Kal’s Korner Online will be the host of 10,000 Expressions

On the Kal’s Korner Online Web site, we have started an ambitious program to input 10,000 English expressions into our database, complete with definitions.

That football team has an ace up its sleeve. They’ve been saving their best players for the final five minutes of the game | foto: Anton Denisov, Reuters

Angličtina na iDNES.cz
VŠECHNY LEKCE ZDE

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While this is an ambitious undertaking, make no mistake about it: it WILL be done. We will not only succeed, but with each day that passes, more phrases are being approved and annotated for putting onto the Web.

The Letter "B" is Next
For the letter "A" we have 129 expressions. If you know of any others that begin with the letter "A" please email them to us for consideration for posting here on this Web site so that everyone can benefit from sharing and using this resource.

The next batch of phrases to be uploaded will cover the letter "B" which should be sometime later this week.

Let’s continue now for today’s column by reviewing some more expressions which begin with the letter "A".

Acid Test
When something or someone gets put through an "acid test" it means it is an event or a series of circumstances which will determine what the state of something really is.

Examples: "This new job will be his acid test, his boss will finally get to see how he really is," or "This moment in their relationship is a real acid test for the both of them. If he does not quit cheating on her, she will leave him."

Ace up Your Sleeve
When a person has an "ace up their sleeve" this means that they are aware of something, have something, or can do something to either change the situation or circumstance, or to win or control it. When someone has an "ace" up their sleeve, they are usually not worried.

Examples: "Although we lost the tender for that new construction project, my boss has an ace up his sleeve. It won’t matter because he is marrying the owner’s daughter" or "That football team has an ace up its sleeve. They’ve been saving their best players for the final five minutes of the game, so they are expected to win the championship."

Oxymorons of the Day

Here’s another list of great Oxymorons, which are pairs of words which contradict each other when you think of their defintions.

1. Found missing
2. Near miss
3. Climb down
4. Current history
5. Daily special
6. Nearly identical
7. Good kid
8. Along together
9. Civil war
10. Honest politician
11. Definite maybe
12. Exact estimate
13. Resident alien
14. Act naturally
15. Peace force
16. Barely dressed
17. Big boy
18. Almost always
19. Ladies Man
20. Retired worker

Key Article Words in English

ambitious undertaking = ambiciózní závazek
each day that passes = s každým uplynulým dnem
will cover = pokryjí
cheating on her = podvádět ji
climb = lézt
current = aktuální
nearly = téměř
identical = identický
civil war = občanská válka
peace = mír/mírový
barely = stěží
retired = vysloužilý

Angličtina vychází od pondělí do pátku.

Najdete ji také v bezplatném deníku Metropolitní expres.

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