NRFS stands for NOSE RUNS, FEET SMELLS. Yes, it should have the replacement but English made it possible to bring out the most scintillating effect. English has got one rule that is, it is singularly devoid of any rule. Since ages, the language maestros have dared to punch and hit unusual word combinations, thus making English a mélange of unique literary expression. Remember Shakespeare's innovations like "three scores and ten", "sea change" and "much ado about nothing"! Following are several such paraphernalia that makes English most enduring and the most cherished language to learn, experiment and express:
- OFF is used to express something that has come to an end. Sure? Nah, not with alarm clock. It “goes off” when starts ringing.
- · Although UP is opposite of DOWN, “slow up” and “slow down” conveys similar meaning (usage is different).
- · SLOW cannot be antonymous to RUSH, better word is FAST. But opposite of “slow traffic” is always “rush hour”.
- · Often you find charitable organizations categorizing them as “Self Help Group”. Sounds good, but then where the scope of self help is if you are in a group! Similar stuffs are like “Eyes Wide Shut” (Tom Cruise in lead role) expressing a state of confusion or may be “Corporate family” which pauses one’s comprehension that if it is corporate, how can someone put it as a family!
- · Tongue twisters like “No parking on driveways, no driving on parkways” are in vogue in American English.
- · Practice and be perfect? Doctors don’t have scope to be perfect! They always “practice”!
- · A FINE is a tax for doing wrong, when a TAX is a fine for doing well! LOL!
- · If you believe failures are pillars for success, skydiving is not your cup of eggnogs! Once you fail, you are gone.
- · OUT associating a noun conveys an expression, extraction, visibility, showcasing, publicity like “stars are out”, “recent editions are out” or may be mundane colloquial go like “move out”, “come out”, “bring out”, “take out” etc. Now try this: LIGHTS ARE OUT. You are now in absolute darkness!
- · Horrific can be a lexical brother of horrible, but terrific and terrible are not!
- · A man playing piano is a PIANIST. RACIST is someone who drives a car. (More often used in London dailies as DRIVER is taken in a cheaper orientation)
- · OVERLOOK = antonym = OVERSEE
- · If a lawyer is disbarred (out of the bar court), clergymen are defrocked! Then electricians must be delighted, musicians must be denoted, cowboys must be deranged, models disposed and drycleaners depressed! ROFL!
- · Loose: Lose – See how you can feel the difference if not knowing it. IF YOUR SHOELACES ARE TOO LOOSE, YOU MIGHT TRIP AND LOSE BALANCE.
- · TO PLEAD something means to ask for something. But “guilt” is an exception. “To plead guilty” is to confess one’s guilt.
- · TO CURRY or TO COOK are good expressions to use. “You can’t curry love” (say it to yourself when you feel low in love, wink wink), “Can you smell what ROCK is cooking (remember WWE days?) etc. “To curry favor” however, means you are a sycophant as you win favor by flattery!
- · TREAD THE MIDDLE AISLE is a nascent term I came across. It means to get married, ha ha!
- · Do not misuse “Answer Back” in place of “reply” (reply back is a bad English) or “Call back”. Answer back means to reply defiantly.
- Check WIND UP now. WIND UP my watch would mean starting my watch whereas WIND UP observation means to bring it to an end.
Some new terms I came across (smarter ones):
- Who wears the pants? [Asking for the person responsible]
- Go; fly a kite [to ask somebody to leave you alone]
- Duck soup [easy task]
- Dime a dozen [very common]
- Make a big splash [Achieve great success]
- Chip off the old block [Child looking similar to parents]
Some palindromes:
- LEVEL
- CIVIC
- NOON
- RACECAR
- MADAM
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