IDIOMS EXAMPLES
absent-minded: forgetful (distraído) My grandfather is very absent-minded and often forgets his key.
all ears: eager to listen to someone Okay, I'm all ears, please tell me about the party.
(todo oídos)
all of a sudden: suddenly, without advance warning (repentinamente) All of a sudden it became cloudy and began to rain.
beat around the bush: speak indirectly Stop beating around the bush and give us your final decision.
or evasively (dar vueltas para hacer algo)
behind the times: old fashioned (anticuado) My aunt is a little behind the times.
blow one's own horn: praise oneself (fanfarronear, hacer alarde) He is always blowing his own horn and is very annoying at times.
brand new: absolutely new (flamante) He was finally able to buy a brand-new car.
catch one's eye: attract one's attention (llamar la atención) I tried to catch her eye but she didn`t notice me.
catch (someone) red-handed: find someone in the middle of doing something wrong (atrapar a alguien con las manos The policeman caught the boy red-handed when he was stealing the candy.
en la masa)
change horses in midstream: make new plans or choose a new leader in the middle of an important activity (cambiar de caballo en la mitad del río) They decided to change horses in midstream and that is probably why they lost the election.
change (one's) mind: change one`s decision (cambiar de opinión) He changed his mind and said that he would not go to the movie tonight.
come across: find something or meet someone by chance (encontrarse repentinamente con algo o alguien) I came across an interesting story in the newspaper the other day.
come into fashion: become fashionable (ponerse de moda) She says that although bell-bottom pants have come into fashion again she will never wear them.
crocodile tears: a show of sorrow that He said that he was very sorry but his tears were just crocodile tears.
is not really felt (lágrimas de cocodrilo)
cry over spilt milk: cry or complain about something that has already happened (llorar sobre leche derramada) Don't cry over spilt milk. You can never change the past.
die out: die or disappear slowly until all gone (desaparecer, extinguirse) Dinosaurs died out millions of years ago.
doll up: dress in fancy clothes (emperifollarse, vestirse de moda) She was all dolled up for the party at the downtown hotel
do without: manage without something (arreglárselas sin algo) If there is no sugar, we'll have to do without.
dressed to the nines (teeth): dressed elegantly (elegantemente vestido, "hasta los dientes") The stars were all dressed to the nines (teeth) during the Academy Awards ceremony.
dress up: put on one's best clothes (vestirse formalmente) He decided to dress up for dinner at the restaurant.
drop (someone) a line: write or mail a note or letter to someone (escribirle a alguien unas líneas) She promised that she would drop me a line when she gets to Singapore.
easy-going: tolerant and relaxed (tolerante, de fácil convivencia) He has a very easy-going management style.
eat like a bird: eat very little (comer He eats like a bird. That's why he can`t put on enough weight to join the football team.
como un pajarito)
eat like a horse: eat a lot (comer como He eats like a horse but he never puts on any weight.
un caballo)
eat one's words: admit being wrong in something one has said, retract one's statement (tragarse las palabras) He was forced to eat his words after his boss proved that he was wrong.
end up: finish, finally do something (terminar por) We ended up going to the restaurant after the movie last night.
face the music: accept the consequences of something (enfrentar los problemas) He is going to have to face the music sooner or later.
fall behind: fail to keep up with work or studies or payments, etc. (atrasarse en el trabajo, estudios, pagos, etc.) He fell behind with his homework at the beginning of the term and had problems throughout the year.
fall in love with: begin to love someone (enamorarse de) I fell in love with her the first time that I saw her at the restaurant.
fed up with: disgusted or bored with someone or something (harto de) I think that he is getting fed up with the constant demands of his boss.
figure out: try to understand or solve (entender, darse cuenta) He finally figured out how to use the new video recorder.
fit as a fiddle: in good athletic condition Her grandfather is 92 years old but he is as fit as a fiddle.
or health (como un violín)
fix someone up with someone: help someone get a date by arranging a meeting for the two (arreglar algo con alguien) I tried to fix my sister up with a date with my friend but she refused me.
for all the world: for anything, for any price (por nada del mundo) For all the world I do not know what he is trying to tell me with the notes that he writes
for better or worse: depending on how one looks at the matter, with good or bad effects (para bien o para mal) For better or worse he has decided to quit his job and go to live in Brazil.
from hand to hand: from one person to another and another (de mano en mano) The plate of food went from hand to hand until finally it was all finished.
from the bottom of one's heart: with great feeling, sincerely (de todo corazón, sinceramente) I thanked him from the bottom of my heart for helping my daughter when she was sick.
from now on: from this moment forward (de aquí en más) From now on I will study Italian every day.
from scratch: from the very beginning He decided to build the house from scratch.
(de cero, de la nada)
from time to time: occasionally (cada tanto, de vez en cuando) We go to that restaurant from time to time

