The idiom "make a pig's ear of something" is believed to have originated in the UK, where a pig's ear is a cheap and unappetizing cut of meat. The phrase is often used in a humorous or lighthearted way to describe situations where someone has made a mistake or failed to do something properly.

What is the origin of the idiom "make a pig's ear of something" and when to use it?

to [make] a pig's ear of {sth}

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The idiom "the buck stops here" can be traced back to the game of poker, where a "buck" was a marker that indicated which player was the dealer. The phrase is often used in business and political contexts to indicate that a leader or manager is willing to take responsibility for the outcomes of their decisions and actions.

What is the origin of the idiom "the buck stops here" and when to use it?

the buck [stop] (here|there)

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The idiom "play into someone's hands" is believed to have originated in the game of chess, where a player might make a move that appears advantageous, but actually helps their opponent win the game. The phrase is often used to express frustration or disappointment when someone realizes that their actions have inadvertently helped someone else.

What is the origin of the idiom "play into someone's hands" and when to use it?

to [play] (into|in) {one's} hands

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The idiom "bring a knife to a gunfight" originated in the American West during the late 19th century, a time when gunfights were a common occurrence. It was a time when people carried guns for protection and disputes were often settled with a duel. Today, the idiom is used in a more figurative sense to describe any situation where someone is ill-equipped or unprepared to deal with a difficult challenge or task.

What is the origin of the idiom "bring a knife to a gunfight" and when to use it?

to [bring] a knife to a gunfight

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The idiom "more holes than Swiss cheese" originated from the fact that Swiss cheese is a type of cheese with distinctive holes or "eyes". The cheese is made by introducing bacteria into the milk, which produces gas as it consumes the lactose. This gas forms pockets within the cheese, which eventually become the holes. This phrase is used to describe something that is full of flaws, inconsistencies, or errors.

What is the origin of the idiom "more holes than Swiss cheese" and when to use it?

more holes than Swiss cheese

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The idiom "Himalayan blunder" originated from a military and political incident in 1962, when the Indian Army suffered a humiliating defeat against the Chinese People's Liberation Army in a border conflict in the Himalayas. This phrase is used to describe a colossal mistake or a disastrous error in judgment, often with far-reaching consequences.

What is the origin of the idiom "Himalayan blunder" and when to use it?

Himalayan blunder

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The idiom "overshoot the mark" originated from archery, where the "mark" refers to the target that the archer aims for. When an archer shoots an arrow and it goes beyond the mark, they have overshot the mark. It can be used to describe a range of scenarios where someone has overreached, overestimated, or over-committed themselves, resulting in a negative outcome or consequence.

What is the origin of the idiom "overshoot the mark" and when to use it?

to [overshoot] the mark

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The idiom "false move" originated from the game of chess, where a "false move" refers to a move that puts a player's pieces in danger or fails to advance their position. It can be used to describe a wide range of situations, such as in business, sports, or personal life, where a single misstep or miscalculation can have negative consequences.

What is the origin of the idiom "false move" and when to use it?

false [move]

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The idiom "slip of the tongue" originated from the idea that speech is a deliberate act that requires conscious control, and that sometimes this control can be momentarily lost or "slip" due to various reasons. The phrase is commonly used to describe situations where someone says something embarrassing, inappropriate, or offensive by accident.

What is the origin of the idiom "slip of the tongue" and when to use it?

[slip] of the tongue

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The idiom "like turkeys voting for Christmas" originated from the tradition of eating turkey as a Christmas meal, where turkeys are essentially voting for their own demise. The idiom is often used in a political context to describe situations where a group of people support a policy or politician that will ultimately harm them, such as when low-income voters support tax cuts for the wealthy or when workers support policies that lead to job losses.

What is the origin of the idiom "like turkeys voting for Christmas" and when to use it?

like turkeys voting for Christmas

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The idiom "bring to a grinding halt" originated from the world of machinery, where "grinding" refers to the process of removing material by rubbing it against a hard surface. It can be used to describe a range of scenarios, such as when a business or economy suffers a major downturn, when a project or plan fails, or when a person's life takes an unexpected turn for the worse.

What is the origin of the idiom "bring to a grinding halt" and when to use it?

to [bring] {sth} to a grinding halt

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Discover how English idioms like "more holes than Swiss cheese" and "slip of the tongue" relate to mistakes and poor performances in English.

English Idioms for "Mistakes & Poor Performance"