What Does “A Hit and Run Accident” Mean?Have you ever heard someone say, “That was a hit and run accident”? It doesn’t always refer to cars! In English, this phrase is also an idiom, meaning that someone caused harm and didn’t take responsibility for it. Let’s break down this expression, its literal and idiomatic meanings,…
a fat cat: someone who has a lot of money, especially someone in charge of a company who has the power to increase their own payExamples: Some say that rich, privileged people are fat cats. Don’t wait around for a fat cat to help you.
a crime of passion: a crime committed because of very strong emotional feelings, especially in connection with a sexual relationshipExamples: He killed his lover. It was a crime of passion. She described the stabbing as a crime of passion and jealousy.
to leave open: to delay making a decision on. Examples: So, mark the date, get your list together, and make sure to leave the date open. While he tries to leave open spaces in his schedule, sometimes they get filled.
Chicken feed: A very small amount of money. Examples: Of course I can afford $800. That’s just chicken feed. He’s so rich that $1000 is chicken feed to him.
Crocodile tears: False or fake tears. Examples: Politicians love to cry crocodile tears about how hard it is to cut government spending. President Obama shed his crocodile tears for the latest group of victims.
a sore point/spot: a subject which someone would prefer not to talk about because it makes them angry or embarrassedExamples Try not to mention baldness while he’s here – it’s a sore spot for him. Annual running operation now comes to $5.4 million, a sore point in Parliament.
a bitter pill to swallow: unpleasant, but has to be acceptedExamples: Losing my job was initially a bitter pill to swallow. It’s a bitter pill to swallow but a difficult cure promises the best result.
a bone of contention: something which people argue and disagree over.Examples: Medicaid costs have long been a bone of contention between counties and the state. How climate change will affect hurricanes has long been a bone of contention.
in the blink of an eye: in an extremely short timeExamples: Everything changed in the blink of an eye at Sydney’s Oran Park Raceway in 2008. In the blink of an eye, millions of people lost friends, family, and community.