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  • Make landfall

    Make landfall

    to reach land after a journey by sea or air

    Example

    Hurricane Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm around Tampa, Florida late Wednesday evening.

  • Dippy

    Dippy 

    Foolish 

    Examples

    a movie about a slightly dippy young musician

    Scary, he’s as dippy as she is.

  • Hit a snag

    Hit a snag

    Have a problem with something

    Examples

    The King’s vision for an ideal town has hit a snag as residents of Poundbury, Dorset, have complained of overflowing bins, rat infestations, and foul odours.

    The measure passed in the Senate, but hit a snag in the House over concerns the regulation would infringe on the free speech of young people, although the effort has been championed by child safety advocates.

    — Bobby Allyn, NPR, 17 Sep. 2024

  • Spoilt toddler

    Spoilt toddler

    Toddlers and older preschool-age children are often called spoiled when they consistently scream and tantrum to get what they want, when they don’t get what they want, and when they hear the word “no.” 

    Example

    The man is a spoilt toddler running around gathering sweeties.

  • The world’s smallest violin

    The world’s smallest violin

    “The world’s smallest violin” is a sarcastic way to downplay someone’s complaint or overreaction.

    Examples 

    So, you’re missing the one that got away? Let me play the world’s smallest violin for you.

    GB News host Bev Turner has joked “let me play the world’s smallest violin” after it has been revealed that Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker’s wages could drop significantly from his current £1.35million deal.

  • rubbish tip/dump; garbage tip/dump

    rubbish tip/dump; garbage tip/dump

    an area of land where people can dump things that are no longer useful or wanted and that are being thrown out

    Examples 

    We are the garbage tip of the world.

    Fifty years later, that swampy area — once a fishing village and rubbish dump — is now Dharavi, one of Asia’s biggest slums and a bustling hub of industry in India’s financial capital.

    — Jessie Yeung, CNN, 29 June 2024

  • Punch bag; punching bag

    Punch bag; punching bag

    one who is routinely abused or defeated by another

    Example 

    Stop this hate march. Stop the division.  UK is not the punch bag for the world.

  • Grueling shift

    Grueling shift 

    An extremely tiring and demanding work shift 

    Example

    Grueling shift work? Good heavens, you have no idea how lucky you are only working a three hour shift.

  • Triumph against

    Triumph against

    to get the better of someone or something in a competition or struggle

    Examples

    After months of hard work, the team finally triumphed against their rival in the championship match.

    He triumphed against massive adversity. He’s still doing that with bullets flying by his head.

  • Rank

    Rank

    offensively gross or coarse

    Example

    She’s rank. Her ugliness on the inside comes through on the outside.

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