Concetti Chiave
- The concept of "tail" extends beyond anatomy, representing the end of anything, such as the "tail end" of a period or activity.
- Expressions like "chasing one's tail" and "tail between the legs" illustrate feelings of futility and embarrassment, respectively.
- Feathers serve as a defining characteristic of birds, made from a similar material as toenails, and play a role in birds' appearance and behavior.
- Feathers are also central to idiomatic expressions, such as "a feather in your cap" for achievements and "feathering one's nest" for personal gain.
- Examples of these expressions illustrate personal and professional scenarios, highlighting accomplishments and unethical behaviors.
Tail
Many animals have tails, which are the flexible appendages that are attached to the animal's back end. In a general sense, tail can also mean the back end of anything. Often, the phrase tail end is used.
My dog, Harvey, is bad at hiding his feelings. All dogs are, of course, but he is worse than most. When he wants something, he can't stop his tail from wagging.
Most students who are currently in high school were born at the tail end of the last century.
When we want to say that someone is engaged in an activity that rewards significant work with little progress, we say that he is chasing his tail. When someone is feeling shamed and embarrassed, we say that he has his tail between his legs.
I'd spent more than a month pursuing a theory that would help my thesis quite a bit, but got almost nothing I could use out of it. Figuring that I was just chasing my tail by that point, I gave it up and pursued other areas.
Larry had told everyone that he had never been beaten at backgammon, and that no one alive could change that. Well, I beat him two games out of three, in front of all our mutual friends, and sent him home with his tail between his legs.
Feather
Feathers are what birds have instead of fur or scales. They are made of the same material as toenails.
This morning, I saw a hummingbird outside my window, flitting from flower to flower in a patch of honeysuckle. It had the most beautiful dark red feathers I've ever seen.
Marcus knew that his twin sons had been having pillow fights again, because there were feathers all over the floor.
There are many figurative expressions that use feather. If you have achieved an honor or accomplishment, it is a feather in your cap. Another is feathering your nest, which means taking advantage of opportunities for your own gain.
Jamie won an award from the English department of the high school for excellence in writing. It's a real feather in his cap, and will look great on his college applications.
I was stunned that Senator Desmond would take bribes. I'd gone to school with him and he had always seemed so honest, but here he was, feathering his nest with campaign contributions from people he had business relationships with in exchange for political favors.
Domande da interrogazione
- ¿Qué significa "tail" en un sentido figurado?
- ¿Cómo se describe el uso figurado de "feather"?
- ¿Qué ejemplo se da sobre el uso de "tail" en la vida cotidiana?
- ¿Qué observación se hace sobre las plumas de un colibrí?
En un sentido figurado, "tail" se utiliza para describir situaciones como "chasing his tail" cuando alguien realiza un esfuerzo significativo con poco progreso, o "tail between his legs" cuando alguien se siente avergonzado.
"Feather" se usa figuradamente en expresiones como "a feather in your cap" para referirse a un logro o honor, y "feathering your nest" para describir el aprovechamiento de oportunidades para beneficio personal.
Un ejemplo cotidiano es cuando el perro Harvey no puede ocultar sus sentimientos y su cola se mueve cuando quiere algo.
Se observa que un colibrí tenía las plumas de un hermoso color rojo oscuro mientras volaba de flor en flor.
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