EMPTY-HANDED

This week, I visited my parents in West Yorkshire. Due to COVID-19 panic buying, after driving around for two hours hunting for liquid soap for them, I returned empty-handed.

 If you’re empty-handed, you failed to obtain what you wanted.

 Examples

 “Had it not been for Indian sportswomen, the nation would have returned empty-handed from the Rio Olympics - for the first time since the 1992 Olympics.”

 “He ran off empty-handed and was later caught by police.”

 “It has left supermarket shelves bare, and fears are growing for the elderly who are having to walk away empty-handed.”


 Photo credit: Tim Dennell (Creative Commons)

TO MAKE YOUR HAIR CURL

Something that makes your hair curl shocks or horrifies you.

 Examples

 “The shocking pictures will make your hair curl, even more so when you discover that the City Guest House are currently charging £142 a night for a stay in what customers say is a bed bug-infested property.”

 “There are some monsters that will absolutely make your hair curl.”

 “Dyson straighteners’ cost will make your hair curl” (This title uses the idiom as a pun as straighteners can be used to curl hair, while the price of £399 might horrify potential buyers.)


 Photo credit: Jess Gibson (Creative Commons)

TO HOLD WATER

If something (such as an argument or theory) holds water, it appears to be reasonable or convincing.  This phrase is often used in its negative form.

 Examples

 “Yes, I understand proportionality and fairness, but I don’t think your argument holds water.”

 “Claims that uranium mining near the Grand Canyon is safe don’t hold water”

 “However, for many historians, this theory doesn’t hold water.”


 We also say that an argument that is unconvincing is full of holes (like a sieve); this may explain the origin of the phrase “doesn’t hold water.”

 e.g. “Needless to say, the theory is full of holes.”


 The phrase “hold water”can be used in a literal as well as an idiomatic sense.

 e.g. “Also, sphagnum moss is planted, which holds water and forms peat.”


 Photo credit: Tim Hoggarth (Creative Commons)

LEGLESS

This sounds a little like “doesn’t have a leg to stand on,” but its meaning is completely different.
 Someone who is legless is extremely drunk.

 Examples

 “Hospital medics are regularly abused and attacked by legless patients, while police officers are now a routine sight inside Accident and Emergency departments.”

 “The UK government wants to slap boozy and disruptive travellers with instant fines worth hundreds of pounds to deter the culture of getting legless before getting airborne.”

 “This category consists of 24 million adults over the age of 18, but before you place yourself in this category because you like to get legless every weekend, let’s have a look at just what those at the top are actually drinking.”


 This term can also be used in a literal sense to mean having no legs (like this earthworm).

 e.g. “High-speed camera reveals the secrets of a legless larva’s leap”


 Photo credit: Kenneth Cole Schneider (Creative Commons)

DOESN’T HAVE A LEG TO STAND ON

We say that someone “doesn’t have a leg to stand on” if they have no facts or reasons that justify their argument or actions.

 Examples

 “John Buckby, a trade mark attorney and intellectual property lawyer at Gateley Legal in Leicester, stepped in to help Mr Foster, claiming the trust didn’t have a leg to stand on.”

 “The sad thing is, if you do get in trouble at work for a social media post, you probably don’t have a leg to stand on.”

 “He assures the Platts that Marion doesn’t have a leg to stand on.”


 Photo credit: Julie Falk (Creative Commons)

OVER THE TOP

We use the phrase “over the top” to describe something that’s excessive.

 Examples

 “The EU said proposing to place tariffs on $11bn worth of goods was over the top.”

 “Reactions to new beach building ‘over the top’”

 “Take a look at some of the most over-the-top homes below...”

 This phrase dates from the late 1900s [1].

 Photo credit: Nicolas Hoizey (Creative Commons)

 [1] “over the top” in The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms, by Christine Ammer. 2nd ed. Houghton Mifflin, 2013.

ON TOP OF THE WORLD

If you’re on top of the world, you’re extremely happy.

