Tag: Halloween
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Jack o’ lantern
Word of the Day: Jack o’ lantern In North America, hollowed-out pumpkins or jack o’ lanterns with gruesome faces and evil smiles lighted by burning candles are a common sight in windows and on doorsteps. Where did this custom come from, and why do they use pumpkins? You may have asked yourself this question many…
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Over my dead body
English Idiom: Over my dead body You should be especially careful about what idioms you use around Halloween. All the strange ones come out at this time of year, and if you refuse something by saying over my dead body, they just may take you at your word. I’m not one for ghouls, goblins, vampires…
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Send shivers down your spine
Idiom: Send shivers down your spine Here we are, only two months until Christmas, and we’re going to discuss what sends shivers down your spine. Soon everything will be love and joy, peace and happiness, cinnamon and peppermint. Halloween, however, is a frightfully delightful time of year. It’s a time to think of spiders crawling…
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Dig your own grave
English Idiom: Dig your own grave The countdown has begun. It’s only one week until the big day. There’s something about Halloween that causes people to let loose, do stupid things, and, as a result, dig their own graves. Until November first, I’ll be featuring a Halloween-themed word, phrase or idiom each day. My favourite…
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Bone-chilling
Word of the Day: Bone-chilling It’s been cold! Wakayama is supposed to have a subtropical climate, so what the heck is up with all the snow and bone-chilling subzero temperatures? Yeah, bone-chilling. Bone-chilling weather is so cold that even your bones feel like they are freezing. Russia and Canada have bone-chilling winters. I know I’m…
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Silver bullet
Word of the Day: Silver bullet All Hollow’s Eve is just around the corner. Today is the last day of September, and before we know it, it’ll be October 31st (All Hallow’s Eve, Halloween, Hallowe’en). As we approach All Hallow’s Eve, we must be prepared for the potential presence of ghosts, goblins, spooks, vampires, and…
