Interesting idioms

[Tora]

New day, new idiom, new forum

lose smb's spine - become weak, lacking of character and will power

lose smb's guts - become cowardly, lacking bravery

have the guts to do smth - be brave to do smth (not always, but mainly to do smth unpleasant)

hate smb guts - hate someone very much

see you

[LEATRICE]

Oh.. the idioms introduced here are rather interesting indeed...
I particularly like those about the animals

[sweetiepoppet]

Does anybody know the origin of the expression "by the skin of one's teeth"?

[hermit]

hi sweetiepoppet - re: "skin of one's teeth" - the phrase originated in the book
of Job, referring to an episode wherein Job escaped by such a narrow margin
that he compared it to the skin of his teeth (which is about as thin as can be imagined".

sources: book of Job, and one-look dictionary search.

hermit

[Vega]

Oh, I supposed this topic had been deleted, when one beautiful day I logged-on and didn't find "Idioms forum".

Show must go on, gentlemen!

[Vega]

baby kisser

A person campaigning for votes in his quest for elected political office; such persons often kiss little children in public.

* Nixon was a baby kisser when he ran for Vice President with Eisenhower.

[Vega]

method in (to) one's madness

A plan or organization of ideas hard to perceive at first, but that becomes noticeable after longer and closer examination.


*We thought he was crazy to threaten to resign from the university but, when he was offered a tenured full professorship, we realized that there had been method in his madness.

[Vega]

after the dust clears or when the dust settles

When a troubling, confusing, or disastrous event is finally over.

*John invited Tim for dinner, but since Tim's father had just died, he replied, "Thanks. I'd like to come after the dust settles."

[Masha]

It's a shame that this topic is dying. I really don't understand why it didn't take off. I'd like to improve the situation.
to be dressed to kill- to wear the kind of clothes that will make people notice and admire you;
to be dressed up to the nines-to wear very elegant or formal clothes;
to burn the midnight oil-to study or work until late at night.
Definitions from Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

[Vega]

Hi,

This topic isn't dead as long as I'm alive. Simply, I have little free time...


hush-hush

Kept secret or hidden; kept from public knowledge; hushed up; concealed.


* The company had a new automobile engine that it was developing, but kept it a hush-hush project until they knew it was successful.


If the hill will not come to Muhammad, Muhammad will go to the hill.

If one person will not go to the other, then the othe must go to him. (a proverb)

* Grandfather won't come to visit us, so we must go and visit him. If the hill won't come to Muhammad, then Muhammad will go to the hill.