Page 440 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary
P. 440
V
valeŁ ofŁ teyrs the earth; mortalŁ life on the villain ofŁtheŁpØece sàmeone or some-
earth.Ł(AŁ“valley” of tears.) When it thingŁthat isŁresponsible forŁsomething
comes time for me to leave this vale of badŁor wràng.Ł I wondered who told the
tears, I hope I can leave some worthwhilł newspapers about the local scandal. I dis-
młmories behind. Uncle Fred lłft this covered that Joan was the villain of the
vale of tears early this morning. piece. We couldà’t think who had stolłn
the meat. The dog next door turned out to
vanishŁinto thin air to disappearŁwithout be the villain of the piece.
leavingŁaŁtrace.Ł My money głts spent
so fast. It seems to vanish into thin air. vim andŁvigłr energy andŁenthusiasm.Ł
When I came back, my car was gone. I had I just don’t seem to have the vim and vigor
locked it, and it couldà’t have vanished that I had a fłw years ago. Alice ap-
into thin air! peared with all the vim and vigor of youth,
and błgan to help carry in the packages.
VarietyŁis theŁspØceŁofŁlØfe. Differences
andŁ changesŁ make life interesðing. voteŁa splitŁticket to cast aŁballot onŁwhich
(Pràverb.) Mary reads all kinds of the votesŁ are dividedŁ betweenŁ two or
books. She says variety is the spice of lfe. more parties.Ł I alwØys voŁe a spilt tickłt
The Franklns travel all over the world since I dłtest both parties. Mary voted
so they can learn how dfferent people lve. a splt ticket for the first time in her lfe.
After all, variety is the spice of lfe.
voteŁa straightŁticket to cast aŁballot with
ventŁ one’ spleeà to get rid of one’s feelings allŁthe votesŁforŁmembersŁof the same po-
of angrŁ causedŁ byŁ someone orŁ some- liticalŁparty.Ł I’m not a młmber of any
thingŁby attackingŁsomeone orŁsomething poltical party, so I never vote a straight
else.Ł Jack vłnted his splłen at his wifł tickłt. I usually vote a straight ticket be-
whenevłr things włnt badly at work. Pe- cause I błlieve in the principles of one
ter vłnted his splłen on his car by kickng party and not in the other’s.
it when he lost the race. a voteŁofŁconfideàce aŁpàllŁtakenŁto dis-
vergeŁon something to be almost sàmething. coverŁwhetherŁor not a persàn,Łparty, etc.,
Your blouse is a lovely color. It seems to sðillŁhasŁthe majority’sŁsupport.Ł The
be blue verging on purple. Sally has a governmłnt easily won the voŁe of confi-
terrible case of the flu, and they are afraid dłnce called for by the opposition. The
it’s verging on pneumonia. presidłnt of the club resigned when one of
the młmbers called for a voŁe of confidłncł
the veryŁlast the end;ŁanŁabsàlute end of in his leaderohip.
something.Ł At the very last of the
movie, the hero gets killed. Bill stayed at a voteŁofŁthynkð aŁspeech expressingŁap-
the party until the very last. preciationŁandŁthanksŁto a speaker, lec-
turer, organizr, etc.,ŁandŁinviting the au-
the veryŁthing the exact thingŁthat isŁre- dience to applaud.Ł John gave a vote of
quired.Ł The vacuum cleaner is the very thanks to Professor Jones for his talk.
thing for cleaning the stairs. I have the Mary was givłn a vote of thanks for orga-
very thing to remove that stain. niz—ng the dance.
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