101 American English Idioms
Understanding and
Speaking English Like an American
Foreword
Nonnative speakers
of English can reach a point in their knowledge of the language where they feel
comfortable with standard literary speech; however, they're liable to find
themselves in hot water when confronted with idiomatic expressions. When hearing an idiom or colloquialism they may feel frustrated
and confused, since the true meaning of the idiom generally cannot be determined by a knowledge
of its component parts. In many cases an attempt on the part of the learner to
tie down a definition of an idiom that would work in all instances is a futile undertaking.
When used by native
speakers, idioms sound natural and fit the occasion, since Americans
instinctively feel the imagery and impact of what they are saying. A non-native
speaker of English, on the other hand, may know the basic meaning of such
expressions as "I gave it my best shot" or "dressed to
kill," but still not be able to use them appropriately. For example, if at
a formal gathering an American says to the wife of a foreign diplomat that her gown is elegant, or that she looks lovely,
and in appreciation for the compliment her answer is, "Thank you, I gave it my best shot!" or
"Thanks, I dressed to kill!", the chances are that the American
would be trying
his hardest to hold back peals of laughter. Even with a fairly accurate idea of the meaning of an
idiomatic expression, the nonnative lacks the intuitive feel for its impact or
for the "picture" it creates.
101 American English Idioms is designed to help bridge the gap between
"meaning" and "thrust" of American colloquialisms by providing a situation and a graphic
illustration of that situation, so that the imagery
created by the expression can be felt, rather than simply learned as a stock definition.
The book is divided
into nine sections. The title of each section reflects a notion or a
manifestation of the physical world, the world of behavior, or the world
of the senses with which the reader may easily identify.
It is hoped that
the natural tone of the language of the situations in which the idiom is presented will help to convey the feeling
of the idiom and the circumstances under which it maybe used. The illustrations
graphically depicting the meaning of the components of the expressions not only add an element
of humor, but also serve to highlight
the contrast between the literal and actual
meaning of the idioms as presented in the text.
An
index is included to facilitate recall and location of the expressions.
101 American English Idioms is intended primarily for all students of English.
Nevertheless, because of the graphic humor of the idioms in caricature, native
speakers of English will also find the book refreshingly entertaining.
Smell a Rat
(feel that something is wrong)
How come the front door is open? Didn't you close it before we went shopping? I'm sure I did. I can't
understand it.
Frankly, I smell a rat.
Me, too. I'm convinced
that something is definitely wrong here. We'd better call the police.
Goto the Dogs
(become run-down)
Have you seen their house lately? It's really gone to the dogs. It's true that it has become run-down and in serious
need of repair, but I'm sure that it can be fixed up to look like new.
I
guess with a little carpentry work and some paint it could look pretty decent.
Fishy
(strange and suspicious)
When the security guard saw a light
in the store after closing hours, it seemed to him that there
was something fishy going
on. He called the central
office and explained
to his superior that he thought something strange and suspicious was occurring.
Take the Bull by the Horns
(take decisive action in a difficult situation)
Julie had always felt that she was
missing out on a lot of fun because of her clumsiness on the
dance floor. She had been putting off taking lessons,
but she finally took the bull by the horns
and went to a professional dance studio for help. She was tired of feeling
left out and acted decisively to correct
the situation.
Horse of a Different Color
(guite a different matter)
Eric likes to play jokes on his
friends, but he makes sure that nobody is hurt by any of his
pranks. A prank that hurts
someone is a horse of a different color!
Being playful is one thing, but hurting someone by one's prank
is quite a different matter.
Let the Cat Out of the Bag
(inform beforehand)
Bob was going to retire from
teaching in June, and the foreign language department was
planning on presenting him with some luggage at his retirement dinner. He wasn't
supposed to know about it, but someone let the cat out of the bag. At
the dinner Bob acted surprised, even though someone had told him what he was getting lief ore the official presentation.
For the Birds
(unlnteresting and meaningless)
They went to a poetry
reading, but they got bored and restless. As far as they were concerned,
it was for the birds! They left
during an intermission because they found the reading totally uninteresting and meaningless.
Straight From, the Horse's Mouth,
(from a reliable source)
How did you
find out that Jill was engaged? I got the information from a very reliable source. You mean Jill
told you so herself? That's right. I got it straight from the horse's mouth 1
Horse Around
(play around)
Did you hear
about Dave's back injury?
No. How did
he get hurt?
