Fall through | Has/Have too many irons in the fire |Let the cat out of the bag| Read between the lines| Throw down the glove or gauntlet |To/until the bitter end |To catch up with |The man in the street |Put one's food down| Storm in a teacup
Fall through
Meaning:-- failed
Mind Tricks:-
Usages:-Fall means to decrease, down etc.
- Movement has fallen through.
Has/Have too many irons in the fire
Meaning:-- is engaged in too many enterprises at the same time
- have many activities under way at one time
Mind Tricks:-
Usages:-This phrase comes from blacksmith.
Who has to manage many irons in his forge. He has to be ready to with his hammer to hit the irons to its best shape that comes from the forge.
- They had too many irons in the fire and missed some important parties.
Let the cat out of the bag
Meaning:-- told her about it unintentionally
- to tell people secret information
- to tell a secret carelessly or by mistake
Mind Tricks:-
Usages:-Here the cat resembles secret information and bag for a person from which secret reveals.
- I wanted it to be a surprise, but my sister let the cat out of the bag.
Read between the lines
Meaning:-- find more or hidden meaning than the words appear to express
- to try to understand someone's real feelings or intentions
- You will understand her, if you read between the lines.
- Don't believe every thing you read literally, learn to read between the lines.
Throw down the glove or gauntlet / Take one's gloves off
Meaning:-- gave a challenge
- to invite someone to argue, fight, or compete with you
Mind Tricks:-
Usages:-This phrase comes from the boxers side. As if boxers were to remove their gloves in order to impose more damage.
- Throwing down the glove/gauntlet, he is ready to argue.
To/Until the bitter end
Meaning:-- carried on a contest regardless of the consequences
- continuing until you have done every thing you can, or until something is completely finished, despite difficulties and problems.
Mind Tricks:-
Usages:-Bitter means very serous and unpleasant.
- They were prepared to fight to the bitter end for their rights.
To catch up with
Meaning:-- to compete with
Mind Tricks:-
Usages:-Catch up means the act of trying to reach the same level or standard as somebody who is ahead of you.
- India wants to catch up with China.
The man in the street
Meaning:-- the homeless man
Mind Tricks:-
Usages:-A man without home must be in the street.
- Beggars are men in the street.
Put one's foot down
Meaning:-- asserted his authority
- to tell someone in a strong way that they must do something or that they must stop doing something
- The boss put her foot down and refused to accept any more changes to the plan.
Storm/Tempest in a teacup
Meaning:-- commotion over a trivial matter
- a lot of anger or worry about something that is not important
- a situation where people get very angry or worried about something that is not important
Mind Tricks:-
Usages:-Teacup resembles small, little and trifle things.
Now think about the storm in a teacup and the storm in sea, which one would bring more damage.We should worry about the storm in a sea.
- Why are you taking so much tension, it is just a storm in a teacup
- You all are going in a storm in a teacup.
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