AND ALL THAT JAZZ

Today is International Jazz Day, “a day to honour jazz and its enduring legacy, as well as to recognize the power of this music to bring people together” (UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay).


 The phrase “and all that jazz” means “and other similar things.” This idiom originated in the early 20th century. [1]


 Examples of use:

 “Being a parent can be so incredibly expensive - you’ve got food to buy, new clothes to purchase, not to mention an abundance of nappies, baby wipes and all that jazz.”

 “It’s the kind of house Robin Hood would have lived in had he not felt the need to dodge his council tax obligations as a result of him being a bandit and all that jazz.”

 “Thought waterproof speakers were a little... basic? Think again. This one boasts Amazon’s Alexa smart assistant, so you can use it to control your smart home appliances, change radio station, read you the news and all that jazz.”

 The song “And All That Jazz” originally featured in the 1975 Musical “Chicago” and appears here in the 2002 film of the same name, based on the musical.


 [1] “jazz” In Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms, edited by Ayto, John. Oxford University Press, 2009.

PACKED LIKE SARDINES

A while ago, I travelled on a ScotRail train from Edinburgh Waverley along the Borders Railway. The phrase “packed like sardines” described the journey very well as there were no seats, and the corridor of the train was so full of people standing that there was no room to move. It wasn’t a pleasant journey. Several newspaper articles suggest that this happens regularly due to a lack of carriages.

 We use the phrase “packed like sardines” to describe people or animals in extremely crowded conditions, where movement is limited or impossible.

 Examples:

 “We’ve all been on a crowded bus, a rush-hour train or Tube carriage with people packed like sardines - when someone gets on and looks around for a seat.”

 “These new figures show that our prisons are bursting at the seams with the majority now full or overcrowded. People are being packed in like sardines.”

 “But when she ended her cracking speech during day two of the Munich Security Conference, the participants, who were packed like sardines into the banqueting hall of the Hotel Bayerischer Hof, all stood up.”


 Photo credit: Dave Crosby (Creative Commons)

BITE OFF MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW

I’ve been reading a rather gruesome article in the Independent: “Great white shark chokes to death on sea turtle” (recommended only if you have a strong stomach).

 You might say that the shark bit off more than it could chew (literally, in this case).

 We use this phrase as an idiom to describe someone who commits to something that they cannot achieve.

 Examples of use:

 “As DIY designers, we tend to bite off more than we can chew and end up spending more money than if we had hired a professional from the beginning.”

 “Hundreds of crocodiles have been left stranded in a remote part of Israel after a businessman bit off more than he could chew with plans for a farm in the West Bank.”

 “This little jackal realised it had bit off far more than he could ever chew when it squared off against an ostrich.”


 Photo credit: David Merrett (Creative Commons)

FLAMMABLE AND INFLAMMABLE

The prefix “in-” can be added to many adjectives to form an opposite; for example, something that is inedible cannot be eaten, i.e. inedible is the opposite of edible.

 However, the words “flammable” and “inflammable” have the same meaning, both describing something that is easily set on fire. To describe something that is not easily set on fire, we can use “non-flammable” and “non-inflammable.”

 Examples:

 “A lot of people think metal is not flammable, but metal does burn and we have a high quantity of magnesium on this site.”

 “Such cables should be kept clear of inflammable undergrowth but amid a decline in public services this basic precaution has been neglected for years, insiders say.”

 “This is mainly because most solid electrolytes are ceramic, and therefore non-flammable and in turn, much safer.”

 “By Christmas each face of the plant will be wrapped in up to 250 square metres of the fire-retardant, non-inflammable, wind-resistant wrap.”

 Photo credit: Amani Hasan (Creative Commons)

OVER-EGG THE PUDDING

To over-egg the pudding is to exaggerate, embellish or do something to excess.

 Examples of use:

 “That said, the composer might be more likely to win over listeners to his cause if he didn’t always have to over-egg the pudding with his programme notes.”

 “I don’t want to over-egg the pudding. Roman coins and pottery do turn up widely across Britain, even in modest rural farmsteads. But there’s a galactic difference in proportionate quality and quantity compared to what we find in forts and towns.”

 “Perhaps that’s a good thing, given the way Hollywood screenwriters habitually over-egg the pudding with preposterous special effects-laden set pieces when writing for the cinema.”


