Without even Blinking

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DavidDe
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Without even Blinking

Post by DavidDe »

What does "without even blinking" mean ?

i.e. But Joan Charot can make or break our project without even blinking.
i.e. During the recession they can give big loans to our bank without even blinking.
i.e. If Country "a" goes to war with country "b", it can destroy country 'b' without even blinking.

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Joe
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Re: Without even Blinking

Post by Joe »

"Blinking" is when you shut and open your eyes, which is something you do 15,000 times a day or 5 times a second. Not exactly hard work, and it doesn't take long either.

So anything that you can do without even blinking (or before blinking) is extremely easy and can be done very quickly.
"We are not wholly bad or good, who live our lives under Milk Wood :-| " — Dylan Thomas, Under Milk Wood

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DavidDe
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Re: Without even Blinking

Post by DavidDe »

The ability to do something quickly and effortlessly is best suited for the examples I mentioned above.

However, can it be sometimes interpreted that someone can accomplish something without tiredness; because we are also blinking when we feel tired; at least I do.

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Joe
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Re: Without even Blinking

Post by Joe »

I don't really follow you. If we do sthg effortlessly we do it without tiredness. Perhaps you can give an example of what you mean.
"We are not wholly bad or good, who live our lives under Milk Wood :-| " — Dylan Thomas, Under Milk Wood

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DavidDe
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Re: Without even Blinking

Post by DavidDe »

i.e. He has been studying for a week without even blinking to get ready for the tomorrow exam.

- ability to accomplish a difficult task without allowing tiredness to overcome him.
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Joe
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Re: Without even Blinking

Post by Joe »

DavidDe wrote:i.e. He has been studying for a week without...
Please use "e.g." here, not "i.e."
See: http://eslblogs.englishclub.com/english ... /eg-or-ie/
"We are not wholly bad or good, who live our lives under Milk Wood :-| " — Dylan Thomas, Under Milk Wood

eBooks: English Prepositions List | Essential Business Words | Learn English in Seven
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Joe
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Re: Without even Blinking

Post by Joe »

The use of "without even blinking" in this way (i.e., literally rather than figuratively) is not idiomatic for the context.
"We are not wholly bad or good, who live our lives under Milk Wood :-| " — Dylan Thomas, Under Milk Wood

eBooks: English Prepositions List | Essential Business Words | Learn English in Seven
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