[Grammar] an idiot of a salesman
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Chicken Sandwich
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The second one doesn't make sense to me.
As you said, the first one is idiomatic: an idiot of a salesman, an idiot of a lawyer, an idiot of a doctor, and so on.
The second one doesn't make sense to me.
As you said, the first one is idiomatic: an idiot of a salesman, an idiot of a lawyer, an idiot of a doctor, and so on.
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My fuzzy logic.
A man of importance = 1) First, he is a man 2) he becomes important. (not vice versa )
An idiot of a salesman = 1) First, he becomes an idiot 2) and only after he becomes an idiot he may become a salesman.
I understand that this may not look persuasive, but may be there is something in it. Anyway, I get it.
A man of importance = 1) First, he is a man 2) he becomes important. (not vice versa )
An idiot of a salesman = 1) First, he becomes an idiot 2) and only after he becomes an idiot he may become a salesman.
I understand that this may not look persuasive, but may be there is something in it. Anyway, I get it.
Chicken Sandwich
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No, it doesn't work that way. "An idiot of a salesman" just means that the salesman is an idiot. It doesn't mean that s/he was an idiot prior to becoming a salesman. It's possible that s/he was an idiot prior to becoming a salesman, but that's not the intended meaning of the phrase.
P.S. More precisely, as emsr2d2 said below, s/he is an idiotic salesman. Of course, it's possible that the "idiot of a salesman" is not an idiot when it comes to other aspects of life.
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Chicken Sandwich
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"moron of a doctor" also works. Other synonyms of "idiot" can also be used.
"moron of a doctor" also works. Other synonyms of "idiot" can also be used.
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MartinEnglish
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It's usually pejorative:
That bitch of a nurse said that...
That fool of a manager told me that...
In my last job I had a wanker of a boss who..
etc ad nauseum
I can't think of any positive versions! It's an interesting point, never thought about it before.
That bitch of a nurse said that...
That fool of a manager told me that...
In my last job I had a wanker of a boss who..
etc ad nauseum
I can't think of any positive versions! It's an interesting point, never thought about it before.
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