treat someone to something—supply food, entertainment, etc. at one’s own expense to a person: He told me that I was the only one to ever treat him to dinner, aside from his father. Isn’t that sad? treat someone with something— 1. act or behave towards a person in a manner specified: They treated me with […]
Category: Confusing Phrases
Tread water vs Walk on water
tread water— 1. keep one’s head above water by remaining upright and pumping the legs: Two common ways of treading water are kicking extended legs back and forth and also kicking in an alternating manner, one leg at a time. 2. expend some effort but not make much progress: I realized that I was just […]
Tread on someone’s heels vs Tread on someone’s toes
tread on someone’s heels—follow a person very closely: We were walking up the hill, and our pace was much the same—I was treading on his heels without much effort. tread on someone’s toes—offend a person by treating him insensitively: As I was mentally formulating responses to it, I also became aware that I should be […]
Travel over the land vs Travel overland
travel over the land—pass through many parts of the country: At the time of the alleged events described in the gospels, scores of preachers traveled over the land of Israel. Note: The expression is not equivalent in meaning to the phrase travel all over the land—pass through or visit every part of the country: To […]
Transported by something vs Transported with something
transported by something —(of goods or people) carried from one place to another by a car, train, etc.: Field artillery has also been transported by sleighs, as in Canada. transported with something —(liter.) overcome with some strong emotion: On hearing of the victory, the nation was transported with joy.
Transit man vs Transit passenger
transit man—(U.S.) a surveyor who uses a transit-theodolite for the measurement of land areas: Continuous labor in solitary wilderness as surveyor or transit-man, is a totally different thing from taking a trip across the continent. transit passenger—a passenger making a brief stop at an airport, etc. in transit to another destination: For the transit passenger […]
Trample someone under foot vs Walk all over someone
trample someone under foot—oppress or subdue a person; treat smb. harshly or ruthlessly: We loan them a degree of power, we do not grant them the right to trample us underfoot as they are doing. walk all over someone— 1. make smb. do whatever one wishes; take advantage of a person: Ashley was a hopeless […]
Training college vs Training school
training college—(UK) a college for the training of teachers: How vitally important a good pupil-teacher relationship had been considered at my training college. training school— 1. a school preparing students for a particular occupation: The majority of nursery training schools do not make any hard-and-fast rule regarding the work which their trainees should take over. […]
Trade something for something vs Trade something in for something
trade something for something—give one thing in exchange for another, in place of money: The cargo consisted of textiles and antiquated firearms. These were traded on the coast for slaves, who were shipped to America. trade something in for something—give smth. in part payment for smth. else (usually another article of the same kind): You […]
Trade in something vs Trade on something
trade in something—buy and sell a particular commodity: The company of merchants included both general dealers and such as traded in only one kind of wares. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase trade something in—give a used thing as part payment for a new one: You trade in your car […]
Toy boy vs Toy man
toy boy—(sl., also: boy toy) a woman’s very young lover: At 48 she is like a teenage girl again—raving it up with four different lovers including a toy boy of 27. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the compound playboy—a rich man who spends most of his time enjoying himself in expensive […]
Touring car vs Tourist car
touring car—an open automobile with a folding top: Mac and Jim circled the buildings and went to the ancient Ford touring car. tourist car— 1. a (rented) car used by tourists: An early start on all itineraries can avoid most tourist cars, tour busses, and crowds. 2. a railway car equipped with less comfortable sleeping […]