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Showing posts with label #stubborn #languagesystem #weloveenglish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #stubborn #languagesystem #weloveenglish. Show all posts

Thursday, July 21, 2016

To pound the pavement; used as a verb





Context #1

Leo: How's the job hunting going?
Janice: Not so great. I've been pounding the pavement all week, I've emailed out over 40 resumes, and I still haven't gotten an interview!
Leo: Sorry to hear that. But you'll find something.
Janice: I know. That's why I'm on my way to pound the pavement some more.
Leo: That's the spirit! Keep it up!

Meaning: The expression "to pound the pavement" means to walk through the streets looking for something, usually a job. But while the idiom means to walk through the streets, it doesn't always mean that someone is literally walking around; in the example above, Janice says she has sent over 40 resumes over email, suggesting she isn't literally walking around.  Less commonly, the expression can be used for non-job related activities, although in these cases, it usually means they literally walked around, as in the next example:





Context #2

The candidate's volunteers pounded the pavement, trying to reach out to their community. Due to their efforts, 1000 people joined the candidate's rally the following Saturday.

Meaning: In this example, the volunteers probably did literally walk through the streets, discussing their preferred political candidate with others.


Tuesday, June 7, 2016

To Dig in (one's) Heels

Idiom: to dig in (one's) heels; used as a verb




First Example:

Jennifer: How is the wedding planning going?
James: Ugh.
Jennifer: That bad, huh? What's wrong now?
James: We can't agree on the music. I just want to have a DJ, but Natalie has dug in her heels on an expensive live band. She won't even consider any of the alternatives I suggested.
Jennifer: Just like she dug in her heels with that expensive hotel?
James: Yep, and I assumed she'll dig in her heels on some expensive flowers as well.
Jennifer: Well, it is her wedding day, so she wants it to be special.
James: It's my wedding day as well, and I don't want us spending the next ten years paying off loans!

Meaning: To "dig in (one's) heels" is a phrase that means to refuse to give in. This idiom is used when a person stubbornly refuses to change an opinion or action.  In the example, James says his fiancĂ© Natalie is digging in her heels about wedding options that are too expensive.
Unusual for an English expression, the preposition in this idiom can be moved to the end without affecting the meaning. The expression to dig (one's) heels in (with the preposition at the end) is also correct and has the same meaning.

Here is an example of that usage:  

Michelle: How about sushi for dinner?
Greg: I don't want to go out. Can't we just order a pizza?   
Michelle: Well, I wanted something healthier than bread and cheese. How about that new salad place? That's not far?
Greg: Can't you get a salad from a pizza place?
Michelle: Not a good one. Let's go out.
Greg: There has to be a healthy delivery place. Let me look online.
Michelle: Wow, you're really digging your heels in on delivery, aren't you?
Greg: I just had a long day, and I'd rather stay home.