 Examples

 “I needed a hand and a bit of persuasion to drag myself up the final section, but my red-faced efforts were rewarded with fabulous views across the city and Firth of Forth, making me feel on top of the world.”

 “A Rosyth cyclist is feeling on top of the world after becoming a global champion in a two-wheel track competition.”

 “Music scholar Sherman is truly ‘on Top of the World’”


 The song “Top Of The World” was released by The Carpenters in 1972:

 Photo credit: Elias Rovielo (Creative Commons)

TO GO TO TOWN

You might go to town to work, shop, or socialise; however, the phrase “to go to town” is also used as an idiom meaning to do something extremely enthusiastically or thoroughly.

 Examples

 “Shops in Brighton go to town with festive window displays”

 “Usborne have gone to town with publicity for the book, sending out review copies wrapped in a fictionalised Edwardian map of Cambridge”

 “However, you can really go to town on the flavour combinations.”

 “Chloe started by painting the cupboards a dark green, then went to town on the potted plants.”


 Photo credit: Tom Magliery (Creative Commons)

STEAL THE SHOW

This was prompted by a Facebook memory from nine years ago. I daren’t say more about that, because if I did I would be toast. (There’s a phrase for another post.)

 Someone who steals the show attracts the most attention and praise.

 Examples:

 “Snowdrops steal the show at Quarry Bank”

 “‘The top three bands were really close, and no-one really stole the show,’ adjudicator Paul Holland told the audience before the announcement of the prizes.”

 “Pasalic then stole the show in the 59th minute by curling a sensational strike into the top corner 19 seconds after coming on as a substitute.”


 This phrase originated in the theatre but is now also used in other contexts [1].


 Photo credit: Amadej Trnkoczy (Creative Commons)

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

THE LION’S SHARE

The lion’s share is the largest share or portion of something.

 Examples

 “The county council takes the lion’s share of the total council tax bill at around 80 per cent.”

 “No candidate declared outright victory in Iowa, although a few strongly implied, with unofficial tallies, that they had won the lion’s share of delegates.”

 “When you invest in a career working for someone else, the lion’s share of the value you create goes to your employer.”


 While the above examples are taken from news items, my inspiration for this post came from Tan Twan Eng’s novel, The Garden of Evening Mists [1]:
 “The Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere was now in place – with Japan enjoying the lion’s share of the prosperity.”
 Set in Malaysia, this was recently made into a film. I learned much history from this book, and I was awed by the author’s striking use of language.


 What is the origin of this phrase? My first thought – that no one would want to argue with a lion – was confirmed by an entry in Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, which states that it originates from Aesop’s Fables [2]. In the version I have, the title of the story is “The Lion’s Share.”

 “The Lion went once a-hunting along with the Fox, the Jackal, and the Wolf. They hunted and they hunted till at last they surprised a Stag, and soon took its life. Then came the question how the spoil should be divided. ‘Quarter me this Stag,’ roared the Lion; so the other animals skinned it and cut it into four parts. Then the Lion took his stand in front of the carcass and pronounced judgment: ‘The first quarter is for me in my capacity as King of Beasts; the second is mine as arbiter; another share comes to me for my part in the chase; and as for the fourth quarter, well, as for that, I should like to see which of you will dare to lay a paw upon it.’ ‘Humph,’ grumbled the Fox as he walked away with his tail between his legs; but he spoke in a low growl .‘You may share the labours of the great, but you will not share the spoil.’” [3]


Photo credit: Mathias Appel (Creative Commons)

[1] Eng, Tan Twan. The Garden of Evening Mists (p. 262). Canongate Books. Kindle Edition.
[2] “Lion” In Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by Susie Dent. 19th ed. Chambers Harrap, 2012.
[3] Aesop. Aesop’s Fables (Kindle Locations 37–43). Kindle Edition.

IN A NUTSHELL

To say something “in a nutshell” is to say it briefly, using as few words as possible.

