>>>>>>>Well, out of that list, only 'shut down' and 'shut up' (in that context) mean the same thing - or at least very close. I suppose an argument could be made that 'shut down' means permanently, and 'shut up' means 'for the night' or at least for some temporary time.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I see it as shutting down the machinery of the shop but shutting up the doors and windows thereof.
>>>>>
>>>>>The doors and windows may also need to be boarded. You know, like an airplane or a bus.
>>>>>
>>>>>>And of course, as I think Tamar pointed out some months ago, everyone your side of the Atlantic seems to say "different than" rather than "different from".
>>>>>
>>>>>I'd take that as "more different than"... but then, different from what?
>>>>
>>>>As in this is more different from that than the other is from the fourth. OK but that's not the context here.
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>Speaking of which, it always amuses me when someone mentions that two things are "both the same" or "both different", although they are right - because there's also the possibility that one of the two is the same, and the other one is different.
>>>>
>>>>Aye, you've mentioned that before. It's like when someone says "a pair of twins".
>>>
>>>Oh, yeah? Well, quads are two pair of twins. ;)
>>
>>So quinns are two pairs of twins and an odd-man-out?
>
>Uh uh. Two and a half pairs of twins.


LOL

I always smile when football announcers say of a defensive player something like, "He has six and a half sacks so far this season." That seventh quarterback must have REALLY been hit <g>.