Which phraseological units are not antonyms: a cat cried and no place for an apple to fall? - briefly
Phraseological units "a cat cried" and "no place for an apple to fall" are not antonyms. The phrases do not possess opposite meanings, instead, they convey unrelated idiomatic expressions.
Which phraseological units are not antonyms: a cat cried and no place for an apple to fall? - in detail
To determine whether the phraseological units "a cat cried" and "no place for an apple to fall" are antonyms, it is essential to analyze their meanings and implications independently.
The phrase "a cat cried" is a well-known idiom in English that signifies an improbable or impossible event. Cats, being animals, do not possess the physiological ability to cry in the human sense, which involves shedding tears as a response to emotional stimuli. Therefore, this phrase is used to describe situations that are highly unlikely or absurd. For instance, one might say, "It would be like a cat cried if I were to believe that story," implying that the scenario is as improbable as a cat crying.
On the other hand, "no place for an apple to fall" is a less common idiom, but it carries a distinct meaning. This phrase suggests a state of extreme disorder or chaos, where even a small, innocuous object like an apple cannot find a stable resting place. It implies a level of disarray so profound that it affects even the smallest details. For example, one might describe a cluttered room by saying, "In this mess, there is no place for an apple to fall," indicating that the room is so chaotic that an apple would have nowhere to land without causing further disruption.
To ascertain whether these two idioms are antonyms, we must consider their definitions and the scenarios they describe. An antonym is a word or phrase that means the opposite of another. However, "a cat cried" and "no place for an apple to fall" do not represent opposite concepts. The former denotes an improbable or impossible event, while the latter signifies a state of extreme disorder. These meanings do not stand in direct opposition to each other. Instead, they describe different types of unusual or extreme situations. Therefore, "a cat cried" and "no place for an apple to fall" are not antonyms. They serve different purposes in communication and do not convey contrasting ideas.