Tag: communication

A dry run is a practice or rehearsal of something before doing it for real. The term comes from theater and entertainment - a 'dry' performance is one without the actual elements (like alcohol at a bar, or the actual performance in theater).

To eighty-six something means to remove, cancel, or reject it. In restaurant slang, it means an item is no longer available or has been removed from the menu. It can also mean to refuse service to someone or discard something.

To get your walking papers means to be fired or dismissed from a job. The phrase suggests being told to leave - you're given papers and expected to walk out. It's a colorful way to describe termination of employment.

Down to the wire means completing something at the very last possible moment. The phrase comes from horse racing, where a wire stretched across the finish line determined the winner in extremely close races - every second counted.

At the drop of a hat means instantly or without any hesitation. The phrase suggests that something happens as quickly and suddenly as a hat falling to the ground - no delay, no preparation needed.

A baker's dozen is 13, one more than a regular dozen of 12. This tradition dates back to medieval times when bakers would add an extra loaf to ensure they weren't selling underweight bread and risking punishment.

The idiom "bite your tongue" means to stop yourself from saying something, typically to avoid causing offense or trouble. "Get light injury" is a literal (incorrect) interpretation. "Be Alert" and "Eat more" are unrelated to the idiom's meaning.

The idiom "cry wolf" comes from Aesop's fable where a shepherd boy repeatedly falsely claims a wolf is attacking, so when a wolf actually appears, no one believes him. It means making fake complaints or false alarms, not deep grief or loneliness.