Idioms for the New Year

Hi and Happy New Year everybody! I've found a very interesting article about idiomatic expressions that might be interesting right now. I've summarized it, for the whole article, please click here.  

Turn over a new leaf. It’s time for a fresh start, to do something different, to turn over a new leaf! “Leaf” in this case refers not to the red, orange, or brown thing that just fell from the tree in your back yard, but rather the page of a book.  

Back to the drawing board. Maybe last year didn’t work out like you wished, so you need to head back to the drawing board. A drawing board is a drafting table used for preparing designs or blueprints. This phrase gained acceptance and use during World War II when military blueprints and plans were a success . . . or a failure–suggesting the need to return to the drawing board to draft something new.

 Start from scratch. If you haven’t begun one of your New Year’s goals, you must start at the beginning, of course–or start from scratch. Sporting events historically had a practice of scratching onto the ground a start line (with a sword or other tool). References to this line as the “scratch” exist for horse racing, boxing, cricket, and golf.  

Back to square one. If you started a goal before and it didn’t pan out, you can always go back to square one.

 If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. If your efforts are less than successful in January or February, don’t give up! If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. What are you resolved to do in 2013? Turning over a new leaf? Going back to square one...?