Re: English idioms 1

MurielB Mer 18 Nov - 13:47

yes it would be a great idea to use all these terms !(Another suggestion)

MurielB Mer 18 Nov - 21:22

Thanks Gérard for all these funny expressions I will remember but I only knew a few of them. A hero needs similar expressions to describe who he is

The Hero's muscles were as big as freight trains.

The hero's arms stretched out forever.

The Hero had the endurance of ten thousand bulls.

The Hero could withstand the physical punishment spanning millons of years.

gerardM Jeu 19 Nov - 19:47

English idioms 1 - Page 36 Safe_image.php?d=AQDzyxIxUH2lyL1p&w=470&h=246&url=https%3A%2F%2Fscontent-hkg3-1.xx.fbcdn.net%2Fhphotos-xpa1%2Fv%2Ft1.0-9%2F12246684_10153227276963994_8265823537320630907_n

Common Similes in English (As …As …)
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gerardM Jeu 19 Nov - 19:55

MurielB Jeu 19 Nov - 21:53

Hi Gérard !
I understand that double-dip is getting money from two different sources. Is it always illegally ?

gerardM Jeu 19 Nov - 23:16

MurielB a écrit:Hi Gérard !
I understand that double-dip is getting money from two different sources. Is it always illegally ?

No Muriel, nothing illegal, just improper.

gerardM Jeu 19 Nov - 23:41

Muriel,
I didn't know about this meaning of "double-dip".
For me, double-dip was a financial expression expressing a double downward movement such as the diagram of the stock market showing the shape of W

gerardM Ven 20 Nov - 15:46

KEEP A STIFF UPPER LIP: remain stoic in the face of trouble; control one's emotions. Washington Times: <<British people are often stereotyped as having a stiff upper lip, able to weather tempests without breaking a sweat. If life hands you lemons, make lemonade — that sort of thing.
So I suppose we shouldn’t be too surprised when the news from London in yesterday’s Telegraph reported: "Elderly man smokes pipe as his car sinks in a lake: Man appeared unconcerned as he awaited rescue from the water.">>
"If life hands you lemons, make lemonade" means if bad things happen, try to find a positive side to them.

MurielB Ven 20 Nov - 22:31

A bar of chocolate is my best one !

gerardM Ven 20 Nov - 22:37

What about a jar of Nutella?

MurielB Ven 20 Nov - 22:49

Is it fat free ? Wink

gerardM Ven 20 Nov - 22:53

No Muriel.
In addition, there's palm oil.

MurielB Sam 21 Nov - 22:02

Hi Gérard, everyone !
I remember the expression which I found funny when I was studying English

To have bats in the belfry

I realize now how old-fahioned it is.

gerardM Sam 21 Nov - 22:09

MurielB a écrit:Hi Gérard, everyone !
I remember the expression which I found funny when I was studying English
To have bats in the belfry
I realize now how old-fahioned it is.

Given the architecture around you (belfry), I'm not surprised you liked it.

gerardM Sam 28 Nov - 22:10

Howdy.

I'm posting oodles of pics, here in "English Idoms" or elsewhere.
Sometimes, the postings come again, and again.

Don't learn them by heart, don't be bored learning...

In my mind, learning a language had to be a bit like when a baby learns from their parents.
Don't be bored learning, practice and the things you need, the things that are repeated will be fixed in your mind.

Practice, practice, you will learn without big effort (though efforts will accelerate knowledge).

marinaC Mar 1 Déc - 9:28

what a beautiful pic! I like it Smile

MurielB Mar 1 Déc - 23:08

English idioms 1 - Page 36 Funniest-idioms-learning-english

http://matadornetwork.com/pulse/10-funniest-idioms-people-learning-english/?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=social&utm_content=inf_29_49_2&utm_campaign=bos&tse_id=INF_b0329a457b104444af790f65b526751b

I know most of them ! what about you ?

gerardM Mer 2 Déc - 0:10

MurielB a écrit:... http://matadornetwork.com/pulse/10-funniest-idioms-people-learning-english/?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=social&utm_content=inf_29_49_2&utm_campaign=bos&tse_id=INF_b0329a457b104444af790f65b526751b

I know most of them ! what about you ?

I know them as well but I don't use them.

MurielB Mer 2 Déc - 22:02

The adjective "nice" is very loosely used in the English language. you don't need to know a lot of words to appear friendly !

MurielB Jeu 3 Déc - 23:21

I only use LOL, i should know the other ones !

gerardM Dim 6 Déc - 16:37

Muriel,
It might become necessary in Café polyglotte of the future...

MurielB Lun 7 Déc - 21:37

A social butterfly can fit into any room, be comfortable, make friends, and fly away to the next gathering and repeat the process all over again

MurielB Mar 19 Jan - 22:10

Ok but it will cost you an arm and a leg=>In George Washington's days,prices charged by painters were according to the number of limbs they had to paint

Here comes the big wig=>Ostentation was the order of the day in Bourbon France so the wigs became bigger to the point of absurdity (rich and important people had big wigs)

chairman or chairman of the board =>In the late 1700 most houses had only a room. The "head of the household" always sat in the chair while everyone else ate sitting on the floor.

crack smile =>In 1700's women wore wax to smooth out their complexion (acne scars). Should a woman smile the wax would crack (crack a smile)

losing face =>when 1700’s women sat too close to the fire, the wax they put on their face would melt therefore the expresssion "losing face"

straight laced =>At the time of the corsets, a proper and dignified woman, as in "straight laced "wore a tightly tied lace

playing with a full deck=>There is a popular story that the origin of this phrase dates back to the 1500s, when a tax was levied against decks of cards. To avoid paying tax people would play with 51 decks and those playing with full decks were thought to be dumb

gossip=> Early polititians required feedbacks from the public and would send assistants to"sip here and sip there" hence: gossip

minding your P's and Q's=> A bar maid’s job was to pay close attention and remember who was drinking in 'pints' and who was drinking in 'quarts,' hence the term minding your 'P's and 'Q's

English idioms 1