Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Idiom
Id′i-om
(ĭd′ĭ-ŭm)
, Noun.
[F.
idiome
, L. idioma
, fr. Gr. ἰδίωμα
, fr. ἰδιοῦν
to make a person’s own, to make proper or peculiar; fr. ἴδιοσ
one's own, proper, peculiar; prob. akin to the reflexive pronoun οὗ
, οἶ
, ἔ
, and to ἑός
, ὄς
, one's own, L. suus
, and to E. so
.] 1.
The syntactical or structural form peculiar to any language; the genius or cast of a language.
Idiom
may be employed loosely and figuratively as a synonym of language or dialect, but in its proper sense it signifies the totality of the general rules of construction which characterize the syntax of a particular language and distinguish it from other tongues. G. P. Marsh.
By
idiom
is meant the use of words which is peculiar to a particular language. J. H. Newman.
He followed their language [the Latin], but did not comply with the
idiom
of ours. Dryden.
2.
An expression conforming or appropriate to the peculiar structural form of a language.
Some that with care true eloquence shall teach,
And to just
And to just
idioms
fix our doubtful speech. Prior.
It is not by means of rules that such
idioms
as the following are made current: “I can make nothing
of it.” “He treats
his subject home
.” Dryden
. “It is that within us that makes for
righteousness.” M. Arnold
. Gostwick (Eng. Gram.)
Sometimes we identify the words with the object – though by courtesy of
idiom
rather than in strict propriety of language. Coleridge.
4.
The phrase forms peculiar to a particular author;
as, written in his own
. idiom
Every good writer has much
idiom
. Landor.
5.
Dialect; a variant form of a language.
Webster 1828 Edition
Idiom
ID'IOM
,Noun.
1.
A mode of expression peculiar to a language; peculiarity of expression or phraseology. In this sense, it is used in the plural to denote forms of speech or phraseology, peculiar to a nation or language. And to just idioms fix our doubtful speech.
2.
The genius or peculiar east of a language. He followed the Latin language, but did not comply with the idiom of ours.
3.
Dialect.Definition 2024
Idiom
idiom
idiom
English
Noun
idiom (plural idioms or idiomata)
- (now rare) A manner of speaking, a way of expressing oneself.
- A language or dialect.
- Specifically, a particular variety of language; a restricted dialect used in a given historical period, context etc.
- 2010, Christopher Hitchens, "The Other L-Word", Vanity Fair, 13 Jan 2010:
- Many parents and teachers have become irritated to the point of distraction at the way the weed-style growth of "like" has spread through the idiom of the young.
- 2010, Christopher Hitchens, "The Other L-Word", Vanity Fair, 13 Jan 2010:
- An artistic style (for example, in art, architecture, or music); an instance of such a style.
- An expression peculiar to or characteristic of a particular language, especially when the meaning is illogical or separate from the meanings of its component words.
- 2008, Patricia Hampl, “You’re History”, in Patricia Hampl and Elaine Tyler May (editors), Tell Me True: Memoir, History, and Writing a Life, Minnesota Historical Society, ISBN 9780873516303, page 134:
- You’re history, we say […] . Surely it is an American idiom. Impossible to imagine a postwar European saying, “You’re history. . . . That’s history,” meaning fuhgeddaboudit, pal.
- 2008, Patricia Hampl, “You’re History”, in Patricia Hampl and Elaine Tyler May (editors), Tell Me True: Memoir, History, and Writing a Life, Minnesota Historical Society, ISBN 9780873516303, page 134:
- (programming) A programming construct or phraseology generally held to be the most efficient or elegant means to achieve a particular result or behavior.
- 2005, Magnus Lie Hetland, Beginning Python: From Novice to Professional, ISBN 159059519X, page 100:
- I have to use the same assignment and call to raw_input in two places. How can I avoid that? I can use the while True/break idiom: […]
-
Synonyms
- (phrase): expression (loosely), form of words (loosely), phrase (loosely)
Derived terms
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
expression peculiar to a given language
|
|
manner of speaking
distinct style of art, etc
instance of such style
|
|
language
See also
- Category:Idioms by language
External links
- American idioms - a comprehensive list of idioms, browsable through alphabetical links. Includes parts of speech, definitions and example sentences.
- English and American Idioms - RSS subscription channel
- Glossary of Linguistics
- Today's English Idioms at GoEnglish.com
- idiom in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- idiom in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
Anagrams
Polish
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈidjɔm/
Noun
idiom m inan
Declension
declension of idiom