Idiomatic Expressions
1. Barking up the Wrong Tree• doing something that will not get you the result you want;
• to be wrong about the reason for something.
Interesting fact about Barking up the Wrong Tree
The origin of the idiom 'barking up the wrong tree' dates back to early 1800s America, when hunting with packs of dogs was very popular. The term was used literally at first, when wily prey animals such as raccoons would trick dogs into believing they were up a certain tree when in fact they had escaped. Thus, dogs barking at the base of an empty tree were said to be “barking up the wrong tree.”
Example sentences
→ I tried to get information from the receptionist about the director but she was just a temporary employee so I was barking up the wrong tree.
→ My roommate has been flattering her professor to try to become a teaching assistant but she's barking up the wrong tree since the department chair makes those decisions.
→ My brother keeps bugging my sister for money but he's barking up the wrong tree because she's broke.
→ You're barking up the wrong tree if you think you'll get into Harvard with your grades.
2. Raining cats and dogs
• too much heavy rain
• raining tremendously
Example Sentences
→ It’s raining cats and dogs I am worried about how my kids will reach home.
→ It rains cats and dogs when the Monsoon comes in India.
→ How will you go to play Cricket today? It’s raining cats and dogs.
→ When we were returning from the picnic, it was raining cats and dogs.
→ I think it’s not safe to drive the car now - it’s raining cats and dogs.
3. Hot potato
A sensitive situation or controversial issue that is difficult to handle and thus gets passed from one person to the next
Example sentences
→ In the USA, gun control remains a hot potato in politics - even after mass shootings at schools.
→ Raising salaries for non-managerial staff has become a hot potato at my office.
→ Mediterranean migrants are Europe's hot potato.
→ President Trump's trade wars are becoming a hot potato for farmers in several states who are negatively affected by tariff wars with foreign trading partners.
→ Immigration is a real hot potato in the United States today since the President declared it a national emergency.
4. Once in a blue moon
This poetic phrase refers to something extremely rare in occurrence. A blue moon is the term commonly used for a second full moon
• Very Rarely
• Once After a long time
Example Sentences
→ The earthquakes hits once in a blue moon in this part of the earth, we never felt it.
→ I don’t know why she bought that music system - she uses it once in a blue moon.
→ “I think my grandson doesn’t love me anymore, he comes to see me only once in a blue moon.”
→ My dad is working in Scotland and he visits home once in a blue moon, every couple of years.
→ Although I trust in god, I visit that famous temple only once in a blue moon.
Origin
The concept behind the origination of this idiom is second but rare appearance of the full moon in same month. Blue moon is the full moon that appears second time in same calendar month and this phenomenon happens only once in 32 months.
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