retain their literal meanings – see the example "kick the bucket" below).
Various sentences using the syllables mā, má, mǎ, mà, and ma are often used to illustrate the importance of tones to foreign learners. One example: Chinese: 妈妈骑马马慢妈妈骂马; pinyin: māma qí mǎ, mǎ màn, māma mà mǎ; lit. 'Mother is riding a horse... the horse is slow... mother scolds the horse'. [37]
In linguistics, a vocative or vocative expression is a phrase used to identify the addressee of an utterance. The underlined phrases in each of the following English sentences are examples of vocatives: Sir, your table is ready. I'm afraid, Mr. Renault, that your card has been declined. Quit playing around, bozo.
A proverbial phrase or expression is a type of conventional saying similar to a proverb and transmitted by oral tradition. The difference is that a proverb is a fixed expression, while a proverbial phrase permits alterations to fit the grammar of the context. [1] [2] In 1768, John Ray defined a proverbial phrase as:
English sentence structures that grow down and to the right are easier to process. There is a consistent tendency to place heavier constituents to the right, as is evident in the a-trees. Shifting is possible when the resulting structure does not contradict this tendency, as is evident in the b-trees.
The underlined phrases in the following sentences are examples of prepositional phrases in English. The prepositions are in bold: a. She walked to his desk. b. Ryan could see her in the room. c. David walked on top of the building. d. They walked up the stairs. e. Philip ate in the kitchen. f. Charlotte walked inside the house. g. As a student ...
These are not merely catchy sayings. Even though some sources may identify a phrase as a catchphrase, this list is for those that meet the definition given in the lead section of the catchphrase article and are notable for their widespread use within the culture. This list is distinct from the list of political catchphrases.
Please keep this category purged of everything that is not an article about a word or phrase. For a list of words relating to English phrases, see the English phrases category of words in Wiktionary , the free dictionary.