eat one’s heart out—be unhappy and miserable, usually for a long period of time: Raleigh, in prison, was eating his heart out in the desire for freedom. eat your heart out—(humorous) is used to say that one is even better than the (famous) person mentioned: Choi Min-sik gives what I think is the greatest performance […]
Category: Confusing Phrases
Difference between Eat one’s head off and Eat someone’s head off
eat one’s head off— 1. said of an animal whose upkeep costs more than it will sell for: That ox has been here all winter and ate his head off. 2. (coll.) eat excessively or gluttonously: I am not weighing in today as I just got back from New York and ate my head off […]
Difference between Eat off and Eat out of
eat off something— 1. eat one’s food from a certain container: Put vegetables on oven safe plate (you will be eating off this plate) and put in toaster oven. 2. eat part of a piece of food: “She always brought in a cake for him,” Foley said. “People would eat off the cake for the […]
Difference between Eat like a pig and Make a pig of oneself
eat like a pig —(also: eat like pigs) eat in a greedy or disgusting manner: He has terrible table manners, he eats like a pig. make a pig of oneself—(coll.) eat gluttonously; overindulge in food (also: pig oneself ): I’m afraid I made a pig of myself at dinner.
Difference between Eat away at and Eat away
eat away at something—destroy smth. gradually: Attempts have been made to stop the Sphinx from eroding even more. The blowing sands in the desert are gradually eating away at it. eat away something— 1. destroy smth. by eating: The monkeys had eaten away most of the mangroves, and the only ones that remained were shielded […]
Difference between Eat away and Eat out
eat away—eat continuously; eat as much as one likes: Be prepared to spend at least two hours chatting and eating away, relishing every minute of Fran’s delicious German cooking. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase eat away from home—have one’s meals in cafeterias, etc. rather than at home: When eating […]
Difference between Eat a peck of dirt and Eat dirt
eat a peck of dirt—put up with insult and abuse; submit to humiliating treatment: In times of revolution a good many pecks of dirt have to be eaten. eat dirt—(coll.) 1. = eat a peck of dirt: Lord Fitzurse made up for the dirt which they had been eating by the splendor of his entertainment. […]
Difference between Easy about someone and Easy on someone
easy about someone—free from worry or anxiety about smb.: He was quite easy about Agellius, who had, as he considered, successfully made off with himself. easy on someone—not strict or severe enough with a person: He deserves the punishment, but do be easy on him.
Difference between East Indiaman and East Indian
East Indiaman—(hist.) a sailing ship of large tonnage engaged in the East India trade: I have taken my berth in an East Indiaman which sails on the twentieth of June. East Indian— 1. smb. descended from the indigenous peoples of the Indian sub-continent: East Indians is the name given to the descendants of those who […]
Difference between Earth people and People of the Earth
earth people— 1. (also: earth-men) people whose life is closely associated with the natural or material (as opposed to the spiritual) world: They are an earth people and their legend is horrific, dramatic, almost senseless. 2. (Earth people) residents of the planet Earth in science fiction (also: earth-men): It was discovered that some Earth people […]
Difference between Early English and Old English
Early English— 1. Middle and Early Modern English language (1066–1400): Yet another Early English text appears under the editorship of an American scholar. 2. the early style of Gothic architecture which developed in England in the 13th century: So far as architecture is concerned the book covers three periods, Early English, Geometric, and Early Decorated. […]
Difference between Early bird and Early man
early bird— 1. smb. who gets up early; an early riser: If you like to get up early, you are an early bird and will probably perform better in the morning. 2. smb. who arrives earlier than the expected or arranged time: Be an early bird to get a table at this restaurant which is […]