Get on - have a friendly relationship (with), cope it with
Give in - yield
Stand out - continue to resist
Lay by - keep for future use
Guess the meaning of the phrasal verbs given below, making use of the balloons which contain their meanings:
Give up
Lay over
Get back
Stand – offish
Stand back
Phrases and Clauses:
Identify the phrases and clauses in the following sentences:
a. In spite o-f the rain, the match continued.
b. Have belief in what you do.
c. You should sympathise with those who are struggling.
d. You must not enter wider world without knowledge.
e. If you use your opportunities properly, you will be successful in life.
Showing posts with label Idioms and Phrases. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Idioms and Phrases. Show all posts
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
Writing Skill improvement: Idioms to know
Are you idiomatic? Here are some idioms associated with music:
1. To face the music – to answer for the consequences of one’s actions
2. To harp on the same string – to make the same point over and over again
3. To strike a chord – to remind one of something ; a feeling of instant rapport with others
4. To sing someone’s praises- to speak very highly of someone
5. To make a song and dance about- to make an unnecessary fuss about
6. To beat the drum- to spread the news, support enthusiastically
7. To play second fiddle- to be treated low/ hold a position of less importance
Complete the following sentence with these idioms:
1. If you do something really good for the world, future generations will ____.
2. I don’t agree with you on this matter. So don’t______
3. If we don’t complete the work by tomorrow we will have _____
4. The president’s frank speech _____with the audience.
5. Most of the students’ _______for the Student Leader’s college campus reforms.
6. He left the company as he did not want ______ to the new manager.
7. It’s natural to feel uncomfortable when there is a power- cut during a storm. So don’t_____.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Improve your vocabulary - Idioms
1. drag up a child- bring up a child without proper training
2. done to a turn - extremely well done
3. drop out - cease to complete
4. drop-outs - those who withdraw
5. exact from - demand and get from
6. feather in one's cap - something one may feel proud of
7. follow something up - pursue
8. heart and soul - completely, with utter dedication
9. A penny for your thoughts? - What are you thinking about?
10. a chance in a million - either no chance at all or a very slim chance
11. two sides of the same coin - two contrasting characters in the same category
12. a million dollar question - a question with a much awaited and
valuable answer
13. as good as gold - very well behaved
14. to cash in on - to take advantage
15. thirty pieces of silver - the money paid to Judas lscariot for
betraying Jesus. Christ (This phrase is
used as a symbol of betrayal)
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Example Idioms - Blow your own horn, Bolt from the Blue & Break the Ice
Blow your own horn
Try to be modest in spite of your achievements. Don’t blow your own horn.
Meaning: to praise yourself; to call attention to your own merits (intelligence, skills, success or abilities); to brag about yourself.
Origin: In ancient Roman times, a blare of trumpets announced the arrival of a great hero. So the blowing of horns meant someone important was coming. Today, people who blow (or toot) their own horns are boasting about their superior qualities. Sometimes you have to do that a little (when you apply for a job, for instance), but if you do it too much, you could be called a braggart.
Bolt from the Blue
Tendulkar’s tennis elbow injury on the eve of the match came as a bolt from the blue.
Meaning: something sudden, unexpected, and shocking.
Origin: This expression has been used since at least the early 1800s.Picture a calm, clear, blue sky. You’d probably be surprised, even startled, if a bolt of lightning suddenly cracked down. In the same way, any big surprise is like lightning shooting out of a clear, blue sky.You just don’t expect it to happen. (Note: this expression usually refers to very bad news.) A related idiom is “out of the clear, blue sky”.
Born with a Silver Spoon in your Mouth
Frank always buys the finest, most expensive things. He could afford for he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
Meaning: born to wealth, comfort, and privilege.
Origin:A spoon made out of pure silver is expensive. Sometimes a silver spoon is given as a gift to a newborn baby. If a rich baby has many expensive things from the start of life, like a silver spoon (almost as if he or she were born with the spoon in his or her mouth), we can use this well-known idiom to describe that person. The phrase was used by Cervantes, the Spanish writer, in the early 1600s in the book Don Quixote.
Bottom Line
“If we don’t win this match, we’re out of the finals. That’s the bottom line.”
Meaning: the most crucial fact; the net result.
