|
Dance
attendance on someone
|
It used to be the custom for a
bride at her wedding to dance with every guest - no matter how tired she was.
That's the origin of this expression, but it now means to be at the
service of someone to carry out his or her every wish. "I
suspect that Ray is interested in Fiona. Look how he is dancing
attendance on her.
|
Beard
the lion ( in his den )
|
In this British idiom, 'beard'
means to defy or oppose someone, and 'in his den' means in his territory.
Therefore, to beard the lion ( in his den ) is to confront
a person of authority ( in his own office, for example ) and to
challenge him. "I'm going to walk right into the boss's office and beard
the lion by demanding a nice big raise," Alex said.
|
Give
someone a rocket
|
Oh, oh ! The boss is about to give
Edna a rocket - and if you ask me I really think she deserves it !
That's because this British idiom means to give someone a severe
scolding or a reprimand. "You know it's amazing how much better Edna
performs at her job since I gave her a rocket yesterday morning," the
boss smiled.
|
(
and ) Bob's your uncle
|
No one knows why Bob is the name
of the uncle in this expression, but that needn't concern us as long as we
remember that ( and ) Bob's your uncle means thateverything
is satisfactory or will work out well. "I will put a little more ice
cream on the top of this, and Bob's your uncle ! This should make a real nice
treat for you," the ice cream man smiled at Teddy.
|
Break
out of the mold
|
Have you ever had a desire to
break old habits and change your way of living ? If so, you would understand
this expression because break out of the mold describes doing
something completely different or changing one's way of doing things.
"Why don't we break out of the mold and go somewhere new on our holiday
this year," Steven said.
|
Do
a power of good
|
"For goodness sake, Mr Blogs
! Don't be so stingy. A small coin to that poor little fellow won't hurt
you," Bessy frowned. "It would do him a power of good for he looks
hungry !" To do a power of good means to help
or to do a lot of good. "It might even do you a power of good to be
generous to people now and then," Bessy said.
|
Give
someone the message
|
Jerome has had a nice warm feeling
for Ruth for a long, long time. Being modest, he didn't know how to give her
the message. Finally, on Valentine's Day he gathered up all his courage and
gave her the word. When we give someone the message or the word we convey
a piece of information to him or her. Ruth gave Jerome the message by
giving him a think you kiss !
|
Burn
someone up
|
"Doesn't it burn you up when
people refuse to wait in line at the bus stop !" Barbara said. "It
sure burns me up !" Barbara is saying she is irritated
or annoyed. "I get burned up by people who don't do their work
properly," Jack answered. "My secretary, for instance, burns me up
because she's always knitting on the job !"
|
Does
not add up to a can of beans / sardines
|
I guess it didn't cost much money
to buy a can of beans or sardines when this North American idiom was first
used. What it means is that someone's plan, theory, idea, opinion,
etc is thought to be of little value. In fact, it's worthless.
"That's an interesting idea, Frank, but I'm sure the boss will tell you
that it doesn't add up to a can of beans. In fact, it does
not add up to a can of sardines to me either," he frowned.
|
Give
someone enough rope and he will hang himself
|
If a person who is doing
something wrong is allowed to continue his bad ways, it is said he will soon
bring about his or her own defeat or destruction. That's the meaning
behind this idiom. "I told you not to cheat or tell lies," Officer
Mutt said. " Don't you remember hearing me say, give Willy
enough rope and he will hang himself ?"
|
Look
/ feel bushed
|
"Oh, you poor, poor man ! You
look absolutely bushed !" Mrs. Bond said when her husband returned from
work. "I've had a bad day," he answered, "and you're right ! I
feel bushed." "What you need is a nice cool glass of lemonade,"
Mrs. Bond smiled. I'll get one for you." That should help to make Mr.
Bond feel better because to look / feel bushed is to be completely
exhausted.
|
For
a song
|
Felix saw a pretty bird in a pet
shop window. "How much is that bird ?" he asked the man in the
shop. "That would normally cost a lot of money, but you may have it for
a song." the man replied. You may think that Felix had to sing a
song to get the bird, but that's not true. The idiom for a song simply means for
very little money. "I bought my bird for a song," Felix said
later.
|
Get
the elbow
|
Craig has been working for the
Ga-Ga Company for about six years. Imagine his shock when he went to work
yesterday and found he had got the elbow ! To get the elbow isto
be fired - though in a personal relationship the same expression can
mean the relationship has ended. "Have you heard Lily got
the elbow from her boyfriend !"
|
Country
cousin
|
"I am taking Ashley, my country
cousin, to the theater today," Teddy explained. Ashley isn't really
Teddy's cousin though : we just use this expression when referring topeople
who live in small country towns or who actually live on
farms in the country. They are called country cousins because it is
thought that their manners and habits are simple and uncomplicated.
