{"id":17,"date":"2017-09-04T05:53:39","date_gmt":"2017-09-04T05:53:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/?page_id=17"},"modified":"2017-09-18T13:57:45","modified_gmt":"2017-09-18T13:57:45","slug":"idioms-adages-in-english","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/idioms-adages-in-english\/","title":{"rendered":"Idioms &#038; Adages in English"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"twelve columns\" style=\"margin-top: 10%;\">\n<div class=\"advance\"><a class=\"button button-primary\" href=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/stuck-on-you-roots-affixes\">\u2b05 Previous Lesson<\/a>\u00a0<a class=\"button\" href=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/vocabulary\">Workshop Index<\/a>\u00a0<a class=\"button button-primary\" href=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/in-the-meantime-denotation-connotation\">Next Lesson \u27a1<\/a><\/div>\n<p><!-- CONTENT BEGINS HERE --><\/p>\n<h1 id=\"title\">Idioms &amp; Adages in English<\/h1>\n<h3>Objective<\/h3>\n<p>In this lesson we\u2019ll look first at English idioms and adages derived from popular culture through the ages, and then\u00a0turn to foreign-language phrases commonly used in English<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Previously Covered:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>The previous lesson took a more linguistic approach to English words. This lesson will explore their literary\u00a0aspects. Use what you learned about suffixes and prefixes to assist you in the following lessons and quiz\u00a0questions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<section>\n<p class=\"lesson_subhead\"><strong> Putting Words in Your Mouth: Idioms Using Verbs<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em> <abbr title=\"A phrase whose significance comes from general usage or convention rather than the literal definition of the words that comprise it; a phrase whose significance is determined by a specific culture and which therefore cannot be translated\">Idioms<\/abbr><\/em><\/strong> are expressions or constructions whose meanings do not logically follow the meaning of the individual words that\u00a0make them up. They can also be phrases that seem to violate a grammatical precept. Confused? Here are a few examples\u00a0to illustrate:<\/p>\n<p class=\"lesson_text\" align=\"center\"><strong><em> Couch potato <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"lesson_text\" align=\"center\"><strong><em> If I had my druthers <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"lesson_text\" align=\"center\"><strong><em> On the dot <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"lesson_text\" align=\"center\"><strong><em> Rub someone the wrong way<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"lesson_text\">Now that you\u2019ve been reminded of some idioms, you can see how the literal translations of the\u00a0above phrases do not match what the phrases have come to represent over time. Similarly, <strong><em><abbr title=\" An idiom or phrase whose effectiveness has been drained through overuse, e.g. between a rock and a hard place or all ears\">clich\u00e9s,\u00a0<\/abbr><\/em><\/strong>which may or may not be idioms, refer to words or phrases drained of meaning through overuse. While sayings such as \u201cto kill two birds with one stone\u201d are considered clich\u00e9s in classroom English, some idioms using verbs are useful for both readers and writers:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"lesson_text\"><strong><em> To pay the piper:<\/em><\/strong> to bear the cost or consequences (from the proverb \u201cHe who dances\u00a0must pay the piper\u201d; a variation is <strong><em>to pay the fiddler<\/em><\/strong>)<\/li>\n<li class=\"lesson_text\"><strong><em> To play devil\u2019s advocate<\/em><\/strong> : to take a contrary position for the sake of arguing (from\u00a0the Roman Catholic official who looks critically at candidates for beatification or canonization)<\/li>\n<li class=\"lesson_text\"><strong><em> To cast pearls before swine<\/em><\/strong> : to waste something valuable on an unworthy recipient\u00a0(from Jesus\u2019 warning to his disciples not to preach before unreceptive audiences)<\/li>\n<li class=\"lesson_text\"><strong><em> To look a gift horse in the mouth<\/em><\/strong> : to appear ungrateful for a gift by questioning\u00a0its value (from the fact that a horse\u2019s age can be determined by checking its teeth)<\/li>\n<li class=\"lesson_text\"><strong><em> Hoist by your own petard<\/em><\/strong> : hurt by one\u2019s own plot or trap (a phrase used by\u00a0Shakespeare\u2019s Hamlet; a petard was an explosive device for blowing up doors and walls)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"lesson_text\">What some people consider an effective idiom, others may consider a clich\u00e9. Either way, idioms\u00a0and clich\u00e9s, when used judiciously, add color and interest to writing of all kinds.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<section class=\"question\">\n<h4>Question<\/h4>\n<div>\n<p>Which idiom means bribing or giving a gift to someone to ease the way?