 This phrase relates to baking; just as too much egg in a pudding can make it too rich or prevent it from setting, other things can be spoiled if they are done to excess. [1]


 [1] “over-egg the pudding” in The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Oxford University Press, 2005.

 Photo credit: michelle@TNS (Creative Commons)

DON’T COUNT YOUR CHICKENS BEFORE THEY’RE HATCHED

This means that you shouldn’t anticipate success too confidently before it is certain. The phrase is frequently used in a shortened form.

 Examples of use:

 “Michael Smith, Jackson Square’s manager, is determined not to count his chickens before a deal is finalised.”

 “‘We have to wait and see,’ Ponda said. ‘I think what I’m saying is, it’s exciting but let’s not count our chickens before they’re hatched.’”

 “I don't want to count my chickens and it is up to the boys to get the job done, but I would be absolutely delighted to be involved in any celebrations.”


 This phrase dates from the late 16th century and refers to one of Aesop’s Fables, which were written around 2,000 years earlier. [1]

 “The Milkmaid and her Pot of Milk.
A Maid was carrying her pail of milk to the farm-house, when she fell a-musing. ‘The money for which this milk will be sold will buy at least three hundred eggs. The eggs, allowing for all mishaps, will produce two hundred and fifty chickens. The chickens will become ready for market when poultry will fetch the highest price; so that by the end of the year I shall have money enough to buy a new gown. In this dress I will go to the Christmas junketings, when all the young fellows will propose to me, but I will toss my head, and refuse them every one.’ At this moment she tossed her head in unison with her thoughts, when down fell the Milk-pot to the ground, and broke into a hundred pieces, and all her fine schemes perished in a moment. Count not your chickens before they are hatched.” [2]


 [1] Cresswell, Julia. “chicken” In The Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins. Oxford University Press, 2009.

 [2] Aesop. Aesop’s Fables. A New Revised Version From Original Sources. Kindle Edition. (Free copy available here.)

 Photo credit: brittgow (Creative Commons)

WHERE IS CLOUD CUCKOO LAND?

The Oxford Dictionary describes cloud cuckoo land as “a state of absurdly over-optimistic fantasy.”

 Examples of use:

 “Councillors criticise Government for ‘cloud-cuckoo-land’ housing targets”

 “John Allan, president of the Confederation of British Industry and chairman of supermarket group Tesco, told BBC Radio that those thinking they could renegotiate EU trade relations from scratch were living in ‘cloud cuckoo land.’”

 “You might think I’m in cloud cuckoo land but we’re more than capable of picking up points against any of the teams we’ve got left to play this season.”


 Why cloud cuckoo land?

 The phrase is a translation of the Greek Nephelokokkugia, the name of a city built by the birds, between Earth and Heaven, in Aristophanes’ comedy The Birds. Its use in English dates from the late 19th century. [1]

 You can download a free Kindle copy of “The Birds” (English translation) here.


 [1] “cloud” In The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Oxford University Press, 2005. 

 Photo credit: steve (Creative Commons)

A TASTE OF YOUR OWN MEDICINE

If someone is given a taste (or dose) of their own medicine, they receive the same poor treatment that they gave to others. This idiom dates back to the mid 19th century. [1]

 Examples of use:

 “The villains are the Twit couple who come to a sticky end after receiving a taste of their own medicine.”

 “The moment a bailiff gets ‘a taste of her own medicine’ when her own car is clamped by a disabled man has been captured.”

 “United lacked an enforcer of their own to give Barnes a dose of his own medicine.”

 [1] “medicine” In Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms, edited by Ayto, John. Oxford University Press, 2009.

 Photo credit: anthony kelly (Creative Commons)

COOL AS A CUCUMBER

If you are (as) cool as a cucumber, you are calm and not easily troubled. This phrase dates from the mid 18th century. [1]

 Examples of use:

 “She was as cool as a cucumber in Abu Dhabi and wasn’t fazed by the number of people.”

 “At launch, according to the flight surgeon’s report, Armstrong’s heart rate is up to 110 beats per minute. Collins’s is at 99, while Aldrin, cool as a cucumber, has a rate of 88.”

 “Being a mother of three young children herself, Rebecca wanted to learn more about this cool-as-a-cucumber mom so she invited herself over to her home.”

 [1] “cool” In The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Oxford University Press, 2005.