Well, after
the coach left the gym he decided to stay and
horse around on the parallel bars. He somehow lost
his grip and fell on his back. That's too bad, but
he shouldn't have been aimlessly playing
around on the equipment without proper
supervision.
Cat Got Your Tongue?
(can't talk?)
Come on, Connie! Tell us what you think about our
little
ride down the rapids yesterday. Well,uh... Wasn't
it exciting? I,uh...
What's the matter? Cat got your tongue? If you must know, I'm keeping quiet because
I was scared out of my wits!
Get in Someone's Hair
(bother someone)
Children! Would you please stop
making so much noise!
And for heaven's
sake, pick up your clothes
and toys! It's hard enough
trying to keep this house clean without your throwing your things all over the
place!
Clara, I know that the children get in
your hair, but
you should try not to let it upset you so much. Listen, Jim. I can't
help it. The children bother me and
make me very angry when
they're so noisy
and messy.
Shoot Off One's Mouth,
(express one's opinions loudly)
Jim doesn't play tennis very much,
but he's always shooting off his month about
how good he
is. Yet he's fooling
nobody. Jim is somewhat of a braggart
and everyone knows that he gives
opinions without knowing
all the facts and talks as if he knew everything about the game.
Jump Down Someone's Throat
(become angry with someone)
That's it, Greg! You'd better not come in after midnight again tonight! I
know, dad. You don't
have to jump down my throat! I told you that I'd make it home around
11:30.1 don't intend to
be late! Well, you've said that before
and in you come at 2:30 in the morning.
You can't blame me
for getting angry and scolding you. I've got good reason.
Pay Through, the Nose
(pay too high, a price)
At last Mr. Smith came upon the rare
stamp he had been seeking at an auction. Since many
other stamp collectors would also be bidding for
it, he realized that he would have to pay
through, the nose in order to have it. After
considering the increasing value of the stamp, he decided that he would not mind paying such a high price for something so rare.
Tongue-In-Cheek
(not serious)
Why were you teasing Sonia about her
new hairdo? She
really
took offense at what you said. I didn't mean to offend her. I was simply making
a
tongue-in-cheek remark when I said that it was
too elaborate for a girl of her young, tender
age. Well, she thought you were serious. She had
no idea that
you were just saying that as a joke. I'm really sorry. I suppose
I owe her an apology.
Pull Someone's Leg
(fool someone)
Hey, Al.
I was invited to be a judge for the Miss America
Beauty Pageant!
Oh, really? Come on, you're
pulling my leg! No,
honestly. Do you really think that I'm trying to
fool you with a ridiculous story?
Well, you've told me foolish
stories before. I can assure
you that this one is for real.
Play It by Ear
(improvise as one goes along)
Let's go to the movies, agreed?
Sure. And what'll we do after that? Oh, I don't
know. Let's play it by ear.
Well, I would like to have a more definite
plan of action. Don't be like that. It's always more fun not knowing what to expect and deciding
what to do as we go along.
Stick Out One's Neck
(take a risk)
How come they're asking me to act as
their guide through the jungle?
Evidently
they think you're the only one who can lead them to the lost temple.
That jungle has danger lurking
around every corner.
Why should I stick my neck out for them? They didn't pay me for my services.
They know that you would be taking a great risk and could
possibly get hurt,
but you're the only one with enough knowledge to
take them to their destination. I'm sure you'll be amply rewarded.
Shake a Leg
(hurry!)
Mary, you always take such a long
time to put on your
makeup. Come on, shake a leg! I'll
be finished in a minute.
Be patient. You've
got to hurry or else we won't arrive on time to
see the last show.
All Thumbs
(clumsy)
Hey, Bea. Can you help me out? I
don't seem to be able to button up the back of my dress.
Sure.
Let's see if I can do it for you.
I
guess I'm all thumbs because I'm so
nervous. I'm already late for my date.
Well, I suppose
that being so nervous would make you clumsy and awkward.
But don't worry. I'm sure your date will wait.
Not Have a Leg to Stand On
(to have no good defense for one's
opinions or actions)
Tom maintains that the firm owes him some back wages for having worked overtime. However, he won't have a leg to stand on unless he can prove that he put in all those
extra hours. He doesn't stand a chance
of getting his money without a strong foundation of facts to support
his position.
Get Off Someone's Back
(stop bothering someone)
Hey,
John. I'm bored. Come on, let's go out and do
something. Sorry, I'm right in the middle of studying for a physics
exam. I won't be able to make it
tonight. You've been studying for a long time. Why don't you take a break? Come on! Let's go!
