A BATTLE OF WILLS

Read the sentences bellow and try to figure the meaning f A BATTLE OF WILLS.

The President offered compromises to parliament to defuse the battle of wills over who should wield power.

Instead I was getting myself into an increasingly confrontational situation, a battle of wills, with the Director of Coaching.

A battle of wills, no less, between pursuer and prey.

This follows whispers of an alleged battle of wills with manager Don Mackay.

After two days even, the smallest decision could become an exhausting battle of wills.

A drawn-out battle of wills began, with my having to stone-wall both in London and on visits to Moscow.

The battle of wills between them forms the backbone of the story.

In fact, their battle of wills is escalating.

Each refusing to compromise, the husband and wife entered into a battle of wills as they attempted to negotiate their divorce settlement.

It was a battle of wills, and Grace's was the stronger.

All that was left was a mutual struggle, a battle of wills, which became totally exhausting.

MEANINGS:

If an argument or conflict is a battle of wills, the person with the strongest beliefs or personality will win.

A competition in which opposing sides are unrelenting in their attempts to achieve a particular outcome.

A battle of wills is a situation that involves people who try to defeat each other by refusing to change their own aims or demands and hoping that their opponents will weaken first.

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IN THE PIPELINE

You may have heard this one before. A pipeline is a large pipe that carries oil or gas over a long distance, often underground.

If something is in the pipeline, it is being planned or developed.

EXAMPLES:

o   The group has a new CD in the pipeline.

o   The theatre company has several new productions in the pipeline for next season.

o   Twenty-eight lawsuits were filed this week, and another 200 cases are in the pipeline.

o   The project has been in the pipeline since forever. I am not sure if it will ever get completed.

o   I am not working right now but have a few offers in the pipeline.

o   She keeps telling me that her new book is in the pipeline but is she even writing something right now?

o   My mother's operation has been scheduled. Finally, it has been in the pipeline for a very long time.

o   My boss asked for an update about every project that is in the pipeline right now. Is something going on that I don't know about?

PORTAL DA LÍNGUA INGLESA has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-partly internet websites referred to in this post, and does not guarantee that any context on such websites are, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

In some instances, I have been unable to trace the owners of the pictures used here; therefore, I would appreciate any information that would enable me to do so. Thank you very much.

Is something important missing? Report an error or suggest an improvement. Please, I strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact me!

Your feedback is welcome. Please direct comments and questions to me at bruno_coriolano@hotmail.com

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KEEP A LOW PROFILE

Read the sentences below:

• With police apparently keeping a low profile, the violence intensified during the night.

• Apple kept a low profile for the first few days of the conference, making no major announcements or product introductions.

• Many of the exiles have married, taken jobs, and generally kept a low profile.

• But since then they have kept a low profile and not made their findings public.

• Kendall keeps a low profile, refusing to grant on-the-record interviews with the news media.

• Like every really smart lobbyist, Boggs knows the importance of being subtle and of keeping a low profile.

• She's keeping a low profile until the scandal is forgotten.

• There was nothing she could do about it, other than keep a low profile and stay well out of his way.

• Western visitors to the region are asked to keep a low profile.

• I decided to keep a low profile, after all I was a guest.

• During the event Clinton will keep a low profile.

· The president continues to keep a low profile on vacation in Maine

Having read the sentences, I would like to call your attention to KEEP A LOW PROFILE.

If someone KEEP A LOW PROFILE, they avoid doing things that will make people notice them. We KEEP A LOW PROFILE in order to avoid drawing attention, scrutiny, or observation to oneself.

PORTAL DA LÍNGUA INGLESA has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-partly internet websites referred to in this post, and does not guarantee that any context on such websites are, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

In some instances, I have been unable to trace the owners of the pictures used here; therefore, I would appreciate any information that would enable me to do so. Thank you very much.

Is something important missing? Report an error or suggest an improvement. Please, I strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact me!

Your feedback is welcome. Please direct comments and questions to me at bruno_coriolano@hotmail.com

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[IDIOMS] IT COSTS AN ARM AND A LEG

One famous expression used in Brazil is that one about the cost of things, especially when we are talking about something very expensive. In English there are very similar idioms. When something costs a lot of money, we say that IT COSTS AN ARM AND A LEG. If I can remember well, in Brazil people say “Isso custa os olhos da cara” to refer to ‘It costs an arm and a leg’.

The idea here is pretty obvious: GIVING UP AN ARM AND A LEG TO BUY OR PAY FOR SOMETHING IS CLEARLY TOO COSTLY.

