Trust me, you’ve met a snake in the grass in your life, I can assure you because we all have! If you really give the idiom some thought, you can probably decipher its real meaning. But let’s take a detailed look at its origin and the correct way to use …
The worlds of science and language intersect all the time, resulting in idioms that hold a place both in lab reports and everyday conversations. I know it sounds made up but bear with me as I give you an example. Enter acid test and litmus test. Both come from the …
Make a clean breast of it and come clean are two idioms that mean the same thing but originated at two different times. An idiom is a word, group of words or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is not easily deduced from its literal meaning. We will examine …
Ever wondered what the heck the expression “gin up” means? You’re not alone; I’ve seen this question a time or two over the years. Is it a poker term? Is it British slang? I will answer all those questions and more in this quick little guide to the meaning and …
Let’s talk about the term “Irish Twins” and the history behind the old term. You’ve probably heard someone use the term before, but did you know where it came from and what it really means? Before you go ahead and use it in speech or writing, consider what I have …
Shooting yourself in the foot is an idiom that signifies self-sabotage or committing a foolish mistake that can have detrimental consequences. For example, “If we don’t sign up for this special deal, we’re essentially shooting ourselves in the foot.” Idioms are phrases or expressions used figuratively rather than literally to …
English language idioms tend to create points of confusion, especially when variations of the same phrase come into play. I always think of the idiom baptism of fire and whether or not it’s baptism by fire. So, which one is it? Let’s take a look and see how to say …
Idiomatic expressions are an essential cog in the machine that is the English language. They offer us unique ways to express big ideas or feelings through simple phrases that everyone can relate to. Take the expression “born with a silver spoon,” for example. We usually use it to describe someone …
The kiss of death means something that spells inevitable failure or doom for something or someone. A far cry from that romantic first kiss, eh? This idiom has an origin buried deep in cultural history and drama, making it a powerful way to express a decisive turn of events. An …
Straight from the shoulder is an idiom that dates from the late 1800s. An idiom is a word, group of words or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is not easily deduced from its literal meaning. We will examine the definition of the term straight from the shoulder, where the …