Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[hanygeorge38]

Dear Bud

How are you and happy new year to you

In the example below used as an explanation for the idiom (leading light)which is taken from the cobuild dictionary of idioms

I wonder why the (a) was used in (a confrontation with the law)


'' she was the leading light of all the nuclear protests in the area .
she was a skilled campaigner, veteran of many a confrontation with the
law''


Thanks
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hany

[LucentShade]

"leading light" means that she is a leader and an inspiration for the followers; it's like a group of travelers lost at night, who see a light and follow it. I hear "guiding light" more often, but maybe that's because "guiding light" is the title of a TV show.

As for "many a confronation" -- this has the same meaning as "many confrontations." The "many + a/an + singular noun" construction is kind of archaic and literary, and is usually found in books, not conversation.

[hanygeorge38]

Thanks a lot for your explanations
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hany