Google
English-Test.net
Find penpals and make new friends today!
 
to go out of sight; to become extinct; to cease to exist; to vanish
disappear
affiliate
entrance
award
full quiz correct answer
 
Username
Password
 Remember me? 
Search   Album   FAQ   Memberlist   Profile   Private messages   Register   Log in 

at a loss for choice



 
ESL/EFL Worksheets and Handouts for Students Printable, photocopiable, clearly structured
Designed for teachers and individual learners
For use in a classroom, at home, on your PC
ESL Forums | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
Which is the meaning of head of nail.. | it was time he had gone to college
listening exercisestell a friend
Message
Author
at a loss for choice #1 (permalink) Fri Oct 21, 2011 8:17 am   at a loss for choice
 

Hi, I find this at a loss for choice in the following passage hard to understand.

On the discussion being renewed, "Gentlemen," said Barbicane, "we must now take into consideration the metal to be employed. Our cannon must be possessed of great tenacity, great hardness, be infusible by heat, indissoluble, and inoxidable by the corrosive action of acids."

"There is no doubt about that," replied the major; "and as we shall have to employ an immense quantity of metal, we shall not be at a loss for choice."

"Well, then," said Morgan, "I propose the best alloy hitherto known, which consists of one hundred parts of copper, twelve of tin, and six of brass."

Any help would be much appreciated.
Isbell
I'm here quite often ;-)


Joined: 19 Mar 2010
Posts: 225

at a loss for choice #2 (permalink) Fri Oct 21, 2011 8:39 am   at a loss for choice
 

Hi,

'At a loss' is another way of saying 'lack of'. In the sentence above:
Quote:
we shall not be at a loss for choice,
the meaning is: We are not going to be without any choce. It's an example of understatement suggesting: We are going to have a lot of choice.

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple
Alan
Co-founder
Alan Townend

Joined: 27 Sep 2003
Posts: 14476
Location: UK

Can you find all the prepositions in this story?English grammar exercises — improve your English knowledge and vocabulary skillsAre you a native speaker of English? Then you should read this!Read these English anecdotes and maybe smile today? Subscribe to free email English course
at a loss for choice #3 (permalink) Fri Oct 21, 2011 9:09 am   at a loss for choice
 

Alan wrote:
'At a loss' is another way of saying 'lack of'.


Oh, a very new definition for me... Thanks, Alan.

Alan wrote:
the meaning is: We are not going to be without any choce. It's an example of understatement suggesting: We are going to have a lot of choice.

Alan

OK, now I understand it. Thanks a lot for your help.
Isbell
I'm here quite often ;-)


Joined: 19 Mar 2010
Posts: 225

at a loss for choice #4 (permalink) Fri Oct 21, 2011 9:23 am   at a loss for choice
 

Hello,

Many thanks for your explanation. I was mistaken because I thought "at a loss" means =I got lost. From now I will remember the difference. This means the understatement of lack of.
At a loss is an idiom according OED. And it is written : we can use it when we are not knowing what to say or do. For example: Your comments left me at a loss for words. (lack of words)

Regards.
_________________
We always deceive ourselves twice about the people we love - first to their advantage, then to their disadvantage.
Kati Svaby
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 26 Nov 2009
Posts: 3649
Location: Hungary

Display posts from previous:   
Which is the meaning of head of nail.. | it was time he had gone to college
ESL Forums | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms All times are GMT + 1 Hour
Page 1 of 1
Latest topics on ESL EFL Forums
The use of "any good news"The teacher instructed the students to use cursive handwriting.It’s got me this far.aboth....andPlease help me to understand this sentenceing participle clauserun : past participle ?We put keyboards in the computers.I've seen them givenare these sentences correct?Usage of NotShove ittag questions

 
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Subscribe to FREE email English course
First name E-mail