TO GRASP THE NETTLE

To grasp the nettle is to boldly tackle a problem.

  Examples


 “They have failed to grasp the nettle of reorientating the system towards climate realities.”

 “With the support and backing of Woodgate and his coaches, Fletcher has now grasped the nettle.”

 “Parliament and party leaders on all sides must now grasp the nettle.”


 This phrase relates to a proverb dating back to the 16th century but is quoted as follows in the play “Juno and the Paycock”  by Seán O’Casey (first performed in 1924):
 “If you gently touch a nettle it’ll sting you for your pains; grasp it like a lad of mettle, an’ as soft as silk remains.” [1,2]
 In other words, a nettle will sting you if you touch it lightly, but not if you grasp it firmly.

 An early use of the word nettle to denote a problem is recorded in Shakespeare’s play, Henry IV, part I:
 “but I tell you, my lord fool, out of this nettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety.” [3]


 [1] “grasp” In Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms, edited by Ayto, John, Oxford University Press, 2009.
 [2] “If you gently touch a nettle it’ll sting you for your pains; grasp it like a lad of mettle, an’ as soft as silk remains.” in The Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs, edited by Simpson, John, and Jennifer Speake, Oxford University Press, 2008. 
 [3] Shakespeare, William. King Henry IV, Part 1 (p. 16). Kindle Edition.

 Photo credit: Alison Oddy (Creative Commons)

 Updated Tuesday 10 March 2020

WHY IS BOB YOUR UNCLE?

The phrase “Bob’s your uncle” indicates that something is easily done, but who is Bob, and why is he your uncle?

One theory is that this refers to Arthur James Balfour, whose uncle “Bob” was the Conservative statesman Lord Robert Salisbury. [1] In 1887, Lord Salisbury appointed his nephew the Chief Secretary for Ireland, despite widespread doubt that he was experienced enough for the post, and in 1902, Balfour succeeded his uncle as prime minister. [2,3]

Example

“Yes, it should be the simplest thing in the world – popping your cardboard, paper and plastic bottle into that box – and Bob’s your uncle.”

“Basically, you bend your knees, keep your body straight and spring up through your feet, and Bob’s your uncle.”

“May’s appeal to the public not quite Bob’s your uncle”


[1] “Bob’s your uncle” in The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by Knowles, Elizabeth. Oxford University Press, 2005.
[2] “Balfour, Arthur James” In A Dictionary of Political Biography, edited by Kavanagh, Dennis, and Christopher Riches. Oxford University Press, 2014.
[3] https://www.gov.uk/government/history/past-prime-ministers/arthur-james-balfour

Photo credit: 

THE LURGY

If you have the lurgy, you are unwell with an unspecified illness.

 e.g. “Once the winter lurgy has infiltrated the family home, it takes British families on average two whole weeks before every member has caught and recovered from the symptoms.”

This term (originally spelled lurgi) first appeared in The Goon Show (Lurgi Strikes Britain, Series 5, Episode 7, first broadcast in 1954).

You can listen to this by clicking on the video.

PAY LIP SERVICE

If you pay lip service to something, you claim to support it but take no action; your support is insincere because it involves only words.

 Examples

 “It’s important that we do more than pay lip service to equal treatment of people’s cultures and histories.”

 “MPs of all parties have long paid lip service to pubs, but Parliament urgently needs to act in a meaningful way.”

 “The government pays lip service by saying creative subjects are important, but its policies demonstrate otherwise.”


 Photo credit: BarbaraALane


Updated Friday 06 March 2020

A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD CUTS BOTH WAYS

A situation or course of action described as a double-edged (or two-edged) sword has both positive and negative effects.

 Examples

 “Pupils at a school in Leeds have spoken of how the online world is a double-edged sword for children and young people.”

 “Secchi describes tourism as a double-edged sword: ‘At the beginning you earn a lot of money, but in the end it destroys the community and our own economy.’”

 “If the virus is to infiltrate the Pacific islands, residents may face heightened mortality risks due to their lower levels of immunity to outside diseases, their natural isolation forming a double-edged sword.”

 “The study shows how centralizing care, in a hub-spoke arrangement, is a two-edged sword.”


 The phrase apparently dates back to the 15th Century and was originally used to describe an argument that could both strengthen and undermine someone’s position [1].


 A literal double-edged sword, of course, cuts in two directions, and the phrase “to cut both ways” is used in a similar way to “double-edged sword”.

 e.g. “A lagging currency also cuts both ways.”


 [1] Seland, D. 2015, “THE DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD”, Quality, vol. 54, no. 1, pp. 6.

 Photo credit: Rama (Creative Commons)

 Updated Monday 09 March 2020

FULLY FLEDGED

A fully-fledged bird has all its feathers and is ready to fly; however, this phrase is also used to describe other things/people that are fully established or developed.

Examples

“However, it was not until this weekend that he was established as the fully-fledged monarch due to tradition.”

“It is the first fully-fledged talks process since negotiations collapsed in February 2018.”

“More than half of the respondents (59%) used plastic cups at their water fountains and only 20% had a fully-fledged green policy in place.”


Photo credit: Smudge 9000 (Creative Commons)


Updated Tuesday 07 May 2019

DIG A HOLE FOR YOURSELF

If you dig a hole for yourself (or dig yourself into a hole), you get yourself into a difficult situation, possibly by saying or doing something unwise.

Examples

“Max continued to gamble and eventually dug himself into a hole from which he struggled to climb out.”

“They dug themselves into a hole that may be too deep to climb out of this season. ”

“‘My client dug a hole for himself and harmed others with his misconduct,’ his lawyer Joe Markson told the hearing.”


Photo credit: Amtec Photos (Creative Commons)


Updated Tuesday 03 March 2020

TODAY'S NEW WORD - ORGANOLEPTIC

Something that is organoleptic acts on or involves using the sense organs.

TODAY'S NEW WORD - KOJI

One thing I love about editing is that I'm constantly learning. Today's new word is koji. It's made by combining a cultivated mould (usually Aspergillus oryzae) with soya, rice or other foods to produce fermented foods and drinks including miso, soy sauce and sake.

DO WE NEED APOSTROPHES?

Apostrophes are mainly used in contractions and to denote possession.
(They should not be used for plurals – apostrophes used incorrectly in this context are known as grocers’ apostrophes.)

Tiger Webb argues that we should get rid of them. His main point appears to be that they contribute nothing to clarity in writing.

While it can be argued that the meanings of some possessives would be obvious without the apostrophe, this is not always the case.

David Marsh, writing in the Guardian, gives an excellent example of apostrophes being essential for clarity in the following four phrases, which differ only in the placing of their apostrophes and have completely different meanings.

The guitarist’s friend’s CD (refers to one guitarist and one friend).
The guitarist’s friends’ CD (one guitarist with more than one friend).
The guitarists’ friend’s CD (more than one guitarist; one friend).
The guitarists’ friends’ CD (more than one guitarist; their friends).

While the contraction “don’t” is not a valid word without its apostrophe, omitting apostrophes from she’ll (shell), he’ll (hell) and we’re (were), among others, would cause confusion.

Regarding Mr Webb’s suggestion that eliminating apostrophes from our language would stop grammar vigilantes from committing property damage, that would be using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. I would also argue that while the activities of the vigilante in question might not be strictly legal, his corrections were done extremely carefully, and “property damage” is a slight exaggeration.

Sorry, Mr Webb; I disagree — let’s not get rid of the apostrophe!