Tuesday Teatime Idioms – Downton Abbey 1-5

Tuesday Teatime Idioms – Downton Abbey 1-5 (Season One, Episode Five). Edith’s hope to win Matthew’s heart are crushed. In the meantime, Daisy is dealing with her uneasiness after seeing Mary and her mother carry Mr. Pamuk’s body across the house. Also, rumours are spreading about Mary’s “immoral” behaviour. Mr. Bates sees Thomas steal a bottle of wine.

Daisy, what is the matter with you, you’re all thumbs

be all thumbs = be clumsy and awkward. Daisy is actually uncomfortable  in Mary’s room because of what she saw ,

We can’t just throw her over, when she made such an effort…

throw someone over = reject or abandon someone (esp. a lover). In this case, Mrs. Crawley, Matthew’s mother, hopes he will go along with Edith.

She’s barking up the wrong tree

bark up the wrong tree = have a wrong idea, or do something in a way that will not give you the result you want:  Matthew is not interested in Edith and doesn’t want to raise false hopes.

Your dear sister is always such a harbinger of joy

a harbinger of joy          a person who brings joy, It is usually sarcastic, meaning just the opposite:

As if Mary had been found somehow wanting in her character

found wanting = lacking what is wanted or expected as to his or her moral qualities.

Anthony Strallan is at least my age and as dull as paint

as dull as paint = boring

She had a bit of a turn

have a turn = feel suddenly very unwell for a short period of time. Anna is talking about Daisy

Harp on something

keep talking or complaining about someone or something; to refer to someone or something again and again. O’Brien is telling Daisy not to keep talking about the Titanic.

Mr. Napier wasn’t in on it

be in on something = take part in something that is being planned or discussed, be involved, know about. O’Brien knows Napier didn’t know about Mary’s “adventure”, so he couldn’t have spread the rumours, and she suspects Thomas did it.

I just wrote that Lady Mary was no better than she ought to be

no better than you should (or ought to) be = regarded as sexually promiscuous or of doubtful moral character. This phrase, used typically of a woman, is now rather dated. Thomas wrote about Mary to a friend of his.

Not so much an open mind as an open mouth

a person who is not so clever and talks too much.

Mr. Bates saw me nicking a bottle of wine

nick = steal

I wish we could be shot of him

get shot of someone = get rid of, get away from. Still Thomas talking to Mrs. O’Brien, he wishes he could get rid of Mr. Bates because the latter saw him “nick” a bottle.

Turn the tables on him, before he has the chance to nail you

turn the tables = reverse one’s position relative to someone else, especially by turning a position of disadvantage into one of advantage; nail = catch someone (in the act of) doing wrong, catch someone red-handed (or, in this case, report someone for the wrong you’ve seen). O’Brien advises Thomas to blame Mr. Bates before Bates tells anyone about what he saw.

Not now every tom, dick and Harry seems to have a motor

Not now it seems everyone has a car. Lord Grantham has, as usual, mixed feelings about modern inventions.

I’m late enough as it is

I’m already late. Daisy doesn’t want to talk about Mr. Pamuk and Mary, but she’ no match for meddling Mrs. O’Brien (and Thomas).

Papa’s sister is always nagging him to send supplies to London

nag someone = to harass them constantly to do something they are averse to, keep asking someone to do something.

My mother’s trying to set something up

set something up = plan or organize. Matthew knows his mother has plans to fix him up with one of Lord Grantham’s daughters (to which he is averse, unless it is Mary).

She’s no use to man or beast in that state

(Gwen) cannot work as she’s unwell. she’s actually preparing for her job interview.

Have you taken leave of your senses?

Take leave of your senses = go mad or crazy, behave or say something that is not sensible or reasonable. Mrs. Patmore is telling Daisy off because of her bad choice of words, but mainly because she (Mrs. Patmore) is upset. we don’t know why yet. She cares for Daisy a lot, actually, but takes it out on her because she’ going through a hard time.

Mrs. Patmore looks ready to eat her (Daisy) alive

eat someone alive = cause someone great pain or distress

She’d never give me away

give someone away = reveal something negative about someone, when you’re not supposed to, betray, expose

She never got a look in

(Edith) never had a chance to be considered by Patrick (the heir-to-be who drowned on the Titanic), as he knew he had to marry Lady Mary.

Sometimes we are not at liberty to speak

We are not free to say what we want. Mr. Bates is basically saying he likes anna a lot but is not free to speak openly (because he’s still married to another woman).

Are my eyes deceiving me?

I cannot believe what I see (Lord Grantham has noticed a very precious miniature snuffbox missing from his collection).

I’m sure she’ll be back I  the shake of a lamb’s tail

Lady Sybil has accompanied Gwen to her job interview, they are late because their horse has cast a shoe, and Mrs. O’Brien is trying to reassure Lady Grantham, by telling her she will certainly be back soon.

You look done in

done in = exhausted, worn out, very tired (Anna talking to Gwen).

My heart goes out to you

I feel sympathy for you, I’m sorry for you (Edith wants Daisy to tell her what she knows about Mary and her secret).

Unsullied reputation

unsullied = unsoiled, untarnished. Lady Grantham is telling Mary she must get married as soon as possible (and almost with anyone at hand) because she is not “virtuous” after what happened with Pamuk. Of course, Mary won’t be persuaded.

What the eye can’t see, the heart won’t grieve over

You cannot be upset by something you do not know about (Mrs. Patmore is going to serve the chicken for dinner, although it fell on the floor, because she hasn’t a choice, but no one is happy about it).

Not for all the tea in China

for all the world, not for love or money. thomas says he wouldn’t want to be in Bates’s shoes because he knows very well they’ll find the snuffbox in his room (as he placed it there himself).

Fains I be Mrs. Patmore’s kitchen maid

I would like to be… Lord Grantham is probably saying this ironically, as a kitchen maid usually takes the blame for everything bad that happens.

You’re not in the line of fire

you’re not being attacked, we aren’t going to criticize you for this (Mr. Carson tells Daisy he knows she isn’t to blame for the salt in the pudding).

Fight fire with fire

use the weapons or tactics of one’s enemy or opponent, even if one finds them distasteful. Anna tells Bates that he should hide the snuffbox either in Thomas or in Mrs. O’brien’s room, as they tried to nail him for the theft).

It doesn’t do to leave these things too long

it’s better not to…

 

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

Teatime Idioms – Downton Abbey 1-5 is part of the English language section: look for more