Underwater and Underground. Things that we claim are underwater and underground are obviously surrounded by, not under the water and groundI lucked out. To luck out sounds as if you're out of luck. Don't you mean I lucked in? Because we speakers and writers of English seem to have our heads screwed on backwards, we constantly misperceive our bodies, often saying just the opposite of what we mean: Watch your head. I keep seeing this sign on low doorways, but I haven't figured out how to follow the instructions. Trying to watch your head is like trying to bite your teeth.They're head over heels in love. That's nice, but all of us do almost everything head over heels . If we are trying to create an image of people doing cartwheels and somersaults, why don't we say: They're heels over head in love? Put your best foot forward. Now let's see. . . . We have a good foot and a better foot -- but we don't have a third -- and best -- foot. It's our better foot we want to put forward. May the best team win. Usually there are only two teams in the contest. Keep a stiff upper lip. When we are disappointed or afraid, which lip do we try to control? The lower lip, of course, is the one we are trying to keep from quivering. I'm speaking tongue in cheek. So how can anyone understand you? They do things behind my back. You want they should do things in front of your back? They did it ass backwards. What's wrong with that? We do everything ass backwards. Crazy English: the Ultimate Joy Ride Through Our Language, Richard Lederer (Pocket Books, 1989)
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