
IdiomDaily Life
English
on a treadmill
Meaning: In a dull and boring routine.
Example: “Same bus, same desk, same sandwich: I feel like I'm on a treadmill.”
Origin: Treadmills were introduced in 19th-century British prisons, where inmates walked endlessly on a turning wheel as punishment, often to grind grain. The image of monotonous, pointless labor soon became figurative.
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- on one's last legs About to die, fail, or collapse.
- on the blink Not working correctly.
- on the fritz Not working correctly.
- one fell swoop One quick, sweeping action.
- open book A person who hides nothing about themselves.
- keep an open mind To be willing to listen to and consider all sides of an issue; not to have made up one's…
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- A burro muerto, la cebada al rabo Help that comes too late is useless.
- Non c'è fumo senza arrosto Rumors usually have some truth behind them.
- L'abito non fa il monaco Appearances do not show what someone really is.
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