Book of Idioms, Episode 26

COMFORT ZONE: a situation in which one feels secure. It's often said that to learn or grow, you have to get out of your comfort zone.
Ex: We are not afraid to step out of our comfort zone and take risks.


UP FOR GRABS: available, not yet claimed. Most examples of this seem to be North American. Chicago Sun-Times: <<JThe millennial vote is up for grabs in the November midterm elections, according to a new Harvard Institute of Politics poll, with the 18-to-29 year old vote trending slightly Republican.

“The IOP’s fall polling shows that young Americans care deeply about their country and are politically up for grabs,” Harvard Institute of Politics Director Maggie Williams said in a release. “Millennials could be a critical swing vote. Candidates for office: ignore millennial voters at your peril.">>

"Swing voters" are those who are undecided between two candidates or parties. "Millennials" are those who came of age around the year 2000.

A TRACK RECORD is a pattern or record or prior accomplishments or behavior. And a RED FLAG is a warning, a reason for caution. Jakarta Post:
<<Ministerial candidates’ track records raise red flags. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) revealed Monday that a probe had found that some of the 43 ministerial candidates proposed by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo could be implicated in future graft cases investigated by the antigraft body.>>

MAKE NICE: to make an effort to be friendly and cooperative after conflict. Primarily North American. Wall Street Journal Indonesia: <<
Subianto and Jokowi Make Nice
Defeated presidential contender Prabowo Subianto congratulated his rival Joko Widodo live on television for the first time since Mr. Widodo was declared the victor in July’s election.
Mr. Widodo initiated the meeting and the two spoke for about 30 minutes. Mr. Subianto, who has remained out of the public eye for more than a month, said he was certain that Mr. Widodo was “a patriot” and that both men wanted the same thing, “a united Indonesia.”>>


HELICOPTER PARENTING: paying overly close attention to a child's activities. A new idiom. The Guardian (London): <<Helicopter parenting – hovering above and “taking an overprotective or excessive interest” in your child’s life – is a big story in the US. There, we’re told, parents get over-involved in everything their university student offspring do. From sleeping on the floor of their dorm rooms to calling their professors to discuss their grades – which they can’t legally do.>>


GREASY SPOON: a small, cheap restaurant, typically offering grilled or fried foods; in American English a "diner." Metro Times, Detroit: <<
22 better breakfast spots to try in metro Detroit
The Ham Shop, 330 Monroe St., Detroit; 313-965-0088: This downtown greasy spoon serves ham everything: ham sandwiches, ham omelets, and on the list goes. Part of the place's reputation comes from the talk about their ham and cheese omelets, which were described to us as being "the size of a hubcap.">>

➤ 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