About: Pearson

Would you like to let someone in a discussion know that something they have said (or something that you have seen) is completely beyond your understanding – and makes no sense to you when you look at it? You could use the phrase 'it's all Greek to me' to say what you mean. This post […]

Would you like to tell someone that the worst things are behind you (or that something has been atoned for) and that all the issues related to it can be left in the past? The expression 'let bygones be bygones' can be used to describe this. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this […]

Have you seen the question 'how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?' and would like to know more context, the origin or the meaning of this common expression? The term is a common rhetorical question, and it can sometimes lead to confusion if you have never heard it before. This post […]

Would you like to let someone know that their insults are powerless to hurt you, and that the only thing you'll flinch for from them is actual, physical injury? The term 'sticks and stones may break my bones' is used to imply that their insults don't matter to you, even though they might. This term […]

Would you like to refer to the fact that someone has said or done something to defend someone else, or would you like to make a reference to a robbery where there were guns involved? Hopefully it's the first, and not the second: the term 'sticks up' can be used to apply to both situations! […]

Would you like to indicate to someone that you (or someone else) can be found in an area that's “off the beaten track” and not in the main part of the city? The saying 'in the sticks' can be used to say what you mean, and the colloquial term is popular especially when you're out […]

Would you like to let someone know that it's time to put in some real effort, or tell someone that they have been too relaxed in their efforts and have been slacking off? The term 'resting on your laurels' is a saying that can be used to relate this to someone. This post unpacks the […]

Would you like to tell someone that it's about time they follow instructions, or that they should stick to the order that they have been given? The expression 'toe the line' is the right one to use, even though it is sometimes confused with the misnomer 'tow the line' instead. This post unpacks the meaning […]