Double meanings: what do you mean?

by | 5 Oct 2020 | Business English, General English, Grammar

Like in many other languages, there are expressions, words and phrases that have more than one meaning; their meaning depends on the context.

 

dawn (noun/verb)

 

dawn – the beginning of the day (noun)

 

I wake early every morning and go to the woods with my camera. Dawn is my favourite time of day. 

 

dawn – to realise something (verb)

 

My boss is never clear and it takes hours until it dawns on you what he is trying to say.

After working there for two years, it then dawned on her that both her and her colleague were on completely different salaries.

 

flood (verb/adjective)

 

 

When an area is filled with water causing a problem 

 

After the rain i looked out the window and could see that there was a flood. (noun)

Oh no, the car park has been flooded! (verb)

 

When there is a lot of something, this could be to the point of too much or there is a lot of choice

 

These days the market is flooded with different supplements which makes it easy to find something suitable.

The team have been flooded with ideas since they announced the launch of the new product.

 

bright (adjective)

 

 

to describe intensity of light, reflection or colour

 

The sun was very bright in the sky today.

The yellow they used for the walls is very bright which makes it hard for me to relax.

 

it can also be used to describe intelligence

 

 

The students in this school are very bright.

I was a bright child until I started drinking alcohol every day.

 

warm (verb/adjective)

 

To increase or maintain the temperature of something

 

As you are going to be late, I will put your food in the oven to keep it warm.

The flat will ‘warm up’ (phrasal verb) soon after we put the heating on.

 

To describe personality

 

They are a really warm family. (kind and friendly)

It is important to give all our guests with a warm welcome.

 

To describe the quality of temperature provided

 

These socks are really warm.

She needs a warm coat.

 

crack (verb/noun)

 

to break something

You crack the nut shells and I will cook the pasta.

 

to lose control

 

 

After 6 weeks of intense pressure at work, he cracked and was off sick for 8 weeks.

 

To understand or master something

 

After studying Greek for 2 years, Susan discovered that she had cracked the language and could go an live there. (understand)

The thieves cracked the code to the safe in 6 minutes. When the police h=got there it was too late.

 

_________

 

Can you describe any activities in your life using the expressions above?

Are there any others you know?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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