Do we “open bottles” or we “open caps”?
Clash Royale CLAN TAG#URR8PPP
12
How should we refer to this action that involves the bottle, the cap and the person?
Is she "opening the bottle" or "opening the cap"?
phrase-usage image-identification
asked Dec 19 '18 at 13:31
Witty loquacity
11.2k56181315
add a comment |
12
How should we refer to this action that involves the bottle, the cap and the person?
Is she "opening the bottle" or "opening the cap"?
phrase-usage image-identification
asked Dec 19 '18 at 13:31
Witty loquacity
11.2k56181315
"Open the cap" is fine, as is "open the lid" and "open the door". "Open the bottle" is fine, as is "open the box" and "open the building".
– Ben
Dec 20 '18 at 11:55
3
Complete disambiguation: you "uncap the bottle". ;)
– MichaelK
Dec 20 '18 at 12:31
@Ben Open the building? I've never heard of it.
– insanity
Dec 20 '18 at 13:16
add a comment |
12
12
12
2
How should we refer to this action that involves the bottle, the cap and the person?
Is she "opening the bottle" or "opening the cap"?
phrase-usage image-identification
asked Dec 19 '18 at 13:31
Witty loquacity
11.2k56181315
How should we refer to this action that involves the bottle, the cap and the person?
Is she "opening the bottle" or "opening the cap"?
phrase-usage image-identification
phrase-usage image-identification
asked Dec 19 '18 at 13:31
Witty loquacity
11.2k56181315
asked Dec 19 '18 at 13:31
Witty loquacity
11.2k56181315
edited Dec 19 '18 at 23:38
asked Dec 19 '18 at 13:31
Witty loquacity
11.2k56181315
asked Dec 19 '18 at 13:31
Witty loquacity
11.2k56181315
asked Dec 19 '18 at 13:31
Witty loquacity
11.2k56181315
11.2k56181315
"Open the cap" is fine, as is "open the lid" and "open the door". "Open the bottle" is fine, as is "open the box" and "open the building".
– Ben
Dec 20 '18 at 11:55
3
Complete disambiguation: you "uncap the bottle". ;)
– MichaelK
Dec 20 '18 at 12:31
@Ben Open the building? I've never heard of it.
– insanity
Dec 20 '18 at 13:16
add a comment |
"Open the cap" is fine, as is "open the lid" and "open the door". "Open the bottle" is fine, as is "open the box" and "open the building".
– Ben
Dec 20 '18 at 11:55
3
Complete disambiguation: you "uncap the bottle". ;)
– MichaelK
Dec 20 '18 at 12:31
@Ben Open the building? I've never heard of it.
– insanity
Dec 20 '18 at 13:16
"Open the cap" is fine, as is "open the lid" and "open the door". "Open the bottle" is fine, as is "open the box" and "open the building".
– Ben
Dec 20 '18 at 11:55
"Open the cap" is fine, as is "open the lid" and "open the door". "Open the bottle" is fine, as is "open the box" and "open the building".
– Ben
Dec 20 '18 at 11:55
3
3
Complete disambiguation: you "uncap the bottle". ;)
– MichaelK
Dec 20 '18 at 12:31
Complete disambiguation: you "uncap the bottle". ;)
– MichaelK
Dec 20 '18 at 12:31
@Ben Open the building? I've never heard of it.
– insanity
Dec 20 '18 at 13:16
@Ben Open the building? I've never heard of it.
– insanity
Dec 20 '18 at 13:16
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
34
She is opening the bottle by unscrewing the cap or removing the cap.
Edit based on feedback from commeonts: if you say opening the cap people will understand what you mean. It might also be a regional idiom in some places.
answered Dec 19 '18 at 15:48
shadowtalker
62149
4
This was my thought exactly. Twisting the cap would also work.
– J.R.♦
Dec 19 '18 at 15:56
1
@J.R. Mostly agree, though "unscrewing" has the benefit of indicating that the bottle is being opened, while cases of "twisting" might require further context. I'm just imagining if someone "twisted" a cap and then threw a bottle.