Origin: For hundreds of years accountants have added up the profits and losses of companies. The sum appears at the bottom line of a column of numbers. While “bottom line” still means a bookkeeping figure showing profit or loss; it has taken on a more general meaning since the mid-1900s and now refers to any crucial decision or final result, financial or not.
Break the Ice
“Pozhil was very shy when she met Pavithra. She didn’t know how to break the ice.”
Meaning: to overcome the first awkward difficulties in a social situation by a friendly gesture; to ease the nervousness in a situation.
Origin: As early as the late 1500s and early 1600s, writers likeShakespeare were using this expression. It originally came from navigation through waterways frozen over with ice. Special boats had to break through the ice, clearing the way before any ships could sail. The meaning was transferred to getting a conversation started or making an acquaintance. “Ice” in this idiom represents a cold or awkward feeling among people, especially strangers.
Try to be modest in spite of your achievements. Don’t blow your own horn.
Meaning: to praise yourself; to call attention to your own merits (intelligence, skills, success or abilities); to brag about yourself.
Origin: In ancient Roman times, a blare of trumpets announced the arrival of a great hero. So the blowing of horns meant someone important was coming. Today, people who blow (or toot) their own horns are boasting about their superior qualities. Sometimes you have to do that a little (when you apply for a job, for instance), but if you do it too much, you could be called a braggart.
Bolt from the Blue
Tendulkar’s tennis elbow injury on the eve of the match came as a bolt from the blue.
Meaning: something sudden, unexpected, and shocking.
Origin: This expression has been used since at least the early 1800s.Picture a calm, clear, blue sky. You’d probably be surprised, even startled, if a bolt of lightning suddenly cracked down. In the same way, any big surprise is like lightning shooting out of a clear, blue sky.You just don’t expect it to happen. (Note: this expression usually refers to very bad news.) A related idiom is “out of the clear, blue sky”.
Born with a Silver Spoon in your Mouth
Frank always buys the finest, most expensive things. He could afford for he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
Meaning: born to wealth, comfort, and privilege.
Origin:A spoon made out of pure silver is expensive. Sometimes a silver spoon is given as a gift to a newborn baby. If a rich baby has many expensive things from the start of life, like a silver spoon (almost as if he or she were born with the spoon in his or her mouth), we can use this well-known idiom to describe that person. The phrase was used by Cervantes, the Spanish writer, in the early 1600s in the book Don Quixote.
Bottom Line
“If we don’t win this match, we’re out of the finals. That’s the bottom line.”
Meaning: the most crucial fact; the net result.
Origin: For hundreds of years accountants have added up the profits and losses of companies. The sum appears at the bottom line of a column of numbers. While “bottom line” still means a bookkeeping figure showing profit or loss; it has taken on a more general meaning since the mid-1900s and now refers to any crucial decision or final result, financial or not.
Break the Ice
“Pozhil was very shy when she met Pavithra. She didn’t know how to break the ice.”
Meaning: to overcome the first awkward difficulties in a social situation by a friendly gesture; to ease the nervousness in a situation.
Origin: As early as the late 1500s and early 1600s, writers likeShakespeare were using this expression. It originally came from navigation through waterways frozen over with ice. Special boats had to break through the ice, clearing the way before any ships could sail. The meaning was transferred to getting a conversation started or making an acquaintance. “Ice” in this idiom represents a cold or awkward feeling among people, especially strangers.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Burn the Candle at both Ends & Burn the Midnight Oil - English Idioms
Burn the Candle at both Ends
“Mr. Murphy goes to college during the day and works in a restaurant at night. He doesn’t have rest at all. He’s burning the candle at both ends.”
Meaning: to overwork yourself mentally or physically and until you’re exhausted.
Origin: This was a French expression that came into English in the late 1500s. If you really took a candle and burned it at both ends, it would be used up twice as fast. That image changed to refer to people who work hard night and day and use up all their strength. We also say that you can “burn yourself out” this way.
Burn the Midnight Oil
I have a crucial test tomorrow, so I have to burn the midnight oil.
Meaning: to stay up very late at night studying or working.
Origin: This saying goes back to the days when lamps were lighted by oil and people went tobed earlier than they do today. When you burned the midnight oil in those days, you were up late working or reading by the light of an oil lamp.
