Use the idiom tag for questions which a dictionary cannot answer about set phrases with unusual meanings that can't be properly understood just from the separate words in them.
-1
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1answer
21 views
stick it up your a**
Is there a reason why, we use "up" and not "in". I always thought it wasn't intuitive to use "up", is there a semantic reason, or is it "cultural" or "historical"? Can someone explain, so that a non-...
0
votes
1answer
32 views
What does but mean in the phrase “If they but knew it”
Call me Ishmael. Some years ago—never mind how long precisely—having
little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me
on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see ...
14
votes
13answers
2k views
How to idiomatically suggest someone should live the day and forget about tomorrow?
In Arabic, we literally say:
Give me life today, and kill me tomorrow.
We use it to say we should only care about the present time and forget about the future. For example, when my mother advises ...
-2
votes
2answers
98 views
Correct use of “kick [some/ somebody's] ass” [closed]
Construction of sentences with the usage of the idiom may appear to be vulgar. To punish or defeat somebody IS to kick some or somebody's 'ass. Can the idiom be used to express punishment for any ...
0
votes
0answers
33 views
What is the meaning of “can't helpful wondering about” clearly?
I have came across with the following marked sentence and couldn't understand clearly. Is it correct sentence? Could you interpret it? Its meaning is able to be "ı can't hold myself"?
~ ...
1
vote
2answers
32 views
“Call on somebody” vs “call out on somebody”
Are the two different?
Example sentence:
Mary cheated on her exam. If her teachers called (out) on her, she'd just deny everything.
Note: I found the usage in some dictionaries:
https://idioms....
2
votes
1answer
27 views
“back me up on it” or “back me up this”?
Tell me please which word it is correct to use in the following sentence and why.
I think we should watch that movie, and I hope you back me up on it/this.
1
vote
1answer
32 views
Poor aesthetic judgement
Is there a way to say that someone has a very poor aesthetic judgement?
For example, you go to a house and you think everything is tacky or just ugly. How can you call the owner of the house?
I tend ...
0
votes
1answer
22 views
A specific way of asking for a meeting?
Can one say "... if you(I) could see me(you) on Friday..." while requesting a meeting?
0
votes
1answer
55 views
When we can say “I am begin” [closed]
It's known that we can't say "I am begin" in English because it's gramitically wrong but someone told me that there are some cases where we can use it can anyone tell me what is this cases?
1
vote
1answer
32 views
Euphemism/idiom for “… and his friends”
In Spanish, you can say: "Pedro y compañía" (Pedro and company). Which is the same as saying "Pedro and his friends (who always hang out with him)."
Is there something similar in English?
Note: I ...
1
vote
2answers
40 views
Usage of “Go back on your words”
Student to his teacher:
"I want to re-test the Maths exam !"
Teacher whispered to the Student:
" I advise you to go back on your words."
Np. Actually the Student got full mark in the Exam.
( ...
1
vote
1answer
41 views
“Take more, throw further” - an idiom about a dumb work
There is a saying in Russian, which could be translated as:
Take more, throw further, take a rest while it flies
Initially, it was applied to a manual digging with a shovel to demonstrate that ...
0
votes
1answer
32 views
Life is a healthy respect for mother nature laced with greed
I read such a quote from command line utility fortune
$ fortune
Life is a healthy respect for mother nature laced with greed.
Does that sentence mean that we are greedy to live long?
0
votes
1answer
24 views
meaning of 'eat your way to health' [closed]
I read the phrase 'you should be able to eat your way to a healthy hearth' and I don't get the meaning of this. What is the meaning of 'eat your way to health'?
0
votes
3answers
24 views
Phrase that means: “it's very [someone] style”?
Example sentence:
She suggested we go to an underground rock bar. That __ her.
I few options I can think of: "... very becoming of her" and "... was very her."
Are these valid options? Or there's ...
