VOA词汇掌故2022--'Fresh As a Daisy,' Other Daisy Expressions

'Fresh As a Daisy,' Other Daisy Expressions

And now, Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning¹ English.

On this program we explore words and expressions in the English language.

The natural world gives us many of our expressions -- from weather to animals to plant life. Today we talk about a kind of flower.

Fresh as a daisy

Daisies are big, bright, happy-looking flowers. They stand upright² on strong stems⁴. So, if we describe someone as being "fresh as a daisy" we mean they seem well-rested and full of energy.

We often say we are fresh as a daisy after resting or getting cleaned up. Here is an example. After an all-day hike⁵, I was very tired. But after a shower and short rest, I felt fresh as a daisy and ready for the next activity.

Looking fresh as a daisy can also describe a place or room that is clean and orderly⁶. For example, after the man cleaned and painted his kitchen, it looked fresh as a daisy.

Upsy-daisy

When a child is learning to walk, they often fall. To encourage them to stand up and try again, we might say "upsy-daisy!" We also might say "upsy-daisy" when we lift a child up. It just sounds cute! Upsy-daisy!

Daisy chain

Speaking of children, a popular activity with some is to connect flowers together, like a chain, and wear them. Because of their strong stems, daisies are commonly used to make "daisy chains."

A daisy chain can mean any connected events, experiences, happenings, or things. A daisy chain is also used to describe electrical signals⁷ that are connected in a system.

Sometimes, this can be used as a verb⁸. When the Internet went down, I had to daisy-chain my phone to a friend's computer to share some videos.

Pushing up daisies

There is also a strange way we use the flower "daisy." If someone is "pushing up daisies," they are, unfortunately, dead and buried. This comes from the fact that wildflowers often grow on top of graves⁹. We may use daisies for this expression because they grow easily and wildly in nature.

It is important to know that we only use this expression informally¹⁰. Sometimes we use it as a joke. For example, I'll be pushing up daisies before a time travel machine is invented.

Words in This Story

stem³ -n. a plant part (such as a branch, petiole, or stipe) that supports another (such as a leaf or fruit)

fresh -adj. newly¹¹ made or received

hike -n. a long walk especially for pleasure or exercise

chain -n. a series of connected links or rings usually of metal: a series of things joined together as if by link

1 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

2 upright   

adj.直立的；正直的；adv.挺直着，竖立着

参考例句：

• He stood himself upright.他笔直地站着。
• An upright man is respectable.正直的人是值得尊敬的。

3 stem   

n.茎，干，船首，词干，血统；vt.堵住，阻止，抽去梗；vi.起源于，发生

参考例句：

• Cut the stem cleanly,just beneath a leaf joint.把茎切整齐点，正好切在叶根下。
• The ship was in a blaze from stem to stern.整艘船从头到尾都着火了。

4 stems   

n.（花草的）茎( stem的名词复数 )；词干；（高脚酒杯的）脚；烟斗柄v.遏制[阻止]（液体的流动等）( stem的第三人称单数 )；封堵；遏止

参考例句：

• The present wave of strikes stems from discontent among the lower-paid. 当前的罢工浪潮起因于低工资雇员们的不满情绪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Her interest in flowers stems from her childhood in the country. 她对花卉的兴趣产生于她在乡下度过的童年时代。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 hike   

n.徒步旅行，远足，涨价；v.健行，徒步旅行，使...高涨

参考例句：

• I don't care to go on a hike.我不喜欢徒步旅行。
• The children are choosing a hike in the country park.孩子们在选郊外公园的远足路线。

6 orderly   

adj.有秩序的，整齐的，一丝不苟的，和平的；adv.有秩序地，有条理地，依次地；n.勤务兵，（医院的）勤务工

参考例句：

• It's an orderly room.这是个整洁的房间。
• The books are in orderly rows on shelves.书籍整齐地排列在书架上。

7 signals   

n.信号( signal的名词复数 )；（无线电或电视所传送的）讯号；标志；（尤指铁路和公路上的）指示灯v.发信号，用信号传达，用信号通讯( signal的第三人称单数 )；发暗号；示意

参考例句：

• signals transmitted from a satellite 从卫星传送来的信号
• This metal tower is used to relay television signals to distant villages. 这个金属塔是用于向遥远的村子转播电视讯号的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 verb   

n.[语]动词

参考例句：

• The sentence is formed from a verb and two nouns.这句子由一个动词和两个名词构成。
• These are the finite forms of a verb.这些是一个动词的限定形式。

9 graves   

n.（法国）格拉芙葡萄酒；坟墓( grave的名词复数 )；死亡；钝重音符；沉音符v.坟墓( grave的第三人称单数 )；死亡；钝重音符；沉音符

参考例句：

• He went to visit the graves of his forefathers. 他去拜谒他祖先的墓地。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They were eating themselves into their graves. 他们吃喝过度，在自找死路。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 informally   

adv.非正式地；不拘礼节地；通俗地

参考例句：

• You will have a chance to circulate and chat informally. 你们会有机会四处走动一下，互相聊聊。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The senator addressed the gathering informally. 那位参议员非正式地向与会者发表演说。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 newly   

adv.新近，最近；重新，再度；以新的方式

参考例句：

• Have you reviewed for this newly published novel?你给这本新出版的小说写书评了吗？
• It is a newly planted tree and it has not established yet.这是一颗新栽的树，还没有扎下根来。