5 days ago
What does it mean to be ‘hardly dry behind the ears'?
What is the meaning and origin of 'wet behind the ears'? (Sandeep Sinha, Ranchi)
This relatively old expression is mostly used in American English to refer to people who are green or inexperienced. 'Wet behind the ears' also carries with it the suggestion that the individual is rather young, and therefore, gullible — a naïve individual who can be easily duped or tricked into doing things. The expression is sometimes used to refer to someone who is new to a place. It is also possible to say, 'hardly dry behind the ears'.
We need someone who can run the department. Not a recent graduate who's wet behind the ears.
I don't think it's a good idea to make Ranjit the project leader. He's hardly dry behind the ears.
When a baby emerges from its mother's womb, it is usually covered, from head to toe, with amniotic fluid — the water-like substance that protects the baby while it is in the womb. Some animals lick this fluid off their baby; others, let the baby dry themselves. One of the last places of a newborn to dry is a small spot behind each ear. If these spots continue to be wet, it means the animal is a newbie — and hence helpless to do anything on its own.
What does it mean when someone says, 'I want the painting to be completed by Wednesday'? (K Sudharshana, Bengaluru)
When you tell your painter that you want him to finish painting your house 'by' Wednesday, you are giving the man a deadline. You are giving him time between now and Wednesday to complete the task at hand. Wednesday is the last day he will be allowed to finish the job. He can, if he wishes to, complete the task before Wednesday; but the painting work will not be allowed to continue after Wednesday. The deadline for completing the task is Wednesday. Of course, deadlines mean very little in our country! They are seldom met!
Today is Saturday. I want you to submit a comprehensive report by Friday.
The boss wants the repairs to be carried out by the 25th.
What is the difference between 'murder' and 'assassinate'? (L. Manivel, Erode)
In the eyes of the law, whether you 'murder' someone or 'assassinate' someone, you end up performing an illegal act — if caught, you could end up getting the death penalty. In both cases, you plan and intentionally take someone's life; the planning and execution of it is carried out in a cold-blooded fashion. One does not 'assassinate' or 'murder' someone accidentally.
When famous individuals are killed, especially for political reasons, it is called an assassination. For example, Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, Benazir Bhutto, and Martin Luther King Jr. were all assassinated. If someone were to shoot and kill lesser-known mortals like you and me, the media would label it 'murder'. Ordinary people are murdered and extraordinary individuals are assassinated. By the way, in the word 'assassinate', the stress is on the second syllable – e-SASS-i-nate'.
The police have been asked to investigate the murder of the old woman.
My wife and I were in Delhi the day Indira Gandhi was assassinated.
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