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English Idioms

English Idioms: Nothing is certain but death and taxes

English Idioms About “Death”
Idiom: Nothing is certain but death and taxes
Meaning: The phrase nothing is certain but death and taxes means that everything in life is uncertain. The only things that you can be sure of are: 1. You will undoubtedly die. 2. You will certainly have to pay taxes. This saying comes from the letters of Benjamin Franklin where he states: Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.—Benjamin Franklin, in a letter to Jean-Baptiste Leroy, 1789 However, Franklin’s letter is not the origin of the phrase; it appeared earlier in Daniel Defoe’s The History of the Devil: Things as certain as Death and Taxes, can be more firmly believ’d. —Daniel Defoe The Political History of the Devil 1726. But it should be noted that the origin of the phrase dates back to Daniel Defoe’s The History of the Devil: Things as certain as Death and Taxes, can be more firmly believ’d. —Daniel Defoe The Political History of the Devil 1726.
Example: Lacy: I can’t believe how much tax money we have to pay for setting up this business. Alice: You know, nothing is certain but death and taxes.

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English Idioms

English Idioms: Patience of Job

English Idioms About “Names”
Idiom: Patience of Job
Meaning: To have the patience of Job means to have a great amount of patience. The idiom has a religious origin. Job was considered a prophet in the Abrahamic Religions: Islam, Christianity and Judaism. He suffered from horrendous disasters that took away all that he held dear, including his offspring, his health, and his property.
Example: In spite of their extreme poverty, they managed to raise ten children. They really have the patience of Job.

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English Idioms

English Idioms: Scarlet woman

English Idioms About “Men and women”
Idiom: Scarlet woman
Meaning: The phrase a scarlet woman refers to a prostitute, an immoral woman, particularly one who commits adultery. 5:04:00 PM And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and filthiness of her fornication: 5:05:00 PM And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. [King James Version; the New International Version uses “prostitutes” instead of “harlots”].
Example: She was the scarlet woman of the town.

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English Idioms