"That's not always true," Ashley smiled.
|
Butter
both sides of one's bread
|
"I have a great idea,"
Frank said, "I can butter both sides of my bread during my summer
vacation if I offer swimming lessons to young people. In that way I can have
fun at the swimming pool, and at the same time I will earn some spending money
!" To butter both sides of one's bread is to do
two things at the same time - and to profit from them both.
|
Cry
bucket
|
If this isn't a sad sight ! There
is Grandma watching her favorite afternoon television drama - and it is so
sad that everyone in the room is crying buckets ! "To cry
bucketsmeans to cry lots and lots of tears," Grandma
explained. "Grandma is crying buckets, and that has caused me to cry
buckets too," Grandma's cat wept.
|
Get
in on the act
|
Professor Alan is having trouble.
Everyone in the auditorium seems to be getting in on the act today
! This idiom ( it's a term from the theater ) refers to taking part
in something while others are doing it. "I can tell that everyone
enjoyed my lecture today," Professor Alan said, "because so many
people wanted to get in on my act," he smiled.
|
Cast
something in someone's teeth
|
Otto is furious ! His dentist
keeps casting his bill in Otto's teeth. "I won't pay it !" Otto
cried. "It's far too much - and besides, the dammed teeth don't even fit
properly ! I'd like to fling them back in his teeth !" To cast /
fling / throw something in someone's teeth is to continually
remind someone of something disagreeable or unpleasant. "If I made a
mistake, I'll correct it. But please don't fling my error in my teeth,"
the dentist pleaded.
|
The
fat is in the fire
|
Putting fat near an open flame is
dangerous for it can easily ignite and cause a serious fire. That's the idea
behind this idioms, which refers to the start of something
troublesome or dangerous. "Someone has stolen our food supply
!" Max cried. "The fat is in the fire unless we can get
back to our camp before it starts to snow !"
|
Give
no quarter
|
In this idioms the word 'quarter'
refers to mercy or understanding. Therefore, to give no quarter is
to be firm and show no mercy. "You have made me very, very
angry," Billy's mother said. "If you don't return that piece of
cake this instant I will give no quarter and you will be severely
punished !" That convinced Billy, and he returned the cake.
|
To
enter the lists
|
In days of old when knights were
bold, the arenas in which they held tournaments were called lists. From that, to
enter the lists means to begin a competition, a contest - or
an argument ! "Unless you are prepared to enter the lists and
play as well as you can, you have no business being on this team," the
football coach said to his players.
|
A
closed book
|
"I am supposed to know just
about everything," Professor Olson said, "so I can't let anyone
know that I have just come across something that is a closed book to
me." As it is used here, a closed book is something - a
topic, a subject, an idea - you don't know anything about. "But I
have to confess that physics is a closed book to me," the Professor said
with a huge sigh.
|
Fight
like cat(s) and dog(s)
|
Since the beginning of time, cats
and dogs have been natural enemies, and when they meet they usually get
involved in fierce fights. From that, when people argue or fight bitterly
they are said to fight like cats and dogs or fight like cat
and dog. "If we invite the Smiths to our party, we can't invite the
Waltons. I don't know why, but they fight like cats and dogs.
|
Can't
carry a tune
|
Most people have no problem
singing, humming, or whistling a tune. But Ozzie is different. He isn't able
to distinguish one note of music from the other. "It's lucky I wasn't
born a canary," Ozzie said, "because I really can't carry a tune."
Those whocan't carry a tune cannot sing, hum or whistle properly.
"They make mistakes and sound terrible," Ozzie added.
|
Draw
the longbow
|
"I have played my violin in
Paris in front of thousands of people," Buddy smiled. Personally, I
think Buddy is drawing the longbow. To draw the longbow means
tomake an exaggerated remark or to tell an elaborate
story in order to impress someone. A longbow is a large bow used to shoot
arrows great distances. This is a British expression.
|
A
blank check
|
It must be a great feeling to
receive a blank check. "I got a blank check from my
father to buy any car I wanted," Harry said. See, I told you it's a good
feeling to get a blank check ! Actually, the idiom means to be given
complete freedom to do whatever you want. Here's another example :
"Our teacher gave us a blank check to work on any project we
desired."
|
Catch
someone red-handed
|
"Ah ha, so you're the one who
has been painting pictures on my blackboard !" Professor Michael
exclaimed. "At last I have caught you red-handed !" To catch
someone red-handed is to discover him or her in the process
of committing a naughty or forbidden act. "I'm sorry, I thought a
little color would help to brighten up our classroom," Danny pleaded.
|
Draw
and quarter
|
It was once common to execute
criminals by having their four limbs drawn ( pulled ) off. Thank heavens
criminals are not drawn and quartered any more, though we still use this
idiom ( humorously ) to threaten a person ! "My wife
said she would draw and quarter me if I came home late
again," Ken said. "I hope she doesn't mean it !"
