[Idioms #7] Talking about Love

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Enrico C - 13 Jan 2004 19:57 GMT

I have under my nose a list of idioms about love, but I don't know
what they exactly mean.

"Tell her how much you enjoy sports, if you want to get to first base
with her."

"What Guy Will Fall Head Over Heels In Love With You?"

"She has always been able to wrap her boyfriend around her little
finger."

Hmmm... let's find out!

"Get to first base with someone" doesn't necessarily mean you are
playing baseball with your sweetheart, I guess :)

Wayne Magnuson gives an example of *not* getting first base
"He was hoping for a kiss, but he didn't get to first base."

So, I think you get to first base when the person you desire
reciprocates your feelings, gives you her/his first kiss, or something
like that!

"Fall head over heels in love" must be when you like someone so much
that you feel dizzy, I think!
In short, you've got a crush for her, or him!

Here is a test from the Net that gives a clue as to what "falling head
over heels" means.
They say you can find out "What Guy Will Fall Head Over Heels In Love
With You?" just answering a few questions like these...

http://quizilla.com/users/Blackspideress/quizzes/What%20Guy%20Will%20Fall%20Head
%20Over%20Heels%20In%20Love%20With%20You%3F/

Maybe... :-/

"Wrap someone around your little finger" means you get someone (your
lover, probably) to do anything you want, according to what I read on
englishforums.com

He / She is so crazy about you, that you have him / her under your
control!

You wrap or even twist the guy / girl.

"She has always been able to twist her boyfriend around her little
finger."

The expression has even been used by an advert of sunglasses for
"naughty girls"...!

| Release the mischievious little imp in you and wrap him around your
| little finger where he longs to be. Roxanne Biker glasses will accent
| your look to keep him spellbound and in your sway for as long as need be.

I didn't know about these glasses, but their ad is fun :)

Signature

Enrico C ~ No native speaker

Reply to this Message

jk - 14 Jan 2004 03:29 GMT

> I have under my nose a list of idioms about love, but I don't know
> what they exactly mean.
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> reciprocates your feelings, gives you her/his first kiss, or something
> like that!

That's correct. First base is usually a kiss or holding hands. There is
also references to second, third and home plate (or a home run). There
isn't any clearly defined distinctions but third base usually implies that
the couple has stopped short of actual intercourse while home plate implies
that sexual relations occurred.

jk

> "Fall head over heels in love" must be when you like someone so much
> that you feel dizzy, I think!
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> | Fun and Easy-To-Talk-To
> | Sensitive and Mysterious

http://quizilla.com/users/Blackspideress/quizzes/What%20Guy%20Will%20Fall%20Head
%20Over%20Heels%20In%20Love%20With%20You%3F/

> Maybe... :-/
>
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
>
> I didn't know about these glasses, but their ad is fun :)

Reply to this Message

Enrico C - 14 Jan 2004 23:17 GMT

>> I have under my nose a list of idioms about love, but I don't know
>> what they exactly mean.
[quoted text clipped - 26 lines]
>
> jk

Thanks jk!

So, "second base" must be something more than just kisses and holding
hands, but a tad less than "stopped short of actual intercourse".

Would that be "to make out"?

Signature

Enrico C

| http://www.lillathedog.net/

Reply to this Message

Zz - 15 Jan 2004 10:35 GMT

Enrico ...

> >> "Get to first base with someone" doesn't necessarily mean you are
> >> playing baseball with your sweetheart, I guess :)
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> So, "second base" must be something more than just kisses and holding
> hands, but a tad less than "stopped short of actual intercourse".

The beauty of these are that with the exception of first base and home run,
they can mean anything at all, so the imagination can run riot! Definitely
the domain of young males.

> Would that be "to make out"?

Make out is US slang. It can include intercourse though, can't it? It seems
pretty much like "to get off with" in the UK.

Reply to this Message

Zz - 14 Jan 2004 12:29 GMT

Enrico...

> "What Guy Will Fall Head Over Heels In Love With You?"
>
> "Fall head over heels in love" must be when you like someone so much
> that you feel dizzy, I think!
> In short, you've got a crush for her, or him!

Head over heels is stronger than a crush, it is total (in a present tense
sense)... along the lines of infatuation.
(Un)fortunately, it is a condition that usually passes.

A crush is no big deal, a "sweet spot" etc.

Zz
http://groups.msn.com/TEFL

Reply to this Message

Enrico C - 14 Jan 2004 23:17 GMT

> Enrico...
>>
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> A crush is no big deal, a "sweet spot" etc.

Thanks Zz, right you are, not all crushes are *that* strong.

I guess it depends on the age of the person, though.

For a teen-ager, a crush may well mean "head over heels", I think ;)

> http://groups.msn.com/TEFL

Have they started yet?

Signature

Enrico C

Do Something Amazing Today
Save a Life, Give Blood

Reply to this Message

Zz - 15 Jan 2004 10:24 GMT

Enrico ...

> Thanks Zz, right you are, not all crushes are *that* strong.
> I guess it depends on the age of the person, though.

Yes. Some people think they are always falling head over heels in love, but
after the event they've got to conclude they were (just) crushes (in my
opinion), or symptoms showing that the person is in need of some kind of
medical assistance! I think "head over heels" shows some kind of
recklessness, which is nice, but it can't happen all the time.

> For a teen-ager, a crush may well mean "head over heels", I think ;)

I settled for strong crushes. :)

> > http://groups.msn.com/TEFL
> Have they started yet?

Yes. Up and running. Please come along and start some discussions!

> Do Something Amazing Today
> Save a Life, Give Blood

Where did you see this Enrico?

Zz

Reply to this Message

Enrico C - 15 Jan 2004 20:00 GMT

>> Do Something Amazing Today
>> Save a Life, Give Blood
>
> Where did you see this Enrico?

Here, for one!
http://www.blood.co.uk/

Anyway, I am regular blood donor in Italy :)

Signature

Enrico C ~ No native speaker

Reply to this Message

Zz - 16 Jan 2004 11:57 GMT

Enrico

> Zz
>
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> Anyway, I am regular blood donor in Italy :)

:) Good man.

There is a fairly good advertising campaign that accompanies that slogan.

Reply to this Message

Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2004

[Idioms #7] Talking about Love