“Mr. Murphy goes to college during the day and works in a restaurant at night. He doesn’t have rest at all. He’s burning the candle at both ends.”
Meaning: to overwork yourself mentally or physically and until you’re exhausted.
Origin: This was a French expression that came into English in the late 1500s. If you really took a candle and burned it at both ends, it would be used up twice as fast. That image changed to refer to people who work hard night and day and use up all their strength. We also say that you can “burn yourself out” this way.
Burn the Midnight Oil
I have a crucial test tomorrow, so I have to burn the midnight oil.
Meaning: to stay up very late at night studying or working.
Origin: This saying goes back to the days when lamps were lighted by oil and people went tobed earlier than they do today. When you burned the midnight oil in those days, you were up late working or reading by the light of an oil lamp.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Back to Square One , Beat around/about the Bush
Back to Square One
Our design for a solar-powered washing machine didn’t work, soit’s back to square one.
Meaning: return to the beginning because of a failure to accomplish the desired result.
Origin: There are many board and street games that have squares or boxes. Each player must start at the first square and try to advance to the finish line or last box to win. If, for any reason, you have to go back to square one, you’re starting over from the beginning. A similar
saying is “back to the drawing board”, where architects begin blueprints or sketches for each project. When a project fails to work out, you may have to start over again from the original drawings to improve your chances for success.
Beat around/about the Bush
“Stop beating about the bush. What exactly are you doing now?”
Meaning: to avoid answering a question; to approach something carefully or in a roundabout way.
Origin: This expression goes all the way back to the 1500s when hunters hired people called beaters to drive small animals out of the bushes so the hunters could get a better shot at them. The problem for the beaters was that they might drive the birds or rabbits or foxes out
too soon. They had to be careful not to drive the animals into the open before the hunters arrived. So the beaters might use their long sticks “around the bush” rather than directly on it. Today, the expression “to beat around the bush” means talking about things in a roundabout way without giving clear answers or coming to the point.
Our design for a solar-powered washing machine didn’t work, soit’s back to square one.
Meaning: return to the beginning because of a failure to accomplish the desired result.
Origin: There are many board and street games that have squares or boxes. Each player must start at the first square and try to advance to the finish line or last box to win. If, for any reason, you have to go back to square one, you’re starting over from the beginning. A similar
saying is “back to the drawing board”, where architects begin blueprints or sketches for each project. When a project fails to work out, you may have to start over again from the original drawings to improve your chances for success.
Beat around/about the Bush
“Stop beating about the bush. What exactly are you doing now?”
Meaning: to avoid answering a question; to approach something carefully or in a roundabout way.
Origin: This expression goes all the way back to the 1500s when hunters hired people called beaters to drive small animals out of the bushes so the hunters could get a better shot at them. The problem for the beaters was that they might drive the birds or rabbits or foxes out
too soon. They had to be careful not to drive the animals into the open before the hunters arrived. So the beaters might use their long sticks “around the bush” rather than directly on it. Today, the expression “to beat around the bush” means talking about things in a roundabout way without giving clear answers or coming to the point.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Bite off more than you can chew & Birds of a Feather Flock Together - English Idioms
Birds of a Feather Flock Together
“Everyone at that table plays soccer. No wonder they are friends. After all, birds of a feather flock together.”
Meaning: people who have things in common, such as interests and ideas, usually hang out together; people who are alike often become friends.
Origin: This saying, which is over 2,000 years old and comes from the Bible, is based on the observation that birds of the same species flock together on the ground as well as in the air. The meaning has been broadened over the years, so that “birds” means “people” and “of a feather” means “of the same type”.
Bite off more than you can chew
“You can’t captain the team, keep wickets and open the innings. Don’t bite off more than you can chew.”
Meaning: to take on a task that is more than you can accomplish; to be greedy, overconfident, or too ambitious by taking on more jobs or responsibilities than you can deal with at one time.
Origin: Versions of this saying were used in Europe in the Middle Age and ancient China. If you take a bite of food that’s too big for your mouth, you won’t be able to chew it. This idea came to mean undertaking (“biting off”) a job that’s too much for you to handle (“more than you can chew”).
