Additional Language Exercises

at the double

1. as quickly as possible, immediately

1. From a story by Hans Christian Andersen.

like a dose of salts

2. speech, words, etc., that cannot be understood;

2. Referring to the fact that Dutch is a language that sounds very difficult to people who are not native speakers.

flutter the dovecotes

3. defend what one believes to be good, true, etc. against changes that threaten to destroy it;

3. Referring to sheep breeding, specifically a sheep returning to its pen or enclosure and to the other sheep in the pen.

an ugly duckling

4. to act hurriedly, esp. without thinking carefully before one acts;

4. Referring to the business of dyke building to stem flooding.

for the duration

5. very quickly or very effectively

5. Salts refers to a laxative, a type of medicine.

bite the dust

6. a punishment that is as cruel as the crime, esp. punishment by death;

6. Dates back to the period when French was regarded the language of aristocracy.

double Dutch

7. without a certain or fixed limit; for as long as may be (often used humorously);

7. Part of a military command ordering a soldier to march at twice the usual speed.

dyed-in-the-wool

8. very neat and tidy;

8. From Shakespeare's Coriolanus.

hold the dyke against

9. a dull ordinary child, plan, etc., that develops into a very interesting and successful one.

9. Originally referring to the duration of World War II, during which certain business activities, public services, etc. had to be stopped.

a white elephant

10. to cause much worry, anxiety, or confusion to certain people, esp. people who hold positions of power and importance.

10. Referring to a practice of the kings of Siam when they wished to get rid of followers who had displeased them. The king would give the follower a white elephant. The animal was so costly to keep that its owner would be ruined.

(tie/clear up the) loose ends

11. to struggle against something with little or no chance of success;

11. Referring to men killed in battle who fall to the ground.

pardon/forgive my French

12. to have something to do that is more important or profitable;

12. Referring to the dyeing (colouring) of material in textile industry.

an eye for an eye

13. complete, thorough, typical (often referring to a characteristic that is regarded unfavourable);

13. From the Bible: “And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.” (Deuteronomy 19:21)

(all) shipshape (and Bristol-fashion)

14. feelings of bitterness caused by failure to get what one wants (used to describe a person’s behaviour, when he cannot get what he wants, pretends that the object is of no use or value);

14. Referring to a story about Alexander the Great. It was said that whoever could untie a knot belonging to a king called Gordius would be the ruler of all of Asia. Alexander avoided untying the difficult knot by simply cutting it with his sword.

rush one’s fences

15. (humorous) in a difficult situation;

15. Refers to history of warfare.

fight a loosing battle

16. a very costly possession that is worthless to its owner and only a cause of trouble;

16. From the Bible: “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41)

have other fish to fry

17. things still to be dealt with or explained;

17. Stems from fish being the intrinsic part of British menu.

the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak

18. (of a person) used humorously meaning to die or become ill, or (of a machine) to stop working or being useful.

18. Referring to a horse jumping over fences in a show; if a horse runs up too quickly to the fences, it gets too close to jump over them properly.

return to the fold

19. a loyal and hard-working servant or helper;

19. Refers to the mooring rope in seafaring.

everything in the garden is lovely

20. in a condition of readiness, order, or effective operation

20. Comes from the fine art of horticulture and gardens that the English pride themselves with.

in gear

21. to go or come back to an organisation, one’s family, a system of principles, etc. which one has left or formerly refused.

21. Originally referring to a ship on which everything is in good order. At one time Bristol was the largest port in Britain.

cut the Gordian knot

22. (often humorous) to forgive a person for using offensive language;

22. Referring to car’s mode of operation. When you put the car into gear, it is ready to move off.

sour grapes

23. all is well; there is nothing to complain about;

23. From the character Friday in Daniel Defoe’s book, The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (1719).

up a gum tree

24. to end a difficulty by using a vigorous or violent method, esp. instead of the usual method;

24. Evidently comes from ex-colonies, referring to a hunted animal that is trying to escape and has climbed a type of tree covered with a sticky substance; the animal is therefore in danger of being trapped.

a man/girl Friday

25. Man has many fine intentions that the weakness of his human nature does not allow him to fulfil.

25. Referring to a story by Aesop in which a fox cannot reach the fruit that it wants to eat and therefore decides that the fruit is not ripe.