B) Gardening Metaphors

The new boss is planning to weed out (=get rid of) older or less experienced staff.

The government will probably have to prune back (=cut/limit) its proposals.

At last she is reaping the reward of (=is getting results from) all her years of study.

The journalists have dug up (=have discovered) some interesting facts.

The idea was germinating (=was beginning to develop) while we were on holiday.

Out-of-town shopping centres have been sprouting (=appearing quickly in large numbers) all over the country.

Our business is flourishing (=doing very well).

A deciduous tree sheds (=loses) its leaves.

People can shed employees/traditions/worries/inhibitions/weight.

Plants fade, wither, shrivel and wilt when they die. These verbs can all be used

metaphorically:

Hopes of finding survivors are fading (=becoming smaller).

High inflation means that our savings are shriveling (= becoming less).

It was so hot in the classroom that the students were starting to wilt (=lose energy).

A glance/look/remark can wither or be withering (= make the recipient feel scorned).

There’s something wrong with the TV. (= there is a problem with it.)

The light isn’t working. (= not functioning/ there is no light)

The shower’s not working properly. (= it is functioning but not very well)

The telephone is out of order. (= not in use/ not functioning)- this phrase is mostly used when a public machine is not working.

Yesterday morning Paul had a lot of problems. First, he dropped a cup and it broke. It was his girl-friend’s favourite cup. He got another cup, made coffee, and then spilt it. It ruined his T-shirt because there was a large coffee stain on it.

He decided to make some toast, but he burnt the first piece, then he realized that he’d run out of bread. He didn’t leave home in a good mood, moreover he was hungry.

After Paul went out, things got worse. He left home with a ten-pound note in his pocket, and walked to a bus stop. Unfortunately, he was a bit late and the bus was a bit early, so he missed the bus. While he was waiting for the next one, he got out his walkman, but the batteries had run out. When the bus arrived, he got on and put his hand in his pocket – no ten-pound note – he had lost his money. The driver told him to get off. He didn’t want to be late for school, so he started running. Moments later, he saw a dog, but not its lead – he tripped over the lead.

He got to his feet, carried on to school, then he realized he had left his bag on the bus. And he was late for school in the end.

(We should use the word “leave”, not “forget” when we say where something it: I left my umbrella at home. But: I’ve forgotten my umbrella today.)

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