Idioms & Metaphorical Language

Question 1

“…” Quote marks

Answer 1

Are used to indicate 1) that the word or phrase is not to be taken literally; 2) the introduction of a new, made-up word or phrase. So, some extra context is needed to understand the meaning.

Question 2

Account for

Answer 2

1) Take into consideration or make adjustments based on; 2) cause. This is not the same as give an account of, which just means explain.

I accounted for the fact that Joe is always late.

I did get us the meeting, but Ellen’s hard work accounted for the rest of our success. (Here, accounted for means caused.)

Question 3

“A given”

Answer 3

The use of a given as a noun is different from the use fo given alone. For instance, a person’s given name is the one given by his or her parents (a “first name” in the United States), and we might also say, “The truth differs from the given explanation.” Here, given explanation just means the explanation that someone gave. Simple. However, a given means something taken for granted, something assumed or that does nor require proof.

Question 4

Albatross

Answer 4

A constant burden or worry; an obstacle. Literally, an albatross is a bird. The expression an albatross around one’s neck creates the silly image of a person wearing a (dead?) bird - but that certainly sounds like a constant burden or worry!

The city has done an admirable job of rebuilding its infrastructure and marketing itself, but the crime rate continues to be an albatross around the city’s neck in trying to attract tourists.

Question 5

All but

Answer 5

Almost definitely. The bill’s passage is all but assured means that the bill will almost certainly pass.

Your objections have arrived too late; the matter is all but decided.

Question 6

And yet

Answer 6

A stronger way of saying yet. The expression and yet seems ungrammatical (two conjunctions right next to each other is very strange - we don’t say and but), but it is an idiom used for emphasis. It indicates a surprising twist, an ironic realization, etc. It is often used at the beginning of a sentence of emphasis, and can even be used on its own, although this usage is casual.

The company was lauded for its commitment to the environment. And yet its employees regularly fly in private jets, creating carbon footprints that would embarrass any true environmentalist.

Question 7

Arms race

Answer 7

Competition between two countries to build up the best and largest supply of weapons. This term is often associated with the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. Metaphorically, an arms race is a competition that implies a competitive and perhaps not entirely rational series of escalations.

Analysts carefully watched stock prices as the two Internet giants competed in an arms race, expanding rapidly by buying up smaller companies with little due diligence.

Question 8

Aside from

Answer 8

In addition to.

Aside from the obvious financial benefits of investing in a socially responsible fund, you can rest assured that our money is used to maximize social good.

Question 9

(adjective) as it is, …

Answer 9

This pattern is used to contrast the part after the comma with the part before. For instance, Charming as she is, I just don’t want to be friends with her anymore.

As pleased as we are to see more minorities on the board than ever before, discrimination in hiring and promotion is still a serious problem.

Question 10

As well as

Answer 10

Sometimes, as well as just means and, as in I had ramen for lunch, as well as hot dog. But as well as can also be used to mention one thing as a way to contrast with or emphasize another.

Question 11

At best

Answer 11

At the most, interpreted in the most favorable way. the seminar drew 20 people at best means that 20 or fewer people attended.

My college algebra teacher can barely factor a polynomial! He is qualified to teach elementary school math, at best.

Question 12

At fault

Answer 12

Guilty.

The insurance company is investigating who is at fault for the collision.

Question 13

At loggerheads

Answer 13

In conflict, at a standstill.

The strike is not likely to end soon - the transit authority and the union representatives have been at loggerheads for weeks.

Question 14

At odds

Answer 14

In conflict.

The teachers union and the state government are always at odds.

Question 15

At once

Answer 15

1) Immediately; 2) at the same time.

Question 16

Beside the point

Answer 16

Irrelevant, off-topic.

Question 17

The better part

Answer 17

The largest or longest part. The better part does not have to be good! The word better is a bit confusing here.

For the better part of human history, slavery has been a reality. (The speaker is not saying that slavery is good. The speaker is saying that, for most of human history, slavery has existed.)

Question 18

Bite the hand that feeds you

Answer 18

This expression means exactly what it sounds like (think of a mean and not-very-smart dog). Although informal sounding, this expression has appeared in business writing.

Question 19

Brook

Answer 19

Tolerate, allow. Often used with the word no. You could say The dictator will not brook dissent, but a more common usage would be The dictator will brook no dissent.

Question 20

(Verb) by so (verb)ing

Answer 20

The second verb is equivalent to or causes the first verb. He defaults by so refusing means when he refuses, he is defaulting (that is, neglecting to fulfill the duties of a contract). By so agreeing also occurs on its own, meaning by agreeing to do the thing that was just mentioned.

He agreed to run as the Green Party candidate though he already holds a Democratic Party chairmanship, which he effectively abandoned by so agreeing.

Question 21

The case at issue

Answer 21

The matter at hand, the thing we are discussing.

Question 22

Caught red-handed

Answer 22

Caught in the act of doing something wrong, so that the person cannot deny guilt. the expression refers to having blood on one’s hands.

Question 23

Colored by

Answer 23

Influenced or prejudiced by.

Her skeptical opinions regarding unbridled capitalism were colored by her upbringing in a factory town devastated by outsourcing.

