http://www.englishforums.com/search/pro.htm?q=tag%3aMetaphorsSearch results for 'tag:Metaphors' matching tag 'Metaphors'en-USXMOD (Build: 3607.32596)http://www.englishforums.com/English/MyQuestionAboutStressPressure-Again/2/ljwjv/Post.htm#992415Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:08:52 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:992415avangi1.What does 'He's wound up tighter than a drum' mean? It's a mixed metaphor/simile for tension, but it used to be quite popular. The coil springs which powered old fashioned toys were wound up with a key. We used to wind our watches. But we would take care not to wind them too tight. The plastic or rawhide "heads" of most (musical) drums are "tuned," so to speak, by stretching them tighter and tighter over the frame of the drum until the sound (when struck) meets with our approval. Orchestral "kettle drums" produce an actual pitch, which may be tuned in the same manner as a guitar string, by increasing or decreasing its tension. Both instruments make use of a key-like screw-type device, for...http://www.englishforums.com/English/WhyDoesSentenceConditional/lxlzp/post.htm#990846Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:41:15 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:990846califjim"He walked as fast as the undergrowth and snowdrifts would allow " What is the justification for the conditional in the second half of the sentence? Tough question. In some ways, it is not really a conditional, but an expression of willingness. That is, it calls back the original meaning of would as an expression of volition -- an expression of will -- rather than its more abstract use as a modal verb used to create a conditional idea. Oddly, in this pattern, it somewhat personifies inanimates. This use of would brings questions like these to mind: How willing (or cooperative) was the undergrowth? How willing (or cooperative) were the snowdrifts? Were they willing to allow him to walk as fast as he wanted to walk? Were...http://www.englishforums.com/English/OneWordSubstitution/2/lkjbp/Post.htm#971680Sat, 14 Nov 2009 23:18:00 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:971680califjimno female atheists Metaphoric balls. CJhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/UsageOfSlamDunk/lkmjb/post.htm#971562Sat, 14 Nov 2009 20:23:07 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:971562avangiI don't doubt that you're correct. I just think that as metaphors go, this usage is manque'. Is it supposed to evoke the violence, the quickness, the sure thing, the ostentation, all of the above? (I'm too lazy to write out "Urban Dictionary.")http://www.englishforums.com/English/UsageOfSlamDunk/lkmjb/post.htm#971528Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:31:07 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:971528avangiSlang moves much faster than I do! There are probably more than a million people contributing to Urban Dictionary. Some contributions are accepted , some rejected . I suppose "slam-dunk" is itself a slang term, but the usage you propose is foreign to me, and as far as I can make out, totally unrelated to the traditional meaning. Of course it's a basketball metaphor, describing a rather ostentatious shot. Once the player has managed to get into position to execute it, the two-point score is virtually a sure thing. The execution is quick and violent. As a metaphor, I understand the focus to be on the "sure thing" aspect of the move. It's a noun. "The contract is a slam-dunk." "Taking Bagdad is ...http://www.englishforums.com/English/SockOneOutOfThePark/lkkmx/post.htm#970972Sat, 14 Nov 2009 05:15:06 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:970972grammar geekIt's a baseball reference. It could be literal - hit a home run in the baseball game you are going to play in. It could be a metaphor - do very, very well in whatever it is you're doing.http://www.englishforums.com/English/TheWineCup/lkjdh/post.htm#970627Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:45:57 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:970627califjimThe wine cup is the little silver well where truth, if truth there be , doth dwell . Get a man drunk if you want to know what he's really like. Shakespeare is picturing wine being served in a silver cup. well is metaphoric for anything deep from which something may be drawn up -- deep inside a person in this case. The truth about the person (the truth that dwells (lives) inside the person) may be "drawn up to the surface", i.e., revealed. There's nothing magical there. if truth there be is the old way (with present subjunctive) of saying if truth exists, if there is such a thing as truth . Following the metaphor, it could also mean "if there is anything about the person that is hidden and can be...http://www.englishforums.com/English/MyQuestionAboutStressPressure-Again/2/ljwjv/Post.htm#969005Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:07:40 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:969005avangiAccording to the answer from Vorpar, stress is more of a state of mind, while pressure is the external force. I guess "give ground to" is a war fighting metaphor. In the old fashioned wars, you fought over a piece of ground. "To give ground" would be "to give up some ground." Sometimes you win some ground, but then you have to give it back. Actually I never read