 Examples:

 “And there, in a nutshell, is the story of the Italian cafes in Wales.”

 “In a nutshell, extracurriculars are ‘where parents network with each other,’ Dr. Calarco said.”

 “In a nutshell, she says, the course helped her understand how to view life through a positive rather than a negative lens.”

 A nutshell has been used to symbolize compactness since the late 16th century and is mentioned in this context in Shakespeare’s Hamlet [1].

Photo credit: Sylvie Fee Matter (Creative Commons)

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

CHALK AND CHEESE

If we say that two people, or things, are like chalk and cheese, we mean that they are completely different from each other.

 Examples:

 “Airbnb and Uber are chalk and cheese”

 “Me and my brother are autistic, and - as my mother would say - we are chalk and cheese.”

 “‘Even though they are half-brothers, they are chalk and cheese,’ she says of the two horses. ‘This one needs a lot of motivation, a bit like a labrador.’”


 Why chalk and cheese?
 Although chalk and cheese may appear similar, they have completely different properties [1]; hence, this idiom is often used to refer to two people or things of the same type that have different characteristics, as in the above examples.


 Photo credit: poppet with a camera (Creative Commons)

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

GO OVERBOARD

To “go overboard” is an idiom meaning to do something to excess.

 Examples:

 “You don’t have to go overboard and blow your budget on overpriced roses.”

 “A midnight snack is one of life’s great joys, but don’t go overboard.”

 “Don’t go overboard with your posts and include too much irrelevant information.”


 As well as being used as an idiom, this phrase can be used literally to mean that something or someone has fallen off a ship into the water.

 “The World Shipping Council estimates that of the 218 million containers transported annually, just over 1,000 go overboard.”


 Photo credit: Gordon McKinlay (Creative Commons)

ANY OLD HOW

I found this phrase in an Open University OpenLearn course. (These are free courses that are available in a wide range of subjects – highly recommended.) It means in a disordered manner.

 Examples:

 “Many of the Maigret novels sprint to a ragged close, the loose ends tied up any old how.”

 “Buy stems in tight bud and don’t just shove them into the car any old how.”

 “Then there’s the less dangerous but still annoying hazards – vehicles parked any old how all over the pavement, cluttered street furniture and the ubiquitous dog poo.”

 Photo credit: rattyfied (Creative Commons)

BOLD AS BRASS

Terry Pratchett’s “Moving Pictures” reminded me of this phrase.

 Someone who is “bold as brass” or “as bold as brass” is extremely confident (or bold) and generally lacking respect for others, not caring that their behaviour might shock or annoy them.

 Examples:

 “Bold as brass thieves caught on CCTV stealing elevator weights from Edinburgh lift company TWICE in one night”

 “A woman in the southwestern German city of Kaiserslautern walked into a car dealership and, bold as brass, handed over 15,000 euros of counterfeit cash.”


 This phrase was first recorded in the 1780s [1]. It is not clear why brass is linked with boldness here, but this connection occurs in several other English idioms. (I did wonder whether it might be something to do with the loud sounds produced by brass instruments.)


 The word “brazen” is an archaic (old) word meaning “made of brass,” but it is also used to describe someone who is bold, without shame.

  e.g. “Infuriating footage shows brazen Audi driver speed down bus lane and intimidate cyclist in Dublin”


 Someone who behaves in this way may also be described as having “brass neck.”

 e.g. “I have zero tolerance for people who have the brass neck to ask me to work for free with the lamest of excuses for not paying me.”

 Photo credit: Markus (Creative Commons)

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

A FLEA IN ONE’S EAR

I was reminded of this phrase while reading Robert Dinsdale’s novel, The Toymakers [1]: “I had to send him away with a flea in his ear.” – highly recommended!

 Other examples:

 “Water company officials were sent away with a flea in their ear after they ignored advice to consult people about plans for a £2m sewage pumping station under a play park.”

