The project is likely drain money from people. (What does "drain money from people" mean?)
A million thanks.
A million thanks.
drain money from people
Do you know what a drain is? It's a hole at the bottom of, for example, a sink where the water goes down. So draining money from people is taking their money away...
Does it mean "taking all of their money away" or "taking most of their money away"?
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.
In general, it's a negative phrase used to mean "a waste of money". People would be wasting money on the project. It doesn't necessarily mean it will take ALL of their money away, but it would be wasting the amount they spend on the project.
Oops, I should add: It can also mean to just take a lot of money from people. It's not always a waste, I suppose. But again, it's not usually all of their money, but it can be a lot.
The project is likely drain money from people.
You could rewrite this sentence as:
This project is likely to take money from people.
This project is likely to cost people money.
Why use the word 'drain'.
The use of the word 'drain', suggests that the project is a 'money sink'. That people can 'sink' money into the project, and that they will never get a return.
So, you could rewrite the sentence as:
This project is likely to waste people's money.
The use of the word 'drain' conjurs up a mental picture. A picture of money being flushed down a drain, or toilet, like water.
You could rewrite this sentence as:
This project is likely to take money from people.
This project is likely to cost people money.
Why use the word 'drain'.
The use of the word 'drain', suggests that the project is a 'money sink'. That people can 'sink' money into the project, and that they will never get a return.
So, you could rewrite the sentence as:
This project is likely to waste people's money.
The use of the word 'drain' conjurs up a mental picture. A picture of money being flushed down a drain, or toilet, like water.
Robin,
I could be wrong, but I don't think she actually wrote that sentence, and she was just wondering what it meant. In any case, the original sentence should read, "The project is likely TO drain money from people." Or perhaps, "The project is likely to drain people of their money."
Also, using the word "drain" is perfectly acceptable. It's meant to conjur that particular image you describe, if the writer is trying to convey that the project is, in fact, a waste of money and people are flushing their cash away on it. But if the writer is not trying to be negative, "drain" wouldn't be a good choice.
I could be wrong, but I don't think she actually wrote that sentence, and she was just wondering what it meant. In any case, the original sentence should read, "The project is likely TO drain money from people." Or perhaps, "The project is likely to drain people of their money."
Also, using the word "drain" is perfectly acceptable. It's meant to conjur that particular image you describe, if the writer is trying to convey that the project is, in fact, a waste of money and people are flushing their cash away on it. But if the writer is not trying to be negative, "drain" wouldn't be a good choice.