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Hello teachers,

Could you please tell me the meaning of the following phrases:

No failures knock them up or make them up hold their hands

To leave the most disreputable lame dog on the other side of stile

There are some phrases that I solved. only these options are given and I have to solve from them please tell me they are correct or not.
leave one's mark- earn recognition
Yoemen's work -Provide a great help to needy
hard knocks - cause uneasiness or worry
lame dog - a person in trouble or need of help
knock them up - fierce blows
rain off a duck's back - not have any effect
These phrases have been taken from the story The Brown Family that is known as fighting family written by Thomas Hughes

Thanks in advance

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

No failures knock them up or make them up hold their hands.

Knock up is a British expression meaning to wake someone up from sleeping. eg. Please knock me up when you get up tomorrow morning.

So your sentence means that these people do not learn from their failures and their failures do not cause them ask questions (probably about why they failed). They are doomed to repeat their failures.

To leave the most disreputable lame dog on the other side of stile.
A stile is a small step ladder that lets people cross fences without opening and closing a gate.
I think this means "Don't help those who will not help themselves. If you do, it will only be to your detriment."

Blue Jay · Answer

AnonymousNo failures knock them up or make them up hold their hands

Knock up in BrE can mean to wake up, but it can also mean to tire out. If this were the intended sense, and if up hold their hands were intended to be in the sense of raising the hands in surrender, then the whole would mean
No failures exhaust them or cause them to surrender.

Anonymouso leave the most disreputable lame dog on the other side of stile

Helping lame dogs over stiles means providing assistance to people who most need it.

Anonymousleave one's mark- earn recognition

Yes. It suggests having done something that made a difference, especially in a good way.

AnonymousYeomen's work -Provide a great help to needy

Not quite. Yeoman's work means extensive and diligent hard work on behalf of a project or cause, but it does not have to be on behalf of the needy.

Anonymoushard knocks - cause uneasiness or worry

Hard knocks are the difficulties, problems and hardships we encounter in life. We often speak of the school of hard knocks, meaning the difficulties we deal with that shape and strengthen our character.

Anonymouslame dog - a person in trouble or need of help

Yes.

Anonymousknock them up - fierce blows

See above.

Anonymousrain off a duck's back - not have any effect

Yes. Rain (or water) off a duck's back means something does not bother you, just as a duck does not mind being wet.

Clive · Answer

In British English, knock someone up has the meanings described above.

But in American English, it is slang for make someone pregnant.

So English learners should think carefully before saying to someone
eg Please knock me up at 7 am tomorrow morning.

Clive

AlpheccaStars · Answer

CliveSo English learners should think carefully before saying to someoneeg Please knock me up at 7 am tomorrow morning.

Yes, I learned this when I stayed with my English friend.
When we retired for the night, she said "I'll knock you up in the morning." I was taken aback.

She also said, "Give me a tinkle when you're ready." This one really knocked me over!
And finally, "Get me a rubber out of the desk drawer, please." YIKES!!!!

Clive · Answer

My father-in-law went to live in the USA, and was invited to give a speech about his work experience in England.

He was startled when the person introducing him said 'Now we are going to hear the dope from England'.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

CliveMy father-in-law went to live in the USA, and was invited to give a speech about his work experience in England.He was startled when the person introducing him said 'Now we are going to hear the dope from England'.

Good dope, I hope.

Blue Jay · Answer

AlpheccaStarsGet me a rubber out of the desk drawer, please

I still have to be careful with that one!

My aunt came for a visit and said that she was going to hump her suitcase up the stairs.

My sister-in-law was in England and asked a boy if he knew how to ****.

I knew that **** in AmE is a dance, but I was still taken aback when I heard a radio commercial for a beach club where the hostesses would give you one-on-one ******** lessons on the dance floor.

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