Relax, Refresh your English knowledge 88
422. What is the meaning of "blonde moment"?
This is an expression of recent origin. In the United States, for several decades now, the word blonde has become synonymous with stupidity. Women with blonde hair have always been perceived as being beautiful but without an iota of intelligence — beauty without brains. A very common expression associated with them is "dumb blonde". When you say that you had a "blonde moment" what you are implying is that you behaved like a typical blonde — you became scatterbrained and did something silly. *I don't know why I said what I did. I must have had a blond moment.
423. What is the difference between "award" and "reward"?
An "award" is a prize that you receive for having done something noteworthy. It is always associated with something positive; you have done something which people approve of. It is a sign of appreciation. You could be awarded a medal, a prize, or a certificate by an organisation for an outstanding achievement. When judges bestow an award on you, they are honouring you. *The only award that Neelam ever won was the Pulitzer Prize. A "reward", on the other hand, is usually associated with something valuable — money, for instance. You may get a reward for finding and returning someone's dog/cat. The police may offer a reward for information about an escaped convict. It is seen as something that you get as just compensation for the good that you have done or the hard work that you have put in. For example, if you have worked really hard to write a novel, and later you receive an award for it, you may feel that it is a recompense for all the work you put in, that it is a reward for your effort. While the word "award" is associated with only positive things, "reward", on the other hand, can be associated with both good and bad. One can be rewarded for the evil one does as
well.
424. How is the word "bonhomie" pronounced?
The "o" in the first syllable is like the "o" in "on", the following "h" is silent. The "o" in the second syllable is like the "a" in "china" and the final "ie" is like the "i" in "pit", "kit", and "bit". The main stress is on the first syllable. The word comes from the French "bon" meaning "good", and "homme" meaning "man". The word is used to refer to an individual's good nature, his easy and pleasant manner. *Jai's bonhomie won the hearts of all those who came into contact with him.
425. What is the meaning of "fall on stony ground"?
When someone gives you a piece of advice and you choose to ignore it, then you can say that the advice fell on stony ground. In other words, the ground is so hard that nothing penetrates it. The expression, I understand, comes from the Bible and it has more or less the same meaning as "fall on deaf ears". *The Management's repeated requests to call off the strike have fallen on stony ground.
A collection from the Open Page Supplement of The Hindu Newspaper
Courtesy: Sri Upendra, the writer of the above
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