The idiom “missed the boat” was once used in a very literal way and is believed to have originated from British English sea slang. As such, the saying referred to arriving too late to take a scheduled voyage by boat as this was the main form of transportation in former times.
Is missed the boat a saying?
Fail to take advantage of an opportunity, as in Jean missed the boat on that club membership. This expression, which alludes to not being in time to catch a boat, has been applied more widely since the 1920s.
What does missed the mark mean?
idiom. : to fail or be wrong. Their estimates completely missed the mark. The ad campaign was supposed to appeal to young people but it missed the mark.
What does missing the train mean?
vb. 1 to fail to reach, hit, meet, find, or attain (some specified or implied aim, goal, target, etc.) 2 tr to fail to attend or be present for. to miss a train, to miss an appointment.
Where did the phrase missed the boat come from? – Related Questions
What are the 20 examples of idioms?
Here are 20 English idioms that everyone should know:
- Under the weather. What does it mean?
- The ball is in your court. What does it mean?
- Spill the beans. What does it mean?
- Break a leg. What does it mean?
- Pull someone’s leg. What does it mean?
- Sat on the fence. What does it mean?
- Through thick and thin.
- Once in a blue moon.
What is the idiom of spill the beans?
idiom. to let secret information become known: We’ll all be there at 6 for the surprise party – now don’t spill the beans!
What is the idioms of a wild goose chase?
a search that is completely unsuccessful and a waste of time because the person or thing being searched for does not exist or is somewhere else: After two hours spent wandering in the snow, I realized we were on a wild goose chase.
What is the idiom of see eye to eye?
If two people see eye to eye, they agree with each other: My sisters don’t see eye to eye with me about the arrangements. Thesaurus: synonyms, antonyms, and examples. to have the same opinion as someone else. agreeWe agree on most things.
What does stuffed to the gills mean?
used in expressions to mean completely full: By the time the fourth course was served, I was stuffed to the gills. The restaurant was packed to the gills. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases.
What means once in a blue moon?
1. Once in a blue moon: This poetic phrase refers to something extremely rare in occurrence. A blue moon is the term commonly used for a second full moon that occasionally appears in a single month of our solar-based calendars.
What does it mean until the cows come home?
Phrase. until the cows come home. (idiomatic) For a very long period of time. quotations ▼ You can crank the engine until the cows come home, but it won’t start without fuel.
What does she can t cut the mustard mean?
To cut the mustard is “to reach or surpass the desired standard or performance” or more generally “to succeed, to have the ability to do something.” For instance, Beyoncé really cut the mustard in her new song.
What does I smell a rat mean?
idiom. to recognize that something is not as it appears to be or that something dishonest is happening: He’s been working late with her every night this week – I smell a rat!
What does open a can of worms mean?
Definition of open a can of worms
: to create a complicated situation in which doing something to correct a problem leads to many more problems Our boss is reluctant to change the policy now because she doesn’t want to open a can of worms.
What does ball is in your court mean?
If you say that the ball is in someone’s court, you mean that it is his or her responsibility to take the next action or decision in a situation. The ball’s now in your court–you have to decide what you’re going to do.
What does the phrase drop of a hat mean?
idiom. If you do something at the drop of a hat, you do it immediately without stopping to think about it: People will file lawsuits at the drop of a hat these days. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases.
What does the saying kettle of fish mean?
Definition of kettle of fish
1 : a bad state of affairs : mess. 2 : something to be considered or dealt with : matter a different kettle of fish.
Where did the phrase far cry come from?
The expression a far cry from came into its figurative use in the early 1800s; however, a far cry from was used as a measurement of distance for hundreds of years before that time. Earlier, a far cry from meant that someone was too far away to hear a loud human cry.