|
Fight
/ tilt at windmills
|
"Ha, there you are again
making threatening gestures at me !" Aaron cried. "I'll show you
that you are not fighting windmills !" To fight or tilt at
windmills is from the novelDon Quixote de la Mancha in
which the hero attacks windmills thinking they are giants. The idiom means to struggle
against an imaginary opponent or to oppose things that are
not important.
|
Chew
the fat
|
After a hard day, Nani and his
friend like nothing better than to sit around a nice warm fire chewing the
fat. "Normally we are so busy hunting and fishing that we don't have
much time to get together to chew the fat," Nani noted. To chew
the fat is to have a casual chat or a nice
little talk. "Our wives have just gone to one of their friend's
igloo to chew the fat," Nani smiled.
|
Feel
/ know in one's bones
|
"I feel in my bones someone
is watching us," Angela whispered. "I know in my bones you are
right !" John answered. John and Angela are saying that though they do
not have absolute proof of something, they feel or believe it by
instinct. "I know in my bones my mother would be upset if I did not
hurry home after school," Angela said.
|
Close
one's eyes
|
When we deliberately
ignore something we don't wish to admit it is there -- usually
because it isn't approved of or because we don't approve of it -- we
close our eyes to it. "I sometimes think the authorities close
their eyes to the indecent way people dress in the streets.
|
Fast
and furious
|
Albert was strolling along outside
the prison gate when Officer Derek caught him. A struggle raged fast and
furious, but in the end Albert was safely back inside. "If I had been
quicker, Derek would not have caught me." Albert sulked. "But I
learned something," he said. "I learned that fast and
furious describes an activity that is full of noise and
excitement !"
|
Come
to a pretty pass
|
'Pretty' in this expression means
terrible and 'pass' refers to a distressing situation. Therefore, a
pretty pass is a bad condition or an annoying state of
affairs. "It has come to a pretty pass when a gentleman can't look
at an attractive young lady without ending up in a hospital bed !" Andy
complained as he was rescued from a hole in the street.
|
Dog
Latin / English / Chinese, etc
|
"Dogs are friends of the
whole human race," Fido barked in rather bad Latin. "A role in
which I played a significant part," Scotty added. Fido and Scotty are
conversing in dog Latin. To speak or write dog Latin / English /
Chinese, etc. is to speak or write bad Latin, English, Chinese,
etc. In other words, not like a native would speak or write it.
|
Mad
as a wet hen
|
Gustov is mad as a wet hen.
"You are the most annoying chicken I have ever seen ! You must stop
running," he shouted. Gustov knows a lot about chickens because he has
been cooking them for many years - and to be mad as a wet hen is
to be very angry! "I would rather see you mad as a wet hen
than see me in your cooking pot !" the hen replied.
|
All's
fair in love and war
|
In love and war the rules of
proper social behavior aren't always obeyed.
From that, there are times when people justify their selfish behavior by
saying all's fair in love and war. "It's hard to believe
there are people who think all's fair in love and war so it's OK to cheat in
an examination." Ted said.
|
Answer
one's calling
|
The "calling" in this
expression is someone's profession, particularly one he seems strongly
motivated to do. This is usually due to his special ability or exceptional
desire to do it. A person who does well or is successful in
his job has answered his calling. "When John grows up he'll
probably answer his calling and become a leader of men."
|
The
baby boom
|
A boom is the rapid expansion or
sudden numerical growth of something. since our topic here is babies, a/the
baby boom refers to sudden increase in the birth rate.
"The universities are filled to capacity due to the baby boom that
followed the war." "We've had a baby boom and our hospital is
becoming overcrowded," Dr Gabriello said.
|
A
back number
|
An outdated newspaper or periodical is a back number.
"I'm researching back number newspapers for an article I'm
writing." the reporter said. A person is a back number when
he has lost his influence or his thinking is
considered old-fashioned. "No one seeks my opinion anymore,"
Neil sighed. "I feel like a back number in this office."
|
Bore
the pants off someone
|
"If I have to listen to any
more of these dull speeches I'm going to go crazy," Irwin yawned.
"They're awful, aren't they ?" Cedric yawned too. "They bore
the pants off me." The colloquialism Cedric is using -- and it's
perfectly acceptable to use it in mixed company -- means to be extremely
bored.
|
A
bosom friend
|
You've seen Chadwick and Timothy
disagreeing or playing tricks on each other often on these pages. If you want
to know the truth, they are really bosom friends. As used here,
bosom means a close relationship, and a bosom friend / pal / buddy is a very
dear friend.
|
Brain
drain
|
A / the brain drain is defined as movement of "brains ( eg., teachers,
scientists and other skilled people ) out of one country to another where
conditions and salaries are better. "If we hope to prevent a brain
drain we're going to have to make nursing a more rewarding profession,"
a health officer declared.
|
A
bundle of laughs
|
"Lester's latest book is
terribly funny," Winnie smiled. "It 's a bundle of laughs. I guess
that's because Lester is such a bundle of laughs," she
continued. "He has everyone laughing at parties. I wonder where he gets
all his jokes ?" What Winnie is saying is that Lester and his book are
very, very amusing.
