We're Switching to TSU

We started off on Blogger many months ago, and we've been using other social media platforms to drive in traffic. Our goal was to generate income from Google AdSense. So far, we've only been using tsu to post links to our blogs. But tsu has generate far more revenue in a short time than AdSense has generated in a much longer time. Therefore, we are going to start moving all of our content over to tsu, posting all new content on tsu, and directing all other social media traffic to tsu. As of this moment, tsu is officially our new blogging platform. Please join us at www.tsu.co/realbloggerx.

When It Rains, It Pours

Expression: "When it rains, it pours."

Meaning: The origin of this expression is probably an area where it seldom rains, and when it does rain it rains vary hard. Over time, its usage began to mean that although something may rarely happen, it never happens in small amounts when it does. It only happens in very large numbers.

Example: "One thing after another has gone wrong today. When it rains, it pours."

Like a chicken with its head cut off

Expression: "Like a chicken with its head cut off"

Meaning: Cut the head off a chicken, and its body will run around aimlessly. Over time, this expression developed to describe someone who is obviously not a chicken, and still obviously has a head attached, but is nonetheless acting seemingly without any thought or reason.

Example: "He's running around like a chicken with its head cut off and getting nothing accomplished."

Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

Expression: "Don't put all your eggs in one basket."

Meaning: Eggs are fragile. If you put all of your eggs into only one basket and then accidentally drop the basket, you risk having all of your eggs break. Over time, this expression has evolved to suggest diversifying risk. In other words, do not have one point of complete failure; spread your risk so that you can still recover from multiple, small failures.

Example: "Investing all of your money into your company's stock is very risky. What if the company suddenly loses much of its value? Don't put all your eggs in one basket. You should spread your money among diversified investments."

Close, but no cigar.

Expression: "Close, but no cigar."

Meaning: Traditions of celebrating victory involve opening up bottles of champagne, smoking cigars, and much more. If you almost win something but do not, that moment to drink champagne or smoke a cigar comes very close but does not actually happen. This expression has evolved to be used even when physical cigars are not present and, in fact, when no one present ever smokes cigars.

Example: After someone comes very close to winning something but does not, anyone says, "close, but no cigar."

The ball is in your court.

Expression: "The ball is in your court."

Meaning: Think of this like a basketball game in that the team with the ball decides what happens next. The defense tries to change that, of course, but the defense is still reacting to what the offense does. Even in the absence of a court and ball, this expression has evolved to mean that whatever happens next is the other person's or group's decision.

Example: "I have offered you a good discount on this car you've always wanted, so now the ball is in your court."

Go out on a limb.

Expression: "Go out on a limb."

Meaning: Think of this like climbing up a tree and going out on one of its limbs to rescue a cat. The limbs are weaker than the trunk, so going out on a limb adds the risk of the limb breaking under your weight. If the limb breaks, depending on your height off the ground and how you fall, you may suffer injuries or even death. Over time, this expression has evolved to mean taking a risk, even when an actual tree is not involved.

Example: "I have been unemployed for a long time. My friend went out on a limb for me and recommended me for a job."

Rome wasn't built in a day.

Expression: "Rome wasn't built in a day."

Meaning: The Roman Empire, which spanned parts of Europe, Africa, and Asia, literally wasn't built in a day. In fact, it took a very, very long time. Although current projects are not likely to take nearly as long, the expression has evolved to mean that something will at least not be completed quickly.

Example: "This new project is going to take time. Rome wasn't built in a day."

All Bark and No Bite

Expression: "all bark and no bite"

Meaning: This idiom originated with dogs, the type that bark loudly and may seem scary, but they don't actually attack. Over time this expression has evolved to refer to people, who obviously don't bark like dogs, but they talk tough and make threats that they don't actually follow through on.

Example: "He threatened to punch me in my face, but he's all bark and no bite."

