November 2016 ~ Idioms And Phrases

Cultural Epicenter, I'll Let You Kick This One Off, Did You Get Him, Something You Can Live With, Meeting In The Middle

Cultural Epicenter Literally, an epicenter is the point of origin of an earthquake, the part that has the strongest vibrations. Figuratively, especially when applied to culture, an "epicenter" is the center, the focal point, the place with the richest, highest concentration of something, such as culture. Example: In a recent review of Sapporo University for potential exchange students to Japan, I wrote, "Of course, being removed from the cultural...

The Day of Reckoning, Aiming For Something, Hopping Mad, You've Gotta Be Kidding Me

By Admin 22:17 Expression, Idiomatic Expression, Situation

The Day of Reckoning Literally, the Day of Reckoning (capitalized) is, in Christian religion, the day of God's final judgment upon all nations. Figuratively speaking, the day of reckoning (not capitalized) for a person accused of a crime is the day upon which a verdict is rendered, finding the accused guilty or innocent. Example: In medieval English law (let's say, 1066 to 1350 A.D.), an "appeal of felony" was a private prosecution against a person...

Idioms Review

By Admin 22:12 Idiomatic Expression

John was always an eager beaver whenever he bought a new tool. First, he would be a busy bee around the house, repairing or renovating everything in sight. Then, he would put his tools away in his overcrowded garage. John was a packrat who never threw a single tool away, leaving his garage very crowded. Reginald was a fat cat who had made hundreds of millions during the real estate boom. However, his best known project, an expensive hotel, was criticized...

Throwing The Baby Out With The Bathwater, Off The Reservation, At First Blush

By Admin 02:00 Idiomatic Expression

Throwing The Baby Out With The Bathwater To figuratively "throw the baby out with the bathwater" is to discard the good alongside the bad. In old England, dirty, used bathwater from a baby's bath was discarded behind a house. No one sane would ever throw out the baby with the bathwater. Therefore, this expression describes an act of extreme foolishness and a complete lack of understanding of value and worth. Example: "It is simply wrong to replace...

Smelling A Rat, A Packrat, A Frog In Your Throat

By Admin 21:31 Animals, Idiomatic Expression

Smelling A Rat Just as something being "fishy" describes something suspicious, to "smell a rat" is to suspect trickery or treachery. Trickery is as in fraud. Treachery is as in betrayal. Also, in criminal culture, "a rat" is a police informant. This term has spread into popular culture; "ratting" or "ratting out" is to inform on someone and betray that person to an authority of some kind, whether lawful (police) or unlawful (organized crime)...

When Pigs Fly, Horsing Around, An Eager Beaver, Dropping Like Flies

By Admin 01:00 Idiomatic Expression

When Pigs Fly One of English's more colorful idioms, "when pigs fly" describes an extremely unlikely event, one that will never realistically come to pass. Pigs would only fly (legitimately) if they sprouted angel-like wings and began flying on their own power. This is a ridiculous idea, and is used to ridicule another idea. Example: "Think you might wind up marrying Ray someday?" "Me? Marry that fat, lazy slob Ray? When pigs fly!!" In this...

Wolfing Food Down, Pigging Out, Opening A Can Of Worms

By Admin 21:24

Wolfing Food Down To "wolf down" food is to eat food quickly, without fully chewing it. Often, something that is wolfed down is not really chewed at all; it is simply swallowed. Example: "Peter wolfed down his sandwich before leaving for work. I think he was in a hurry." In this case, Peter would have had to chew his sandwich somewhat (or choke to death!), but he did not take the time to eat the sandwich slowly. Rather, he ate as quickly as physically...

A White Elephant, The Tip of the Iceberg

By Admin 21:30 Idiomatic Expression

A White Elephant White elephants have been regarded as holy in Thailand, India and other Asian countries since ancient times. The owner of a white elephant was required by law to pay for the upkeep of the elephant with special (and thus, expensive) food and to provide access for common people to worship the white elephant. It is said that if a Thai king was dissatisfied with a subject, he would give the subject a white elephant. Since the elephant...

Letting The Cat Out Of The Bag, A Fat Cat

By Admin 21:22 Idiomatic Expression

Letting The Cat Out Of The Bag Letting the cat out of the bag, is a metaphor for revealing a secret. It is far easier to keep a cat in a bag, than to put the cat back into the bag after it is out. Cats, like secrets, are very independent creatures that do not do as they are told; they follow their own desires. Once revealed, a secret cannot be made secret again; it spreads and becomes known to one and all. Example: "Billy was having an affair with...

Idioms And Phrases