An idiom's figurative meaning is different from the literal meaning.
-1
votes
1answer
30 views
What does “baselet” mean?
FONOPs [Freedom of Navigation Operations] have grown “more regular and
strident” under the Trump administration,
says Alessio Patalano of King’s College
London. America’s European and regional
...
0
votes
1answer
38 views
What is “injury woes”?
I believe it is a fixed phrase (‘injury problems’ does not work as a substitute) and can admit that there is no account of a singular form (‘injury woe’). So, it makes the said phrase an idiom.
I ...
6
votes
2answers
752 views
What does “If you are playing the Yankees, you don’t want the umpires to show up wearing pinstripes” mean? [closed]
The sentence goes:
A good judge, like a good umpire, cannot act as a partisan... If you are playing the Yankees, you don’t want the umpires to show up wearing pinstripes.
I cannot understand the ...
2
votes
1answer
121 views
What does “bring a vote to the floor” mean?
I once read in a newspaper the sentence like " some leadership pressed to bring a vote to the floor on the confirmation of something." So what does the phrase mean here? Any slang used? Where can I ...
0
votes
1answer
63 views
Can anyone tell me what “a card scandal” in this sentence means?
I have a question about a sentence from Sherlock Holmes's series "The Adventure of the Three Students". Here it goes.
He was nearly expelled over a card scandal in his first year.
Can anyone be ...
1
vote
3answers
34 views
What does “longest weak patch” mean?
I did not know the meaning of the part after the comma in the sentence:
Since May spending on projects ranging from railways to power plants has fallen compared with a year earlier, the longest ...
4
votes
4answers
213 views
What does “extend a finger” mean exactly? Is it a commonly spoken phrase?
I came across the phrase “They’ve extended a finger” in the article that came under the headline “Mazie Hirono’s blunt style makes her a favorite of liberal looking for fighter” in Washington Post ...
2
votes
1answer
70 views
What is a wash dish tongue?
In this article†, Edward Hibbert (who plays Gil Chesterton), describes his character:
Gil’s effete and affected with a wash-dish tongue.
What is meant by a "wash-dish tongue?
Note: Googling "wash-...
7
votes
1answer
142 views
To let some of my cats on the table
While reading J.L. Austin's book How to do things with words I found this (to me) curious sentence:
... and here I must let some of my cats on the table...
The context seems to imply that the ...
4
votes
1answer
112 views
Cut my legs out from under me?
I would like to know the exact meaning of this phrase (cut my legs out from under me,) because I've been searching for it everywhere, but 'till now I've only come across the definition of "cut the ...
2
votes
1answer
117 views
Is there a word meaning 'to think about thinking'?
Is there a word meaning 'to think about thinking '?
Ex: 'I was thinking about thinking about that suggestion.'
1
vote
1answer
91 views
What does 'The Thick End Of' mean, and why?
I came across this phrase around 20 years ago, and have always understood it to mean 'most of'. I might complain about having to pay "the thick end of £4" for a coffee, when it cost somewhere between £...
1
vote
0answers
41 views
Deep state versus cabal [closed]
I ran across the term "deep state" and web searching (including a link to the term in the NPR page above) seems to indicate that it is the same as a cabal. Political/government cliches that influence ...
2
votes
3answers
139 views
“The cat that got the cream” - is there any innuendo?
I think this is a British idiom.
The American version would be, "The cat that killed the canary."
I was about to say this to a female friend, intended as a "well done" sort of compliment, ...
0
votes
1answer
31 views
What is the meaning of “as classic as they come”?
These shoes are as classic as they come.
I am not sure if it means that its style won't be affected whether the trend changes as time goes. Does it mean that this item is a timeless piece?
1
vote
2answers
72 views
“Tip of the iceberg” negative or positive
Does this idiom indicate the negative side or positive side?
Example: what you have seen about his character is just the tip of the iceberg...
Does this example show whether he has so much good ...
1
vote
1answer
98 views
Origin of phrase “dollars to doughnuts” [closed]
What is the origin of the phrase "dollars to doughnuts", and what is the phrase trying to convey when most commonly used?
