Mixing
Can the word Alibi used in positive context or for a masquerading adjective
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Mostly I see the usage of word Alibi in a negative context especially in the legal parlance. Following is the definition from Oxford Dictionaries:
NOUN
1 a claim or piece of evidence that one was elsewhere when an act, typically a criminal one, is alleged to have taken place.
'she has an alibi for the whole of yesterday evening'
1.1 informal An excuse or pretext.
'a catch-all alibi for failure and inadequacy'
VERB
[with object]
informal
Provide an alibi for.
'her friend agreed to alibi her'
Idea of usage is, where internal quality of a human being / noun is depicted via another masquerading quality:
"Ambitious" is a convenient alibi for the "Ruthless"
Note: Two answers were based on a previous version of this phrase that read "Playful is an alibi for the Smart."
word-usage meaning-in-context word-difference
edited Sep 7 at 11:52
Jason Bassford
8,7441926
asked Sep 7 at 10:33
Mrinal Kamboj
1135
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Mrinal Kamboj is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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up vote
2
down vote
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Mostly I see the usage of word Alibi in a negative context especially in the legal parlance. Following is the definition from Oxford Dictionaries:
NOUN
1 a claim or piece of evidence that one was elsewhere when an act, typically a criminal one, is alleged to have taken place.
'she has an alibi for the whole of yesterday evening'
1.1 informal An excuse or pretext.
'a catch-all alibi for failure and inadequacy'
VERB
[with object]
informal
Provide an alibi for.
'her friend agreed to alibi her'
Idea of usage is, where internal quality of a human being / noun is depicted via another masquerading quality:
"Ambitious" is a convenient alibi for the "Ruthless"
Note: Two answers were based on a previous version of this phrase that read "Playful is an alibi for the Smart."
word-usage meaning-in-context word-difference
edited Sep 7 at 11:52
Jason Bassford
8,7441926
asked Sep 7 at 10:33
Mrinal Kamboj
1135
New contributor
Mrinal Kamboj is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Aside from the fact I don't think it will work that way even in general terms, "Playful is an alibi for the Smart" means absolutely nothing to me. I cannot extract your intent from it at all.
– Tetsujin
Sep 7 at 11:06
1
You should never quote a Google search. It's not a reliable quotation, and it will produce different results for different people. I have replaced your quotation with the definition given by Oxford Dictionaries—which seems to be where most of your text came from.
– Jason Bassford
Sep 7 at 11:42
I also added back the original version of your phrase in a notation since two existing answers based themselves on it. (Otherwise, people might downvote them for thinking they aren't relevant to your question.)
– Jason Bassford
Sep 7 at 11:49
@JasonBassford thank you for the correction, still learning how to ask the questions in a correct and clear way
– Mrinal Kamboj
Sep 7 at 11:49
1
To me, it sounds like somebody is mistaking "alibi" for "alias". "Ambitious is an alias for (the) Ruthless" sounds correct' "Ambitious is an alibi for (the) Ruthless" doesn't.
– Mark Beadles
Sep 7 at 14:19
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
Mostly I see the usage of word Alibi in a negative context especially in the legal parlance. Following is the definition from Oxford Dictionaries:
NOUN
1 a claim or piece of evidence that one was elsewhere when an act, typically a criminal one, is alleged to have taken place.
'she has an alibi for the whole of yesterday evening'
1.1 informal An excuse or pretext.
'a catch-all alibi for failure and inadequacy'
VERB
[with object]
informal
Provide an alibi for.
'her friend agreed to alibi her'
Idea of usage is, where internal quality of a human being / noun is depicted via another masquerading quality:
"Ambitious" is a convenient alibi for the "Ruthless"
Note: Two answers were based on a previous version of this phrase that read "Playful is an alibi for the Smart."
word-usage meaning-in-context word-difference
edited Sep 7 at 11:52
Jason Bassford
8,7441926
asked Sep 7 at 10:33
Mrinal Kamboj
1135
New contributor
Mrinal Kamboj is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Mostly I see the usage of word Alibi in a negative context especially in the legal parlance. Following is the definition from Oxford Dictionaries:
NOUN
1 a claim or piece of evidence that one was elsewhere when an act, typically a criminal one, is alleged to have taken place.
'she has an alibi for the whole of yesterday evening'
1.1 informal An excuse or pretext.
'a catch-all alibi for failure and inadequacy'
VERB
[with object]
informal
Provide an alibi for.
