All posts by: JohnSailors

Better Know Your Dictionaries, Part 3: Idiom Dictionaries for Pain-in-the-Neck Vocabulary

So you have the dictionaries you need for spelling and definitions, but what happens when you come across a phrase like off the beaten path and wonder, “Is it path or track?” And while we’re on that track, is a person said to be from the wrong side of the track or the wrong side of the tracks? Here you need an idiom dictionary.

Idioms dictionaries.
Idioms dictionaries.

Thorns in Your Side

Idioms are phrases whose meanings are not clear from the words they are made up of. And they are not just scattered clichés. A solid idiom dictionary may have 10,000 or more entries including figures of speech, common similes, and phrasal verbs. A quick scan will show that most are, in fact, really common, in both formal and informal uses.

If this sounds like a pain in the neck, imagine being a non-native speaker and wondering why something that’s bothersome causes neck pain.

(more…)

Music to You Ears: Idioms for Emotions and the Mind

What does it mean if you have butterflies in your stomach? Have you been eating insects? Why would you say a stock market report is like music to your ears?

These are idioms for emotions. Let’s look at some common ones. How many of these have you learned?


(more…)

Better Know Your Dictionaries, Part 2: Religion, Politics, and Style

Noah Webster founded a dictionary tradition for American English, giving the country an American standard as opposed to the King’s English, in both word usage and spelling—his blue-backed speller books taught kids spelling for five generations. The Webster brand has long given authority to spelling decisions, even in dictionaries that often disagree with one another. So where are we now on spelling?

(more…)

Better Know Your Dictionaries, Part 1: How Webster Became a Household Name

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate, Webster's New World, American Heritage and Webster's Third New International Dictionary.
Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate, Webster’s New World, American Heritage and Webster’s Third.

If you’re working with the English language, as a writer, an editor, or a teacher, dictionaries are of course basic tools of the trade. It’s essential, therefore, to define them in terms of advantages and uses. This is part 1 of a series.

Noah Webster

History classes might not spend a lot of time on Noah Webster, but Webster’s contributions to the country in the earliest days were substantial.

Born in 1758, Webster grew up alongside a nation also just coming into its own. After studying at Yale University, he went on to become known as a lexicographer, textbook pioneer, spelling reformer, author, and editor, not to mention lawyer, political writer, member of the Connecticut House of Representatives, and founder of the Connecticut Society for the Abolition of Slavery.

(more…)

Point Lobos, a Northern California Nature and Photo Destination

Point Lobos is a small peninsula just south of Carmel and Monterey, California.

If you’re traveling in the San Francisco area and you like nature and photography, Point Lobos is a must-visit destination. Point Lobos State Natural Reserve offers the beauty of the Northern California coastline complete with seals, sea lions, otters, and even whales. It is also home to thousands of seabirds.

(more…)

An Historic Mispronunciation: A vs. An

“An historic moment,” proclaims the speaker, the an apparently lending weight to the event.

To which I have to reply: “Would you like an hot dog, or perhaps an hamburger?”

More and more we hear an used with historic and historical in American English, on TV and elsewhere, even where a hard H is clearly pronounced. At times it borders on the tongue twister.

(more…)

Fashion Designers Week

Donec vehicula erat ac semper feugiat. Nam ut justo et neque aliquet tempor at quis ex. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Sed id efficitur urna. Donec et nunc sapien. Suspendisse porta commodo ante, non vulputate libero commodo ut. Integer molestie massa sapien, vel pellentesque quam fringilla non. Mauris id tortor mauris. Donec lacinia, enim facilisis sollicitudin sodales, leo orci commodo mi, ac viverra massa urna a mi.

Suspendisse suscipit vel lectus vel egestas. Vestibulum mollis nisl non mi commodo, sit amet pretium risus commodo. Ut pharetra a urna at condimentum. Proin maximus, mauris quis varius tempor, tortor nisl ultrices purus, in molestie tellus quam non nibh. Proin porta venenatis pulvinar. Integer feugiat tempus nibh, vel tempor elit. Donec id sapien at risus imperdiet porta. Duis volutpat, odio vel aliquet tincidunt, turpis elit fringilla purus, vitae accumsan eros ex sed dui. Pellentesque sem purus, lacinia sed efficitur eget, egestas accumsan mauris. Quisque laoreet est ac nulla sollicitudin, quis sagittis ligula varius. Donec at eros blandit, consectetur elit a, condimentum tortor.

