What is the meaning and origin of the expression ‘sit tight’? (R. Jagadeeshan, Vizag)
This slang expression has several different meanings. When you tell someone to ‘sit tight’, what you are asking them to do is remain patient; to stay in one place and not move.
I think your ankle is broken. Sit tight while I call for an ambulance.
No, no, don’t leave. I’m almost there. Just sit tight, I’ll be there in a minute.
When you ask someone to ‘sit tight’, you are requesting them not to change their mind about something.
The share market is in a mess. This is not the time to sell. Just sit tight for a while.
Your father is right. Let’s just sit tight and see what offer they come up with.
According to some scholars, the expression is based on how birds react when they spot a predator. Many of them stay still; they don’t make a sound. They continue to remain motionless until the predator goes away.
What is the difference between a ‘chronic problem’ and an ‘acute problem’? (K. Laxmi, Kochi)
The word ‘chronic’ comes from the Greek ‘khronikos’ meaning ‘of time’. A ‘chronic problem’ is one that lasts or continues for a long time. For example, if you have a ‘chronic back problem’, the pain is something you experience every day. The degree or the intensity of the pain may vary day to day, but it is always there; it is not temporary. There is no getting away from it.
In most villages in India, there is a chronic shortage of teachers.
An ‘acute problem’, on the other hand, is a severe or intense problem. But unlike a ‘chronic problem’ which continues for a long time, an ‘acute problem’ is usually short lived — it does not last for a long time. It is temporary.
Whenever the monsoon fails, we have an acute shortage of water during summer.
How is the word ‘siesta’ pronounced? (R. Bhavna, Kanpur)
The ‘i’ in the first syllable sounds like the ‘i’ in ‘pit’, ‘bit’ and ‘lit’; the following ‘es’ is pronounced like the ‘es’ in ‘pest’, ‘best’ and ‘test’. The final ‘a’ sounds like the ‘a’ in ‘china’. This word of Spanish origin is pronounced si-ES-te, with the stress on the second syllable. In some countries, during the hot afternoons, many people choose not to work — they choose to take a nap, instead. This afternoon nap that people take is called ‘siesta’. The duration of a siesta can vary between a few minutes to a few hours. People in Spain and Italy are quite fond of their siesta; it is an important part of their culture. The difference between a ‘siesta’ and a ‘nap’ is that one can take a nap any time of day — morning, afternoon and evening. A siesta happens only in the afternoon. The word ‘siesta’ comes from the Latin ‘sexta’ meaning ‘sixth’; the Romans used the expression ‘sexta hora’ to refer to the ‘sixth hour’ after sunrise — which in their case was noon.
All the repair work being carried out upstairs is ruining my siesta.
None of the shops will be open during siesta.
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