<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Give the devil his due<\/li>\n<li>Give a sop to Cerberus<\/li>\n<li>Give up the ghost<\/li>\n<li>Give way<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<p><a class=\"button button-primary q-answer\"> Reveal Answer <\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"q-reveal\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"lesson_text\"><span class=\"lesson_text\">The correct answer is B. The phrase &#8220;to give a sop to Cerberus&#8221; originates in the ancient Greek custom of placing a cake in the hands of the dead to help them pass Cerberus, a vicious beast, on their way to Hades<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<hr \/>\n<div>\n<p class=\"lesson_subhead\"><strong>Apple-Polishers: Idioms Using Nouns<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A number of useful adages employ nouns. Here are some examples:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em> Albatross<\/em><\/strong>: a constant, heavy burden (from Samuel Taylor Coleridge\u2019s \u201cRime of the\u00a0Ancient Mariner\u201d)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Apple of discord<\/em><\/strong>: cause of dispute (from the golden apple tossed by Eris, goddess\u00a0of discord, that initiated events leading to the Trojan War)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Sour grapes<\/em><\/strong>: criticism of something that is desirable and unattainable (from\u00a0Aesop\u2019s fable about a fox who couldn\u2019t reach a cluster of grapes)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Scapegoat<\/em><\/strong>: an individual who wrongly bears the blame of others (from the Old\u00a0Testament referring to a goat who symbolically carried the sins of the people to the wilderness)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"question\">\n<h4>Question<\/h4>\n<div>\n<p>A system combining penalties and rewards is called:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>crime and punishment<\/li>\n<li>bells and whistles<\/li>\n<li>luck and Lucifer<\/li>\n<li>carrot and stick<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<p><a class=\"button button-primary q-answer\"> Reveal Answer <\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"q-reveal\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"lesson_text\">The correct answer is D. Originating from the idea of tying a carrot to a stick to get a donkey to move, the phrase &#8221; carrot and stick&#8221; has changed meaning to include punishment along with enticement. <\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"lesson_subhead\"><strong>Speaking in Tongues: Foreign Phrases in English<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Of equal importance to the idioms, clich\u00e9s, and adages above are the many foreign phrases commonly used in the\u00a0English language. This section offers a <strong><em> <abbr title=\" From Swedish, meaning \u201ca buffet or a varying mixture\u201d\">smorgasbord <\/abbr><\/em><\/strong> of phrases for your <strong><em><abbr title=\" delight or pleasure, from the Latin delectare, to delight\">delectation<\/abbr>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"lesson_subhead\"><strong> Know Thy Classics: Greek and Latin Phrases<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Most often, Greek and Latin phrases occur in specific contexts, such as law and science. Here\u2019s a list of some\u00a0useful phrases:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em> Hoi polloi<\/em><\/strong>: the common people (from Greek \u201cthe many,\u201d often used in disparagement)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Flagrante delicto<\/em><\/strong>: in the act (from Latin \u201cwhile the crime is blazing\u201d)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Memento mori<\/em><\/strong>: a reminder of one\u2019s mortality (from Latin \u201cbe mindful of dying\u201d)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Nolens volens<\/em><\/strong>: willingly or not (from Latin \u201cunwillingly willingly\u201d)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Per se<\/em><\/strong>: of, in, or by itself; intrinsically (from Latin \u201cthrough itself&#8221;)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Quid pro quo<\/em><\/strong>: something for something (from Latin \u201cwhat for what\u201d)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Sui generis<\/em><\/strong>: unique (from Latin \u201cof its own kind\u201d)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This list cannot go on <strong><em><abbr title=\" Latin word meaning \u201cforever\u201d\"> ad infinitum<\/abbr><\/em><\/strong>!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<section class=\"question\">\n<h4>Question<\/h4>\n<div>\n<p>What is the Latin phrase for \u201can act that justifies war\u201d?<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Casus belli<\/li>\n<li>Ex cathedra<\/li>\n<li>Ipso facto<\/li>\n<li>Sic transit Gloria mundi<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<p><a class=\"button button-primary q-answer\"> Reveal Answer <\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"q-reveal\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"lesson_text\">The correct answer is A. <em> Casus belli<\/em> translates as \u201coccasion of war.