Champing at the bit
Champing at the bit for the year to normalise. Not so.
An illustration of the correct usage of the idiom Champing at the bit. It provides history and commentary.
Tail ’em, Nail ’em, Jail ’em – not so fast in our (cry) beloved country
The phrase features in academic papers, policy memos and newspapers from the 1990s onward — usually as shorthand for a surveillance-first approach to community supervision. Probation and parole officers used it (sometimes ironically, sometimes proudly) to describe a mindset: monitor closely (“tail”), document non-compliance (“nail”), and respond with incarceration (“jail”)
New words in the dictionary
How a productivity slump led to a boost in vocabulary
Gen Z and Alpha have added new words to the language. These words are now in the regular English dictionary. This means the words are here to stay and now common in daily conversations.
How a random search led me to International Mole Day
A discussion on International Mole Day and how words are used to explain everything.
Where have all the newspapers gone?
Looking at the pic, you see yourself (okay, I speak for myself – baby boomers) deliriously swamped by magazines and print media and happy as a pig in sh-t. This…
A damp squib
Nothing but a Damp Squib: idiom usage
In the past week, I have attended two events that were ‘damper’ than a damp squib. Really! I could not be less impressed with my experience of these. The first…
Platitudes and punchlines: the writer’s tightrope
Both clichés and idioms reflect the human desire for expression that is concise yet evocative. They help us communicate complex ideas quickly and paint mental images without lengthy explanations. They also connect us to generations past, carrying the wisdom, humour, and creativity of countless speakers before us.
Pic by Gul Isik
How breaking bread is a social act that’s lasted through time
The other day I bumped into someone I knew at high school. I remembered her comment that a certain crowd of our peers did not want to break bread with…
Cutting your coat may lead to cold knees and fewer cups of coffee: Idioms
Let’s face it: no one wants to be told to scale down. Whether it’s ambitions, appetites, or accessories, we tend to dream in technicolour. But the age-old idiom “cut your…
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