Forum newsfeeds
Forum Newsfeeds


Sites for Teachers

Sites for Teachers


Go Back   UsingEnglish.com ESL Forum > Learning English > Ask a Teacher

Notices

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 27-Nov-2007, 02:50
Newbie
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Country: Vietnam
Posts: 21
Current Location: Vietnam
First Language: Vietnamese
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
chitchit is on a distinguished road
Default throw biscuits after bad dogs

Dear teachers,
If someone throws biscuits after bad dogs, does it mean that they give something to whom not derserving it?
Thank you.
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 27-Nov-2007, 05:01
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Country: Canada
Posts: 1,157
Current Location: Alberta
First Language: English
Thanks: 0
Thanked 12 Times in 12 Posts
Naamplao is on a distinguished road
Default Re: throw biscuits after bad dogs

Quote:
Originally Posted by chitchit View Post
Dear teachers,
If someone throws biscuits after bad dogs, does it mean that they give something to someone who does not deserve it?
Thank you.
Yes, that would be a good interpretation. However I have never heard of such an expression.
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 28-Nov-2007, 01:06
Moderator
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Country: UK
Posts: 13,601
Current Location: UK
First Language: English
Thanks: 2
Thanked 2,259 Times in 2,126 Posts
Anglika has a reputation beyond reputeAnglika has a reputation beyond reputeAnglika has a reputation beyond reputeAnglika has a reputation beyond reputeAnglika has a reputation beyond reputeAnglika has a reputation beyond reputeAnglika has a reputation beyond reputeAnglika has a reputation beyond reputeAnglika has a reputation beyond reputeAnglika has a reputation beyond reputeAnglika has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: throw biscuits after bad dogs

Quote:
Originally Posted by chitchit View Post
Dear teachers,
If someone throws biscuits after bad dogs, does it mean that they give something to whom not derserving it?
Thank you.
An English saying that expresses the same is "casting pearls before swine".
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 28-Nov-2007, 03:13
Barb_D's Avatar
Key Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Country: USA
Posts: 1,661
Current Location: Pennsylvania, USA
First Language: English (American)
Thanks: 5
Thanked 302 Times in 263 Posts
Barb_D is a jewel in the roughBarb_D is a jewel in the roughBarb_D is a jewel in the roughBarb_D is a jewel in the rough
Default Re: throw biscuits after bad dogs

Well, I would agree that "casting pearls before swine" means that you are giving good things to people who don't appreciate/deserve them, but "biscuits after dogs" one sounds more like "throwing good money after bad." That is, after something starts going unrecoverably wrong, don't spend more resources trying to fix it.

[not a teacher]
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
How to Throw Your Life Away kevin92 Editing & Writing Topics 3 13-Oct-2007 03:56
How to express this? belly_ttt English Idioms and Sayings 3 02-Aug-2007 06:14
Can someone help editing this little topic for me please! nyim20 Editing & Writing Topics 1 14-Dec-2005 05:52
question jordan456 Ask a Teacher 1 10-Aug-2005 23:49
Dogs !!! whl626 Ask a Teacher 2 19-Nov-2003 11:12


New To Site? Need Help?

All times are GMT. The time now is 04:21.


vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.2.0 RC5
Copyright © 2002 - 2008 UsingEnglish.com