An heir is someone who receives property, money, or a title from another when the latter person dies. This is not the correct spelling for the phrase putting on airs; however, someone could put on airs about being an heir. Airs, listed under air in most dictionaries, is a fake way of acting. When plural, one can put on …
Laundry list is an idiom that today rarely means an actual list of the things one needs to wash. Instead, it refers to a list that is lengthy, extensive, or inclusive of all possibilities. The items in the set are connected or related somehow, and there is a tediousness associated with …
As a noun, adjective, and adverb, this term is spelled the same way: helter-skelter. It means to be disorderly, confused, hurried, or haphazard. Outside of the United States, the noun form can be used as a name for a certain kind of amusement park ride that twists and turns around a …
The phrase would just as soon means the user would prefer one option to another. It is a comparative phrase that sometimes leaves off the second half of the comparison. The confusion comes when the phrase is heard instead of read. If the speaker’s annunciation isn’t clear, as soon can be interpreted assume. In some cases, assume can make sense in …
The idiom bone to pick means to have something you want to discuss with another person or organization. The discussion topic is usually something bad, like hurt feelings or a wrongdoing. All sources agree that it comes from a dog gnawing a bone after all the meat is gone. The phrase is …
Bring is a verb that means to move something or someone from one place to another, usually where the speaker is located. There are many phrasal verbs that use bring in different ways, which can confuse the usage. Take is a verb that means to remove something from one place to another, …
A can of worms, usually paired with the verb open, is an idiom that describes a problem or situation that has the likelihood of being extremely complicated or full of extra problems. General consensus puts the term origin in the United States at a time when fisherman bought bait in metal cans, likely with …
To bum-rush something is to strike, take, or push one’s way in with great force. It originated in America from the phrase bum’s rush. The bum’s rush is to be kicked out of an event or place of business. It can also mean to dismiss or disregard someone for lack of performance or poor …
To black out something is to delete or obscure it. The verb can also be used to put something in complete darkness, either by blocking the light or disabling electricity. A person can black out if he or she loses consciousness or vision for a period of time. The verb also means to institute …
All but is a compound adverb that means almost or very nearly. Be aware that it is also used without being a compound adverb to meaning everything except. Anything but is a compound phrase used to negate a trait in something or someone. It is used when one desires this negation to be …