It's about a father-daughter relationship.
~Stevie Nicks on how Landslide was written the night before her dad was operated on at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota in 1974, The Arizona Republic, June 7, 1998


I realized then that everything could tumble, and when you're in Colorado, and you're surrounded by these incredible mountains, you think avalanche. It meant the whole world could tumble around us and the landslide would bring you down. And a landslide in the snow is like, deadly. And when you're in that kind of a snow-covered, surrounding place, you don't just go out and yell, because the whole mountain could come down on you.


The story of Landslide... everybody seems to think that I wrote this song about them. Everybody in my family, all my friends, everybody... and my Dad, my Dad did have something to do with it, but he absolutely thinks that he was the whole complete reason it was ever written. I guess it was about September 1974, I was home at my Dad and Mom's house in Phoenix, and my father said, 'you know, I think that maybe... you really put a lot of time into this [her singing career], maybe you should give this six more months, and if you want to go back to school, we'll pay for it and uh, basically you can do whatever you want and we'll pay for it ~ I have wonderful parents ~ and I went, 'cool, I can do that.'


[On Jess Nicks' comment that Landslide was meant to portray the relationship between a father and a child and that Stevie wrote the song because she was fearful of him dying] I was also trying to make some decisions. You know, If you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills...I was trying to figure out what I was going to do. I wasn't making it big in the music business. I was confused. He told me I should give it about six months and I kind of agreed with him...

http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/39873/


japhy
04-19-2002

Rated 0 The "tea" in this song refers to things said between two people who love each other. Some of the words are harsh and misunderstood, and "fall to the floor and break like china cups", whereas some of them are calmly and carefully spoken, "slowly dr[u]nk in". The waitress tries to clean up the broken words, and later offers sugar. They taste the "bitterness" of the words spoken, and the waitress offers sugar to sweeten the "tea" -- meaning they need to "sweeten" the words.

This all might sound silly, but they've put a lot of analogies into the song. The waitress represents a kind of common sense -- trying to fix the mistake of using harsh words, and trying to find better words to use. The tea represents the words being spoken, and the bag of leaves represents those not yet said (not yet mixed).


marchesa
06-09-2006

Rated 0 i have to disagree because in england, the term for "tea and sympathy" usually refers to a casual act between friends or family to those that need mere company during a time of trial or sadness...

tea and sympathy refers to that time spent together, a casual get-to-gether when one is giving sympathy to the one who is heartbroken.

this song is staged at a place exactly where you might go for tea and sympathy- a restaurant, and the waitress is someone who's very experienced with other people walking in doing just that- having casual conversation with one person giving sympathy while the other is heartbroken.

what the singer is trying to suggest is that he doesn't want their love to grow into the type of relationship where they only meet to talk of trivial things, conversations where the girl speaks of meaningless things- that's why her words fall to the floor like china cups...there's just no substance in them and they're love has faded into some friendship with casual conversation...

it's like when you break up with someone you really love, and afterwards, your relationship sometimes ends up being bland, "bitter", and all the things you've said in the past, all the dreams and "castles" you've planned were left unattained.

in the end, he's pleading to save their love...their relationship, for something more passionate and real than just bland casual friendship with empty words and sympathetic gestures. he reassures her "we can work it out" meaning to continue their romantic relationship and not trading it in for some 'hey, how you doing these days' type relationships...


IrenefromSomerville
11-18-2009

Rated 0 How about applying the death of a child (perhaps to war) to these lyrics as a plea from the parent not to be shut out by the other:

Fare thee well = as in goodbye and be well (maybe to the child)
Trade in all our words = there’s nothing to be said (to their spouse)
For tea and sympathy = let’s just sit and be together

wonder why we tried for things = to change the course of life/to protect their child
could never be = fate
play our heart's lament = feel and mourn our sorrow
like an unrehearsed symphony = the loss of a child isn’t something you can truly prepare for

not intent to leave this castle full of empty rooms = a home that a child will never return to is hard
to leave, even for a cup of tea
our love the captive in the tower = what do you do in a tower – you look out and wait for someone –
their love is now captive in the tower, looking and waiting
never rescued = for a child who will never come
and all the victory songs seemed to be playing out of tune = wars are won.....for a cost to some....
at a cost to others

cause it's not the way that it has to be= we lost our child, let’s not lose each other
don't trade our love for tea and sympathy, no = there’s still us, let’s not shut each other out -it’s ok
to feel happiness and love for each other
no, it's not the way
that it has to be

ALLUSION-an indirect reference
ex:The professor made an allusion to Virginia Woolf's work.

ILLUSION-a false perception of reality
ex: They saw a mirage: that is a type of illusion one sees in the desert.

de·lu·sion [dih-loo-zhuhn] –noun
1. an act or instance of deluding.
2. the state of being deluded.
3. a false belief or opinion: delusions of grandeur.
4. Psychiatry . a fixed false belief that is resistant to reason or confrontation with actual fact: a paranoid delusion.


al·lu·sion [uh-loo-zhuhn] –noun
1. a passing or casual reference; an incidental mention of something, either directly or by implication: an allusion to Shakespeare.
2. the act of alluding.
3. Obsolete . a metaphor; parable.


delusion refer to false perceptions or ideas. An illusion is a false mental image produced by misinterpretation of things that actually exist: A mirage is an illusion produced by reflection of light against the sky. A hallucination is a perception of a thing or quality that has no physical counterpart: Under the influence of LSD, Terry had hallucinations that the living-room floor was rippling. A delusion is a persistent false belief: A paranoiac has delusions of persecution.


e·lude [ih-lood] –verb (used with object),
e·lud·ed, e·lud·ing.
1. to avoid or escape by speed, cleverness, trickery, etc.; evade: to elude capture.
2. to escape the understanding, perception, or appreciation of: The answer eludes me.


Delusions of persecution are mistaken beliefs that people are out to "get you" in some way. They are trying to get you fired, cheat you, poison you or even take over the world. The evidence offered for this is unlikely to convince those who do not share the delusion. Of course, if you disagree with them or suggest that they need psychological help – you are likely to be seen as "part of the plot."

Delusions of grandeur are mistaken beliefs that you are better than others. If others are trying to get you fired, it is because they are jealous of your "special talents." Delusions of reference include mistaken beliefs that innocent events relate especially to you. When other workers are talking, they are talking about you. Even television newscasters could be talking specifically about you – or to you.





COMPLEMENT-noun, something that completes; verb, to complete
ex: A nice dry white wine complements a seafood entree.

COMPLIMENT-noun, praise; verb, to praise
ex: The professor complimented Betty on her proper use of a comma.









ELICIT-to draw or bring out
ex: The teacher elicited the correct response from the student.
ILLICIT-illegal
ex: The Columbian drug lord was arrested for his illicit activities.


im·plic·it [im-plis-it] –adjective
1. implied, rather than expressly stated: implicit agreement.
2. unquestioning or unreserved; absolute: implicit trust; implicit obedience; implicit confidence.
3. potentially contained (usually fol. by in ): to bring out the drama implicit in the occasion.


ex·plic·it [ik-splis-it] –adjective
1. fully and clearly expressed or demonstrated; leaving nothing merely implied; unequivocal: explicit instructions; an explicit act of violence; explicit language.
2. clearly developed or formulated: explicit knowledge; explicit belief.
3. definite and unreserved in expression; outspoken: He was quite explicit as to what he expected us to do for him.
4. described or shown in realistic detail: explicit sexual scenes.
5. having sexual acts or nudity clearly depicted: explicit movies; explicit books.






EMINENT-famous, respected
ex: The eminent podiatrist won the Physician of the Year award.

IMMANENT-inherent (existing in someone or something as a permanent and inseparable element, quality, or attribute: an inherent distrust of strangers.) or intrinsic (belonging to a thing by its very nature: )
ex: The meaning of the poem was immanent, and not easily recognized.

IMMINENT-ready to take place
ex: A fight between my sister and me is imminent from the moment I enter my house.



PRECEDE-to come before
ex: Pre-writing precedes the rough draft of good papers.

PROCEED-to go forward
ex: He proceeded to pass back the failing grades on the exam.



STATIONARY-standing still
ex: The accident was my fault because I ran into a stationary object.

STATIONERY-writing paper
ex: My mother bought me stationery that was on recycled paper.



WHO-pronoun, referring to a person or persons
ex: Jane wondered how Jack, who is so smart, could be having difficulties in Calculus.