Forget studying for a while!
Look!
Get off my back! I can't go anywhere!
OK. I'll stop bothering you only if you promise
to let me know the minute you're finished.
Drive Someone Up a Wall
(annoy someone
greatly)
Wow! What a great set of drums!
Yeah, they're
great, but I can't play on them when my folks are at home. They say I drive them up a wall with all the loud
banging. I get the same thing at home. My folks tell me that I annoy them and get them really angry whenever I
turn up the volume on my stereo.
String Someone Along
(lead someone on dishonestly)
Liz
had high hopes
of marrying Dean.
When he ran off with another woman,
she realized that he
was just stringing her along. She
had felt very strongly about him and was really
hurt to see that
he was deceiving her and had no intentions of ever marrying
her.
Sell Someone Down the River
(betray someone)
I heard that poor Jud landed up in
jail.
Yeah. His so-called
girlfriend sold him down the river and claimed
the reward on him.
I can't understand that. I thought she was devoted to him.
She couldn't have been very devoted
to him if she betrayed him and informed
the police
about
his hiding place.
That
just goes to show you what people will do for money.
Leave Someone High, and Dry
(abandon someone)
Say, Jill. I thought that John was
going to help you do the dishes tonight.
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Sell Someone Short
(underestimate someone)
Just because he does not say very
much is no reason to sell him abort. Actually,
he's a
profound thinker and a most talented writer.
People tend to underestimate him and not give
him the credit he deserves because they think he's shy.
Snow Job
(insincere talk)
The salesman tried to convince a
group of investors that the properties he was selling would
soon be worth much more money than he was asking.
However, no one bought anything from him because they felt he was giving
them a snow Job. Wo one was deceived by his insincerity
and exaggerated claims about the worth of the properties.
Spill the Beans
(reveal a secret)
Did you know that Harry was going to
take Kathy on a
Caribbean cruise? Yes, I did. He was planning on surprising her with the tickets for their anniversary, but
someone spilled
the beans. What a shame! That was supposed to have been a
surprise. Yes, it's too bad that someone
told her about the trip
beforehand and ruined Harry's
surprise. That's OK. Her enthusiasm was not dampened
in the least!
Feed Someone a Line
(deceive someone)
Mr. Jones had been telling Louise how
efficient she was and how much he admired her work at
the office. He had promised
her a promotion in the near future,
but she soon discovered that he
was feeding her a line when he
passed her by and gave the promotion to someone less capable. Louise was acutely
disappointed to find out that Mr. Jones was not telling her the truth, and that he was deceiving her.
On Ice
(set aside for
future use)
We've been working on this sales
report for some time now. Don't you think we should take a
break for some dinner? Now that you mention it, I am kind of hungry. Let's put the report on ice awhile and grab a bite to eat.
That's fine. I'd be happy to stop
working on it and set it aside until we get some food. Great! Let's lock up
and go.
Shoot the Breeze
(chat informally)
What are you going to be doing this
afternoon?
Oh,
I don't have anything in particular in mind.
Why don't you come over to my place? We can listen to some records
and shoot the breeze. That sounds OK to me. I'd like to relax listening
to music and visit and chat informally until my folks get back from shopping.
Bite the Dust
(go down in defeat)
Andy did exceptionally well in all
of the track events, but he bit the dust
in the high jump
|
Bend Over Backwards
(try very hard)
When
Joan first started teaching she was afraid that she would have a lot of trouble
getting
used
to the kids and to the faculty.
Her fears turned
out to be unfounded, since everybody bent over backwards
to help her. Everyone tried very hard to
help her feel comfortable and adjust
to the school.
Hit the Hay
(go to bed)
Listen, Kim. We're going to be
really busy with moving tomorrow, and we've got to get an early
start.
I guess you're
right. We'll need all the rest we can get. What do you say we hit the hay now?
Agreed. Let's go to bed and
get a good night's sleep. It's going to be a long day.
Cough Up
(give unwillingly)
Say, Greg. Did you finally get that
computer that you
wanted so much?
Not yet. I needed to raise a couple of hundred dollars more.
Is it going to take you a while to raise the money? It would have taken me forever, but dad said he'd
cough
up
the money I need since I'm going to he using the
computer for my school work. Maybe it was difficult for your dad to give you the money—but then, he knows that
it's for a good cause.
