Idiom Abuse
Showing her true colors
Blushing red
Lips like cherries
Peaches and cream skin
Sky-blue eyes--
Seen through rose-colored glasses
During a golden sunrise
And an orange harvest moon
I had my pot of gold.
BUT
In the black of night
Green with envy
A yellow streak down my back
I left her black and blue.
She, no longer white as the driven snow,
Me, red-handed,
The proverbial black sheep.
*******
What are idioms?
English has thousands of them; however, they appear in every language.
The meaning of the whole group of words (or phrase) has little or nothing to do with the meanings of the words taken one by one. If you determine the meaning of an idiom literally, you will be confused.
For instance, to "let the cat out of the bag" means to reveal a secret.
It has nothing to do with a cat or a bag.
Idioms have many sources: the Bible (birds of a feather flock together, casting the first stone), ancient fables, modern slang, Native-American customs (bury the hatchet), and folk sayings used in particular areas of the country. Some go back as far as the ancient Greeks and Romans.
If an expression is over-used, it is a cliche.
Many idioms are cliches.
Writers are encouraged not to use cliches.
We are to more original with our words.
Many idioms are cliches.
Writers are encouraged not to use cliches.
We are to more original with our words.
I came up with the poem,
"Idiom Abuse," above
because I wanted to write a poem
using only idioms and
thus called it "abuse."
The irony of it, perhaps, is that the poem turned out to be about abuse...
"Idiom Abuse," above
because I wanted to write a poem
using only idioms and
thus called it "abuse."
The irony of it, perhaps, is that the poem turned out to be about abuse...
Hmmmm....
You may be interested in some of the following idioms and how they got started.
*Bring home the bacon
..means to support a family by working. At early American county fairs, there typically was a greased pig contest. If you caught the pig, you took it home and more than likely ate it.
*Bug off
...get lost. In the later 1800s, there was the expression "bugger off" which meant the same thing. I think I prefer the latter form?
*Bull in a China shop
...a clumsy person who deals too roughly with a delicate situation. Aesop, ancient story teller, wrote a fable about a donkey in a potter's shop.
Later, it was changed to "bull"--more damage?
*Burn the candle at both ends
...to overwork oneself mentally or physically. This was a French expression. If you literally burned a candle at both ends--what would happen? You get the picture.
*Busy as a beaver
...working very hard. For hundreds of years, the beaver has been a symbol for diligent work.
*Butter someone up
...to flatter someone. When you slather butter on bread, what happens?
*Busman's holiday
...spending your free time doing the same thing you would if you were working. This started in London in 1800s when buses were pulled by horses. Some drivers loved their horses so much that on their off-days, they would ride their own bus just to make sure that
other driver was taking care of his horse. Talk about loyalty!
*Bring home the bacon
..means to support a family by working. At early American county fairs, there typically was a greased pig contest. If you caught the pig, you took it home and more than likely ate it.
*Bug off
...get lost. In the later 1800s, there was the expression "bugger off" which meant the same thing. I think I prefer the latter form?
*Bull in a China shop
Later, it was changed to "bull"--more damage?
*Burn the candle at both ends
...to overwork oneself mentally or physically. This was a French expression. If you literally burned a candle at both ends--what would happen? You get the picture.
*Busy as a beaver
...working very hard. For hundreds of years, the beaver has been a symbol for diligent work.
...to flatter someone. When you slather butter on bread, what happens?
*Busman's holiday
...spending your free time doing the same thing you would if you were working. This started in London in 1800s when buses were pulled by horses. Some drivers loved their horses so much that on their off-days, they would ride their own bus just to make sure that
other driver was taking care of his horse. Talk about loyalty!
As you can see, some of them have become obsolete
(Busman's holiday?)
--an indication of how our language is constantly changing
--as is society in general.
I have no doubt that you can think
of more current expressions for many of the above--
phrases that would reflect the language of today.
The Bible also has its share of idioms.
Beat your swords into plowshares... Isaiah 2:4
Cast pearls before swine... Matthew 7:6
Feet of clay...Daniel 2:31-32
Handwriting on the wall.....
 | ||
| The King of Babylon had a vision where he saw mysterious handwriting | on the wall. |
In the Old Testament, Daniel was sent to explain the meaning of these words.
He told the king that his kingdom would be conquered.
The prophecy came true.
The Bible, of course, if full of prophecy.
Many are the plans
in a man's heart--
but it is the Lord's
purpose that prevails.
Proverbs 19:21
Proverbs 15:11 reads,
"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver."
Be careful of the words you say
Keep them soft and sweet
Because you never know
which words you'll have to eat.
K. McCarthy
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