Are names of chemicals not proper nouns? - English Language
Apr 22, 2024 · Product names which are derived after an inventor's name will often remain capitalized, though not always (e.g. the petroleum distillate used to power trucks and locomotives is called …
"Particulate" vs. "particle" [closed] - English Language & Usage Stack ...
What’s the difference between particulate and particle? Should it be diesel particulates or diesel particles, and why? Could you provide three or more examples where it should use particulate rat...
Throttle is to slow down, but full throttle is max speed?
Dec 19, 2023 · Originally, throttle meant throat. So "full-throttle" for a motorized vehicle is like a lion's full-throated roar - the throttle/throat is opened as wide as possible (for maximum throughput of fuel …
What is the origin of "sucker" and "it sucks"?
etymonline has for suck: O.E. sucan, from PIE root sug-/suk- of imitative origin. Meaning “do fellatio” is first recorded 1928. Slang sense of “be contemptible” first attested 1971 (the underlying notion is of …
Origin of the phrase "Now we're cooking with
The original is "Now You're Cooking With Gas", supposedly part of an ad campaign from the era when gas stoves first started replacing wood stoves for cooking in the home. The Wikitionary entry cooking …
grammatical number - Plural/singular verb agreement with units ...
Jun 15, 2020 · When writing about specific quantities, should the verb reflect a singular or a plural value? Do abbreviations vs. spelled-out words make any difference? I took 2 ml of water, which …
Adjective for engine running at high speed
Sep 29, 2015 · Close, but there's an implication that the engine is unloaded or running at a harmfully high speed, which doesn't fit the OP's requirement of a gerund that means "working hard at top …
Is there a term for "mains power" in U.S. English?
Apr 12, 2011 · After the hurricane, the hospital powered life support equipment from diesel generators for 36 hours, then switched back to the mains. "Grid" would also be acceptable. If you're referring to …
Why is the BrE “petrol” called "gas" in AmE?
Dec 4, 2015 · By the end of the century the gas was derived directly from crude oil and gas oil was renamed Diesel oil (up to 21 carbon atoms per molecule) because its main use was in injection …
"If it works, it works" - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange
Mar 20, 2025 · I suppose a more realistic example is the development of powered pumps, locomotives etc. Newcomen's atmospheric engine did a vital job, but was bettered by Watt's improvements. …