Jump the Gun
(to be hasty)
Denise was planning on telling her
grandparents that the doctor said she was going to have
twins, but when her dad found out he jumped the gun and
told them before Denise could say a word. He was so excited that he became hasty and revealed the news
before Denise had a chance to tell them.
Scratch Someone's Back
(return a favor)
Hey, Bea. I need some help stacking
these boxes. Would you please give me a hand? OK. And
I need some help tidying
up the house. How about your helping
me out after that? OK. If you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. I know you don't like doing housework, but I'll help you with
the boxes if you promise to return the favor. No problem. I'll even do the windows.
Hit the Ceiling
(become very angry)
Don's father hit the celling when he was informed that his son had been detained by the police
|
Fork Over
(hand over, give)
Hey,
Dan. How come you're looking so sad?
It's
nothing, really. I unexpectedly bumped
into Ralph and he asked me to fork over the
ten bucks I owed him.
Did
he expect you to pay him back right then and there? Yes, he did. It was all the money I had, and
I had to hand it over to him. Don't complain. After all, he did you a favor by lending
it to you in the first place.
Turn Someone Off
(disgust someone)
How was your date with Marty last
night?
Well, it started
off OK, but he really
turned me off when
we went for a snack after the movies.
Did he say or do something to annoy you? Frankly, he disgusted
me when he tried to talk with his
mouth full. I don't blame
you. That would
have really bothered
me too.
Go Fly a Kite
(go away!)
For the past three hours Jerry had
been trying to convince Linda to go to the art exhibition with
him. She had been refusing
all along and finally in desperation she told him, "Go
fly a kite!"
Jerry didn't like to be told to go away in such, a forceful manner.
Nevertheless, he finally stopped trying to get Linda to
attend the exhibition.
Kick the Bucket
(die)
It's been said that the old man knew
of a buried treasure, but lie kicked the
bucket before
telling anyone
where it was. If the treasure exists,
the old man unfortunately took the secret of
its location with him when he died.
Raise a Stink
(protest strongly)
Listen! Don't try to use any of your sister's clothes
without asking her first. She's
liable to raise a
stink if she finds something missing.
I'm sure that there
will be no problem. She's
borrowed some of my things
before, and I've never
said anything. I really doubt that she will
protest very strongly.
Wet Blanket
James was not invited to go on the outing
with the rest of the group because
he's such a wet blanket. On many previous
occasions he has kept others from enjoying themselves by his pessimism and lack of enthusiasm. It's
understandable that no one wants
him around.
Keep Under One's Hat
(keep something a secret)
Although, the contestants were most
anxious to know who won the prizes in the piano
|
Up One's Sleeve
(concealed)
All
right, Sara. We know that you're planning something big for Jean-Paul's birthday. Mind telling
us
just what you have up your sleeve?
I wanted to make his birthday a very special
event. Jean-Paul has a sister
living in France,
and I sent her an airplane
ticket so that she could be here for his birthday.
Boy! That is something special!
We kind of guessed
that you had some concealed plan and
were waiting for the right time to reveal it.
Well, I didn't want to say anything
until I was sure she could come.
Dressed to Kill
(wear one's finest clothing)
The reception for the new Swedish
ambassador at the Jennison's was quite lavish. Naturally,
everybody was dressed to kill. Since it was a formal
occasion, everyone was dressed
in their finest, most elegant clothes.
Give Someone the Slip
(make a getaway)
The police were chasing the thief
through the streets of the city, but he managed to give them
the slip. No wonder. There were so many people
around that the thief managed
to escape by getting lost in
the crowds.
Knock Someone's Socks Off
(enthuse and excite)
Hi, John. What's new?
Oh, nothing too much with me, but you ought to see Al-fredo's new car. It'll knock your socks off!
So,
he finally got that Italian sports car he's been dreaming about.
He sure did! When you see all the custom
features that it has, you'll
get so enthused and excited you won't know what to do!
Boy,
I can hardly wait to go for a ride in it!
Talk Through One's Hat
(make foolish statements)
We were discussing ethnic traditions
and customs with Fred the other day, and he showed just
how little he knew about other cultures. What do you mean?
Well, he said that as far as he could
tell, there wasn't
much difference in behavior and temperament between the English and
the Hispanics.
It's plain to see that he was talking through,
his hat!
True, but Fred thinks he's an authority on everything. It was difficult to convince him that he was
talking ignorantly. He's got a reputation for making foolish, inaccurate statements.
