English Idioms and Sayings

[bmo]

Thanks.

I did a Google exact search, this is what I found:

Come rain or shine - 12,900
Rain or shine - 202,000, including the above.
Come rain or come shine - 33,900. (Thanks for telling me this.)

Maybe they are all acceptable?
Is everything else okay? (My questions under #1.)

Thanks again, you and other teachers have been a big help. BMO

[RonBee]

Re:

• Come rain or come shine

I would say that all the variations are acceptable usage. They would all be understood.

[RonBee]

Originally Posted by bmo

1. Birds of a feather flock together.
Meaning: People of the same type or of similar interest tend to associate with each other.

Example: There are special interest groups of mostly Japanese descendants in the South Bay – the Yu-Ai-Kai, Ikebana Club, Bonsai Club, Taiko drum teams, etc. Birds of a feather flock together; these groups are formed by people with common interests.

Also, is article "the" needed before yu-ai-kai? Should it be a semicolon or comma after "together?"

It looks fine as is. The definite article ("the") is, I think, optional in this instance. It should be a semicolon rather than a comma.

:)

[bmo]

Thanks a lot. BMO

[bmo]

Originally Posted by RonBee

I don't know that one.

:?

Since I don't know this one, I checked it out.
www.clichesite.com says "As different from each other as possible." (BE)

BMO

[RonBee]

Originally Posted by bmo

Since I don't know this one, I checked it out.
www.clichesite.com says "As different from each other as possible." (BE)

BMO

Thanks. I doubt that I will ever use that one. If I did I would then have to explain it. Thanks for the link.

:D

[bmo]

Dear Teachers, Please take a look at these idioms again. Is everything okay? I made up the explainations and examples. Thanks. BMO

1. Sell ice to the Eskimo.
Speak very convincingly.

Example: The Reverend Wang is a powerful and convincing preacher who can sell ice to the Eskimo. More than two hundred Buddhists, Taoists, Muslims and atheists were baptized and converted to Christianity after hearing his sermon at the Sun Yat-Sun Memorial last Sunday.

2. All talk and no action.
Action doesn't come with or after talk.

Example: “The management is playing that usual ‘all talk and no action’ tune again! When are we getting that huge bonus we have been promised?” Kenneth, nicknamed “Mr. Big Mouth,” complained.

3. His bark is worse than his bite

He sounds very mad, but he is harmless.
Example: Typhoon Lucy’s bark was worse than its bite. It looked vicious out in the ocean but it did not cause any damages when it landed in Taitung.

[RonBee]

Originally Posted by bmo

Dear Teachers, Please take a look at these idioms again. Is everything okay? I made up the explainations and examples. Thanks. BMO

1. Sell ice to the Eskimo.
Speak very convincingly.

Example: The Reverend Wang is a powerful and convincing preacher who can sell ice to the Eskimo. More than two hundred Buddhists, Taoists, Muslims and atheists were baptized and converted to Christianity after hearing his sermon at the Sun Yat-Sun Memorial last Sunday.

2. All talk and no action.
Action doesn't come with or after talk.

Example: “The management is playing that usual ‘all talk and no action’ tune again! When are we getting that huge bonus we have been promised?” Kenneth, nicknamed “Mr. Big Mouth,” complained.

3. His bark is worse than his bite

He sounds very mad, but he is harmless.
Example: Typhoon Lucy’s bark was worse than its bite. It looked vicious out in the ocean but it did not cause any damages when it landed in Taitung.

I would say for number 2 that "all talk and no action" means a person talks plenty but doesn't do much. Especially, he doesn't do what he says he is going to do. (Your example is a good one.)

Do you have any more interesting idioms to discuss?

:)

[RonBee]

Re:

• It's for the birds.

Meaning: it's a ridiculous or unhelpful idea.

Example:

• Bob's idea to start a pet shop is for the birds. He doesn't know anything about pets.

[RonBee]

Re:

• He or she is a birdbrain.

Meaning: the person is not very smart.

Esample:

• Kathy is a birdbrain. She never understands anything I tell her.