In a futile situation, English speakers might say that we’re spinning our wheels. The French have a phrase for the same situation that translates as “pedal in sauerkraut.” The Illustrated Book of Sayings collects similarly colorful...
Swarthy doesn’t mean hairy. Christian from Austin, Texas, used the phrase swarthy-eyed dog, and his wife, an English teacher, insisted the word meant hairy. It actually describes someone who is dark-complected, with dark skin and dark hair, the kind...