Idioms and Phrases 63

1. maiden name: a girl’s name before marriage.

• The maiden name of a girl continues only with her parents.

2. maiden speech: first speech.

• Nervousness is a natural in the maiden speech of each person.

3. maiden voyage: first voyage of a sailor.

• This is my maiden voyage to Europe.

4. main chance: main opportunity.

• This is the main chance to you to show your worth.

5. make shift: temporary substitute.

• Only you can be appointed under a make shift arrangement.

6. marked man: notoriously connected man with some incident.

• Today we remember Nathu Ram Godse as a marked man.

7. marriage portion: dowry given to a bride.

• Marriage portion plays a significant part in Indian marriages.

8. master stroke: clever action.

• It was only a master stroke to observe and conclude that steam has power.

9. mealy-mouthed fellow: highly timid fellow.

• Non-violence does not allow any chance to a mealy-mouthed fellow.

10. midsummer madness: temporary madness.

• Midsummer madness is curable in lunatic asylums these days.

11. moonshine: unreal.

• It is only a moonshine of progress which you are seeing at present.

12. mother wit: original wisdom.

• Miss Toru Datt possessed mother wit to write such a wonderful and immortal poetry at a very early age.