Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[hela]

Dear teachers,

1) Would please give me an example where the word �odd� means 'from time to time'?
2) a wishing-well.
Is it a type of well or a type of wish? An example please?

3) Would you please give me sentences with the collocations :
a- burning desire
b- blazing row
c- heavy smoker
d- devoted friend
e- golden opportunity

(this is NOT a homework - Can I say �a� homework ?)

Thanks a million.
Hela

[obelix]

On the odd occasion he liked a glass of wine with his dinner.
A wishing well is a well which is supposed to have the power to grant wishes.
You whisper your wish down the well. Some people throw a small coin down the well when they make their wish.

a./He worked very hard at medical school because had a burning desire to become a doctor.

b./ Bill and John had a blazing row over whose turn it was to take out the garbage.

c./ Every heavy smoker smells like an ashtray.

d./ Her dog was her devoted friend and followed her everywhere.

e./ Bill Gates dropped out of school because he saw a golden opportunity to make money on computer software.

No, you should say, "This is not homework."

[hela]

Thank you Obelix for your explanations. They are going to help me a great deal.

Best regards.

[hela]

Dear teachers,

May I ask you again to give me sentences with the following expressions?

- heavy-hearted
- heavy-handed
- weak-minded
- weak-willed
- full-dress (clothes)
- full-blooded
- downhearted
- man-eating

Thank you very much indeed.
Hela

[thecount]

such were his feelings for the club, that wayne rooney left everton with a heavy-heart.

the bouncer was a bit heavy-handed when he chucked me out of the club.

he fact he has given up so easily suggests that he is fairly weak-minded.

weak-willed - people don't really use ths to be honest

to protect her modesty, veronica always went to and from the bathroom in full dress.

full-blooded - again, not really used! perhaps you mean 'red-blooded'?

despite losing 3-0 at home, alex ferguson was not too downhearted, saying that his team would soon bounce back.

brittany was a real man-eater (a bit of a tart!)

hope that is of help!!

[hela]

Thank you Thecount for your help. These sentences help me understand this vocabulary in context, and then I use it in my translation exercises.

All the best.
Hela

[obelix]

If I might add to The Count's erudition:-

There is to be a full-dress rehearsal of Shakespeare's Hamlet at 2 o'clock tomorrow.
(This means that the actors will wear the period costumes that they will wear in the actual production and not just casual everyday clothes).


Weak-minded is a somewhat derogatory term for someone who is mentally deficient. Nowadays I think the politically correct expression is, "Specially challenged".

He is so weak-willed, he can't say, "No!" to anything.

Full-blooded means, Vigorous, hearty, or sensual., so you can say,

Hollywood is full of full-blooded men and women.

Occasionally rural villages in India have to deal with man-eating tigers.

[hela]

Thank you very much Obelix!

Everybody is very kind on this site. Thank you a million for your help!

Is "a heavy-heart" a compound noun? Do we need a hypen?

It seems that "heavy-hearted" and "weak-minded" are not commonly used (or perhaps not used at all). Can't I use them in writing then? Are they not standard English?

Best regards,
Hela

[thecount]

weak-minded is more commonly used than heavy-hearted, but this is because heavy-hearted is very rarely used. however, a sentence such as 'with a heavy heart' is often use and then there is no need for the use of the hyphen as 'heavy' becomes a common adjective.

in place of 'heavy-hearted', you may prefer to use the word 'melancholy' or even 'soorowful'.

hope i can be of help

[obelix]

Heavy-hearted is a compound adjective (not noun) and so needs the hyphen. I remember Former President of the USA Lyndon Johnson starting a speech, "My fellow Americans, I come before you with a heavy heart..." or something similar.

Both weak-minded and heavy-hearted are standard English and you can, indeed, use them in everyday speech if you wish. Be aware that in today's politically correct times, some busybody will doubtless point out to you that the preferred term for weak-minded is something like "Specially Challenged", (or whatever the current euphemism for mentally deficient is.)

[hela]

Thank you Thecount and Obelix for your enlightened advice!

All the best,
Hela