– Harris
Dec 19 '18 at 19:44
1
@Harris - Mostly agree, although twist-off cap is pretty standard terminology, I believe.
– J.R.♦
Dec 19 '18 at 21:25
Reminds me of this old commercial
– Maiaux
Dec 19 '18 at 22:44
@J.R. - living in NZ I've never heard the term twist-off cap in use. =}
– tink
Dec 20 '18 at 1:01
|
show 3 more comments
-5
I would say technically open the cap is the correct term, however in my experience personally, and most people say "open the bottle". In actuality opening a bottle would probably entail cutting it in half or something, but people don't actually mean that.
answered Dec 19 '18 at 13:34
bobbin
111
15
I don't agree that it's correct at all. A cap has no opening and therefore cannot be opened.
– shadowtalker
Dec 19 '18 at 15:48
18
I don't think "opening a cap" makes any sense in conversational English.
– eques
Dec 19 '18 at 16:16
9
It does raise the interesting question, though, why "open the door" is correct. What's the difference between a cap blocking the entrance to the bottle and a door blocking the entrance to a room? As best I can tell, "door" in that phrase actually refers to the doorway, not the physical door installed in the doorway.
– chepner
Dec 19 '18 at 17:07
2
@chepner No I’m saying that the correct preposition to use is whichever one everyone uses. Prepositions in English are difficult because you can’t reason them out sometimes. You have to memorize a lot of them. For example a squeeze bottle cap is pushed in or pulled out, but it can be open/closed. We can try to make a rule, but there will be lots of exceptions, which I think would be more confusing than just memorizing the correct phrasing.
– ColleenV♦
Dec 19 '18 at 17:31
2
Those aren't prepositions here; they are adverbs of state. Just because some word choices are all but arbitrary doesn't mean there is never some underlying logic.
– chepner
Dec 19 '18 at 17:38
|
show 13 more comments
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2 Answers
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2 Answers
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34
She is opening the bottle by unscrewing the cap or removing the cap.
Edit based on feedback from commeonts: if you say opening the cap people will understand what you mean. It might also be a regional idiom in some places.
answered Dec 19 '18 at 15:48
shadowtalker
62149
4
This was my thought exactly. Twisting the cap would also work.
– J.R.♦
Dec 19 '18 at 15:56
1
@J.R. Mostly agree, though "unscrewing" has the benefit of indicating that the bottle is being opened, while cases of "twisting" might require further context. I'm just imagining if someone "twisted" a cap and then threw a bottle.
– Harris
Dec 19 '18 at 19:44
1
@Harris - Mostly agree, although twist-off cap is pretty standard terminology, I believe.
– J.R.♦
Dec 19 '18 at 21:25
Reminds me of this old commercial
– Maiaux
Dec 19 '18 at 22:44
@J.R. - living in NZ I've never heard the term twist-off cap in use. =}
– tink
Dec 20 '18 at 1:01
|
show 3 more comments
34
She is opening the bottle by unscrewing the cap or removing the cap.
Edit based on feedback from commeonts: if you say opening the cap people will understand what you mean. It might also be a regional idiom in some places.
answered Dec 19 '18 at 15:48
shadowtalker
62149
4
This was my thought exactly. Twisting the cap would also work.
– J.R.♦
Dec 19 '18 at 15:56
1
@J.R. Mostly agree, though "unscrewing" has the benefit of indicating that the bottle is being opened, while cases of "twisting" might require further context. I'm just imagining if someone "twisted" a cap and then threw a bottle.
– Harris
Dec 19 '18 at 19:44
1
@Harris - Mostly agree, although twist-off cap is pretty standard terminology, I believe.
– J.R.♦
Dec 19 '18 at 21:25
Reminds me of this old commercial
– Maiaux
Dec 19 '18 at 22:44
@J.R. - living in NZ I've never heard the term twist-off cap in use. =}
– tink
Dec 20 '18 at 1:01
|
show 3 more comments
34
34
34
She is opening the bottle by unscrewing the cap or removing the cap.