Go the Extra Mile

Expression: "go the extra mile"

Meaning: First of all, one must understand that Americans measure long distances in miles, not kilometers. Once you understand that, think of this idiom in terms of running and other distance-related activities. Going an extra mile means putting forth extra effort to go a longer distance. Over time this expression has evolved to mean putting forth extra effort whether or not distance is an issue.

Example: "I had a lot of stuff to move this weekend, and my friends really went the extra mile to help me out."

Hard Nut to Crack

Expression: "hard nut to crack"

Meaning: Some nuts, such as peanuts, crack open relatively easily. Cracking open some other nuts, however, can require more physical effort. So while some problems can be easy to solve, like the ease with which you can crack open peanuts, this idiom developed as a way to refer to other problems, like hard-to-crack nuts, that are more difficult to solve.

Example: "This crossword puzzle is a hard nut to crack."

Out of My League

Expression: "out of my league"

Meaning: Think of this in terms of sports leagues. Because of having less athletic ability, a lower league team cannot be expected to compete and win versus an upper league team. Over time, this has evolved to mostly describe romantic relationships. Someone who is "out of your league" is perhaps very attractive, or very wealthy, or famous, or in some way is someone who cannot be expected to develop a romantic interest in someone so much less attractive, less wealthy, not famous, and so forth.

Example: "I am in love with my favorite movie actress, but she's out of my league."

Fork in the Road

Expression: "fork in the road"

Meaning: A fork in a road is when one road, like the handle of a fork eating utensil, branches off in multiple directions and the driver suddenly has to choose which branch to continue on. Even when not driving, however, this phrase has evolved to mean that one has reached the time to make a decision about something.

Example: "My cellphone died, and so I have come to a fork in the road; should I buy a new Samsung smartphone or a new iPhone?"

... and a cherry on top.

Expression: "... and a cherry on top"

Meaning: When making a sundae you add ice cream, maybe some fruit, maybe some candies, and then probably some whipped cream. The cherry on top represents not only completion, but also that everything wanted is included. The cherry itself is just a little bit extra. Over time, the phrase has evolved to mean not only that everything is included, even when ice cream is not involved, but a little bit extra as well.

Example: "My new car has GPS, satellite radio, heated seats, and a cherry on top."

Costs an Arm and a Leg

Expression: "costs an arm and a leg"

Meaning: There are several possible origins for this idiom, and one logical origin is in warfare. While many troops lose their lives in battle, many survive with lost limbs. Therefore, whatever the outcome of the war, these latter troops paid for that outcome, literally, with their arms and their legs. So if their country remained free after an invasion, for example, then a disabled veteran might say that their freedom cost him an arm and a leg. We won't discuss every other possible origin for this expression, but, over time, the cost of an arm and a leg has evolved to mean a very, very high price.

Example: Attending universities is known to be very expensive. Many years ago, in frustration, a student wrote a check to his university payable in the amount of "an arm and a leg."

Back to the Drawing Board

Expression: "back to the drawing board"

Meaning: Some projects start out with a real drawing board. Whether this board contains written ideas or simple drawings, all further work begins from this first task. When a project fails, the team really goes back to the drawing board to begin anew. Over time, this expression has evolved to mean restarting something from the very beginning, even though an actual drawing board may not be used.

Example: the project failed, so you say, "we have to go back to the drawing board."

Hit the Nail on the Head

Expression: "hit the nail on the head"

Meaning: Hitting a nail on its head with a hammer is difficult. It requires precision. The expression is used to tell someone that he or she used logic to determine something precisely. He or she deduced the exact answer, not just a close answer or some related information.

Example: we are trying to solve a mystery and you find the answer, so I say, "you hit the nail on the head."

Burning Bridges

Expression: "burning bridges"

Meaning: This expression comes from legendary military battles in which commanders have ordered their troops to burn the bridges they just crossed in order to prevent their own escape. The troops then have the greatest motivation to win the battle, because failure could only result in their death or capture. Over time, this phrase has evolved to mean eliminating one's option of going back to a previous state, such as quitting a job or ending a relationship in such a bad way that there is no chance of returning. One then has greater motivation to succeed at an alternative, because the consequences of failure are too severe.

