This is the second of two posts on idioms that contain the word ‘water’. On this blog, we always try to provide you with commonly used, contemporary idioms and this post is no exception!
If you say you will do something come hell or high water, you mean you are very determined to do it, whatever difficulties you may face: I’m going to be at that ceremony next year, come hell or high water! Continue reading “Blood is thicker than water. (Idioms with ‘water’, Part 2)”
by Liz Walter
At the end of last year, I wrote a post about phrases containing people’s names, which generated quite a lot of interest. I hope you will also enjoy this post about phrases based on place names.
Continue reading “Rome wasn’t built in a day: Phrases with place names”
It’s surprising how many commonly used idioms contain the word ‘water’. There are so many, in fact, that this post will consist of two parts, (1 and 2). As ever, we will look at the most frequent and useful ones.
Continue reading “‘Like a duck to water’ (Idioms with ‘water’, Part 1)”
In February of 2020, my colleague Liz Walter wrote a post on the language of COVID-19: Quarantine, carriers and face masks: the language of the coronavirus. Today, I’m looking at some of the many COVID-related words and phrases that we are using almost a year later.
Continue reading “Bubbles and a breakthrough: the language of COVID (update)”
by Liz Walter
Many of us will have given and received gifts over the holiday period. This post looks at some of the language around this custom.
Continue reading “I’ve brought you a little something: The language of gifts”
Last month we looked at a selection of idioms containing the word ‘hand’, concentrating on idioms connected with power. This post will cover ‘hand’ idioms with a range of meanings, focusing, as always, on the most frequent and useful.
Continue reading “You’re in good hands (Idioms with ‘hand’, Part 2)”
by Liz Walter
As we head into a new year (which I’m sure everyone hopes will be better than the old one!), I thought it would be nice to look at some useful phrases containing the word ‘new’.
Today, in the last of the ‘Describing character’ posts, we’re looking at words for a variety of negative characteristics, from the tendency to criticize others, the belief that you are better than everyone else.
Continue reading “Pompous and patronizing (Describing character, part 5)”
by Liz Walter
Today’s post focuses on phrases that contain general personal names – there are a surprising number of them!
Continue reading “I don’t know him from Adam: phrases containing names”
Who knew how many idioms and phrases there were containing the word ‘hand’! I certainly didn’t until I started researching them. A lot are common in everyday speech and are therefore useful to learn. As there are so many, this will be the first of two posts, Part 1 and Part 2.
Continue reading “Help is at hand (Idioms with ‘hand’, Part 1)”
Be bright, be ready
