Idiom above all. English Idioms

Idiom, above all

above all

Jim: My daughter, Jane, gave me a hard time this morning. She didn't want to go to school. She made so much fuss so I smacked her. But I feel bad about it now.

Stacy: Did she listen to you after your smacking?

Jim: Not at all. She cried even more. I waited perhaps an hour for her to stop crying.

Stacy: I understand. Children are difficult to manage at times. But, to me, most effective ways are caring discipline.

Jim: I know children need discipline but with love. Above all, love is the answer to handling any human being.

above all: more than anything else; most importantly. Example: I work hard all day. When I go home I forget about work. Above all I work for my family. Nothing is more important than my family.

give a hard time: idiomatic verb. to make things difficult for someone. If some none gives you hard time, that means you had difficulty with that person's way of treating you. That person was overly demanding. Example: My boss gave a hard time today over stupid matter.

make so much fuss: idiomatic phrase: to show anger unnecessarily. to be over demanding about something. Example: My girl friends made so much fuss out of the telephone bill. She couldn't stop one minute to think it was only 1 dollar difference. This sentence means. my girl friend exaggerated the telephone bill.

smack: verb. to hit someone with a hand on the face.

not at all: adverb. It is used to emphasize 'No'. Example.

at times: adverb. some times

handle: verb. to manage

A: Are you cold?

B: Not at all.

The answer by B means this:: I am not cold. I don't feel cold, even a bit.

stop doing something: We use the verb 'stop' with a verb + ing in the transitive form. Example: I stop going to the movies. It costs me 12 dollars. I cannot afford it now. We do not say: I stop to go to movies. I stop eating candy. My teeth are hurting; I have cavities.

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Idiom, above all

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