Tagged Questions
1
vote
3answers
389 views
Meaning of “saved my sanity” [closed]
What is the meaning of the phrase saved my sanity?
I attempted another sip and winced. He smiled and poured more water in my drink to dilute it. It ruined the scotch but saved my sanity.
The ...
1
vote
6answers
915 views
What does “don't shoot yourself in the foot” mean? [closed]
What does "Don’t shoot yourself in the foot" mean?
Unfortunately, most salary decisions are based on perceived performance, not on actual performance. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot.
2
votes
2answers
1k views
Close to home = quite accurate?
Citing Wikipedia:
Many actuaries were unhappy with the stereotypical portrayals of these
actuaries as unhappy, math-obsessed and socially inept people; others
have claimed that the portrayals ...
2
votes
4answers
520 views
Is “once you stop to think about it” ambiguous?
I tripped over a phrase in a book similar to "Once you stop to think about it, the existence of rainbows is pretty amazing."
Now, in context, it is pretty clear that I am supposed to stop my usual ...
1
vote
3answers
579 views
“All X are not made equal” - ambiguous meaning?
A phrase commonly heard in English (at least informal English) is something like the following:
Well, this car is good, but all cars are not made equal!
This would be commonly understood by most ...
3
votes
2answers
257 views
Non-idiomatic “would be a rare X that Y”: “…would be a rare hurricane that…”
In following, a writer quotes and summarizes Bill Read's remarks regarding Hurricane Irene:
“This is not just a coastal event,” said Bill Read, director of the National Hurricane Center. He said ...