'her friend agreed to alibi her'
Idea of usage is, where internal quality of a human being / noun is depicted via another masquerading quality:
"Ambitious" is a convenient alibi for the "Ruthless"
Note: Two answers were based on a previous version of this phrase that read "Playful is an alibi for the Smart."
word-usage meaning-in-context word-difference
edited Sep 7 at 11:52
Jason Bassford
8,7441926
asked Sep 7 at 10:33
Mrinal Kamboj
1135
New contributor
Mrinal Kamboj is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited Sep 7 at 11:52
Jason Bassford
8,7441926
edited Sep 7 at 11:52
Jason Bassford
8,7441926
edited Sep 7 at 11:52
Jason Bassford
8,7441926
8,7441926
asked Sep 7 at 10:33
Mrinal Kamboj
1135
New contributor
Mrinal Kamboj is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked Sep 7 at 10:33
Mrinal Kamboj
1135
asked Sep 7 at 10:33
Mrinal Kamboj
1135
1135
New contributor
Mrinal Kamboj is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Mrinal Kamboj is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Mrinal Kamboj is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Aside from the fact I don't think it will work that way even in general terms, "Playful is an alibi for the Smart" means absolutely nothing to me. I cannot extract your intent from it at all.
– Tetsujin
Sep 7 at 11:06
1
You should never quote a Google search. It's not a reliable quotation, and it will produce different results for different people. I have replaced your quotation with the definition given by Oxford Dictionaries—which seems to be where most of your text came from.
– Jason Bassford
Sep 7 at 11:42
I also added back the original version of your phrase in a notation since two existing answers based themselves on it. (Otherwise, people might downvote them for thinking they aren't relevant to your question.)
– Jason Bassford
Sep 7 at 11:49
@JasonBassford thank you for the correction, still learning how to ask the questions in a correct and clear way
– Mrinal Kamboj
Sep 7 at 11:49
1
To me, it sounds like somebody is mistaking "alibi" for "alias". "Ambitious is an alias for (the) Ruthless" sounds correct' "Ambitious is an alibi for (the) Ruthless" doesn't.
– Mark Beadles
Sep 7 at 14:19
add a comment |Â
1
Aside from the fact I don't think it will work that way even in general terms, "Playful is an alibi for the Smart" means absolutely nothing to me. I cannot extract your intent from it at all.
– Tetsujin
Sep 7 at 11:06
1
You should never quote a Google search. It's not a reliable quotation, and it will produce different results for different people. I have replaced your quotation with the definition given by Oxford Dictionaries—which seems to be where most of your text came from.
– Jason Bassford
Sep 7 at 11:42
I also added back the original version of your phrase in a notation since two existing answers based themselves on it. (Otherwise, people might downvote them for thinking they aren't relevant to your question.)
– Jason Bassford
Sep 7 at 11:49
@JasonBassford thank you for the correction, still learning how to ask the questions in a correct and clear way
– Mrinal Kamboj
Sep 7 at 11:49
1
To me, it sounds like somebody is mistaking "alibi" for "alias". "Ambitious is an alias for (the) Ruthless" sounds correct' "Ambitious is an alibi for (the) Ruthless" doesn't.
– Mark Beadles
Sep 7 at 14:19
1
1
Aside from the fact I don't think it will work that way even in general terms, "Playful is an alibi for the Smart" means absolutely nothing to me. I cannot extract your intent from it at all.
– Tetsujin
Sep 7 at 11:06
Aside from the fact I don't think it will work that way even in general terms, "Playful is an alibi for the Smart" means absolutely nothing to me. I cannot extract your intent from it at all.
– Tetsujin
Sep 7 at 11:06
1
1
You should never quote a Google search. It's not a reliable quotation, and it will produce different results for different people. I have replaced your quotation with the definition given by Oxford Dictionaries—which seems to be where most of your text came from.
– Jason Bassford
Sep 7 at 11:42
You should never quote a Google search. It's not a reliable quotation, and it will produce different results for different people. I have replaced your quotation with the definition given by Oxford Dictionaries—which seems to be where most of your text came from.
– Jason Bassford
Sep 7 at 11:42
I also added back the original version of your phrase in a notation since two existing answers based themselves on it. (Otherwise, people might downvote them for thinking they aren't relevant to your question.)
