Meaning
Very hot days during July and August.
Origin
The origin of this idiom leads us to the ancient Romans who realized that the hottest days of the year coincided with the appearance of Sirius - the Dog Star, in the same part of the sky as the Sun. Sirius is the largest and brightest star in the Canis Major constellation.
The ancients believed that the star contributed to the heat of the day. The adjective Canicular means 'pertaining to Sirius', so Dog-days are also called Canicular days,
Example
- During the dog days of August, we go to the beach.
SMELL A RAT
Meaning
A feeling that something is not quite right, or awry.
Origin
For centuries, the word smell has been used in a figurative sense to define someone who, because of their intuition, perceives something be off.
According to the Facts on File Encyclopedia of Word and Prase Origins, written by Robert Hendrickson, the origin for this idiom is uncertain, however, he explains a theory behind it might possibly involve a cat being able to smeel a rat nearby, despite not having sight of it. The idea is that after picking up a rat's scent, a cat perceives that something is not quite right, but without having vision of the rat; the cat is unable to confirm its feelings.
Example
- I smell a rat. There is something wrong with the new teacher.
MAKE A BEELINE
Meaning
Go directly towards.
Origin
This idiom derives from the behaviour of bees. When a forager bee finds a source of nectar it returns to the hive and communicates its location to the other bees, using a display calle the Waggle Dance. The other bees are then able to fly directly to the source of the nectar, that is, 'make a beeline' for it. This dance is a surpisingly sophisticated means of communication for a creature with such a small brain.
The phrase is American and al the early citations of it come fron the USA.
Example
- When she arrived at the hotel, she madre a beeline to the swimming pool.
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