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A man’s home is his castle
Cliché: A man’s home is his castle When a man is not at work, he’s at home, and we all know that a man’s home is his castle. In a company, not everyone can be the boss. When at work, most men have to do things and follow orders because they are just a cog…
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Controlled chaos
What one person thinks is a mess is another person’s order. Notice the round file next to the chair. English Phrase: Controlled chaos Some things look out of control. Some things seem confusing and messy, but they are functioning very well. When something looks messy but works quite well, we can describe it as controlled…
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Round file
Word of the Day: Round file Round file is the slang term for a wastepaper or garbage basket. It can be used as a noun or a verb. When a vital document arrives at your desk, you should put it in a file so you can find it easily later. If an unimportant document arrives…
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Keeper
Word of the Day: Keeper The meaning of this word can completely change depending on the situation. When playing sports, a keeper or goaltender is the person who is in charge of preventing goals. For example, each team in soccer and ice hockey has a keeper, and their job is to prevent goals from being…
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In for the long haul
I’m having a bit of fun with the picture for this one today. Do you notice the play on words with this picture for in for the long haul? English phrase: In for the long haul If you hear that someone is in for the long haul, it means they are willing to work at…
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Subsequent
Word of the Day: Subsequent I used this word when explaining the meaning of set the stage in today’s idiom post. Subsequent means happening, occurring or following after something else. Please read the following sentences for an example. A man was driving his sports car on the highway. The man had an accident. He was…
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Set the stage
English Idiom: Set the stage If we set the stage, we prepare for something that will happen later. We can use this idiom in many periods of our lives. For example, the initial creation of good study habits in their youth will benefit students when they face heavy workloads and strict study schedules in university.…
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Half-mast
Word of the Day: Half-mast Sometimes, you may notice that a flag is only halfway up a flagpole. If you do see this, it means the flag is flying at half-mast, and it’s a sign of respect for someone who has died. There are many rules regarding flying a flag at half-mast, and these rules…
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Have an axe to grind
English Idiom: Have an axe to grind If someone has an axe to grind, they have a private and maybe selfish opinion about something. This opinion is the reason why they take a particular action. It’s quite similar to having an ulterior motive in some ways. This idiom is not usually used in a positive…
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Head off
Word of the Day: Head off Head off is another one of those words that have two almost opposite meanings. Sometimes, trying to understand the usage of these words can be frustrating, but if we pay attention to the context in which they are used, understanding the meaning is much easier. The first meaning of…
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