Subject: Re: The proof is in the pudding, or where to get physical dictionaries of idioms?

Johann 'Myrkraverk' Oskarsson wrote:

Dear alt.usage.english,

Thinking of /the proof is in the pudding/ for a context outside the
scope of Usenet, I am now wondering how one would increase his or her knowledge of idioms, without having to know each and every one before
hand?

For instance, I have no particular interest in looking at

https://www.theidioms.com/

every day, even though that's probably both free and useful.

I know books of idioms have been published in Iceland, but as far as I'm aware, nobody has suggested one for English. Where did the Englishmen
of ages past learn their idioms and expressions? I certainly hope they didn't start with regular expressions in the 15th century. But that
would probably have been Chauserian English, of which I don't know much, sadly.

Maybe I'll pick up Chauserian English one of these days, but not today.
Today I thought to pick up a few more unknown-to-me idioms and express-
ions of more recent usage.

So, what do posters of alt.usage.english suggest?

you are soooo narrow minded...

"idioms" is soo passeeeee

It's called catchphrases, English phrases...certaintly not "idioms".

Learn English first.



https://www.ef.edu/english-resources/english-idioms/

https://www.google.com/search?q=english+phrases+books&rlz=1C1AJCO_enUS1195US1195&oq=English+idioms+books&aqs=chrome.2.69i57j0i22i30l7j0i10i22i30j0i22i30.19326j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Or look in Google Books

"English phrases"

https://www.google.com/search?q=English+phrases&sca_esv=fa8fc3aacbaacd94&rlz=1C1AJCO_enUS1195US1195&udm=36&biw=1920&bih=1085&sxsrf=APpeQntOO0Pb-SF7wIecIGiMJahs9byrHg%3A1791134925605&ei=zYzCasbLJIKikPIPz6PdqAM&ved=2ahUKEwiG5vDH8aCXAxUCEUQIHc9RFzUQ4dUDegQIBBAM&oq=English+phrases&gs_lp=EhBnd3Mtd2l6LW1vZGVsZXNzIg9FbmdsaXNoIHBocmFzZXMyDhAAGIAEGIoFGJECGLEDMgsQABiABBiKBRiRAjILEAAYgAQYigUYkQIyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAESIoYUABYAHAAeACQAQCYAVygAVyqAQExuAEMyAEA-AEC-AEBmAIBoAJ3mAMAkgcDMC4xoAehBbIHAzAuMbgHd8IHAzMtMcgHEoAIAQ&sclient=gws-wiz-modeless

physical books (besides your library near you) https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?kn=English%20Phrases&sts=t&ref_=ds_ac_d_19

or free books (just copy and paste in Google)

site:https://dokumen.pub/ Essential English Phrases


Here's an idioms

Fuck it!

--
Johann | email: invalid -> com | http://www.myrkraverk.com/blog/
I'm not from the Internet, I just work there. | via Easynews.com https://bsky.app/profile/myrkraverk.bsky.social | for ( ;; ) _:;
Federated at https://fed.brid.gy/bsky/myrkraverk.bsky.social

--
The Starmaker -- To question the unquestionable, ask the unaskable,
to think the unthinkable, mention the unmentionable, say the unsayable,
and challenge the unchallengeable.

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

Subject: Re: The proof is in the pudding, or where to get physical dictionaries of idioms?

Bertel Lund Hansen wrote:

Den 04.10.2026 kl. 12.56 skrev Johann 'Myrkraverk' Oskarsson:

So, what do posters of alt.usage.english suggest?

Read books by English writers.

And be suspicious of what you read on the web.

And books.? Though I don't have a read made example of an error in a
book with an English author.

If you just want to pick up idiomatic expressions, you don't have to
worry about spelling errors.

This is actually coming from a alt.usage.english newsgroup!!!


Fack It!

--
Bertel, Kolt, Danmark

--
The Starmaker -- To question the unquestionable, ask the unaskable,
to think the unthinkable, mention the unmentionable, say the unsayable,
and challenge the unchallengeable.

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

Subject: Re: The proof is in the pudding, or where to get physical dictionaries of idioms?

Peter Moylan wrote:

On 04/10/26 18:54, Bertel Lund Hansen wrote:

Den 04.10.2026 kl. 04.41 skrev Johann 'Myrkraverk' Oskarsson:

So, what do posters of alt.usage.english suggest?

Read books by English writers.

And be suspicious of what you read on the web.

Is that an idiom???? An English catch phrase?


Sounds like grandma talk to me...


"And be suspicious of what you read on the web."


PUT DAT IN THE BOOK!!!

--
Peter Moylan peter@pmoylan.org http://www.pmoylan.org
Newcastle, NSW

--
The Starmaker -- To question the unquestionable, ask the unaskable,
to think the unthinkable, mention the unmentionable, say the unsayable,
and challenge the unchallengeable.

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

Subject: Re: The proof is in the pudding, or where to get physical dictionaries of idioms?

x3 wrote:

On 10/4/26 11:11, The Starmaker wrote:

Fuck it!

Yup,

You are controlled by machines called television
sets and radios which you worship as gods.

"radios"??? wats dat?

There is no right or wrong with you. All the
machines say are good is 'good'. All the machines
say to be 'evil' is evil. There is no right or
wrong with you because the machines create all
perception of right or wrong for you. Nothing
has to correspond with anything true or not at all.

In theory I could pity you. But perhaps it is
not worth it.

--
The Starmaker -- To question the unquestionable, ask the unaskable,
to think the unthinkable, mention the unmentionable, say the unsayable,
and challenge the unchallengeable.

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)