The phrases the handwriting on the wall and the writing on the wall are idioms that have their roots in a story that is thousands of years old. An idiom is a word, group of words or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is not easily deduced from its literal …
On a shoestring budget is an idiom that means working on limited financial resources. It infers that anyone doing so is likely frugal and creative in using what they have. The term is an idiomatic phrase, which means it is used figuratively and is not related to any perceived literal …
The idiom lead-pipe cinch is an American term that first appeared in print in the 1880s, though one may assume it was used in everyday speech before that time. An idiom is a word, group of words or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is not easily deduced from its …
Let’s tackle a phrase that sounds like a bunch of people fumbling around in the dark but actually has zero to do with it. You guessed it; we’re talking about the blind leading the blind. Though it’s got a touch of humor, this idiom’s message is pretty serious if you …
A fish out of water means someone who feels uncomfortable, awkward, or out of place in a particular situation or environment. Idioms, like a fish out of water, are linguistic expressions that go beyond their literal meanings, conveying figurative interpretations. These play a vital role in English, injecting vibrancy, cultural …
Kick over the traces is an idiom that is primarily used in Great Britain, the phrase is rarely seen in North America. We will examine the definition for kick over the traces, where the term came from and some examples of its use in sentences. To kick over the traces …
Toot your own horn is an idiom commonly used in English to describe someone who’s proudly showcasing their accomplishments, usually to the point of boasting. Idioms, like toot your own horn, are phrases where the words together have a different meaning than their individual definitions. They are vital in language …
Have you ever heard the expression Johnny on the spot? No, it isn’t a weird game of hide-and-seek or a strange nursery rhyme. It’s actually a phrase with more to do with timeliness and reliability, but it goes deeper than that, and I know phrases like this can get confusing. …
The phrase “a piece of work” is a colloquial expression that is used to describe someone or something that is particularly noteworthy or impressive. You can use it in a positive or negative sense, depending on the context you’re dealing with. Let’s look at it together as I go over …
The English language is full of idioms, words, and phrases with figurative meaning that is not easily deduced from their literal meaning. Their figurative use can confuse anyone unfamiliar with their meaning, making the language difficult to understand. A shotgun wedding is the perfect example of this and can be …