|
A
clean bill of health
|
Long ago ships leaving a port had
to have a certificate ( called a bill of health ) stating that they were free
of infectious disease. Today a clean bill of health is a way
of saying a person or thing is healthy or satisfactory. "The
doctor gave Mr. Lee a clean bill of health and is sending him home
today," Nurse Rose smiled.
|
Clear
one's name
|
"You will remain after school
and clear my name by writing the following statement 100 times: 'I am sorry I
said naughty and untrue things about my teacher'," Professor Oxford
frowned. To clean one's name is to prove someone is
innocent of a crime or misdeed of which he's been accused.
|
Cock
and bull story
|
"Long ago and far away there
was a wonderful kingdom in which nobody worked and everybody was rich and happy,'
the bull said. Ha, the cock laughed. "If you believe that you'll believe
any old cock and bull story." A cock and bulls story is
one that is tooabsurd or silly to be true.
|
Come
hell or high water
|
Parker has been so busy he hasn't
had time to attend to his jobs around the house. "This Sunday I'm going
to mow the lawn come hell or high water," he said. Parker is
saying that no matter what happens, absolutely nothing is going to
prevent him from carrying out his plan.
|
Come
into money
|
Daydreamers spend their time
thinking about coming into money, and gamblers visit racetracks hoping to come
into money. To come into money is to receive a large
sum of money suddenly. Sometimes it is inherited, sometimes it is won --
though a successful artist, writer or musician coming into money might say
it's the result of many years of hard work.
|
Corridors
of power
|
Something is happening in the corridors
of power. How do I know ? Because in the corridors of power something is
always happening. This term refers to the high ( administrative )
levels of government or an organization where important decisions are made.
"Things are rather quiet in the corridors of power during he holiday
season, though, " Rodney whispered.
|
Day
of reckoning
|
This is a time when (1) someone
will be made to account for his misdeeds; or (2) a time when his
will or judgment will be severely tested. (1) "Many children think
Christmas is a day of reckoning when Santa evaluates their
behavior and rewards them accordingly." (2) "It's examination time
again," Aaron sighed. "The day of reckoning is
approaching !"
|
Devil
finds work for idle hands
|
When Maurice was young his parents
warned him that the devil finds work for idle hands. They were
telling him that unless he kept busy doing useful or constructive
things he could be tempted into mischief or evil. "Sorry, but I
don't think the saying the devil finds work for idle hands means I should
waste my time sweeping floors," Maurice said to a stranger.
|
Dressed
like a peacock
|
A peacock is actually the male of the
species. A female is a peahen. In the world of idioms, however, a person of
either sex who is dressed handsomely and colorfullycan be said to
be dressed like a peacock. "Nelly is dressed like a peacock
tonight. She's been invited to have dinner with her boss.
|
An
eagle eye
|
"Since I appointed a new
department head, business has certainly improved," the boss smiled.
"The new fellow keeps an eagle eye on all aspects of our operations. He
watches the staff with an eagle eye, too." Someone with an eagle
eye watches things closely and carefully. Nothing escapes his
attention.
|
Easy
as ABC
|
It may not be easy for everyone to
learn the alphabet but this idiom says it is. when something is (as)
easy/simple as ABC it's very easy. "That was an
easy examination. It was simple as ABC." "Who said sign painting
was difficult ?" Rubin smiled. "I found it as easy as ABC."
|
Eat
one's heart out
|
"Life can be terrible at
times," Mike sighed, "and this is one of those times. I'm in love
with Mandy and Mandy doesn't care for me. Oh, Mandy, you have me eating my
heart out !" Poor Mike. If he doesn't look underfed it's because
to eat one's heart out is tofeel miserable wishing for
something -- or someone -- one can't have.
|
Eat
someone out of house and home
|
It's usually a hungry guest that
leads us to make this statement, though a father might use it humorously to
complain about the eating habits of his teenagers. It means someone
is so expensive to feed that he can't be afforded. "You kids
are eating me out of house and home !" Agatha cried.
|
Elbow
room
|
"Don't worry about me,"
Harold said as he got into the lift. "There's plenty of elbow room for
all of us." Six foot three inches tall, Harold can say that -- but the
other passengers might not agree for elbow room refers
to having adequate space to work or move around.
|
Fairy
tale
|
In one sense, a fairy story
or fairy tale is a children's story about goblins, spirits,
and other imaginary things. "Sybil is telling a fairy story to her
little friends." In another sense, it's an inaccurate -- even
false -- account of something. "Martin said he's going to be
promoted soon. I suspect he's telling another of his fairy tales."
|
Look
/ feel small
|
"Golly, when I think of the
wonderful works of the world's great artists I look small," Robert
sighed. "And it sure doesn't make me feel any better when people
criticize my painting. Their criticism makes me feel small." To look
or feel small is to seem or feel insignificant, foolish, or
humiliated.
|
Fickle
finger of fate
|
Fate is said to be an unseen power
that directs our lives. Fickle ( it rhymes with pickle ) means changeable.
