Ginger’s Phrase of the Day provides you with a daily dose of interesting facts and trivia on some of the more, and less, common phrases in the English language. Learn the real meaning behind these phrases, when and how to use them and other less-known info behind each phrase.
The expression “Make a splash” is used to talk about a person or event that makes a sudden, major impact and attracts a great deal of attention or becomes very well known.
Example in use: ‘‘Barack Obama made quite a splash when he first ran for President!’’
You use the expression “Bats in the belfry” to indicate that someone is acting eccentric or crazy.
Example in use: ‘Wanda has bats in the belfry; she seems to think that the mailman is trying to steal her cat!’
The expression “Fly off the Handle” is used to indicate that someone has become irrationally angry due to a complete loss of self-control.
Example in use: ‘Try not to make Sam mad. He has a tendency to fly off the handle at the slightest provocation.’
You use the expression “Doom and Gloom” to discuss a feeling, atmosphere, or sense of despondency, pessimism, or general glumness. The phrase is often connected to political or business dealings as well as to personal feelings.
Example in use: ‘It’s been Doom and Gloom around the office ever since we lost that important account.”
You use the expression ‘Face the Music’ to indicate that it is necessary to accept the negative consequences of previous actions.
Example in use: “Jim ran a stop sign and caused an accident; now he’s going to have to face the music.”
The term ‘Filthy Rich’ was formerly used to discuss someone who was very wealthy, and who possibly became rich via unfair means. Today, the phrase’s meaning has softened a bit, and it is often used to talk about someone who is extremely rich, even if they became wealthy by honest means.
Example in use: “The preacher and his wife moved into a mansion; suddenly, they’re filthy rich.”
You use the expression ‘Brownie Points’ to indicate a nominal mark of achievement or some kind of kudos for the performance of a positive or creditable act.
Example in use: “I’m going to earn plenty of brownie points for taking care of all these chores without being asked.”
The phrase “A Good Man is Hard to Find” is used to discuss the difficulty some seem to have in attracting a suitable male partner or spouse.
Example in use: Sarah: “Aren’t you married yet?” Jane: “No. I’ve been dating but I haven’t met ‘the one’ yet. A good man is hard to find!”
You use the term “Kangaroo Court” to discuss a bogus or unauthorized court or legal proceeding that blatantly disregards the recognized standards of justice and carries little to no official standing in the territory where it takes place.
Example in use: “The commissioner has been accused of running a ‘Kangaroo court’ that prioritizes his personal agenda.”
“The cream of the crop” is a phrase that inspired from the French phrase ‘la crème de la crème,’ which loosely translates to “the cream of the cream”. This phrase is used when someone tries to convey highest value or quality of a person or object.
Example in use: “These two employees are extremely hardworking. They are the cream of the crop among our employees.”