Drastic times call for drastic measures Meaning: Extreme circumstances can only be resolved by equally extreme actions In difficult situations, it is necessary to take drastic actions When you are extremely desperate, you need to take equally extreme actions Undesirable circumstances have to be countered by drastic actions Examples: The company has posted losses for the third consecutive year, the board decided to replace all of its top management. After all, drastic times call for drastic measures. After suffering heavily in yet another stealth Attack, the military decided to go for a full blown war. Drastic ...

Red letter day Meaning: A day of significance.An important occasion, festival or holiday.A birthday, anniversary or a day of remembrance Example sentences: Tomorrow is her red letter day, she always celebrates it with a big party.Sam and Sue like to celebrate their red letter day alone and out vacationing somewhere. This time they have taken their respective parents along too.Next week we celebrate the biggest red letter day in the calendar for us, the independence of our country. Origin: The days of importance were marked in red colour in ancient Rome since the medieval times. Many calendars still prefer ...

A bird in the hand is Worth two in the bush Meaning: What you already have is more valuable than the prospect to have something greaterIt is better to be content with you have than risk losing it by trying to get something betterIt is better to have something small but certain rather than the mere possibility of a greater one Examples: You may not like your job, but don’t quit merely on the hope of finding a better one. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.I might have got a letter offer if I ...

Straight from the horse’s mouth Meaning: From a dependable or reliable source From the highest authority From someone who has personal knowledge From a direct or firsthand source Example : What you heard is true. I know since I heard it straight from the horse’s mouth.I don’t believe it that he’s leaving. I’m going to go to him and hear it straight from the horse’s mouth.Don’t trust what you hear on the grapevine. It’s best to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth so you know it’s true. Origin: The first origin is that a horse’s age can ...

Haste makes waste Meaning: If you do things too quickly, you can make mistakes. Example: Try not to rush through things even though you are in a hurry. After all, haste makes waste. You need to check these files carefully. Do not try to finish them too quickly – remember haste makes waste. I’d rather miss the deadline and submit a good report than rush through it and make one full of errors. After all, haste makes waste. Origin: The idea that haste is counterproductive is an ancient one and can be found int he ...

Above board Meaning: Openly; without any trickery. Example sentences: His financial dealings were always above board. It was clear that they had acted above board. Source: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/above+board Consultez notre rubrique « ressources pédagogiques » pour vous entraîner sans stresser en anglais, espagnol, FLE, portugais, etc. grâce à une multitude de sites internet soigneusement sélectionnés pour leur qualité et fiabilité. Origin: It is sometimes suggested that the board in question is the deck of a ship and that this term comes from the seafaring practice of concealing pirates below decks (below board) in order to lull the crews of victim ships into a false sense of security. The opposite, ‘above board’ was considered to symbolize openness ...