Lose One's Shirt
(lose a great deal of money)
I happened to bump into Doug at lunch
yesterday afternoon.
What's
new with Doug these days?
He
wasn't doing so well. For one thing, he told me he lost his shirt at the races.
Doug has always
liked to bet on the horses. I'm not surprised
that he lost a great deal of
money.
Yeah.
At this rate he'll never have a penny to his name!
In Stitches
(laughing very hard)
Danny was hilarious at the party the
other night. He had us all in stitches! I
didn't realize that
he
was such a comedian.
He's always been funny, but last night
he outdid himself.
He had us laughing
so hard that it hurt our sides.
Dressed to the Teeth
(dressed elegantly)
Did you see
Hilda at the party last night?
Yes, I did.
She was really dressed to the teeth!
Well, she had on her finest,
most elegant clothing
because she was out to make a good impression, on Bill.
Lemon
(something
defective)
Have you seen Joanne's new car yet?
Yeah.
It looks good, but she's had nothing but problems with it.
That's too bad. It sounds
like she got a real lemon. She sure did! No sooner did she drive it
home from the dealer's than it proved defective and started breaking
down.
Out of the Wood
(out of danger)
Although Eric was well on his way to
recovering from his bout with pneumonia, he was still not
out of the woods. The doctors told him that he would
have to take it easy and avoid exposure
to cold, since he was not out of danger and difficulty yet.
Get Up on the Wrong Side of the Be
(wake up in a toad mood)
What's the matter with Bernard
today? He started shouting from the moment he stepped into
the
office. I don't know. He usually doesn't act that way at all.
I guess he got up on the wrong side of the bed. Just because
he woke up in a bad mood is no
reason for him to toe so cross and to go around
shouting at everybody.
Hopefully he'll relax as the day
goes on. Amen!
Out on a Limb
(in a risky position)
The members of the committee
realized that their position against expanding the student aid
program was an unpopular one, and that they were going out on a limb by voting against
the program. Nevertheless, their position was justified to a certain
extent. Although they knew that they were placing themselves in a risky position, they
felt that other
budgetary considerations were
of greater urgency.
Eating Someone
(bothering or worrying someone)
Hey, Alice. What's been eating you lately? Don't you realize
how rude and irritable you've
become?
I
know. I'm really sorry for the way I've been acting.
Well, why don't you tell me what has been bothering
and upsetting you and maybe we can work your problem out together.
I'll admit that it would help to
talk to someone about it.
Get the Ax
(toe dismissed, fired)
I
feel sorry for Richard. He was feeling quite depressed when I ran into him. Did he tell you what
was bothering him? Among other
things, he informed
me that he got the ax
at work. That's strange. He's always teen a
conscientious worker.
I wonder why they dismissed him from his job? Evidently he had a disagreement on company
policies with one of the top executives.
In the Hole
(in debt)
Unfortunately, Peter had to sell his
neighborhood hardware store. Because of competition from
the bigger stores
in the shopping center, he was going
in the hole every month. His store was
small and did not generate enough income to meet expenses. As a consequence, he
was rapidly losing money and going into debt.
For a Song
(for very
little money)
Sara, I
picked up the perfect chair for the living room the other day.
That's
wonderful. I know you've been looking for some time. Where did you finally
come across what you wanted?
I was really
quite lucky. I got it for a song at
a little furniture
store. I was able to buy it for very
little money because
the owners of the store were right in the middle of their spring liquidation
sale.
Make a Splash.
(be successful and attract attention)
Do you remember Andre and Jack?
Yes,
I do. Weren't they working together on some kind of a novel?
That's right. It was finally published and I understand that it made quite
a splash both domestically and abroad.
That's great
news! They're both talented and hardworking. It's good to hear that the book was
so successful and attracted such a great
deal of attention.
Have the World by the Tail
(be successful and happy)
Marc finished school at the top of
his class and he was offered an excellent position with an
accounting firm Now he feels that he has the world by the tail. Everything has been working out for him lately,
and it's no wonder that he's feeling so successful and happy.
Sitting Pretty
(in a fortunate position)
I heard that Michael and Jennifer
got a good price when
they
sold their house. Yes, they did. Now they're really sitting pretty. As a
matter of fact, they're thinking
of going on a long vacation.
I wish I were in such a fortunate position. I haven't had a vacation in years.
