Miss, Rise or Raise & Drive or Ride

A.

Miss

1. There are a number of shades of meaning when miss means ‘fail to make contact with’. Compare the following:

• If you’re not careful you’ll miss the flight and there isn’t another till next week.
• Is Jenny still here? ~ You’ve just missed her. She left five minutes ago.
• He cored four goals, but then he missed a penalty.
• The bullet just missed my head. It whizzed past my ear and embedded itself in the wall.
• No, you’ve missed the point. Bobby gave her the money. He didn’t want it back.
• The railway station is right at the end of this road. You can’t miss it!
• If you leave the queue now, you’ll miss your chance of seeing this film.
• It was my granny’s funeral last Thursday so I had to miss all my lessons last week.

B.

Miss= be sorry to be without

Compare the following:

• I miss my grandmother terribly. She was such a kind, gentle person.

• Will you miss me when I’m away?
• ~ Oh, I shall miss you all right!

• What do you miss most about the south of France now you’re in Britain?
• ~ I miss my family, I miss the people, I miss the sunshine, I miss the cheese and the wine.

• Do you miss walking in the Pyrenees?
• ~ Yes, I miss that too.

C.

Miss in idioms

Note also idiomatic usage in the following expressions:

• He didn’t have all the advantages of a proper education and really missed out.
• There have been several near misses between planes landing at this airport recently. He’s failed his exams again and I think he has missed the boat as far as higher education is concerned.
• I think I’ve missed a trick here in failing to consult my accountant about tax returns.
• I think I’ll give the book signing ceremony a miss. What about you? ~ No, I’m going.
• They came four in the league and missed promotion by only one point, but as the old saying goes: a miss is as good as a mile.

• Miss. can be used as an alternative to Ms. placed in front of the name of an unmarried woman when the person concerned wishes it to be known that she is single.

• Miss. right or Mr. right can be used as expressions to describe a woman or man who is regarded as an ideal marriage partner:

D.

Rise or raise?

Compare the following:

• ‘The sun rises in the East and sets in the West.’

• I rise (i.e. get up) at six o’ clock every weekday morning in order to be at work by seven.’
• ‘He rose (i.e. stood up) to greet her.’
• ‘I raised my hand because I wanted to ask a question, but he took no notice of me.’
• ‘If you are raising a family as a single parent, you shouldn’t try to work full-time.’
• ‘My child was ill and I had to raise money to pay for the operation.’

E.

Drive or ride?

Anything with four or more wheels (like a car, a bus, a lorry or a train) we drive; anything with two wheels or that we straddle (like a horse, a bike, motorbike or scooter) we ride, (even though you need a driving license to ride a motorbike.

Consider the following:

• ‘I had never driven such a powerful car before.’
• ‘I hadn’t ridden a bike in twenty years.

F.

Idioms derived from “The family”

It runs in the family – an ability or talent that is passed on through the generations your own flesh and blood – a member of your family, do not forget it!

Bad blood – hostility or unfriendliness between two families or family member’s

Blood is thicker than water – family ties are stronger than any other, despite arguments.

• He has two daughters, both very athletic, just like their mother. It runs in the family.
• You should take better care of your younger sister. She is your own flesh and blood.

• There is bad blood between the two brothers. They haven’t spoken to each other in two years.

• His housekeeper had looked after him for many years but he still left all his money to his only son. Blood is thicker than water, you know.