Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!

Dear readers,

Before 2015 officially comes to an end, let me just say a quick thank you for your continuous support. To my Christian readers, may you have a blessed Christmas with your family and friends. And to the rest of my readers, happy holidays and A Happy New Year! May 2016 be a bigger, better and grander year for us all! See you in January 2016!

May Naik

Homonyms - Harsh (As an Adjective)

1.    (adj) – unkind

Ø       These poor children have had such a harsh upbringing. It’s no wonder they so timid.

Ø        Everyone secretly thought the punishment was rather harsh for such a minor offence.

Ø       Hannah eventually apologized to her brother for saying such harsh things to him during their argument.

2.   (adj) – (of a climate or conditions) hostile

Ø       Very few plants can survive the harsh environment of the desert.  

Ø        Everyone was amazed that he managed to endure the harsh conditions in prison for so many years. 

Synonyms - Definite

Definite – certain, sure, clear, obvious

Ø     I can’t say for certain if Sally is joining us for dinner tonight.

Ø     John feels absolutely sure that he’s made the right decision.

Ø     Sam’s not at all clear about what he wants to do when he goes to college, but that’s very normal when you’re a teenager.

Ø     If there were an obvious solution to every problem, nobody would spend hours doing extensive research.

Verbal Idioms - A Little Too Close for Comfort

Meaning – to be so close to you that you feel uneasy, worried or frightened.

Ø     That car came a little too close for comfort when the driver suddenly swerved to avoid a pothole.

Ø     John’s boss lives less than five miles away from him. That’s a little too close for comfort for him. So, if he can’t find a new place within the next three months, he plans to find a new job.  

Similes with As - As Mad as a Hatter

Meaning – strange in behaviour, foolish, eccentric

Ø     My friend is as mad as a hatter. She lives all by herself in this huge house and has the habit of adopting just about every stray cat she sees on the street.

Ø     Most of us think James is as mad as a hatter. He spends a fortune on electronic gadgets but refuses to spend a dime on a proper meal. 

Idiomatic Pairs of Words - Null and Void

Meaning – not legally binding

Ø     The election was declared null and void when it was discovered that one of the ballot boxes had been tampered with.

Ø     The change in the law automatically makes the previous agreement null and void.

Proverbs - It Takes All Sorts to Make a World

Meaning: Different people like different things or have different characters or talents

Ø     Tim reckons Sally is wasting her time and money collecting antiques. She, on the other hand, can’t understand how he can spend so much time and money on miniature figures. I suppose it takes all sorts to make a world.

Ø     Just observing all the different characters in a single company made me realize that it takes all sorts to make a world. It’s no wonder they say the HR (=human resource) department almost always has the toughest job.