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    Points:8

    Half a Lakh at your feet- Interpret this expression on your own with examples

    Idiomatic expressions are used to express and explain some lessons or morals, which will be different from the direct meaning of the words in it.

    The above idiomatic expression is coined by me. At least, that is my feeling, frankly, because I have not seen it used till now in the meaning I have in my mind.

    This coinage came to me impromptu when I was observing around just for time pass while I was waiting at a hospital today. A woman sitting opposite me was wearing a golden anklet. From a mere guess I could sense that the total weight of the golden ornament may be around a sovereign. In the current gold price with added charges, it can cost half-a lakh rupee or more.
    That is when I told myself 'Half-a-lakh at the feet'.

    Members can gather their own meaning and significance as per their logic and creative talents and narrate them as your response with your own experiences and examples.
  • #779041

    Points:4
    This is an interesting creative idiom coined by the author. Half a lakh at the feet - this idiom seems to mean that the person is financially well off having an ornament of that much value and wearing it at the ankle. Generally no one observes what one is wearing at the ankle. Necklace and earrings are the items that attract immediate attention.
    Another meaning that can be inferred from this is that the person is having a tendency of show off otherwise a silver anklet was sufficient for the purpose.
    In general I would suggest to use it having meaning 'affluence'.
    Thoughts exchanged is knowledge gained.

  • #779043

    Points:5
    In AP wearing gold anklets is not in vogue. Only silver anklets are being used often. Probably, in other states wearing gold anklets may be in practice. Only some very rich people may be wearing anklets made of Gold. I read somewhere that an actor from Telugu Cinema is wearing a shoe costing around Rs.2,00,000/-. When I heard this I thought he was walking on lakhs of rupees. I felt that man was lucky. My experience is somewhat similar to the experience of the author of this thread.
    These days there is no dearth of money for people. So many people may not feel Rs.50,000/- is a big amount. But for some, it is very big money. These days Gold has become very costly. But there is no decrease in the sales of Gold. If we visit a Gold showroom, we will not find any difference between a supermarket and this. Such is the demand for Gold.
    drrao
    always confident

  • #779045

    Points:5
    Wearing gold was always a privilege of rich and affluent. gold is the ideal material for making jewellery followed by silver. Diamonds were more costly but even they did not stand against the dazzle of Gold.
    So, many rich people are wearing diamond, gold, and silver as per their liking and taste.
    A rich person is generally valued apparently from his or her attire and in today's luxury arena if a rich person is just walking near us we can calculate his apparent look worth by adding the value of his or her jewellery plus other items like dress, shoe, watch, mobile, etc and in some cases it is no surprise if it comes to a whopping Rs 10 lakhs or more.
    For many lower class people that kind of money is a dream.
    So coining idioms to cover such situations about the rich and affluent would bring phrases like - walking on lakhs, lakhs at the feet, and like that.
    Knowledge is power.

  • #779055

      

    Points:4
    The first and immediate thought was a bribe! The image that came to mind is of a large amount of cash handed over as a bribe by a person who would touch the feet of the person from whom he is currying favour and then put the box or bag of cash by the feet of that person.

    The second thing that came to mind was footwear. There are well-known brands like Dior, Jimmy Choo, Nike and others that cost lakhs. These are often limited editions and this tag makes them coveted by people who have extremely deep pockets for such uber-luxe products and stake a claim to be one of the few owners of that particular product.
    When you make a commitment, you create hope. When you keep a commitment you create trust! ~ John C. Maxwell

  • #779089

    Points:5
    Neeru Bhatt #779041 has expressed almost in full what I meant by the coinage of the title idiom. She has deducted the idiom to mean "..person is financially well off having an ornament of that much value and wearing it at the ankle." Yes, it is in similar thought that I posted the thread. Usually any valuable item we give a 'high' place. We would like to safe-keep it from wear and tear. Even for a mobile phone of say 10,000/- Rupees we keep a back cover or flip cover and/or fix a scratch proof glass etc. But such people may not protect the feet by a suitable footwear, but decorate it with Golden anklet. That is because they can afford or afford to show off.

    That is what Dr N V Srinivas Rao also observes in #779043 as "many people may not feel Rs.50,000/- is a big amount. But for some, it is very big money.". Regarding wearing golden anklets, I have started seeing it in Kerala only after the Gul employment boom. During my student days, But the first time I saw someone wearing gold anklet was by friend's cousin whose father was a rich NRI businessman even in those times. As Rao also said even I agree that Gold Jewellery business is always booming and growing irrespective of gold price .
    Umesh vide#779045 has hit on the nail's head when he says for many people "..that kind of money is a dream." Why even for many middle class employed people, and the retired, the monthly household may be just that only or even less.
    I appreciate Vandana's variety thinking. They are not just imagination, but practical reality too.

    I am happy that our members are quite aware of what is happening around us in real life. It was my way of mixing reality with creativity and present something in a palatable way hat had come up with this new coinage.

    I used to hear the phrase ' On your feet", 'on feet" in my schooldays on sports events as a start up command. Then in classes I learnt ' at you feet' to be 'one one's own feet' 'on feet' etc. But the expression I posted in the title was an impromptu flash occurred, as said in the thread.
    I welcome members to come with further views on this.

  • #779098

    Points:4
    While my son and grandkid were watching a football match in India I just looked at the stadium packed with more than half a lakh spectators. They were all looking at the feet of the famous football player (I don't know the name of the player) who had been a good striker attacking or forwarding the ball into the opposition's goalpost and he had the ball under his feet forwarding it to kick to the goal post to win the match. I just thought of this event while the author interpreted the idiom in his style of expression here. I hope you are all aware that famous football players have their legs/feet insurance coverage worth more than 4000/5000 crores of Indian currency.

  • #779126

    Points:5
    Yesterday I came to Nasik on a special invitation from an Industrialist here. I met him in his office. The meeting was attended by the industrialist and his three sons. The elder son has an MS in Civil Engineering, the second son is a Chartered Accountant having his firm and the younger son has an MS in Mechanical Engineering. The industrialist earned a lot but he was not that qualified. The interesting thing to be observed is all of them stay together and theirs is a joint family. But they are all dressed like a very common man only and no show-off. Then I thought all rich people may not spend to appear. But the last son is wearing a very costly shoe. Again my phrase " walking on lakhs' I remembered.
    Anyhow, the tastes of people differ. Some people may not show their richness with their appearance but may show by their actions of kindness.
    drrao
    always confident

  • #779127

    Points:4
    It is a great explanation from the author's side. The taste of the people always differs. I have seen many affluent persons maintaing a simple lifestyle despite being affluent people. You would wonder how such an affluent person can mix freely even with an illiterate person to get the task done alloyed to him. Now the affluent person being an industrialist is bussy taking them into confidence that he can achieve almost impossible tasks if he applies his wisdom in the field of his working area.
    The strange part is that the industrialist has nothing for a show - off but his wife in a party was seen covering her arms and neck with precious ornaments. In the same family, a contrast is always there. I recall up the author's idiom of witnessing such a situation.


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