Strike while the iron is hot Strike while the iron is hot make immediate use of an opportunity as long as it exists, take advantage of an opportunity, take an action at the right moment, carpe diem, seize the day The blacksmith has a piece of iron which he wishes to make into some useful …
Split Hairs 1100 Words You Need Split Hairs 1100 Words You Need make trivial distinction, argue about unimportant details, quibble, niggle, equivocate, be pedantic, mince matters, cavil, make fine distinctions Q. A friend of mine often uses the phrase “split hairs” to mean argue over petty details. Where does this interesting expression come from? A. …
Burn the midnight oil Burn the midnight oil to study or work late into the night, burn the candle at both ends, work late, study up, work day and night, work overtime, keep your nose to the grindstone, toil, cram We all stay up late at night to complete a piece of work. And the …
Blow hot and cold Blow hot and cold to have inconsistent and fickle thoughts, ideas or attitudes in a confusing way, alternate in consistently between two moods or opinions, swing back and forth, be indecisive, waver, vacillate, hesitate, falter, be uncertain, be unsure, move back and forth, move backward and forward, dither, fluctuate Why are …
As broad as it is long As broad as it is long it’s said when one cannot choose between two identical or similar things, making very little differences, like two peas in a pod, almost the same, almost identical, alike, analogous, comparable, akin, nuance, tinge Sammie and Charlie are identical twins who have been best …
Dyed-in-the-wool Dyed-in-the-wool /ˌdaɪ.dɪn.ðəˈwʊl/ (adj) wholeheartedly attached to a set of beliefs, political party or a personal opinion, stubborn, opinionated, long-established, stick to one’s gun, dedicated, committed, confirmed, diehard This article is pure agenda-driven drivel. What is the point–that The New York Times has a conservative bias? Ridiculous. And having it included in a business-oriented newsletter …
The first water 1100 Words The first water 1100 Words of the best quality, the greatest, excellent, meeting the highest standards, topnotch, top-class, first-class, first-rate, top-quality, superior, premium In the gemstone trade, first water means “highest quality”. The clarity of diamonds is assessed by their translucence; the more like water, the higher the quality. The …
Get down off a high horse Get down off a high horse to act like an ordinary person, to stop being arrogant or haughty, to stop disregarding people around you, act modestly or humbly, stop belittling others, stop being condescending, eat humble pie When we now say that people are on their high horse we …
Bring Home the Bacon Bring Home the Bacon to earn a living and meet the needs of a family, make a living for a family, support a family financially, be successful, succeed, come up with the goods, keep a roof over your head, put food on the table, feed your family, keep the wolf from …
Get One’s Back Up Get One’s Back Up to become angry, be enraged, go bananas, lose control, lose your temper, hit the roof, be furious, hit the ceiling, go mad Do you get your back up and fume when someone cuts you off in traffic? Does your blood pressure rocket when your child refuses to …