Results 1 to 5 of 5
Like Tree5Likes
  • 1 Post By Jenniferhu
  • 2 Post By 5jj
  • 2 Post By BobSmith

Thread: Idiom

  1. #1
    Radman is offline Junior Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Student or Learner
      • Native Language:
      • Persian
      • Home Country:
      • Iran
      • Current Location:
      • Iran
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    47

    Question Idiom

    Hi all,
    I just want to know the diffrences between these idioms

    1)Show him to the door!

    2)show him to the door please!

    3)Let"s see you out please!

    Many thanks in advance.

  2. #2
    Jenniferhu's Avatar
    Jenniferhu is offline Junior Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Student or Learner
      • Native Language:
      • Chinese
      • Home Country:
      • China
      • Current Location:
      • China
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Posts
    79

    Default Re: Idiom

    I don't think they are idioms, Radman. They are what we call phrasal verbs.
    #1 and #2, show sb. to somewhere, are very similar in meaning, both indicating that the speaker asks someone to show "him" the way out of a room, house, etc. They are only slightly different in tones on account of the use of please,
    #3 has a phrasal verb see sb. out. That could mean two different things according to the context:

    1. to go to the door with someone to say goodbye to them when they leave
    eg I'll see you out.
    2. to continue doing something or being somewhere until a particular period of time or an unpleasant event is finished
    eg Connolly has promised to see out the remaining 18 months of his contract.
      She saw out her last years at Sudeley Castle.
    (Source: LDOCE)

    And the please that followed let's see you out looks odd to me.

    Hope it helps.
    Radman likes this.

  3. #3
    Radman is offline Junior Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Student or Learner
      • Native Language:
      • Persian
      • Home Country:
      • Iran
      • Current Location:
      • Iran
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    47

    Default Re: Idiom

    Thanks,but I want to know that all of them use in polite way,or all of them are formal or informal?

  4. #4
    5jj's Avatar
    5jj
    5jj is online now Moderator
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Retired English Teacher
      • Native Language:
      • British English
      • Home Country:
      • England
      • Current Location:
      • Czech Republic
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    23,992

    Default Re: Idiom

    'Show someone to the door' is not a phrasal verb. 'Show here has the sense of 'guide', and the use of the preposition 'to' is standard.

    'Let's see you out, please is not natural English.
    Jenniferhu and Radman like this.
    Context is important. Please provide enough for us to be able to deal effectively with your question.
    Your thread title should include all or part of the word/phrase being discussed.
    If you just want to know the meaning of a word, try OneLook Dictionary Search first.


  5. #5
    BobSmith is offline Senior Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Interested in Language
      • Native Language:
      • English
      • Home Country:
      • United States
      • Current Location:
      • United States
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Posts
    902

    Default Re: Idiom

    While "show him to the door" is not idiomatic, this is:

    show somebody the door - Wiktionary
    Jenniferhu and Radman like this.

Similar Threads

  1. [Idiom] The meaning of an idiom or is it not an idiom?
    By purpleblossom in forum Ask a Teacher
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 09-Feb-2010, 16:50
  2. Help with this idiom please...
    By Mehrgan in forum Ask a Teacher
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 30-Jul-2009, 13:27
  3. [Idiom] What does this idiom mean?
    By Unregistered in forum Ask a Teacher
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 28-May-2009, 00:05
  4. an idiom
    By Unregistered in forum Ask a Teacher
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 06-Oct-2007, 23:14
  5. REPLY TO THIS IDIOM(i want to know the idiom)
    By MOgnaraj in forum Ask a Teacher
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 02-Oct-2006, 15:37

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Hotchalk

Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.1