Edit based on feedback from commeonts: if you say opening the cap people will understand what you mean. It might also be a regional idiom in some places.
answered Dec 19 '18 at 15:48
shadowtalker
62149
She is opening the bottle by unscrewing the cap or removing the cap.
Edit based on feedback from commeonts: if you say opening the cap people will understand what you mean. It might also be a regional idiom in some places.
answered Dec 19 '18 at 15:48
shadowtalker
62149
edited Dec 22 '18 at 18:31
answered Dec 19 '18 at 15:48
shadowtalker
62149
answered Dec 19 '18 at 15:48
shadowtalker
62149
answered Dec 19 '18 at 15:48
shadowtalker
62149
62149
4
This was my thought exactly. Twisting the cap would also work.
– J.R.♦
Dec 19 '18 at 15:56
1
@J.R. Mostly agree, though "unscrewing" has the benefit of indicating that the bottle is being opened, while cases of "twisting" might require further context. I'm just imagining if someone "twisted" a cap and then threw a bottle.
– Harris
Dec 19 '18 at 19:44
1
@Harris - Mostly agree, although twist-off cap is pretty standard terminology, I believe.
– J.R.♦
Dec 19 '18 at 21:25
Reminds me of this old commercial
– Maiaux
Dec 19 '18 at 22:44
@J.R. - living in NZ I've never heard the term twist-off cap in use. =}
– tink
Dec 20 '18 at 1:01
|
show 3 more comments
4
This was my thought exactly. Twisting the cap would also work.
– J.R.♦
Dec 19 '18 at 15:56
1
@J.R. Mostly agree, though "unscrewing" has the benefit of indicating that the bottle is being opened, while cases of "twisting" might require further context. I'm just imagining if someone "twisted" a cap and then threw a bottle.
– Harris
Dec 19 '18 at 19:44
1
@Harris - Mostly agree, although twist-off cap is pretty standard terminology, I believe.
– J.R.♦
Dec 19 '18 at 21:25
Reminds me of this old commercial
– Maiaux
Dec 19 '18 at 22:44
@J.R. - living in NZ I've never heard the term twist-off cap in use. =}
– tink
Dec 20 '18 at 1:01
4
4
This was my thought exactly. Twisting the cap would also work.
– J.R.♦
Dec 19 '18 at 15:56
This was my thought exactly. Twisting the cap would also work.
– J.R.♦
Dec 19 '18 at 15:56
1
1
@J.R. Mostly agree, though "unscrewing" has the benefit of indicating that the bottle is being opened, while cases of "twisting" might require further context. I'm just imagining if someone "twisted" a cap and then threw a bottle.
– Harris
Dec 19 '18 at 19:44
@J.R. Mostly agree, though "unscrewing" has the benefit of indicating that the bottle is being opened, while cases of "twisting" might require further context. I'm just imagining if someone "twisted" a cap and then threw a bottle.
– Harris
Dec 19 '18 at 19:44
1
1
@Harris - Mostly agree, although twist-off cap is pretty standard terminology, I believe.
– J.R.♦
Dec 19 '18 at 21:25
@Harris - Mostly agree, although twist-off cap is pretty standard terminology, I believe.
– J.R.♦
Dec 19 '18 at 21:25
Reminds me of this old commercial
– Maiaux
Dec 19 '18 at 22:44
Reminds me of this old commercial
– Maiaux
Dec 19 '18 at 22:44
@J.R. - living in NZ I've never heard the term twist-off cap in use. =}
– tink
Dec 20 '18 at 1:01
@J.R. - living in NZ I've never heard the term twist-off cap in use. =}
– tink
Dec 20 '18 at 1:01
|
show 3 more comments
-5
I would say technically open the cap is the correct term, however in my experience personally, and most people say "open the bottle". In actuality opening a bottle would probably entail cutting it in half or something, but people don't actually mean that.
answered Dec 19 '18 at 13:34
bobbin
111
15
I don't agree that it's correct at all. A cap has no opening and therefore cannot be opened.
– shadowtalker
Dec 19 '18 at 15:48
18
I don't think "opening a cap" makes any sense in conversational English.
