By Negatives, Idioms

Re: Differences between English and your native language

Hi CB,I wouldn't know where to start! English grammar is pretty different from Italian grammar. However, there are a lot of similar words (one example: government - governo), and several similar structures and idioms. The problem is that there are also several false friends, and lots of...

Re: John put a squeeze on Mary.

Rachelanne wrote: "put the squeeze on" is an idiom meaning put pressure on them. (with a negative conatation) "to sqeeze someone " simply means just that Hug or squeeze with the hand. Thanks, HT and Rachelanne. Got it!

Re: John put a squeeze on Mary.

"put the squeeze on" is an idiom meaning put pressure on them. (with a negative conatation) "to sqeeze someone " simply means just that Hug or squeeze with the hand.

Re: "Any of the bits"

There are quite a few idioms where tell is not used exactly the same as in to tell someone something. The following are usually negative and usually followed by an indirect question or a that clause. These mean that something is not obvious or easily seen by the subject of the...

Re: without thinking

The idiom without thinking is usually thought of as negative. It means something like thoughtlessly. I'm sure he didn't mean to insult you. He just made that remark without thinking. The words without thinking can, of course, be used literally. He is so smart he can multiply numbers in...

Re: I don't mean you any harm

Hi Philip! I take it as 'I don't intend you any harm' is simply wrong. As a matter of fact, 'mean ... any harm' this is one whole idiom. Hi CalifJim! From your given examples, it seems to me that using 'mean' in this grammaric form is limited only followed by several negative behaviors,...

Re: A few grammer doubts.

Simi wrote:Hi, I have a couple of doubts: 1. "I've been meaning to tell you". Why has it ("meaning to") been used this way? Can someone explain me how can i use it more often, in general? I have been intending to ...I have been intending to/meaning to go shoppingI have been intending...

Re: be in-your-face?

JCDenton wrote: Hi Guys, My big apology, that I'm disturbing again. But I got stuck at the right meaning of this idiom....If one man will ask another one Is there anything that's gotten more in-your-face? Please what is the point of this sentence? I checked the web page thefreedictionary.com...

Re: GET AROUND TO IT

Hi Fran, Like most idioms, adding or subracting a few words will change the entire meaning. To "get around to it" is entirely different from just "geting around." If you get around a lot, it can simly mean you travel widely, or that you have "your thumb in a lot of pies" (that you are involved...

Re: Any dictionary - Exception to the rule?

Kooyeen wrote:Hi, this is the problem: in negative sentences we usually use any + plural noun. I don't have any sisters (not "any sister", at least in common contexts). I was pretty confident, but look:I didn't find that idiom in any dictionary. Is it dictionary or dictionaries? If it's...