TURN A BLIND EYE - закрывать глаза на что-то

⚓️It is believed that this idiom comes from a story about Admiral Nelson. He was blind in one eye. In 1801 Nelson fought in the First Battle of Copenhagen. During the battle, Admiral Sir Hyde Parker communicated to Nelson via flags. It was a cue to retreat and disengage. Nelson wanted to push onward and decided to ignore the signal. Holding the telescope to his blind eye, he pretended not to see the signal.

Examples:

I’ll turn a blind eye once, but next time you’ll be in trouble.

Teachers are turning a blind eye to pupils smoking at school, a report reveals today.

BRICK-AND-MORTAR (adjective)
(also bricks-and-mortar, B&M) - традиционный бизнес (в отличие от интернет-бизнеса), имеющий физический офис, адрес

?The term "brick and mortar" was coined by Charles Dickens in his novel "Little Dorrit". Back then, most buildings were usually made of red bricks held together with mortar. Also, there were a lot of street shops.

Examples:

In light of that, most brick-and-mortar shops have established a digital presence in order to stay afloat.

In its present form, online shopping does not provide the visibility and interactivity that the brick-and-mortar outlets offer.

TO 86 SOMEBODY/SOMETHING
(slang) - избавиться от чего-то; отказать в обслуживании; вышвырнуть (из бара, клуба)

▫️The phrase was commonly used in restaurants and bars in 1930s. It became a way of saying that an item was no longer available. (We're 86 on vanilla ice cream.)

In the 1950s it began to be used as a verb. It had a meaning "to refuse to serve a customer", and later took on another meaning of "to get rid of somebody." The word was especially used in reference to refusing further bar service to drunks.

❔It is believed that the number 86 was chosen, because it rhymes with the word to nix (to refuse to accept or allow).

Examples:

We're 86 on vanilla ice cream.

I would like a BLT, but please 86 the tomato.

The men were 86ed from the bar for fighting.

THIRD TIME IS THE CHARM - Бог любит троицу; на третий раз повезёт

Things that come in sets of three have always been a symbol of good fortune. The expression 'third time is the charm' might have religious roots. For instance, it could be associated with the Holy Trinity.

▪️Another version suggests that the phrase originates in the ancient 
English law, according to which the     person who survived three hangings  was released. A legend says it happened to a man, whose name was John Lee. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. When all 3 
attempts ended in failure, he was   released. 

Examples:

Third time's the charm I thought, got some more second year exams and tried to pass the first year again.

Can you believe that he was in two serious relationships, got cheated upon each time and now believes that the third time will be a charm?

INDIAN SUMMER - бабье лето

The expression dates back to 1778. It was first used in a letter written by Frenchman John de Crevecoeur. In his letter, he said: "Sometimes the rain is followed by an interval of calm and warm which is called the Indian summer."

The name may have referred to warm fall weather that allowed Native Americans to continue hunting and harvesting.

Let's enjoy a passage from Walt Whitman's poem "Autumn":

?Indian summer—a jaunt, a long, slow, easy ramble,
As toilsome I wander’d Virginia’s woods,
Musing late in the autumn day, gazing off southward,
To the music of rustling leaves kick’d by my feet.

AUTUMN VS. FALL

??????

Both autumn and fall were born in Britain. Fall is used more often in American English.

The word autumn is older. It first came into English in the 1300s from the Latin word autumnus.

The name fall was coined by English poets, who were mesmerized by the beauty of the season and wanted to create the most colorful descriptions. That's how the season of the falling leaves became just fall.

?The earliest known name for the season in English is harvest. It comes from the Old English hærfest. The word refers to the process of harvesting crops as well as the harvesting season.

#history

RED HERRING - (досл. "красная сельдь") ложный след; отвлекающий манёвр

?This expression was coined by an English journalist William Corbett in 1807. He wrote a story, in which a strong-smelling herring was used to distract a dog from a hare during a hunt. There is no such fish species as a "red herring". The fish had to be soaked in brine and then smoked to become bright red. Such fish emitted a very strong smell.  

Examples:

Others argue that the whole focus on infrastructure is a red herring.

The police followed a red herring while they let the true criminal escape.

GO AWRY [əˈraɪ] - сбиться с правильного пути; идти наперекосяк; испортиться

?The word awry originates from two separate words: the prefix a + wry. The verb wry meaning "to twist or turn" comes from Old English wrigian.

Examples:

When Maniram's elder son comes back into town to get married, things start to go awry.

The strike has sent the plans for investment seriously awry.

#themedia

MANY A TRUE WORD SPOKEN IN JEST - в каждой шутке есть доля правды

?Jest - a joke

This expression is believed to be coined by Geoffrey Chaucer in the Prologue to "The Cook's Tale" (1390).

A man may say full sooth [the truth] in game and play.

▪️The Canterbury Tales is a collection of twenty-four stories by Geoffrey Chaucer. A group of pilgrims decides to tell stories on their way to Canterbury. The stories range from moral to vulgar based on who tells them.

Examples:

I know she said she was joking about being depressed, but I'm concerned—many a true word is spoken in jest.

Many a true word is spoken in jest, but this new safety system is a necessary precaution, and people who live here accept that.

WOMEN'S SUFRAGE [ˈsʌf.rɪdʒ] - избирательные права для женщин

?The word suffrage comes from Latin suffragium, which initially meant "a voting-tablet", "a vote" or "the right to vote".

Today is Women's Equality Day. On the 26th of August in 1920, after decades of tireless efforts by suffragists, the Nineteenth Amendment was enshrined in the Constitution. The amendment guaranteed all American women the right to vote. The suffrage movement was made up of women and men with a wide range of views.

#history