The common English expressions, “how you been?” and “how you doing?,” are casual greetings between friends, often used in casual contexts, such as a party. They are not as common or even considered acceptable in professional contexts, unless the speakers are friends. These expressions are similar in that both are formed by dropping the auxiliary […]

To buy a lemon means to buy a vehicle that looks good but is secretly broken. Buying vehicles is a major part of American life. Almost all Americans own cars, often more than one, and it is difficult to live without one, because America has poor public transportation, in general. So, buying a good car at […]

The English phrase Spit it Out is a command, meaning “say now what you are hesitating to say.” As you know, spit comes out of mouths and so makes a good metaphor for language. Also, spit it out is what we say to children when they put something in their mouths that they should not eat. So, the […]

Therein lies the problem is phrase is used to point to a problem in what has just been said: A:  The store is only 10 miles away; let’s go! B:  Therein lies the problem; my car is broken. The phrase can also be used by one speaker, alone:         Fat and sugar are most delicious; therein lies […]

The common English phrase, out with the old, in with the new, means “it is good to replace old things with new things”—“to get rid of the old and welcome the new.” People often say this phrase when getting a new leader, a new job, a new relationship, or a new style, for example. In […]