“Everyone at that table plays soccer. No wonder they are friends. After all, birds of a feather flock together.”
Meaning: people who have things in common, such as interests and ideas, usually hang out together; people who are alike often become friends.
Origin: This saying, which is over 2,000 years old and comes from the Bible, is based on the observation that birds of the same species flock together on the ground as well as in the air. The meaning has been broadened over the years, so that “birds” means “people” and “of a feather” means “of the same type”.
Bite off more than you can chew
“You can’t captain the team, keep wickets and open the innings. Don’t bite off more than you can chew.”
Meaning: to take on a task that is more than you can accomplish; to be greedy, overconfident, or too ambitious by taking on more jobs or responsibilities than you can deal with at one time.
Origin: Versions of this saying were used in Europe in the Middle Age and ancient China. If you take a bite of food that’s too big for your mouth, you won’t be able to chew it. This idea came to mean undertaking (“biting off”) a job that’s too much for you to handle (“more than you can chew”).
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
English Learning Exercises - Idioms
Task 2: Complete the following idioms. Then make sentences with each so as to bring out their meanings.
1. buy a _ i _ in a poke
2. c _ _ _ it a day
3. catch someone r _ _ - h _ _ _ _ _
4. close s _ _ _ _
5. _ _ _ humble p _ _
6. e _ _ _ _ _ _ _ hour
7. _ _ _ _ out of w _ _ _ _
8. _ _ _ as a fiddle
9. hard _ _ _ to c _ _ _ _
10. in a n _ _ sh _ _ _
11. keep one’s _ _ _ _ _ _ _ crossed
12. pay through the _ _ _ _
13. put your best _ _ _ _ forward
14. raining c _ _ _ and d _ _ _
15. throw _ _ _ _ water on something
1. buy a _ i _ in a poke
2. c _ _ _ it a day
3. catch someone r _ _ - h _ _ _ _ _
4. close s _ _ _ _
5. _ _ _ humble p _ _
6. e _ _ _ _ _ _ _ hour
7. _ _ _ _ out of w _ _ _ _
8. _ _ _ as a fiddle
9. hard _ _ _ to c _ _ _ _
10. in a n _ _ sh _ _ _
11. keep one’s _ _ _ _ _ _ _ crossed
12. pay through the _ _ _ _
13. put your best _ _ _ _ forward
14. raining c _ _ _ and d _ _ _
15. throw _ _ _ _ water on something
Monday, July 25, 2011
Know Idioms - Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea & A Bird in the Hand is Worth Two in the Bush
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
“Guna had to choose between confessing that he hadn’t studied or trying to fake it. He was between the devil and the deep blue sea.”
Meaning: caught between two great dangers and not knowing what to do; in a very difficult position.
Origin: In the early 17th century the heavy plank fastened to the side of a vessel as a support for guns was called the devil. Sometimes a sailor had to go out onto this plank to do repairs to the boat. In heavy seas he would be in great danger of falling overboard and drowning
because he was between “the devil and the deep blue sea.” Over the centuries the meaning of this expression expanded to include being between two equally difficult perils of any kind.
A Bird in the Hand is Worth Two in the Bush
Take this job now because you don’t know if you’ll get the other one. Remember that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
Meaning: what you already have is better than what you might or might not get in the future; a guarantee is worth more than a promise.
Origin: This saying began as an ancient Greek proverb. Aesop used it in some of his fables. The ancient Romans repeated it, and in the 1400s it was translated into English. It comes from the sport of hunting birds. Hunters thought that a bird that you had already captured (“in
the hand”) was better than two you hadn’t yet caught (“in the bush”). Today we often hear the same advice: It is better to be content with what you already have than to reject it because you hope that something better will turn up.
“Guna had to choose between confessing that he hadn’t studied or trying to fake it. He was between the devil and the deep blue sea.”
Meaning: caught between two great dangers and not knowing what to do; in a very difficult position.
Origin: In the early 17th century the heavy plank fastened to the side of a vessel as a support for guns was called the devil. Sometimes a sailor had to go out onto this plank to do repairs to the boat. In heavy seas he would be in great danger of falling overboard and drowning
because he was between “the devil and the deep blue sea.” Over the centuries the meaning of this expression expanded to include being between two equally difficult perils of any kind.
