Relax, Refresh your English knowledge 35
171. What is the meaning of ‘to put in one's papers'?
When you put in your papers, you quit your job. This is an expression mostly used by Indians to mean that the individual in question has submitted his resignation. Native speakers of English may not be familiar with this expression.
172. What is the meaning of de rigueur? How is it pronounced?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of this French expression. The ‘e' in ‘de' is like the ‘a' in ‘china', and the ‘i' in ‘rigueur' sounds like the ‘i' in ‘sit', ‘bit', and ‘hit'. The final ‘eur' is like the ‘ir' in ‘bird', ‘first' and ‘thirst'. The word is pronounced de ri-GIR with the stress on the second syllable of ‘rigueur'. The expression literally means ‘of strictness'. When you say that something is ‘de rigueur', you are implying that according to etiquette or fashion it is something that is essential; something which is necessary if you wish to be considered part of the ‘in' crowd.
*When you go for an interview, jeans and T-shirt are hardly de rigueur.
*In the early 1970s Rajesh Khanna made the kurta de rigueur.
173. What is the meaning and origin of ‘reading between the lines'?
When someone says something and you attempt to read between the lines, you are trying to deduce hidden meanings from what has been said. By doing this, you figure out the implied or suggested meaning of the speaker. You understand what the speaker's real feelings and intentions are.
*The chairman's speech was fine. But reading between the lines, I figure the company is going to start downsizing soon.
*Don't believe whatever the Minister says. Learn to read between the lines.
The expression comes from the world of cryptography — where secret codes are used to write and decipher messages. According to one theory, it was standard practice to write two messages in the same letter. The first message was written making use of ordinary ink, and the second, making use of invisible ink. The secret message using invisible ink was written between the lines written in ordinary ink. Some experts believe that invisible ink was never used. They are of the opinion that if a reader wished to figure out the secret message in the letter, he had to read every alternate line.
174. What is the difference between ‘scare' and ‘scarify'?
As far as the pronunciation is concerned, the ‘a' in ‘scarify' is like the ‘a' in ‘ant', ‘pants' and ‘apple'. The word is pronounced SKA-ri-fy with the stress on the first syllable. It is also possible to pronounce the ‘a' like the ‘are' in ‘scare', ‘bare' and ‘dare'. As far as the meaning is concerned, the two words are very different. Scarify has several different meanings, but I will discuss only two of them here. The word is closer in meaning to ‘scar' than ‘scare'. When you ‘scarify' someone or something, you make shallow cuts in the skin of an individual or thing; very often these cuts are deliberately made in order to create a design.
*The women in certain tribes in Africa scarify their faces.
The word can also be used to mean to loosen and remove the top soil.
175. Does one ‘fill in a form' or ‘fill out a form'?
An application form can be either ‘filled in' or ‘filled out'. Americans tend to say ‘fill out', while the British prefer to use ‘fill in'. In both cases, you are writing the information in the space that has been provided.
*Once you've filled in/out the application form, give it to me.
A collection from the Open Page Supplement of The Hindu Newspaper
Courtesy: Sri Upendra, the writer of the above
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