Lorem Ipsum Dolor

Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Curabitur vel leo eleifend, rhoncus magna eget, tempor sapien. Curabitur augue libero, rhoncus at dui a, venenatis bibendum libero. Integer nec urna sit amet purus porttitor ullamcorper eget nec lacus. Aenean consequat purus id felis semper, eu lobortis nibh condimentum. Nunc malesuada ipsum odio, nec aliquam dui tincidunt ac. Nullam euismod posuere ex, quis sodales mi viverra vitae. Proin quis dolor consequat, consequat ligula in, laoreet orci.

Nulla consectetur ornare dui eu laoreet. Donec euismod ligula vitae nibh sagittis convallis. Donec quis pellentesque urna. Mauris ut maximus mi, eget consequat purus.

Quisque laoreet sapien vel justo ornare efficitur. Nullam efficitur dui id augue interdum molestie. Vivamus eu purus vel est commodo varius. Vestibulum mattis nulla eu tortor eleifend fermentum. Aenean mattis metus in purus rhoncus lobortis. Aliquam lorem nisi, mattis eu pharetra non, gravida quis mauris. Nulla et velit gravida, auctor nisi at, gravida ante. Proin lobortis tincidunt ligula non sagittis. Proin dignissim quis arcu nec aliquam.

HairStyle Ideas for Brides

Donec vehicula erat ac semper feugiat. Nam ut justo et neque aliquet tempor at quis ex. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Sed id efficitur urna. Donec et nunc sapien. Suspendisse porta commodo ante, non vulputate libero commodo ut. Integer molestie massa sapien, vel pellentesque quam fringilla non. Mauris id tortor mauris. Donec lacinia, enim facilisis sollicitudin sodales, leo orci commodo mi, ac viverra massa urna a mi.

Suspendisse suscipit vel lectus vel egestas. Vestibulum mollis nisl non mi commodo, sit amet pretium risus commodo. Ut pharetra a urna at condimentum. Proin maximus, mauris quis varius tempor, tortor nisl ultrices purus, in molestie tellus quam non nibh. Proin porta venenatis pulvinar. Integer feugiat tempus nibh, vel tempor elit. Donec id sapien at risus imperdiet porta. Duis volutpat, odio vel aliquet tincidunt, turpis elit fringilla purus, vitae accumsan eros ex sed dui. Pellentesque sem purus, lacinia sed efficitur eget, egestas accumsan mauris. Quisque laoreet est ac nulla sollicitudin, quis sagittis ligula varius. Donec at eros blandit, consectetur elit a, condimentum tortor.

Lorem Ipsum Dolor

Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Curabitur vel leo eleifend, rhoncus magna eget, tempor sapien. Curabitur augue libero, rhoncus at dui a, venenatis bibendum libero. Integer nec urna sit amet purus porttitor ullamcorper eget nec lacus. Aenean consequat purus id felis semper, eu lobortis nibh condimentum. Nunc malesuada ipsum odio, nec aliquam dui tincidunt ac. Nullam euismod posuere ex, quis sodales mi viverra vitae. Proin quis dolor consequat, consequat ligula in, laoreet orci.

Nulla consectetur ornare dui eu laoreet. Donec euismod ligula vitae nibh sagittis convallis. Donec quis pellentesque urna. Mauris ut maximus mi, eget consequat purus.

Quisque laoreet sapien vel justo ornare efficitur. Nullam efficitur dui id augue interdum molestie. Vivamus eu purus vel est commodo varius. Vestibulum mattis nulla eu tortor eleifend fermentum. Aenean mattis metus in purus rhoncus lobortis. Aliquam lorem nisi, mattis eu pharetra non, gravida quis mauris. Nulla et velit gravida, auctor nisi at, gravida ante. Proin lobortis tincidunt ligula non sagittis. Proin dignissim quis arcu nec aliquam.

Travel Guide: 24 Hours in Cuba

Donec vehicula erat ac semper feugiat. Nam ut justo et neque aliquet tempor at quis ex. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Sed id efficitur urna. Donec et nunc sapien. Suspendisse porta commodo ante, non vulputate libero commodo ut. Integer molestie massa sapien, vel pellentesque quam fringilla non. Mauris id tortor mauris. Donec lacinia, enim facilisis sollicitudin sodales, leo orci commodo mi, ac viverra massa urna a mi.

