thumbs up
a hand gesture which shows approval
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
Argentina gets IMF THUMBS UP -- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says it has reached agreement with Argentina's new president to start negotiations for a three-year debt relief programme to the country over the coming weeks.
(BBC News - 25th June 2003)
(BBC News - 25th June 2003)
Did you
know?
thumbs up
This phrase comes from the thumbs up hand gesture. It is attributed to the ancient Romans and the Gladiators who fought in the Coliseum.
When one Gladiator had emerged victorious in a fight, the spectators would get to decide if the loser should live or die. If they felt the loser had fought bravely enough, his life would be spared, otherwise he would be killed.
NOTE:
Here are some other thumb-related phrases that you should know:
to be all fingers and thumbs = zwei linke Hände haben
to twiddle one's thumbs = Däumchen drehen; faulenzen
to twirl one's thumbs = Däumchen drehen
to thumb a lift = per Anhalter fahren
to thumb one's nose at s.o. = jmdm. eine lange Nase machen
rule of thumb = die Erfahrungsregel, Erfahrungstatsache, der Erfahrungswert, die Faustregel, die Daumenregeln, praktische Erfahrung
Sample:
"Did you get the thumbs up to attend the English seminar?"
This phrase comes from the thumbs up hand gesture. It is attributed to the ancient Romans and the Gladiators who fought in the Coliseum.
When one Gladiator had emerged victorious in a fight, the spectators would get to decide if the loser should live or die. If they felt the loser had fought bravely enough, his life would be spared, otherwise he would be killed.
NOTE:
Here are some other thumb-related phrases that you should know:
to be all fingers and thumbs = zwei linke Hände haben
to twiddle one's thumbs = Däumchen drehen; faulenzen
to twirl one's thumbs = Däumchen drehen
to thumb a lift = per Anhalter fahren
to thumb one's nose at s.o. = jmdm. eine lange Nase machen
rule of thumb = die Erfahrungsregel, Erfahrungstatsache, der Erfahrungswert, die Faustregel, die Daumenregeln, praktische Erfahrung
Sample:
"Did you get the thumbs up to attend the English seminar?"
