Wordwizard

Steve, what do they call it in that advert?

You may see similar things in outdoor playgrounds (probably monitored by some over anxious adult wearing a high-vis vest and carrying a bundle of bubble wrap). These things, designed for children to climb on, were commonly called "monkey bars" or a "jungle gym".

I like "b." If I was using t "a", I'd probably say "a few yards too far away" rather than "a few yards too many away". Not sure if that's correct, but it's just how it works...in my head.

I'm only familiar with the "jumping/leaping out" versions, but Mentalfloss.com has this to say: 6. OUT OF ONE'S SKIN English really itches to let you know exactly where we stand in relation to skin. We can jump or leap out of it when we’re excited. We can fly out of it when we get really angry. And ...

I started wondering what else they could be called. I tried "pencil shards" but didn't find anyone in that camp. It seems that more than a few people also call them "sharpenings".

"He tried to knock me down but he did not succeed"... no one is confused, at all.

"But this is all you are able to purchase / buy" could imply that the product was unavailable for some reason (it was out of stock, you could not find it, it has been discontinued, not legal in your area). The original quote is very specific... you simply did not have the money.

... or in the idiom "fetch and carry", meaning to perform mindless, grunt-work for someone else. Come to think of it, that's probably how the dog views it when you just throw away a stick and tell him to go and get it.

Does Tom have any other advice for us?

Fremdschämen. Now I have a name for the feeling I get when I watch karaoke. It always amazes me that, seemingly normal people find it entertaining. They'll often say "Don't worry...you don't have to get up there if you don't want to", completely missing the point. It is not fear of embarrassing myse...

It's for the best/worst is commonly heard, around here.

I can't make much sense out of either of those. It is possible that this conversation was misheard and transcribed incorrectly. "Buck his sets" could be about "cassettes" (that's what the photo is)...maybe buck cassettes (cassettes that cost a dollar)?

SilverSingles is an online dating site for people over 50 years of age. Silver (haired) singles.

We'd call that a "breezeway", around here.

Well waxed.