'Schwarzsee' lake near Fribourg, Switzerland -Ascending air bubbles have formed a peculiar pattern on the frozen lake surface.
Today's theme is surface! Is that like the idiom
'scratch the surface'? or 'tip of the iceberg'?
That's what came to my mind anyway...those
idiomatic expressions that we use all the time.
Idiomatic expressions are common phrases
or sayings whose meanings cannot be understood
by the individual words or elements.
Scratch the Surface actually means to see
or do only a fraction of what is possible.
The English language is full of hundreds of
these idioms..and in my usual acrostic style,
here are some of my favorites....
- Iron fist in a velvet glove
- Don't judge a book by its cover
- If it isn't broken, don't fix it
- Off the cuff
- Mad as a hatter
- Afraid of one's shadow
- Took the words right out of my mouth
- Ignorance is bliss
- Can't make an omelette without breaking some eggs
- Eat out of my hand
- Xerox subsidy
- Play it by ear
- Raining cats and dogs
- Eyes in the back of my head
- Safety in numbers
- Sail through something
- In one ear and out the other
- Oldest trick in the book
- Nailing jelly to the wall
- Scarce as hen's teeth
There are so many idioms, believe me, I haven't even
scratched the surface! :) If you'd like to read other's
posts who participated, click here!
wow! That took a lot of thought! You are pretty sharp, I can tell.
ReplyDeleteyour picture on the sidebar is really messing with me because you look like someone famous and I can't place it? I will remember one of these days!
I have absolutely NO idea how you consistently come up with these things week after week!!! But you have my admiration and respect! Sometime, I'll ask you to do one with my name. I'd love to see what you come up with! Happy TT, Hon!
ReplyDeleteOtin ~famous in a good way I hope! ;)
ReplyDeleteSkip ~ I'll get working on that right away...Hon... :)
ReplyDeleteMy ex-husband always has a bunch of these lovely expressions. However, considering the fact that most of his have a bit of a bluish tone to them, I don't think I'll share any of them here!
ReplyDeleteSome good ones you had listed though.
Surface... That could be the source of much thought this week. What one sees on the surface does not necessarily reveal what is going on underneath...
ReplyDeleteMartha ~ I know you've had a hard week! Like someone "dropped a bombshell on you". Hopefully people will "take what they hear with a grain of salt" I know, I know...I "took the words right out of your mouth". haha...sorry, thought a few more idioms would make you smile. :)
ReplyDeleteI have to agree you are an amazing woman with a amazing blog. I hate it when I miss any post.
ReplyDeleteWe had company for a couple days so I'm behind again.
Love the surface..and love Martha's thoughts on it.
You're some kinda genius! I love the photo, by the way:)
ReplyDelete"Xerox subsidy"? There really is an idiom like that. Oh my. Betsy, you are the Queen on acrostics, what can I say. Too clever. Now, let's see if you can do SURFACE? :) Nicely done.
ReplyDeleteMmm~ yes, xerox subsidy means to use the office copy machine for personal use....but you probably already figured that out. :)
ReplyDeleteMmm ~ I heard someone else was doing 'surface' so thought I'd be a little different. :)
ReplyDeleteNot one for taking the easy way out, are you? It would have been a lot simpler for you to make an acrostic out of "surface."
ReplyDeleteA very poignant post, especially with all the idioms I've encountered lately. Oh, wait, that's "idioms," with an "M." I thought... Oh, never mind.
Well, Mr. Fox, I had a challenge from a fellow blogger that I had to win with this one! :)
ReplyDeleteStill loving that avatar, there...nice! LOL!
And the avatar thinks you're lookin' mighty good yerself, there, Miz Betsy!
ReplyDeleteI think people used to say these a lot..my Mom always had a bunch of them she used,people don't use them much anymore...but I like them! Come say hi :D
ReplyDeleteNailing jelly to a wall, what a hoot. I do remember that one but it has been awhile. Nice blog.
ReplyDeleteAgreeing with otin on this one, Betsy. And cool pic! Never seen that before!
ReplyDeleteGood stuff Betsy! The photo is beautiful too.
ReplyDeleteAll right, I am thoroughly impressed! What a knowledge Betsy.;)
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures as well, I really love it, I think I want to learn more about that natural phenomenon now actually.
xo
Zuzana
Great photograph and really well thought out post. Great stuff.
ReplyDeleteoh i love idioms, an you came up with so many...the pic is awesome as well. imagine that got the crop circle crowd a little riled up. lol. happy tt!
ReplyDeleteClever as ever Betsy. Such an imaginative take on the theme.
ReplyDeleteMy mom is the Queen of idioms, but they come from Cape Breton and are usually ones nobody's ever heard, such as: "What do you think this is, your father's yacht?"
