After the long workweek, we decided to paint the town red and go out for a big night.
word origin — From an 1837 night when the Marquis of Waterford and friends rowdily painted Melton Mowbray's buildings red.
paint the town red, a bitter pill to swallow, keep someone on their toes, cut someone to the quick, as right as rain: meanings and examples
Learn these 5 idioms from Idioms set 81. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.
paint the town red · idiom/peɪnt ðə taʊn rɛd/
to celebrate wildly and have a great time
After the long workweek, we decided to paint the town red and go out for a big night.
Origin: From an 1837 night when the Marquis of Waterford and friends rowdily painted Melton Mowbray's buildings red.
a bitter pill to swallow · idiom/ə ˈbɪɾɚ pɪl tu ˈswɑloʊ/
a difficult or unpleasant reality that must be accepted
Failing the final exam was a bitter pill to swallow, but I learned my lesson.
Origin: From medicine — old medicines tasted truly bitter, so taking them required strong willpower despite their healing benefit.
keep someone on their toes · idiom/kip ˈsʌmwʌn ɔn ðɛr toʊz/
to keep someone alert and ready for anything
The coach constantly changes the team lineup to keep the players on their toes.
Origin: From sports like boxing — standing on the toes keeps a fighter alert and ready to move at any second.
cut someone to the quick · idiom/kʌt ˈsʌmwʌn tu ðə kwɪk/
to deeply hurt or offend someone
Her words cut him to the quick, and you could see the hurt in his eyes.
Origin: From the 1500s — 'the quick' meant living flesh under a fingernail; cutting it caused sharp, immediate pain.
as right as rain · idiom/əz raɪt əz reɪn/
to be completely fine or healthy
After a good night’s sleep, I felt as right as rain again.
Origin: From the 1800s British weather — rain was so frequent that it was considered the most natural, correct state of things.