 Photo credit: Kat Kellner

THE BALL IS IN YOUR COURT

If the ball is in your court, you should make the next move. This idiom originates from tennis, in which each player plays in their own half of a court.

 Examples of use:

 “The ball is currently in United’s court, with the England striker waiting for the club to return with an offer following several rounds of positive talks.”

 “All they have done so far is indicate various things but not to change the political declaration [the non-legally binding document setting out the UK’s future relationship with the EU] so the ball is in the government’s court”

 “The ball is back in FirstEnergy’s court after a judge rejected a bankruptcy plan last week from the utility’s generation subsidiary.”


 Photo credit: Thomas Dwyer

UNDER ONE’S WING

To take someone (or something) under one’s wing is to take them (or it) under one’s protection or patronage (support).

 Examples of use:

 “But Sandra took me right under her wing. She became like a ‘replacement mum’ to me.”

 “He plans on leaving the business to a trusted employee who he’s taken under his wing.”

 “With no owner in sight, Irish Rail staff took him under their wing and nicknamed him Hamish.”


 Photo credit: James Marvin Phelps

CLIPPING SOMEONE’S WINGS

To clip someone’s wings is to restrict their freedom to do what they want. Unlike the previous two wing-related idioms (see previous two posts), this does relate to birds’ wings; specifically, it originates from the practice of trimming a bird’s feathers to prevent it from flying.

 Examples of use:

“The book takes its name from the fact that people often ask him what he did for Malala to make her the way she is and he answers that they should ask what he did not do – he did not clip her wings.”

“This new evidence of ethical failings will also embolden politicians and regulators around the world who want to clip Facebook’s wings.”

“Uber once thought it could go round the world ignoring local rules – now other cities may follow London in attempting to clip its wings.”


 [1] “clip the wings of” In The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Oxford University Press, 2005.

Photo credit: Anita Gould

IN THE WINGS

Following on from “winging it,” another idiom with theatrical origins is “in the wings,” which describes someone or something ready to do something or be used at an appropriate time. Again, “wings” refers to those at the sides of a theatre stage.

 Examples of use:

 “More than 70 years after his family opened the harbour-side business, the fishmonger is moving out with Scrabster’s JPL Shellfish waiting in the wings.”

 “Scotland’s biggest single art event will see 200 artists complete more than 500 tattoos with organisers saying the event has grown so much that they have 300 artists waiting in the wings eager to join proceedings.”

 “Felix Auger-Aliassime is waiting in the wings, standing in the concrete tunnel that leads out to the Indian Wells arena.”


 Photo credit: Alan Cleaver

WINGING IT

A new quiz on the BBC website asks “Can you wing this UK bird quiz?” Click on the link to try it. (Amazingly, I managed full marks. 😊)

 We say that we “wing” something when we improvise or perform it without preparation.

 Apparently, this phrase has nothing to do with birds. It originated in the late 19th century as theatrical slang and meant to play a role without learning the script, by either relying on a prompter in the wings (sides of a theatre stage unseen by the audience) or studying the part in the wings between scenes. Its more general meaning was acquired in the 1950s.

 Examples of use:

 “Are you the proud owner of a mountain of cookbooks but still feel like you’re winging it in the kitchen?”

 “At the start, I just winged it but then I started going to circus school in Derry.”

 “I went online to look for some recipes because I just didn’t want to wing it anymore.”


 [1] Cresswell, Julia. “wing” In The Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins. Oxford University Press, 2009.

 Photo credit: Phil Dolby

LIKE THE BACK OF MY HAND

If you know something “like the back of your hand,” you are completely familiar with it.

 Examples of use:

 “From diamond rings to messages in bottles - Alan Leask knows Otterswick Beach like the back of his hand.”

 “But Collins would be the perfect athlete to represent a city he knows like the back of his hand.”

 “We are very fortunate that those who have volunteered know the local area like the back of their hand, so will notice if anything looks suspicious or is out of place.”


 This phrase also features in the song “Somewhere Only We Know,” released by Keane in 2004.

 Photo credit: Nate Steiner

BEST THING SINCE SLICED BREAD

Something (or someone) new that is considered extremely exciting is sometimes described as “the best (or greatest) thing since sliced bread.”

 Examples of use:

 “Midday napping is not for everyone, and some people have trouble sleeping during the daytime. But for some, it’s the best thing since sliced bread. ”

 “It was a 12-week course and proved the best thing since sliced bread.”

