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by Kate Woodford
As I was writing last month’s post on ‘horse’ idioms, it occurred to me that there are a number of interesting English idioms that relate to horses while not containing the word ‘horse’ itself. I thought I’d share the most frequent of these with you in another horse-themed post. Continue reading “Champing at the bit (Horse-related idioms)”
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by Liz Walter
I recently watched a fascinating and shocking TV documentary called ‘Dirty Business’. The subject was the terrible state of the UK’s rivers and seas, and the title has a double meaning. On the one hand, it refers to literal dirt in the water and on the other to apparently unethical practices from both water companies and the UK Environment Agency which should be protecting our water quality. In this post I take a closer look at the way ‘dirty’ is used metaphorically and the words and phrases we often use with it. Continue reading “It’s a dirty business: the metaphorical use of ‘dirty’”
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by Kate Woodford
Idioms featuring the word ‘horse’ or ‘horses’ are common in English, and this is no great surprise. Humans have always had a close relationship with this beautiful animal. For centuries, horses were our main means of transport. We also used them in farming, war, and industry. More recently, of course, we’ve ridden horses, both for leisure and in the sport of horse racing. Today, I’m looking at some of the most frequent and useful horse idioms. Continue reading “Wild horses and gift horses (Idioms with the word ‘horse’)”
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by Liz Walter
Today’s post concentrates on a set of compound adjectives (adjectives made from two words) that start with the name of a body part. Unlike compound adjectives where the body part is second (blue-eyed, long-haired, etc.), they tend to be quite idiomatic and in many cases extremely emphatic. Continue reading “Mouth-watering or jaw-dropping: adjectives formed with body parts”
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by Kate Woodford
If, like me, you spent your spare time last month watching the Winter Olympics, you’ll know how exciting it was. I enjoyed everything about it. When I wasn’t watching the events or admiring the fabulous scenery, I was looking at the spectators as they cheered for (=encouraged by shouting at) their country’s sportsmen and women. This post looks at the language we use to describe the behaviour of people who have come together to watch a sports event or an occasion such as a play or concert. Continue reading “Applauding or heckling? (What audiences do)”
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by Liz Walter
My last two posts have looked at figurative and idiomatic uses of the verb ‘throw’. My final post on this remarkably useful verb will focus on some of the phrasal verbs formed with it. Continue reading “Throw away and throw in: phrasal verbs with ‘throw’”
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by Kate Woodford
A couple of weeks ago, I was walking to the shops when I slipped and fell on a patch of ice. I got up immediately and was absolutely fine, though of course, rather embarrassed! Later, when telling a friend about my accident, I said I had fallen ‘in a heap’, to convey how heavily I had fallen, the whole of my body landing on the ground. I started thinking about this phrase and all the other ways we talk about falling and thought I’d share my thoughts with you. Continue reading “Stumbling and tumbling (The language of falling)”
by Liz Walter
My last post looked at the way the verb ‘throw’ can be extended into several figurative uses. Today, we go a step further and look at some classic idioms that contain this word. Continue reading “Throwing your weight around: idioms with ‘throw’”
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by Kate Woodford
There’s a nice idiom in English that says before you criticize a person, you should walk a mile in their shoes. In other words, instead of judging someone, you should try to imagine what it’s like to be that person, with all the problems and challenges that they face. The phrase is essentially a call for us to be more empathetic (or empathic), using our imagination and experience to understand other people’s feelings and thoughts. This post looks at the words and phrases we use to talk about and convey empathy. Continue reading “Walk a mile in my shoes (Words about empathy)”
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by Liz Walter
Most readers of this blog will be familiar with the verb throw when it means using your hand and arm to send something such as a ball through the air. Today’s post looks at some of the many ways that this basic sense of ‘throw’ is used in more idiomatic ways, often in fixed or semi-fixed phrases. Continue reading “Throwing a punch or throwing your head back: using the verb ‘throw’”