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English Idioms


Idiomatic expressions

badger
User since 2007
Posts: 3

12 Sept. 2007

hi everybody I'm badger from Mexico and I would like to share several idiomatic expressions to be able to understand what English people say.


Expression: Meaning:
Like a jack in the box To appear suddenly
Learn by heart To memorize
In the tip of my tongue I dont remember right now
Put up with To tolerate
look up to To admire
get over with To have a good relationship


I hope these idiomatic expressions will be helpfull to you

27 comments - page 3

  • User since 2008
    Posts: 14

    28 Dec. 2008

    From Ahq:
    Thanks a lot, chap, for your exhaustive explanation.
    First up, I should apologize for having exchanged letters in "bedaub". I must agree that I am dyslexic.


    About your interpretation of the white eggs laid by the black hen, I also must agree that "we can philosophy a lot on proverbs" because most often proverbs are metaphorical and metaphores are not rational processes like 1 + 1 makes 2. However if I rightly catch your say, only the white colour of eggs is to be taken into account, symbolic for "good quality". I presume then that the black hen is not black just by chance. It should be black as opposed to the white eggs. Black must be the symbol of something which is belittled, as the black sheep (Fr. brebis galeuse) in a herd of white sheep. That is of a great comfort to me as it brings me to think that good-for-nothing people (for instance dyslexic guys) could makes good quality deeds. But come to think of it, I've recently seen on the telly that in a Central Africa country - I can't remember which one - albinos were mistreated and pulled apart from the population for being under-beings. For sure, here the metaphoric sense is working backwards. That would confirm you were right in saying that we can philosophy a lot about that issue.


    Thanks for your wishes and a merry second Christmas day to you, with as a gift "two turttle doves sent to you by your true love".

     


    Thanks a lot for philosohying on my topic, see that both of you, "Gee" and yourself, are quite interested in it and it seems to me to have woken up a kind of challenging spirit in you!? You must be good friends and I guess you have even something to do with teaching, haven't you?


    Keep on your good sense of humour!


    Hope to read you soon.
  • User since 2008
    Posts: 14

    25 Dec. 2008

    Back to my proverb, the verb in question isn't "debaud" but "bedaub", a formal verb, which means "to cover very roughly with something sticky or dirty".


    And in relation to the proverb, it would mean, according to me, that black(=dirty) shoes can make a man happy because the dirt comes from hard work as it can be understood from:"bedaubed with industry" ("industry" being the formal word for "the quality of regularly working hard").
    In our context, a steady job makes a man happy.


    As far as the comparison with the other proverb is concerned, I fully agree with your explanation on one hand, but on the other hand, we can also compare it with the previous one because no matter of colour, only hard work brings good results and thus happiness.("white eggs" standing for good quality eggs)


    Anyway, we can philosohpy a lot on proverbs as long there is a logical and convincing explanation.
    Hope, I convinced you...


    Best regards and... Merry Christmas!
  • User since 2006
    Posts: 2715

    30 Dec. 2008

    You'll play the teacher, bumbrlik, I'll keep being the learner. That has always been my way of looking up at teachers.
    Hope you'll have a fun-packed New Year's.
  • User since 2006
    Posts: 2715

    27 Dec. 2008

    Sorry, Gee. I'll never do it again.


    Got 2 nice birds yesterday. Hope to get 4 tomorrow.
    See ya.
  • User since 2006
    Posts: 2715

    26 Dec. 2008

    Gee! Ahq, don't ham it up. I know you have a very strong personal tendency for projecting yourself onto your friends. But you passed over the bounds this time.


    If you are a good-for-nothing dyslexic guy don't let people suspect me to be.


    Get your two turttle doves even so.
  • User since 2006
    Posts: 2715

    26 Dec. 2008

    Thanks a lot, chap, for your exhaustive explanation.
    First up, I should apologize for having exchanged letters in "bedaub". I must agree that I am dyslexic.


    About your interpretation of the white eggs laid by the black hen, I also must agree that "we can philosophy a lot on proverbs" because most often proverbs are metaphorical and metaphores are not rational processes like 1 + 1 makes 2. However if I rightly catch your say, only the white colour of eggs is to be taken into account, symbolic for "good quality". I presume then that the black hen is not black just by chance. It should be black as opposed to the white eggs. Black must be the symbol of something which is belittled, as the black sheep (Fr. brebis galeuse) in a herd of white sheep. That is of a great comfort to me as it brings me to think that good-for-nothing people (for instance dyslexic guys) could makes good quality deeds. But come to think of it, I've recently seen on the telly that in a Central Africa country - I can't remember which one - albinos were mistreated and pulled apart from the population for being under-beings. For sure, here the metaphoric sense is working backwards. That would confirm you were right in saying that we can philosophy a lot about that issue.


    Thanks for your wishes and a merry second Christmas day to you, with as a gift "two turttle doves sent to you by your true love".
  • User since 2006
    Posts: 2715

    22 Dec. 2008

    This second display of the proverb seems to speak more clearly.
    The shoe is "blackened" with dust!! I had imagined a shining black shoe, shining so as to reflect one's image as a mirror, black because it had been diligently shone !!
    But it was "debauded" with industry! I guess debaud is Scottish for debauch.


    I for one don't share your opinion as you compare that proverb with the one with a black hen and a white egg. If a black hen can lay white eggs, it's - to my mind! - because the deeds of a person can come up against everyone's expectations.
    What do you think?


    So long,
  • User since 2008
    Posts: 1

    19 Feb. 2009

    From christine Vidal:
    it's my first day on gymglish and I would like to learn english as well as possible so if you want to try with me it will be fine to you ....I can learn very fast if you are patient and I want to speak like a real english girl......so I am waiting for you ...thanks

     

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