Idiom of the Week
Archive - February 2006
John enjoyed being challenged. News of his new responsibility was music to his ears.
Music to his ears - adj. exactly what you want to hear, something that makes you very happy.
- "The plethora of ideas from his team was music to his ears."
John watched another bulldogger bite the dust. “I’d say that we’re watching what must have been one of the first extreme sports,” John said.
From Take the Bull by the Horns p.32
Bite the dust – v. originally, to be killed, as in a shootout. When a dead man would fall forward onto the ground, he was said to “bite the dust.”
• “Our new pain relief product bit the dust when the product wasn’t approved by the Federal Drug Agency for distribution.”
Extreme sport – n. new term for a sport that requires exceptional risk-taking, such as mountain-climbing, rappelling down caves, etc.
During Bill's lunch time walk the answer to his team's dilemma came to him like a bolt from the blue.
Bolt from the blue- n. Also, a bolt out of the blue. A sudden, unexpected event, a surprise.
- "News of her promotion hit Theresa like a bolt from the blue."
Larry immediately spoke up and locked horns with Mike over Mike’s short-sighted view that America was the center of all new ideas.
From Take the Bull By the Horns, p. 49
Lock horns – v. argue, fight, as bulls or other horned animals might do.
- “Don’t lock horns with your supplier until you have another
supplier lined up to provide you with parts.”
|
