Some expressions in English can be really puzzling.
Some
expressions
in
English
can
be
really
puzzling
.
Have a look at the following to see how it challenges your brainpower.
Have
a
look
at
the
following
to
see
how
it
challenges
your
brainpower
.
Homeric laughter
Homeric
laughter
The "Homer" in this expression is the Greek poet.
The
``
Homer
''
in
this
expression
is
the
Greek
poet
.
People laugh differently.
People
laugh
differently
.
Some laugh silently, while others tend to laugh loudly.
Some
laugh
silently
,
while
others
tend
to
laugh
loudly
.
"Homeric laughter" refers to laughter of the latter kind.
``
Homeric
laughter
''
refers
to
laughter
of
the
latter
kind
.
It is at times uncontrollable, and the entire body shakes during the process.
It
is
at
times
uncontrollable
,
and
the
entire
body
shakes
during
the
process
.
This kind of laughter is called Homeric laughter because this is how the gods laughed in Homer's classics.
This
kind
of
laughter
is
called
Homeric
laughter
because
this
is
how
the
gods
laughed
in
Homer
's
classics
.
A three-ring circus
A
three-ring
circus
When you refer to a situation as being a three-ring circus, you are saying that it is a situation of complete confusion.
When
you
refer
to
a
situation
as
being
a
three-ring
circus
,
you
are
saying
that
it
is
a
situation
of
complete
confusion
.
There are so many activities taking place all together that they leave you confused or annoyed.
There
are
so
many
activities
taking
place
all
together
that
they
leave
you
confused
or
annoyed
.
The expression comes from the world of entertainment--the circus.
The
expression
comes
from
the
world
of
entertainment
--
the
circus
.
The area where the artists perform their acts is called the "ring".
The
area
where
the
artists
perform
their
acts
is
called
the
``
ring
''
.
In the past, some of the circuses were so grand that they had three acts taking place simultaneously in three different "rings".
In
the
past
,
some
of
the
circuses
were
so
grand
that
they
had
three
acts
taking
place
simultaneously
in
three
different
``
rings
''
.
The audience had to decide which "ring" they wanted to focus on.
The
audience
had
to
decide
which
``
ring
''
they
wanted
to
focus
on
.
In the swim (of things)
In
the
swim
(
of
things
)
When someone is in the swim of things, the individual is actively participating in the things happening around him, as in "I've been ill, but soon I'll be back in the swim of thing."
When
someone
is
in
the
swim
of
things
,
the
individual
is
actively
participating
in
the
things
happening
around
him
,
as
in
``
I
've
been
ill
,
but
soon
I
'll
be
back
in
the
swim
of
thing
.
''
In the world of fishing, fishermen use the word "swim" to refer to the section of the lake/river where fish can be found in plenty.
In
the
world
of
fishing
,
fishermen
use
the
word
``
swim
''
to
refer
to
the
section
of
the
lake/river
where
fish
can
be
found
in
plenty
.
So, if you are a fisherman and wish to catch a lot offish, where would you be?
So
,
if
you
are
a
fisherman
and
wish
to
catch
a
lot
offish
,
where
would
you
be
?
You would be "in the swim".
You
would
be
``
in
the
swim
''
.
Chickens have come home to roost
Chickens
have
come
home
to
roost
The word "roost" refers to the place where birds rest.
The
word
``
roost
''
refers
to
the
place
where
birds
rest
.
It could be anything--the branch of a tree, a henhouse, etc.
It
could
be
anything
--
the
branch
of
a
tree
,
a
henhouse
,
etc
.
The expression is normally used to mean that the bad things that someone did in the past have come back to bite or upset the individual.
The
expression
is
normally
used
to
mean
that
the
bad
things
that
someone
did
in
the
past
have
come
back
to
bite
or
upset
the
individual
.
In other words, one has to face the consequences of the deeds done in the past.
In
other
words
,
one
has
to
face
the
consequences
of
the
deeds
done
in
the
past
.
The original form of this 700-year-old expression was "curses are like chickens; they always come home to roost".
The
original
form
of
this
700-year-old
expression
was
``
curses
are
like
chickens
;
they
always
come
home
to
roost
''
.
Some expressions in English can be really puzzling. Have a look at the following to see how it challenges your brainpower.  Homeric laughter  The "Homer" in this expression is the Greek poet. People laugh differently. Some laugh silently, while others tend to laugh loudly. "Homeric laughter" refers to laughter of the latter kind. It is at times uncontrollable, and the entire body shakes during the process. This kind of laughter is called Homeric laughter because this is how the gods laughed in Homer's classics.  A three-ring circus  When you refer to a situation as being a three-ring circus, you are saying that it is a situation of complete confusion. There are so many activities taking place all together that they leave you confused or annoyed. The expression comes from the world of entertainment--the circus. The area where the artists perform their acts is called the "ring". In the past, some of the circuses were so grand that they had three acts taking place simultaneously in three different "rings". The audience had to decide which "ring" they wanted to focus on.  In the swim (of things)  When someone is in the swim of things, the individual is actively participating in the things happening around him, as in "I've been ill, but soon I'll be back in the swim of thing." In the world of fishing, fishermen use the word "swim" to refer to the section of the lake/river where fish can be found in plenty. So, if you are a fisherman and wish to catch a lot offish, where would you be? You would be "in the swim".  Chickens have come home to roost  The word "roost" refers to the place where birds rest. It could be anything--the branch of a tree, a henhouse, etc. The expression is normally used to mean that the bad things that someone did in the past have come back to bite or upset the individual. In other words, one has to face the consequences of the deeds done in the past. The original form of this 700-year-old expression was "curses are like chickens; they always come home to roost".