'She threw the money willy - nilly on the table'.
This expression has two slightly differing yet related meanings – it can mean ‘in a disorganised way’ or ‘whether with or against your will’.
'She couldn't understand the text, it sounded like mumbo - jumbo.'
There’s an American television series, called Heroes, which has recently captured the imagination of viewers everywhere. This series, as the name suggests, tells the story of a bunch of everyday people who suddenly discover that they have amazing super-powers, with which they are destined to save the world. Or at least die trying. Or something along those lines, anyway.
Let’s take a look at the phrasal verb ‘drop off’. As you know, phrasal verbs can have more than one meaning. In this cartoon, ‘drop off’ means both ‘fall off’ and ‘fall asleep’. For example:
1) Drop off – similar to fall
The boys dropped stones off the cliff
2) Drop off – fall asleep
Meaning: To think very hard to find an answer.
'After a busy day it's good to veg out on the sofa.'
Meaning: to relax in a lazy and inattentive way. Basically, we are 'vegging out' when we sit on the sofa for a long time doing nothing and hardly moving.
What makes you angry? What do you find annoying? Here's how to tell people you find something annoying. Thanks to Danny for writing this article!
Let’s take a look at the phrasal verb ‘pick up’. In this cartoon it has two meanings:
1) Pick up – to lift an object with the hands
'Keep your back straight when you pick the TV up.'
2) Pick up – learn something without effort
'It's possible to pick up enough English in two weeks to get by on your trip to London.'
'This fighter is great. He's the real McCoy, no doubt about it.'
Meaning: the real thing – not a substitute/ fake. Another 'name' based expression, although in this case, nobody seems absolutely sure as to where it originated from.
'You can have a white horse or a white horse...that's Hobson's choice!'
Meaning: to have no choice at all. The only option you have is the one that is being offered to you.
