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 Mon Jul 07, 2008 12:41 pm "stand a chance" vs "stand a place" |
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'Stand a place' is not an English idiom-- in fact, I don't know what it might mean.
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| Mon Jul 07, 2008 12:44 pm "stand a chance" vs "stand a place" |
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Hi, MM
May "stand a place" mean "to protect the place from enemy, not allow the enemy to occupy it"?
Thanks! |
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lost_soul
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| Mon Jul 07, 2008 13:26 pm "stand a chance" vs "stand a place" |
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| lost_soul wrote: | Hi, MM
May "stand a place" mean "to protect the place from enemy, not allow the enemy to occupy it"?
Thanks! |
I think you are thinking along the lines of "stand firm" or "last stand" but I agree with Mr Micawber, I cannot really see how the particular phrase "stand a place" would mean anything in any context.
possibly one..."I can't stand that place"
i.e. to be able to stand a place |
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Benjamin
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lost_soul
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lost_soul
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| Mon Jul 07, 2008 18:39 pm "stand a chance" vs "stand a place" |
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Good question about usage, Alex.
You wrote this:
"Yeah, I suppose I would stand a fat chance of finding "stand in a line" on the internet."
"Stand a fat chance" is basically an emphatic way to say "do not stand a chance" -- i.e. "the possibility (of something happening) is extremely unlikely".
I'd say 'stand a chance' is mostly used negatively or carries a negative sense:
- "I don't stand a chance of winning." (I believe there is no hope that I will win.)
- "Do I stand a chance of winning?" (This suggests that I am not particularly hopeful that I will win.)
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By the way, in AmE, both 'stand in line' and 'stand in a line' are used in reference to people in a 'queue', and these American usages are not difficult to research and verify. Unfortunately, on this site, it seems some people would rather categorize the valid AmE usage of 'stand in a line' as simply being 'incorrect'. It seems we don't stand a chance of having that other test sentence rectified. 
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| Mon Jul 07, 2008 18:51 pm "stand a chance" vs "stand a place" |
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Hi Alex
The expression 'fat chance' seems as though it should (literally) mean 'big chance', but 'fat chance' is typically used ironically/sarcastically.
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