A Bird in the Hand is Worth Two in the Bush
Take this job now because you don’t know if you’ll get the other one. Remember that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
Meaning: what you already have is better than what you might or might not get in the future; a guarantee is worth more than a promise.
Origin: This saying began as an ancient Greek proverb. Aesop used it in some of his fables. The ancient Romans repeated it, and in the 1400s it was translated into English. It comes from the sport of hunting birds. Hunters thought that a bird that you had already captured (“in
the hand”) was better than two you hadn’t yet caught (“in the bush”). Today we often hear the same advice: It is better to be content with what you already have than to reject it because you hope that something better will turn up.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Bed of Roses, Choosers & Better Half - Idioms in English
Bed of Roses
“Life is not always a bed of roses.”
Meaning: a wonderful, pleasant situation or position; an easy, comfortable life.
Origin: English poets have used this phrase for centuries. Roses are such lovely, sweet-smelling, soft-petaled flowers that a bed of them suggests a lively, sweet, and soft condition. The meaning was stretched to mean any easy and comfortable situation in life. Beggars can’t be
Choosers
“Beggars can’t be choosers. If you don’t have money to go out forpizza, you’ll have to eat in the cafeteria.”
Meaning: needy people have to take whatever they can get and cannot be concerned about the quality if they cannot afford to buy it for themselves.
Origin: This proverb has been around since the mid-1500s. It means that people who need something but who have little or no control over their situations can’t choose what they get. They have to accept what is offered.
Better Half
I’m not making a decision until I check with my better half.
Meaning: either partner in marriage.
Origin: Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who favoured strict religious discipline. They said that each person was made up of two halves, body and soul, and that the soul was the better half because it was the spiritual side. Sir Philip Sidney, an English writer, said that a marriage was made up of two halves, and that the better half was the better spouse. Today when the phrase “better half” is used, it almost always means someone’s wife, although there’s no reason why a wife can’t use the term to describe her husband. In either case, “better half” is a compliment.
“Life is not always a bed of roses.”
Meaning: a wonderful, pleasant situation or position; an easy, comfortable life.
Origin: English poets have used this phrase for centuries. Roses are such lovely, sweet-smelling, soft-petaled flowers that a bed of them suggests a lively, sweet, and soft condition. The meaning was stretched to mean any easy and comfortable situation in life. Beggars can’t be
Choosers
“Beggars can’t be choosers. If you don’t have money to go out forpizza, you’ll have to eat in the cafeteria.”
Meaning: needy people have to take whatever they can get and cannot be concerned about the quality if they cannot afford to buy it for themselves.
Origin: This proverb has been around since the mid-1500s. It means that people who need something but who have little or no control over their situations can’t choose what they get. They have to accept what is offered.
Better Half
I’m not making a decision until I check with my better half.
Meaning: either partner in marriage.
Origin: Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who favoured strict religious discipline. They said that each person was made up of two halves, body and soul, and that the soul was the better half because it was the spiritual side. Sir Philip Sidney, an English writer, said that a marriage was made up of two halves, and that the better half was the better spouse. Today when the phrase “better half” is used, it almost always means someone’s wife, although there’s no reason why a wife can’t use the term to describe her husband. In either case, “better half” is a compliment.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Understand Idioms - Ace up your Sleeve & Achilles’ Heel
Ace up your Sleeve
“I don’t know how Henry is going to get his mom to buy him a bike, but I’m sure he has an ace up his sleeve”.
Meaning: a surprise or secret advantage, especially something tricky that is kept hidden until needed.
Origin: Back in the 1500s most people didn’t have pockets in their clothes, so they kept things in their sleeves. Later on, magicians hid objects, even small live animals, up their sleeves and then pulled them out unexpectedly to surprise their audiences. In the 1800s dishonest card players secretly slipped a winning card, often an ace, up their sleeves and pulled it out when nobody was looking to win the game.
Achilles’ Heel
I’m an ‘A’ student in math and science, but English is my Achilles’ heel.
Meaning: the one weakness, fault, flaw, or vulnerable spot in one’s otherwise strong character.
