Book of Idioms, Episode 16

There is an old saying, "Live by the sword; die by the sword." This means, those who prosper from violence usually die violent deaths. Examples are, sadly, all around us. What is important to learn is that many people use half this expression as a substitute for the entire quote: "It's like with Adolf Hitler. Live by the sword, and all that."


To take someone to task is to scold someone severely. In news media, it often means public scoldings of a political nature, but is not limited to that.
Example: (1) The teacher took John to task for his bad behavior.
(2) I lost a big contract, and the boss took me to task in front of everyone.


In entertainment, to "bomb" is to do very poorly, disastrously, etc.
Example: "Ricky Gervais bombed at the Golden Globes" . In other words, Gervais' performance was seen as a failure. Often, we say "he bombed at (the location)" and allow the listener to assume it is the idiomatic meaning of "bombing".


Figuratively, to "make noise" is to gather a great deal of attention. Such is the context of the following example: "Silent Film Hopes To Make Noise at Golden Globes" That is, even though it is a "silent" film, it hopes to "make some noise".


Figuratively, "a black eye" is some kind of mark of shame.
Example: "As of this writing, Oakland is on pace to exceed 100 murders by the end of 2011, a black eye it has avoided only once since 2005." In other words, this level of murders is very much a bad thing, nothing to be proud of whatsoever.


Someone asked a good question about "blue bloods". The expression seems to be a literal translation from Spanish, referring to the noticeable blue veins of "fair-skinned" (i.e. white) Spaniards coming from old families that claimed to never have intermarried with Jews, Moors, or other, darker races. The term has come to mean "aristocrats" (or people in the role of aristocrats) in general.


A "blue chip" stock is a stock with a history of strong financial returns and dividend growth. Investors expect blue chips to maintain their quality even during poor economic conditions.
Example: "IBM has been considered a blue chip stock for decades. Investors expect consistent returns from it." Anything that is figuratively "blue chip" is considered high quality. Example: "Some believe Ritz-Carlton to be the blue chip of hotel chains." That is, the standard of quality. (Just an example.)


A "patent troll" is a person or group of persons who attempts to obtain income through suing other people or groups (including companies) for violations of patents in a frivolous and abusive way while holding no intent to use the patents in legitimate business.
Example: One of the main reasons Kodak is going bankrupt is that the CEO turned Kodak into a "patent troll" company, relying on patent lawsuits and not new products as an income strategy. This strategy was not as successful as hoped (and rarely is).


To "teeter on the brink" (brink as in, edge) is to be extremely close to complete failure or disaster.
Example: "Kodak Teeters on the Brink", a story from yesterday's headlines about how Eastman Kodak is preparing for bankruptcy.


To "harden your position" on something is to take a more negative view.
Example: "The bank hardened its view on the possibility of a country leaving the Euro in 2012." (This comes from a current news story.) In this case, it means the bank views a negative outcome - a country or countries leaving the Eurozone - as more likely.


ANOTHER NAIL IN THE COFFIN or THE FINAL NAIL IN THE COFFIN. Something that causes the failure of something that is already in decline. Often used with "for" or "of": The privacy breach was the final nail in the coffin for the troubled retailer. The News (Pakistan): << Over the last few years, Pakistan hockey has achieved so many dubious distinctions that people have stopped getting surprised by its multiple failures.

But this spineless show at the Junior World Cup could be called the worst of all. Maybe, it is the last nail in the coffin.>>


SWEET TOOTH: a strong liking for sweet foods (candy, chocolate, etc.). Daily News & Analysis (India): <<The place is a delight for barbecue lovers. Be it fish, chicken or lamb, Armenians love their meat and serve it with much love. Cheese, tomatoes and aubergines are often a part the vegetarian diet. Their favourite bread is Lavash, which is a lot like our roomali roti. Those with a sweet tooth should try the Baklava, which is a rich, sweet pastry made of layers of filo pastry filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey...>>

➤ Read more idioms and phrases, English grammar and vocabulary at Basic English Grammar And Vocabulary . You might also like ⏬

➤ Book of Idioms

➤ Idioms about Animals

➤ Idioms of Expression

➤ Idioms on Food

➤ Idiomatic Expressions

➤ Origin of Idioms

➤ Proverbs

➤ Idioms on Situation

➤ Idioms on Temperature