Rabbit Trail

You know how sometimes a discussion can go off on a crazy tangent, make lots of crazy turns?  You don't know where it's going, and you don't know how you got there?  Your discussion has gone down a Rabbit Trail.  (Sometimes I like to call them bunny trails when I'm feeling silly.)

If you've ever seen a dog follow a real rabbit trail in a field or someone's back yard, you'll see where this idiom comes from.  The dog will endlessly sniff around in circles, never getting anywhere.  And it certainly never finds the rabbit!  Rabbit trails in discussions can be fun and interesting, but they usually interfere with resolving the topic at hand.

You would never use that phrase to describe a leisurely trip when you explored a side path and had an interesting adventure.  That's more like taking the road less traveled by, which is a literary reference to a poem by Robert Frost, "The Road Not Taken."

And we reach another week of idioms.  You may or may not know, but I have been posting a link to the new entries on Facebook.  Do you think that I should continue to do that?  Please, leave an indication either here or on Facebook.  Thanks!  Have a great weekend! :)

The Tip of my Tongue

If someone knows something like a word, a phrase, a name, but they can't seem to recall it at the exact moment, they may say ... usually in an exasperated tone of voice, "It's on The Tip of my Tongue!"

Of course, the most frustrating part is that you know that you know it, but you can't seem to get it from your brain and come out of your mouth.  I know that with me, after something like that happens, I will wake up in the middle of the night with the information!  But then, at least, I can finally sleep peacefully. :)

See you tomorrow to finish off another week of idioms!

Have an idiom that is confusing you and is threatening to drive you bananas?  Leave a comment.  You don't have to enroll or register for anything.

Saved by the Bell

Being Saved by the Bell is getting a last minute reprieve.  If you think about it in a classroom experience, a professor might ask you something that you don't know.  But before, you have a chance to say anything, time is up for the class.  This is particularly appropriate if the end of class is signaled by a bell.  You were quite literally saved by the bell.

 

The idiom comes from the boxing ring.  A boxer might be about to lose the fight, but then the bell rings signaling the end of the round.  He then has an opportunity to get some strength back before continuing the fight.  He was saved by the bell. 

Too Many Irons in the Fire

Today, we have another idiom that comes to us from the blacksmithing world.  It is especially appropriate at this time of year, both as a student wrapping up the end of a semester and with Christmas quickly approaching.  It is easy to get Too Many Irons in the Fire.

It means having too many things to do at the same time.  It comes from blacksmiths putting bars of iron in the fire to get them hot enough to work with.  The smith has to be aware of the status of the iron.  If he or she has too many to keep track of, it could be a big problem. 

As you can see, having too many irons in the fire can lead to catastrophe ...  or lead to at the very least burning the candle at both ends, being dog tired, or  hitting the wall.  ;)

Until tomorrow ...

Buring the Candle at Both Ends

Welcome to another week of idioms!

I thought my days of Burning the Candle at Both Ends was over, but with papers and preparations for the end of the semester looming, I seem to have no choice.  It refers to working so much that there is little time for sleep.

As you can see, you do that for too long, and you will get burned.  Originally, it also implied being wasteful because the wax drips away much faster, so the candle doesn't last as long.  Come to think of it, people can't do this too long either.  So, be careful that you don't Burn the Candle at Both Ends  for too long.  It will hurt you in the end. ;)

A Sitting Duck

You may find this surprising, but the phrase Sitting Duck refers to neither sitting nor ducks.

 

A Sitting Duck is an easy target or victim.   For example, "If you park in front of a fire hydrant, you're a sitting duck for a ticket."*

Thank you for joining me for another week of idioms!  If you have any that you'd like to share with the class, please, leave a comment.  Otherwise, I'll see you next week for another adventure in the land on Idioms!

* Example obtained from Answers.com.

Dog Tired

Have you ever noticed how a dog can run and jump and play ... then seemingly in the next instant be fast asleep.  When a person feels like they could collapse and be instantly asleep they are Dog Tired.

 

And if someone feels like they could sleep for a week ... where they would continue to sleep no matter what was going on around them, they might be at an even more extreme level ... Dead Dog Tired.  Which is how I find myself right now, so until tomorrow...

Bite Your Lip

To Bite Your Lip is to stop yourself from saying anything about something that's bothering you.

For example:  Even though Shirley really hated it when Brad teased her about her cooking, she bit her lip.  She didn't want to get in a fight with the whole family there for the holiday.  Instead, she satisfied herself with the thought that he would be going home soon.

This is not to be confused with bite your tongue, which is similar, but not exactly the same.  I will save it for another week to be less confusing.  (Think of this as an advertisement of coming attractions. ;) )