[Idiom] Idiom or figurative of speech

[jebonfikri]

He also want to know whether we are certain that there are no worms under that particular rock that might be turn up if somebody took a hard look at it (murder case).

Please explain the words in italic form. Is it idiom or figurative of speech?
I found the sentence in the novel.

 

[emsr2d2]

He also want to know whether we are certain that there are no worms under that particular rock that might be turn up if somebody took a hard look at it (murder case).

Please explain the words in italic form. Is it idiom or figurative of speech?
I found the sentence in the novel.

Was that novel written by a native English speaker? There are at least two errors in that one sentence.

The phrase in italics, and the surrounding words, mean that someone wanted to be certain that there would be no unexpected (and probably nasty) surprises if someone examined the case in great detail. Despite the fact that its meaning is discernible, I wouldn't say that "a worm under a rock" or anything similar is a recognised idiom, but it's idiomatic. They're not necessarily the same thing.

 

[jebonfikri]

I found it in "Lord of The Dance" by Andrew M Greeley. The author is American.

 

[emsr2d2]

He also want (should be "wants" or "wanted") to know whether we are certain that there are no worms under that particular rock that might be turn up (should be simply "turn up" or "be turned up") if somebody took a hard look at it (murder case).

 

[jebonfikri]

He also wants to know whether we are certain that there are no worms under that particular rock that might be turned up if somebody took a hard look at it. This is the real sentence in the novel. Awesome you are focusing on the tenses.

 

[emsr2d2]

He also wants to know whether we are certain that there are no worms under that particular rock that might be turned up if somebody took a hard look at it. This is the real sentence in the novel. Awesome you are focusing on the tenses.

I'm glad to know that the author got them right in the original! This serves as a little warning when you're posting here - be careful to copy quotes from novels etc exactly as written. If not, we might think that the author wrote them incorrectly, which of course would make it much more difficult for learners to understand.

 

[jebonfikri]

Yeah, I should be more careful when quote something from novels. I take this mistake as a lesson for me...Thank you for your advise.