But what about this Time magazine headline, where "a thing" is used by itself? <<Camel Milk is a Thing and Costs $18 a Bottle>> This usage is pretty new, and I think it's mostly North American so far. It means a popular trend, a current phenomenon.
English Idioms is a thing! Glad you all have a thing for learning idioms.
DROP THE BALL ON something: mishandle it, fail to live up to responsibilities for something. 3AW radio, Australia: <<Neil said public safety is the most vital issue in Victoria at present and the government has "dropped the ball" on law and order.>>
Three related idioms -
To PUSH SOMEONE'S BUTTONS is to do something that you know will provoke a strong reaction.
If something MAKES YOUR BLOOD BOIL, it makes you very angry.
And if something RUBS YOU THE WRONG WAY, it annoys you (like a cat that you pet against the natural direction of its fur). Chicago Now: <<If I asked you to give me a list of people that really push your buttons, get your blood boiling, just make you so upset, I bet it wouldn’t take you long to have those names pop out at you. You probably see their faces constantly.
We all have people in our lives that really rub us the wrong way and can change our attitude and the trajectory in our day. I know that I do, and it’s a work in progress to change that.>>
MOM-AND-POP (adj.): small, family owned (said of a business, often a retail shop). Primarily North American (the British say "mum" instead of "mom" for mother). Is there an equivalent British expression? KFOX television, El Paso, Texas: <<A recent change to customs checkpoints in Mexico that makes it easier for shoppers to take their merchandise back into the country, could mean a boost in sales for businesses in El Paso this summer. ...
"This has been done to facilitate Mexican nationals coming into the United States to shop," said George Salom, president of the Central Business Association. ...
Salom said that anywhere from 40 to 80 percent of sales across the board in El Paso are based on shoppers from Mexico. He said this will positively impact everyone, from the major retailers to the mom-and-pop shops.>>
"Across the board" is also an idiom, meaning " in every part, area, or field of something."
➤ Book of Idioms
➤ Idioms about Animals
➤ Idioms of Expression
➤ Idioms on Food
➤ Idiomatic Expressions
➤ Origin of Idioms
➤ Proverbs
➤ Idioms on Situation
➤ Idioms on Temperature
