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Thursday, March 19, 2015

(To have money) burn a hole in someone's pocket

Idiom: (To have money) burn a hole in someone's pocket; used as a verb 

When his mother gave the little boy his allowance, she told him not to "spend it all in one place." But the money was burning a hole in his pocket, so he spent it all at the candy store. He didn't save any of it.

Meaning: To have money "burn a hole in (one's) pocket" means that the person has money that they want to spend immediately. Usually, this expression is used humorously, often in a question such as "Is it burning a hole in your pocket?" when someone seems to be spending recently acquired money too quickly.

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Nest egg

Idiom: Nest egg

Laurie: I heard they’re having a party for you this Friday?
Bob: Yep. I have been working here for 46 years, and it’s finally time for me to retire.
Laurie: That’s great! What are you going to do?
Bob: I’ve always wanted to travel around the world, so I’m heading out on Monday for Europe.
Laurie: Wow! Do you have any money saved?
Bob: Yep. Every month, I’ve put money into a savings account, and there’s about a million dollars in there now.
Laurie: Wow! That’s quite a nest egg!
Bob: Proves that hard work pays off.

Meaning: A “nest egg” is a sum of money saved for the future. It usually refers to a very large amount saved over a long period of time that is intended for a large expense (retirement, a child’s college education, purchasing property, etc.) rather than a smaller savings.