\u201d<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<hr \/>\n<p class=\"lesson_subhead\"><strong> Romantic English\u2014French, Spanish, and Italian Phrases<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>When looking for <strong><em> <abbr title=\"From French, meaning \u201cthe right word\u201d\">le mot juste<\/abbr><\/em><\/strong>(exactly the right word or phrasing), English speakers and writers often turn to the Romance languages. The extended\u00a0presence of the French in England during the Middle Ages, not to mention the history of wars between the two\u00a0countries, has led to a large number of French phrases being incorporated into the English language. Here\u2019s a\u00a0<strong><em><abbr title=\" From French, meaning ' a small amount '\">soup\u00e7on<\/abbr><\/em><\/strong> of phrases from\u00a0each of these languages:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em> Alfresco<\/em><\/strong>: in the open air (from Italian, \u201cin the fresh\u201d)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Aficionado<\/em><\/strong>: an ardent admirer (from Spanish, <em>aficionar<\/em>, \u201cto induce liking\u00a0for\u201d)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Cause c\u00e9l\u00e8bre<\/em><\/strong>: an issue or person arousing widespread interest (from French,\u00a0\u201ccelebrated case\u201d)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Laissez-faire<\/em><\/strong>: a policy of noninterference (from French, \u201clet do\u201d)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Mano a mano<\/em><\/strong>: one on one, face to face (from Spanish, \u201chand to hand\u201d)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Nota bene<\/em><\/strong>: take note (from Italian, \u201cnote well\u201d)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Roman \u00e0 clef<\/em><\/strong>: a novel where real people and events are disguised as fiction (from\u00a0French, \u201ca novel with a key\u201d)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<section class=\"question\">\n<h4>Question<\/h4>\n<div>\n<p>Which of the following answers means an act that is completed and presumed irreversible?<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>fait accompli<\/li>\n<li>faux pas<\/li>\n<li>fain\u00e9ant<\/li>\n<li>fin de si\u00e8cle<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<p><a class=\"button button-primary q-answer\"> Reveal Answer <\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"q-reveal\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"lesson_text\">The correct answer is A. From French, <strong><em> fait accompli<\/em><\/strong> means \u201caccomplished fact.\u201d<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<hr \/>\n<p class=\"lesson_subhead\"><strong>English Fest\u2014German Phrases<\/strong><\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">Many German words are cognate to English words and have almost the same meaning.<\/p>\n<table cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"10\" align=\"center\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"3\" valign=\"top\">\n<div align=\"center\"><span class=\"tabletitle_td style1\"><strong>German\/English Cognates<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"213\">\n<p class=\"lesson_subhead\" align=\"center\">German Word<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"213\">\n<p class=\"lesson_subhead\" align=\"center\">Meaning of Word<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"213\">\n<p class=\"lesson_subhead\" align=\"center\">English Cognate<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"213\">\n<p align=\"center\"><em> nacht <\/em><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"213\">\n<p align=\"center\">night<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"213\">\n<p align=\"center\">night<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"213\">\n<p align=\"center\"><em> lachen <\/em><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"213\">\n<p align=\"center\">to laugh<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"213\">\n<p align=\"center\">to laugh<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"213\">\n<p align=\"center\"><em> finger <\/em><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"213\">\n<p align=\"center\">finger<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"213\">\n<p align=\"center\">finger<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>German words and phrases that appear in English texts tend to refer to literary and philosophical ideas. Here\u2019s a<br \/>\nshort list:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em> Doppelg\u00e4nger<\/em><\/strong>: a look-alike, double, or alter ego (literally \u201cdouble goer\u201d)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Flak<\/em><\/strong>: heavy criticism or opposition (from the bursting shells fired by\u00a0<strong>FL<\/strong>ieger<strong>A<\/strong>bwehr<strong>K<\/strong>anone, an antiaircraft gun)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Schadenfreude<\/em><\/strong>: joy over someone\u2019s misfortunes (literally \u201cdamage joy\u201d)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Wunderkind<\/em><\/strong>: a child prodigy (literally \u201cmiracle child\u201d)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<section class=\"question\">\n<h4>Question<\/h4>\n<div>\n<p>Which of the following means a replacement that is often inferior in quality?