This One’s a Keeper
Take My Word for It: A Dictionary of English Idioms (2022)
by Anatoly Liberman
A lot of us use idioms every day, in speech and writing, without grasping what exactly an idiom means.
An idiom is a group of words that has a figurative meaning (apart from the literal meaning conveyed at first glance).
Idioms spice up the English language.
Let’s take, for example, bite the bullet. I do not recommend literally biting a bullet since it’d require a quick and costly visit to the dentist. Au contraire, the idiom means preparing for a task, even though one’s heart is not in it, because it must be done. Every man has his price is another popular idiom. This one means no one is incorruptible.
Take My Word for It: A Dictionary of English Idioms, is a 322-page delight organized alphabetically.
No book is perfect. So, I was not that disappointed to find popular idioms like bite the bullet and break the ice missing in Take My Word For It.
Here are 20 idioms and their meaning:
- Out in the cold: purposely neglected
- Dressed up to the nines: dressed up elaborately
- Hell for leather: to ride at breakneck speed
- Have the Danes: to have diarrhea
- Go to the dogs: to go to ruin
- Play the bear: to destroy, to wreak havoc
- Give one a cold shoulder: to display intentional coldness
- Between the Devil and the deep sea: exposed to danger on both sides
- Smell a rat: to suspect treason
- Grass Widow: a woman living away from her husband
- Snowbirds: People (often retirees or the elderly) who migrate from colder northern regions to warmer southern areas during winter.
- Sleeveless errand: useless errand
- Give a sop to Cerberus: to bribe or propitiate a dangerous opponent
- Weep Irish: to feign sorrow, cry insincerely
- Stew in one’s own grease: to suffer from self-inflicted trouble
- Drink like a fish: drink large amounts of alcohol
- Pecking order: order of precedence
- To come to grief: to meet with disaster
- All talk and cider: persons whose performance fall short of their promise
- All the world and Bingham will be there: Everybody will be there
Take My Word for It: A Dictionary of English Idioms is a keeper.
Just take my word for it!