Today’s phrase is from soup to nuts.
Explanation: The idiom from soup to nuts means from beginning to end.
Example: Justin knew he was in trouble when Jackie told him to sit down. She was going to run through a complete list of all his faults – from soup to nuts.
Origin: This expression is derived from the description of a full course dinner, which starts with an appetizer of soup, and ends with a dessert of nuts. Alternate versions of are “From eggs to applies” and “From pottage to cheese”.
Today’s expression is cheek by jowl.
Explanation: If you say something or someone is cheek by jowl, you mean that they are very close together, practically side by side.
Example: Caitlin hated taking the subway at rush hour, she was always stuffed in cheek by jowl with tons of other people.
Origin: This phrase, the first recorded use of which is in 1577, is based on the idea that a cheek and jowl (which can refer to your jaw or chin) are close together,
Today’s phrase is the English expression coming down the pike.
Explanation: The phrase coming down the pike means something that appears or comes forward.
Example: Jeff took careful note of everyone’s ideas, but refused to make a decision on what kind of cake to order. He said “I have to wait and see if any other ideas come down the pike before I can decide what to pick”.
Origin: Pike is short for turnpike here, which is a toll booth or a toll highway. So – in this case, coming down the pike can mean the same as “down the road” – basically, things that might occur in the future.
There seems to be much confusion as to whether you can use “coming down the pike” and “coming down the pipe”. I’ve heard both used interchangeably.
Today’s phrase is pie in the sky.
Explanation: If something is pie in the sky, it is either a prospect of future hapiness that is unlikely to be realized, or a plan or idea that seems good, but is not likely to be achieved.
Today’s phrase is barn burner. I can honestly say I’d never heard the expression barn burner before today. Someone used it on a call, and of course I wanted to know what it meant!
Explanation: A barn burner is something that arouses much excitement or interest.
Example: The Superbowl is always a barn burner – it’s always sold out, and millions of people tune it to watch it.
Origin: The Barnburners were a radical faction of the New York state Democratic party in the mid-19th century. It is thought to been derived from the notion that someone would burn down their barn (i.e. take drastic action) just to get rid of a rat infestation. And the “Barnburner” faction would take equally drastic action - destroy all banks and corporations, to root out their abuses. To learn more, check out this article on Barnburners.
Politics – they’re never boring!