Origin: In the Iliad, the famous story about the TrojanWar by theGreek poet Homer, Achilles was a great hero and warrior. However,he had one weak spot, the heel of one foot. When he was a baby, his mother wanted to be certain that her son could never be harmed, so
she dipped little Achilles upside-down in the magical River Styx. Wherever the water touched his body, he became invulnerable. But since she was holding him by his heel, that part of him never got wet. Years later Achilles was killed in the TrojanWar by an enemy who shot a poisoned arrow into his heel.
“I don’t know how Henry is going to get his mom to buy him a bike, but I’m sure he has an ace up his sleeve”.
Meaning: a surprise or secret advantage, especially something tricky that is kept hidden until needed.
Origin: Back in the 1500s most people didn’t have pockets in their clothes, so they kept things in their sleeves. Later on, magicians hid objects, even small live animals, up their sleeves and then pulled them out unexpectedly to surprise their audiences. In the 1800s dishonest card players secretly slipped a winning card, often an ace, up their sleeves and pulled it out when nobody was looking to win the game.
Achilles’ Heel
I’m an ‘A’ student in math and science, but English is my Achilles’ heel.
Meaning: the one weakness, fault, flaw, or vulnerable spot in one’s otherwise strong character.
Origin: In the Iliad, the famous story about the TrojanWar by theGreek poet Homer, Achilles was a great hero and warrior. However,he had one weak spot, the heel of one foot. When he was a baby, his mother wanted to be certain that her son could never be harmed, so
she dipped little Achilles upside-down in the magical River Styx. Wherever the water touched his body, he became invulnerable. But since she was holding him by his heel, that part of him never got wet. Years later Achilles was killed in the TrojanWar by an enemy who shot a poisoned arrow into his heel.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Idioms - Add Fuel to the Fire, All Ears & Apple of your Eye Meaning in English
Add Fuel to the Fire
“I was already angry with you, and when you forgot to pick me up, that really added fuel to the fire”.
Meaning: to make a bad situation worse; to do or say something that causes more trouble, makes someone angrier.
Origin: Thousands of years ago the famous Roman historian Livy used this expression. If you pour water on a fire, it goes out. But if you put fuel (like coal or wood) on a fire, you make it burn hotter and brighter. If “fire” represents any kind of trouble, then anything you do to make that trouble worse is “fuel”. A similar expression is “fan the flames”.
All Ears
“You said you had something important to tell me. I’m all ears!”
Meaning: eager to listen; sharply attentive; curious
Origin: The ear is the organ by which a person hears. So, if we figuratively say that you’re “all ears,” it means that at that moment you’re keenly listening to whatever is being said. It’s as if no other part of your body mattered except your ears. This idiom is about three
centuries old.
Apple of your Eye
“Kareem is the apple of my eye”.
Meaning: a person/thing that is greatly loved/treasured/ adored.
Origin: This saying is used in the Bible. Ancient people thought that the pupil of the eye was solid and shaped like an apple. The pupil (“apple of the eye”) was precious because without it, you couldn’t see.
“I was already angry with you, and when you forgot to pick me up, that really added fuel to the fire”.
Meaning: to make a bad situation worse; to do or say something that causes more trouble, makes someone angrier.
Origin: Thousands of years ago the famous Roman historian Livy used this expression. If you pour water on a fire, it goes out. But if you put fuel (like coal or wood) on a fire, you make it burn hotter and brighter. If “fire” represents any kind of trouble, then anything you do to make that trouble worse is “fuel”. A similar expression is “fan the flames”.
All Ears
“You said you had something important to tell me. I’m all ears!”
Meaning: eager to listen; sharply attentive; curious
Origin: The ear is the organ by which a person hears. So, if we figuratively say that you’re “all ears,” it means that at that moment you’re keenly listening to whatever is being said. It’s as if no other part of your body mattered except your ears. This idiom is about three
centuries old.
Apple of your Eye
“Kareem is the apple of my eye”.
Meaning: a person/thing that is greatly loved/treasured/ adored.
Origin: This saying is used in the Bible. Ancient people thought that the pupil of the eye was solid and shaped like an apple. The pupil (“apple of the eye”) was precious because without it, you couldn’t see.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
What are Idioms and where did come from
IDIOMS
What are idioms?
Idioms are groups of words with special, specific meanings. They are often confusing because the meaning of the whole group of words that form an idiom has little, often nothing, to do with the meanings of the words taken one by one.
