A police officer pulls over this guy who had been weaving in and out of the lanes. He goes up to the guy"s window and says, "Sir, I need you to blow into this breathalyzer tube."
The man says, "Sorry officer, I can"t do that. I am an asthmatic. If I do that I"ll have a really bad asthma attack."
"Okay, fine. I need you to come down to the station to give a blood sample."
"I can"t do that either. I am a hemophiliac. If I do that, I"ll bleed to death."
"Well, then we need an urine sample."
"I"m sorry, officer, I can"t do that either. I am also a diabetic. If I do that I"ll get really low blood sugar."
"All right then I need you to come out here and walk this white line."
"I can"t do that, officer."
"Why not?"
"Because I"m too drunk to do that!"
adj. Of, living in, or situated in a town or city. [latin urbs city]
- guerrilla n. Terrorist operating in an urban area.
URINE
n. Waste fluid secreted by the kidneys and discharged from the bladder. [latin urina]
USAGE
in sense 1, unique cannot be qualified by adverbs such as absolutely, most, and quite. The use of unique in sense 2 is regarded as incorrect by some people.
- in the last two examples of sense 2 whom is correct, but who is common in less formal contexts.
- more fanciful phrase-based combinations, such as employment-wise (= as regards employment) are restricted to informal contexts.
- n. - use, treatment (damaged by rough usage).
- customary practice, esp. In the use of a language or as creating a precedent in law.
- see note at exceptionable.
- see note at exceptionable.
- see note at un-1.
- see note at unsocial.
- see note at while.
- see note at zoology.
- some people reject sense 2 of verbal as illogical, and prefer oral. However, verbal is the usual term in expressions such as verbal communication, verbal contract, and verbal evidence.
- the number of words that can be formed with this prefix (and with un-2) is virtually unlimited; consequently only a selection can be given here.
- the second pronunciation given for zoology, zoological, and zoologist, with the first syllable pronounced as in zoo, although extremely common, is considered incorrect by some people.
- the use of from whence rather than simply whence (as in the place from whence they came), though common, is generally considered incorrect.
- the use of this term, and social restrictions accompanying it, were declared illegal under the indian constitution in 1949.
- this symbol was superseded in the uk in 1983 by 18, but it is still used in the us.
- unsocial is sometimes confused with unsociable.
- until, as opposed to till, is used esp. At the beginning of a sentence and in formal style, e.g. Until you told me, i had no idea; he resided there until his decease.
- upon is sometimes more formal than on, but is standard in once upon a time and upon my word.
- various (unlike several) cannot be used with of, as (wrongly) in various of the guests arrived late.
- venal is sometimes confused with venial, which means ‘pardonable’.
- venial is sometimes confused with venal, which means ‘corrupt’.
- worth while (two words) is used only predicatively, as in thought it worth while to ring the police, whereas worthwhile is used both predicatively and attributively.
USHER
—n. - person who shows people to their seats in a cinema, church, etc.
- doorkeeper at a court etc. —v. - act as usher to.
- (usu. Foll. By in) announce, herald, or show in. [latin ostium door]
USUAL
adj. - customary, habitual (the usual time).
- (absol., prec. By the, my, etc.) Colloq. Person's usual drink etc. as usual as (or was) usual. usually adv. [latin: related to *use]
USURP
v. Seize (a throne or power etc.) Wrongfully. usurpation n. Usurper n. [french from latin]