Feel Like a Million Dollars
(feel wonderful)
I bumped into Nick at the barbershop
yesterday. He looked great, but I noticed that he had a
slight
limp when he walked.
I guess you didn't know that he had an operation on his knee. No, I didn't. How's he feeling?
He says he's feeling like a million dollars
now. Apparently the pain in his knee is all gone.
It's good that he's feeling so wonderful. It
must be a refreshing change
not having to put up with all that discomfort.
Kick Up One's Heels
(celebrate)
The prerequisites for admission to
the Theater Arts School are quite demanding, and those
students who were finally accepted
had reason to kick up their heels. It
was only natural
that those who made it through
the exams and interviews would
want to celebrate the occasion by going out and having a good time.
Bury the Hatchet
(make peace)
Somebody told me that you and Doug had been quarreling over the construction site of the new
building.
That's
true, but we worked out the problem and decided to bury the hatchet.
Glad
to hear that. You guys have always worked well together.
Well, once we came to the conclusion that we both had the same goal in mind, we put an end
to our bitter feelings and made peace with each other.
Paint the Town Red
(carouse and have a good time)
How did you enjoy your vacation to
Europe last summer?
It was marvelous. I'll never forget the time we had when we were in Rome. There was no end to things to see and do.
And
how was the night life?
Great! We painted the town red the
first three nights we were there.
Didn't that get to be pretty expensive?
I guess so, but we were so excited
by all that the city had to offer that we went
out carousing
without
thinking about the cost.
Get Away Clean
(escape punishment)
After robbing
a neighborhood bank, the robbers sped off in a waiting car and got away clean. In spite of all
police
efforts to apprehend them, the criminals were
never caught and punished for their crime.
Come Alive
(brighten up and become active)
Up to now the guests at the party
had been eating and making small talk, hut when the rock
band arrived, everyone
came alive. When the band started
playing all the latest rock hits,
everybody brightened up and became very active
Toot One's Own Horn
(boast)
Michael's last novel was a best
seller. He has no need to toot his own
horn about his literary
accomplishments.
His readers and critics alike
will now become aware of his talent.
He won't have to boast about his skill and success as a writer.
Stick to One's Guns
(maintain one's position)
In spite of the fact that it was inadvisable to
have a controversial figure address the club, the chairman stuck to his guns and insisted
that it would make good sense to hear the other side of
the question before taking a vote on the issue. He maintained his opinion and position on the
matter, even though
a number of members tried to make him change
his mind.
Get the Ball Rolling
(initiate action)
Look! You've been talking
about repairing the roof for weeks now. Don't you think it's about time
to get the
ball rolling?
I
know, but I've been busy with other things. I promise I'll get to it this
weekend. The time to
start doing it is right now! According to the weather report it's
supposed to rain tomorrow.
Mind One's P's and Q's
(take care in speech and action)
Listen, Larry. If you want an
invitation to Clarissa's
party you'd better
mind your P's and Q's. But
I haven't been doing anything
to offend her. I'll
tell you one thing. You're going to have to be careful
of what yon say and how yon act around Susan. Come on! Susan
and I are just friends.
I know that, but Clarissa is the jealous type. She's liable
to think that something is going on between the two
of you.
Hang On
(persevere)
During the depression years the
Smiths had a great deal of trouble with their business, but
somehow or other
they were able to hang on. Although they almost lost their store,
they managed to persevere until
things got better.
Give It One's Best Shot
(try hard)
Can you do anything about repairing
this TV set? I'm not much of an electrician, but I'll give it
my best shot.
Many thanks. I'd be most appreciative. OK. I'll try my hardest to
fix it, but I'm not promising that I'll succeed. At this point, I'll
take all the help I can get.
Make Ends Meet
(pay one's bills)
It's almost impossible trying to
keep up with the high cost of living.
It's
true. Things are so expensive nowadays that it's very difficult to make ends meet.
You know, even with Lucie's
salary, our combined
income is hardly enough
to pay all the bills.
Get the Jump on Someone
(get the advantage over someone)
Did you have a nice time at the
school dance last night?
To tell you the truth,
I would have enjoyed myself
more if I had been able to go with Teresa
instead of Elena.
Why didn't you ask Teresa in the
first place?
I
was about to, but Benito got the jump on
me.
How
did he manage to do that?
He got the advantage
over me by telling Teresa that if she went with him, he'd take her out to
dinner and then to the dance in his brand new
convertible.
