Mr. Putin Thought Ukraine Would Be a Walk in the Park, but It Looks Like He Has a Tiger by the Tail
Idioms add color to language
An idiom is an expression whose meaning can not be determined by the literal definition of the words that make up the expression. Such phrases often have interesting and unusual origins.
Mr. Putin thought Ukraine would be a walk in the park. Media reports tell of Russian troops running out of food and fuel. According to Radio Free Europe, Russian soldiers arrived with only three days of rations. However, it appears that Russia has caught a tiger by the tail. Other reports say the 40-mile long convoy of Russian supplies has stopped due to Ukraine Special Forces. (Wall Street Journal, access may require login) At the very least, Vladimir Putin and the rest of Russia will be paying through the nose for the invasion. (Wall Street Journal, access may require login)
I have used three English idioms in the preceding paragraph. Not only are the idioms descriptive, but they add specific nuances to the statements.
Mr. Putin thought Ukraine would be a walk in the park
The phrase means something easy to accomplish. After all, what could be easier than a stroll through a park?
However, it appears that Russia has caught a tiger by the tail
The meaning of grabbing or catching a tiger by the tail is now that you've got it, what do you do with it. If you were to catch a tiger by the tail, the tiger may turn on you at any moment and eat you.
"The expression of catching a tiger by the tail is derived from a Chinese proverb: 'He who rides a tiger is afraid to dismount.' This aphorism was translated into English in the 1870s." (grammarist.com) A similar idiom is may have bitten off more than it can chew.
At the very least, Vladimir Putin and the rest of Russia will be paying through the nose for the invasion
The meaning of paying through the nose is that the cost of getting something will be far more than the benefit received. Already, the economic system of Russia is suffering. Russian banks have been cut off from the rest of the world. Russian citizens' Apple Pay and Google Pay are invalidated. (Wall Street Journal, may require login)
The origin of the expression likely comes from Ireland. "When the Danes conquered Ireland in the ninth century, they took a census by 'counting noses'. [sic] Exorbitant taxes were imposed on each 'nose', [sic] thus one had to pay through the nose." (grammarist.com)
Learning a language well requires much more than memorizing vocabulary, conjugation, and grammar rules. Learning common vocabulary is essential, but a learner must also understand the idioms of speech. Fluent speakers of a language constantly add to it to make it more descriptive and relevant. Idioms fulfill a common cultural connection between members of the language group. Even native speakers must learn new language terms to master English. In the case of the idioms presented above, it might be wise for non-English speakers to learn a few sayings.
Copyright 2022 Harold Zeitung All Rights Reserved
Disclosure: This story has been edited by Grammarly.com
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