Because fate often seems to point us in various directions as it
pleases, we speak of it as the fickle finger of fate.
"Once I was rich, now I'm not," Buddy said. "The fickle finger
of fate works in strange ways."
|
Fight
fire with fire
|
"Business is terrible and
it's your fault !" Wigby cried as he stormed out of his office. Knowing
his boss would soon calm down, Gustav decided not to fight fire with fire by
arguing back. To fight fire with fire is to defend
oneself with defiance or force when threatened or attacked.
|
Fill
the bill
|
If something fills the
bill it is just what one wants. It is exactly what is
required or needed. "Isn't it wonderful to have such mild weather ?
It certainly fills the bill for our picnic, doesn't it ?" "I was
really hungry so this little snack sure fills the bill," Albo said.
|
Fresh
as paint
|
Kitty and Clive have been married
for years, but to look at them you'd think their love was fresh as paint.
Things described as being fresh as paint look fresh
and new. A person fresh as paint is full of vitality. "My old suit
came back from the cleaners fresh as paint," Clive said.
|
Gate-crash
|
Jim and Violet's neighbors were
having a party. Jim and Violet weren't invited but they decided to attend
anyway. "We'll gate-crash the party," Jim said. "How exciting.
That will make us gate-crashers," Violet laughed. To gate-crash is
to attend a social event without an invitation, and a
gate-crasher is an uninvited guest.
|
Generous
to a fault
|
"Now just a moment, dear
!" Snod sighed. "I married you because you were generous and kind.
But really, you're generous to a fault !" Snod is
saying his wife is overly generous. In fact, if she has a fault
it is that she's too generous. That's what generous to a fault means.
|
Have
butterflies in one's stomach
|
People who have butterflies
in their stomachs are experiencing tension or excitement,
usually brought on by anxiety while waiting to do something. This is
often shortened to get/have butterflies. "I have butterflies in my
stomach waiting to go on stage," the actress said. "I've got
butterflies," the patient said as he was about to go into surgery.
|
Off
to a flying start
|
When the gun sounded cark
was off to a flying start. A flying start is a fast or
successful beginning. "I get up early so I can begin my day with a
flying start," Clark said, "and my team has got off to a flying
start by winning its first five races this season," he grinned.
|
Rise
with the lark
|
A lark is a bird, and birds always
wake up and begin the day at dawn. "I like getting up with the
lark" Alan yawned, "but I know one bird that doesn't always rise
with the lark." To get up/rise with the lark is
to get up/rise early in the morning.
|
Give
a good/bad account of oneself
|
To win a promotion, Ken has
to give a good account of himself. That is, he must win
approval by showing that he has done well. If he gives a poor account of
himself he's likely to be demoted. "I once helped an old lady to cross
the street," Ken said, hoping to give a good account of himself.
|
Put
on airs
|
Since her promotion Fecilia has
been giving herself airs that her fellow workers regard as rather foolish.
" We know you're an excellent worker," they assured her. "You
don't have to put on airs." To give oneself airs or put
on airs is to act as if one is better or more important than
others.
|
Give
the game/show away
|
"No, no, no ! You're not
supposed to tell the audience who the murderer is ! You'regiving the game
away, Foyle !" To give the game/show away is to reveal a
plan or information that is supposed to be kept secret. "OK, I
won't give the how away," Foyle shouted. "The butler had nothing to
do with it !"
|
Go
down the drain
|
Work, time or money wasted or lost
is gone forever. It has gone down the drain.
"If I don't pass tomorrow's examination all my years of effort
will go down the drain," Fiona said. "Hey, I worked
hard to earn that money !" Buddy cried. "I want to spend it
carefully, not see it go down the drain !"
|
Go
like a house on fire
|
Mr. Bell's gas heater wouldn't
work. He thought he would repair it himself. That proved to be a terrible
mistake and he had to go like a house on fire to the nearby fire department
for help. When a person goes like a house on fire he moves
very, very quickly.
|
Go
places
|
Those who know Anderson are
convinced he is going to go places. "Anderson's young, intelligent and
full of ambition," one of his neighbors said. "He's a man who will
go places someday." To go places means to become
successful. "If I'm going places I had better start now,"
Anderson said.
|
At
great length
|
Todd has been talking at great
length to his Uncle Freddy. In that sense, he's been talking a long time. He
has been explaining at great length his new invention. In this sense, he's
explaining something in great detail. Therefore, at great length can
mean (1) for a long time; or (2) in great detail.
|
Half
a chance
|
Either way you say this -- a
half chance or half a chance -- it means an
opportunity, a reasonable chance. "Give yourself a half chance and
you'll quickly get used to your new computer," Jim said. "Fear not,
Mickey. With this magic sword you have at least half a chance of winning,
" Larry grinned.
|
Have
a change of heart
|
Matthew was about to give Angela a
big box of chocolates when he saw a poor beggar. "Sorry, Angela,"
he said, "but I've had a change of heart. That man looks
like he needs chocolates more than you do." To have a change of heart is
to change one's aim, opinion or behavior about something.
|
Have
a way with words
|
Cameron can be very charming when
he wants something. Idiomatically, he has a way with words. That
is, he knows what to say and how to say it to get what he wants.