Vopar's post. I don't even know where it is. But as we get deeper into this, I have to agree that there are a few situations where it seems like "pressure" applies to external forces and "stress" to internal. Best regards, - A.http://www.englishforums.com/English/TheSkyIsABigPlace/ljpzh/post.htm#967416Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:46:33 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:967416delmobileSky is a big place - "flying solo" in such a big sky is difficult, don't feel ashamed to have failed.She's continuing his metaphor. One too many names - no, this sounds like he's added another name as author and she thinks it's unnecessary. The next sentence makes me think he's added her name. Creative input - this could mean anything that contributes to the story creatively (as opposed to proofreading for typos, for example) Olive branch - this is an offering of peace. I believe the expression comes from the biblical story of Noah in the ark.http://www.englishforums.com/English/UsageOfBroadStrokes/ljxcv/post.htm#967232Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:37:22 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:967232avangiSorry, Pernickety. I didn't tie that up very well! The metaphor obviously alludes to the artist's brush. I should think it would be used figuratively to favorably describe the work of other creators, such as God's work in laying out a beautiful sunset, or the grand lines of a Mahler symphony. I think on the other hand to say that someone paints with too broad a brush would mean they lacked discrimination. Have you checked out any of the collected examples of great writing? (I'm afraid I haven't yet honed my skills at using them, in spite of Amy's able coaching.) Edit. I should have said "complimenting someone's creative style." I may be all wet about this! His phrases are crafted in broad...http://www.englishforums.com/English/Writ/ljbrx/post.htm#963792Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:49:29 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:963792avangi"Writ large" is poetic. I'd say "writ" is an archaic version of the past participle, "written." Your excerpt sounds like a clever mixing of reality and metaphor. "The artist's touch" = a fingerprint??http://www.englishforums.com/English/SimileAndMetaphor/ljrdr/post.htm#963059Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:49:49 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:963059califjimSimile: You are like a monkey eating a banana. Metaphor: You are a monkey eating a banana. CJhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/SentenceStructuQuietCatsFeltBoots/lwlhk/post.htmWed, 04 Nov 2009 09:38:59 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:961343infinikHi The following sentences appears in Ken Follett's "The Pillars of the Earth", first page in prologue. "The small boys came early to the hanging. It was still dark when the first three or four of them sidled out of the hovels, quiet as cats in their felt boots." Could anyone tell me what does the word "their" refer to, the first three or four of them or the cats ? And why? If it's cats , does "cats in felt boots" have any special implications? I mean cats already walk quitely without boots. Plus, if it's metaphor, I think cats have no fur in their palms---not quite similar to felt boots which have fur as bottoms. Thanks, ihttp://www.englishforums.com/English/Rumble/lwvbq/post.htm#959271Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:00:54 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:959271avangiSomething which rumbles is both unsettling and unsettled. By it's nature, it's unstable - in constant turmoil. So you refer both to the unstable thing - the storm; the earthquake - and to it's unstabilizing effect on you . When we try to describe the conscious and the unconscious we usually end up using metaphors, because we're only just beginning to truly understand the mechanics of it. He's saying that the fear of death has both conscious and unconscious aspects, and that it often hovers on the brink between the two. (You see, I'm doing the same thing!) The instability of it causes it to unexpectedly burst into our consciousness, and then return to the unconscious. "Under the surface of our...http://www.englishforums.com/English/UnderlineWordsUsedMetaphors/lhxcb/post.htm#957238Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:49:11 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:957238dimsumexpressAnon, Is this an order?. Or are you requesting help? Here are a few helpful hints: Learn to use the word "please". Capitalize the proper places. Your article had quite a collection of "big words" which were used very awkwardly. Are you trying to say "we become enslaved by the inventions and machinery" which we have created? But I couldn't understand the meaning of this collection of profound words! Maybe it's me. the car is only a simple example of more general enslavement . for years we lived unawre of our chains when at last consciousness of our predicament dawns and this is in the case of cars has already begun to happen. we think it is too late to free...http://www.englishforums.com/English/UnderlineWordsUsedMetaphors/lhxcb/post.htm#957216Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:02:45 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:957216mister micawberNo, you underline