WHICH-pronoun, replacing a singular or plural thing(s);not used to refer to persons
ex: Which section of history did you get into?

THAT-used to refer to things or a group or class of people
ex: I lost the book that I bought last week.


There is a subtle but important difference between the use of that and which in a sentence, and it has to do primarily with relevance. Grammarians often use the terms "restrictive" and "non-restrictive" when it comes to relative clauses. A relative clause provides additional information about the noun it describes, but it may be considered relevant or irrelevant to the overall point of the sentence. In other words, a restrictive relative clause, which often begins with that, is usually considered essential or restrictive. Relative clauses beginning with which may contain non-essential information and would be considered non-restrictive.

Which could be used in a similar sentence constructed this way:
"Widgets Incorporated, which invented the microchip we use, has officially declared bankruptcy."
In this sentence, the relative clause 'which invented the microchip we use' is separated by commas.
The information about the microchip is useful, but not essential to the main idea of the sentence. It could be removed and the sentence would still make sense.
If the relative clause can be removed without changing the sentence's meaning, it would be considered non-restrictive.
Readers can identify the specific subject, in this case Widgets Incorporated, so "which" would be the correct pronoun to use.
"Which" is almost always used to set off a non-restrictive relative clause, which you may remember as a parenthetical phrase.

A sentence such as "Widgets Incorporated, that invented the microchip, has declared bankruptcy." would be incorrect. "That" does not usually set off a non-restrictive clause, since it is more closely related to the noun it modifies. The word "that" is rarely used in reference to people, as well. "The man that lost his hat yesterday found it this morning," would be incorrect. "The storage building that once stood on the corner has collapsed," would be correct, since "that" modifies an inanimate thing and the relative clause 'that once stood on the corner' is restrictive and essential.

"empty cup can never fill another empty cup" . . .

"bakit? malungkot ka din ba?"

 

... that's a responsibility i chose not to accept. im a tree. . left unnoticed. . left alone. .days. . and months. . and years. . i grasped for breath. . and light. . and chance. . and maybe it will never come.

 

then your suspected paranoia came by. you were scared, and alone, and confused. then you sat with me. although i didnt know what to tell you, i  didnt know what to do, i started talking

"relax. luwag-luwagan mo ang kwelyo mo. dont get so uptight. sometimes, these people wouldnt mean to harm you. theyre just being themselves. eventually, youll realize that the only solution to your problem is to give someroom for adjustment. . and forgiveness."

i was surprised to see you turn your head. i can tell you were listening. i know you wanted more. i went on telling more sad stories. and i meant it. that if i was to claim the saddest story ever written, i might have made you feel good about yourself

"minsan, pag may problema ka, kelangan mo talagang makipag usap. hindi mo naman kelangan ng advice e. kelangan lang talagang sabihin ng bibigmo at marinig ng tenga mo kung anu yung problema mo para yung utak mo makapag react ng tama. minsan kelangang ipamukha mosa sarili mo na may problema kase minsan, yung utak mo kung hindi nagtutulog tulugan e nagtatanga tangahan"

then you smiled again. we sat and talk for hours. until its time to go. sabe mo pa "buti na lang nanjan ka, kahit saglit e gumagaan ang pakiramdam ko"

sabe ko naman sayo, try to learn new hobbies. sometimes, it helps to have a diary. likei said: write all your frustrations on a piece of paper. if you hate someone and doesnt have the guts to tell the person then write a letterto the person. keepall your hatemails and read them everyday. gosh! eventually youll grow tired of hating them. (you bet im keeping 2 or 3 notebooks)

 

 

then im alone, again. by myself, again. these lines repeatedly running thru my head . .

how could i possibly show you the right directions when im actually going nowhere?

how can i inspire you when my faith is dead?

your emptiness is a damp thats eating you alive and you expect me to wipe it dry.. but ive drowned and died in my own tears a long time ago..

your emptiness is one-tenth parcel of my entire being. and why will i dare help others when i cant even help myself??

 

 

youre lucky because i know how youre feeling. and i may have the chance to save you, and pull you up from your pit. but right now, nobody knows how im feeling. and if ive gone lightyears away from myself no one can tell.

 

i may never know when you'll stop crying. i just feltits worth being around. and just remember that if you asked for apples and you got lemons, call me over for the salt and tequila. cheers??!

