Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[missdaredevil]

Hi teachers,
I am learning some of English figures of speech. There are quite a few of them that I don't understand. Would you please out the meanings for me? Thank you.

1.
In our relationship, we are just spinning our *wheels*.
Are they car wheels or a steering wheel? and what is the meaning of the whole sentence?

2.
Our love has *gone off the tracks.*
What might have happened to their love?

3.
You *broke down my defense.*
You took over my heart or you broke my heart.

4.
We are *past the point of no return*.
We are in love too much so that is no way to start over a new relationship with someone else?

5.
Don't run faster than *you have* strength.=Don't run faster *than the strength* you have?

[pugachevV]

When you are spinning your wheels, you are going nowhere. So it means your relationship is going nowhere. Or, it's stuck at a certain point and will go no further.
If something goes off the tracks (or rails) it can mean it has taken a wrong direction, or like a train, it has crashed and may no longer be viable.

If you break down someone's defences it means exactly what it says; you have overcome resistance. In the case of relationships it means that you have achieved something that the other person, initially, did not want you to achieve.

Past the point of no return, means you cannot go back from where you are today. (Of course, you can really, but it may be painful).
Don't run faster than you have strength for. I suppose it means don't take on something beyond your capabilities.