Book of Idioms, Episode 33

The term PEANUT GALLERY is evolving. Its usual meaning is the cheap seats in a theater. The Hindu (India): <<The woman — the modern woman — who's walked out on her husband, refers to herself as a vaazhavatti, a term I haven't heard in Tamil cinema for about a decade now. And we're told that her husband hasn't touched her in the six months they were together, thus leaving her “pure” enough to be reclaimed by her former lover. What's left of this tale is undone by simplistic storytelling, an earnest, overemphatic style, and some ugly moralising. The peanut gallery in the theatre went berserk pointing and laughing. >>


But "peanut gallery" is now being used more widely to mean "general audiences of online commenters." HipHopWired: <<The peanut gallery has been critical of Big Sean since the release of his underwhelming Hall of Fame album. After some time to think about it, the popular rapper addresses all outside commentary on a track called "1st Quarter Freestyle.">>


If you HAVE A BONE TO PICK with someone, you have a complaint you want to make to that person. Often "I've got a bone to pick with you." Sacramento Bee: <<Human rights activists and Russian political watchdogs have a bone to pick with Putin over the building up of Sochi for the games.

Russia spared no expense. The estimated $50 billion price tag exceeds the $43 billion China spent on the larger 2008 Summer Games; the $13 billion London spent on its Summer Olympics; and the $8.9 billion bill for the Vancouver Winter Games.

Putin dismisses the $50 billion figure, but concedes that Russia had to build a Winter Olympics from scratch, converting summertime Sochi into a winter wonderland.>>


WHEN YOUR SHIP COMES IN: when you become rich. Usually this is used to look forward to the future—you can say "his ship came in," but this is less common. Japan Times: <<From the water’s edge, I spy a nicely situated French restaurant, T’suki de la Mer. Opened 13 years ago, the establishment has one of the city’s nicest bay views, and an haute cuisine menu that looks fabulous. That’s the place to go when your ship comes in.>>


A LEG UP: an advantage, assistance in obtaining an advantage. National Public Radio (U.S.): <<Now that Mexican director Alfonso Cuarón has won the Directors Guild of America's Best Director award for his film "Gravity," he is seen as having a leg up in the race for the Best Director Academy Award.>>


OUT OF THE LOOP: not involved in a decision-making process. You can also be in the loop. Irish Independent: <<THE property tax was driven through by the controversial "mini-Cabinet" while other ministers were kept out of the loop.

Emails obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show that the key decisions were made by the Government's four-man "mini-Cabinet" -- known as the Economic Management Council.>>

If something KNOCKS YOUR SOCKS OFF, it deeply impresses you, you're really astonished by it in a positive way. The Guardian (London): <<"I've heard a well-known fiction prize described by a former judge as going to the book with the fewest enemies in the room. This is not that. These are books which knocked our socks off, sometimes to our surprise. They are speculative novels, rich and strange and brilliant, and it really doesn't matter in this context whose imprint is on the spine or what the design brief for the cover was. They reward your attention, they are clever, engaging, critical, and forward-looking." >>

➤ 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