 “That little red and yellow bus was the greatest thing since sliced bread.”


 This expression apparently dates from the late 1960s and refers, humorously, to the invention of the bread-slicing machine by American Otto Rohwedder, which allowed bread to be bought wrapped and already sliced. [1] Sliced bread was first sold on 7th July 1928.

 [1]  “Best” In Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by Susie Dent. 19th ed. Chambers Harrap, 2012.

 Photo credit: Matt Burns

WHAT IS A DEVON LOCH?

A Devon Loch is a disaster that happens when a win appears certain. The phrase is used as an adjective as well as a noun. It is mainly used in sporting reports.


 Examples of use:

 “It would take a Devon Loch now for them to slip up but they’ve been the benchmark all season and they’ve had another good result today.”

 “Barring a Devon Loch job, Cambridge’s win is a formality now as they ease towards the finish line.”

 “Blackburn will have to finish like Devon Loch to give us any chance.”

 The original Devon Loch was a racehorse owned by the Queen Mother that suddenly and inexplicably stopped when it was about to win a race in 1956.

AS MUCH USE AS A CHOCOLATE TEAPOT

Describing something (or someone) as “a chocolate teapot” is another way of saying that it is (or they are) useless.

 This video from Metro news demonstrates how useless a chocolate teapot is. 😃

 Examples of use:

 “He just crept around in the background and that was it. He was as much use as a chocolate teapot.”

 “I had never done anything like an escape room before so going into it, I thought I’d be about as much use as a chocolate teapot.”

 “A rechargeable battery is as useless as a chocolate teapot without a charger.”

THE PENNY DROPPED

When we say “the penny dropped,” we mean that someone has finally realised or understood something.

 “Passenger Sophie Cooke told the BBC she assumed it was a joke when the pilot made an announcement welcoming them to the Scottish city. But soon the penny dropped — something had gone wrong.”

 “The penny dropped when Mr Summerfield got a letter from a credit card firm telling him he had defaulted on payments.”

 “Moreover, she says, the penny has now dropped that it’s not just new designs that are needed, but a whole new relationship between manufacturers and customers, where the seller of the product takes responsibility for its longevity.”


 It is suggested that this idiom originated in the Victorian era with penny slot arcades. In the old wooden slot machines, the penny would frequently stick halfway down; users had to either wait or thump the machine before ‘the penny dropped’ and they could start their game. [1]


 [1] Jack, Albert. Red Herrings & White Elephants: The Origins of the Phrases We Use Everyday (pp. 232–233). Kindle Edition. 

 Photo credit: Mélanie

USING THE ADJECTIVE “WORTH” TO GIVE ADVICE OR MAKE A SUGGESTION

If you want to advise someone to do (or not do) something, or suggest that something is a good idea, you can use the present participle (“-ing” form) of a verb after the adjective “worth.”

 Here are some examples:

 “When my mother was sure I hadn’t been given the violin simply because I was completely talentless, her attitude was: ‘If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well’, and, arming herself with pen and notebook, began coming with me to all my lessons, taking notes and writing down my homework tasks.”

 “Is it really worth spending money on a toy they’ll soon outgrow or lose, or have stolen?”

 “Chris Grayling has insisted the government thought it was worth taking a ‘risk’ over Brexit ferry contracts after brushing aside calls to resign as Transport Secretary.”



 You can also follow “worth” with a noun to indicate that something is or isn’t a good idea. In this case, the noun is preceded by a direct (the) or indirect (a/an) article.

 e.g. “Tottenham’s delayed move into new stadium has been worth the wait”

 “It may look a bit austere from the outside, but Scotland’s National Library is very much worth a visit.”

 “The family audio tour was well worth the money.”

 Photo credit: Robin Zebrowski

A FLY ON THE WALL

A fly on the wall is an unnoticed observer.

 Examples of use:

 “But being a fly on the wall of the council meetings has taught me that even the dullest of dullest documents can transform into tales of drama and despair in the town hall chambers - which sometimes even make national headlines.”

 “Oh to be a fly on the wall at this afternoon’s meeting between Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn!”

 “It would have been fascinating to be a fly on the wall, or a bug in the software, at last week’s meeting in San Francisco between Jeremy Wright, the culture secretary, and Mark Zuckerberg, the elusive boss of Facebook.”


 This phrase is also used to describe a film-making technique where events are recorded with minimal intervention.