Question 24

Couldn’t have come at a better time

Answer 24

The same as cold hardly have come at a better time, this expression means that something happened at the best possible time, such as at a very convenient moment or just in time to prevent disaster.

Question 25

Curry favor

Answer 25

To try to gain favor (such as preferential treatment from a boss) through flattery or servile behavior. The expression is derived from French and is not related to curry, the food.

Question 26

Cut bait

Answer 26

Give up, abandon an activity. Often part of the expression fish or cut bait, to cut bait is to stop fishing.

Question 27

Due diligence

Answer 27

Research or analysis done before taking action (such as investing); care that a reasonable person would take to prevent harm to others.

Question 28

En masse

Answer 28

All together, in a group. This expression is from French and is related to the word mass. Like many foreign expressions, en masse is often written in italics.

Question 29

Entree

Answer 29

Admittance, permission to enter. Most people in the United States think of an entree as the main dish of a meal, but it originally was an appetizer - a dish that leads into the main course (the word is related to “enter”). A person who wants to rise in society might seek an entree into a certain social group.

Question 30

Fishy

Answer 30

Suspicious, unlikely, questionable, as in a fishy story.

Question 31

For all X, Y

Answer 31

This sentence pattern means, “Despite X, actually Y”; that is, X and Y will be opposites, or one will be good and one will be bad. The word “actually” (or a similar word) often appears in this pattern, but doesn’t have to.

For all of its well-publicized “green” innovations, the company is one of the worst polluters in the state.

Question 32

Former and latter

Answer 32

When two things are mentioned, the first one is the former and the second one is the latter.

Question 33

For show

Answer 33

For appearances only.

Question 34

For years to come

Answer 34

Until much later. The consequences won’t affect us for years to come means that hey will affect us, but not for the next several years.

Question 35

Full throttle

Answer 35

With much speed and energy. On a related note, sometimes juice is used to mean energy.

Question 36

Garden-variety

Answer 36

Ordinary, common.

Question 37

Gloss over, paper over, whitewash

Answer 37

These are all expressions for covering up a problem, insult, etc. rather than addressing it or fixing it. Think of a dirty floor that you just put a pretty rug on top of instead of cleaning. Because gloss is slippery (think of lip gloss), gloss over often has the sense of trying to smoothly and quickly move on to something else.

Question 38

Go down the tubes

Answer 38

Become much worse, fail. One theory is that this expression is about the plumbing attached to toilets.

Question 39

Go sour

Answer 39

Think of milk going bad - that’s the idea behind the expression go sour. A relationship goes sour before the couple breaks up. An economy gone sour can’t be good. This is not the same as the expression sour grapes, which refers to pretending something you can’t have wasn’t any good anyway, as in, Her hatred of the rich is just sour grapes - if she could afford luxury, she’d take all she could get.

Question 40

Hand-wringing

Answer 40

An excessive expression of concern, guilt, or distress.

Question 41

Hold the line vs. toe the line

Answer 41

Hold the line means keep something the same. It is a reference to (American) football, in which you don’t want the opponent to get the ball past the line of scrimmage in the middle of the field. To toe the line is to conform to a policy or way of thinking, or follow the rules. One theory about the origin of the expression is that, on ships, barefoot sailors were made to line up for inspection - that is, to put their toes on an actual line on the deck of the ship.

Question 42

However much, as much as

Answer 42

Even though, no matter how much.

However much people may agree that saving money is a virtue, the majority of Americans don’t have sufficient funds for any kind of emergency.

As much as I’d like to attend your wedding, I just can’t afford a trip to Taiwan.

Question 43

In contrast to

Answer 43

This phrase is important in inference questions on Reading Comp. If a writer says In contrast to X, Y is A, you can draw the conclusion that X is not A.

Question 44

Just cause

Answer 44

Just as an adjective means justified, legal, fair. Just cause means a legally sufficient reason. In some legal codes, an employer must show just cause for firing an employee.

Question 45

Legions or is legion

Answer 45

Legions are large military units, generally consisting of a few thousand soldiers. Saying that a group is legion is saying that it is large.

Question 46

“No X or Y” vs. “no X and Y”

Answer 46

When you are talking about having two things, saying “salt and pepper” is very different from saying “salt or pepper.” However, when you are talking about a lack of two things, and and or can often be used to express the same idea. The following two sentences have the same meaning.

Question 47

Not (adjective)

Answer 47

Of course, putting not before an adjective indicates the opposite. However, sometimes it indicates a softer or more polite ways to say something. If someone asks if you like the meal he cooked or the outfit he is wearing, and you know him well enough to be honest, you might say, It’s not my favorite. Sometimes we say something like not irrelevant instead of simply relevant in order to indicate that we are correcting someone else’s misconception.

Question 48

Not only X, but also Y (also appears as Not only X, but Y)

Answer 48

This is a two-part expression, introducing the first part before adding on the second, more extreme or surprising part.

The executive was not only fired, but also indicted for fraud.

Question 49

Not X, let alone Y

Answer 49

The meaning is Not X and definitely not this even more extreme thing, Y.

Our remaining fund are not enough to get us through the week, let alone pay next month’s payroll.

Question 50

No worse than

Answer 50

Equal to or better than.

Although exotic, this illness is really no worse than the common flu.