Concise Thesaurus of Traditional English Metaphors by Wilkinson P. R

Author:Wilkinson, P. R.
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780203945643
Publisher: Taylor & Francis (CAM)

Cargoes, tides

A shipping order. A large task; a much larger quantity than usual (as when provisioning a ship).

Take on board. Undertake generally; accept responsibility for . . .

Loaded – question/word. One with additional implications or underlying suggestions; biased.

Loading dose [1961]. Initial, larger dose of medicine prescribed when it is necessary to give impetus to a course of treatment.

Sign the coal-warrants. Have a farewell drink on board just before the ship sails.

Ballast (n.) [1612]. Those qualities and experiences that give stability to a person’s character.

Carry/Take coals to Newcastle [C17+]. Take something to a place where it is already plentiful; act superfluously.

Far-fetched [1586]. Outlandish; hard to believe.

Tide-mark [1907]. Dirty mark left on bath, crockery, neck etc. showing how high the water came.

High-water mark [1814]. The recorded maximum in any fluctuation; the dirty mark (in the bath or on the neck) denoting the limit of a person’s ablutions; tip-top condition; highest point of excellence; the time when an organisation or civilisation was at its most powerful and prosperous.

Tide you over [1821]. Help you through a difficult time. (From the tide at flood helping sailors to surmount reefs, wrecks etc.)

The tide turns [1849]. In a war, when the loser starts to win.

Tidal flow. That increase in traffic into and out of a city at the beginning and end of a working day.

The ebb and flow of . . . [1870]. Those natural fluctuations, variations, alternations of decrease and increase observable in many human and social situations.

At low ebb. In bad health; low spirits; out of funds [letter from c. Tunstall to Wolsey – 1515].

He that is at low tide at Newgate may soon be afloat at Tyburn [1555] i.e. hanged. (The gallows was set at low-water mark and sentence was not complete until three high tides later.)

Rip-tide = Tide-rip [powerful and variable off-shore currents, dangerous disturbance in coastal waters]. Emotional or psychological conflict; opposing political or economic forces creating a dangerous situation; confused and turbulent literary style.

Stem the tide [1855]. Check or withstand an overwhelming movement. He tried to stem the rising tide of nationalism.

Are you all shipping on the yar [one – nEng] tide? – to several guests who all decide to leave at the same time.

Climb/Welcome aboard! [later C20]. Join the party! Glad to see you have joined us!

Embark on . . . [1649]. Undertake, usually a task or venture of some magnitude.

Miss the boat [1929]. Be too late for something, lose an opportunity.

Clean bill of health. Unspoiled record. (From the certificate that a ship had no infection on board at the time of sailing.)

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