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ORIGIN: This idiom goes back to Greek writings of AD 950. It made its way into English about 500 years later. To drive means to vigorously carry through some task; hard means tough. drop a clanger сморозить; ляпнуть; допустить бестактность M E A N I N G : to be guilty of an embarrassingly bad mistake, or indiscreet remark or action I dropped a clanger at the party when I mentioned Tom’s wife – I didn’t realize she’d left him. ORIGIN: The action has such an impact that it is like letting fall a piece of heavy clanging or ringing metal. It appeared only in the twentieth century in this sense. Dutch courage храбрость во хмелю M E A N I N G : false bravery inspired by alcohol He drank a glass of wine for Dutch courage before he went to see his employer about his pay rise. ORIGIN: This negative characteristic attributed to the Dutch is in keeping with the seventeenth century propaganda spread by sailors who regarded the Dutch as rivals. As in most images of the Dutch, this is also pejorative. 37