What is hanging in the balance mean?
in a precarious condition
Be in a precarious condition or in a state of suspense. For example, The doctor said her life was hanging in the balance. This expression alludes to the suspended balance scale where an object is placed in one pan and weights are added one by one to the other pan until the two are balanced. [ First half of 1400s]
Where does hanging in the balance come from?
hang in the balance The unknown weight here is fate—that is, the outcome. The expression dates at least from the fifteenth century; it appeared in John Lydgate’s translation of the Fall of Princes (1430) and has been used ever since.
What is hanging in the air mean?
Definition of hang in the air : to be incomplete or uncertain The design of the new currency is still hanging in the air.
What does bearding the lion in his den mean?
Confront a danger
Confront a danger, take a risk, as in I went straight to my boss, bearding the lion. This term was originally a Latin proverb based on a Bible story (I Samuel 17:35) about the shepherd David, who pursued a lion that had stolen a lamb, caught it by its beard, and killed it.
What does leave you in the lurch mean?
: to leave (someone) without help or protection when it is needed His advisers left him in the lurch when he needed them the most.
What does hanging in the wind mean?
To be left in a very difficult, troublesome, or problematic situation, often as a result of someone else’s actions. You really left us hanging in the wind when you decided to take your vacation right before the project’s deadline! See also: hang, wind. Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
What can I say instead of hanging in there?
bow,
What does the saying Place in the Sun mean?
Definition of place in the sun : a very good, successful, or desirable position After years of struggling as an unknown actor, he has finally found his/a place in the sun.
What does it mean to beard someone?
1 : to confront and oppose with boldness, resolution, and often effrontery : defy. 2 : to furnish with a beard.
Where did the term Hold your horses come from?
The term may have originated from army artillery units. Example: Hunt and Pringle’s Service Slang (1943) quotes “Hold your horses, hold the job until further orders”. Dave Chappelle used the figurative term on his show towards Jim Brewer in a marijuana commercial.