the words that you think are metaphors, and then we will check your effort.http://www.englishforums.com/English/Metaphor/lhlkj/post.htm#957213Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:57:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:957213mister micawberThere is no way of judging accurately without context. Perhaps it means 'I am not sentient'.http://www.englishforums.com/English/SentenceCorrectionPlease/lhmxr/post.htm#956954Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:42:52 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:956954pleasehelpNo sorry. I wasn't going for a metaphor or idiom of any sort just a sentence I wanted corrected.http://www.englishforums.com/English/SentenceCorrectionPlease/lhmxr/post.htm#956946Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:36:00 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:956946avangiI think you have a mixed metaphor. Opportunity (occasionally) knocks. Then you must open the door and allow opportunity to enter. There's also, "Opportunity knocks but once." And, "Strike while the iron is hot."http://www.englishforums.com/English/AdultFare/lgwhn/post.htm#950689Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:28:03 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:950689anonymousThank you very much, Grammar Geek, for your quick reply! May I ask you another question, please? Now I understand what the passage says, but am still confused with the use of ‘fare’ in that sentence. My dictionary renders two meanings; one for something what you pay for a bus, train, etc. and the other for ‘food.’ Does the ‘fare’ in the above sentence mean ‘food’ rather metaphorically? Thanks a lot! ladybirdhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/WhatDoesMeanPlease/lzjdl/post.htm#946671Mon, 19 Oct 2009 03:42:31 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:946671anonymousCan we use "sb's stomach drop to sb's feet" as a metaphor for homesick? thankshttp://www.englishforums.com/English/WhatDoesMeanPlease/lzjdl/post.htm#945984Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:07:00 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:945984imperfectPictures making your stomach drop is a metaphor for sickness. It's generally not a nice feeling, and it can also be associated with dizziness and tiredness. A "day out" is like a day trip. You go out for the day - you could possibly be visiting somewhere.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePrecisionConstruction/2/zjblx/Post.htm#936329Sat, 10 Oct 2009 07:57:52 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:936329califjimOrdinary language logic is not the same as mathematical logic. Consider the basic idea of equality. Jack was assigned to clean out the stables, but he was not the task. Note the measurement 'upward' from an assumed 'low' starting point of 'no ability to do the task'. And how 'equal' is synonymous, in some sense, to 'up'. There is no possibility whatsoever that this sentence could mean that Jack cleaned the stables even better than expected. Likewise, as strong as = equal to the strength of = up to the strength of; not as strong as = not equal to the strength of = not up to the strength of (where equal has its ordinary language meaning -- not its mathmatical meaning). All gradable...http://www.englishforums.com/English/Mataphors/lcxlc/post.htmThu, 08 Oct 2009 00:44:49 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:932792anonymouswhat are the structures and sentences of metaphors. sorry to say but i am deeply in need of some sentenceshttp://www.englishforums.com/English/Metaphor/lckbj/post.htm#931476Wed, 07 Oct 2009 05:14:45 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:931476mister micawberGood! Post them here and we'll check them for you.http://www.englishforums.com/English/Metaphor/lckbj/post.htmWed, 07 Oct 2009 05:12:57 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:931473anonymousI need to write metaphors for loneliness, anger, largeness, confusion, and excitement.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePresidentRodeIntoOfficeTide-Discontent/2/lbpdg/Post.htm#931435Wed, 07 Oct 2009 04:49:18 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:931435tinanam0102Hi AlpheccaStars, Anonymous and Grammar Geek, Thanks for solving this metaphor for me, and beautifully described so I could understand. Hope you all wake up to a beautiful day tomorrow morning. Regards, Tinanamhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/ButDeepInMansHeartStill/lcwjx/post.htm#931057Tue, 06 Oct 2009 22:01:23 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:931057califjimThat heart is countable is irrelevant. man without an article means mankind, all people, both men and women. man without an article does not mean any particular man. Of course, not all of mankind together can literally have one heart, so this is to be taken metaphorically. CJhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/ATrueLoveResurrectionPower/lcdpk/post.htm#929697Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:31:51 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:929697mister micawberThese seem to be Christian-based or other religious phrases. In this kind of writing, metaphor is used heavily, and most any meanings or metaphors may be utilized-- often, coined ones. Taking that into consideration, the phrases seem reasonable compositions.