– eques
Dec 19 '18 at 16:16
9
It does raise the interesting question, though, why "open the door" is correct. What's the difference between a cap blocking the entrance to the bottle and a door blocking the entrance to a room? As best I can tell, "door" in that phrase actually refers to the doorway, not the physical door installed in the doorway.
– chepner
Dec 19 '18 at 17:07
2
@chepner No I’m saying that the correct preposition to use is whichever one everyone uses. Prepositions in English are difficult because you can’t reason them out sometimes. You have to memorize a lot of them. For example a squeeze bottle cap is pushed in or pulled out, but it can be open/closed. We can try to make a rule, but there will be lots of exceptions, which I think would be more confusing than just memorizing the correct phrasing.
– ColleenV♦
Dec 19 '18 at 17:31
2
Those aren't prepositions here; they are adverbs of state. Just because some word choices are all but arbitrary doesn't mean there is never some underlying logic.
– chepner
Dec 19 '18 at 17:38
|
show 13 more comments
-5
I would say technically open the cap is the correct term, however in my experience personally, and most people say "open the bottle". In actuality opening a bottle would probably entail cutting it in half or something, but people don't actually mean that.
answered Dec 19 '18 at 13:34
bobbin
111
15
I don't agree that it's correct at all. A cap has no opening and therefore cannot be opened.
– shadowtalker
Dec 19 '18 at 15:48
18
I don't think "opening a cap" makes any sense in conversational English.
– eques
Dec 19 '18 at 16:16
9
It does raise the interesting question, though, why "open the door" is correct. What's the difference between a cap blocking the entrance to the bottle and a door blocking the entrance to a room? As best I can tell, "door" in that phrase actually refers to the doorway, not the physical door installed in the doorway.
– chepner
Dec 19 '18 at 17:07
2
@chepner No I’m saying that the correct preposition to use is whichever one everyone uses. Prepositions in English are difficult because you can’t reason them out sometimes. You have to memorize a lot of them. For example a squeeze bottle cap is pushed in or pulled out, but it can be open/closed. We can try to make a rule, but there will be lots of exceptions, which I think would be more confusing than just memorizing the correct phrasing.
– ColleenV♦
Dec 19 '18 at 17:31
2
Those aren't prepositions here; they are adverbs of state. Just because some word choices are all but arbitrary doesn't mean there is never some underlying logic.
– chepner
Dec 19 '18 at 17:38
|
show 13 more comments
-5
-5
-5
I would say technically open the cap is the correct term, however in my experience personally, and most people say "open the bottle". In actuality opening a bottle would probably entail cutting it in half or something, but people don't actually mean that.
answered Dec 19 '18 at 13:34
bobbin
111
I would say technically open the cap is the correct term, however in my experience personally, and most people say "open the bottle". In actuality opening a bottle would probably entail cutting it in half or something, but people don't actually mean that.
answered Dec 19 '18 at 13:34
bobbin
111
answered Dec 19 '18 at 13:34
bobbin
111
answered Dec 19 '18 at 13:34
bobbin
111
answered Dec 19 '18 at 13:34
bobbin
111
111
15
I don't agree that it's correct at all. A cap has no opening and therefore cannot be opened.
– shadowtalker
Dec 19 '18 at 15:48
18
I don't think "opening a cap" makes any sense in conversational English.
– eques
Dec 19 '18 at 16:16
9
It does raise the interesting question, though, why "open the door" is correct. What's the difference between a cap blocking the entrance to the bottle and a door blocking the entrance to a room? As best I can tell, "door" in that phrase actually refers to the doorway, not the physical door installed in the doorway.
– chepner
Dec 19 '18 at 17:07
2
@chepner No I’m saying that the correct preposition to use is whichever one everyone uses. Prepositions in English are difficult because you can’t reason them out sometimes. You have to memorize a lot of them. For example a squeeze bottle cap is pushed in or pulled out, but it can be open/closed. We can try to make a rule, but there will be lots of exceptions, which I think would be more confusing than just memorizing the correct phrasing.
– ColleenV♦
Dec 19 '18 at 17:31
2
Those aren't prepositions here; they are adverbs of state. Just because some word choices are all but arbitrary doesn't mean there is never some underlying logic.
