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Idioms and Sayings - a community thread to share to bring joy and laughter

P0w3rPlut0

I enjoy dipping into and out of chats on here, but even so find many overwhelming.  I saw a thread about idioms and sayings, but now can not find it again, so instead, maybe we can start a proper thread about these things; as its often cited that due to autistic "black and white" thinking we do not understand things like "pull your socks up"................................maybe that is why I have always been fascinated with language and cherish the book given to me by my Swedish Girlfriend.

A word in your shell-like

Unravel the meaning, origin, and usage of over 6,000 phrases from book and film titles, idioms and cliches, to nicknames, slogans and quotations with this modern and entertaining guide to wonderful phrases by one of the world's best-known wordsmiths. The ideal replacement or complement to that tatty old copy of Brewer's Phrase and Fable most of us have about the house, A Word in Your Shell-Like is an entertaining look at both familiar and unfamiliar phrases by one of the key world authorities in English language reference. The articles also contain discussion of meaning, origin and usage. Who was originally 'sold down the river'? Have you been told to 'Naff off'? Find out of whom it was said 'he couldn't chew gum and fart at the same time', who the 'catcher in the rye' was, and what it means to be 'caught between wind and water'. Few other word reference books are likely to increase your store of knowledge with such fun.

Publisher information

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN: 9780007220878
Dimensions: 197 x 130 x 53 mm
Weight: 720 g

Parents

  • I had a temporary post with the now defunct Farming & Rural Conservation Agency. One of the wildlife Inspectors was talking to me about two tasks we needed to conclude. Filled with enthusiasm, I explained it was possible to achieve both at once, saying, 'we could kill two birds with one stone.' I've never forgotten the look of horror on his face Blush! 

    Thanks for this thread. I love dictionaries of all kinds. These are interesting 'dip into' books too, 'Information is Beautiful' by David McCandless also 'Who, Why, Which, What' by John Oldale.

  • in reply to Marianne72

    Thomas Hobbes: The earliest known written record of the exact phrase appears in 1656. The English philosopher used it in his book The Questions Concerning Liberty, Necessity, and Chance. He wrote: "T. H. thinks to kill two birds with one stone, and satisfie two Arguments with one answer, whereas in truth he satisfieth neither." [1] (poemanalysis.com/.../)Earlier Variations: A similar older English proverb was recorded by John Heywood in 1546. That phrase was: "I will learne to stop two gaps with one bush." [1] (poemanalysis.com/.../)Popular Origin TheoriesHunting Efficiency: The metaphor comes from the practical reality of hunting birds with a stone or a slingshot. Hitting two targets with one throw was a rare display of skill that saved time and ammunition. [1] (www.forbes.com/.../), [2] (www.lexistry.com/.../kill-two-birds-with-one-stone), [3] (www.youtube.com/.../dEZdYPq1K7o)Greek Mythology: Some people suggest it connects to the story of Daedalus and Icarus, where Daedalus supposedly killed two birds with a stone to collect feathers for their escape wings. However, ancient texts by the main myth writers (like Ovid) do not actually mention how he gathered the feathers. [1] (grammarphobia.com/.../bird-play.html), [2] (www.quora.com/Did-the-expression-killing-two-birds-with-one-stone-originate-from-someone-literally-killing-2-birds-with-a-stone), [3] (poemanalysis.com/.../)If you'd like, I can share:Similar idioms from other languages that mean the same thingMore examples of how to use this phrase in professional or casual writingForbesHow 'Killing Two Birds With One Stone' Kills Us and Our WorkThe phrase “to kill two birds with one stone” dates back to the 1600s. It refers to using a slingshot to hunt birds, where killing two birds with the same stone...Poem Analysis'Kill two birds with one stone' meaning and originOrigins of “Kill two birds with one stone” “Kill two birds with one stone” was first found in writing in 1656. It appeared in The Questions Concerning Liberty, ...GrammarphobiaThe Grammarphobia Blog: Bird playBird play Many online “experts” believe the usage originated in the story of Daedalus and Icarus, who escaped from the Labyrinth on Crete by making wings and fl...QuoraDid the expression “killing two birds with one stone” originate from someone literally killing 2 ...June 11, 2024 — Mythological Origin Theory: One theory suggests the phrase originated from the Greek myth of Daedalus and Icarus, where Daedalus reportedly killed two birds wit...LexistryKill two birds with one stone – Meaning & Origin1 Jun 2024 — Region: The Origin Story 'Kill two birds with one stone' represents the universal human desire for efficiency—accomplishing multiple goals through a single acti...YouTube·LinguoLens English0:31Ielts English Idioms | Kill Two Birds with One Stone Meaning #englishlearningclass AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more    

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  • in reply to Marianne72

    Thomas Hobbes: The earliest known written record of the exact phrase appears in 1656. The English philosopher used it in his book The Questions Concerning Liberty, Necessity, and Chance. He wrote: "T. H. thinks to kill two birds with one stone, and satisfie two Arguments with one answer, whereas in truth he satisfieth neither." [1] (poemanalysis.com/.../)Earlier Variations: A similar older English proverb was recorded by John Heywood in 1546. That phrase was: "I will learne to stop two gaps with one bush." [1] (poemanalysis.com/.../)Popular Origin TheoriesHunting Efficiency: The metaphor comes from the practical reality of hunting birds with a stone or a slingshot. Hitting two targets with one throw was a rare display of skill that saved time and ammunition. [1] (www.forbes.com/.../), [2] (www.lexistry.com/.../kill-two-birds-with-one-stone), [3] (www.youtube.com/.../dEZdYPq1K7o)Greek Mythology: Some people suggest it connects to the story of Daedalus and Icarus, where Daedalus supposedly killed two birds with a stone to collect feathers for their escape wings. However, ancient texts by the main myth writers (like Ovid) do not actually mention how he gathered the feathers. [1] (grammarphobia.com/.../bird-play.html), [2] (www.quora.com/Did-the-expression-killing-two-birds-with-one-stone-originate-from-someone-literally-killing-2-birds-with-a-stone), [3] (poemanalysis.com/.../)If you'd like, I can share:Similar idioms from other languages that mean the same thingMore examples of how to use this phrase in professional or casual writingForbesHow 'Killing Two Birds With One Stone' Kills Us and Our WorkThe phrase “to kill two birds with one stone” dates back to the 1600s. It refers to using a slingshot to hunt birds, where killing two birds with the same stone...Poem Analysis'Kill two birds with one stone' meaning and originOrigins of “Kill two birds with one stone” “Kill two birds with one stone” was first found in writing in 1656. It appeared in The Questions Concerning Liberty, ...GrammarphobiaThe Grammarphobia Blog: Bird playBird play Many online “experts” believe the usage originated in the story of Daedalus and Icarus, who escaped from the Labyrinth on Crete by making wings and fl...QuoraDid the expression “killing two birds with one stone” originate from someone literally killing 2 ...June 11, 2024 — Mythological Origin Theory: One theory suggests the phrase originated from the Greek myth of Daedalus and Icarus, where Daedalus reportedly killed two birds wit...LexistryKill two birds with one stone – Meaning & Origin1 Jun 2024 — Region: The Origin Story 'Kill two birds with one stone' represents the universal human desire for efficiency—accomplishing multiple goals through a single acti...YouTube·LinguoLens English0:31Ielts English Idioms | Kill Two Birds with One Stone Meaning #englishlearningclass AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more    

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