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePresidentRodeIntoOfficeTide-Discontent/lbpdg/post.htm#929444Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:29:46 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:929444alpheccastarsHi Tinanam; It "The president rode into office on a tide of discontent" This is a wonderful metaphor, as aonther poster beautifully explained concerning the physical tides of the oceans and seas on earth. Have you seen surfers on surfboards on the coast of California or Hawaii where the waves are very big? They "ride the waves on to the shore". The "shore" in your sentence is the office of president, and the tide is the sentiment of the voters, who figuratively carried him into the office by the force of their votes in the election. The force of the votes is the energy of the tides, driven by the voter's sentiment of ill-feelings toward the existing political situation.http://www.englishforums.com/English/DoesThisMakeSense/lbqjj/post.htm#929338Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:47:24 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:929338avangiAvangi -- I thought it was pretty funny that you said you were taking the sentence literally , and then explained that "gets toast" is the same as "becomes toast" which could mean "exploded." Yes, "gets' can mean either "receives" or "becomes" -- but literally , toast is bread that has been heated and browned. Well - - There's "literally," and then there's "literally." Let's say, "burned to a crisp!" Clive had introduced the idea of the metaphor as applied to people. "If you screw up again, you're toast!" Cheers. - A.http://www.englishforums.com/English/PleaseGradeMyEssay/lcbxv/post.htmMon, 05 Oct 2009 15:10:11 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:929088anonymousHello! I am a university student from Russia. We have to write quite a lot of essays as part of our English course. However, every term we get a new teacher, this is just how the system works, and all teachers are quite different in how they asses your work, both in class performance and written tasks. Consequently, I am quite disappointed in my current teacher, who I feel is being unreasonably harsh. Thus I'd really appreciate an independent opinion and assessment of my last essay. Please note that I by all means respect all my teachers and never ever argue. Nor do I mean to say that my essay deserves an excellent mark. I am fully aware of my limitations, my peculiar style and so forth. But he gave me an F minus for the...http://www.englishforums.com/English/Wtf/lvkxl/post.htm#941534Mon, 05 Oct 2009 03:38:59 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:941534nmstevensSo, there's a thing on the teevee about Palin's book Going Rouge. Around 400 pages, all of it in her own words, everybody's amazed that she's managed to finish something, etc, etc.  Apparently she'd moved her whole family, after her resignation, to San Diego, so she could write, non-stop and without distractions, which is why the book was finished so quickly. The tag, at the end of the story?  She moved them all to San Diego, to the home of her GHOSTWRITER. Does NO ONE in the media understand, exactly, what, y'know, > is?  Give me a ghostwriter and I could crank out 400 pages in a few weeks, too.  Hell, give me Neal Marshall Stevens as my ghostwriter and I could prolly do it in a couple of DAYS. Steven...http://www.englishforums.com/English/UsageDoubt/lbwrp/post.htm#926510Sat, 03 Oct 2009 15:00:59 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:926510avangiAnything of good quality. That is, it may be used poetically, as a metaphor. I'm not sure about British English.http://www.englishforums.com/English/Metaphor/lbdpl/post.htm#924798Thu, 01 Oct 2009 23:31:48 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:924798mister micawberUse Google Search for the word 'metaphor' and you will find thousands of examples.http://www.englishforums.com/English/Metaphor/lbdpl/post.htmThu, 01 Oct 2009 22:40:26 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:924777anonymousPlease give me some examples of a metaphorhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/FoodMetaphor/lrxjx/post.htm#923237Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:46:16 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:923237mister micawberThis sounds like homework. I'll give you the metaphor, but you must figure out the meaning and make a sentence: She's a peach!http://www.englishforums.com/English/FoodMetaphor/lrxjx/post.htmWed, 30 Sep 2009 08:00:20 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:922944anonymouscan give example of metaphor which have food in it and give the meaning and a sentence with the metsphor insidehttp://www.englishforums.com/English/Metaphor/lrlch/post.htm#922405Tue, 29 Sep 2009 22:57:44 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:922405mister micawbersummer's blood red ones inked up Our hands were peppered fungus, glutting on our cache.http://www.englishforums.com/English/Metaphor/lrlch/post.htmTue, 29 Sep 2009 15:48:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:921951anonymousWhat is a metaphor?Can you give me an example of one in the poem "Blackberry Picking" By semus Heaney?http://www.englishforums.com/English/HolyCows/kqndd/post.htm#917700Sat, 26 Sep 2009 13:15:04 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:917700molly