.. needs to tank up her campaign Am En

Robin Michael   Thu Sep 03, 2009 11:44 am GMT
Idiomatic expressions, colourful metaphors: helpful or misleading? With a digression about American cars and their resemblance to Tanks.

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I have just been thinking about the idiomatic expression: 'to tank up'.


"Hilary Clinton needs to tank up her campaign"

I think that I first saw this expression in 'Time' magazine.



Time Magazine
3 Sep 2009 ... Politics, world news, photos, video, tech reviews, health, science and entertainment news. Free archive of TIME magazine since 1923.
www.time.com/ - 2 hours ago - Cached - Similar


The entire magazine was devoted to Hilary Clinton's campaign. Which suggested that it was not an unbiased account of news and events.

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I think what confused me about this expression was my unthinking substitution of an Br En expression to ''crank up'

'crank up'

Hilary Clinton needs to crank up her campaign.

Also

'beef up'

Hilary Clinton needs to beef up her campaign.

And perhaps a little confusion with 'ton up', which means to go at over 100 mph in Br En.

Urban Dictionary: ton-up
To break the 100 miles per hour barrier, preferably on a motorcycle.
www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=ton-up - Cached - Similar







It just seemed very odd that someone should try to go at over 100 mph in a tank. Perhaps this is how the Chrysler Automobile Company lost its way.


Chrysler 300C review

WE LIKE

1) The crazy image
2) Its value for money
3) Beefy engines


http://fwd.five.tv/cars/executive/chrysler-300c


Our verdict

Basically a previous-generation Merc E-Class underneath, the Chrysler 300C is nevertheless a genuinely interesting car.

Handling

Chrysler has reverse-engineered the Merc set-up to be considerably worse.


Performance

a 425bhp 6.1-litre V8

http://www.topgear.com/uk/chrysler/300c



I have been a little bit unkind in my choice of quotes in order to prove a point.

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'to tank up' :tank up verb To take alcoholic liquor, especially excessively or habitually: drink , guzzle , imbibe , tipple.

That wasn't what I was expecting.


tank up (something) also tank something up
to fill the fuel container of a vehicle with gas or other fuel

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'to crank up' : (idiom) To increase, as the volume, power or energy of something.

He cranked up the volume to 11.

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I think that just goes to show how careful you have to be with idiomatic expressions.

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At the same time, the Clinton campaign stepped up its attacks on the media,



Clinton's Collateral Damage - TIME
6 Mar 2008 ... Democratic candidate for president Hillary Clinton addresses her supporters in Texas after ... At the same time, the Clinton campaign stepped up its attacks on the media, ... The numbers tell the story: it worked. ...
www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1720094,00.html - Similar


This article has a good opening line.


"An Arkansas state legislator once said of Bill Clinton that he would pat you on the back while he urinated down your leg."


'warmed up'

What's more, she said, "I'm just getting warmed up."


Another interesting expression:

"Combat brings them to the balls of their feet; by contrast, they tend to spring leaks on calm seas."
Guest   Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:39 pm GMT
"Tank up" means to fill your car with gasoline. Basically, it means that her campaign had run out of steam and needed to be refueled.