– Jason Bassford
Sep 7 at 11:49
I also added back the original version of your phrase in a notation since two existing answers based themselves on it. (Otherwise, people might downvote them for thinking they aren't relevant to your question.)
– Jason Bassford
Sep 7 at 11:49
@JasonBassford thank you for the correction, still learning how to ask the questions in a correct and clear way
– Mrinal Kamboj
Sep 7 at 11:49
@JasonBassford thank you for the correction, still learning how to ask the questions in a correct and clear way
– Mrinal Kamboj
Sep 7 at 11:49
1
1
To me, it sounds like somebody is mistaking "alibi" for "alias". "Ambitious is an alias for (the) Ruthless" sounds correct' "Ambitious is an alibi for (the) Ruthless" doesn't.
– Mark Beadles
Sep 7 at 14:19
To me, it sounds like somebody is mistaking "alibi" for "alias". "Ambitious is an alias for (the) Ruthless" sounds correct' "Ambitious is an alibi for (the) Ruthless" doesn't.
– Mark Beadles
Sep 7 at 14:19
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
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up vote
8
down vote
accepted
"Alibi" is actually neutral, and the only reason you think it's negative is that it most often appears in legal drama to explain why the authorities can't arrest someone who the audience already know is guilty. In real life, the police routinely rule out suspects to a crime who have perfectly legitimate alibis.
It's a logical stretch, however, to turn "alibi" into a positive, since it's literally an excuse why someone could not have perpetrated some negative act. You would not say someone has an alibi for why they couldn't have done some good deed, for example:
I wonder who brought donuts into the office this morning? It can't be Jimmy, he has the alibi that he's out sick.
Instead you would simply say that it can't be Jimmy because he's out sick.
In any case, "alibi" does not mean "synonym". Instead just say "means", or possibly, "is code for", to suggest a term has hidden connotations.
In this context, "ambitious" is code for "ruthless".
There are many such phrases. For example, my wife used to work for a well-known self-help coach who told them that when he said someone was an "aggressive go-getter" it was code for "ball-busting bastard".
Better watch out for the new manager. He's an aggressive go-getter who will make your life a living hell.
answered Sep 7 at 11:21
Andrew
56.7k564124
Please review the edit, re-worded the last part with a different example
– Mrinal Kamboj
Sep 7 at 11:30
1
+1! Although obviously in your doughnut example, there's the potential for humour there, but it's not worth bringing that up in the answer, it would only muddy the waters
– Au101
Sep 7 at 13:07
1
@Au101 It would probably be funnier if the situation was framed as a negative, e.g. *"I wonder who brought these donuts into the office? I think someone is trying to fatten us up. It can't be Jimmy ..."
– Andrew
Sep 7 at 16:45
@MrinalKamboj edited, but it's kind of the same either way.
– Andrew
Sep 7 at 16:52
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
Context is everything, and I wouldn't dare to claim that you can't use "alibi" in a positive or ironic way.
That said, with its strong connotations with criminal proceedings, the word alibi will tend to color whatever you need an alibi for rather negatively. And in my opinion, it's going to be rather difficult to subvert that negative undertone.
Your example sentence makes me think that you consider being smart to be something rather shameful - probably not what you intend to communicate.
answered Sep 7 at 11:14
Maciej Stachowski
4,72411320
Please review the edit, re-worded the last part with a different example
– Mrinal Kamboj
Sep 7 at 11:30
@MrinalKamboj that works, although it's no longer a positive.
– Maciej Stachowski
Sep 7 at 11:40
Yes not positive but also not negative, therefore neutral in my view
– Mrinal Kamboj
Sep 7 at 11:50
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
8
down vote
accepted
"Alibi" is actually neutral, and the only reason you think it's negative is that it most often appears in legal drama to explain why the authorities can't arrest someone who the audience already know is guilty. In real life, the police routinely rule out suspects to a crime who have perfectly legitimate alibis.
It's a logical stretch, however, to turn "alibi" into a positive, since it's literally an excuse why someone could not have perpetrated some negative act. You would not say someone has an alibi for why they couldn't have done some good deed, for example:
I wonder who brought donuts into the office this morning? It can't be Jimmy, he has the alibi that he's out sick.
Instead you would simply say that it can't be Jimmy because he's out sick.
In any case, "alibi" does not mean "synonym". Instead just say "means", or possibly, "is code for", to suggest a term has hidden connotations.
In this context, "ambitious" is code for "ruthless".
