Those usually found in our everyday's conversations. Some are so clear but some are enigmatic. In this thread, I'd like to discuss as many of them as I can actually find. And I hope to get the meanings from you.
Well, I will start with those:
-Visious circle
-Down in the mouth
-Happy go lucky
-Don't give up the ship
-Dose of his own medicine
-With flying colors
-I won't take no for an answer
-The meek shall inherit the earth
-Don't throw the baby out with the bath water
-I have other fish to fry
-Up the creek without a paddle
-Don't get your shorts all bunched up
-Let's get the show on the road
-Measure twice, cut one
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Miagua, "slogan" are those phrases about trade marks and comercial products attached to advertsements.
Hank, I think you meant "proverbs". I'm especially curious about the following:
-Down in the mouth
-Don't give up the ship
-Dose of his own medicine
-With flying colors
-The meek shall inherit the earth
-Don't throw the baby out with the bath water
-I have other fish to fry
-Up the creek without a paddle
-Don't get your shorts all bunched up
-Let's get the show on the road
-Measure twice, cut one
I'm going to write sentences using these expressions. You guys will then be able to see them in context and they'll make some sense.
1) VICIOUS CIRCLE..."His severe depression caused him to start drinking excessively, thus creating a vicious circle that only exacerbated his problem."
2) DOWN IN THE MOUTH..."Are you upset? You look so down in the mouth."
3) HAPPY-GO-LUCKY..."John never seemed to have a care in the world. He was a very happy-go-lucky kind of guy."
4) DON'T GIVE UP THE SHIP...This basically means "don't surrender"
5) DOSE/TASTE OF ONE'S OWN MEDICINE..."Steve liked to create computer viruses and send them to people via email, so I got my friend Andy to send him a particularly vicious one last Friday. It was about time he got a taste of his own medicine."
6) WITH FLYING COLORS..."My English exam was so easy. I know I passed it with flying colors."
7) I WON'T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER..."Look, you're coming to dinner tonight and it will be my treat. I won't take no for an answer."
8) THE MEEK SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH...This is a quote from the Bible. I believe it is one of the Beatitudes from Christ's Sermon on the Mount. It means those that are humble are blessed in the eyes of God...they will attain the kingdom of heaven etc. etc. See your Bible for further details.
9) DON'T THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH WATER...."Your ideas are good, but you need to structure your essay more. Just rewrite the essay, but keep all of your ideas and theories. Don't throw the baby out with the bath water."
10) OTHER FISH TO FRY...."I don't have time to go to the bar tonight. With all of the assignments that are due next week, I have other fish to fry."
11) UP THE CREEK WITHOUT A PADDLE..."I walked into my calculus test thirty minutes late. I then noticed that I had forgotten my calculator. Given my poor math skills, I knew I was up the creek without a paddle."
12) DON'T GET YOUR SHORTS ALL BUNCHED UP..."I'll be there in five minutes. You don't need to keep calling me. I'll be there. Don't get your shorts all bunched up."
13) LET'S GET THE/THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD..."It seems all of the members of the band are now ready to perform. As soon as you turn on the stage lights, we should be able to get this show on the road." (get the show started)
14) MEASURE TWICE CUT ONCE..."They only gave us enough wood to make one table, so there can be no mistakes. Measure twice. Cut once. If you measure twice, you're less likely to make a costly mistake."
Well, my examples are a bit corny, but I think they might help you.
Your examples are excellent.