"It's not your birthday and it's a long time till Christmas but you have
a way with words, Cameron. Sure, I'll buy you that bicycle" Uncle Bob
smiled.
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Have
no stomach
|
People once believed that courage
came from the stomach and that those who lacked courage had weak stomachs.
From that, to have no stomach for ( something ) means
to lack ambition or desire to do something. "Eat this
or go to bed hungry," Kate frowned. "I have no stomach today for
arguments about my cooking."
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Have
two left feet
|
"Grace, Lincoln, what an
exciting dance that is !" Murray exclaimed. "To do it, though, I'd
have to have two left feet like you have." Murray is being unkind for to
say a personhas two left feet is to say he or she is an awkward
or clumsy dancer.
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A
hen party
|
You only find girls and ladies
at a hen party. The reason for that is that this colloquialism
defines a gathering of women. Frequently it's a meeting or a
party where they exchange talk and gossip. "Helen and Pauline are
attending a
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A
holy terror (1)
|
Jaime doesn't seem to understand
that he's supposed to act like a little angel in his new abode. He's so full
of energy and tricks he's a holy terror. In Jaime's case, a holy
terror is a badly-behaved child. " I think we'd
better have a look into Jaime's past," the director in his neighborhood
sighed. "He's a holy terror up here !"
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A
holy terror (2)
|
New visitors to the dining room
have found that Cavendish can be very demanding. "He insists that we
conduct ourselves like proper ladies and gentleman," Jaime frowned.
"He can be a holy terror at times." In this case a holy
terror is someone -- a boss or someone in a position of
authority -- who causes fear in people.
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Hopping
mad
|
"Hey, down there ! Quiet down
1 You're supposed to be taking your afternoon nap," Mrs K cried.
"All that jumping about is making me hopping mad !"
What Mrs K is saying is that her sweet little infant is making her very
angry. It's not necessary to be a kangaroo to be hopping mad: simply
being extremely mad will do.
|
Hot
air
|
"Elect me and I promise I
will reduce taxes, shorten the work week, and see to it that everyone gets
paid a higher wage," Blah declared. "Blah is full of hot air,"
Someone said. "Yes, and everything he says is hot air," another
replied. Promises and boasts that won't or can't be kept are
called hot air.
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It's
a small world
|
"That foot looks
familiar," Fenton cried. "It sure does," Oliver replied.
"I saw it when we lived in Zanesville. It's a small world,
isn't it ?" The phrase Oliver hurriedly uttered is used to express
surprise when seeing someone or something from the past.
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Keep
one's head
|
Ben's trail of crime has come to
an end. I was amazed, though, to learn how he kept his head when his sentence
was carried out. To keep one's head is to stay calm,
not get excited or frightened. "I'm a relaxed individual," Ben
smiled. "I keep my head no matter how bad things get."
|
Keep
open house
|
Nothing pleases Fergus more than
visiting someone keeping open house. To keep open house is
to welcome all guest or visitors to a house -- and not only
that, but to entertain them 1 This is often shortened to open house.
"Wow, the people who lived here must have had some great open house
parties !" Fergus exclaimed.
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Land
on one's feet
|
If a cat falls, it always seems to
land safely on its feet. That has given us this idiom, so when a person escapes
misfortune or survives an unpleasant situation we say he lands
on his feet. "Maxwell was born lucky. No matter what he does wrong
he always seems to land on his feet.
|
Lay
down the law
|
"The way my employees are
behaving is terrible," Grouch grumbled. "I'm going to lay down the
law and tell them to concentrate on their work." To lay down the
law is to say something or give an order in a way that says "you
will obey me or accept my word without argument or question !"
|
Like
it or lump it
|
No one seems to know where this
expression comes from. What we do know is that it means to put up
with something unpleasant -- such as a decision or a situation -- without
protesting or complaining. "It's no use making a scene, "
Willy's mother said. "Like it or lump it, I insist that you
finish eating your breakfast."
|
The
lion's share
|
After a hunt, lions always take
the largest amount of food for themselves -- and few animals dare dispute
their right to it. That's why we have the lion's share, which
means the largest part or the greatest amount. "I'm
certain I've read somewhere that I'm entitled to the lion's share,"
Cecil complained.
|
Liquid
assets
|
A liquid is something that, like
water, flows freely and easily. Assets are all of someone's belongings,
including property. Those belongings that can be easily converted
into cash are called liquid assets. " Herbert asked
for a loan and the bank manager told him to bring in proof of all his liquid
assets."
|
A
lone wolf
|
Most people enjoy companionship
and like doing things in groups. There are some people, however, who are very
private and prefer being alone. A person like that is often called a lone
wolf. "No wonder Wally is a lone wolf." Martin said.
