Grammarist Out of the frying pan and into the fire is a proverb. We will examine the meaning of the proverb out of the frying pan and into the fire, where the expression came from, and some examples of its use in sentences. Out of the frying pan and into the fire describes …
Construct and construct  are two words that are spelled identically but are pronounced differently and have different meanings, which makes them heteronyms. We will examine the definitions of the words construct and construct, where these words came from, and a few examples of their use in sentences. Construct (kun STRUKT) is means to build something, to …
Stand one’s ground and hold one’s ground are two versions of a popular idiom. We will examine the meaning of the common idiom stand one’s ground or hold one’s ground, where it came from, and some examples of its idiomatic usage in sentences. Stand one’s ground and hold one’s ground are …
Femme fatale is a loanword. We will look at the definition of the term femme fatale, where it came from, and some examples of its use in sentences. A femme fatale is a seductive woman who brings ruin upon a person who becomes infatuated or obsessed with her. A femme …
Turn heads and turn one’s head are two idioms that are close in wording, but mean totally different things. We will examine the meaning of the common idioms turn heads and turn one’s head, where they came from, and some examples of their idiomatic usage in sentences. Turn heads means to …
Compress and compress are two words that are spelled identically but are pronounced differently and have different meanings, which makes them heteronyms. We will examine the definitions of the words compress and compress, where these words came from, and a few examples of their use in sentences. Compress (come PRESS) is a verb that means to …
Sticks and stones is an idiom that is an allusion to a proverb. We will examine the meaning of the idiom sticks and stones and the proverb it alludes to, where the expression came from, and some examples of its use in sentences. Sticks and stones is a retort one uses …
Vax is the Oxford English Dictionary Word of the Year for 2021; it is an abbreviation. All types of shortened words and phrases are technically abbreviations, but we generally use this term to denote shortened words—for example, Dr. in place of Doctor, etc. in place of et cetera, A.D in place …
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 …
Crooked and crooked  are two words that are spelled identically but are pronounced differently and have different meanings, which makes them heteronyms. We will examine the definitions of the words crooked and crooked, where these words came from, and a few examples of their use in sentences. Crooked (KROOKT) is the past tense of the verb, …