There are many such phrases. For example, my wife used to work for a well-known self-help coach who told them that when he said someone was an "aggressive go-getter" it was code for "ball-busting bastard".
Better watch out for the new manager. He's an aggressive go-getter who will make your life a living hell.
answered Sep 7 at 11:21
Andrew
56.7k564124
Please review the edit, re-worded the last part with a different example
– Mrinal Kamboj
Sep 7 at 11:30
1
+1! Although obviously in your doughnut example, there's the potential for humour there, but it's not worth bringing that up in the answer, it would only muddy the waters
– Au101
Sep 7 at 13:07
1
@Au101 It would probably be funnier if the situation was framed as a negative, e.g. *"I wonder who brought these donuts into the office? I think someone is trying to fatten us up. It can't be Jimmy ..."
– Andrew
Sep 7 at 16:45
@MrinalKamboj edited, but it's kind of the same either way.
– Andrew
Sep 7 at 16:52
add a comment |Â
up vote
8
down vote
accepted
"Alibi" is actually neutral, and the only reason you think it's negative is that it most often appears in legal drama to explain why the authorities can't arrest someone who the audience already know is guilty. In real life, the police routinely rule out suspects to a crime who have perfectly legitimate alibis.
It's a logical stretch, however, to turn "alibi" into a positive, since it's literally an excuse why someone could not have perpetrated some negative act. You would not say someone has an alibi for why they couldn't have done some good deed, for example:
I wonder who brought donuts into the office this morning? It can't be Jimmy, he has the alibi that he's out sick.
Instead you would simply say that it can't be Jimmy because he's out sick.
In any case, "alibi" does not mean "synonym". Instead just say "means", or possibly, "is code for", to suggest a term has hidden connotations.
In this context, "ambitious" is code for "ruthless".
There are many such phrases. For example, my wife used to work for a well-known self-help coach who told them that when he said someone was an "aggressive go-getter" it was code for "ball-busting bastard".
Better watch out for the new manager. He's an aggressive go-getter who will make your life a living hell.
answered Sep 7 at 11:21
Andrew
56.7k564124
Please review the edit, re-worded the last part with a different example
– Mrinal Kamboj
Sep 7 at 11:30
1
+1! Although obviously in your doughnut example, there's the potential for humour there, but it's not worth bringing that up in the answer, it would only muddy the waters
– Au101
Sep 7 at 13:07
1
@Au101 It would probably be funnier if the situation was framed as a negative, e.g. *"I wonder who brought these donuts into the office? I think someone is trying to fatten us up. It can't be Jimmy ..."
– Andrew
Sep 7 at 16:45
@MrinalKamboj edited, but it's kind of the same either way.
– Andrew
Sep 7 at 16:52
add a comment |Â
up vote
8
down vote
accepted
up vote
8
down vote
accepted
"Alibi" is actually neutral, and the only reason you think it's negative is that it most often appears in legal drama to explain why the authorities can't arrest someone who the audience already know is guilty. In real life, the police routinely rule out suspects to a crime who have perfectly legitimate alibis.
It's a logical stretch, however, to turn "alibi" into a positive, since it's literally an excuse why someone could not have perpetrated some negative act. You would not say someone has an alibi for why they couldn't have done some good deed, for example:
I wonder who brought donuts into the office this morning? It can't be Jimmy, he has the alibi that he's out sick.
Instead you would simply say that it can't be Jimmy because he's out sick.
In any case, "alibi" does not mean "synonym". Instead just say "means", or possibly, "is code for", to suggest a term has hidden connotations.
In this context, "ambitious" is code for "ruthless".
There are many such phrases. For example, my wife used to work for a well-known self-help coach who told them that when he said someone was an "aggressive go-getter" it was code for "ball-busting bastard".
Better watch out for the new manager. He's an aggressive go-getter who will make your life a living hell.
answered Sep 7 at 11:21
Andrew
56.7k564124
"Alibi" is actually neutral, and the only reason you think it's negative is that it most often appears in legal drama to explain why the authorities can't arrest someone who the audience already know is guilty. In real life, the police routinely rule out suspects to a crime who have perfectly legitimate alibis.
It's a logical stretch, however, to turn "alibi" into a positive, since it's literally an excuse why someone could not have perpetrated some negative act. You would not say someone has an alibi for why they couldn't have done some good deed, for example:
I wonder who brought donuts into the office this morning? It can't be Jimmy, he has the alibi that he's out sick.
