“On the blink” is applied, for example, to an appliance operating intermittently, especially one “on its last legs”, i.e. one that is about to “give up the ghost”.

“On the blink” doesn’t refer to a permanent failure. If something is on the blink, it means that it is operating erratically, that it may work fine for a bit and then not work at all, that it is somewhat temperamental, and that this behaviour is intermittent. A printer on the blink, for example, may print 20 documents perfectly and then completely screw up the next one (which, by some strange law of nature, will be the one that you really needed most), but then work fine again the next day.

Once something fails completely, it ceases to be “on the blink”. It then becomes: in a state of disrepair, non-functional, broken, not working, bust, knackered, etc.

On one’s last legs: near the end of life, usefulness, or existence
To give up the ghost: (of a machine) to stop working

Author: Graham A Stephen (UK)
Collaborator: Karin Sequen (Guatemala)

If you want to read more articles in english click on the label “in english” below.

Leia abaixo algumas expressões que os americanos utilizam com freqüência.

Beats me, não significa “me bate”, essa é utilizada quando alguém te pergunta algo e você não tem idéia da resposta. Você simplesmente diz Beats me! (Sei lá!)

Day in and day out, nós podemos utilizar essa idiom para dizer que você faz algo dia após dia, como no exemplo: “I’m getting tired of doing this day in and day out.”

Fed up with, essa pode ser utilizada com aquele cara que fica “enchendo o saco” o dia todo. Você pode dizer, “I’m fed up with you, get out!”. Nossa!! Essa frase está bem sem educação, mas demonstra o sentido da expressão.

Fender Bender, é uma batida envolvendo dois veículos, porém com poucos danos. Exemplo: She had a fender bender.

See you!

Oi pessoal, nada melhor do que um Americano para falar sobre o seu idioma pátrio. Hoje a nossa “correspondente Internacional” Mary Ziller, fala sobre as Expressões Idiomáticas (Idioms) 1. O texto como não poderia deixar de ser, está em Inglês. No final Wolfgang que é marido de Mary e professor (doutor em Matemática) da Universidade da Pensilvânia expõe sua opinião sobre o artigo. Vale a pena conferir! So, enjoy it!

Essential American Idioms

The question arose how essential are idioms in everyday life?

My supposition was that they are not so important in business dealings and journalism, but research showed that there is a whole site devoted to business idioms .

Apparently in business, sports idioms are very relevant to separate the men from the boys (distinguish between mature, experienced individuals and novices, or between competent and incompetent people)2.

An idiom is defined as a manner of speaking that is natural to native speakers of a language. I am going to go out on a limb (take a risk)3 here and suggest that that is probably why I never took much notice of them before. If you think there is something fishy about (questionable, strange, untrustworthy or surprising)4 my supposition, just ask anyone who is learning to speak English as a second language. He will tell you idiomatic English is very hard to figure out (understand)5.

An idiom is an expression whose meaning cannot be inferred from the meanings of the words that make it up. The standard example that comes to mind is ~It is raining cats and dogs (raining torrentially, a downpour).

Websites such as English Experts, with its dedicated and prolific author, Alessandro, raise the bar(set a higher standard)6, in excellence in online learning. He pushes the envelope (to move beyond the limit of what has usually been done or was the accepted standard)7 and surpasses what is offered by most wanna-bes (a person who likes to imitate, or even wishes to be, another)8. He thinks outside the box9 and is very innovative in his approach to learning English. A site of the caliber of his English Experts comes along only once in a blue moon (rarely, very seldom).

My husband has the following reaction to this article: “the end is over the top” (exaggerated and not believable). He thought I must be pulling your leg, (putting you on), but really, it was a piece of cake (easy as pie, very easy, simple) to write this about your blog, because I really feel like that.

Fontes:
1-http://www.peakenglish.com/slang/dailybiz.jsp
2-http://www.answers.com/topic/separate-the-men-from-the-boys
3-http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=632406
4-http://bits.westhost.com/idioms/id625.htm
5-http://bits.westhost.com/idioms/id204.htm
6-http://bits.westhost.com/idioms/id497.htm
7-http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/push+the+envelope
8-http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Wanna-be
9-http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/think+outside+the+box

Hi everyone, what’s up? Trabalhos domésticos fazem parte da vida de todo mundo, a não ser que você tenha nascido em berço de ouro (to be born with a silver spoon in the mouth). Os solteiros arrumam pelo menos o próprio quarto, mas se você é casado(a) a coisa fica mais séria. Atualmente, quem não divide os afazeres domésticos, antes atividade feita exclusivamente pelas mulheres, pode estar cavando a própria “cova”. Portanto, vamos aprender hoje algumas expressões que podem salvar um casamento. ;-)

Dear, our house is very dirty.
(Querida, nossa casa está muito suja)

I can tidy up the house.
(Eu posso arrumar a casa)

Could you do the ironing?
(Você poderia passar a roupa?)

I’ll do the shopping.
(Eu vou fazer as compras)

Leave the dishes to me.
(Deixe os pratos para mim)

I can quickly rinse them, then put them in the dishwasher.
(Eu posso lavá-los rápido, então, coloque-os na máquina de lavar louça)

I will do the vacuuming.
(Eu vou passar o aspirador de pó)

I would like to mop the kitchen and bathroom floors.
(Eu gostaria de lavar o chão da cozinha e do banheiro)

A propósito, empregada em Inglês é “maid”.

That’s all folks,

See ya!

Leitura recomendada:
“to be born with a silver spoon in the mouth”

Collaborator: Mary Ziller