Language Café

Definition: Dismissal or the act of disregarding someoneOrigin: An explanation is that the phrase stems from a particular way to serve food to an unwanted guest. In this case, "cold shoulder" refers to serving of an inferior cut of meat, namely a "cold shoulder of mutton" to an uninvited guest, as opposed to serving a hot meal or roast that was fresh out of the oven to an invitee.

Definition: A difficult or delicate problem or situation.Origin: It originated as a term for difficult circumstances in the sport of cricket, caused by a damp and soft pitch/playing surface.

Definition: Dangerous and uncertain in nature or outcome; precarious; delicate.Origin: During olden times when traveling, if ships or stage-coaches gave a glancing blow, to the seabed or to the wheels of other coaches respectively, but still continued on the journey, things were fine. To collide might mean disaster but a mere touch meant a narrow escape and the ship/coach could continue to 'go'.

Definition: Away from one's objective, train of thought, or a sequence of events. Also not on a productive course; following the wrong lead.Origin: This term comes from railroading, where it means "derailed." Its figurative use was first recorded in 1875.

Definition: To extend the olive branch is to take steps towards achieving peace with an enemy (or simply someone with whom you have had a disagreement). Origin: This expression has biblical origins, and was seen as an emblem of peace. In Genesis, a dove brings an olive branch to Noah to indicate that God's anger had died down and the flood waters had abated.

Definition: The act of attributing to another person or group one's own responsibility.Origin: The expression is said to have originated from poker, in which a marker or counter (such as a knife with a buckhorn handle during the American Frontier era) was used to indicate the person whose turn it was to deal. If the player did not wish to deal he could pass the responsibility by passing the "buck", as the counter came to be called, to the next player. Also a buck is another term for a goat. So "scapegoat".

Definition: The difficulties or problems that arise during the initial stages of a project, enterprise.Origin: Refers to children suffering teething problems when new teeth are coming through. Often it's painful but in the end it's for the best.

Definition: To find a good, workable, sustainable way of doing something, normally after struggling to do so for some time.Origin: A groove is an indentation or rut in something — like the grooves on an old record. Groove is rooted in an old Dutch word for "furrow" or "ditch." And that's just what a groove is: a carved out line.

Definition: When people who haven't seen each other in a long time, want to reunite for a short period of time. Often [but not always] when they're well past their prime.Origin: Uttered in the film The Blues Brothers when the characters are looking to reunite.

Definition: Everything a person does turns into a success.Origin: In ancient Greek stories, Midas was a king who was given the power of turning everything he touched into gold. Ironically a curse in the story, but now meant to be something positive.