<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Kitsch<\/li>\n<li>Glitz<\/li>\n<li>Lied<\/li>\n<li>Ersatz<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<p><a class=\"button button-primary q-answer\"> Reveal Answer <\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"q-reveal\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"lesson_text\">The correct answer is D. Literally \u201csubstitute,\u201d ersatz is an adjective implying the replacement is either artificial or otherwise reduced in quality.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<hr \/>\n<p class=\"lesson_subhead\"><strong> Name-Dropping\u2014Literary Allusions<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Previously, we examined the important linguistic influence of Greek and Latin on the English language. The following\u00a0lesson will emphasize how Greek and Roman mythology has affected English language and literature. We\u2019ll also discuss\u00a0the Bible and how it continues to serve as a valuable source of both English vocabulary and fodder for critical\u00a0literary works.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"lesson_subhead\"><strong> English as Trojan Horse<\/strong><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"><strong> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/Images\/english\/images\/TrojanHorseMythImage.jpg\" alt=\"19 th Century etching of the Trojan Horse\" width=\"301\" height=\"200\" \/><br \/>\n<\/strong><strong class=\"caption\"> 19th Century etching of the Trojan Horse<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>English contains a surprising number of vocabulary words whose origin can be traced back to classical mythology and\u00a0history. Here\u2019s a <strong><em><abbr title=\"To tempt; from a Greek myth in which a man named Tantalus is tormented in Hades by being constantly just out of reach of the food and water to appease his insatiable hunger and thirst.\">tantalizing<\/abbr><\/em><\/strong> list:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em> Colossal<\/em><\/strong>: hugely, incredibly enormous (from the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the seven\u00a0wonders of the ancient world)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Hector<\/em><\/strong>: to bully or swagger (what Hector did to Achilles in the <em>Iliad<\/em>)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Hermaphrodite<\/em><\/strong>: having both male and female sexes (from Hermaphroditus, son of Hermes\u00a0and Aphrodite, whose body united with the nymph Salmacis)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Mercurial<\/em><\/strong>: volatile and unpredictable in temperament (from Mercury, god of travel and\u00a0thievery)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Sisyphean<\/em><\/strong>: endlessly toilsome and futile (from Sisyphus, doomed to keep rolling a\u00a0rock up a mountain in Hades only to have it fall when he nears the top)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<section class=\"question\">\n<h4>Question<\/h4>\n<div>\n<p>A complacent person who has stopped striving for goals is ______________<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>a sybarite.<\/li>\n<li>a spartan.<\/li>\n<li>resting on his or her laurels.<\/li>\n<li>between Scylla and Charybdis.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<p><a class=\"button button-primary q-answer\"> Reveal Answer <\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"q-reveal\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"lesson_text\">The correct answer is C. Crowns of laurel were used to signify honor in ancient Greece. When one rests or sits on one\u2019s laurels, one stops trying to achieve honor or glory.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<hr \/>\n<p class=\"lesson_subhead\"><strong> Words that Lead to Rome<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>English literary allusions owe an equal debt to Latin and Roman culture. Follow this <strong><em><abbr title=\"from Latin (rubrica meaning red earth or ochre) via Old French (rubriche); the modern meaning, ' heading' or 'category,' derives from the headings in religious services, which were often in red ink. \">rubric<\/abbr><\/em><\/strong> to learn more:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em> Janus-faced<\/em><\/strong>: hypocritical (from Janus, the two-faced god; January is named for him)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Jovial<\/em><\/strong>: cheerful (from Jove, a name for Jupiter, seen as a source of happiness)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Martial<\/em><\/strong>: warlike (from Mars, the god of war)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Pyrrhic<\/em><\/strong>: where the cost or loss outweighs the benefit (from Pyrrhus, who won a battle but\u00a0lost most of his soldiers)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Stoic<\/em><\/strong>: indifferent to pleasure or pain (from the Stoics, a school of philosophy)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<section class=\"question\">\n<h4>Question<\/h4>\n<div>\n<p>A relationship that does not include romantic or physical love is ______________<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>platonic.