Winning English - Mastering Idioms, Slang, and References
Turn a corner • Be on a roll • Make money hand over fist • Kick the can down the road
It’s already November, and in just a few weeks, we will be starting a new year - which, after everything that has happened in 2020, I think we’ll all be very glad to do!
With any luck, things will soon turn a corner, and you’ll be on a roll and maybe even making money hand over fist!
Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash
“To turn a corner” means “things will improve”. The idea is that you are currently driving on a bad road, but you’ll soon turn onto a good road.
“You’re on a roll” is a way of saying that you are currently performing very well at a task and that your success seems likely to continue. Picture a rock rolling down a hill. At first it rolls slowly, then faster and faster until it can’t be stopped. That’s how well you are doing!
“To make money hand over fist” means you are earning a lot of money very quickly. By itself, the phrase “hand over fist” means to do something very quickly. It dates from the 1800s when sailors on ships used their hands and fists to pull ropes. Since then, though, the saying has evolved and is used almost exclusively to refer to making money.
If you are to be successful in the coming year, it’s usually smart to solve today’s problems quickly and not ignore them. If you kick the can down the road, the problem might just get worse and worse until you can’t fix it at all!
Photo by Pamela Callaway on Unsplash
The phrase “kick the can” is the name of a children’s game dating from the early 20th century in which you would literally kick a can to win. But starting in the 1980s, it began to take on its modern meaning.
“To kick the can down the road” means that you are ignoring a problem today, hoping to solve the problem later. It can also mean that you are ignoring a problem today, hoping that someone else will later have to fix the problem instead of you. In this sense, it means to fail to do your duty.
“Kick the can down the road” is often used to describe the actions of leaders in organizations, from governments to businesses, who deliberately leave big problems for future leaders to solve.
Thanks for reading Winning English! Make sure to listen to the podcast, as well, to reinforce your learning. Remember, if you like what you read or hear, please tell a friend. Talk soon!