1
vote
1answer
35 views
“people who puts … their mouth is” vs “people who put … their mouths are”
So you'd say you’re one of those people who puts their money where their mouth is?
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/theenglishwespeak/2012/06/...
0
votes
0answers
33 views
If it's ''not your cup of tea'' it's not your cup of tea(idioms usage if can be adjusted)
I've learned from native speakers that you have to pay close attention to how idioms are constructed, meaning they are fixed and one shouldn't change it especially articles and so on.
Furthermore, ...
1
vote
1answer
27 views
What does 'common twitch' stand for in this statement?
I would like to get to know what the meaning of common twitch is here?
Because giving into old temptation
is like that common twitch.
0
votes
0answers
24 views
On the contract of something
Here is the sentence :
The Set interface places additional stipulations, beyond those inherited from the Collection interface, on the contracts of all constructors and on the contracts of the add, ...
2
votes
2answers
107 views
to judge something on its own merits
I have looked it up but I am confused because I couldn't discern its meaning. For example Longman Dictionary says :
to judge something only on what you see when you look at it rather
than on what ...
1
vote
1answer
63 views
Meaning of “that's track”
Someone asked a guy about something and I think the answer would be true or false, or yes or no, but the guy said, "That's track."
What does it mean?
0
votes
1answer
47 views
Idiom for needing to focus on something
Is there an idiom or a phrase people use at work one needs to fully focus on a specific task? Thought I've heard it at work before, but can't think of it right this second..
0
votes
1answer
27 views
Idioms- can the one in concern have a literal meaning?
I took a fall and injured myself.
Can the phrase ever be used to describe literal falls?
I know it has a meaning in boxing, but what I'm asking is if you fell and..let's say you broke your knee, ...
1
vote
2answers
24 views
one who says whatever men does is right / men can do this but not women
Similar to Male chauvinist (one who thinks men is superior), what is the word for a person who says, "Men can do this but not women" or "whatever a male does is correct"
1
vote
1answer
30 views
Sweep, sweep up, sweep out
Can you sweep up only objects or places too?
And what about sweep out- what's the difference between sweep out and sweep up?
Somebody's going to have to sweep up (/out?) all these shards here
...
1
vote
1answer
55 views
What does it mean by “reach for a banana”?
In this video one of the panel said "he is reaching for a banana" after seeing the robot got down on the desk. I thought this would be an idiom or some phrase that would be found in the urban ...
1
vote
1answer
47 views
Exceptions to the fixed word order in some idiomatic pairs
As I was taught, the word order in idiomatic pairs is fixed and should be remembered once and for all. So, the position of the words in an idiom pair can't be reversed, and you cannot say (and a ...
1
vote
3answers
113 views
Bring forward vs. put forward a proposal
As for the topic of proposal, what is the difference between
United Nations must bring forward a proposal to denuclearize South Korea to secure World peace.
and
United Nations must put forward ...
0
votes
1answer
77 views
What does “I'm not sure if I agree.” mean?
I, as a non-native speaker, used the sentence "I'm not sure if I agree." thinking it means that I have a level of uncertainty about where I stand, and apart from that I can lean anywhere, I can even ...
0
votes
1answer
206 views
meaning of “I won't let you down” in songs [closed]
I want to know the meaning and also the feeling that is transmitted by the sentence "I won't let you down" in songs.
thank you in anticipation
1
vote
2answers
38 views
Looking for an expression or idiom for a weak person who can be easily bullied or intimidated
In my native language we have this expression for a weak person - " a low fence " implying that anybody can jump over it. Is there a similar expression or idiom in meaning in English for this type of ...
4
votes
1answer
52 views
Can 'fair enough' be used in the literal sense?
I checked similar questions regarding 'fair enough' phrase, it appears that the most frequently used meaning is an agreement with possible reluctance, this corresponds to my understanding of it.
In ...
4
votes
2answers
190 views
Idioms with pull [closed]
When I read definition of 3 idioms with word pull they seem similar to me. The idioms are:
pull someone’s leg,
pull a fast one,
pull the wool over your eyes.