There are of course other ways of saying that in English – you can even use verbs such as PAY, CHARGE, and SPEND instead of COST.

EXAMPLES:

College tuitions cost an arm and leg nowadays.

I'm sick of paying rent in this town because it costs an arm and a leg!  

It cost us an arm and a leg to get here. But it has been worth every penny and more.

This suit cost me an arm and a leg.

I'd really like to have a new farm house, but it may cost me an arm and a leg.  

"How much would you pay for luxurious farmhouse by the beach? An arm and a leg?"

He really wants to go to that event. He's willing to pay an arm and a leg for it.

If you can read and Portuguese, I would like to suggest you more about both the origin and meaning of Custar os olhos da cara. According to the website significados (English: meanings), Custar os olhos da cara “é uma expressão popular que significa custar muito caro, ter um preço muito alto, preço acima da média esperada.”  You can learn more about its origin here: (custar os olhos da cara)

REFERENCES

cost an arm and a leg. (n.d.) Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. (2015). Retrieved June 26 2020 from https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/cost+an+arm+and+a+leg

Modern Slang – Easy Way, de Jack Scholes, Disal Editora, 2005.

Significado de Custar os olhos da cara: (click here)   

theidioms.com

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In some instances, I have been unable to trace the owners of the pictures used here; therefore, I would appreciate any information that would enable me to do so. Thank you very much.

Is something important missing? Report an error or suggest an improvement. Please, I strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact me!

Your feedback is welcome. Please direct comments and questions to me at bruno_coriolano@hotmail.com

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LOOK LIKE THE CAT THAT SWALLOWED THE CANARY

It’s been a long time since I last published something here, but I have been way too busy to find some time to share something on Portal da Língua Inglesa.

Now, I think it is time to try to start writing regularly again. I cannot promise that I will do it very often, but I will try to write at least an entry a week.

Have you guys ever heard of the expression look like the cat that swallowed the canary?

Examples:

01.When the teacher came into the classroom, the students sat there looking like cats that swallowed the canaries. The teacher knew the students must be planning something mischievous.

02. After her promotion, Janet spent the rest of the day looking like the cat that swallowed the canary.

03. When questioned on the use of campaign funds for his own personal pleasure, the senator looked like the cat that swallowed the canary.

04. After the meeting John looked like the cat that swallowed the canary. I knew he must have been a success.

05. Your presentation must have gone well. You look like the cat that swallowed the canary.

Meanings:

·            To have a knowing and self-satisfied smile on one’s face;

·     To be pleased with oneself, often because one has done something which one knows was wrong but which was very enjoyable;

·    To appear smug and/or overly pleased with oneself to others, especially over something one has done, received, or accomplished;

·         To have the appearance of guilt but attempt to hide behind an air of smugness or feigned nonchalance;

·         to appear as if one had just had a great success.

I hope wherever you are in the world, you are safe and well. I'm sure that after the darkness, light will return.

I have joined Instagram!

@bruno.coriolano (https://www.instagram.com/bruno.coriolano/)

Some references

IN THE LOOP: A Reference Guide to American English Idioms

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Like the cat that ate/got/swallowed the canary. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved June 22, 2020, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/like%20the%20cat%20that%20ate%2Fgot%2Fswallowed%20the%20canary

PORTAL DA LÍNGUA INGLESA has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-partly internet websites referred to in this post, and does not guarantee that any context on such websites are, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

In some instances, I have been unable to trace the owners of the pictures used here; therefore, I would appreciate any information that would enable me to do so. Thank you very much.

Is something important missing? Report an error or suggest an improvement. Please, I strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact me!

Your feedback is welcome. Please direct comments and questions to me at bruno_coriolano@hotmail.com

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What does MEET SOMEONE HALFWAY mean?

If you meet someone halfway, you accept some of their opinions or wishes, so that you can come to an agreement with them or have a better relationship with them.

Examples:

The Democrats are willing to meet the president halfway.

The buyers wanted to bring the price down from $15,000 to $10,000, so I offered to meet them halfway at $12,500.

My roommates would never meet me halfway with cleaning so I finally got my own place.

My dad could never meet my mother halfway. It was depressing to see my mother always give in to my father's wishes.

If you meet me halfway, I'm sure we can come to an agreement on the sale of the car.

There's no way I'm driving all the way to Baltimore next week. Why don't we meet halfway in Philadelphia.

It's your turn to use this idiom in your own sample sentence. Write one sentences with MEET SOMEONE HALFWAY.

