* go against the grain: to be the
opposite of what one would normally want or do
ex>
It goes against the grain for David to pay for anything.
Note>
According to one theory, the expression comes from the world of carpentry. The
fine lines that you find on a piece of wood are called “grain.” If you wish to
smoothen wood, for best results, you should run the tool you are using “along”
the grain, and not “against” it.
* stem from: to be caused by something
ex>
His ability to decorate home stems from his training as an interior
designer.
* espouse: to express support for
something
ex>
I admire the speaker for espousing the elimination of capital punishment
everywhere.
* mishmash: a confused mixture
ex>
She can take a mishmash of leftovers and turn it into a fantastic meal.
Note>
Many houses have one kitchen drawer full of a mishmash of pens, rubber bands,
carryout menus, and gum, for example. The word was originally spelled with a
hyphen, mish-mash, and before that it
was mysse-masche, which had to do
with mash, as it a bunch of soft food
chucked together and fed to pigs.
* sticking point: something that prevents
progress or agreement
ex>
One of the sticking points in the dispute is the duration of paid
maternity leave.
* deal-breaker: an unresolved problem
that prevents an agreement from being reached
ex>
His personal hygiene is not the greatest, but I wouldn’t say it was a deal-breaker.
* settle down:
정착하다
This
expression has another – but somewhat related – meaning. To settle down can
mean “to become calm,” and is sometimes used in the imperative form to demand
that someone behave in a more calm manner.
ex>
H is, and I have a feeling that the two of them will be settling down
soon.
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