– chepner
Dec 19 '18 at 17:38
|
show 13 more comments
15
I don't agree that it's correct at all. A cap has no opening and therefore cannot be opened.
– shadowtalker
Dec 19 '18 at 15:48
18
I don't think "opening a cap" makes any sense in conversational English.
– eques
Dec 19 '18 at 16:16
9
It does raise the interesting question, though, why "open the door" is correct. What's the difference between a cap blocking the entrance to the bottle and a door blocking the entrance to a room? As best I can tell, "door" in that phrase actually refers to the doorway, not the physical door installed in the doorway.
– chepner
Dec 19 '18 at 17:07
2
@chepner No I’m saying that the correct preposition to use is whichever one everyone uses. Prepositions in English are difficult because you can’t reason them out sometimes. You have to memorize a lot of them. For example a squeeze bottle cap is pushed in or pulled out, but it can be open/closed. We can try to make a rule, but there will be lots of exceptions, which I think would be more confusing than just memorizing the correct phrasing.
– ColleenV♦
Dec 19 '18 at 17:31
2
Those aren't prepositions here; they are adverbs of state. Just because some word choices are all but arbitrary doesn't mean there is never some underlying logic.
– chepner
Dec 19 '18 at 17:38
15
15
I don't agree that it's correct at all. A cap has no opening and therefore cannot be opened.
– shadowtalker
Dec 19 '18 at 15:48
I don't agree that it's correct at all. A cap has no opening and therefore cannot be opened.
– shadowtalker
Dec 19 '18 at 15:48
18
18
I don't think "opening a cap" makes any sense in conversational English.
– eques
Dec 19 '18 at 16:16
I don't think "opening a cap" makes any sense in conversational English.
– eques
Dec 19 '18 at 16:16
9
9
It does raise the interesting question, though, why "open the door" is correct. What's the difference between a cap blocking the entrance to the bottle and a door blocking the entrance to a room? As best I can tell, "door" in that phrase actually refers to the doorway, not the physical door installed in the doorway.
– chepner
Dec 19 '18 at 17:07
It does raise the interesting question, though, why "open the door" is correct. What's the difference between a cap blocking the entrance to the bottle and a door blocking the entrance to a room? As best I can tell, "door" in that phrase actually refers to the doorway, not the physical door installed in the doorway.
– chepner
Dec 19 '18 at 17:07
2
2
@chepner No I’m saying that the correct preposition to use is whichever one everyone uses. Prepositions in English are difficult because you can’t reason them out sometimes. You have to memorize a lot of them. For example a squeeze bottle cap is pushed in or pulled out, but it can be open/closed. We can try to make a rule, but there will be lots of exceptions, which I think would be more confusing than just memorizing the correct phrasing.
– ColleenV♦
Dec 19 '18 at 17:31
@chepner No I’m saying that the correct preposition to use is whichever one everyone uses. Prepositions in English are difficult because you can’t reason them out sometimes. You have to memorize a lot of them. For example a squeeze bottle cap is pushed in or pulled out, but it can be open/closed. We can try to make a rule, but there will be lots of exceptions, which I think would be more confusing than just memorizing the correct phrasing.
– ColleenV♦
Dec 19 '18 at 17:31
2
2
Those aren't prepositions here; they are adverbs of state. Just because some word choices are all but arbitrary doesn't mean there is never some underlying logic.
– chepner
Dec 19 '18 at 17:38
Those aren't prepositions here; they are adverbs of state. Just because some word choices are all but arbitrary doesn't mean there is never some underlying logic.
– chepner
Dec 19 '18 at 17:38
|
show 13 more comments
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"Open the cap" is fine, as is "open the lid" and "open the door". "Open the bottle" is fine, as is "open the box" and "open the building".
– Ben
Dec 20 '18 at 11:55
3
Complete disambiguation: you "uncap the bottle". ;)
– MichaelK
Dec 20 '18 at 12:31
@Ben Open the building? I've never heard of it.
– insanity
Dec 20 '18 at 13:16