Crocodile tears are fake tears. They are usually when someone is pretending to be sad. If someone is pretending to cry, we call that crocodile tears. I suppose the idea is that crocodiles are emotionless creatures and so would never cry. This phrase has been around since the 14th century and is present in a … Read More
This phrase means that it is certain to happen. It is most often used to give encouragement to someone. In Korean, 화이팅 (Fighting) is a phrase used to encourage others. It is a difficult thing to translate as there isn’t an exact equivalent in English. While “Let’s go!” might be the closest English … Read More
“I am.” is reportedly the shortest sentence in the English language. Could it be that “I do.” is the longest sentence? – George Carlin Here is a joke by comedian George Carlin. A lot of humor comes out of a deeper understanding of a language. Sometimes jokes subvert our expectations (do the opposite of what … Read More
A fair-weather friend is a friend that is only around when things are easy. When a situation becomes difficult, or you need them to help you with something, they are hard to find. I think we all know this type of person. Someone who is a lot of fun to be around, but is never … Read More
“The cat’s out of the bag” means that a secret has been revealed. This idiom can also be used when something is accidently revealed. Example: Well, we weren’t going to everyone that we are going to have a baby, but it looks like the cat’s out of the bag. “Letting the cat of out the … Read More
What would happen if someone in a glass house threw a rock? Well, it would probably break the house. The idea with this phrase is that you shouldn’t criticize others for flaws that you have as well. It is a saying about hypocrisy. It is a strange phrase to understand. But think about it like … Read More
The phrase ignorance is bliss means that lacking knowledge can make you happy. Ignorance is ‘ignoring’ or not having knowledge. Bliss is an overwhelming feeling of happiness. The phrase comes from a 1742 Poem by Thomas Gray called Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College. In his poem, Gray is thinking about his younger years, … Read More
Have you ever been in a situation where you wanted to say something, but your brain couldn’t come up with something to say? Maybe the cat had your tongue. This phrase is usually used in question form, as in: “Cat got your tongue?” It is probably a shortened form of “Has the cat gotten your … Read More
A little bird told me you are interested in learning English phrases. We use “a little bird told me…” when we don’t want to reveal who gave us the information. But we use it in an informal (humorous) way. For example: “How did you know where I was hiding?” “A little bird told me.” We … Read More
You’ve probably heard that money can’t buy happiness. This proverb is basically saying the same thing but is less common. Things like family, friends, health, time, love, etc. are all gifts we receive without paying money. Can you think of any more examples of things in life that are free? For more English phrases and … Read More
