Check out other Idioms
Idiom – Turn Turtle
Turn Turtle – Idiom of the Day Meaning: Something inverted in position. Depicts helplessness of a person. It is also used to indicate that a situation is reversed, but this meaning is not widely used. History: History dates back to the 18th century, roughly in the early 1800s. The idiom seems to be based on the struggle that a turtle undergoes when it is having its body turned upside down. Idiom scenarios: Scenario 1: Friend 1: Do you know of the accident that happened on the hill nearby? Friend 2: No. Tell me all about it. Friend 1: Two buses...
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Idiom – Monkey Business
Monkey Business – Idiom of the Day Meaning: Thoughtless actions sometimes considered pranky or even unlawful. History: The word “monkeyshine” is an ancestor of the idiom “Monkey business”. History dates back to the early 18th century, roughly in 1832. In the initial phases it meant dishonesty. There are references to the idiom being used in this context in Jim Crow’s song mocking African-American slaves. Also, there is some evidence of the term “monkey tricks” being used by parents in England to refer to their children’s misconduct. The idiom with its current meaning was put down in writing in 1883 in...
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Idiom – Everything But The Kitchen Sink
Everything But The Kitchen Sink – Idiom of the Day Meaning: Leaving almost nothing. Having everything possible. History: History dates back to the early 19th century. The phrase was officially published in ‘The Syracuse Herald’ in 1918. During world war II, the expression shot to fame, when the term was used to denote that almost everything possible was used against the enemy. This idiom has an ancestor called “everything but the kitchen stove”. The references to the ancestral phrase can be found in the Jeffersonville National Democraft in 1894. Idiom scenarios: Scenario 1: Neighbour: Why does the house look empty?...
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Idiom – Pull The Wool Over Someone’s Eyes
Pull The Wool Over Someone’s Eyes – Idiom of the Day Meaning: Dupe someone so that they don’t know what you’re doing. History: History debated of 16th century British and 19th century American origin. The idiom is suspected to have originated from the ancient British practice of wearing woolen wigs. There is evidence of this idiom in paper as early as November 1935. The Gettysburg newspaper, The People’s Press, seems to have published it. Idiom scenarios: Scenario 1: Shopkeeper: This necklace is worth 1 lakh rupees. Customer: What? Shopkeeper: Yes madam. It has diamonds all over it. So it is...
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Idiom – Get Down to Business
Get Down to Business – Idiom of the Day Meaning: To seriously start working on something with dedication and determination. Origin: The idiom ‘Get down to business’ is a saying that is used when a person seriously wants to focus and start his work. It is most likely that the idiom originated in the business world and is used by many due to its widespread popularity. Idiom Scenarios: Scenario 1: John: When will the project work start? It’s already an hour. Rose: Soon after the introduction, we’ll get down to business. Scenario 2: Mother: Rose, come on, Stop idling away...
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Idiom – Don’t Rock the Boat
Don’t Rock the Boat – Idiom of the Day Meaning: Saying/ doing anything that will cause problems or issues to the already existing problems. Origin: The idiom ‘Don’t rock the boat’ originated from an American statesman who was famously quoted as ” The man who rocks the boat ought to be stoned when he gets back on the shore.’ The idiom was used to refer to those stirring up trouble. Idiom Scenarios: Scenario 1: Rose: What happened to you? Are you okay? Keith: Yes, I’m okay. I’m silent because I don’t want to rock the boat in any way. Scenario...
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Idiom – Don’t spare the horses
Don’t spare the horses – Idiom of the Day Meaning: Urging someone to speed up on something that they are doing. History: History dates back to the 17th century when the idiom was first used. In the 1860s, there are some references to the idiom being used in magazines. In 1934, there was a famous song in the name of the idiom. There is also evidence of the idiom being cited in a novel in 1969. Idiom scenarios: Scenario 1: Friend 1: We need to reach Delhi by 2:00 PM. Friend 2: With the speed that we’re traveling, it will...
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Idiom – To have a whale of a time
To have a whale of a time – Idiom of the day Meaning: To have an exceptionally fun, exciting, or amusing experience. History: Around the nineteenth century, an UK newspaper used the phrase ‘whaler of a fib’. From there, novels began using ‘whale on’ to describe characters who are enthusiastic. Examples: The dog is having a whale of a time playing with the ball. We are going to have a whale of a time at the island this weekend. The birthday party was amazing. We had a whale of a time there. There was a reading of a story...
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Idiom – It’s a small world.
It’s a small world – Idiom of the day Meaning: said to show your surprise that people or events in different places are connected. History: If we were to track the origin of this idiom, there’s none but it has been a part of Spanish-speaking countries for hundreds of years. In Spanish, it is said as ‘El mundo es un panuelo’ Example: My kindergarten teacher is your mother. What a small world! I found my watch at the antique shop in Chennai. Small world, isn’t it? I had absolutely no contact with them since high school and then I bumped...
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Idiom – Make someone’s blood boil
Make someone’s blood boil – Idiom of the day. Meaning: to make someone angry History: Anger was usually related to the term the blood boils from the seventeenth century. This became more popular in Macaulay’s History of England (1848): “The thought of such intervention made the blood, even of The Cavaliers, boil in their veins.” Example: When I hear people gossip about others, it makes my blood boil. I heard the news of the girl’s death yesterday; it made my blood boil. My blood boiled when he called me a thief. It makes my blood boil when I see people...
