phrases and words not properly understood

[Norm]

To add my own to the mix, my wife's favourite is "going 11 to the dozen". It doesn't matter how many times I tell her that means slower than it should be.

Oh, and another one which I see plenty on biker forums is "I got stopped for driving with undue care and attention". Well, the poor dears aren't usually overly endowed with intelligence.

 

[Campfire]

..... it's better than sitting in looking at four walls.

I don't know about you but if I sit down I can only possibly see 3. Do they have eyes in the back of their head - sorry that's another one too.

 

[vernon]

If you Auntie had bollox they would be your uncle ............

But my uncle has bollocks and wants to be called auntie.......

 

[sheddy]

I really hate it when reporters use “Birthday” when they mean anniversary.

It is everywhere. Even the BBC recently reported on Facebook’s 5th Birthday.

If it was not actually born then I cannot see that it can have a birthday.

The CTC are guilty of that one.

 

[Arch]

What a moronic post

If you're going to be rude, could you at least specify who you are being rude to?

 

[Arch]

I'm answering the OP, this is the answer I gave to a post in another thread on Monday, it was misunderstood, and another thread was started about me and my forum etiquette yesterday. Which I replied to and then was pulled down by the mods for ''an open attack on a forum member.''

So, if you're answering the OP, say so, or explain the context a bit. Otherwise it reads like you're calling the person above you 'moronic', which is a bit unfair on them.

 

[Happiness Stan]

Anyway...

Presenters who introduce athletes as 'former Olympic gold medallists'

If you win a gold medal you will be a gold medallist for all time. They don't take it off you. Unless you are Ben Johnson maybe.

 

[Yellow Fang]

Thanks for the hyperbole explanations. I never realised we had so many classics scholars on here. There must be some others. I used to not understand, "If the cap fits, wear it," but I think I do now. I used to wonder what "A stitch in time saves nine," meant, but I think I've cracked that too. "Begs the question," still gets misused a lot, although I noticed they say, "Raises the question," on radio 4 these days (but not radio 5 live).

 

[longers]

This link might be useful.

 

[Yellow Fang]

This link might be useful.

Well that's an end to that thread.

 

[longers]

Sorry

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Ms RT is fond of using the made up word "furtherless". I thought she'd just got it wrong until she explained the other day that it means the opposite of "furthermore": in other words, if you're listing reasons why something is bad, you'd use it. "Take That are splitting up. And furtherless, Robbie Williams is starting a solo career ", for instance.

 

[Yellow Fang]

Crocodile tears, what are crocodile tears?

What does ghost in the machine mean?

 

[Arch]

Crocodile tears, what are crocodile tears?

What does ghost in the machine mean?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crocodile_tears

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_in_the_machine

 

[XmisterIS]

"I'll give yer <whatever>".

Typically said by irritated fathers to bothersome children.

E.g:
"Dad, dad, can I have an ice-cream?"
"Ice cream? I'll give yer ice-cream!" Slap!