DO (SOMEONE) A GOOD TURN, DOT THE I’S AND CROSS THE T’S, DOWN AND OUT: American English Idioms #57

DO (SOMEONE) A GOOD TURN

Doing someone a good turn is the act of helping someone out without expecting anything in return. While it sounds like a cliché, doing someone a good turn can actually be very beneficial for both parties involved. There is the psychological effect that the person who is helped feels good about themselves and also feels appreciative toward the person who did them a favor.

People have been doing good deeds for others since the dawn of time. This particular phrase is a classically used adage to express a person’s benevolence. The phrase “doing someone a good turn” is often used as a motivational statement to encourage others to do something positive for those around them, which can be seen as an easy and cheap way of contributing to society.

The phrase “do someone a good turn” in the English language is idiomatic and metaphorical in nature. A “turn” can be interpreted in many ways, but when phrased in the context of doing someone well, it means to do something favorable for an individual. The original meaning of this expression was when someone returned a favor or action by returning the kindness with another act, thus returning the good deed doubled.

When a person does a good deed for someone else, it is known as doing them a “good turn.” The phrase originated from feudal times where turning or twisting steel shapes into long lengths of wire would be an arduous and time-consuming process. Doing someone a “good turn” means that you have been more helpful to another person than the labor required to complete the task would have been worth.

DOT THE I’S AND CROSS THE T’S

When someone says “dot the i’s and cross the t’s” they are telling you to get everything right. What this means is that there are many details in life that can have a big impact, so you should be sure to get them all. For example, if you’re doing an assignment for school while your mom is out of town, she might tell you to “dot the i’s and cross the t’s” while she isn’t looking.

Punctuating sentences correctly is important. The phrase “dot the i’s and cross the t’s” is an expression meaning to finish up any loose ends, such as punctuating words and clauses with commas, periods, semicolons, and colons.

An idiom that conveys the idea of following through with an action to its fullest extent, dotting all “I’s and crossing all “T’s” is a phrase that means to do something thoroughly. This phrase originates from the days when letters were written by hand. Writing out a letter by hand would take time and require the writer to make sure every letter was completed, requiring them to “dot their I’s and cross their T’s.

The idiom “dot the i’s and cross the t’s” is a metaphor that means to take care of all the small details before moving on to bigger endeavors. This idiom comes from late 18th century printers who had to finish printing a document by using the letter “t” as a filler.

DOWN AND OUT

Down and out refers to a person who is in a difficult or unfortunate situation and unable to get out of it. It can be an idiom that means destitute, penniless, unemployed, etc.

This term is often used when describing people who are not able to make ends meet or someone who has lost their job with no prospects for employment in the near future  such as during a recession.

This idiom is used to describe someone who has hit rock bottom or fallen on hard times. It can be interpreted as an individual who is the very bottom; the end; also, completely exhausted.

The idiom “down and out” is typically used to describe someone who has little or no money or resources to survive. It often refers to someone who is homeless, jobless, and in need of assistance. The phrase can be used in many contexts like describing a person’s physical state (out on the street) or mental state (down and out).

Down and out is an idiom meaning not having any money. It is usually used to refer to people who are homeless or living in poverty.