Example: "He burned his bridges by quitting his job like that. He will never work there again."

Sleep Like a Baby

Expression: "sleep like a baby"

Meaning: Babies sleep through loud noises and a lot of movement. While the subject of this expression is usually an adult, it means that that person slept through, is sleeping through, or will likely sleep through great disturbances, just like a baby might. This idiom implies that the deep sleep results from being far more tired than normal, perhaps from exhaustion, medication, or other causes.

Example: "I woke up early and worked all day; tonight I'll sleep like a baby."

Service

Expression: "Service."

Meaning: This idiom is from South Korea (대한민국) and is used when something is being given to an English-speaking foreigner at no cost. We are unsure of its origin since more common expressions in America include "no charge" and "on the house," nor have we heard this phrase when receiving anything from anyone from other English-speaking countries.

Example: You are dining at a Korean restaurant and someone who works there delivers another dish of something and says "service."

Nosebleeding

(nosebleeding ketchup)

Expression: Nosebleeding

Meaning: This expression comes from the Philippines. Filipinos, overall, speak English very well even though they are not native English speakers. The origin of this idiom is the false idea that speaking English is so difficult that thinking about what to say causes the nose to bleed. There is never any real blood, so this phrase is said as a joke by lesser-fluent speakers or as a joke by more-fluent speakers to lesser-fluent speakers.

(ketchup being put under the nose by a more-fluent speaker)

Example: "I'm nosebleeding."

Once in a Blue Moon

Expression: "Once in a blue moon."

Meaning: The origin of this expression is not actually English, but a non-English word that sounds like the color blue. This word was used to name the second full moon on those rare occasions that two full moons occurred during one calendar month. Because the phrase sounded like "blue moon," it became "blue moon." And because blue moons are rare, this idiom evolved to mean something that happens rarely.

Example: "Since having children, they now only go out once in a blue moon."

Elvis has left the building.

Expression: "Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building."

Meaning: This originated with Elvis Presley, the "King of Rock and Roll." After his shows, someone would announce his departure in order to encourage attendees to leave. Before this, people would continue to wait for him maybe in their seats, or backstage, or elsewhere in the facility, maybe to hear more from him, or to meet him, or just to see him, or whatever. By making this announcement, however, fans knew that the show was definitely over, and there was no more to see or hear. Since his passing, the expression has evolved to mean that something, often a performance of some kind, has finished.

Example: You have been successfully entertaining friends with jokes or magic tricks and you are now done, so you announce, "ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building."

Don't quit your day job.

Expression: "Don't quit your day job."

Meaning:Many people leave their jobs and try new careers doing something they think they are good at. Sadly, many are either not nearly as good as they think, or they are just not quite good enough to succeed. The result is failure. Over time, this expression has evolved into a way to tell someone that he or she is not good at something, but using humor to do it. What makes it funny is when the person probably already knows that he or she is not that good, and you would really not expect the person to actually quit his or her job to do the thing professionally.

Example: You hear me singing off-key, so you tell me, "don't quit your day job." Yes, I know I will never earn a living as a singer.

Having a Ball

Expression: "having a ball"

Meaning: There are two origins for this expression. If someone, or a group, has a physical ball, then the ball is used for throwing, catching, bouncing, and/or rolling within some kind of game or activity in which the participant(s) is/are having fun. Another kind of ball is a fancy party, at which attendees wear formal dress, dance with each other, and also have a good time. Even without a physical ball or anyone dancing, the phrase has evolved to generally mean that some event was fun.

Example: I had fun at your party last night, so I tell you "I had a ball."

The 411

Expression: "The 411," pronounced "the four one one"

Meaning: The phone number 411 is an information hotline in the United States of America. For public information, such as government information, you dial 411 on your phone. Because of this, Americans began to use the number 411, pronounced "four one one," as an expression to mean information in general.

Example: I am working on a project and you want information from me about the status, so you ask me, "what's the four one one?"