Lexicology 4 – Semantics (cont.)

or more words, combination of which is integrated as one

unit with specialised non-literal meaning of the whole
E.g. to sleep like a log, Can a leopard change its spots?, to be busy as a bee.

elephant, a skeleton in the cupboard, brains trust, dog days

Set

expressions functioning like verbs
Special group – phrasal verbs
E.g. the cap fits , to bark up the wrong tree, to keep up with the Jonses; to give up, to make (sth) up, to put (sb) up

lot of them are similes - expressions of comparison.
E.g. like

a bull in a china shop, as old as the hills, as mad as a hatter

Set expressions functioning like adverbs
E.g. once in a blue moon, time and again, to drink like a fish

Set expressions functioning like interjections
E.g. Bless (one’s) soul!, God bless me!, Hang it (all)!

His bark is worse than his bite.

Proverbs – wise sayings,

often warnings, which have been passed from generation to generation. Their advice will never be out of date (adages).
E.g. It’s no use crying over spilt milk. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.

Familiar quotations
E.g. Shakespeare: “Frailty, thy name is woman.”
Caesar: “The die is cast.”

as”.

If we want to master a language properly we should

know what words of the language are most likely to occur together – what are the typical collocations.
E. g. the noun rain may be collocated with adjectives: driving, heavy, pouring, soaking, torrential, freezing, intermittent, light, steady.

fly a kite, execute a will, reverse a decision, revoke

a licence
These collocations are highly important for polysemantic nouns.
E.g. perform an operation (in a hospital), carry out (conduct) an operation (on the battlefield).

An adjective + a noun.
E.g. warm, warmest (not “hot”), kind, kindest, best (not “good”) regards; a rough estimate; a formidable challenge

go off (ring, sound), blizzards rage
An adverb + an adjective

E.g. strictly accurate, sound asleep, keenly (very much) aware
A verb + an adverb.
E.g. amuse thoroughly, argue heatedly, appreciate sincerely
A unit associated with a noun.
E.g. a pack of dogs, a pride of lions, a school of whales, a lump of sugar, a drop of oil