the pinky

the pinky

So this is the smallest finger of the human hand. It is also called: the pinky(Scottish spelling is pinkie), the little finger, the baby finger, the fifth finger (or fourth finger if you don't count the thumb) and even the anti-thumb.

From the word pinky, we get the term pinky ring. This is a small ring worn on the pinky and actually, many engineers in Canada and the U.S. wear a special ring on this finger. Also, villains in movies often wear pinky rings...

While researching this lesson I learned that in Japan, when talking about two people if you lift up your pinky it means they are in a relationship... but it is a bit of an old fashioned gesture.

In China, lifting up the little finger to someone is like the middle finger to English speaking people so it is really rude~!

The last thing to mention about the little finger is: pinky swear or pinky promise. This is when two people link their little fingers and shake to make a promise. It is often used by kids. A long time ago, if you broke this promise you were supposed to cut off your pinky... kind of like the Japanese Yakuza and 指つめ.

A: Are you telling the truth?

B: Sure, I pinky swear it's the truth!

In this case, they probably won't shake using their pinkies. It is kind of like saying: I swear, cross my hurt and hope to die(if I am lying).

Finally! The finger series is done, I hope you enjoyed it ^_^ If you have any questions or suggestions please leave a post on my message board!

Phil

the ring finger

Hey everyone! Today, we will finally finish my series about fingers by covering the ring finger. This is the third finger of the hand (fourth if you count the thumb), especially the left hand on which people normally wear their wedding rings.

Here is a picture:

In many cultures, this is a magical finger and so you get the name; medical finger because it was supposed to have healing powers. This is the same as in Japan where you call it: 薬指 - kusuri yubi or medicine finger.

There aren't any real idioms again just the term ring finger which is often used. Ex:

A: Wow, that is a cute guy!

B: Did you check his ring finger? Is he married?

Ok, there is one more lesson left in this series which is about the smallest finger... ...the pinky!

Phil

Index finger, Middle finger...

Hey everyone, I will continue my series on finger idioms. Today, I will be covering the index finger and the middle finger.

the index finger

This is also called the pointing finger (though it is rude to point with this finger), the forefinger, the first finger and the trigger finger.

I couldn't really think of any idioms that go with this finger, the trigger finger is said because it is the one you use to pull the trigger to shoot a gun.

So you might here: "I have an itchy trigger finger" which means that you will easily shoot your gun.

People might also say "pull my finger" and put out the index finger, when you pull it they fart! It's a kid's joke ^_-

I often get hangnails on my index fingers... this means that a small piece of nail sticks out the side of the fingernail. Then you pull it out and it is a bit painful.
Not too fun -_-

the middle finger

This is the finger you use when you tell people to F#*K You! So there are a few idioms about this:

to give someone the finger

This guy cut me off on the road so I gave him the finger.

to flip the bird

My teacher was mean to me so when she turned around I flipped her the bird.

Hmm, that is about it. There are not many idioms about these fingers... Our next lesson is about the ring finger... and then the last lesson will be about the pinky!

Phil

2 Thumbs up!

Today, we will be talking about the thumb! 2 thumbs up is an idiom that is often used to describe movies, it means it is a great movie~! 2 thumbs down means it is a terrible movie.

This is a really old idiom that comes from the Roman Empire, when the Emperor went to the Colosseum and saw gladiators fight-he would give the thumbs up to spare someone's life and the thumbs down to say he should be killed...

So from that, we got two idioms:

thumbs up, meaning something is good

and

thumbs down, meaning something is bad

So you can say, "I gave him the thumbs up/down", which means I showed that I approve or disapprove of something.

Now, onto some more idioms!

twiddle your thumbs, this means to do nothing, you just sat there moving your thumbs in circles.

Don't just sit there twiddling your thumbs! Help me!

I hate waiting! I just sit there twiddling my thumbs!

to thumb through something, this means you look through something quickly usually a magazine, book or a bunch of papers. Think of all those people in convenience stores thumbing through magazines...

Can you thumb through my paper for me and tell me what you think?

all thumbs or all fingers and thumbs, this means you are bad with your hands, you aren't good at making things with your hands.

Don't ask me to help build your shelf, I'm all thumbs.

stick out like a sore thumb, this means you are easily noticed, it looks like you do not belong there.

I don't like going to fancy restaurants, I always feel like I stick out like a sore thumb!

under someone's thumb, this means you are under someone's control.

Bob's totally under his wife's thumb, he never does anything without her permission.

have a green thumb, this means you are good with plants and gardening. You can easily make things grow.

My wife has a green thumb, her garden is doing great!

There are other thumb idioms but I think these are the most common. I hope you enjoyed today's lesson.

Have a nice day!

Phil

Finger Idioms...

So today, I will go over some idioms using the word finger in them. Here we go!

I'm all fingers and thumbs.

This means that you are not good with your hands, you lack manual dexterity.

Cross your fingers or Keep your fingers crossed

You say this when you hope or wish that something will happen or become true.

A: I hope we have a long vacation this year.

B: Keep your fingers crossed.

Give someone the finger

This is when you lift your middle finger to someone to tell them to F*#K off or F#*K you!

This morning this guy cut me off in traffic so I gave him the finger!

Have sticky fingers

This means that someone often steals things.

Chris has sticky fingers so he's going to jail.

Not lift a finger

This means you do nothing to help someone.

My friend fell down and hurt himself and no one lifted a finger to help him!

Point the finger at someone

This means that you blame someone for something bad that happened

Why are you pointing the finger at me? YOU ARE the one who decided to eat at this bad restaurant!!!

Wear/work your fingers down to the bone

This means you are working very hard for a long time.

I've been working my fingers down to the bone trying to finish this project on time.

Wrap around your little finger

This means that you someone will do anything you want.

Man your girlfriend has you wrapped around her little finger~!

Slip through your fingers

1- This means that something you are trying to do, doesn't work.

I failed my interview, that job just slipped through my fingers.

2- This is also used when you are chasing someone and they escape.

A: Did you catch the prisoners?

B: No, they managed to slip through my fingers...

A: What?!?!? Your in big trouble now!

Hmm, it is getting late. Time for bed, sweet dreams everyone!

Phil

Fingers

Hey everyone, I will be doing a little series about our fingers. Today, I will only tell you the English names for the different fingers. Later, I will be going over idioms that use fingers in them.

There are, of course, 5 fingers which are from out to in:

1- the pinky or little finger, this is the smallest finger on your hand

2- the ring finger, we call it this because when people are married they usually wear a ring here

3- the middle finger because it is umm... in the middle ^_- it is the longest finger

4- the index finger, also forefinger, pointer finger(we use it to point-not so polite) or trigger finger(it is used to pull the trigger to shoot a gun)

5- the thumb, this is the opposable finger which you use to hold things

Please note, with feet we usually just say big toe for the biggest and maybe pinky toe or little toe for the smallest. The rest of the toes have scientific names but people don't talk about them in everyday life.

Next time, we will talk about some idioms!

Phil

For more on fingers check out wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finger