Useful Idioms – part 8
(1) Tighten one’s belt = cut one’s expenditure ; live more frugally. She said the poor must tighten their belts. I’ve had to tighten my belt since I stopped working full-time. (2) Make a killing = to earn a lot of money in a short time and with little effort. They made a killing with the sale of their London house. Tom made a killing at the race track yesterday. (3) Well-heeled = wealthy. His family was very well-heeled. My uncle can afford a new car. …
Contemptible vs. Contemptuous
Contemptible :- deserving to be treated with contempt.. She has played a contemptible trick on her friend. He’s a contemptible politician known to take bribes even from poor people. The jury sentenced capital punishment to the contemptible rapist. He’s a contemptible man who won’t appreciate the virtues and exceptional capabilities of others, maybe he is devoid of any of these qualities to his credit. . Contemptuous :- showing contempt. He gave a contemptuous laugh. She talked in a contemptuous tone about the poor local farmers.…
Useful Idioms – part 7
(1) Get the sack = to be dismissed from job. ( has an allusion to tradesmen, who owned their own tools and took them with him in a bag or sack when they were dismissed from employment). The Deputy Manager got the sack for incompetence and financial mismanagement. (2) Head-hunt = identify and approach a suitable person employed elsewhere. Jorty was head-hunted as MD of a leading Commercial Bank. Head-hunting is a form of recruitment and selection. He was head-hunted by a rival company for one…
Brainchild vs. Brain drain
Brainchild = someone’s idea or invention, especially if successful. This festival celebration was the brainchild of the Corporation mayor. The project was the brainchild of a student. This dance sequence is the brainchild of the assistant director. This method of cultivation is the brainchild of the new agriculture minister. . Brain drain =a movement of a large number of highly skilled or professional people from the country where they were trained to other countries where they can earn more money. The government has done nothing…
Useful Idioms – part 6
(1) The middle ground = a position between two opposite opinions in an argument that is acceptable to many different people. Both sides in this debate need to do more to establish some middle ground. The judge of the case chose a middle ground between harshness and leniency. (2) Be on the breadline = to be very poor, as if one could rely on food donations to survive. A ‘ breadline’ is a line of people seeking food distributed by a charitable or government agency.…
Co-brother ? Is there a word like co-brother?
X : Is there a word like co-brother? SVK : I have come across many people , mainly from south India, using the word ‘Co-brother’ to mean ‘ the husband of one’s wife’s sister. If there were a word like co-brother, there should be a word like ‘Co-sister’ to mean the feminine gender. I haven’t come across people using the word ‘co-sister’. The following dictionaries will enlighten you on the matter with more details. 1. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English. 2. Longman Dictionary…
Affection vs. Affectation
Affection = gentle lasting love like that of a parent for child. He has a deep affection for his old friends. She doesn’t show any affection for him. They showed a great amount of affection and gratitude for a small favour done by us. An affectionate hug/child. Affectation = behaviour which is not one’s natural manner. She is sincere and quite without affectation. I wore sunglasses and people thought it was an affectation. The way she speaks reeks of affectation. Affected = (adjective) pretended, not…
Housewife, househusband, homemaker.
Housewife =(female) a married woman who doesn’t have a full-time job outside the house. She doesn’t want to give up her job and become a housewife. Most women in Kerala don’t necessarily give up their jobs and become housewives when they get married. Househusband =(male) a husband who stays at home and cleans the house, cooks meals etc while his wife goes out to work. He married a well-qualified nurse working abroad with good salary and perquisites (perks) and now he is a happy househusband. Now-a-days…
Grocery vs.Provisions
Grocery/groceries = items of food sold in a grocer’s shop such as flour ,sugar, tinned food etc. Green grocer = shopkeeper selling vegetables and fruit. Related usages : to the grocer/to the grocer’s = to the grocer’s shop. He has gone to the grocer’s. Similar usages : to the baker/ to the baker’s Are you going to the baker/to the baker’s? to the butcher/to the butcher’s to the doctor/to the doctor’s. Provisions = (plural) supplies of food and other necessary things such buckets,…
Useful Idioms – part 5
(1) Loom large = If something looms large it becomes very important and often causes worry. The thought of a third world war looms large in the minds of the humanity. Fear of failure loomed large in his mind. . (2) won’t budge an inch = will not move, change or shift in any way at all. Once my brother gets his mind made up, he won’t budge an inch. So don’t bother trying to reason with him. I can’t believe how tight this bolt…