Well, now, she can hardly be blamed
for accepting an offer like that!
Pull Strings
(exert influence)
Steven had been unsuccessful in
getting tickets for the opening game of the season. However,
he pulled some strings with the manager of
the team and got excellent seats. There's no doubt that he got the tickets
only by exerting his influence with a person
important enough to help him
get what he wanted.
Spread Oneself Too Thin
(become involved in too many activities)
Although Teresa has always been an
excellent student, her marks have been going down lately
because she is spreading
herself too thin. Besides spending a great deal of time in after- school sports,
she got a part-time job as a clerk in a department store. It's only natural that her
grades would suffer. She is becoming
involved in so many activities that she cannot devote the time that it takes
to excel in any one of them.
Go to Bat for Someone
(help out and support someone)
Is it true that Don got into some
trouble at work last week? Yes, he did. He was reproached for
not
turning in his sales reports, but his secretary went to bat for him.
What was she able to do? She helped him out a great deal by
admitting that she had
misplaced the reports that he gave her to be
typed.
So,
it was her fault, not his. Bight.
Duck Soup
(easy, effortless)
Can you help me hook up my new
stereo equipment? I'm having quite a bit of trouble with all
these
connections.
Sure.
That's duck soup for me.
Well, with all your experience in electronics, I have no doubt that it will be very easy for you to
do.
No problem. Glad to help out.
Money Talks
(money can
influence people)
We've been waiting for three months
to get delivery on our car, and people who put in their
order
after us have already gotten theirs.
Well, money talks. Why
don't you try giving the dealer a little something extra to move things
along?
I know full well that money has the power to influence people,
but I refuse
to pay extra for a service that is owed to me as a client.
If
you want to have your car maybe you'd better reconsider.
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
(do not agitate a potential source of trouble)
You'd better not say anything to the
owner of the building about painting your apartment. If I
were you I'd let sleeping dogs lie. The
last time you asked him to do some repairs,
he raised your rent.
You're telling me not to make trouble if I don't have to, but I'm going to risk making
him angry, since I can no longer stand to look at the paint peeling
off the walls.
Shape Up or Ship Out
(behave properly or leave!)
Al had been constantly reprimanded
for being negligent on the job. Finally, in desperation his
supervisor exclaimed, "Shape up or ship out!" Al admitted that he had not been
taking his work seriously and realized that he should
be more conscientious about
his job or he would be
discharged.
If the Shoe Fits, Wear It
(admit the truth)
Joe feels rather badly because he's
always being criticized for his sloppy personal appearance.
With
reason. "If the shoe fits, wear it,"
I always say.
Still, I can't
help feeling sorry for the guy. I know that what people say about him is true, and
that he should admit it. He doesn't seem to want to improve his appearance.
Evidently, he himself can't see anything wrong with the way he looks.
Bark Worse Than One's Bite
(not as bad-tempered as one appears)
On
occasion Mr. Hopkins speaks harshly to his students, especially when they fail
to complete
their
homework assignment. Nevertheless, they all know that his bark is worse
than his bite. He threatens to keep them after
school and to inform their parents, but he's not really
as bad- tempered as he appears.
Eyes Are Bigger Than One's Stomach
(take more food than one can eat)
Chris, why don't you finish eating
that third helping of dessert?
I
guess my eyes were bigger than my
stomach when I said I wanted more.
I'm not surprised. The same thing happens to me. Sometimes, when I'm really
hungry, I'll take
more food than I can possibly eat.
Put One's Money Where One's Mouth Is
(follow through with a stated intention)
You've been promising to take us to
Disneyland for the past two years. Since the kids are free,
how
about putting your money where your
mouth is?
You don't have to remind
me. I have every intention of doing exactly what I said I'd do. But
you yourself know that in the past we have been unable to go because of other
financial obligations. Things have eased up and it looks like we'll be able to go this year.
People Who Live in Glass
Houses Shouldn't Throw Stones
(one should not criticize when one is
equally at fault)
Janet has often criticized her
friend Lois for driving too fast, yet she herself has had her license
suspended for exceeding the speed limit. Lois once
tried to tell her that people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones, but
it didn't do much good. Janet simply
didn't accept the fact that
she should not pass judgment on other
people when she is just as bad as they are.
All's Well That Ends Well
(a successful outcome is worth the effort)
Hi, Benito. How are things going?