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Idiom – Back to the drawing board
Back to the drawing board – Idiom of the day Meaning: to start over History: American artist named Peter Arno, had his cartoons published in the New Yorker. In one of the comic strips, he drew a man in a suit, carrying a bunch of rolled up papers and walking away from a crashed plane. These papers are assumed to be mechanical drawings of an aircraft and there is a bubble above the man’s head that read, ‘Well, back to the drawing board’ Example: I was told that my project was a failure, so I went back to the drawing...
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Idiom – At loggerheads
At loggerheads – Idiom of the Day Meaning: In violent dispute or disagreement. Origin: The origins for this expression are shrouded in mystery. A loggerhead originally referred to a stupid person. In the 17th century, it took a new definition: a thick-headed iron tool. When “at loggerheads”’ came about soon thereafter, it may have referred to the use of loggerheads as weapons in fights. That is all we know. Usage: Union workers are at loggerheads with factory owners over wage hikes and overtime benefits. Barney has been at loggerheads with his father over installing the jacuzzi for 6 months now....
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Idiom – All dressed up and nowhere to go
All dressed up and nowhere to go – Idiom of the Day Meaning: Fashionably or smartly dressed for an anticipated occasion that does not take place. Ready for an event or occasion that has since been canceled. Prepared for action but having nothing to do or unable to be proceeded with. Origin: The initial version of the idiom was all dressed up and no place to go. This idiom started being commonly used in the early 1900s, and is attributed to a 1910 musical production, The Girl of My Dreams. All dressed up and no place to go began as...
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Idiom – Albatross Around One’s Neck
Albatross Around One’s Neck – Idiom of the Day Meaning: A great burden that one has to carry. Origin: This expression comes directly from Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s longest poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, published in 1798. It talks about a mariner (a sailor), who kills an albatross while on a voyage. After he commits this heinous crime, the ship is blown way off its course. This makes the crew angry, as they think killing the albatross cursed the ship. They make the mariner wear the dead albatross around his neck, to illustrate the burden he must suffer for...
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Idiom – A day late and a dollar short
A day late and a dollar short – Idiom of the Day Meaning: An action which is performed late ; A fruitless action even when performed in time, due to lack of proper preparation. History: History dates back to the Great depression of economies in the 1930s. But there is evidence of this expression being used in the 1700s, 1900s and in the very recent past. Idiom scenarios: Scenario 1: John: I have arranged the funds needed. You can go ahead with the surgery for my mom. Doctor: I’m sorry, John. You’re a day late and a dollar short. Her...
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Idiom – Lose your marbles
Lose your marbles – Idiom of the Day Meaning: It means that a person has become mentally unstable for sometime. History: History dates back to 1871 when the idiom was used in a comic ballad with the word taw instead of marble. But taw means a large marble. But it was widely in use from 1902. There are also references to the idiom being used in newspapers. In the recent times the idiom was used in 1995. Idiom scenarios: Scenario 1: Friend 1: The nation is in a severe food crisis. Friend 2: But I read in the newspapers that...
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Idiom – Apple Of Discord
Apple of discord – Idiom of the Day Meaning: A subject matter that causes disagreement. History: History dates back to the mid sixteenth century, roughly from 1640 to 50s. It has its roots in the Greek mythology which says Eris, The Greek Goddess of Discord was not invited for a banquet at the wedding of Peleus and Thetis. So she threw a golden apple into the feast. Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite fought for it and the subsequent events led to the Trojan war. Idiom scenarios: Scenario 1: Brother 1: Aren’t we supposed to give a fair share of the property...
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Idiom – A cold day in hell
A cold day in hell – Idiom of the Day Meaning: Used to indicate an event that will never happen. History: The origin of the idiom dates back to 1886, when it was used in a newspaper headline to praise General Gordon’s victory in the elections of Georgia. Also there are references to it being used in 1944 by a newspaper in Miami. There is also evidence in a newspaper in LosAngeles to the idiom being used in the recent past in 1990. Idiom scenarios: Scenario 1: Friend 1: John is mad about fish and chicken. Friend 2: Yeah, I...
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Idiom – Jump on the bandwagon
Jump on the bandwagon – Idiom of the Day Meaning: To do something because everyone does it or because it has become popular. History: The history dates back to the 1800s when Dan Rice, a famous circus clown, rented his bandwagon for political campaigns because they were thought to attract public attention. There are also references to it being used in the 1890s. It is still unknown why the act of riding a bandwagon turned out to be doing something which was very popular. Idiom scenarios: Scenario 1: Parent 1: My son hated milk. He would not tolerate the smell...
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Idiom – No Flies On You
No Flies On You – Idiom of the Day Meaning: You are alert, brisk and active. There is not a bit of sluggishness in you. Also You cannot be easily deceived. Also You’re extremely adept at doing something. Origin: It’s a 19th century expression, which came from the fact that flies can’t settle on someone who is active and always moving. Examples: He was my best emplyee, there were no flies on him. She may be new to this field, but there are no flies on her. Daniel: Hey Luther Luther: Daniel! How’s the big case going? Daniel: Haven’t had...
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