Still More “J” Expressions

Here are some more handy expressions in English that begin with the letter "J" and are used by native speakers. When someone gets their just deserts this means that they receive some sort of punishment or reprimand for something they did.

I’m juggling frogs today, I’m sorry I don’t have time to meet you for lunch | foto: Profimedia.cz

Angličtina na iDNES.cz
VŠECHNY LEKCE ZDE

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The "just" part of this expression means that you feel the punishment was fair, the "desert" part of the comment is ironic. Normally, desert is supposed to taste good. Examples:

"She finally got her just desert. Her boyfriend caught her stealing his money and broke up with her" or "That politician got his just desert. He was arrested by the police for taking a bribe and being corrupt."

Juggling frogs
When you are "juggling frogs" this means that you are very busy, too busy in fact. This is another way of saying that you are "up to your ears in alligators," which again means that you are too busy. Example:

"I’m juggling frogs today, I’m sorry I don’t have time to meet you for lunch. Perhaps tomorrow."

Jump for joy
When someone "jumps for joy" this means that they are very happy. Example:

"The audience jumped for joy when their favorite contestant won the million dollar prize."

Johnny Personality/Pessimistic
When someone is "Johnny Personable" or "Johnny Personality" this means that they are putting on the charm or are on a charm offensive. They are making a point to be personable.

In the same way, when someone is "Johnny Pessimistic" this means that they are not confident at all that anything is going to work out correctly. They are being a pessimist, focusing only on the worst.

Revisiting More Dumb Butt True Laws

1. China: you are not allowed to go to school unless you are considered to "be intelligent".

Question: how do you educate someone who is not "intelligent" if you don’t ever allow them to go to school in the first place?

2. Carmel, New York: it is against the law to wear a jacket and pants which do not match.

Question: since "style" is relative, especially nowadays, what if you disagree with the police?

3. Riverside, California: it is against the law to kiss unless people first wipe their lips with carbonized rose water.

4. Ohio: it is illegal to kill a housefly within 50 meters of any church, without a license.

Comment: I can just see the "line" of people down at City Hall right now, just waiting to get their permits.

Key Article Words in English

just deserts - spravedlivá odměna/odplata
juggling frogs - zavalen prací
jump for joy - užívat si
be intelligent - být inteligentní
do not match - nehodí se
wipe their lips - otřít rty
housefly - moucha domácí

Angličtina vychází od pondělí do pátku.

Najdete ji také v bezplatném deníku Metropolitní expres.

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