Nov 29, 2007 08:11
16 yrs ago
English term
Phrase
English
Art/Literary
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
"What happens when a bright, ambitious young man tries to fit in a big company ? The author asks. He won't find kindred spirits. Trainees hope to rise high and hope just as much not to suffer the personal load of doing so. Frequently they talk of finding a sort of plateau-a position well enough up to be interesting but not so far up as to have one's neck outstretched for others to chop at"
1. What does it mean by "He won't find kindred spirits ?
Does it mean that the author won't find young men
who have similar spirits ?
2. What does "chop at" mean ? Break ?
1. What does it mean by "He won't find kindred spirits ?
Does it mean that the author won't find young men
who have similar spirits ?
2. What does "chop at" mean ? Break ?
Responses
| 5 +8 | right idea |
Marie Scarano
|
| 4 +5 | He won't find people with whom he can easily relate |
Patricia Townshend (X)
|
| 3 +1 | twin souls |
Kirill Semenov
|
Responses
+8
4 mins
Selected
right idea
1. Yes - he won't find other colleagues with the same ideas he has
2. chop means to cut off his head - or in this case prevent him from moving ahead in his career.
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Note added at 6 mins (2007-11-29 08:17:42 GMT)
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2 - continued: or a job that is interesting but that poses no professional risk.
2. chop means to cut off his head - or in this case prevent him from moving ahead in his career.
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Note added at 6 mins (2007-11-29 08:17:42 GMT)
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2 - continued: or a job that is interesting but that poses no professional risk.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Adele Oliveri
: "kindred spirits" --> someone to relate to as a soulmate
2 mins
|
| agree |
P Waters
4 mins
|
| agree |
kmtext
13 mins
|
| agree |
Jack Doughty
29 mins
|
| agree |
Arleene McFarlane
11 hrs
|
| agree |
V_Nedkov
1 day 6 hrs
|
| agree |
Alfa Trans (X)
3 days 9 hrs
|
| agree |
orientalhorizon
4 days
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you very much !"
+5
7 mins
Patricia Townshend (X)
South Africa
Native in English
&
English
Specializes in field
Related KudoZ points
:
4
He won't find people with whom he can easily relate
A kindred spirit is someone who thinks the same way as you do, someone who shares the same outlook and with whom one can have a close relationship. The other people in the business want safe positions where the killer instinct of ambition won't make others want to destroy them - or "chop" at them.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Carol Gullidge
: neatly put!
3 hrs
|
|
Thanks.
|
|
| agree |
V_Nedkov
1 day 5 hrs
|
|
Thanks.
|
|
| agree |
malligajm
2 days 7 hrs
|
|
Thanks
|
|
| agree |
szvejk (X)
2 days 9 hrs
|
|
thanks
|
|
| agree |
orientalhorizon
4 days
|
|
Thanks
|
+1
7 mins
Kirill Semenov
Ukraine
Ukraine
Works in field
Ukraine
60+ books translated and published
Native in: Russian 
Works in: English to Russian, Russian
Related KudoZ points
:
28
twin souls
To find kindred spirits means to find kindred souls - people who understand the person, share his interests, socialize with him.
`To chop at' means `cutting off with an axe'
Here it means that if the person who is new in the company behaves too active or tries to show off or to stand out otherwise (`stretches his neck too far'), he risks to receive a repulse from others, thus ruining his potential communication with his colleagues (`chop at his neck').
`To chop at' means `cutting off with an axe'
Here it means that if the person who is new in the company behaves too active or tries to show off or to stand out otherwise (`stretches his neck too far'), he risks to receive a repulse from others, thus ruining his potential communication with his colleagues (`chop at his neck').
Discussion