This common phrase doesn’t usually have much to do with a person physically bending over. The phrase is used to describe someone who is doing everything possible for a person or a situation. For Example: “He does everything he can for his girlfriend. He really bends over backwards for her.”

The concept is based on how someone’s stomach might feel when they are nervous. For Example: The feeling is conceptually similar to having butterflies flying around. This can be used in the following way: “She is the star of the show, so she has butterflies in her stomach.”

It is used when you want to tell someone something, but don’t want to tell them how you found out about it. For Example: Jon tells Sally that his company is doing really well. Sally tells her friend Joan to buy stock in the company. When Joan asks how Sally […]

It is a way of saying that someone is living bravely and doing what they truly want to, sometimes indulgently. For Example: The phrase is usually used in the following manner: “He (or she) is living life in the fast lane.” This usually has little to do with driving, as […]

The meaning of this English phrase is different than it may sound. The phrase is actually a way of saying that someone is content to have a lot of influence in a relatively small group of people or place. For Example: This phrase can be used to describe someone who […]

The meaning of this common English phrase is very different than it may sound. In fact, it doesn’t really make logical sense when reading it. The phrase is essentially the same as saying: “Relax.” For Example: It is said by a person to another person to calm them. It can […]

Someone or something with great potential despite an appearance to the contrary. For Example: “She might not try very hard to look pretty, but I think Suzy is a diamond in the rough. If she focused more on her beauty, she would be a total knockout!”

To get what one deserves. For Example: “I told Michael not to cheat on his taxes. Now he’s getting his just deserts; the IRS is auditing him.”

Having no knowledge or experience on a topic. For Example: “My physics class is so hard. I’m way out of my depth in there.”

Something that is very established or concrete. For Example: “That red hair runs deep in Jimmy’s family genetics.”

A phrase used to emphasize an emotion. For Example: If you are “scared to death,” you are really scared. If you are “bored to death,” you are really bored.

To receive poor treatment or a bad outcome. If you <strong>get a raw deal</strong>, you had things go unfavorably. For Example: “I got a raw deal today at work: I found out they’re closing my position at the end of the year.”

A phrase that indicates a refusal to do something. For Example: If someone “wouldn’t be caught dead” doing something, that’s their way of saying they would never do it.

Doing something that makes someone happy. For Example: “You should go tell Jenny that you noticed she’s lost some weight. I’m sure it will make her day.”

A phrase used to tell someone they’re not very good at something. For Example: If Cory invites his friend Chris to go golfing and realizes his friend Chris is very bad at golfing, he might say, “well Chris, don’t give up your day job!” as a way of saying he’ll […]