Blogger Widgets Blogger Widgets ¡Mira que luna......! Look at that moon....! Resources for learning English: up a gum tree

!Mira que luna! Look at that moon! Resources for learning English

!Mira que luna! Look at that moon! Resources for learning English
Fernando Olivera: El rapto.- TEXT FROM THE NOVEL The goldfinch by Donna Tartt (...) One night we were in San Antonio, and I was having a bit of a melt-down, wanting my own room, you know, my dog, my own bed, and Daddy lifted me up on the fairgrounds and told me to look at the moon. When "you feel homesick", he said, just look up. Because the moon is the same wherever you go". So after he died, and I had to go to Aunt Bess -I mean, even now, in the city, when I see a full moon, it's like he's telling me not to look back or feel sad about things, that home is wherever I am. She kissed me on the nose. Or where you are, puppy. The center of my earth is you". The goldfinch Donna Tartt 4441 English edition

Saturday, June 25, 2011

up a gum tree


For example:Meaning: If you're up a gum tree, you're in trouble or have a serious problem.
  • The company is up a gum tree because they broke some laws about polluting the environment, and they'll probably get closed down.
  • My mate Bruce is up a gum tree. He got a sheila up the duff and now she's twisting his arm to get hitched. (see Note 2 below)
Note: 1. This idiom is similar in meaning to "up the creek without a paddle". 2. This can be translated as follows: "My friend Bruce is in trouble. He caused a woman to become pregnant and now she's pressuring him to marry her."

Variety: This idiom is typically used in Australian English but may be used in other varieties of English too.


Quick Quiz:
Bazza was driving through the desert from Perth to Sydney, but he's up a gum tree now because
  1. he's looking for emu eggs
  2. a kangaroo chased him up there
  3. he's run out of petrol
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