A police officer was standing over/by me.

[angliholic]

Suddenly, I awakened. It was very quiet. A police officer was standing over/by me. I saw a doctor. My body was mangled. I was saturated with blood.



For a start, what are the differences between "standing over" and "standing by" in the above?
Second, could I use "by" to replace "with" in the above context? If not, what does "with" mean? Thanks.

 

[buggles]

The police officer can only stand over you if you are, say, on the floor.
If he stands by you, he stands next to you.
It would not be usual to replace with with by in this context.
Being saturated with implies its your own blood and that it's not just happened. Saturated by implies that the blood was falling on to you.
The differences are very subtle, but they can influence your understanding of what the writer is trying to say.
Hope this helps.

 

[angliholic]

The police officer can only stand over you if you are, say, on the floor.
If he stands by you, he stands next to you.
It would not be usual to replace with with by in this context.
Being saturated with implies its your own blood and that it's not just happened. Saturated by implies that the blood was falling on to you.
The differences are very subtle, but they can influence your understanding of what the writer is trying to say.
Hope this helps.

Thanks, buggles.

But I still have two questions: one is about "stand over me." How should I interpret it? The second is "be saturated with." What does it mean?

 

[Anglika]

Thanks, buggles.

But I still have two questions: one is about "stand over me." How should I interpret it? The second is "be saturated with." What does it mean?

#1 Think about yourself lying on the ground. Someone is standing beside you, possibly looking down at you. That person is standing over you.

#2 Think of dropping a garment into a pool of water and lifting it out. That garment will be soaked = saturated with water - its fibres and structure will be filled with the liquid. In the sample text you gave, being saturated with blood means there is a lot of blood and you with your garments are soaked with it.

 

[2006]

Suddenly, I awakened. It was very quiet. A police officer was standing over/by me. I saw a doctor. My body was mangled. I was saturated with blood.



For a start, what are the differences between "standing over" and "standing by" in the above?
It's a matter of closeness.
Standing over me means standing so close to me that his shoes were almost touching me and part of his body or clothing was hanging over me. Probably he was leaning over me to have a better look, and then part of his body was really over me.

Standing by me means that he was farther away, and I guess you would have to say far enough away that no part of him was over me.
Second, could I use "by" to replace "with" in the above context? If not, what does "with" mean? Thanks.
I wouldn't use "saturated by", and it doesn't matter whose blood it is.
Actually, we don't say a body is saturated with blood, but we do say a body is covered with blood. Clothes and bandages can be saturated with blood.

saturated, adj. full of moisture, made thoroughly wet
covered with blood, is the same meaning as covered with blankets, covered with snow, etc.

2006

 

[belly_ttt]

HM.... stand over sb :be near sb and watch them:
I don’t like you standing over me while I’m cooking. (Oxford dictionary)

The example above said nothing about lying on the ground or anything... Could you go over agan?

 

[2006]

HM.... stand over sb :be near sb and watch them:
I don’t like you standing over me while I’m cooking. (Oxford dictionary)
In this example, stand over is an idiom, and does not have the literal meaning of that in the original post.

The example above said nothing about lying on the ground or anything.
Which "above example", the one in the original post or in your cooking example?
In the original post, the patient likely was on some kind of stretcher or bed in an ambulance or hospital, but he could have been on the ground or the floor. The answer would not change, except for the part about 'shoes..touching', which would only apply if the person was lying on the ground or floor. (or if the officer decided to stand on the bed )
quote]
2006

 

[belly_ttt]

But why don't you consider it as an idiom in this case? I think the idiom applies well not only in cooking situation but others as well?

 

[2006]

But why don't you consider it as an idiom in this case? I think the idiom applies well not only in cooking situation but others as well?

It is NOT AN IDIOM in this case because the officer is ACTUALLY STANDING OVER the person!

 

[belly_ttt]

Please, do you have to caplock, 2006? Besides, stand over is not an idiom, it's a phrasal verb

 

[2006]

Please, do you have to caplock, 2006? Besides, stand over is not an idiom, it's a phrasal verb

There are two meanings of "stand over"; one is a phrasal verb and one is an idiom.

If I use capitalization for emphasis, why is it a problem for you? And don't say it constitutes 'shouting' because I don't believe that.

 

[belly_ttt]

It's a matter of politeness, 2006. So, if we consider stand over a phrasal verb here, why can't it fit the context?

 

[Anglika]

If I use capitalization for emphasis, why is it a problem for you? And don't say it constitutes 'shouting' because I don't believe that.

We do prefer emphasis to be made by other means than capital letters. Bolding, italics, underline or colour all do the job without offence.

 

[heidita]

If I use capitalization for emphasis, why is it a problem for you? And don't say it constitutes 'shouting' because I don't believe that.

It does imply shouting, 2006.

It's a matter of politeness, 2006. So, if we consider stand over a phrasal verb here, why can't it fit the context?

Hi belly, it doesn't fit into the context as we are talking about a sick person lying on the floor.

To stand over, as an idiom, is something like: look over my shoulder when I am doing something. (for example at work, the boss might stand over you)

Happy New Year to all of you!

cheers

 

[2006]

It does imply shouting, 2006.

To me this is shouting, but because people seem sensitive I will now use other methods for emphasis. :lilangel: