Tag: matter at hand
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Nitty-gritty
WotD: Nitty-gritty Some students find it hard to remove the fossilized mistakes from their English. One reason is that they have never gotten down to the nitty-gritty of the language and perfected the small things. Nitty-gritty is often used in everyday language to refer to a situation’s most basic, important, and practical aspects. The exact…
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Come to think of it
Phrase: Come to think of it As we participate in discussions during the day, we often want to revise our initial thoughts or opinions while still speaking. This is where the phrase come to think of it comes into play. Using the phrase come to think of it in a conversation indicates that we have…
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Cloud your judgement
Idiom: Cloud your judgement It’s essential not to allow anything to cloud your judgement whenever you need to make a life or business decision. You need to be calm and take an unbiased approach. Never rush into a decision, and be sure to weigh all the possibilities before making your choice. However, sometimes people cannot…
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Have your say
Phrase: Have your say In a democracy, people need to have their say in the decision-making process or on some critical issue. That means everyone must have an opportunity to give their opinion on whatever matter is at hand. Before you can do that, you must first have an opinion to begin with. While teaching…
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Make do
WotD: Make do English students are often baffled by two verbs appearing together, as in ‘Go wake up your father.’ I’m frequently asked if there should be an ‘and’ in between. In this case, you could because the two verbs are not one term. However, in the case of make do, you cannot separate them.…
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Burn the candle at both ends
Phrase: Burn the candle at both ends While sometimes it may be unavoidable, burning the candle at both ends for weeks or months at a stretch is never a good idea. Just as we need good food and clean water, we also need breaks and sleep. If you burn the candle at both ends, you start work early…
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Everything in Moderation
Saying: Everything in Moderation Today’s post about everything in moderation ties in with another expression I covered a couple of years ago – too much of a good thing. First off, full disclosure. I believe honesty is the best policy. As I write this post, a three-pound container of chocolate-covered almonds is on my desk. Boy, oh boy,…
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Cold shoulder
WotD: Cold shoulder If you have friends or have ever been in a romantic relationship, there is a high possibility that you have either received a cold shoulder or given one. You know you’re being given the cold shoulder when someone intentionally ignores you or acts very coldly towards you. When this occurs, it is sometimes referred…
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Freeloader
WotD: Freeloader Freeloaders are a roommate’s worst nightmare. Believe me. There’s nothing worse than someone who drinks your alcohol, watches your TV, eats your food, uses your toilet paper, and never cleans up, contributes to the grocery bill, or replaces anything. In a nutshell, a freeloader is a person who uses and abuses your hospitality without any thought…
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In the zone
Phrase: In the zone Some things in life require you to be in the zone because they require all your attention. If you are taking a nice, leisurely walk along the beach, you can let your mind wander. However, if you are a gymnast trying to achieve your personal best score in a competition, you…
