A Note On Our Ongoing Idioms Series

Many of our clients at AccentPros have advanced degrees and have excellent command of the English language. Given the constantly evolving state of the English language however they may not understand informal slang and the turns of phrase that are regularly used in the workplace, conversations with friends, and on various popular social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. Occasionally our clients will understand an idioms meaning but use it in an improper context or the wrong situation, which could potentially have embarrassing consequences. In our continuing efforts to  feature only the most relevant and practical terms in our idioms series, here are some sleep related idioms to review.

Fly by Night

Definition: A phrase used to characterize someone or something as being dishonest and having a questionable reputation.

Example sentence: Tornadoes usually bring with them a lot of fly-by-night contractors who do some shoddy work and leave before the job is complete.

Origin: The term was originally used to reproach a woman by signifying that she was a witch. By the beginning of the 19th century, it was used to describe a person, usually a swindler, who would leave hurriedly at night after carrying out a fraudulent activity. It was also applied to the practice of tenants or debtors who would flee their landlords or creditors at night. Today, it is used to refer to a person or business that operates in a dishonest fashion. Illegitimate businesses often target the elderly, believing them to be uninformed and thus susceptible to believing elaborate scams, as well as those individuals who have been displaced from their homes due to a natural catastrophe such as a tornado. Unsuspecting individuals that hire such contractors or companies are required to pay a deposit amount, after which the contractors leave without completing the task.

Goodnight, Sleep Tight

Definition:  A good omen usually said to children right before they retire to bed.

Example sentence: My mother would always tuck me in at night and say, “Goodnight, sleep tight!”

Origin: During the colonial era, mattresses were typically made from goose down feathers. Although the sleeping arrangement was generally comfortable, men often found the mattresses to be too soft. They would therefore tie ropes width-wise around the mattresses’ edges and middle and then pull them tight to condense the mattress; a tighter pull made for a firmer mattress. This meant a good night’s sleep for many, hence the common phrase.

 Burn the Midnight Oil

Definition: Working late into the night in order to complete a task or beat a deadline.

Example sentence: College students often have to burn the midnight oil during their final exams.

Origin: While most people attribute this phrase to poetry or writing, its origins  derive from religious services. In the Roman Catholic Church, oil is often used to anoint the sick, during baptism and when consecrating those being ordained to priesthood. On Holy Thursday, the Bishop of a Diocese blesses the oils that will be used in the following liturgical year. The night before, the oils remaining from the previous year are burnt at midnight in preparation for the new oils that will be blessed during the Chrism Mass. Although in the present day oils are primarily used only in emergency situations, the phrase is still used to describe going above and beyond to complete an assigned task or working late to beat a deadline. 

Interested in learning more?

This is just one entry in Accent Pros’ continuing series on common English phrases and American Idioms.  Be sure to check out other blog posts to find your favorites and learn how to pronounce them with standard American English.  Ready for an accent reduction tutorial or for a complimentary accent evaluation?  Check out the available personable on-line courses for accent reduction for students all over the world.