Suspendisse suscipit vel lectus vel egestas. Vestibulum mollis nisl non mi commodo, sit amet pretium risus commodo. Ut pharetra a urna at condimentum. Proin maximus, mauris quis varius tempor, tortor nisl ultrices purus, in molestie tellus quam non nibh. Proin porta venenatis pulvinar. Integer feugiat tempus nibh, vel tempor elit. Donec id sapien at risus imperdiet porta. Duis volutpat, odio vel aliquet tincidunt, turpis elit fringilla purus, vitae accumsan eros ex sed dui. Pellentesque sem purus, lacinia sed efficitur eget, egestas accumsan mauris. Quisque laoreet est ac nulla sollicitudin, quis sagittis ligula varius. Donec at eros blandit, consectetur elit a, condimentum tortor.

Lorem Ipsum Dolor

Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Curabitur vel leo eleifend, rhoncus magna eget, tempor sapien. Curabitur augue libero, rhoncus at dui a, venenatis bibendum libero. Integer nec urna sit amet purus porttitor ullamcorper eget nec lacus. Aenean consequat purus id felis semper, eu lobortis nibh condimentum. Nunc malesuada ipsum odio, nec aliquam dui tincidunt ac. Nullam euismod posuere ex, quis sodales mi viverra vitae. Proin quis dolor consequat, consequat ligula in, laoreet orci.

Nulla consectetur ornare dui eu laoreet. Donec euismod ligula vitae nibh sagittis convallis. Donec quis pellentesque urna. Mauris ut maximus mi, eget consequat purus.

Quisque laoreet sapien vel justo ornare efficitur. Nullam efficitur dui id augue interdum molestie. Vivamus eu purus vel est commodo varius. Vestibulum mattis nulla eu tortor eleifend fermentum. Aenean mattis metus in purus rhoncus lobortis. Aliquam lorem nisi, mattis eu pharetra non, gravida quis mauris. Nulla et velit gravida, auctor nisi at, gravida ante. Proin lobortis tincidunt ligula non sagittis. Proin dignissim quis arcu nec aliquam.

The Perfect Coachella Style

Donec vehicula erat ac semper feugiat. Nam ut justo et neque aliquet tempor at quis ex. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Sed id efficitur urna. Donec et nunc sapien. Suspendisse porta commodo ante, non vulputate libero commodo ut. Integer molestie massa sapien, vel pellentesque quam fringilla non. Mauris id tortor mauris. Donec lacinia, enim facilisis sollicitudin sodales, leo orci commodo mi, ac viverra massa urna a mi.

Suspendisse suscipit vel lectus vel egestas. Vestibulum mollis nisl non mi commodo, sit amet pretium risus commodo. Ut pharetra a urna at condimentum. Proin maximus, mauris quis varius tempor, tortor nisl ultrices purus, in molestie tellus quam non nibh. Proin porta venenatis pulvinar. Integer feugiat tempus nibh, vel tempor elit. Donec id sapien at risus imperdiet porta. Duis volutpat, odio vel aliquet tincidunt, turpis elit fringilla purus, vitae accumsan eros ex sed dui. Pellentesque sem purus, lacinia sed efficitur eget, egestas accumsan mauris. Quisque laoreet est ac nulla sollicitudin, quis sagittis ligula varius. Donec at eros blandit, consectetur elit a, condimentum tortor.

girl-pony-tail

Coachella Fashion Style

Lorem Ipsum Dolor

Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Curabitur vel leo eleifend, rhoncus magna eget, tempor sapien. Curabitur augue libero, rhoncus at dui a, venenatis bibendum libero. Integer nec urna sit amet purus porttitor ullamcorper eget nec lacus. Aenean consequat purus id felis semper, eu lobortis nibh condimentum. Nunc malesuada ipsum odio, nec aliquam dui tincidunt ac. Nullam euismod posuere ex, quis sodales mi viverra vitae. Proin quis dolor consequat, consequat ligula in, laoreet orci.

Nulla consectetur ornare dui eu laoreet. Donec euismod ligula vitae nibh sagittis convallis. Donec quis pellentesque urna. Mauris ut maximus mi, eget consequat purus.

Quisque laoreet sapien vel justo ornare efficitur. Nullam efficitur dui id augue interdum molestie. Vivamus eu purus vel est commodo varius. Vestibulum mattis nulla eu tortor eleifend fermentum. Aenean mattis metus in purus rhoncus lobortis. Aliquam lorem nisi, mattis eu pharetra non, gravida quis mauris. Nulla et velit gravida, auctor nisi at, gravida ante. Proin lobortis tincidunt ligula non sagittis. Proin dignissim quis arcu nec aliquam.