Apparently, I missed it: Ten years ago, the initialism ICYMI entered the social media lexicon by way of Twitter. Like BTW, IMO, IIRC, and others, it’s employed as an entrée to a discussion; ICYMI signals to you that the writer is going to provide context by referring to something you may not have read or … Read more
A reader questions the use of the preposition against to follow the verb oppose in this example from an entertainment site: [Madonna] wanted to be the only female voice of the band, and opposed against the introduction of another female vocalist. The reader asks, “Isn’t opposed enough?” Yes. In this sentence, the meaning of opposed … Read more
The following is a list of idioms about multiplicative numbers (single, double, and triple) and their meanings. 1–2. at a single blow/stroke: with one movement 3–4. at/on the double: quickly 5. body double: someone who stands in for another, especially in a performance 6. double: two servings of an alcoholic beverage, a two-base hit in … Read more
Numerous idioms ending with the word out exist, but only a select group serve (in open form) both as verb phrases and (in hyphenated or closed form) as compound nouns; “tune out,” for example, describes the act of ignoring sensory stimuli, but one does not refer to a tune-out as an instance of such behavior, … Read more
An initial letter, almost invariably capitalized, is often the first element in a two-word noun compound that constitutes an idiom. (Use of a connecting hyphen varies, and various sources may include or omit a hyphen.) Often, the letter stands for a word; occasionally, letters are used to assign priority (A and B, for example) or … Read more
Recently I’ve noticed the phrase “stating to be” in contexts that call for either “claiming to be” or “stating that.” For example: This Buffalo, NY church has a plaque stating to be a nuclear weapon free zone. Should you be approached by any persons stating to be appointed agency/representative of Qatar Airways, they should be considered as … Read more
A reader questions a radio announcer’s odd use of high to quantify the noun consequences: “For business owners who become the victims of these scams, the consequences can be high.” Since when have consequences been “high”? “Dire,” maybe. “Serious,” maybe. “Severe,” even. “High”? Never! The English word consequence derives from a Latin compound that combines … Read more
Considering that time is such a critical element in our lives, it’s no surprise that the word time should crop up so often in English idiomatic usage. Here’s a list of phrases that refer directly to time. 1. a devil of a time: said of an ordeal 2. a legend in one’s own time: one … Read more
The sport nostalgically known as “America’s Pastime” (though football now reigns supreme) is the source of many evocative idioms whose meanings now extend beyond the baseball diamond. Here are thirty of those phrases and their meanings when used past the warning track. 1. ballpark figure: a rough estimate 2. bat a thousand: a reference to … Read more
What do the following examples from the Web have in common? Changing my mind is not something that happens often. It’s a simple case of me stating my point and refusing to budge an inch from it. US Recovery Cold Comfort for Unemployed Are your kids eating you out of house and home during the summer? . I made the mistake of buying him an egg salad … Read more
Despite the waning popularity of pugilism, or the sweet science, as boxing is also called, the sport has contributed a number of colorful words, phrases, and expressions out of proportion to its current stature among athletic endeavors. Here is a list of idioms that originated in boxing and were subsequently extended to the world outside … Read more
A reader remarked on the use of “silver bullet” in this quotation: “The answer is to find a silver bullet that will wean us from fossil fuels.” Suggests the reader, “The reference should be ‘magic bullet’ from the polio vaccine. ‘Silver bullet’ belongs to the lone ranger.” The expression “magic bullet” may have originated in … Read more