Advanced
Idioms – some interesting meanings and histories
as mad as a hatter (Unit 5)
In Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland (published in
1865) a hat-maker, or hatter, holds a tea party, in which
he behaves in a very strange, or mad, way. Carroll was
referring to the effects of mercury poisoning sometimes
suffered in the past by hat-makers as a result of the
use of mercurous nitrate in the manufacture of felt
hats. Now, somebody who is eccentric or behaving
in a strange way is described humorously as being
as mad as a hatter.
close ranks (Units 8 and 31)
When soldiers close ranks, they get closer together
so that it is difficult for the enemy to get past them.
Similarly, lines of policemen close ranks to control
a crowd. From this a figurative sense has developed:
when people close ranks, they join together to defend
something that is important to them or to protect each
other from criticism.
Activity
Complete the sentences with the idioms above. You might
have to change some of the words to make them fit.
1. Did you read that article about the government’s
plans for the health service? ~ Yeah, the writer
didn’t think much of their ideas, did he? It was a real
. ranks over the latest allegations that
2. Ha ha! Dad’s
he forgot mum’s birthday!
3. The company’s senior officials are
over the latest
allegations that they were involved in bribery over trade
contracts rumoured to be worth millions of pounds.
4. It says here that some British guy is going to eat nothing but
cheese for a week to raise money for a cancer charity! He must
be !
hatchet job (Unit 56)
A hatchet is a small, light axe with a short handle, for
use with one hand. The term hatchet man originated in
the US, and referred to someone who was paid to kill
someone, originally using a hatchet for the purpose.
It is now used figuratively to refer to a journalist who
is employed to attack people’s reputations, and so a
hatchet job is a strong written attack on a person or
their work.
in the doghouse (Unit 57)
In North American English a doghouse is a small
house or shelter for a dog; the British English word
is ‘kennel’. On both sides of the Atlantic, if you are
in the doghouse you have done something that has
made someone angry–
the expression is used
humorously with
reference to a badly
behaved dog that
has been shut in
its kennel.
be as mad as a hatter!
raise money for a cancer charity! He must
to eat nothing but cheese for a week to
It says here that some British guy is going 4.
of pounds.
contracts rumoured to be worth millions
they were involved in bribery over trade
because The company’s senior officials are closing 3.
forgot mum’s birthday!
Ha ha! Dad’s in the doghouse because he 2.
job.
their ideas, did he? It was a real hatchet
~ Yeah, the writer didn’t think much of
government’s plans for the health service?
Did you read that article about the 1.
Answers