rotten apple —(coll.) a single bad person in a group (also: bad apple): Today, the company, a shadow of its former self, is the rotten apple of the highly competitive supermarket sector. rotten egg —(coll.) a bad or despised individual (also: bad egg): But even if he was a rotten egg, what could he actually […]
Difference between Rot away and Rot off
rot away—decay slowly and completely: The soil in the forest is rich with dead leaves and branches that have been rotting away for centuries. rot off—fall off because of decay: The ground is covered with stiff, dry branches which have rotted off as the trees die.
Difference between Roses, roses all the way and Roses round the door
roses, roses all the way—said of comfort, favorable circumstances, success, etc.: I should have thought you would be so glad to get back from Brazil that life would have been roses, roses all the way. Cf.: not all roses —(of a situation, job, etc.) there are unpleasant things to deal with as well as the […]
Difference between Root about for something and Root for something
root about for something— 1. (of pigs, etc.) turn up the ground with the snout in search of food: A wild boar has been spotted rooting about for food scraps left behind by tourists. 2. search for smth. (by turning things over): He has been in the habit of taking more or less prolonged trips […]
Difference between Road of life and Way of life
road of life—said of the general course of a person’s life: His past experiences seem to be serving him well, as he continues to travel along the road of life. way of life—mode of living or acting: Changes have begun to occur in all areas of their way of life as a result of sustained […]
Difference between River-horse and Sea-horse
river-horse—the hippopotamus: The crocodiles and riverhorses are common in this unpeopled region; and I often looked upon them with terror. sea-horse— 1. the walrus: From this account the horse-whale seems to have been the animal now called the walrus, or seahorse, whose tusks are ivory. 2. (pl.) white foam and spray on the crests of […]
Difference between Ritual act and Ritualistic act
ritual act—an activity which happens as part of a tradition: Herein lies the explanation of how the act of bathing could have become a ritual act sanctioned by many religions. ritualistic act—an activity which follows the same pattern every time it is used: I love tea because I love the ritualistic act of making and […]
Difference between Risk capital and Risk money
risk capital—(also: venture capital) money for speculative business investment: Kula Fund was established to provide long-term risk capital to private sector projects in the Pacific. risk money— 1. allowance to a cashier to compensate for ordinary errors: To meet deficiencies, some banks allow to each cashier a certain sum, which is called risk-money. 2. = […]
Ring one’s bell vs Ring someone’s bell
ring one’s bell —(also: blow one’s own trumpet) announce one’s own successes; praise oneself:
Difference between Ring alarm bells and Ring bells
ring alarm bells—arouse people to a sense of danger; put on the alert: The huge vote for fascist candidates should ring alarm bells across Europe. ring bells —(also: ring the bell) meet with approval; have a strong appeal: Macmillan’s speech rang bells around the world because it signaled the change in Britain’s colonial policy.
Ring a bell vs Ring the bell
ring a bell —(coll.) sound familiar; remind of smth.: The name of the company rang a bell. One of my neighbors worked for them during the war. ring the bell —(coll.) 1. (also: ring bells) be met with approval; be a complete success: The President’s speeches ring the bell with certain segments of middle America. […]
Difference between Right-hand man and Right-handed man
right-hand man—a person’s chief assistant: The relationship between the coach and his right-hand man, irrespective of his title, is pivotal. right-handed man—(also: right-hander) a man who uses his right hand for writing, etc.: I came to the conclusion that the blow might have been struck by a right-handed man.