church

[jiang]

Dear teachers,

He was serious as a church.

Could you please explain if this is an idiomatic expression? Why is it "as a church"?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang

 

[Rover_KE]

It's not idiomatic. I've never heard it before.

Who wrote it? Where did you read or hear it?

Please start giving the context to expressions you are asking about.

Rover

 

[BobSmith]

I've heard serious as a heart attack, and quiet as a church mouse, but never serious as a church.

 

[jiang]

Rover_KE,
D.H.Lawrence worte it. The title of the story is: The Rocking-Horse Winner.
Jiang

 

[Barb_D]

It's rather old then. You can safely assume it means "very serious" but don't try to use that expression yourself as it's not currently idomiatc.

 

[5jj]

I doubt if it was idiomatic when Lawrence wrote it.

 

[BobK]

context[/B] to expressions you are asking about.

Rover

I suspect someone's using one of those little electronic gizmos that force students to think in synonyms and ignore context! ;-) They're impressive, but not - I think - a Force for Good. ;-)

b

 

[BobK]

I doubt if it was idiomatic when Lawrence wrote it.

Nope. But the churches he knew would have been dour and dank and gloomy and cold, and he'd've associated them with uncomfortable Sunday-best clothes/behaviour. And maybe it's a translation into Standard English of some dialect expression.

b