Idiom: A fate worse than death
Meaning of “A fate worse than death“:
- Any misfortune that would make life unlivable, a very bad or unpleasant experience. The phrase was formally a euphemism for rape.
Usage of “A fate worse than death“:
- It is a fate worse than death,” Breivik wrote. “I must admit that this is the worst that could have happened to me, as it is the ultimate humiliation. (Fox News – Apr 4, 2012).
- That’s a fate worse than death to these Jets and it’s a good bet that Revis knows it. And that means we haven’t heard anything close to the last of this. (NBC New York – April 24, 2012).
- A witch, in every sense of the word, Angelique dooms him to a fate worse than death: turning him into a vampire, and then burying him alive. (The Daily BLAM – April 24, 2012).
Read the rest of this entry »
Idiom: A diamond in the rough
Meaning of “A diamond in the rough“:
- If someone is “A diamond in the rough“, he/she has great potential, but isn’t not refined and polished.
A diamond in the rough
Usage of “A diamond in the rough“:
- Jeremy Lin, a diamond in the rough that nobody saw, Steve Novak, getting JR Smith to come here instead of a lot of other options he had. (The Star-Ledger – NJ.com – April 26, 2012).
- “I see a diamond in the rough. Jobs in education transportation and construction are coming back, if slowly. The housing stock is aging. (Highbrow Magazine – April 25, 2012).
- Braveheart is a diamond in the rough. He’ll make a great pet for somebody. Eclipse (A350097) is a 1 year old black lab/pit mix. Eclipse was returned to PACC … (Tucson Citizen – April 26, 2012).
Read the rest of this entry »
Idiom: Twenty three skidoo
Meaning of “Twenty three skidoo“:
- To be turned away.
Usage of “Twenty three skidoo“:
- Reading Ade’s work online, much of it rendered in mind-boggling 23-skidoo slang, one takes it on faith that our parents’ parents thought the guy was … (Gapers Block – April 19, 2012).
- Post-punk mavericks 23 Skidoo sounded totally storming when they played their first gig for 16 years at the Metal Dance compilation launch at London’s … (Metro (blog) – Mar 29, 2012).
- … guy in the cardigan saying, “What’s all this hoopla ’bout slicken yer hair back and yellin’ 23 skidoo?” I seem to have mixed up my generational angsts. (OurKids.net (blog) – Apr 13, 2012).
Read the rest of this entry »
Idiom: Turn A Blind Eye
Meaning of “Turn A Blind Eye“:
- Refuse to acknowledge something you know is real or legit.
Usage of “Turn A Blind Eye“:
- And at some universities, athletic departments turn a blind eye and don’t text the students who are known to smoke dope, ESPN reports. (Seattle Post Intelligencer (blog) – April 19, 2012).
- Toxic waste is being dumped in poor communities whose governments turn a blind eye. Millions of acres of irreplaceable primeval forest are purposely being … (The Guardian (blog) – April 20, 2012).
- “The US will not admit to its role in the process, so it chooses to turn a blind eye to India’s behaviour.” China’s State-run media also quoted experts as … (The Hindu – April 20, 2012).
Read the rest of this entry »