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 #2 (permalink) Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:41 am "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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 Mister Micawber
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| #3 (permalink) Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:44 am "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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| #4 (permalink) Mon Jul 07, 2008 12:26 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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| #5 (permalink) Mon Jul 07, 2008 12:32 pm "stand a chance" vs "stand a place" |
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| Benjamin wrote: | | I think you are thinking along the lines of "stand firm" or "last stand" but I agree with Mr Micawber, |
No, I was thinking of "I will stand my ground and won't budge an inch".
But perhaps "stand one's ground" is idiomatic and "stand a place" does not work. I searched Google for examples, but in vain. :( |
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Lost_Soul
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| #6 (permalink) Mon Jul 07, 2008 16:25 pm "stand a chance" vs "stand a place" |
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| lost_soul wrote: | | But perhaps "stand one's ground" is idiomatic and "stand a place" does not work. I searched Google for examples, but in vain. :( |
I bet you wouldn't have one iota of trouble finding "stand in a line", though. That is a very valid collocation. :mrgreen:
(But that was a different test question, wasn't it?) :wink:
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Yankee
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| #7 (permalink) Mon Jul 07, 2008 17:12 pm "stand a chance" vs "stand a place" |
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| Yankee wrote: | I bet you wouldn't have one iota of trouble finding "stand in a line", though. That is a very valid collocation. :mrgreen:
(But that was a different test question, wasn't it?) :wink:
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Yeah, I suppose I would stand a fat chance of finding "stand in a line" on the internet :lol:
(by the way, do you use "to stand a chance" in positive sentences, like I just did ? ) |
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Lost_Soul
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| #8 (permalink) Mon Jul 07, 2008 17:39 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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Yankee
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| #9 (permalink) Mon Jul 07, 2008 17:46 pm "stand a chance" vs "stand a place" |
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| Yankee wrote: | "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".
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Then I misused the "stand a fat chance" expresion. What I meant to say is that I would have a big chance of finding "stand in a line"
In fact, I did this mistake because "fat" in my mind always has to do with something big, but, as you said, if I say I stand a fat chance of survival it will mean that basically I don't stand a chance of survival.
I hope that this time I didn't mess anything up, did I ? :? :D |
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Lost_Soul
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| #10 (permalink) Mon Jul 07, 2008 17:51 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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