Useful Idioms – part 23
In the heat of the moment = without thinking because they are angry or excited. Don’t say anything in the heat of the moment. He didn’t mean it ; he said it in the heat of the moment. We all do things in the heat of the moment which we then regret. Set the world on fire = to do something wonderful or exciting things ; to be extremely popular/famous. As a girl, Janet dreamed of setting the world on fire as a famous actress.…
Entrepreneur vs. Intrapreneur
Entrepreneur = A person who sets up a business, taking on financial risks in the hope of profit. Many entrepreneurs say that the new taxation policy of the government will act against the innovative initiatives of the business community. Intrapreneur = (1) a manager within a company who promotes innovative product development and marketing. (2) an employee of a large corporation who is given freedom and financial support to create new products, services etc. Now modern companies incur quite a large amount of money on…
Abstention vs. Abstinence
Abstention = refusal to vote, abstaining In the election to the local council, there were three abstentions. There were ten votes in favour, three against and two abstentions. Political parties are expecting high levels of abstention in the forthcoming elections. Abstinence = the practice of restraining oneself from indulging in something, typically alcohol or sex; teetotalism; temperance; self-restraint etc. He started drinking after ten years of abstinence. She observed two days of abstinence from food and drink as penance for wrongdoing. Among birth control methods…
Useful idioms – part 22
Come/spring to mind = (of a thought) occur to someone. The idea of global warming comes to mind when we see what is happening. A : Have you any suggestion? B: Nothing springs to mind, I am afraid. A: Just say whatever comes to mind, it doesn’t matter. Say the word “Australia” and a vision of beaches and blue seas immediately springs to mind. A train of thought = someone’s pattern of thinking or sequence of ideas; what one was just thinking about. When the…
Useful Idioms – part 29
Blow hot and cold = react in different , unpredictable ways , so people are confused about how you really feel. He has been blowing hot and cold about the trip to Brazil. He keeps blowing hot and cold on the question of moving to the country. He blows hot and cold about this. I wish he would make up his mind. Get wind of something = hear about something secret. I don’t want my colleagues to get wind of the fact that I’m leaving.…
Useful Idioms – part 30
The salt of the earth = a very good and honest person. You will be fine working for someone like him. He’s the salt of the earth. Don’t worry ,even with all his success Robin is still the salt of the earth. He donates most of salary to charity and volunteers weekly at the hospital. Frank’s mother is the salt of the earth. She has five children of her own and yet fosters three others. Go to the ends of the earth = do anything…
Useful Idioms – part 31
Go/run like clockwork = it happens exactly as planned and without problems. The party went like clockwork. Everyday he comes here for a cup of coffee at 3.00 p.m like clockwork. He soon had the household running like clockwork. The journey to the tourist destination went like clockwork. Start from scratch = go right back to the beginning and start again. He built his own computer company from scratch. My template got deleted so now I have to write the whole report from scratch. Building…
Useful Idioms – part 21
Off-the-cuff =without preparation. I hadn’t prepared a speech so I just said a few words off-the-cuff. It was just an off-the-cuff remark. I am not very good at making speeches off-the-cuff. Small talk = polite conversation about unimportant or uncontroversial matters ,especially as engaged in on social occasions. It was just small talk really. I don’t enjoy parties where I have to make small talk with complete strangers. In the same breath = more or less at the same time, or at once. You say…
Useful Idioms – part 20
In a word = briefly ; ( said when you are about to give your opinion in a short ,direct way). In a word, she’s lying. A: Shouldn’t he be given the leading role? B: In a word – No. Small/fine print = the rules , restrictions and conditions which are often written in very small letters and they are usually printed smaller than the rest of the text. Don’t sign anything until you have read the small print. Read the small print in your…
Useful Idioms – part 19
Lingua franca = a language used for day-to-day public communication, which is not the speakers’ own language. English is a lingua franca in a lot of countries nowadays. English is the lingua franca of the literate in India. Jog someone’s memory = cause someone to remember something suddenly. I tried jogging mom’s memory , but she couldn’t remember Joe’s phone number either. I tried to jog Bill’s memory about our childhood antics. Maybe this photograph will jog your memory. In/within living memory = within or…