instruction:
Generate the answer for a given question. The question requires common knowledge of English. Make sure that the answer is in detail, long, consistent with the context, and requires general knowledge of English. To be less repetitive, please vary your language for each question. Give a proper explanation to answer, and if necessary, provide the definition of various terms. And conclude your answer if it's long. If you have used other resources (e.g., Merriam Webster's.) to answer the question, include citations in your answer. You don't need to paraphrase the context of your resources, but make sure that your answer is consistent and complete.
question:
In my language, when I write an email to my professor, boss, etc, there is a greeting part in the first part of email right after 'Dear prof. ...'(in my language of course), e.g. 'How are you', 'I hope everything is alright' and so on. But I don't have any idea how can I write a proper email with such a greeting in English? Or do I have to ignore it because the email is kinda formal?.
answer:
I almost always start formal e-mails with Dear Professor _, I hope this note finds you well. Some guidelines will suggest ending your salutation with a colon rather than a comma, but in many circumstances a comma is acceptable. If the person's title is 'professor,' you should spell it out (not 'prof.') and begin it with a capital letter when it precedes the person's name (as it would in your example). 'I hope this note (or letter) finds you well' politely establishes a friendly connection between you and the recipient of your letter and in most circumstances is a great way to start it. Especially if you're asking for something, it's good to indicate your concern for the person you're writing to. For the same reason, it's a good idea to end the letter with a phrase or sentence that will similarly show interest in their work or their well-being. 'Best regards,' is fine, but if you can tailor it in a way that's a bit more thoughtful, it's better. 'I hope your book/project continues to go smoothly.' (This can be followed by a 'Best regards.') If this is a person you don't know, you may have to settle for a generic 'Best regards' alone.


question:
I'm trying to find a humorous term for someone who still has an overdue library book after a number of years. I first came up with 'delinquent lendee', but I'm sure there's something more apropos or alliterative.
answer:
Here are a few I came up with, choose one that suits you: Book-Bandit Book-Clip Book-Plunderer Book-Pocket Book-Lifter Library-Climber Library-Breaker Book-Breaker Biblio-Bandit Lendup-Artist Biblio-Bezzler Biblio-Prowler Book-Prowler


question:
I sometimes see the term 'critical but stable' in the news. It is often used to describe someone who has been very seriously injured. For example (15 December 2019): '[A police officer] said the man who had been shot was in a 'critical but stable ' condition in hospital.' I understand that 'critically ill' means that life is in danger. Similarly 'stable' is the opposite. Quotes from www.lexico.com critically To an extreme degree with a risk of death. 'two critically wounded people died in hospital'. 'critically ill patients who were awaiting surgery' stable (of a patient or their medical condition) not deteriorating in health after an injury or operation. 'he is now in a stable condition in hospital' What does 'critical but stable' really mean?.
answer:

You specify British English but the only other answer with a quote is from a US source. I was curious if it was materially different in the UK. The UK newspaper article critical and serious condition: what hospitals mean when they report a patient's state indicates it means much the same here. (the bolded part is the direct answer to your question) Sometimes, people will include a suggestion of whether someone's condition is stable, improving or getting worse. A 'Critical but stable' condition, for instance, indicates that someone is in a bad state but not likely to get worse in the short-term. Others recommend against using that phrasing, however, since being in a critical condition implies that a patient vital signs are not stable.


