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ETIMOLOGY OF SOME ENGLISH IDIOMS
Dilnozaxon Mahmudova the student of
Andijan State Institute of Foreign Languages,
413-group – English language and literature
Annotation. This article investigates the usage of idiomatic expressions in
English language, shows usage of them in everyday conversation, shows a number of
most commonly used idiomatic expressions and the meaning of them. English people
use some idioms in their everyday speech while interacting with their family members,
colleague, friends and so on including daily conversation. They can be called as “The
most commonly used idioms of English people”. I have tried to show a small number
of them. Besides them, I have learned some idioms used by famous writers in his works
including the names of animals and origin of some idiomatic expressions.
Key words: idioms, expressions,English,examples,historical works, origin of idiom,
animal’s name.
INGLIZ TILIDAGI BA'ZI IDIOMALARNING ETIMOLOGIYASI
ORIENTAL UNIVERSITETI
1-bosqich magistranti
Dilshodbek Hakimov
Annotation: Ushbu maqola ingliz tilida idiomatik iboralarning qo‘llanilishini
o‘rganadi, kundalik suhbatda ulardan foydalanishni ko‘rsatadi, eng ko‘p
ishlatiladigan bir qator idiomalarni ko‘rsatadi. Iboralar va ularning ma’nosi.
Inglizlar kundalik nutqlarida ba’zi idiomalardan foydalanadilar ularning oila
a’zolari, hamkasbi, do‘stlari va boshqalar bilan muloqot qilishda, shu jumladan
kundalik suhbatda. Ularni "Ingliz xalqining eng ko‘p ishlatiladigan idiomalari" deb
atash mumkin.Ularning kichik sonini ko‘rsatishga harakat qildim. Bundan tashqari,
mashhur odamlar tomonidan qo‘llaniladigan ba’zi idiomalarni o‘rgandim,
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yozuvchilar o‘z asarlarida hayvonlarning nomlari va ba’zi idiomatik iboralarning
kelib chiqishini o‘z ichiga oladi.
Tayanch so‘zlar:Idiomalar,iboralar,turlari,misollar,tarixiy asarlar,kelib
chiqishi, hayvon nomi.
Introduction
.
Idioms, proverbs, and phrases are common in everyday English. They are
frequently encountered with both written and spoken English. Even though idioms
may not make sense literally, you will have to learn the meaning and application of
each one. While this may appear to be a lot of effort, studying idioms is enjoyable,
especially in comparison English idioms to expressions in your own language. Idioms
can help you enhance your conversational abilities by demonstrating to native
speakers that you grasp the idiom's cultural meaning and context. One may more
practice this during English language learning courses, the more comfortable and
secure one will feel with conversational talents.
Main part. As every language has it’s own characteristics, in English language
we can learn English idioms including idioms of commonly used, idiomatic
expressions of work, nature, love, life and so on. Here, I have looked out some
commonly used idiomatic expressions in English:
Think outside the box
- try to solve problem in an original way.
Catch someone’s eye
- attract someone’s attention.
Example: Today your look is best. You have caught my eye, really!
Tie the knot
- to get married. She will tie the knot, tomorrow.
Break the habit-to stop doing something that is a habit, especially something
bad or harmful My son beats his brother. He has to break this habit.
All in all-all things are considered. Example: Every principle is all in all in
school syllabus.
An eyewash- cheating.
Example: His tears were nothing but an eyewash.
A dime a dozen
- Something common.
An arm and leg- expensive
. This house costs an arm and leg.
To cry over spilt milk-to express vain regrets for what cannot be recovered or undone.
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Example, you made a mistake, but there is no use crying over spilt milk.
Hold your horses- wait. Example, She will come after 20 minutes, please, hold your
horses.
Break a leg
! - used to wish good luck especially, to a performer.
When pigs fly
– something that will never happen. When pigs fly my sons tidy
up the home.
Many other authors used idioms or used established idioms to great effect in their
writings. Idioms are frequently used in dialogue to help make it more authentic and
to clarify a character's personality, education, or background. Here are some
additional idioms from classic literature:
Love is blind
- first seen in writing in Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales“ - For love is
blind all day, and may not see” - this phrase means that true love is really not
superficial, and it also encompasses the idea that love might come at any time.
White elephant
- something that cost a lot of money but has no useful
purpose.
