Don't let the grass grow under your feet
A question from Omar in Syria:
Could you please explain the idiom 'no grass grew under his feet'?
Gareth Rees answers:
Click below to hear the answer:
Hello Omar. Thank you for your question asking about the meaning of the idiom 'no grass grew under his feet' or, as we more commonly use it, 'to not let the grass grow under your feet'.
I'll give you the answer immediately. It means to not waste time or to not delay doing something. You do something immediately.
Why do we say this? Well, grass is something that grows quite slowly. So, you can imagine that if the grass grows under someone's feet, that person must be standing still for a long time. He or she is doing nothing.
When we tell someone to not let the grass grow under their feet, we are telling them to get moving, to stop hesitating, to instead do what needs to be done.
In your question, you refer to the sentence 'No grass grew under his feet'. This must mean that he did not hesitate, that he did something without delay.
I hope that you understand that idiom more clearly now. If you don't, well, please don't let the grass grow under your feet, instead write to me and ask for another explanation. I would be happy to help you again, without delay.
About Gareth Rees
Gareth Rees has a BA (hons) in History and Philosophy of Science, CTEFLA, and DELTA. He has taught EFL, EAP and Business English in China, Spain and England, and he is the co-author of the Language Leader Elementary and Pre-Intermediate English language course books (Pearson Longman). He currently teaches English in the Language Centre at the University of the Arts, London.
