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Get a foothold
Idiom: Get a foothold Most recent university graduates or soon-to-be graduates are struggling to get a foothold at a company. If you get a foothold, then you have attained and secured a position in a business, industry or field of employment. Most graduates would love to secure a good position in a company, but it seems that…
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Get the axe
English Idiom: Get the axe I read on the BBC website recently that 34 employees of a Japanese insurance company got the axe. Their jobs are being replaced by artificial intelligence. You see, if someone gets the axe, they lose their job for some reason. It does not mean that they have quit or retired.…
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Raison d’être
WotD: Raison d’être Here we go. Here is another little bit of French today. We’ll look at raison d’être. The English language has accepted and incorporated many words from other languages. Raison d’être is an example of a French word incorporated into English, and native speakers still use it today. Raison d’être is a French term that is…
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Receding hairline
Word of the Day: Receding hairline The two words receding hairline are hated by men all over the world. The last thing a man wants to hear from his wife, girlfriend or barber is, “Hmm, your hair seems to be getting a little thin.” To recede means to move further away. For example, as a…
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A penny for your thoughts
English Expression: A penny for your thoughts This expression, a penny for your thoughts, is used when we want to ask someone what they think. Wouldn’t you love to know what this chimpanzee is thinking? How would you ask? Since English is an international language of communication, you could start with a penny for your…
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Pat
Word of the Day: Pat Pat is the word used when we count little pieces of butter. A pat of butter is usually square-shaped and flat. It’s not a cube. Sometimes, at a restaurant or on a plane, we will get little single servings or pats of butter wrapped in foil or plastic. Sometimes, when…
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Hot potato
English Idiom: Hot potato Yes, a hot potato is incredibly delicious when topped with butter or cheese. However, a hot potato also has an idiomatic meaning. It’s a controversial topic nobody wants to discuss or do anything to correct. The issue of elderly drivers in Japan is a hot potato. Japan is a steadily ageing…
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Duvet
Word of the Day: Duvet/comforter Wow, Friday night was frigid here in Wakayama. It’s a good thing my wife and I have wonderfully warm duvets. First of all, the pronunciation of duvet is du vey, emphasizing the du. It is originally from French, so the t at the end is silent. Some people may call…
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As easy as ABC
Expression: As easy as ABC Today is my first working Monday of 2017, so I decided to go light today. I wanted something as easy as ABC to write about, so that’s why I chose the expression. We cannot say that something is as easy as LMNOP because, well, LMNOP is not easy for many…
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An apple a day keeps the doctor away
English Proverb: An apple a day keeps the doctor away I thought it might be appropriate to introduce this little proverb: an apple a day keeps the doctor away, at this time of year. It may give a little boost to your willpower. If you are feeling a little peckish at work, do not open…
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