ReplyDeletePoetikat ~ oh, I love that one! I may use that around here!
ReplyDeleteWhat fun to read over these and how very clever and creative your TT posts always prove to be. I always wonder what you will come up with...
ReplyDeletethe photo is amazing. my husband will love that. I like the way you tie in scratching the surface & tip o the iceberg to the theme. you are so right.
ReplyDeleteSome old and good ones here.
ReplyDeleteSoap don't work without water.
What a great photo of the bubbles frozen on the surface...Last night we played a game at Bible Study where you illustrate idioms and phrases, how ironic that you should have a post about them today. I sent everyone the link to your blog. I can't believe how clever you are!
ReplyDeletewow, Anita..thank you! I hope they all stop by for a visit!
ReplyDeleteI think I use almost all of those with the grandkids, well except for just a few. Funny how we learn those things and they stay with us forever. I will go to my grave carrying those with me.
ReplyDeleteFantastic job doing them. Thank you.
God bless.
I don't know, I think you did more than just scratch the surface! Great stuff!
ReplyDeleteHi Betsy - what a great blog. I shall revisit it.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting photo - I'd have never guessed it was air bubbles.
ReplyDeleteIdioms are such fun to use. My mom, however, used to get them mixed up...as in "up a tree without a paddle".
ReplyDeleteA friend's ex-girlfriend did that too, once referring to him as being "Johnny-on-the-dot" (instead of "Johnny-on-the-spot," meaning someone who's always there when you need them) since he was almost always on time for things.
ReplyDeletePictures
ReplyDeleteOf frozen
Water with
Escaping air
Really
Freaked out my
Understanding of
Liquids
Nice. ;)
Jeffscape ~ oooh...nice! That picture is really cool, huh!
ReplyDeletei see you tinkered a bit with your blog..nice.
ReplyDeleteI love to read the history of these idioms, and how the meanings have changed over the cneturies, yet the idiom remains. nice, easy as cake, eh?
Gorgeous picture. My brother, who is in a much snowier area than I, was telling me how yesterday he could hear the water lapping under the ice on Georgian Bay.
ReplyDeleteI've heard of them all except "nailing jelly to the wall." I would it means something that is impossible.
ReplyDeleteNoticed on your sidebar that you're having eggrolls for supper. Are you making them yourself? Sounds yummy.
What a wonderful set of idioms. Great post. Happy TT
ReplyDeleteI love to play with those types of poems. Excellent post. Happy TT
ReplyDeleteSteviewren ~ no, I buy frozen ones and put them in the deep fryer. I've never made them before...sounds fun and I bet scratch ones are better!
ReplyDeleteI love acrostics, well put together! And the photo is fun too!
ReplyDeleteBetsy..thanks for stopping by Farmhouse today....
ReplyDeleteI LOVE your snow photos in SURFACE...i am new to Theme Thursday..just saw it today at Mr. Toasts's...
how do you do it? what is it?
and I like that you enjoyed the
cats in the sun..Those are some Happy Cats !
i'll be back to visit tomorrow...
love ya,
kary and buddy
xxx
Kary at the Farmhouse ~ oh, you really should join in! Just click on the link at the end of this post or on the link in my sidebar.
ReplyDeleteThe theme is posted on Sunday for the following Thursday. Really fun and a great way to meet new bloggers. :)
How do you do it, Betsy? I'm blown away again this week with your acrostic. I must humbly bow before you! :D hee Great TT post.
ReplyDeleteYou are so clever. I've said it before and I'll say it again. You make me smile. That picture is great!
ReplyDeleteThat picture is really neat, and your gift with words even better. This was fun to read, you did good!
ReplyDelete50!!?! Is that some sort of record for TT comments. LOL
ReplyDeletethat picture is so cool! I love it, thanks for posting!
ReplyDeleteLove the way you went with this TT. I think that photo is terribly cool.
ReplyDeleteI was more captivated by the photograph. I've been to Friburg, it's gorgeous and the rings are just amazing. . . I think you look a little like a young Sally Fields.
ReplyDeleteIdioms are so interesting and require quite a bit of understanding. Sometimes I will say some idiom to my kindergarten students and they have no idea what I mean. Explaining them can sometimes bewilder them.
ReplyDeleteThere are some good idioms in American Sign Language as well and to try to explain those can be just as challenging. The surface understanding can be gained but sometimes the deeper meaning isn't quite understood.
Us Aussie's do some strange idioms Betsy. I really feel for our migrants who have to negotiate their way through a murky swapland of 'Stone the crows!', 'She'll be right mate' & 'Carn, give it a crack.'
ReplyDeleteMillie ^_^