What does the phrase its all Greek to me mean?
That’s Greek to me or it’s (all) Greek to me is an idiom in English referring to an expression that is difficult to understand for the sayer. It is commonly a complex or imprecise verbal or written expression or diagram, often containing excessive use of jargon, dialect, mathematics, science, or symbols.
What is the meaning of Greek to me?
a way of saying that you do not understand something that is said or written. Difficult to understand.
When would you say it’s all Greek to me?
The phrase entered modern English when Shakespeare used it in his play Julius Caesar in 1599. Initially it was used in the literal sense, where a person who did not know Greek would say it, but later it came to be used for anything unintelligible.
Why did the phrase it’s Greek to me come to mean what it means?
The term was first used in the Latin phrase Graecum est; non legitur, which means “It is Greek and therefore is impossible to read.” Scribes during the Middle Ages would insert this phrase when copying portions of manuscripts that they found untranslatable or illegible. …
What does finally facing my Waterloo mean?
To encounter one’s ultimate obstacle and to be defeated by it: “After beating dozens of challengers, the champion finally met his Waterloo.” From the Battle of Waterloo, where Napoleon Bonaparte was finally defeated.
What does Casca mean by the phrase Greek to me?
Casca, not an orator himself, doesn’t know Greek. Hence the phrase, “It was Greek to me.” Casca means that everything sounds the same in a foreign language, because it is all foreign and unintelligible.
What is meaning of all Greek?
If someone says “it’s all Greek to me,” they mean something is difficult to understand due to its complexity. Example: My teacher was explaining a complicated math problem to the classroom, but I didn’t get it; it was all Greek to me. (In other words, this student did not grasp what was being said.)
What is the meaning of this idiom all Greek?
Where did the phrase its all Greek to me come from?
In Julius Caesar, the Roman character Casca describes a speech made by Cicero, a scholar of Greek. * Casca, one of the conspirators who assassinates Caesar, does not speak Greek. So he says, “Those that understood him smiled at one another and shook their heads; but, for mine own part, it was Greek to me.”
What is the meaning of idiom mince matters?
To speak (about something) very bluntly and directly, without regard to whether one’s words may cause upset or controversy.
What is the meaning of the idiom to have an AXE to grind?
phrase. If someone has an axe to grind, they are doing something for selfish reasons. [informal, disapproval]
What play is but for my own part it was all Greek to me from?
What’s the origin of the phrase ‘But, for my own part, it was Greek to me’? From Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, 1601: CASSIUS Did Cicero say any thing? CASCA Ay, he spoke Greek.
What does it mean when someone says all Greek to me?
all Greek to me. Meaning. used to convey that you cannot understand what is being said or written; something meaningless and incomprehensible to you; something that you do not understand; Example Sentences. Don’t try to explain the technicalities of how this machine works; it would be all Greek to me.
How do you use the word “Greek” in a sentence?
He tried to explain the rules of the game to me, but it was all Greek to me. My friends were having a discussion about the future if the financial markets, but it was all Greek to me. My wife and brother both work in the IT industry, and when they start with their technical talk, it’s all Greek to me.
What does allall Greek mean to me?
all Greek to me 1 used to convey that you cannot understand what is being said or written 2 something meaningless and incomprehensible to you 3 something that you do not understand
Who coined the phrase “I can’t understand the Greek language”?
No idea! But whoever coined this expression probably found the Greek language to be confusing. Anyways, this common saying dates back to at least the early 17th century. It’s used by two different playwrights from this time period: Thomas Dekkar and William Shakespeare.