Idioms appear in every language, and English has thousands of them.
In order to understand a language, you must know what the idioms in that language mean. If you try to figure out the meaning of an idiom literally, word by word, you will get befuddled. You have to know its “hidden” meaning.
For instance, to “let the cat out of the bag” means to reveal a secret. Today the phrase has nothing to do with a cat or a bag, but hundreds of years ago, it actually did.
We use idioms:
• to be different
• to play with words
• to be amusing or witty
• to put other people at ease, even in the most formal situations
• to communicate more clearly and more visually
• to express something which other words do not quite express
Where did all these idioms come from?
Idioms come from all different sources, from the Bible to horse racing, from ancient fables to modern slang. Sometimes famous authors and storytellers such as Homer, Aesop, Geoffrey Chaucer, or William Shakespeare made them up to add spark to their writings.
The authors were popular, so the expressions they created became popular. Often, however, we don’t know the name of the first author or speaker who used a particular expression.
Some idioms come from Native-American customs (“bury the hatchet”) and others from African-American speech (“chill out”).
Some became popular because they rhyme (“snug as a bug in a rug”) or have alliteration (“spic and span”). Some idioms originated as colloquialisms (informal speech) or slang (casual, playful, non-standard language). Some were well-known proverbs and adages (short sayings that express practical, basic truths). Some popular idioms began as folksy sayings used in particular regions of the country and spoken in local dialects. Many came from other
countries, although most of the idioms in this book are Americanisms. Some idioms go back in time to the ancient Greeks and Romans, thousands of years ago. Others are more recent.
What are idioms?
Idioms are groups of words with special, specific meanings. They are often confusing because the meaning of the whole group of words that form an idiom has little, often nothing, to do with the meanings of the words taken one by one.
Idioms appear in every language, and English has thousands of them.
In order to understand a language, you must know what the idioms in that language mean. If you try to figure out the meaning of an idiom literally, word by word, you will get befuddled. You have to know its “hidden” meaning.
For instance, to “let the cat out of the bag” means to reveal a secret. Today the phrase has nothing to do with a cat or a bag, but hundreds of years ago, it actually did.
We use idioms:
• to be different
• to play with words
• to be amusing or witty
• to put other people at ease, even in the most formal situations
• to communicate more clearly and more visually
• to express something which other words do not quite express
Where did all these idioms come from?
Idioms come from all different sources, from the Bible to horse racing, from ancient fables to modern slang. Sometimes famous authors and storytellers such as Homer, Aesop, Geoffrey Chaucer, or William Shakespeare made them up to add spark to their writings.
The authors were popular, so the expressions they created became popular. Often, however, we don’t know the name of the first author or speaker who used a particular expression.
Some idioms come from Native-American customs (“bury the hatchet”) and others from African-American speech (“chill out”).
Some became popular because they rhyme (“snug as a bug in a rug”) or have alliteration (“spic and span”). Some idioms originated as colloquialisms (informal speech) or slang (casual, playful, non-standard language). Some were well-known proverbs and adages (short sayings that express practical, basic truths). Some popular idioms began as folksy sayings used in particular regions of the country and spoken in local dialects. Many came from other
countries, although most of the idioms in this book are Americanisms. Some idioms go back in time to the ancient Greeks and Romans, thousands of years ago. Others are more recent.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Bleeding Heart , Blessing in Disguise & Blood is Thicker than Water - Idioms with Example
Bleeding Heart
“Ravi is such a bleeding heart. He’ll donate to any charity that asks him for money!”
Meaning: an extremely soft-hearted person who feels compassion or pity towards all people, including those who may not deserve sympathy.
Origin: This controversial term comes from America in the 20th century. Some people say that government or private charities should do more to help relieve the suffering of the sick, the homeless, or the unemployed. These well-meaning citizens might be called “bleeding hearts” by others who feel that many people on welfare or charity should stop taking so much from others.
Blessing in Disguise
“We thought Summer school denied us holiday pleasures. But it proved to be a blessing in disguise. The next year we were ahead in our class.”
Meaning: something that at first seems bad but turns out to be good; a hidden benefit.
