‘Stymie’ : Pronunciation and Meaning

When you are stymied, you are put in an awkward position and you find it difficult to continue to do what you are doing. It’s a word that is mostly used in informal contexts.

Pronunciation: The first syllable rhymes with `my’ and `by’. The `ie’ in the second syllable is like the `i’ in `bin’, `fin’, and `tin’. The main stress is on the first syllable.

It’s a term that is used in golf. When you are stymied, you really don’t know what to do because your opponent’s ball is between yours and the hole. In other words, it is blocking your shot.

Examples: The students’ plans to have a rock concert were stymied when the principal refused allow outsiders into the campus. * Raju was stymied when Satish refused to help him when he had money problems.

Source: S. Upendran, The Hindu ‘Know Your English’ Series, February 13, 2006

‘Cat’s whiskers’

When you say that you are the cat’s whiskers, what you are suggesting is that you are better than those around you. You are the most outstanding. In other words, the others are beneath you.

Examples: Many of the people who work in government offices think they are the cat’s whiskers. *  Cinderella probably thought that she was the cat’s whiskers in her new dress. * Many of our film stars think that they are the cat’s whiskers.

Source: S. Upendran, The Hindu ‘Know Your English’ Series, February 6, 2006

`Say our opinion’ is wrong usage.

`Say our opinion’ is wrong. You can `give your opinion’, `express your opinion’, and `state your opinion’. But you cannot `say your opinion’.
Examples: The teacher refused to give her opinion on the matter. * The author expresses his opinion about the cricket team in this article.

Source: S. Upendran, The Hindu ‘Know Your English’ Series, February 6, 2006

cool someone’s heels

When you let someone cool his heels, you make him wait for some time.

Examples: While the lawyer was having dinner, he made his clients cool their heels in the lobby of the hotel.* ”Whenever my secretary gets angry about something, I never ask her to come and see me immediately. I let her cool her heels for a while before talking to her about it.” * Government officials make it a habit of making people cool their heels.

Source: S. Upendran, The Hindu ‘Know Your English’ Series, February 6, 2006

‘Make short work of something/someone’

When you make short work of something, you deal with it very quickly. It’s an expression that is mostly used in informal contexts.

Examples: We made short work of the problems that the physics teacher had given us. * I made short work of the biscuits that my mother baked on my birthday.

‘Make short work of someone’
It is also possible to make short work of someone.
Example: The challenger made short work of the former champion.

Source: S. Upendran, The Hindu ‘Know Your English’ Series, February 6, 2006

‘shape up or ship out’

When you tell someone to shape up or ship out, you are warning them that if they don’t behave themselves, you will ask them to leave. In other words, you want them to meet your expectations.

Example: ”Nandini, you’re constantly handing in your assignments late. Shape up or ship out.” * “This is the third time this month that our new driver has been involved in an accident. Tell him that he either shapes up or ships out.”
* “I am sorry to say that your performance hasn’t been up to the mark. Either you shape up or ship out.”

Source: S. Upendran, The Hindu ‘Know Your English’ Series, January 30, 2006

‘leave someone up in the air’

When you leave someone up in the air, you leave the person waiting for a decision. You don’t tell him whether it’s a `yes’ or a `no’.

Examples:  ”What do you mean you haven’t taken a decision about my promotion? How long do you plan to leave me up in the air like this?”  * “The Vice Chancellor said that he hadn’t taken a decision about the demands. He left the students up in the air.”  * ”Don’t leave me up in the air like this.”

Source: S. Upendran, The Hindu ‘Know Your English’ Series, January 30, 2006