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Square Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
Silver lining/line
A: What am I going to do? My girlfriend has left me again!
B: Don't worry. It will be all right. Every cloud has a silver lining.
I understand the meaning of the saying. It means "every difficult or unpleasant situation has some advantage".
However, I am wondering why it is "silver lining" not "silver line" here?
I know it is fixed phrase but I am curious to know if there is any an answer to the question.
Thanks.
B: Don't worry. It will be all right. Every cloud has a silver lining.
I understand the meaning of the saying. It means "every difficult or unpleasant situation has some advantage".
However, I am wondering why it is "silver lining" not "silver line" here?
I know it is fixed phrase but I am curious to know if there is any an answer to the question.
Thanks.
Top answer
A lining is the material that covers the inside of something. eg a man's jacket usually has a lining. The basic idea is this.
- A lining is the material that covers the inside of something.
- eg a man's jacket usually has a lining.
- The basic idea is this.
- The outside of a cloud is all black.
- (ie bad), but the inside is all silver (ie good)..
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4 Answers
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A lining is the material that covers the inside of something.
eg a man's jacket usually has a lining.
The basic idea is this.
The outside of a cloud is all black. (ie bad), but the inside is all silver (ie good)..
eg a man's jacket usually has a lining.
The basic idea is this.
The outside of a cloud is all black. (ie bad), but the inside is all silver (ie good)..
00
I think of the Dutch saying, "Behind the clouds, the sun is shining."
When I was a little girl, my mom used this expression when the sun was behind a cloud, and the edges of the could glowed like silver. This is the cloud with a silver lining - there is hope that the sun will come out and shine for us again.
When I was a little girl, my mom used this expression when the sun was behind a cloud, and the edges of the could glowed like silver. This is the cloud with a silver lining - there is hope that the sun will come out and shine for us again.
00
Thank you, Clive and AS.
I thought the "lining" there means the glowing curve around the cloud.
I thought the "lining" there means the glowing curve around the cloud.
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The idea is this, broadly.
When you first look at a cloud or a problem, you see a bad thing. You have to look more closely (inside) to see the good thing.
Clive
When you first look at a cloud or a problem, you see a bad thing. You have to look more closely (inside) to see the good thing.
Clive
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