Several idioms

[kingyo1409]

Hi,

which is more common, "the skies opened" or "the skies opened up"? Also, with regard to meaning, does it always make you think of rain first or ar there other possibilities?

Also, is there a difference between "in your face" and "into your face"? Is there a citation form of this expression?

What exactly do you think a "net of blood" would be? Literally, it should refer to an open wound, I guess, but I also found an example of "a net of blood walked past" (setting in war Germany).

Do you use the expression "a patch of Eden"? Does it always refer to gardening??

Well... I'm probably bad at doing research, I have looked around and come up with very little

Any help will truly be appreciated

[kingyo1409]

Oh and... another one came up, forgive me

"The woods were full of them"... what the heck is that? Can it be considered an idiom? What does it mean??

Thank you thank you *bows*

[Anglika]

Are these all relating to some text that you are reading/studying? If so, their full context would be really helpful.

[kingyo1409]

It's Steven King, "The girl who loved Tom Gordon"... As a matter of fact, I did register asap

Context-wise, this girl is lost in the woods of Maine and then "the skies opened". Then a bug flies into her face and she also gets hurt pretty badly, thus the "net of blood". The non-literal meaning of which escapes me completely

"Sooner or later she'd find a brook. The woods were full of 'em." I found that in all sorts of contexts beyond the literal meaning... does that make it an idiom? Does it simply mean that something is there in large numbers?

Please, if it's not too much trouble, help me out...

[Anglika]

It's Steven King, "The girl who loved Tom Gordon"... As a matter of fact, I did register asap

Context-wise, this girl is lost in the woods of Maine and then "the skies opened". Then a bug flies into her face and she also gets hurt pretty badly, thus the "net of blood". The non-literal meaning of which escapes me completely "The skies opened" = It started to rain [with an added implication that it was heavy rain]

"net of blood" gives an image of the blood spreading over her face in thin streams so that it looks like a net.

"Sooner or later she'd find a brook. The woods were full of 'em." I found that in all sorts of contexts beyond the literal meaning... does that make it an idiom? Does it simply mean that something is there in large numbers? Pretty much so. There were lots of brooks running through the woods.

Please, if it's not too much trouble, help me out...

No trouble at all - but it really does help so much to know the context!

From your first post "patch of Eden" implies that it was very beautiful.

[mykwyner]

"The skies opened" almost always means that it suddenly started to rain hard. You could also say "...opened up."

I have not read the story, but I think "a net of blood," in this case, is a form of imagery. The girl has been hit in the face by something and blood is running down her face in small intersecting streams which resemble a net.

"In your face," is an idiom which means to be confrontational with someone. It may or may not involve someone putting his face a few inches away from another's.

"Into your face" is literal. It means that something has made contact with your face.

"The woods are full of them" is literal, but somewhat hyperbolic (exaggerated). It means that brooks were common in those woods.

"A patch of Eden" has nothing to do with gardening. In this, and most other cases, Eden refers to an ideal place. Your "patch of Eden" could be a mountain lake or a favorite chair in your bedroom.