Monthly Archives: October 2024

Idiom of the day

Two Cents

Leave a comment

Meaning: This idiom is used to express someone’s personal opinion or thoughts, often in a modest or humble way, as if acknowledging that their input may not be of great value but they still wish to share it.

Usage in Example Sentences:

  1. “I know it’s not my decision, but here’s my two cents on the matter.”
  2. “If I can add my two cents, I think we should reconsider the budget.”
  3. “He always offers his two cents, even when nobody asks for it.”

Origin: The phrase “my two cents” originates from the older British expression “two pennies’ worth,” which was also used to refer to one’s opinion. The “two cents” version became popular in the United States in the 19th century. It likely reflects the small monetary value of a mere two cents, implying the speaker’s modesty about the worth of their opinion.

Two Cents
Idiom of the day

Shoot the breeze

Leave a comment

Meaning: This idiom means to engage in casual, light-hearted conversation without any serious purpose or topic in mind. It’s often used to describe friendly, relaxed chatting.

Usage in Example Sentences:

  1. “We sat on the porch and shot the breeze for hours.”
  2. “They were just shooting the breeze while waiting for the meeting to start.”
  3. “I love catching up with my friends and shooting the breeze over coffee.”

Origin: The idiom “shoot the breeze” is thought to have originated in the United States in the early 20th century. The word “shoot” here refers to the casual, aimless nature of the conversation, and “breeze” represents light, fleeting talk, similar to how the wind blows lightly. Together, the phrase conveys the idea of talking about nothing important, much like how a breeze blows without direction or consequence.

Shoot the breeze
Idiom of the day

All of a sudden

Leave a comment

Meaning: This idiom means something happened unexpectedly or very quickly, without any prior warning.

Usage in Example Sentences:

  1. “All of a sudden, the lights went out during the storm.”
  2. “She was walking calmly when all of a sudden, she tripped and fell.”
  3. “We were talking when all of a sudden, he started shouting.”

Origin: The phrase “all of a sudden” has been used in English since the late 17th century. It likely originated from the phrase “of a sudden,” meaning an event occurred abruptly. The addition of “all” emphasizes the immediate and surprising nature of the event, reinforcing that it happened without anticipation or gradual buildup.

All of a sudden
Idiom of the day

Few and far between

Leave a comment

Meaning: This idiom means something is rare or occurs infrequently, with large gaps in time or space between occurrences.

Usage in Example Sentences:

  1. “Good job opportunities in this town are few and far between.”
  2. “Sunny days have been few and far between this winter.”
  3. “His visits to see his family are few and far between now that he lives abroad.”

Origin: The phrase “few and far between” has been used since the 17th century. It originally described large distances between objects or occurrences and has since evolved to refer to things that are scarce or rarely seen or experienced. The idiom emphasizes the rarity of an event or item.

Few and far between
Idiom of the day

Look over

Leave a comment

Meaning: This idiom means to quickly examine or review something, often for the purpose of checking or making sure it’s correct.

Usage in Example Sentences:

  1. “Could you look over my report before I submit it?”
  2. “She looked over the contract carefully to avoid any mistakes.”
  3. “I’ll look over the presentation one more time before the meeting.”

Origin: The phrase “look over” comes from the idea of glancing or inspecting something from above or from a position of oversight. It has been used in English for centuries to refer to reviewing or checking something, often in a casual or brief manner.

Look over
Idiom of the day

Go on

Leave a comment

Meaning: This idiom can have multiple meanings depending on the context:

  1. To continue or proceed with something.
  2. To happen or occur.
  3. To encourage someone to continue speaking or explaining something.

Usage in Example Sentences:

  1. “Despite the rain, the concert will go on as planned.” (To continue)
  2. “What’s going on in the meeting room?” (To happen)
  3. “Go on, tell me more about your trip!” (To continue speaking)

Origin: The phrase “go on” has been used since the 16th century and is derived from basic verbs “go” and “on.” It evolved to mean continuation, whether of an action, event, or conversation, and is still widely used in various contexts today.

Go on
Idiom of the day

Put out

Leave a comment

Meaning: This idiom has several meanings depending on the context:

  1. To extinguish something, such as a fire or a light.
  2. To inconvenience or annoy someone.
  3. To produce or release something, such as information or a product.

Usage in Example Sentences:

  1. “The firefighters quickly put out the blaze.” (To extinguish)
  2. “I hope I didn’t put you out by asking for help at the last minute.” (To inconvenience)
  3. “The company is going to put out a new product next month.” (To release or produce)

Origin: The phrase “put out” in the sense of extinguishing likely comes from the literal act of putting an object out of service or ending its active state. The idiomatic usage to describe inconvenience or the release of something evolved from this basic concept of removing or providing something. It has been in use since at least the 17th century.

Put out
Idiom of the day

For the time being

Leave a comment

Meaning: This idiom means for the present moment or temporarily, until something changes or until a permanent solution is found.

Usage in Example Sentences:

  1. “We’ll stay at this hotel for the time being until we find a permanent place.”
  2. “For the time being, let’s focus on the current project and leave the rest for later.”
  3. “She’s living with her parents for the time being while her house is being renovated.”

Origin: The phrase “for the time being” has been used since the 16th century. It reflects the idea of doing something in the current or immediate period, with the implication that the situation is temporary or subject to change.

For the time being
Idiom of the day

Change one’s mind

Leave a comment

Meaning: This idiom means to alter or reverse a previous decision, opinion, or plan.

Usage in Example Sentences:

  1. “I was going to stay home, but I changed my mind and went to the party.”
  2. “She changed her mind about the job offer and decided to accept it.”
  3. “He planned to go on vacation but changed his mind at the last minute.”

Origin: The phrase “change one’s mind” dates back to the 17th century, where “mind” refers to one’s thoughts or decisions. To “change” the mind implies a shift in thinking or intention. It remains a common and straightforward idiom, used in a variety of everyday contexts.

Change one's mind
Idiom of the day

Out of order

Leave a comment

Meaning: This idiom typically refers to something that is not functioning correctly or is broken. It can also be used to describe behavior that is inappropriate or unacceptable in a particular situation.

Usage in Example Sentences:

  1. “The elevator is out of order, so we’ll have to take the stairs.” (Not working)
  2. “His comments were completely out of order during the meeting.” (Inappropriate behavior)
  3. “Sorry, the coffee machine is out of order today.” (Broken or malfunctioning)

Origin: The phrase “out of order” originates from technical and legal contexts, where “order” refers to proper function or behavior. When something is “out of order,” it indicates that it has deviated from the expected or correct state, either mechanically (e.g., a broken machine) or socially (e.g., improper behavior). The phrase has been in use since the 18th century.

Out of order