En anglais dans le texte: Double negatives
Double negatives A double negative uses two negative words (in bold below) in the same clause to express a single negative idea:We didn’t see nothing. (= We saw nothing.)She never danced with nobody. (= She didn’t dance with anybody.)The rules dictate that the two negative elements cancel each other out to give a positive statement instead, so that the sentence « I don’t know Nothing » could literally be interpreted as « I do know Something ».Double négatives are standard in many other languages ans they were also a normal aprt of English usage until some time after the 16th century. They’re still widely used in English dialects where they don’t ...
Expression idiomatique en anglais: Hear it on grapevine
Hear it on grapevine Meaning: to hear rumors about somethingto hear some news from someone who heard it from someone elseto learn of something informally, usually verbally Examples: I heard on the grapevine that he was being promoted, but I don’t know anything further.It was heard through the grapevine that the captain of the team was stepping down, but the news could not be confirmed.We keep hearing it on the grapevine that the two co-stars of that movie are getting married, but they are not saying anything.We heard on the grapevine that our company would be taken over by another one, but the official communication say otherwise.I heard ...
En anglais dans le texte: « The Many Ways to Say ‘Okay’ »
What is the grammatical purpose of okay? We are going to explore the different uses of the word okay. We will learn how its meaning can change depending on how it is used in a sentence. The word okay The word okay can act as a noun, verb, adjective, or adverb. Its meaning changes slightly when it is used in different ways. When speakers use okay as a noun, they usually mean « approval or permission.” For example, a coworker might tell you: « The boss gave her okay. » This is an informal way of saying that the boss gave her permission. The verb form of okay has a similar meaning. It means ...
Expression idiomatique en anglais: Keep something at bay
Keep Something at bay Meaning: Prevent Something or somebody unpleasant from coming too near to one or harming one. Examples: The area was hit by a serious epidemic, but luckily, he could keep himself at bay. She fought to keep her unhappiness at bay Origin: Anyhow, back to the phrase itself. It seems plausible that ‘at bay’ is a nautical phrase and that the allusion is to a ship that is anchored in a bay and waiting to enter a port. ‘In the offing’ has pretty much the same meaning. As it turns out, we only ...
Expression idiomatique en anglais: Don’t count your chickens before the eggs have hatched
Don’t count your chickens before the eggs have hatched Meaning: Don’t rely on something you are unsure about Making plans based on assumptions can lead to disappointment Examples: Louis was already planning his winning celebration before the race started, but he counted his chickens before they hatched as he ended up receiving last place. You might be able to get a loan from the bank, but don’t count your chickens. Origin: This phrase, for the most part, is seen in a poem called Hudibras. The first two parts of the poem were written by poet Samuel ...
Expression idiomatique en anglais: At the drop of a hat
Expression idiomatique en anglais: At the drop of a hat Meaning: at the slightest signalimmediately, without delaywithout any hesitationwithout any planning and for no obvious reason Examples: We now have a situation where laws are bent at the drop of a hat.Dustin was always ready to go fishing at the drop of a hat.If you need help, just call on Mike. He can come at the drop of a hat.I can’t go rushing off to Edinburgh at the drop of a hat.She’d purchase her expensive jewelry at the drop of a hat and worry about how she would pay for it later.We’re expected to just ...
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