Idiom of the Week Podcast—‘Calm Before the Storm’

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Sometimes idioms can be confusing. Because they are often metaphors, sometimes they don't make sense grammatically. They often have quite specific origins and histories as well, which is why you may not immediately understand them. This can, however, make them quite interesting!

Listen to Charlotte's brilliant explanation on the commonly used idiom 'the calm before the storm'. Here you'll also see some vocabulary Charlotte used in the podcast, and perhaps some extra related word/phrases, as well.

 

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  1. the calm before the storm (expression)

    → A calm time immediately before an expected period of violent activity or argument

  2. peaceful (adjective)

    → 1: Not involving a war, violence or argument / 2: Quiet and calm; not worried or upset in any way

  3. unpredictable (adjective)

    → 1: That cannot be predicted because it changes a lot or depends on too many different things / 2: If a person is unpredictable, you cannot predict how they will behave in a particular situation

  4. fond of someone/(doing) something (adjective)

    → 1: Having warm or loving feelings for somebody, especially somebody you have known for a long time / 2: Finding something pleasant, especially something you have liked or enjoyed for a long time**

  5. originate (+ adv./prep.) (verb)

    → (formal) [intransitive] To happen or appear for the first time in a particular place or situation

  1. Have you ever mistaken a peaceful period for the calm before the storm?

  2. Have you ever experienced a calm after a storm?

  3. Are there any times in your life when there is always a calm before the storm, e.g. before a big meeting, before a family gathering, before your children come back from school, etc.?

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