English speakers often say, “I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news, but…” and then they proceed to tell you some bad news! Funny how that works. Let’s take a closer look at this common English phrase. To bear, in this case, means to bring. It can also mean to carry or to endure, […]

The phrase, as evidenced by, is a high-style way to say as shown by. It says that the conclusion that is stated before as evidenced by is supported by the next phrase—the evidence mentioned. The following sentence examples will make this clear: She is feeling better, as evidenced by the smile on her face.She just […]

The devil’s tango is a humorous and old-fashioned euphemism for sexual intercourse. It reflects some interesting facts about American and British culture, especially before the 1960s. The tango is a dance style for couples, in which the dancers press their bodies together and move back and forth in a somewhat sexual and athletic manner. The dance […]

The English phrase, water under the bridge, is a metaphor for “a conflict in the past, which should no longer be a concern.” Imagine standing on a bridge over a river, looking at the water pass under you. Once that water has passed, it cannot come back to you; it is gone forever. There is […]

This common English saying, the bigger they are the harder they fall, derives from a truism, which is a true observation about the world, but is commonly used idiomatically. Let’s break it down! Harder in this phrase means with greater force—and therefore, more painfully. It could be based on the idea of a tree falling; […]