I guess because I work in a global environment or perhaps because I happen to be a genius (not) ... but for whatever reason I am often asked about English phrases. Very often I learn something from my foreign friends, e.g., Polish and polish are two words that are pronounced differently and have different meaning solely based on whether or not the first letter is capitalized.
That aside, from time-to-time I will post a "learning" that I find interesting. Most of it will come from Washington State University's website.
Today's lesson FLESH OUT/FLUSH OUT:
To “flesh out” an idea is to give it substance, as a sculptor adds clay flesh to a skeletal armature. To “flush out” a criminal is to drive him or her out into the open. The latter term is derived from bird-hunting, in which one flushes out a covey of quail. If you are trying to develop something further, use “flesh”; but if you are trying to reveal something hitherto concealed, use “flush.”
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