Relax, Refresh your English knowledge 64
311. What is the meaning of `walking a thin line'?
When you walk a thin line between something, what you are doing is performing a balancing act. You are caught between two individuals or groups who have radically different views about something. You do your job by treading carefully: you try your best not to annoy or anger the two individuals/ groups. The expression `to walk a fine line' has the same meaning. I understand that both these expressions come from the world of tightrope walking. The Minister knew that he had to walk a fine line between the striking workers and the Management.
312. How is the word `pulchritude' pronounced?
The first syllable `pul' rhymes with `skull', and `null'. The `ch' is like the `k' in `kill' and `kiss', and the following `i' sounds like the `i' in `it', and `fit'. The final syllable is like the `tude' in `attitude' and `aptitude'. The word is pronounced `PUL-kri-tyud' with the stress on the first syllable. Pulchritude is mostly used in formal contexts. It means `great physical beauty', and in most cases the word is used to refer to the attractiveness of a woman. The speaker said that it was not actress' pulchritude that fascinated him.
313. Is the word `police' followed by a singular or a plural verb?
The dictionaries list the word `police' as a plural noun. The word, therefore, has to be followed by a plural verb. It does not have a singular form. The police were unable to stop the murder from taking place.
314. Is it okay to say, `The father was extremely jealous about his daughter's popularity'?
No, it isn't. You are not `jealous about' something, you are usually `jealous of' something or someone. The Manager was jealous of his colleague's achievements. *** "If your wife wants to learn how to drive, don't stand in her way." - Stan Levenson
315. What is the meaning and origin of ‘saved by the bell’?
When you are in a rather sticky situation, what is it that you pray for? You hope that something will happen in the last minute which will help you get out of the rather difficult situation. When you are saved by the bell, a difficult situation suddenly comes to an end: before you have to say or do anything. *The principal wanted to know who had broken the window. Before we could answer, his cell phone rang. We were saved by the bell. *Luckily the guests arrived before I could say anything. Saved by the bell. The idiom comes from the sport of boxing. Every round in a boxing match lasts for three minutes, and each round begins and ends with the ringing of a bell. At the beginning of a round, when the bell rings, the two opponents step out and start fighting. At the end of the round when the bell rings again, each is expected to immediately stop fighting and return to his respective corner. There may be times during a particular round when a fighter may be doing badly: he may be getting pummelled by his opponent. During such times the fighter hopes that before he gets knocked out, the bell signalling the end of the round rings. If it does, he has been literally ‘saved by the bell’. He can go back to his corner, take some rest and return to fight another round.
A collection from the Open Page Supplement of The Hindu Newspaper
Courtesy: Sri Upendra, the writer of the above
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