Ads 468x60px

Pages

Know Your English (Jan 2002)-19

Know your English

What is the meaning of the idiom "to rob Peter to pay Paul"?

When you rob Peter to pay Paul what you are doing is taking money from one person in order to pay another. You are not actually clearing your debts; all that you are doing is paying off one person by borrowing from another. As a result, you still continue to be in debt. Here are a few examples.

*Tara took a loan from the bank in order to clear her debts; robbing Peter to pay Paul.

*I am not going to ask my neighbour for some for money in order to pay you. It would be like robbing Peter to pay Paul.

*Some people use one credit card to pay off the bills of another credit card. It's like robbing Peter to pay Paul. I just don't understand it.


Source:

The Hindu daily, Tuesday, Jan 22, 2002
Posted by Sridevi. V, M.A

0 comments:

Post a Comment


Hello Friends ! Please send your requests,comments,suggestions to improve this blog.
Learn English Grammar & Usage; Are U Anxious To Know The Science & Tech News; Where Are You ? Know The Changes; Health:News N Tips
Word of the Day

hard-pressed discuss

Definition:(adjective) Facing or experiencing financial trouble or difficulty.
Synonyms:distressed, hard put, in a bad way
Usage:Hard-pressed consumers are spending less on luxuries.
Article of the Day

Holodomor

A combination of the Ukrainian words holod, meaning "hunger," and mor, meaning "plague," the term Holodomor refers to the Ukrainian famine that led to millions of deaths in 1932 and 1933. Though some scholars note that natural causes—such as weather and a poor harvest—might have contributed to the famine, most modern historians agree that it was a direct result of the policies of the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin. For that reason, the Holodomor is sometimes referred to as what? More... Discuss

This Day in History

Mayan Long Count Calendar Begins (3114 BCE)

The Long Count is one of the various ancient Mayan calendars that maintained complicated, cyclical measurements of time. It was intended to provide an accurate record of historical events and counts the days elapsed from a fixed starting point—calculated as August 11, 3114 BCE, the date of creation according to the Maya. Some believe that the calendar predicts the world's end on December 21, 2012, but scholars have widely rejected this claim. What was the significance of that date to the Maya? More... Discuss
Today's Birthday

Alex Haley (1921)

A descendent of African slaves, Haley began writing during a 20-year US Coast Guard career. He became a journalist, and earned national attention for The Autobiography of Malcolm X. His biggest success was 1976's Roots, a Pulitzer Prize-winning history of his ancestors beginning with their enslavement. A television adaptation became one of the most-watched programs in America, spurring interest in genealogy. Why then was the work excluded from a prominent anthology of literature? More... Discuss

In the News

Quote of the Day
All nature wears one universal grin.
Henry Fielding
(1707-1754) Discuss

Spelling Bee
difficulty level:
score: -
n. the provision of something by issuing it (usually in quantity)
 
spell the word:
Match Up
Select word:










Match each word in the left column with its synonym on the right. When finished, click Answer to see the results. Good luck!