Archive for the 'Idioms' Category

Over the time I have been writing on this blog I have written a series of articles about idioms. Idioms are those colourful expressions we use liberally in our speaking and writing, but if taken literally they become rather silly. For a longer discussion on idioms, read my article called What is an idiom? To [...]

This week’s idiom: As free as a bird. Most birds are free to go where they please. Unless they are in a cage or aviary, in which case they are not as free as a bird. Meaning: If someone is said to “be as free as a bird” they are able to go wherever they [...]

It has been a long time since my last article about idioms. It is time to get back on track, to let the cat out of the bag and to turn over a new leaf before my readers think I’ve abandoned them with egg on their faces and that I’ve cooked my own goose. In [...]

This week’s idiom: ‘An ugly duckling.’ Meaning: An awkward, ungainly, unattractive child who develops into a graceful, beautiful adult is said to be an ugly duckling. Origins: The expression comes from the Hans Christian Andersen story called The Ugly Duckling. It was first published in 1843 and is widely regarded as a classic children’s story. [...]

This week’s idiom: “A sitting duck.” Meaning: Someone or something that is ‘a sitting duck’ is an easy to hit target. Someone who is a ‘sitting duck’ is open to an easy physical or verbal attack. Origin: This expression quite obviously comes from hunters, and duck shooters in particular. A sitting duck, on merely bobbing [...]