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2021-10-01 06:30:01 liquid courage

slang The decrease in timidity or inhibition that comes from imbibing alcoholic beverages.

I'm planning on proposing to Mary tonight, but I think I need a little liquid courage first!
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2021-10-01 06:30:01 a night owl

Meaning
You're a night owl if you like to stay up and do things late at night.

For example

She's always been a night owl. Even when she was a student she'd study late at night and get up as late as possible the next day.

I don't know why I'm a night owl. I just seem more alert at night, and even if I go to bed early I can't get to sleep till about 3 in the morning.

Origin
Metaphorical idiom related to the fact that owls are nocturnal birds that are active at night.
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2021-09-30 06:30:02 a line in the sand

A figurative boundary that someone or some group refuses to cross or beyond which no further advance or compromise is accepted. (Used especially in the phrase "draw a line in the sand.")

The allocation of this new tax to pay for building schools has become a line in the sand for the governor's administration.
 don't mind my roommate being a bit messy, but leaving dirty dishes for me to clean up is where I draw a line in the sand!
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2021-09-30 06:30:02 (like) water off a duck's back

Meaning
You can say an insult or criticism is like water off a duck's back if it doesn't upset you.

For example

I asked Amy if she got upset when journalists wrote negative things about her, and she said she didn't care what they wrote - it was like water off a duck's back.

Terry said he was too sensitive about criticism and he wanted to be like one of those people for whom it's like water off a duck's back.

Origin
Probably related to the fact that ducks have oily feathers and water can't get through them, so water runs off their backs. In the same way, criticism can either get through to someone and upset them, or not get through to them and not upset them, and be "like water off a duck's back."
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2021-09-29 06:30:04 if (one's) life depended on it

Under any circumstances; no matter what. (Used almost exclusively with a negative statement regarding something that one couldn't or wouldn't do.)

No thanks, I wouldn't see that film if my life depended on it.
No way am I going to karaoke night. I couldn't sing if my life depended on it!
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2021-09-29 06:30:04 year in, year out

Meaning
If something has happened year in, year out, it's happened every year for many years in a row.

For example

Our family gets together year in, year out at Christmas time.

Let's go somewhere new. We've been going to the same old places year in, year out since we were married.
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2021-09-28 06:30:04 be like oil and water

To be unable or unwilling to mix together easily or readily, as of two objects, elements, factors, forces, people, etc. Refers to the natural tendency of oil and water to separate.

My dad is like oil and water with my mom's boyfriend, so I don't know how they're going to get through the family reunion in each other's company.
The more I pay attention to the news, the more it seems that politics and common sense are as compatible as oil and water.
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2021-09-28 06:30:03 year dot | year one

Meaning
You can say "the year dot", or "the year one", when you're talking about a very, very long time ago.

For example

There have been people living in Australia since the year dot, but Europeans have only been there for about two hundred years.

People have been interested in the stars and the moon since the year one.

Note
"The year dot" is more common in British and Australian English, while "the year one" is more common in American English.
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2021-09-27 06:30:01 like cheese at four pence

In an idle, awkward, and/or out-of-place state; being ignored, abandoned, or left to wait awkwardly. Primarily heard in UK.

The receptionist was called away before I was done telling her what I needed, leaving me standing there like cheese at four pence.
Well, don't just sit there like cheese at four pence—speak up and say what's on your mind!
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2021-09-27 06:30:01 time and time again

Meaning
If you've done something time and time again, you've done it many times, or you've done it repeatedly.

For example

I've told Terry time and time again not to call me before ten in the morning, but he still does it!

We love that restaurant. We've been there time and time again and we still like going there.

Note
The idiom "time after time" has the same meaning, and can be used in the same way.
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