Tag: English Phrase
Make Both Ends Meet Meaning To live within one’s means. Origin In accountancy, meet used to be an adjective meaning equal or balanced. The end was the end of …
Make a Bee-line for Meaning Go directly towards. Origin The phrase derives from the behaviour of bees. When a forager bee finds a source of nectar it returns to …
Magical Realism Meaning A literary genre in which magical features and storylines appear and are accepted as everyday reality. Magical realist stories often have a dream-like landscape and call …
Lucky Stiff Meaning To be very lucky. Example You won $90,000 in the Super Lotto – you lucky stiff. Origin Stiff is defined as an ordinary person, an average …
Low Man on the Totem Pole Meaning The lowest-ranking, least important person in a. group or organization. Example Have you ever heard of a woman on the totem pole …
Loved-Up Meaning Feeling euphoric and well-disposed towards those around you induced by the use of drugs, notably Ecstasy (methylenedioxymethamphetamine). Origin This term is British and emerged in the 1990s …
Lose Face-Save Face Meaning Lose face – Be humiliated; lose one’s reputation. Origin ‘Lose face’ began life in English as a translation of the Chinese phrase ‘tiu lien’. That …
Loose Lips Sink ships Meaning You must keep this secret or there will be a price paid. Example Do not discuss any of our plans outside this boardroom, remember …
Loose Cannon Meaning A person who is out of control, unpredictable, who may do damage. Example The typical Engineer is too honest for his own good, they can be …
Long in The Tooth Meaning To be getting old. Example Daddy needs a new Porsche. The old one is getting a bit long in the tooth. Origin Strange as …