Off the Beaten Track

Watch this on YouTube here - Traveling Video - YouTube Video

Meaning:

Off the Beaten Track or path means Little-known, or in a remote or lesser-known area. away from the frequently traveled routes. unique or uncommon.

“Well, this place is off the beaten track.”

Origin:

The term beaten track alludes to a well-worn path trodden down by many feet, the usual route or method this term was first recorded in 1638. So, when we add the word OFF to the phrase “off the beaten track” we are now talking about an unusual route or destination.

We can hear this phrase used as off the beaten track or off the beaten path. In America they use path and in Europe, they like to use track.

Example:

Today we still hear this phrase being used when we want to do something out of the ordinary, explore places that are not popular, or to be away from the crowds, an example sentence is:

“We were given directions to a quiet beach off the beaten path, sounds like a great place to relax.”

Watch this on YouTube here - Traveling Video - YouTube Video

Comments

As Snug as a Bug in a Rug

As Snug As A Bug In A Rug Watch this on YouTube here - Staying In - YouTube Video Meaning: As snug as a bug in a rug means to be very comfortable and cozy. Example Sentence: “Aww, look at her cuddled up, as snug as a bug in a rug.” Origin: This phrase has been around for a while. The original writing of it was in 1769, in David Garrick's celebration of Shakespeare Garrick's vagary, or, England run mad; with particulars of the Stratford Jubilee. It reads: "If she has the mopus's, I'll have her, as snug as a bug in a rug." ( Mopus being a slang word for "money," naturally.) As snug as a bug in a rug started out with a much different meaning than it has today. The word “snug” was a nautical term; it was first used as an adjective in the 16th century to describe the trim, neat, compact design of a ship. Shortly after that, snug started to be used as a verb and meant “to lie close" (as in "snugging up/together for warmth or ...

Bad Egg

Bad Egg Watch this on YouTube here - Eggs Video - YouTube Video Meaning: Bad Egg is a disappointing or unpleasant person, someone who fails to meet expectations. “What a Bad Egg!” Origin: The Term Bad Egg has been around since the 1800s; back in the days before food standards were so high, it was necessary to check that you didn’t crack a bad egg in amongst the other ingredients. Cookbooks advised cracking eggs into a separate bowl to be sure. One bad egg could spoil it all, and the phrase was born; now, it refers to one bad person amongst all the other good ones, can spoil the mood. The phrase bad egg first appeared in print in the novel “Captain Priest” by Samuel A Hammett in 1855; it read: Some birds are said to carry brick-bats under their wings to sharpen their bills, and others, stones in maws to whet their appetites, but the Perfect Bird carries a brick in his hat and a stone in his boot. In the language of his class, the Perfect Bird generally turns out to be ...

Like Nailing Jelly to a Tree

Like Nailing Jelly to a Tree Watch this on YouTube here - Tree Video - YouTube Video Meaning: Like Nailing Jelly to a Tree means to deal with a very difficult problem or a problem that cannot be solved. a foolish or worthless attempt at something. “Ha, that will be like nailing Jelly to a tree.” In America they say "to nail jello to a tree", Jell-O being a gelatin dessert that comes in fruit flavors. Origin: The origins of both these phrases actually lie in politics. Theodore Roosevelt, in 1915 wrote a letter to William Roscoe Thayer talking about the difficulty he was having negotiating with Columbia regarding the Panama Canal, it said: 'You could no more make an agreement with them than you could nail currant jelly to a wall - and the failure to nail currant jelly to a wall is not due to the nail; it is due to the currant jelly.' Example: Today we do not hear this expression as much, but if you did hear it, it would mean t...

Origins of Expressions

Search This Blog