49
votes
7answers
14k views
Meaning of the phrase “womp womp” in American English?
I'm British, I'd like some assistance understanding the meaning of the American idiom "womp womp" in this context:
PETKANAS: “I read today about a 10-year-old girl with Down syndrome who was taken ...
0
votes
1answer
61 views
Meaning of the expression “Ain't no trip we can't get past”
"Ain't no trip we can't get past"
Does anybody here know what it means?
This expression sort of resembles a saying in Spanish that goes something like this: "there is neither a sickness which ...
0
votes
0answers
19 views
Sweet-spot in computing sentence [duplicate]
What means "sweet-spot"?
Those temperatures may be sustainable, but they are higher than they should be.
In a well-ventilated computer case, an SSD should be showing temperatures close to room-...
1
vote
1answer
122 views
What's an idiom or a phrase that can be used to explain something's versatility? [closed]
What's an idiom or a phrase that can be used to explain something's versatility ?
3
votes
3answers
202 views
Is there a positive counterpart of “Showing one's true colors”?
Showing one's true colors applies to a situation where a person did something that you perceive as negative.
For instance: I thought Jake was a nice guy, but at the club, he showed his true colors.
...
1
vote
1answer
311 views
Is it possible to say “I take myself with a grain of salt?”
Does the phrase "I take myself with a grain of salt?" mean "I think about myself sceptically"? Or it doesn't? Either the first phrase have no sense at all?
2
votes
2answers
95 views
What does it mean when someone says to “deliver the eyeballs”?
Skimming through the following article on Guardian I stumbled upon the following sentence:
So if someone asked “What’s your space?” and you had a deeply unfashionable job like, say, writer, it ...
1
vote
2answers
190 views
Meaning of “What's in it for (someone)?” [closed]
On another SE site, I wrote in a comment
What's in it for X?
(X is a person.) I was asked what this phrase meant. I looked in three online dictionaries of idioms and couldn't find it. It showed ...
3
votes
2answers
204 views
In “pedophilia,” why philos rather than eros?
Greek carefully distinguishes between philos (non-sexual love) and eros (sexual love). There are 100s of "phile" words (e.g. an audiophile is a person with a non-sexual love of stereo equipment) and ...
1
vote
1answer
25 views
“On your own block”
You belong on your own block, where I can whistle for you.
I am totally confused by “belong on your own block”, could anyone please help me understand this sentence? Your help would be greatly ...
0
votes
3answers
302 views
Difference between art and science [closed]
I see this phrase used in lot many places:
is as much art as it is science
However, I am not sure what it means. Can someone please help me understand?
1
vote
2answers
126 views
What does the sentence “Please don't drop this from your radar” mean? [closed]
What does the sentence "Please don't drop this from your radar" mean. I searched for this in Google I found some idiom named drop off the radar but still I need some clarity on this. I want to learn ...
-1
votes
1answer
169 views
What does it mean if someone says “this man I think u are up to something”? [closed]
this man I think u are up to something
One of my friends asked me this question because he got this text from his girlfriend. So, can anyone help me out to understand this phrase?
1
vote
2answers
46 views
Does “head start” imply a comparison or competition with others?
I'm working on an application for a summer school. In the letter, I am explaining how I have been preparing to get into the field in question and how the summer school would further help me with that ...
5
votes
1answer
96 views
Can “much less” be used in affirmative manner?
There was the following paragraph in Washington Post (March 26) article under the headline, “The 5-minutes fix: What to make of Stormy Daniels.
“Daniels is openly profiting from her newfound fame ...
2
votes
2answers
79 views
What does 'let off the hook' mean in football (soccer)?
What does let off the hook mean in football (soccer)? It appears in a Daily Telegraph article as follows:
Wales had been let off the hook by Suarez in the first period, but Uruguay finally made ...
-4
votes
2answers
99 views
What does get into more difficult waters mean? [closed]
In a book that I'm reading there is a sentence like this
If we focus just on our local galaxy, we know that there are about 100 billion stars, with about 20 billion Earth-like planets. Twenty ...