"Listen to the way he sings to the moon !"
|
Love
is blind
|
According to this old saying a
person in love doesn't see -- or admit to seeing -- faults in the
person he loves. Pierre, for example, thinks Lulu is the sweetest and
dearest girl on earth. "I see what people mean when they say love
is blind," Lulu laughed, "but you'd better watch your step,
Pierre."
|
Make
a clown of oneself
|
In a romantic mood, Humphrey sat
down to serenade Hermione. "Oh, Hermione, you've made a clown of
me," he said as she rejected him. "Nonsense," Hermione
replied. "You've made a clown of yourself. Your singing is awful !"
To make a clown of oneself is to make oneself or
appear foolish or stupid.
|
Make
things hum
|
Until Gustav joined our company we
had all sorts of problems on our production line. Gustav has corrected the
problems and has really made things hum. Not only that, Gustav
has been keeping things humming. To make things hum is to cause
things to perform smoothly and efficiently. To keep things humming is to
keep them performing well.
|
Marry
above oneself
|
For a long, long time Manfred has
been afraid to express his love for May. "After all," he said,
"May is in what some people call 'the upper class', and people in low
positions ( like me ) don't usually marry above themselves." To marry
above oneselfis to marry someone in a higher social class than
one's own.
|
Marry
beneath oneself
|
To some people the social position
of the person they marry is very important consideration. "People who
believe in that kind of nonsense almost never marry beneath themselves, do
they Myrtle ?" "No," Myrtle answered " because marrying
beneath oneself means to marry a person of a lower social
class than the one -- real or imagined -- they belong to."
|
Miss
the boat
|
They stood on the shore with the
rain beating down and the water rising about their feet. "If you hadn't
forgotten our tickets we would have been on time," Amelia scolded.
"You've caused us to miss the boat." To miss the boat
is to be too late for something or to fail to take advantage of an
opportunity.
|
Not
just a pretty face
|
"Personally, I favor that
girl in the middle to win," John said. "Her name's Miss Leung, and
as you can see she's not just a pretty face." A girl
characterized like thispossesses hidden skills, talents or intelligence.
"See, she's loaded with talent. If I were the judge I'd vote for her.
She's much more than a pretty face !"
|
Narrow-minded
|
"There's nothing wrong with
you that can't be cured," Dr Grouse said. "Just be more tolerant,
stop being so critical, show more concern for others, and open
your mind to new ideas. " Willies looked shocked. "Are you telling
me I'm narrow-minded ? That's the most ridiculous thing I've
ever heard !" Willies shouted -- thus proving his narrow-mindedness.
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Hole
in the head
|
"I need space there like I
need a hole in the head !" Bridget screamed. "Madam, that's my
style," the artist replied, " and your advice is as welcome as a
hole in the head." You'll understand this conversation better if you
know a hole in the head meanssomething that is
unnecessary or unwelcome.
|
No
frills
|
A frill is an extra. It may be
nice to have but it's not necessary. An airline, restaurant, tour
company, hotel, etc. offering a basic service without extras (
frills ) can be called a no frills airline, no frills restaurant, no
frills tour company, or a no frills hotel. "We went on a no
frills trip to Europe," Ben said.
|
Off
the hook
|
A fish that is able to get off the
fishing hook and swim away is free of trouble. That's the idea
behind this idiom which means to avoid difficulty or get out of trouble.
"I'm late for school," Mack said. "I had better think up a
good excuse to get off the hook."
|
An
old master
|
Sorry, Paul, you don't qualify as
an old master. It's possible you and your paintings will last forever but an
old master is an artist or a painting dated before the 19th
century. "If I change my name to Rembrandt or Michelangelo, maybe
people would call me an old master and my paintings old masters, " Paul
sighed.
|
One
in a million
|
"My wife is the greatest
person in the whole wide world," Peter said. "She's one in
a million." What Peter is saying is that his wife is very, very
special. She's unusual in every wonderful sense of the word. "I
think you are one in a million, too," his rare and wonderful wife
answered.
|
One's
nearest and dearest
|
"I'm not as rich as
Rocketfeller or as strong as Rambo, and no one has ever asked me to star in a
film," Herbert said humbly, "yet my nearest and dearest tell me I'm
the world's most wonderful husband and father," he grinned. Herbert should
be very proud for one's nearest and dearest is one's
family.
|
Out
of action
|
I'm sure Chad would like to help
his friend win an argument with the neighbor's dog but, unfortunately, he's out
of action. "Personally," Chad whispered, "the way things
are going in there I'm glad I'm out of action today." A person ( or a
cat ) out of action is unable to work or perform, usually because of
an illness.
|
Over
and done with
|
"That's it, it's
finished," the supervisor said. "I'm glad that job is finally over
and done with." There's nothing difficult about this idiom for it's
another way of saying that something -- a job, a relationship, etc.
