ReDSanchous  +  66558 Sun, 09 Jan 05 05:15 PM I have picked up two idioms recently. These are: 'over a barrel' and 'not a barrel of laughs'. But I don't know how they work. I made up a sentence for each of them. Here they are: -It was not a barrel of laughs. -He got so annoyed when she had him over a barrel. Are these sentences correct? ReDSanchous Joined on Fri, Nov 5 2004 Russia, Moscow Junior Member 83 "I'm a pacifist too... I just don't have the luxury of acting like one." (Digital Fortress by Dan Brown) Idioms

	matthewg  +  66581 Sun, 09 Jan 05 07:06 PM Here are some definitions from UsingEnglish.com: Barrel of Laughs If someone's a barrel of laughs, they are always joking and you find them funny. Over a Barrel If someone has you over a barrel, they have you in a position where you have no choice but to accept what they want. Since the idiom is said to refer to a person rather than an object or a situation, I would change It was not a barrel of laughs to He was not a barrel of laughs, for example. I suppose the second one is correct when put in context. matthewg Joined on Mon, Sep 6 2004 Full Member 395 Idioms

	ReDSanchous  +  66613 Sun, 09 Jan 05 11:10 PM My dictionary says: not a barrel of laughs - informal - a very unpleasant experience or situation Sadly, it doesn't give any examples for these two idioms. Thank you ReDSanchous Idioms

	Mister Micawber  +  66777 Mon, 10 Jan 05 02:23 PM Yes, that definition is OK too, Red. 'Trying to fight through the crowds in Tokyo Station is no barrel of laughs.' 'Getting sprayed by a skunk is no barrel of laughs' (I think 'no barrel' may be more common than 'not a barrel') 'When my girlfriend got pregnant, she had me over a barrel-- I had to marry her!' Mister Micawber Joined on Wed, Aug 4 2004 Yokohama Veteran Member 30,788 'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.' Idioms