Compound words

Heavy Handed – Idiom Meaning and Origin 2

Heavy-Handed – Idiom, Meaning and Origin

Heavy-handed means to handle a situation or people in an overly forceful or clumsy manner. Imagine trying to crack open a walnut with a bulldozer; sure, it might work, but it’s a tad overkill, right? This idiom, which surfaced in the 1800s, perfectly encapsulates the essence of being overbearing. But …

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Turn over vs turnover

Turn over is a verbal phrase. Turnover is a closed compound word. We will examine the meaning of the terms turn over and turnover, their etymologies, and some examples of their use in a sentence or two. Turn over means to flip something upside down, to start a combustion engine, to …

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Lockdown

Lockdown is a closed compound word. We will examine the meaning of the word lockdown, its etymology, and some examples of its use in a sentence or two. A lockdown is a situation in which people are restricted from moving from place to place or within a certain area to protect their …

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Chapstick

Chapstick is a closed compound word. We will examine the meaning of the word chapstick, its etymology, and some examples of its use in a sentence or two. Chapstick is a balm for the lips packaged in a cylindrical tube. Chapstick is used for dry or irritated lips resulting from cold weather, …

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Nail-biter

Nail-biter is an interesting idiom. We will examine the meaning of the common idiom nail-biter where it came from, and some examples of its idiomatic usage in sentences. A nail-biter is a suspenseful situation, a contest in which either participant has a good chance of winning, an anxiety-provoking circumstance. For instance, a …

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Knee Slapper – Origin and Meaning 2

Knee-Slapper – Origin and Meaning

A knee-slapper is an extremely funny joke or story that might elicit a spontaneous knee slap in response. And that’s where this term gets its origin. The term knee-slapper falls under the category of idioms, which are expressions in the English language that often convey meanings beyond their literal interpretation. Idioms …

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Pigeon Hole Origin Meaning 1

Pigeon Hole – Origin & Meaning

Idiomatic words provide your audience with a referring allusion or analogy so they can better understand your message. These words offer a figurative meaning separate from a literal origin, but they can be a bit tricky to decipher for anyone unfamiliar with their use. Pigeonhole is an idiom that initially …

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Backstab – Definition & Examples

Have you ever been backstabbed by a close friend? Or was it you who backstabbed them? The word backstab has been thrown around a lot in high school or work. We always use it to refer to the action of criticizing someone when they are not there but pretending to …

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Heartthrob

Heartthrob is a closed compound word. We will examine the meaning of the word heartthrob, its etymology, and some examples of its use in a sentence or two. A heartthrob is the object of romantic desire; a heartthrob is almost always a male. The term heartthrob often refers to teen age pop …

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Shut-in

Shut-in is a hyphenated compound word. We will examine the meaning of the word shut-in, its etymology, and some examples of its use in a sentence or two. A shut-in is an invalid, someone who is incapacitated and confined to his room or his home for an extended period of time. A …

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