Petition re Madeleine McCann on Prime Minister's website

[jassi]

A mere drop in the ocean of taxpayer expenditure, I expect.

[Alfred R Jones]

A mere drop in the ocean of taxpayer expenditure, I expect.

as is £12m on the Madeleine investigation.

[stephen25000]

as is £12m on the Madeleine investigation.

and completely wasted as predicted.

[Alfred R Jones]

and completely wasted as predicted.

not completely - it's given you something to moan about for the last few years.

[jassi]

not completely - it's given you something to moan about for the last few years.

God yes, and worth every penny. 

[stephen25000]

not completely - it's given you something to moan about for the last few years.

Not really.

There are plenty of other things to moan about as well. *&*%£

[blonk]

Just pointing out that probably is a synonym of perhaps, therefore not evidence.

Er, forgive me, @ Erngath, but I think you mean that probably is an antonym of perhaps.

Agreed? 

[Brietta]

Er, forgive me, @ Erngath, but I think you mean that probably is an antonym of perhaps.

Agreed?

I think Erngath has got it right; I'm with him on the synonym; unless you can show us where we are going wrong.
Not that it really matters.

Synonyms and Antonyms of probably

by reasonable assumption <we would probably win that bet>
Synonyms assumably, doubtless, likely, presumably

Related Words maybe, mayhap, perchance, perhaps, possibly; conceivably, imaginably, plausibly, practically, reasonably; potentially; assuredly, certainly, clearly, conclusively, decisively, definitely, definitively, indisputably, indubitably, positively, really, surely, truly, undeniably, undoubtedly, unquestionably; presumedly, supposably, supposedly
Phrases as like as not (or like as not)

Near Antonyms implausibly, inconceivably, incredibly, unbelievably, unthinkably

Antonyms improbably
http://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/probably

[blonk]

I think Erngath has got it right; I'm with him on the synonym; unless you can show us where we are going wrong.
Not that it really matters.

Synonyms and Antonyms of probably

by reasonable assumption <we would probably win that bet>
Synonyms assumably, doubtless, likely, presumably

Related Words maybe, mayhap, perchance, perhaps, possibly; conceivably, imaginably, plausibly, practically, reasonably; potentially; assuredly, certainly, clearly, conclusively, decisively, definitely, definitively, indisputably, indubitably, positively, really, surely, truly, undeniably, undoubtedly, unquestionably; presumedly, supposably, supposedly
Phrases as like as not (or like as not)

Near Antonyms implausibly, inconceivably, incredibly, unbelievably, unthinkably

Antonyms improbably
http://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/probably

Thanks. The two words 'probable' and 'perhaps' have quite different meanings. They are most certainly NOT synonyms.

Erngath wrote:  "Just pointing out that probably is a synonym of perhaps".

Look above.

'Probably' is in the above list as a SYNONYM (Same as or similar meaning) with: assumably, doubtless, likely, presumably. The meaning is that something is very likely, probable to happen.

'Perhaps' does NOT carry the same or similar meaning as 'probably'. It is therefore NOT a Synonym.

Compare:

"It's probable that the Conservatives will win the next General Election" with

"Perhaps UKIP or the Greens will win the next General Election".       

Words like 'improbable' and 'implausible' are shown as ANTONYMS (i.e. opposites to 'probable'),  meaning that something is unlikely to happen.       

I thought Erngarth meant that the words 'probable' and 'perhaps' have similar meaning, which clearly they do not.

I will cheerfully concede, though, that the two words 'probably' and 'perhaps' are not strictly opposites, or antonyms, either.

All of the above words are about the likelihood, or chance, of something happening.

Strictly speaking, therefore, it is classed as a 'related' word, therefore neither synonym nor antonym of 'probably'.

I hope that clears it up     

[misty]

Deleted

[Eleanor]

Thanks. The two words 'probable' and 'perhaps' have quite different meanings. They are most certainly NOT synonyms.

Erngath wrote:  "Just pointing out that probably is a synonym of perhaps".

Look above.

'Probably' is in the above list as a SYNONYM (Same as or similar meaning) with: assumably, doubtless, likely, presumably. The meaning is that something is very likely, probable to happen.

'Perhaps' does NOT carry the same or similar meaning as 'probably'. It is therefore NOT a Synonym.

Compare:

"It's probable that the Conservatives will win the next General Election" with

"Perhaps UKIP or the Greens will win the next General Election".       

Words like 'improbable' and 'implausible' are shown as ANTONYMS (i.e. opposites to 'probable'),  meaning that something is unlikely to happen.       

I thought Erngarth meant that the words 'probable' and 'perhaps' have similar meaning, which clearly they do not.

I will cheerfully concede, though, that the two words 'probably' and 'perhaps' are not strictly opposites, or antonyms, either.

All of the above words are about the likelihood, or chance, of something happening.

Strictly speaking, therefore, it is classed as a 'related' word, therefore neither synonym nor antonym of 'probably'.

I hope that clears it up   

Well Thank You for that.  So why did you bother to raise what wasn't actually an incorrect statement in the first place?

It is never a good idea to question the  grammatical knowledge of other persons because you will always be found wanting  yourself eventually.

[Alice Purjorick]

I wonder whether the site owner had envisaged the site morphing into a sort of U3A cum O.U with threads on photography, meteorology and grammar ?
What next The Great JF Cook Off ? (well that is what it sounded like).

Wasn't Antonym the bloke who built a wall from the Forth to the Clyde?

[stephen25000]

I wonder whether the site owner had envisaged the site morphing into a sort of U3A cum O.U with threads on photography, meteorology and grammar ?
What next The Great JF Cook Off ? (well that is what it sounded like).

Wasn't Antonym the bloke who built a wall from the Forth to the Clyde?

 *&*%£

[blonk]

Thank you again to all who have signed the petition asking for the Home Office to report on Operation Grange and the role of other police forces, the government and the security services in the Madeleine McCann case.

We have 2,509 signatures so far - and there's still 16 days left to sign it before it closes: >>>

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/108562

[Eleanor]

Thank you again to all who have signed the petition asking for the Home Office to report on Operation Grange and the role of other police forces, the government and the security services in the Madeleine McCann case.

We have 2,509 signatures so far - and there's still 16 days left to sign it before it closes: >>>

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/108562

So no chance, yet again.

Oh, by the way, this is me being a "Not Moderator" for half a minute.