Fortune favors the bold is an idiom that suggests that taking risks will pay off. It comes from a Latin phrase audentes fortuna iuvat that dates back millenia. It encourages the listener not to be fatalistic and instead to make audacious decisions.
Examples: Fortune favors the bold in a sentenceBelieving that fortune favors the bold, Róisín quit her day job to pursue her interior design dreams.
They say that fortune favors the bold, and sometimes history seems to back that up.
It’s impossible to know just how many dreams have come crashing down because someone wrongly believed that fortune favors the bold was some sort of guarantee.
An introvert is someone whose personality is characterized by introversion, meaning they tend to be more reserved, prefer intimate settings with a small group of friends, and enjoy their alone time. Extroverts are people whose personalities are characterized by extroversion, meaning they thrive in and prefer group settings with numerous people.
Imagine you’re at an event where there are plenty of people, including friends and strangers. Are you the type of person to mingle only with those you already know? Perhaps while sitting down, having a meal, and catching up? Or do you see yourself talking to everybody—whether you know them or not—jumping from one group to the next and even enjoying a dance with a stranger or two?
One of these scenarios paints you as an introvert and the other as an extrovert. If you’re unsure what these terms mean, don’t worry. This post will use clear explanations and examples to help you learn the difference between introvert and extrovert so that you can get a better idea of your personality type.
Rags to riches is an idiom describing someone’s change in fortunes from poverty to wealth. It is rarely used in a completely literal sense for someone who was actually living in rags but can describe a more general improvement in circumstances.
When used as an adjective, the phrase uses hyphens (e.g., “a rags-to-riches tale”).
Rags to riches examplesNot many authors go from rags to riches, and in fact most never even land a book deal.
These days, social media is full of influencers showing you how they succeeded in pursuing rags to riches in their particular field.
It was the classic Hollywood rags-to-riches story of being a busboy one day to a leading man the next.
The whole nine yards is an idiom that means “the fullest possible extent” of something. Perhaps no other English idiom is shrouded in more mystery as to its origins. So while we know what the idiom means figuratively, we don’t know what its literal meaning was.
The whole nine yards examplesAlison was never one for doing things by halves, and, as usual, she had gone the whole nine yards with this dinner party.
The sergeant major didn’t hold back with the new recruits and gave them the whole nine yards with his appraisal of their marching skills.
It was an all-you-can-eat menu, and Gareth showed his commitment by going the whole nine yards.
Precede is a verb that means “to exist or come before something in time.” Proceed is a verb that means “to continue with an action” or “move forward.”
The speech will precede the dinner.
Please proceed to the next room.
It’s no secret that the English language can be baffling. In fact, it is notorious for being comically confusing among native speakers and learners alike! There are homophones, silent letters, and countless grammar rules, not to mention the exceptions. But there are also words that are challenging simply because they are spelled and pronounced similarly, like precede and proceed.
But we’re here to clarify the pesky perplexity surrounding these commonly confused words, so you can understand how to use precede and proceed correctly.
Diamond in the rough is an idiom that refers to something of great value that, at first sight, appears to be unremarkable. In British English, it is more common to hear the idiom “rough diamond.”
The idiom comes from the world of diamonds, where the stones, as they are found in their natural state, don’t have the spectacular beauty of the gems we are familiar with from jewelry.
Diamond in the rough examplesHarry was a real diamond in the rough; his friends knew that behind his rough exterior, he was a faithful and loyal friend.
Stephanie was one of the best HR executives around, with a canny knack of spotting diamonds in the rough in the deluge of job applicants.
Her voice was like a diamond in the rough; it possessed a natural beauty that would only get better with careful work and training.
Cut to the chase is an idiom that means “get to the point quickly.” There’s no definitive evidence for where the phrase comes from, but the generally accepted view is that it is from the early days of Hollywood, where it would indicate a script direction to cut to a chase scene.
It carries with it the idea of getting to the important part of a discussion and of removing any dishonesty or obfuscation.
Examples: Cut to the chaseThe CEO looked around the conference table and asked, “Let’s cut to the chase. What are our losses?”
There was no point in wasting time with excuses, so Jen cut to the chase and told her boss what had happened.
Sometimes it’s nice to flesh out a story with details, but sometimes you just need to cut to the chase.
The modal verb “shall” isn’t used too often these days. But what’s the alternative to the old-fashioned and typically British word?
Correct Use
Although shall is suitable in British English, it should be avoided in American English.
Instead, replace shall with should or will, depending on the context.
Shall we go to the movies or to the park? → Should we go to the movies or to the park? Shall you be joining us for dinner? → Will you be joining us for dinner?
Morals usually refer to personal beliefs influenced by factors such as society, culture, and individual experiences. Ethics are guidelines established by communities or specific groups outlining acceptable and unacceptable actions or behaviors.
Ethics and morals are profound and significant defining aspects of humanity. But before exploring these thought-provoking concepts, it’s important to understand the distinctions between the two. Below, we’ll provide you with clear explanations and practical examples to equip you for informed discussions on the difference between ethics and morals.
You’ve probably come across the abbreviations “i.e.” and “e.g.”, but do you know what they stand for? We’ll go over what “i.e.” and “e.g.” mean and how to use them in a sentence.
What Do “e.g.” and “i.e.” Stand for?E.g. and i.e. are both abbreviations for Latin expressions. E.g. stands for “exempli gratia,” which translates to “for the sake of the example.” I.e. stands for “Id est,” which translates to “that is.” E.g. is used to give examples, whereas i.e. is used for elaboration.
She loved reaching her destination by different means of travel (e.g., planes, trains, taxis, and subways).
She always took the long route to get to her destination (i.e., instead of taking the expressway to downtown, she took the back roads to enjoy the scenery).
“e.g.” vs. “i.e”
E.g. and i.e. are two abbreviations that are commonly used in written English. They can be extremely useful while writing, as they help keep your text clear and concise.
However, e.g. and i.e. can’t be used interchangeably. Below, we’ll go over what e.g. and i.e. stand for and show you how to use them in your writing correctly.