 

friday shift, well late ako. kala ko naman ordinary day lang. absent nga pala ako kahapon kase badtrip lang sigurong pumasok. sabi ko kay annie: "TL, hindi ako papasok. sakit ulo ko e. hindi din ako makakapag half day. sa ugali naman ng new OM, hindi ka man lang maka slouch"

ngayon, nakita ko si Maui. Well, its nice to see her, kala ko naman naaning na naman cia at hindi na naman pumasok. yun lang nung natuwa ako dahil nakita ko si Maui, may hatid pala ciang masamang balita. Si Ate Jen nagresign na, immediate resignation.

ewan ko ba kung anung naramdaman ko nun. hindi ko masabe at hindi makuha ng mukha ko kung anu yung reaksyon na gusto kong palabasin.

nabalitaan ko na nga din recently na si debbie magreresign na din. si TL aya magreresign na din. naalala ko tuloy yung CD ko saka libro ng yoga. naisip kong kukunin ko yung mga gamit ko bago man lang cia mamaalam..

kanina mismo, lumapit saken si aya, dala yung mga CD na pinahiram ko sa kanya. ewan ko ba pero parang hindi ako natuwa nung nabalik saken yung mga CDs. parang na washout ako ulet ng mighty blues.

my emotions, please dont eat me alive. i still have few hours to battle.

bago ako umuwi, dahil ayoko pang umuwi, dumaan ako kay marfori para sabihing: "sabay tayong umuwi, gisingin mo ko sa 3rd Flr" kaso may naunang nangyari.

may nakita akong brown envelope for Louie Lebosada. at natural alam kong donation yun (ginagawa naten to pag may nababalitaang naconfine sa ospital at hindi makabayad ng dues, o may namatayan) . . at nung tinanong ko yung guy kung sino yun Louie na yun at anu nangyari, e cia na yun pala mismo, sabe nya his wife passed away

Ang bigat ng araw. puro emotions na hindi ko macontain at hindi ko din maignore.

July

is always like this..

i've always been trying to find ways and reasons to swallow your bitter blues.

dear july, kelangan ko lang magcelebrate. hindi ko talaga alam kung anu pang reason ng pagcecelebrate. gusto kong maging masaya at ready in the next 2 weeks. kaso anjan ka na naman

kung hindi ka arki o civil engr wag ka ng tumuloy

nakaisang linggo naman ako sa bago kong trabaho

kakagawa ng PO at pagsunod sunod sa mga utos utos

ngaung linggo, ngaun lang, kani-kanina lang

nagmeeting kame kasama ang boss

ipinakilala ako ng boss sa mga tao

sa foreman, sa subcon, sa installers

kasabay nun ay sinabe nyang lahat ng responsibilidad ko sa kanilang lahat:

na gagawa ako ng GUNTT chart para mamonitor kung nasusunod ang deadline

na imomonitor ko ang lahat ng materiales na lalabas

na dapat my kopya ako ng mga plano para kung may problema sa implementation ay sa akin cla tatawag (o magrereklamo o magmumura?)

dapat din ay iveverify ko kay patrick the architect lahat ng hindi klaro (kataray taray naman nung echas na un! ayaw akong ientertain pag sabado kase daw wala clang office)

.. lahat ba ng delay at kakulangan sa materiales at sa labor ay saken isisisi?

CIEMPRE naman em

.. at ako din ang gagawa ng summary report diba?

OO tama

..tapos my guntt chart pakong imomonitor?

MY REKLAMO BA?

at nasabi ko bang my ginigawa akong auditing ng purchase orders?

- - - mag call center nalang kaya ako ulit?

_ _im not planning any special get together

no out of town,

 no fancy foods, no shores on my feet

 

i dont want to go anywhere

i dont wanna be with anyone

 

 

 

 

 

 

i just want to

stare at Hilera on dim lights

listen to every drum beat

 

and waste my July 19 night away

hearing them sing

Happy Birthday song

 

 

 

 

**wishful thinking**

i really like the feeling of freedom

on my cheeks

on my palm....

 

its a brand new start

without you now..

without me now..

 

and it always reminds me of that feeling...

 

of knowing

and then letting go

 

ill miss you convergys alabang

wena, dell, mae, gian,

badet, i cant believe

u still roam around just to check on my pod

it really touches me to the bones

 

my teammates:

aj,aron,mike,iya,primo,rain,rache,mommy fe, aries

even ben.. and sir jeth

life wouldnt be the same

ever again

but at least

i came to know you guys

 

i'll probably go back

i wouldnt know when

but i know for sure

 

i'll never forget you