Thanks for the list Jono ... I confess I set `Beyond the Pale` and `Just Deserts` in the clueing competitions - I like ambiguity in words even if some of the definitions might not be widely known. I learned about the Irish origin of the first phrase from a speech Seamus Heaney made describing how he felt like an `outsider` due to his humble upbringing
So part of me half stands apart
Beyond the pale of books and art
Years ago my mother-in-law was telling me about a friend hers who had climbed all the Lakeland 2000-footers. I asked if it had taken him a long time.
"No" she said, quite innocently "he did them in one fell swoop"...
The news on the pandemic has caused an epidemic of "epicentre" misusages, I'm afraid....
For instance, this one on the BBC (Heaven forfend!)
Latin America is the epicentre of the pandemic, according to the WHO.
After all this time I've discovered another misuse of the apostrophe.
Do'nt ca'nt would'nt seem to be turning up a lot recently.
The apostrophe is supposed to indicate a missing letter.
I have frequently heard young people referred to as children on the radio when the recent exam result debacle is being discussed.
Junior school children perhaps, but referring to 17 and 18 year olds in this way grates on me.
What's the matter with students?
Rossim, you remind me of a clue in the Guardian this week, where “one’s” = IS.
One is = I am, that works
One’s = I’m = IM, that works
Ones = 1s = IS also works... but
One’s = IS ?? that apostrophe bugs me