Email away? Practice away?

Posted by Smokey Stover on April 25, 2004

In Reply to: Email away? Practice away? posted by Joanie on April 25, 2004

: Hello
: Do people commonly use "away" in *Email away? and Practice away?* as an expression "to do what you like?"

: Thanks!

The answer to your question is a firm "Yes and no." "E-mail away" would presumably mean "Go ahead and E-mail to your heart's content," and "Practice away" the same, mutatis mutandis. But one is not likely to hear either phrase very often. "Child: Mom, I feel like practicing the piano now. Mom: Well, practice away, honey!" Yeah, right! But the adverb "away" is often used as you suggest, to mean "as you like." You wanna chop this down? Chop away. SS