(To) Blow off steam
In reality a person cannot blow off steam (the hot rising air from boiling water) — only electrical equipment can, such as the electric jug (appliance for boiling water for coffee). So what does it mean when a person blows off steam?
If you’re feeling angry, stressed or are experiencing some strong feelings and you want to get rid of them so you feel better again, you will blow off steam by doing something such as exercise to get rid of the stress.
“Why is Nick so angry and where did he go?”
“He had a fight with his brother, so he went for a run to blow off his steam.”
(To) Cut to the chase
When somebody tells you to cut to the chase it means that you’ve been talking too long and haven’t gotten to the point. When a person uses this idiom, they are telling you to hurry up and get the important part, without all the details. Be careful how you use this idiom, because if used while talking to someone like a college professor or your boss, it’s rude and disrespectful.
If you’re speaking to a group of people, like your employees, and say I’m going to cut to the chase, it means that there are a few things that need to be said but there’s very little time, so you’ll skip to the important parts so everyone understands.
“Hi guys, as we don’t have much time here, so I’m going to cut to the chase. We’ve been having some major problems in the office lately.”
How did Sting get his nick name?
The story of how he acquired the name Sting is quite interesting, because there are so many variations of it. Even Sting can't seem to remember how the name actually came about.
The most popular version that appears in most magazines and books is that he was christened Sting while with the Phoenix Jazzmen. The band had a rule that said all band members had to have a nickname.
The name Sting came about due to his wearing a striped gold and black sweater and the band thinking he looked like a bee. Gordon Soloman, the band's trombonist, is the one that most books credit with coming up with the name Sting.
