A porter in a British hotel comes upon an American tourist impatiently jabbing at the button for the lift.
"Sir, the lift will be here in a moment."
"Lift? Lift?" replies the American. "Oh, you mean the elevator."
"No sir, here we call it a lift."
"Well, as it was invented in the United States, it’s called an elevator."
"Yes sir, but as the language was invented here, it’s called a lift."
cathedra adj. & adv. With full authority (esp. Of a papal pronouncement). [latin, = from the chair]
- gratia —adv. As a favour; not from (esp. Legal) obligation. —attrib. Adj. Granted on this basis. [latin, = from favour]
- officio adv. & attrib. Adj. By virtue of one's office. [latin]
- post facto adj. & adv. With retrospective action or force. [latin, = in the light of subsequent events]
- prefix (also before some consonants e-, ef- before f) 1 forming verbs meaning: a out, forth (exclude; exit). B upward (extol). C thoroughly (excruciate). D bring into a state (exasperate). E remove or free from (expatriate; exonerate).
- forming nouns from titles of office, status, etc., meaning ‘formerly’ (ex-president; ex-wife). [latin from ex out of]
- prep. (of goods) sold from (ex-works). [latin, = out of]
- n. Colloq. Former husband or wife. [see *ex-1 2]
