Gordon Bennett!Originally uploaded by waɪ.tiː Gordon Bennett! is an expression or exclamation common in some parts of the United Kingdom that shows (often exasperated) surprise, annoyance, or shock. According to Bill Bryson, James Gordon Bennett, a newspaper baron, liked to announce his arrival in a restaurant by yanking the tablecloths from all the tables he […]

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie Originally uploaded by waɪ.tiː The idiom "let sleeping dogs lie" means you shouldn't do anything to change a situation because it could result in making things worse. Of course this is a sleeping dog, but it really is best to let him lie, because if you don't, there will be trouble.

Goodbye Mr Chips Originally uploaded by waɪ.tiː Or should that be "McCain has had his chips". There are lots of idioms to do with chips:- A bargaining chip - something that you can use to make someone do what you want.Be in the chips - if someone is in the chips, they have suddenly got […]

According to an article in the Times Higher Education Supplement, common spelling mistakes should be accepted into everyday use, not corrected. Ken Smith a lecturer at Bucks New University says the most common mistakes should be accepted as "variant spellings". He lists the 10 most commonly misspelt words, which include "arguement" for "argument" and "twelth" […]

Splitting Headache Originally uploaded by YTaP Split means to divide into two or more parts, especially along a particular line. A headache is a pain you feel inside your head. I've got a splitting headache, means I've got a really bad headache. Of course in this photo this is a joke. I have a knife […]

Day 11 - A moot question / point Originally uploaded by YTaP A moot question or a moot point is something that has been previously decided or settled in law and is therefore no longer relevant. It can also be used to say that something is of no practical importance or irrelevant. The ordinary meaning […]