A day late and a dollar short.

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Osee

#393432 Wed, 18 Jul 07 02:16 AM

How to understand it? Thanks.

Osee

Joined on Mon, Jan 8 2007

Canada

Regular Member (720)

Truths are hard to prove, rumors are easy to make.

Selecter

#393436 Wed, 18 Jul 07 02:45 AM

http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/day+late+and+a+dollar+short
not enough to be useful. The government's attempts at reform were a day late and a dollar short.

Selecter

Joined on Fri, Jan 20 2006

Slavic Russia

Full Member (297)

Please correct my mistakes if there are any.

Idioms

CalifJim

#393450 Wed, 18 Jul 07 04:16 AM

<< How to understand it?>>

Unsatisfactory or insufficient in more ways than one!

CJ

CalifJim

Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004

California

Veteran Member (18,309)

"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche

Anonymous

#393492 Wed, 18 Jul 07 08:46 AM

I am trying make precise the phrase of a dollar short: if 10 dollars is desired from me, but I only have 9 dollars, then it is a dollar short for me. Is this understanding right? Thx.

Anonymous

Clive

#393609 Wed, 18 Jul 07 04:07 PM

Hi,

if 10 dollars is desired from me, but I only have 9 dollars, then it is a dollar short for me. Is this understanding right? here, you are literally talking about money. Yes, you'd say 'I am a dollar short'.

However, you can also use the phrase figuratively. When you say 'Tom is a day late and a dollar short', you are not literally talking about money. Simply put, you are talking about his character and/or conduct.

Best wishes, Clive

Clive

Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004

Canada

Veteran Member (23,116)

El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo