This week's phrase is one I stumbled upon in a manuscript I edited:
"to go to town on sth"
What does it mean?
This idiom means to do something with much zest, speed and determination, and often without sparing any expenses. Example: "He went to town on his new novel and already has written over hundred pages in only two weeks."
Where does it come from?
The original meaning of this phrase refers to expensive shopping trips to the nearest town. It has first been recorded in 1933 and seems to be of American origin.
My two cents:
When I stumbled upon this phrase in the manuscript, I had a vague idea of its meaning but wasn't quite sure. I chose the easiest way to find out: through the author! Thanks to Richard I. Prescott for this nice new phrase! What strikes me somewhat funny, however, is that I learnt this phrase with American origins through an English writer...
Language ... the bridge of communication, the magic creator of worlds, the brush and paint of authors. Language is magic. It gives us power. It is something you just have to love.
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