Meaning of 'can't stand'

Hello! How is it going? Thanks in advance!

1.- “I can?t stand any more!”

2.- “I can?t stand it anymore!”

I always learnt the first one to mean
I am fed up with something I detest, I
don?t like… an unpleasant situation but I have
seen the second sentence written in some
songs…

My questions:

1.- Do I need that pronoun “It” or
I must always omit it?

2.- Is there any difference between
“ANY MORE” and “ANYMORE”?
I am a little bit confused.
Isn?t it just one word and not two?

Thanks a lot again!

Jes?s

Hello Jesus

Stand is a verb that needs an object whenever we use it in the sense of “endure something or somebody”. Remember:

1- Never use it in continuous tenses.
2- It is used especially in negative sentences or in interrogative with can / could. See below:

1- I can’t stand hot weather.
2- My nerves won’t stand the strain much longer.
3- He says he will stand no nonsense.
4- I can’t stand him.( I almost hate him)
5- I can’t stand being kept waiting.

Any more (British)
Anymore (Amr)

Both are correct.

Tom

Hi Jesus1

1.- “I can?t stand any more!”
This would mean, for example, "I can’t stand any further nonsense from you.

2.- “I can?t stand it anymore!
The word anymore in this sentence means b any longer[/b].

Your questions were:

1.- Do I need that pronoun “It” or
I must always omit it?

Sentence (1) is correct without “it” (because it is understood). If you wanted to add it to the first sentence (1), this is how you would do it:
“I can?t stand any more of it!”

Sentence (2) is also correct and the word it must be left in the sentence exactly where it is!

2.- Is there any difference between
“ANY MORE” and “ANYMORE”?

Yes, there is a difference:

  • (not) anymore = no longer or not any longer
  • (not) any more = no more (of something) or not any further (something)

Tom
I believe the usages (above) of anymore and any more are exactly the same in the UK and in the USA.

A further way tho use anymore is with the same meaning as nowadays. This usage is regional in the US (i.e. not used everywhere). But I’ve also read that it’s used this way in Ireland, too.

Amy

Dear Amy

You wrote:

[b] ""Yes, there is a difference:

  • (not) anymore = no longer or not any longer
  • (not) any more = no more (of something) or not any further (something) " [/b]

Please use them in sentence for our better understanding of it. Besides, could you also please use it in the sense of “nowadays”? I would be very thankful.

Tom

Hi Tom

Here are some examples:

any more:
I don’t want to hear any more complaints.
I don’t want to hear any more of your complaining.

anymore:
I don’t live in the USA anymore.

anymore (meaning nowadays):
We only use E-mail anymore.

Amy

Hi! First of all, thanks a lot for your replies.

I still have one question to ask:

I understand what you said, Amy. But, could it be possible to use both sentences for one specific situation?

Imagine a stormy relationship:

1.- I can?t stand any more
2.- I can?t stand it anymore.

My questions: Has the first sentence to do with, for
instance, insults, threads… everything
that makes that relationship stormy?:
1.- I can?t stand any more= I can?t stand any more insults…

And has the second one to do more with
the relationship in itself? Even insults,
threads… would be considered as well here
cause?they are part of that relationship, not?

2.-I can?t stand it anymore= I can?t stand it(relationship) any longer

I am still wondering if something that you
can?t stand any more isn?t because
you can?t stand it anymore. Why then that
difference between “any more and anymore”?
What do you think?

Thanks a million!

The easiest things are often the most difficult!

Jes?s

Have a nice day!

Hi Jesus

Yes, your two “can’t stand” sentences have pretty much the same meaning. Only the sentence structure would be slightly different — depending on whether you use anymore or any more. But since any more and anymore sound the same when spoken, you mainly only have to be careful in written English. :lol:

Using the word “relationship”, your two sentences would be:

I can’t stand any more of this relationship.
I can’t stand this relationship anymore.

But, don’t forget, if you write a different sentence, then only one of the two may be possible. For example:

I don’t live in the USA anymore.
(You cannot write “any more” here … at least not if you want to be 100% correct. :lol:)

Hi Cap’n Jan

Oh dear, sorry to hear about the Collins mutiny.
Did you also look under just the word “any”?

I have an additional option for your “Should I? list”:
You could pencil in anymore and any more :lol:

Amy

Ian, look under the word ‘more’. In some British dictionaries, you won’t find the word ‘anymore’, since they write it in two words. It’s one of those interesting British/American differences again.

Well, shiver me timbers!

Are you saying that the Brits don’t know about this lovely distinction, Conchita? :shock:

Guess I’d better go fling myself overboard. :lol:

Amy

Dear Amy

What is shiver me timbers and fling overboard ?

Thanks

Tom

Hi Tom

I wrote “Shiver me timbers” especially in honor of Cap’n Jan (who seems to have now become the Pirate Watchkeeper :lol:)
Since nobody seems to be 100% sure exactly where this expression came from, here is a link where you can read a variety of theories:
answerbag.com/q_view.php/16871

To make a long story short, “Shiver me timbers” is supposedly what sailors (or pirates) shout to show surprise or disbelief and was said (by the pirate) in Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel Treasure Island.

Fling means throw. And if you throw yourself off a ship, you’ve thrown yourself overboard. Flinging yourself is simply more dramatic than throwing yourself. :lol:

Amy