What is the difference in meaning ...
0
votes
2answers
57 views
“… he wouldn't come close.” What does it mean?
I feel resentful, especially since it's the man who bring in the money; and even if Bill were the school principal, he wouldn't come close.
● Read more here: I found this via Glenn Sacks. (June 17, ...
2
votes
1answer
70 views
Pulling teeth vs Pulling nails
So, my friend said "getting a compliment out of X is like pulling teeth". Somehow I always remembered that expression as "pulling nails with a plier". He pointed that the expression doesn't exists. So ...
0
votes
1answer
26 views
“Hold accountable” or “Be charged”?
Can I use the idiom "Hold accountable" without putting someone's name as is required before the word accountable, like instead of this: hold someone accountable (for something), it would be like this: ...
0
votes
1answer
36 views
What's the meaning of “what a shock that must have been to her”?
If so, what a shock that must have been to her.
"What a/an X" is an exclamation.
"must" refers to a necessity.
But what's the meaning of the sentence(like sentence above) that combines them together?...
0
votes
1answer
37 views
That speaks volumes to me
What does
That speaks volumes to me
mean? Could you elaborate it in terms of feelings please?
For example in a context:
This quote speaks volumes to me
My guesses are the following but I am ...
0
votes
1answer
171 views
from both ends of the spectrum
Let's say you have a girlfriend. As the saying goes, opposites attract, and you want to use this idiom regarding your huge difference from each other:
"We are like from both ends of the spectrum, ...
2
votes
1answer
32 views
A phrase for “using a word repeatedly”
We all have some phrases which we repeat too much in our conversations. What do we call it when someone uses a word or a sentence again and again?
16
votes
1answer
2k views
Going up in smoke vs. going up in flames
The idioms "to go up in smoke" and "to go up in flames" are very similar. They both mean burning and getting destroyed by fire. But if we use them to talk about failure, aren't there any nuances to ...
0
votes
1answer
47 views
“Where can I download music for free?” Is “for” a preposition or idiom there?
I read on newspaper. In this sentence:
"Where can I download music for free?"
is "for" a preposition?
If "for" is a preposition, "free" couldn't be a adverb or adjective.
2
votes
1answer
40 views
Can “faze out” mean “lose focus”?
Yesterday I was playing a board game with a friend and got lost in thought so much I didn't notice it was my turn.
"Sorry, I fazed out", I mumbled, and moved my piece.
Did I use "phaze out" in the ...
0
votes
1answer
28 views
Is “the tough get going” grammatically wrong?
I see an idiom: “when the going gets tough, the tough get going.”
Is there a reason why get in “the tough get going” doesn’t have s?
0
votes
0answers
22 views
Replacing the noun in a fixed phrase for it/ the
I need a help with my poor translation of a quote from my native tongue:
Instead of keeping both feet on the ground you can sometimes lie down on the ground.
I can't stand the word ground ...
0
votes
2answers
83 views
What is “fatal facility”?
In this short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald there is a sentence:
It was like in the beginning fifteen years ago when they said he had "fatal facility", and he labored like a slave over every ...
0
votes
1answer
42 views
I'm all in to <verb> vs. I'm all in ~ing
I know there is an idiom 'be in' to describe someone is totally immersed in something, but I've never seen the usage where that 'something' is described along with the idiom 'be in'. For example, is ...
3
votes
8answers
1k views
Idiom - eliminating criminal's associates
Imagine the following situation. A criminal committed a crime (for example a robbery) with several associates. Then he found out that his associates may have been investigated and arrested and they ...
0
votes
1answer
95 views
What does “silent rights” and “sound rights” mean?
Scott Fizgerald's short story "Afternoon of an Author" mentions "silent rights" and "sound rights" in regards to copyright.
Anyhow he had no more equity in that property — he had sold the silent ...