Origin: This saying was first used in a poem 200 years ago by a writer named James Hervey. When something looks like bad luck, it may turn out to be a false appearance.
(a “disguise”) that hides something that’s really useful or fortunate (a
“blessing”) of course, you don’t know that at first because the blessing is in disguise.
Blood is Thicker than Water
“Mrs. Ponni chose her grandson, instead of me to work in her store. I
guess blood is thicker than water”.
Meaning: one can expect more kindness from a family member than from a stranger; a person will do more for a relative than for anyone else.
Origin: This saying, that means that family ties count more than friendship, comes from Germany in the 12th century. Perhaps it comes from the idea that water can evaporate without leaving a trace, but blood leaves a stain and is more permanent. This suggests that relatives (“blood”) are more important (“thicker”) than people who are not related (“water”).
“Ravi is such a bleeding heart. He’ll donate to any charity that asks him for money!”
Meaning: an extremely soft-hearted person who feels compassion or pity towards all people, including those who may not deserve sympathy.
Origin: This controversial term comes from America in the 20th century. Some people say that government or private charities should do more to help relieve the suffering of the sick, the homeless, or the unemployed. These well-meaning citizens might be called “bleeding hearts” by others who feel that many people on welfare or charity should stop taking so much from others.
Blessing in Disguise
“We thought Summer school denied us holiday pleasures. But it proved to be a blessing in disguise. The next year we were ahead in our class.”
Meaning: something that at first seems bad but turns out to be good; a hidden benefit.
Origin: This saying was first used in a poem 200 years ago by a writer named James Hervey. When something looks like bad luck, it may turn out to be a false appearance.
(a “disguise”) that hides something that’s really useful or fortunate (a
“blessing”) of course, you don’t know that at first because the blessing is in disguise.
Blood is Thicker than Water
“Mrs. Ponni chose her grandson, instead of me to work in her store. I
guess blood is thicker than water”.
Meaning: one can expect more kindness from a family member than from a stranger; a person will do more for a relative than for anyone else.
Origin: This saying, that means that family ties count more than friendship, comes from Germany in the 12th century. Perhaps it comes from the idea that water can evaporate without leaving a trace, but blood leaves a stain and is more permanent. This suggests that relatives (“blood”) are more important (“thicker”) than people who are not related (“water”).
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
English idioms relating to BUSINESS - WORK
Have an ace up your sleeve.
If you have an ace up your sleeve, it means that you have something in reserve with which you can gain an advantage.
Hold all the aces
A person who holds all the aces is in a very strong position because they have more advantages than anyone else. "Given the high unemployment figures in some countries, employers hold all the aces."
Ambulance chaser
This terms refers to a lawyer who finds work by persuading people injured in accidents to claim money from the person who caused the accident. "Peterson & Scott are well-known ambulance chasers - that's how they make their money!"
Bait and switch
This term refers to a deceptive commercial practice of advertising a low-priced item to attract customers, then telling them that the product is out of stock and persuading them to buy a more expensive article. "This store is famous for its bait and switch tactics."
Blamestorming
A discussion among a group of people, who try to determine who or what is to blame for a particular mistake, failure or wrongdoing, is called 'blamestorming'. "A blamestorming session took place following the unfavourable reviews in the press."
A blank cheque
If you give someone a blank cheque, you authorize them to do what they think is best in a difficult situation. "Tom was given a blank cheque and told to negotiate the best deal possible."
Blue chip company
This term refers to a company with a solid reputation for the quality of its products and the stability of its growth and earnings. "It's usually safe to invest in a blue-chip company.
Above board
If a situation or business is described as above board, it is open, honest and legal. "There are no secret negotiations. Our dealings have always been above board."
Get down to brass tacks
People who get down to brass tacks start to discuss and deal with the practical details of something "It was decided to get down to brass tacks and discuss the cost of the project."
Get the show on the road
If you manage to put a plan or idea into action, you get the show on the road. "OK! We've got all we need, so let's get the show on the road!"
Bricks and mortar/ bricks and clicks
An established trading company (office/shop) is referred to as a 'brick-and-mortar' business. 'Click companies' refer to Internet-based operations. Companies which do both are called 'bricks and clicks'. "Click businesses are usually more flexible than brick-and-mortar operations."
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