Reader Opinions
Anonymous – (love rat) October 17, 2021
Other meanings of love rat:
- Love rat is also when a woman has an affair.
- The act of a woman cheating on her husband, a woman cheating on another man, a woman being unfaithful.
- Rat can refer to a person of either gender.
Anonymous – (after blood) October 12, 2021
Tracking a herd predator, like a wolf for example, by following the blood trails?
Ramesh Joshi – (run across) October 11, 2021
To ‘run across’ term may have initially come from a morning jogger who may come across unexpectedly another jogger already known to him.
Mel – (burn the midnight oil) October 11, 2021
The word oil was used in various phrases referring to the use of oil in a lamp for nocturnal study. For example, to lose one’s oil meant to study or labour in vain.
Mel – (burn the midnight oil) October 11, 2021
The idiom actually came about in the 17th century relating to the burning of oil lamps as a source of light, not candles.
Marie Nelton – (easy come, easy go) October 10, 2021
“Easy come, easy go.” That thought has been around longer than you think.
Bible states at Proverbs 13:11
“Wealth quickly gained will dwindle, But the wealth of the one who gathers it little by little will increase.”
So there is wisdom in doing things patiently, one step at a time.
Sharyn – (in black and white) October 9, 2021
A contract is black ink on white paper – hence the term ‘there it is in black and white’ – it is printed and is meant to offer legal certainty. Sometimes checking how someone is useful for understanding what they mean, because it was not originally a term about race.
Anonymous – (the devil is beating his wife) October 6, 2021
Grew up in southwestern Virginia near Mt. Rogers where a lot of Scotch-Irish settled. Heard this expression all my life.
Anonymous – (the devil is beating his wife) October 5, 2021
Grew up in East Tennessee and my grandmother (94 years old, now) would say “the devil is beating his wife” during a sunshower. I just sat through a sunshower and this expression came to mind. Happy to find more info about it! My family are descended from Scotch-Irish, lots of interesting idioms. My husband’s Michigan family have never heard this.
Stanley G Johnson – (the devil is beating his wife) October 2, 2021
Grew up in Nebraska and never heard it. Been in Arkansas 40 years and heard it first from a person who grew up in southern part of state (Monticello). Hardly ever hear it anymore. Interesting that the common element in all variants seems to be an unlikely marriage–like rain and sunshine. The idea of a devil’s wife implies marriage. The beating part is still a mystery. Sunshowers today in Little Rock.