Well,
everything's OK now. Remember that teaching job
for which I applied? Yes, I sure do. Well,
I was finally hired, but I had a bit of a rough time before I got it. Between all that
paperwork and all
those interviews, I'm all worn out. Thank goodness
it's all over. Great! All's well that ends well. After
all that you went through, I'm happy to hear that things finally
turned out satisfactorily for you. Yes. I'm happy, too. It was really worth the
effort.
Index to Idioms
A G
all's well that ends well (a successful
outcome is worth the effort)
_
all thumbs
(clumsy) _
at the end of one's rope (at the limit
of one's ability to cope)
B
bark worse than one's bite (not as bad-
tempered as one appears)
bend over
backwards (try very hard)
bite the
bullet (endure in a difficult situation)
blow it (fail at something)
bury the hatchet (make peace)
C
cat got your tongue? (can't talk?) _
come alive (brighten up and become active)
cough up (give unwillingly)
D
different strokes for different folks (everyone
has different interests and tastes) _
dressed to
kill (wear one's
finest clothing)
dressed to the teeth (dressed elegantly)
drive someone up a wall (annoy someone
greatly)
duck soup
(easy, effortless)
E
early bird catches the worm (arriving early
gives one an advantage)
eating someone (bothering OF worrying someone)
eyes are bigger than one's stomach (take
more food than one can eat)
F
face the music (accept the consequences) _
feed someone a line (deceive someone)
feel like a million dollars (feel wonderful)
fishy (strange and suspicious)
for a song (for very little money)
for the birds (uninteresting and meaningless)
fork over (hand over, give) _
get away clean (escape punishment)
get In someone's hair (bother someone) _
get off someone's back (stop bothering someone)
get the ax (be dismissed, fired)
get the ball rolling (initiate action)
get the jump on someone (get the
advantage over someone)
get up on the wrong side of the bed (wake up
in a bad mood) _
give it
one's best shot (try hard)
give someone the slip (make a getaway)
go fly a kite (go away!)
go to bat for someone (help out and support someone)
go to the
dogs (become rundown)
H
hang on (persevere) _
have the world lay the tall (be successful
and happy)
hit the
celling (become very angry)
hit the hay (go to bed)
horse around, (play around)
horse of a different color (quite a different matter)
hot under
the collar (extremely angry) _
I
If the shoe fits, wear It (admit
the truth)
in stitches (laughing very hard)
in the hole (in debt)
J
Jump down someone's throat (become angry with someone)
jump the gun (to be hasty)
K
keep
under one's hat (keep something a secret)
kick the bucket
(die)
kick up one's heels (celebrate)
knock someone's socks off (enthuse and excite)
L
leave someone high and dry (abandon someone)
lemon (something defective)
let sleeping dogs lie (do not agitate a potential source of trouble) _
let the cat out of the bag (inform
beforehand)
M
make a splasb (be successful and attract attention)
make ends
meet (pay one's bills)
mind one's P's and Q's (take care in speech and action)
money talks (money
can influence people)
N
not have a leg to stand on (to have no good defense for one's opinion or actions)
O
on ice (set aside for future use) _
on one's last legs (sick and failing)
on the line (in danger of being lost)
out
of the woods (out of danger)
out on a
limb (in a risky position)
P
paint the town red. (carouse and have a good time) _
pay
through the nose (pay too high, a price)
play it by ear (improvise
as one goes along)
pull someone's leg (fool someone)
pull strings (exert influence)
put one's money where one's mouth is
(follow through with a stated intention)
R
raise a stink (protest strongly) _
S
scratch someone's back (return a favor)
sell
someone down the river (betray someone)
shake a leg (hurry)
shape up or ship out (behave properly or leave!)
shoot off one's mouth (express one's opinions loudly) _
shoot the breeze (chat informally)
sitting pretty (in a fortunate position)
smell a rat (feel that something is wrong)
snow job (insincere talk)
spill the beans (reveal a secret)
spread, oneself too thin (become
involved in too many activities)
stick out
one's neck (take a risk)
stick to
one's guns (maintain one's position)
straight from the horse's mouth (from a reliable source)
string someone along (lead someone on dishonestly)
T
take the trail toy the horns (take decisive action in a difficult situation)
talk through one's hat (make foolish statements)
tongue-in-cheek
(not serious)
toot one's own horn (boast)
turn someone off
(disgust someone) _
U
up one's sleeve
(concealed)
W
wet blanket (dull or boring person, who spoils the happiness of others)
Thankyou!!
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