In the same vain or vein?

[caveman]

"In the same vein"

"In the same vain"

Which is the correct form of this transitional phrase?
(search turned up nada)

Bonus points for cites!

[Ringo]

The expression is properly "in the same vein." The definition of vein as given here is:

"(1) Rib supporting an insect wing; (2) vessel carrying blood from capillaries toward the heart; (3) conduit for fluid in a leaf."(B79 - Animalia (Animals) / Plantae (Plants) associated terms)

I believe the usage in the expression would come from parts 2 and 3 above, where the vein is a pathway, the idea being that the thought being introduced by the expression "in the same vein" takes the same or a similar pathway as the referenced idea. I can't imagine how "vain" would be worked into the usage.

[Jimmy Chitwood]

Vein.

c. in the vein, in a fit or suitable mood for something.

Link- section 14 c., way down near the bottom.

[Kamino Neko]

It's vein. As to an explaination, definitions 4 and 5 for Vein here might fit better than the 3 from Ringo's link:

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=vein

4. Geology. A regularly shaped and lengthy occurrence of an ore; a lode.
5. A long wavy strip of a different shade or color, as in wood or marble, or as mold in cheese

[Ringo]

It might at that. Nevertheless, the idea with a blood vessel, a conduit, a lengthy occurence or a long strip is one of connection.

[Ringo]

And I'll note that a google search on both phrases turns up quite a few "vain" usages, none of which make much sense. I suppose, maybe, if you were comparing a couple of prima donnas...

[Boyo Jim]

vein, no question in my pointy head about it.

[Dr_Paprika]

Vein.

I thought it always came form the mining definition... along with the golds and diamonds and what have you...

[refusal]

A useful resource for this sort of question is the Collins Cobuild Concordance, a searchable database of English sentences used as the basis of their dictionaries: search it for "in the same vein|vain" to match both forms, and it has nearly 20 uses of "vein" and none of "vain".

[hammos1]

Case closed- can we deal with 'For all intensive purposes' now?

[Who_me?]

You mean, "For all intents and purposes"?

[WILLASS]

buck naked or butt naked? I always thought the latter but a lot of people use the former.

[Shade]

vain isn't even a noun! Oh, who am I kidding, I've no idea where the phrase comes from, I just assumed it was vein.

[czerwins@sbcglobal.net]

http://www.grammar-monster.com/easil..._vein_vane.htm

(1) A vein is a blood vessel or a distinctive style.
(2) Vain means 'self admiring' or 'futile'. The term 'in vain' means 'without success'.
(3) A vane is a stabilizing fin or blade.

[Shmendrik]

Since this zombie has risen from the grave, it's worth pointing out that Google gives 13M results for vein vs 270K results for vain. Either the OP didn't do a very good job of searching, or we are witnessing the march of progress before our very eyes.

[Chefguy]

Originally Posted by WILLASS

buck naked or butt naked? I always thought the latter but a lot of people use the former.

I'm 63 and only heard or used the term "buck naked" since childhood. The internet is full of speculation as to where the term came from, including that it may have originally morphed from "butt naked", which doesn't seem likely. I never heard "butt naked" until recent years.


Ah crap, I'm talking to a zombie.

[Candyman74]

Originally Posted by WILLASS

buck naked or butt naked? I always thought the latter but a lot of people use the former.

You are correct, at least in my neck of the woods. I've never heard "buck naked" before.

[Darth Panda]

Naked zombies!!!

[Colophon]

Originally Posted by Candyman74

You are correct, at least in my neck of the woods. I've never heard "buck naked" before.

The original form (and still the correct one, at least here in the UK) is "buck naked". It seems to have mutated in recent years, in the same way that "off your own bat" is often mangled into "off your own back".

[Chefguy]

Originally Posted by Candyman74

You are correct, at least in my neck of the woods. I've never heard "buck naked" before.

Am I correct that in your neck of the woods, they also say "nekkid"?

[Candyman74]

Originally Posted by Chefguy

Am I correct that in your neck of the woods, they also say "nekkid"?

Eh?

[The Great Sun Jester]

Originally Posted by Colophon

The original form (and still the correct one, at least here in the UK) is "buck naked". It seems to have mutated in recent years, in the same way that "off your own bat" is often mangled into "off your own back".

What does this phrase even mean? Did Brits frequently own carrier bats to deliver messages to one another? So taking one person's idea for your own would be met with the derisive comment, "You clearly didn't develop that proposal off you your own bat"--meaning "You've been intercepting other peoples' carrier bats and reading the messages!"

Brits are weird.

[Candyman74]

Originally Posted by Inigo Montoya

What does this phrase even mean? Did Brits frequently own carrier bats to deliver messages to one another? So taking one person's idea for your own would be met with the derisive comment, "You clearly didn't develop that proposal off you your own bat"--meaning "You've been intercepting other peoples' carrier bats and reading the messages!"

Brits are weird.

Cricket bat. But I'm sure you guessed that.

[Looey]

I wish I could remember the comedian's name who described the difference between naked and nekkid.

Naked means y'ain't got no clothes on. Nekkid means y'ain't got no clothes on... and yer up to somethin'!

[Elendil's Heir]

Originally Posted by Candyman74

... I've never heard "buck naked" before.

You've got to be kidding. It's George Costanza's porn name!

[jepflast]

Originally Posted by Looey

I wish I could remember the comedian's name who described the difference between naked and nekkid.

Naked means y'ain't got no clothes on. Nekkid means y'ain't got no clothes on... and yer up to somethin'!

It was Jeff Foxworthy, and it's the other way around: nekkid is simple nudity.

In other news, "buck naked" is the original and "butt naked" is a later misrendering.

Actually I just stopped by to see why this thread had 47,000 views. I still don't know.

[saje]

And this is the second time it's bee resurrected.

[Cub Mistress]

Originally Posted by Looey

I wish I could remember the comedian's name who described the difference between naked and nekkid.

Naked means y'ain't got no clothes on. Nekkid means y'ain't got no clothes on... and yer up to somethin'!

Originally Posted by jepflast

It was Jeff Foxworthy, and it's the other way around: nekkid is simple nudity.

In other news, "buck naked" is the original and "butt naked" is a later misrendering.

Actually I just stopped by to see why this thread had 47,000 views. I still don't know.

Lewis Grizzard , actually. Looey had it the right way 'round.

[johnpost]

double zombie or no

nekkid is in the same vein as naked.

[Chefguy]

Originally Posted by Ringo

And I'll note that a google search on both phrases turns up quite a few "vain" usages, none of which make much sense. I suppose, maybe, if you were comparing a couple of prima donnas...

Or, as one of my employees wrote, a pre madonna. I guess that would have been Cher.

Goddamn it, suckered into the same zombie thread....again!

[johnpost]

Originally Posted by Chefguy

Ah crap, I'm talking to a zombie.

Originally Posted by Chefguy

Goddamn it, suckered into the same zombie thread....again!

are both in the same vein.

[Chefguy]

Originally Posted by johnpost

are both in the same vein.

AAAUUUUUGGHHHH!! ::falls on floor in a Belushi fit::

[Kenm]

"Humor in a jugular vein" — Mad

[rsat3acr]

Originally Posted by Kenm

"Humor in a jugular vein" — Mad

man that brings back memories

[John Mace]

I never saw this coming down the pipe.