-- is finished. "I've enjoyed working with you," Aarok said.
"I hope our association isn't over and done with and that we'll work
together again."
|
Pack
one's bags
|
"This place is beginning to
bother me," Albert mumbled. "I'd like to pack my bags and say
goodbye." In anticipation of making an escape, he practiced putting his
valuables into a bag. "To pack one's bags is to leave
a place in anger or annoyance or after a disagreement," the guard
whispered. "And Albert isn't going anywhere !"
|
Paint
a gloomy picture
|
Robert is depressed. That may be
why he is painting a gloomy picture. To paint a gloomy picture is
to describe something -- an event, a situation, the future, etc. --
in a cheerless, gloomy or unpromising way. "I'm sad because the
weatherman has painted a gloomy picture for the weekend," Robert sighed.
"he said it's going to rain."
|
Part
of the furniture
|
Colin has been waiting in the
doctor's waiting room so long that he's beginning to feel that he's now part
of the furniture. For a person to feel that he's part of the
furniture, he has been at one job or in one place so long that he
actually feels he has become part of the environment.
|
Patch
something up
|
When we patch something up --
something torn or broken -- we repair something that is damaged.
Disagreements between people can also be patched up, though it must be
remembered that such repairs are sometimes only temporary. "The manager
was called in to try to patch up a quarrel between the two departments,"
Molly said.
|
Pin
money
|
When we speak of pin money,
we are always referring to a small amount of money. "I'm
going to look for a better job. I'm working for pin money here," Ned
said. It can also refer to a small allowance a man gives his wife, or moneys
he saves from other sources. "Sarah saved her pin money to buy a new
dress."
|
Plain
Jane
|
A plain Jane is a
girl or young woman whose looks are ordinary or common. Because
"plain" and "Jane" rhyme, this is a rhyming idiom used to
describe a girl -- regardless of her name -- who is neither pretty nor ugly.
"Betsy was a plain Jane when we were in school but she's certainly a
beautiful girl today."
|
Pot-luck
dinner
|
A pot-luck dinner is an
informal dinner where each of the guests brings a pot of food to share with
others. Because nobody knows what anyone is bringing, the guests hope
they'll be lucky and the food will be interesting. "Good heavens ! Look
what Egbert's bringing to our pot-luck dinner !"
|
Pour
oil on troubled waters
|
Before its dangers to the
environment were known, oil was poured on rough seas to calm them. Today this
idiom refers to settling disputes or bringing calm to a troubled
situation. "This isn't working," Alex said. "Let's see if
we can pour oil on troubled waters by sitting down and
having a quiet talk about it."
|
Pull
the wool over someone's eyes
|
This expression means to trick
or deceive someone. "Vote for me and I promise to reduce taxes,
increase wages, and give everyone a guaranteed job for life," Blah
proclaimed. "I think Blah is pulling the wool over our eyes,"
someone in the audience muttered. I suspect they're right.
|
Puppy
love
|
The word puppy is from the French
word 'poupee' meaning a little doll. Perhaps that's why puppy love describes a
temporary feeling of affection experienced by a young boy or girl.
"It doesn't take a genius to see that Angela and Tim like each
other," Billy winked. "I think it's puppy love."
|
Put
all one's eggs in one basket
|
"A wise and cautious bird
does not put all her eggs in one basket," Winifred said. "To do
that would be to invite disaster." Those who put all their eggs
in one basketplace all their hopes, money or trust in one plan, scheme or
adventure. And that, as Winifred will tell you, is risky !
|
Rank
and file
|
Are you a leader in a club or an
organization ? If not, you could say that you belong to the rank and file.
The rank and file refers to the ordinary people
within a group, a club, or an organization. "The general is very
busy today. He's out inspecting the rank and file."
|
Rat
race
|
"Hey, Rupert, why do people
call their struggle to succeed a rat race ?" "Don't ask me, Roger.
I'm too caught up in the rat race to think about it." For their
information, a/the rat race is a term that describes our daily
struggle to live, compete or survive.
|
Read
someone
|
We often reveal how we think or
feel by the gestures we make. If we know the meaning of these gestures we
often understand what a person is thinking simply by looking at him.
We say we are able to read him. "I wonder if Millie and
Clarence have ever been able to read each other ?"
|
Safety
in numbers
|
I wish someone would tell the boss
that when a person talks about safety in numbers he isn't
talking about a safe with a number of locks: he's saying that there'sgreater
protection against misfortune when a person is in a group. "If it's true
that there's safety in numbers my records should be secure now," the
boss said.
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