Subject: homework / learning

The candle one dates from when electricity wasn't in houses. If someone was up early and to bed late, they'd be "burning the candle at both ends (of the day)".

He is burning the candle on both ends.

Doesn`t it mean to be busy with several things? Or is the same as just doing a lot of work?

To burn the midnight oil - does that mean someone is working late/through night?

the candle one is not just work related. it is also used for people partying for example.
the midnight oil... yes

I've been watching Michael Clayton and there was one idiom completely new to me. Not that there was only one of course but I was able to check them on the i-net but I have a problem with this one. As far as I was able to get the pronunciation correct it goes like this:

state of the arch

or judging by the stat of the arch

something like this..any help? if someone has the film it's exactly after the first hour of it...

oh, and another one:

to have horses for something/to do something
(edited)

state of the arch?

I think you mean state of the art which means it contains the latest technology available. I would prefer to hyphen it and would say as an example:

This computer is an example of state-of-the-art technology, it has an Intel quad-core processor and the latest generation nvidia graphics card.

The only one I can think of is horses for courses.

Horses for courses means that whatever is suitable for one person or situation might be unsuitable for another.
An example;

If you want to bring a bottle of red wine to the party that is fine but I am going to bring my favourite white.

Hm...no state of the art is not the one for sure. I think it was like "you think you know the best" or something like this, hard to say...there was a quarrel between two guys, one was playing smarty pants and got this reply...maybe I'll record it and give a link to it tomorrow, might help I guess.

As for the horses I suspect that it means "to be able to do sth" but that's just another guess...

Oh and I assume that "I'm pissed off" means "very very angry" btw. is it vulgar or just a normal expression that a young child is supposed to use while talking to his mother...? :P

I`m pissed off is vulgar and means very very angry. I`m pissed is also vulgar, can also mean I am very very angry but can also mean I have drunk too much beer.

Ok. And 'piss of you..." means "get lost"? I'm quite sure I've heard it somewhere but I'm not sure of the meaning and the expression itself...

Piss off (, you.) Does mean get lost.

And on that note I am pissing off to bed.

piss off / pissed off are legally not deemed to be vulgar following a court ruling during n employment suit. the guy was suing his boss for constructive dismissal after being told to piss off. the judge ruled this had entered eveyday lexicon and could no longer be deemed as swearing

piss off!

okey dokey then

I am guessing you weren't offended as it isn't swearing anymore...

absolutely. plus of course an insult from you is just your way of being friendly.

cock

shuttle, poppy or stop?