Meaning of "Striking distance" | Why is the elphant heavy? |
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#1 (permalink) Wed Feb 17, 2010 12:04 pm "get hoisted on your petard" |
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English Language Tests, Intermediate level
ESL/EFL Test #374 "English Slang Idioms (95)", question 6
"So, you got hoisted on your .......... I was wondering when you were going to get fired. No offense, but you are lazy, you call in sick too often, and you don't care enough," her mother told her.
(a) car (b) petard (c) resume (d) feet
English Language Tests, Intermediate level
ESL/EFL Test #374 "English Slang Idioms (95)", answer 6
"So, you got hoisted on your petard. I was wondering when you were going to get fired. No offense, but you are lazy, you call in sick too often, and you don't care enough," her mother told her.
Correct answer: (b) petard
Your answer was: incorrect "So, you got hoisted on your feet. I was wondering when you were going to get fired. No offense, but you are lazy, you call in sick too often, and you don't care enough," her mother told her. _________________________
Could somebody please explain this expression? Thanks. |
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Baubau You can meet me at english-test.net
Joined: 07 Feb 2010 Posts: 85
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#2 (permalink) Wed Feb 17, 2010 12:52 pm "get hoisted on your petard" |
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Hello Baubau,
dict.leo.org suggests it meant that a person is treated like he or she usually treated others so that what the complainer can see, feel or experience is the effect of his or her own way of behave.
But in this very special case Iīd rather suggest that the addressed girl gave the matter for her displacement from work or school or whereever herself by misbehaving. Itīs her own guilt having been treated that special way.
Letīs see what natives will advise us of its meaning here.
Michael |
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Foah I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 20 Apr 2006 Posts: 1429 Location: next to Dortmund , Europe
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#3 (permalink) Wed Feb 17, 2010 17:26 pm "get hoisted on your petard" |
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Hi Michael, Yes, you're right. However, it's better to say, "It's her own fault." OR "She got fired, but she deserved it due to her poor work ethic, effort etc. It's her fault." _________________ One Way of Learning English Grammar
Learn English with Linda Arlia |
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Linda I'm here quite often ;-)

Joined: 20 Apr 2006 Posts: 656 Location: Canada
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#4 (permalink) Fri Feb 26, 2010 4:21 am "get hoisted on your petard" |
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Hi,
Does 'had it coming to someone' carry the same meaning? |
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Puppet I'm here quite often ;-)

Joined: 02 Jan 2010 Posts: 549
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#5 (permalink) Fri Feb 26, 2010 4:33 am "get hoisted on your petard" |
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Hi Puppet, Yes, in this sentence, 'she had it coming' has the same meaning. _________________ One Way of Learning English Grammar
Learn English with Linda Arlia |
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Linda I'm here quite often ;-)

Joined: 20 Apr 2006 Posts: 656 Location: Canada
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#6 (permalink) Fri Feb 26, 2010 4:46 am "get hoisted on your petard" |
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I heard that when I catched one of the movies.
Thank you so much, Linda. |
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Puppet I'm here quite often ;-)

Joined: 02 Jan 2010 Posts: 549
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#7 (permalink) Fri Feb 26, 2010 7:52 am "get hoisted on your petard" |
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'Caught'. _________________ Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's |
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Mister Micawber Language Coach
Joined: 17 Jul 2005 Posts: 13018
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#8 (permalink) Fri Feb 26, 2010 15:37 pm "get hoisted on your petard" |
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Thank you for correcting me. |
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Puppet I'm here quite often ;-)

Joined: 02 Jan 2010 Posts: 549
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Meaning of "Striking distance" | Why is the elphant heavy? |