0
votes
0answers
39 views
What is the meaning of “head-poppingly”?
In a book I'm reading there is a sentence like this
If you travel to a foreign country, you will make the charming discovery that there are many differences
between the local way of life and your ...
0
votes
1answer
300 views
What does the phrase “Mind your business” mean or refer to?
I appreciate it if you respond to or comment on the meaning of "Mind your business", as used on the Fugio Cent in Colonial America. Thanks in advance for your time!
2
votes
1answer
542 views
Meaning and etymology of the “Rhodesia Solution” [closed]
An example of the term "Rhodesia solution" being used is in The whisky Priest, an episode from the BBC comedy series Yes Minister, which follows a government minister and some of his closest staff ...
3
votes
3answers
212 views
Word/expression for someone who doesn't reciprocate favors?
Is there a word/idiom/expression to refer to someone whom I have helped a lot but doesn't reciprocate any favors even though they are capable of helping me? For example:
I have helped Peter a lot ...
0
votes
0answers
33 views
What's the meaning of “neon-grade memorability”?
In the article The brilliance of Richard Brautigan by Sarah Hall there's a sentence that reads as follows:
Brautigan is a high stylist; his lines can be astonishing and have neon-grade memorability ...
0
votes
0answers
253 views
meaning, definition of phrase “time for time”
I am translating a text where the following appears:
Dave, it's your boss. You owe me a shift this Saturday. You really need to, time for time.
I was trying to look for a definition for this "time ...
0
votes
0answers
365 views
What does the expression 'you can shake a bunsen burner at' mean?
I am reading the following article https://www.oxford-royale.co.uk/articles/read-enhance-general-knowledge.html . In the first paragraph there's the following sentence:
You’ve memorised more ...
0
votes
1answer
47 views
“Hock the Rembrandt”
I read that expression recently. It was used more or less as follows:
It is very expensive: so, if you really want to acquire it, be prepared
to hock the Rembrandt.
I would like to know if this ...
1
vote
1answer
70 views
Does 'I took the trouble' have a negative cognotation?
Example phrase: When I became aware of IBM I took the trouble to learn more.
Does the idiom "I took the trouble" have a negative connotation in business writing? Does it convey a thought of ...
1
vote
3answers
113 views
Is Trump's 'cracked up' expression a special AmE version of the idiom?
The British Press have pointedly made reference to Mr Trump's quote :
"I think I would have said that the European Union is not cracked up to what it’s supposed to be,"
What would have been ...
3
votes
5answers
534 views
Has “call on someone” meaning “pay a short visit” fallen out of usage?
It would appear that the usage of call on someone meaning to visit someone, usually for a short time, as in
“We could call on my parents if we have time” has become somewhat obsolete according to ...
4
votes
4answers
95 views
Is there an idiom or saying for an act that on the surface appears extending the olive branch but in reality it means to abscond responsibility
A couple of us have been trying figure this out.
Two parties have a conflict in a form of a proven betrayal that has come to an impasse so both remained conflicted. Then one party extends what ...
0
votes
2answers
46 views
Have you never loved again [closed]
I am trying to understanding the lyrics of Django Unchained 2012 soundtrack and in one line there is a phrase.
"Django, have you never loved again?"
Unfortunately, I cannot make sense of it. ...
3
votes
3answers
178 views
Off with ya meaning [closed]
I am watching Django Unchained (2012) and there is a dialog between King Schultz and Speck Brothers where one of the Speck Brothers says:
-I do not care, No sale. Now, off with ya.
Could anyone ...
0
votes
1answer
4k views
What does it mean to “give somebody a pass”?
In The Wolf of Wall Street there is a comical scene with Donnie Azoff and Brad Bodnick, where Donnie gets into a public brawl with Brad. Their talk:
Brad: I’m gonna give you a pass. Just give me ...
1
vote
1answer
164 views
Coming round to dinner
''In fact, she is coming round to dinner this evening''
I've done my research on the web, but I can't find its meaning. My question is, why did they use this idiom instead of just going to dinner? Is/...