Instead you would simply say that it can't be Jimmy because he's out sick.
In any case, "alibi" does not mean "synonym". Instead just say "means", or possibly, "is code for", to suggest a term has hidden connotations.
In this context, "ambitious" is code for "ruthless".
There are many such phrases. For example, my wife used to work for a well-known self-help coach who told them that when he said someone was an "aggressive go-getter" it was code for "ball-busting bastard".
Better watch out for the new manager. He's an aggressive go-getter who will make your life a living hell.
answered Sep 7 at 11:21
Andrew
56.7k564124
edited Sep 7 at 16:51
answered Sep 7 at 11:21
Andrew
56.7k564124
answered Sep 7 at 11:21
Andrew
56.7k564124
answered Sep 7 at 11:21
Andrew
56.7k564124
56.7k564124
Please review the edit, re-worded the last part with a different example
– Mrinal Kamboj
Sep 7 at 11:30
1
+1! Although obviously in your doughnut example, there's the potential for humour there, but it's not worth bringing that up in the answer, it would only muddy the waters
– Au101
Sep 7 at 13:07
1
@Au101 It would probably be funnier if the situation was framed as a negative, e.g. *"I wonder who brought these donuts into the office? I think someone is trying to fatten us up. It can't be Jimmy ..."
– Andrew
Sep 7 at 16:45
@MrinalKamboj edited, but it's kind of the same either way.
– Andrew
Sep 7 at 16:52
add a comment |Â
Please review the edit, re-worded the last part with a different example
– Mrinal Kamboj
Sep 7 at 11:30
1
+1! Although obviously in your doughnut example, there's the potential for humour there, but it's not worth bringing that up in the answer, it would only muddy the waters
– Au101
Sep 7 at 13:07
1
@Au101 It would probably be funnier if the situation was framed as a negative, e.g. *"I wonder who brought these donuts into the office? I think someone is trying to fatten us up. It can't be Jimmy ..."
– Andrew
Sep 7 at 16:45
@MrinalKamboj edited, but it's kind of the same either way.
– Andrew
Sep 7 at 16:52
Please review the edit, re-worded the last part with a different example
– Mrinal Kamboj
Sep 7 at 11:30
Please review the edit, re-worded the last part with a different example
– Mrinal Kamboj
Sep 7 at 11:30
1
1
+1! Although obviously in your doughnut example, there's the potential for humour there, but it's not worth bringing that up in the answer, it would only muddy the waters
– Au101
Sep 7 at 13:07
+1! Although obviously in your doughnut example, there's the potential for humour there, but it's not worth bringing that up in the answer, it would only muddy the waters
– Au101
Sep 7 at 13:07
1
1
@Au101 It would probably be funnier if the situation was framed as a negative, e.g. *"I wonder who brought these donuts into the office? I think someone is trying to fatten us up. It can't be Jimmy ..."
– Andrew
Sep 7 at 16:45
@Au101 It would probably be funnier if the situation was framed as a negative, e.g. *"I wonder who brought these donuts into the office? I think someone is trying to fatten us up. It can't be Jimmy ..."
– Andrew
Sep 7 at 16:45
@MrinalKamboj edited, but it's kind of the same either way.
– Andrew
Sep 7 at 16:52
@MrinalKamboj edited, but it's kind of the same either way.
– Andrew
Sep 7 at 16:52
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
Context is everything, and I wouldn't dare to claim that you can't use "alibi" in a positive or ironic way.
That said, with its strong connotations with criminal proceedings, the word alibi will tend to color whatever you need an alibi for rather negatively. And in my opinion, it's going to be rather difficult to subvert that negative undertone.
Your example sentence makes me think that you consider being smart to be something rather shameful - probably not what you intend to communicate.
answered Sep 7 at 11:14
Maciej Stachowski
4,72411320
Please review the edit, re-worded the last part with a different example
– Mrinal Kamboj
Sep 7 at 11:30
@MrinalKamboj that works, although it's no longer a positive.
– Maciej Stachowski
Sep 7 at 11:40
Yes not positive but also not negative, therefore neutral in my view
– Mrinal Kamboj
Sep 7 at 11:50
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
Context is everything, and I wouldn't dare to claim that you can't use "alibi" in a positive or ironic way.
