Is there anything better than a truly British historical drama TV show, at teatime? Over the last few months, I’ve collected a few idioms and expressions from Downton Abbey (I’ve loved that series madly, haven’t you?). So, here are your Tuesday Idioms from Downton Abbey, Season One Episode One (continued). We are now beginning to know the characters a little better, particularly Lord Grantham, Earl of Downton, and his wife Cora, their three daughters and some members of the staff. Enjoy!

Surely they were picked up.

Surely someone rescued them (said by Daisy the kitchen maid, speaking of the people who were on the Titanic when it sank). Pick up is used here in the meaning of lift (someone or something up from a surface) or take (someone or something away)

Doesn’t look like it

It doesn’t seems so; it seems nobody helped the Titanic  passengers (this is how Miss O’ Brien, Lady Grantham’s personal maid, answers Daisy’s question).

Dreadful

frightful, awful, terrible,

Push in

(here) enter without permission, intrude (it usually means force one’s way into a group of people who are have been waiting longer in a line, unfairly move in front of others: he pushed in at the head of the queue).

I can manage

I can do it, I’ll be able to do whatever needs to be done: Mr. Bates, just appointed by Lord Grantham as his valet despite his limp, is telling the rest of the staff that he can cope and won’t need any extra help from them.

I’ll take over

I’ll take charge now, I’ll deal with the situation (me ne occupo io)

It’ll be a relief to get back to normal

When things get back to normal it means the situation returns to the state it was in before, especially after a disruptive event, i.e. something that causes confusion, extra work etc. Mr. Carson the butler is talking to Thomas the first footman, who was taking care of Lord Grantham before Mr. Bates’s arrival. Mr. Carson means that Thomas will be happy, since now he will no longer have to add the duties of a valet to those of a footman. (Actually, Thomas wanted to be promoted to valet and is very disappointed, as Mr. Carson knows very well).

I keep telling you…

I’ve told you (this/so) more than once, and I’ll say it again.

I can’t see that lasting long

I expect it won’t last for a long time: in this case, Miss O’Brien is speaking of Mr. Bates, the new valet. Miss O’Brien thinks he will not remain in that position for long.

That is up to you

It’s your decision, it’s for you to decide: do you wont to leave or will you stay for the night? It’s up to you. In this case, Lord Grantham is telling his eldest daughter Mary that if she doesn’t wish to mourn her cousin Patrick (who presumably died on the Titanic) as a fiancé it’s her decision, as the engagement was not official.

Rotate

Rotate the summer and winter stuff  = swap out winter and summer clothes, switch out seasonal clothing see also: wardrobe transition from summer to fall/winter

Lay them out

Arrange them (on a flat surface such as a table) so that they can be easily seen, spread them out. Here Thomas is telling Mr. Bates to  arrange the studs and links so that Lord Grantham can see  and choose them, unless he asks for something in particular.

I’ll get the hang of it

Get the hang of something = learn to handle something with some skill, through practice or diligence, learn how to do something. Mr. Bates again: we can see he’s quite proud, and rather self-confident, despite his disability. We’ll soon learn he was a former military, wounded in action and was Lord Grantham’s batman during the Boer Wars.

Pirate’s hoard

A pile of precious things. Mr. Bates makes this odd remark tpo Thomas to emphasise the fact that they work in a household full of beautiful and valuable things and somehow share that beauty but own none of it. His words make Thomas suspicious, although Mr. Bates was probably just trying to be friendly. He still doesn’t know that trying to be friendly with Thomas is a waste of time, and that Thomas is suspicious of almost everyone and everything.

I can’t believe I’ve been passed over for Long John Silver

be passed over = not be chosen for a job, especially when it is given to someone who is younger or less qualified, or has less experience, etc. In this case, Thomas is also implying that Bates might be dishonest.

Sort out

organize things by separating them into categories.

I’m not entirely sure that he’ll prove equal to the task

prove equal to a task = be able to do it properly, be up to (doing) something, be good enough for something

Be fond of, care for

like or love someone

A nastier woman never drew breath

Nasty = extremely bad, unpleasant or harmful. This is how we meet Lady Violet, Lord Grantham’s formidable mother (Maggie Smith) who is constantly saying unpleasant truths and looks as if she was made of steel, and yet is much more human than she would like to admit.

My cousin once removed

In family relations, “removed”, refers to the number of generations separating two cousins: so for example, your mother’s first cousin is your first cousin, once removed. This is because your mother’s first cousin is one generation younger than your grandparents and you are two generations younger than your grandparents. This one-generation difference equals “once removed.” Twice removed means that there is a two-generation difference. You are two generations younger than a first cousin of your grandmother, so you and your grandmother’s first cousin are first cousins, twice removed definition taken from here).

I wish to thank TFD (The Free Dictionary) for its existence, but also the Macmillan Dictionary, the Collins Dictionary, the Cambridge Dictionary…

Tuesday Idioms from Downton Abbey is part of the English language section: look for more!