walkout
Definition: A strike; a unified employee protest against an employer.
Example: 1) The steel plant has been shut down by a walkout.
Etymology: This term came into use in the late 1880s, when labor unions began to organize mass protests against low wages and inhuman working conditions.
keep an eye on
Definition: To watch very carefully; to guard; to place under surveillance.
Example: 1) You have to keep an eye on those workers. One of them has been stealing french fries. 2) I'm going outside for a minute -- would you keep an eye on my books?
Etymology: Through your 'eyes' you see and understand the world, and when you 'keep an eye' on something, you constantly watch or monitor it to get a full understanding of what is happening.
barking up the wrong tree
Definition: Looking for something in the wrong place; to be mistaken.
Example: 1) Tanya tried to get some money from her uncle, but she was barking up the wrong tree -- he doesn't have a dime! 2) If you're looking for a new job, Ted, you're barking up the wrong tree. We aren't hiring right now.
Etymology: A dog will chase its prey (such as a cat) until it runs up a tree. The dog then barks to tell its owner where the prey is. Sometimes, the dog might get confused, and bark at the 'wrong tree' where there is no prey.
No comments:
Post a Comment