Origin
. White elephants were previously adored in Thailand, and the animal
even graced the country's flag until 1917, but they were also used as a sort of subtle
punishment. According to mythology, if a Siamese king was angry by an underling
or rival, the king would give him a white elephant as a gift. While the creatures were
supposedly a prize, they were extremely costly to feed and shelter, and caring for one
often put the receiver into financial disaster. Although it's unclear whether any
specific monarch gave such a passive-aggressive gift, the term has since evolved to
apply to any burdensome item, pachyderm or otherwise.
Crocodile tears- false or affected tears.
Origin
. The term "crocodile tears" is now used to indicate a display of superficial
or artificial sorrow, but it comes from a medieval idea that crocodiles shed tears of
sadness while killing and devouring their prey. The legend derives from a book called
"The Travels of Sir John Mandeville," which was written in the 14th century. The
tome chronicles a courageous knight's experiences throughout his alleged journeys
through Asia, and it was a huge hit upon its initial appearance. Among the book’s
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many lies is a description of crocodiles that says, "These serpents sley men, and eat
them sobbing, and they have no tongue”.
Die hard-if a belief or way of behaving dies hard
, it takes a long time to
disappear, and is not given up easily: Old habits die hard.
Origin
. While the phrase “diehard” now usually refers to someone who is a firm
believer in a certain set of principles, it initially had a number of considerably more
literal connotations. The word was first used in the 1700s to characterize convicted
persons who struggled the most during their execution by hanging. After the Battle of
Albuera in the Napoleonic Wars in 1811, the phrase became even more common.
"Stand your ground and die hard... make the enemy pay dear for everyone of us!" a
wounded British officer called William Inglis allegedly urged his unit ahead during
the battle.
During the conflict, Inglis’ 57th Regiment suffered 75% losses, earning the
nickname “the Die hards.”
Spill the beans- To leak a secret.
Origin
. This one is a little tough because there isn't a simple answer. However,
most experts agree that this is most likely derived from an ancient Greek voting
system involving beans. People would cast their votes by placing one of two colored
beans in a vase, with white indicating yes and black or brown indicating nay. This
meant that if someone spilled the beans, the election's secret results would be exposed
sooner than planned. As a result, spilling the beans is synonymous with disclosing
confidential information.
Feeling under the weather- To feel ill.
Origin
. This idiom is thought to have nautical origins. A sailor would go beneath the
bow, which is the front part of the boat, when he was sick. This would ideally protect
him from harsh conditions, as he was already sick and worried about getting sicker.
As a result, an ill sailor could be regarded as “under the weather.
”The proof is in the pudding
- There is evidence to back up a previously
made claim, specifically evidence intrinsic to the object in question.
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Origin
. Old British expression "the proof of the pudding is in the eating" is
most likely to blame for the profusion of definitions. The abbreviated American
version is meaningless, whereas the British version makes at least some sense. As a
result, the idiom has been used in a variety of settings, with different interpretations
of the word. The British version, on the other hand, comes closest to the third option
listed above in terms of definition. The word proof was synonymous to test in the 16th
century, which is when this idiom is thought to have surfaced. Pudding was also very
different back then than it is now. Most likely, it was a minced-meat dish. As a result,
the actual test of a pudding dish's success is how it tastes, not its adornment or
appearance. In general, the only way to determine whether something is successful is
to use it for its intended purpose. The origins of the more American conceptions are
uncertain, however they are widely used.I have got it in the bag- Secured success.
Origin
: despite previous documented uses, the version of this phrase that has
become so generally recognized is due to the former New York Giants (now San
Francisco Giants) baseball franchise. It all started with a superstition. In 1916, the
Giants went on a 26-game winning streak. At the start of each game, a bag containing
72 extra baseballs would be placed on the field. These balls were used to replace any
that had been damaged by being knocked into the seats or had become too dirty.
During their incredible winning streak, the Giants believed that if they were ahead in
the ninth (and last) innings, bringing the ball bag off the field would guarantee their
victory because, According with team, they had the game under control.
Conclusion
. To conclude, idioms can decorate the writers’ works and speakers’
speech. They bring concrete meaning including no more two words and may be
prepositions. As every word has its origin, idiomatic expressions have their “history”
as their origin. It might be connected with some historical events. Or we can come
across connection with names of animals like “white elephant”, “when pigs fly” and
so on.
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REFERENCES
:
1. Cambridge Idioms Dictionary, 2nd edition, Cambridge, 2006.
2. English for everyone, English idioms, Thomas Booth 2019.
3. Merriam Webster dictionary,1828.
4. The Big Book of American Idioms: A Comprehensive Dictionary of English
Idioms, Expressions, Phrases and Sayings, Jackie Bolen, 2020
