But even the word "bar" could have different meanings.  For instance, on my Transam ride in 2015 I used the term BAR to refer to Bicycle Altitude Record.

Bicycle Altitude Records can be both high and low.

Ski Inn Bar was an easy to spell lunch spot. Hemisfere is slightly more difficult. ;-)

Never mind the spelling. You Americans should come to terms with a frown being what the rest of the world thinks it is and not what you think. And to table a motion means to put it down for discussion, not to remove it from the agenda.

How the rest of the world sighs in weary amusement when it sees you get things so wrong... :-)

Hi Leo

Meaning of To table a motion

Just another instance where the people in the land of the free and home of the brave differ from TROTW.

Mike

I’ve always wondered why the meaning of tabling something didn’t seem to mean what I thought it should.  Being in Canada, we are between two (sometimes opposing) worlds, language-wise.  I never investigated, preferring to just avoid formal meetings.  But the usage that really bothered me is when people “motion” things in those meetings.

Riding a bike is much better than sitting in meetings!

Bless the Beebs for casting a sane light on this subject:

https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p09fv1w9/why-us-english-is-a-history-lesson-for-the-british

You Americans should come to terms with a frown being what the rest of the world thinks it is and not what you think.

Leo, I think a frown means disapproval. That's what most dictionaries say. Is that a uniquely American meaning? Does the expression mean something different in other places, such as confusion or listening carefully?

Now I understand. You are referring to the appearance of a frown, not so much the message of a frown.

What a Frown Means

"A wrinkling of the brow in displeasure" or "downward facing mouth expressing sadness". Thanks for educating me.

I find it nearly impossible to do one without the other. To me it's all one expression.

Surely every language and culture has common phrases that are literal nonsense.

My favorites in US English are:

"The alarm goes off at 7 AM" means that the alarm goes ON at 7 AM.
"A near miss" means you nearly hit something.
Oxymorons such as "awfully good" and "jumbo shrimp".

Hi Jacquie

Are you saying that people in your neck of the woods are using the noun "motion"as a verb?

When I was a young bloke I was a member of Jaycees/Junior Chamber and they were big on the Parliamentary Procedure stuff. So

The motion is that  "Riding a bike is much better than sitting in meetings!"

and I so move.

Cheers

Mike