BY KYLE LOVERN
My dad and many others from his generation had a lot of sayings that had different meanings. Some are easy to decipher with some common sense. But some others may make you think.
Many of us “baby boomers” may have heard them, but the younger generation may have no idea what they mean.
I’ve put together a few of those.
If it is easier said than done, it is saying something is easy, but doing the task takes some effort.
If you are drinking from a fire hose, it means someone is deluged or overwhelmed with information all at once.
If you are long in the tooth, it is someone or something old or worn out.
That is music to my ears is hearing news or something very pleasing.
If you have a chip on your shoulder it means being angry about something that happened in the past or having a grudge over what happened.
A dime a dozen is something abundant and simple to find.
You can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube. This means once some information comes out, you can’t take it back.
A fool and his money are soon parted. This is someone acting foolish with their money and can easily lose it due to careless behavior.
That’s a piece of cake is a saying that means a task that is simple to complete, requiring little effort.
An arm and a leg is something that is very expensive and costs a high price. (I say this all the time about buying gas for the car.)
Back to square one is a popular saying that means having to start over again due to a failed attempt.
Barking up the wrong tree is to make a wrong assumption about someone.
Beating around the bush means talking while avoiding the main discussion point.
If you are between a rock and a hard place, it means facing two difficult choices.
If your bubble is burst, it says someone has ruined the mood by telling someone disappointing news.
The calm before the storm is a tranquil period of time that comes before a more chaotic one.
If someone says don’t cry over spilled milk – it means worrying about things that have already happened is not helpful.
Cut to the chase is getting to the point while leaving out all the unnecessary details.
Actions speak louder than words means what a person does is more important than what they say.
If you are calling it a day, it means you are stopping all work for the remainder of the day.
It’s better to be safe than sorry means it is wise to take precautions in advance to avoid potential harm.
If you jump to conclusions you are reaching a conclusion based on little or no information.
One of my favorite sayings is you knocked it out of the park. It is something or a task that is done exceptionally well.
The phrase it’s always darkest before the dawn is that things feel worst just before they take a turn for the better.
Another one that I always liked is the grass is not always greener on the other side. It is a metaphor that means a person’s idea of something may seem more appealing or better than what they currently have, even if this is not the case. To be on cloud nine is to be extremely happy.
A one-trick pony is a person with only one talent or area of expertise.
If you say he wouldn’t hurt a fly it means a person that is harmless.
Like a fish out of the water is someone very uncomfortable in new surroundings.
And one that a grade school teacher told my parents concerning me – is to have your head in the clouds, which means to be daydreaming and/or lacking in concentration. I would like to think now that just meant I was creative.
I am sure you’ve heard a few of these and others. If you have others, you can comment when I post this column on social media … until next time.
(Kyle Lovern is a longtime journalist in the Tug Valley. He is now a retired freelance writer and columnist for the Mountain Citizen.)