Let's start using idioms or idiomatic expressions when we write. When idioms are used, it add color and texture to language by creating images that convey meanings beyond those of the individual words that make them up. An idiom can be very colorful and make a 'picture' in our minds. It also shows the writer's familiarity with English. When you want to make your writing sound more conversational, including idioms can give your writing a more relaxed tone.
Idioms allow us to say a lot with few words. Idioms amplify your messages in a way that draws your readers in and helps awaken their senses. It adds dynamism and character to otherwise stale writing. They make your writing less monotonous and your readers will think that you are smart and knowledgeable. All the while ... you only clothe your writing with elaborate idioms to create an impact... saying too much with less.
To perfect your English, you really need to become confident in using idioms and knowing the difference between breaking a leg and pulling someone's leg. So the idiom of the day is:
IDIOM: Take it with a grain of salt (American). Take it with a pinch of salt (British).
MEANING: It means not believing something that you were told because it is unlikely to be true. The information you just received is not accurate ... so accept it with some degree of suspicion and disbelief ... treat it skeptically with reservations.
ORIGIN:The idea comes from the fact that food is more easily eaten or swallowed if taken with a small amount of salt. The origin dates back in 77 A.D. when a Roman philosopher Gaius Plinius Secundus also known as Pliny the Elder discovered the recipe for an antidote to poison. In his translation in Naturalis Historia, he used the words "be taken fasting, plus a grain of salt".
USING IT IN A SENTENCE: The story sounds so incredible ... so take it with a grain of salt until you get more details.
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