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  1. etymology - Why "shrink" (of a psychiatrist)? - English Language ...

    I know it originates from "head shrinking", but it doesn't help me a lot to understand the etymology. Why are psychiatrists called that? Is it like "my head is swollen [from anguish, …

  2. Why does "No" mean "Number?" - English Language & Usage …

    Aug 13, 2018 · Why does English use "No." as an abbreviation for "Number"? It's a preserved scribal abbreviation like the ampersand & (formed by eliding the letters of et to mean and). The …

  3. nouns - Why is the word "pants" plural? - English Language

    Dec 21, 2010 · Why is the word "pants" plural? Ask Question Asked 14 years, 11 months ago Modified 4 years, 1 month ago

  4. etymology - Why is "pound" (of weight) abbreviated "lb"?

    As to why ounce/uncia is "1/12th", that is related to the Roman system of measurement. Duodecimal systems were not infrequently used around the Mediterranean, but the exact …

  5. indefinite articles - Is it 'a usual' or 'an usual'? Why? - English ...

    As Jimi Oke points out, it doesn't matter what letter the word starts with, but what sound it starts with. Since "usual" starts with a 'y' sound, it should take 'a' instead of 'an'. Also, If you say …

  6. Why is the English devil "old"? - English Language & Usage Stack …

    Apr 6, 2014 · Why did the English and Americans freely adopt "old" to describe Satan and not God? Were the nicknames Old Nick, Old Bogey, Old Scratch etc. meant to be jocular, fearful …

  7. etymology - Why do we call our lovers "baby"? - English Language ...

    Why do we call our lovers "baby"? Ask Question Asked 14 years, 9 months ago Modified 12 years, 1 month ago

  8. Is the primary usage of "Daddy" sexual now? Why?

    Sep 26, 2018 · As to why someone would avoid the use of Daddy, other than family culture (my parents were always Mom and Dad; I have no idea why), well, yes, there could be some …

  9. etymology - Why do people say 'buck' for a dollar? - English …

    Mar 14, 2015 · Why do people say 'buck' for a dollar? Ask Question Asked 10 years, 9 months ago Modified 7 years, 2 months ago

  10. When and why did English stop pronouncing ‘hour’ with an [h] like …

    Nov 25, 2021 · When and why did English stop pronouncing ‘hour’ with an [h] like its spelling still shows? Ask Question Asked 4 years ago Modified 4 years ago