mockfordAt 05:12:32 on Sat, 26 Sep 2009, Paul (Email Removed) wrote in (Email Removed): What does the group feel could be the possible connotations of this phrase? My immediate response to that phrase being used by an Indian is that he was referring, metaphorically if not literally, to the cows which are sacred to Hindus. I always believed (without researching it) that those cows were the original of the phrase now used as you cite, to refer to ideas or institutions which are deemed sacrosanct. In fact, on reading your post, I vaguely wondered whether the term "cattle class" would be deemed offensive, not to the humans who were comprised in the term, but to the sacred cows. In UK English, the word "cow" used as a pejorative...http://www.englishforums.com/English/Metaphor/kqlgg/post.htm#917603Sat, 26 Sep 2009 11:50:21 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:917603mister micawberPlease use a search engine for that word– via Google you will find 11,300,000 pages for "metaphor" , and they include a wealth of examples .http://www.englishforums.com/English/Metaphor/2/czrdl/Post.htm#916422Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:09:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:916422anonymousSimiles are a form of mataphor. He is as strong as an ox. That's a simile. This link may answer all the questions on the topic. http://www.copyblogger.com/metaphor-simile-and-analogy-what%E2%80%99s-the-difference/ Metaphor A metaphor is a figure of speech that uses one thing to mean another and makes a comparison between the two. The key words here are “one thing to mean another.” So, when someone says “He’s become a shell of a man,” we know not to take this literally, even though it’s stated directly as if this person had actually lost his internal substance. Simile A simile compares two different things in order to create a new meaning. In this case, we are made explicitly aware that a comparison is being made...http://www.englishforums.com/English/Metaphor/2/czrdl/Post.htm#916392Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:35:18 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:916392anonymousno it's not a metaphor - i'm doing this in English at the moment, example: your love is a rose. (red rose = symbol of love) if someone said - your love is like smoke it's a metaphor because they are telling you that smoke cannot be caught, so neither can your love. so what your co-workers daughter has isnt a metaphor as it hasn't got a hidden message. metaphors are similar to similies.. eg. smilie - your eyes are as bright as the moon Metaphor - your eyes are brighter than the moons unseen light. hope this helps.http://www.englishforums.com/English/AboutMetaphor/kqwxz/post.htm#916378Thu, 24 Sep 2009 17:51:39 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:916378anonymousI am not aware of the types of mataphor(s) in your inquiry? I believe Google can help explain the word.http://www.englishforums.com/English/AboutMetaphor/kqwxz/post.htmThu, 24 Sep 2009 17:19:27 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:916373anonymouswould you like to tell me about metaphor.. kinds of metaphor :animal metaphor ?..synthetic metaphor?..from concrete to abstract metaphor?..anthropomorpic metaphor ? please give me explanation about the each definition ?thank youhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/Metaphors/kqrgr/post.htmWed, 23 Sep 2009 02:32:41 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:913920anonymousis this a metaphor? i saw herbarefoot baby toenails all painted pale pale pink,like little pink seashells, and she smells pinklike babies do.http://www.englishforums.com/English/MetaphorsAndSmiles/kpkwr/post.htm#912838Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:46:39 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:912838mister micawberAnd smiles are nice, but sure to notice that the spelling is ' similes ', Anon.http://www.englishforums.com/English/MetaphorsAndSmiles/kpkwr/post.htm#912837Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:44:17 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:912837avangiThey're both "figures of speech" and comparisons. We usually say the simile compares by using the words "like," or "as." "The motorcycle was coming at me like a bat out of Hell." "He was as fat as a pig." The metaphor treats the subject as if it really is the thing it's being compared to. "The wind got angry and tried to sweep me off my feet." (Hmm - I suppose that could be personification .) "The tornado was a runaway freight train."http://www.englishforums.com/English/DoublingDown/kpnzk/post.htm#912771Tue, 22 Sep 2009 08:16:17 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:912771mister micawber'Doubling down' is originally (I think) a poker term. In the game of Blackjack, one rule is that if the first two cards dealt you are of the same value (two kings, two sevens, etc), then you have the option of separating them face downward, drawing one more card to go with each, and playing them as two separate hands instead of one. This is called ' doubling down '. Aces, tens and face cards are promising cards to receive, and if you receive a matched pair of any of them, it bodes well of winning if you double down. Applying this metaphor to your sentence: working doubly hard on your previous strategy may or not lead to success.