 “In a statement, he described the film as ‘the ultimate fly-on-the-wall experience that Beatles fans have long dreamt about.’”


 Photo credit: Mark Robinson

I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE

The hit single, “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” was released in 1968 by US singer and songwriter Marvin Gaye.

 To hear something through (or on) the grapevine means to hear about it informally from people you know.

 Examples of use:

 “She is a member of the church and heard through the grapevine that our now old minibus, which had no access for wheelchairs, had gaps at the windows and the sliding door was hard to close.”

 “Mrs Wild, who lives in Guilton in Ash, says she heard ‘through the grapevine’ that the women’s pension age was being raised from 60 to 62 as part of a government push to bring the age in line with men’s, which is 65.”

 “We’ve all probably been in a car with someone who has driven barefoot at one time or another - and have probably all heard through the grapevine that driving barefoot is illegal.”


 This phrase apparently originates from an American Civil War expression, when news was said to be passed “by grapevine telegraph.” [1] This in turn may have been related to the phrase “bush telegraph,” also describing rapid informal spreading of information or rumours or the network through which this occurred. This expression originated in the late 19th century and referred to a network of informers who let bushrangers know about the movements of the police in the Australian bush or outback. [2]

 e.g. “Evidently, the bush telegraph was accurate.”


 [1] “grapevine” in Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms, edited by Ayto, John. Oxford University Press, 2009.
 [2] “telegraph” In Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms, edited by Ayto, John. Oxford University Press, 2009. 

 Photo credit: brando

MAKING A MOCKERY AND MAKING FUN

Continuing the “joke” theme, to “make a mockery” of something means to make it appear ridiculous.

 Examples of use:

 “A Hull fisherman says an angler who cheated his way to winning a continental competition hosted in East Yorkshire has made a ‘mockery’ of the whole event.”

 “While MPs make a mockery of us as they can’t come to the right decision, the property market is ticking along regardless.”

 “Mr Ruskell has said the decision to grant planning permission for 85 luxury homes on a swathe of farmland south of the A921 ‘makes a mockery’ of local democracy.”

 We also use the phrase “make fun of” to describe unkind teasing, laughing at or joking about someone. This generally done deliberately, while making a mockery of something does not generally intend or achieve amusement.

 e.g. “A Ryanair attempt to make fun of British Airways on Twitter after a flight mistakenly went to Edinburgh instead of Düsseldorf has backfired.”

 “But the increasingly bizarre events at Westminster are too serious to be made fun of.”

 “Teacher gets short haircut after little girl was made fun of for hers”

 Photo credit: ERIC SALARD

SEVEN WAYS TO USE THE WORD ‘JOKE’

Today is April Fools’ Day (also known as April Fool’s Day and All Fools’ Day), when it is traditional in many Western countries to play practical jokes on people. The origin of April Fools’ Day is unknown, although there are several theories about how it began.

There are several ways to use the word “joke.” Here are seven.

 😒 Something serious or worrying might be described as BEYOND A JOKE.
e.g. “ScotRail’s service is now beyond a joke. Passengers should be able to buy a ticket and know they can expect a seat for a four-and-a-half-hour journey from Edinburgh to Inverness.”


 😃 We say that someone who generally is/isn’t able to accept a humorous comment or practical joke CAN/CAN’T TAKE A JOKE.
e.g. “Supermarket Tesco has shown it can take a joke after a shopper questioned how customers are supposed to use the in-store scales.”


 😒 Something (or someone) perceived as ridiculously inadequate is sometimes described as A JOKE.
e.g. “For the National to programme a season with one female director and no female writers is a joke as far as I'm concerned.”


 😐 You might say “JOKING APART” to indicate that you are being serious after making a joke.
e.g. “Joking apart, Bruce had a couple of medical problems last year and had to reassure himself that taking charge of another sleeping giant in the Championship would not be bad for his health.”

 😒 Something that is serious or difficult might be described as NO JOKE.
e.g. “Bananas are no joke”

 😄 We say that we PLAY A JOKE on someone, as we do on April Fools’ Day.
e.g.“I started trying to get rid of this bubble wrap and this tail came out and I thought my daughter had played a joke on me”


 😄 We might also TELL A JOKE to make someone laugh.
e.g. “Should I laugh at their jokes? Should I tell a joke?”


 Photo credit: ieshraq