SOME IDIOMS TO AVAIL OF

 SOME IDIOMS TO AVAIL OF

[On request from Prof. N.S RENGARAJAN]

As has been laid out above, the piece is for honouring a request. Many of you may already be familiar with most or all of these. Those who have such familiarity, please bear with me, if it is abrogating your time. In my perception idioms are useful more for writing / writers than for speech or conversation/ conversationalists; should we employ such idioms while in conversation, we are likely to be mistaken as being head strong and painfully, the process of conversation would appear rather artificial and contrived as an attempt to overwhelm listeners, however genuine our disposition may be  in the effort. Another important feature to be remembered of idioms is that the real meanings of some idioms are far removed from what their component words seem to suggest. Such items are indicated by asterisk [*]. So, while making use of them, we need to exercise caution to ascertain the fitness of their use in the context we may be making use of.              

Now on to the idioms

* ‘Hit the hay’. Though suggesting some action; it means something else. The person is so tired that [s]he cannot work any further now.

‘Stabbed in the back’ Some people [mis]use it as ‘Stabbed at the back’ It is an expression to mention that someone violated our trust or faith and betrayed us.

*’Piece of Cake’ Some work, quite simple as to be so simple as eating a cake.

*’Up in the air’ refers to some item still being planned or thought of and undecided and that everything is on the anvil as yet.

* ‘Takes two to Tango’ Tango is a dance form requiring two people. It means that in suspicious situations at least 2 culprits could be involved in the crime.

‘Rule of thumb’ means standard practice or rule –like you have to pay for your food in any hotel. The same idea is expressed as ‘Thumb rule, in general conversation.

‘Costs an arm and a leg’ - It means that something is very expensive and unbearable like cutting off an arm and a leg.

*’Break a leg’ –reads a cruel suggestion, but it means something else. It is actually wishing someone Good luck.

‘Blow off steam’ - Actually it is not giving off steam; but it means-to get rid of stress.  

*‘Cat got your tongue’ –It is an embarrassing idiom to use as it completely baffles someone like asking ‘yesterday were you caught pick-pocketing?’ or Have you stopped beating your spouse? Embarrassing to the person-because [s]he cannot reply readily.

‘Crying wolf’ This means asking for help when it is not really needed. Because of repeated calling for help without being duly in need, people feel the person is playing a joke. When such a person is in dire need, none would come forward to help; [from earlier experience] Like‘Puli varudhu, puli varudhu [Tamil]/Sher aaya, sher aaya [Hindi].

There are a lot of other idioms. Some samples are presented. Hope it suffices for the present.

Prof. K. Raman