<\/li>\n<li>spartan.<\/li>\n<li>jovial.<\/li>\n<li>lunatic.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<p><a class=\"button button-primary q-answer\"> Reveal Answer <\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"q-reveal\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"lesson_text\">The correct answer is A. A <em>platonic<\/em> relationship is strictly spiritual in its love.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"lesson_subhead\">The Testament of English<\/p>\n<p>The Bible has exerted an equal presence in the English language. It would be <strong><em><abbr title=\"Wasteful; the first English usage is a reference to the story of the ' prodigal son' from the Bible.\">prodigal<\/abbr><\/em><\/strong> not to learn as many Biblical allusions as you can. Here is a brief list:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em>Babel<\/em><\/strong>: confusion of sounds (from the Tower of Babel)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>Golgotha<\/em><\/strong>: a place of great suffering (from Golgotha or Calvary)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>Gospel<\/em><\/strong>: an idea that\u2019s unquestionably true (from Gospel, a contraction of Anglo-Saxon\u00a0words for \u201cgood\u201d and \u201cnews\u201d)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>Nimrod<\/em><\/strong>: a hunter (from Nimrod, great-grandson of Noah)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Philistine<\/em><\/strong>: an ignorant and materialistic person (from Philistines, enemies of the\u00a0Jews)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<section class=\"question\">\n<h4>Question<\/h4>\n<div>\n<p>A person who believes that money is the root of all evil shuns _______________<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>philistines.<\/li>\n<li>mammon.<\/li>\n<li>nimrods.<\/li>\n<li>leviathans.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<p><a class=\"button button-primary q-answer\"> Reveal Answer <\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"q-reveal\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"lesson_text\">The correct answer is B. <em>Mammon<\/em> is any material good that draws one away from the spiritual path.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<hr \/>\n<p class=\"lesson_subhead\"><strong> The Rest of the Story<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The English language also draws liberally from other important pieces of literature. Here is a brief list:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em> Faustian<\/em><\/strong>: seeking pleasure with no concern for future costs (from Faust, who sold his\u00a0soul to the Devil in exchange for knowledge and power)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Gargantuan<\/em><\/strong>: incredibly huge (from Rabelais\u2019 <em>Gargantua\u00a0<\/em><em>and Pantagruel<\/em>)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em> Lilliputian<\/em><\/strong>: small or petty (from Swift\u2019s <em>Gulliver\u2019s Travels<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<section class=\"question\">\n<h4>Question<\/h4>\n<div>\n<p>What is the term for words that are unintentionally, and often humorously, misused?<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Yahoos<\/li>\n<li>Spoonerisms<\/li>\n<li>Falstaffian<\/li>\n<li>Malapropisms<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<p><a class=\"button button-primary q-answer\"> Reveal Answer <\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"q-reveal\" style=\"display: none;\">\n<p><span class=\"lesson_text\">The correct answer is D. Malapropism comes from R. B. Sheridan&#8217;s comedy <em>The<br \/>\nRivals<\/em>, in which the character Mrs. Malaprop misuses words to great comic effect.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"advance\"><a class=\"button button-primary\" href=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/stuck-on-you-roots-affixes\">\u2b05 Previous Lesson<\/a>\u00a0<a class=\"button\" href=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/vocabulary\">Workshop Index<\/a>\u00a0<a class=\"button button-primary\" href=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/in-the-meantime-denotation-connotation\">Next Lesson \u27a1<\/a><\/div>\n<p><a class=\"backtotop\" href=\"#title\">Back to Top<\/a><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u2b05 Previous Lesson\u00a0Workshop Index\u00a0Next Lesson \u27a1 Idioms &amp; Adages in English Objective In this lesson we\u2019ll look first at English idioms and adages derived from popular culture through the ages, and then\u00a0turn to foreign-language phrases commonly used in English &nbsp; Previously Covered: The previous lesson took a more linguistic approach to English words. This lesson [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-17","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":411,"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17\/revisions\/411"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}