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hiromichi
Joined: 12 Oct 2005
Posts: 1380
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 Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 5:06 pm Post subject: this side of |
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What does "about the best you can get this side of the..."?
I hauled out my American Heritage dictionary, about the best you can get this side of the 20-volume Oxford English Dictionary, and I checked to see what the renowned American Heritage Usage Panel had to say about pronouncing February.
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IanT
Joined: 13 Sep 2012
Posts: 340
Location: Spain
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| Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 11:21 am Post subject: |
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I think this phrase was originally used geographically.
Eg: This is the best food you can get this side of the mountains, i.e. without going further away.
And now it is used in a less logical way, as here, to say that the dictionary is the best if you don't go as far as getting the better one!
Does that help?
Best wishes,
Ian
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hiromichi
Joined: 12 Oct 2005
Posts: 1380
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| Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 6:14 pm Post subject: |
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IanT: Now I get it.
Thank you very much.
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