Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Right away


 
What does "right away" mean?
Right away: It means Without delay, immediately.
When someone says “Come here, on the double,” they mean something like “Come here, right now.”
For examples:

* John: Take this over to Sue.
 Bill: Right away.
John: How soon can you do this?
Sue: Right away.

*She wanted to leave right away and not wait for her sister.
You could tell right away that something was wrong.

* Can you bring our dinners right away? We're in a hurry.
 

 
 
History:

This term comes from the military, where an order supposedly is to be carried out faster the normal pace.
 It uses right as an intensifier and away in the sense of “at once,” the latter usage dating from the 1500s and surviving only in such phrases as this one and fire away.It was first recorded in 1818.

Synonyms for right away:-

directly, forthwith, immediately, instant, instantly, now, right off, straightaway, straight off.
Idioms: at once, first off.

Links:-

http://idioms.yourdictionary.com/right-away.
http://www.idiomsandexpressions.com/entire-english-list?page=207.



Mada.






 
 



 




Monday, May 13, 2013

Second Nature


meaning: (n.) An acquired behavior or trait that is so long practiced as to seem innate.
(n.) a habit , characteristic, etc., not innate but so long practised or acquired as to seem so.

Examples: After a while, using the gearshift becomes second nature.
 <speaking and thinking in Japanese simply became second nature to her during the year she apent in Kyoto>

First known use of Second nature:
1582

Synonyms:
custom, fashion, habitude, pattern, practice, ritual, habit, trick, way, wont

rhymes with Second nature:
human nature, magistrature, Mother Nature, supernature


Arata Kobayashi


Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Tall Order


a tall order

Meaning: If you say something's a tall order, you mean that it'll be hard to do or difficult to achieve.

For example:

1- Winning six gold medals at the Olympic Games is a tall order, but not impossible. Mark Spitz won seven at the 1972 Olympics.

2- That can feel like a pretty tall order, especially if you have osteoporosis.

American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms: tall order

A goal that is hard to fulfill or achieve, as in Getting a thousand new subscribers is a tall order indeed. This expression uses tall in the sense of "impressively great" or "difficult." [c. 1900] 

Quick Quiz:

We told the boss we'd do our best, but it's a tall order to

1.     take more days off.

2.     double our sales in a year.

3.     increase our debts in six months.

Link:

'http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/be+a+tall+order

http://www.englishclub.com/ref/esl/Idioms/T/a_tall_order_700.htm

http://www.finedictionary.com/tall%20order.html


Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Give me a ring





The meaning of give me a call, and give me a ring: 

* Please call me (later) on the telephone, or the act of calling somebody on a telephone. Derived of the sound the telephone makes when somebody is calling it.

A call on a telephone, normally signalled by a distinctive sound; also (now rare) with up. Also: (each of) a series of resonant or vibrating sounds, or now also a distinctive tune or tone, signalling an incoming telephone call; to give a ring   (with indirect object): to call (a person, organization, number, etc.) on a telephone.
       
Examples: 
         Yo man, give me a ring when you get home.

Mary: See you later, Fred. 
Fred: Give me a call if you get a chance.

"When you're in town again, Sue, give me a call," said John. 

Bob: When should we talk about this again? 
Bill: Next week is soon enough. Give me a ring.

The Etymology by Oxford Dictionaries Online:

1895   A. R. Bennett Telephone Syst. Europe 86   The caller then hangs up his phone and awaits a ring from the exchange.
1899   Westm. Gaz. 6 May 5/1   At 3.55,..according to the ring-up from the engine-room, he was four miles from the rocks.
1900   C. H. Chambers Tyranny of Tears 3   [Goes to telephone.] Hullo! hullo! [Gives them a ring up.] Are you there?
1921   N.Y. Tribune 25 May 10/5,   I don't care much For Alfred Doane; He says ‘I'll give you A ring on the phone.’
1926   Let. 16 Dec. in S. Walker Roundabout at Bangalow (2001) ii. 61   On Thursday I got a ring up to go to Piggabeen and pick up a bloke there.
1930   J. B. Priestley Angel Pavement iv. 157   I'll just give the City Transport a ring to see if they've heard anything about that lot we sent to Norwich.
1948   Chicago Sun-Times 7 Sept. 47/3   He thought all those other rings were somebody calling ‘central’.
1963   V. Nabokov Gift ii. 137   There's no guarantee the room is not already disposed of, but still I would advise you to give her a ring.
1976   H. Nielsen Brink of Murder i. 9   He dialled his own number... Kevin..answered on the fourth ring.
2008   R. Wyllie Everything you ever Wanted xi. 73   He says, ‘Give me a ring would you. It's important. Okay, Tigger.’


The Sources:




Nouf :)

Sunday, May 5, 2013

How can you say " I don't know" in a mysterious way?





Your guess is as good as mine.

This idiom means: 



Definition From Dictionary: 

1-used to tell someone that you do not know any more about a subject than the person that you are talking to does. 2- something that you say when you do not know the answer to a question3- it used for telling someone that you know as little about something as they know


Example:

 'How long do you think this job will take?' 'Your guess is as good as mine.'
"What's he doing?" "Your guess is as good as mine."
“Who's going to win?” “Your guess is as good as mine.”

Quick Quiz:
Someone might say "your guess is as good as mine" if
  1. they want you to guess something
  2. they're not sure about something
  3. they're sure about something

sources :

idioms.thefreedictionary.com
www.englishclub.com

Raedah Alyousif 

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Beautiful,,,financially


The idiom: (To be) sitting pretty

The definition:

sitting pretty, Informal.

a. in an advantageous position.
b. well-to-do; successful.

 


Examples:

·         My uncle is sitting pretty with his new job and high salary

·         If we can win next week's match, we will be sitting pretty

 

The origion:


The links:
 Ghada Bousbait
May 4th