Kailin
Person of Interest S1E1 My friend recommended to watch POI. After watching the first episode, I found it very interesting. It is still a old-fashioned theme-police, detectives and gangsters, but with new technology-a machine that could predict lurking crimes. Here are some expressions I collected: 1. happen in the heat of the moment Sentences I made with it: She didn't dislike you. She just said that in the heat of the moment.(interchangeable with "on the spur of the moment"/"in a rash moment"/"impulsively" in this context?) Something happens in the heat of the moment means things that were not expected? 2. in a kind of limbo Does that mean "at a loss"/"in a dilemma"? Sentences: She didn't know whether her husband was alive. She felt she was in limbo. He was stuck in limbo since he was unwilling to go back and turn to his family, and he couldn't find a job to sustain his life.(This sounds ackward...but don't know how to revise it.) 3. I am a really private person. = I am really conservative. Very interesting meaning of "private"! 4. I can buy you dinner. I was confused between this sentence and "I will treat you to dinner". The former sounds colloquial and to my ears, it was like "I will buy you something to eat and take it upstairs" rather than "invite a girl for dinner and pay for the bills". However, when I searched online, some people say that that is how they would extend their invitation for girls. So how would you use this sentence? And have you ever used "I will treat you to dinner"? Any other alternatives for "inviting someone for dinner and paying for the bill"? 5. eat away at Guilt is eating way at him. 6. from on high They were protected from on high= They were protected by some organization superior to yours. Thanks for any corrections or advice!
Nov 20, 2015 4:30 AM
Corrections · 7

Person of Interest S1E1

My friend recommended to watch POI. After watching the first episode, I found it very interesting. It is still a old-fashioned theme-police, detectives and gangsters, but with new technology-a machine that could predict lurking crimes.

Here are some expressions I collected:

1. happen in the heat of the moment
Sentences I made with it:
She didn't dislike you. She just said that in the heat of the moment.(interchangeable with "on the spur of the moment"/"in a rash moment"/"impulsively" in this context?)
Something happens in the heat of the moment means things that were not expected?


Correct example. In some cases the same as the other expressions but not always. 'the heat of the moment' implies tension and pressure. 'spur of the moment' is more just spontaneous. 'rash' would be similar but implies a bad decision.

2. in a kind of limbo
Does that mean "at a loss"/"in a dilemma"?
Sentences:
She didn't know whether her husband was alive. She felt she was in limbo.
He was stuck in limbo since he was unwilling to go back and turn to his family, and he couldn't find a job to sustain his life.(This sounds ackward...but don't know how to revise it.)

'Limbo' is a state where you can't do anything except wait. It comes from Catholic religion. Good people go to heaven and bad to hell. But some are undecided (like babies who die very young) so they have to wait in a kind of middle level.  I'm not sure but I think until prayer can send them to heaven. I think I'm right in saying it was one of the things the protestant reformation in the 16th century abolished. I'm not sure if it has been revised by the Vatican too in more recent years. I'm not very good on religion so maybe someone else can clarify more.



3. I am a really private person. = I am really conservative.
Very interesting meaning of "private"!

I didn't know this use.

4. I can buy you dinner.
I was confused between this sentence and "I will treat you to dinner". The former sounds colloquial and to my ears, it was like "I will buy you something to eat and take it upstairs" rather than "invite a girl for dinner and pay for the bills". However, when I searched online, some people say that that is how they would extend their invitation for girls.

Treat sounds like it is going to be really good. So I would use it if the dinner is a reward, maybe for a birthday or a celebration or in return for  a favour. For a romantic date 'treat' sounds overconfident and bigheaded as it implies the girl / boy really wants to have dinner with you. So it is more modest to say 'buy' and wait for them to say if they would like that or not.

So how would you use this sentence? And have you ever used "I will treat you to dinner"? Any other alternatives for "inviting someone for dinner and paying for the bill"?

"Can I take you out to dinner' also implies you pay.


5. eat away at
Guilt is eating way at him.

Perfect.


6. from on high
They were protected from on high= They were protected by some organization superior to yours.

Perfect.
Thanks for any corrections or advice!

November 22, 2015
Just one correction. I think "private" means "someone really care about their privacy" under that context. I think I misunderstood "secretive" just now. I am not sure whether "care about their privacy" equals "secretive" and whether there is an adjective for it.
November 28, 2015
Thank you very much Thomas! Your explanations are very helpful. Sorry that it took me a while to review the first episode. For Number 2, the context is a little bit different. "The company went to bankruptcy, so its property is in a kind of limbo." Number 3, my understanding of "private" being "conservative" proved wrong when I reviewed this episode. It does mean "secretive"! The context is "I know there is a disparity between how much I know about you and how much you know about me. I know you will try to close the gap as quickly as possible. But I want to tell you that I am a really private person." Number 4, the man met his ex-girlfriend in the corridor of the company they worked for. "You got time to talk? Maybe I can buy you dinner","I am busy. Another time?" Obviously, the man was rejected. How do you think of the meaning of "I can buy you dinner" under this context? Thanks again.
November 28, 2015
I love the show Person of Interest, but it's been a while since I've seen the first episode. Regarding use of the word "limbo," it certainly can be used to describe a concept from Catholicism. However, the phrase can also be used in other contexts to describe a general state of neglect. For instance, if I'm waiting a while to receive a response from a large company for a question that I emailed, someone might ask me how I'm being treated. I could then respond, "Not that great! They're keeping me in limbo." I'd be interested in knowing more about the contexts for the scenes you describe in numbers 3 and 4. "Private" does not mean "conservative." I take "private," given the theme of this show, to mean "secretive." Number 4 could have several meanings, depending on the social context. That phrase doesn't have to be romantic.
November 22, 2015
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