Hi this is Tutor Nick P and this is Idioms 283. The idiom today is to turn
over a new leaf. Okay. Let's take a look at the note here. If someone turns over a
new leaf, he or she plans to change one's way or
behavior and begin again or reform, especially reform , especially to try to
change your ways in a better way or at least start over again. Okay. Let's
continue. Many people believe the origin goes back to the 16th century. The leaf
you know, in turn over a new leaf ....Some people say well why a leaf ? What ? Why ?
What does a leaf have to do with anything ? The word leaf actually refers
to a page in a book. At that time, pages used to be called leaves. All right.
Therefore turning over a new leaf was turning to a blank page. All right.
Thus your new life is you know, like a blank page. You can add new or different
details or at least start in a better way or in the better direction. The
direction that you want to say that you are like this person. So you're turning
over a new leaf. You're turning over a new page. A blank
page. And now you, you want details of your life. To be better than they were
before. That's the idea behind it. Okay. Anyway, let's take a look at several
examples here. Example number one. After getting out of prison, Jack decided to
turn over a new leaf and become a law-abiding citizen
to save his family. Yeah. Maybe this is probably somebody ... maybe they got
arrested ... maybe several times before and they spend time in prison and maybe they
learned their lesson now and they really want to change their life and go in
another direction. They want... he wants to turn over a new leaf.
Yeah. And become a law-abiding citizen. He doesn't want to break the law anymore
and you know maybe, maybe the real reason is to save his family. Because maybe you
know, they may not put up with much more. If he doesn't change this time. So that's
what he plans on turning over a new leaf. Okay. Let's look at the second one here.
When he got out of rehab you know , like rehabilitation,
he swore never to touch drugs again. So, yeah this is probably somebody with a
drug problem. He was determined to turn over a new leaf and improve his life. So
again you know, a new page in the book. A new you know, hopefully his life will go
in a new direction for him. Good luck. Because not everybody can do that. A lot
of people are not successful but a few are. All right. Let's look at the third one.
Well this one might be where you know, it's the opposite way. You have to give
up on him. He is never going to turn over a new leaf. So you're probably telling
somebody that's hoping or wishing somebody will do this. That they will
change their ways and they will improve their behavior or become better. But this
other person is telling him forget it. II's never going to happen. He's never going
to turn over a new leaf. So it could be used that way too. Okay. Anyway, I hope you
got it. I hope you found it interesting. I hope it was informative. Thank you for your
time. Bye-bye.