 “Benetton headed in at half-time with a 10–5 lead, while the Saints players were about to get a flea in the ear from the coaching staff.”

 “But she left court to return to her children with a flea in her ear after Judge Stephen Thomas told her: ‘I have had in mind the effect on your children, which is more than you have done.’”

 Photo credit: AJ Cann (Creative Commons)

 [1] Dinsdale, Robert. The Toymakers. Ebury Publishing. Kindle Edition.

THE LAST STRAW

An occurrence that is “the last straw” or “the last straw that broke the camel’s back” is the latest of a series of undesirable/unpleasant occurrences that finally makes a situation intolerable.

 Examples:

 “The four parties then declared that many things had cumulated over the last few months and this issue was the last straw that broke the camel’s back.”

 “The humiliating elimination from the FA Cup by Liverpool’s reserves proved to be the last straw for a posse of Everton fans, who turned up at the club’s training ground this week to give players and staff some forthright feedback.”

 “The business said that Havering Council hiking up parking charges last year ‘was the last straw’.”


 This phrase is believed to originate from a mid-seventeenth-century proverb meaning that even a minor problem can overwhelm someone who is already overburdened. [1]


 Photo credit: Todd Fowler (Creative Commons)

 [1] Knowles, Elizabeth. “last” in The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Oxford University Press, 2005.

STUFFED SHIRT

We might describe someone as a “stuffed shirt” if they are excessively formal, pompous or old-fashioned.

 Examples:

 “Instead, Isabel reluctantly marries a stuffed shirt named Wilbur Minafer.”

 “This is the film that made Marlene Dietrich an international star, prancing around in ruffled knickers and bewitching stuffed-shirt professor Emil Jannings.”

 “Did Elizabeth Bennet move into Pemberley and discover that her prejudice and her pride were well founded when Mr. Darcy turned out to be a stuffed shirt with anger-management issues?”


 The phrase apparently originated around 1900 [1] and refers to a dummy in a dress shirt in a menswear store, which appears pompous and is also hollow [2].


 Photo credit: Hemeroteca Digital | Old magazines & newspapers | Portugal’s photostream (Creative Commons)

 [1] “stuffed shirt” in The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms, by Christine Ammer. 2nd ed. Houghton Mifflin, 2013.

 [2] “stuff” in Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by Susie Dent. 19th ed. Chambers Harrap, 2012.

TWO IDIOMS FOR DESCRIBING REMOTE PLACES

Places that are remote (a long way from towns or cities) are sometimes described as the “back of beyond” or “the middle of nowhere.”

 Examples:

 “It felt as though we were heading to the back of beyond instead of a picturesque village just a few miles from York.”

 “Growing up in the back of beyond in Scotland, I have fond memories of eating gooseberries.”

 “It’s been four hours since the train stopped in the middle of nowhere, somewhere between Preston and Lancaster.”

 “They may have an image of being slightly dour, a bit weather-beaten, stuck in the middle of nowhere and with nothing much to do other than cut peat and count sheep.”



 Apparently, “back of beyond” was first used by Sir Walter Scott  in 1816 [1].

 I was reminded of “back of beyond” while reading Chris Riddell’s graphic novel, Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse - a delightful story with beautiful illustrations - highly recommended.



 Photo credit: Michael E. (Creative Commons)

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

UNTIL THE COWS COME HOME

The phrase “until (or till) the cows come home” means “for a very long time.”

 Examples

 “They are happy to run until the cows come home and they are not ones to shy away from the colder temperatures.”

 “He said that one can play music until the cows come home, but without visibility, one doesn't get focus from the audience.”

 “Whether a college education is essential or not is perhaps something that can be debated till the cows come home.


 This phrase apparently dates from the 16th Century [1], when dairy cows were not milked daily but would remain in a pasture for a prolonged time [2]. It is often used to emphasise the futility of doing something for a long time, as in the second and third examples.


 Photo credit: ufopilot (Creative Commons)

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

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