That said, with its strong connotations with criminal proceedings, the word alibi will tend to color whatever you need an alibi for rather negatively. And in my opinion, it's going to be rather difficult to subvert that negative undertone.
Your example sentence makes me think that you consider being smart to be something rather shameful - probably not what you intend to communicate.
answered Sep 7 at 11:14
Maciej Stachowski
4,72411320
Please review the edit, re-worded the last part with a different example
– Mrinal Kamboj
Sep 7 at 11:30
@MrinalKamboj that works, although it's no longer a positive.
– Maciej Stachowski
Sep 7 at 11:40
Yes not positive but also not negative, therefore neutral in my view
– Mrinal Kamboj
Sep 7 at 11:50
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
up vote
5
down vote
Context is everything, and I wouldn't dare to claim that you can't use "alibi" in a positive or ironic way.
That said, with its strong connotations with criminal proceedings, the word alibi will tend to color whatever you need an alibi for rather negatively. And in my opinion, it's going to be rather difficult to subvert that negative undertone.
Your example sentence makes me think that you consider being smart to be something rather shameful - probably not what you intend to communicate.
answered Sep 7 at 11:14
Maciej Stachowski
4,72411320
Context is everything, and I wouldn't dare to claim that you can't use "alibi" in a positive or ironic way.
That said, with its strong connotations with criminal proceedings, the word alibi will tend to color whatever you need an alibi for rather negatively. And in my opinion, it's going to be rather difficult to subvert that negative undertone.
Your example sentence makes me think that you consider being smart to be something rather shameful - probably not what you intend to communicate.
answered Sep 7 at 11:14
Maciej Stachowski
4,72411320
answered Sep 7 at 11:14
Maciej Stachowski
4,72411320
answered Sep 7 at 11:14
Maciej Stachowski
4,72411320
answered Sep 7 at 11:14
Maciej Stachowski
4,72411320
4,72411320
Please review the edit, re-worded the last part with a different example
– Mrinal Kamboj
Sep 7 at 11:30
@MrinalKamboj that works, although it's no longer a positive.
– Maciej Stachowski
Sep 7 at 11:40
Yes not positive but also not negative, therefore neutral in my view
– Mrinal Kamboj
Sep 7 at 11:50
add a comment |Â
Please review the edit, re-worded the last part with a different example
– Mrinal Kamboj
Sep 7 at 11:30
@MrinalKamboj that works, although it's no longer a positive.
– Maciej Stachowski
Sep 7 at 11:40
Yes not positive but also not negative, therefore neutral in my view
– Mrinal Kamboj
Sep 7 at 11:50
Please review the edit, re-worded the last part with a different example
– Mrinal Kamboj
Sep 7 at 11:30
Please review the edit, re-worded the last part with a different example
– Mrinal Kamboj
Sep 7 at 11:30
@MrinalKamboj that works, although it's no longer a positive.
– Maciej Stachowski
Sep 7 at 11:40
@MrinalKamboj that works, although it's no longer a positive.
– Maciej Stachowski
Sep 7 at 11:40
Yes not positive but also not negative, therefore neutral in my view
– Mrinal Kamboj
Sep 7 at 11:50
Yes not positive but also not negative, therefore neutral in my view
– Mrinal Kamboj
Sep 7 at 11:50
add a comment |Â
Mrinal Kamboj is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Mrinal Kamboj is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Mrinal Kamboj is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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1
Aside from the fact I don't think it will work that way even in general terms, "Playful is an alibi for the Smart" means absolutely nothing to me. I cannot extract your intent from it at all.
– Tetsujin
Sep 7 at 11:06
1
You should never quote a Google search. It's not a reliable quotation, and it will produce different results for different people. I have replaced your quotation with the definition given by Oxford Dictionaries—which seems to be where most of your text came from.
– Jason Bassford
Sep 7 at 11:42
I also added back the original version of your phrase in a notation since two existing answers based themselves on it. (Otherwise, people might downvote them for thinking they aren't relevant to your question.)
– Jason Bassford
Sep 7 at 11:49
@JasonBassford thank you for the correction, still learning how to ask the questions in a correct and clear way
– Mrinal Kamboj
Sep 7 at 11:49
1
To me, it sounds like somebody is mistaking "alibi" for "alias". "Ambitious is an alias for (the) Ruthless" sounds correct' "Ambitious is an alibi for (the) Ruthless" doesn't.
– Mark Beadles
Sep 7 at 14:19