Welcome, Guest: Register On Nairaland / LOGIN! / Trending / Recent / NewStats: 3,148,507 members, 7,801,332 topics. Date: Thursday, 18 April 2024 at 01:55 PM |
Nairaland Forum / Entertainment / Literature / 6 Tricky English Expressions (805 Views)
12 Misunderstood And Misquoted Shakespearean Expressions [part 1] (2) (3) (4)
(1) (Reply)
6 Tricky English Expressions by TRWConsult(m): 3:20pm On Oct 14, 2015 |
Have you ever started to write out a common expression, only to realize that you’re not really sure how it’s spelled? We all have. Lots of idiomatic English phrases contain words that we don’t otherwise use anymore, or that have changed meaning outside the expression. Check out our list of commonly confused phrases to help you toe (or is it tow?) the line of proper spelling. 1. Toe the line Yes, it is, in fact, “toe the line.” To toe the line means to follow the rules, conform, or behave. It’s a reference to the way people arrange themselves (with their toes placed along a line on the ground) at the beginning of a race or parade, or to present themselves for an inspection. Other related expressions that have fallen out of use include “toe the mark” and “toe the scratch.” 2. Just deserts This is often incorrectly written as “just desserts” because that’s the way we pronounce the phrase. But in fact, this expression has nothing to do with cake and ice cream or with hot, sandy wastelands. When we say someone got their “just deserts” we mean that they got what was coming to them. Or, to put it another way, they got what they deserve. Notice anything similar about the spelling of “deserts” and “deserve”? “Deserts” is an archaic noun form of “deserve.” 3. Take for granted It’s easy to mishear this one as “take for granite.” It does kind of make sense, after all. Taking something for granted means that we fail to appreciate it because it seems like it has always been there and always will be. Granite is pretty long-lasting, right? But what the expression really means is that we mistakenly believe that something has been permanently granted to us. 4. Home in on To home in on a problem means to focus your attention on it. It’s not hard to see why it’s sometimes mistakenly written as “hone in.” When you hone a knife you make it sharper, and therefore more precise—sort of what you are doing with your attention. But this expression uses “home” in the sense of “moving toward a target,” as in “homing missile” or “homing pigeon.” 5. Different tack Not “different tact.” To understand why this expression is spelled the way it is, it helps to know that once upon a time “tack” was a nautical term for the direction a ship was traveling. So, to try a “different tack” means to approach a problem from a new direction. The confusion here probably comes from the similarity in meaning between “different tack” and “different tactic.” 6. Humble pie And finally, no matter how proud we are of knowing the right way to write phrases that everyone else always seems to misspell, we should all remember to eat a slice of humble pie now and then. Language evolves over time, and so do expressions. Sometimes the “wrong” version eventually replaces the original and the malapropism becomes standard. In fact, “humble pie” was once “umble pie,” a pie containing deer innards and supposedly representative of inferior food. Credit: Grammarly 1 Like |
Re: 6 Tricky English Expressions by deewhone(f): 3:26pm On Oct 14, 2015 |
Educating post...Noted |
Re: 6 Tricky English Expressions by Chuksemi(m): 7:24am On Oct 15, 2015 |
Awesome. I endorse. |
(1) (Reply)
Not As You Think! (A Prison Tale). / Must Read: The Christmas Reunion / Want To Know And Fulfill Your Purpose, Read This!
(Go Up)
Sections: politics (1) business autos (1) jobs (1) career education (1) romance computers phones travel sports fashion health religion celebs tv-movies music-radio literature webmasters programming techmarket Links: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) Nairaland - Copyright © 2005 - 2024 Oluwaseun Osewa. All rights reserved. See How To Advertise. 13 |