Form. This poem is written as a dramatic monologue: the entire poem is spoken by a single character, whose identity is revealed by his own words. The lines are in blank verse, or unrhymed iambic pentameter, which serves to impart a fluid and natural quality to Ulysses’s speech.

The word “lees” originally referred to the sediment accumulated at the bottom of a bottle of wine; to “drink life to the lees” means to drink to the very last drop. Nowadays we might say something like “live life to the fullest.”

“Meet” means “appropriate” or “suitable.” We’re not sure whether “when I am gone” means that Ulysses is planning on going back to sea for some more adventures, or if he’s thinking about his own death.

Consume large amounts of alcoholic beverages, as in He always drinks like a fish at holiday dinners. The expression, first recorded in the mid-1600s, alludes to the way fish obtain oxygen, which causes them to be open-mouthed and appear to be constantly drinking.

: to stop and look at or listen to something in order to enjoy it fully The view is so beautiful.

(simile, colloquial) Highly inebriated.

Make an error; miss an opportunity. For example, She really dropped the ball when she forgot to call back, or He dropped the ball, turning down their offer. This expression comes from sports where a player who fails to catch a ball is charged with an error.

take five minutes off

informal. to make a mistake, especially by not taking action or dealing with something that should have been planned for: For God’s sake don’t drop the ball on this – we’re relying on you.

Take the side of, support, defend. For example, Dad will always go to bat for his kids. This term originated in baseball, where it means simply substituting for another batter, but it is the idea of helping one’s team in this way that has been transferred to more general use. [

Letting the cat out of the bag (also box) is a colloquialism meaning to reveal facts previously hidden.

1 US : to behave very well in order to gain someone’s approval When I visited my girlfriend’s parents I tried to be very polite and put my best foot forward.

a ticket for future use given to spectators at an outdoor event, as a baseball game or concert, that has been postponed or interrupted by rain. an offered or requested postponement of an invitation until a more convenient, usually unspecified time: Since you can’t join us for dinner, we’ll give you a rain check.

To say something that is often too personal, usually irrelevant, and always unfair: “To remind reformed alcoholics of their drinking problem is to hit below the belt.” The expression comes from boxing, in which it is illegal to hit an opponent below the belt.

Technically, a raincheck means that the person is open to going out another time. She doesn’t seem overly enthusiastic, but it’s hard to tell over text. It might actually be a really hectic period for her.

Make a desperate attempt at saving oneself. For example, He had lost the argument, but he kept grasping at straws, naming numerous previous cases that had little to do with this one. This metaphoric expression alludes to a drowning person trying to save himself by grabbing at flimsy reeds.

(idiomatic) To guess randomly at or pursue any apparent option, due to a lack of clear choices or information.

Concisely, in a few words, as in Here’s our proposal—in a nutshell, we want to sell the business to you. This hyperbolic expression alludes to the Roman writer Pliny’s description of Homer’s Iliad being copied in so tiny a hand that it could fit in a nutshell.

The etymology of this phrase comes originally from Thomas More in his work Dialogue of Comfort Against Tribulation (1534). The idiom refers to a drowning man grasping for anything, even a straw, to save his life.

1 : being out of reach of the current or tide or out of the water. 2 : being in a helpless or abandoned position.

In Britain and Australia, the more common term is clutching at straws, or sometimes catching at straws. While straws might float, they will not bear the weight of a drowning man. Therefore, grasping at straws or clutching at straws refers to a futile or desperate situation.

Assured of success, virtually accomplished or won. For example, The coach thought the trophy was in the bag, or Our new contract is in the bag. The precise allusion in this idiom is unknown.

1. Fail to take advantage of an opportunity, as in Jean missed the boat on that club membership. This expression, which alludes to not being in time to catch a boat, has been applied more widely since the 1920s.

If you say that something is in the bag, you mean that you are certain that you will get it or achieve it. [informal] ‘I’ll get the Republican nomination,’ he assured me. ‘It’s in the bag. ‘

silver screen Add to list Share. The movie industry is sometimes called the silver screen. In the early days of film, a silver screen was a specific type of screen onto which films were projected. These metallic screens are old-fashioned, and so is the broader term for the entire cinema industry.