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| A Military Odyssey |
An Odyssey
The Odyssey was one of Western civilization's first masterpieces of literature, composed by Homer, about the ten year voyage of Odysseus, a king who fought in the Trojan War. Suffice to say he offended a Greek god and was forced to take the long way home.
Borrowing from this original meaning, an odyssey is any long foreign trip.
Example: An upcoming trip to Asia by President Obama rumored to be lavishly expensive, worthy of Roman Emperors or Queen Cleopatra of Egypt, was referred to by the Drudge Report in this way:
Leaves Election Wreckage for 9-day Asian Odyssey...
The true expense of the voyage, er, trip, is unknown.
Getting One's Feet Wet
The first step in entering a lake or other body of water is to get one's feet wet. Therefore, this is an idiom for taking the first tangible step towards some kind of goal. This is always action of some sort, rather than simply an exchange of words or ideas.
Example: Instructor: "Okay, I realize this is your first time using Photoshop, but the best way to learn is to get your feet wet and start using it. Of course, I'll be walking you through this lesson step by step to help you become accustomed with the basics."
➤ Read more idioms and phrases, English grammar and vocabulary at Basic English Grammar And Vocabulary .
