GIVE (SOMEONE) THE SHIRT OFF (ONE’S) BACK, GO AGAINST THE GRAIN, GO AROUND IN CIRCLES: American English Idioms #96

GIVE (SOMEONE) THE SHIRT OFF (ONE’S) BACK

The idiom “give someone the shirt off one’s back” means to give someone something of great value, even if it means impoverishing oneself. The person giving does not expect anything in return.

The phrase “give someone the shirt off one’s back” is an idiom meaning to give all of one’s possessions, especially something that one values highly.

To give someone the shirt off your back is to give that person one of your most valuable belongings or possessions. This is because you are giving them something that could potentially be used against you in the future.

To give someone the shirt off one’s back means to give them everything you have, without reservation. The phrase is most often used in the context of receiving a loan from someone, so it is an idiom that indicates generosity. A person might say “I would give you all the money I have if I had it” or “I’ll do anything for you.

To give someone the shirt off one’s back, or to offer the best one has, is to offer something of value despite any personal cost. The phrase refers to removing one’s shirt in order to give it to someone who needs it more than oneself.

GO AGAINST THE GRAIN

The idiom “go against the grain” is used to describe a situation in which one person or group’s ideas, behavior, or opinions are opposed to those of another person or group. The phrase is often used in reference to when a person is doing something when they struggle with it.

To “go against the grain” means to do something different than what is considered normal, what the majority of people do. When you go against the grain, you are challenging your own way of thinking or doing things. Travelers may need to adjust their eating habits to match the local diet, but many will refuse.

The phrase is often used in the context of doing something that goes against the conventional way of thinking. For instance, if someone wanted to do something unconventional or non-standard, they might say “I’m going to go against the grain on this one”. The phrase comes from the idea of strands of wood’s fibers running at different angles to one another.

A phrase referring to the act of opposing what is expected, i.e. against the natural grain of something. For example, one might go against the grain in order to make a change or try something new.

The phrase “go against the grain” is often used to describe someone with a dissenting opinion, but it can also be used to describe anyone who’s creative enough to do something different.  For instance, if you’re not ‘chicken’ enough to try new things, you’re always going against the grain of life. When it comes to trends, trends are more often than not kicked-off by one person who dared to go where no one had gone before.

GO AROUND IN CIRCLES

The idiom “go around in circles” means to not make any progress because there are obstacles in the way. The idiom is used when someone is struggling to find the answer or solution to an issue they are dealing with.

This idiom typically refers to an individual who engages in useless or repetitive behavior, or one who takes no action to improve their circumstances. For example, a person may “go around in circles” when they engage in a particular activity or phrase for extended periods of time and make no progress.

The idiomatic phrase “go around in circles” is typically used to signify a lack of progress within a conversation or other discourse. For example, two people may be arguing over the best way to achieve a goal, and one person may say “we’re going around in circles.” It appears that both parties are expressing opinions without hearing the other person out first–the conversation is not achieving anything.

This idiom is used to describe someone who does not make progress in their life, or does not make any headway. Often it is said about people who are stuck in a rut, or perhaps are paranoid and never take risks. This idiom can also be used to describe someone who cannot fully articulate what they are trying to say because they are either very confused or have too many thoughts running through their head at once.

The idiom “go around in circles” can be used to describe a person who is stuck in a loop where they keep making the same mistake and cannot find a way out. It can also be used to describe two people who are arguing about the same points of view and keep going round and round without coming to an agreement.