Idiomatic expressions

Question

Hi there. Would you please help me with these? Thank you so much.

He could certainly have the box opened in no time flat. Meaning easily and fast? Is it idiomatic?

Sandy entered the room with yet another sheet of paper for another signature. "Trussel is really edgy," he said to Karl. "The pressure is getting to him. His phone is ringing off the hook." Idiomatic, as if a telephone receiver could ring not being placed correctly and implying there is no shortage of incoming calls?

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

He could certainly have the box opened in no time flat. Meaning easily and fast? Is it idiomatic? Yes and Yes.

Sandy entered the room with yet another sheet of paper for another signature. "Trussel is really edgy," he said to Karl. "The pressure is getting to him. His phone is ringing off the hook." Idiomatic, as if a telephone receiver could ring not being placed correctly and implying there is no shortage of incoming calls?

The idea is that a phone is ringing so much and so often that the vibration is almost bouncing it off the hook.

This image is from the now-quaint time when phones hung on hooks.

Clive

Fandorin · Answer

Oh, I see. Thank you, Clive. <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/5.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/5.gif' alt='Emotion: wink'/>

Idiomatic expressions

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