Category: Idiom of the Day

To worry anxiously or be despondent about something or someone, especially at great length and in isolation. Watch the video

A person or thing that repeats itself over and over again. Likened to vinyl records that when severely scratched (i.e., “broken”) can loop over the same recorded segment endlessly. Watch the video

To come poorly prepared or equipped for some task, goal, competition, or confrontation. Often used in the negative as a forewarning or piece of advice. Watch the video

An act or plan whose ambition overreaches its capability, resulting in or potentially leading to difficulty or failure. Taken from the 1974 book A Bridge Too Far by Cornelius Ryan, which details the Allies’ disastrous attempts to capture German-controlled bridges in the Netherlands during World War II. Watch the video

Extremely bored to the point of distraction, frustration, or irritation. Watch the video

With maximum effort or enthusiasm; completely and without restraint. Primarily heard in Australia, New Zealand. Watch the video

The exposure of a competitive weakness in an opponent that arouses increased competitive aggression in others. Likened to the literal presence of blood in water that causes aquatic predators (such as sharks) to seek out and attack prey. Watch the video

Those who are exceptionally large, powerful, or influential will have more to lose when they fail, and their failure will be all the more dramatic or spectacular because of it. Watch the video

A fortuitous moment, opportunity, or turn of events of great consequence, especially as relates to one’s career. Watch the video

A woman who has won, or looks as if she could win, a beauty pageant. Watch the video