Summary
Highlights
This video is the 28th installment in the American Idioms series, presenting five new idioms from 136 to 140. Viewers are encouraged to guess the meanings before they are explained with additional examples.
The idiom 'a fifth wheel' refers to someone or something useless, unnecessary, or out of place in a situation. Examples include an employee being let go because they weren't needed, and someone feeling out of place at a party because they were the only one without a date.
The idiom 'a hard nut to crack' describes someone or something difficult to know, understand, or solve. This can apply to a person who is hard to get to know or a complex problem like affordable housing.
The idiom 'a snowball effect' illustrates a situation where the results of an action increase quickly over time, similar to a snowball growing as it rolls. An example provided is unpaid taxes leading to growing financial troubles, or high unemployment negatively impacting real estate prices.
An 'acid test' refers to a crucial or rigorous appraisal of something. This could be a challenging exam that reveals true understanding or a real-world conflict used to assess and improve a new technology like a drone.
The idiom 'across the board' means something that includes or affects everything or everyone. Examples include a town cutting spending on all departments due to tax revenue shortages, or a company giving a pay increase to all employees rather than just a select few.