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Adverb 'quite' and meaning of 'to be on about'



 
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Adverb 'quite' and meaning of 'to be on about' #1 (permalink) Wed Sep 13, 2006 18:48 pm   Adverb 'quite' and meaning of 'to be on about'
 

Hi!

1.- What does 'quite' mean in this sentence?

"I didn?t quite grasp it the first time"

Does it mean 'I grasped something but
not everything'?
2.- You look a little confused. Do you know
what I AM ON ABOUT?

Can you tell me the meaning of the
capitalized part?
Could it be "What I am talking about",
"What I am saying"...?


Thanks a lot!

Jes?s
Jesus1
I'm here quite often ;-)


Joined: 20 Apr 2006
Posts: 192

Adverb 'quite' and meaning of 'to be on about' #2 (permalink) Thu Sep 14, 2006 11:41 am   Adverb 'quite' and meaning of 'to be on about'
 

Quote:
I didn?t quite grasp it the first time


Hi Jesus,

It means "I almost grasped it, but didn't". It doesn't mean you got some of it, though you might have.

You are correct about "on about"!!
DOlier
You can meet me at english-test.net


Joined: 29 Aug 2006
Posts: 99
Location: Ireland

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Adverb 'quite' and meaning of 'to be on about' #3 (permalink) Thu Sep 14, 2006 11:55 am   Adverb 'quite' and meaning of 'to be on about'
 

Jesus1 wrote:
2.- You look a little confused. Do you know
what I AM ON ABOUT?

I don't understand that idiom. It must be some kind of British slang.
Jamie (K)
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 24 Feb 2006
Posts: 5332
Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA

Expression: what are you on about? #4 (permalink) Thu Sep 14, 2006 12:04 pm   Expression: what are you on about?
 

Hi Jamie,

I think it's just an expression rather than slang:

What are you on about?
http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic930.html
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Expression: what are you on about? #5 (permalink) Thu Sep 14, 2006 12:23 pm   Expression: what are you on about?
 

Torsten wrote:
I think it's just an expression rather than slang:
What are you on about?
http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic930.html

There are many UK expressions that are not understood internationally, and are therefore British slang, but some people think they are not slang just because they're British. I think that expression falls into that category.
Jamie (K)
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 24 Feb 2006
Posts: 5332
Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA

Adverb 'quite' and meaning of 'to be on about' #6 (permalink) Thu Sep 14, 2006 12:44 pm   Adverb 'quite' and meaning of 'to be on about'
 

.
I agree with Jamie. "Be on about" is an expression that I wouldn't expect anybody in the US to be able to define. I also think of expressions such as that as "British slang".
Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 8265
Location: USA

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