PORTAL DA LÍNGUA INGLESA has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-partly internet websites referred to in this post, and does not guarantee that any context on such websites are, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

In some instances, I have been unable to trace the owners of the pictures used here; therefore, I would appreciate any information that would enable me to do so. Thank you very much.

Is something important missing? Report an error or suggest an improvement. Please, I strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact me!

Your feedback is welcome. Please direct comments and questions to me at bruno_coriolano@hotmail.com

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What does HIT THE GROUND RUNNING mean?

If you HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, you start a new activity with great energy and enthusiasm, working effectively from the beginning.

EXAMPLES:

We want our students to hit the ground running after they graduate.

She is in excellent shape and in good spirits. She will hit the ground running when she gets back.

They have worked hard and hit the ground running.

As soon as the CEO approval of the new product came through, the entire office hit the ground running.

I'm confident that our new CEO will just hit the ground running once she starts here.

A decade ago, I had a lot more energy. I would wake up, hit the ground running, and never stop until I went to bed again.

We need someone who is fully trained and can hit the ground running. She's in excellent shape and in good spirits. She'll hit the ground running when she gets back.

They hit the ground running and demonstrate leadership qualities at a faster rate.

PORTAL DA LÍNGUA INGLESA has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-partly internet websites referred to in this post, and does not guarantee that any context on such websites are, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

In some instances, I have been unable to trace the owners of the pictures used here; therefore, I would appreciate any information that would enable me to do so. Thank you very much.

Is something important missing? Report an error or suggest an improvement. Please, I strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact me!

Your feedback is welcome. Please direct comments and questions to me at bruno_coriolano@hotmail.com

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Do you readers know what A GUT REACTION means?

HAVE YOU EVER had been through that situation in which you see or read (or even hear) a sentence that you can understand every single word of it, but you cannot understand the whole meaning of what was said? If so, relax, this is supposed to be a normal situation, even though you may feel demotivated at some point. When some words are put together and used figuratively it can be really difficult to work out their meanings. I am talking here about idioms.

The situation described above happen quite often among the English language learners. One of the main reasons for the students to find idioms difficult to understand is due to the nature of the so-called idioms. Moreover, the imaginary situation involved in the idioms may demand more from the language user.

Some idioms have historical and cultural contexts, sound patterns, stories, popular culture, literature and so on and so forth. It is very important to know more than just words and grammar to understand idioms and slang.

For the next months, I will be writing about idioms in the English language in my next entries for this site. In order to do so, I will divide the idioms – with their definitions, examples and the like – into some categories.

Do you readers know what A GUT REACTION means?

A GUT REACTION is an immediate and instinctive response. That is a reaction that one has immediately and strong, without thinking towards something; instinct, intuition.  

EXAMPLE:

·        Her immediate gut reaction was to never write again.

·        I think she will go with her gut reaction.

·        My initial gut reaction was that the merger would result in a drop in stock prices, but the opposite turned out to be true.

·     “I usually follow my gut reaction, because it’s usually right. I don’t think about stuff too much. I just follow my instinct.”

·    Your gut reaction may be that this sounds terrifying or perverse. (Times, Sunday Times, 2012)

·      When cops go round to speak to people they often get a gut reaction, particularly detectives. (The Sun, 2012)

·       'I don't like decisions at the best of times and this is constant decision-making, so it's just having to go with that gut reaction. (The Sun, 2014)

·       Keanu Reeves once said: “I have a gut reaction to the material that I’m dealing with and if there’s something, like, Something’s Gotta Give, when I read this script, I was like, ‘This is one of the best scripts that I’ve ever read, period.’”

Bruno Coriolano de Almeida Costa é professor universitário, com 17 anos de experiência; graduado em Língua Inglesa; especialista em Ensino de Língua Inglesa (Lato sensu); tem certificação TEFL/TESOL e é mestre e doutorando em inglês pelo Programa de Pós-Graduação em Inglês: Estudos Linguísticos e Literários, da UFSC, Florianópolis.

PORTAL DA LÍNGUA INGLESA has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-partly internet websites referred to in this post, and does not guarantee that any context on such websites are, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

In some instances, I have been unable to trace the owners of the pictures used here; therefore, I would appreciate any information that would enable me to do so. Thank you very much.

Is something important missing? Report an error or suggest an improvement. Please, I strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact me!

Your feedback is welcome. Please direct comments and questions to me at bruno_coriolano@hotmail.com

Did you spot a typo?

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